《Level 4 Human in a Ruined World》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 1: Chaebols Transform into Dragons (1) Yeongwoo pondered in his half-asleep state. What if, six years ago, he hadn¡¯t quit his job? If he hadn¡¯t jumped into inte broadcasting, iming that there was no future as a sry worker. ¡®Truthfully, I knew it, too. That it was an escape from reality, a gamble.¡¯ But he wanted to take that gamble before it was toote. Of course, the haphazard gamble he took ultimately ended in failure. And as a consequence, Yeongwoo experienced how detrimental a career break could be to receablebor. He spent two years as a job seeker, then another year working two part-time jobs to make ends meet. He was thankful that he was at least able to get two part-time jobs. And now, one more year has passed since then. ¡°Yeongwoo, what are you doing? Get up quickly!¡± He was lying in the dormitory of a factory in *Gumi, Gyeongsangbuk-do, wandering through his dreams. [TL/N: *Gumi is a City in Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea.] ¡°Hey! Wake up!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± Only when the other person shook his shoulder roughly did Yeongwoo realize that the owner of this voice was his dorm roommate. ¡°Now is not the time to sleep! Something really big has happened!¡± That word ¡®big¡¯ stuck in his ears. Yeongwoo finally blinked his eyes open, feeling a chill run down his spine. ¡°Ugh! Wha¡­ What time is it, Hyung? I¡¯m on the night shift today.¡± ¡°Hey, in times like these, is going to work that important?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± At the unexpected statement, Yeongwoo wore a bewildered expression, and his roommate urgently spoke again. ¡°You, quickly, open your right hand. Let me see how many you¡¯ve got.¡± ¡°Wh-what are you talking about right now?¡± Only btedly did Yeongwoo realize something was off. His dorm roommate. That is, the 38-year-old man, Im Bonghee, seemed too cheerful. No, beyond cheerful, he seemed almost thrilled with some kind of excitement. ¡°Damn, the whole world is turning upside down! It seems like chaebols and everything else are all disappearing? This can¡¯t be a dream, right?¡± ¡°Since earlier what¡­?¡± Before Yeongwoo could finish saying, ¡®nonsense are you saying?¡¯ something caught his eye. ¨DWould you like to nominate [Chaebol Leader ¨C Kim Dongho] as a candidate for elimination? If you agree, please use your karma points to exercise this right. A blue text slowly ascended in the corner of his vision. Then, more lines followed below. ¨D[Actress ¨C Hyun Songae] is a candidate for elimination¡­ ¨D[Serial Killer ¨C Kim Eungpyo] is a candidate for elimination¡­ ¨D[Inte Broadcaster ¨C Lee Hoyeon (Pupi)] is a candidate for elimination¡­ ¡°What¡­ what is all this¡­?¡± As Yeongwoo reached out to touch the text in the air, Bonghee nced at his palm and widened his eyes. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Check your right hand now. You only have three karma points.¡± Yeongwoo hastily spread his right hand and saw the bright number ¡®3¡¯ shining on his palm. ¡°¡­?¡± Was this a dream? But everything felt too vivid. ¡°Wait a minute. What exactly is happening right now¡­¡± ¡°Hey, looking at your reaction, I definitely know this isn¡¯t a dream.¡± As Yeongwoo asked, Bonghee seemed to have been waiting for his question. Bonghee, who was looking closely at Yeongwoo¡¯s dumbfounded expression, came to his own realization and held out his palm. Whoosh. [9] ¡°Do you see this? I also have some left over after using some of them. I think it was around 20 at the beginning.¡± ¡°You used it?¡± As Yeongwoo asked, he shifted his gaze to the problematic messages: ¡ª[Politician ¨C Kang Hongse] is a candidate for elimination¡­ ¡ª[Singer ¨C Kim Kwangtae] is a candidate for elimination¡­ ¡®No way.¡¯ Now that he looked closely, there was one thing inmon among the individuals highlighted in the messages. They all had caused some form of social controversy. For instance, Chaebol Leader, Kim Dongho, had a history of verbally abusing his chauffeur, while the actress Hyun Songae had been criticized after her past abuse of power toward her stylist was exposed. In essence, those marked by the blue messages were individuals who had earned the public¡¯s disdain for their actions. ¡°¡­¡± Yeongwoo, having grasped the minimum understanding of the situation, took a deep breath and closed his eyes. It was a ritual he adopted when he had to make the most rational judgment possible. ¡°If this isn¡¯t a dream, what exactly is happening here?¡± Yeongwoo asked, prompting Bonghee to respond as if he had been waiting. ¡°You¡¯re seeing the same thing I am¡­ Isn¡¯t there something above your head or around there?¡± ¡°Above my head?¡± Whoosh. As Yeongwoo raised his head following Bonghee¡¯s lead, he spotted a fist-sized blue sphere. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± And finally, the information he had missed while he was sleeping began to fill his eyes. [Hello, this is an announcement from the Board of Directors.] [At 10:12:08 AM on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, a state of ¡®imbnce¡¯ has urred.] [This indicates that the number of humans holding hostility toward the world has exceeded the majority, triggering the enforced activation of the reset function.] More than half of humanity has be hostile toward the world. Simply put, around 4 billion people had dissatisfaction with how the world was, prompting this action. ¡®Wh-what are they talking about¡­?¡¯ Yeongwoo wore an unbelievable expression but he still felt a pang of self-reproach deep down. Terms like ¡®imbnce¡¯ and ¡®reset¡¯¡­ It felt like they were picking at his delusions. Not that it was an extraordinary thought. When he read articles about chaebols losing their temper or heard about a *BJ buying a supercar, he¡¯d entertain fleeting thoughts at that level. [TL/N: *BJ = Broadcast Jockey / Korean term for streamers.] He always thought that the world was a little unfair and wrong. So, it was true that he asionally had such delusions, like what would happen if the world turned upside down? But interpreting that as ¡®humanity holding hostility toward the world¡¯? ¡®It feels like things are going really, really wrong.¡¯ Yeongwoo swallowed hard unconsciously. In the meantime, the message left by the self-proimed board of directors continued. [The first stage of the reset is ¡®Filtration.¡¯ During this stage, we will filter out and eliminate the main culprits that have brought the world into a state of imbnce.] [Therefore, a vote for their elimination will soon be held.] [The majority of voters will nominate candidates they perceive as perpetrators of the imbnce, and those who receive enough votes will face either elimination, mutation, or dismemberment.] [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Reaching this passage, Yeongwoo looked at his own palm again. ¡®Then, are they asking each person to use their karma points to target famous individuals? This is basically a witch hunt.¡¯ Among the candidates there were indeed truly wicked individuals, but in many cases, they were not. No, in reality, they were the vast majority. ¡°If it goes on like this, it will be a catastrophe¡­¡± Yeongwoo tried to tell Bonghee to stop voting, but it was already toote. Bonghee¡¯s karma points, which were 9 just a moment ago, had now decreased to 6. ¡°Oh, found you, you bastard!¡± Vote. Bonghee¡¯s karma points decreased to 5. ¡°Uh, Hyung, who did you just vote for?¡± ¡°You know that BJ I watch all the time? That guy, he¡¯s always harassing women, even without the show.¡± ¡°The hunting broadcast? That¡¯s the one you always watch, right?¡± As Youngwoo spoke, Bonghee, who had been gazing into space, grimaced. ¡°Yeah, but even while watching it, I felt like shit. Without the broadcast, he¡¯d be working at some shady ce.¡± ¡°¡­But does that mean you have to vote for his death?¡± ¡°There¡¯d be a lot of people voting for him, wouldn¡¯t there? And when else would we ever take down guys like this?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Despite Youngwoo¡¯s darkening expression, Bonghee paid him no heed and cast another vote. Paat. Now he only had 4 karma points, and then, an alert appeared in both their sights. [There are 5 minutes remaining until the candidates for elimination are confirmed. Activating the search function for faster voting.] Alongside, a small search bar appeared at the bottom of the candidate list. ¡°Hey, if there¡¯s anyone you want to get rid of, do it, don¡¯t waste your vote. You¡¯ll regret itter.¡± Saying this, Bonghee turned back to the empty space. Meanwhile, Youngwoo, after some contemtion, shifted his gaze to the search bar. Instantly, the keywords he thought about appeared in the bar. #Murderer #SerialKiller #R¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€ These were the crimes Youngwoo deemed ¡°deserving of death.¡± But surprisingly, only a few people appeared in response to these keywords. There were only 5 candidates in total, and all of them were notorious serial killers. ¡®¡­Why?¡¯ Youngwoo pondered for a while, recalling the exnation he saw earlier. ¨DThe list includes the main culprits of the imbnce as perceived by the majority of voters¡­ ¡®Oh my god. The rest weren¡¯t as popr, that¡¯s why only famous people made it to the candidates¡¯ list.¡¯ Then what was the point? There could be possibly hundreds if not thousands of living murderers, so what kind of ¡®filtering¡¯ would it be to eliminate only the famous 5? ¡®Is this really not a dream but reality¡­? Youngwoo couldn¡¯t believe it. If all of this was ¡®real,¡¯ the arbiter of the reset must be a being far superior to humans, be it a god or something else entirely. But doing things like this¡­? While he was shocked, Bonghee, sitting next to him, was rapidly reducing the number on his palm. From 4 to 3, then 3 to 2¡­ next 1, and finally¡­ Paat! As the remaining karma points reached 0, the number vanished entirely from Bonghee¡¯s palm. ¡°Ha, I¡¯ve cleared it all out.¡± Youngwoo, on the other hand, was still looking at the list of candidates. [There is 1 minute remaining until the candidates for elimination are confirmed.] The karma points he currently had remaining were the same as before: 3. ¡®In any case, even if I use all of my karma points, I can¡¯t even deal with the 5 candidates on the list.¡¯ Moreover, since those 5 were infamous, they would likely have received a lot of votes already. ¡°¡­¡± After some contemtion, Youngwoo averted his gaze from the list without casting his vote. He didn¡¯t want to participate in this madness in any way. Not only that, but for some reason, he felt uneasy. Shortly after, an announcement indicated the end of the voting period. [The Candidates for elimination have been confirmed.] [In a moment, the fate of each candidate will be decided based on the number of votes.] [Confirmed candidates will be able to choose between elimination, mutation, or dismemberment.] ¡°What? They weren¡¯t guaranteed to die?¡± Checking the message, Bonghee¡¯s eyes widened. But what he really needed to worry about was what happened next. [During the vote tallying, we will proceed with the second stage of the reset, ¡®Individual Filtration.¡¯] The name alone sounded ominous. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Sure enough, Bonghee looked anxious, and soon, a new notice appeared in everyone¡¯s sight, including his. [Starting now, you can spend karma points to send ¡®Deaths¡¯ to desired targets.] [Each Death will consume one point, and to prevent a Death aimed at you, you¡¯ll need to spend your own karma points.] [If you fail to prevent the Death, you¡¯ll inevitably face elimination. Please be cautious.] ¡°Wait¡­ What are they talking about right now?¡± It seemed like Bonghee thought death would definitelye for him. As soon as he finished reading the notice, his body began trembling uncontrobly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Hyung?¡± Even though Youngwoo suspected that the other had a story, he asked indirectly. At that, Bonghee stared at Youngwoo in surprise. Then, noticing the ¡®3¡¯ still in Youngwoo¡¯s hand, Bonghee¡¯s expression brightened with hope. ¡°Oh, Youngwoo¡­! You still have karma points left, right? Could you use them to stop the deathing for me? It might work, right?¡± ¡°Well, why would someone send a Death toward you, Hyung? Who would even bother spending karma points to¡­¡± ¡°Uh, that¡¯s right¡­ it might note, but¡­ you never know.¡± ¡°Really? Then maybe I should save mine just in case.¡± Youngwoo responded nonchntly, trying to sit back on the bed, but Bonghee abruptly grabbed his shoulders. ¡°No!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t! Death, it¡¯ll definitelye for me!¡± Clearly agitated, Bonghee was trembling intensely. ¡°But¡­ why? If you can give me a proper reason, I¡¯ll do my best to help.¡± ¡°I-I¡­?¡± Ultimately, he decided that he had no other choice, and at the moment Bonghee was about to say something¡­ Swoosh! A sound seemed toe from the ceiling, or rather, from the sky beyond, and soon, a bright white light shot down. Precisely aimed at Bonghee¡¯s forehead. ¡°Ah!¡± For a moment, an incredible fear shed through Bonghee¡¯s eyes, and shortly after, Youngwoo saw a message appear above his head. ¡ª[R¨€¨€¨€¨€¨€ ¨C Im Bonghee] couldn¡¯t prevent the Death and has been eliminated. And then, silently. Swish. Bonghee¡¯s body disappeared as if melting into the thin air. There were still 3 karma points remaining in Youngwoo¡¯s palm. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 2 Chapter 2 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 2: Chaebols Transform into Dragons (2) ¡°¡­What.¡± Yeongwoo froze in ce, witnessing Bonghee¡¯s disappearance. ¡®What just happened?¡¯ His fingertips trembled, but it wasn¡¯t because of Bonghee¡¯s death. It was the realization that something supernatural had exercised physical force. It wasn¡¯t untilter that the shock and difort of realizing the person he¡¯d shared a room with for nearly a year was, in fact, a criminal came. ¡°Ha.¡± Reality finally sunk in. Yeongwoo swallowed hard and stared at where Bonghee had been. Then, a new notification appeared, as if urging him on. [There is 1 minute remaining until Individual Filtration ispleted.] |Currently, Yeongwoo Jeong has 3 karma points remaining. 3 karma points. Three chances to eliminate whoever he wanted. Yet, Yeongwoo did not have the courage to use this opportunity. The first reason was that he didn¡¯t have anyone he wanted to eliminate, not even with such inexplicable powers, and the second reason¡­ ¡®It feels ominous. Whether it¡¯s the vote for someone¡¯s elimination or whatever, it seems like people will be held ountable for their actions, no matter what.¡¯ Even just looking at the deceased Bonghee made it apparent. If he hadn¡¯t randomly targeted celebrities in stage one, he would¡¯ve been able to prevent the Death that was sent toward him. He had around 20 points when this all began. In other words. ¡®Let¡¯s not do anything reckless. Even if it means losing all remaining points, there¡¯s no reason to purposefully use them.¡¯ With a resolved mind, Yeongwoo remained still, even as the countdown began. [Individual Filtration closure is imminent.] ¡­3 seconds. ¡­2 seconds. ¡­1 second. ¡­Filtration closure. Beep! A signal sounded sharply from somewhere beyond the ceiling, indicating that the filtration process had beenpleted. And then. ¡°¡­¡± Nothing happened. Yeongwoo stood in the center of the room, gazing at the ceiling. Since the results of the first stage of filtration that were carried out previously have not yet been announced, the ¡®reset¡¯ itself may not have beenpleted. ¡®Are they giving us a short break until the vote tallying is over?¡¯ He cautiously opened the door. Creeeak¨C As he looked out into the dormitory hallway, others sensing his presence opened their doors one by one. ¡°Is everyone okay?¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening¡­?¡± Just by meeting their eyes, Yeongwoo could sense how each of them had experienced the reset. Those brimming with life likely had experienced being hit by Deaths. Without saying anything, they either mmed their doors shut or hurried outside the building. However, there were some who looked like they found the situation amusing. Yeongwoo concluded that they were the hitters from stage one. Because Bonghee had the same expression as them before his demise. And a few still seemed dazed, probably¡­ ¡®Those who didn¡¯t get hit and haven¡¯t witnessed others being hit.¡¯ In other words, those still unsure whether this was a dream or reality. ¡®Then what am I?¡¯ He nced again at his palm. Despite stage two filtration ending, the number ¡®3¡¯ was still there. ¡®Could it be that karma points are used in the next stages as well?¡¯ It was an enigma. Just as Yeongwoo contemted, the problematic notification reappeared. [Vote tallying has concluded.] [Elimination will be carried out publicly, and the subjects of elimination will be given the right to choose between elimination, mutation, or dismantle.] ¡®It¡¯s here again. Elimination, mutation, or dismantle¡­ What does that mean?¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s confusion didn¡¯tst long. ¡ª[Chaebol Leader ¨C Kang Hongtae] stands before the choice. ¡ªHe is furious. ¡ªChoose [Mutation]. ¡ªThe karma points he possessed are being reflected. ¡ªA new monster type, ¡®Dragon¡¯, has been added to this world. ¡ª[Chaebol Leader ¨C Kang Hongtae] is now a threat to everyone as a ¡®Fire Dragon¡¯. ¡°What¡­?¡± Even Yeongwoo, who had epted the reset as reality, couldn¡¯t help but be astonished at the message he had just seen. ¡°A dragon? What are they talking about?¡± Meanwhile, it seemed that Kang Hongtae¡¯s turn had passed, and the next person stood before the choices. And this time, the choice of the next person was somewhat different from Kang Hongtae. ¨D[President ¨C Park Dohwan] stands before the choices. ¨DHe is feeling perplexed. ¨DChoose [Dismantle]. ¨DThe karma points he possessed are being reflected. ¨DA newponent, [Quest], has been added to this world. Unlike Kang Hongtae bing a Fire Dragon, there wasn¡¯t any special follow-up message this time. ¡®So¡­ since he chose dismantle, was his disappearance the price for adding the quests?¡¯ Yeongwoo struggled toprehend what was happening. Because this was about the world he would now have to live in. A world with dragons and quests. Althoughmonly seen in games or novels, he had never considered what would happen if those things became a reality. But the real problem was about to begin. ¡®Wait, only two people have chosen so far. Even if they couldn¡¯t get everyone in stage one, thousands of people should have been affected¡­¡¯ His thoughts grew hazy. And right on cue, the next person faced the choices. ¨D[Actress ¨C Park Soyoung] stands before the choices ¨DShe feels immense sadness. ¨DChoose [Elimination]. ¨D[Actress ¨C Park Soyoung] has disappeared from this world without any impact. ¡®Huh¡­?¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s pupils dted in surprise. It wasn¡¯t clear if Park Soyoung had received adequate information before choosing elimination. However, one thing was certain. ¡®If someone chooses elimination, they¡¯ll leave this world without causing any impact.¡¯ To be precise, it meant opting for death while leaving the public who targeted thempletely unharmed. In any case, through the choices of the first three individuals, everyone learned something. The specific meanings behind each choice. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Whether to be a monster for revenge with [Mutation], change the very structure of the world with [Dismantle], or simply cease to be involved in this world with [Elimination]. ¡®But who would willingly choose to die? Especially those who were unfairly led to their deaths.¡¯ Yeongwoo believed that most individuals would ponder only between mutation and dismantle. Disappearing from this world without a trace, even if they didn¡¯t seek revenge, felt hollow and unjust. And indeed, from the fourth person onwards, no one chose [Elimination]. ¨DA new monster type, [Ogre], has been added to this world. ¨DA new monster type, [Goblin], has been added to this world. ¨DA newponent, [Armor], has been added to this world. ¨DA new monster type, [Owlbear], has been added to this world. ¨DA newponent, [Currency], has been added to this world. New elements constantly appeared, be it monsters orponents that could potentially rece the existing world. ¡°¡­¡± At this, Yeongwoo hastily began to pack his belongings into his backpack. He had a feeling he wouldn¡¯t be able to stay here forever. Then¡­ ¨DA newponent, [Food], has been added to this world. When ¡®Food¡¯ was added by someone, Yeongwoo was so shocked that he dropped his backpack. Shh¡­! Smoke started rising from the chocte bar he had just put into his backpack. ¡®What was that?¡¯ Cautiously peering into the backpack, he saw that the chocte bar, still wrapped in its packaging, had turned into stone. ¡®Unbelievable¡­¡¯ With a face expressing disbelief, Yeongwoo picked up the chocte bar. It weighed the same as before turning into stone, but it was no longer food. In other words¡­ ¡®This means that not just food, but anything from the existing world could turn into stone.¡¯ For instance, since ¡®Currency¡¯ was added a while ago, the cash, coins, and cards they used until now might have turned into stones. But the real problem wasn¡¯t that those things had turned into stones. ¡®So, what is the new currency, and where and how do I get it? If I can¡¯t eat the food from before, what will I eat from now on?¡¯ As if in response to Yeongwoo¡¯s questions, new messages appeared at the top of his vision. [¡°The quest system has been activated.] Next, a yellow message appeared to the left of his vision. It was none other than the ¡®Main Quest.¡¯ [Main Quest] ¡°New Life¡± [Mission] Find a nearby currency exchange following the arrow. [Reward] Basic living funds [Special] Additional reward for earlypletion ¡°¡­!¡± Among the peculiar contents, the words ¡®currency exchange¡¯ particrly caught Yeongwoo¡¯s attention. It might have something to do with the number ¡®3¡¯ still engraved on his palm. As the previous world gradually disappeared, it seemed that the only means to obtain the new currency was in exchange for karma points. Swish. Quickly lifting the backpack from the floor, Yeongwoo opened the door and sprinted through the dorm hallway. Others, previously staring nkly at the messages, started following Yeongwoo one after another. They also saw the Main Quest and therge arrow that suddenly appeared at their feet. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Hey, let¡¯s go together!¡± Meanwhile, in the corner of his vision, the selection results of those subject to eliminations were constantly being disyed. ¨DA new monster type, [Golem], has been added to this world. ¨DA new monster type, [Man Eater], has been added to this world. ¨DA newponent, [World Map], has been added to this world. While running near the parking lot, Yeongwoo witnessed all the vehicles turning to stone as soon as ¡®World Map¡¯ was added. Shh¡­! For some reason, the use of vehicles was restricted. But Yeongwoo was no longer surprised. ¡®A world map? Does it affect the mode of travel? Who was dismantled to have this added?¡¯ Although he could have pulled up the result list to check, he had more urgent matters at hand. Thud! Despite being the first to dash out of the dormitory, he was now being overtaken byters. Even considering his age of thirty-four, Yeongwoo was never quick on his feet. His untrained body moved sluggishly. ¡®Damn it¡­!¡¯ Two, three¡­ five¡­ within seconds, seven dashed past him. Then finally¡­ Swoosh. The arrow pointing northeast began to tilt. It meant the destination was nearing. Suddenly, an immense roaring sound echoed from the sky. Screeeeech! Resembling the roar of a jet, the sound reverberated across the entire sky, and as Yeongwoo lifted his head, his mouth fell open in astonishment. Screeeeech! Screeeeech! Hundreds of ck pir-like objects were descending from above. ¡°¡­?¡± About ten meters high, these ck rectangr objects at first seemed to being down randomly, but they appeared to have predeterminednding points. Sssshhhh! Thu-thu-thu-thud! Eight of these rectangr objectsnded within Yeongwoo¡¯s line of sight, maintaining a consistent interval between each other. And among them, the closest one vibrated slightly and emitted a faint light. ¡­Brrrr. ¡­Brrrr. ¡®Ah.¡¯ Seeing this, Yeongwoo finally realized. That was the currency exchange. More precisely, the vibrating object calling him was the currency exchange assigned to him. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 3 Chapter 3 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 3: Chaebols Transform into Dragons (3) ¡°I-is this the currency exchange?¡± ¡°Where did ite from¡­?¡± As the currency exchange appeared on the ground, the reactions among the front-runners were mixed. Some gazed anxiously at the sky, unsure. Others, stricken with fear, took a few steps backward. And then¡­ Determination. Someone, daringly, began walking straight toward the currency exchange. Though a minority, Yeongwoo was among those individuals. ¡°¡­¡± Forcing his stiffened legs forward amidst his fear. ¡®The world might have reset, but not everyone¡¯s abilities did. In terms of physical abilities, I¡¯m at the very bottom¡­ destined for vulnerability.¡¯ It was a realization that struck Yeongwoo when he fell behind in the race earlier. In a world with dragons and quests, what would be the most crucial ability? Undoubtedly, physical abilities. Moreover, the first quest came with a coveted firste-first-serve reward. Even if the appearance of the currency exchange hadn¡¯t overwhelmed the crowd, swift individuals would have seized the reward long ago. ¡®But I still have a chance.¡¯ Yeongwoo continued advancing, seeing those who surpassed him still frozen in ce. ¡­Brrr! ¡­Brrr! As the distance to the currency exchange shortened to within 20 meters, its emitted light and vibrations intensified. Simultaneously, another piece of information seeped into Yeongwoo¡¯s mind. One, the currency exchange doesn¡¯t attack humans. Two, it¡¯ll disappear after approximately two hours in this location. Three, touching the surface of the currency exchange initiates the exchange. It felt as if he¡¯d known these facts for a long time. ¡®¡­?¡¯ Yeongwoo felt the inexplicability of this strange experience but continued moving forward. And then finally. ¡°¡­Huh.¡± He stood boldly before the pulsating currency exchange. ¡­Brrr! ¡­Brrr! Its surface, indiscernible in material, waspletely ck. Despite the high sun casting its rays, this bizarre object neither reflected nor allowed light to pass through it. It tantly dered itself as something not of this world. ¡°¡­¡± Yeongwoo cautiously reached out, making contact with the currency exchange. Thud. It was cold. And the touch was as solid as touching marble, felt throughout his palm. Following this, a new interface appeared before Yeongwoo. Whoosh! [Resident information has been registered.] |Name: Jeong Yeongwoo07 |Role: TBC (To Be Confirmed) |Active Benefit: [Tax Deduction ¨C Single Household] ¡®A tax¡­ deduction?¡¯ At this point, Yeongwoo even felt gratitude toward Bonghee for dying in front of him. If not for that incident, he wouldn¡¯t have taken this seriously. ¡®Is this some sort of a status window?¡¯ Yeongwoo meticulously inspected his resident information. Given the number 07 appended to the name Jeong Yeongwoo, it seemed like¡­ ¡®Among all the Jeong Yeongwoos in the country, I¡¯m the seventh to register resident information.¡¯ In other words, there were six or more daring or reckless Jeong Yeongwoos out there. Yeongwoo, feeling oddly immersed, examined the sole benefit he possessed: the tax deduction for a single household. |Active Benefit: [Tax Deduction ¨C Single Household] There was no argument against the diagnosis of a single household. He was abandoned in front of an orphanage as an infant and did not know who his parents were, thus he also had no siblings. ¡®But being eligible for tax deductions because I¡¯m from a single household means that someone, somehow, will collect taxes.¡¯ In a world where even the president had dismantled and vanished, who was going to collect taxes? While Yeongwoo pondered this, the resident information screen disappeared, reced by a new message. [We will begin the currency exchange.] [For every remaining karma point you have, 10,000 karma will be provided in coin form.] Karma. Likely the new currency in this reset world. ¡®As expected¡­!¡¯ Confirming that the remaining points were eligible for exchange, Yeongwoo felt a subtle excitement. |Worker Jeong Yeongwoo07 possesses 3 karma points. |An exchange of 30,000 karma will be provided. Please be prepared. ¡®Prepared? For what¡­?¡¯ As Yeongwoo pondered the instructions, suddenly, Ting! Ting! Ting! A sound reminiscent of coins rolling came from inside the currency exchange¡­ Shwoosh! Suddenly, dozens of crimson coins poured out all at once. ¡°Whoa¡­!¡± He instinctively reached out with both hands, but capturing all the coins was nearly impossible. Ting! Ting! Ting! In the end, about a dozen coins slipped from Yeongwoo¡¯s grasp, hitting the ground and bouncing noisily in all directions. ¡®¡­Oh no.¡¯ But the ¡°incident¡± didn¡¯t end there. Ting! Ting! Ting! Someone, allocated to the same currency exchange as Yeongwoo, had also begun their exchange on the opposite side. ¡°Hey, be careful!¡± Yeongwoo attempted to warn them, but it was toote. Whoosh! A muchrger amount of coins than Yeongwoo¡¯s spilled out from the currency exchange, followed by someone¡¯s startled voice from the other side of the exchange. ¡°Huh?¡± Gradually, the figure of a person, previously obscured by the massive exchange booth, became visible. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry! This, uh¡­¡± The person, a tall young man, quickly apologized upon noticing some of his coins mixed with Yeongwoo¡¯s. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo, noticing the man¡¯s police uniform, picked up the few coins that had rolled towards him and handed them over. ¡°These¡­ came all the way here.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you!¡± Seeing the young man repeatedly bowing, Yeongwoo momentarily eased his guard. For some reason, he felt he was facing a genuinely good person. But that didn¡¯tst long. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Soon, a fierce and massive presence overwhelmed not just the two of them but everyone in the exchange area. Thud! Thud! The ters,¡± who had been observing the situation from afar, began rushing in upon seeing the coins pouring out. ¡°It¡¯s an actual money exchange, huh?¡± ¡°Incredible.¡± ¡°They¡¯re just scattered on the ground?¡± Due to the reset, everyone knew the existing currency had be useless. As a result, the people rushing towards the currency exchange were in aplete frenzy. ¡®Crazy. I need to hurry.¡¯ Sensing that chaos would soon erupt, Yeongwoo swiftly gathered the coins from the ground. Through this process, he realized that each of these crimson coins, roughly the size of a 500-won coin, were worth 1,000 karma each. Since, after he collected all the coins scattered around, there were precisely 30 coins. ¡®If I didn¡¯t have a bag, I¡¯d be in real trouble.¡¯ As he poured the handful of coins into his backpack, Yeongwoo suddenly remembered the police officer from earlier. Swiftly ncing up, he noticed the officer, with a desperate expression, stuffing coins into his pants and shirt pockets. The amount of karma received from the exchange was too much; even using both hands, he couldn¡¯t pick them all up. Dududududu¡­! In the meantime, theters had closed in. With his eyes fixed on the dozens of coins scattered around the police officer. ¡®There¡¯s no way out for him. They¡¯ll swipe them all in front of his eyes.¡¯ Seeing no space left in the officer¡¯s pockets, Yeongwoo shouted loudly. ¡°It¡¯s toote! Give up the rest!¡± ¡°But, but still¡­¡± It was only after hearing Yeongwoo¡¯s words that the officer, btedly grasping the situation, hesitated to leave his spot. He still had regrets. There were too many scattered coins on the ground. And so, in the end¡­ ¡°Waaah!¡± Theters finally rushed in and overwhelmed the officer before reaching the currency exchange. Thump! Thump! Despite being considered ters,¡± they were essentially no different from highway robbers. They intentionally started scuffles to snatch away his coins. ¡°Hey, hold on!¡± Clearly, the officer, whose pockets were filled with coins, became the prime target. Dozens of people crowded around him, squeezing their hands into his pockets, while others started picking up coins from the ground due to his imposing figure and uniform. ¡®¡­My god.¡¯ Even Yeongwoo, who had escaped from the scene earlier, was not safe either. In fact, there was no safe ce in the first ce. Simr incidents were unfolding at other currency exchanges that had appeared everywhere. ¡®There is no way out.¡¯ Everywhere he looked, it was a scene of robbery. And soon, the robbers closed in on Yeongwoo. ¡°Aaah!¡± Unlike the officer who had to deal with dozens, Yeongwoo had only a few men clinging to him. However, the pressure of being outnumbered was enormous for Yeongwoo, who was not veryrge and strong to begin with. ¡°You greedy bastards!¡± Adding to the chaos. Wooosh! As someone behind attempted to tear his backpack away, Yeongwoo felt an emotion close to the fear of death. ¡°My belongings¡­!¡± It was practically his entire fortune. Whump! Once again, his body was pulled violently. Enraged, Yeongwoo twisted his upper body to face the culprit. Just then, a punchnded squarely on his face. Baam! The robbers were equally anxious. Before others couldtch on more, the immediate goal was to snatch away the backpack. ¡°Ugh!¡± As Yeongwoo groaned in agony, those surrounding him thought, ¡°He might give up the backpack if we hit him a bit more.¡± Baam! The second blow struck between Yeongwoo¡¯s right ear and cheek. ¡°Argh!¡± Apanied by a dull thud and a ringing in the ears, a sudden loss of strength in both legs was felt. It was his first time receiving such a blow from someone else, making it difficult to gather his senses. Meanwhile, people continued to attempt to strip him of his backpack. ¡®No! Without that, I¡­¡¯ As Yeongwoo struggled and resisted, someone outside his field of vision twisted his arm without restraint. Thwack. The pressure felt as if their intention was to break his arm, regardless of whether it actually did or not. ¡®At this rate, it¡¯ll really break.¡¯ Would he end up penniless, or would he end up penniless and crippled? ¡®Ah.¡¯ In the moment of despair, as Yeongwoo considered giving up his backpack, Poof! The quest message that had been lingering in the corner of his vision vanished, reced by a new message. [Quest Complete ¨C ¡°New Life¡±] [Rewards Granted] |Basic Living Funds |Firste, First-served Reward Then, a ring warning message interrupted his view. |You are a firste, first-served recipient. |Prepare yourself. ¡®Prepare¡­?¡¯ Just the word ¡®prepare¡¯ made Yeongwoo¡¯s heart grow cold. When he had seen the previous ¡®prepare¡¯ prompt, the currency exchange had suddenly showered out coins. And now¡­ Swoosh! With a sharp sound, something descended from the sky, far above the ground. ¡®What?¡¯ Unwittingly sprawled on the ground and enduring the assault, Yeongwoo managed to open one eye and nced up at the sky. And there it was. A sword-like object descending straight towards him. ¡°¡­!¡± The speed was so fast that by the time he realized what was happening, the sword had already arrived right in front of him. Right next to Yeongwoo¡¯s right hand, which was being twisted on the ground. Shiing! As the 80-centimeter-long metal object fell from the sky, everyone stopped moving. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°Wh-what is that?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± It wasn¡¯t just one sword that had descended. Shoosh! Thud! There was only a slight time difference, but everyone who met the firste first-served condition received a sword. Swoosh! Thud! Swoosh! At every spot where people had gathered, silver streaks rained down, ranging from one to three at a time. ¡®Two, three, seven¡­ ten¡­ roughly ten people.¡¯ Yeongwoo estimated the number of ¡®firste¡¯ recipients based on thending sounds of the swords. Then, Thud! Faster than anyone else, he picked up his sword. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 4 Chapter 4 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 4: Chaebols Transform into Dragons (4) Sword. It was surprisingly light. At most, it felt like it would weigh only a few hundred grams. And as soon as he gripped the sword¡¯s handle, the tooltip that appeared in front of his eyes suggested that indeed, it was indeed a lightly designed weapon. [Early Bird] ¨C Hero¡¯s One-Handed Sword [Very lightweight.] However, there was no other information avable. Not even the attack power typically disyed in a weapon item tooltip. All Yeongwoo could discern was the fact that it was light. Yet, for the moment, that was enough. ¡°Step aside! Anyone who touches me from now on will die for sure!¡± As Yeongwoo yelled, gripping the sword with both hands, the people surrounding him flinched. But they didn¡¯t all scatter in a panic. It was probably because they noticed the sword trembling severely in Yeongwoo¡¯s hands. ¡°¡­.¡± A strange silence enveloped the scene. A seemingly average build, a face smeared with blood, an unsteady stance that barely held. Could this person really have the ability to kill? Moreover, the sword was worth much more than mere coins. With a sword in hand, one could easily steal as many coins as they wanted. And the fact that it was a rare item with only a few in the vicinity was an added bonus. ¡®¡­I must look like an easy target.¡¯ Seeing a glimmer of resolve in the eyes of the onlookers, Yeongwoo tensed his hands and forearms. Swish! Right then, a significant movement urred behind him. Someone was rushing to wrap their arms around him. ¡°¡­.!¡± Reacting swiftly, Yeongwoo twisted his body and swung the sword behind him. Swish! The sword¡¯s trajectory shed, apanied by a sickening squelch. Thud! The de struck the shoulder muscles of the man who was trying to approach Yeongwoo. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± There was no dramatic scene of a de slicing through someone¡¯s body, as seen in movies orics. In reality, it was just the muscles contracting reflexively, mping down on the de. ¡­Grit. The slight tremor of the contracted muscles transmitted through the sword¡¯s handle. Perhaps this was the texture of human flesh. ¡®¡­¡¯ What kind of life had begun? The life that until yesterday merely consisted of shuttling between a factory and a dormitory now felt like a dream. Swish! As he withdrew the de from the opponent¡¯s body, a small amount of blood sttered, and the forgotten sounds of the scene finally pierced his ears. ¡°Get him!¡± ¡°Aaahh!¡± The observers, deeming Yeongwoo¡¯s first strike a failure, rushed towards him. However, strictly speaking, Yeongwoo¡¯s strike wasn¡¯t a failure. Though unintentional, that earlier strike had be a form of ¡®zeroing in on the target.¡¯ Through the first strike, he somewhat understood the sword¡¯s striking point, realizing that burying the de into the opponent¡¯s body meant a loss in ¡®damage.¡¯ And, most importantly. ¡®Killing a person¡­ It¡¯s not an easy task.¡¯ This realization was crucial. From that moment on, stabbing became his choice of attack. Swish. Of course, it wasn¡¯t a properly executed strike. Simply aiming the de horizontally, perpendicr to the body, he aimed for the opponent¡¯s neck as they approached. Yet, the effect and repercussions were significant. Squelch! The de pierced the opponent¡¯s neck in a sh. ¡°Argh¡­!¡± As the victim shrieked strangely, twisting in pain, Yeongwoo was too preupied tracking the other fleeing attackers. ¡®¡­Two left.¡¯ The number of thieves who managed to escape unscathed. ¡®Damn, it¡¯s only right to kill them all.¡¯ It was a mix of rage, revenge, and an inexplicablepulsion. If his attacks resulted in some dying while others didn¡¯t, even though all of them attacked him equally, it would feel unjust. But now, the distance between both sides was too vast for immediate pursuit. Therefore, the only avable option was to hope for another chance in the future. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Furrowing his brow, the vague outlines of the two fugitives¡¯ faces appeared in his mind. Still, this should be enough to recognize them if he were to meet them again. And if an opportunity arises, he¡¯d definitely kill them right away. Perhaps, this, too, was part of the ¡®karma.¡¯ ¡°Ugh¡­ Ugh¡­.¡± As the second victim of his swing writhed in agony, Yeongwoo finally ended his suffering. Squelch. Right as if waiting for it, the system message appeared again. |Basic living funds will be provided. |Prepare yourself. ¡°Ah.¡± Come to think of it, he had only received the ¡®Early Bird¡¯ as the firste-first-served reward; he hadn¡¯t imed the basic reward from the main quest. ck. Soon enough, a familiar sound echoed, and three red coins materialized in the air where Yeongwoo was looking. Swoosh! ¡°Oh.¡± Yeongwoo eximed in surprise as he quickly grabbed the coins. ¡®Each red coin is worth 1,000 Karmas¡­ They¡¯re giving 3,000 Karmas under the guise of basic living funds.¡¯ Does that mean that with that amount of money, one would be able to provide food, clothing, and shelter for themselves for a while? If that¡¯s the case, then what about the 30,000 Karmas he had obtained from exchanging karma points¡­ ¡°¡­.¡± Suddenly, the image of the police at the same exchange booth and the numerous coins scattered there shed through his mind, but he quickly erased them from his thoughts. ¡®By now, he¡¯s probably dead, or worse. There were too many people near the exchange booth.¡¯ The coins would have scattered among different owners as well. Therefore, the current top priority was simply to escape this living hell. ¡®Then, where to now?¡¯ As Yeongwoo gripped the sword and nced around for a way out, a new quest was assigned right on time. [Main] ¨C ¡°Rookie Soldier¡± [Mission] Follow the arrow to the Sword Mountain, then change your destiny. [Reward] Survival Equipment ¡®Sword Mountain¡­?¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze instinctively turned towards the Early Bird, sensing the significance of the uing quest. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡®Seems like it¡¯s a weapons supply area, but I¡¯m not sure what they mean by ¡®change your destiny¡¯.¡¯ Since there wasn¡¯t a firste-first-served condition this time, anyone who arrived alive at Sword Mountain would obtain a weapon. What on earth was going to happen in the future for them to hand out weapons to everyone? ¡°¡­¡± There was no point in dwelling on it further. Yeongwoo ceased contemting about it and looked at the arrow at his feet. ¡®West¡­ It¡¯s in the direction of Gwangpyeong-dong.¡¯ Gwangpyeong-dong. It¡¯s a housingplex adjacent to the industrialplex where he was staying. When food was ordered from the factory dormitory, it was usually delivered from Gwangpyeong-dong, so it was a familiar area. The problem was that the Sword Mountain was located there. He had a feeling that another bloody battle would soon unfold, but there was no other option. Without hesitation, Yeongwoo followed the arrow¡¯s direction and stepped forward. * * * ¨DA new monster type, ¡®Troll¡¯, has been added to this world. ¨DA newponent, ¡®Abnormal Climate,¡¯ has been added to this world. Even as Yeongwoo ran following the arrow, the world continued to change. However, since he was still traversing the outskirts of Gongdan-dong, he felt no noticeable difference. All that was visible were the dimly lit factory buildings and scattered currency exchange booths. However, there was one significant change from before. ¡®Why?¡¯ That was because, at some point onward, no one appeared to stand in his way. Not only were there no hindrances, but some even cleared the way for him. Why? Could it be that experiencing murder suddenly started to emit an overwhelming aura of fear from him? ¡®No way.¡¯ From this, Yeongwoo arrived at one conclusion. ¡®They aren¡¯t afraid of me. They are afraid of the Early Bird.¡¯ It had been at least several dozen minutes since the exchange boothsnded, and the initial recipients of the Early Bird were tangled in disputes involving dozens of others, hence¡­ ¡®Just by bing the first owner of Early Bird, I proved that I¡¯m strong enough.¡¯ In other words, the Early Bird was now a symbol of a strong and vicious person. ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°Watch out from behind!¡± Yeongwoo felt a wave of corrupted pleasure wash over him as he watched even those who were muchrger than him hurriedly retreating. It was the first time he had seen himself be a source of terror for others. But soon, he reminded himself of his limits. He had inadvertently encountered the ¡®true owner¡¯ of the Early Bird. Swish! A figure appeared like a sh from 10 meters to Yeongwoo¡¯s right. A tall man with a tannedplexion. He was so tall that the Early Bird, which was about 80 centimeters in length, looked tinypared to his height, and from his tanned skin, both sticity and strength exuded simultaneously. ¡®Oh my goodness.¡¯ He exuded such strength that anyone would recognize him as a formidable being. ¡°¡­¡± The man¡¯s gaze met Yeongwoo¡¯s for a moment, then he swiftly continued on his path,pletely ignoring the Early Bird in Yeongwoo¡¯s hand. Faaaah¡­! The distance between the two Early Birds widened quickly. In response, Yeongwoo slightly changed his direction and walked down the same path the man had just taken. The path was wide open thanks to the opponent¡¯s overwhelming force. ¡®What¡¯ll happen when we arrive at the ce called the Sword Mountain? I wonder if I¡¯ll have to end up fighting with guys like that.¡¯ Yeongwoo swallowed his dry saliva as he looked at the ¡®powerful being¡¯ that was already turning into a tiny dot in the distance. And at the same time, amotion began to appear on his left side. ¡°¡­.?¡± Turning his head to see, about a dozen people, all wearing white shirts and maroon ties, came into his view. Were they office workers in a group? ¡®No, wait, where could there be a group of people dressed like that¡­¡¯ As Yeongwoo pondered, a bted realization struck him. ¡®Ah.¡¯ There was one ce where there could be a sizable group of people in shirts and ties. That ce was none other than Gumi City¡¯s Gwangpyeong-dong¡­ ¡®Gumi High School.¡¯ The students in the school were not exceptions to the reset. Judging by how they were already heading towards Sword Mountain, it was evident that they had already passed through the chaos of the exchange booth. Since one student in the lead was even holding an Early Bird. ¡®Did they form an alliance around that kid?¡¯ A group of high school students who secured an Early Bird. Based on preconceptions, Yeongwoo had to remain cautious. Swoosh. The arrow on his feet began to tilt gradually. ¡®Almost there.¡¯ Observing the students converging towards him, Yeongwoo diverted his gaze, searching for the presumed location of ¡®Sword Mountain.¡¯ And then it happened. Crack! There was a loud cracking sound of something shattering, and a change urred in the sky ahead. ¡®Oh my god.¡¯ In an instant, Yeongwoo¡¯s pupils dted to their maximum. What he saw was tens of thousands of weapons raining down from the sky. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 5 Chapter 5 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 5: The Best Sword of Gumi (1) ¡®The term ¡®Sword Mountain¡¯ was quite literal.¡¯ Watching weapons raining down from the sky and piling up at an incredible speed, Yeongwoo had a gut feeling that this would soon form into an actual ¡®mountain.¡¯ And he realized something else. ¡®There will be way more people gathering here than at the currency exchange.¡¯ His deduction stemmed from the vast area upied by the Sword Mountain and the students from Gumi High School moving in the same direction. ¡®I started from Gongdan-dong, and now I¡¯ve encountered students from Gumi High School¡­¡¯ Gumi High School was right in the heart of Gwangpyeong-dong. So,pared to the dozens to hundreds at the currency exchange, the Sword Mountain was attracting people by neighborhoods. Hence, Yeongwoo anticipated crowds gathering even from adjacent neighborhoods like Songjeong-dong and Sinpyeong-dong. ¡®Some of them even have the Early Bird.¡¯ His hand holding the sword felt sweaty. What would be the chances of winning if someone with an Early Bird like him, rushed in and tried to snatch the coins or the swords? ¡®It¡¯s one challenge after another.¡¯ While Yeongwoo mulled over these thoughts, the Sword Mountain continued to grow in size. It had already reached the scale of a substantial hill in some local mountains, now practically andmark. The students witnessing this picked up their pace even more. ng! ng! The thunderous sound of weapons colliding with the mountain echoed like roaring thunder in Yeongwoo¡¯s ears. Whoosh! Yeongwoo shivered as the entire air seemed to vibrate each time the falling weapons collided and bounced, briefly revealing the silhouettes of some of the weapons. ¡®A sword¡­ an axe¡­ is that a shield? There are shields too.¡¯ While Yeongwoo identified the types of weapons, the students from Gumi High School, who had already increased their speed, began entering the outskirts of the mountain. Pfft! Fizz! ¡°¡­!¡± It was then that the number ¡®5¡¯ appeared above the students¡¯ heads. Soon after, [4] The number changed to 4, then swiftly to 3. ¡®¡­There¡¯s a time limit for choosing weapons.¡¯ This was a foreseeable variable. Observing students scrambling to find the nearest weapon pile, Yeongwoo deliberately slowed down, running sideways instead. ¡®As long as I don¡¯t approach the weapon pile, the timer won¡¯t appear. So, if I use this well¡­ I can enter after locating the weapon I want.¡¯ As observed earlier, the Sword Mountain held not just swords but also axes, hammers, spears, and various other infantry weapons. However, the issue was their random arrangement. Thus, to select the desired weapon within 5 seconds, Yeongwoo needed to find a point where that weapon was exposed on the outside. And just now¡­ ¡®¡­Found it.¡¯ Ahead of Yeongwooy the spot he desired. No one had entered first, and a ¡®shield¡¯ was exposed at the edge of the weapon pile. Swish! Yeongwoo immediately sprinted towards it. ¡®Is it possible to grab more than one weapon within the time limit?¡¯ He pondered this while quickly scanning the weapons around the shield. Axes, spears¡­ most wererge weapons, but here and there, a sleek silhouette caught his eye. It was none other than a dagger. ¡®If I have the chance to grab one more, after the shield, it¡¯ll be the dagger.¡¯ However, Yeongwoo¡¯s n B didn¡¯t materialize. Snatch! As he approached the weapon pile, an announcement abruptly appeared. [You have entered the Sword Mountain.] [Choose one survival gear within 5 seconds.] ¡®¡­One?¡¯ This meant the choices were now limited to one. Staying on alert of his surroundings, Yeongwoo pulled out the shield stuck in the pile of weapons. Shhrrk! Then the timer vanished instantly and an equipment tooltip appeared in front of him. [Steel Round Shield] ¨C Ordinary medium-sized shield |Can also be used as a weapon. ¡®Can also be used as a weapon¡­ Does that mean I can strike opponents with the shield?¡¯ The shield had a diameter of about 50 centimeters, and its thickness suggested it carried a considerable weight. And indeed. Thump. Sliding his left hand into the handle inside the shield, Yeongwoo felt the weight press on his entire left arm. ¡®Now I understand why it can be used as both a shield and a weapon.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s admiration of the shield ended there. Suddenly, from behind, a rough movement urred. Thud! ¡®A surprise attack?¡¯ Every cell in Yeongwoo¡¯s body seemed to ignite. Yeongwoo covered his upper body with the shield and turned around, assuming a stabbing stance with his sword. Whoosh! Beyond the outline of the shield, a boy appeared. ¡°Ah¡­ Mister.¡± A facial expression that was perfectly in sync with the frightened voice. It was a Gumi High School student. At most a first-year student, with a youthful face and a rather petite frame. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± With a hint of agitation, Yeongwoo cautiously stepped back only after confirming the student was unarmed. Then he noticed a number above the student¡¯s head. [2] Soon after. [1] ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± As Yeongwoo uttered in surprise, a sigh escaped from the student¡¯s lips. Before he could choose a weapon, the time limit had expired. Now there were no indicators above the student¡¯s head, and both his hands remained empty. ¡®This.¡¯ Observing the student¡¯s crestfallen expression, Yeongwoo softened his tonepared to before. ¡°Why did youe here alone instead of being with your friends?¡± To this, the student nced briefly over his shoulder before answering softly. ¡°¡­They¡¯re not my friends.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Just because we go to the same school doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re all friends.¡± That was true. It was also a believable story given the circumstances. ¡®That¡¯s right. The timing of our encounter doesn¡¯t fit. Those guys entered the mountain before me.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Moreover, this spot was several meters away from where the Gumi students were. In other words, this student had been moving separately from the Gumi group from the start. ¡®Well, I¡¯m in the same boat, traveling alone.¡¯ Thinking this, Yeongwoo nced away from the student for a moment, but then he suddenly noticed something and his brows flinched. The student¡¯s school uniform name tag was severely damaged. ¡®No matter how you look at it, it looks like someone burned it with a lighter.¡¯ Yeongwoo stared fixedly at the half-burnt name tag. But before he could speak, the student quickly brought up a different topic. ¡°Um¡­ Mister.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Is it okay for me to try and grab a weapon now?¡± ¡°Weapon?¡± While questioning this, Yeongwoo remained vignt of the surroundings. Although there were distant silhouettes, nobody was currently approaching their location. ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡± Truthfully, Yeongwoo was curious about it as well. He wanted to know what would happen if someone tried to grab a weapon after the time limit had ended. Thud! Stepping back one more step, Yeongwoo watched as the student nervously raised both hands. Then the student reached into the pile of weapons where Yeongwoo had earlier taken the shield from. Swish! The weapon the student desired turned out to be a spear. Because of his small stature, he probably preferred a weapon that didn¡¯t require him to be close to the opponent. Thump! The student grabbed the handle of the spear with both hands. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± However, that was the end of it. No matter how hard the student tried, the spear wouldn¡¯te out. ¡°This¡­! Ugh¡­!¡± The student¡¯s expression turned increasingly miserable. He knew it too¡ªthat living without a weapon in a world inhabited by monsters was challenging. ¡®Guess it won¡¯te out after the timer runs out after all.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s heart wasn¡¯t at ease watching this, but what could he do? ¡°I¡¯m sorry that this happened. But don¡¯t stay here for too long. People will gather soon.¡± All Yeongwoo could do was offer awkward advice with an ufortable feeling. Then, as he nced at the arrow at his feet. Thud! The student, who had been crying while facing down, suddenly grabbed the edge of Yeongwoo¡¯s shield. ¡°Ah¡­ Mister!¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Could you please take me with you? If I stay alone, they¡¯ll definitely kill me.¡± It dawned on Yeongwoo then that this boy wasn¡¯t afraid of monsters but of other people. He knew how cruel the world could be to the weak, as evidenced by the chaos at the currency exchange booth, it would be the same even now that the world had turned upside down, if not worse. But what could he do with a boy without a weapon and such a small stature? ¡®I think I¡¯ll be lucky if I don¡¯t get hit in the back of the head at some point.¡¯ Yeongwoo, with a steeled heart, intended to push the student away. Only if he hadn¡¯t seen the number on the boy¡¯s right hand. ¡®What, did I see it wrong?¡¯ Yeongwoo tilted his head, the student who noticed this, stretched out his right hand. ¡°Oh, this¡­!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± In an instant, Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened. There really was a number. And it was none other than¡­ [17] 17 Karma Points. Converted to coins, it would be a whopping 170,000 Karma. ¡°Howe you still have this? Didn¡¯t youe here after visiting the currency exchange?¡± With an agitated voice, Yeongwoo asked again, and the student appeared frightened. ¡°I couldn¡¯t do the exchange. There are so many people there¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Yeongwoo, who had a dumbfounded expression on his face, quickly gathered his thoughts and asked again. ¡°What¡¯s the name of the quest you¡¯re seeing right now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­ ¡®New Life.''¡± ¡°Oh my god.¡± [Main] ¡®New Life¡¯ [Mission] Follow the arrow to find the nearest currency exchange booth. [Reward] Basic living funds [Special] Additional rewards on a firste, first-served basis In other words, this student was here without passing through the currency exchange section. ¡°How did you find this ce?¡± ¡°The kids who got the swords cleared the way. I followed them secretly.¡± It seemed like he was referring to the group of students Yeongwoo had seen whileing to the Sword Mountain. Probably the top students of Gumi since they had Early Birds. ¡®So, does the weapon selection get activated as soon as you arrive at the Sword Mountain, even if there is no quest?¡¯ Was this kind of bug? It felt like he had discovered a loophole in this world¡¯s system. Anyway, the crucial fact now was that someone with 170,000 Karma was pleading for help. Of course, there were issues. ¡®I can¡¯t go back now; I need to find a new currency exchange. But there¡¯s no guarantee the new currency exchange will proceed properly .¡¯ However, he had a gut feeling that it was too much money to give up without even trying. Wasn¡¯t the basic living fund given through the first main quest 3,000 Karma? ¡®170,000 Karma is more than 50 times the basic living fund. Even if 3,000 Karma is the equivalent of the daily wage, it¡¯s enough money to lead someone almost two months ahead of others.¡¯ Yeongwoo rechecked the student¡¯s palm again and made a serious proposal. ¡°Right now, your entire wealth is 170,000 Karma. How much are you willing to give me in exchange for saving your life?¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 6 Chapter 6 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 6: The Strongest Sword of Gumi (2) ¡°¡­How much is your life worth?¡± The student seemed momentarily surprised at Yeongwoo¡¯s proposition. But soon, he got his emotions together and nodded repeatedly. ¡°I-I¡¯ll give you everything if it means I can survive!¡± It was a decision made under the belief that finding another ¡°bodyguard¡± like this would be nearly impossible. A person who possessed both the Early Bird and the shield was undeniably a valuable asset. Besides, it wasn¡¯t like he was asking for money upfront. ¡°Then can I give you the money when we arrive at the currency exchange?¡± ¡°Okay. But¡­¡± Yeongwoo was conflicted for a moment. Despite being in a position where he was going to save the other person¡¯s life, asking for their entire wealth felt unsettling. ¡°I won¡¯t take everything, how about 100,000? You should keep some money for yourself too.¡± ¡°Ah¡­! Th-that sounds fair.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s settled for 100,000.¡± And so, the contract was sealed. Now, Yeongwoo¡¯s task was clear, ensure his own and his employer¡¯s survival, and head to the currency exchange. ¡®Didn¡¯t they say that the stay time for the currency exchange is 2 hours? Then we have about an hour left.¡¯ Finding a new currency exchange wouldn¡¯t be hard. As seen on his way to the Sword Mountain, currency exchange spots were scattered everywhere. However¡­ ¡®At 170,000 karma¡­ that¡¯s 170 coins.¡¯ Though he had a bag and could collect them somehow, would people simply leave them be? ¡®There are only two options, either I have to find an abandoned currency that ispletely deserted, or¡­¡¯ Eliminating anyone who approached. Brrr! Meanwhile, the arrow at his feet veered westward. ¡®Is that the next destination?¡¯ The main quest that led Yeongwoo to the Sword Mountain remained unchanged. [Main] ¨C ¡°Rookie Soldier¡± [Mission] Follow the arrow to the Sword Mountain, then change your destiny. [Reward] Survival Equipment In other words, the task would only be marked aspleted when the instruction to change his destiny was followed. ¡®I don¡¯t know what it is, but it seems like I can change my destiny in the west.¡¯ Swoosh! As Yeongwoo pondered, the arrow moved once more. ¡®Huh?¡¯ He blinked, wondering if he was mistaken, but the arrow was raising its head once again. The target destination was moving. ¡®Wait¡­ what the arrow is pointing to now may not necessarily be the destination.¡¯ Regardless, following the arrow was still the n. ¡°Are you hurt anywhere? Can you move?¡± ¡°No, no, I can move.¡± ¡°Good. We¡¯ll have to run now.¡± Yeongwoo took the lead, holding his sword and shield close, the student followed behind, clenching his hands. * * * ¡°Haa¡­ haa!¡± ¡°Huff, huff!¡± This is his first time ying bodyguard. Apart from the inconvenience of carrying a sword and shield while running, it wasn¡¯t as challenging as expected. Everyone they encountered seemed to notice his armed state and avoided them. ¡®I hope things will be like this at the currency exchange.¡¯ It had been about 5 minutes since they started running non-stop from the Sword Mountain towards the west. Yeongwoo expected the currency exchanges to appear soon, and the student following closely seemed to share that thought. ¡°Um¡­ Mister.¡± ¡°What is it? Speak up.¡± ¡°What should I do if a fight breaks out?¡± ¡°What should you do?¡± Yeongwoo hesitated for a moment, since he didn¡¯t have anything to say even after trying his best. He also had very littlebat experience. ¡°¡­Just stay alive, by any means necessary. If there¡¯s trouble, I¡¯ll try to deal with it as quickly as possible.¡± Ultimately, all Yeongwoo could advise his client was to survive by any means necessary. And not long after¡­ ¡°¡­.!¡± The currency exchange section appeared again. Approximately 150 meters ahead on the right. ¡®Woah, this is a golden opportunity.¡¯ Moreover, there seemed to be almost no one around the nearest currency exchange. A few silhouettes were vaguely visible, at most. ¡°What did you say your name was?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Yechan, Kang Yechan. What about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Jeong Yeongwoo. Stick close to me now, we¡¯re going to enter the currency exchange.¡± With that, Yeongwoo pointed to the currency exchange office that was gradually getting closer, and Yechan nodded. ¡°Nobody¡¯s armed, so they can¡¯t attack us carelessly. All we have to do is collect the coins quickly.¡¯ Has life ever been this smooth? Yeongwoo gripped the shield tightly as they neared the currency exchange. The people at the currency exchange seemed to sense something strange, and one by one they turned in Yeongwoo¡¯s direction. Both sides finally confirmed each other¡¯s presence. ¡°Huh¡­!¡± ¡°Gasp.¡± ¡°Wh-what¡¯s going on?¡± The people at the currency exchange were clearly intimidated. As Yeongwoo predicted, they were unarmed, mostly elderly or frail individuals. Those withbat skills had already moved to the Sword Mountain after going through the struggle here. However, Yeongwoo, mindful of any potential challengers, intentionally let out a threatening voice. ¡°Step aside! I¡¯ll kill anyone whoes near the currency exchange!¡± Even Yechan, trailing behind, felt a shiver at the hostility radiating from Yeongwoo. As a result, the people around the currency exchange began fleeing with all their might, resembling a herd of sheep encountering a lion. ¡°Let¡¯s go, now.¡± As soon as the area around the exchange became empty, Yeongwoo pushed Yechan toward the exchange. ¡°A-all I have to do is touch there, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Hurry.¡± Securing the currency exchange wasn¡¯t the end; the real deal would begin as soon as the exchanged coins started pouring out. Everyone in the area would start paying attention to them. Furthermore. ¡®The fact that there aren¡¯t many people at the exchange means that there are more people at the Sword Mountain.¡¯ And this implied¡­ ¡®Those armed with weapons will pass through here soon.¡¯ As Yeongwoo contemted this, Yechan finally started the exchange. tter. A traumatic sound, to Yeongwoo, echoed from the exchange, and chaos ensued. Chrrrrrrr! [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] A flurry of crimson coins, 170 in total, burst out at once. ¡°Oh, Mister?¡± A bewildered Yechan looked at his bodyguard. In response, Yeongwoo threw the backpack towards him and urgently shouted. ¡°Scoop them all up!¡± At the same time, he almost started crawling on the ground to pick up the coins. ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Why do they have so much money?¡± With such amotion, people from other exchanges quickly gathered around. Initially around a dozen, then twenty, thirty¡­ soon, the crowd became overwhelming, even for the fully armed Yeongwoo. However¡­ ¡°¡­¡± None of them attempted to take the coins lying on the ground. It wasn¡¯t merely fear of Yeongwoo¡¯s sword but also because those were the types of individuals that were originally present in that area. Amidst this turmoil, a problem arose. ¡°Why are there so many people?¡± ¡°Make way, please.¡± Someone was using an authoritative tone on the other side of the crowd. As soon as Yeongwoo heard this sound, he sensed what wasing. ¡®The ones who got their weapons have arrived.¡¯ Even so, it wasn¡¯t the worst-case scenario yet; they were nearing the end of collecting the coins. ¡°Put the rest in your pockets. We¡¯re leaving immediately.¡± Instructing Yechan while slinging the backpack over his shoulder, Yeongwoo noticed Yechan¡¯s frightened expression as he nced behind. ¡°¡­Mister.¡± Most likely, the owner of the voice from earlier had arrived at the back. ¡°I get it. So, put them in your pockets.¡± ¡°Huh? Mister!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yeongwoo looked at Yechan¡¯s face and realized something. They had already started attacking first. Ssh! As soon as he twisted his body backwards and raised his shield, a dull sound rang out. Bang! ¡®A hammer?¡¯ Now, whenever he felt threatened, he automatically thought of the moment he was beaten up at the currency exchange booth near his dormitory. Along with the shame he felt at that time. ¡®You damn bastards.¡¯ Once again, every cell in Yeongwoo¡¯s body boiled with anger. Yeongwoo saw someone¡¯s lower body exposed below the shield. Naturally, that meant¡­ ¡°¡­¡± In a single moment, Yeongwoo slightly moved the shield aside and thrusted his sword forward. Ssh! The opponent on the other side of the shield let out a startled voice. ¡°What? Argh!¡± Shrieking in agony, the opponent took steps backward in an irregr manner. Only now did Yeongwoo properly assess the situation after removing the shield. There were a total of three opponents. The closest one had fallen backward, their right eye pierced by the sword. Meanwhile, the other two were staring incredulously at their disfiguredpanion. And amidst this, Yeongwoo checked their weapons. ¡®A spear, an axe¡­¡¯ Next was their positioning. ¡®They¡¯re standing in a row¡­¡¯ Without further thought, Yeongwoo dashed forward. Thud! The spear wielder, who had just made eye contact a moment toote, felt the impact of Early Bird against his face. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± As the spear wielder¡¯s braingged in processing what was happening, Yeongwoo shed across his face diagonally. Swoosh! Then the man standing right behind him rushed at Yeongwoo, swinging his axe. ¡°You crazy bastard!¡± Announcing his position by shouting aloud. Thanks to this, Yeongwoo was able to earn a sum just by holding out his shield in the direction of the sound. Ting! The sound of impact, unlike the hammer¡¯s, was somewhat less robust. However, this time, the lower half of his opponent wasn¡¯t visible below the shield. Realizing the attack had been thwarted, the opponent hastily retreated. But Yeongwoo¡¯s determination intensified. ¡®I will absolutely kill anyone who attacks me.¡¯ Thud! Advancing aggressively with the shield, Yeongwoo caused the retreating opponent to stumble and lose their footing. ¡°Ugh!¡± With a whimper, the opponent lost bnce and staggered sideways. Without hesitation, Yeongwoo thrust the Early Bird into his chest. ¡°¡­Die!¡± Poof! As the de prated his body, the surrounding crowd stirred in disbelief. ¡°Goodness gracious.¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening¡­?¡± Some were already fleeing the scene, while the rest hesitated and retreated, staring at Yeongwoo as if they faced a monster. At this moment, Yechan was the only one not fearing Yeongwoo. ¡°Mister, are you okay?¡± Although his words seemed like he was worried, Yechan¡¯s eyes were actually full of awe, after witnessing his bodyguard take down three armed individuals so effortlessly. Of course, reality was a bit different. ¡®Ugh¡­ Is this the end? Suppressing the trembling in his hands, Yeongwoo cautiously examined the face of the man holding the axe. Seeing that he wasn¡¯t blinking, it seemed he had died. That left the spear wielder and the hammer wielder. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± The one appearing the most alive was the spear wielder, despite bleeding profusely from their split face, desperately crawling. On the other hand, the hammer-wielder, who had been blinded, showed little movement apart from trembling. ¡°¡­¡± Yeongwoo approached the hammer-wielder first, plunging the de into his throat, then chased after the spear wielder, who had gone three or four steps further away. In fact, he wasn¡¯t even holding the spear anymore. Step by step. ¡°Heeik!¡± Hearing Yeongwoo¡¯s footsteps, the man jerked his body slightly. Then, falling victim to the de that had been aimed at his back, he met his end. Whomp. A 1-vs-3 battle. Yeongwoo, who had emerged as the victor, breathed heavily only after his opponents had stopped moving. ¡°Whew, huff¡­¡± As the tension, which had been making his breathing harder, slowly released, Yeongwoo began to observe the surroundings more clearly. Yechan, standing at a distance with bulging pockets, dozens of onlookers watching from afar, and¡­ ¡®Huh?¡¯ A line of text that had been present on one side of his field of vision for some time. [A new title can be obtained.] Upon focusing on the text, a new string of text appeared immediately below it. ¨C Many have witnessed your prowess. None will dispute the fact that you are the *¡®Strongest Sword of Gumi¡¯. [*¡¯Best Sword of Gumi¡¯ has been changed to ¡®Strongest Sword of Gumi¡¯.] ¡®What?¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s pupils dted instantly. But it didn¡¯t end there. ¨C If you be the Strongest Sword, you can gain great prestige. However, everyone will recognize you, and some may challenge you to take your ce as the Strongest Sword. ¡®Surely I won¡¯t have to go around with the title ¡®Strongest Sword¡¯ on my head.¡¯ It felt like a game. Yeongwoo nced at the top of his head, where nothing was still attached. Judging by the fact that there would be people challenging him to take his ce, it seemed like the way to get this title would be to kill the current ¡®Strongest Sword¡¯. However, since the ¡®Strongest Sword¡¯ position was currently vacant, a person whose inaction was witnessed by many is appointed arbitrarily. ¡®If you¡¯re not strong enough to actually be the Strongest Sword, your title will be quickly taken away.¡¯ Sigh. Eventually, the prompts disappeared as if dissolving into thin air. Then, the first andst offer appeared before his eyes. Swoosh! [Strongest Sword of Gumi] ¨C Unique Title [Authority of the Strongest Sword] [Gumi Sword Technique] ¨C Would you like to be the Strongest Sword of Gumi? [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 7 Chapter 7 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 7: The Strongest Sword of Gumi (3) Gulp. Without realizing it, Yeongwoo swallowed hard, a heavy lump forming in his throat. It was the premonition of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity or danger looming ahead. ¡®The Strongest Sword of Gumi¡­ The moment I get this title, I¡¯ll be the target of all the strong ones.¡¯ Logically, refusing this opportunity would have been the right thing to do. Eventually, he¡¯d encounter adversaries withparable equipment but superior physical abilities. ¡®But this isn¡¯t just a simple title.¡¯ Yeongwoo knew well that the tooltip in front of him meant more than just a ¡°title.¡± [Gumi¡¯s Strongest Sword] ¨C Unique Title [Authority of the Strongest Sword] [Gumi Sword Technique] Because he already possessed an item with the same format. [Early Bird] ¨C Hero¡¯s One-Handed Sword [Extremely Lightweight] In other words, ¡®A title is also a type of item. The next two lines are special attributes.¡¯ The Authority of the Strongest Sword, Gumi Sword Technique. Their exact effects weren¡¯t immediately clear, but they seemed to have a significant impact onbat prowess. Especially the ¡°Gumi Sword Technique.¡± Even just the ¡°Extremely Lightweight¡± attribute of the Early Bird sword had a remarkable effect. What then could be expected from an optionbeled ¡°Sword Technique¡±? ¡°¡­¡± As Yeongwoo pondered, the countdown began abruptly. ¨CWould you like to be the Strongest Sword of Gumi? ¡­The acquisition privilege will disappear in 5 seconds. ¡­4. ¡­3. ¡®Damn it, they¡¯re not giving me time to think.¡¯ As time dwindled, Yeongwoo quickly reassessed the assets he had secured. He now had a total of 133,000 Karma, including what he¡¯ll receive from Yechan. On top of that, there¡¯d likely be more coins in the pockets of the attackers scattered on the ground. Additionally, the equipment dropped by the raiders, such as spears, axes, and hammers, were also types of assets. So, in this situation, what would be the wiser choice: bing stronger and attracting more enemies or avoiding attention to oneself? ¡®No, thetter wasn¡¯t possible from the start.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze fell on the silver de of the Early Bird sword. And just as the countdown reached one second, Yeongwoo hastily epted the position of the Strongest Sword of Gumi. ¡®I¡¯ll do it, the Strongest Sword of Gumi¡­!¡¯ Worried that he might have been toote, he widened his eyes. Soon, not only Yeongwoo but everyone in Gumi City witnessed the announcement. [The Strongest Sword in the Gumi region has been chosen!] [The current Strongest Sword of Gumi is ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo07,¡¯ 1 unit, 0 defenses.] [Once you be the Strongest Sword, you can experience overwhelming growth.] [Anyone can ascend to the Strongest Sword position through duels, the method of session being ¡®killing.¡¯] ¡®¡®Killing¡¯ is the method of session¡­¡¯ Yeongwoo felt a chill down his spine as these words echoed, and a colorful light gathered above his head. And then¡ª Ping! It created a single string of characters. [The Strongest Sword of Gumi.] It was none other than the title. As Yeongwoo expected, they affixed it above his head for everyone to see. ¡°Um¡­ Mister.¡± Yechan, who had been watching the scene in a daze, called out to Yeongwoo. Turning his head towards Yechan, Yeongwoo soon realized the reason and fell silent. ¡®This¡­¡¯ As he saw it with his own eyes. |Current region ¡®Gumi¡¯. |The current Strongest Sword of Gumi is ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo07,¡¯ 1 unit, 0 defenses The small text in the upper right corner of the field remained unchanged over time. Essentially, anyone could now instantly check the region¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¯s name and battle records in real time. ¡®A defense count of 0 likely means I haven¡¯t defeated any challengers yet. Looks like there might be a constant stream of challengers for a while.¡¯ In other words, it was currently a vulnerable period. So, how many defense victories would need to be stacked up before more challengers stop appearing? ¡°¡­¡± No matter how much one thought about it, it seemed like an insurmountable mountain. With a somewhat gloomy feeling, Yeongwoo nced at the shining title above his head. Then, Yechan approached him, rattling something. ¡°Mister, what do we do about this?¡± Curious, Yeongwoo looked over and saw Yechan awkwardly holding three weapons close to his chest, remnants collected from the assants. ¡°What about the coins?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Seeing Yechan¡¯s confusion, Yeongwoo searched the bodies without saying anything and retrieved the coins. 7,000, then 4,000, and finally, thest person had 5,000. ¡®They must have been quite vicious people.¡¯ Given that they¡¯d been provided only 3,000 as basic living funds, having more than that meant either robbing coins from others at the exchange or being an exchange person who barely managed to salvage some¡­ But it was hard to say. ¡®Well, would those guys who went after everyone else leave their points unused?¡¯ This was a fact he knew from experience. The evil individuales probably had a lot to do, so they wouldn¡¯t level karma points unused. Like Im Bonghee, his roommate. On the other hand, those who still had points after all the sniping was done were rtively good. Such as the police officer he had met at the first currency exchange booth, and even Ye Chan, who he had met at the Sword Mountain. Clink. Yeongwoo said to Yechan as he poured the coins he had taken from the bodies into his backpack. ¡°Let¡¯s do the settlement properly once we find a safe ce.¡± Suddenly, Yechan¡¯s face brightened. ¡°Oh¡­ sure.¡± For Yechan, sticking close to Yeongwoo was advantageous for survival. Moreover, this Yeongwoo was now the ¡®Strongest Sword of Gumi¡¯. However, the Strongest Sword himself didn¡¯t have much leeway. ¡°Did you say you wanted to use the spear?¡± Yeongwoo spoke as he withdrew the axe Yechan was carrying and tucked it into the makeshift pouch in his backpack. ¡°There¡¯s no room for the sword. You carry the rest. Use them in case of emergency.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Rather than answering Yechan directly, Yeongwoo nced briefly at the people gathering in the distance. Then, in a subdued voice, he nudged Yechan¡¯s shoulder and said. ¡°Of course. You¡¯ve got to pull your weight now.¡± *** Westward, then further west. Yeongwoo and Yechan moved relentlessly along the arrow without stopping. And they encountered numerous potential challengers. It was all because of the title ¡°Strongest Sword of Gumi¡± that could be seen even from a distance. However, nearly nine out of ten retreated after getting a closer look at Yeongwoo¡¯s armed state. Even if they weren¡¯t the Strongest Sword, facing someone fully equipped with a sword and shield was something they weren¡¯t ready for. But not everyone gave up instantly. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Are you really the Strongest Sword? I don¡¯t believe it.¡± A sharp voice directed at Yeongwoo. Arge individual had been following them from a distance of about ten meters since a while ago. The guy only had an axe in his hand. ¡°Well then,e at me. What¡¯s with the unsightly stance?¡± Yeongwoo retorted, ncing behind. Of course, since he was not a born fighter, he was just bragging. However, if things continued like this, there was a chance another challenger woulde and a 2-on-1 situation would arise, and he was cautious of being attacked from behind if he let my guard down, even for a moment. That was probably also what thatrge individual was aiming for. Although he was cowardly, he was employing the best strategy. ¡®If I approach to attack first, they run away quickly¡­ There is no obvious way to do this.¡¯ Was this the life of a first-time Strongest Sword? ¡°People like me know it when they see it. I can tell just by looking at a person whether they¡¯re an easy target or not.¡± That guy was persistently provoking Yeongwoo, assessing his response. Yeongwoo understood the implied threat of potentially facing more challengers in a short time. And If Yeongwoo attacked, he nned to run behind him. Eventually. ¡°Ugh, what¡¯s this? It¡¯s not just one or two.¡± A seemingly tough new challenger appeared from the side of Yeongwoo¡¯s group. Even a duo this time. They were more about their intimidating gaze and weaponbination than sheer size. Especially the guy holding the shield ¨C muscr and with a reddened edge to the shield ¨C a clear sign of having used it extensively. ¡®That probably means that he has used it to hit someone before.¡¯ Yeongwoo sensed trouble approaching. ¡°What on earth are you guys thinking? It¡¯s not like all of you are from a criminal background.¡± As Yeongwoo spoke, the muscr man looked up at the sky and replied. ¡°All the higher-ups are dead, and everything has turned to stone. Isn¡¯t the world already ruined? So, when there¡¯s an opportunity, I¡¯ll try to grab a little more for myself.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t just kill anyone either. It¡¯s just that you¡¯re the Strongest Sword, and it seems like you have a lot, so that¡¯s why.¡± The dialogue from behind was the knife-wielder pointing at Yeongwoo¡¯s backpack as he spoke. Then, therge man interjected smoothly into the conversation. ¡°Hey, how about teaming up with me? If we waste more time here, morepetitors will show up. Let¡¯s split the loot fairly into thirds, and the title can be left to each one¡¯s luck.¡± Strong and persuasive¡­ It was quite different from the tone and expression used when provoking Yeongwoo earlier. ¡°Not a bad idea.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± An agreement was quickly reached. Upon this, Yeongwoo quietly informed his client. ¡°I will fight as hard as I can, but if it looks like there is no hope for me, find an opportunity to run away. Don¡¯t die for no reason.¡± However, Yechan¡¯s response that followed was unexpected. ¡°Even if I run away, won¡¯t I just face those people again and end up dying? Now that I have a weapon too, I¡¯ll help in any way I can.¡± Yechan gripped his spear so hard that his hands looked as pale as a corpse. Meanwhile, the imposing figure in the distance was closing in with arge shadow. Thud! Simultaneously, from the side, the sound of two men¡¯s shoes kicking the ground was heard. Almost simultaneously, a joint attack took ce. ¡®It¡¯s do or die.¡¯ Thud. Yeongwoo pushed Yechan aside as a signal to keep a distance and pulled his shield close, taking a defensive stance. He nned to withstand the initial assault somehow and deal with them one by one. However, the opponents were not letting their guard down and scattered Yeongwoo¡¯s attention by attacking from three directions. Shwaaat! ¡°¡­!¡± In the blink of an eye, they closed the distance. The pressure was different from the previous opponents. ¡®You damn¡­!¡¯ With no time for tactical considerations, Yeongwoo instinctively made a decision. ¡°Huaaah!¡± While guarding the left side with the shield, he swung the Early Bird to the right. Hwaaeaaat! A silver streak cut through the air. Then, in quick session¡­ Paaah! Around Yeongwoo, a golden shockwave erupted. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Ugh?¡± Even the three challengers, who were about to attack Yeongwoo, stopped in their tracks. It was because a sudden intense pain erupted, as if their hearts were about to burst. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± The same was true for Yechan, who looked at Yeongwoo to see what was going on, but immediately stiffened. The eyes of the Strongest Sword were glowing in a golden hue. ¡°What¡­?¡± Not knowing what this strange phenomenon was, Yeongwoo shook his head, and the golden glow left a dizzying trace in the air. ¡°Is this?¡± Only then did Yeongwoo realize what it meant. He looked up, and as usual, titles and tooltips appeared. [The Strongest Sword of Gumi] ¨C Unique Title [Authority of the Strongest Sword] [Gumi Sword Technique] ¡®The Authority of the Strongest Sword, could it be¡­¡¯ As Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened, therge man swung his axe again. Just barely managing to escape the influence of the Authority, Yeongwoo moved his body. ¡°Get lost!¡± Hwaeaaack! The axe de flew with a heavy presence. However, Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t focused on that. ¡®What is this¡­?¡¯ Right in front of him was a hologram identical to himself, standing with his sword tilted at an angle. And it didn¡¯t take him more than a moment to realize that it was in a defensive posture. Hwaeaat! Youngwoo quickly copied the posture following the hologram. Precisely at the moment when the axe de hit the exposed edge of the hologram, it slid down to the side. ¡°¡­?¡± Squish. For a moment, therge man¡¯s body shifted to the side. And in ordance with that, the hologram pierced the edge of the man¡¯s neck. ¡ªKill The character ¡®kill¡¯ appeared at the point of impact. ¡®Ah¡­!¡¯ Without missing a beat, Yeongwoo quickly followed the hologram¡¯s movements. Hwit! Under the weight of the axe de, the previously tilted de of the hologram sprung up with sticity, and using that force, it pierced through the opponent¡¯s neck like a lightning strike. Fwish! ¡°Uh.¡± ¡°Huh.¡± The attack was so fast that both the person who had stabbed and the person who had been stabbed had no idea what had just happened. And then¡­ Kwoong. The bulky figure of therge man copsed to the ground. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 8 Chapter 8 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 8: The Level 4 Extra (1) ¡®This is insane¡­¡¯ Yeongwoo, who had made a hole in therge man¡¯s body in an instant, took a few steps back with a bewildered expression. ¡®This is the Gumi Sword Technique.¡¯ To be more precise, it could be called real-time swordsmanship training. The hologram only demonstrated where to attack and how to defend, leaving it entirely up to Yeongwoo to execute it. Moreover, ¡®The hologram disappeared without a trace again. Does it only appear during battles?¡¯ Yeongwoo looked at the two challengers frozen about six steps away. Their gazes were shifting between the bodies on the ground and Yeongwoo, indicating that they sensed something significant. ¡°Hey¡­ Sorry. It seems we made a mistake.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll step back quietly if you just let us go.¡± At the mention of letting them go, Yeongwoo finally realized. They were still under the influence of the ¡®Authority,¡¯ after all. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Yeongwoo then nced at Yechan, who had been acting normally for some time. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Huh? Yes. I was really scared earlier; my legs almost gave out, but I¡¯m fine now.¡± ¡°Really?¡± This meant one of two things. First, Yechan¡¯s energy was strong enough to quickly shake off the Authority¡¯s influence. Or second, ¡®Since I didn¡¯t consider this guy an enemy¡­¡¯ This was a problem that could be easily verified by showing hostility to the other person, but it wasn¡¯t easy to genuinely want to kill someone. ¡®Just staring at someone won¡¯t cut it. Do I really have to be willing to kill?¡¯ If anyone could have murderous intent, they wouldn¡¯t be an ordinary human. ¡®Then, on the other side¡­¡¯ Swish. As Yeongwoo approached the two challengers, a sudden change urred. ¡°¡­!¡± Symbols of ¡®kill¡¯ appeared all over their bodies, but the hologram was still not visible. ¡®Anyway, I genuinely feel like killing them.¡¯ For some reason, it felt bitter. However, he had no more time or reason to hesitate. ¡®It makes no sense to let people like them go.¡¯ As Yeongwoo twisted the angle of the Early Bird threateningly, the two men, who felt the impending danger, screamed like mad. ¡°No, please!¡± ¡°Stop! I¡¯m really sorry!¡± Nevertheless, Yeongwoo mercilessly stabbed their throats one after the other. Shwoop, pith! Then, before the blood had a chance to pool on the ground, he searched their pockets and found some coins. 1,000, 3,000. The big man holding the ax didn¡¯t have a single penny. Despite his robust physique, he hadn¡¯t even managed to bring basic funds from the currency exchange. ¡®So, that¡¯s why he clung to my backpack.¡¯ Maybe he, too, had been robbed at the currency exchange. Yeongwoo nced briefly at the area status in the corner of his vision. | The current region is ¡®Gumi.¡¯ | The Strongest Sword in this region is ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo07.¡¯ Rank 1, 3 Defenses. ¡®Three defenses¡­?¡¯ He calcted the recent battle as three consecutive title defenses. People were still passing by the area, most avoiding Yeongwoo and the scattered bodies. ¡°Uh¡­ Should I take all of this?¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± When Yechan spoke, Yeongwoo turned his head, and saw him carrying various weapons. Hammer, spear, shield, sword. Spoils of the battle. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be able to walk far with all that.¡± ¡°Yeah, I-I guess.¡± Yeongwoo stared at Yechan¡¯s thin forearms. ¡°Take the spear and shield. Discard the rest. You can¡¯t use them anyway.¡± ¡°You want me to throw all this away?¡± Yechan looked at the weapons with an expression of regret, but Yeongwoo had already made up his mind. ¡°We¡¯ll encounter new challengers with new weapons. Don¡¯t cling to useless things. Let¡¯s move on.¡± *** Back to the west. With his watch and even his phone turned into stones, it was impossible to know how much time had passed, but one thing was certain. ¨DA newponent, ¡®Dungeon,¡¯ has been added to this world. ¨DA newponent, ¡®Requests,¡¯ has been added to this world. Even now, the world was changing second by second. ¨DA new type of monster, ¡®Knight,¡¯ has been added to this world. ¨D[Chaebol Heir- Shin Yeonhwa] has now be a ck Knight, threatening all of you. Once again, a new ¡®Named¡¯ monster type was added. Although Yeongwoo hadn¡¯t encountered any monsters yet, just the fact that such creatures now existed was terrifying. ¡®Reset, they said¡­ This seems more like punishment.¡¯ To anyone looking, the reset world was closer to hell than a new one. After the reset, the only things happening among people were murder and robbery. ¡®Is there really nothing good about this? Is this how we¡¯re going to live from now on?¡¯ As Yeongwoo wore a gloomy expression, Yechan, apparently worried about the future, cautiously initiated a conversation. ¡°What do you n to do from now on?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°After we finish our transaction. Once we find a safe ce, settle ounts, the transaction will be over, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­ I haven¡¯t thought about whates after that.¡± Upon hearing this, Yechan looked at Yeongwoo with a puzzled expression. ¡°What about your family? Usually, people go to find their families.¡± ¡°I¡¯m alone. If I had a family to find, I wouldn¡¯t be doing this with you.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± After hearing Yeongwoo¡¯s answer, Yechan made aplicated expression. ¡°And what about you? Shouldn¡¯t you hurry to find your parents?¡± ¡°I¡¯m also in an orphanage right now.¡± ¡°What a mess.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Observing Yechan¡¯s bittersweet smile, Yeongwoo asked again. ¡°What Level are you in?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in 3rd Level.¡± ¡°You¡¯re older than I thought. You¡¯ll be leaving soon, then.¡± He was talking about leaving the orphanage. As a rule, once he turned 18, he would have to leave the orphanage. And when Yechan heard this, he realized that Yeongwoo also came from an orphanage. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Yeah. It won¡¯t matter now, I guess.¡± ¡°Probably.¡± Yeongwoo nodded and looked at the arrow at his feet. It had been tilting rapidly since a while ago. ¡°I think we¡¯re almost there.¡± As Yeongwoo spoke, a huge crowd, he hadn¡¯t seen before, appeared on the other side. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Seeing what seemed like hundreds, Yechan halted first, while Yeongwoo, in contrast, moved forward to examine the armed state of the people. ¡®So, those who passed through the Sword Mountain have gathered here.¡¯ Yeongwoo noticed that most of the crowd was carrying weapons, and even those with Early Birds seemed quite formidable. The top leaders from various parts of Gumi had gathered here. Yet, ¡®Where on earth are they looking¡­?¡¯ Everyone was so focused on looking ahead, not bothering to check the rear. Thanks to this, Yeongwoo and Yechan joined the rear of the crowd without any hindrance. Some btedly noticed Yeongwoo¡¯s title but quickly turned back to face forward. ¡°¡­.?¡± It was indeed strange, but soon both Yeongwoo and Yechan understood. Swish. They turned their heads, following the gazes, and saw something they hadn¡¯t seen before. ¡®Park Dohwan¡­?¡¯ President Park Dohwan, who had ¡®Dismantled¡¯ and thought to be dead, was standing in the middle of the street. *** ¡®How can he be here? Wasn¡¯t the Quest added after he died?¡¯ Yeongwoo looked at the President in disbelief but realized something was off. The face, clean suit ¨C all exactly as seen on television. His height and build were just like the President¡¯s, but one thing was different. That was the asional flickering of the President¡¯s body. ¡®Wait, is this a hologram too?¡¯ Swoosh. Just then, Park Dohwan¡¯s figure disappeared and reappeared. It felt unsettlingly alien. Additionally, there was a red circle drawn around him, about a 10-meter radius, preventing anyone from approaching recklessly. ¡®There¡¯s no way that¡¯s the real Park Dohwan. It makes no sense for him toe here out of all the cities.¡¯ Then what could it be? Could an unknown entity be using Park Dohwan¡¯s appearance to manifest here? Perhaps simr entities had appeared in every city across the country. ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo once again confirmed that the arrow of the Early Bird was pointing at Park Dohwan. And then, simultaneously, Swoosh. Park Dohwan made a gesture as if checking his wristwatch. Then he looked around the crowd, before speaking. ¨CTime¡¯s up. I will now reveal each of your predetermined destinies. ¡°¡­Destiny?¡± ¡°Destiny is destiny, but what is this predetermined destiny?¡± ¡°There was something about changing your destiny in the quest. I think that might be it.¡± Amidst the buzzing crowd, a yellow-tinted rectangr object appeared in front of everyone¡¯s heads. Bzzt! Bzzt! Bzzt! Then followed Park Dohwan¡¯s exnation. ¨CWhat you are currently seeing is the pre-reset destiny log. If the reset hadn¡¯t urred, all of you would have lived and died exactly as written there. ¡°What did he just say?¡± ¡°Does that make sense?¡± Upon hearing Park Dohwan¡¯s words, everyone¡¯s eyes widened, focusing on their respective destiny logs. Yeongwoo was no exception. Right from the first line of his destiny log, something caught his attention. [Jeong Yeongwoo-49523-IIIIII_II-Level 4-Extra] Level 4¡­ Extra.¡¯ Amongst unknown numbers and barcodes, he could clearly recognize his name and the designation of Level 4 Extra. And the subsequent contents confirmed what it meant. [This character is a randombination of Level 4 settings.] [Influenced by parental settings, this individual possesses the following immutable elements from birth: #Level4 #Orphan.] [As a Level 4bination character, it¡¯ll receive reversepensation for acquiring settings of Level 2 or higher throughout its lifecycle.] To put it simply, this meant that it would be difficult for someone born as a Level 4 person to be a Level 2 human even if they worked hard throughout their lives. And parents seemed to have a huge influence on the Level at birth. ¡®¡­Is this for real? Was it predetermined from the start?¡¯ The destiny log continued downwards. [Father]: Level 6 Extra [Mother]: Level 1 Supporting Role ¡®My father was a Level 6 Extra. But my mother¡­¡¯ A Supporting Role, not an Extra, and a Level 1 at that, 5 Levels higher than his father ¨C likely the highest Level. Then what kind of person was a Level 1 Supporting Role? ¡®No, even before that, how did the man who was a Level 6 Extra meet a Level 1 Supporting Role?¡¯ Yeongwoo knew nothing about his parents except for being abandoned as an infant in front of an orphanage. So, he had no idea about their identities, let alone their whereabouts. It was only after the world reset that he indirectly learned about his parents¡¯ status, peering into the internal settings of the former world. ¡°¡­.¡± As Yeongwoo wore a perplexed expression, the destiny log pushed upward once more, revealing the next content. |Name: Jeong Yeongwoo |Role: Level 4 Extra |Function: Background, Maintenance Crew |Creation: April 8th, 1992, 11:41 PM, edited due to unintentional deliberate intervention. |Annihtion: November 7th, 2028, 8:36 PM, fatally assaulted by a drunk passerby while returning home. ¡®Fuck, what is this?¡¯ A nauseating feeling engulfed him. Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t endure it any longer and turned away from the destiny log. Right beside him, he noticed Yechan with a pale face, staring at his destiny log as well. And the log floating before him revealed: |Name: Kang Yechan |Role: Level 6 Extra |Function: Background, Eraser |Creation: July 16th, 2006, 2:30 AM, edited due to forced adultery. |Annihtion: February 1st, 2039, 8:36 PM,mitted murder in a bar while working and thenmitted s*ic*de. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 9 Chapter 9 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 9: The Level 4 Extra (2) ¡°Uh¡­¡± It was irresistible. Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t tear his eyes away from Yechan¡¯s destiny record. Creation¡­ In ¡¯06, alteration due to forced adultery. Annihtion¡­ In ¡¯39, killed a customer at a bar andmitted su***de. In summary, Yechan was a product of assault, and perhaps because of that, he was abandoned in the world as an orphan, growing up he was destined to kill a customer at a bar and thenmit su***de around his mid-thirties. Of course, Yeongwoo¡¯s destiny of being murdered by a drunkard three yearster was shocking, but it couldn¡¯tpare to Yechan¡¯s. Moreover. ¡®¡­I guess he didn¡¯t know either.¡¯ Seeing Yechan¡¯s gaze fixated on the phrase ¡®forced adultery,¡¯ Yeongwoo swallowed hard. What could he be thinking right now? ¡°This¡­ is crazy.¡± ¡°I¡­ was going to die next month?¡± ¡°Who decided this? Does it make sense that the future was predetermined?¡± The area that had been quiet for a while began to stir again. Everyone was greatly shocked by the realization that their origins and endings had all been predetermined. But where was this ce? It was the world after the reset. A world with dragons and quests, where swords rained down from the sky. Here, anything could happen. And one of those things had already urred. No, it had been confirmed. His predetermined destiny, and his role. ¡°¡­.¡± In the midst of the previously bustling area, silence returned rather quickly. Then, Park Dohwan, who had been silently observing everyone, spoke up. ¨DI apologize deeply to everyone. I understand that those who glimpsed at their gloomy destiny must be greatly disappointed. ¨DOn the contrary, those who were destined for a prosperous life have lost it due to the reset. This means that in the reset world, the previous destinies were no longer valid. Some reacted to this immediately. ¡°So, what happens now? Since there¡¯s no destiny, are we just supposed to live however we want?¡± ¡°No, even if destiny has disappeared, people are still the same, right? Those born as level 1 will probably still have their level 1 settings.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. The hierarchy hasn¡¯t been resetpletely. So, what¡¯s the point of all this?¡± This argument had a lot of logic behind it. Even Yeongwoo faced disadvantages due to his unchanged physical condition during running or physical fights. And there was a real problem beyond that. ¡°Even if destiny is gone, what should we do to live from now on? Money, food, everything turned to stone.¡± ¡°Exactly. Where do we earn money now?¡± The sight of people armed with various weapons worrying about survival was so bizarre that it was almostical. At this, as if Park Dohwan had been waiting, he lightly apuded. p! The contents of the destiny records, which had been disyed to everyone, disappeared, reced by various sequences of numbers. From as low as 0 to as high as 100,000. Yeongwoo¡¯s count was 153,000. [153,000] And upon seeing this, Yeongwoo immediately realized what the number meant. ¡®¡­The umted karma.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just a simple amount either. This was a figure that even took into ount his contract with Yechan. The transaction between the two that was merely verbal had automatically reflected in the destiny record. ¨DWhat is now inscribed in your destiny records is the amount of karma you have secured at this moment. ¨DIn the future, you can use this karma to change your appearance, enhance your physical abilities, and even further, restore items from the previous world that have turned into stone. ¡®Change your appearance and enhance your physical abilities?¡¯ While Yeongwoo made an incredulous expression, people quickly began asking questions. ¡°What about those who don¡¯t have karma right now?¡± ¡°Where can we get more karma?¡± At this, the holographic figure of the president lightly pped. p! [00:25:19] Along with the p, a massive timer appeared in the air. All eyes turned towards it, and Park Dohwan exined further. ¨DThe only way to acquire karma is by defeating mutants and monsters that will appear about 25 minutes from now. ¡°¡­Mutants?¡± ¡°What¡¯s this all about?¡± They all raised an eyebrow, yet their expressions hinted at something ominous. Subconsciously, they understood the meaning behind those lines. And Yeongwoo felt the same way. ¡®¡­They¡¯reing back, those who chose mutation.¡¯ Annihtion, mutation, dismantle. People who were forcibly dragged by the public to stand before these three choices. Among them, those who chose to be monsters through ¡®mutation¡¯ were in a state of immense anger at the situation they found themselves in. So, what would those individuals do when they returned to this world? ¡®¡­Seek revenge.¡¯ Yeongwoo scanned his surroundings. He felt he finally understood the reason for the supply of weapons through the Sword Mountain. ¨DMost mutants will appear alongside groups of simr-type monsters and these monsters, too, will leave karma behind when annihted. ¡°Wh-what are you talking about¡­ Fighting monsters to earn money?¡± ¡°What about those who don¡¯t want to fight? Or those who can¡¯t fight?¡± Expected responses followed. Nobody wanted to earn money by fighting monsters instead of going to work. But the disaster that befell everyone wasn¡¯t over yet. p! Park Dohwan pped once more. Instantly, a series of numbers appeared under the timer in the air. [1,000] ¨DStarting tomorrow, a tax of 1,000 karma will be automatically collected every night at 10 p.m. ¨DFailure to pay the tax at the collection point will lead to immediate annihtion, so it¡¯s essential to secure karma. ¡°¡­!¡± It was like a bolt from the blue. They had been given a basic living fund of only 3,000 karma, and even that wasn¡¯t entirely secured due to chaos at the currency exchange. In other words, if they didn¡¯t fight monsters, they would die within a few days due to unpaid taxes. ¨DNow, there are 22 minutes left until the mutants return. I wish you all the best. With those words, Park Dohwan¡¯s form blurred, and the ¡¯Rookie Soldier¡¯ quest waspleted. Ding! [Quest Complete ¨C ¡°Rookie Soldier¡±] [Reward Issued] |Survival Gear Sssshhh. With the change in quest text, everyone was suddenly given a waistband. It was a kind of simple sheath with an iron ring to insert weapons. ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this supposed to be?¡± ¡°Survival gear?¡± At the moment of dissatisfaction with the quest reward being below expectations¡­ Wooong! Immediately, an enormous roar echoed from the sky. Dozens of huge pirs of light began to rain down on various parts of Gumi City. What was it again this time? People didn¡¯t dwell on it for long. Anyone could understand that those were the locations where monsters would appear. One of the light columns even shone on a spot less than 10 meters away from their current location. ¡°Ahh!¡± ¡°R-run away!¡± The overwhelming majority followed their instincts and chose to flee. However, Yeongwoo was an exception. ¡®¡­Run away? The only way to earn money is by fighting monsters. We have to pay taxes every day starting tomorrow, so what¡¯s the point of running away?¡¯ In fact, this was a thought that only Yeongwoo, among others, could entertain. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Because, he had diligently umted ¡®sess experiences¡¯ in the reset world. Obtaining an Early Bird at the currency exchange, securing a shield at the Sword Mountain, and even winning a 1-on-3 battle to be the Strongest Sword of Gumi¡­ Therefore, it was natural for him to consider the threats of this world as something not merely to fear and avoid but to ovee. However, it seemed his instinct based on the Level 4 settings did not seem to want to go any further. ¡°¡­.¡± Even now, his hand holding the Early Bird was trembling. ¡®Thebat power of the monsters might not be unbelievably high. Wouldn¡¯t it at least be at a level where the average person would have a chance? Since they said monster hunting is the only source of karma.¡¯ Recalling the information Park Dohwan had provided, Yeongwoo surveyed the area around the column of light. And then, he btedly noticed Yechan standing a short distance away. He seemed to be staring nkly at the spot where his destiny record had been. Was he still in shock from learning about the ¡®secrets of his birth¡¯? ¡°¡­Are you okay?¡± Yeongwoo cautiously touched Yechan¡¯s shoulder and, then, the eyes of the boy, who had looked like a dead man a moment ago, seemed toe back to life slightly. ¡°Uh¡­ I¡¯m fine.¡± Then it was Yechan¡¯s turn to ask. ¡°Are you okay, Mister?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, I¡¯m just¡­¡± His mother, a Level 1 Supporting Role, and his father, a Level 6 Extra. Yeongwoo was also curious about his own background, but it was a secondary issue at the moment. [00:19:26] Because the swarms of mutants and monsters were scheduled to appear in 19 minutes. ¡°First, as promised, let¡¯s do the settlement. You¡¯ve worked hard too so far. I¡¯m grateful too.¡± As Yeongwoo opened his backpack and took out the coins corresponding to the customer¡¯s share, Yechan seemed surprised. ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t you say that you would do the settlement in a safe ce?¡± ¡°Is there a ce safer than here right now?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Unable to refute Yeongwoo¡¯s words while scanning the surroundings to question him, Yechan soon had to close his mouth. Moments ago, the area had been crowded with people, but now they had all fled, leaving it empty. ¡°Take this for now. My hands are tied up.¡± ¡°What?¡± When he turned his head, he saw Yeongwoo clutching the coins in his hands. It meant Yeongwoo didn¡¯t want him to be left unarmed. ¡°Oh¡­!¡± As Yechan hastily took the coins, Yeongwoo, now with empty hands, pulled out the Early Bird from the scabbard. ¡°I¡¯ll rest here for a bit and then take on the monsters. Now that you can handle yourself, go wherever you want. Our security contract ends here.¡± With those words, Yeongwoo sat down in his spot. Of course, he kept an eye on Yechan, probably prepared for any sudden attacks. His right hand gripped the Early Bird, and his left hand held the shield firmly. At that, Yechan hesitated for a moment before settling down on the ground, following Yeongwoo. ¡°No matter how strong you are, wouldn¡¯t it be dangerous to stay here alone? It might be safer to go where there are more people¡­¡± The implication was that with more people around, the attention of the monsters would at least be divided. But Yeongwoo thought differently. ¡°The more people there are, the higher the chance of being ambushed from behind. The number of monsters we have to deal with might increase as well.¡± So, Yeongwoo intended to wait here and confront the monster from one of the pirs of light. ¡®Even so¡­¡¯ Yechan initially considered Yeongwoo excessively reckless but quickly reconsidered. Come to think of it, this man was the Gumi¡¯s Strongest Sword. A title that can only be inherited through murder. Therefore, it was evident that showing one¡¯s back to the people and fighting the monsters would lead to an inevitable ambush. ¡°¡­Okay.¡± As Yechan cautiously began to withdraw, Yeongwoo continued to gaze as if urging him to keep speaking. ¡°What about someone fighting from the side, not from behind?¡± ¡°From the side? Are you nning to stay here and fight?¡± Yeongwoo scratched his chin, staring directly at Yechan. Then he spoke again. ¡°One person from the side might be fine. But if I make a wrong judgment, you could end up in a deadly situation. Think carefully.¡± To this, Yechan responded with a somewhat bitter smile, speaking almost as a murmur. ¡°Well, if it weren¡¯t for you, I would¡¯ve ended up dead anyway.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Was he referring to what was written in the destiny record, or to what happened at the Sword Mountain? Seeing Yeongwoo¡¯s expression stiffen, Yechan made an effort to raise his voice. ¡°Hey, I was joking. By the way, after hearing that exnation earlier, about enhancing physical abilities with karma, can it really be done?¡± It was an awkward change of topic. But since Yeongwoo seemed inwardly curious, he picked a coin from his backpack and examined it. ¡°He probably wasn¡¯t lying¡­ but he disappeared without exining how to use it.¡± A crimson coin the size of a five hundred won coin. There was nothing on the back, only a single horizontal line inscribed in the center of the front. ¡®Is this a representation of 1,000 karma?¡¯ Yechan pressed the coin with his fingers, but nothing happened. Even when he tried tossing it on the ground or pressing it against his arm, nothing seemed to reveal its purpose. If the special function of karma could be activated merely through physical contact, they¡¯d have known the moment they picked it up. ¡®How am I supposed to use this? At this rate, my baggage will only get heavier. People without bags will be in real trouble. I can¡¯t get rid of this by eating or anything¡­¡¯ As Yechan contemted this, he was caught off guard by a sudden thought. Could this be eaten? It was said to be used to change appearance and enhance physical abilities, so it wasn¡¯t entirely imusible. ¡®¡­¡¯ But in the current world, did it really matter if it made sense or not? Without hesitation, Yeongwoo put the coin in his mouth. Then. Ding! Before he could even bite down on the coin, something happened. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 10 Chapter 10 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 10: The Level 4 Extra (3) ¡°¡­Ah!¡± Yechan, who was staring at Yeongwoo, was so startled that he almost fell backward. Yeongwoo¡¯s appearance suddenly changed when put the coin in his mouth, which was the reason. ¡°Wh-what¡¯s happening?¡± Yechan asked with his eyes wide open. It was clear. Yeongwoo was surrounded by a translucent dotted line outlining his body. Moreover, this dotted line seemed to flow in a certain direction, just like blood circting. Seeing this, Yeongwoo took the coin out of his mouth and examined his body. ¡°Seems like some kind of customization mode¡­ or something like that.¡± ¡°Customization mode?¡± ¡°Yeah, you know, like those modes in games where you can readjust a character¡¯s appearance.¡± ¡°Really? Then, right now¡­?¡± Before Yechan could finish his sentence, a new interface appeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s sight. [Character settings change] |Appearance |Stats ¡°That¡¯s it. So, inserting the coin in my mouth opened up this function?¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Yechan quickly grabbed the coin and brought it close to his mouth. Ding! ¡°Oh, it seems like just touching the lips is enough.¡± ¡°The lips?¡± Yeongwoo looked at the coin, now covered in saliva, with an amused expression. Nevertheless, now that they understood how to use it, it seemed fine. ¡®It doesn¡¯t look like anyone else ising yet.¡¯ Yeongwoo raised his head to see that the timer had already decreased to 11 minutes, and then turned his gaze back to the interface. |Appearance |Stats There were only two menu options: Appearance and Stats. ¡®I¡¯m curious about changing my appearance, but there¡¯s no time.¡¯ Yeongwoo skipped the appearance option and chose ¡±Stats.¡¯ As he did, a sort of guide screen appeared first. Pah! [From now on, you may use karma to enhance your physical abilities. Please carefully select after reading the description of each category.] [Strength] |Affects body strength and speed. [Endurance] |Affects the ability to sustain and repeat movements. [Durability] |Affects the durability of skin, bones, muscles, etc. [Senses] |Affects overall body control, reflexes, bnce, etc. There were only four physical abilities that could be enhanced with karma: Strength, Endurance, Durability, and Senses. Thanks to this, it didn¡¯t take long to grasp the concepts of each ability. ¡®Durability seems a bit peculiar. What¡¯s next?¡¯ As Yeongwoo thought this, the guide text vanished, and the actual settings page appeared. [Character: Jung Yeongwoo07] [Strength] 19 [Endurance] 21 [Durability] 13 [Senses] 24 * 1,000 Karma is consumed per Stat Point. * Avable Karma: 153,000 ¡®1,000 Karma per point? So, I can raise the stats by 153 points in total?¡¯ If he invested all of it into Strength, it would increase his strength by a whopping 8 times. ¡®¡­Incredible.¡¯ Yeongwoo felt a rush as if every cell in his body awakened. He felt as if he finally understood the true value of the currency called karma. ¡®This is a way to transcend the level one¡¯s assigned at birth.¡¯ As long as one can continuously secure enough Karma, even a Level 4 individual could be stronger than anyone else. Considering there¡¯s an ¡®Appearance¡¯ option among the other settings, it was highly likely that things like appearance or physique could also be altered. It had truly became a world where anything was possible as long as one had money. ¡°¡­¡± Yeongwoo swallowed dryly and checked the timer in the air once more. [00:06:22] In 6 minutes, monsters and mutants would appear. ¡®Anyway, if I can¡¯t win against them, my neck will be on the line right here. So, using the money I have for stat growth is the right move.¡¯ Now, which stat should be enhanced? ¡®I don¡¯t know how many and what types of monsters will appear. So¡­¡¯ It should be evenly distributed as much as possible. However, he decided to exclude Durability and Senses. ¡®Even if I put 50 points into durability, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to deflect a knife or w with my bare skin.¡¯ He also felt that Senses wouldn¡¯t be of much help initially. So far, he felt morecking in Strength and Endurance. ¡®Let¡¯s divide it appropriately between Strength and Endurance. If my strength improves, handling the shield will be easier, boosting my survival chances.¡¯ As soon as he made his decision, he started distributing the points. He put 77 points into Strength and 76 into Endurance. It was an ¡®all-in¡¯ move, leaving no Karma even for the tax due tomorrow at 10 PM. Then¡­ Pahaht! Numbers began to fill up in his pitiful settings window. [Character: Jung Yeongwoo07] [Strength] 96 (19+77) [Endurance] 97 (21+76) [Durability] 13 [Senses] 24 Simultaneously, a change urred in Yeongwoo. ¡°¡­!¡± Though he hadn¡¯t suddenly grown in size or developed new muscles, he could tell just by sitting still. His strength and stamina had increased enormously. ¡®¡­I can barely feel the weight of the Early Bird.¡¯ Moreover, the shield he held in his left hand felt much lighter than before. Whoosh. Even the act of getting up from his seat felt different. He didn¡¯t need to push off with his hands; the strength in his legs alone was enough. ¡®What¡¯s this? It¡¯s so different.¡¯ His Strength had increased from 19 to 96. In pure numerical terms, that meant his strength had increased about 5 times, so feeling the difference was natural. ¡°Mister, are you¡­ okay?¡± Seeing Yeongwoo¡¯s thoughtful expression, Yechan asked with a concerned tone. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Instead of answering, Yeongwoo jumped with all his might. Thud! Friction on the soles of his shoes felt like they might tear apart, and he immediately sprung into the air. ¡°Whoa¡­!¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s shadow passed over Yechan¡¯s widened eyes. Even Yeongwoo, looking down from a much higher point than he anticipated, was surprised. At least 1.5 meters, by eye estimation. Yeongwoo felt a sudden fear. Such a high jump was far from his regr exercise routine, he had no idea about any falling techniques ornding from high altitudes. Whoosh! Eventually, gravity grabbed hold of Yeongwoo¡¯s body abruptly. ¡°Huh!¡± For a moment, it felt like his body¡¯s center was tilting forward, but thankfully, his feet touched the ground before that. However, the impact of thending without any cushioning sent piercing pain from his heels to his knees. ¡°¡­Ugh!¡± Reflexively clutching his knees, Yeongwoo realized his mistake. ¡®So, that¡¯s why there are separate Stats like Durability and Senses.¡¯ For instance, assuming he leapt about 5 meters with much stronger strength than now. Even if soaring to 5 meters high wasn¡¯t a problem, how would hend? Would his legs, with a mere Durability of 13, be able to withstand the impact? It would probably be the same while facing monsters with swords or blocking powerful attacks with a shield. ¡®If I survive this time, I definitely need to pay attention to Durability and Senses.¡¯ As Yeongwoo was resolving this, Yechan called out to him in a somewhat urgent tone. ¡°Mister¡­! What about me? Which stat should I raise first?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Yeongwoo btedly came to his senses and turned his head in that direction, noticing that Yechan was also surrounded by a translucent dotted line. ¡°How many points can you use?¡± ¡°I can use 73 if I spend everything.¡± ¡°Then, put 30 each into Strength and Endurance, 10 into Durability, and 3 into Senses.¡± Given the recent trial and error, Yeongwoo rmended the best possible choices within his knowledge limit. Following the advice without a word, Yechan adjusted his stats ordingly. [Character: Kang Yechan306] [Strength] 44 (14+30) [Endurance] 52 (22+30) [Durability] 27 (17+10) [Senses] 22 (19+3) Soon after, Yechan, too, made a face simr to Yeongwoo¡¯s a while ago. ¡°¡­Uhh, what is this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how much karma we¡¯ll gain in the future, but if things continue like this, it won¡¯t be long before superhumans start to appear.¡± ¡°Ye-yeah, that seems likely.¡± ¡°So, if possible¡­¡± After speaking up to this point, Yeongwoo checked the timer in the air. [00:00:49] 49 seconds left. ¡°It¡¯s better for us to be those superhumans. There is nothing bad about being strong.¡± Actually, it was not just not bad¡ªit¡¯s a necessity. Yeongwoo still remembered vividly. Being surrounded by faceless individuals at the exchange booth, he got pped, and his arms twisted. Even now, when enteringbat situations, their angry gestures and hands full of instruments came vividly to his mind, making him tremble. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t want to be pushed down under their feet again. Never again. [00:00:21] 21 seconds. Around this time, Yechan also stopped swinging his spear and stood straight in his ce. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo scanned his surroundings for any potential ambushers. [00:00:10] Then finally, when the timer reached 10 seconds, both of them were staring at the blue light pirs from above. Will the monsters pour down from above? Or will they suddenly appear where the pirs of light touch the ground? While inwardly pondering various thoughts to calm their restlessness, the timer hit 3 seconds. ¡­3. ¡­2. ¡­1. And then. Boom! A tremendous rumbling echoed and spread from the top of the light pirs, followed by an unusual tearing sound from the edge where the sky met the pirs. Squeak! Squeak! ¡°Mister¡­! Something ising down!¡± ¡°I can see that. You¡¯d better step back.¡± Yeongwoo saw several faint lights appearing inside the upper part of the light pirs. And their sizes were oddly increasing. Squeak! ¡®Those things¡¯nded sessively from the top of the light pirs right in front of Yeongwoo and Yechan. Thud! Thud! ¡°¡­¡± Precisely 12 entities. As theynded, they crushed the ground, and Yeongwoo could easily guess that if a person were standing underneath, they would have shattered into pieces. ¡®Fortunately there aren¡¯t too many.¡¯ Of course, with 12 creatures per light pir, there could easily be hundreds of monsters scattered throughout the Gumi City. While falling from the sky, they were all wrapped in oval-shaped white spheres, receiving some sort of protection. But the issue was that the spheres were muchrger than expected. ¡°Oh, Mister¡­?¡± Yechan stepped back, suggesting something was wrong. Yeongwoo was equally stunned. Each of the 12 spheres stood at about 2 meters in height and had a width of around 1.5 meters. ¡®What on earth could they¡­¡¯ Clunk! Before Yeongwoo could finish his thought, the spheres suddenly split apart. Then¡­ Boom! 12 heavily armed goblins stepped out from within their respective spheres, striding out valiantly by kicking the inner walls of the spheres. ¡°¡­¡± At this, Yeongwoo and Yechan could only look up in dismay. These entities stood at a height of 2 meters. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 11 Chapter 11 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 11: The Goblins Are Too Big (1) ¡°Ar¡­ Are goblins usually this big?¡± Yeongwoo turned his head at Yechan¡¯s trembling voice. ¡°¡­I wouldn¡¯t know. It¡¯s my first time seeing goblins up close too.¡± Despite the somewhat silly conversation, there wasn¡¯t a trace ofughter on their faces. The reality of a two-meter-tall goblin standing right in front of them, whether a figment of their imagination or not, was undeniable. And not only was it towering in height, but its arms were massive with muscles and veins protruding prominently. The armor covering its head, chest, and abdomen barely showed any space for a de to prate. ¡®This is problematic.¡¯ Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t shake the ominous feeling that perhaps his assumptions had beenpletely off the mark. He stayed here under the assumption that the monsters wouldn¡¯t be too powerful since hunting them was the only method of acquiring karma points. But the present reality seemed to contradict that¡­ ¨CKeeiik! Soon enough, the group of goblins noticed Yeongwoo and Yechan, emanating a threatening stance. ¡°Sh-should we¡­ fight?¡± Yechan¡¯s question sounded almost like a scream, already devoid of any vigor. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo tightened his grip on his shield, preparing to step forward. ¡°Is there any other way?¡± Before Yeongwoo could finish his sentence, the goblins aggressively stomped the ground with their iron boots, charging towards them. ¨CKeeiik! ¨CKirruk! The intimidation from the twelve goblins, each standing at a towering two meters, was overwhelming. With every movement they made, their colossal shadows ovepped Yeongwoo¡¯s and Yechan¡¯s, as if they had already begun the ughter. ¡°Ah¡­ Ah¡­!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Yechan¡¯s voice sounded peculiar, and as Yeongwoo turned to look, he saw the trembling grip on his spear. Barely able to stand, legs not firmly nted on the ground, barely maintaining bnce. Seeing this, Yeongwoo felt a surge of dread course through his body. ¡°You idiot, are you out of your mind? Do you want to die here? Get a grip!¡± Even if they fought with all their might, it was uncertain if they could prevail. Yet, despite Yeongwoo¡¯s urging, Yechan only wavered, showing no sign of taking action. As a result, a string suddenly snapped in Yeongwoo¡¯s mind. ¡°Kang Yechan! Are you trying tomit su***de again?¡± Then¡­ ¡°Huh¡­?¡± A startled Yechan nced at Yeongwoo, wearing aplex expression. He had understood what Yeongwoo had just said. |Eliminations: February 1, 2039, 8:36 PM, killed a customer while working at a bar, thenmitted su***de. It was his previous, or rather, original destiny written in the destiny records. ¡°Ah.¡± Just as a glimmer of determination seemed to dawn in Yechan¡¯s eyes, the goblins pounced on them. ¨CKiieeek! Without a chance to assess Yechan, Yeongwoo had to raise his shield in defense. The colossal de of an axe was hurtling straight towards his head. Moreover, the Gumi Sword Technique, that usually activated whenever he was about to be attacked, was now failing to activate. ¡®Is it only effective in one-on-onebat?¡¯ In that split second when the future seemed murky, a resounding ng echoed. Kkaaang! The moment Yeongwoo gritted his teeth as he saw his future getting darker. ng! The goblin¡¯s attack rebounded off the outer rim of the shield. ¡®Huh¡­?¡¯ And then Yeongwoo realized. ¡®It¡¯s not as strong as I thought?¡¯ Although his elbow was sore from the impact on the shield, it was not because hecked strength. It was simply because joints were not strong. Right now, his strength and endurance had increased fivefold, but his durability remained unchanged. Which meant¡­ ¡®I don¡¯t lose the battle of strength¡­!¡¯ Recalling the axe de that had been effortlessly deflected, Yeongwoo swung his shield forward. Whoosh! Thud! The sound of metal striking metal reverberated. Because of the goblin¡¯s towering height, the shield struck its upper chest te instead of the head. ¨CKkrruk! Surprisingly, the missed strike was not entirely ineffective. ¨CKyaaah! The expression of the goblin visible inside the helmet contorted ferociously. Then, Yeongwoo realized that the opponent¡¯s chest te had been dented. ¡®This bastard is in so much pain that can¡¯t even move right now.¡¯ Yeongwoo glimpsed a potential turnaround and his determination surged. But the opponent was a group of twelve goblins, after all. Whoosh! A massive de came flying from the right side in a brutish manner. ¡°¡­!¡± Shivers ran down Yeongwoo¡¯s spine as he instinctively extended his Early Bird to assume a defensive posture. Unconsciously, he tilted the de simr to what the hologram of the Gumi Sword Technique had done recently. It was an unintentional act, reproducing the most sessful defensive stance he had experienced. ng! Soon enough, the goblin¡¯s de, meeting the Early Bird, slid down the silver-sloped surface. In fact, it was only possible because Yeongwoo¡¯s own strength had increased to match his opponent¡¯s strength, but he himself was unaware of this fact. What mattered to him right now was only¡­ ¡®The¡­ Timing!¡¯ He sensed the timing for a counterattack. Swish! Although it wasn¡¯t perfect, Yeongwoo managed a swift counterattack, reminiscent of when the Gumi Sword Technique had been activated. The Early Bird, previously pushed downward by the opponent¡¯s de, shot back up like lightning. Pitt! With a sharp sound, the tip of the Early Bird darted through the goblin¡¯s helmet. ¨CKwaaaak! The goblin screamed strangely as it copsed backward. Of course, another one immediately rushed forward, spewing out hot air, but Yeongwoo was no longer intimidated. He felt like he could handle this one too. * * * [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Goblins. Like dragons, they were creatures of imagination, but set as far less fortunate monsters. Practically synonymous with ¡®low-level mobs,¡¯ they appeared in various media and were as recognized as dragons. Moreover, due to most creators adopting the settings from ¡®Dungeons & Dragons,¡¯ their poprized appearance was remarkably consistent. Hence, Yeongwoo and Yechan could readily identify the figures of the creatures that were now standing before them. Generally small in stature, with green or brown skin, and having pointed ears and noses, they were a wicked race. However, the goblins in front of Yeongwoo were anything but small. ¡°Haah, hah!¡± With his lungs feeling like they were going to explode, Yeongwoo squatted on his knees, driving the Early Bird into the ground. He wasn¡¯t sure how many minutes he¡¯d been fighting, but one thing was certain. ¡®If I hadn¡¯t invested karma into Endurance, I might have died. Even alone, I¡¯d have exhausted my stamina and died.¡¯ At least nine, maybe even ten goblins, he had directly faced. This was the maximum length ofbat achievable with an 97 Endurance. ¡°¡­Phew.¡± Breathing didn¡¯t calm down easily. Yeongwoo looked across, seeing Yechan sitting a distance away. ¡®He¡¯s quite tough too.¡¯ In fact, the moment the goblins attacked, Yeongwoo hadn¡¯t expected Yechan to survive. He had merely hoped he¡¯d take down at least one of them to assist in the fight. The harsh rebuke of ¡°Are you trying tomit su***de again!¡± was in fact Yeongwoo¡¯s own desperate attempt to survive. ¡®I should apologize after this is all over.¡¯ In that tense moment, being able to taunt him with his ¡®previous fate¡¯ had been due to Yeongwoo being the more cunning adult , rtively speaking. At least, Yeongwoo felt sorry for thinking that way. Sighing, he lifted his body, which celebrated its 34th anniversary this year, from the ground, ncing at Yechan, who was seated at a distance. Kang Yechan, a 19-year-old male. Unlike Yeongwoo, he was unarmed, having dropped both his spear and shield. Even when Yeongwoo approached, he didn¡¯t attempt to reach for a weapon. cing the Early Bird back in its sheath, Yeongwoo spoke up. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m sorry for earlier. I was harsh.¡± Upon which, Yechan turned his head. ¡°No, Mister. If you hadn¡¯t said that, I might have done nothing and just died. And, more importantly¡­¡± Yechan stopped there, looking down at his hands. He was reying the moment when he had single-handedly brought down the unbelievably strong goblins with his own two hands. ¡°¡­I could kill them too, those bastards. I couldn¡¯t have imagined.¡± ¡°Of course, I said you could.¡± Saying this, Yeongwoo awkwardly chuckled without Yechan noticing. Strictly speaking, this was merely a sessful bet due to sheer luck. But ultimately, he had survived again this time, just as always, expecting a reward for his challenge. ¡®That¡¯s right. The karma¡­¡¯ As Yeongwoo nced back, considering the possibility of rummaging through the goblins¡¯ pockets, Shiriring. The corpses of the scattered goblins dissolved into the air. ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Yechan was also taken aback, immediately standing up. Shortly after, twelve small lights shed from the spots where the goblins had vanished. Ding! Ding! Ding! Then a very familiar sound was heard. Cling. ¡°¡­.!¡± The sound that instinctively made Yeongwoo take a step back. Chrrr! It was none other than the sound of karma pouring out in the form of coins. ¡°These crazy bastards.¡± Yeongwoo cursed towards the unknown world as the coins began to fall all around him. Then, a thought struck him. ¡®Wait a minute.¡¯ Something seemed off. ¡®How many coins are dropping per goblin? Isn¡¯t this too few?¡¯ After frantically collecting the coins, Yeongwoo realized the total karma dropped by the twelve goblins was only 240,000. In other words, precisely 20,000 karma per goblin. Of course, considering that 1,000 karma equated to one point in stats, it was by no means a small amount. ¡®But 1,000 karma is also a person¡¯s lifespan. So, roughly¡­¡¯ 240 people could survive a day with this amount. ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo didn¡¯t know the exact poption of Gumi City. But even if it wasn¡¯t in the millions, wasn¡¯t it in the tens of thousands? ¡®No matter how much give-and-take there was, about half should have survived¡­ But the karma released is too littlepared to the remaining number of people.¡¯ No, this wasn¡¯t just a small amount. The number of light pirs Yeongwoo had confirmed back then was at least around a hundred. A simple calction would mean 24,000 people¡¯s worth of karma. Even if there were more groups of light pirs beyond visible range, it would still be ridiculously insufficient to save a poption in the tens of thousands. In other words, ¡®No matter how much people engage in monster hunting, the vast majority will die due to unpaid taxes.¡¯ He realized that monster hunting was never meant to be a device for releasing karma into cirction. Even if the entire poption of Gumi City engaged in monster hunting, the majority would inevitably die without acquiring karma. ¡®What the hell is this? Is this just a confirmed end?¡¯ He was overwhelmed by a staggering sense of dismay. Sure, a few superhumans capable of monster hunting could continue to survive by reinvesting karma. But what would be the point if everyone else died in the meantime? ¡°¡­Ha.¡± In shock, Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t even picking up the coins, prompting Yechan to cautiously approach. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Mister?¡± Yechan couldn¡¯t even guess that Yeongwoo was reverse-calcting the total karma released in Gumi City. Yeongwoo looked at Yechan with a bleak expression. ¡°It seems like we¡­¡± But Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. Suddenly, a quest notification appeared in the silent surroundings. Ding! [Epic] ¡°Dilemma¡± {Mission} Track down and defeat or repel the mutants. {Reward} Mutant equipment, a vast amount of karma. {Special} This quest is triggered for residents who possess records of monster kills. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 12 Chapter 12 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 12: The Goblins Are Too Big (2) ¡°Huh?¡± As the quest prompt appeared, Yechan let out a surprised sound. Upon this, Yeongwoo realized that Yechan was included in the list of ¡®residents with monster kill records.¡¯ The trigger for this Epic Quest. ¡°You see it too? Both the prompt and the disy.¡± ¡°The disy?¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s inquiry, Yechan, who had been nodding, soon spotted a distant red pir of light and jolted. ¡°I¡­ I see it.¡± Could it be that this time, he was determined to go and confront the mutants? Yechan looked at Yeongwoo with eyes full of concern. Indeed, Yeongwoo was focused on the red pir of light that seemed to mark the location of the mutants. ¡®It¡¯s moving.¡¯ Despite seeming to be quite a distance away, the movement of the pir of light felt real-time. It meant the target¡¯s movement speed was incredibly fast. ¡®Where could it be heading?¡¯ Of course, the only way to find out was to chase it. It would be a waste of time to contemte more here. ¡°We should get ready to move now. We¡¯ve done everything we need to do here.¡± Yeongwoo picked 40,000 Karma from the pile of coins and handed it to Yechan. Upon this, Yechan nced anxiously at the red pir of light. ¡°Are we¡­ going to the mutants?¡± ¡°Of course. If we spot goblins on the way, we need to deal with them too.¡± As he spoke, Yeongwoo ced a coin inside his mouth. The purpose was to reinvest the Karma gained this time into his stats. Crunch! [Character: Jung Yeongwoo 07] [Strength] 96 (19+77) [Stamina] 97 (21+76) [Endurance] 13 [Senses] 24 * 1,000 Karma is consumed per stats point. * Avable Karma: 200,000 With 200,000 Karma in hand, he could increase his stats by a total of 200 points if he invested it all. Yeongwoo decided to initially bnce each stat up to a certain level. ¡®Let¡¯s raise Endurance and Senses to 50 for now.¡¯ And distribute the rest between Strength and Stamina. [Character: Jung Yeongwoo 07] [Strength] 150 (19+131) [Stamina] 150 (21+129) [Endurance] 50 (13+37) [Senses] 50 (24+26) * Avable Karma: 30,000 ¡®This is truly amazing. The rate of growth is too fast.¡¯ Yeongwoo blinked in amazement. Just a few hours ago, his Strength was only 19, and now it was at a staggering 150. And even after boosting the stats this much, he still had 30,000 Karma remaining. ¡®I should refrain from spending the rest. I might need cash on hand at some point.¡¯ After closing the settings window, Yeongwoo looked at Yechan, who was surrounded by a dotted line. Then Yechan nced at him and carefully asked. ¡°Did you use up all your Karma again?¡± ¡°I left some just in case.¡± ¡°Oh, then should I¡­?¡± ¡°Nah. It¡¯s better if you use it all. It¡¯s still tough for you to fight against monsters.¡± Yeongwoo expressed it as ¡®some¡¯ for the 30,000 Karma, yet he felt no unease. With the significant increase in avable funds in exchange for hunting monsters. ¡®I wonder what others are doing. Are they still running away? Some of them might have fought the monsters.¡¯ Yeongwoo still surveyed the blue pirs of light scattered around. They indicated that there were monsters left uncleared in the area. ¡°Mister, I¡¯m done too.¡± After finishing the distribution of stat points, Yechan, holding a spear and shield, stood beside Yeongwoo. Upon which, Yeongwoo asked, keeping his gaze focused on the red pir of light. ¡°What¡¯s your Stamina now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s 52. The base was 22.¡± Seeing Yechan adding to the base value, it seemed like he¡¯d found some stability as well. Yeongwoo double-checked that his backpack containing 30,000 Karma was securely locked before pointing with the tip of the Early Bird, indicating the red pir of light. ¡°Now we¡¯re going all the way over there. Just follow behind me.¡± * * * Moving. It sounded grand, but it boiled down to just running. Yet, there was something different from before. Thud! Despite running at a considerable speed, they didn¡¯t tire easily. Of course, this applied to Yeongwoo with his Stamina reaching 150, while Yechan seemed visibly fatigued from earlier. ¡°Haa! Gasp!¡± Even so, instead of suggesting a brief rest, Yechan gritted through without asking to stop. This was because he thought that the moment he was considered a burden by Yeongwoo, he would be abandoned. ¡°¡­Haa! Haaa! Huff!¡± However, after a short while, as his stamina reached its limit, his breathing started to break down. ¡°¡­¡± Upon this, Yeongwoo gradually slowed down. ¡°I think you should take a little break.¡± ¡°Oh, no! Just a little more¡­¡± ¡°No, if you push yourself too hard and copse, it¡¯ll be troublesome for me.¡± Just a few hours ago, Yeongwoo had been overtaken ruthlessly in the race to the currency exchange booth. Therefore, simply because Yechancked stamina, Yeongwoo had no intention of abandoning him. There was no reason to do that yet. ¡°Take a short break. Since we don¡¯t know when we might have to fight again, it¡¯s better if I rest too.¡± As Yeongwoo came to aplete stop, Yechan, following behind, poured out sweat onto the ground, catching his breath. ¡®I might need to boost Stamina next time. If not¡­¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s head stopped at a certain point as he looked around. Two bicycles were lined up in front of a roadside store. They had, of course, turned into stone. ¡®But they said that by using Karma we can revert items turned to stone back to their original state.¡¯ Yeongwoo took out a coin from his backpack and walked toward the stone bicycles. Then¡­ Tap! He ced the coin on the handlebar of the bicycle. Phew! ¡°¡­.!¡± Lo and behold, a small square hologram appeared where the coin and the bicycle made contact. ¡°Oh, this is¡­¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] It was none other than the price tag. [Bicycle: 3,000] * To confirm purchase, re-contact the item with a coin. Bicycle, 3,000 Karma. It meant that by paying three crimson coins, these bicycles could be restored for use. ¡®Even if I buy both, it¡¯s just 6,000.¡¯ To Yeongwoo, who currently had 30,000 Karma, it felt very affordable. Riding a bicycle significantly reduced stamina consumption rtive to distance traveled and also increased the speed of movement. Tap! While examining the price tag, Yeongwoo momentarily withdrew the coin, then touched it again to the bicycle, causing the coin to disappear, and the bicycle began to change. Ssshhhhh! Like when items from the previous world turned to stone, it started emitting a hazy smoke. Then, from where the coin had made contact, the petrification quickly reversed. ¡°What¡­ what is this?¡± Yechan, who had been catching his breath from behind, was startled and rushed over upon seeing the smoke. ¡°You know how to ride a bike, right? From now on, we¡¯ll move on these.¡± ¡°Yes? Ah, yes! I know how to ride, but¡­¡± Yechan looked at Yeongwoo with admiring eyes. At this moment when most people were busy running from monsters, the fact that Yeongwoo was buying a bicycle to chase down mutants¡­ the more he thought about it, the more impressive it seemed. ¡°Mister, um, are you a regressor or something?¡± ¡°What?¡± [TL/N: Bro read too many regressor manhwa¡­ ngl I¡¯d think the same in his ce ] Yeongwoo furrowed his brows momentarily at the absurd statement, then chuckled. ¡°What nonsense. It¡¯s nothing like that.¡± ¡°Then how are you able to do all these?¡± ¡°How¡­¡± Yeongwoo intended to say something but closed his mouth. The truth was, he didn¡¯t have a clear answer himself. ¡°Because I¡¯m afraid.¡± ¡°Mister? What could you be afraid of¡­?¡± ¡°Being weak.¡± ¡°¡­Oh.¡± Yeongwoo pushed a bicycle towards Yechan and asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± ¡°Well, I¡­¡± While Yechan was checking his burnt name tag, Yeongwoo had his foot on the bicycle pedal. ¡°Sometimes, being weak is scarier than dying. So, whenever there¡¯s an opportunity, I try to be as strong as possible.¡± Rrrrrr¡­ Gradually, the gears of Yeongwoo¡¯s bicycle began to turn. Watching Yeongwoo move away, Yechan stared nkly for a moment, then hurriedly lifted his foot to the pedal. * * * With their bodies enhanced by Karma, the two of them rode the bicycles at a very fast pace. In a blink, they broke through themercial district and entered a residential area, where they could once again see other people. However, the issue was¡­ ¡°Aaaah!¡± ¡°Save me!¡± Everyone seemed extremely terrified. Dozens of people of all ages and genders were running in the direction of Yeongwoo and Yechan. ¡°What is this¡­¡± ¡°They¡¯re running away. Looks like there are goblins over there.¡± Yeongwoo pointed at the blue pir of light emanating from inside the residential area. Then, he nced at a person who had just passed by him, noticing they were carrying a rock. He didn¡¯t get a clear view in that instant. ¡®Probably an item from the previous world.¡¯ It might be something incredibly valuable. There were several groups, including a man carrying a child and a sister supporting her grandmother while sweating profusely, who seemed rtively vulnerable. ¡°This is truly like hell.¡± Yechan said while looking at the staggering elderly, Yeongwoo shook his head. ¡°At this pace, we can¡¯t outrun them. Someone inside must be buying us time.¡± He omitted the part about the true hell being inside. Of course, it was unclear whether someone inside was willingly buying them time or if they were simply being picked off in order at the back of the long evacuation line. ¡°¡­¡± Yeongwoo frowned, recalling a terrible scene involuntarily. If people were really dying in there, they needed to hurry more than they already were. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Stick to the side to avoid the crowd.¡± As people continued to pour out from the residential area, Yeongwoo and Yechan moved to the edge of the road and rode their bicycles. ¡°Oh, by the way.¡± As Yechan pedaled hard, he spoke up again. ¡°There are quite a few people without any weapons.¡± ¡°Not everyone followed the quests.¡± Yeongwoo sensed that the situation was getting closer as another group of people rushed out, and indeed, the blue pir of light was now approaching. And then¡­ Crunch! Creak! Unusual cracking noises reached Yeongwoo¡¯s ears. ¡®Shit. What¡¯s this sound?¡¯ Reflexively, he raised his upper body and looked behind the crowd of refugees. Suddenly, something grotesque filled his sight. It was none other than¡­ Goblins, smeared with blood, clutching one person each, feasting on flesh. Crunch! Again, the sound of goblins tearing into human bones echoed. ¡°These bastards¡­!¡± Yeongwoo shouted in rage and reversed their course through the fleeing crowd. A goblin, skinning its prey, raised its head to look at him. Then it grinned, shing its white teeth that had not yet stained red. As if it was looking at more prey that had served themselves at its te. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 13 Chapter 13 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 13: The Goblins Are Too Big (3) What kind of figure were the goblins facing? It was a human riding a bicycle, armed with a sword and a shield, with the title ¡®Strongest Sword of Gumi¡¯ above his head. ¡°Yaaaah!¡± Despite Yeongwoo screaming and approaching at a rapid speed, the goblins paid no heed and continued their meal. They forcefully separated the meaty thighs and calves of their prey, tearing apart rib cages and scooping out the entrails. ¡°This is insane¡­!¡± Was this some kind of tribal ritual? Yeongwoo felt an indescribable mix of anger and sorrow as he looked at someone¡¯s limbs ttering on the ground. And then, a profound sense of dread washed over him. It was a fear stemming from the intuition that the position of the human race was no longer the same as before. ¡°Come here, you bastards!¡± Eventually reaching the scene, Yeongwoo almost leaped off his bike, brandishing his Early Bird. One of the goblins closest to him attempted to block, but¡­ Crunch! Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, the shield struck, grotesquely contorting the goblin¡¯s torso. -Keirrr! The other goblins that followed suit met a simr fate. ¡°These damn bastards!¡± Yeongwoo pounded them with his shield as if demolishing a building with a hammer. Thud! Thwack! Due to his immense strength, everything the shield stuck crumpled. The goblins d in metal armor and shoulder pads tried to retaliate futilely¡­ The ones who tried to block his strikes with their arms had their entire arms broken. Of course, since the number of goblins was much greater, sharp attacks came from the sides, yet each time, Yeongwoo swung his Early Bird. Though not always fatal, it was enough to forcibly push back his opponents. -Keeiirr! At this point, the goblins rushing at Yeongwoo also realized. They would all end up dead by attacking this one human. And from that moment on¡­ -Kiiee¡­ -Kiiek¡­ They hesitated. Unlike their previous aggressive onught, they began hesitatingly yielding their rush turns to each other. The issue was none of the goblins wanted to face the lethal force of the human. Consequently¡­ -Kiee¡­ -Keik¡­ The battle suddenly came to an abrupt halt. ¡°What¡­?¡± Beside Yeongwoo, Yechan, who had been absentmindedly thrusting his spear, realized the goblins were no longer attacking and stepped back. ¡°What¡¯s¡­ happening all of a sudden?¡± At Yechan¡¯s question, Yeongwoo stared intently at the blood-stained edge of his shield and said. ¡°Those bastards have some intellect too.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°They hate dying, just like us¡­¡± They understood fear. Rather than finishing his thought, Yeongwoo darted towards the goblins. Swish! Based on his strength of 150, his leg muscles propelled him at an incredible speed. So fast that¡­ -Kiii! -Keeii! Even the 2-meter-tall goblins fled in panic. ¡°Capture and kill them all! Don¡¯t let a single one escape!¡± As Yeongwoo spat out these sharp words between his clenched teeth, Yechan, who had been watching this entire spectacle dumbfounded, btedly snapped out of his daze. ¡°Ye¡­ Yeah!¡± Thud! Yechan brandished his long spear and chased after the goblins. While leaping into the air, he nced at Yeongwoo, who was smashing a goblin¡¯s head with his shield. To an unknowing observer, it¡¯d seem like the goblins were the victims. ¡°Kaaah!¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s roar tore through the air like a thunderp. Subsequently, another goblin¡¯s head burst open like a watermelon. ng! Boom! With every goblin falling, there was a deafening noise due to the heavy armor encasing their bodies. And this mor attracted¡­ ¡°What¡¯s that noise? Where is iting from?¡± ¡°Hey, look over there.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± People nearby, familiar with periodic booming noises, and bold enough to venture close to its source. What should we call them? If one were tobel them, they could be considered monster hunters. They had decent armaments, above-average determination, and reasons to risk their lives fighting monsters. A couple earning extra Karma to prepare for tax collection. A girl supporting her single mother. An elderly person living alone who couldn¡¯t even get the basic funds from a currency exchange. With a gathering of the frail and elderly, everyone had to rush in to fight off one or two goblins, but they were optimistic about the future. While gradually enhancing their abilities with the leftover Karma, they unexpectedly encountered¡­ ¡°Kyaaaah!¡± A superhuman, emitting strange noises, annihting a 2-meter tall goblin like it was a mere insect. * * * Peuwk! Another goblin defeated. Yeongwoo, with eyes now spattered a crimson red¡­ rather goblin blood, surveyed his surroundings. Having regained his senses, he realized there were no more goblins in sight. ¡°Hoo¡­ I guess this area¡¯s clear for now.¡± He keenly felt his endurance at 150. Despite what felt like a long stint of action, he still had plenty of stamina left. He could probably engage in immediatebat with those humans in the distance. Pat, pat, pat! Soon, the goblin corpses scattered on the floor evaporated into smoke and began to pour out crimson coins. Shhrrr! 20,000 Karma per goblin. ¡°¡­¡± Sweeping up the coins from the ground, Yeongwoo nced at the group of people still maintaining a safe distance. Encountering human groups in situations like this often meant they were likely to wield their weapons. ¡°Mister!¡± Yechan, rushing over, pointed wildly at the group in question. ¡°Did you see those people?¡± ¡°I did. Just to be safe, use your Karma now. Put it all into your endurance if possible.¡± Yeongwoo issued these instructions while immediately allocating his stat points. This time, the earnings were 200,000 Karma, tranting into 200 points for stat distribution. ¡®For now, let¡¯s put 100 into endurance and boost strength and senses a bit.¡¯ [Character: Jung Yeongwoo07] [Strength] 200 (19+181) [Endurance] 150 (21+129) [Durability] 150 (13+137) [Senses] 100 (24+76) The reason Yeongwoo decided to invest in senses was for the Gumi Sword Technique. He wondered if heightened senses might enable him to better replicate the holograms of the Gumi Sword Technique. Swoosh. Completing the stat allocation, a surge of vitality coursed through his entire body, adding to it an unexinable sensation. ¡°¡­?¡± He immediately sensed something inexplicable. ¡®Is it because I raised my senses by 50?¡¯ It may have been an illusion, but Yeongwoo felt as if he could sense every single miniature vibration of his body. Engulfed in this peculiar feeling, Yeongwoo finally looked towards the group of people on the other side who had just started walking towards them. Despite the considerable distance, what initially seemed like a cluster soon resolved into individual silhouettes. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The first to react was Yechan, who had better eyesight than Yeongwoo. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°Mister, those people.¡± Before he could finish with ¡°they don¡¯t seem like bandits,¡± gestures were already being made from the opposite side. Swish. Every member of the group raised both hands into the air, allowing Yeongwoo and Yechan to discern their armaments and numbers. A total of 7. A couple that appeared to be husband and wife, two children of kindergarten age. A limping woman supported by a girl. And a skinny, elderly man with a wolfish haircut, his head of mostly white hair making it seem gray. ¡®Only the couple and the girl have weapons.¡¯ Observing the uninvited guests with a cold gaze, Yeongwoo noticed the children nestled among the adults. ¡®Oh.¡¯ Their expressions, akin to someone expecting punishment, as they raised both hands, caught his attention. Swish. As Yeongwoo¡¯s sword, initially directed towards the other party, abruptly shifted downwards, Yechan followed suit, nting his spear into the ground. Upon this action, the ¡®elderly¡¯ figures, previously shuffling cautiously, rxed their expressions. ¡°Nice¡­ to meet you!¡± The first to speak was the man from the couple. ¡°Let us introduce ourselves¡­¡± ¡°Just a moment. Ask them to lower their hands. The kids.¡± ¡°¡­Yes? Oh! Thank you¡­¡± ¡°Not you, you keep your hands up.¡± * * * Haneulchae Residents Association. The man said that they belonged to the residents¡¯ association of an apartment building called Haneulchae. So, while they were just fellow apartment residents before, this incident brought them together to hunt goblins, each armed in their own way. ¡®How is that even possible?¡¯ Yeongwoo pondered this but upon observing the conditions of the group, he somewhat understood. Perhaps each member, being outcasts in their own right, deemed cooperation essential for survival. Nevertheless, actively seeking a way to thrive rather than just congregating as the vulnerable was remarkable. Most people would likely just flee from goblins at this moment. But remarkable was remarkable. ¡°Yes, I get who you are, but why are you telling me this?¡± When Yeongwoo drew the line with a firm tone, the faces of the Haneulchae residents, previously brightened, darkened slightly. ¡°Well¡­¡± The man who had greeted Yeongwoo first attempted to speak, but surprisingly, the next words came from the elderly man with the wolfish cut who had been quietly standing in a corner. ¡°In a world like this, how can people survive without helping each other?¡± Despite his skinny frame, an extraordinary physique and sharp gaze made the old man stand out. To Yeongwoo, he seemed like the most unsettling figure among the outcast party. ¡°I know this is a presumptuous request, but pleasee with us. For the children¡­ Please.¡± Yeongwoo looked at the man next to him instead of the elderly man and asked. ¡°Who is this person? Is he a resident of the same apartment building?¡± ¡°He had been handling the security of our apartment building. Thanks to him, we managed to gather here.¡± ¡°A security guard¡­?¡± A guard with a predatory gaze¡­ Yeongwoo¡¯s mouth involuntarily twitched. Then, it was the woman from the couple who made the proposal. ¡°Fortunately, we¡¯ve had no casualties so far, but there have been some dangerous moments. If you join us, at least we won¡¯t have to worry about being killed by monsters.¡± ¡°That could be true.¡± But what would he gain by doing that? Yeongwoo was about to continue his thought but chose to remain silent. The two kids, fervently rubbing their arms, caught his eye, making him momentarily pause. ¡®Shit. Aren¡¯t the kids a bit unfair.¡¯ As a human skeptic, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but show mercy, especially towards children. Besides, in this world, monsters even preyed on humans. ¡°¡­¡± The image of the gruesome corpses he had seen earlier shed into his mind. ¡°I won¡¯t stop you from following us. But the problem is, right now¡­¡± As he spoke, Yeongwoo turned his head. He was looking for the crimson pir. It was necessary to alert them about the considerable danger their destination posed. But¡­ ¡®Huh¡­?¡¯ The location of the pir had significantly changed, now shining so brightly it was visible from afar. It meant the mutation zone had entered a residential area. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Uhuh.¡± ¡°Is that¡­¡± The people from Haneulchae seemed just as intrigued, presumably because the epic quest had been activated due to their experience hunting goblins. Thud! Thump! A different kind of rhythmical sound started echoing, unlike the noises when goblins fell. This was likely the sound of footsteps. Thud! Thump! Apanying those sounds, the crimson pir drew closer, and then finally¡­ Kwaeaeaah! A thunderous roar, akin to something colossal shooting up into the sky, resounded. ¡°Oh.¡± Sensing something, Yeongwoo looked up at the sky. There, illuminated by backlighting, was a dark figure. It had an enormous build, and on top of its head was some sort of name tag. ¡°Gumi¡­ City Councillor¡­ Jang Seonbok¡­?¡± Indeed. At that moment, Yeongwoo was looking at Jang Seonbok, the City Councillor who had returned as a goblin. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 14 Chapter 14 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 14: Gumi Strongest Sword vs. Gumi City Councilor ¡°Aaaaah!¡± With a thunderous roar, Jang Seonboknded amidst Yeongwoo and the people from Haneulchae, shaking the ground beneath them. Kuuuuung! The concrete shattered, dust swirling in all directions from the impact of his descent. Swaaah! Due to the haze obscuring their sight, not only Jang Seonbok but also Yechan and the others from Haneulchae vanished from Yeongwoo¡¯s view. ¡®Shit, if this continues¡­¡¯ Yeongwoo unconsciously thought of the kids from Haneulchae. The idea that they might get hurt if Jang Seonbok continued rampaging crossed his mind. ¡®Damn it, I don¡¯t have time for this.¡¯ Eventually, Yeongwoo shouted loudly enough for everyone to hear. ¡°Take the kids and run! You won¡¯t be his opponent!¡± Instantly, Fwooosh! A rumbling presence emerged from within the dust cloud. Jang Seonbok had followed the sound andunched an attack. Naturally, Yeongwoo had already prepared himself, firmly holding onto his shield. However, the problem was¡­ Whiiiing! The guy was stronger than anticipated. ¡®Ugh, unbelievable!¡¯ Yeongwoo felt his entire body being lifted into the air along with the shield. And then. Whoosh! He soared upwards, reaching a height of about three or four meters. But soon, Yeongwoo regained hisposure. ¡®What?¡¯ He realized he was subconsciously controlling his center of gravity. ¡®Is this the effect of Senses?¡¯ [Senses] |It involves control over body functions such as reflexes and bnce. Having pushed his Senses from a mere 24 to a whopping 100, feeling the difference was only natural. Thud! Yeongwoonded steadily on the ground, the wind blowing vigorously. Thud, thump! From the midst of the dusty soil, someone was springing forth. [Gumi City Councilor ¨C Jang Seonbok] Once again, the first thing visible was the blurry name tag shimmering within the cloud of dust. Soon after, his figure became distinct under the sunlight. Thud! What caught Yeongwoo¡¯s eye first were his reddish skin and bulging muscles. The goblins from before had unbelievably muscr physiques, but Jang Seonbok¡­ ¡®Why is he so massive? Is there a premium mutation or something?¡¯ Standing at a height of 3 meters, his muscles matched his stature. Moreover, what was more surprising¡­ [Ho-oh?] Jang Seonbok also seemed taken aback upon seeing Yeongwoo. Moreover, [Gumi Strongest Sword? What¡¯s this about?] The goblin uttered human words. ¡®Wait, he can talk?¡¯ Yeongwoo alternated his gaze between the goblin¡¯s pointed ears and its fiercely shaped mouth. Then, standing tall, Jang Seonbok slowly bent his long waist, observing Yeongwoo. [Are you the leader of these scums? What exactly happened here?] It seemed like the term ¡®scums¡¯ referred not only to the people present but the entire citizens of Gumi. [What year is it now? I have no idea how long I¡¯ve been held captive.] He started seemingly throwing questions out of nowhere after swinging his axe just moments ago. ¡®What¡­ does this guy have no concept of time? No, wait, more importantly, he¡¯s speaking like a person.¡¯ Despite the brief conversation, Yeongwoo could be certain of at least one thing: Jang Seonbok in front of him, a mutant¡ªor rather, a monster¡ªstill contained the consciousness of a human being. Also, judging by him calling Gumi citizens ¡®scums,¡¯ it seemed he retained all memories from the time of the reset. ¡°It¡¯s June 10, 2025, Tuesday. The first day of the reset.¡± When Yeongwoo mentioned the date, confusion flickered in Jang Seonbok¡¯s bewildered eyes. [The first day? So, am I the first one here? Ah, I see.] Jang Seonbok seemed to reason with himself upon this revtion. Quickly seizing the moment, Yeongwoo threw another question. ¡°The first one? Where were you beforeing here? Have you met other mutants?¡± At this, while lost in thought, Jang Seonbok smirked wickedly. [Why does a dying man like you have so many questions?] Whoosh! His axe tore through the air, aimed at Yeongwoo. ¡®Ugh, this bastard!¡¯ Unexpectedly, an attack came out of nowhere, causing every cell in his body to tense, but soon, a hologram appeared in his line of sight, offering reassurance. A hologram resembling Yeongwoo himself, extending the Early Bird with his right hand while his left shoulder was pulled backpletely. ¡ªy The Gumi Sword Technique had activated. ¡®Gumi Sword Technique? It didn¡¯t activate against the monsters before, so why now¡­?¡¯ Yeongwoo, following the guide of the Gumi Sword Technique, rotated his body while thrusting the Early Bird from his right hand. Then, Whoosh! Jang Seonbok¡¯s axe barely grazed past Yeongwoo¡¯s left shoulder, which was leaned backward. ¡°¡­!¡± Though shivers ran through his body, it seemed both sides attempted an attack. Swish! Yeongwoo watched the tip of his Early Bird heading towards Jang Seonbok¡¯s left chest. And the ck axe de, intercepting it, changed the ¡®y¡¯ symbol into ¡®Void.¡¯ ¡°¡­?¡± Soon, a sharp shriek erupted as the Early Bird and the axe de shed. ng! [What¡­ You¡¯re not a simple human.] Jang Seonbok¡¯s bewildered voice followed the grinding sound. Equally surprised, Yeongwoo eximed. ¡°You¡­ are you still human? Why the Gumi Sword Technique?¡± [What? You bastards¡­ you made me like this!] While exchanging iprehensible words, the Gumi Sword Technique presented the next instruction. ¡ªBreak ¡®Break?¡¯ ¡®Break¡¯ to shatter. In the stance of meeting Jang Seonbok and his weapon, the Early Bird wasmanded to thrust into the opposite elbow. Meanwhile, the hologram covered with a shield in the left hand was also guarding. ¡®Whatever it is, it¡¯s probably the best move.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Whit! With strength at 200 and Senses at 100, the execution ability was sufficient. The tip of the sword, previously in contact with the axe de, twisted and shot out diagonally, piercing Jang Seonbok¡¯s right elbow. [Kraaaagh!] A scream unheard before. Following that, the guide suggested breaking the guy¡¯s jaw with the shield but was immediately canceled. ¡®Huh.¡¯ It was because he had started his attack one step ahead of Yeongwoo. ¡®I¡¯mte¡­!¡¯ Even if the Gumi Sword Technique proposed the optimal move, it was meaningless if the timing didn¡¯t align. As Yeongwoo needed to process, assess, and execute the guide, an inevitable dy urred. So, when facing a formidable opponent like this¡­ [Get lost!] It was about getting hit by a kick as fast as light. Bang! ¡°Ugh!¡± The 3-meter tall goblin¡¯s calf and thigh generated explosive kic energy. It felt like being hit by a car, leaving Yeongwoo unable to catch his breath. Amidst the continuous flickering in front of his eyes, it seemed the Gumi Sword Technique was issuing the next instruction, but due to the unforeseen physical impact, his entire body felt paralyzed. Moreover, amidst this, Jang Seonbok was pulling back his right leg again, akin to pulling the trigger of a gun. [You bastards, why did you torture me like this!] Mixed frustration and sorrow resonated in Jang Seonbok¡¯s voice. Thud. Even from Jang Seonbok¡¯s firmly nted foot, rming sounds emanated. Thud. Just as he was about to aim the second kick at Yeongwoo¡¯s head. Swish! A sharp, but quite fast sound cut through the air. From behind Jang Seonbok¡¯s torso. [Arggh!] Yeongwoo heard the familiar sound apanying Jang Seonbok¡¯s curse. ¡°Mister! I¡¯ll die after this if you don¡¯t hurry!¡± A desperate voice calling out to him. It was Yechan. ¡°Ugh.¡± He blinked to regain focus, spotting Yechan behind Jang Seonbok. The kid had pierced Jang Seonbok¡¯s waist just before the second kick. [What kind of dog¡­!] As an enraged Jang Seonbok turned, the Gumi Sword Technique disyed two symbols on his body. First was, ¡ªy The familiar ¡®y¡¯ character always seen. This was attached to the back of his body, requiring a leap to reach it. And second was, ¡ªLife ¡®Life¡¯ for preservation. Simr to the previous ¡®Break,¡¯ this was a symbol Yeongwoo had never seen before, attached to Jang Seonbok¡¯s Achilles tendon. But why? Why did the choices of killing and saving appear together? ¡°Oh, mister!¡± Upon hearing Yechan¡¯s second plea for help, Yeongwoo realized that it wasn¡¯t about saving Jang Seonbok but another life entangled in this battle¡ªsaving Yechan. ¡°Quick, get away, you idiot!¡± Yeongwoo shouted at the top of his lungs, much like when he had yelled for the kids. Simultaneously, Swish! He thrust his sword forcefully towards Jang Seonbok¡¯s Achilles tendon. Fwip! The Early Bird. A one-handed sword, its only advantage being its lightness. However, since it was as light as it was, its presence was small and it was quite swift. Thud! Like lightning, the Early Bird pierced through Jang Seonbok¡¯s reddened skin, ruthlessly assaulting his Achilles tendon. [Gaaaaahhhhh¡­!] Just as Jang Seonbok, who was about to attack Yechan, was pierced in the Achilles tendon, he shivered violently and stood frozen in ce. Then, he turned towards Yeongwoo. ¡ªy A clear mark shining near the guy¡¯s neck. As Yeongwoo saw it and exhaled the ¡®y,¡¯ Jang Seonbok tried to say something but¡ª Swoosh! The Early Bird had already pierced his neck. [Heik.] An ambiguous word, barely a sentence. That was thest sound he made before his pupils lost their strength. Next, Fwaaaat! A white beam of light shot up from his head, as if his soul was departing. ¡®Does this mean the mutant¡¯s dead?¡¯ Yeongwoo watched the beam rise until it disappeared from his sight. If that beam represented Jang Seonbok¡¯s soul or consciousness, where was it being called to? No, who was calling it? Shilling! Finally, Jang Seonbok¡¯s red body dissolved into thin air like the other monsters. However, there was one significant difference. ¡®Is that the reward?¡¯ A golden spherical object remained where the body had been. About the size of a watermelon, the sphere hovered about a meter above the ground, rotating slowly. Thud, thud. As Yeongwoo approached the sphere, Yechan looked at him with a worried expression, and the people who had fled into the distance cautiously began to return. ¡°Mister¡­ what is this? What could it be?¡± ¡°It seems like some device to determine the reward recipient. Most likely.¡± He said this, but Yeongwoo was convinced. Whoever made the first contact with that sphere would receive the mutant kill reward. [Epic] ¡°Dilemma¡± {Mission} Track down and eliminate or return the mutant. {Reward} Mutant equipment. Arge amount of Karma. Confirming that the Epic Quest was still iplete, Yeongwoo touched the sphere left behind by Jang Seonbok. Thud. As expected, a new interface appeared the moment his hand made contact with the sphere¡¯s surface. [You have been granted permission toplete the Epic Quest ¡®Dilemma.¡¯] [Please choose a reward for the finalpletion of the quest.] ¡®What¡­?¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s mouth gaped open. It was unprecedented to pre-select a reward, and the contents of the reward were strikingly unconventional. {{Guaranteed Reward}} [Furious Goblin] ¨C Mutant Ring [Strength increases by 100 every day] [¨CEmpty Slot¨C] {{Selectable Reward}} [3 million Karma] Or [Grant 30,000 Karma to all residents in the area] [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 15 Chapter 15 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 15: Golden Ratio (1) [3 million Karma] Or [Grant 30,000 Karma to all residents in the area] Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the selectable rewards. ¡®So, this is what they mean by a dilemma.¡¯ At first nce, seizing 3 million Karma seemed like the obvious choice, but depending on the perspective, thetter option held much greater benefits. ¡®Granting 30,000 Karma to all residents in the area¡­? Even if there are just 100,000 people left in Gumi City, that¡¯s 3 billion Karma distributed to everyone.¡¯ There would be no need to risk one¡¯s life fighting against the monsters for money. Just one person, Yeongwoo, giving up 3 million Karma could provide the foundation of survival for all. ¡®But who in their right mind would give up such a massive amount?¡¯ As Yeongwoo grappled with this dilemma, Yechan approached, sensing something was amiss. ¡°Mister, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Yeongwoo, considering that Yechan was qualified to tackle this issue, voiced his dilemma. ¡°There is a selectable reward. One is receiving 3 million Karma, and the other is¡­¡± Granting potentially hundreds of thousands of Gumi City residents 30,000 Karma each. ¡°What? 3 million Karma?¡± As expected, Yechan promptly delivered his answer upon hearing the problem. ¡°Then it¡¯s definitely the 3 million. What¡¯s the point of scattering money in this chaotic situation? It might even attract more thieves, now that everyone knows there¡¯s money around.¡± A very valid point. Additionally, Yechan added his own reasoning. ¡°And if it were me, even if I didn¡¯t want to give money to the bad guys, I¡¯d still take the 300,000. At least then, I could use my own strength to right the wrongs.¡± ¡°¡­Yeah, that makes sense.¡± Yeongwoo nodded. The bad guys. Perhaps those who bullied Yechan at school or the group that roughed up Yeongwoo at the currency exchange would fall into that category of ¡°bad guys.¡± In other words, distributing money to everyone meant benefiting enemies and viins too. Because of this, Yeongwoo also wanted to choose the 3 million immediately, but¡­ ¡®It feels too uneasy.¡¯ Yeongwoo doubted. Choosing to monopolize 3 million seemed right to everyone, yet the existence of this sentimental option alongside it hinted at the intentions of this world. Didn¡¯t it happen during the reset? Inducing the public to attack celebrities and then, as if waiting, imposing punishment? Seeing his former roommate, Im Bonghee, deplete all his points and ultimately die hinted at that. Even the appearance of mutants was ultimately a result because of the karma from the public¡¯s indiscriminate witch hunt. ¡°¡­¡± The one who designed this world and the ¡®Reset¡¯ knew human nature well and wasn¡¯t benevolent towards humans. So, perhaps this time too. ¡®It might be a trap. Choosing based on our nature might elerate our downfall.¡¯ Moreover, the amount of currency that could be unleashed this time through the second option was overwhelminglyrger. At least 3 billion, maybe even more. ¡®So, maybe they can offset the losses by directly reiming the currency in cirction. I don¡¯t want to go that far if possible, but¡­¡¯ As Yeongwoo contemted a crazy decision, Yechan, who recognized this like a ghost, protested. ¡°Mister, that¡¯s not it, really. It¡¯ll only worsen the situation, you know?¡± ¡°¡­Yechan.¡± ¡°Yes.Please speak¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just close our eyes and scatter 30 billion this once.¡± ¡°Ah! Seriously, Mister! Please!¡± Yechan¡¯s expression resembled someone witnessing their father caught in gambling, while Yeongwoo made the most decisive decision since his birth. [Grant 30,000 Karma to all residents in the area] Pop! If someone were watching this scene, they might mock this choice or be frustrated. But Yeongwoo decided not to regret it. In his opinion, the distribution of 30,000 Karma alone was valuable enough. ¡®Are there any other areas besides Gumi that received Karma like this? I highly doubt it.¡¯ The golden sphere that epted Yeongwoo¡¯s choice spun rapidly. Yechan, realizing the deed was done, wore a disheartened expression. And a momentter. Kwaaaah! The golden sphere, appearing as if it would explode any second, shot up into the sky. ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°Wow, what¡¯s that?¡± People approaching Yeongwoo and Yechan also stopped in their tracks, gazing at the golden streak drawn across the sky. Shoosh! The golden streak ascended to the very top of their vision. Boom! It exploded. Like fireworks. ¡°¡­¡± Continuing, what Yeongwoo¡¯s group witnessed was a golden wave nketing the entire sky. Simr to the energy of the First Sword¡¯s activation, the sphere burst, creating a wide golden ripple emanating from its center. Then, all the golden hues in the sky descended toward the ground. Swaaaah¡­! ¡°Mom, it¡¯s raining,¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s raining.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] It was just as the child said. The sight of countless golden huws falling down at once made it look like it was really raining. ¡°Mister, is this really, I mean, actual rain?¡± Yechan asked, catching the golden droplets in his palm. Interestingly, the golden droplets disappeared upon contact with objects, leaving no traces or sensation behind. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ but it doesn¡¯t seem harmful to touch.¡± Yeongwoo, too, wore a puzzled expression as he felt the droplets, unable to decipher their nature. Shoosh¡­ About a minute passed. An announcement appeared in everyone¡¯s sight. {Gumi¡¯s Strongest Sword ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo07¡¯ has relinquished the exclusive possession of 3 million Karma and gifted 30,000 Karma to all Gumi residents.} Moreover, the warning message that usually appeared during Karma distribution had a slight difference this time. {30,000 Karma will soon be provided inmemorative coin form. Please be prepared.} Be prepared¡­ A statement that couldn¡¯t be ignored by anyone who had been in a currency exchange. Thirty thousand Karma equaled 30 coins. And everyone, including Yeongwoo, hurriedly strapped weapons to their belts, preparing to receive the money. ck. Eventually, the familiar sound of coins rolling was heard. However, what happened next was beyond anyone¡¯s imagination. Clunk. The coins that appeared with a sharp friction sound¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Hey?¡± They were golden. Not just any gold, but merely three of them. ¡°Wait a moment!¡± Startled, no one managed to grasp the coins presented before them in time. Ting, ping, ping! Six coins for Yeongwoo and Yechanbined. For the seven members of Haneulchae Residence, there were twenty-one coins. In total, twenty-seven golden coins shed against the ground. But the surprise didn¡¯t end there. ¡°Mister? You should take a look at this.¡± As Yechan held the first coin in his hand for Yeongwoo to see, Yeongwoo nced casually at the coin¡­ no, the gold piece that was being offered. Then¡­ ¡°¡­?¡± His mouth agape, he couldn¡¯t utter a word. It was because his own face was intricately carved into the shining golden coin. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Yeongwoo wore an expression of disbelief as he picked up his share of coins from the ground. ¡°Oh my god.¡± The same face was etched into each coin, apanied by the name Jeong Yeongwoo07. On the backside, a thick line indicated it was a 10,000 Karma coin. ¡°So, these were thememorative coins.¡± Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. The people from Haneulchae Residence were alternately observing the golden coins and Yeongwoo¡¯s direction. Then¡­ ¡°Um, we feel like we should express our gratitude somehow¡­¡± They hesitantly began to approach. Of course, they weren¡¯t considering voluntarily returning the coins. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Feeling quite flustered, Yeongwoo gestured backward, shaking his head. ¡°Just a moment¡­ Please stop. Let me get my head straight.¡± Indeed, amidst the chaos, Yeongwoo received another message. Ping! [Quest Completed ¨C ¡°Dilemma¡±] [Rewards Issued] |Mutant Equipment |Large Amount of Karma Ping! [Rewards Issued Sessfully ¨C Mutant Equipment] [Furious Goblin] ¨C Mutant Ring [Strength increases by 100 every day] [¨CEmpty Slot¨C] As soon as the second message appeared, Yeongwoo sensed something odd on his left index finger. ¡°Hmm?¡± Shifting his gaze, he noticed a dusky ring snugly fitted on his finger. ¡®Oh, is this the Furious Goblin ring?¡¯ Focusing on the ring, a small tooltip popped up. |This equipment carries the scent of a mutant. Other mutants may detect and be wary of it. ¡®Does this mean they¡¯ll know that I¡¯ve killed a mutant?¡¯ Moreover, as soon as the ring was ced, Yeongwoo felt a surge of vitality in his body. The reason became apparent through the subsequent alert. [Strength has been permanently increased by 100 due to the Furious Goblin.] Strength 100. In mary terms, it meant earning 100,000 Karma daily. ¡®Huh, this isn¡¯t too bad.¡¯ Certainly, he had paid 3 million Karma to make his face and name known to all Gumi residents, questioning if the ¡®Dilemma¡¯ had been a wise decision. Yet, observing the hopeful expressions on the faces of the members of the Haneulchae Residence as they held thememorative coins made him feel somewhat satisfied at this moment. Perhaps other people in Gumi were wearing simr expressions? Among them, there might be viins, too. ¡°This rain doesn¡¯t seem to be stopping.¡± Yechan remarked in a muffled voice, trying to brush off the raindrops. As Yeongwoo glimpsed at the coins held in Yechan¡¯s hand, he subtly remarked. ¡°Feeling disappointed?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have the right to do that. You¡¯re the one who fought the mutant.¡± ¡°Right? You certainly have it. If you hadn¡¯t helped, I wouldn¡¯t have defeated that guy.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Finally, a faint smile appeared on Yechan¡¯s face. ¡°But no matter how I think about it, isn¡¯t it too much to let go? 3 million Karma could¡¯ve increased your abilities by 3,000.¡± ¡°True, it¡¯s a shame.¡± There was only one reason why his back and pelvis were not shattered even after being hit by that vicious kick. ¡®Thankfully I raised my Durability to 150 in advance.¡¯ Having such a great effect with only a raise of 150, now what would¡¯ve happened if his abilities had been increased by 3,000 more? ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was difficult for Yeongwoo to imagine. ¡°Mister, however¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°There might be mutants stronger than Jang Seonbok, right? There were people who turned into dragons and all.¡± ¡°True.¡± ¡°Then those guys might eventuallye after us¡­¡± Yechan left the rest unsaid. Finishing his sentence, Yeongwoo added. ¡°How would I fight them after giving up 3 million?¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± In fact, that was the problem. Although he was far aheadpared to others in Gumi, it was just within Gumi. There were undoubtedly individuals who monopolized 3 million elsewhere, and mutants could potentially be stronger in line with that. ¡°Hmm.¡± As Yeongwoo sighed and looked up, the golden rain gradually began to subside. Then, as usual¡­ Shoosh. The rainpletely stopped, and the previously yellowish sky turned blue. ¡°Ha.¡± Was that all? Was he now going to pay the price for the extravagant party he hadn¡¯t even attended? Yeongwoo sighed, sensing that the celebration hade to an end. As if waiting for it, new messages started appearing before his eyes. Ping! [Achievement Unlocked: Caller of the Golden Rain] |Achievement Rank: Legendary |Achievement Grade: First * * * [Discovered a achievement for the first time!] [The achievement system has been unlocked.] [The achievement tendency has been adjusted to ¡®Stubborn.¡¯] [There are two unimed achievement rewards.] [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 16 Chapter 16 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 16: Golden Ratio (2) ¡®There was definitely something there.¡¯ Yeongwoo gazed at the newly appeared trophy symbol in the corner of his field of vision. Suddenly, the symbol shed, filling his sight entirely with a golden hue. ¡°Whoa?¡± ¡¸Wee, User ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo07,¡¯ to Achievements!¡¹ ¡¸Be a great figure and change the world throughpleting achievements.¡¹ ¡®Change the world¡­ what? Be a great figure?¡¯ Yeongwoo felt bemused at the grandiose wee message, then examined the achievements window that appeared. Click! However, unlike the earlier message, the nuance of the first line was different. ¡²Your achievement tendency is ¡°Stubborn.¡±¡³ ||Achievements Completed: 1 |Caller of the Golden Rain [Legendary] ¨C First ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Yeongwoo blinked in disbelief. The word ¡®Stubborn¡¯ was prominently ced at the top of the solemn-looking achievement interface. ¡°I¡¯m called ¡®Stubborn¡¯? Who decided that?¡± As Yeongwoo fumed while examining the achievement window, a list of rmended achievements appeared below. Presumably, these were the achievements the system rmended for a ¡®Stubborn¡¯ individual. ¡´Rmended Achievements¡µ [Golden Horde] |Summon the Golden Rain in two or more regions. (1/2) [Excellent Social Worker] |Send the mutants back alive. [Jeweler¡¯s Touch] |Wear two rings of Hero grade or higher on the index and ring finger each. (1/4) [Complete Orphan] |Find and eliminate parents. (1/2) Reading through the rmended achievements, Yeongwoo was startled by the final option. Not only the directive but also the current status was significant. ¡®1/2¡­?¡¯ In all likelihood, it meant that only one parent was still alive. In other words, it implied finding and eliminating thest remaining root, whether it was the ¡®father¡¯ or ¡®mother.¡¯ ¡®The more I find out, the more shitty this world bes.¡¯ The fact that such a task was included in achievements was nonsensical in itself. Just a while ago, weren¡¯t they talking about bing a great figure through achieving these tasks? ¡®Still, these are just rmended achievements. There¡¯s no real need for me toplete them all.¡¯ Since only the rmended achievements were visible, the rest seemed to be in a hidden state. ¡®Then, what¡¯s next?¡¯ As Yeongwoo wished to see if there was anything else, the list of achievements automatically scrolled up, revealing the next screen. [There are 2 unimed achievement rewards.] ¡¸Golden sh¡¹- Legendary Glove ¡¾Steal 50% of the enemy¡¯s Senses duringbat.¡¿ ¡¾umted Golden Ratio: 1¡¿ *¡¯Caller of the Golden Rain¡¯ special reward. ¡¸Covert Mark¡¹- Artifact Tattoo ¡¾Can conceal titles.¡¿ *Obtained through unlocking achievements. ¡®Legendary Glove¡­¡¯ Even though Yeongwoo didn¡¯t understand this world¡¯s equipment grading system, it was undoubtedly an impressive piece of equipment. Just stealing 50% of an opponent¡¯s Senses was an unbelievable effect. ¡®So, if my opponent¡¯s Senses is 1000, I¡¯d take 500?¡¯ Moreover, ¡®steal¡¯ meant depriving, so if the tooltip was urate, the opponent would have to fight with their Senses halved. Meaning, no matter who he faces in the future, he¡¯d always have the upper hand in terms of Senses. ¡®Next up¡­¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze naturally fell upon the second effect of ¡®Golden sh.¡¯ ¡¾umted Golden Ratio: 1¡¿ ¡®I¡¯m not sure about this one. Maybe there¡¯ll be an additional effect as the number of times the Golden Ratio is summoned increases.¡¯ Since this glove was a reward from the Golden Ratio achievement, it had a certain degree of validity. The equipment was even named ¡®Golden sh.¡¯ Swoosh. After some time, the tooltips that had filled his vision disappeared, and a message asking whether to receive the reward appeared. ¡¸Would you like to receive all achievement rewards?¡¹ ¡®Of course.¡¯ As Yeongwoo nodded with a troubled expression, his hands were immediately enveloped in a golden light. ¡°¡­Whoa!¡± Despite mentally preparing himself, even Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but shiver at this moment. His hands were being encased in real-time in golden-hued metal gauntlets. With each touch of the chilly metal pieces brushing against his palms and back of his hands, he felt a tingling sensation. nk! Clink! After about ten seconds, the light that had enveloped Yeongwoo¡¯s hands vanished, leaving behind only the golden metal gloves. And finally¡­ Pit! ¡°Ugh.¡± A sharp twinge of pain was felt in Yeongwoo¡¯s left chest. In response, he pulled down his shirt to look down at his chest. ¡®Oh, for real.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s brow furrowed deeply. As expected, there was a tattoo etched on his skin. ¡¸Covert Mark¡¹- Artifact Tattoo ¡¾Can conceal titles.¡¿ Resembling a spiral-shaped me, the tattoo was fairlyrge and embedded in Yeongwoo¡¯s left chest. To him, who had never even dyed his hair, let alone had a tattoo, this change was unpleasant. ¡°What¡¯s this now?¡± As the questioning gaze of Yechan approached upon seeing the sudden sh of the ¡°Golden sh,¡± curiosity was only natural. ¡°It¡¯s an achievement reward.¡± ¡°Achievements?¡± ¡°It¡¯s kind of a trade-off for giving up 3 million¡­¡± Yeongwoo briefly exined the achievement system to Yechan. Upon hearing this, Yechan looked up at the clear sky and asked. ¡°So, do you have to keep spending money from now on?¡± ¡°To keep receiving achievement rewards, I guess so.¡± More precisely, to maintain the ¡®Stubborn¡¯ tendency. It seemed that rmended achievements varied ording to the achievement tendency. ¡®But considering there are higher-tier achievements, focusing on one tendency all along might be wise.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Yeongwoo recalled one of the rmended achievements he had seen earlier, the ¡®Golden Horde.¡¯ [Golden Horde] |Summon the Golden Rain in two or more regions. (1/2) It was undoubtedly a higher-level version of ¡®Caller of the Golden Rain.¡¯ So, there was a high chance that¡­ ¡®If Iplete that achievement, there might be another reward. Something better than this one.¡¯ Of course, Yeongwoo knew well what he might face if he continued down that path. ¡®To go to multiple regions and summon the Golden Rain, I¡¯d have to sacrifice a significant amount of Karma each time, and on top of that¡­¡¯ He¡¯d have topete for the mutants. With the person who originally defeated the mutants in that area. For instance, the Strongest Sword in that region¡­ The person who most likely chose the 3 million Karma after defeating the mutant. ¡°¡­¡± As he contemted this, the effect of the Golden sh seemed a bit different. ¡¸Golden sh¡¹- Legendary Glove ¡¾Steal 50% of the enemy¡¯s Senses duringbat.¡¿ ¡¾umted Golden Ratio: 1¡¿ ¡®It¡¯s a tool to target the Strongest Sword in other regions.¡¯ The Covert Mark that allows hiding titles might have been given in a simr context. Because having the title of the Strongest Sword in another area would undoubtedly draw attention. ¡®But is it possible to defeat the Strongest Sword of another region with just a little more Senses value? I don¡¯t think it will be easy.¡¯ Yeongwoo nced around to see if there were any other mutants in Gumi. However, he couldn¡¯t spot any other red-glowing pirs. Instead, people were rushing towards him. ¡°Wh-What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Do you need anything?¡± Though Yeongwoo didn¡¯t know it, they had been watching his every move since a while ago. Understandably so, considering Yeongwoo was the Strongest Sword and a great figure who had bestowed grace upon them. Knowing that if he wished, he could easily confiscate the memorative coins¡¯ given to them, they were cautiously watching him. ¡°Well, I guess I do need something.¡± Yeongwoo was about to shrug and say this when suddenly¡­ A loud growling noise erupted. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°¡­Ph.¡± Before he knew it, dusk was setting in. ¡®What time is it now? The sun is about to set.¡¯ The reset had urred around 10 in the morning. Since then, despite the sun starting to set now, it was strange that Yeongwoo hadn¡¯t eaten anything and had been engaged in battles continuously. He hadn¡¯t felt hungry. Grumble. Once again, the sound of trouble emerged. ¡°¡­¡± Perhaps it was due to the relief of tension, but suddenly, an immense hunger began to surge through him. ¡°I don¡¯t know if everyone else ate.¡± Yeongwoo muttered some words randomly while rummaging through his backpack. And finally found it. Swish. A chocte bar turned into stone. ¡°¡­!¡± As Yeongwoo grabbed the gray chocte bar, the people around and even Yechan focused their attention back on him. ¡®For the sake of my quality of life, I need to get rid of these people quickly. I can¡¯t even enjoy a chocte bar in peace.¡¯ Yeongwoo retrieved a 1000 Karma coin from his backpack and ced it on the surface of the chocte bar. Ting. Then¡­ [Chocte Bar: 500] The price of the chocte bar appeared. ¡®It¡¯s 500 for a chocte bar¡­ It¡¯s more expensive than I thought. The bicycle was 3000.¡¯ Perhaps the prices were set high for items directly rted to survival? Ting. As Yeongwoo confirmed the purchase by cing the coin again, smoke emanated from the chocte bar, and the petrification began to fade away. Sizzle¡­ ¡°Oho?¡± ¡°Whoa, I¡¯ve never seen anything like that.¡± The fascinating sight of petrification wearing off drew the onlookers a few steps closer. As a result, Yeongwoo instinctively felt threatened and clenched the chocte bar. Odd as it may seem, practically, the chocte bar was an irreceable resource in this situation. And then, simultaneously¡­ Plunk. From the air, a tiny coin dropped. ¡°Huh?¡± A bluish-green small coin. It was the currency equivalent to 500 Karma. Although it was the moment of discovery of a new unit of currency, no one was paying attention to this small find right now. What mattered immediately was¡­ ¡°¡­¡± Yeongwoo was focused on unwrapping the chocte bar in his hand. Snap. Finally, as Yeongwoo tore open the packaging, a chunk of dark chocte popped out, capturing the attention of the kids who had been observing. And Yeongwoo, avoiding their curious gaze subtly, took the first sweet bite. Munch¡­ The chocte bar was not melted at all. Theyer of chocte on the surface was quite firm, almost like it would crack. ¡®So the state just before petrification is preserved throughout.¡¯ Feeling the caramel spread beneath the chocteyer in his mouth, Yeongwoo took a slow breath. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Apletely new kind of enjoyment and satisfaction overwhelmed him. It was the joy one found in the midst of a city where two-meter goblins might rush in, reverting a petrified chocte bar back to its original state for consumption. Munch. By the time he had eaten half of the chocte bar, Yeongwoo finally began to notice the children. But not knowing when he might have to engage in battle again, he couldn¡¯t casually give away these precious calories, even if the opponent was a hungry child who hadn¡¯t eaten since morning. ¡°¡­¡± Yeongwoo stared at the tiny open mouth of a child, but soon shifted his gaze away and finished the remaining chocte bar. ¡°Ugh.¡± He was still hungry, but his mental satisfaction was tremendous. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 17 Chapter 17 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 17: Dignity of the Strongest Sword (1) After Yeongwoo finished his first meal, a brief silence fell upon them. The hunger was so pervasive that it momentarily made everyone forget the terrifying reality of this world being amidst a reset. ¡°Um¡­ Strongest Sword-nim.¡± The elderly man with the wolf cut from the Haneulchae Residence finally spoke up. ¡°Yes? Oh, um¡­ if it¡¯s okay, just call me Yeongwoo.¡± ¡°Yes, Yeongwoo-ssi.¡± What could he possibly want to say? Yeongwoo looked at the stern-faced elder. Then the elderly man cautiously brought up thememorative coins and asked. ¡°If it¡¯s alright¡­ could we use these?¡± 30,000 Karma per person. It was a subtle way of asking if he was nning to reim it. ¡°Oh, that¡­¡± Yeongwoo gazed nkly at his face engraved on the coin and nodded. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve distributed those for you to use.¡± ¡°Woah¡­!¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Finally, relief washed over the Haneulchae Residence members,ughter breaking out. Yeongwoo faintly smiled along with them, then suddenly asked. ¡°But may I ask how you n to use it specifically?¡± It was a question to gauge how the billions of Karma influx into Gumi City would be utilized. ¡°We haven¡¯t decided for sure yet¡­ but¡­¡± This time, the woman from the couple answered. ¡°We n to reserve 10,000 per person for taxes and use the rest to enhance our abilities. It¡¯ll make it easier for us to fight against monsters.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. And will the children also raise their abilities?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s subsequent question silenced the Haneulchae Residence members momentarily. They hadn¡¯t considered that far yet. ¡°Well¡­ Maybe it¡¯s better to start by enhancing the guardians¡¯bat abilities?¡± ¡°Yes. I guess discussing that would be the way to go. I was merely curious.¡± After this conversation, Yeongwoo turned his gaze to Yechan, who was quietly waiting behind him. ¡°Are you hungry? Let¡¯s go find something to eat now.¡± ¡°Where to?¡± ¡°Anywhere there might be food. Since this is a residential area, there should be a market or something nearby.¡± At this, an elderly member from the Haneulchae Residence courteously gestured southward. ¡°It¡¯s actually our neighborhood. I know the supermarket¡¯s location, so let me guide you.¡± Obviously, it was a brilliant move to remain close to the Strongest Sword. However, Yeongwoo needed to secure food before it got dark, so he nodded without a word. * * * Initially, there were clearly nine of them when they set out. The total number of Yeongwoo¡¯s group and the Haneulchae Residence membersbined. But now¡­ ¡°Is this¡­ really okay?¡± Yechan held onto the window, constantly looking back. It was due to the growing crowd that had started gathering, one by one. ¡°¡­Is there anything we can do? We can¡¯t just kill them.¡± When Yeongwoo nced back, immediate reactions poured out. ¡°Wow¡­ It¡¯s really the Strongest Sword.¡± ¡°He looks just like the one on the coin.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem as menacing as I thought.¡± Within fifteen minutes, a group of dozens had swelled up, murmuring and following relentlessly. ¡°¡­¡± Ignoring the continuous assessments about himself, Yeongwoo asked the elderly man guiding them. ¡°Excuse me, sir, are we still far?¡± ¡°We¡¯re almost there. That¡¯s it, ahead.¡± The old man nced back again and added. ¡°Bothering you, huh?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s just that¡­¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t think they have ill intentions. After all, who would bear a grudge against their lifesaver? Especially those with families.¡± Ironically, the person saying this had no family. ¡°Besides, it¡¯s a first.¡± ¡°A first?¡± ¡°Since this whole reset thing, it¡¯s the first good thing that has happened. Thanks to what Yeongwoo did.¡± The elderly man cracked a dry smile, causing Yeongwoo to unconsciously nod his head. ¡°That way, please.¡± Finally, the elderly man raised his hand and pointed ahead. By now, it had gotten darker, and the surroundings appeared as mere silhouettes. Yet, Yeongwoo could tell exactly where the supermarket was. Since there was already a considerable crowd there, making a lot of noise. ¡°Is this for real?¡± ¡°Why won¡¯t they just let us in? Are they expecting us to starve?¡± ¡°Everyone has to eat to survive, right? Let¡¯spromise a bit!¡± Around a hundred people surrounded the entrance of the market, shouting various things. And at the center of it all¡­ ¡°Compromise? Are these guys insane? This is outright robbery! Don¡¯t you get it?¡± A man, full of intensity, along with what seemed like his family, blocked the entrance in protest. Both groups were armed, a tense situation unfolding. ¡°Oh no.¡± The elderly man assessing the situation clicked his tongue. Yeongwoo, realizing theplexity of the situation, looked perplexed. ¡®They¡¯vee here looking for food due to hunger, but the market owner isn¡¯t allowing them in.¡¯ It was only natural. While most things had turned to stone due to the reset, ownership hadn¡¯t changed. Even Yeongwoo himself still considered the chocte bar he had brought out at the start of the reset as his own. He had paid for it at the convenience store before this all began. It was a legally owned item. So, in the same context, the market owner was merely asserting their rightful im. ¡®Yeah, when you release something from petrification, you¡¯d naturally expect them to pay Karma for the service. But if the original owner isn¡¯t getting paid for the item, whether you release the petrification or not¡­¡¯ Hence, the bicycle Yeongwoo and Yechan were using was essentially stolen from someone else. In essence, there were two main causes of this situation. First, the supermarket owner¡¯s family was still alive up to this point. Second, a social consensus on ¡®past ownership¡¯ has not yet been reached. ¡°¡­¡± It was aplicated problem. Feeling a headacheing on already, Yeongwoo slowly approached the entrance of the market. With dozens acting like paparazzi behind them. Then¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Gumi Strongest Sword!¡± ¡°Ohh¡­!¡± The attention of the crowd surrounding the market shifted towards Yeongwoo. Meanwhile¡­ ¡°Dammit, I¡¯m screwed.¡± The market owner spat on the ground, a look of utter frustration evident on their face. Given the circumstances, the Gumi Strongest Sword probably hade to raid the market. And if he tried to use force to enter, he couldn¡¯t be stopped. If that happened, the numerous people would rush in and loot the ce indiscriminately. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] ¡°¡­¡± The market owner, sensing a disaster, instinctively scanned the faces of their family. And coincidentally witnessing that, Yeongwoo calmly ced his Early Bird on his waist and surveyed the surroundings. ¡®There are too many people. If the owner keeps holding out, it¡¯s inevitable there¡¯ll be bloodshed.¡¯ Moreover, what the crowd wanted was food, second only to taxes for survival. So, they weren¡¯t likely to back down easily. Then, what to do? As Yeongwoo continued towards the market in silence, the crowd automatically made way for him. It was the power of thememorative coins distributed to everyone and the title of Strongest Sword hanging over Yeongwoo¡¯s head. ¡°Oh, Strongest Sword-nim¡­¡± ¡°Please, do something about this person.¡± ¡°Strongest Sword-nim, please solve this.¡± With each step Yeongwoo took, people voiced their appeals. And finally¡­ Thud. Yeongwoo, Yechan, and the Haneulchae Residence group arrived in front of the market owner¡¯s family. ¡°Damn it.¡± ¡°Dad¡­¡± The market owner¡¯s family consisted of the owner couple and a boy who looked to be in middle school. Their forces looked feeblepared to the hundred-strong crowd surrounding the market. However, the reason the crowd hadn¡¯t forcefully entered wasn¡¯t because they had obtained tokens of sympathy. Shing¡­ The silver-white de that was carefully pointed at Yeongwoo trembled slightly. ¡®An Early Bird. Not your average yer.¡¯ Yeongwoo gazed fixedly at the Early Bird held in the market owner¡¯s hands. Then, encased in a golden armor, he extended his right hand towards the tip of the opponent¡¯s de. ¡°You have to step back. I understand your unfair situation, but¡­ if things stay this way, you will end up dead.¡± ¡°What did you say¡­?¡± The market owner, eyebrows twitching in dissatisfaction, met Yeongwoo¡¯s golden fingers. It was an unusual piece of equipment to him. ¡°In a reset world, who¡¯s going to consider someone else¡¯s circumstances? Holding onto everything from before the reset is greed. Right now, survival should be your priority. We¡¯re all starting from scratch.¡± As Yeongwoo spoke, the market owner grew agitated. ¡°Greed? I¡¯m only trying to protect what I had.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re forcibly holding onto something you can¡¯t keep anymore¡­¡± As he spoke, Yeongwoo recalled the youth at the currency exchange, picking up coins even when a gang of robbers was approaching. ¡°If you keep this up, both you and your family will die horribly. So, if I were you, I¡¯d gather as much food as possible and leave.¡± ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Indeed, it was a threat. Yeongwoo, like everyone else, had no intention of starving just to respect the market owner¡¯s property rights. ¡°You have an Early Bird too. If you use the coins I gave you to increase your abilities, you can hunt monsters sufficiently. Use that to start again, step by step, like everyone else.¡± When Yeongwoo said this, the market owner¡¯s wife, who had been quietly listening, looked inside the store and spoke softly. ¡°Maybe we should do as that person says. Otherwise, we might not be able to keep anything.¡± This ¡®anything¡¯ included not only food but also their lives. After all, what more could they do when the Strongest Sword himself hade here. ¡°¡­¡± However, the market owner wouldn¡¯t relent¡­ no, he couldn¡¯t let go of his pride. So, in the end¡­ ¡°Kraat!¡± As Yeongwoo shifted his gaze to the market owner¡¯s wife, hemitted an atrocity by attempting a surprise attack. Swoosh! A silver-white de grazed past Yeongwoo¡¯s golden fingers. But Yeongwoo was already keenly observing the opponent¡¯s sword. ¡®You choose the worst option in front of your family.¡¯ The hologram of Gumi Sword Technique appeared before him, signaling the beginning ofbat with a Senses increase alert. ¡¸Your Senses has temporarily increased from the 100 to 116.¡¹ It was a Senses augmentation effect from the Golden sh. ¡®At least there¡¯s one benefit.¡¯ Recognizing the unintended effect of the new gloves, Yeongwoo attempted to subdue the opponent. ¡°¡­?¡± However, upon seeing the subsequent alerts, he changed priorities. ¡¸Your Senses has temporarily increased from 116 to 131.¡¹ ¡¸Your Senses has temporarily increased from 131 to 145.¡¹ ¡¸Your Senses has temporarily increased from 145 to 163.¡¹ Meanwhile, someone in the crowd behind was lurking. It was also the moment when Yeongwoo confirmed that the ¡®Golden sh¡¯ served as a rear camera. Ting! After briefly deflecting the market owner¡¯s Early Bird, Yeongwoo turned around, releasing the energy of Strongest Sword. Whoosh! Then he spoke fiercely, his golden eyes shing. ¡°These bastards, it¡¯s time to recover the disaster relief funds.¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 18 Chapter 18 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 18: Dignity of the Strongest Sword (2) The Strongest Sword was furious. This fact was palpable to everyone to the extent that their hearts could feel it chilling. In reality, as soon as the ¡®Aura of the Strongest Sword¡¯ was unleashed, everyone involuntarily clenched their chests, feeling an overwhelming pressure. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Grrr¡­!¡± Meanwhile, in the midst of the crowd, Yeongwoo noticed three golden patterns floating above someone. It was an incredibly intuitive sight, and Yeongwoo immediately understood. They were the ones who had their Senses halved, the ones who were about to stab him in the back while he wasforting the owner of the mart. ¡°Move aside.¡± Unconsciously perceiving everyone in the audience as potential assants, Yeongwoo, with a chilling tone, pushed through the crowd. The first assant identified. A man in his 40s dressed in a suit. His pupils, filled with fear, glittered with a golden hue under the influence of Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze. As Yeongwoo twisted the de threateningly in front of the man¡¯s face and asked, the pupils dted even more, expressing sheer terror. ¡°Do you have a family? If not, consider yourself lucky. At least there won¡¯t be anyone else suffering because of you.¡± ¡°Heeik¡­¡± The man¡¯s body trembled with fear at Yeongwoo¡¯s words filled with intense hostility, and then¡­ Swoosh! A silvery trail traced a diagonal line, and the man¡¯s head rolled off his body. Decapitation. Yeongwoo¡¯s increased strength allowed him to sever his opponent¡¯s neck with a single sh. Splurt, spurt¡­! The decapitated man, making gurgling sounds resembling a malfunctioning water pump, spewed blood from his neck. ¡°Kyaaaah!¡± ¡°H-he¡¯s crazy!¡± ¡°Please spare us¡­!¡± As the decapitated corpse copsed through the crowd, the atmosphere inside turned intoplete panic. No one was strong enough to counter the Aura of the Strongest Sword, so everyone remained forcibly seated. In the midst of this, the unexpected plea from Yechan managed to break through the forceful presence. ¡°Mister! Others haven¡¯t done anything wrong! And the children¡­¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Just as Yeongwoo was about to strike the second attacker in a fit of extreme rage, he flinched upon hearing Yechan¡¯s words. It was then that he finally realized the extent of his extreme agitation. Shwaaa¡­. At that moment, the Aura of the Strongest Sword dissipated entirely. ¡°Uwaaah!¡± ¡°Save me!¡± Around a hundred people, their fear palpable, hurriedly found paths through the darkness, fleeing for their lives. Of course, the remaining two attackers who were still in good health tried to join the escaping crowd. Swoosh! Plunch! They were unable to escape Yeongwoo¡¯s swift pursuit and were killed one after another. In the end, what remained in front of the mart was¡­ ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°This is awkward.¡± Only Yechan and the Haneulchae group. Thud! Thud! Before long, Yeongwoo returned from the darkness, making heavy footsteps. The atmosphere in front of the mart had subsided. Yeongwoo¡¯s face still retained a reddish hue from the recent experience with blood. ¡°Haa.¡± Yeongwoo let out a deep breath. He realized that the atmosphere had settled, and it seemed ufortable to him. About a hundred people. Although a tiny fraction in the context of the entire Gumi City, they were the ones who would now live with faces marked by fear onmemorative coins for the rest of their lives. ¡°¡­¡± Yeongwoo looked at the vacant space where people had fled, his eyes filled with bitterness. Then, he turned his attention to Yechan and the children hiding behind their parents, ncing at Yechan for an answer. ¡°Do the kids also¡­¡± A question about whether they were exposed to the Aura of the Strongest Sword. Upon hearing this, the parents answered instead of Yechan. ¡°Ah¡­ it doesn¡¯t seem like it. If they were affected, they would have cried and caused a scene.¡± The parents made reassuring expressions, trying to convey that everything was fine. However, regardless of the Aura, the children had seen enough of what shouldn¡¯t have been seen, so Yeongwoo still felt remorseful. The Strongest Sword. As the Strongest Sword that spread thememorative coins with the golden rain, to truly live up to that role, he knew he had to be a proper human being first. It¡¯s easy to be powerful, but bing a hero is difficult, especially in times like these. Swoosh. Yeongwoo looked at the mart family with mncholic eyes. Suddenly, the mart owner handed over the Early Bird to his wife and knelt on the ground. ¡°I¡­ I apologize. I think I lost my mind for a moment. I¡¯ll ept any punishment, but please spare my family.¡± Perhaps he overheard Yeongwoo mentioning something about family to one of the assants earlier. Considering for a moment, Yeongwoo pointed inside the mart with his finger. ¡°As I said before, pack as much stuff as you can carry and leave. Others wille here soon.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± ¡°Go, now.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± In an instant, the mart owner¡¯s eyes widened. For some reason, he realized that the Strongest Sword was showing an unexpected mercy. Practically a miracle. Thud! Without a word, the mart owner hastily got up and rushed back into the mart. His family hurriedly followed suit. And Yeongwoo¡­ Click. He waited for the mart family to reappear, fiddling with the coins he had retrieved from the assants he had dealt with moments ago. Ninememorative coins and sixteen regr coins. ¡°Haa, haa.¡± It was about five minutester that the three families, once the owners of the mart, returned, gasping for breath. But their appearance was¡­ ¡°Ah¡­?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ my!¡± ¡°What, what¡¯s this? Can they really take all this?¡± The Haneulchae group widened their eyes, each trying to stifle their exmations. The mart family emerged carrying far more items than anyone could have imagined. [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] They had attached around ten shopping baskets inside the mart with tape and piled various goods inside, creating a towering structure resembling a boulder. And astonishingly, there were three such ¡®boulders¡¯ in total. If the sun had been at a nt, the shadow of the mart family¡¯s creation might have covered even the group and still remained. It was simr to¡­ a dung beetle. The insect that rolls a dung several times its own size. ¡°Is that okay, Mister?¡± Yechan looked at Yeongwoo, unintentionally showing bewildredment. Yeongwoo was equally bewildered. ¡®These people are insane, seriously.¡¯ To carry such a load, it would have required thebined strength of the entire family. Even the baskets and tapes were likely turned into stone and returned to their original form using Karma. What was more astounding was that they managed to n and execute all of this within five minutes. Should they be called the business family? ¡°¡­¡± Yeongwoo quietly observed as the dung beetles carefully arranged their colossal load in front of the mart. Clunk. After assessing that they had finally settled in, the mart owner, pointing toward Yeongwoo, asked, ¡°We¡­ we¡¯ve gathered everything. Can we leave now?¡± A strange silence fell. Neither Yechan nor the Haneulchae group looked at the mart family with pity anymore. ¡°¡­¡± Without saying a word, Yeongwoo nodded as if to indicate they could go. ¡°Th¡­ thank you so much.¡± The mart owner bowed hastily in gratitude. Then, without looking back, he ushered his family into the darkness. ¡°Hmm. Now then¡­¡± With the martpletely empty, it was now their turn to take charge. With a somewhat awkward gesture, Yeongwoo attempted to usher Yechan and the Haneulchae group into the mart. Ping! Suddenly, an rm rang out, breaking the silence. ¡®What now?¡¯ [Achievement Unlocked: Forgive Your Enemies] |Achievement Rank: Hero |Achievement Grade: 46th It was an achievement not listed in the rmended list. ¡®Did this trigger because I let those people go?¡¯ Yeongwoo nced in the direction where the mart family had disappeared. But a new message intercepted his view. [There is one unimed achievement reward.] [Would you like to receive the reward?] ¡®Hero Rank¡­ if it¡¯s about items, it should be at the level of the Early Bird.¡¯ When Yeongwoo approved receiving the reward, the message vanished all at once, making a sound. Click. ¡°Huh?¡± What happened next was as expected. Swoosh! Six coins appeared out of thin air. ¡®Six?¡¯ With his current Senses value of 100, it wasn¡¯t difficult for Yeongwoo to urately locate the six coins¡¯ positions and catch them before they hit the ground. Thud. Yeongwoo caught all the coins swiftly. This time, they were blue coins. Four vertical lines and one horizontal line adorned the front. So how much were they worth? As Yeongwoo tilted his head and looked at the coins, a tooltip appeared. ¡¸Blue Coin¡¹ ¨C Normal Currency |Worth 50,000 Karma. ¡®There were 50,000 Karma coins.¡¯ That meant the reward for this achievement was 300,000 Karma. ¡®Money is growing faster than I thought.¡¯ Of course, it was also due to pocketing from killing people. In truth, when it came to amassing wealth, this was the quickest way, after all. ¡®Then, my current assets are¡­ 45,950. In terms of stat points, it¡¯d be 459.¡¯ After purchasing what he needed from the mart, Yeongwoo decided to invest the remaining money back into ability points. * * * He still didn¡¯t know the time. Even the clock at the mart had turned to stone. The same fate befell the indoor lighting, so Yeongwoo and the Haneulchae group had to search through the darkness for shlights and batteries. ¡°That mart owner seems even more impressive now, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Yechan eximed in awe after gathering all the supplies and turning on the shlight. ¡°He probably had a good grasp of where things were ced.¡± Eventually, even Yeongwoo found batteries borrowing Yechan¡¯s shlight. Then it was swift progress. They released petrified stic baskets, began gathering essential items, and swept them into their bags. ¡°We¡¯ll have to move around in strange ways like those people earlier, won¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really want to.¡± Plus, how durable could the tape be? It was evident that within not even a day, let alone an hour, everything would spill onto the ground. Moreover, from Yeongwoo¡¯s perspective, who needed to go to other areas for achievement purposes, being too conspicuous was not ideal. ¡°We have bicycles. Let¡¯s find suitable bags and ropes to attach them to the bikes.¡± Although acquiring a car could be an option¡­ it came with the drawback of constantly needing fuel. ¡°Truthfully, if you have strength, you won¡¯t starve no matter what.¡± Yechan remarked somewhat cynically. And it was true. Petrified food doesn¡¯t decay, but to consume it, one had to pay in Karma. Therefore, as long as there was the strength to seize what others had, the chance of dying was extremely low. ¡°Um¡­ Mister Strongest Sword, excuse me, but can we start our meal first?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Someone politely inquired, and turning back, Yeongwoo saw the Haneulchae couple waiting in line. They had probably already arranged the food. ¡°Oh, yes, please don¡¯t mind me. You don¡¯t have to call me the Strongest Sword¡­¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The couple quickly moved away as soon as Yeongwoo gave his approval. And Yeongwoo, after watching their retreating figures for a moment, turned his head towards Yechan. ¡°You should eat too. I think I need to replenish some energy. Surely today won¡¯t end just like this¡­¡± Beep! His premonition hit. The sharp warning sound drowned out Yeongwoo¡¯s trailing words. ¡¸The night is approaching.¡¹ ¡°The night?¡± What kind of new predicament was unfolding this time? Yeongwoo held the can he had just picked up and tapped it with a coin, waiting for the next message. And just as expected. ¡¸Therefore, to ensure your right to sleep, the Lodging System willmence in one hour.¡¹ Once more, something eerie seemed about to happen. Even Yeongwoo felt perplexed. ¡°The Lodging System¡­? Is it the same lodging?¡± [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 19 Chapter 19 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 19: Dignity of the Strongest Sword (3) *Lodging. [*Changed ¡°Lounge¡± to ¡°Lodging¡± for better uracy.] Renting out rooms for a fee. The term itself wasn¡¯t particrly special or dangerous, in fact. The issuey in the world where this term was being used. A world of dragons, quests, where most people carried weapons. For Yeongwoo, as the Strongest Sword, it merely led to confusion, but others were downright terrified. ¡°Lodging¡­?¡± ¡°What¡¯ll happen at night?¡± ¡°Do we have to pay even to sleep?¡± Amidst the gathered Haneulchae residents filled with worry, Yeongwoo hurriedly finished his meal, as if time was slipping away. At that moment, Yechan, sitting across from him, cautiously asked while nibbling on bread, lowering his voice. ¡°Mister.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°What do you think about the lodging?¡± From the currency exchange to monster appearances and elimination of the mutants. Yeongwoo¡¯s entire trajectory since the reset was nothing short of a miracle, thus, Yechan had no choice but to trust his insight. ¡°Not sure. I don¡¯t know whether they¡¯ll continue providing lodging or are just offering it for convenience on the first day¡­¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Be it the Strongest Sword or anyone else, while they¡¯re asleep, they¡¯repletely defenseless, right? So, maybe it¡¯s about ensuring that one can sleep safely, no matter how it¡¯s arranged.¡± Of course, it won¡¯t be free, but that¡¯s what Yeongwoo concluded with. Yet, Yechan¡¯s doubts lingered. ¡°Then where?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Lodging means renting a room, right? But in a way, isn¡¯t this mart a huge room?¡± A valid point. Even Yeongwoo found it hard to imagine how the world¡¯s offered ¡°lodging¡± would manifest. It wouldn¡¯t even be strange if a motel suddenly appeared in the city center. ¡°We¡¯ll find out in an hour. But one thing¡¯s certain.¡± Yeongwoo stopped mid-sentence and stuffed canned tuna into his mouth. ¡°With enough money, you can solve most problems.¡± * * * Time flew by in an instant. Just by seeing that it was much darker outside the mart, one could tell. Maybe not even an hour had passed? During that time, all Yeongwoo and Yechan did was eat and pack their belongings onto the bicycles. There were several visitors bringing food from outside, mostly thanking Yeongwoo and dispersing to find their own meals after seeing his title. Thanks to thememorative coin, he had be something of a recognized figure in Gumi. Of course, not everyone was kind to Yeongwoo. Those clearly experienced in battles above the average tended to either be wary or jealous of him. Some subtly tried to gauge his power, especially since they hadn¡¯t seen him handle the mutants. ¡°¡­¡± Feeling the gazes from all around, Yeongwoo checked the local status. |Currently in the area of ¡®Gumi.¡¯ |The Strongest Sword in this area is ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo07.¡¯ Rank 1, Defenses 6. Perhaps due to the incident at the mart entrance, his defense count had increased to 6. ¡®Not as high as I thought.¡¯ He thought this himself, but how did others perceive it? Some might consider the Strongest Sword a mere bubble. Especially if they hadn¡¯t seen him deal with the mutants. ¡°Mister, I¡¯m all set.¡± Finally, Yechan, done with packing, reported. So, Yeongwoo did a final check on the bags strapped to the bicycles and the ropes. Suddenly, a middle-aged man who had been loitering nearby approached slowly. ¡°Um¡­ Strongest Sword-nim.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Tired of correcting his title every time, Yeongwoo continued the conversation as it was. ¡°Yes. What can I do for you?¡± ¡°Do you happen to need a watch?¡± ¡°A watch?¡± When Yeongwoo nced at the wall clock that was still intact, the man reached into his sleeve and produced something. It was nothing other than a digital wristwatch. Not petrified, a real watch. [20:48] Current time: 8:48 PM. For the first time in a while, Yeongwoo widened his eyes at the sight of ¡®time.¡¯ ¡°Why are you selling this when you¡¯ve already reversed it back from petrification?¡± ¡°Because I don¡¯t have any money right now. I heard the lodging will start soon, and I might need money by then.¡± ¡°Have you spent all thememorative coins?¡± The man looked apologetic at Yeongwoo¡¯s question. ¡°Ah, they were actually taken from me.¡± ¡°By whom?¡± ¡°The younglings.¡± Younglings. Even in a situation where he¡¯d been robbed, the man¡¯s expression remained polite. He must be a fairly decent person. Yeongwoo remembered the somewhat hazy policemen at the currency exchange and tried to rx his expression as much as possible. ¡°So, how much do you need?¡± ¡°I¡¯d like half the amount I spent to reverse the petrification. 2,000 Karma.¡± So, that meant he paid 4,000 Karma to initially reverse the watch. ¡°Yes. Alright.¡± With his backpack brimming with crimson coins, Yeongwoo essentially bought change by giving away coins. Jingle. As Yeongwoo rummaged through his backpack for 2,000 Karma, the man¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Looks like luck¡¯s on my side this time. To think I¡¯d be selling a watch to the Strongest Sword.¡± ¡°You think too highly of me.¡± As Yeongwoo handed the man the coins, he also received the wristwatch in return. It was, in essence¡­ a barter based on trust. A belief that the other party wouldn¡¯t hand out a knife instead of money. ¡°I really must go now. Seems like the lodging starts at 9 PM.¡± After finishing the transaction and resting his hand on the bicycle, Yeongwoo said this, and Yechan nced at the Haneulchae group on the other side. ¡°What about those people?¡± ¡°They have to go their own way. I¡¯m not interested in trailing after them.¡± The Haneulchae group still seemed upied with packing. Understandable, considering they probably had a lot of people to take care of over there. While here, they were in a position where they might have to constantly deal with challengers, mutants, and perhaps even fight with Strongest Swords from other areas. It was best not to get involved with each other. ¡°¡­Alright. Let¡¯s go quickly then.¡± Yechan seemed to understand the situation soon enough and pulled the bicycle away from the gazes of the Haneulchae residents. * * * [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] The time spent by Yeongwoo and Yechan in the mart was probably only about an hour, yet the atmosphere outside hadpletely changed. It had turned intoplete chaos. ¡°Please, move!¡± ¡°Let us through. We¡¯re heading out now.¡± The chaos was caused by people trying to enter the mart and those finishing their business and leaving, all jumbled together. And then, on top of that¡­ ¡°Please give me just one coin. I was robbed¡­¡± ¡°Could someone share a bit of food? I haven¡¯t eaten anything all day.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for work! Porter,panion, odd jobs, I¡¯ll do anything!¡± Beggars, people trying to earn money through odd jobs ¨C the crowd was aplete mess. ¡°Goodness¡­ how did it be like this in just an hour?¡± ¡°It¡¯s no surprise, especially in a ce like a mart.¡± To Yeongwoo, it was quite understandable. The current time: 8:56 PM. It was the time when those who hadn¡¯t eaten a meal would be extremely hungry, and it came after the hologram of the president had sufficiently exined the function of Karma. The fact that with Karma, even petrified food could be reversed. ¡®I even went as far as giving money to everyone.¡¯ After handing money to hungry people, rushing to buy food was a natural thing to do. Of course, there seemed to be quite a few people who had been robbed on their way here. Nevertheless, now that people with money had gathered at the mart, it was natural for those in need of money toe here. ¡°People will probably gather in ces like the mart, restaurants, and convenience stores for a while.¡± It seemed like a dual purpose of job hunting. In other words, a new economic center had emerged. ¡°Oh¡­ the Strongest Sword?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Strongest Sword!¡± ¡°Mr. Yeongwoo!¡± ¡°Jeong Yeongwoo!¡± As Yeongwoo and Yechan stepped out of the mart entrance, the already bustling area became even more chaotic. However, it was different from the previous chaos where people were unwilling to make way. Instead, now everyone seemed inclined towards Yeongwoo, showing a friendly attitude, clearing the path, or following him. ¡°Mr. Yeongwoo! Where are you going?¡± ¡°Strongest Sword-nim! Can Ie with you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll use the coins wisely!¡± This was thanks to thememorative coins, carving a sense of familiarity among Gumi citizens. Moreover, everyone knew Yeongwoo had gave up his monopoly of 3 million Karma to distribute the coins. ¡°¡­Mister, you¡¯re incredibly popr.¡± Yechan struggled to keep up, continuously nudged by people trying to get past to follow Yeongwoo. ¡°We might get trapped here if this continues. Let¡¯s get out quickly.¡± Yeongwoo signaled Yechan behind him and swiftly got on the bike, pedaling away. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go together!¡± ¡°Mr. Yeongwoo!¡± As Yeongwoo¡¯s group picked up speed, people attempted to run after them, but due to a significant difference in abilities, they were soon left behind. ¡°It¡¯s almost frightening.¡± Yechan, still trailing behind a few people, murmured. To which Yeongwoo replied in a subdued voice, looking back at those chasing. ¡°I guess it¡¯s because everyone¡¯s been through so much.¡± ¡°Because they¡¯re in such a difficult state, they¡¯re so happy to see you?¡± ¡°Hmm. There¡¯s hardly anything to be genuinely happy about now.¡± Youngwoo stopped going on and remembered what the old man from the Haneulchae group had said. ¨DSince this whole reset thing, it¡¯s the first good thing that has happened. Thanks to what Yeongwoo did. What Youngwoo did. ¡°¡­¡± Yeongwoo kept contemting thest sentence the old man from the Haneulchae group had pronounced, which had made him feel quite good, even as he pedaled through this dismal world. Beep! Beep! After about a minute of pedaling, the wristwatch beeped, indicating exactly 9:00 PM. Bzzt! Simultaneously, a system message appeared before Yeongwoo and Yechan. ¡¸The Lodging System hasmenced.¡¹ ¡¸All buildings ssified as ¡®residential¡¯ will now be in an invible state due to the Lodging System.¡¹ ¡®All buildings ssified as residential?¡¯ Referring to existing buildings that were used for lodging purposes. ces such as vis, apartments, and other amodations. ¡¸Everyone can upy any desired residence by paying Karma for a certain period.¡¹ ¡¸During the lodging period, ess to the space will be controlled, and collecting amodation fees is also possible.¡¹ It essentially meant acting as a hostel operator. Depending on the perspective, it could also be a way for several people to split the lodging fee. But did one have to pay money to sleep? Coincidentally, Yechan seemed to be having a simr thought. ¡°Um¡­ Can¡¯t we just find a suitable ce and sleep without using the lodging?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t mind getting stabbed in your sleep, that might also be a good option.¡± But there seemed to be another reason. Just when they thought the exnation was over, there was onest piece of information. ¡¸For your information, tonight¡¯s weather is a Red Mist.¡¹ ¡¸Please beware of possible respiratory damages.¡¹ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 20 Chapter 20 [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 20: Overnight Lodging (1) Red Mist and respiratory damage warning. Thetter probably won¡¯t just mean a simple coughing, considering how things have been going in this world. ¡®Even lungs might corrode.¡¯ The initiation of overnight lodging services came with weather alerts, essentially prompting the use of these lodgings. ¡°Should we go to a motel?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°To use the lodging.¡± ¡°There are plenty of other ces nearby, though?¡± As Yechan pointed out, the surrounding area was scattered with ¡®residential¡¯ buildings. Behind the mart from earlier, there were tightly packed neighborhoods and apartments. However, ording to Yeongwoo¡¯s perspective, these residential areas had a fatal w. ¡°There is a high probability that the owners will return. Those ces were originally inhabited by someone.¡± ¡°Right? Oh, I see¡­¡± Yechan btedly understood Yeongwoo¡¯s argument. ¡°That¡¯s true. Regr homes likely had people living in them¡­¡± ¡°Motels have owners too, but not every room is upied by them. There might be vacant rooms.¡± Of course, that would be if they hurried there. ¡°But even if all the rooms are full, it won¡¯t be a problem for you, Mister? Since everyone would want to stay the Strongest Sword.¡± Upon this, Yeongwoo shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll decline that offer. Even if it starts with good intentions, seeing the Strongest Sword asleep might bring out unexpected feelings.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ yeah, that could happen.¡± While Yechan understood Yeongwoo¡¯s words, he found him to be quite peculiar. He was someone who would distribute money to everyone, even in front of mutants, starting with the kids. Yet, he held such distrust for people¡­ It was impossible to gauge what was truly on his mind. ¡¸Two hours until the [Abnormal Weather] Red Mist forms.¡¹ Soon enough, a climate notification appeared along with a timer at the top of their field of view. Tick-tock! ¡¸01:59:58¡¹ ¡®Two hours? So, the abnormal weather starts around 11 at night.¡¯ Considering that the majority of people were crowding stores and convenience shops to get food, it wasn¡¯t ample time at all. In truth, Yeongwoo and Yechan weren¡¯t at ease either. ¡°Do you happen to know where a motel is around here?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know¡­ Shouldn¡¯t you, Mister?¡± ¡°Just because I¡¯m an adult, am I supposed to know everything?¡± As Yeongwoo argued this, he finally realized something. He had never been to a motel in Gumi even once. ¡°Let¡¯s just follow this main road for now. If we can¡¯t find any, we¡¯ll have to go back towards the station or just enter any house.¡± Their current location was in Bisandong, quite a distance northeast from Gumi Station. It was an entirely unfamiliar neighborhood for Yeongwoo, who rarely ventured beyond the dormitory. Creak, click. They cycled along the main road for about ten minutes, searching. Finally, Yeongwoo spotted a family ahead, causing him to slow down. ¡°Excuse me! Can we ask for directions?¡± Upon which, the woman at the front raised her axe threateningly in her right hand. The two men carrying a sack on their bikes had appeared rather odd. Soon, they recognized Yeongwoo¡¯s title and their eyes widened. ¡°Wait, aren¡¯t you Jung Yeongwoo-nim?¡± As the woman spoke, her husband and children behind her began rummaging through their pockets. Probably trying to pull out thosememorative coins again. ¡°Yes¡­ Do you live around here? We¡¯re looking for a motel.¡± ¡°A motel? There might be one around¡­ I¡¯m not exactly sure of the exact location, though.¡± The woman looked like she wasn¡¯t sure about the exact location. ¡°In that case, we¡¯ll have to keep searching for now.¡± As Yeongwoo made a brief farewell and attempted to pedal again, a hand waved from the husband¡¯s side. ¡°If you follow that road up ahead, there should be a motel on the left named Riverside Motel. It¡¯s nestled between buildings, so you¡¯ll have to look closely.¡± ¡°Ah, thank you.¡± As Yeongwoo nodded his thanks, the woman smiled and nced at her husband. ¡°You¡¯re really good with directions.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­ ¡± Before the husband could finish his sentence, Yeongwoo pedaled away. * * * Riverside Motel. Although not exactly by a river as its name suggested, it was indeed wedged betweenrge buildings, making it hard to find. Even so, being a five-story building hinted at ample room avability. ¡°Is this it?¡± ¡°Looks like it.¡± Yeongwoo and Yechan approached the motel entrance on their bicycles. Despite the talk of the Lodging Services, there was nothing particrly distinct about the exterior. Only something flickering beyond the opaque ss entrance hinted at activity inside. ¡®Is the owner still here?¡¯ Given they couldn¡¯t leave their heavily loaded bicycles outside, Yeongwoo opened the entrance while still holding onto his bike. ng. The bell on the door shook, signaling the arrival of a guest inside, and at the same time. Swoosh! ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Unexpectedly, the Gumi Sword Technique hologram taking a defensive stance appeared along with a piercing sound. ¡¸Senses stat has temporarily increased from the 100 to 122.¡¹ ¡®Who on earth¡­?¡¯ Senses increased by 22 implied the opponent¡¯s original Senses stat were now at 44. Meaning, if they were originally a low-level human, they could be considered a veteran who had umted a significant amount of Karma. If not, then most likely¡­ ¡®A high-level human, at least level 1 or 2.¡¯ Regardless, a surprise attack was not forgivable. Yeongwoo swiftly retrieved his Early Bird and countered the attack. Ping! Simultaneously, from the other side of the door, the hilt of a sword bounced into the air. Almost immediately, someone fell backwards, screaming. ¡°Ah¨Caaah!¡± Reacting instantly to the sound, Yeongwoo swung open the ss door, surveying the scene. ¡°Ugh!¡± The source of the horrific scream seemed to be a young man in his early twenties. ¡°¡­¡± Yeongwoo alternated his gaze between the man¡¯s deformed right hand and the one-handed sword stuck under the motel counter. ¡°Ah.¡± The recent counterattack was so powerful that not only did it disarm the opponent, but it also shattered the hand holding the weapon. ¡®Come to think of it, my strength is currently at 300.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Initially, his base strength was merely 19. He was practically a superhuman now. Yet, despite this, Yeongwoo¡¯s ability to handle food or ride a bicycle stemmed from the fact that not too long ago, he lived as an ordinary person. This allowed him to gauge how much strength to exert in daily life. However, if he were to let go of that sense anytime soon, it could lead to unforeseen consequences. ¡°Whoa.¡± Yechan, following Yeongwoo inside, frowned at the young man sprawled on the floor. ¡°Guuugghhh!¡± The assant continued his cries of agony. Yeongwoo then searched through the attacker¡¯s pockets. As expected, there wasn¡¯t a single coin in his possession. This meant he had likelye to the motel well-prepared for robbery. The next step would usually involve delivering a fatal blow, but¡­ ¡°What level are you? What¡¯s your role? An extra? A supporting role?¡± Yeongwoo postponed the opponent¡¯s death by asking these questions. ¡°Ugh, uggh!¡± However, with a broken wrist, would he even register such questions? The young man¡¯s continuous groaning and screams made it impossible for him to hear or respond. And so, eventually¡­ Thud! ¡°Uuaaagh!¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s Early Bird pierced the young man¡¯s thigh, an attempt to provoke a reaction and distract him. ¡°Ah, Mister? Why are you doing this again¡­!¡± Surprised, Yechan tried to stop Yeongwoo. While the opponent had initiated the attack, Yechan believed there was no need to resort to torture despite that. However, Yeongwoo had his reasons. He felt it necessary to investigate other high-level humans to understand the specific nature of a Level 1 supporting role, like his mother. ¡°What level of human are you? What¡¯s your role? Just tell me that, and I¡¯ll let you live or kill you, whichever you prefer.¡± ¡°You¡­ you insane¡­!¡± Enraged, the young man tried to spit at Yeongwoo but stopped upon seeing the Early Bird held in his grasp. ¡°Wait! I¡­ I¡¯m a Level 1. A Level 1 Extra.¡± ¡°Level 1?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened. He was indeed a high-level human. ¡°And your upation?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I don¡¯t have one, anything like that.¡± ¡°So, unemployed? Then what about your parents?¡± Upon Yeongwoo¡¯s inquiry, the expression on the young man, who had been in despair until then, suddenly changed. It was as if he had be an entirely different person. ¡°You guys killed them.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You killed them! You damn vultures¡­!¡± It was more than just expressing malice; the rage and sorrow were so intense it seemed to make the air around them boil. Perhaps the young man¡¯s parents were also high-level humans, and judging by his extreme reaction, they might have been targeted and eliminated by public vote. ¡°Now you¡¯re trying to act innocent? Just kill me too!¡± The young man seemed to have lost control entirely. But regardless what happened to his family life due to the reset, the fact remained that he intended to kill anyone entering the motel. ¡°¡­¡± Seeing that further conversation was futile, Yeongwoo followed the young man¡¯s orders and swung his Early Bird. Fssh! In a blink, a red streak crossed the young man¡¯s throat, and soon, the head fell with a sickening thud, the severed neck emitting a gushing sound. Witnessing it all, Yechan¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°¡­¡± As a high school student, this sight was too brutal and bizarre for him toprehend. To think a person he considered a colleague would resort to torturing for information, and that the tortured individual¡¯s parents had been erased by the public¡­ It was a moment when he realized that he was living in a much more terrifying world than he had thought. ¡°Is¡­ is this really happening?¡± As Yechan spoke, staring at the head lying lifelessly, Yeongwoo raised an eyebrow and asked. ¡°What? Just because I didn¡¯t kill him right away?¡± It was purely Yechan¡¯s uncertainty about what he was troubled by that led to his words. Hence, Yechan found himself at a loss for words. In truth, he didn¡¯t precisely know what was making him fearful and anxious. Whether it was due to Yeongwoo gradually bing inhuman or if the world itself was the issue. ¡°¡­No.¡± Yechan shook his head, gesturing to continue on their way. So, with an uneasy expression, Yeongwoo moved, leaving the severed head behind. ¡¸01:16:32¡¹ ording to the mist timer at the top of their field of vision, they had roughly an hour left. If there were no rooms avable in the motel or if there were other issues preventing them from staying there, they¡¯d have to pedal their bicycles again to find another ce to stay. ¡®Of course, if both options fail, we might have to end up entering a room someone else rented and get our throats slit in the middle of the night.¡¯ Yeongwoo and Yechan crossed the lobby, avoiding the young man¡¯s blood that had already reached their feet. Thud. All the lights were off, so they carefully walked up the dark stairs. But for some reason, a faint blue light seeped from above, gradually illuminating their surroundings with each step upward. ¡°¡­What is it this time?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I doubt any monsters will show up again at this point.¡± Yeongwoo tightly held the Early Bird in his right hand and steadily moved his gaze upward. Eventually, Click! Both of them reached the second floor of the motel, and soon, they discovered the source of the bluish light. It was none other than the room entrance doors emitting a subtle glow. ¡°¡­¡± It was a surreal scene, but Yeongwoo, mindful of the limited time, walked towards the room at the end of the corridor. Yeongwoo chose room 208. Approaching it, the frame of the door, previously shining blue, intensified in color. Subsequently, its unique interface appeared. ¡¸Would you like to use the Lodging Service?¡¹ [Riverside Motel Room 208] |Space: Compact |Facilities: Bathroom |Lodging fee: 3,000 Karma |Duration: Until 10 a.m tomorrow. ¡¸How many people are nning to stay? Please enter the number of upants.¡¹ Next, a sort of holographic keypad appeared. ¡°¡­¡± After a moment¡¯s thought, Yeongwoo reached out his hand. ¡¸2¡¹ [Trantor ¨C Peptobismol] Chapter 21 Chapter 21 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 21: Overnight Lodging (2) Room 208 was a typical motel room. It had a double-sized bed in a space of about 6 square meters, and underneath the desk, serving as a dressing table, there was a small refrigerator. The bathroom was immediately to the right of the entrance where Yeongwoo stood. The proximity of the toilet and the sink was worrisome, and it seemed like one¡¯s shoulders might touch the sink when dealing with important matters. ¡°It¡¯s incredibly narrow.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Yeongwoo and Yechan briefly looked at the entire room, then sighed and pushed their bicycles upstairs to the entrance. The bicycles, dirtied from the road, left ck marks on the floor, but it didn¡¯t seem to matter. Thud. Seeing the bicycle lying diagonally with a bag full of stones, Yeongwoo confirmed that the door was locked, took off his shoes, and entered the room. Then, he realized btedly, ¡®There¡¯s light in the room.¡¯ It was probably part of the ¡°night stay service.¡± ¡®I wonder if the water wille out properly.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze fell on the shower inside the narrow bathroom. Physically, he wasn¡¯t very tired, but mentally, he was exhausted. He had experienced too much in one day ¨C the argument at the currency exchange, the first murder, the Strongest Sword, the battle with goblins, and the confrontation with Jang Seonbok at the Gumi Private Hospital. ¡°Sigh.¡± After confirming the locked door again, Yeongwoo put down his shield and early bird on the floor and unpacked his backpack. ¡®Can I take this off?¡¯ He wondered while feeling around to remove the makeshift knife sheath from his waist. Eventually, he found a small button attached to the back of the belt in the side-rear. Using his fingernail, he pressed it deeply, and the seam of the belt loosened, releasing the structure. Click. Finally, having released the knife sheath, Yeongwoo undid his own belt and, while feeling around his waist, said to Yechan, who was also fumbling with his sheath. ¡°I¡¯ll wash up first. If someone tries toe in, let me know.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Yeongwoo, without hesitation, undressed and entered the bathroom. Suddenly, the mirror above the sink reflected him. His exposed body looked like decaying flesh covered in ck and blue bruises all over. On the other hand, the title of ¡°Strongest Sword¡± on top of his head was shining dazzlingly, almost boastful, as if unting what he had gained as the price for all those bruises. ¡°Ah.¡± Finally recalling something, Yeongwoo touched the spiral-shaped tattoo on his left chest with his hand. Then, something happened. Pod! The title that had been attached to his head disappeared without a trace. ¡°It¡¯s touch-sensitive. Not funny at all.¡± Yeongwoo stood in front of the shower with his head cleared. And with a slightly nervous heart, he turned on the water. Squeak! What happened next was quite surprising. Ssh! Without a moment of silence, the water gushed out immediately. ¡°Wow, oh my god.¡± As Yeongwoo received the pouring stream of water, he unintentionally eximed. Even though it was just a shower in a single day, it felt like the first time he had taken a shower in about a decade. *** After Yeongwoo finished showering in a good mood, Yechan, who had been sitting at the desk, approached and offered something. Swipe- ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°It was in the refrigerator.¡± What Yechan held out was none other than a can of orange juice. ¡°And you could take this out without paying?¡± As Yeongwoo received the juice, an information notice came to his mind. * All items provided are not allowed to be taken out of the room. Consuming the drinks provided in the room is allowed, but taking them with the intention of stocking up is not permitted. ¡®Well, that makes sense.¡¯ While sipping the juice, Yeongwoo looked around the room again. ¡®¡­Oddly enough, there¡¯s noputer.¡¯ Are there motels withoutputers in this day and age? Yeongwoo smirked, thinking that maybe the system deliberately left it out. After all, would this crazy world rent aputer overnight for a mere 3,000 won? ¡®Let¡¯s be satisfied with being able to shower.¡¯ Yeongwoo stared at the scattered clothes on the floor, then suddenly realized. ¡®Ah.¡¯ The fact that he was currently naked. ¡°You¡­ You should wash up too. I need to put on a gown.¡± As Yeongwoo awkwardly grabbed the gown on the table, Yechan nodded hesitantly and carefully undressed. Slick, swish. ¡°¡­¡± For some reason, it was an embarrassing moment. Deliberately making a loud noise, Yeongwooy down on the bed as Yechan awkwardly took off his clothes. Plop. With a sound, the sheet slid down, relieving his tired body. Then, a tremendous sense of relief enveloped Yeongwoo. ¡°Phew¡­¡± Finally, the end of a long day. ¡¸01:16:32¡¹ The abnormal weather timer was still disyed at the top of the field of view, but he could no longer pay attention to it. The sleep that had been pushed in during the digging moments pressed against his eyelids. Somewhere, there seemed to be a sound of water pouring, but even this was soon forgotten. And then¡­ Bang. Bang, bang! Thunk, bang! ¡°Oh, who the hell is banging on someone¡¯s door at this hour?¡± Yeongwoo, in the midst of half-sleep, had such thoughts before abruptly waking up. ¡°Gasp.¡± He remembered where he had fallen asleep just before. It was the motel where the night stay service had begun. In other words, in the midst of this insane world. Thunk! The loud noise echoed again. This time, he could urately pinpoint the origin of the sound. ¡°Is anyone in there? Please open the door!¡± Someone outside was banging on the door without any consideration. ¡¸00:06:46¡¹ The timer at the top of his vision was pointing to the three-minute mark. ¡°I must have slept for more than an hour.¡± Seeing that even the memory of falling asleep was hazy, it seemed like an intense nap. Swish. As soon as he got up, he was wide awake. Yeongwoo first inspected the room for signs of intrusion, such as missing items or someone else¡¯s footprints. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± In the meantime, Yechan, who had been sleeping on the floor, half-opened his eyes and raised his head. ¡°W-What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Looks like someone is looking for a room.¡± Yeongwoo checked the bathroom onest time and picked up the early bird lying on the floor before approaching the entrance. Thud, thud! Thud! Meanwhile, the unidentified figure continued to pound on the room door as if they were about to break it down. ¡®They guarantee the right to sleep, but does that mean it doesn¡¯t guarantee a peaceful sleep?¡¯ Nevertheless, if he opened the door, would the other person be able to enter immediately? ¡®I distinctly remember that if you rent a room, you can restrict others from entering.¡¯ As Yeongwoo had such thoughts while cing his hand on the doorknob, a familiar text box appeared. ¡¸When you open the door, a barrier will be created that allows only the lodger to enter.¡¹ ¡¸If you wish to share a room, confirm the other person with the barrier, then change the room rate and maximum upancy.¡¹ Without hesitation, Yeongwoo opened the door. Swoosh! As the door opened, a blue barrier rose menacingly above the door, blocking the fist of the outsider who had been about to knock on it. Thump! ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Both Yeongwoo and the outsider were startled. The outsider was surprised because the face of the room owner was exactly the same as the one on thememorative coin. On the other hand, Yeongwoo was taken aback for a different reason. ¡®What¡­ what is this?¡¯ His surprise was due to the fact that the person outside was a woman. Not just any woman, but a woman carrying a backpack filled with various weapons and petrified food. In addition, a small dagger was stuck in the hip knife sheath, a one-handed sword was in her right hand, and a steel round shield was held in her left hand. The backpack was neatly tied with a rope containing an axe, an extra one-handed sword, and another steel shield. ¡®Could I still be dreaming? What on earth is this person doing?¡¯ She was the most meticulously armed person he had seen so far, and judging by the amount of luggage she carried, her strength and stamina values seemed unusually high. ¡°What is this¡­?¡± Yeongwoo unintentionally mumbled to himself. The woman, looking at Yeongwoo¡¯s head, tilted her head. ¡°Uh¡­ isn¡¯t it?¡± It seemed odd to her that the title of Gumi¡¯s Strongest Sword, simr to the one in thememorative coin, was missing. Even her first impression was surprisingly¡­ ordinary, unlike what she imagined. ¡°Are you not Gumi¡¯s Strongest Sword? But why is there nothing? The Strongest Sword is¡­¡± As the woman continued her sentence, she suddenly closed her mouth. Then, she looked straight into Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes. ¡°No, more importantly, there¡¯s no time now. Please open the door!¡± ¡¸00:03:41¡¹ As the woman said, time was running out. However, Yeongwoo had no intention of ying the hero even to the extent of getting up from his bed. ¡°Check other rooms.¡± With this statement, Yeongwoo intended to close the door. But then, the woman began banging on the barrier like crazy. ¡°This is thest room! No one else is taking me in!¡± ¡°Of course. So, find another vacant room.¡± Creak. The gap of the door began to narrow further. At this point, the woman shouted frantically. ¡°Hey! I¡¯m pregnant!¡± And this strategy worked reasonably well. Yeongwoo, who had left a gap of about one centimeter, stopped moving. ¡°Heh.¡± The woman, not expecting the door to close, reflexively flinched and looked nervously at Yeongwoo. ¡°I-I¡¯m serious. But no one believes me.¡± It was understandable since the woman¡¯s belly showed no signs of pregnancy. If her im was true, she might be in the early stages of pregnancy. ¡°You¡¯re pregnant¡­ and you¡¯re still wandering around like this?¡± ¡°I have to protect the child. If I die, our baby will die too.¡± The woman¡¯s gaze as she spoke was quite serious. ¡°What about your husband?¡± ¡°He was killed by goblins.¡± ¡°¡­¡± By this point, Yeongwoo had nothing more to say. Then, Yechan, who had been listening in the background, spoke quietly. ¡°Since we¡¯re all awake now¡­ why not let her in?¡± ¡°I barely slept for an hour. Should I stay up all night because of her? My stamina won¡¯t be able to handle it tomorrow.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep watch. And if we take away her weapons and tie her up, it should be fine.¡± Yechan seemed determined to let the woman in. After all, he had shown a particrly vulnerable side to the kids from the beginning. Given that, it was hard for Yechan to simply dismiss the im that she was pregnant. ¡°If we tie her up unarmed, there shouldn¡¯t be a big problem¡­ Do we really need to go through all that trouble?¡± Yeongwoo had mixed feelings as he thought about it. Considering the situation, it didn¡¯t seem necessary to go to such lengths. In any case, it appeared that the couple had challenged goblins before, and only the wife had survived. Of course, assuming the opponent¡¯s im was true. ¡¸00:02:11¡¹ The remaining time had decreased to the two-minute range. There was really no time now. ¡°Are you really going to do this? There are two of you over there. Just tie me up as the student suggested, please let me in.¡± ¡°¡­¡± After a brief hesitation, Yeongwoo decided to let the woman in. ¡°Wait.¡± Seeing a keypad in the corner of the barrier, Yeongwoo pressed ¡®3¡¯. Beep. ¡¸The total number of upants has been changed to 3.¡¹ ¡¸Would you like to set a lodging fee?¡¹ At this point, Yeongwoo looked back at the woman. ¡°What about the money?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°How much can you pay? Check how much time is left and answer well.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The woman, after a moment of nk expression, quickly regained herposure and took something out of her pocket. Swish. Ironically, it was amemorative coin with Yeongwoo¡¯s face on it. ¡°This is all I have. I¡¯ll give you this.¡± To say she would give him everything was a bit of an overstatement. The woman offered a singlememorative coin, equivalent to 10,000 karma. Anyway, considering that the room¡¯s rental fee was 3,000 karma, it was quite a lucrative deal. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s fine.¡± When Yeongwoo set the lodging fee to 10,000 karma, the blue barrier turned green. ¡¸Hopeful upants, please pay the lodging fee and enter.¡¹ This message was visible to both Yeongwoo and the woman. ¡°Should I just go in there¡­?¡± The woman cautiously pushed the coin through the green barrier. Clink. As the coin passed through, it seemed to be enveloped by a green protective shield, preserving it until the entry process waspleted. This system prevented room owners from taking the lodging fee and closing the door, a practice known as ¡®evasion.¡¯ Eventually, when the woman fully entered the room, the protective shield was removed from the coin. Then, simultaneously, the woman¡¯s gloomy aura, which had been visible through the face, dissipated. ¡°This is an outrageously expensive one-night stay. If I knew, I would¡¯vee earlier.¡± After cing thememorative coin on the table, the woman looked alternately at Yeongwoo and Yechan, asking. ¡°Your gown looks nice. Can I wash up too?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 22 Chapter 22 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 22: Overnight Lodging (3) Seated on the edge of the bed, Yeongwoo silently listened to the sound of water flowing from the bathroom. Sigh¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡± What on earth is all this? In front of the practically useless ss door of the bathroom were scattered clothes and a backpack that a woman had been wearing, except for daggers, a short sword, and a shield. ¡®What is she doing in there.¡¯ It was almost inevitable to imagine the woman showering. Carrying nothing but a sword and shield, she entered that narrow bathroom. Of course, it was not at all sensible for a man she had never seen before to casually enter a room where two people were and start showering. ¡®Does she have that much confidence in her fighting skills?¡¯ Looking back at the woman¡¯s appearance and story, it was clear that she was no ordinary novice. ¡®Anyway, once she finishes showering, I should tie her up securely.¡¯ If he tied her hands and feet with a rope and left her on the floor, even if she tried to break free andunch a surprise attack, he would be able to respond in time. Of course, Yechan would probably wake him up before it¡¯s toote. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Yeongwoo still stared intently at thememorative coin on the desk. Then, he noticed that the timer at the top of his field of vision had disappeared. ¡®Ah,e to think of it.¡¯ By now, a red mist should be forming outside. Since there was a window on the wall to the right of the bed, Yeongwoo quickly approached and looked outside. Even though the half-open window also had a blue barrier, he could see the outside situation well enough. It was like a truly grim fog spreading throughout the city. ¡°Huh.¡± Gradually, silhouettes of people appeared near the fog. Thud! A man running frantically towards somewhere. Seeing that he waspletely unarmed, it seemed like he either fell victim to bandits or was ater who didn¡¯t follow the initial quest line. ¡®It seems he managed to survive without encountering goblins.¡¯ But luck seemed to have run out here. The red mist was closely chasing the man¡¯s rapidly moving legs. And eventually. St. Without any sound or sign, the mist swallowed the man. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Although the distance between the scene and the motel was considerable, screams should have been heard, but there was still no sound. Instead, the blurred silhouette of the man, enveloped in the mist, staggered and stumbled. Then, as usual. ¡°Ah.¡± The man stopped walking and copsed to the ground. ¡®How long did it take? About a minute?¡¯ Yeongwoo recalled the time from when the man touched the mist until he became unable to move. ¡®It seemed like about a minute. I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s dead or not.¡¯ While Yeongwoo pondered alone, Yechan called him from behind. ¡°Um¡­ Mister.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Turning around, Yeongwoo saw Yechan looking somewhat confused. And the woman who had just finished showering was standing a few steps away. Wrapped in a shower towel, she held a short sword and a shield in each hand. Nevertheless, Yeongwoo¡¯s Gumi Sword Technique and Golden sh remained silent. He judged that it wasn¡¯t abat situation at the moment. ¡°Thanks to you, I had a good shower. Thank you.¡± ncing briefly at thememorative coin on the desk, the woman leaned the knife she held in her right hand against the wall. Making sure the hilt of the knife was within reach in case she needed to grab it again. In response, Yeongwoo looked at her with a sharp expression, as if not to forget the promise they made outside. ¡°I told you I¡¯d tie you up unarmed, didn¡¯t I? I¡¯ll do as I said, so put down that shield too.¡± Then, the woman obediently dropped the shield in her left hand to the floor. ¡°I didn¡¯t lie earlier. So, I hope you won¡¯t be too weary.¡± But instead of responding, Yeongwoo ced the shield between the wall with the window and the bed. This way, he could grab the shield even while lying on the bed. The woman, who couldn¡¯t help but notice this, smiled again. ¡°But seriously, you¡¯re not the Strongest Sword, right? Gumi is not a big city, but can there be two people who look so alike?¡± ¡°What does it matter if I am or not?¡± ¡°Well, if you are¡­ it¡¯s a good thing to meet a noble, and if not, it¡¯s not a problem.¡± A vague answer. Yeongwoo decided to remain silent to avoid unnecessary disturbance. After all, he nned to leave Gumi as soon as the mist disappeared. ¡®I have to go to another city before the next Mutant appears. The longer it takes, the greater the difference in abilities with the Strongest Sword of other regions will be.¡¯ [Golden Horde] |Summon the Golden Rain in two or more regions. (1/2) [Excellent Social Worker] |Send the mutants back alive. Of the rmended achievements that could be attempted in a short period, these two were avable. If lucky, he might even aplish both simultaneously. ¡°By the way, what¡¯s your rtionship?¡± The woman threw another question. ¡°Not a special rtionship. It just happened that we ended up travelling together.¡± ¡°Not family either? But you can share the same room?¡± Surprised by the woman¡¯s question, Yeongwoo instead smirked. ¡°Well, you¡¯re sharing a room over there right now.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± Around this point, Yeongwoo sensed something suspicious. ¡°Well then, could you put some clothes back on? It¡¯s a bit awkward to leave you tied up in that state.¡± When Yeongwoo signaled to Yechan to prepare the rope, the woman chuckled and spoke again. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be more dangerous to tie me up while I¡¯m dressed? You never know what might be in my pockets.¡± The woman, wrapped in a towel, nonchntly raised both arms, disying a cheeky expression. Seeing this, Yechan, holding the rope, looked awkwardly between Yeongwoo and the woman. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo, standing by the bed, spat out his words with annoyance. ¡°That¡¯s my business to take care of. Hurry up and get dressed. If we dy any longer¡­¡± ¡°What if we dy any longer?¡± For some reason, the woman seemed extremely rxed. From this point on, Yeongwoo was convinced that at least one of the things the woman imed was a lie. For example, the story about being pregnant. ¡®No matter how easy we may seem, our levels are different. Yet she can afford to be so leisurely? Especially since she¡¯s iming to be pregnant.¡¯ Yeongwoo still shook his hands, gesturing for the woman to be tied up quickly, and observed her closely. Then¡­ ¡°Give me that.¡± She came down from the bed, took the rope from Yechan, and Yechan, looking perplexed, alternately looked at Yeongwoo and the woman. On the other hand, Yeongwoo, holding his Early Bird in his right hand, spoke irritably. ¡°Just do as I said. Quickly, put on some clothes. If we take more time¡­¡± ¡°What if we take more time?¡± The woman seemed oddly rxed. From now on, everything seemed unbelievable. The strangest thing was that the woman continued to insist on being unarmed. Yeongwoo continued to gaze fixedly at the woman, who, despite his gestures, was still not tied up. ¡°¡­¡± When Yeongwoo kicked away the shield under the woman¡¯s feet, she raised the corners of her mouth. ¡°Now, can you rx?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Yeongwoo, holding Early Bird in his right hand and the rope in his left, approached the woman. At that moment, the woman looked at the terrifying de of Early Bird and shivered as if in fear. ¡°Are you trying to tie me up with that in your hand? It¡¯s dangerous. Lower it for a moment; after all, I don¡¯t have any weapons.¡± However, Yeongwoo was ready to corner her, disregarding her words. ¡°Just stay quiet.¡± As both sides approached within two paces¡­ ¡°¡­!¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyebrows twitched. It was because he saw something shing from inside the towel the woman had wrapped around her body. And simultaneously, Gumi Sword Technique and the Golden sh warned him. ¡¸The Senses value has temporarily increased from the original 100 to 137.¡¹ ¡°This¡­!¡± Swish, thud! Yeongwoo and the woman moved almost simultaneously. The woman tried to draw the dagger hidden inside the towel to stab Yeongwoo¡¯s neck, and in return, Yeongwoo¡­ Swish! Raised the Early Bird, which had been lying down, to cut the woman¡¯s arm. It was the arm she was extending with the dagger towards him. Thunk! ¡°Huh?¡± Whether she forgot the pain in the rapidly unfolding moment or not, the woman looked nkly at her right arm springing in an unnatural direction. And then. With a thud, along with the sound, she screamed as her arm fell to the ground. ¡°Nooo!¡± Blood spurted from the severed part. Yeongwoo sighed while observing the blood staining the bedsheet. It was all because he realized he would spend the night on a sea of blood. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Noo!¡± ¡°Your previous words about this being thest room, did they mean something else? You¡¯ve already ransacked the other rooms, and only this one remained, right?¡± Yeongwoo made a usible inference, but the woman seemed too preupied to respond. She was too busy rushing towards the entrance as if crazed. ¡°Wait. Anyway, even if you go outside, you¡¯ll die.¡± Yeongwoo, retrieving the shield wedged between the bed and the wall, threw it diagonally toward the woman¡¯s lower back. Stter! With a dreadful noise, the steel shield stuck into the woman¡¯s waist, curving in a peculiar direction. Thud! ¡°Ack!¡± With a moan, the woman, who had fallen forward, poured out sweat from her whole body, writhing in pain. ¡°This crazy¡­!¡± Yeongwoo, jumping off the bed, muttered quietly. ¡°You should have quietly waited and attacked at dawn¡­ Why did you choose the difficult path? Surprisingly, it seems to have worked well with other guys.¡± Then, terror filled the woman¡¯s face. She had now realized that she had seriously misunderstood her opponent. ¡°You¡­ you were the Strongest Sword.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you trying to act tough with me? Wasn¡¯t it different from what you imagined?¡± ¡°W-well¡­¡± ¡°Die.¡± Without bothering to hear more, Yeongwoo deeply stabbed the woman¡¯s lower back with the tip of his sword. Swish. With that, the trembling woman¡¯s movements ceased, and a small puddle of blood formed beneath her. ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo stepped on the blood while searching the woman¡¯s body. There was no other weapon in the towel, but he found something in the woman¡¯s fingers. ¡®There was a ring.¡¯ It had a color as if it were a discolored silver ring. ¡®I wonder if it¡¯s an item.¡¯ When Yeongwoo pulled the ring from the woman¡¯s hand, an item tooltip appeared. ¡¸Assassin¡¯s Finger¡¹ ¨C Artifact Ring ¡¾10% increase in stats in a one-on-one battle¡¿ ¡¾¨CEmpty Slot¨C¡¿ *¡®Portrait of a Murderer¡¯ bonus. ¡®Portrait of a Murderer?¡¯ This was an achievement. To be more precise, it was an achievement that Yeongwoo had never seen before. Probably an achievement corresponding to a different personality, not ¡°Stubborn,¡± and that is to say¡­ ¡®Did she also open achievements?¡¯ Anyway, at first nce, it was confirmed that this woman was not an ordinary yer. And Yechan, who had witnessed all these scenes up close¡­ ¡°¡­.¡± He stood frozen in ce, as if he couldn¡¯t even properly breathe. Every moment he had just witnessed was shocking. ¡°Are you okay? In the end, she was a scammer.¡± Yeongwoo tried tofort Yechan awkwardly, swallowing the remark, ¡®Che im of being pregnant was probably a lie as well.¡¯ [Current time, 11:23 PM.] After confirming that the fog outside had thickened more than before through the window, Yeongwooy down on the bed with a delicate bloodstain. Hwaat. The fresh smell of blood rose through his body. However, it wasn¡¯t disturbing enough to hinder him from falling asleep again. Thanks to bing ustomed to the scent of blood during that time. Relieved tension allowed his entire body¡¯s muscles to rx. With a sigh, his eyelids became heavy. But Yechan¡­ ¡°¡­.¡± Unlike Yeongwoo, he couldn¡¯t easily fall asleep. For a while, he stood still, gazing at the corpse lying near the entrance. It was a cruel and bizarre night. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 23 Chapter 23 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 23: The Barefoot Superhuman (1) Ding! Ring! ¡­ Ding! Ring! ¡­ ¡°What¡¯s this now?¡± Yeongwoo, awakened by the ringing tone, slowly opened his eyes. Through the window left open yesterday, sunlight poured in. Then again. Ding! Ring! Turning his head, he looked to the left. The motel phone on the bedside table was loudly ringing. ¡°Crazy.¡± Yeongwoo checked his wristwatch while picking up the receiver. The current time was 8:02 AM. Click. ¡°Hello.¡± The habitual greeting escaped his lips without him realizing it. On the other side of the line, there was silence for a while. Then. ¡¶There is 1 hour and 48 minutes left until check-out.¡· A mixed voice of a man and a woman conveyed the announcement. ¡°What the hell¡­¡± A shiver ran down his spine as he fully woke up. Yeongwoo, who had cautiously picked up the phone, threw it far away without realizing it. But the caller had already hung up. ¡®This shitty situation¡­.¡¯ In any case, the wake-up call was effective. It not only woke him up but also restored his sense of reality in an instant. ¡°Wh-what was it?¡± Yechan, too, had hastily risen from hearing the phone ring. He stood by the window, staring with surprised eyes. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo, still looking at the body of the woman lying near the entrance, moved to the window and confirmed that the red mist hadpletely dissipated. ¡°It was a check-out notification. We should get going.¡± Although there was still plenty of time until the check-out, there was no reason to waste time meaninglessly here in the deserted yard. Yeongwoo opened the refrigerator, drank canned coffee and tea. Then, he took out a dagger from the right arm of the woman lying on the floor, thinking it might be useful to strike the opponent¡¯s weak point, just like the deceased had done. ¡°Now, what¡¯s left is¡­¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze fell on the backpack the woman had been carrying. He had little interest in spare weapons and misceneous items, and what he was looking for was¡­ ¡°Oh.¡± As Yeongwoo rummaged through the backpack, he felt a familiar texture in his hand. Click. Sure enough, there was a pile of coins at the bottom of the backpack. When he turned the backpack upside down and shook it, not only the crimson coins but also dazzlingmemorative coins continuously poured out. Swoosh! ¡®That¡¯s a lot. How many did she kill?¡¯ Yeongwoo spected that beforeing to this room, the woman probably looted other rooms one by one. The total amount of coins on the floor added up to a whopping 364,000 karma. 32memorative coins and 44 crimson coins. ¡®I should consider myself lucky to meet her before she could convert these into stats.¡¯ Now Yeongwoo¡¯s cash assets were 810, tranted into stats. He immediately started distributing his stats to avoid making the same mistake as the woman. ¡®As long as I don¡¯t lose the Golden sh, there¡¯s no hurry to increase my senses.¡¯ That leaves strength, stamina, and durability. Strength had risen to 400 due to the ¡®Furious Goblins¡¯ ring, stamina and durability were stillcking at 150 each. ¡®Maybe durability should take priority now? My body still can¡¯t handle my maximum output.¡¯ Yeongwoo left only 10,000 karma as ¡®change¡¯ and poured the remaining 800,000 into his stats. ¡ºCharacter: Jung Yeongwoo07¡» [Strength] 600 (19+581) [Stamina] 350 (21+329) [Durability] 550 (13+537) [Sense] 100 (24+76) These stats were configured under the assumption that the Golden sh sense theft would apply to monsters and mutants, based on the premise of the artifact. ¡¸Assassin¡¯s Finger¡¹ ¨C Artifact Ring ¡¾10% increase in stats in a one-on-one battle¡¿ ¡¾¨CEmpty Slot¨C¡¿ The newly acquired ring had the term ¡®one-on-one battle¡¯ attached to it. ¡®If the Golden sh only worked on humans, they would have used the term ¡®one-on-one battle¡¯ as well.¡¯ However, the tooltip for the Golden sh was: ¡¾Steal 50% of the enemy¡¯s senses during battle.¡¿ Duringbat, the ¡®enemy¡¯s¡¯ senses were stolen. Moreover, this was a legendary-grade item. So, Yeongwoo was confident that it would be effective even against mutants. Suaaat! After investing in stats, a unique vitality spread throughout his body. Yeongwoo took only a rope from the woman¡¯s backpack, removed his gown, and put on his clothes again. Yechan, who had been watching him nkly, btedly grabbed his clothes. * * * Riverside Motel, 2nd floor. As the two closed the door and came out into the corridor, loud noises pierced their ears. Ding-ling! Ding-ling! It was none other than the ringing of phone bellsing from other rooms on the 2nd floor. ¡°¡­?¡± Since all the doors were wide open, Yeongwoo could see into each room as he crossed the motel corridor. ¡°Oh my god.¡± Just by looking at the scattered bodies in the narrow motel rooms, it seemed like something had happened yesterday. Most of the victims were men, some in gowns, and otherspletely naked. Some had only half-worn clothes on from the outside. In some rooms, men and women were mixed, and the woman in question seemed to have had a hard time in such ces. There were far more traces ofbat in this roompared to others. ¡®At any rate, it¡¯s impressive.¡¯ Yeongwoo sincerely admired. Combat skills aside, how did she manage to enter each room? There must have been different gender ratios andpositions in each room, yet how did she sessfully enter each time? ¡®Well, in the end, I did open the door for her.¡¯ Yeongwoo continued forward until he reached thest room at the end of the corridor. ¡°¡­¡± In that room, two women who seemed to be a mother and daughter were lying without even holding weapons. As Yeongwoo approached the door, a blue barrier appeared as if to block his way. Since the check-out time was still valid, it meant that outsiders couldn¡¯t enter. Ironically, there was no longer anyone to unlock the barrier for this room. The world had gone mad. ncing back, Yeongwoo noticed Yechan standing with a grim expression. Although it would have been morally right to ask if he was okay, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t bother. ¡°Let¡¯s go now. We have to leave.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± They each dragged their bicycles to the lobby, passing by the body of the Level 1 Extra whose head and torso were separated. * * * Swoosh! The bicycle carrying Yeongwoo reached its maximum physical speed. They headed southwest towards the Gyeongbu Expressway. In terms of the route, they were technically retracing their steps. However, the scenery waspletely different. Bodies were strewn along the roadside as if a gue had swept through. ¡®Probably killed by the red mist.¡¯ In reality, it wouldn¡¯t be far off to say it was death caused by acquired poverty. Since warnings had been spread two hours before the fog appeared, it wasn¡¯t difficult to find a ce to stay if you had money. That meant people who died on the streets were likely to be impoverished. Thus. ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°Another beggar.¡± People who had been searching through corpses early on mostly ended up disappointed. Yeongwoo and Yechan rode their bicycles through the bodies of the dead and the living. Swoosh! Perhaps because of the fast speed or because they spotted the early bird at Yeongwoo¡¯s waist, no one dared to stop or attack the two. ¡®Do mutants appear at a scheduled time every day? If that¡¯s the case, we can n our route ordingly.¡¯ The major schedule in this world, as Yeongwoo had observed so far, was as follows: ¨C 9:00 PM, start of the lodging service. ¨C 10:00 PM, tax collection. ¨C 11:00 PM, abnormal weather urrence. ¨C 10:00 AM, check-out time. And at some point before sunset, goblins and mutants would appear. However, the patterns of the remaining ¡®events,¡¯ excluding tax collection, were still unknown. Whether they repeated at the same time every day or not was yet to be determined. ¡®I¡¯ll find out tomorrow, I guess.¡¯ In an instant, crossing through Sinpyeong-dong, they reached Gumi Central Road. Swoosh! ¡®There it is.¡¯ Visible in the distance on the other side of Central Road was the elevated expressway, the Gyeongbu Expressway. ¡®Let¡¯s jump over there. Now seems like a good time.¡¯ Perhaps lifting Yechan and climbing onto the elevated highway was also possible. Yeongwoo eagerly pressed the pedal, ready to quickly test his seemingly miraculous physical abilities. Then, unexpectedly, with a sudden crack, his center of gravity shifted downward. ¡°Huh?¡± Swiftly using one foot to touch the ground, he managed to support himself, but the bicycle that had been carrying him finally copsed beyond repair. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The bicycle frame couldn¡¯t withstand Yeongwoo¡¯s output and ended uppletely broken. Probably, the cause was getting overly excited after visually confirming the expressway a while ago. ¡°¡­¡± As Yeongwoo stared at the shattered bicycle, Yechan, who had overtaken him, quickly stopped his bicycle. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s just the bicycle that¡¯s broken.¡± Yeongwoo made a somewhat embarrassed expression, but on the other hand, he thought it wasn¡¯t a big problem. ¡°I can just run with two legs.¡± With a strength of 600, stamina of 350, and durability of 550, it might look a bit funny, but in reality, he could probably move faster than a car¡¯s city driving if he ran seriously. Yeongwoo securely tied the handlebars and the backpack hanging on his back to his body with a rope. Then¡­ Thud. In a state where his feet adhered closely to the ground, he sprung forward towards Yechan in front of him. Papak! This time, even before he could take two steps, a strange sound came from his feet. Poong! ¡°Huh?¡± The shoes couldn¡¯t withstand the pressure of high-speed running and burst. However, since his bare feet didn¡¯t hurt particrly, Yeongwoo looked at Yechan, who was surprised, and passed by. Waaaah! Despite just running with two legs, a gust of wind rushed at him as if he had opened a window in a moving train. ¡®Is¡­ is this right?¡¯ Amazed at his inexplicable athletic ability, Yeongwoo looked at the Gyeongbu Expressway, which was now approaching. Although he had to lift his head to see the upper part of the road, for some reason, it seemed like he could easily jump up there. ¡®I think it should work.¡¯ With his two legs prepared for maximum output, Yeongwoo¡¯s right foot kicked the ground, propelling his body upward. Waaaah! Defying gravity, Yeongwoo¡¯s body soared vigorously. ¡®Unbelievable.¡¯ Easily leaping to the height of the elevated expressway, Yeongwoo smoothly entered the Gyeongbu Expressway. Crack! The asphalt ground beneath Yeongwoo¡¯s heels crumbled. Checking the condition of his bare feet, Yeongwoo shouted towards Yechan, who was still below the expressway. ¡°Can you climb up?¡± In response, Yechan slowly rode his bicycle towards the road. ¡°No, it¡¯ll be too difficult for someone like me, Mister.¡± For some reason, Yechan¡¯s tone sounded heavy. ¡°¡­?¡± Sensing something unusual, Yeongwoo looked at him curiously and asked. ¡°Are you okay? Is there something wrong? I can help you climb up. I will juste down, and lift you up and jump.¡± Then Yechan, who had arrived below the elevated expressway, looked up at Yeongwoo with a quiet expression. ¡°¡­Is it meaningful to go to such lengths?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Yeongwoo, puzzled by Yechan¡¯s words, was about to ask what he meant. However, Yechan, looking around, put one foot on the pedal of his bicycle. ¡°Anyway, even if I go up there, I won¡¯t be able to ride at the same speed as you, Mister. It seems like this is as far as I¡¯ll go in your debt.¡± ¡°In debt? What are you¡­¡± Before Yeongwoo could find the right words, Yechan quietly continued. ¡°Go ahead. I now have some weapons and money, so I¡¯ll figure something out.¡± ¡°Really? Are you deciding to be independent all of a sudden?¡± ¡°We weren¡¯t really a family to begin with. So, rather than saying it¡¯s independence, it¡¯s just parting ways because the time hase.¡± Yechan smiled with a bitter expression. Only then did Yeongwoo realize that the other party was sincere. However, was it really possible? Could someone like him survive in this crazy world? ¡®No, it¡¯s just unnecessary worry. We weren¡¯t family from the start.¡¯ Yeongwoo forced himself to ept it. From a practical perspective, Yechan was bing more of a burden, and it was wise for him to be independent if he wanted to grow properly. But how could rtionships between people be measured only pragmatically? From Yeongwoo, who had grown attached to him, it couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit disappointing. ¡°I¡¯m going to Seoul eventually. So, if I manage to survive, let¡¯s meet in Seoul someday.¡± At this, Yechan, with a momentarily nk face, looked up at Yeongwoo and burst into a hollowughter. ¡°Seoul? Yes, sure. By the time we meet there, I probably won¡¯t be ordinary.¡± Of course, both of them knew that the likelihood of Yechan reaching Seoul alive was not very high. ¡°Well, take care of yourself.¡± ¡°You too, Mister. Thanks for everything.¡± Yechan bowed his head in farewell, then confidently rode his bicycle under the elevated expressway. Swish! The sound of Yechan¡¯s bicycle quickly fading away. When Yeongwoo turned around, Yechan, who had crossed the elevated expressway and was running on the other side, gradually became a small dot. Soon, he turned into a tiny point and disappeared into the cityscape in the distance. *** Silence lingered as Yeongwoo bid farewell to his firstpanion. However, there was no time to dwell on it. Yeongwoo immediately turned his head and read the small road sign visible ahead. ¡®Gimcheon, 27km¡­ Can I make it by running?¡¯ This would have been unimaginable in the past, but now it felt entirely possible. There was a genuine sense of confidence. No one was on the highway, and only sporadic stone-like remains of cars could be seen. Taking a deep breath, Yeongwoo sprinted forward as if bouncing off the ground. Swoosh! The surrounding scenery began to rapidly pass by, simr to before. ¡®Just running like this doesn¡¯t make me tired at all. I really turned into a monster.¡¯ It had only been two days. ¡®I wonder how other Strongest Swords are faring¡­.¡¯ As Yeongwoo contemted this, a change urred in the forward view. Although it wasn¡¯t certain, a faint light appeared in the distance. ¡°Huh.¡± Not long after, the uncertainty turned into conviction. ¡°¡­.!¡± Although still somewhat faint, there was no doubt that a reddish column of light was descending from high in the sky. ¡®Marker of a mutant. It means they couldn¡¯t eliminate the mutants in Gimcheon yesterday.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s expression solidified as he sensed the impending danger. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 24 Chapter 24 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 24: The Barefoot Superhuman (2) ¡®What on earth is Gimcheon doing?¡¯ Without realizing it, Yeongwoo criticized Gimcheon City. The fact that the mutant had been alive all day yesterday meant a lot. Human casualties beyond imagination. And the powerless Strongest Sword. Of course, Strongest Sword had no obligation to protect the residents of his area. But apart from that, if Gimcheon Strongest Sword was strong enough, the mutant couldn¡¯t have survived until now. Thud! Soon, the upper right corner of the field of vision shed, and the regional status changed. Finally, He had left Gumi and entered the Gimcheon region. But no matter how you looked at it, Gimcheon Strongest Sword¡¯s condition was strange. |The current area of residence is ¡®Gimcheon.¡¯ |The Strongest Sword of this area is ¡®Park Kyungtae 421.¡¯ 36 times, no defense. ¡®36 times¡­?¡¯ It meant that in one day, the title of Strongest Sword had changed 35 times. In other words, no one in Gimcheon had properly held the title of Strongest Sword. This city did not possess a strong person. ¡®These crazy people.¡¯ Yeongwoo was angry. In this world where everyone carried a sword, being strong generally meant being closer to evil, but still, someone had to stop the mutant, right? Rather than running away like a flock of sheep and being attacked by all, wouldn¡¯t it be better to resist? ¡®Maybe they couldn¡¯t even handle goblins before the mutant. How chaotic was it for the Strongest Sword toe down to 36?¡¯ Yeongwoo recalled the goblins¡¯ meal scene from yesterday and gritted his teeth. Then he pounded the ground even harder. Thump! Each time he lifted his foot off the ground, he felt the asphalt fragments hitting his heels and bouncing off. The wind brushing against his cheeks and earlobes was much fiercer than before. And finally. ¡°¡­!¡± The distant view of Gimcheon City began toe into sight. Behind the red light pir, sporadic blue light pirs, marks of monsters, remained. Still, judging by the fact that there weren¡¯t dozens of marks, it seemed that not everyone had let go. But ultimately, they couldn¡¯t stop the mutant. Some residents were courageous, but it wasn¡¯t enough. =Kindness, Order, Cleanliness Movement= ¡²Happy together, wee to Gimcheon.¡³ Yeongwoo passed the signboard set up at the entrance of Gimcheon City and ran madly on the road with fields spreading on both sides. The distance between him and the mutant mark kept getting closer and farther. ¡®He¡¯s still active. He¡¯s continuously chasing people.¡¯ Thud! Since some time ago, the mark had been tilting to the west, so Yeongwoo also left the road and crossed the fields. Thud, thud, thud! Ssh! It was early June. The fields, just finished being harvested, were filled with water. As Yeongwoo, moving swiftly, entered the area, mud and stalks sttered in all directions. ¡°¡­?¡± And at that moment, Yeongwoo noticed something crucial. The stalks spread across the field were not rocks. ¡°Food must have turned into rocks¡­ but since the rice hasn¡¯t fully grown, they didn¡¯t consider it as food?¡± There was no time to delve deeper into his thoughts. His legs had already passed through the fields, now stepping on the mountainous terrain, and soon a gas station appeared in the distance. The proper entrance to the city had begun. Ssh! Leaping down from the hill back onto the road, Yeongwoo passed the gas station and entered an area filled with apartments. Simultaneously, ¡°¡­.¡± He saw more corpses scattered on the streets than there were apartments. From roughly cut pieces to partially consumed bodies, and bodies twisted at strange angles. However, judging by the fact that they were all facing in the direction Yeongwoo came from¡­ ¡®They were trying to leave the city but got caught.¡¯ Moreover, this was the outskirts of Gimcheon City. Considering that he hadn¡¯t seen any other corpses on the way from Gumi to here, it could be assumed that most Gimcheon citizens couldn¡¯t even reach the highway and died. ¡®They still have their skin. The monsters in this area might not be goblins.¡¯ In Yeongwoo¡¯s experience, goblins would peel off the skin or outeryer of their prey when eating. However, the dead in Gimcheon still had intact skin. Pop! The procession of corpses continued. As he approached the city center, the state of the corpses improved. While unarmed corpses were not umon on the outskirts, now Yeongwoo asionally saw people with more than one weapon. ¡®This ce was really hell.¡¯ As Yeongwoo thought this, while checking the regional status again, Pop. |The current area of residence is ¡®Gimcheon.¡¯ |The Strongest Sword of this area is ¡®Kim Sunhwa 190.¡¯ 37 times, no defense. Gimcheon Strongest Sword had changed hands again. ¡°¡­?¡± Only after seeing this did Yeongwoo realize. ¡®The previous Strongest Swords didn¡¯t die at the hands of challengers. The reason for changing the Strongest Sword 36 times was not because of people but¡­¡¯ Mutants. Any Strongest Sword who appeared in Gimcheon to confront the mutants failed to defeat them and consecutively died. Because of this, the position of Strongest Sword kept bing vacant, and the system was arbitrarily assigning the next challenger. Simr to how Yeongwoo became Gumi Strongest Sword just by showing off in front of the crowd. ¡®Then where is the current Strongest Sword? Is that person also near the mutants right now?¡¯ Yeongwoo looked toward the spot where ¡®Kim Sunhwa 190¡¯ was expected to be, focusing on the red light pir. At that moment, the pir seemed to twitch, and the vicious cycle began again. |The current area of residence is ¡®Gimcheon.¡¯ |The Strongest Sword of this area is ¡®Kang Sung-ho 306.¡¯ 38 times, no defense. And in that short time, Kim Sunhwa 190 also died. ¡®What is happening?¡¯ It¡¯s unclear whether the massacre unfolding there is a one-sided ughter or a battle. In any case, it seemed certain that the system was appointing people near the mutants as Strongest Sword. ¡®Damn it, I¡¯m going.¡¯ Meanwhile, Yeongwoo was in close proximity to the city where the red light pir was shot. The remaining distance would be at most 2 kilometers. Zap! It didn¡¯t take even a few minutes for Yeongwoo to focus his sight on the scene of the incident. ¡°¡­!¡± As expected, there were dozens of people. And from Yeongwoo¡¯s perspective, they seemed to be the strongest group in Gimcheon. Why? Because each of them had one weapon and shield. Some even had early bird privileges, and there were those who had farmed quite a bit the previous day, carryingrge backpacks. However, they were all in retreat. ¡°R-run!¡± ¡°Aaah!¡± And behind them, ¡¸Ket¡­ This could be a somewhat enjoyable life, too.¡¹ A hefty humanoid emitted a fierce aura as it rushed forward. ¡®Mutant¡­!¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s pupils dted. The mutants in Gimcheon were not goblins but ¡®Gnolls.¡¯ Humanoid bodies with hyena heads. Their height was about 3 meters, like Jang Sun-bok in Gumi, but in terms of body thickness and muscle size, their physique looked muchrger. The notable feature was that they had no separate weapons, and their armor only covered their torso. ¡®But theirbat power is probably higher than Jang Sunbok.¡¯ Yeongwoo pulled out his early bird from his waist, checking the opponent¡¯s name tag. [Inte Broadcaster ¨C Hong Youngtae (Pabble)] ¡®Huh?¡¯ Hong Young-tae. Also known as BJ Pabble. Yeongwoo hade across this name through news articles. He was a bit of a problem child, famous in the inte broadcasting industry. He already had his license revoked for drunk driving, and recently, he caused a sensation by disrupting train operations on the tracks while iming to fulfill viewer missions. ¡®He usually caused idents in Seoul¡­ Was he originally from Gimcheon?¡¯ But Hong Youngtae seemed to have no affection for his hometown people. ¡¸Another one¡¯s gone!¡¹ Chasing after those fleeing with their backs turned, Hong Youngtae gleefully swung his fist, and anyone hit by his punch fell to the ground and died without exception. ¡¸Kikik! It¡¯s like a kimchi war!¡¹ Hong Youngtaeughed as he wiped his hands on the body sprawled on the ground. The malicious delight had an unsettling, dark humor. Then, as soon as the corpse no longer looked human, he bounced up to pursue the next victim. In other words, this group, which could be Gimcheon¡¯sst defense, had been doing this long before Yeongwoo arrived. They had be fanatical warriors, being preyed upon by the mutant. ¡®¡­Oh my god.¡¯ In the midst of the fleeing crowd, Yeongwoo saw the title ¡®Gimcheon Strongest Sword¡¯ shining brightly. Even the 38th Strongest Sword, Kang Sungho 306, was in retreat just like any other person. At this point, Gimcheon practically had no Strongest Sword. ¡¸Hey, Strongest Sword! Wait up!¡¹ Hong Youngtae pointed towards Kang Sungho 306 with his distant w and crouched down on all fours. Then. Whoosh! With lightning speed, he leaped high into the air, intending tond right on the head of the new Strongest Sword. In response, Yeongwoo ran straight to the expectednding point and tapped his left chest. Then, Thud! Yeongwoo¡¯s hidden title was revealed above his head. ¡ºGumi¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­?¡± ¡°Gumi¡¯s¡­ Strongest Sword?¡± People who had been running towards Yeongwoo stopped and looked at him in astonishment. Meanwhile, under the massive shadow, Yeongwoo shouted towards the dumbfounded Kang Sungho 306. ¡°Avoid, Kang Sungho!¡± ¡°Wha¡­?¡± Gimcheon¡¯s Strongest Sword, frightened by the fierce face of Gumi¡¯s Strongest Sword, looked terrified. Then. Thud! Yeongwoo¡¯s bodynded on top of Hong Youngtae, who had been falling. St! This time, the corpse truly looked like a scene from a kimchi war. ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo looked down at the shattered and sprawled Kang Sungho 306. ¡°I told you to avoid.¡± Upon hearing Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Hong Youngtae widened his long jaws. ¡°The Strongest Sword is here again.¡± Then, ¡°Huh? What¡¯s this?¡± Sensing something unusual, he suddenly wrinkled his nose and furrowed his forehead. ¡°What the hell is this smell¡­¡± When Hong Youngtae pronounced it this far, Yeongwoo finally remembered. ¡°This equipment carries the scent of a mutant. Other mutants can detect it and be on guard.¡± The warning message he had seen when acquiring the mutant-grade ring, the ¡®Furious Goblin.¡¯ In other words, what the mutant was smelling now was the scent of Gumi City Councilor Jang Sunbok. ¡°You, this bastard, could it be?¡± While Hong Youngtae realized the identity of the smell, Yeongwoo was looking at the symbols of ughter attached all over the guy¡¯s body. ¡®The only route is to kill them all.¡¯ However, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t want to kill him. He needed to achieve as many feats as possible since he had encountered a mutant. ¡¾Special Grade Social Worker¡¿ |Send back the mutant alive. ¡®Can¡¯t you show enough determination that the opponent would want to die?¡¯ As Yeongwoo silently asked this question to himself, the positions and forms of the symbols attached to Hong Young-tae changed. ¡ªBreak ¡ªBreak ¡ªBreak ¡ªBreak The symbol to break. It was a sword that Yeongwoo was shown, not intending to kill. ¡®His size is so big that there are plenty of ces to hit.¡¯ Nodding his head, Yeongwoo tightly gripped the early bird and shield. Finally, Hong Youngtae bared his teeth and made a threatening gesture. Snarl. And it was confirmed that the mutant would indeedunch an attack through the next message that appeared. ¡¸The sensory value has temporarily increased from the existing 100 to 164.¡¹ As expected, Golden sh deprived the mutant¡¯s senses as well. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 25 Chapter 25 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 25: The Superhuman with Bare Feet (3) ¡¸What is this¡­?¡¹ As the Golden sh emitted a sensory discement, Hong Youngtae¡¯s expression twisted. He felt it too, something strange happening to his body. ¡¸You¡­ what are you?¡¹ In a moment of suspicion, Hong Youngtae asked with a doubtful tone. Hwaeeat! A gray trail pierced the guy¡¯s face, making a creaking sound. Creak! ¡¸Ah, damn!¡¹ Yeongwoo thrust the shield into the guy¡¯s teeth without raising his guard. ¡°What are you doing? Without raising your guard.¡± As Yeongwoo withdrew the shield from the guy¡¯s mouth, broken teeth fell to the ground. Hududuk. ¡¸This¡­ this is insane!¡¹ Hong Youngtae, with an expression of disbelief, covered his copsed gums with his right hand. An unbelievable situation. So far, he had only encountered opponents who couldn¡¯t even properlypete with him, let alone match his skills. ¡¸Who are you to be this strong¡­? Aren¡¯t you in a position to be punished? Isn¡¯t this cheating?¡¹ ¡°What?¡± As Yeongwoo blinked his eyebrows and took another striking posture, Hong Youngtae instinctively took a step back. ¡°Who said we¡¯re the ones being punished? Where did you hear that?¡± ¡¸Well, he didn¡¯t exactly say it was punishment, but¡­¡¹ The guy mumbled, then, when Yeongwoo didn¡¯t follow up with another attack, he subtly extended one foot forward. ¡¸So what I heard was¡­?¡¹ Next, what the guy did was too obvious. Swinging his right arm, which had been in front of his mouth, in a swift attempt at a surprise attack. ¡¸We should be able to judge with our own strength, right¡­?¡¹ Ssyaeeaak! It was an attack so fierce that the sound alone sent shivers down the spine. If Yeongwoo hadn¡¯t had the upper hand in senses, his chest might have been torn open immediately. In terms of strength and arm length, Hong Youngtae had the advantage, so two hits were enough. ¡°¡­!¡± Yeongwoo, predicting the surprise attack, barely managed to avoid it. Hwaeeat! But as a result, the distance between him and his opponent decreased, allowing for many counterattack opportunities. ¨DBreak ¨DBreak ¨DBreak ¡®You¡¯re done.¡¯ As Yeongwoo confirmed the sign, Hong Youngtae, who had seen it, had a fearful expression for a moment. And indeed. Kwakwakkwang! A brutal retaliatory beating found its way to the guy. ¡¸Keuk!¡¹ Having been hit with a right elbow and a left sidekick, and finishing with a kidney shot, Hong Youngtae couldn¡¯t hide his bewildered expression as he retreated again. Before being a mutant, he was a person too. Since he had never experienced such a level of assault before, the momentum of the judgment and all that vanished like a ghost, leaving only instinctive fear. ¡¸Wait a moment¡­! I really can¡¯t breathe! Timeout!¡¹ It was truly a rare sight to see a three-meter tall giant struggling irregrly, clutching his side. Even the Gimcheon City warriors who had been fleeing with all their might stopped in their tracks to watch. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo, sensing the guy¡¯s spirit had been broken, sheathed the early bird at his waist. Ssut. It was to show determination until even a trace of the opponent¡¯s pride was left. ¡°Come here. I have something to ask.¡± As Yeongwoo approached with only one shield in hand, Hong Youngtae¡¯s voice trembled even more than before. ¡¸Why¡­ why are you like this? Ask from right there!¡¹ Jubuk, jubuk. ¡°What did I tell you to ask anything?¡± Even though Hong Youngtae raised both hands to show, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t stop walking. Jubuk, jubuk. Continuing to approach until his rough breath touched the strands of the guy¡¯s hair. Bwooong. Leaping about four meters into the air, Yeongwoo struck down on Hong Youngtae¡¯s yellowish forehead. Pweeeok! ¡¸Euk!¡¹ With the head lowered, it was much easier for Yeongwoo to strike with full force. From this point on, it was clear that there were too many exposed weak points, and Yeongwoo didn¡¯t need to rely on Gumi Sword Technique. Pweeek, pwaeng! The right fist and the shield alternated, pounding Hong Youngtae¡¯s body. At this point, the Gimcheon City warriors, who had been watching from a distance, began to approach step by step. ¡°Is this a dre¡­ dream?¡± ¡°What in the world is this¡­?¡± Rather than admiration, they expressed confusion. It was such an unreal sight for them. A barefoot superhuman who had jumped in from somewhere was beating up a mutant right in front of them. ¡°Could that person also be a mutant? Does that make sense?¡± ¡°It does say Gumi Sword Technique. Anyway, he¡¯s¡­ human, right?¡± Should they continue to flee, or should they witness the century¡¯s spectacle of a mutant losing in a one-on-one duel with a human? The Gimcheon City warriors hesitated, debating whether to run away or stick around. Meanwhile, Hong Youngtae¡¯s face was bing aplete mess. Pueok, puck! To avoid a potential fatal blow with the shield, Yeongwoo had been using only his fists and feet for some time now. As a result, his both feet were soaked in Hong Youngtae¡¯s blood, stained red, and the fists were not much different. ¡°Huuk, hukk. It¡¯s really sturdy.¡± Yeongwoo stopped the beating only when his breath began to calm down. In response, Hong Youngtae fell backward as if fleeing from Yeongwoo, barely touching the ground and spitting out blood. Puhwaat! ¡¸Stop now. Yo¡­ you¡¯ve done enough.¡¹ Unlike the first time, his voicecked both anger and fear, sounding resigned. ¡®Is it over now?¡¯ Yeongwoo thought it was finally time to have a conversation after hearing this. ¡°The judgment you mentioned earlier. Who told you about it? Where were you before you came here?¡± At this, Hong Youngtae instinctively looked up at the sky. ¡¸I, I don¡¯t know, really. I just waited in a very dark ce.¡¹ ¡°You waited?¡± ¡¸Yeah¡­ the voice said so. That when the timees, we¡¯ll return in order.¡¹ He must be talking about bing a mutant again with the red pir of light and returning to the world. ¡°Then who is the voice? Does it control you guys?¡± ¡¸¡­I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s just a voice. I only hear the sound.¡¹ Saying this, Hong Youngtae looked at Yeongwoo with fearful eyes. It seemed he thought that if the answer wasn¡¯t satisfactory, Yeongwoo would hit him again. ¡®It doesn¡¯t seem like a lie. It¡¯s quite simr to what Jang Seonbok said.¡¯ Jang Seonbok from Gumi had said something simr before he died. ¨C What year is it now? I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ve been captured. ¨C The first day? Then did Ie first? Oh, is that so? In other words, mutants were isted somewhere other than this world and returned ording to some kind of order. ¡°Anything else? Like a teleportation ability or something.¡± ¡¸Teleportation¡­?¡¹ Hong Youngtae made a puzzled expression, then, with his half-broken jaw, shook his head. ¡¸¡­Ah!¡¹ Suddenly, he raised his right hand, glowing blue. ¡°This sh*t¡­!¡± Thinking that he might be initiating a self-destruct attack, Yeongwoo hastily drew his sword. Sreung! However, Hong Youngtae was more surprised and shook his head. ¡¸N-no! Something strange! So, this is¡­!¡¹ Hwaaat! Eventually, the blue light in Hong Youngtae¡¯s right hand took on a certain form. It was a door. A door with an arched top that glowed blue, and an icon of a door opening and closing was shining. ¡¸I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll believe me, but someone else has to catch this. Without weapons, with your right hand.¡¹ ¡°Then can you teleport like this?¡± ¡¸I¡­ I really don¡¯t know about that. I haven¡¯t heard anything about it. If there¡¯s nothing left to do here or if you regret choosing to be a mutant, I was just told to use this method.¡¹ ¡°¡­.¡± From the situation, it seemed like that was indeed the teleportation button. But that was only up to a point. ¡®Assuming that crazy guy didn¡¯t lie.¡¯ Since it was a door-shaped icon, there was also the possibility that it was something to warp the opponent, not a teleportation button. Which one could it be? ¡®Damn¡­ Would this guy, who was a mess even in his previous life, speak the truth now?¡¯ Unconsciously, Yeongwoo began to harbor doubts. However, upon further thought, he realized that, strangely, this might be the real method of teleportation. Teleportation was a kind of betrayal, abandoning the duty of a mutant and quietly returning. ¡®So maybe they made it not easy to betray even if they wanted to.¡¯ For example, a method that couldn¡¯t be executed without the help of the opponent who had been fighting with weapons just a while ago. Moreover. [Special Social Worker] |Return the mutant alive. In the first ce, asking a mutant about a teleportation method wasn¡¯t something anyone could do. It had to be someone listed in the rmended achievements as a ¡®Special Social Worker¡¯ for such an idea to arise. ¡®Once again, it¡¯s a choice between two extremes.¡¯ Moreover, this time it wasn¡¯t even officially recognized as a quest. As Yeongwoo seemed to be in dilemma, Hong Youngtae, with a wide smile, slyly bent his raised right hand and said, ¡¸Ho¡­ how does it work? Anyway, I didn¡¯t lie. If you can¡¯t trust me, that¡¯s your problem, but if you won¡¯t let me go, don¡¯t beat me up anymore.¡¹ Since he didn¡¯tpletely fold his hand, the ¡®Blue Door¡¯ still existed. ¡®Really, so manyplications.¡¯ Without thinking about it more, Yeongwoo entrusted his fate to his intuition once again. ¡°Damn it.¡± As Yeongwoo put the early bird back in its sheath and reached out his right hand, Hong Youngtae flinched for a moment. However, he neither stepped back nor prepared for another move. If it wasn¡¯t this, he knew that his future wouldn¡¯t be optimistic. ¡°How this¡­?¡± Yeongwoo, without further hesitation, reached out his hand. Tub! Finally, the hand of an ordinary person and the mutated right hand sped the ¡®Blue Door.¡¯ And Yeongwoo realized. This act was just like a handshake. ¡¸¡­Huh?¡¹ Hong Youngtae, who held Yeongwoo¡¯s hand, looked at the empty space with wide eyes. ¡°Why? What¡¯s going on?¡± Yeongwoo asked, but there was no answer from the other side. Shaaaat. Because it was already fading away. The body of the three-meter-tall mutant, Hong Youngtae. ¡¸Phew.¡¹ Soon, even the long face of Hong Youngtae, which was making a futile expression, was disappearing from view, and the fluffy texture that Yeongwoo felt in his hand vanished. ¡°Hong Youngtae? Did he really leave?¡± Yeongwoo asked this while facing the empty space. At that moment, a golden sphere appeared where Youngtae had been. ¡°Ha.¡± It was the same sphere that Yeongwoo had seen when he killed Jang Sunbok. ¡¸You have defeated the mutant.¡¹ ¡¸Please choose a reward toplete the process.¡¹ Following that, an instruction message appeared. If Yeongwoo chose to spread karma to everyone again this time, he could achieve the ¡®Golden Horde¡¯ achievement. Ping! Then, evidence appeared showing that Yeongwoo had indeed spared Hong Youngtae. [Achievement Aplished: Special Social Worker] |Achievement Grade: Legend |Achievement Rank: First ¡®As expected.¡¯ Holding his right hand, which was covered in cold sweat, Yeongwoo felt that his achievement orientation had be even more robust, forming a sturdy ¡®stubborn¡¯ quality. ¡¸The rmended achievement list has been updated.¡¹ ¡®If one achievement is removed, a new onees in.¡¯ Yeongwoo, who was quickly learning about this world, sensed that even though he had achieved a lot, there was still something unexpected. Paaat! With a bright light, another message appeared. [You can acquire a new title.] ¡°Huh?¡± Surprised, Yeongwoo read the characters that were lined up one after another below. -Overwhelming! Many candidates for the ¡®Strongest Sword¡¯ have witnessed your prowess. No one will object to the fact that you are ¡®Gimcheon¡¯s Strongest Sword.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 26 Chapter 26 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 26: The Barefoot Superhuman (4) ¡®What is this nonsense?¡¯ Yeongwoo nced briefly at the title still attached to his head. As confirmed just now, he is currently serving as the Gumi¡¯s Strongest Sword. ¡®Could it be that the Strongest Sword can also hold multiple positions?¡¯ Otherwise, why would they give the same type of title to someone who is already the Strongest Sword? As Yeongwoo finished reading the previous guidance message,pletely new information appeared. ¡¶Merge of Simr Titles¡· ¡¸When acquiring additional titles with simr effects and characteristics, a merger can be performed.¡¹ ¡¸Some titles may transform into new ones depending on the number of mergers, and your possession of ¡®Gumi Strongest Sword¡¯ also falls under this category.¡¹ Then, new information about the evolution route of Gumi Strongest Sword was disyed below. [Gumi Strongest Sword] => Merge more than twice. = [Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword (Advanced)] ¡®Advanced, what does that mean? Does it imply promotion?¡¯ As Yeongwoo had this question, an additional exnation followed immediately. ¡¸When possessing three or more Strongest Sword titles in the Gyeongbuk region, you can acquire the title Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword (Advanced).¡¹ ¡¸And among the holders of Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword (Advanced), the one with the most Strongest Sword titles in that region will ascend to Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword.¡¹ ¡®Why is it soplicated? So, the person with the most Strongest Sword titles bes Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword? But they must have at least three.¡¯ Yeongwoo scratched his chin while repeatedly reading the exnatory text. Of course, it was understandable because Gyeongsangbuk-do is divided into a whopping 23 regions. So, how can you determine the unified champion of these regions? ¡®Right.¡¯ Even though Yeongwoo looked at it,peting based on the number of Strongest Sword titles each person possesses seemed the most straightforward. However. Pat! There was one morepetition method. ¡¸However, all Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword (Advanced) holders can know the real-time location of the current Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword.¡¹ ¡¸The title Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword can also be inherited through murder.¡¹ ¡®¡­So that¡¯s how it is.¡¯ An event within the expected category. Bing Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword will undoubtedly make them stronger, but in return, they will be pursued by Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword (Advanced) holders. ¡®Then, Gyeongnam Strongest Sword, Busan Strongest Sword, Jeonbuk Strongest Sword¡­ It¡¯s probably the same for each region.¡¯ In essence, a nationwide battle royale involving all citizens. Of course, considering the situation in Gimcheon City, there might not be as many Strongest Swords as expected. Anyway, Yeongwoo already has two Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword titles. If he acquires just one more, he can be a candidate for Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword. -Do you want to merge with Gimcheon Strongest Sword? ¡­The merger authorization will disappear in 5 seconds. ¡­4. ¡­3. Upon this, Yeongwoo silently approved the merger. Immediately, the Strongest Sword title floating above his head shed as if struck by lightning, and an alert appeared in front of Yeongwoo. ¡¸Gimcheon Strongest Sword has been merged!¡¹ ¡¸The effect of Gumi¡¯s Strongest Sword title bes stronger.¡¹ Ping! ¡¸Gumi Strongest Sword+¡¹ ¨C Unique Title ¡¾Supremacy of the Strongest Sword¡¿ ¡¾Gumi Sword Technique¡¿ ¡®The title has a plus attached. How exactly has it be more powerful?¡¯ Yeongwoo examined the title tooltip for a while, then realized that a golden orb was still floating in front of him. He reached out towards it. Tap. As the rotation speed of the orb increased, it revealed the rewards for defeating it. ?Confirmed Reward? ¡¸Leather Belt of Nol¡¹ ¨C Mutated Belt ¡¾Remote retrieval of weapons.¡¿ ?Optional Reward? [3 million Karma] Or [Grant 30,000 Karma to all residents in the region] ¡®The optional reward is the same as in Gumi. Is it because of the appearance of the mutant yesterday?¡¯ Anyway, unlikest time, there was a clear reason to choose thetter this time. [Golden Horde] |Summon the Golden Rain in two or more regions. (1/2) It was a great opportunity to achieve the Golden Horde achievement. ¡®Actually, the Karma distributed to Gimcheon this time won¡¯t be much. There won¡¯t be many people who participated.¡¯ Even so, he wanted to share Karma with the few people there. For the greater good? No. This time, the decision was purely for Yeongwoo¡¯s own benefit. Poof! [Grant 30,000 Karma to all residents in the region] As Yeongwoo chose irony, the orb vibrated again and then soared into the sky. Swoosh! A golden beam traversed the airspace of Gimcheon City. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Wow, what is that?¡± ¡°W-What the¡­.¡± The warriors of Gimcheon City who were standing behind Yeongwoo, like guards, opened their mouths as they watched the orb that had passed through their field of vision in an instant. Due to theirck of power, they dared not ask Yeongwoo what had just happened, whether it was a disaster or a miracle. They simply watched as the orb flew up to the edge of the sky. ¡°¡­.¡± Then, finally. Boom! The orb exploded like fireworks, coloring the sky in a golden hue. ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°Incredible.¡± The eyes of the warriors of Gimcheon City, who were looking up at the sky, were also dyed golden. Shortly after, Swoosh! Now, the Golden Rain, which could be considered Yeongwoo¡¯s signature, began to fall. Countless golden lights descended from the sky. The warriors, exhausted from the prolonged battle, received the golden rain without any resistance. Then, a miraculous agreement appeared before everyone¡¯s eyes. ¡¶Gumi¡¯s Strongest Sword + ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo07¡¯ has given up exclusive ownership of 3 million Karma and gifted 30,000 Karma to all residents of Gimcheon.¡· ¡¶Soon, 30,000 Karma will be provided in the form ofmemorative coins. Prepare for it.¡· ¡°Commemorative coins?¡± ¡°What is this talking about?¡± As the warriors were momentarily confused by the unfamiliar words, Yeongwoo felt an unfamiliar sensation at his waist. ¡®Ah, the scabbard was on the belt area.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Something was different; the makeshift scabbard disappeared, and in its ce was an ordinary iron belt. Apart from the fact that it had two rings to hang weapons, there was nothing particrly special about its appearance. However. ¡¾Remote retrieval of weapons.¡¿ This belt seemed to have a special function. ¡®No way it could be remote retrieval.¡¯ Yeongwoo stared intently at the Early Bird in his hand and, as a test, threw it towards the ground five meters away. Swoosh, pick! Then he reached out towards the Early Bird again. Swoosh. What happened next was a fresh shock for Yeongwoo. ¡®Huh?¡¯ The Early Bird, which had been firmly embedded in the ground where he moved his hand, was now pulled back into his hand. Pick! More precisely, it returned to the ring on the scabbard, but since it was possible to catch the sword in the middle¡­ ¡®This is like aplete sword technique. Since it can only be retrieved, it should be called semi-sword technique.¡¯ Although he didn¡¯t know the maximum distance for retrieval, it would undoubtedly be handy in various situations, not just inbat. ¡®Equipment dropped by mutants seems to be different.¡¯ As the sound of something falling from the air was heard at the right moment, Yeongwoo caught thememorative coins without batting an eyelid. Tap, tap, tap. On the other hand, the warriors of Gimcheon City, surprised that the generated coins were golden, simply fumbled with them without doing anything else. Just like Yeongwoo and the people did yesterday. ¡®It feels like it happened a long time ago already.¡¯ Watching the people searching the ground in a hurry, Yeongwoo felt a sense of camaraderie. ¡°For all that, invest in strength and durability. After that, start stripping the corpses in Gimcheon City. There will be quite a few dead people who couldn¡¯t use Karma and died.¡± Survival tips from the integrated Strongest Swords of the two regions. Upon hearing this advice, those picking up coins looked up at him. The people picking up coins looked up at him. Then, they btedly realized that the face depicted on the just-fallen coins and the bare-footed man in front of them looked exactly the same. ¡°Oh¡­!¡± ¡°Hey, wait a minute.¡± The warriors of Gimcheon City tried to say something, but Yeongwoo was already driving the ground with the soles of his feet. Kwaaak! He needed to hurry and head north. If Sangju City had failed in mutant hunting just like Gimcheon¡­ ¡®By now, there might be no one alive there.¡¯ And if that happened, there was also a chance that mutants would no longer stay in Sangju City. ¡®¡­I¡¯m not in my right mind either.¡¯ Yeongwoo discovered himself thinking like a local in this damn world. Tap! Now, his two legs pushed away the road from Gimcheon to Sangju. And during this, the rm indicating the waiting achievement continuously shed in his field of view. [Achievement Achieved: Golden Treasury] |Achievement Grade: Legend |Achievement Rank: First ¡¸The rmended achievement list has been updated.¡¹ ¡¸There are two unimed achievement rewards.¡¹ ¡®Rewards? Oh, there was a social worker achievement.¡¯ In that case, two new achievements would likely appear on the rmended achievement list. Yeongwoo immediately opened the achievement window. Poof! ¡¾Your achievement tendency is ¡°Stubborn¡±¡¿ ||Completed Achievements: 4 |The Caller of the Golden Rain [Legend] ¨C First |Forgive Your Enemies [Hero] ¨C #46 |Excellent Social Worker [Legend] ¨C First |Golden Treasury [Legend] ¨C First His achievement tendency was still ¡®Stubborn,¡¯ and thepleted achievements had increased to four. ¡®Now, what¡¯s on the rmended achievement list?¡¯ ¡´Rmended Achievements¡µ [Golden Flood] |Summon the Golden Rain in five or more regions. (2/5) [Nocturnal] |Spend a night outside of your residence. [Jeweller¡¯s Touch] |Wear two rings of Hero grade or higher on the index and ring fingers each. (2/4) [Perfect Orphan] |Find and eliminate both parents. (1/2) ¡®That damn Perfect Orphan is not going away.¡¯ Yeongwoo shook his head while scrutinizing the newly appeared achievements. ¡®Golden Flood¡­ This seems like the next version after the Golden Horde.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze thennded on ¡®Nocturnal¡¯ right below it. Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze fell directly on the one just below, ¡®Nocturnal.¡¯ [Nocturnal] |Spend a night outside of your residence. This, too, was the kind of thing only the ¡®Stubborn¡¯ individuals would attempt. Yeongwoo almost confirmed one thing about ¡®Nocturnal.¡¯ It suggested that obstacles equivalent to abnormal climate or something simr would appear every night. Otherwise, why would there be an achievement simply to spend a night outside of the residence? ¡®There must be a way to ignore or avoid abnormal climate.¡¯ While Yeongwoo was contemting achievements, the region he was staying in seemed to have changed, and the area status in the corner of his vision shed. ¡®Already near Sangju?¡¯ Poof. |The current region you are staying in is ¡®Sangju.¡¯ |The Strongest Sword in this region is ¡®Dokgo Sehwan01.¡¯ 2nd generation, defense 146 times. ¡°Huh?¡± Surprisingly, the Strongest Sword in Sangju City was ¡®Real.¡¯ ¡®If it¡¯s the 2nd generation Strongest Sword and defense is 146 times¡­¡¯ The numbers held significant meaning. Killing the inaugural Sangju Strongest Sword and, after that, 146 more murders. That was the implication. Who could this Strongest Sword be in this region? Although Yeongwoo didn¡¯t know, with this level of cruelty, they would have faced battles with monsters, and there was a high probability that they had also defeated mutants. ¡®And probably chose the 3 million monopoly.¡¯ Yeongwoo checked his rtively weak stats. ¡ºCharacter: Jeong Yeongwoo07¡» [Strength] 600 (19+581) [Stamina] 350 (21+329) [Durability] 550 (13+537) [Sensibility] 100 (24+76) In gaming terms, it was a strange build with a belief in ¡®item luck¡¯ and imbnced investment. Thanks to this, he had quite a bit of fun in Gimcheon, but the situation in Sangju might bepletely different. Because. ¡®The total stats of the Sangju Strongest Sword would probably exceed 3,000.¡¯ On the other hand, Yeongwoo¡¯s total stats were only around 1600. So, how could he defeat an opponent with stats nearly twice as high? ¡®Is there any other way? I can only enhance my item luck.¡¯ Now, only one line of text remained in Yeongwoo¡¯s field of view. ¡¸There are two unimed achievement rewards.¡¹ In response, Yeongwoo looked towards the distantndscape of Sangju City and muttered quietly. ¡°im the rewards.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 27 Chapter 27 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 27: Viin¡¯s Battle (1) As Yeongwoo approved the reward receipt, a dazzling golden light shed before his eyes. Paat! Next, just like the previous reward receipt, a list of obtainable items appeared. However, the status of the options for these items was unusual. ¡®What¡­ is this?¡¯ Regardless of whether the item¡¯s performance was good or bad, it was a tricky type that made it difficult to predict the effects. ¡¸Golden Punishment¡¹ ¨C Legendary Bracelet ¡¾Inflicts pain on enemies.¡¿ ¡¾umted Golden Ratio: 2¡¿ *Special reward for ¡®Golden Horde.¡¯ ¡¸Pumpkin-Colored Whistle¡¹ ¨C Legendary Ne ¡¾Summons a friend.¡¿ |Yeongtae. *Special reward for ¡®Excellent Social Worker.¡¯ One inflicts pain on enemies, and the other summons a friend. ¡®Since they are legendary items, the options must be impressive.¡¯ Around this point, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but be confused. Still, during the Golden sh, he could somewhat deduce what the effects might be. However, these two items had no disyed values, and their effects were exceptional. It was difficult to pass judgment without trying them out. ¡®I can understand what it feels like to inflict pain, but what does it mean to summon a friend?¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze fell on the ¡®Pumpkin-Colored Whistle.¡¯ ¡¸Pumpkin-Colored Whistle¡¹- Legendary Ne ¡¾Summons a friend.¡¿ |Yeongtae. The name ¡°Yeongtae¡± written at the bottom of the tooltip was probably Hong Yeongtae, the mutant Yeongwoo fought in Gimcheon. ¡®Does it mean calling him to fight together?¡¯ When Yeongwoo withdrew his gaze from the tooltip, the approval process waspleted, and the newly acquired items filled his arms and neck. Saaat! With a chilly sensation, the golden bracelet wrapped around his wrist, and then a whistle connected by a thin string hung around his neck. ¡®Really¡­ a real whistle.¡¯ A whistle that could call Yeongtae. It seemed like only the person he summoned during the return could be called. ¡®Then, if you have many friends, can you call several people?¡¯ Yeongwoo stopped running for a moment, thinking about this. Then, carefully, he brought the whistle to his mouth. ¡°¡­¡± Suddenly, a whistle. Yeongwoo let out a forcedugh and exhaled deeply. Then. Biriririririk! The distinctive sound of the whistle burst out forcefully, momentarily lowering the saturation of the surrounding scenery. ¡¸Friend, Yeongtae has received your call and is summoned.¡¹ ¡°Crazy, it¡¯s real.¡± As Yeongwoo stared at the message in front of him with his mouth agape, a white crack appeared about ten meters above his head. Crack! Soon, Hong Yeongtae broke the crack and leaped down. ¡¸Yaaah!.¡¹ His momentum was still strong. His jaw, which had been smashed by Yeongwoo, was now intact, as if nothing had happened. Kwaaaah! Finally, Hong Yeongtaended in front of Yeongwoo, shattering the asphalt with both feet. ¡°¡­!¡± In response, Yeongwoo took a step back in surprise. The thought that he might end up fighting with him again urred btedly as the first reason. The second reason was the name tag attached to his head. [Jeong Yeon Woo 07 Friend-Hong Yeongtae] It waspletely different from when he was a mutant. ¡°What happened? You are that Hong Yeongtae I fought back then¡­ is that right?¡± As Yeongwoo asked, the guy looked at his own head and then made a nonchnt expression. ¡¸Yeah. How much time has passed since then?.¡¹ Hong Yeongtae immediately asked about the time, disregarding everything else. Amon trait among mutants, whether in the past or now. ¡°Not much time has passed. It hasn¡¯t even been an hour.¡± When Yeongwoo answered like this, the guy widened his eyes and spoke fearfully. ¡¸What¡­? Only that much time has passed? I thought it would have been at least a few months..¡¹ ¡°Were you waiting blindly in the dark again this time?¡± ¡¸No. I was lying quietly in the room and came when you called. So, I¡¯ve been waiting for you to call..¡¹ ¡°A room?¡± In response to the unexpected answer, Yeongwoo looked at Hong Yeongtae¡¯s eyes. However, in the eyes of Yeongtae, who had lived in a ce with no concept of time, there were no traces of falsehood. ¡¸They give a room to each returning person. But now, there¡¯s only one real room. Can¡¯t go out, nothing to do. Just sitting quietly. It¡¯s better than waiting in the dark, but it¡¯s still like a living hell.¡¹ After saying this, he nced at the sky, then looked at Yeongwoo again. ¡¸But the voice was like that. If you help and aplish something, life in the room will gradually improve.¡¹ ¡°¡­¡± Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t speak for a moment. He couldn¡¯t even organize what he had just heard. ¡°So, right now, there¡¯s a separate world where returning people are isted, and if you want to live well there, you have to help me. Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡± At this, Hong Yeongtae, who had been silently listening to Yeongwoo¡¯s words, shook his long jaw up and down. ¡¸That¡¯s right. So what should I do now?.¡¹ The guy seemed only interested in establishing a record and returning. Indeed, if the words just now were all true, Hong Yeongtae¡¯s ¡®remaining years¡¯ depended on how much credit he could earn through Yeongwoo. However, unfortunately, ¡°Sorry, but there¡¯s nothing for you to do right now.¡± ¡¸¡­What? So, should I just go back? You don¡¯t understand. If I go back, there¡¯s really nothing? There¡­.¡¹ Hong Yeongtae, who spat out words like aint, suddenly stopped and showed a terrified expression. ¡°Well, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡¸It¡¯s time¡­ I feel it..¡¹ Upon this, Yeongwoo looked at Hong Yeongtae¡¯s name tag. ¡°Oh.¡± Why did he realize it now? Since some time ago, his name tag had been gradually disappearing from the top. It was like the sand in the upper part of an hourss diminishing. ¡®So, I can¡¯t summon him unlimitedly.¡¯ ¡¸Please call me again. I beg you..¡¹ The melted Hong Yeongtae disappeared into the air with ttened ears. Suaat. For some reason, it was an ufortable ending. ¡®So, is he now trapped in a room, endlessly waiting for a call again?¡¯ Yeongwoo thought about blowing the whistle again but stopped. There was no need to call right away since there was no opponent to fight, and it would only lead to unnecessary disappointment. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] It might be better for mental health to wait for the right time and then establish credit at once and return. ¡®If I can establish credit, that is.¡¯ Yeongwoo tried to imagine fighting with Hong Yeongtae against the Sangju¡¯s Strongest Sword, but the image didn¡¯te out well. |The current stay area is ¡®Sangju.¡¯ |The Sangju¡¯s Strongest Sword is ¡®Dokgo Sehwan01.¡¯ 2nd generation, defense 147 times. While Yeongwoo was climbing up the road between the mountains, Dokgo Sehwan01 added one more defense count. ¡®Crazy guy. He killed someone again¡­?¡¯ As Yeongwoo thought about it, he suddenly realized. ¡®No. That¡¯s the defense count. If it¡¯s a one-sided attack and killing, wouldn¡¯t it be counted separately?¡¯ In fact, most of the killings Yeongwoo had done so far were mostly in self-defense, so he didn¡¯t know exactly how the defense count of Strongest Sword was calcted. He just thought that if he killed someone, it would go up. But even if it only reflected the number of times he killed in retaliation, it wasn¡¯t clearly exined. ¡®With such a high defense count, there are still people challenging him? That¡¯s strange in itself.¡¯ Anyway, it was certain that the situation in Gimcheon and Sangju waspletely different. Even though he could see a farmhouse on the other side, there was no red light pir, let alone a blue one. Clearing mutants and monsters. This was a first in such a situation. me. Yeongwoo covered his left chest to hide the title and then moved along the road leading to the farmhouse. Unlike Gimcheon, where corpses were plentiful on the outskirts of the city, Sangju was rtively clean. Sometimes there were bodies lying in the middle of a field or a paddock, but their numbers weren¡¯trge. Instead¡­ ¡®Huh?¡¯ Already, something in the distance came into view. About two hundred meters ahead, people were gathered in front of a building that looked like a warehouse. ¡®What, there are people in a ce like this? Usually, they gather in the city.¡¯ As Yeongwoo walked towards the building, those on the other side also noticed his presence and reacted. Some who were crouching in ce stood up, and others walked towards Yeongwoo as if weing him. Shuffling, shuffling. The distance between the two sides gradually decreased. Soon, Yeongwoo could clearly see the other side. ¡®Old people.¡¯ The opponent was a white-haired elderly man, around six of them. ck skin with deep-set wrinkles, but they didn¡¯t look fierce or anything. They were just ordinary elderly people you could find near a farmhouse, each holding a knife, shield, or spear. ¡®These aremon things in this world.¡¯ Yeongwoo silently watched as the elderly people subtly set up a surrounding. And the red stains on the des they held were all vividly colored. They must have killed quite a few people so far. Shuffling, shuffling. Yeongwoo nonchntly walked straight into the midst of the opponents and asked. ¡°It¡¯s my first visit to Sangju, so could you tell me what happened here?¡± In response, an elderly man on the opposite side pointed Yeongwoo¡¯s early bird with the de of his axe and said. ¡°Why is someone like you asking about that?¡± ¡°No. I really don¡¯t know. Even though you know what I have, why are you risking your life?¡± ¡°If you find it pitiful that old men are risking their lives, just give us some money. I¡¯ll send you away if you do. Just pay.¡± ¡°Put down that sword too.¡± The two elderly men behind were the ones who spat out what Yeongwoo was saying. They were responsible for Yeongwoo¡¯s back. You are already surrounded, indicating that you should know it politely. ¡°Hmm.¡± Yeongwoo felt puzzled when he saw that the elderly people didn¡¯t pay attention to the Golden sh. Perhaps it was because they were too old. Maybe theycked themon sense to be on guard when they saw someone with a unique appearance. ¡®Maybe they think that I just picked up some strangely shaped gloves somewhere.¡¯ Before attacking the elderly, Yeongwoo threw onest question. ¡°Then, where can I meet the Strongest Sword?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Perhaps it was too absurd a question; some of the elderly burst intoughter. ¡°Aplete lunatic.¡± ¡°Strongest Sword? You can meet him if you go to the city.¡± ¡°City? Which way is it?¡± Thest question was from Yeongwoo. Simultaneously asking the question, Yeongwoo tapped his backpack, making a jingling sound of coins. The elderly people couldn¡¯t ignore this sound that lit up their eyes. ¡°City? Just keep going up along the main road. But in my opinion, you probably won¡¯t make it.¡± One of the elderly men chuckled and pointed to a road leading to the city. Confirming this, Yeongwoo put the whistle in his mouth. He was thinking of leaving the task of dealing with ¡°small fry¡± to Yeongtae to establish some achievements. He was curious about what would happen. Swiftly, the elderly who witnessed this also thought that Youngwoo might have some mental disability. A young guy wandering around barefoot with a conch shell didn¡¯t seem normal at all. However, in the end, Youngwoo couldn¡¯t blow the conch shell. ¡¸Today¡¯s friend summoning is left with 1 attempt. Do you want to continue?¡¹ The message appeared when he tried to blow into the conch shell. ¡®No, if something like this exists, it should have been mentioned earlier.¡¯ Fortunately in his misfortune, Yeongtae wouldn¡¯t know about this incident. He had wasted one of his only two chances in a day. ¡®Can¡¯t help it. Let¡¯s wrap this up quickly and head towards the city hall.¡¯ The shadows of the elderly were already closing in on Youngwoo. In response, he immediately threw an early-bird at the elderly in front. Squeak! The silver-colored de flew like an arrow and urately pierced the forehead of the old man. Soon after, it returned to its original position as Youngwoo summoned it. Whizz! ¡°What?¡± ¡°Uh¡­!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on with this guy?¡± Even the elderly who were not familiar with the game were impressed by Youngwoo¡¯s semi-swordsmanship. Youngwoo, after retrieving the sword, faced their immediate collective attack with all his might. Swish! However, the opponent was the 2nd-ranked unified Strongest Sword. Youngwoo easily nullified the attack by emitting the momentum of Strongest Sword, then swiftly swung the sword like a sh, beheading the elderly. Squelch! Due to the higher strength on this side and lower durability on the other side, Youngwoo felt a sensation like squeezing tofu. Thud, thud. The elderly bodies rolled on the ground out of sync. ¡°¡­¡± Youngwoo searched the decapitated bodies for the remaining karma, then walked towards the road leading to the city hall. He wondered what kind of ce Sangju City was. He had a feeling that he would see a lot in the future. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 28 Chapter 28 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 28: Viin¡¯s Battle (2) 6,000. The karma that Yeongwoo took from the elderly gang of thieves in Sangju City was only worth 6,000. There were six elderly people, each with a crimson-colored coin. ¡®This is just enough money to survive for tonight.¡¯ No, to be precise, it was only enough money to pay the taxes that would be collected tonight. When night fell, abnormal weather woulde, and to avoid it, one had to use lodging services or find a charitable person willing to open their room for free. Without securing money to pay taxes, survival was uncertain in reality. ¡®Then those elderly people earlier were probably robbing to earn money for lodging fees.¡¯ There was a slightly guilty feeling, but what could be done? This was now the daily life of humanity. Unless someone distributedmemorative coins every day, there was an inevitable shortage of money. And if there was a shortage of money, there was a high probability of dying that day. ¡®I wonder if every Strongest Sword in the country is experiencing a miracle of scattering golden coins¡­ Well, anyway, it¡¯s probably unavoidable that people die every day.¡¯ Yeongwoo had seen corpses appearing on the streets again. However, unlike Gimcheon City, it seemed he hadn¡¯t fallen victim to monsters. ¡®There are no signs of being eaten. Someone killed these people.¡¯ From the messy dismembered parts and the remaining swords, it didn¡¯t seem like the work of a skilled individual. It was probably a skirmish between people of simr skill levels or a group of robbers like the elderly ones he had seen earlier passing through. ¡®Is this the situation in all cities nationwide? Have they eitherpletely copsed or bewless territories?¡¯ While Yeongwoo paused for a moment to inspect the corpses, something rustled in the corner of his vision. ¡°¡­.?¡± Yeongwoo, who wouldn¡¯t miss it, turned his head immediately, and the subject of the problem jumped in the opposite direction, startled. The other person was a man in his forties, carrying an excessivelyrge number of bags. At least ten, it seemed. ¡®What is that?¡¯ Due to the unique silhouette created by the bags he held in both hands, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but follow the man. They were going in the same direction anyway. ¡°Hey!¡± Yeongwoo called out with the softest voice possible as he followed the man. Naturally, the distance between the two sides shortened rapidly, and the man turned around in rm. ¡°Well, what is it?¡± The man was in a very frightened state. The tip of the de he wielded unskilfully trembled, evidence of his fear. ¡°Well, I followed you because I saw you suddenly running away.¡± Yeongwoo raised both arms to indicate that he had no intention of attacking. Although a shield was attached to his left arm, the early bird and dagger were neatly tucked into their sheaths. ¡°¡­.¡± However, the man¡¯s fear seemed undiminished. He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the early bird at Yeongwoo¡¯s waist. ¡®What kind of things were the owners of these early birds doing in this neighborhood?¡¯ As Yeongwoo looked in the direction of the man¡¯s gaze, wondering, something finally clicked in the man¡¯s mind. ¡°Uh, do you need a bag? If you need one, I¡¯ll give it to you, so please don¡¯t harm me.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The man thought that Yeongwoo was a robber. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to harm you, but why do you carry so many bags around?¡± When Yeongwoo pointed to the bags with the tip of his shield, the man flinched and took a step back. ¡°I-it¡¯s for sale.¡± ¡°For sale? But earlier, you said you¡¯d give it to me if I needed it.¡± ¡°¡­Well, it¡¯s better than dying.¡± The man nced at Yeongwoo again. ¡°So, sir, are you currently in the business of selling bags?¡± ¡°Yes, well¡­ You could say that.¡± However, customers were limited to those weaker or at a simrbat level. If he encountered a strong person who seemed unwilling to engage in a normal transaction, he would either run away or willingly throw the bag to save his life¡­ ¡®It¡¯s a very unstable business.¡¯ With the government andws gone, safe transactions were not guaranteed, so it was only natural. ¡®Actually, this person is somewhat unique. Instead of resorting to robbery, he decided to make a living by trading.¡¯ Of course, it was unclear whether he had no intention to rob orcked the ability to do so. Anyway, this person had decided to earn money in a positive way, and he had chosen a good business. ¡®Since the bags haven¡¯t be stones, he could still obtain goods even without a foundation.¡¯ He probably searched abandoned houses or corpses on the roadside to acquire items. ¡°So, is everyone in Sangju City living like this? Either robbing or doing business like you?¡± ¡°No. In fact, most people who were doing business like me are dead¡­¡± The man¡¯s statement went far beyond Yeongwoo¡¯s expectations. ¡°Most¡­ sell their bodies.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± As Yeongwoo furrowed his brow, the man made a terrified expression and tightly shut his mouth. ¡°No, go on. What are you talking about?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I said. Since there¡¯s nothing else to sell, they sell their bodies. It¡¯s a kind of very.¡± In reality, it was followed by a whisper about selling their bodies. ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable.¡± This time, Yeongwoo showed a horrified expression. ¡°It¡¯s the second day since the reset. Are you saying people are being bought and sold in exchange for karma?¡± ¡°As a reward to keep them from dying rather than in exchange for karma. Because if you have no money, you¡¯ll really die.¡± The man made a bitter expression and continued. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°It¡¯s not all like that, but anyway, it¡¯s like that in the city. Since that ce has the most resources, people with money gather there. People who want to live even if they be ves are also there.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. This phenomenon was different from fighting against goblins with a height of 2 meters and entangled in the back. Of course, there were simr incidents in Gumi, where the golden rain fell. People who had be poor again by robbingmemorative coins spread their businesses in ces like marts and convenience stores. ¡®Back then, there were people who sold theirbor, saying they would carry the baggage if you gave them.¡¯ But what if you couldn¡¯t earn money by considering yourself a baggage carrier? Would you end up choosing to be a ve? ¡®Damn, is it really worth living like that? I¡¯d rather¡­¡¯ As Yeongwoo¡¯s thoughts reached this point, he recalled the elderly people he had seen on the outskirts of Sangju City. ¡®If they don¡¯t choose tomit suicide, they have no choice but to harm others.¡¯ Even those who buy ves cannot be harmed. The fact that they can spend money is evidence of ¡®strength¡¯ in itself. ¡°Most of the people buying ves probably seeded in monsrer hunting, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Probably.¡± ¡°Then there were probably people who didn¡¯t agree to such things, like human trafficking.¡± ¡°There were, but they¡¯re all dead.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°The one who started buying people with karma was the Strongest Sword of Sangju City.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Yeongwoo unknowingly shifted his gaze to the regional status. |The current residence is ¡®Sangju.¡¯ |The Strongest Sword in this area is ¡®Dokgo Sehwan 01.¡¯ 2nd generation, defense 147 times. From the first nce, I expected him to be no ordinary madman, but leading human trafficking, that¡¯s beyond belief. ¡°I heard rumors that he also controls monster hunting. Probably to prevent money from flowing freely in Sangju City.¡± ¡°Then, the mutants should be the same, right?¡± ¡°Mutants? Whether they control them or not, unless it¡¯s at the level of Strongest Sword, they can¡¯t catch them, can they?¡± The manughed as if he were making absurd remarks while looking at Yeongwoo. In response, Yeongwoo looked at the road leading north and asked. ¡°By the way, sir, you seem to know the situation in this area very well.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve lived here all my life, and¡­ I¡¯ve heard a lot from customers.¡± Most of them had lived inside the city and fled for various reasons, the man added. ¡°Then, let me ask onest thing.¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Where can I meet those who engage in human trafficking?¡± ¡°Are you talking about those who live there, or¡­¡± ¡°Those who live there.¡± ¡°If you consider it as a trading area, you can think of it as near the city hall.¡± Trading area. Hearing this phrase felt peculiar. Earlier, the elderly people who were killed had told him to go to the city hall to meet the Strongest Sword, so it was a cross-verification. ¡°Thank you for your time. I¡¯ll have to go to the city hall.¡± ¡°Why do you¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be better to go to another city?¡± ¡°What about you, sir?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you have moved to another city? You never know when you¡¯ll die if you stay here.¡± After Yeongwoo¡¯s words, the man made a momentarily nk expression, then asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t it the same anywhere else? At least here, I know the geography well¡­¡± ¡°Anywhere would be better than here.¡± After saying this, Yeongwoo turned to the road leading to the city hall, but he looked back at the man. ¡°Do you know that the person who killed the mutants can distribute money to everyone?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± At the sudden line, the man made a puzzled face but soon nodded. ¡°Ah, yes. I know.¡± This also meant that even if the one who killed the mutants chose to absorb 3 million karma, a notification message would be disyed. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill mutants today. If I seed, I¡¯ll distribute karma to everyone.¡± ¡°Excuse me, but mutants¡­¡± The man tried to repeat what he said earlier. It meant that unless one is at the level of Strongest Sword, it¡¯s impossible to challenge mutants. So, Yeongwoo¡­ m! Before the man could finish his sentence, Yeongwoo revealed his title. ¡ºGumi¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» ¡°G¡­ Gumi¡¯s¡­ Strongest Sword?¡± The man, who had been reading Yeongwoo¡¯s title with narrowed eyes, shivered as he reached the end. ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re the Gumi¡¯s Strongest Sword?¡± Only now did the man¡¯s eyes meet Yeongwoo¡¯s peculiar appearance. Golden gloves and bracelets, an inexplicable pendant, and bare feet. Initially, the man thought he might be a skilled outsider just by looking at the early bird. But now, there were many more hints. ¡°Why did youe here?¡± Unconsciously, the man lowered his body. At the very least, he should bow. Given the existence of the Strongest Sword in this city, it wasn¡¯t an odd reaction. ¡°I came to kill mutants and achieve aplishments¡­ but it seems that¡¯s not the only thing I should do here.¡± Saying this, Yeongwoo nced at the regional status once again. Upon seeing this, the man also looked at the corner of his vision following Yeongwoo. Strongest Sword of Sangju City, defense 147 times. ¡°It¡¯s impossible to capture mutants peacefully. You have to fight with that person.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s good. I needed to collect the Strongest Sword title anyway, and I¡¯m even more grateful when the opponent is a viin.¡± With these words, Yeongwoo ced his foot on the road. ¡°If I win, the golden rain wille. Thenmemorative coins will fall, so take them and leave.¡± ¡°What if it doesn¡¯t rain?¡± ¡°Then I must be dead. Go somewhere else. Personally, I rmend Gumi.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 29 Chapter 29 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 29: Viin¡¯s Battle (3) After parting ways with Bag Merchant, Yeongwoo sped along the road faster than before. He wanted to quickly confirm whether human trafficking was really taking ce in this city. Thud! Passing several farms, rice fields, and barns, the surrounding scenery gradually transformed into a more urban environment. A gas station appeared, followed by buildings covered in ss and a convenience store revealing itself. At this point, Yeongwoo felt a tremendous sense of difort. Ever since the convenience store appeared, people could be seen again, and they all raised their hands when they saw Yeongwoo, as if gesturing to call a taxi. Moreover, they were all standing by the roadside as if there were some kind of rule. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Just from the ¡®people raising their hands¡¯ in his immediate line of sight, there were a whopping seven people. Yeongwoo stopped in front of a man closest to him. Before Yeongwoo could say anything, the man spoke first. ¡°Are you looking for someone?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well then, let me introduce myself first. I am Kim Taehong. Level 1, Karma 2,000. I can take care of seats, carrying luggage, collecting items¡­ I can do anything within my abilities.¡± This man, Kim Taehong, pronounced his lines cleanly without a single mistake. ¡°Level 1¡­ Does that mean you serve me all day long?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right. If you permit overnight stay, I won¡¯t mind at all.¡± The overnight stay referred to nighttime amodations. In other words, if the employer wanted to use the room they rented alone, it meant the servant would find his own ce to stay. ¡®It¡¯s much more autonomous than I imagined.¡¯ Yeongwoo grinned. This seemed more like a personal business than human trafficking. Of course, in terms of selling one¡¯sbor, it could be expressed as ¡®selling oneself.¡¯ While Yeongwoo was examining the sturdy man in front of him, the man unexpectedly uttered an unexpected line. ¡°I¡­ I have one condition, though.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°As I mentioned earlier, I appreciate the offer for an overnight stay, but I won¡¯t sleep, and I won¡¯t go near the male dormitory.¡± ¡°What?¡± Yeongwoo was surprised, then realized the man had taken a step back. ¡®Oh, did he find it strange that I was examining his body?¡¯ While overnight stay was allowed, the refusal to sleep meant something else. He would earn 2,000 Karma using his body, but that didn¡¯t mean he would sell his body in a sexual way. ¡°So, what about not going near the male dormitory?¡± Yeongwoo asked immediately. ¡°No, I¡¯m not interested in sleeping or anything like that. What about the male dormitory? Is there something there?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± This time, the man seemed surprised. ¡°Aren¡¯t you from this area? There¡¯s a city hall in the male dormitory.¡± ¡°Oh, City Hall.¡± Yeongwoo understood immediately. City Hall, the main residence of the Strongest Sword and the ce where human trafficking was said to be active. Therefore, for this man who engaged in conservative transactions, City Hall must be a dangerous area. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go to City Hall then?¡± ¡°Because it bes dangerous for both of us there.¡± Even if he was a strong individual who could be bought for money, it meant safety couldn¡¯t be guaranteed at City Hall. At this point, Yeongwoo became more curious about what was happening at City Hall. ¡°Are you going to the male dormitory by any chance?¡± As the man asked this, Yeongwoo just nodded without saying a word. The expressions of other ¡®job seekers¡¯ who had subtly approached for their turn immediately stiffened at Yeongwoo¡¯s words. ¡°¡­It seems like everyone here avoids going near City Hall.¡± The man scratched his forehead and spoke. ¡°If you¡¯re in your right mind, you generally do.¡± ¡°Then, let me ask one more thing.¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± ¡°Is the payment in advance or post-payment? In reality, if the other party decides not to pay, it¡¯s entirely possible.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. So, it practically depends on the conscience of the one paying.¡± ¡°It¡¯s truly unbelievable.¡± ¡°Well, the world has be like this. We¡¯re just doing this because there¡¯s no other way for now.¡± The man let out a bitterugh. Seeing this, Yeongwoo, for a moment, had the thought of taking out a coin from his backpack to give. Sympathy and gratitude for the information. However, that thought didn¡¯t trante into action. The feeling of regret for parting ways with someone he would probably never see again, but did it matter? After nodding in acknowledgment to the man and the nearby people, Yeongwoo continued on the road leading to the male dormitory. At that moment, he thought that they would probably find it difficult to survive until tomorrow. Even someone like himself, the Strongest sword, was after coins desperately. Why would someone willingly givepensation to someone weaker than them? This was the moment when he understood what concrete issues wlessness¡¯ could cause. ** After parting ways with the man and continuing on the road, Yeongwoo soon encountered another group of people. This time, the gender and age were diverse, and as soon as Yeongwoo entered their sight, they all raised their hands, just like before. However, the types and nature of the services they offered were slightly different. Some were peddlers selling petrified items, and some specialized only in ¡®item collection,¡¯ one of the services offered by the man he had met earlier. If you told them the item you wanted and the meeting ce, they would scour the entire city to find it. Of course, there was no guarantee that they woulde back alive even if they found the item. ¡®In the worst case, they might find the item and then the trading partner pulls out a knife,¡¯ Yeongwoo thought. Nevertheless, the lineup of job seekers continued. Yeongwoo encountered another group until he faced a sign that read ¡®Male Dormitory.¡¯ ¡¸2km to the Male Dormitory.¡¹ ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± Yeongwoo looked at the sign and then nced back. The lineup of job seekers that seemed endless just a while ago was now nowhere to be seen. It seemed that everyone was reluctant to stay near the male dormitory. ¡®Why are they so afraid? If it continues like this, the city won¡¯t be sustainable.¡¯ If it continued this way, it wouldn¡¯t be long before job seekers from the outskirts of the city couldn¡¯t pay taxes, leading to their deaths or migration to other cities. The poption would decline. However, considering the structure of this world where the only resource was supplied through hunting monsters and mutants, the survival of the strong wouldn¡¯t be a significant problem, whether the poption decreased or not. The road continued until Yeongwoo faced what seemed to be the urban area near the male dormitory. Then, for the first time, he could see the traces ofst night¡¯s battle ¨C destroyed stone walls, scattered corpses, and dried bloodstains everywhere. The difference from Gimcheon City was that the number of corpses in Sangju City was significantly lower. Even though those who went monster hunting didn¡¯t necessarily strive to minimize civilian casualties, the strong individuals in Sangju City were much more capable than those in Gimcheon City. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ As Yeongwoo ventured a bit further inside, even the few remaining corpses disappeared, and a rtively cleanndscape unfolded. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] It was at this moment that Yeongwoo heard that sound for the first time. ¡°Beep!¡± It was the sound of a car horning from the direction of Yeongwoo¡¯s back. When he turned around, a white foreign car was making an angry noise with the engine running. ¡®A car¡­? Riding in a car?¡¯ Yeongwoo instinctively thought that the person inside must be the Strongest Sword of Sangju City. Reset Day 2. At this point, when mutants appeared only one per region, who would dare to indulge in the luxury of purchasing a car? ¡®Unless it¡¯s someone who monopolized 3 million Karma.¡¯ As Yeongwoo was about to draw his Early Bird from his waist, a second honk echoed from the white car. ¡°Beep!¡± Then, the driver¡¯s side window opened, and a woman inside stuck her head out. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Can¡¯t you clear the way? Should I just hit and run?¡± A sharp voice matched the sleek design of her sunsses. Not pebbles but real sunsses. It was a luxury item that could be considered even more extravagant than a car. What the hell, this bitch?¡¯ As Yeongwoo, shocked by the fresh attire, stared at her, the woman opened the driver¡¯s side door with a bang. ¡°Can¡¯t you understand a word? Should I just hit and run?¡± With a cking sound, her high heels, which had been covering her feet, met the road. And at that moment, Yeongwoo noticed it toote. The fact that the person he was facing right now wasn¡¯t the Strongest Sword. ¡®She¡¯s wearing shoes, and she¡¯s not carrying a weapon.¡¯ Crucially, even when she saw that the person in front of her was barefoot, she didn¡¯t show any signs. This means that she does not know that there may be cases where one ¡®cannot¡¯ wear shoes. In other words, the woman had never encountered someone with abilities at the level of a transcendent. So, it made no sense for her to be indulging in such luxury. ¡°¡­?¡± Looking at the woman without a sword and not carrying a small knife on her hip, Yeongwoo asked, ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with the Strongest Sword? Family? Or is he your lover?¡± ¡°What?¡± Momentarily perplexed, the woman¡¯s face showed confusion. Then, she quickly regained her arrogant expression and asked, ¡°Hey, where are you from? Seems like you don¡¯t have basic manners.¡± Even after seeing the Early Bird hanging from Yeongwoo¡¯s waist, she didn¡¯t show any signs of backing down. And the reason was evident in the back seat of the white car. nk, nk. This time, the back door of the white vehicle opened sessively, and Yeongwoo shifted his gaze in that direction. There, two sturdy men, each holding an Early Bird, got out. ¡®Bodyguards, huh.¡¯ The corner where the woman ced her trust wasn¡¯t just the glow of the Strongest Sword. However, when the two swordsmen finally saw Yeongwoo, they only made a bewildered expression and didn¡¯t immediately engage in a disy of skills. It was immediately recognized. The opponent wasn¡¯t an ordinary person. They seemed to have little understanding of the significance of being barefoot, but seeing the golden glint in Yeongwoo¡¯s hands, they seemed to understand that it wasn¡¯t an ordinary item. ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡± As the two men hesitated, the woman¡¯s displeasure was evident. One of the bodyguards cautiously spoke up. ¡°He seems to be an outsider and might not know¡­ Let¡¯s just let it go peacefully. There¡¯s no need to shed blood over this¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Unexpectedly, the woman erupted in anger and pointed at Yeongwoo. ¡°Can¡¯t you get rid of this guy quickly? If you can¡¯t handle this, you might as well go back and get beaten up.¡± Silently, the threat from the woman surprisingly had an effect. The two bodyguards reluctantly nced at Yeongwoo, as if indicating that he shouldply. Yeongwoo, drawing his Early Bird slowly, spoke. ¡°Is this woman really that intimidating? Or are you afraid of the Strongest Sword?¡± In response, the bodyguards assumed abat stance and uttered their lines. ¡°We apologize. Our only means of survival is this.¡± ¡°No emotions here.¡± The apology and the im of having no emotions seemed genuine. Taking this into consideration, Yeongwoo delivered his final warning sincerely. ¡°Lower your weapons and leave this area. I won¡¯t pursue you then. Don¡¯t unnecessarily invite trouble.¡± However, since he concealed his title, it was perceived as a provocation from the other side. ¡°Ha. What?¡± ¡°This guy just made me feel something I haven¡¯t felt before.¡± Finally, the bodyguards adjusted their Early Birds threateningly, and Yeongwoo matched it by filling his pupils with golden light. ¡°Beep!¡± A momentter, a golden wave emanated from Yeongwoo. ¡°¡­!¡± At that moment, both bodyguards and even the woman could clearly understand whom they had encountered. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 30 Chapter 30 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 30: Viin¡¯s Battle (4) ¡°Huh¡­?¡± At the moment the woman saw Yeongwoo¡¯s golden eyes and made an expression of disbelief, a dagger swept through the air like a shooting star. Swish! The sound of tearing fabric filled the air as a security guard fell backward, mming his head onto the ground. Thud! As the events unfolded in the blink of an eye, when the woman and the other security guards turned their heads, they saw only the lifeless body with a dagger embedded in its forehead. Nearly half of the forces were already eliminated. ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°This¡­ damn it.¡± However, there was no time to be surprised. Soon, the dagger, which had been lodged in the corpse, pulled itself out and returned to its original position. Shiiiiing! The two individuals followed the unbelievable trajectory of the dagger, realizing that the outsider at the center of the issue had not moved a single step. ¡°Wh-who are you, anyway?¡± The remaining security guard, pressed under the dominance of the Strongest Sword, asked while struggling. At this moment, he recalled the phrase the outsider had uttered earlier: ¡°Die a dog¡¯s death.¡± It was not just boasting or provocation. Moreover, the outsider didn¡¯t even need to test his skills against him. On the other hand, the woman twisted her body, taunting him with a sarcastic remark. ¡°Causing a ruckus in someone else¡¯s neighborhood? And you think you¡¯ll get away with it?¡± Although the dialogue was overly formal, it strangely pleased Yeongwoo. ¡®Is this woman going to take me to the Strongest Sword for my revenge?¡¯ Observing the woman, the security guards, and the white sedan, Yeongwoo approached her and asked a few steps away. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Who are you to guarantee my safety? Is the Strongest Swording to save you? Why?¡± Upon Yeongwoo¡¯s inquiry, the woman¡¯s eyebrows wrinkled in a slightly annoyed manner. ¡°I am¡­!¡± However, the woman¡¯s exnation did not continue smoothly. ¡°¡­¡± From Yeongwoo¡¯s perspective, he heard enough. He spoke after herst sentence. ¡°Unless you¡¯re a lover, it¡¯s probably the mistress. But if it¡¯s just that, it¡¯s too exciting, isn¡¯t it?¡± After saying this, Yeongwoo quickly pierced the forehead of the remaining security guard. Swish! Due to his heightened strength and senses, the skull of an ordinary person felt like a lump of tofu to Yeongwoo. Thud. As Yeongwoo withdrew the de he had extended, the unconscious body of the security guard convulsed as if being sucked into the shadows. Kwoong. Listening to this sound, Yeongwoo, slightly bending his waist, checked if there was anyone else in the vehicle to inspect further. Meanwhile, all these scenes made the woman perceive Yeongwoo as a psychopathic murderer. ¡°What¡­ What the hell are you doing to me? Why are you doing this to me?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything to you yet. Besides, you sent those bastards first, swearing at me.¡± After confirming that the inside of the car was empty, Yeongwoo pointed the de at the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Drive. Let¡¯s go to your lover.¡± ¡°What?¡± While the woman wore a face questioning what nonsense he was talking about, Yeongwoo looted the early birds and pockets of the security guards. ¡°Do these guys get paid by the Strongest Sword? Why carry so much cash like this?¡± ¡°¡­Cash?¡± ¡°This.¡± Yeongwoo thrust a handful of coins toward the woman, whose face seemed expressionless to anyone. 28,000 Karma. ¡°I don¡¯t know. You should ask them yourself when you meet them.¡± Swaying, the woman headed towards the driver¡¯s seat. Clearly, she intended to take the outsider to the Strongest Sword. In response, Yeongwoo climbed into the passenger seat before the woman could attempt to run away with the car. ¡°¡­¡± Although the woman¡¯s expression soured at once, Yeongwoo paid no mind and pointed outside the window with his finger. ¡°Now, where are we going? To the City Hall?¡± ¡°Not the City Hall. We¡¯re going to a motel nearby.¡± ¡°A motel?¡± Yeongwoo didn¡¯t have many good memories associated with motels. His expression turned grim, causing the woman to sigh deeply. ¡°He stays there. There¡¯s nothing much to do at this time.¡± Soon after, the woman started the car and smoothly drove across the road, cutting through the streets. * * * It wasn¡¯t long after the car started moving again that Yeongwoo, gazing out the window, suddenly asked the woman. ¡°You didn¡¯t answer earlier. What¡¯s the rtionship with the Strongest Sword?¡± In a much calmer and dry voice than before, the woman replied. ¡°You¡¯re really persistent. How does it change anything if you know?¡± ¡°I heard something on my way here. If it¡¯s true, then¡­¡± Even someone like Yeongwoo, who made a habit of questioning people with a knife to their throat, couldn¡¯t bring himself to say the next line directly. Did she sell herself to the Strongest Sword? However, the woman¡¯s response shattered Yeongwoo¡¯s underlying assumption. ¡°What¡¯s the rtionship? If I have to say, we¡¯re married.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the wife of the Strongest Sword?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± The woman casually made a left turn while wearing sunsses. They were getting closer to their destination. ¡°What did you hear on your way here? People selling their bodies or something?¡± ¡°¡­Something simr.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not entirely untrue. But what does it matter to you? It¡¯s not illegal anymore. Why is that important to you?¡± As the conversation flowed this way, Yeongwoo found himself with no words to refute. But aside from that, there was a lingering question. ¡°I heard that the Strongest Sword was the first to start human trafficking. So, isn¡¯t that important to you at least?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Finally, the woman sealed her lips, but the silence didn¡¯tst long. ¡°Naturally, it¡¯s regrettable, but on the other hand, I understand. It¡¯s already a ruined world. Unlike others, we should be grateful just to have strength and money.¡± She then added a bitter remark. ¡°But this kind of life won¡¯tst long. Even if you manage to get through today well¡­ someday, somehow, we¡¯ll die.¡± So, she said she was making the most of what she could enjoy, exining that the Strongest Sword couple considered the world already doomed and were burning through the remaining days of their lives. ¡°But you¡¯re also a Strongest Sword.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°Why roam around? You could have lived like a king where you originally were.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to die.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t n to sit still and wait for the day to die like you guys.¡± ¡°Is that what your heart desires?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] After this conversation, the woman pointed ahead with the hand holding the steering wheel. ¡°Here.¡± The building she pointed to had a shabby sign. ¡¸Motel Honeymoon¡¹ While Yeongwoo read the sign, the woman had already gotten out of the car and was walking towards the entrance of the motel. Soon, the entrance door of the building swung open wide, and a sturdy man came out to greet them. Swish. The man¡¯s waist promptly bent down. ¡®Truly the Strongest Sword¡¯s wife.¡¯ Considering the preceding conversation, there was no doubt about it. Watching the woman and the man talk, Yeongwoo got out of the car. ¡°Is that him?¡± The man, who had been talking to the woman, moved towards the motel counter upon seeing Yeongwoo approaching. Since the axe was still in its sheath on the man¡¯s waist, Yeongwoo also didn¡¯t draw his weapon and asked the woman. ¡°Who is he? That man.¡± ¡°Well, you could say he¡¯s the target.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ck ck. Without further exnation, the woman did not speak and moved towards the motel. Due to the unexpected turn of eventspared to his imagination, Yeongwoo felt as if his sense of reality was slipping away. If that man is the target, it means that the Strongest Sword is with other women here. ¡®But what about his wife at home?¡¯ If they were allowing each other to engage in such affairs, there couldn¡¯t be a more chaotic situation. ¡°What room number?¡± ¡°303.¡± If it¡¯s Room 303, it must be on the third floor. With an annoyed expression, the woman started climbing the stairs. The narrow staircase seemed to have been taken straight from the riverside motel in Gumi where Yeongwoo stayed. Feeling a sense of difort, Yeongwoo followed the woman upstairs. ¡°¡­.¡± From around the second floor, an utterly foul odor, literally shitty, began to seep through his nose and tangle with the hair on his nostrils. It was the stench of semen. ¡°What the hell, damn it.¡± Unable to endure, Yeongwoo muttered, and the woman, ncing back, sighed with self-pity. ¡°What is it? It¡¯s the end of the century.¡± As they approached the third floor of the motel. ¡°Hey! Sehwan!¡± An unexpectedly thunderous voice erupted from the woman¡¯s throat. ¡°Strongest Sword came from the neighboring town to kill you!¡± In response, Yeongwoo pushed the woman aside and continued up the stairs. Then, from the inside of a long corridor to the right, a blurry silhouette emerged. ¡®Is he the one?¡¯ Yeongwoo was about to throw a dagger towards the silhouette but hesitated. Because the opponent was a naked woman. However, what appeared next was clearly him. Thud. A fairly sizable figure appeared behind the woman, adorned with a radiant title above his head. ¡ºStrongest Sword of Sangju¡» Strongest Sword of Sangju, Dokgo Sehwan 01. 2nd level, 147 defenses. The man was naked, standing behind the woman, ncing at Yeongwoo and then turning his gaze to his wife. ¡°What did you say earlier? Who¡¯sing?¡± ¡°You idiot, another Strongest Sword is here to get you. If you don¡¯t do well, you might die today.¡± Otherworldly conversation between the Strongest Sword couple. Yeongwoo realized that the opponent was unarmed and swiftly threw the dagger he had almost thrown before. Swoosh! The thrown dagger into the shadowy corridor looked like a real lightning bolt. It was a momentary sight, but the lighting through the small window at the end of the corridor reflected off the dagger, and almost simultaneously, the silhouette of Dokgo Sehwan 01, the Strongest Sword of Sangju, shook. Thud! The sound was the dagger hitting the wall at the end of the corridor. Yeongwoo¡¯s attack, or rather, surprise, missed. ¡®Crazy. This guy really consumed three million karma.¡¯ Yeongwoo felt chills all over his body. He then quickly retrieved the dagger, but Dokgo Sehwan noticed something strange and jumped into the adjacent room. ¡°Who¡¯s this bastard?¡± An angry voice echoed from Room 303. He must be hastily preparing weapons. Yeongwoo quickly crossed the corridor and arrived in front of Room 303. Then, the same filthy smell from before spread, and a dreadful message appeared. ¡¸The sense has temporarily increased from the original 100 to 428.¡¹ Sense increased by 328 due to the odor of the golden sh. This meant that the opponent¡¯s sensory value was originally 656. ¡°Damn it¡­!¡± However, Yeongwoo was too busy taking a defensive stance following the hologram that appeared in front of him to read the message. Swoosh! Dokgo Sehwan¡¯s weapon was also an early bird, and it was so fast that even the Gumi Sword Technique couldn¡¯t find an opportunity to counterattack. Ping, pang, pa-pa-pang! The two Strongest Swords exchanged more than a dozen strikes in a moment, and the naked woman who had been standing in the corridor until now ran away in surprise towards the stairs. It was an unexpected scenario of someone, who was capable of dealing with the Strongest Sword appeared. On the other hand, the wife of the Strongest Sword, Yun Seoyeon¡­ ¡°¡­?¡± As the outsider seemed to be in conflict with her husband, she hurriedly ran down the stairs. It was to request assistance. With all the monsters cleared and no special tasks, all the skilled individuals in Sangju City were likely to be nearby. However, what awaited her at the end of the hurriedly descended stairs was apletely unexpected sight. Thwoom! Thwoom! The first thing heard was an ear-piercing roar. Seoyeon, who had rushed down the motel stairs in a hurry, looked out with a face full of disbelief. Then, she saw numerous columns of light shooting down from the sky. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 31 Chapter 31 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 31: Viin¡¯s Battle (Part 5) The two first swords fighting in the motel hallway were fully aware of the fact that mutants and monsters would soon arrive. ng! Although the sound of the emergence of the light pir was quite loud, what was more striking was¡­ [00:00:10] In front of the two, a timer appeared. But the time inside seemed a bit strange. [00:00:09] ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°What is this?¡± [00:00:08] In the moment of confusion, the remaining time until the appearance of the monsters decreased to 8 seconds, while the two top swordsmen paused their swordy. In response, Yeongwoo quickly checked his wristwatch. ¡®¡­1:00 PM exactly.¡¯ Perhaps from now on, monsters and mutants would appear every day at this time. [00:00:05] The remaining time had decreased to 5 seconds, and ultimately, the anxious Sangju¡¯s Strongest Sword, suggested a ceasefire first. ¡°H-Hey¡­ How about putting out the urgent fire first?¡± At that moment, dealing with the monsters quickly was far more important than dueling challengers who were of no help in household affairs. Ruling over a ghost city where everyone was dead had no meaning. ¡°How about it? We¡¯re running out of time, decide quickly.¡± Dokgo Sehwan 01, Sangju¡¯s Strongest Sword. This man in his early 40s was in a state where he hadn¡¯t even put on underwear. All he had was an early bird he hastily grabbed from the room earlier. Thanks to that, he looked ridiculous on the outside, but to Yeongwoo, who had mixed swords with him, he felt like an enormous monster. ¡°¡­¡± The reason Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t outright reject the ceasefire proposal was because of that. ¡®I can¡¯t guarantee victory like this. The sword is too fast.¡¯ So, is there a solution? ¡¸Golden Punishment¡¹ ¨C Legendary Bracelet ¡¾Inflicts pain on the enemy.¡¿ ¡¾umted Golden Ratio: 2¡¿ Yeongwoo looked at the golden bracelet wrapped around his wrist. The only equipment he hadn¡¯t confirmed the effect of yet. ¡®It seems useless to confront with weapons. Maybe there needs to be direct stabbing or physical contact¡­.¡¯ But the opponent was so agile that even simple contact was not easy. There was no sharp strategy at the moment. ¡®Should I call Youngtae now? No, I should call him when I¡¯m sure, and I only have one chance left today¡¯ In a brief moment, Yeongwoo, who had many thoughts, made a decision before it was toote. First, pull Sangju Strongest Sword and go towards the mutants, then take their senses and fight again. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s deal with the mutants first. If we leave them alone, even the strong ones might die.¡± Then, Dokgo Sehwan chuckled and stepped back. ¡°You¡¯re not apletely ignorant guy.¡± At the same time, he kept an eye on Yeongwoo and began putting on clothes scattered around the motel room. ¡°Do you have time to put on clothes now? Weren¡¯t you usually naked more often?¡± Looking at the half-worn panties on Dokgo Sehwan¡¯s buttocks, Yeongwoo said, and the guy growled, frowning. ¡°Be careful with your words, you little brat.¡± At the same time, golden waves emitted from his body, but it didn¡¯t have much effect on Yeongwoo. Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes were also burning with a golden light. ¡°¡­¡± Dokgo Sehwan stared at Yeongwoo like that, then finished putting on the clothes he was holding. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo left Sangju¡¯s Strongest Sword in the room and walked out of the motel. The timer that had long expired had disappeared from view for a while, and instead, numerous blue pirs were tearing through the air in Sangju City. ¡®Where are the mutants?¡¯ ording to what he had heard earlier, there was a group in Sangju City that monopolized monster hunting, practically serving as the subordinates of Sangju¡¯s Strongest Sword. Therefore, the monsters scattered around now were likely being swiftly dealt with by Sangju¡¯s subordinates. So, Yeongwoo just needed to find the mutant first. Since they were not at the level of Sangju¡¯s Strongest Sword, it would be impossible for them to intervene. ¡®There.¡¯ Finally, Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze stopped somewhere in the north. Though the distance was considerable, a distinctly red-colored light pir was descending. ¡°¡­¡± Anyway, Sangju¡¯s Strongest Sword would inevitably follow. Yeongwoo pressed the ground firmly and turned his body north. Then, Boom! As if a bullet were being fired, he advanced forward, beating the ground. Indeed, who would be the mutant on the second day in Sangju City? From the flow so far, it was clear that an individual stronger than yesterday would appear. As for the mutants encountered so far, they are some kind of ¡®misceneous mob¡¯ based on goblins, gnolls, etc. But, as confirmed with his own eyes yesterday morning, someone had mutated into a high-level monster like a dragon. The timing of their appearance was the issue; they would inevitably show up sooner orter. Paaaat! While Yeongwoo was thinking this, a strange scene passed by as he continued north. ¡®There are more people than I thought.¡¯ What Yeongwoo saw were people moving vigorously as if they had heard an air raid alert. Those who were outside had all moved into nearby buildings, and conversely, people were rushing out of buildings. Moreover, thoseing out were armed and had an unusual momentum. ¡®Those are monster hunters.¡¯ Yeongwoo sensed that they were the privileged ss in Sangju City. Of course, the ¡®monster hunters¡¯ who hade out with their equipment, seeing Yeongwoo, who was moving rapidly, realized that something was happening. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not Strongest Sword¡­?¡± When they realized that the barefoot superman walking through the city did not look like the familiar face, everyone flinched and took out their weapons. However, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t have the luxury to pay attention to the henchmen. Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwa! From behind, Sangju¡¯s Strongest Sword, Dokgo Sehwan, was emitting a formidable presence as he followed. Now, he was fully armed, even holding a shield. ¡°Strongest Sword!¡± Since they hadn¡¯t dered their names to each other, Dokgo Sehwan simply called Yeongwoo Strongest Sword. ¡°Don¡¯t forget! We deal with the mutants first!¡± Reconfirming the agreement with Yeongwoo, Sehwan quickly closed the distance. ¡°¡­!¡± The agility was enough to give you chills. Naturally, Sehwan, too, had nothing on his feet. ¡®Let¡¯s deal with the mutants first. You won¡¯t give up the reward, right?¡¯ Yeongwoo alternated his gaze between Sehwan, who was surpassing him, and the red light pir that was getting closer. At this rate, he would encounter the mutants within a few seconds. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°What about the elimination reward? Does the person who delivers the final blow get it?¡± As Yeongwoo asked Sehwan on his back, suddenly, Hwae-aek! With a solid sound, a hologram of the Gumi Sword Technique appeared in front of Yeongwoo. It appeared t on the ground. ¡°¡­!¡± It meant an attack that couldn¡¯t be blocked even with a shield wasing. Immediately, Yeongwoo halted all his thoughts, lowered his body, and slid forward as if slipping down to the front. Thud! Kicking up dust, Sehwan, who had been running ahead, also attempted to slide. He, too, had received guidance in Sangju Sword Technique. As the two top swordsmen moved like each other¡¯s shadows, a message appeared only in front of Yeongwoo. ¡¸The sensory value has temporarily increased from the original 100 to 480.¡¹ ¡®Crazy.¡¯ The value was significantly different from when Yeongwoo first shed with Sehwan. This meant¡­ he had stolen the senses of another entity, not Sehwan¡¯s. In other words, ¡°Kraaaah!¡± It was the second mutant in Sangju City. Boom! With a sound as if space were tearing apart, a de passed over Sehwan and Yeongwoo¡¯s heads. Yeongwoo felt all the hair on his body stand on end and quickly raised himself. Then, about 10 meters in front, a vague silhouette of something stood erect. Although it seemed to be about 5 meters tall, it wasn¡¯t a single entity. The opponent was a knight riding on arge ck horse. The knight, as dark-skinned as the horse, was covered in a shabby cloak and armor all over, holding a sword with a de length easily reaching 3 meters in its right hand. ¡°What the fuck is that?!¡± The mutant they encountered yesterday didn¡¯t have such a presence, and Dokgo Sehwan¡¯s face froze upon seeing it. Yeongwoo, seeing this, informed him of what today¡¯s mutant was in a low voice. ¡°Duhan. A headless knight.¡± ¡°What?¡± Instead of answering, Yeongwoo pointed a finger at the knight¡¯s left hand. More precisely, it was holding the severed head of the knight itself. ¡°¡­Ugh fuck.¡± Sehwan finally noticed. The fact that the head was not attached to the knight¡¯s torso. The guy was holding his own severed head tightly with his left hand. Moreover, the problem was that the severed head, with both eyes wide open, was trembling with lips chattering as if sharpening its teeth. Therefore, instead of asking Sehwan quickly, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but speak. ¡°Why did that person be a mutant?¡± ¡°What?¡± That person, Duhan, had a name tag attached to his torso. [Sangju City Mayor ¨C Kim Hyunho] Because he was the mayor. Bing a mutant meant he had faced public judgment. Why did Sangju City Mayor Kim Hyunho end up on the shortlist for the filtration vote? ¡°Damn, the mayor¡¯s back.¡± Sehwan, who btedly checked the name tag, made a puzzled expression. Then he continued his words. ¡°There were allegations of sexual misconduct.¡± ¡°Sexual misconduct?¡± Yeongwoo made a frozen expression. Coincidentally, it was very simr to the current theme of Sangju City. ¡°It¡¯s not certain, and the reset started before the investigation could progress.¡± In other words, there were only allegations of sexual misconduct, and public judgment took ce before the truth could be revealed. ¡°¡­So, in reality, he could be an innocent person.¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible. Or maybe not. Of course, if he was really innocent¡­.¡± Sehwan¡¯s follow-up words, suggesting he might be very angry now if he were innocent, were not continued. St! Sangju City Mayor Kim Hyunho swung his sword again, the horse hitting the ground with his hoof. Boom! Just like before, a creepy sound of a breaking wave echoed, and the two top swordsmen saw it clearly. The ck sword that the guy was holding was increasing in an unbelievable length. Zzeaaaat! Crunch! ¡°This damn fucker¡­!¡± The length of the ck sword seemed to be over 10 meters. ¡°He brought something tremendous. Did he bring that to sweep away all of Sangju City?¡± Yeongwoo spoke, dodging the faint trajectory while Dokgo Sehwan spat on the ground. ¡°Stop the bullshit and figure out how to kill that monster.¡± Sehwan¡¯s hands and feet were trembling thinly as he spoke. Even the superhuman who had monopolized 3 million Karma was inevitably afraid of a struggle with a monster that he hadn¡¯t even dreamed of seeing. On the other hand, Yeongwoo was slightly better off than Sehwan in the current situation. At least he knew that a monster named Duhan existed in games. ¡®It¡¯s something I¡¯ve seen in games¡­ but facing it in reality is really overwhelming.¡¯ What criteria determine the selection of mutants or creatures? Is it based on games, novels, or the entire human imagination? Tsk. After thinking this far, Yeongwoo stepped backward, taking abat stance. Duhan¡­ No, Sangju City Mayor Kim Hyunho was tapping the ground with his hooves again. ¡®Since he¡¯s not saying anything, he¡¯s just thinking of killing all of us. It won¡¯t be easy to befriend him this time.¡¯ Yeongwoo watched the mayor¡¯s movements, and when he saw him moving, he secretly narrowed the distance with Dokgo Sehwan. After the mutant¡¯s next attack, the n was to deal with Sehwan first with his newfound senses. ¡®Now, my senses are more than double of his. If Ibine forces with Youngtae, we should have a good chance.¡¯ Boom! Once again, with the unique sound of a breaking wave, the strange de swept through the air. ¡°Again? Doesn¡¯t that crazy guy get tired?¡± While Dokgo Sehwan was panicking and moving backward, Yeongwoo also jumped backward, grabbing the pumpkin-colored wind chime hanging around his neck. Then, Piriririririk! He blew into the wind chime, producing a loud noise. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± As the mayor and even the Strongest Sword of Sangju City were staring at Yeongwoo, the unexpected happened. ¡°What are you?¡± And right after the mayor finished his sentence. ¡°Yaaaaaah!¡± A massive gnoll came tearing through the sky, leaping down. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 32 Chapter 32 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 32: Viin¡¯s Battle (Part 6) Kwaaaah! Commonly known as BJ Pagle. As inte broadcaster Hong Youngtae smashed into the ground, a moment of silence fell within the battlefield. Even Sangju¡¯s Strongest Sword, Dokgo Sehwan, and Sangju Mayor Kim Hyunho couldn¡¯tprehend the current situation. A mutant falling from the sky out of nowhere¡­? Even Youngtae, summoned through the gourd, was equally surprised. ¡¸¡­Huh? What¡¯s all this?¡¹ This time, he came with a strong ambition to make a great achievement, but the atmosphere was unusual. Arge mutant whose head had already fallen off, Jeong Yeongwoo, and another Strongest Sword. ¡¸why¡­¡­.¡¹ ¡¸There are two First Swords? ¡¹ Before Yeongtae¡¯sst words could be pronounced, Yeongwoo swung his sword with golden eyes shing. Damn it! It was aimed at none other than Sangju First Sword Dokgo Sehwan. ¡°No, you crazy bastard?¡± It was an unexpected surprise attack, but because Sehwan had the upper hand in abilities, he was able to barely block Yeongwoo¡¯s de. Chaeaeang! Two silver-white des met near Sehwan¡¯s neck. Then, an enormous text appeared before Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes. ¡¸Sensory values have temporarily increased from the original 480 to 808.¡¹ ¡°¡­!¡± A sensory value of 808. It had taken away the senses of both Sangju¡¯s Strongest Sword and the Mayor. Now, in a sensory battle, no one in the audience could defeat him. ¡°Youngtae! Kill this guy first!¡± As Yeongwoo shouted again, Sehwan, who was blocking his sword, looked bewildered and frightened at the same time. ¡°¡­.¡± He had known nothing until now and was shocked by the unbelievable fact he witnessed with his own eyes. In this world, there was a Strongest Sword that is in collusion with mutants. He¡¯s even in the process of coborating with a mutant right now. Kim Hyunho, the Sangju Mayor, was still holding out behind him like a fortress. In other words. ¡®He¡¯s nning to kill me while leaving the mutant alone¡­?¡¯ Indeed. A huge creature with a long snout was already rushing towards him. ¡®Is this real? Am I dreaming right now?¡¯ Sehwan, struggling to fend off various attacks from both sides, was shocked by the fact that even now, he could not believe. His many umtedbat experiences were indicating that it would be difficult to survive this time. Chaeng! Shit! The beast¡¯s ws and the early bird¡¯s des werepletely different from the usual, making it extremely challenging to block alternately. Despite the support of Sangju Swordsmanship, Sehwan had to move his body himself. ¡°Ik¡­!¡± Eventually, before twenty counts passed, Sehwan¡¯s breathing lost its original pace and became erratic. ¡°Aaaah!¡± Sehwan, who had never expected today to be hisst, made an unclear sound, whether a scream or a shout. Yeongwoo also noticed that his opponent had lostposure, and he threw a dagger behind Sehwan. Hwaeat! He nned to retrieve the dagger on the next attack moment of Youngtae and strike from behind. And soon. Shi-iik! Youngtae, swinging his heavy arm, rushed towards Sehwan. Yeongwoo, having retrieved the dagger stuck in the distant ground, also aimed for Sehwan¡¯s neck while swinging the early bird. Chaeng! While aiming for Sehwan¡¯s neck, he didn¡¯t forget to swing the early bird. Chaeng! In essence, it was a three-sided attack, and even Sehwan, who had shown a defense skill close to magic, had to allow effective hits this time. Pit! He couldn¡¯t avoid the dagger flying from behind. The returning dagger, grazing his side diagonally, pierced Sehwan¡¯s side, soaked in blood, and lodged into Yeongwoo¡¯s belt. From this point, the course of the battle changed. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Sehwan¡¯s movements, who had been fighting well until now, became noticeably rough. ¡®Could it be?¡¯ Sensing something, Yeongwoo pushed Youngtae aside and also stepped back. At that moment, reflexively swinging his sword, Dokgo Sehwan twisted his body and half-sat down. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Sehwan, holding his side with a shielded hand, contorted his face in pain. Yeongwoo was certain. ¡®It activated, Golden Punishment.¡¯ ¡¸Golden Punishment¡¹ ¨C Legendary Bracelet ¡¾Inflicts pain on enemies.¡¿ The effect of inflicting pain would only activate when dealing a blow to the opponent. Of course, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t know how much pain this would cause. What was clear is that it was enough to make someone as formidable as Sangju¡¯s Strongest Sword stop the fight. ¡°What¡­ What is this? It hurts so much.¡± Even though it wasn¡¯t a significant wound, Youngtae looked at Yeongwoo with a puzzled expression as if he were surprised that his opponent was about to die. He suspected that this guy had used some trick. Of course, it was true. ¡°We need to finish this quickly.¡± As Yeongwoo raised his sword threateningly, Sehwan, who had been kneeling on one knee, raised his shield while gritting his teeth. However, in a state where attention was partially distracted due to intense pain, he was pushed even in a one-on-one confrontation with Yeongwoo. He barely blocked about five strikes but showed a w. Chwi-iit! From Yeongwoo¡¯s perspective, it was a simple stab targeting the space between the corbone and neck, but Sehwan, trying to push it aside diagonally, failed to time it properly, and Yeongwoo¡¯s early bird pierced through his shoulder muscles. Phook! Once the de entered his body, the rest happened swiftly. Without removing the de stuck in the opponent¡¯s body, Yeongwoo pulled out the dagger from his belt and stabbed it under Sehwan¡¯s chin. Phook! Like lightning, the iron needle prated through the guy¡¯s jaw, and blood flowed down like a stream. ¡­Creep! However, Sehwan still had strength left in his body, so Yeongwoo immediately swung his left-hand shield, smashing the skull. Kwajak! Then, Sehwan¡¯s upper body lost strength all at once, and his body flowed down to the ground. The early bird and the dagger were firmly embedded in various ces, including the trapezius and the head. ¡°¡­ ¡± Youngtae looked at the brutally damaged corpse of Sehwan and thought of skewers or something simr, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it out loud. It had been happening since a while ago; his body was disappearing. It was time for his return. ¡¸Huh?¡¹ As Youngtae made a bewildered sound and disappeared into the air, therge shadow he had been casting also vanished. But there was still a muchrger shadow remaining. ¡¸Impressive. Is something like this happening elsewhere?¡¹ Sangju Mayor Kim Hyunho. He was still holding a sword on the ground, looking at Yeongwoo with a head held in his left hand. Even while two Strongest Swords and a mutant were entangled in a fight in front of him, he hadn¡¯t moved a single step. After all, why bother interfering when the enemies were fighting among themselves. ¡°I don¡¯t know how things are going in other neighborhoods. It¡¯s only the second day since the reset.¡± Yeongwoo provided a kind response, keeping in mind that the opponent was experiencing the world after the reset for the first time, just like the mutants from the past. ¡¸Two days? It¡¯s only been two days since¡­?¡¹ Kim Hyunho showed signs of confusion for the first time. However, his appearance holding his severed head was still gruesome, and after looking around for a moment, he swung his attacking weapon indiscriminately. ¡¸Anyway, you better disappear now. You seem like a dangerous one.¡¹ Hwaeaeaeak! ¡°¡­!¡± Yeongwoo widened his eyes as the guy¡¯s sword seemed faster than before. ¡®Oh no, my senses have decreased since Dokgo Sehwan died.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Currently, Yeongwoo¡¯s senses had returned to 480. In addition, with Youngtae gone, he was now in a situation where he had to handle the fight alone. Pahat! Yeongwoo quickly sensed a ruthless de passing over his lowered head and bit down on it. ¡®The only way to increase my power now is to take the equipment that guy has.¡¯ As Yeongwoo approached the body of Sangju¡¯s Strongest Sword, Kim Hyunho rushed in and swung his sword down at Yeongwoo. Kwaaah! ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Although he managed to narrowly evade the attack again, in return, Dokgo Sehwan¡¯s body was split in half, bouncing into the air. This time, Yeongwoo noticed that a violet bracelet was filled on the corpse¡¯s wrist, but he couldn¡¯t retrieve it. ¡¸You¡¯re dead¡­!¡¹ Immediately, Kim Hyunho, with a shadow cast on his son-inw, charged forward. With the ck horse¡¯s body, which was like a pair of scissors, the guy¡¯s height reached 5 meters, giving Yeongwoo the feeling of fighting against a tank. ¡®How did this crazy guy appear so soon?¡¯ Even the Gumi Sword Technique was advising not to directly block the guy¡¯s sword. There was no chance in a strength battle. On the contrary, Yeongwoo had the upper hand in terms of the total amount of sense, so Kim Hyunho¡¯s de didn¡¯t achieve much. It only caused the ground to tremble, raising dust, and nothing more. Kwaquk! Once again, a futile strike caused debris from the sidewalk blocks to fly in all directions. From this point on, Kim Hyunho¡¯sposure broke. ¡¸This crazy bastard!¡¹ Fundamentally, he was still human, which was why the effects of the rage and frustation were kicking in. Moreover, he hadn¡¯t returned here to dance with a kid ying with a sword all day. What he wanted was to deliver punishment to the public who judged him. ¡°This¡­!¡± With an enraged voice, Kim Hyunho raised his sword again, but suddenly, he blinked and turned his gaze somewhere else. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ At a simr moment, Yeongwoo also detected some movement and turned to look in the same direction as Kim Hyunho. Then. ¡°There!¡± ¡°What, what is this? Isn¡¯t that too big?¡± It could be seen that a considerable number of people armed to some extent were rushing towards them. Judging by their speed alone, it was evident that they weren¡¯t ordinary people. Probably¡­ ¡®The monster hunters of Sangju City.¡¯ Whether called monster hunters, privileged, hunters, or superhumans, there was no longer any standard or norm. ¡®Why did these crazy guyse here? Could it be that the woman sent them to help her husband?¡¯ Yeongwoo remembered that Sangju¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¯s wife was still alive. When he started fighting with Sangju¡¯s Strongest Sword at the honeymoon motel, she disappeared somewhere. ¡°¡­¡± Anyway, at this point, it wasn¡¯t important. What was truly crucial was¡­ Kwuduk! Kim Hyunho turned his body in the direction of the ¡®reinforcements.¡¯ Since there was no answer, it seemed that fighting endlessly wouldn¡¯t yield results. So, he wanted to kill the small fries first to enjoy the fun. ¡®I¡¯ll be indebted to him.¡¯ Kwung! Kim Hyunho, shaking the ground, rushed out to greet the monster hunters, and Yeongwoo took advantage of the opportunity to approach Dokgo Sehwan¡¯s corpse. More precisely, he rummaged through the remains of the guy lying far away. Ta-at! However, an unexpected event urred. ¡°¡­?¡± The moment Yeongwoo cast a shadow over Dokgo Sehwan¡¯s head, the guy¡¯s eyelids trembled. ¡°Huh?¡± At first, Yeongwoo thought he might have seen it wrong or that it was due to the ground vibrations. ¡®What the fuck¡­ he¡¯s breathing?¡¯ Surprisingly, the guy¡¯s chest swelled and sank repeatedly, even though his head was half destroyed, and his body was torn apart. ¡®Does this make sense? Even if he has high durability¡­¡¯ While Yeongwoo was gaping in disbelief, a tremendous noise and people¡¯s screams came from behind. The Mayor was happily chopping up the monster hunters. ¡®Damn it, there¡¯s no time.¡¯ Yeongwoo didn¡¯t even have the luxury to marvel at what seemed like a miracle. He immediately swung the early bird topletely cut off Dokgo Sehwan¡¯s breath. Afterward, he took off the bracelet the guy had. Thud. As Yeongwoo removed the violet bracelet, the tooltip floated into his view, revealing the identity of the miraculous item he had just witnessed. ¡¸Slime¡¯s Core¡¹ ¨C Mutant Bracelet ¡¾Significant increase in regeneration.¡¿ Regeneration increase. The reason why Dokgo Sehwan, who was practically just a lump of meat, didn¡¯t diepletely was because of this. ¡®Wait¡­ there was an item like this?¡¯ However, the astonishing event didn¡¯t end there. ¡¸You have be Sangju¡¯s Strongest Sword!¡¹ ¡­You have three Strongest Sword titles in the Gyeongbuk region. ¡¸You have be Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword (Advanced)!¡¹ ¡­You are currently the only Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword (Advanced) in the Gyeongbuk region. ¡®Wait a minute, if that¡¯s the case¡­¡¯ In ordance with the rules of the same title system he had seen before, the one who umted the most titles among Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Swords (Advanced) would be promoted to Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword. In other words. ¡®I¡¯m the only candidate.¡¯ As Yeongwoo thought this, in the midst of the ongoing parade of notifications, he realized something and widened his eyes. ¡®Now, if this happens¡­¡¯ Amidst the continuous parade of notifications, Yeongwoo realized something and widened his eyes. ¡¸You have been elected as Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword!¡¹ ¡¸The current Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword is ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo07.¡¯ Rank 1, 0 defense.¡¹ Next, Yeongwoo received a warning message. ¡¸From now on, all Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Swords (Advanced) elected will receive real-time updates on your location.¡¹ [PR/N: Sharing real time location? now that¡¯s some serious fucking shit ] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 33 Chapter 33 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 33: Alien (1) Invitation to the Strongest Sword in Gyeongbuk. As Yeongwoo read all the text, the title he possessed changed. Paah! ¡°Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword¡± ¨C Epic Title ¡¾Supremacy of the Strongest Sword¡¿ ¡¾Voting Rights¡¿ ¡¾Gyeongbuk Sword Law¡¿ ¡®Hmm¡­? The effect has been added.¡¯ The most noticeable were two things. First, the grade of the title that was ¡®Unique¡¯ changed to ¡®Epic.¡¯ And second, the option ¡®Voting Rights¡¯ was added. Voting Rights power¡­ It means the power to exercise rights in deliberative bodies such as councils or shareholders¡¯ meetings. Then what exactly is the decision about? ¡®Judging by giving Voting Rights power to the Strongest Sword of arge-scale region, it seems like an unusual authority.¡¯ Whatever it was, to use this authority, one must first stay alive. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yeongwoo put the bracelet left by Dokgo sehwan on his arm, then took the early bird that the guy was holding and tucked it into his backpack. Then. Quad-deuk! He looked at Kim Hyunho, who was pushing skilled individuals away like a bulldozer on the other side. ¡¸Kwaaaah!¡¹ Various emotions were intertwined in the momentum unleashed with the de. Anger, sadness, and joy. After all, from his perspective, he must be killing those who killed him. At the same time, he was harming the citizens of Sangju by giving up the position of Sangju Mayor without harming them. [Sangju Mayor ¨C Kim Hyunho] Yeongwoo briefly looked at the name tag on the mutant¡¯s head, then, clutching the early bird, he rushed out. Taah! The skilled individuals who came to help Sangju¡¯s Strongest Sword had diminished, and even more, they were trying to run away from the scene, showing their backs to Kim Hyunho. However, the escape did not seem to be sessful. Both of them were already under the giant shadow of Kim Hyunho. Boooom! Finally, Sangju Mayor Kim Hyunho swung his sword towards the fleeing people. And simultaneously. ¨C Break ¨C Break In Yeongwoo¡¯s sight, who was chasing behind the Mayor, two ¡®Break¡¯ marks appeared. It meant that although he couldn¡¯t kill the opponent with this attack, he could disrupt the posture. The two marks were attached to Kim Hyunho¡¯s lower back and the hind leg of the ck horse he rode. ording to the hologram, both attacks were ¡®throwing attacks.¡¯ It meant throwing the early bird and dagger inserted in the belt one after the other. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Following the guide, Yeongwoo threw both weapons while jumping to the left side of Kim Hyunho. The hologram was also running in that direction. ¡®Why all of a sudden¡­?¡¯ It was the first time the hologram used the space so extensively, but Yeongwoo followed the guide without questioning. Because. ¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹ Having skillfully sensed the surprise attack from behind, Kim Hyunho turned his sword to block the dagger thrown by Yeongwoo. At the same time, the early bird flying towards his lower back also twisted his body at an unbelievable angle to avoid it. ¨C Void (Ì“) ¨C Void (Ì“) The two marks sessively changed to ¡®Void,¡¯ but the holographic battle was still ongoing. Soon, the hologram positioned itself at Kim Hyunho¡¯s side, pulling his arm in a gesture to retrieve the weapons. Following suit, Yeongwoo swiftly pulled the two weapons back. Paah! At that moment, the early bird and dagger, which had bounced off in different directions, returned simultaneously, attempting a dual attack. It was then that Yeongwoo finally realized. ¡®The higher-level swordsmanship provides a much more sophisticated guide.¡¯ Of course, with just the remote retrieval function of the belt, he couldn¡¯t inflict fatal damage to Kim Hyunho. However. Swiish! If he could somehow get the des to touch his body¡­ ¨C Break ¨C Break Finally, the ¡®Break¡¯ mark appeared at the tips of the two weapons cutting through the air, and a momentter, Yeongwoo saw one of them change to ¡®Void.¡¯ Paeaeng! Kim Hyunho turned the sword once again, deflecting the early bird. The dyed dagger, however, reached his left arm wrapped in full armor. Teeit! At that moment, the ¡®Break¡¯ mark attached to the dagger vibrated and turned red. ¡¸Huh?¡¹ The shadow that looked like a towering fortress, Kim Hyunho¡¯s, swayed significantly forward and backward. The unique effect of the golden retribution had been applied. ¡¾Inflict pain on the enemy.¡¿ ¡®Here ites! The opportunity¡­!¡¯ As Yeongwoo pulled out the early bird from his hip, raising his eyes, Kim Hyunho turned his left arm to look at him from under the attached headpiece. ¡¸This bastard¡­!¡¹ But unlike the furious words, his two eyes were shaking severely. He felt fear from Yeongwoo, who had inflicted immense pain just by contact. Kim Hyunho couldn¡¯t say anything more and focused on the two escapees who were already running far away. Kwagwagwak! ¡®He doesn¡¯t intend to fight me.¡¯ However, the pain once initiated didn¡¯t easily let go of Kim Hyunho. ¡°Euk!¡± While avoiding Yeongwoo, he forcefully twisted his waist several times, even though he was running on horseback. However, that didn¡¯t stop him. On the contrary. Kudududud! He forcefully urged the horse and swung the sword more violently as he narrowed the distance with the escapees. Boooom! The solid sound of breaking waves echoed as the bodies of the fleeing escapees scattered. Then, Kim Hyunho¡¯s ck horse passed over them, crushing the corpses under its hooves. It was an exceedingly retaliatory act. And Yeongwoo sensed it as he watched. Perhaps Kim Hyunho might really be innocent. ¡°Mayor Kim Hyunho! There were unpleasant suspicions, is it true?¡± When Yeongwoo shouted like this, Kim Hyunho¡¯s body momentarily wavered. But that was it. He didn¡¯t stop; instead, he changed direction and began to run somewhere crowded with people. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] It seemed he wanted to kill as many people as possible before he exhausted his strength. In response, Yeongwoo elerated even more, calling out his name. ¡°Kim Hyunho!¡± Finally, he turned around. ¡¸Suspicion or whatever, you guys already killed me. Now, there¡¯s only one thing I have to do. Make you guys suffer. I¡¯ve been waiting for that all this time.¡¹ Even if it wasn¡¯t Yeongwoo, anyone who heard it would have felt sincerity in his tone. ¡®The idea of returning peacefully is not going to work at all.¡¯ Yeongwoo made a disgusted expression as he felt the lingering malice emanating from Kim Hyunho¡¯s appearance. Dududududududu¡­! Kim Hyunho¡¯s momentum, which had been staggering, gradually recovered, and the movements of the dark horse he controlled became faster. It is the pain of the golden punishment that is piercing through. ¡®I have to settle it here. If he goes into the city, dozens of people will be cut down every time the sword moves.¡¯ The apartmentplex on the other side was already visible. He clearly knew the structure of the city as the mayor. Thud! As Yeongwoo increased his speed and prepared to shoot weapons in session as before, Kim Hyunho, who saw through it skillfully, spoke again. ¡¸Leave me alone. After I finish my work, I¡¯ll die quietly. ¡¹ ¡°People are clearly going to be killed, and you want me to leave you alone?¡± Yeongwoo was already sending his dagger flying from his waist, and Kim Hyunho, who was watching him, twisted his body in response. Sweeit! The sharp sound of the dagger passing near Kim Hyunho¡¯s shoulder. Next, Yeongwoo¡¯s early bird aimed for Kim Hyunho¡¯s head, but it was blocked by the ck sword. Peeiing! However, Yeongwoo¡¯s prepared attack was not over here. As he threw the early bird, Yeongwoo also pulled out another early bird from his backpack and swung it. ¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹ For Kim Hyunho, who had tasted the bitterness of the previous dual attack, it was a scene that could only be terrifying. This time, a three-sided attack was approaching. ¡®Oh, damn.¡¯ Kim Hyunho, who anticipated the dog-like future, gritted his teeth and grasped his sword, while Yeongwoo retrieved the weapons he had sent out and swung the early bird. Hwaeaeaeat! Naturally, since the attack of the ¡®original¡¯ Yeongwoo would be the most powerful, Kim Hyunho had no choice but to block his sword first. Therefore, he had to skillfully avoid the remaining des flying towards his back and right side. But now, it seemed that Kim Hyunho was in a state where he had lost half of his senses to Yeongwoo. Chaeeaang! Doing his best, he received Yeongwoo¡¯s early bird with the ck sword, and then twisted his upper body as much as possible to reduce the area of his body. Kkudeudeuk. Although his armor was urgently moving enough to open the seams, it was not a sufficient response. Due to the height difference with Yeongwoo, the entry angle of the two des flying from the air was too wide. Whiit! When Kim Hyunho turned his body to avoid both weapons, the exposed nape of the ck horse beneath him waspletely exposed. ¡¸Ah¡­¡­!¡¹ Realizing this, Kim Hyunho twisted his face, but the early bird and dagger had already entered the inside of the mane, scraping away. And then, what happened next. ¡¸Kwuuoar!¡¹ A scream, but not a scream from Kim Hyunho. Yeongwoo, who was anticipating him falling, tilted his head as he watched Kim Hyunho suffer. ¡®What the¡­ Was that ck horse also part of this guy¡¯s abilities?¡¯ Anyway, there was no better time than now to end the mayor¡¯s reign. Because for the first time, the symbol ¡®kill¡¯ appeared on the opponent. ¨C Kill It was in just one ce. It was attached to the head of Kim Hyunho, who was shaking in the air without any sense. ¡®He had only one weakness.¡¯ As Yeongwoo raised the early bird threateningly and looked at Kim Hyunho¡¯s head, he seemed to have felt something and shouted with a frightened face. ¡¸Wait! Wait a minute!¡¹ While saying this, Kim Hyunho unconsciously nced at the apartmentplex surrounding him like a folding screen on his back. If only he could run a little faster¡­ No, if the crazy guy in front of him didn¡¯t interfere, he would have vented his resentment without any grudge. Only now did suspicion arise in Kim Hyunho¡¯s mind, and he asked with an expression of genuine disbelief. ¡¸What are you¡­? Why the hell does someone like you exist?!¡¹ Someone like you. Kim Hyunho felt anger and resentment at the fact that a human more powerful than mutants existed. ording to the ¡®voice¡¯ that had beening from the darkness for a long time, the reason mutants were originally sent back to the original world was to judge the masses. But now, it seemed that to anyone looking, this was not a judge, but just a mere monster. Moreover, he hadn¡¯t even fulfilled his grudge. ¡°¡­¡­¡± However, just because it was Yeongwoo didn¡¯t mean he had the answers. He was also just a human living day by day in this broken world due to the reset. ¡°Why do I, a guy like me, exist? I don¡¯t know. I just survive well in this world. So, I be stronger. That¡¯s why I thought you guys would have the answers.¡± Yeongwoo still held the knife, looking at Kim Hyunho, who was still staggering, and raised the knife again. ¡°But it seems like you guys don¡¯t know anything either.¡± Swish. As Yeongwoo aimed the de at Kim Hyunho¡¯s head, the guy¡¯s eyelids widened. ¡°Just die now. Let¡¯s end it with the Golden Rain.¡± Shiit! Yeongwoo¡¯s silver-white de cut through the air like an arrow. ¡¸No!!¡¹ Despite Kim Hyunho¡¯s resistance, the de had already pierced through his skull. Quack! Kim Hyunho¡¯s head shattered with a sound like cracking cookies, and at the same time, a white beam shot up into the sky. ¡®If I use the Golden Rain this time, it will be the third time.¡¯ As Yeongwoo thought this while looking at the golden sphere left by Kim Hyunho, a new notification appeared in his field of view. ¡¸The second mutant in Sangju has been eliminated, so basic welfare will be applied to this area.¡¹ |Remaining time until the application of daily quest: 20 minutes. |Remaining time until the appearance of a merchant: 5 minutes. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 34 Chapter 34 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 34: Alien (2) ¡°Merchant appearance? Where is this merchant supposed to appear?¡± Yeongwoo felt a ominous premonition, but soon his attention was diverted by what happened next. Kwaaaang! A column of light shot down through the clouds with a thunderous noise, as if tearing the sky apart. ¡°¡­!¡± It was different from the markings that pointed to the location of monsters or mutants, and it sent shivers down his spine. ¡®Is that where the merchant appears?¡¯ The ck column of light descended a few kilometers northwest of the current location. As Yeongwoo turned towards that direction, follow-up messages rted to the defeat of the Mayor filled his vision. ¡¸Eliminated the mutant.¡¹ ¡¸Please choose your reward forpleting the process.¡¹ ?Confirmed Reward? ¡¸Duhan¡¯s Sword¡¹ ¨C Mutant One-Handed Sword ¡¾The length of the sword is proportional to the user¡¯s height.¡¿ ?Choice Reward? [3 million Karma] Or [Grant 30,000 Karma to all residents in the area] ¡°Now there¡¯s a weapon reward too.¡± Getting a weapon as a reward for defeating mutants was a first. Moreover, it was a mutant-grade equipment, surpassing the Early Bird, which was a hero-grade. ¡°I can probably expand the influence of the Sword Master like Kim Hyunho did.¡± Yeongwoo quickly chose thetter in the reward selection andpleted the process. Pahat! [Grant 30,000 Karma to all residents in the area] Then, as usual, the golden sphere rapidly spun and soared into the sky, showering golden rain along with a splendid explosion. Suaaaaa¡­! ¡¶Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo 07¡¯ gave up his monopoly on 3 million karma and gifted 30,000 karma to all Sangju residents.¡· ¡¶Soon, 30,000 Karma will be paid in the form ofmemorative coins. Get ready.¡· Yeongwoo grabbed threememorative coins amid the raining golden glow and opened the achievement window. Pot. [Golden Flood] |Summon golden rain in five or more locations. (3/5) ¡®I can tidy up one achievement if I visit two more ces.¡¯ There were three more achievements remaining. [Nocturnal] |Spend a night outside the residence. [Jeweller¡¯s Touch] |Wear two rings of Hero grade or higher on the index and ring fingers each. (2/4) [Complete Orphan] |Find and eliminate parents. (1/2) But none of them had a clear strategy, and he was in a deadlock. Moreover, to update the achievement list, he had to achieve existing achievements and clear slots, so it was best to continue moving to the next city for now. ¡®Of course, I¡¯ll have to meet that merchant or whatever it is.¡¯ As Yeongwoo had this thought, a sharp sound echoed through the air, and a mysterious sword plunged into the ground. Ssshaeaak, ping! A scene reminiscent of the first time he received the Early Bird¡¯s sword. It was the Mutant-grade one-handed sword, ¡°Duhan¡¯s Sword.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo pulled out the problematic ck sword with a strange sense of anticipation. St. Then, rising from the sturdy handle, a roughly one-meter-long dark de became visible. ¡®It¡¯s definitely longer than the Early Bird, but how can I make it even longer here?¡¯ Although he swung the sword in the air as the Mayor did, nothing unusual happened. So. ¡®G¡­ Get longer?¡¯ Internally demanding the sword to lengthen. Shiriririt! ¡°Huh?¡± The ck sword actually pierced through the air, rapidly extending. ¡®How much longer is it? About five meters?¡¯ Upon close examination, Yeongwoo estimated that the maximum length of the dark de was approximately 5 meters. ¡¸Duhan¡¯s Sword¡¹- Mutant One-Handed Sword ¡¾The length of the sword is proportional to the user¡¯s height.¡¿ ¡®Since the length of the de is proportional to my height¡­.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s height was in the mid-170s. In other words, Duhan¡¯s Sword could grow up to approximately three times the user¡¯s height. ¡®Then if I get taller, this sword will get longer too.¡¯ And that height probably¡­ ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo silently ced onememorative coin against his lips. Then, along the outline of his body, translucent dotted lines appeared, and the settings appeared in his field of view. ¡¸Change character settings¡¹ |Appearance |Stats ¡®I can probably change the height in the appearance settings.¡¯ Opening the ¡°Appearance,¡± a plethora of information poured out, much more than he expected. ¡®What¡­ What is all this?¡¯ The range of appearance changes that could be made using Karma was not limited to just physique but also included facial features, distribution and color of facial hair, and more. * * * As Yeongwoo moved towards the ck column of light, he continued to explore the appearance interface. ¡®This is insane¡­ I can even change the default position of the pupils.¡¯ Even the skin color and texture were changeable. If desired, he could elongate his nose like Pinhio or protrude a specific part of the forehead to create a horn. Of course, it wasn¡¯tpletely unrestricted. ording to the guide at the top of the interface, penalties were imposed for appearance changes beyond the human category. -The standard range for each appearance item is ¡®human.¡¯ ¨C If a specific item deviates from the standard range, the Karma requirement for that item increases significantly. ¡®But if you have an absurd amount of Karma, it might be possible to deviate from the human category.¡¯ Yeongwoo imagined himself with a height of 4 meters, horns on his forehead, and bright red skin, resembling a giant. ¡®A new era has opened where theoretically bing such a monster is possible.¡¯ ¡®Well¡­ it doesn¡¯t seem like they made it for us to do such things right away.¡¯ Yeongwoo looked at the ¡°Presets¡± that appeared below the guide text. ¡¸For user convenience, we provide three types of preset collections.¡¹ |Combat |Charm |Special ¡®What¡¯s this again?¡¯ When Yeongwoo selected ¡®Combat¡¯ among the three presets, a translucent window opened on the left side of his field of view, revealing dozens of body samples. ¡®Huh?¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] All of these samples, all in a nude state, represented body shapes within the human category considered advantageous forbat by the appearance system. With a height of up to 2 meters and near-perfect upper and lower body bnce. ¡®Am I supposed to choose one and follow it exactly?¡¯ After all, how could an ordinary person meticulously modify dozens of appearance items one by one to find the optimal model? The concept of presets provided a textbook guide to prevent Karma from being wasted. As Yeongwoo focused on each sample, detailed numerical values for each appearance item appeared,paring them to his current details. ¡®¡­My legs are definitely short. The upper body skeleton isn¡¯t that great either.¡¯ It was a bitter realization, but there was also a reassuring aspect. In any case, if the arms got longer, the reach would increase, and if the legs lengthened, the stride¡­ in other words, the mobility would also improve. ¡°¡­.¡± As Yeongwoo chose one of the samples that he liked the most, the total Karma required to make his current body match the preset was automatically calcted. [2,116,000] 2.116 million Karma. The cost for Yeongwoo, a born 4th-grade human, to obtain the best body conditions. For the current Yeongwoo, it felt like a reasonable amount, but it wouldn¡¯t be the same for the majority. ¡®The more money you spend here, the slower your ability growth will be¡­ I probably won¡¯t be able to afford it unless I have a lot of courage.¡¯ Yeongwoo also had his concerns. With 2.116 million Karma, he could allocate more than 2,110 points to his stats. Considering that his highest stat, strength, was only 600, was it really wise to give up on more than 2,000 stats? ¡®It¡¯s difficult.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze turned to the next preset, ¡®Charm.¡¯ Then, just like before, a translucent window opened, revealing an enormous number of face samples. ¡®Probably a collection of handsome and beautiful faces by type.¡¯ If you had enough Karma, bing a handsome or beautiful person was also possible. Since the location of the merchant was getting closer, there was no time to examine all these ¡®faces.¡¯ After closing the ¡®Charm¡¯ window, Yeongwoo chose thest category, ¡®Special.¡¯ Pahat! ¡°¡­.!¡± Once again, a window appeared with several samples, but this time, it waspletely different from the previous two cases. ¡®T-this is¡­¡¯ What Yeongwoo saw were samples so grotesquely altered that they could be called deformities, even when referred to as modifications. Arm lengths much longer than the height, or pupils with colors resembling the whites of the eyes, making it impossible to discern the gaze, and so on. Each sample had information about the physical burdens associated with these special forms, and it was undoubtedly a warning. ¡°Everything imaginable might be possible, but the cost-effectiveness won¡¯t be good,¡± warned the message. ¡®Just looking at this is horrifying.¡¯ When Yeongwoo closed the special window, a cautionary message appeared before any external changes. ¡®All appearance changes are permanent, and some elements may be inherited when the next generation is created.¡¯ ¡®What? It¡¯s inherited¡­?¡¯ Upon reaching this section, Yeongwoo began to doubt his eyes. Despite the world being reset, the system where the parents¡¯ grade and settings influenced the child was still intact. In other words, the born grade hadn¡¯t disappeared; it had simply been reset. The people currently surviving were just the first generation. And the achievements they aplished during their lifecycles determined the grades of their offspring. ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo felt a nauseating feeling in his stomach, simr to when he first checked his fate log. However, this bizarre world didn¡¯t give Yeongwoo the luxury of calming down. A sound simr to some kind of emission came from the sky, and something fell along the ck column of light on the other side. ¡®Is that the merchant?¡¯ A ¡®merchant¡¯ falling from somewhere outside the sky. In the past, just witnessing such a situation would have terrified him, and he would never have dared to approach. But the current Yeongwoo was apletely different existence from before the reset. ¡®Obviously not a person, it¡¯s the guy called a merchant.¡¯ Yeongwoo stared at the approaching ck column of light, narrowing the distance little by little. ¡¸The second mutant in Sangju has been eliminated, so basic welfare will be applied to this area.¡¹ ording to the system message he saw earlier, this merchant was also a source of basic welfare, a reward for defeating the mutant. Yeongwoo, based on this, was focusing more on what this entity was selling rather than its identity as a merchant. ¡®Regardless of where that guy came from, he¡¯ll probably offer something helpful to the survivors.¡¯ However. Faput! Gradually, as Yeongwoo caught the sight of ¡®merchant¡¯ into view. ¡°¡­.!¡± He had to admit that he was arrogant. The first encounter with an ¡®alien.¡¯ Unconsciously, Yeongwoo drew his sword. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 35 Chapter 35 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 35: Alien (3) Alien. Intelligent life is believed to exist on celestial bodies beyond Earth. Therefore, the being in front of me must be an alien. I saw it clearlying down from somewhere in the sky along with a ck pir of light. And that ¡®somewhere¡¯ is likely a part of the vast universe. So, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but doubt his eyes. ¡®That thing was living in the universe¡­?¡¯ What kind of ce was the universe, after all? Yeongwoo felt as if his concept of the universe, which he had known, shattered in an instant. Because the actual appearance of the alien was too different from what he had imagined. If the being that appeared had been equipped with advanced gear or had a form like a cluster of light, it might have been understandable. But the real alien that appeared was¡­ -Quaaaaaa¡­! Huge rocks emitting a chilling scream. They upied the intersection of the city without resting, shouting incessantly. Whether it was because of the bizarre sounds or the violent vibrations of the air in the area, Yeongwoo saw his sword trembling. ¡°¡­.¡± These rocks, reaching a height of 4 meters, had a chaotic spiral pattern like m shells, standing in a row with about the width of a human forearm between them. -Quaaaaaa¡­! The strange screams continued. Yeongwoo, holding his sword in front of the ¡®rocks¡¯ about twenty meters away, suddenly realized something. The appearance of these rocks was slightly different, and they even had their own unique tones. In other words, ¡®It¡¯s not a merchant here, but¡­ it¡¯s the upper part of the trade.¡¯ Each of theserge rocks was an alien merchant. In other words, Yeongwoo was facing extraterrestrial merchants. ¡®One, two¡­ four, five.¡¯ The total number of rocks that visited Earth as merchants was five. ¡®Anyway, did theye here to trade? What should I do?¡¯ Amidst the continuous screams, Yeongwoo felt his sword gradually calming down. In the meantime, he had adapted to this mysterious scene. But the method of trading with the rocks from outer space was still unclear. Unlike the exchange office he saw on the first day of the reset, they didn¡¯t provide rules in his mind, and they didn¡¯t seem to use humannguage. Just making eerie noises that felt like squeezing one¡¯s heart. ¡°¡­.¡± Therefore, Yeongwoo reluctantly walked towards the rocks. ¡®If I try to make contact, they¡¯ll show some reaction. Even if they look like rocks on the surface, they must be intelligent beings.¡¯ It was purely a deduction from a human perspective, but surprisingly, it was a valid thought. -Gooooo¡­! As the distance between Yeongwoo and the rocks decreased, the sounds they produced began to change. And when the distance between the two sides approached five meters. -Swooooosh¡­! The cries that filled the space suddenly stopped as if it were a lie. And then. Swoosh. The space between Yeongwoo and the rocks was torn vertically. Thud! ¡°¡­.?¡± When Yeongwoo realized that the shape of this ¡®torn space¡¯ resembled an eye, already, within the pitch-ck eye hole, a white pupil was rising. So, this¡­ really, that eye had noticed him. Just an eye of something that was definitely not human, using eyelids to form the empty space. ¡®What¡­ what should I do.¡¯ Suppressing the instinct to step back, Yeongwoo stood firmly in ce. Then, the white pupil that had been staring straight ahead for a while moved slightly to the side and looked at Yeongwoo. ¡®¡­Ugh.¡¯ It was at this moment that a system prompt appeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s field of vision. ¡¸The intermediary requests permission to ess data for Jeong Yeongwoo 07. Do you approve?¡¹ [Requested Data] |Unique Code |Language Used ¡®Unique code andnguage used¡­? Does this mean it¡¯s necessary for mediating the trade with those rocks?¡¯ Through this ¡®request,¡¯ Yeongwoo could vaguely realize that even the extraterrestrial beings that began appearing after the reset have their own hierarchy or work system. In other words, the ¡®eye¡¯ introduced as a mediator is undoubtedly a more powerful being than a human, right? And yet, it is still asking for permission to ess that side¡¯s data. ¡®It didn¡¯t even ask me directly. The system just informed that they want ess.¡¯ In other words, Yeongwoo was unknowingly under the protection of the system. Of course, he didn¡¯t know specifically what was providing the protection. It could be the beings from the council that first notified about the reset, or there might be some kind of security program embedded in the Earth itself. Anyway, the important thing is. ¡®At least these guys won¡¯t be able to harm me.¡¯ As the thought reached this point, Yeongwoo felt a bit relieved. The uneasiness that had been creeping up gradually subsided. ¡®But to make a trade.¡¯ Permission must be granted for the ess to the two pieces of data that the mediator requested. Staring intensely at the strangely white eyes of the mediator, Yeongwoo approved the request. ¡®Data ess granted.¡¯ Then, the white eyes of the mediator shed for a moment and instantly turned blue. Swaat. What happened next was an unexpected ¡®deration.¡¯ ¨DGreetings to the human of Earth, the strongest in Gyeongbuk, Jeong Yeongwoo 07. ¡®Huh¡­?¡¯ Despite the strange voice, the content was very polite. But what could that mean? When Yeongwoo tilted his head in response to the introduction made by the alien, the other party continued speaking. ¨DI am Kubu, the guardian of Tenta and the owner mediating this trade. ¡®Ah, is it some kind of universal courtesy to exchange greetings like this.¡¯ After hearing the introduction of the mediator ¡®Kubu,¡¯ Yeongwoo nodded silently. ¨DThe mediation fee for this trade is 20% and is included in the product price. The trading partner is the representative upper part of Charugo. ¨DWill you proceed with the trade? As Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t fully understand the content except for the fact that the mediation fee was 20%, he nodded once again. ¡®Charugo? Is that the name of the where those rocks live?¡¯ While Yeongwoo was having such thoughts, the mediator Kubu blinked his eyes quickly three times, and in response, the previously silent rocks began to make sounds. However, this time, the sounds were much lower and more subdued. -Eooo¡­. -Uueeem¡­. -Gaaaah¡­! The fact that the tones of each of the five rocks were more distinctly differentiated was a noticeable feature. ¡°¡­.¡± As Yeongwoo quietly listened to the rocks¡¯ chorus, Kubu soon spoke. ¨DThe product list isplete. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Poof! After Kubu¡¯s line, something like blue spots suddenly appeared in front of Yeongwoo and rapidly changed shape. In the form of human characters. Sss, sssss. ¡®Ah, this is.¡¯ It didn¡¯t take Yeongwoo long to understand the meaning of the blue characters. It was a quite straightforward price list. 1 ¨D ¡¸Extractor¡¹ ¨C Ancient One-Handed Hammer ¡¾Changes equipment into a slot gem.¡¿ ¡ó 40,000 Karma 2 ¨D ¡¸ck Wind Cloak¡¹ ¨C Hero¡¯s Cloak ¡¾Nullifies ck magic.¡¿ ¡ó 100,000 Karma 3 ¨D ¡¸Void¡¹- Artifact One-Handed Sword ¡¾¨CEmpty slot¨C¡¿ ¡¾¨CEmpty slot¨C¡¿ ¡ó 300,000 Karma 4 ¨D ¡¸nk Check¡¹ ¨C Unique Currency ¡¾Once, it transforms into touched currency.¡¿ ¡ó 1,100,000 Karma 5 ¨D ¡¸Serpent of Greed¡¹ ¨C Epic Compass ¡¾Always seeks rarity.¡¿ ¡ó Legend Achievement 1 ¡®Oh my goodness.¡¯ Not a single ordinary item. Moreover, the prices started from 40,000 Karma. ¡®Basic welfare¡­ it seems that trading with merchants was not originally intended for ordinary people.¡¯ Currently, the majority of people are struggling to earn even the 1,000 Karma they have to pay as taxes every night. In other words, trading with extraterrestrial merchants was limited to the powerful individuals who seeded in hunting monsters in this area. Of course, even being Jeong Yeongwoo, he couldn¡¯t afford to buy all the presented items. ¡®My current total assets¡­.¡¯ 104,000. Fortunately, or unfortunately, it could be considered a stroke of luck. If he had invested in his abilities every time he earned money, he wouldn¡¯t have saved up even this much. ¡®I can only buy one of the Extractor or the ck Wind Cloak. To properly use the merchant, I also need to pay attention to cash holding.¡¯ However, it wasn¡¯t as if Yeongwoo had no ie. He indirectly learned how to fill the ¡¯empty slots¡¯ on his current equipment. ¡®It seems like using the Extractor to extract the effects of equipment and transfer them to empty slots.¡¯ It was amon method seen in games, so understanding it was easy, but at the moment, there was a more important product than the Extractor. That was. 2 ¨D ¡¸ck Wind Cloak¡¹ ¨C Hero¡¯s Cloak ¡¾Nullifies ck magic.¡¿ ¡ó 100,000 Karma ¡®ck magic. Probably strange weather that urs at night.¡¯ And Yeongwoo was currently in a state where he had an achievement that could only be aplished by avoiding strange weather. [Nocturnal] |Spend a night outside of your residence. ¡®With the cloak, I can break the achievement on nights when the ck magic rain falls. I must buy that.¡¯ Especially since there was no guarantee that the next merchant he met would sell the same product. ¡®Number 3 is useless for me without an Extractor, and anyway, I don¡¯t have enough money. The same goes for number 4¡­.¡¯ As Yeongwoo scanned the list again, his gaze stopped abruptly at thest product. 5 ¨D ¡¸Serpent of Greed¡¹ ¨C Epic Compass ¡¾Always seeks rarity.¡¿ ¡ó Legend Achievement 1 Although it was the highest-rated equipment, fortunately for Yeongwoo, it was immediately purchasable. ¡®Bought with a legendary achievement? What exactly does that mean?¡¯ As Yeongwoo asked this silently in his mind, the mediator Kubu understood and exined. ¨DOne achieved legendary-grade achievement will bepletely deleted from your data. As a result, the progress of rted subsequent achievements may be impossible, and the number ofpleted achievements will also be deducted. ¡®Ah¡­ then what happens to the rewards received for achieving achievements?¡¯ ¨DAlready paid achievement rewards will not be collected. In other words, in exchange for one achieved legendary-grade achievement, Yeongwoo could immediately pull in a high-grade piece of equipment, without knowing what significance it might hold in the future. ¡®It¡¯s like betting on the future. If bringing in the equipment now can result in a bigger profit, then it¡¯s right to make the trade. If not, it could be a loss¡­.¡¯ Poof! As Yeongwoo opened the achievement window, the achievement profile unfolded at the top of his field of view. ¡¾Your achievement inclination is ¡°Stubborn.¡±¡¿ ||Completed Achievements: 4 |Caller of the Golden Rain [Legend]-First |Forgive Your Enemies [Hero] ¨C #46 |Excellent Social Worker [Legend]-First |Golden Fund [Legend]-First Out of the 4pleted achievements, there were a total of 3 ¡®Legend¡¯ achievements. However, strictly speaking, the only one that could be sold was ¡®Excellent Social Worker.¡¯ ¡®If I mess with the Golden Rain-rted achievements, I might even lose the Golden Flood achievement.¡¯ On the other hand, the achievement ¡®Excellent Social Worker,¡¯ which involved sending mutants away, did not lead to subsequent achievements even afterpletion. Perhaps it was a standalone achievement? ¡®If that¡¯s really the case, it would be better to sell it when I can. The number ofpleted achievements or whatever doesn¡¯t mean anything if I die tomorrow.¡¯ Due to constantly spreading the golden rain, Yeongwoo had lower statspared to other Strongest Swords. Therefore, it was natural for the Serpent of Greed, which seemed helpful for equipment farming, to catch his eye. ¡®I¡¯ll waste more time if I think about it further. I¡¯ll buy the ck Wind Cloak and the Serpent of Greed.¡¯ Once Yeongwoo made up his mind, Kubu blinked and confirmed his intention to purchase. In response, Yeongwoo approved the purchase without hesitation, and shortly after, two of the five rocks responded with high-pitched sounds. -Quuiiiii¡­! -Paaaahhh! ¡®It seems like the trade has been sessful.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 36 Chapter 36 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 36: Alien (4) In the eerie high-pitched sound, Yeongwooo saw his achievement profile changing. Strange. ¡²Your achievement tendency is ¡°Stubborn.¡±¡³ ||Completed Achievements: 3 |Caller of the Golden Rain [Legend] ¨C First |Forgive Your Enemies [Hero] ¨C #46 |Golden Fund [Legend] ¨C First The number ofpleted achievements, as acknowledged, decreased by one, and the legendary achievement ¡®Excellent Social Worker¡¯ disappeared. The karma he possessed also decreased to 4,000. ¡®Became a beggar in an instant.¡¯ But before Yeongwooo could silently conclude this to himself. Paah! His left shoulder and left wrist shed, and promised items were sequentially worn. ¡¸ck Wind Cloak¡¹ ¨C Hero¡¯s Cloak ¡¾Nullifies ck magic.¡¿ ¡¸Serpent of Greed¡¹ ¨C Epic Compass ¡¾Always seeks rarity.¡¿ ¡®Wow.¡¯ Even if the ck Wind Cloak was unexpectedly a thick cloth cloak, Serpent of Greed was enough to surprise Yeongwooo. -Shit! Because it was a real snake. You could see vitality in each greenish-blue scale. While the creature twisted and turned, wrapping around Yeongwooo¡¯s left wrist, it did not flinch, keeping its head pointed north. [Always looks for precious things.] Whatever it was, it meant that something precious was in that direction. ¡®Now, what I need to do.¡¯ Continue moving to different areas, using Serpent of Greed to farm equipment while clearing Golden Rain-rted achievements¡­ ¡®If it¡¯s north, it¡¯s the same direction I was heading anyway. Anyway, sooner orter, I¡¯ll reach Seoul.¡¯ Yeongwooo¡¯s current location is Sangju, Gyeongsangbuk-do. If he continues north from here, he would reach regions like Mungyeong and Chungju. After that, turning west, he could visit Anseong, Pyeongtaek, and Suwon one by one, or if he chooses to keep heading north, he would go through Yeoju, Icheon, and Gyeonggi-do Gwangju. ¡®Then, via Seongnam to enter Seoul.¡¯ Seoul, thergest city in South Korea. What might be happening there now? ¡°¡­¡± As Yeongwooo stared in the direction of Seoul, Kubu, who had been tearing through the air for a long time, spoke. -The transaction isplete. If it was a satisfactory transaction, please designate me as the main intermediary. ¡®Main intermediary?¡¯ -If you designate me as the main intermediary, there is no need to reauthorize data ess, and the existing 20%mission will be reduced to 10%. ¡®Themission is halved. But in return, Kubu will be the intermediary for the next transaction.¡¯ It seemed not much different from having a main bank for transactions. ¡®But the fact that you can designate a main intermediary means there are other intermediaries, right? In the first ce, other intermediaries¡¯missions could be much cheaper.¡¯ It was a question disguised as a mutter. In response, Kubu remained silent for a while, then blinked his eyes twice. ¨C The content of avable products varies depending on the intermediary¡¯s status. Perhaps he wanted to convey that his status was higher than other intermediaries. But it wasn¡¯t the answer Yeongwooo was looking for. ¡°If you reduce the second-timemission further, I will designate you as the main intermediary. You may not know the significance of Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword, but as a trader, my status is by no means low.¡± Thetter half of his statement was partly true. Wasn¡¯t Gyeongbuk the official strongest in arge-scale area? And that was just on the second day of the reset. It would be hard for anyone to deny that he was a rtively promising trader. Perhaps because of this, Kubu stopped talking again and blinked his eyes. Although it was challenging to perceive any signs from Kubu, who only showed hisrge eyes, at least for now, he seemed somewhat perplexed. ¨C Additional reduction of themission is impossible. Instead, I will provide you with different benefits as the main intermediary. In the end, Kubu presented his ownpromise. ¡®It¡¯s difficult for an additional reduction¡­ or is it impossible? There must be something.¡¯ Yeongwooo inwardly agreed. Whether Kubu¡¯s status was genuinely high or there was aw of intermediaries, it wasn¡¯t for ordinary reasons, his intuition told him. ¡®If it¡¯s a different kind of benefit¡­?¡¯ In response to Yeongwooo¡¯s inquiry, Kubu blinked his eyes again. ¨C I will show you all the top lists of those who bid at the current time, allowing you to directly choose the trading partner. In other words, it meant allowing him to preview and choose a trading partner among those who bid. ¡®Then, was the meeting just one of the randomly selected bidders earlier?¡¯ As he learned that there might be several types of merchants other than the rock he saw a while ago, a strange feeling ran down his spine. ¡®All right. I¡¯ll designate you as the main intermediary.¡¯ As Yeongwooo nodded, his vision shed, and the system message appeared. ¡®I have designated Kubu as the main intermediary.¡¯ Then, Kubu personally raised his greetings. ¨C Thank you! All transaction procedures have beenpleted. Please step back. ¡°¡­?¡± As Yeongwooo raised his eyebrows and took a few steps back, two of the five rocks disappeared, and the remaining three began to howl. ¨C Kwaaaah¡­! It was the same cry he heard when he first discovered the top. Only the rocks that couldn¡¯t sell their products remained here. In other words, theter would only encounter the products left by the person in front. Sssat! Perhaps having finished his duties, Kubu closed his eyes deeply and disappeared without a trace. ¡®So, being an intermediary is a part-time job.¡¯ The first negotiation with an alien. As a mere human, it was undoubtedly a very rare experience. * * * 1:29 PM. Havingpleted the transaction, Yeongwooo immediately started running north. It was to visit the next city, ¡®Mungyeong.¡¯ ¡®If I¡¯m lucky, I might encounter another mutant in Mungyeong¡­¡¯ As Yeongwooo was thinking this while swiftly crossing somewhere in Sangju, his expression suddenly hardened. It was because the thought of Gimcheon City, which had turned into a living hell due to the mutant being left unattended all day, came to mind btedly. For the majority of people, it was a stroke of luck when a mutant was captured in time. Moreover, it seemed that Sangju City, where Yeongwooo currently was, had also started to be a living hell. ¡°Uh, ahh!¡± ¡°Save us!¡± At the moment Yeongwooo was about to leave the city center, screams flooded in from somewhere. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ As Yeongwooo turned his head, frightened people poured out between the buildings on the other side. And soon after, following them. Kuduuduudu¡­! A lone Duhan, mounted on amon horse, chased after them. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡®¡­That¡¯s.¡¯ The Duhan was much smaller than Kim Hyunho, the Mayor. whom Yeongwooo had encountered earlier. It was one of the monsters that appeared in today¡¯s Sangju City along with the mutants. Because Yeongwooo had defeated Sangju¡¯s Strongest Sword Dokgo Sehwan and his subordinates, the monsters hadn¡¯t been dealt with properly. ¡®I can¡¯t see the monster mark¡­ Is it one that broke away from the group?¡¯ Yeongwooo dashed out like an arrow towards the opposite side of the fleeing people, shing the Duhan with a single stroke. Kwaaaah! As a result, the people who had been running away, stopping one by one, cautiously approached Yeongwooo with uneasy eyes. ¡°Th-thank you¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re our lifesaver.¡± Despite these expressions of gratitude, they continued to scan their surroundings with anxious eyes. It was because they were conscious of the Duhan, not knowing when it might reappear. In the midst of this, one person, who had been staring at Yeongwooo¡¯s face, widened his eyes. ¡°Uh¡­!¡± Next, he urgently searched his pocket and pulled out a golden coin. ¡°Uh, it¡¯s really him!¡± Thememorative coins that Yeongwooo had distributed in the city, engraved with his face. ¡°What¡¯s right?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Um, are you by any chance¡­?¡± People began to gather, taking out golden coins from their pockets. ¡°Is this Mr. Jeong Yeongwooo?¡± ¡°It seems like it.¡± ¡°This person is the newly appointed¡­¡± Thest line omitted the word ¡®Strongest Sword,¡¯ as they were all well aware of how Strongest Sword was inherited. However, everyone knew that the newly appointed Strongest Sword had sprinkled karma in this city and had just saved them. Because of this, people thought of Yeongwooo as a good person who would use his power for their benefit. So, without much wariness, they gathered around Yeongwooo. However, Yeongwooo, on the other hand¡­ Jjalk! While picking up thememorative coins left by the Duhan that died a while ago, he asked this. ¡°Why do you still havememorative coins? You could have used them to boost your stats and fought against monsters.¡± In response, people hesitated, fidgeting with the golden coins. ¡°W-well, it¡¯s too dangerous, you know?¡± ¡°What if we got into a fight and died for nothing?¡± Most of them nodded in agreement, sharing simr thoughts. However, Yeongwooo found it difficult to understand their attitude. ¡°Isn¡¯t it better to survive even if only half of you live than all of you dying? Now, there¡¯s no one else here to catch monsters for you.¡± Yeongwooo¡¯s words caused a stir among the crowd. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°W-We have Mr. Yeongwooo.¡± In response to these confused remarks, Yeongwooo furrowed his brow. He knew that if he made up his mind, he could easily ughter everyone here and collect thememorative coins. However, he refrained from doing so due to a hint of conscience and a bit of optimism as a human. At least some of them could use thememorative coins as a stepping stone for survival. But the people in this ce had already lost their fighting spirit, only thinking about relying on the strong. If that was the case, was there any meaning in letting them live? They were likely to die soon anyway. It might be better to kill them now and at least gain some money¡­ ¡°¡­!¡± Yeongwooo unintentionally tightened his grip on the ck Sword in his hand and closed his eyes tightly. Then. Click! With lightning speed, he stabbed the ck sword into his belt. The movement was so fast that everyone around him twitched, and some sensitive ones felt as if they momentarily sensed danger and took a step back. ¡°Do you n to live your whole life relying on the mercy of others? This is no longer a world where you can do that. Now that there¡¯s now or ethics, the strong can do anything, and the weak can be subjected to anything. The current situation is no exception.¡± Yeongwoo, having the power to kill everyone in the audience without facing any consequences, had the strength to avoid revenge. But even Yeongwoo, in the past, was once at the bottom of the food chain. He seemed so weak that he could be preempted and attacked, even after obtaining the Early Bird. ¡°¡­¡± After finishing his words, Yeongwoo moved through the crowd to head north, the original destination. Everyone instinctively stepped back, clearing the way for him. They looked at Yeongwoo with eyes filled with lingering regret. Surviving in a city without the Strongest Sword was never easy. But the citizens of Sangju were not in the worst situation yet. Chuuk. Gradually, as Yeongwoo firmly stepped on the ground to leap forward¡­ Ping! With the system¡¯s unique rm, the second basic welfare was applied. ¡¸As of the current time, daily quests are applied in Sangju City.¡¹ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 37 Chapter 37 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 37: Unfamiliar World (1) Daily Quest. Literally, a mission assigned every day. In conventional games, it is generally used as a device to encourage continuous user logins, so the mission difficulty is not high. At most, it¡¯s about killing a few ¡®basic mobs¡¯ or pulling weeds in the vige garden. But here, isn¡¯t it a reality where the ¡®user¡¯ is constantly logged in? Then, what meaning does a daily quest have in the real world? ¡®Well, it¡¯s one of the basic welfare systems, so it must be a positive institution.¡¯ However, contrary to Yeongwoo¡¯s thoughts, the people behind him were all staring into the void with expressions of fear. Regardless of welfare or whatever, they were all afraid of any changes happening in this world. Nothing that happened so far had been friendly to humans, and even the system that guaranteed the right to survival, like the nighttime lodging, turned out to be a living hell when you actually went to the scene. So. ¡°Daily quest¡­?¡± ¡°What is it this time again?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t need this¡­ Please leave us alone!¡± No one in the audience was optimistic about the future due to the daily quest. In reality, it was never an easy quest, to say the least. [Daily] ¡°Scout¡± [Mission] Approach within 10 meters of the monster. [Reward] 3,000 Karma [Daily] ¡°Economic Activity¡± [Mission] Paypensation to others and receive Karma. [Reward] 1,000 Karma [Special] Rtives cannot be designated as trading partners. ¡°Approach a monster?¡± ¡°This is some kind of suicide mission.¡± ¡°This is not a joke.¡± Sure enough, those who saw the ¡®Scout¡¯ quest had a bewildered reaction. It was understandable, as everyone in this ce eithercked the courage to fight monsters or remained as ¡®civilians.¡¯ ¡°But the second quest seems doable, right?¡± ¡°Well¡­ The reward is a bit generous, though.¡± When some mentioned the ¡®Economic Activity¡¯ quest, the attention of the people shifted there. ¡°If you receive Karma from someone else, does it count aspletion?¡± ¡°Do we just need to exchange currency with each other?¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Should we give it a try?¡± After a somewhat heated discussion, a group randomly selected a trading partner and started exchanging the same amount of currency. The currency used in this exchange was amemorative coin with Yeongwoo¡¯s face engraved on it. Until Yeongwoo distributed the coins, everyone here was basically penniless. ¡°¡­¡± Yeongwoo, curious about the results of the experiment, stayed in ce and watched without leaving. ¡°Let¡¯s exchange simultaneously.¡± ¡°Should we count the numbers?¡± Two people attempting thememorative coin exchange in front of everyone. Even though it was an agreed-upon exchange, one of them was unusually tense. This was because his physique was much smaller than the opponent¡¯s. If, by any chance, the opponent only received his coin and didn¡¯t give his own in return, it would be difficult to snatch it back on the road. Of course, with many onlookers and even the Strongest Sword here, such a thing would never happen¡­ Still, from the perspective of the weaker party, he couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious. ¡°All right, let¡¯s count the numbers.¡± The smaller one extended his left hand and counted loudly. ¡°Three! Two! One¡­!¡± As soon as the counting ended, twomemorative coins were exchanged, with one in each hand. ¡°Oops.¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Looking at the expressions of the two experimenters, it seemed like nothing had happened. Following this, the remaining people who were nning to conduct mutual exchanges as part of the experiment stepped back by a step. ¡°It seems simple exchange won¡¯t work¡­ It has to be a real transaction.¡± ¡°It¡¯s mentioned in the quest too, to paypensation.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Themotion inside the venue resumed. Then, therger of the two who had just attempted the exchange made a new proposal. ¡°I have one thousand coins. I¡¯ll give you this, so could you massage my arm for a moment? After the trade is over, you must return the coin.¡± Upon hearing this, the smaller person designated as the trader nodded reluctantly, with an expression of difort. Although this was also part of the experiment, it didn¡¯t feel good to have to massage the other person¡¯s arm. Moreover, the received money had to be returned as it is. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s give it a try.¡± But what can you do? It was the other party who had 1,000 coins. ¡°Yes, then.¡± Eventually, therger person extended his robust arm toward the other party. Soon, an insincere massagesting about ten seconds was carried out. ¡°Should we stop here?¡± Detecting that the opponent¡¯splexion was gradually stiffening, the smaller person withdrew his arm, and the crimson coin was extended. Then, in an instant, all the attention of the audience focused on the person receiving the coin. ¡°Ah!¡± A noticeably different expression from the previous experimenter. Subsequently, with a clinking sound, a crimson coin fell from the empty air. Indeed, the quest waspleted. ¡°Oh?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°As expected, you have to do something for it.¡± ¡°Well, if you agree in advance with each other¡­¡± Although the atmosphere inside the venue rapidly became tense, Yeongwoo realized through the subtle tension between the recent traders that, while it was fine as part of an experiment in front of everyone, achieving such harmony with a perfect stranger might not be easy. * * * The ripple effect of daily quests on people¡¯s lives seemed more significant than expected. The impact that daily quests had on people¡¯s lives seemed to be greater than expected. As I came out onto the road in the northern outskirts of Sangju City, I saw people who would normally be busy looking for jobs looking at each other and engaging in transactions. Of course, not everyone was finding business partners and enjoying ¡®basic welfare¡¯. ¡°Is there anyone who can help meplete my daily quest¡­?¡± ¡°Can anyone help meplete my daily quest¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you 500 coins. Looking for a daily quest helper.¡± Daily quests were one-time deals, so those who had already found a trading partner toplete their quest didn¡¯t need to risk dealing with another person. Naturally, there were inevitable losers in this situation. ¡°If you help with the quest, I¡¯ll even add some money.¡± Thunk! Yeongwoo quickly navigated through the chaotic scene. People in every corner of Sangju City were looking for trading partners for their daily quests, and asionally, there were scenes of disputes during the exchanges. ¡®At least now we can manage the daily taxes, so the survival rate should go up a bit.¡¯ But it still fell short of the minimum cost of living. The nightly ordeal wasn¡¯t just about taxes; it also included the nightly lodging to avoid the abnormal climate. Renting a small motel room, simr to the one Yeongwoo experienced before, cost a whopping 3,000 Karma. Although shared amodations were avable, who would offer a room rented with their hard-earned money for free? ¡®Generally speaking, there is no other way. They have no choice but to take on the scout quest.¡¯ [Daily] ¡°Scout¡± [Mission] Approach within 10 meters of the monster. [Reward] 3,000 Karma As Yeongwoo rode out of Sangju City, he looked at the quest prompt on the left with a tired expression. It seemed like all of this was predicted and created as a quest. Why? Why torment people like this? Thud! Finally, arge highway appeared on the right, and a sign bid farewell to Sangju City. ¡®Is this the end of Sangju?¡¯ After Sangju, it would be Mungyeong. Since the sun was still high, Yeongwoo and the trees along the roadside cast short shadows. Unlike the bustling urban area, Yeongwoo was the only one riding on the highway, allowing him to feel a momentary peace. But even that was short-lived. ¡¸The Strongest Sword of Gyeongbuk (Advanced) has appeared!¡¹ ¡¸All Strongest Swords of Gyeongbuk (Advanced) will receive real-time information about your location.¡¹ ¡°What¡­?¡± Zoom! Unconsciously, Yeongwoo made a sudden stop, nced around, and then resumed running along the road. ¡®If it¡¯s the Strongest Sword of Gyeongbuk (Advanced), someone has collected three Strongest Sword titles like me.¡¯ Yeongwoo was about to add, ¡°How already?¡± but stopped himself. It was also true that he, with an unremarkable background, was also the Strongest Sword of Gyeongbuk (Advanced). ¡®In any case, someone like me is already traveling between cities, cutting down the Strongest Swords. Now, someone is receiving real-time information about my location.¡¯ On the other hand, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t know the opponent¡¯s face or name. Therefore, even if there were assassins waiting in Mungyeong, he had no way of knowing. ;Endless, truly.¡¯ If he said that he wasn¡¯t afraid of the challenger who might appear at any moment, it would be a lie, but it was a situation he had anticipated. ¡®Now, anyone I meet could be an enemy. I have to be careful.¡¯ As Yeongwoo pondered this, a noise emerged from the road ahead. ¡°¡­?¡± A low hum, a mechanical sound, to be precise. This is a sound that is difficult to hear on the road on the second day of reset. ¡®Who¡¯s driving again?¡¯ The only rolling vehicle he had seen before was driven by the wife of Sangju¡¯s Strongest Sword. ¡®Is it her again?¡¯ Not long after the engine noise was detected, a gray SUV appeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s sight. And it also meant that Yeongwoo, running on two legs, was gradually catching up with that vehicle. Yeongwoo must have been very surprised to see two people driving cars in this crazy world, but in fact, the owner of the car in front of him was probably more surprised than him. Screech! As expected, the SUV¡¯s chassis shook violently for a moment, and soon the engine noise changed. It was elerating to put some distance between itself and the lunatic running on the road in broad daylight. ¡®Driving too fast¡­ Is there enough fuel?¡¯ Watching the receding vehicle again, Yeongwoo increased the force on the soles of his feet and thighs. Thunk! Then, Yeongwoo¡¯s bare foot mercilessly crushed the asphalt road surface, and for a moment, the widening gap on both sides seemed to be closing again. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 38 Chapter 38 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 38: Unfamiliar World (2) Worse than a nightmare. Being chased by a man as fast as a car. And this wasn¡¯t even a dream. So, Myeongho kept alternating between the front windshield and the rearview mirror. ¡®No way. A person faster than a car?¡¯ Current speed, 83 kilometers per hour. For Myeongho, this situation already exceeded the maximum speed he had ever experienced in his life. Since hepleted his driving test six years ago, this was the first time he had taken hold of the steering wheel. ¡°¡­Hyung!¡± From the passenger seat, his younger brother Yoonho shouted with his eyes half-turned. It meant, ¡°Can¡¯t you go faster?¡± Vroom, vroom, screech! In the meantime, the unidentified monster visible through the rearview mirror was getting closer. ¡°Damn it.¡± In the end, Myeongho crossed his psychological limit. He unconsciously applied more pressure to the elerator pedal while adjusting the throttle on the fly. Vroooom! The unleashed engine roared, forcefully propelling the car forward. The needle on the speedometer in the driver¡¯s seat skipped several marks in an instant, and soon the vehicle reached a speed of 100 kilometers per hour. ¡°Myeongho!¡± A shout, as ifing from the back seat. It was Myeongho and Yoonho¡¯s mother, Myeongae. And right on cue, something ominous flew threateningly from the rear of the vehicle. Swiiish! At the rming sound, Myeongho turned his gaze to the driver¡¯s side window, witnessing a ck and giant de shattering the side mirror as it passed by. ¡°This is insane¡­!¡± Realizing that the length of the problematic de was an astounding several meters and that it had just stuck into the road on the other side, Myeongho mmed on the brakes with all his might. Screeeech! The friction produced an ear-piercing noise as the vehicle slid for a long distance,ing to a stop just before making contact with the embedded de on the ground. ¡°Huh, huh.¡± Myeongho, gripping the steering wheel tightly, still couldn¡¯t believe the size of the towering ck sword. Not long after, a man with a bizarre appearance appeared, pulling out the sword. ¡°W-what is that¡­? Is that some kind of mutant?¡± Yoonho, on the passenger side, instinctively muttered while drawing the axe from his waist. It wasn¡¯t surprising, considering that no one in this ce, including Yoonho, had ever seen a human with such an appearance. Upper body tied with ropes, unidentified handles covered with a ck cloak, golden gloves and bracelets that sparkled unnaturally in the sunlight, a blue-green snake wrapped around the left arm, and for some reason, the menacing bare feet¡­ Because of the unfamiliar and chaotic appearance, the three people in the SUV couldn¡¯t realize until the end that a noose was hanging around the neck of their opponent. On the other hand, Yeongwoo, who clearly looked like a ¡®monster.¡¯ ¡®What is this? Surprisingly more peaceful than I thought.¡¯ Feeling puzzled by the fact that the upants of the SUV were just sitting quietly in their seats and staring at them. As far as Yeongwoo knew, there were only two types of people who could drive a car in this situation. Indulging in luxury, a remarkable and influential person, or someone under the protection of that influential person. Therefore, even though the car came to a stop, the fact that there was no preemptive attack from the other side was unusual for him. Shi-ling. Yeongwoo cautiously approached the driver¡¯s side after adjusting the length of the ck sword as it originally was. Then. Thunk. The driver¡¯s seat door opened, and Myeongho walked out with both hands raised. ¡°Wait, just a moment! Surrender, surrender!¡± Although Myeongho was unarmed, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t feel at ease. There were still two silhouettes inside the car. ¡°¡­Over there.¡± Pointing inside the vehicle, Yeongwoo, Myeongho flinched and spoke in a very polite tone. ¡°Ah¡­ it¡¯s my mother and my younger brother. I¡¯ll ask them toe out slowly.¡± Myeongho gestured inside the wide-open driver¡¯s seat, and the front passenger seat and rear seat doors opened in turn, revealing two more people. Seeing this, Yeongwoo had no choice but to acknowledge that they were indeed a real family. ¡°¡­.¡± The three people¡¯s faces were strangely alike. The two stiff-looking men seemed to be around Yeongwoo¡¯s age, and the woman who came out of the back seat appeared to be in her forties. A warm and kind-hearted woman, Myeongho¡¯s mother. ¡°W-what¡¯s going on?¡± When the woman finally asked, Yeongwoo realized that he had no particr reason for stopping the car. He had thought that the person in the car would be the first to attack. But the actual opponent they faced¡­ ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo alternated his gaze between the middle-aged woman and her two sons, muttering a line that he never imagined woulde out of his mouth. ¡°I apologize if I surprised you. I¡¯m just¡­¡± He tried to continue his words, but it wasn¡¯t easy. There was no special reason for stopping the car in the first ce. On top of that, the opponent looked decent, making the situation even more awkward. ¡°¡­.¡± Seeing Yeongwoo struggling to speak, the woman who had been observing him cautiously asked. ¡°Are your legs okay?¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± Yeongwoo received the question and realized that both of his legs were trembling. Chasing the vehicle for a considerable time had exhausted the strength in his lower body. It was also an indication that his capabilities were not sufficient to overtake a speeding car. ¡®I wasted energy on something unnecessary. There¡¯s still a long way to the next city.¡¯ With a perplexed expression, Yeongwoo nced at the road extending northward. Then, the woman spoke again. ¡°It seems there was a misunderstanding. My kids wouldn¡¯t do anything bad.¡± With these words, the woman¡¯s eyes shone rather sharply. It seemed like she hoped Yeongwoo wouldn¡¯t cause trouble for them. ¡°¡­Ah. Yes, I must have misunderstood.¡± Click. As Yeongwoo put the ck sword back into its sheath with a troubled expression, the woman finally let out a long breath of relief. In truth, she had been in a very tense state as well. After all, considering the current situation and the fact that the opponent was undoubtedly a skilled individual who could easily take down her two sons, it was only natural to be cautious. ¡°Ah¡­ Thank goodness. It was a misunderstanding.¡± Suddenly, the eldest, Myeongho, approached the driver¡¯s side door with a very cautious gesture. This was an act requesting approval from the monster in front of him. It meant that they could now leave this ce. ¡°Oh.¡± In response, Yeongwoo, realizing he was still standing in the middle of the road, took hesitant steps sideways. Then, Yoonho, who had seemed ready to draw his axe at any moment, opened the back seat door boldly. ¡°Mom, please get in quickly. The road is long.¡± It meant, ¡°Let¡¯s escape before that crazy guy changes his mind.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] However, the middle-aged woman, instead of getting into the sedan right away, just stared intently at Yeongwoo. After a while, she made a statement that left everyone gaping. ¡°Um¡­ If your destination is the same, would you like a ride?¡± ¡°Mom¡­!¡± Yoonho expressed his disagreement with fiery eyes, and Myeongho gently shook his head, trying to dissuade his mother. Yeongwoo, too, couldn¡¯t ept the proposal from the woman. No matter how ufortable Yeongwoo¡¯s legs seemed, it didn¡¯t change the fact that this side was a dangerous individual and an outsider to their territory. ¡®If it were me, I would have quietly driven away.¡¯ While Yeongwoo wore a puzzled expression, the woman, looking at her two sons, spoke to Yeongwoo again. ¡°Is there harm in helping each other? You mentioned that what happened earlier was a misunderstanding. And who knows what we might encounter next¡­¡± It was a hint that having this monster join them would be a significant help in terms of firepower. Then Yoonho got angry and tried to say something, but then he shut his mouth. Although he had nned to say that he and his brother alone were sufficient, it seemed that it wasn¡¯t enough, proven by this monster. Even someone known for being a troublemaker who frequently got in fights knew how to distinguish a formidable opponent. And the monster in front of them was such an opponent. Seeing Yoonho¡¯s defeated expression, the woman turned to Yeongwoo again. ¡°Is it okay if we go together? We¡¯re heading to Chungju. We can drop you off if you want.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It was overly kind, but, in any case, it was a proposal that wouldn¡¯t harm Yeongwoo. ¡®It might be okay to travelfortably for a day.¡¯ If he followed this road straight up, he would reach Mungyeong, and if he continued through the city, he would reach Chungju. Since Yeongwoo had nned to visit both Mungyeong and Chungju, there was no issue with the route. So, in the end, he nodded his head. ¡°Okay. I also have some business in Mungyeong and Chungju¡­ Let¡¯s go together for now.¡± With the mention of having business in Chungju, the two brothers flinched, but they didn¡¯t oppose further. As the opponent also expressed the intention to ride together, there was no choice but to ept, knowing that opposing it would be futile. ¡®If there¡¯s business in Mungyeong too¡­ I¡¯ll figure out a solution when the timees.¡¯ Myeongho, thinking about alternatives while opening the driver¡¯s seat door. Yoonho, still ring at the unwee guest with a discontented face. And Myeongae, suggesting Yeongwoo to take the back seat with a bright smile. That¡¯s how the ufortable ride-sharing began. * * * Vroom¡­! As the SUV once again began to run with the engine sound, Myeongae initiated introductions. ¡°I¡¯m Jeong Myeongae. Those are my kids. Jeong Myeongho and Jeong Yoonho.¡± Perhaps thinking that her sons wouldn¡¯t act too friendly with the stranger, Myeongae introduced them instead. Then, as if it were the fourth turn, she looked at Yeongwoo directly. ¡°Ah¡­ Yes. I¡¯m Jeong Yeongwoo.¡± Jeong Yeongwoo. As soon as she heard his name, Myeongae exaggeratedly widened her eyes. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s the same Jeong family! Fate must be fate.¡± There were some looks of disapproval from Yoonho in the passenger seat, but Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t see it. This was because Myeongae immediately threw a question at him. ¡°Can you tell me which Jeong family you¡¯re from? Maybe we¡¯re even from the same main family.¡± Seemingly trying to find any connection to intertwine in a friendly manner. But her n didn¡¯t unfold as smoothly as she thought. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure. The name was given to me at the orphanage, so it might not be a real Jeong family name.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I see.¡± Myeongae, who had been speaking without hesitation, couldn¡¯t continue with anything more this time. So, this time, Yeongwoo brought up a new topic. ¡°But why are you going to Chungju?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡­ Well¡­¡± For some reason, Myeongae hesitated to speak. The front-seat passengers, Myeongho and Yoonho, also coughed awkwardly, showing difort. ¡°Uh, my kids¡¯ father is there.¡± ¡°Your husband? It seems like he¡¯s out for work.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s something like that. Hispany is located in that area.¡± With Myeongae¡¯sst words, Yeongwoo realized that her husband wasn¡¯t simply away for work. ¡®There must be something going on, or maybe they¡¯re already divorced.¡¯ If that were the case, it would exin why she suddenly became reserved. Words like divorce and orphanage had a quite close connection, after all. ¡°By the way.¡± Myeongae, trying to dispel the strange atmosphere, made an effort to change the topic. ¡°You also mentioned having business in Mungyeong and Chungju, right? Do you know someone there or something like that?¡± ¡°Well, about that.¡± As Yeongwoo was about to dodge the question, a new message appeared in everyone¡¯s sight. Pat! |The current area you are in is ¡®Mungyeong.¡¯ |The highest-ranked ¡®Jang Chunyong16¡¯ in this area. 1st ce, Defense 96 times. ¡°Oh, we¡¯re already in Mungyeong.¡± Myeongho muttered while scanning through the windshield, gripping the steering wheel. And Yeongwoo told Myeongae with the name Jang Chunyong in mind. ¡°Yes. I have someone to meet here.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 39 Chapter 39 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 39: Unfamiliar World (3) Jang Chun-yong 16, Rank 1, 96 Defenses. Yeongwoo felt the heat inside the car rising frighteningly as the identity of Strongest Sword was revealed, thanks to Yoonho in the passenger seat who opened his mouth with a rather aggressive tone. ¡°Rank 1? Doesn¡¯t that mean it¡¯s incredibly powerful?¡± Upon hearing this, Myeongho, gripping the steering wheel, responded while keeping an eye on the road. ¡°Absolutely. It¡¯s better not to enter the city if possible.¡± It was not just expressing concern but an attitude that seemed to be formting a n. Even Yoonho, in a difficult situation, exuded a spirit that seemed willing to face a duel with the Strongest Sword if necessary. So, Yeongwoo reconsidered the strength of the two brothers. ¡®Maybe they¡¯re stronger than they look.¡¯ At first nce, the armament of Myeongho and Yoonho seemed quite poor. Myeongho¡¯s weapon was undoubtedly a sword pulled from the mountains, and Yoonho had only a single-handed axe. Myeongae, who was riding in the back seat, didn¡¯t even have a weapon. The unmistakable symbol of a strong individual, the Early Bird, was nowhere to be found. ¡®But they might have awakenedter. Realizing that if they don¡¯t be stronger, their mother¡¯s life is in danger.¡¯ Perhaps their mother was a powerful motivation for growth. Yeongwoo imagined the scene of the two brothers charging into the turmoil of the exchange at the currency exchange office with their mother behind them. Then he asked Myeongho. ¡°Have you ever met him before? The Strongest Sword.¡± ¡°Yes? Strongest Sword?¡± Myeongho made a puzzled expression at the unexpected question and then shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Well, not yet. I don¡¯t want to meet him. Besides, there¡¯s probably only one Strongest Sword in the area¡­ would it be that easy to meet him?¡± With augh, Myeongho finished his sentence with a light tone. Then, Yoonho, who had been quietly listening to their conversation, suddenly asked Yeongwoo a question. ¡°Then have you met him? The Strongest Sword.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± In response, Yeongwoo looked into the other person¡¯s burning eyes and then moved his gaze out the window. ¡°No. If I had, I wouldn¡¯t be alive like this. If it¡¯s the Strongest Sword, he¡¯s probably the strongest person in that city.¡± ¡°Oh, boring.¡± Yoonho, spewing out a snort, turned his head back to the front, unlike Myeongho, who continued to steal nces at Yeongwoo through the rearview mirror. Come to think of it, it wouldn¡¯t be strange at all that the ufortable guest in the back seat was a Strongest Sword from another region. At first, with a grotesque appearance resembling a mutant and a level of martial arts that was absurdly high, and above all¡­ ¡®He had several Early Birds.¡¯ This was fairly solid evidence. Unless he had taken them by killing other strong individuals, there was no way he could carry several precious Early Birds around. ¡®So, could it be that I¡¯m carrying a Strongest Sword from somewhere right now?¡¯ Right next to his mother. ¡°Sigh.¡± As Myeongho jerked his body for a moment, the steering wheel he was holding shook, and the car swayed. Thunk! ¡°Ah, what¡¯s wrong? Why is it like this?¡± While Yoonho, who almost bumped his head against the window, grumbled, Yeongwoo, who had been looking at the sky beyond the window, spoke again. ¡°Hey, right now, Strongest Sword might not be the problem.¡± ¡°What? What do you mean¡­?¡± ¡°Yes? What¡¯s that¡­?¡± Checking Yeongwoo¡¯s reflection in the rearview mirror, Myeongho realized that the other was looking up at the sky and shifted his gaze to the area above the driver¡¯s side window. Then he saw it. ¡°Ugh!¡± A beam of light was pouring down into the sky far away, towards Mungyeong City. * * * Current time: 2:11 PM. Yeongwoo, checking the time on his wristwatch, raised an eyebrow. ¡®I thought 1 PM was the time for monster appearances, but is there a difference in each region? Or¡­¡¯ It could be that the monsters that appeared about an hour ago haven¡¯t been dealt with yet. ¡®But considering the number of light pirs, it¡¯s too many. Is Strongest Sword a bit weak here? No, then he should have died sooner.¡¯ It was a phenomenon that was difficult for Yeongwoo¡¯smon sense toprehend. In an area where only one Strongest Sword was holding on so steadfastly, why weren¡¯t the monsters being dealt with? Moreover. ¡°Oh my goodness.¡± As the distance between the vehicle and the city decreased, another red light pir appeared on the other side. The mutant is also alive. ¡®Where the hell is the Strongest Sword? What is he even doing?¡¯ Yeongwoo clenched his teeth, suspecting where the Strongest Sword of Mungyeong City might be hiding. It was a different situation from the time of Gimcheon, where there was no proper Strongest Sword, and the session of positions kept happening. This time, there was a Strongest Sword capable of fighting against mutants, but the person wasn¡¯t fulfilling their role. ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was truly strange. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo and the Jeong family in the SUV, who had covered their bodies, were heading towards the entrance of Mungyeong City. Vroom¡­! In the escting engine sound, Myeongho, gripping the steering wheel, nced at the rear through the rearview mirror and spoke. ¡°When we encounter monsters, we need to get out and fight. It would be troublesome if the car breaks down.¡± It was a statement clearly made with Yeongwoo in mind. Yeongwoo could run at a speed simr to a vehicle with just his two legs, but it wasn¡¯t the case for the Jeong family, especially since they were carrying their mother, a nonbatant. And Yeongwoo, well aware of this, nodded. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s not a problem. However¡­¡± After lifting his head slightly, Yeongwoo added. ¡°What about you two? Have you fought many monsters?¡± It was a question born out of concern for Myeongae, who was relying on her two sons for survival, but Yoonho in the passenger seat took it as a provocation and got irritated. ¡°Why? Are you worried that we can¡¯t handle even one monster on our own? Don¡¯t worry about it. We¡¯ve been managing just fine without your concern.¡± ¡°¡­Yes. Then that¡¯s good.¡± Yeongwoo stopped speaking and closed his mouth. After all, he would soon see firsthand the level of the two brothers¡¯bat capabilities. ¡®The monsters on the second day are different from those on the first day. If they haven¡¯t raised their stats a lot, it might be difficult to handle.¡¯ Even if it was Myeongho and Yoonho, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy, thinking about Myeongae, their mother, might be attacked by the monsters. But it wasn¡¯t a role he could continue to y for this family. Yeongwoo could only hope that the two brothers were strong enough. ¡°Oh, already.¡± Eventually, a dejected voice came from Myeongho in the driver¡¯s seat, and the vehicle suddenly came to a noisy stop. Screech! ¡°¡­What the hell. What¡¯s that now?¡± Yoonho pulled out his weapon with a determined expression, matching the timing. Seeing this, Yeongwoo slightly turned his upper body to assess the situation ahead. Then, they saw the imposing silhouettes of the monsters on the second day in Mungyeong City. upying the road leading to the outskirts of the city were beings with a hefty silhouette. ¡°Orc¡­?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Yeongwoo unconsciously muttered, and hearing that, Myeongae asked with a somewhat tense voice. ¡°Orc? What¡¯s an orc?¡± In response, Yoonho in the passenger seat intercepted, as if fishing for Yeongwoo¡¯s answer. ¡°It¡¯s just like a monster in games¡­ Don¡¯t worry too much about it.¡± Myeongho, shifting gears to neutral, added with a tone simr to his younger brother. ¡°They¡¯re just weak mobs¡­ It should be fine.¡± But is it really okay? Yeongwoo, who had encountered a 2-meter tall goblin as the first monster, couldn¡¯t agree with the opinions of the two brothers. ¡®Even goblins weren¡¯t easy to deal with¡­ Will orcs really feel like weak mobs?¡¯ Of course, leaving aside creatures like dragons and facing goblins, trolls, orcs, it seemed that the monster system in this world was not significantly different from people¡¯s general perceptions. However, the problem was that these monsters were no longer confined to games or novels. Thunk. Meanwhile, Yoonho was opening the passenger door with an axe in hand. On the other hand, Myeongho, gripping the steering wheel, remained in standby. Yeongwoo, with a puzzled tone, asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going out with your brother?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m not much help, and in case there¡¯s a problem, one of us needs to survive to bring our mother with us.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Having heard Myeongho¡¯s exnation, Yeongwoo nodded. In other words, the Jeong family¡¯sbatant was only Yoonho at the moment, and Myeongho¡¯s role was to reverse the car if his younger brother died while fighting and leave the scene. ¡®Focusing the stats on one side does have its advantages.¡¯ Yeongwoo nced at Myeongae next to him and left the backseat door open, stepping outside. He doesn¡¯t like Yoonho very much, but he still should pay a fair share of the ride. Thunk. As Yeongwoo stepped onto the road barefoot, Yoonho, who sensed his movements, turned around. ¡°¡­What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to help. It seems you¡¯re about to fight these guys for the first time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not because you¡¯re greedy for money, right?¡± Yoonho came out aggressively as expected. Of course, Yeongwoo understood Yoonho¡¯s position of needing to gather karma to protect his mother. But Yeongwoo was no ordinary person either. ¡°If I really wanted to be greedy, I would have killed you guys first. If I did that, the car would be mine. Don¡¯t keep provoking me.¡± Staring at the SUV in the back with a cold expression, Yoonho¡¯s face finally showed fear. ¡°W-what are you talking about¡­ That¡¯s inhumane.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you should also maintain some rationality. Don¡¯t you understand the situation?¡± Saying this, Yeongwoo looked past Yoonho¡¯s shoulder. Suddenly, the disorderly gathered orcs had formed ranks and were walking steadily toward them. The distance between them and this side was approximately a hundred meters. ¡®What the hell, these guys.¡¯ A strange sense of frustration washed over Yeongwoo. Even though they had clearly noticed this side, their cautious approach in maintaining formation, different from the previous monsters that rushed haphazardly, was what caused the difort. ¡°These guys are a bit¡­¡± As Yeongwoo was about to warn Yoonho, intending to say more. Thunk! Yoonho rushed fiercely toward the orcs. ¡°They¡¯re moving! We need to¡­!¡± In Yoonho¡¯s mind, he needed to stop the orcs from approaching the vehicle where his mother was. -¡­¡­ On the other hand, the orc group remained unfazed, even though they saw someone charging at them with an axe. Not only were they undisturbed, but rather¡­ nk, clink! They began to pull outrge rectangr shields from their backs, readying their guards. Like well-trained soldiers. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Yoonho, who rushed forward, was momentarily taken aback by their calm movements, and Yeongwoo, who was following at a suitable distance, also sensed something suspicious. ¡®It feels like we¡¯re falling into a trap.¡¯ And sure enough. Vroom! One orc on the far right of the formation blew a horn. Following that, a sinister whistling sound echoed from a distance. Shuuaaang¡­! ¡°What the hell is this noise?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Yoonho and Yeongwoo didn¡¯t need more than a second to directly confirm the source of the whistling. Without hesitation, one orc on the far right blew a horn, and in the next moment, dark points, about a dozen in total, appeared in the sky behind the orcs. Soon after, they rained down towards Yoonho and Yeongwoo. Shuuaaang! It was none other than spears. ¡®That must have been a bombardment request.¡¯ Since they could already see long spearheads, Yeongwoo hastily raised his ck sword to prepare for defense. Swoosh. Yeongwoo¡¯s current sensory perception was 100. Even though more than ten spears were pouring down from above, there was no change in his sensory perception value. Since the opponent hadn¡¯t specifically targeted Yeongwoo, the sensory theft ability didn¡¯t activate. ¡®Crazy.¡¯ The moment Yeongwoo realized this, he quickly raised his shield to cover his head. With a sensory perception value of around 100, he judged that he couldn¡¯t parry the falling spear des in mid-air. Thud, thud, thud, thump! However, the orc side¡¯s bombardment was also poorly aimed, with most of the attacks hitting the ground around Yeongwoo. Only one spear struck the outer surface of his shield. Crash! ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Tremendous impact surged through Yeongwoo¡¯s arm, spreading across his entire body. If he hadn¡¯t raised the shield, he would have been pierced through by the spear. Then, what about Yoonho, who didn¡¯t even have a shield? Thud. As Yeongwoo raised his head, he saw Yoonho standing in an awkward posture about ten meters away. His legs trembling on the ground. And there were spears that barely missed him embedded in the ground around him. In other words, Yoonho was alive purely due to luck. ¡®He¡¯s incredibly lucky. But there will be another attack next. And then I¡¯m in danger too¡­¡¯ The moment Yeongwoo thought about clearing out the orcs in front of him before the next bombardment, the orcs moved first. Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle! Simultaneously, they opened their guards and shouted. -All units, charge! [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 40 Chapter 40 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 40: Unfamiliar World (4) -Whhhaaoow! With a thunderous roar, Yeongwoo could only wear a nk expression as the orcs charged towards them. ¡®Didn¡¯t they just say it was an all-out attack¡­?¡¯ He wondered if he had misheard, but soon the orcmander¡¯s words struck like a hammer. -Vanguard! Raise your shields! -Execute the infantry and secure the tanks and remaining humans! It was astonishing enough that orcs were speaking humannguage, but the meaning behind their words was even more unusual. ¡®Infantry¡­ Are they referring to us?¡¯ Following the recent orders, Yeongwoo saw two orcs at the forefront of the formation raising their shields. ng! The term ¡®tank¡¯ likely referred to the SUV behind them, so the ¡®infantry¡¯ marked for execution seemed to be¡­ ¡®They must be talking about us, the ones who came to protect the tank. The n seems to be to kill the infantry and capture the people inside the tank.¡¯ But why were they trying to capture some and not kill all of the enemy? While puzzled, the immediate crisis demanded attention. -Kraaah! -He¡¯s dead! The orc vanguard had already overwhelmed Yoonho. ¡°Ik¡­!¡± Yoonho, whose spirit had long been broken, stood still as his shield, only to be pushed back by the powerful force. ¡®Geez, he¡¯s already lost his fighting spirit.¡¯ Having experienced simr situations through training, Yeongwoo knew which lines would be effective. He immediately put them into action. ¡°Jeong Yoonho! If you die, your mother will¡­!¡± However, Yeongwoo himself was also a target for immediate execution by the orcs. ¡°Grraaah!¡± Before Yeongwoo could finish his lines, an orc rushed towards him with a menacing shadow. ¡¸Sensory values have temporarily increased from the original 100 to 134.¡¹ ¡¸Sensory values have temporarily increased from 134 to 168.¡¹ Golden shes of sensory enhancement messages appeared consecutively, apanied by the holographic guide of Gyeongbuk Sword Law. ¡ªBreak ¡ªBreak ¡ªKill ¡®This is insane.¡¯ Due to therge number of opponents, finding the optimal sword technique wasplicated, but with the rising sensory values, Yeongwoo¡¯s guide execution ability was close to miraculous. Shirirrit! Swiftly dodging between the creepy iron spikes, he skillfully targeted the orcs¡¯ necks. His movements were clearly that of a sword genius to anyone watching. Perhaps because of that, when Yeongwoo pierced the neck of the fourth orc, someone from behind screamed for help. ¡°Yeongwoo, help!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Turning his head at the spine-chilling plea, he saw Myeongae, who had jumped out of the car, with a horrified expression. ¡°Ah.¡± As Yeongwoo turned away as if avoiding fire upon seeing Myeongae¡¯s tear-stained face, he noticed something on the opposite side. ¡°Heuk, heuk¡­!¡± There, struggling desperately between the legs of the orcs, was Yoonho, his face covered in blood and bruises, unable topete with them. Then, soon after. ¡°Grraah!¡± One of the orcs surrounding Yoonho viciously swung arge axe. Swish! From top to bottom. It was a motion simr to someone chopping up a fish, and indeed, the same thing happened in reality. Thunk! The sound of metal hitting the ground echoed as Yoonho¡¯s head awkwardly fell at an unnatural angle. ¡°¡­Uh.¡± Yeongwoo instinctively knew. That Yoonho¡¯s upper body and head had just been separated. And soon after, Myeongae, who was near the vehicle, also learned of this as an orc kicked Yoonho¡¯s torso. ¡°Ah¡­ No¡­ Yoonhooo!¡± A scream so piercing that it felt unbearable emanated from her petite figure. The high-pitched sound was miraculous considering her small stature. Perhaps because of that. Ssyeaaah¡­! Soon, the familiar sound of artillery from the sky was heard from the other side. ¡®These crazy bastards.¡¯ The orc reinforcements hadunched a secondary bombardment in the direction where screams were heard. There was no time to warn Myeongae. Boom! Desperately, Yeongwoo leaped, grabbing Myeongae who was still screaming, and narrowly avoiding the rain of projectiles. And not long after. Quack, quack, quack! Several javelins rained down from the sky, hitting the spot where Myeongae had been. At that moment, Yeongwoo, who had hidden behind the SUV along with Myeongae, could clearly see the spears piercing through the front and rear seats of the car. ¡°Heuk, heuk¡­.¡± Fortunately in misfortune, Myeongho in the driver¡¯s seat miraculously survived. With both hands raised on the steering wheel, he looked with a pale face at the shattered windows inside the vehicle. Then, the remaining orcs who had been holding their shields over their heads started approaching the vehicle, murmuring to each other. ¨C We almost died too. ¨C Why did they bombard us without warning? ¨C Some human made an incredible noise earlier. It sounded like a distant flute. ¨C Foolish creatures. As the voices of the orcs approached, Yeongwoo cautiously spoke to Myeongae, who seemed absent-minded. ¡°The first son is still inside the car. I¡¯ll bring him out, so please don¡¯t move from here.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Naturally, there was no response from her, and Yeongwoo emerged from behind the vehicle, drawing his ck sword. Swish. Upon noticing him, the orcs, who had witnessed Yeongwoo single-handedly dealing with four orcs earlier, hesitated and stood still. Moreover, conveniently, there were only four orcs left in this ce. ¨C Hey. Eventually, one of the orcs pointed at Yeongwoo with his chin and spoke. ¨C Just go. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¨C Just go. Swoosh. The orc raised his axe, indicating the road behind Yeongwoo. It meant that they wouldn¡¯t fight him, so he could pass through. ¡°What are you saying, you crazy bastards.¡± Yeongwoo, seeing several kill marks already applied in his field of vision, prepared to attack with a sharp expression. Then the orcs made a gesture of embarrassment, and simultaneously, Yeongwoo¡¯s figure shot out like an arrow. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Swoosh! -Uh! -Watch out¡­! Before they could assume a defensive posture, the body of one of the orcs at the forefront crumpled, followed by a squelching sound. Swish! Themon de, now extended to a length of 5 meters, swept through the area. -Uh! -What¡¯s happening¡­? -Pl-please spare us! The startled orcs showed various reactions. Their reactions were so vivid that even Yeongwoo, ustomed to fighting monsters in games, could mistake them for real humans in a battle. ¡®What is this¡­ It looks so realistic.¡¯ Yeongwoo had always thought that creatures like orcs were artificially created entities for the role of monsters in games, somewhat like NPCs. However, the expressions and eyes of the orcs he just saw held something more than just well-crafted consumable entities. Perhaps it was an attachment to life or something resembling a soul, which shouldn¡¯t be present in entities programmed as consumables. Of course, even this might be a sign that the monsters were exceptionally well-crafted consumables. But what if they were not? If these creatures were truly existing beings, then what were they, and where did theye from? ¡°¡­¡± Shyaat! In the end, Yeongwoo swiftly took down three orcs, and just before piercing the neck of thest one, he halted the sword. Thud. The orc, anticipating death and having closed its eyes, slowly raised its eyelids. -¡­? Again, a very realistic reaction. Instead of attempting to counterattack, the orc, with the de stopped in front of its throat, looked at Yeongwoo with eyes filled with confusion and surprise. -You¡­ What¡­? Too shocked to articte words properly, the orc¡¯s realistic response added to Yeongwoo¡¯s confusion. Yeongwoo asked while holding the sword to the orc¡¯s neck. ¡°What are you? Why did youe here?¡± Yeongwoo was quite confused because he had never imagined that the day woulde when he would interrogate orcs in his life. -We are¡­ Eventually, thest orc moved itsrge green jaw and opened its mouth. -Pioneers. ¡°What?¡± Yeongwoo was even more bewildered by the unexpected word that came out of the orc¡¯s mouth. It was astonishing that the orc had the intellect to define itself as a pioneer, but even before that¡­ ¡®Pioneer means they have a homnd they left.¡¯ The orc¡¯s homnd. No, can creatures created by humans as fictional entities, like orcs, have a homnd in the first ce? ¡°How did you go on a pioneering journey? You¡¯re supposed to be imaginary, right? You¡¯re orcs.¡± While Yeongwoo was speaking, the orc reacted strongly to the word ¡®imaginary.¡¯ -You¡¯re the ones¡­! ¡°¡­?¡± -You are the beings from imagination. Aren¡¯t you the ¡®humans¡¯ from the Carmy mythology? Though fleeting, a sense of pride seemed to sh in the orc¡¯s eyes. At least, it was sincere. From the orc¡¯s perspective, in this situation, the protagonist was the orc itself, in a simr position to Yeongwoo. ¡®What is this¡­?¡¯ At this point, Yeongwoo could onlye up with a ridiculous hypothesis. Perhaps¡­ Neither humans nor orcs were real races that existed. Had they been imagining each other as fictional entities all along, and now they were actually encountering each other for the first time? ¡®But there are clearly origins of monsters here. Tolkien created it, and the lore added by D&D and Warhammer series exists as actual history.¡¯ Of course, this could be the same from the orcs¡¯ perspective. Didn¡¯t their mythology include the appearance of humans? ¡®What on earth is going on?¡¯ A strange sensation crept up his neck. Various questions flooded his mind, but it became increasingly difficult to keep the orc in check. Tsutsuk. The reason was soon apparent ¨C Myeongae, who had been hiding behind the vehicle, discovered the orc in front of Yeongwoo and let out a scream. ¡°Aaaah!¡± It was a loud scream, as if anticipating a third bombardment, and the orc seemed well aware that this was the signal to abbreviate its own fate. -Wa-wait, just a moment. With a very pitiful expression, the orc pleaded for mercy from Yeongwoo. -Please spare me. We canmunicate well. Let¡¯s resolve this through conversation. However, Yeongwoo¡¯s de had already cut through the air. Swat! Swiftly beheading the orc, Yeongwoo immediately shouted to Myeongho in the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Start the engine! If you don¡¯t want to die here, step on it¡­!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Myeongho, who had been absent-mindedly listening to the peculiar conversation between the two races, regained his senses only after Yeongwoo¡¯smand. Clunk! As he shifted the gear back to drive and stepped on the elerator with all his might, the rear passenger door swung open, and Yeongwoo¡¯s mother seemed to be thrown about. ¡°¡­¡± For a moment, Yeongwoo felt his chest tighten, but he couldn¡¯t protest to Myeongho. All he could now do¡­. ¡®Sigh.¡¯ All he could do now was press the elerator with all his might. Kwak! The SUV carrying the three of them passed over the orcs and Yoonho¡¯s corpse, jolting roughly, as if a boat encountering waves. Perhaps that¡¯s why. Even Myeongho¡¯s hands gripping the steering wheel felt damp, as if soaked in water. [TL/N: Rip Yoonho. 3 chaps.] [PR/N: Okay but what IF myeongae is yeongwoo¡¯s mother?? Then wasn¡¯t yoonho his step-sibling? I have a feeling they might be rted ngl.] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 41 Chapter 41 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 41: Unfamiliar World (5) ¡°Where are you going? Where are you going now?¡± Struggling. Myeongae, with a distorted face, wildly scratched the remaining son¡¯s arms and shoulders. Yoonho is behind us, where are we going among ourselves? ¡°Our Yoonho! We need to bring Yoonho¡­!¡± Myeongae¡¯s eyes flickered. She seemed to genuinely believe that the eldest son was abandoning the second son. But is it really so? Didn¡¯t Myeongae see Yoonho¡¯s throat being cut? ¡°Stop it, Mom¡­ I¡¯m having a hard time too.¡± Myeongho, tears streaming down, held the steering wheel. Yeongwoo held Myeongae¡¯s arms as she pounded on the steering wheel. Thump! Otherwise, we would have crashed into the guardrail and all died together. ¡°Mom, I¡¯m really sorry. But now is the time¡­¡± Held by Yeongwoo, Myeongae poured out resentful words before he could finish speaking. ¡°You¡­! What did you do? My child was right in front of me! What the hell¡­!¡± Yeongwoo, feeling Myeongae¡¯s arms throbbing in his grip, remained silent, feeling her struggling. He thought he was somewhat responsible for Yoonho¡¯s death. If he hadn¡¯t let him go ahead and attacked the orcs first¡­ If that had happened, Jeong Yoonho might have survived. ¡®But even if that¡¯s the case, he would have died someday. If it weren¡¯t for me in the first ce, these people would have all died.¡¯ Yeongwoo looked out the window with a perplexed face. Then, on the other side of the road, a bundle of arrows shot up. ¡®There it is.¡¯ He finally identified the position of the orc reinforcement that had been shelling them continuously. ¡°Myeongho.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Did you see that just now? I¡¯ll deal with them and leave. So, decide on your own whether to go or wait during that time. If you n to part ways here, put my things on the ground and go.¡± When Yeongwoo finished speaking and checked the scabbard on his waist, Myeongho¡¯s expression stiffened. Now that they had lost Yoonho, who was practically the strength of the Jeong family, there was no other choice. ¡°Uh¡­ Where should I wait? I¡¯ll wait until youe.¡± Having heard Myeongho¡¯s powerless words, Yeongwoo tapped the back of the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Now.¡± Gee-eek! As soon as Yeongwoo¡¯s words were spoken, the vehicle abruptly stopped. ¡°Since we don¡¯t know when another arrow wille, it¡¯s better to move slowly.¡± After saying this, Yeongwoo opened the rear door and stepped onto the road. Thud. Then, in the distance, ck silhouettes were wriggling. It was the orc reinforcement which was now a thorn in the eye. The distance between them and here was about 300 meters. Thud! Soon, when Yeongwoo stomped on the ground and bounced forward, the distance with them quickly decreased. Swish! Yeongwoo moved with a sound as if the arrow was piercing through the air, and the Orcs, who sensed an unusual presence, also responded. Hwae-at! The spear was thrown straight at an unidentified object. However, this time, unlike artillery fire, it was a targeted attack. ¡¸The sensory value has temporarily increased from the original 100 to 134.¡¹ ¡¸The sensory value has temporarily increased from 134 to 168.¡¹ ¡¸The sensory value has temporarily increased from 168 to 202.¡¹ It resulted in a disaster that raised the sensory levels of the target of the attack, Yeongwoo. ¡°¡­.!¡± Thanks to that, Yeongwoo could clearly see the trajectory and anticipated path of the spear flying straight towards him. He was clever enough to deflect it before the spear pierced his body. ng! When Yeongwoo drew his sword and deflected the first spear, the orcs were so close that he could see their expressions. Ching! When he bounced off the second spear, their bewildered voices echoed vividly. -What, what is it? -Human¡­? -Kill him quickly! There were a total of six in the orc reinforcement. They stood among the pile of spears on the ground, each holding a long spear in both hands. In other words, they didn¡¯t have shields to block the attacks. ¡°Hup!¡± As soon as Yeongwoo confirmed their armed status, he drew the ck sword to its maximum length and swung it. Hwae-a-a-at! A dark and massive trail swept across the orcs¡¯ waists, and the sensation of cutting through flesh of the orcs was vividly transmitted to Yeongwoo¡¯s grip. Pudd-deduk! Rather than saying Yeongwoo shed the orcs, it might be more fitting to say that he shattered them. The orcs with their waists split fell to the ground in a staggered rhythm. And then. Pop, pop, pop! With the light, their bodies vanished, and crimson coins poured out in their ce. Chwarruk! ¡®Oh no.¡¯ Yeongwoo realized for the first time that he hadn¡¯t picked up the coins that the orcs dropped when they fell earlier. ¡®Does this make sense? Do I have to pick up money like this every time a fight ends¡­?¡¯ He bent over and rummaged through the ground, as if he were picking up ears of corn. All the various emotions that had been squeezing his chest until a moment ago disappeared. And by this time. Bud-dudd-dudd¡­ The SUV of the Jeong family approached Yeongwoo with a low engine sound. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Myeongho cautiously asked from the inside of the driver¡¯s seat. In response, Yeongwoo poured a handful of coins into his backpack and looked at Myeongho. ¡°How about your mother?¡± ¡°¡­She fainted.¡± ¡°Thank goodness. When we go back, we have to pick up some money again.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± * * * ng. At the scene of Yoonho¡¯s death, Yeongwoo collected a total of 160,000 karma. Adding what he obtained from the support unit, the total karma became 280,000. ¡®Now, my total assets¡­ 304,000.¡¯ If converted into attribute points, it would be 304 points. If he invested in appearance changes, he could achieve about 14% of the optimal body conditions rmended by thebat preset. However, Yeongwoo had one more choice. That was¡­ ¡®Mungyeong is still in the state where the 2nd-day mutant hasn¡¯t been caught.¡¯ And that means¡­ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°If I kill him, a merchant will appear here too.¡± He could have another trade with the extraterrestrial merchant. Thanks to a special agreement with the intermediary Kubu, Yeongwoo could preview and choose from all the items up for bid in the trade. ¡®I don¡¯t know what will be avable this time, so I should save money if possible.¡¯ Swoosh. |The current location is ¡®Mungyeong.¡¯ |The highest-ranked in this area is ¡®Jang Chunyong16.¡¯ Rank 1, defense 96 times. Yeongwoo nced briefly at the information about Mungyeong¡¯s Strongest Sword ¡®Jang Chunyong16¡¯ that was still surviving somewhere. ¡®What is this¡­ Could it be that he left Mungyeong long ago?¡¯ The red light pir had gotten quite close by now, so it would take about ten minutes whether he rode a car or ran to reach the mutant. ¡°Are you okay?¡± When Yeongwoo turned his head towards the waiting SUV nearby, Myeongho, who had been in a daze, twitched. ¡°Yes? Oh, um¡­?¡± ¡°Are you really okay going with me? I¡¯m going to kill the mutant now. But I don¡¯t know what kind of creature it is, so I can¡¯t guarantee the safety of Mr. Myeongho and your mother.¡± Of course, killing the creature would lead to even more astonishing events¡­ So, he omitted the story about ¡®real¡¯ extraterrestrialsing for business. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± Myeongho made a nk expression again. What else could he do besides staring nkly? Since the Reset incident, everything had been so surreal, and he couldn¡¯t think about anything since hearing Yeongwoo¡¯s conversation with the orcs. ¡°We have to go¡­ We have no other choice.¡± Myeongho nced at his mother lying limp in the back seat. He had lost all functions and abilities as the eldest son and the head of the family. So, the best he could do now was to tragically express gratitude that he could at least work as the driver for Jeong Yeongwoo, a person whose identity was not even certain. If the guy is strong enough to kill even the mutants, their lives would continue as long as he lived. ¡°¡­.¡± It was practically a life delegation. If everyone¡¯s fate had been reset, is this the result they ended up with? Recalling his own fate, which had no significant ws, Myeongho made a bitter expression. If a new fate record was being written, how would this scene be recorded? And what would be the end¡­? Crack! Myeongho¡¯s contemtion was cut off by the sound of a cracking window from the passenger seat. Startled, he raised his head, and Yeongwoo was seen pulling out a spear stuck in the passenger seat from the outside. ¡°Now that I think about it, this is ours, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°This spear was not brought by the orcs, it was a weapon given to people. From the Sword¡¯s Mountain.¡± Yeongwoo threw the spear to the ground as he spoke. If that spear had been brought by the orcs, it should have disappeared along with their bodies when they vanished. ¡®Can they use our resources against us?¡¯ It felt strangely unpleasant. Yeongwoo pulled out two more spears stuck in the vehicle and sat in the passenger seat this time. At this point, Myeongho showed a puzzled expression. ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°Now your mother probably won¡¯t like this. Lock the back door.¡± In response to Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Myeongho silently locked the back door. ¡°So where do we go now? Should we follow that thing?¡± Pointing to the red light pir visible on the other side, Myeongho looked at Yeongwoo. * * * Vroom¡­ Inside the speeding vehicle, Myeongho finally asked the question that had been lingering in his mind. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the Strongest Sword, right? From somewhere.¡± Yeongwoo, who had been staring outside the front passenger window, turned his head towards Myeongho. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± A very indifferent tone. ¡°Oh, I see¡­ I see.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± During the moment when silence was about to return, Myeongho barely managed to throw the next question. ¡°Then, have you faced other mutants before?¡± It was a question that Myeongho couldn¡¯t help but ask. It was no exaggeration to say that the lives of Myeongho himself and his mother depended on Yeongwoo¡¯sbat experience. So, Yeongwoo decided to give an answer that would somewhat reassure his opponent. However. ¡°Yes. I killed two, and the other one¡­¡± He couldn¡¯tplete the rest, the part where it was about the mutant waiting to make the sound of a flute while trapped in another world. Because. Kwagwagwack! Somewhere, a loud noise as if a building copsed resonated. ¡°Huh?¡± The timing was perfect as the vehicle entered a roundabout into the city, allowing both Myeongho and Yeongwoo to see. -Don¡¯t be scared¡­! -Keep going! -Dodge it! Dozens of orcs were rushing in one direction. Already, there was a battle going on, with dust in the air, and buildings copsing or breaking in various ces. ¡°What is this?¡± Screech! Due to Myeongho instinctively mming the brakes, a loud noise was heard, but not a single orc looked back. That¡¯s natural. ¡¸Huaaah!¡¹ The orc horde was already facing a formidable threat. In the midst of facing dozens of orcs, another orc with a vibrant red color was screaming while swinging its weapon. ¡¸You¡¯re dead!¡¹ Facing dozens of orcs, this orc, whose size was unusuallyrge enough to make others look like dwarfs, seemed to be¡­ ¡®Could it be a mutant¡­? Why is the mutant fighting with the monsters?¡¯ Squinting his eyes and surveying the situation, Yeongwoo soon found out the reason. It wasn¡¯t just the mutants from Mungyeong fighting against the orcs. ¡°This, what is this?¡± Squeak! Near the blue muscle mass, there was another presence moving very agilely. Sweeet! A slim figure, darkly tanned skin, and contrasting white hair. ¡®It can¡¯t be.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s eyebrows twitched at the unbelievable sight. Jang Chunyong16, the Strongest Sword in Mungyeong, was fighting alongside the mutant against the orcs. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 42 Chapter 42 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 42: Unfamiliar World (6) ¡°Uh¡­ what¡¯s going on?¡± Even as Myungho asked this, he was already putting the gear in reverse. For him, who was just a prey in this world, all mysterious phenomena were something he had to avoid. Therefore, he didn¡¯t really want to know why the mutant and the Mungyeong¡¯s Strongest Sword had formed an alliance. Whether it was valuable information or not, it wasn¡¯t clear, but for immediate survival, it wasn¡¯t certain if it would be of any help¡­ No, it might even be a threat. ¡®Putting your life on the line out of curiosity? That¡¯s insane.¡¯ Just as Myungho was about to step on the elerator in reverse, Yeongwoo in the passenger seat spoke up. ¡°Wait. I need to get off.¡± ¡°What?¡± Myungho questioned with a puzzled expression, but instead of answering, Yeongwoo opened the passenger door. Suddenly, the intense sounds from the other side of the scene prated into the vehicle. ¨C Gaaaah! ¨C Kreaaak! Most of those sounds were the orcs screaming and falling, and the actual situation was tilting towards the mysterious duo. After all, one of the duo was a mutant on the second day, and the other was the Mungyeong¡¯s Strongest Sword with a defense count of 96. On the other hand, Yeongwoo¡­ ¡¸The current Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword is ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo07¡¯. Rank 1, 0 defenses.¡¹ Since bing Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword, he had not killed anyone, so his defense count was only 0. Even if youbined all the defense counts from his time as Gumi¡¯s Strongest Sword, it still didn¡¯t match 96. But what caught Yeongwoo¡¯s attention right now was the reason why the duo had formed. ¡®If you¡¯ve fought in 96 defense battles, it¡¯s not a case where you¡¯ve be Strongest Sword by chance¡­ But why are you cooperating with the mutant?¡¯ Yeongwoo observed the two ¡®figures¡¯ rapidly reducing the orcs with great speed. The mutant on the second day seemed to have a height of 5 meters, and each swing of his arm made orcs scatter like pieces of paper, indicating tremendous strength. And near him, the movements of Mungyeong¡¯s Strongest Sword, who moved like a lightning bolt, were also exceptional. Swish! Just by looking at the lightning-fast sword strokes and optimized movements, he felt familiar with hologram guides. In other words, it wasn¡¯t a situation where one side was weaker and surrendered. ¡®Did they agree to team up just to defeat the orcs? No, that doesn¡¯t make sense. Even without being Strongest Sword, there¡¯s no benefit for the mutant.¡¯ Of course, mutants were fundamentally humans, so there was always room for unconventional choices. Even if they chose to be mutants, upon returning, their anger might have disappeared, or they might have been entric from the beginning. ¡®¡­Or maybe they were just acquaintances.¡¯ If it was thetter, it was highly likely that he would have to deal with both at the same time. ¡®If I make a mistake, I might end up fighting 1v2 again.¡¯ Swiftly, when Yeongwoo touched the ne hanging around his neck, a tooltip appeared in his field of view. ¡¸Pumpkin-colored ne¡¹ ¨C Legendary Ne ¡¾Summon a friend.¡¿ | Yeongtae. Then, soon after, a notification followed stating that the friend summoning limit for the day had been exhausted. ¡¸The daily friend summoning limit is 0.¡¹ The basic usage limit for the ne was 2 times, but Yeongwoo had already used up all the attempts. Once when he first got the whistle and once during his fight with Sangju¡¯s Strongest Sword. Moreover, the reason why the whistle was used in Sangju was to deal with the Strongest Sword and the mutant at the same time. But then, in the next city, he encountered a simr¡­ no, even more bizarre situation. ¡®Back then it was an individual battle, but this time there is a high possibility that I will have to fight them both at the same time.¡¯ Therefore, if there was going to be a fight anyway, now was the perfect time for a surprise attack for Yeongwoo. -Aim for the back! =Kraaah! The orcs were currently diverting the attention of the two powerhouses. At this moment, it could have been an opportune time for Yeongwoo to stab one of them, inflict the pain effect of ¡®Golden Punishment,¡¯ and use that advantage to handle the battle more favorably. But Yeongwoo¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡± Even though the orcs had dwindled to single digits by now, he didn¡¯t join the fight. He knew that the moment heunched a surprise attack, any other potential choices would be permanently blocked. For example, options like dialogue. ¡®Is this why the system diagnosed me as a stubborn guy?¡¯ Thud, thud. Yeongwoo walked at a moderate pace without drawing his sword. -Sa-save me! -Wait! Thanks to this, the mutant and the Strongest Sword duo were able to deal with the retreating orcs without any interference, and the presence of the intruder was only noticed afterwards. ¡¸Huh.¡¹ ¡°What?¡± The blue orc who spotted Yeongwoo and the white-haired eyes of the elderly man widened simultaneously. At that very moment, the meeting of the two sides became even more dramatic as the corpses of orcs scattered everywhere disappeared, emitting karma. Shrrr! Crimson coins scattered in all directions. Some even rolled up to Yeongwoo¡¯s feet, and, to no surprise, the white eyebrows of Mungyeong¡¯s Strongest Sword Jang Chunyong trembled upon seeing this. ¡°¡­¡­¡± It meant not to touch the loot. ¡ºMungyeong¡¯s Strongest Sword.¡» A title that shone as brightly as the sharp gaze of the old man. Upon seeing the opponent¡¯s title, Yeongwoo slowly spread his arms. Primarily, it was a gesture indicating no intention to fight, but there was also an intention to prevent Jang Chunyong from immediately retrieving the coins. In the end, if he ended up fighting those two, he nned to take the loot after the battle was over. ¡°Do you have any story to tell? This is the first time for such a situation.¡± As Yeongwoo asked this, he nced at the mutant behind Jang Chunyong. Then, a very familiar name entered his field of view. [Actor ¨C Jang Daemyung] ¡®Ah¡­ Jang Daemyung is from Munyeong.¡¯ Jang Daemyung, 49-year-old male. He had built a solid reputation as a viin actor for 15 years, gaining recognition, but two years ago, he was expelled from the film industry due to a hit-and-run incident. Furthermore, it was revealed that Jang Daemyung was intoxicated at the time of the incident, and if he had taken emergency measures right after the ident, the victim might have survived, adding more controversy. Of course, Jang Daemyung received a prison sentence in the trial, but public anger did not easily subside. It continued to circte on the inte and other media, and that¡¯s why Yeongwoo vividly remembered the name Jang Daemyung. ¡®In the end, the target of public outrage¡­ Well, it¡¯s only natural.¡¯ Although famous individuals are often more vilified in the first-stage screeningpared to heinous criminals, Jang Daemyung¡¯s case was somewhat different. At the time, he may not have been driving with the level of malice of a murderer, but he hit someone anyway, and because he avoided responsibility for this, he ended upmitting murder. Furthermore, while drunk driving is unintentional manughter, a hit-and-run is just in murder in Yeongwoo¡¯s view. Hence, when he learned that the mutant in Mungyeong City was Jang Daemyung, any curiosity or leniency he had in attempting dialogue disappeared. In this case, he thought it would be better to die than let him go. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡®I should have just attacked him earlier.¡¯ Regrettably, he now regretted letting go of the perfect opportunity. And Yeongwoo¡¯s thoughts were vividly disyed through his gaze, or more precisely, Mungyeong¡¯s Strongest Sword Jang Chunyong16 sensed it with his tremendous experience. ¡°Seems like you recognize my child. I¡¯ll tell you in advance, I am Daemyung¡¯s father. That should answer your question about what happened.¡± ¡°¡­As expected.¡± Seeing that they shared the same family name was enough for Yeongwoo to make a good guess. Yeongwoo nodded, tightly sealing his lips. In just two lines of dialogue, he read a lot from the opponent¡¯s pronunciation. Jang Chunyong16 looked like an eighty-year-old, even though he might not be that old. Until receiving his identification number and title, he would have been just an ordinary old man. Then, suddenly, as the reset started, he would have witnessed the public re-judging his son, who was already imprisoned, in real-time. Whether he knew his son would return here or if it was just for revenge on the world¡­ In any case, the old man with Jang Daemyung as his son ultimately became Mungyeong¡¯s Strongest Sword. The defense record of 96 times would now seem entirely different. ¡°Did youe here to see my child?¡± Soon, Jang Chunyong16 asked threateningly while raising the sword he had on the ground. ¡®Ah.¡¯ His sword was an early bird too. Imagining the opponent who had skillfully ovee the dispute at the exchange counter, Yeongwoo cautiously moved his hand to his waist. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that your child was here. I just¡­¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze turned to Jang Daemyung, who stood like a mountain behind him. However, unlike when he crushed the orcs earlier, Jang Daemyung now looked back and forth between the outsider and his father with a face full of fear. At least, Jang Daemyung didn¡¯t want to fight with people. ¡®What¡¯s this¡­? They know very well that they have a significant advantage if they start a fight.¡¯ As Yeongwoo was wondering with a puzzled expression, Jang Daemyung moved his blue chin and opened his mouth. ¡°If you didn¡¯te to kill us, please go on your way. We don¡¯t want to fight with people.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Yeongwoo, who had encountered many mutants, was even more surprised. ¡°Then¡­ why did youe back?¡± As Yeongwoo stammered in surprise, Jang Daemyung pointed with hisrge finger at Jang Chunyong16. ¡°I came to see my father. I was curious about what happened to the world. It¡¯s not like I came here to kill anyone.¡± Jang Daemyung, saying this, didn¡¯t seem filled with anger, nor did he seem like he had lost his mind. ¡®Did he reallye back purely because he was worried about his father¡­?¡¯ Is filial piety supposed to be like this? Yeongwoo, who had never had a father, could only conceptually understand it. ¡°If you¡¯re hesitant, just go. Don¡¯t waste your precious life.¡± Jang Chunyong16, reading Yeongwoo¡¯s hesitation from his eyes, issued another warning. The fact that he appeared here in the first ce implied that he hade searching for the mutant marker. Therefore, Jang Chunyong was aware that the outsider in front of him was no ordinary person. And indeed, Yeongwoo was not just any Strongest Sword; he was the Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword. Having the pumpkin-colored whistle meant he needed to collect mutants, and to maintain the position of Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword, he had to continue umting the title. Furthermore¡­ ¡®Leaving Jang Daemyung like this would make the Golden Flood achievement too distant.¡¯ [Golden Flood] |Summon the Golden Rain in five or more regions. (3/5) Since Yeongwoo didn¡¯t choose to monopolize Karma, his abilities were significantly lower than other Strongest Swords. Achieving the Golden Flood was crucial for him. ¡°If I just pass by here, someone else wille to target your son anyway.¡± As Yeongwoo spoke, Jang Chunyong16 chuckled. ¡°Hah! Isn¡¯t that just an excuse? Anyway, even if you didn¡¯te to harm my son, it sounds like you did.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t deny it. I came searching for mutants. However, I don¡¯t want to harm your son.¡± ¡°Then what do you want to do? This ce is bing ufortable.¡± Jang Chunyong16¡¯s words seemed to be true. Moreover, there had been an enormous aura rising from him since a while ago. At this point, Yeongwoo quickly extended his hand toward Jang Daemyung. ¡°Mr. Daemyung! Haven¡¯t you heard about the return function beforeing here?¡± ¡¸¡­¡­?¡¹ Hearing Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Jang Daemyung momentarily had a nk expression, then looked down at his own palm. Immediately, Jang Chunyong16, who was emitting a formidable aura, took a few steps back, ncing worriedly at his son, who stood at a height of five meters. ¡°What¡¯s that nonsense about a return?¡± ¡¸Ah. No way!¡¹ After a while, Jang Daemyung seemed to recall something. He partially opened his palm, radiating a blue aura. Paat! In his hand, a teleportation mark in the form of a door was being created. ¡®As expected¡­!¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened. As anticipated, Jang Daemyung had learned about the local reconciliation method, the return function, before being sent here. However¡­ Paat¡­! In no time, Jang Daemyung folded his palm, erasing the mark. Then, he stared directly at Yeongwoo and opened his mouth with a slightly different atmosphere than before. ¡°But why should I go back?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 43 Chapter 43 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 43: Unfamiliar World (7) ¡°To be precise, it¡¯s not returning. That¡¯s¡­¡± Yeongwoo tried to exin the parallel world where mutants using the return function would stay, but he stopped talking. In fact, that ce was nothing more than another prison, and it was because he realized that Jang Daemyung, who had originally returned to take care of his father, wouldn¡¯t ept such a proposal. ¡°Isn¡¯t it you who brought me back from the prison¡­? I¡¯ll stay quiet if you don¡¯t mess with me first, so why should I leave?¡± His voice was as firm as he clenched his fist tightly. The emotions he had been suppressing for a long time were starting to burst out. ¡®I pressed the switch¡­¡¯ Of course, it would have happened sooner orter, even if not this time. Even if the two of them genuinely wanted to live quietly in this ce, it was impossible with the numerous Strongest Swords across the country. He was a mutant with a reward of 3 million karma. And Jang Chunyong, being the current Strongest Sword and the one who handled the first-day mutant in Mungyeong City, was undoubtedly aware of that fact. ¡°So, do you n to kill everyone whoes looking for you in the future?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t want to, but if that¡¯s the only way, I have no choice. This is the world we live in now.¡± Jang Chunyong answered in ce of his son, and it was a reality that couldn¡¯t be avoided. From the first screening, when Jang Daemyung chose mutation instead of disappearance and disassembly, his fate was already sealed. Of course, seeing the future was not guaranteed just because he was Jang Daemyung, but there was no way to me him foring back to look after his father. ¡°¡­¡± Anyway, Yeongwoo had to make a choice now. Whether he would leave this ce while the two men were still showing mercy, or whether he would risk their lives and have a showdown. ¡°It¡¯s really not an easy problem.¡± ¡°Is it really? Seeing you still standing there, it seems like you¡¯ve made up your mind.¡± ¡°¡­¡± When Yeongwoo didn¡¯t say anything, Golden sh finally activated. ¡¸The sensory value has temporarily increased from the original 100 to 417.¡¹ Finally, Jang Chunyong took the initiative. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± His voice still retained a sense of humanity. However, the sound of the shing air that flew off at the end was incredibly sharp. Swoosh! Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, he thrust the sword. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Yeongwoo responded to the opponent¡¯s thrust, seeing the hologram guide of Gyeongbuk Sword Law appearing, and quickly assumed a defensive posture. A step back with the left foot. Thud! At the same time, the right hand drew the sword forward. Squelch! The ck sword, like lightning, deflected the approaching de diagonally away from Yeongwoo¡¯s heart. Thunk! ¡°He¡­!¡± In response to Yeongwoo¡¯s unbelievable reaction speed, Jang Chunyong let out a sound close to a sigh. He knew that such a reaction was impossible without the assistance of the Sword Technique¡¯s support. ¡°Who are you¡­?¡± Jang Chunyong looked at Yeongwoo with suspicious eyes. Meanwhile, Jang Daemyung, who was behind him, rushed out with loud footsteps. ¡°Father!¡± Thump, thump! Jang Daemyung¡¯s movements, filled with momentum, exuded tremendous pressure. In response, Yeongwoo, fearing that the battlefield would widen, shouted loudly. ¡°Jeong Myeongho! Run away! Don¡¯te back until my judg¡­ ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡¸¡­!¡¹ It was only after hearing Yeongwoo¡¯s shout that the two men noticed there was an SUV parked in the middle of the distant road. ¡°He wasn¡¯t alone. Is that family?¡± Jang Daemyung shifted his gaze to the car in one go, indicating that he might be looking for the people inside. So Yeongwoo said. ¡°If you¡¯re curious, go check it out. By then, your father¡¯s head will probably be rolling.¡± He delivered a line like a viin. ¡¸This guy.¡¹ However, Yeongwoo¡¯s words were a lie. Didn¡¯t he struggle to hold his ground well in the previous confrontation with the Strongest Sword of Sangju? Due to the significant difference in their stats, the majority of Strongest Swords had superior individualbat abilitiespared to Yeongwoo. So, if he wanted to go for Jang Chunyong¡¯s neck, Jang Daemyung had to join the fight. That way, he could absorb sensory values faster, creating more variables. ¡°Look closely at who I am.¡± Finally, Yeongwoo tapped his left chest to induce abined attack from the two father and son. Then, Swish! A golden glow shed above his head, revealing the ¡®Strongest Sword¡¯ title in units. ¡ºGyeongbuk Strongest Sword¡» ¡°Gyeongbuk¡­?¡± Jang Chunyong was aware that a new Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword had emerged a few hours ago, as an overall notification had been disyed. Also, since Mungyeong was in Gyeongsangbuk-do, he had considered the possibility of encountering Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword at some point. However, ¡°I met you much earlier than expected.¡± He hadn¡¯t anticipated bing the first opponent in the defense battle against Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword. ¡¸This¡­!¡¹ The shock Jang Daemyung felt about Yeongwoo¡¯s identity was simr. ¡¸The sensory value has temporarily increased from the original 417 to 867.¡¹ Soon, Yeongwoo¡¯s sensory value soared to an impressive 867. Finally, both father and son focused on attacking Yeongwoo. ¡°Die!¡± Jang Daemyung¡¯s momentum was tremendous. It was because he confirmed that the opponent was truly capable of killing his father. However, it seemed that their joint efforts had put his father in jeopardy. ¡°¡­¡± Feeling a strange emotion, Yeongwoo easily dodged Jang Daemyung¡¯s attack with a heavy movement. Crack! As therge axe struck the empty ground, crimson coins scattered into the air. Simultaneously, more than ten red coins appeared chaotically in Yeongwoo¡¯s field of vision. ¨D Break ¨D Break ¨D Break ¡®What is this¡­?¡¯ Each symbol was attached to the coins that had just bounced up. ¡®¡­Ah!¡¯ Following this, Yeongwoo¡¯s action was faster than the Gyeongbuk Sword Law¡¯s hologram. He immediately understood what to do. Swoosh! Yeongwoo¡¯s sword cut through the air. However, the target was not Jang Daemyung or Jang Chunyong but the coins. Ping, ping! [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] The coins, rebounding off the stic de, shot towards the two father and son like bullets. ¡°Be careful¡­!¡± Jang Chunyong, who had noticed what Yeongwoo was attempting, quickly took a defensive stance. However, blocking small and fast coins visually while in a state of sensory deprivation was by no means easy. So, how would it have been for Jang Daemyung, who was several timesrger than his father? Spurt, stter! His massive body mostly absorbed the flying coins that Yeongwoo had sent. ¡°Argh!¡± Jang Daemyung, opening his eyes to the pain he was feeling for the first time, screamed in agony. ¡®This is it.¡¯ In contrast, Yeongwoo found a way out and swept the floor with his sword. Shrrrrk! This time, far more coins floated into the air than before. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Fear crept into Jang Chunyong¡¯s face as he witnessed this. ¡°Daemyung¡­!¡± Thud, thud, thud, thud! Although it was nothing more than the clinking sound of coins, everyone in the audience couldn¡¯t help but shudder upon hearing it. The oue was clearly visible. Pew, pew, pew! The coins sent by Yeongwoo horrifyingly embedded themselves all over Jang Daemyung¡¯s body, one even piercing his right eyeball. ¡°Kraaaaah!¡± The pain was immense. Jang Daemyung, dropping hisrge axe to the ground, clutched his face. ¡°Aaaaaa¡­!¡± Hearing Jang Daemyung¡¯s agonized cries, Yeongwoo felt a strange emotion. However, he couldn¡¯t immediately end the man¡¯s suffering. ¡®If I kill him now, the sensory values will drop drastically. Then it will be difficult to deal with Jang Chunyong.¡¯ It was a devilish thought, but there was no other choice. However, ¡®Father¡¯s¡¯ reaction exceeded Yeongwoo¡¯s imagination. ¡°S-Strongest Sword¡­!¡± ng! As soon as his son suffered a fatal injury, Jang Chunyong threw away his sword and knelt in front of Yeongwoo. ¡°Please, spare my son! I didn¡¯t know it woulde to this¡­!¡± At this moment, Yeongwoo thought Jang Chunyong might be pretending to beg for mercy, but soon he realized that even the sensory values he took from Jang Chunyong were fading away. Jang Chunyong had genuinely decided to sacrifice his life in that brief moment. ¡°O-Old man.¡± Was this what a father was supposed to be? Yeongwoo felt ufortable and confused in this situation. If he intended to beg for his life, he should have done so before the battle began. Now, even if he proposed a ceasefire, there was no way Jang Daemyung wouldply willingly. So, now there was no choice but to kill him. And for that¡­ ¡®¡­I have to kill Jang Chunyong too.¡¯ While Yeongwoo wore a mncholic expression, Jang Chunyong desperately searched for an escape route, revealing his back to the enemy. ¡°Return¡­! Didn¡¯t you mention a way to return earlier?¡± He crawled towards his son, stuttering and spoke with a trembling voice. ¡°Daemyung! Daemyung! Can you hear me? Come back now! Your father is fine¡­!¡± Jang Chunyong, who was holding onto his son and pleading, suddenly faltered. He realized that green blood was seeping out of his own hands. And around that time¡­ ¡°¡­Father.¡± A long shadow cast by Yeongwoo appeared from behind. Then¡­ Swish! With a sharp sound, Yeongwoo¡¯s sword pierced through Jang Chunyong¡¯s neck. In the end, Yeongwoo decided to kill the father first among the two. Following that, Jang Chunyong¡¯s emaciated body copsed weakly to the side. Thud. At that moment, Jang Daemyung, who had been crouching while covering his face, barely opened his left eye, feeling an intense sense of nausea. ¡°¡­?¡± In an instant, Jang Daemyung¡¯s pupils expanded. ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s happening¡­?¡± Due to his towering height of 5 meters, the body of his father, whoy lifeless on the ground, looked incredibly small. And soon, an iprehensible line was heard from somewhere. ¡°I think it would have been better for your father to witness his son¡¯s death than this.¡± ¡°What¡­ What are you saying¡­¡± Overwhelmed by unbearable panic, Jang Daemyung, whose right eye was impaled by coins, twitched as a strange dialogue unfolded. Quack! Once again, Yeongwoo made a decisive decision. Kill the opponent before they fully grasp the situation and counterattack. Kwoong! Gradually, Jang Daemyung¡¯s massive body copsed, casting arge shadow on the ground. Then. Pahat! With a sh of white light, a golden sphere was left at the spot where the corpsey. ¡¸As the second mutant in Mungyeong has been eliminated, basic welfare will be applied to this area.¡¹ | Remaining time until the daily quest application: 20 minutes. | Remaining time until the appearance of a merchant: 5 minutes. Followed by the appearance of the system notification. Now, in a little while, somewhere in Mungyeong City, an extraterrestrial merchant would appear. Once he collected the scattered coins in the area, there would be enough funds for trading¡­ ¡°¡­¡± Everything went well ording to the n, but Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but wear a bitter expression. ¡®This world has be much more messed up than I thought.¡¯ However, he didn¡¯t ponder whether surviving like this was right or wrong. After all, for the ability to feel guilt, survival was necessary. Yeongwoo blinked his eyes once and searched for the body of Jang Chunyong, who, unlike his son, had left his body in this world. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 44 Chapter 44 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 44: Open Door (1) ¡¸As the second mutant in Mungyeong has been eliminated, basic welfare will be applied to this area.¡¹ | Remaining time until the daily quest application: 20 minutes. | Remaining time until the appearance of a merchant: 5 minutes. Contrary to the grandiose system messages, what Yeongwoo was doing was not at all dignified. He was crouched on the floor, rummaging through the corpse in every way possible. However, it was inevitable since he didn¡¯t know what form the mutant gear that Jang Chunyong had would take. ¡®He¡¯s not even wearing a ring¡­ Could it be something he carries in his pocket?¡¯ Swoosh. He searched through both pockets, but all that came out were a few crimson coins. ¡®There¡¯s no way he didn¡¯t catch the mutant on the first day.¡¯ If that were the case, what he saw earlier doesn¡¯t make sense. ¡°¡­.¡± Just as Yeongwoo wondered what this was all about, he raised his head, and in his field of vision, his own wrist came into view. No, to be precise, it was the green snake coiled around his wrist that caught his eye. Because the creature¡¯s head was bent at a strange angle. ¡¸Serpent of Greed¡¹ ¨C Epic Compass ¡¾Always seeks rarity.¡¿ ¡®Always yearning for the rarest things¡­.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze followed the snake¡¯s head. Then, he naturally saw Jang Chunyong¡¯s face. ¡®His face¡­? Is it something worn on the head?¡¯ But no matter how closely he examined it, there was no equipment on Jang Chunyong¡¯s head. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ It couldn¡¯t be an error. Yeongwoo thought for a moment, and this time, the snake-encircled wrist approached the face of the deceased. Swoosh. Once again, the snake began to turn the head in a certain direction after a few adjustments. ¡®Is it¡­ the eye?¡¯ Regardless of what this mutant gear was, the conclusion was that it was somewhere in Jang Chunyong¡¯s left eye. ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo carefully lifted the left eyelid of the deceased with a surprised face. And then he saw it. Something faint was covering the lifeless pupil of Jang Chunyong. That is to say. ¡®It¡¯s a lens.¡¯ A lens. The moment Yeongwoo saw it, he felt the hairs on his body stand on end. It was more of an instinctive disgust than fear. Is someone telling me to put a lens, whose origin and grade as a ¡®mutation¡¯ lens cannot be known, over my eye? Moreover, isn¡¯t it something taken off a corpse? ¡®Surely not¡­ There can¡¯t really be something like a mutant lens, right?¡¯ Yeongwoo shook his head and, spreading his index and thumb, brought them close to Jang Chunyong¡¯s left eyeball. Then. Tsuip. He pinched and pulled out something that was lying on the eyeball. ¡®Ugh.¡¯ Then, a horrific situation that Yeongwoo had foreseen unfolded all at once. Snap! ¡¸One Eyed Sentinel¡¹ ¨C Mutant Cornea ¡¾It watches over you while you sleep.¡¿ The lens in question was indeed a mutant device. ¡®Ah, for real.¡¯ Moreover, officially it was not a lens but a cornea. Although it was extremely nauseating, Yeongwoo had no time or reason to hesitate. There was a mountain of things to do besides this. He needed to check the mutant gear left by the mutant Jang Daemyung and also bring down the Golden Rain in Mungyeong City. ¡®Wearing this won¡¯t make me go blind. Jang Chunyong was perfectly fine.¡¯ After taking a small breath, Yeongwoo lifted the left eyelid of his own eye. Then. ¡°¡­Hoo.¡± Exhaling, he ced the mutant cornea on his eyeball. And then. Squelch! ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± As if it were alive, the ¡®One Eyed Sentinel¡¯ stuck to Yeongwoo¡¯s pupil on its own. ¡®This, what¡­ the hell is this?¡¯ Startled, Yeongwoo, unable to close his eyes, screamed, but the ¡®One Eyed Sentinel¡¯ showed no reaction. After that short movement, its presence itself seemed to disappear. Perhaps it hadpleted its attachment. Unknown to him, until Yeongwoo fell asleep, there would be no visible movement. ¡®This¡­¡¯ Yeongwoo, stood still for a while, with his face turned towards the ground, eyes wide open, finally gave in. Squish. He closed and opened his eyelid once. However, the presence of the One Eyed Sentinel that had attached to his eyeball just a while ago was not felt at all. ¡®Is this correct¡­? A mutant cornea?¡¯ After blinking a few more times, Yeongwoo could finally ept the fact that he would carry a substance in his eyeball until his death. ¡®If it says it watches over me when I sleep¡­ maybe it examines the surroundings on my behalf when I¡¯m in a sleep state.¡¯ This would be impossible to know until he falls asleep. Anyway, now the remaining procedure is. ¡°¡­¡± It was still about making contact with the golden sphere spinning in mid-air. Reward for defeating the mutant Jang Daemyung, a mutant on the second day in Mungyeong City. Thud. As Yeongwoo ced his hand on the sphere, the golden sphere rotated faster, disying a message. ¡¸We have defeated the mutant.¡¹ ¡¸Please choose your reward for thepletion of the process.¡¹ ?Confirmed Reward? ¡¸Blue Blood¡¹ ¨C Mutant Drug ¡¾30% increase in strength for 10 minutes.¡¿ ¡¾Number of uses: 4¡¿ ?Selected Reward? [3 million karma] Or [Grant 30,000 karma to all residents in the area] After the cornea, now it was a substance that needed to be ingested into the body. ¡°¡­¡± With a somewhat resigned face, Yeongwoo chose the selected reward. Snap! [Grant 30,000 karma to all residents in the area] Then, the golden sphere rapidly spun and soared into the sky, followed by exploding in the upper atmosphere, showering down a golden rain. Saaaaah¡­! ¡¶Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo 07¡¯ gave up his monopoly on 3 million karma and gifted 30,000 karma to all Mungyeong residents.¡· ¡¶Soon, 30,000 Karma will be paid in the form ofmemorative coins. Get ready.¡· [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Just yesterday, even deciding on the selected reward was difficult, but now there was no hesitation at all. After all, having already attached a mutant cornea to his eyeball and soon to drink orc¡¯s blood, selecting a reward was not a big deal. Tap! Among the golden rain, Yeongwoo skillfully grabbedmemorative coins and opened the achievement window. [Golden Flood] |Summon golden rain in more than 5 areas. (4/5) ¡®Just one more now.¡¯ In addition, with four titles of the Strongest Swords in Gyeongbuk, his position had be more solid in various ways. Shirrrit! After a while, something like a bluish wave appeared in the air and began to take the shape of a palm-sized bottle. It was the mutant drug ¡®Blue Blood.¡¯ ¡®I didn¡¯t expect there would be doping.¡¯ Yeongwoo put the bottle in his pocket and sighed as he looked at thememorative coins scattered all around. ¡®Isn¡¯t there something like automatic picking up? If you can make doping potions, implementing a pick-up function should be possible, right?¡¯ But instead of automatic picking up, something else appeared. Quaaaaang! It was a thunderous sound as if tearing through the sky. Swoosh! Then, a conspicuous pir of light, nothing other than the merchant¡¯s emblem, emerged, splitting the clouds. ¡®Is it northeast? This time, it¡¯s not that far away.¡¯ As Yeongwoo estimated the location of the ck pir, loud honking sounds echoed from the back road. Vroom! A gray SUV was rushing straight towards him. It was the vehicle of the Jeong family. They had sessfully returned without encountering orcs during their escape as instructed by Yeongwoo. ¡°Yeongwoo!¡± Keeping a safe distance, Myeongho parked the car and leaned out of the window, calling Yeongwoo. He was asking if everything was resolved. In response, Yeongwoo stuck the knife into the scabbard and gestured towards Myeongho. ¡°Hurry up and pick up the money. We need to move again.¡± * * * Karma: 560,000. After collecting all the coins in the area with Myeongho, the total amount reached a whopping 560,000. When converted into stats, it was a substantial 560 points, meaning it was money that could turn anyone into a skilled monster hunter in an instant. ¡®¡­Unbelievable.¡¯ Myeongho couldn¡¯t easily take his eyes off the pile of coins on the ground. And rightly so, with this much money, it seemed entirely possible to protect his mother on his own. However. ¡°Did you pick up thememorative coins from earlier?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, yes¡­ of course.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s use that for the travel expenses.¡± Ironically, Yeongwoo had no intention of investing money in the worn-out Jeong family. Swish. As Yeongwoo swept the pile of coins on the ground into his backpack, Myeongho, who had been watching, cautiously asked. ¡°Uh¡­ Yeongwoo, sir?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Are you heading to Chungju now?¡± Chungju, the city where Myeongho¡¯s father, thest member of the Jeong family, lived. However, given the current situation, whether he could tow the vehicle to Chungju was entirely up to Yeongwoo. There were nobatants left to guard the vehicle from monsters and others. ¡°Oh, well. We have to go to Chungju, but¡­¡± ¡°¡­?¡± With a strange remark from Yeongwoo, Myeongho made an uneasy expression. Then, with eyes that seemed to ask, ¡°Could it be?¡± he looked at the ck pir of light visible in the distance. Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze had shifted in that direction. ¡°Something will appear there soon.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°So let¡¯s just meet that and then move.¡± ¡°Meet¡­ it?¡± Since Myeongho was also looking at the merchant appearance timer, he naturally knew that the opponent Yeongwoo wanted to meet was a ¡®merchant.¡¯ However, was that a merchant asmonly understood? Just looking at that ominous ck pir of light¡­ ¡°W-Well, okay. I understand.¡± In the end, Myeongho bowed his head hesitantly, contrary to his true intentions. There was no other choice. Feeling this, Yeongwoo, despite knowing thatforting Myeongho would be of no help, made an effort to reassure him. ¡°It won¡¯t be dangerous this time. We¡¯re not going to fight.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Have you met it before?¡± ¡°Yes, but also no.¡± ¡°I have, but not really.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Despite Myeongho¡¯s bewildered response to the vague answer, Yeongwoo had actually stated the truth. Now that he had chosen a middleman, he would likely meet Kubu again, just as in the previous transaction. However, what kind of being would appear as a ¡®merchant¡¯? Even looking at the ominous ck pir, one could only vaguely guess¡­ Chack. After sweeping thest coin into his backpack, Yeongwoo checked his current bnce in the stats window. ¡ºCharacter: Jeong Yeongwoo07¡» [Strength] 600 (19+581) [Stamina] 350 (21+329) [Endurance] 550 (13+537) [Sensory Perception] 100 (24+76) * 1,000 Karma is consumed per ability point. * Avable Karma: 894,000 Current total assets are 894,000 Karma. Although investing all of this in stats could lead to significant growth, for Yeongwoo, who is considered a major adversary for Strongest Swords in other regions, raising the stats by about 890 points would not yield any significant results. Why? ¡®Strongest Swords that swallowed even the second-day mutants will appear soon.¡¯ And if those Strongest Swords have chosen to monopolize 3 million Karma for both quantum choices, the expected minimum total stats would be 6,000. So, for Yeongwoo, whose current total stats do not even reach 2,000, adding 890 to the stats is meaningless. At best, it might make it easier to deal with monsters in battle. However, if he loses in a confrontation with another Strongest Sword, what good would it be? ¡®I need something that can create a significant variable, like the Sensory Perception-stealing incident.¡¯ And Yeongwoo nned to create that variable through the Golden Rain achievement and a transaction with an extraterrestrial upper ss. Kwarrung! Meanwhile, the time remaining until the appearance of the merchant was approaching 1 minute, and cracking sounds started emanating from the ck pir, as if preparing to reveal the presence of another dimension. It seemed like the beings from another world were getting ready. In response, Yeongwoo slung the backpack onto his back and pointed towards the SUV. ¡°Let¡¯s go, meet the extraterrestrial.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 45 Chapter 45 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 45: Open Door (2) ¡°Ex¡­ Extraterrestrial? Are you saying he¡¯s an alien? Is that what a merchant is, an alien?¡± In the moving car, Myeongho asked this. Soon after, he realized he had asked a foolish question. It was only natural for a being descending from a column of light beyond the sky to be an extraterrestrial. ¡°Yes. Strictly speaking, he is an extraterrestrial, but¡­¡± Yeongwoo, who received Myeongho¡¯s question, mumbled unclear words. While the merchants are indeed extraterrestrial, they feel different from what peoplemonly refer to as ¡®aliens.¡¯ If you had to find a different term, ¡®otherworldly beings¡¯ would be more fitting in terms of expression than aliens. Moreover, through conversations with orcs, who were thought to be mere monsters until now, it was revealed that they, too, were beings from a different world with their own homnd and a sense of purpose. Then, aren¡¯t all monsters, including orcs, also aliens? ¡®What¡¯s the difference between those whoe as merchants and those who are monsters? Why is someone a merchant and someone else a monster?¡¯ It was also puzzling that so far, only extraterrestrials ying the role of monsters were familiar to humans in appearance. Why are only monsters like goblins and orcs extraterrestrial beings? ¡°¡­¡± His mind became murky. But he knew that pondering about it now would be futile. ¡®I¡¯ll probably find out something if I keep on living.¡¯ Soon, the merchant appearance timer that had been in view disappeared, and the ck column of light on the other side shed with thunder. Kururung! Finally, a merchant arrived in Mungyeong City. At the sound, Myeongae, who had been unconscious all this time, opened her eyes wide. ¡°Yoo, Yoonho!¡± Calling out the name of her deceased second son, she woke up with a look as if she had been having a nightmarish dream even in her sleep. But the reality was just as harsh. ¡°Aah¡­!¡± Realizing that she was still in a nightmare, Myeongae burst into a pitiful cry. Kururung! Another timely sh of ck light, beating against the body. Yeongwoo grabbed the front passenger door handle upon seeing it. ¡°Stop the car.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go first. Bring your mother along and follow me.¡± ¡°I-Is it¡­ okay?¡± The subject of Myeongho¡¯s mentioned ¡®okay¡¯ was naturally himself and her mother. ¡°Yes. The distance is not far, and there are no monsters around. If anything happens, honk your horn.¡± With these words, Yeongwoo opened the front passenger door and rushed out. Since trading with the merchant is on a firste-first-served basis, he made a decision. As a city where the Strongest Sword and the mutant coborated to organize the monsters, there wouldn¡¯t be many survivors. Of course, among them, how many would dare toe to him through the familiar column of light? ¡®Still, it¡¯s unknown. There can be as many variables as possible.¡¯ Yeongwoo crossed the city at high speed, heading straight towards the direction of the column of light. Then, not long after, people running frantically from the opposite side came into view. Survivors in the area were on the move, avoiding the merchant symbol. ¡®Ah, people are quite¡­¡¯ Perhaps because recently he had conversations with orcs and engaged in unrealistic dialogue, Yeongwoo felt a warm feeling swelling up when he saw people. However, the people on the opposite side. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on here again¡­¡± Just like when the Jeong family first saw Yeongwoo, he felt difort from them. This time, he wasn¡¯t carrying a bundle on his back, but anyway, the fact that he was stepping on the ground barefoot and wearing strange equipment looked very strange. The unnaturalness of his movements also contributed to it being unbelievably non-human. Even people who had built up enough stats to confront monsters couldn¡¯t imitate such movements. However, it took a few more seconds for everyone to realize after he had passed. ¡°Huh¡­ wait a moment.¡± The man who had just passed like a fleeting arrow had a face exactly like the one engraved on the coin that had fallen from the sky earlier. Sswoaeeat! Ignoring the gazes that regarded him like a monster, Yeongwoo entered the spot where the merchant hadnded. Unlike the crowded main street where people were running in a line, there were few people near the column of light. But there were definitely people. ¡°Oh, what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Hey, who¡¯s thating?¡± ¡°Damn¡­ startled me.¡± A fairly hostile reaction from the three individuals. They were a small group of humans and the only ones lingering around the merchant. It seemed they were debating whether to approach the merchant or not. In response, Yeongwoo positioned himself stealthily between the ck column of light and the trio, and casually asked. ¡°It hasn¡¯t started yet, right?¡± ¡°¡­Started?¡± The one who gave a reflexive and blunt response was the man in the lead among the trio, wearing essories. Whether by position or the early bird in his left hand, this man was the leader of the trio. ¡°¡­¡± As Yeongwoo stared at him, the end of the early bird, which had been aimed at him at a threatening angle, subtly lowered. Feeling ufortable due to the sudden intrusion of an unwee guest, he didn¡¯t realize he had involuntarily recoiled because Yeongwoo¡¯s movements a moment ago were so unusual. ¡°If it hasn¡¯t started, let me use it first.¡± Without stepping back or picking a fight, Yeongwoo headed toward the ck column of light, leaving the three individuals behind, who couldn¡¯t do anything. ¡°Hey! Look at this!¡± The man, who btedly twisted his expression, tried to chase after Yeongwoo, but the other two urgently restrained him. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± ¡°Quick, look at this.¡± Swish. What the two colleagues thrust in front of the man¡¯s eyes was¡­ ¡°¡­Oh.¡± A golden coin. * * * Meanwhile, Yeongwoo, having previously experienced trading with extraterrestrial merchants, was not particrly afraid of the column of light or merchants from outer space. No, he was rather impatient. ¡°Where did Kubu go? I thought I would see him again in the next trade!¡± Kubu, the chief mediator of Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword Yeongwoo07. ording to his promise, Yeongwoo could pay only half themission from the second trade onwards and see all the top bidders in the trade. So, taking the risk, he dealt with the mutants in Mungyeong City in the first ce¡­ ¡®What if the merchant has already arrived? What will happen?¡¯ In the meantime, the distance between Yeongwoo and the ck column of light had shortened to around 10 meters, and by this time, the silhouette of the merchant inside the column of light began to be faintly visible. ¡®I don¡¯t know what it is, but it¡¯s incredibly huge.¡¯ Just as Yeongwoo was about to narrow the distance with the merchant, he suddenly heard a tearing sound between him and the ck column of light, and the mediator in question, Kubu, appeared. ¡ªGreetings again, Earth¡¯s human, the strongest in Gyeongbuk, Lord Jung Yeongwoo07! ck eye sockets, white pupils. Blinking eyelids to manipte the air. It was definitely him. ¡ªI am Kubu, the owner of Tenta, who is mediating this trade and the guardian of Darrow. Kubu introduced himself with great pride, just as he did during the first trade. Then, next. ¡ªThe mediation fee for this trade is 10%, included in the product price. A total of four top bidders have bid on this trade. ¡ªWould you like to see the list of top bidders and proposal details? He presented the special treatment promised during thest trade. ¡°Yes, please show me.¡± As Yeongwoo nodded his head in response, Kubu blinked his eyes widely and added some kind of warning. ¡ªExcept for the Mir Union that has already arrived here, you will directlymunicate with the remaining three top bidders, so it might be a bit inconvenient for you. ¡°Inconvenient¡­?¡± As Yeongwoo questioned this, the color of the ck column of light suddenly changed to red, emitting an incredible noise. -Keiiiiiiiiin! ¡°This is insane¡­!¡± Not only Yeongwoo but also the trio who were at a distance covered their ears and screamed at the sound, reminiscent of scratching a ckboard. ¡°Aaah!¡± ¡°What on earth are you doing now?¡± ¡°Turn that off quickly!¡± However, could the request of an ordinary human be heard? The cacophony continued, and Yeongwoo, even at a distance, had to cover his ears until it became unbearable. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Within these mentally grating sounds, there was some meaning hidden. It felt like reading an advertisement board inside a fast-moving subway, but there were definitely several meanings being conveyed at regr intervals. ¡¸Life¡­ concealment¡­ peace.¡¹ Despite the threatening sound, the actual meaning contained within was quite friendly. ¡®Life, concealment, peace¡­? What exactly does this mean?¡¯ While Yeongwoo was pondering this, he looked at Kubu, but this time, there was no particr reaction. Perhaps it meant that he could only provide assistance up to this point. If he had intended to provide assistance, he wouldn¡¯t have allowed directmunication with extraterrestrial top bidders in the first ce. Life, concealment, peace. After confirming that there were no hidden meanings, Yeongwoo spoke to Kubu. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough. Please connect with the next top bidder.¡± Upon hearing this, Kubu blinked his eyes without saying anything, and this time, the color of the column of light turned purple, pushing the surrounding air away. Hwaaaat! ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Although Yeongwoo recoiled at the difort, it was not as agonizing as before, but rather sent shivers down his spine. ¡®What is this? This time, it seems like there¡¯s no meaning at all.¡¯ Hwaaaat! The air was pushed away once again. And this time, too, no discernible meaning could be detected. ¡®What is this trying to achieve¡­?¡¯ Ultimately, as Yeongwoo was about to move on to the next top bidder while rubbing his temples. Hwaaaat! At the same timing as before, the air was pushed out with the same intensity. ¡°¡­¡± Thanks to this, for the first time, Yeongwoo felt something familiar from the extraterrestrial top bidder. The reason was none other than¡­ ¡®This is breathing.¡¯ Hwaaaat! Yeongwoo finally realized. The opponent was appealing that they, too, were beings that breathed like humans. Hwaaaat! The anonymous opponent continued to push out air as if only the sound of breathing was being transmitted. It could be considered a very delicate marketing strategy, couldn¡¯t it? ¡°Can we also check the remaining merchants and decide?¡± When Yeongwoo asked this, Kubu moved his white pupils to look at him. ¡ªIf you wish, it is possible. ¡°Yes. Then please proceed to the next one for now.¡± ¡ªUnderstood. Upon Yeongwoo¡¯s request, Kubu blinked his eyes widely once again. Hwaaar! Yeongwoo¡¯s order was received by Kubu, who blinked his eyes again. Hwarrrk! The third merchant seemed suspicious from the start. The column of light burned instantly, emitting tremendous heat. ¡®These crazy bastards¡­ did they reallye for a trade?¡¯ Yeongwoo closed his eyes, gasping for breath. The heat was so intense that it felt like his eyeballs would melt. Hwaaaat! However, just like the intense heat, the meaning within was also clearly discernible. What the unknown opponent sent was more of a sense of pride than a message. Ferocious nature, desire for power. Although it was unknown which race they belonged to, it was evident that they were highlybative individuals. Therefore, most of what they offered for sale was likely rted tobat. ¡°Ugh! N-next!¡± After barely understanding the basics, Yeongwoo hurriedly called the next merchant. Hwarat! At that moment, the heat sweeping through the area vanished, and the column of light changed back to ck. ¡°Ah¡­¡± It was because thest merchant present was none other than the Mir Union. -Geugeuk. Finally, a faint sound, like rolling stones, emanated from the ck column of light. And then this. -Thest trader is from the Mir Union. They waited for quite a long time but do not find it unpleasant. Kubu provided direct interpretation. It was probably a special privilege for the initial winner. If it hadn¡¯t been Yeongwoo in this position, wouldn¡¯t the Mir Union have been the only top bidder for this trade? ¡°Ah¡­ I apologize sincerely.¡± Yeongwoo sent a genuinely apologetic look inside the column of light. Then the gigantic silhouette of the Mir Union¡¯s merchant, or perhaps not just a silhouette but an actual shadow, writhed. -Geugeuk, geugeuk. Maybe it wasn¡¯t just visible as a silhouette, but rather, its appearance was a shadow, Yeongwoo thought for a moment. -The Mir Union has been engaged in interdimensional trade for a tradition spanning 800 million years from Earth¡¯s time, they are distinct from petty traders dealing with loot obtained by chance and misceneous items for sale. They offer low prices and high quality. Kubu began an borate interpretation. ¡®No, what I actually heard was two words like rolling stones, and it¡¯s interpreted like this¡­?¡¯ However, the Mir Union¡¯s message did not end there. =The Mir Union mainly handles goods useful for offsetting consumables and special situations. Prices are low, and the quality is good. ¡°Can¡¯t you just show me a list of items? Since you¡¯re here.¡± Yeongwoo asked, but Kubu promptly refused. -This trade has already begun with a re-bid. Therefore, directly disclosing the trade contents is prohibited byw. Whatever it was, it was not allowed. Yeongwoo, with a puzzled expression, gazed at the silhouette inside the ck column of light, but eventually averted his eyes. ¡°Then, too bad, but that person will have to go back empty-handed. Please call the merchant who only let us hear their breathing earlier.¡± -Are you sure? ¡°Yes.¡± As Yeongwoo nodded again, Kubu blinked his eyes. -As per the request of Jung Yeongwoo 07, the Mir Union will return, and we will call the wandering merchant of Voltak. As Kubu finished speaking, a loud noise suddenly erupted from inside the ck column of light. -Geugeuk! Geuk¡­¡­! Even without listening to the interpretation, it was easy to guess the meaning from the tone. Perhaps that¡¯s why Kubu didn¡¯t bother conveying it and proceeded with the merchant change. Paeaeaeang! With a refreshing departure sound, the Mir Union¡¯s merchant was sucked up above the column of light, and then¡­ Gaaaah¡­! With a very imposing sound, the column of light was dyed violet. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 46 Chapter 46 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 46: Open Door (3) The wandering merchant of Voltak. After hearing the official name of ¡®Breath Sound¡¯ through Kubu, Yeongwoo realized something. The ¡°peddler¡± that the Mir Union had targeted earlier might be the trading partner this time. ¡ºThe Mir Alliance is a traditional merchant that has been engaging in inter-dimensional trade for as long as 800 million years in Earth time, and is of a different ss from a misceneous merchant who sells loot obtained identally.¡» ¡®Given the name ¡®wandering merchant,¡¯ there¡¯s a high probability of selling acquired loot. It could also be a group of thieves.¡¯ The reason Yeongwoo thought of a group of thieves was due to thepletely different ¡°entrance sound¡± from the delicate image when they only exhaled. Gaaaah! Already for the second time, the sound was unmistakably reminiscent of a war trumpet. ¡®I feel uneasy.¡¯ Gaaaah! With the third sound, a pir of light filled with a vivid violet descended from the edge of the sky. Ssweaaa¡­ Kwaang! In the blink of an eye, the ¡®wandering merchant of Voltak¡¯ set foot on Earth, a total of three of them. And as Yeongwoo slowly looked at the three beings who had risen, his eyes widened. ¡®Huh¡­?¡¯ Indeed, the breath sound they emitted earlier was not false at all. At least in appearance, they were surprisingly simr to humans. With two arms and two legs in positions simr to humans, their lengths were also simr, and, most importantly, they had eyes, nose, and mouth on their faces. The only difference might be that their skin was close to translucent, revealing veins and nerve bundles inside. But paradoxically, because of this, they felt even more human. ¡°¡­.¡± As Yeongwoo stared at them in a daze, one of the merchants who felt his gaze grinned at him. ¡°Oh my. They¡¯re just humans.¡± Wearing scale-like armor all over, they seemed to be a more degenerate version of humanity. ¡°Can I have a conversation with those people?¡± Yeongwoo, driven by curiosity, asked Kubu, but as expected, a negative answer came back. ¨D Contact beyond the trade procedure is not allowed. Then, as if urging them to proceed with the trade, the dealer hurried the transaction with the scheduled procedures. ¨D The mediation fee for this transaction is 10%, included in the product price. The trading partner is the wandering merchant of Voltak. ¨D Will you proceed with the transaction? Oh, my. Having found merchants resembling humans and soon to browse the items they sell¡­ Yeongwoo thought that if he were a scientist studying the universe, he might have had a heart attack. ¡°¡­Yes. Let¡¯s trade.¡± As Yeongwoo gave the final approval, Kubu rolled his white eyes. ¨D The product list isplete. Paaat! What happened next was a somewhat familiar phenomenon. A blue blot appeared in front of Yeongwoo, quickly taking on some form. It was the form of human characters. Ssswee, ssswee. ¡®Oh¡­¡¯ As warned by the Mir Union, the products of those who sell any loot were somewhatcking, but instead, they were very interesting. 1 ¨D ¡¸Morning Star¡¹ ¨C Ancient Scroll ¡¾Activated in the Open Door state.¡¿ ¡ó 80,000 Karma 2 ¨D ¡¸Kekidite¡¹- Hero¡¯s Gem ¡¾Slot: 10% Magic Resistance¡¿ ¡ó 93,000 Karma 3 ¨D ¡¸Golden Goblin¡¹ ¨C Relic ve ¡¾Stores items in a pocket dimension.¡¿ ¡¾Picks up things that turn into money.¡¿ ¡ó 350,000 Karma 4 ¨D ¡¸Gray Rock¡¹ ¨C Unique Shield ¡¾Reduces blocked damage by 40%¡¿ ¡ó 510,000 Karma 5 ¨D ¡¸Antinomy¡¹ ¨C Epic Ne ¡¾50% Fire Resistance¡¿ ¡¾50% Ice Resistance¡¿ ¡ó 1 Legendary Achievement Like the previous trade, a total of five items. Among them, what caught Yeongwoo¡¯s attention were the ¡°Golden Goblin¡± and thest item, ¡°Antinomy.¡± ¡®Is this insane? A ne with 50% fire and ice resistance¡­¡¯ Yeongwoo immediately thought of dragons. Of course, even if he wasn¡¯t the one who experienced the reset, anyone who went through it would probably have had the same thought. The first type of mutation that urred in this world was the dragon. ¨D A new monster type, ¡°Dragon,¡± has been added to this world. ¨D [Chaebol Chairman ¨C Kang Hongtae] has now be a fire dragon threatening everyone. Moreover, when Kang Hongtae returns someday, he will most likely breathe fire. ¡®If there¡¯s a fire dragon, there might be a water dragon or an ice dragon.¡¯ Therefore, ¡°Antinomy¡± was considered equipment to deal with higher-level monsters that could emit fire or ice. The only problem was. ¡®Now I don¡¯t have any more legendary achievements to sell.¡¯ Currently, he had a total of 3 legendary achievements. However, all of them were consecutive achievements rted to the Golden Ratio, making it impossible for him to touch them. ¡®It¡¯s a shame, but there¡¯s nothing I can do.¡¯ Yeongwoo stared at the ¡°Antinomy,¡± which had be like a picture of a rice cake. One constion was that from now on, ridiculous options might appear in Epic grades. ¡®If I had known, I should have saved at least one achievement.¡¯ Yeongwoo nced at ¡°Serpent of Greed,¡± the Epicpass he had purchased with a legendary achievement in the previous trade, with a bitter look. ¡¸Serpent of Greed¡¹ ¨C Epic Compass ¡¾Always seeks rarity.¡¿ The only ie he had obtained from this little trinket so far was finding a lens hidden under the eyelids of Mungyeong¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jang Chunyong. In reality, it seemed more like a waste of money than an investment. ¡®There¡¯s no way to get a refund¡­¡¯ As Yeongwoo watched the Serpent of Greed flick its tiny tongue, he suddenly felt a sense of unease. Because. Sshwit. This little trinket was looking in apletely different direction from when it started the first trade. ¡®What¡¯s going on? Why did it suddenly change direction?¡¯ As Yeongwoo was thinking this, it didn¡¯t take long for him to realize. ¡®Ah¡­ the products.¡¯ Since the extraterrestrial product list appeared in front of Yeongwoo, the snake had changed its head direction. In other words, ¡®Right now, it¡¯s looking at the rarest item among these.¡¯ But there was a problem. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Sshwit¡­¡± What the snake was looking at was not the highest-grade Epic ne ¡°Antinomy¡± but the two grades lower ¡°Golden Goblin.¡± ¡®Why? Isn¡¯t it simply based on absolute value?¡¯ Yeongwoo tilted his head but instinctively thought the snake¡¯s judgment would be correct. The basis for this was none other than the origin of this trinket. ¡®Anyway, this thing is also Epic-grade equipment.¡¯ So, wouldn¡¯t the efficacy of this equipment be simr to other Epic-grade items? Since the option ¡°Always seeks rare things¡± had the effectparable to 50% resistance to fire and ice, it would probably be equivalent to other Epic-grade items. ¡°Anyway, there must be a reason why it¡¯s looking at artifacts instead of Epic-grade equipment¡­ like it¡¯s a perfect fit for me or has ridiculously good cost-effectiveness.¡¯ Moreover, ¡°Antinomy¡± wasn¡¯t affordable right now. ¡®My current total assets¡­ 894,000.¡¯ Even after buying the Golden Goblin and the unique shield ¡°Gray Rock,¡± there was still a bit of money left. ¡®Let¡¯s buy the Golden Goblin first.¡¯ As Yeongwoo pointed at the tooltip of the goblin on the product list, Kubu blinked his eyes. ¨DPurchase processingplete. Payment will be deducted. Phew! In an instant, Yeongwoo¡¯s body shone, and his Karma decreased to 544,000. And simultaneously. ¡°Sshwit.¡± The Serpent of Greed turned its head again. ¡°¡­!¡± Upon this, Yeongwoo quickly turned his gaze in the direction it was looking. ¡°Huh?¡± Once again, he was surprised. What the snake judged as the second most valuable item among this trade was neither a Epic-grade ne nor the unique shield, but the lowest-grade item. 1 ¨D ¡¸Morning Star¡¹- Ancient Scroll ¡¾Activated in the Open door state.¡¿ ¡ó 80,000 Karma The lowest-grade item. It was an ancient scroll called ¡°Morning Star.¡± ¡®What is this scroll that has the serpent acting like that?¡¯ Yeongwoo was slightly interested in the ancient scroll, a type of item he had never seen before. However, since the price was not negligible, and buying this would mean he couldn¡¯t afford the unique shield, he didn¡¯t have any intention to purchase it. ¡®It¡¯s a Epic-grade item, so it¡¯s excluded for now¡­ Is it really better than the unique shield, Gold Goblin? Are you sure?¡¯ Although Yeongwoo asked this, of course, the snake didn¡¯t provide an answer. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ It was once again time to make a choice. Since those whopleted the trade couldn¡¯te backter for repurchase, if there was anything needed, it had to be resolved now. Therefore, following the snake¡¯s opinion, buying the ancient scroll means missing the opportunity to purchase the unique shield. Conversely, buying the shield means losing the chance to buy the mysterious scroll. ¡®Buying a shield isn¡¯t a bad choice¡­ but who knows when another shield wille up.¡¯ While Yeongwoo mumbled to himself, he had already firmly decided to follow the snake¡¯s opinion. Rather than trusting the snake itself, it was more about trusting the power of its grade. Like his instinctive bet of 3 million Karma on Golden Ratio in the first binary choice, it was a bet based on intuition. ¡®Even if this bet fails, it won¡¯t be a significant loss. I can use the remaining money to improve my abilities or physique.¡¯ Yeongwoo confirmed the purchase of the ancient scroll ¡°Morning Star,¡± and as before, Kubu blinked, deducting an additional 80,000 Karma. Phew! Now Yeongwoo had 464,000 Karma left, and the next item the snake looked at was: 2 ¨D ¡¸Kekidaite¡¹ ¨C Heroic Gem ¡¾Slot: 10% Resistance to Abilities¡¿ ¡ó 93,000 Karma It was a heroic-grade gem for slots. With this, it became clear: ¡®It¡¯s not just looking for rare things; it also considers my situation.¡¯ The Serpent of Greed seemed to act like a personal shopper. ¡®If I buy Kekidaite now, will it point to Antinomy?¡¯ Following, Yeongwoo confirmed the purchase of Kekidaite, and once again, a product disappeared from the list¡­ ¡°Sshwit.¡± As Yeongwoo purchased Kekidaite, the snake turned its head again. However, this time, ¡°¡­!¡± The snake didn¡¯t look at Antinomy. ¡®Is it looking north again? Does that mean there¡¯s nothing more to buy here?¡¯ Yeongwoo could only understand it that way. At this point, it meant he wasn¡¯t going to buy equipment that could break the Golden Ratio achievement. ¡®That seems to be the end of the trade.¡¯ Expressing his intention to end the trade, Kubu closed his eyes deeply and sent a farewell. ¨DThank you! All trade procedures have beenpleted. Please step back. Suaat! Kubu, the mediator, disappeared quickly, melting into the air. However, since not all items were sold yet, the wandering traders of Voltak remained inside the glowing pir. Of course, the products they were selling now were only the unique shield priced at 510,000 Karma and the Epic ne requiring a legendary achievement. In essence, except for those who had saved up Karma like the Strongest Swords from other regions, they couldn¡¯t afford to use it. ¡°Well¡­ is that all?¡± As Yeongwoo turned away afterpleting the trade, a trio that had not left the scene called out from a distance. These individuals, who had adapted well to this world enough to confront Day 2 creatures, still found the sight unfamiliar and frightening. ¡°Do we¡­ have to fight with aliens or something?¡± Nevertheless, considering that they were ordinary peoplemuting to and from work just two days ago, their perspective was quite progressive. In response, Yeongwoo saw the traders inside the glowing pir kicking out arge stone box, which was probably their own product package. ¡°Who knows. In my opinion¡­¡± Gruggeuk, gruggeuk. The stone box began to move slowly in Yeongwoo¡¯s direction, making strange noises. ¡°I think the Door is still open now.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 47 Chapter 47 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 47: Open Door( 4) Open Door. This word has two literal definitions. First, opening one¡¯s domestic market to allow other countries to freely engage in trade or economic activities. Second, leaving the door open for anyone toe and go without restrictions on entry. And looking at the current situation, the meaning of open doorapplied in this world was both of these. Even now, strange monsters are invading under the pretext of being pioneers, and those beings from outer space are appearing out of nowhere and conducting business. Moreover, none of this was approved by humanity. The only thing that the majority of humanity unanimously agreed on was that something was wrong with the world and something had to be done. ¡®But how did ite to this?¡¯ Yeongwoo scratched the ground noisily, staring nkly at the approaching stone box. Thud, thud. The box that eventually arrived at Yeongwoo¡¯s feet showed little movement for a while. Boom! Suddenly, with a loud noise, it opened its lid. ng! Surprised, Yeongwoo drew his ck sword like lightning, and the trio watching him from a distance also flinched, each taking abat stance. But what appeared from the box was¡­ -Crunch. A small goblin carrying only its body size. Moreover, its skin was golden. ¡°Uh, this is¡­.¡± As Yeongwoo unintentionally pointed at the goblin with his finger, the goblin looked up at him. -Kek? Then, a tooltip appeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s field of vision. Thunk! ¡¸Golden Goblin¡¹ ¨C Relic ve ¡¾Stores items in a pocket dimension.¡¿ ¡¾Picks up things that turn into money.¡¿ With just that eye contact, the golden goblin became Yeongwoo¡¯s possession. An Relic-grade ve. ¡®Is this really an item? It just looks like a living being¡­.¡¯ Meanwhile, the golden goblin was rummaging through the shattered stone box with its small hand. And then. Whoosh. It seemed to have found something. It was none other than¡­ ¡¸Kekidite¡¹- Hero¡¯s Gem ¡¾Slot: 10% Magic Resistance It was a slot-specific gem that Yeongwoo had purchased along with the goblin. A tiny ck gem the size of a human thumbnail. -Kit! Confirming that Kekidaite had transferred to Yeongwoo¡¯s possession, the golden goblin, carrying it on its shoulder, spread the tip of the bag it had on its shoulder. Then, the golden goblin gestured as if asking if it was okay to store this item in the bag. ¡®Ah, confirming with the owner before putting it in. So, is that like a pocket dimension bag?¡¯ Yeongwoo nodded towards the goblin, curious to see how the pocket dimension worked. The goblin tossed the kekidaite into the bag, and in that moment, Whoosh! The interior of the bag, glimpsed through the tip of the bag, transformed into a space resembling the universe. ¡°¡­!¡± Yeongwoo, peeking at it, felt a momentary sense of disorientation so strong that he took a step back. ¡®What was that just now?¡¯ Yeongwoo blinked, looking at the bag again, but the goblin had already tightly closed the bag¡¯s tip. -Crack! The goblin, locking the bag, looked up at Yeongwoo and made a sharp sound, seeming to be a sharp warning. ¡°¡­¡± Although no one tranted or exined, Yeongwoo instinctively sensed that it was some kind of warning not to look inside the bag when the pocket dimension was open. -Kit! Next, the goblin found and held up Yeongwoo¡¯sst item, the ancient scroll. After cing the bag on the ground, this item, despite its name ¡°scroll,¡± was not paper but a grayish stone b. ¡¸Morning Star¡¹ ¨C Ancient Scroll ¡¾Activated in the Open Door state.¡¿ As it was the size of arge encyclopedia, Yeongwoo had to receive it with both hands. Thud. ¡®What is this¡­?¡¯ Deeply engraved on the stone were hieroglyph-like symbols, but naturally, they were unreadable. However, there was no guidance or information appearing in Yeongwoo¡¯s hands, the owner. Externally, it looked like just a uselessrge rock. But the merchants of Voltak had priced it at a whopping 80,000 karma, and the Serpent of Greed, an epicpass, also imed it to be a rare item. The tooltip only mentioned that it activated in a open door state, so Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t understand not only the usage of ¡°Morning Star¡± but also what kind of item it was. Crunch. He tried biting the corner of the b secretly, but it remained silent. ¡®Or does it activate automatically in specific situations?¡¯ In the end, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t find a solution until the SUV of the Jeong family appeared on the other side of the road. Brrrr! At first, it was an approaching SUV with a quite loud engine noise, but not far away, the sound suddenly quieted down. It was because they btedly discovered something inside the ck pir of light. ¡°Hey, Mr. Yeongwoo?¡± As always, Myeongho parked the car from a distance and only extended his head, calling out to Yeongwoo. ¡°Are you okay?¡± This was also a question about whether he and his mother will be safe. Upon this, Yeongwoo nced briefly at the trio still standing in ce and then moved towards the Jeong family. Then, -Kitkit! The golden goblin, who had been circling the box debris, surrounded Yeongwoo and ran after him. And all of this seemed revolutionary in the eyes of the trio. ¡°Uh¡­ Mr. Jeong Yeongwoo!¡± So much so that they rushed towards him, pushingmemorative coins engraved with Yeongwoo¡¯s face and name into his hands. ¡°¡­?¡± Turning at the sound calling him, Yeongwoo saw that just ten minutes ago, those who used to show him hostility were now standing with polite demeanor. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Yeongwoo asked with a raised eyebrow, and the man in the leader-like outfit among the trio bowed deeply. ¡°Please take us in!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± He had received requests for help or temporary shelter before, but the phrase ¡°take us in¡± was a first. ¡°Whether colleagues or subordinates, I won¡¯t ept such requests.¡± As Yeongwoo replied, memories of parting with Yechan, which already felt like a long time ago, shed through his mind. ording to Yechan¡¯s judgment, it was difficult for Yeongwoo to form a party. For ordinary people, fighting monsters would be nearly impossible without increasing their party size. However, as the Strongest Sword, Yeongwoo was different. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] His main opponents were not just monsters but much stronger mutants and the Strongest Sword from other regions. Therefore, unless they were strong enough to help in battles with them, party members would be a burden¡ªno, a weakness. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense and think about surviving on your own. Your chances of surviving are higher that way than traveling with me.¡± Although Yeongwoo stated it firmly, the man in the leader¡¯s outfit seemed dissatisfied. ¡°No! We are weaker than you, of course, but we can follow you and learn at least¡­!¡± ¡°Whether you learn or not, you¡¯ll die within today or tomorrow.¡± In gaming terms, it was like a user who had just finished the tutorial following a high-level hunting ground user. Swish. After finishing his words, Yeongwoo was about to continue walking towards the Jeong family, but the man who had been continuously bowing behind him raised his head and pointed at the SUV. ¡°What about those people? Are you saying those people will die within tomorrow because of Mr. Yeongwoo too?¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was an undeniable point. Upon this, Yeongwoo slowly turned around. Then, in a subdued voice, he spoke. ¡°Yes. One person has already died. So, they¡¯re expected to fall apart soon.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The pupils of the three individuals widened significantly. However, the man in the leader¡¯s outfit was not usually persistent. ¡°Then please let us stay with you until we part ways.¡± At this, dissent arose within the trio for the first time. ¡°Why go to such lengths?¡± ¡°Just being with them is dangerous enough. Let¡¯s stop here.¡± The other two were not only scared by Yeongwoo¡¯s words but also had no desire to follow someone else by clinging desperately. It made sense, as the three of them had been doing quite well on their own so far. Yeongwoo had refused their joining for the same reason. However, the man in the leader¡¯s outfit was looking far into the distance. ¡°We might have a chance to see how someone like that operates and moves from a distance. We need to understand how the world works to find a proper way to survive.¡± While saying this, the man pointed at the SUV of the Jeong family once again. ¡°It¡¯s not like we gain nothing. If we join that vehicle, we gain mobility. It¡¯s not a losing choice at all.¡± ¡°But how do we know those people want to be with us? That¡¯s also unknown.¡± Another member immediately countered, but the man gestured that there would be no problem. ¡°Are there people who don¡¯t want to live, no right¡­? Already one person has died, and soon Mr. Yeongwoo won¡¯t be there either. They won¡¯t refuse our request to join them.¡± Although continuously attaching ¡®Mr.¡¯ felt burdensome, Yeongwoo found the man¡¯sst opinion strangely convincing. If, ording to the previous agreement, they were to part ways in Chungju and go their separate paths, the Jeong family withoutbatants would practically be as good as dead. It was quite selfish, but it was an opportunity to unload the burden on his mind. ¡°Okay. If the condition is to join them when I part ways with you, I¡¯ll allow you to travel together for a while.¡± Yeongwoo, who had been firm until now, suddenly changed his stance, and the man in the leader¡¯s outfit¡¯s expression brightened. On the other hand, the other two members looked more serious and expressed resentment. ¡°I¡¯m not interested. Essentially, we¡¯ll be following that guy.¡± ¡°We know he¡¯s an outstanding person, but if he can¡¯t take responsibility for our lives, there¡¯s no reason to follow him.¡± Sizzle. The atmosphere inside the vehicle changed, and theposition seemed different. With the two stepping back, it no longer looked like a trio. Yet, the man in the leader¡¯s outfit was obsessively fixated on Yeongwoo, to an unusual extent. ¡°I want to know how that person fights and what thoughts guide him. If you¡¯re going to stay here, I¡¯m going, even if I¡¯m alone.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Then, it¡¯s just the two of us.¡± By dering their departure so simply, it seemed they weren¡¯t family. Now that it hade to this, Yeongwoo was also intrigued by the man. However, since he couldn¡¯t drag out the time, he intervened in the conversation of the trio. ¡°I¡¯m leaving now. If you really n to follow, decide now.¡± Saying so, Yeongwoo continued walking towards the vehicle. The man in the leader¡¯s outfit adjusted the backpack on his shoulders and moved along. The other two, once the man stepped back, made blunt remarks as a farewell. ¡°Crazy bastard.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t regret it just before dying.¡± At the same time, Yeongwoo, who had arrived at the SUV, opened the rear seat door with a surprised look at Myeongho. ¡°Spare a seat for one more person, will you? Let him sit in the front passenger seat.¡± ¡°Uh, yes¡­ of course¡­¡± However, Myeongho¡¯s gaze was not on the new member, the man in the leader¡¯s outfit, but on the golden goblin that had bounced onto the back seat with Yeongwoo. ¡°Yeongwoo, excuse me, but what is that?¡± Looking around the back seat with the rearview mirror, Myeongho cautiously asked. At the same time, Myeongae, who was startled, pressed herself against the opposite window. ¡°W-What kind of monster is that?¡± In response, Yeongwoo handed the artifact ¡®Morning Star¡¯ to the goblin he was holding. ¡°It¡¯s my ve. You can store your belongings with this little guy now.¡± However. -Kitkit! For some reason, the goblin did not ept the certificate that Yeongwoo handed over. ¡°Why is that?¡± Yeongwoo handed the item once again, but the goblin, like before, did not react. The reason became clear when the man in the leader¡¯s outfit climbed into the front passenger seat. ¡°Shi-aat¡­!¡± Suddenly, a gray te, or rather a sooty b, began to emit white smoke and break apart when the man stepped onto the seat. ¡°Oops¡­!¡± Realizing something, Yeongwoo went out of the vehicle holding the crumbling b in his hand. At that moment, the te that had maintained its outline so far scattered into the air. ¡°Uh?¡± Myeongho, who extended his head only as far as the driver¡¯s seat window, the man in a stylish suit trying to see Yeongwoo from the passenger seat, and Myeongae who still looked dreadful, all focused their attention on Yeongwoo. With all eyes on him, Yeongwoo saw a new message appear in his field of vision. [Achievement Unlocked: Advertisement Model] | Achievement Grade: Artifact | Achievement Rank: First ¡®Advertisement model¡­?¡¯ Yeongwoo, receiving the gaze of those around him, looked at the dust-like particles of the shattered te that had soared to the dark sky. ¡®What did I advertise?¡¯ Just as Yeongwoo had this unsettling question, a faint timer appeared at the top of his field of vision. | Time until advertiser arrival: 04:30:00 Soon after. ¡®Huh.¡¯ | Time until advertiser arrival: 04:29:59 The timer started counting down. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 48 Chapter 48 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 48: The Judge with the Longsword (1) ¡®What¡¯s this again.¡¯ Just now, after achieving the achievement of being a ¡®advertisement model,¡¯ a timer appeared indicating that the advertiser ising with follow-up measures. So, what does this mean? ¡®Is it really about that advertisement? Then, the certificate I used earlier¡­¡¯ Yeongwoo thought of the ancient certificate ¡®Morning Star,¡¯ which had disappeared without a trace. It was a dreadful thought, but considering the situation, it seemed to refer to the star of the advertising world. In other words, the earlier certificate was used to promote something somewhere. There must be an extraordinary model here who attracts advertisers. ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo was somewhat flustered by the unexpected development, but he already knew that, once the timer appeared, it couldn¡¯t be reversed. Speaking from experience. ¡®Even meeting an alien merchant, there¡¯s no way I can¡¯t get an advertisement¡­.¡¯ Yeongwoo said courageously to himself, but his fingertips couldn¡¯t help but tremble slightly. It was a different kind of unfamiliarity, a fear that felt unlike the numerous obstacles he had faced so far. Advertising¡­ If something in the universe is willing to advertise, who on earth would advertise what and why? And how would they want to advertise? Through an ordinary human, no less. ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo stopped his futile thoughts and checked the timer. |Time until advertiser arrives: 04:28:19 In about 4 hours and 28 minutes, the existence of the advertiser will arrive. ¡®This time, there¡¯s no mark. Could it be that the advertiser ising to find me in person?¡¯ Yeongwoo looked around the clear sky. It was absurd that the advertiser would appear where the certificate was used after a whopping 4 hours. No, it couldn¡¯t be. Considering the situation, he couldn¡¯t just sit here calmly. ¡°¡­.¡± In the end, Yeongwoo gestured towards Myeongho after a brief hesitation. ¡°Myeongho, start the engine. Let¡¯s head to Chungju for now.¡± * * * Vroom¡­! Inside the vehicle that started moving toward Chungju. Myeongho, as usual, kept his gaze fixed forward, pretending to concentrate on driving, while Myeongae looked outside the window with lifeless eyes. And the new figure in the vehicle. ¡°¡­ Mr. Yeongwoo.¡± Unable to endure the silence that hadsted for several minutes, the tall man opened his mouth with difficulty. In response, Yeongwoo, who had been looking at the goblin, turned his gaze towards him. ¡°Just call me Yeongwoo.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Yeongwoo, sir.¡± ¡°Come to think of it, we haven¡¯t even introduced ourselves yet.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ right?¡± The man rxed his expression as if relieved after hearing Yeongwoo¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t have much experience. As you may know, my name is Jeong Yeongwoo¡­.¡± After saying this much, Yeongwoo nced briefly at Myeongae, who was sitting closely on the opposite side of the back seat. ¡°¡­.¡± The cold wind was blowing again. Given the situation, it was difficult to expect a cheerful self-introduction. ¡°On this side is Miss Jeong Myeongae¡­ And the person driving now is her son, Myeongho.¡± As Yeongwoo gestured alternately between Myeongae and Myeongho, Myeongho, who felt it, quickly introduced himself. ¡°I¡¯m Jeong Myeongho. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. I¡¯m Kim Jongsu. I¡¯m from Andong, and I¡¯m twenty-nine this year.¡± Kim Jongsu. Despite the imposing aura emanating from his tall stature, he was the youngest among them. ¡°How old are you two¡­ Are you both brothers?¡± Kim Jongsu asked cautiously, extending his neck downward. The conversation, each person with a sword at their waist, was unbelievably casual in tone. ¡°I¡¯m thirty-four.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re indeed the older brother.¡± When Yeongwoo revealed his age, Jongsu wiped his chest as if relieved. Then, for some reason, Myeongho, who had been constantly watching, btedly disclosed his age. ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m a bit older. I¡¯m thirty-seven.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re the big brother.¡± Then Jongsu, trying to change the atmosphere, suggested that the youngest should handle the driving. In reality, he was doing his best to be an official member, risking his life to join this party. So, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Jongsu, why did you follow us? The situation wasn¡¯t bad when we were with our colleagues.¡± Upon Yeongwoo¡¯s question, Jongsu¡¯s expression, which had been smiling, stiffened for a moment and then rxed again. ¡°Oh, that.¡± Then Jongsu began an odd story. ¡°Are we facing extinction?¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± Everyone inside, including Yeongwoo, raised their eyebrows at this abrupt remark. However, Jongsu continued without paying attention. ¡°Actually, you could say we¡¯re almost in a state of extinction. On the first day, humanity lost almost half. Moreover, most things have turned into monsters.¡± The first day. Referring to that first day when famous people were brought down through voting, and even the public engaged in remote killings, tearing each other apart. At this point, Myeongho, who had been quiet until now, spoke. ¡°But half of us are still alive.¡± Myeongho¡¯s tone carried a nuance of hope. On the other hand, Jongsu shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s probably less than half left now. Most people must have died from monsters or bandits.¡± ¡°So what? Are you trying to say that the remaining half will eventually die?¡± ¡°In reality, until recently, I thought so¡­ but.¡± Jongsu said this much and then looked at Yeongwoo. ¡°After seeing Yeongwoo, my thoughts changed. It¡¯s not that the world is ending; it¡¯s just changing.¡± ¡°Changing?¡± Myeongho asked, but Jongsu¡¯s gaze was still on Yeongwoo. ¡°Yes. Now, instead of going to work, we make money by hunting monsters.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Myeongho could not easily continue speaking. It was an idea he could never ept as he did not even have the fighting power to face monsters. ording to Jongsu¡¯s im, Myeongho has no ability to make money, so isn¡¯t he a so-called ipetent person? ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­!¡± When Myeongho was about to retort, Jongsu smoothly continued speaking. ¡°This is reality. Starting tomorrow, when taxes start to be collected in earnest, those who don¡¯t have the ability will have to find a way to make money, no matter what, whether it¡¯s begging or bing a ve.¡± It was a grim outlook, but Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but agree with Jongsu¡¯s thoughts. There was no need to look far; even today, people weremodifying their unique services and selling them. ¡°But I didn¡¯t think that way. I had confidence in dealing with most monsters. But after meeting Yeongwoo today, I realized one more thing.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°¡­What is it?¡± This time, Yeongwoo asked, and Jongsu¡¯s gaze quickly swept over Yeongwoo¡¯s entire body. ¡°I have the ability to make money, but just like office workers have bosses, people who hunt monsters also have bosses.¡± Then Jongsu pointed at Yeongwoo with a cunning gesture. ¡°Not only monsters but also experts who destroy mutants, you can call the Strongest Sword, the final boss. In my view, sir, you have the potential to threaten even someone like me. You are a person with real power.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Threaten someone like me¡­ Yeongwoo thought at this point that Jongsu must have threatened or been threatened by someone else before. Such thinking naturally led to such an idea. ¡®By the way, we met in Mungyeong, and Jongsu was from Andong.¡¯ Andong is an area that can only be reached after passing through a couple of cities from Mungyeong. In other words, Jongsu must have experienced various events during his journey from Andong to Mungyeong. ¡°Well, you know, as you may know, there¡¯s one Strongest Sword in each city. In other words¡­¡± He was about to say, ¡°I¡¯m just one of dozens of Strongest Swords,¡± but Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t continue his words because Jongsu¡¯s eyes shed, and he couldn¡¯t continue the conversation. ¡°That¡¯s right! There are probably only dozens of Strongest Swords at best, right? Besides, sir, didn¡¯t you do business with aliens without blinking an eye? You¡¯re not an ordinary Strongest Sword.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± It was true, but it felt strangely distorted. Yeongwoo, feeling embarrassed, just grinned, and Jongsu spoke on his behalf. ¡°So, I¡¯ve decided to follow you and learn for at least a day. I think you will be a great person.¡± In a world where all of humanity is dying, what greaterpliment could there be? However, Yeongwoo, who had already glimpsed malice in Jongsu¡¯s eyes, didn¡¯t feel good about it. ¡°For just one day, it¡¯s¡­ We part ways in Chungju.¡± As Yeongwoo spoke, looking out the front window, Jongsu blinked for a moment and then took a deep breath. ¡°No, Chungju? Isn¡¯t that the way we¡¯re going now?¡± Just then, a sign pointing to Chungju direction appeared on the road, and Myeongho, who was holding the steering wheel, also confirmed it. ¡°That¡¯s right. My father is there¡­ He said Yeongwoo will apany us until Chungju.¡± ¡°This damn¡­!¡± Jongsu managed to swallow the curse that was about toe out reflexively, then quickly asked Yeongwoo. ¡°Anyway, until you finish your business in Chungju, you have time, right? You need to find Mr. Myeongho¡¯s father and do something else¡­ So, there is time, right?¡± Yeongwoo recalled what he had to do in Chungju. ¡®First, I have to find and kill the mutant, and probably during that process, I¡¯ll meet Chungju¡¯s Strongest Sword. After that, I¡¯ll wait for the merchant to appear and make contact¡­.¡¯ Although he currently has a limited amount of extra karma, depending on the situation in Chungju, he might be able to replenish karma by sweeping away monsters. ¡®Mr. Myeongho¡¯s father¡­ He might still be alive. I can¡¯t search every city with him. If I can¡¯t reunite with him immediately, my role ends there.¡¯ After organizing his thoughts to some extent, Yeongwoo opened the status window. ¡ºCharacter: Jeong Yeongwoo07¡» [Strength] 600 (19+581) [Endurance] 350 (21+329) [Durability] 550 (13+537) [Sensory] 100 (24+76) * 1,000 karma is consumed per one stat point. * Avable karma: 371,000 Contrary to Jongsu, who considered Yeongwoo the best among Strongest Sword, the reality was that his rtively weak stats were covered by various equipment and ¡®Gyeongbuk Sword Law.¡¯ If he encounters a true powerhouse at any time, he could die. ¡®With only 370,000 left¡­ Meeting a merchant won¡¯t yield much value since I can¡¯t buy anything.¡¯ So, how about investing karma in abilities or physical appearance this time? ¡°¡­¡­¡± While Yeongwoo was deep in thought, Myeongho, in the driver¡¯s seat, nodded and reported. ¡°Uh¡­ we¡¯re about to enter Chungju soon.¡± There was a slight sense of difficulty in the tone. Then, Jongsu in the passenger seat also looked out the window and showed a puzzled reaction. ¡°Oh, what¡¯s this?¡± By this time, Yeongwoo was also looking at the distant view of Chungju City through his car window, so he could understand why the reactions were strange. Current time, 3:46 PM. There was not a single pir of light falling in Chungju. ¡®Even if there are monsters¡­ have they all been eliminated, including mutants?¡¯ If that¡¯s the case, Chungju must have adapted to the ¡®reset¡¯ world in some way. As Yeongwoo felt an inexplicable excitement and watched out the window, a pir of light that had not been visible from a distance began toe into view. ¡°Ah.¡± It was pitch ck. It was a ck pir of light indicating the merchant¡¯s location. Indeed, there were no mutants in Chungju. Someone had already killed the mutant on the second day and even called the merchant. And the mastermind was probably¡­. Pahat! Soon, as the vehicle approached the entrance to Chungju, the area status notification changed. |The current area is ¡®Chungju.¡¯ |The strongest in this area is ¡®Shin Youngju 22.¡¯ Rank 3, 2 defenses. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 49 Chapter 49 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 49: The Judge with the Longsword (2) ¡®Rank three, two defenses¡­¡¯ Yeongwoo carefully examined the record of Chungju¡¯s Strongest Sword engraved on the regional status board. ¡®He hasmitted murder twice since bing the Strongest Sword. Given the low frequency, he might not be a reckless person.¡¯ Since the defense count of the Strongest Sword is also the murder count, the probability of a wicked person having a high defense count is high. On the contrary, someone who refrains from unnecessary murder would naturally have a lower defense count. ¡®This time, the mutant is also dead¡­ Hopefully, there won¡¯t be a need to fight.¡¯ Of course, it wasn¡¯t that there were no variables at all. For Yeongwoo, it was necessary to meet the merchant who hade to Chungju. However, what if the Strongest Sword does not wee contact with the merchant and outsiders? What should he do then? ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo shifted his gaze from the corner of his vision to the notification that had been shing since earlier. ¡¸You have one unimed achievement reward.¡¹ ¡¸Do you want to im the reward?¡¹ It referred to the reward for achievements aplished using ancient certificates. ¡®Was it an Relic-grade achievement? Anyway, it can¡¯t be used when trading with the merchant.¡¯ Yeongwoo sighed with disappointment and approved the reward im again. Then he immediately realized his mistake. Snap. Suddenly, a familiar sound rang out from the empty space inside the vehicle. ¡®Oh, no.¡¯ Pop, pop! In front of Yeongwoo, ten blue coins appeared in a row. With ten blue coins, it amounted to a whopping 500,000 Karma. Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened at the unexpected ie, but another surprising event urred. -Kiit! The golden goblin that had been crouching quietly between Yeongwoo¡¯s legs suddenly bounced up like a bullet. ¡°¡­.!¡± The goblin, right in front of Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes, swiftly swept away the ten coins that had materialized in the air and gracefullynded in ce. ¡°Uh.¡± Even Myeongae, who had a gloomy expression, was taken aback at this moment. Jongsu, who had barely sensed the movement, alternately looked between Yeongwoo and the goblin with a bewildered face. ¡°What¡­ What was that just now? I didn¡¯t see it properly.¡± Of course, even if he had turned around in time, he wouldn¡¯t have fully seen the goblin¡¯s movements. Even Yeongwoo, the Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword, hadn¡¯t properly followed the goblin¡¯s trajectory just now. ¡®It picks up money on its own. Well, that¡¯s only natural.¡¯ ¡¸Golden Goblin¡¹ ¨C Relic ve ¡¾Stores items in a subspace.¡¿ ¡¾Picks up things that turn into money.¡¿ In gaming terms, it could be considered a pet with an automatic acquisition function. Yeongwoo silently watched the now calm goblin and brought the belongings he had scattered around the back seat to the goblin¡¯s vicinity. The goblin, then, looked at Yeongwoo and quietly opened its subspace pouch to sweep up his belongings. ¡®It doesn¡¯t pick up everything visible. It prioritizes my possessions as the top priority¡­ and only collects things that have been instructed.¡¯ So, if you instruct it, will it bring things that are certain to be someone else¡¯s? With this thought in mind, Yeongwoo immediately asked Jongsu. ¡°Jongsu, do you have any coins? Anything will do.¡± ¡°Oh, of course. You should always carry cash¡­¡± As Jongsu shrugged his shoulders and took out a crimson coin from his pocket, Yeongwoo gave amand to the golden goblin. ¡°Bring that.¡± The goblin, just like before, shot up at an incredible speed. -Kiit! It shot out like lightning, snatched the coin caught between Jongsu¡¯s fingers before he could react, and returned to Yeongwoo before he even realized. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What?¡± Jongsu showed a dyed reaction, looking puzzled. In response, Yeongwoo took a coin from the goblin and bounced it back to Jongsu. ¡°Sorry, just experimenting.¡± ¡°I-it¡¯s okay. It startled me a bit, though¡­¡± Jongsu¡¯s face was quite red. He had been momentarily and significantly flustered. After all, how could someone not be surprised when an otherworldly creature suddenly appeared and took away money? ¡°The world¡­ is changing in a very strange way.¡± Myeongho, who had been observing the back seat through the rearview mirror, interjected with a subdued voice between the two. Then he pointed to his chin and gestured somewhere in front. ¡°It seems like Chungju has be strange too.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± Having heard Myeongho¡¯s words, Jongsu turned his head to look outside the car window, and Yeongwoo also observed the situation between the front two seats. Then, their eyes widened. ¡®People¡­?¡¯ People were visible from the city entrance. Of course, Yeongwoo had encountered an elderly gang of bandits in Sangju, but Chungju was different. ¡°Whoa, what¡¯s that?¡± Jongsu eximed, his mouth wide open, because there were so many people. Just by what could be seen immediately, there seemed to be at least a hundred. They didn¡¯t look like a gang of bandits, just scattered around in different ces. ¡°Yeongwoo, have you ever seen something like this before?¡± Myeongho, referring to the scene of several people in the driver¡¯s seat as ¡®something like this,¡¯ meant that such a sight was notmon in the post-reset world. To this, Yeongwoo tilted his head and said. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been to a few cities, but I¡¯ve only seen part of that region. Anyway, it¡¯s a peculiar sight. So many people gathered like that.¡± Perhaps it was rted to the absence of mutants and monsters in this area. In that case, were there also so many people inside the city? ¡°Slow down a bit. Let¡¯s try talking to the people on the roadside.¡± Responding to Yeongwoo¡¯s request, Myeongho gently applied the brakes, decelerating. People spread across fields near the entrance to the city began to turn their heads one by one. And it was only at this point that Yeongwoo realized. These people were not weing outsiders. Despite everyone looking at the SUV they were riding in with curiosity, it seemed they were constantly scanning the sky. ¡®They¡¯re waiting for monsters. They¡¯re all people who came out to earn money.¡¯ Only now did shivers run down his spine. In this ¡®waiting line¡¯ in front of him, there were even several boys who looked like they could be middle school students at most. ¡°Uh¡­ how should I put it? It¡¯s incredibly bizarre.¡± Myeongho also felt uneasy in the scene of people standing in fields, wielding weapons. On the other hand, Jongsu remarked. ¡°Seems like they¡¯re ready to catch monsters as soon as they appear?¡± He reached a simr conclusion as Yeongwoo. After all, Jongsu was an Early Bird holder. As a person who had been aggressive from the beginning of the reset, his response was natural. ¡°All those people came out to catch monsters?¡± Myeongho found it hard to believe, raising his eyebrows as he nced at the people. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Jongsu casually supplemented. ¡°Well, we can only see it in hindsight. They survived because they actively fought, right?¡± Jongsu¡¯s right hand was already near the Early Bird at his waist, probably preparing for any unexpected attacks. Since there were many people around, it might be a precaution against potential surprises. ¡°Mr. Myeongho, please slow down ahead.¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s request, Myeongho stopped the car. Then, people who had been merely watching from a distance began to gather along the roadside. Seeing this, Myeongae, who had been peering out of the car window, eximed and pulled away from the window. ¡°I-is this okay?¡± Myeongae¡¯s eyes began to tremble, as if she had seen orcs. ¡°¡­.¡± At times like this, what could be said to reassure her? After a moment of thought, Yeongwoo pointed towards Myeongae¡¯s side of the car and said. ¡°Check to see if your husband is there. Chungju seems to have handled this situation well.¡± Then, as Myeongae unconsciously looked back at the car window, Yeongwoo opened the opposite door and stepped outside. Tap. The entrance road to Chungju was made of smooth asphalt, and when Yeongwoo stepped on it barefoot, the color of his skin stood out prominently. Perhaps it was because of this. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Some of the Chungju citizens who had been surrounding the car and making noise suddenly showed surprised reactions upon seeing Yeongwoo¡¯s bare feet. ¡°This person is barefoot.¡± ¡°Really, he¡¯s barefoot.¡± Some of them even asked, ¡°Why is he barefoot?¡± However, the majority seemed to understand. When the body¡¯s output exceeds a certain level, it bes difficult to wear shoes. And this meant that: ¡®Chungju¡¯s Strongest Sword also walks barefoot.¡¯ Inverting this again meant that many people survived even after seeing Strongest Sword barefoot. Yeongwoo usually hid his titles, so his head was currently bare, but the citizens of Chungju seemed to already perceive him as a Strongest Sword. ¡°Wee!¡± Someone in the crowd suddenly threw out a weing phrase. Then, others followed suit, each uttering awkward lines: ¡°Wee¡­!¡± ¡°Wee to Chungju!¡± ¡°Nice to meet you!¡± Then, the bravest among them, who was closest to Yeongwoo, finally brought up the main topic. ¡°But¡­ Why did youe to Chungju? May I ask?¡± As this remark was thrown out, themotion outside the vehicle, which had been filled with contextless weing phrases, suddenly fell silent. In fact, everyone wanted to ask that question. ¡°¡­.¡± In response, instead of immediately answering, Yeongwoo looked around for a moment and then threw out a question. ¡°Most cities I¡¯ve passed through so far were reduced to ruins in just one day, but this is different.¡± Depending on what you hear, he had a pretty scary line. How can we know whether these barefoot foreigners directly reduced those cities to ruins? Perhaps that is why the faces of Chungju citizens, who were smiling brightly on the outside, hardened. ¡°Yeah¡­ ¡°Everyone is doing their best.¡± This answer was also given by a ¡®brave person.¡¯ ¡°We think this will end one day. So, we are doing our best to normalize the city.¡± City normalization¡­ It was the first future-oriented expression I had heard since the reset. I don¡¯t know what the secret is, but Chungju established reset measures faster than other cities and started putting them into practice. ¡®It¡¯s really unique. Are all big cities like this?¡¯ Yeongwoo nced at the ck pir of light that was still shining in the distance. He had nned to go to Chungju only to meet the merchants, but he thought it would be a good idea to meet the Strongest Sword in person as well, if possible. |The current area is ¡®Chungju.¡¯ |The strongest in this area is ¡®Shin Youngju 22.¡¯ Rank 3, 2 defenses. Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze was fixed on the ck pir of light, and the ¡®brave one¡¯ who noticed this looked uneasy as he withdrew. It was time to reveal why he hade here. Yeongwoo, looking at the cityscape of Chungju on the roadside where the car was heading, opened his mouth. ¡°I came to meet Chungju¡¯s Strongest Sword¡­¡­¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Emergency!¡± Before Yeongwoo¡¯s sentence could bepleted, everyone, including the ¡®brave one¡¯, was shocked and hurriedly ran towards Chungju. As everyone feared, they assumed that an outsider hade to seed Chungju Strongest Sword. And the method of seeding Strongest Sword was only through murder. Thud! The sight of a hundred Chungju citizens running across the field looked like a herd of gazelles fleeing from a lion. ¡°What, what is this?¡± Myeongho, got out of the car with a bewildered expression due to the unexpected situation. Meanwhile, Jongsu in the passenger seat also got out of the car, but unlike Myeongho, he had a very amused look on his face. ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s already fully fortified here. Wouldn¡¯t it have been like this in the old days too?¡± ¡°The old days¡­?¡± Myeongho, who didn¡¯t catch the context, tilted his head, but Yeongwoo remained silent, as he seemed to know what Jongsu was talking about. With almost all objects turned into stones now, there was no way tomunicate, not even a phone call. So when an emergency urred, how would they notify others? By foot. It had to be done by people running to spread the word. Of course, it depended on Ba-bal surviving and reaching the destination to function properly¡­ but since Yeongwoo didn¡¯te to fight, he didn¡¯t want to harm people unnecessarily. ¡°¡­Anyway, Chungju¡¯s Strongest Sword wille this way soon. Let¡¯s go out to greet him too.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 50 Chapter 50 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 50: The Judge with the Longsword (3) If humans and cars were topete in a race, who would win? Yeongwoo could run as fast as a car, but the citizens of Chungju crossing the field didn¡¯t seem to be that fast. Vroom¡­! Yeongwoo¡¯s SUV, which had startedte, quickly overtook them within a dozen seconds. ¡°Uh, ugh!¡± The Chungju citizens, seeing the SUV passing them, screamed in fear. Even people running on the road quickly moved aside when Myeongho¡¯s horn echoed loudly. So, to anyone unfamiliar, this scene seemed like¡­ ¡°It seems like we¡¯re really going to attack Chungju.¡± Myeongho, sitting in the passenger seat, looked out the window and smiled as if enjoying the situation. He was enjoying the sight of people feeling threatened and fleeing. On the other hand, Yeongwoo lightly tapped the headrest on the driver¡¯s seat and told Myeongho, ¡°Please slow down a bit. If by any chance we hit someone, it could be troublesome.¡± Unlike Myeongho, who was in high spirits, Yeongwoo had no intention of causing trouble in this city. So, even if Chungju¡¯s Strongest Sword came out in a somewhat angry state, he nned to try resolving it through dialogue as much as possible. ¡®Of course, if they swing a sword at us out of the blue, there¡¯s nothing I can do¡­¡¯ While Yeongwoo was casually ying with the ck sword and early bird tucked into his belt, Myeongho in the driver¡¯s seat sighed. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s something ahead again. People¡­¡± ¡°People?¡± Yeongwoo listened to Myeongho¡¯s words and leaned forward to look ahead through the windshield. Then, indeed, people were visible, just as Myeongho had said. Three people fully armed with swords and shields, wearing police uniforms. These three were blocking the road in a line, and behind them, a tollgate painted in blue stood like a fortress. ¡®They¡¯re using the tollgate as a checkpoint.¡¯ As the SUV approached slowly, the three people in police uniforms near the tollgate looked at each other in confusion. The tollgate was originally a facility to collect vehicle tolls, but since the Reset Incident, they hadn¡¯t seen any actual cars passing through. ¡°Uh¡­ How did youe to Chungju?¡± Finally, one of the three approached with his arm resting on the handle of the sword still in its sheath, looking puzzled. At this moment, Myeongho was about to answer with the window rolled down when¡­ ¡°Emergency! Emergency!¡± A desperate voice echoed from afar. It was none other than the front of the citizens¡¯ group that had been racing at full speed since earlier. ¡°What¡­?¡± The police, who btedly realized that the SUV in front of them was the cause of the ¡°emergency,¡± shouted at Myeongho with a harsh tone. ¡°You, what¡¯s going on? Turn off the engine and get out of the car right now!¡± ng! The police drew their swords one by one, but Myeongho didn¡¯t flinch in the driver¡¯s seat. Because¡­ Suddenly, Yeongwoo in the back seat was getting out of the car instead of him. ¡°We didn¡¯te to fight. Is Chungju¡¯s Strongest Sword Mr. Shin Youngju here? We just came to see him.¡± Yeongwoo spread his empty hands, showing he had nothing, and expressed that he had no intention of fighting. However, the excitement of the police did not subside. What the police were looking at right now was still the running car with the engine running, the outsider with the early bird, and the dozens of citizens shouting ¡°emergency¡± instead of screaming. Currently, on Yeongwoo¡¯s side, the police were still facing the running vehicle with the engine on, the outsider with the early bird, and dozens of citizens shouting ¡°emergency¡± instead of screaming. Unconsciously, they reacted, ¡°This guy! Turn off the engine and get out!¡± ¡°You¡­ Lie down. This is yourst warning!¡± The police, harboring hostility towards Yeongwoo¡¯s group, resorted to excessive defense. It was the result of a sh between instinctual fear and the obligation as checkpoint officers. In the midst of this, one overly excited police officer even showed an intention to strike the front of the SUV with his sword. Swish! Subsequently, Yeongwoo had no choice but to move and pushed the problematic police officer away like lightning. Thunk! ¡°Oof!¡± Because the incident happened so quickly, the other two policemen only realized what had happened after their colleague fell to the ground. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Ouch!¡± Then, almost simultaneously, their gazes turned towards Yeongwoo. ¡¸The sensory values have temporarily increased from the original 100 to 122.¡¹ ¡¸The sensory values have temporarily increased from the original 122 to 141.¡¹ It was the counterattack from the Chungju police. However, thebat capabilities of the two, confirmed through the theft effect, were pathetic. At best, they had experience dealing with a few monsters. As a result, the hologram of the Gyeongbuk Sword Law that appeared shortly after indicated that both of them could be killed within a single move, disying a ¡°kill¡± mark. However, instead of following the guide, Yeongwoo acted solely based on his judgment. Without using a sword, he emitted the ¡®Strongest Sword¡¯s Prestige.¡¯ Whoosh! When Yeongwoo unleashed a golden wave while ring from his eyes, the two police officers trying to confront him froze in ce momentarily. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Ouch¡­!¡± It was due to the pain resembling their hearts being squeezed, caused by the impact of the Prestige. Soon, Yeongwoo¡¯s low voice prated their ears. ¡°Where can I meet Chungju¡¯s Strongest Sword?¡± As Yeongwoo withdrew the Prestige with these words, one police officer hesitated and sat down in ce, letting go of his weapon. The other one¡­ ¡°Ugh!¡± Fell to the ground and vomited while if lying down. He turned out to be someone with a very weak mental strength. Yeongwoo, avoiding the puke that began to spread on the ground, took a step back and told the police officer he had pushed shoulder-to-shoulder earlier. ¡°As I mentioned earlier, we didn¡¯te to fight. Where can I find the Strongest Sword?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± With an embarrassed look, the opponent raised his hand and pointed northeast. ¡°Probably at the Konkuk Campus¡­¡± ¡°Konkuk? Are you referring to Konkuk University?¡± Yeongwoo knew that Konkuk University was a school located in Seoul. He looked puzzled as he gazed northeast, and the police officer nodded. ¡°There¡¯s a branch here. If nothing unusual happened, he should still be on campus.¡± ¡°I see.¡± In the phrase ¡®he should still be on campus,¡¯ Yeongwoo caught a glimpse that Chungju¡¯s Strongest Sword had earned the trust of the citizens. Yeongwoo sensed that Chungju Strongest Sword was trusted by the citizens from the phrase ¡®he should still be on campus.¡¯ ¡°Would you minding with us?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Since the navigation system isn¡¯t working¡­ we need someone to guide us to the school.¡± The police around looked uneasy. Seeing this, Yeongwoo shrugged his shoulders and casually added, ¡°If we can¡¯t find the way easily, there might be more incidents like this on our way to the school. It¡¯s better not to create unnecessary variables.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s mention of ¡®incidents like this¡¯ referred to the series of events involving confronting another police officer or Chungju citizens by force and asking for directions. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] And in this process, if unintentionally a bloody incident urred, it wouldn¡¯t be a tragedy, but rather a threat. The opponent seemed to understand Yeongwoo¡¯s intention, and with a stiff expression, he reluctantly nodded. ¡ª nk. When Yeongwoo picked up one of the police officers who had blocked the car at the tollgate and got into the back seat, everyone in the left side of the car opened their eyes wide and asked, ¡°W-what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Who is this person?¡± ¡°Well, sir¡­¡± However, the most surprised person was the police officer himself who sumbed to Yeongwoo¡¯s threat and volunteered to be the guide. ¡°Hey¡­ what¡¯s this?¡± Pointing with his finger, the police officer couldn¡¯t get on the back seat and indicated beneath the seat. -Keet? There, a golden goblin, a high-ss ve with golden skin, was crouching. ¡°He¡¯s my ve. We don¡¯t have time, so get on quickly.¡± As Yeongwoo, who had already gotten into the car, gestured somewhat forcefully, the helpless police officer had no choice. Swoosh. As he stepped on the back seat, the goblin, frowning, moved to the opposite side, and Myeongae also avoided the goblin and stuck to the car window, coughing slightly. ¡ª An ufortable and eerie situation in many ways. Nevertheless, once everyone, humans, and monsters were seated, Yeongwoo gave the signal by tapping the headrest on the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Uh¡­ should I just follow the road straight ahead for now?¡± Myeongho asked while checking the rearview mirror. Then, the police officer, rubbing his neck, looked at Yeongwoo. ¡°It would be more convenient to go back a bit and enter through Munkang-ri. No checkpoints, and it¡¯ll be easier.¡± ¡°What if I just go straight ahead?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± The police officer looked uneasy at Yeongwoo¡¯s question. ¡°Taking the highway might be morefortable, but there¡¯s almost no time difference between going through Munkang-ri. In fact, going through Munkang-ri might be faster due to possible dys at checkpoints.¡± ¡°Is there another tollgate? Why is there another checkpoint if we go up?¡± As Yeongwoo asked this question, the true intentions of the police officer finally surfaced. ¡°There¡¯s a densely popted area. There¡¯s also a national university nearby, so there are a lot of people. Therefore, there is a significant police presence. So, it¡¯s better to avoid people as much as possible¡­¡± ¡°Police presence¡­?¡± Where everything had turned to stone, it was unclear why there were so many people near the national university. Even disregarding that, the fact that it was a densely popted area with a significant police presence was a cultural shock for Yeongwoo. In the cities he had seen before, there was not even a basic system ofw, let alonew enforcement. ¡°In the current situation, how canw and order be maintained? Most of the police should be much stronger than ordinary citizens, isn¡¯t that nearly impossible?¡± And even if that were possible, who would control the police, who are powerful enough to maintain security? If any of the police were to deviate, the order would copse in an instant. ¡°Uh, well¡­.¡± In response to Yeongwoo¡¯s questioning gaze, the police officer wiped sweat off his forehead and avoided eye contact, looking towards the driver¡¯s side window. Then suddenly. ¡°Oh!¡± The eyes and mouth of the police officer widened as he let out a surprised exmation. However, it seemed more like a reaction of joy than surprise. Upon seeing the police officer¡¯s reaction, Yeongwoo subtly realized who was approaching from a distance. ¡°No way.¡± As Yeongwoo turned his upper body and shifted his gaze to the driver¡¯s side window, he saw a silhouette rapidly approaching at a considerable speed. Pabababat! The distinct sound of friction echoed, indicating that the person was barefoot, pushing the asphalt consecutively with each step. Just like the figure on the other side, Yeongwoo, who was also used to running barefoot on the road, could be sure of it. ¡°Chungju¡¯s Strongest Sword came to find me in person. But how¡­?¡± Even though no one should have been able to leave the area yet, how did someone inform her? Papat! In the midst of the confusion, the silhouette was already close enough for Yeongwoo to recognize the facial features. At this moment, Yeongwoo was surprised once again. ¡°¡­!¡± Contrary to expectations, Chungju¡¯s Strongest Sword, Shin Youngju22, was a middle-aged woman. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 51 Chapter 51 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 51: The Judge with the Longsword (4) ¡®What¡­¡¯ Yeongwoo looked nkly at the approaching Chungju¡¯s Strongest Sword, with her hair fluttering in the air. Contrary to the fearsome strength, the actual appearance of Strongest Sword was surprisingly slender. Her arms were so thin that it seemed doubtful if she could properly wield a sword, and her thin lips and dry cheeks gave a frail impression. Of course, judgingbat power based on appearance in a world where ability points exist was a futile act. However, aside from that, on the first day of the reset, wouldn¡¯t she have ovee the chaos at the money exchange with that weak body? While Yeongwoo was fumbling for the first day of the Chungju¡¯ Strongest Sword¡¯s reset, which was not easy to picture, the other side made the first move. Swish! The opponent swung his arm while looking at the SUV that Yeongwoo and his group were riding and threw the sword. ¡°Ik!¡± ¡°Huk!¡± Myeongho and Myeongae, who recalled the moment they first met Yeongwoo, screamed in shock. Even Jongsu, who had shown a calm demeanor so far, looked at Yeongwoo with a bewildered expression at this moment. On the other hand, Yeongwoo¡­ ¡°¡­¡± He silently watched as the thrown sword flew like an arrow and stuck on the left side of the road. Paeaeang! He had noticed that it was not a sword thrown at a person from the beginning. ¡®What¡¯s this? Is she trying to see how we react?¡¯ Moreover, what the opponent threw was an early bird. It was a provocation that was very expensive unless there was a way to remotely retrieve it, like having a belt simr to a remote control. ¡°Since the Strongest Sword hase personally, there¡¯s no need for you to guide us so hard.¡± When Yeongwoo casually spoke after taking his eyes off the early bird stuck in the ground, the police officer who had been stiffly standing in ce btedly regained hisposure. ¡°¡­Huh.¡± Then, as if fleeing, he opened the back seat door and rushed outside. Tatat! The direction the police officer ran away was none other than behind Chungju¡¯s Strongest Sword, and Yeongwoo, after seeing this, slowly got out of the car. Chuk. Yeongwoo¡¯s bare feet touched themon asphalt. Then, the eyebrows of Chungju¡¯s Strongest Sword, who was closely examining the car from a distance of about 30 meters, twitched slightly. It was because there was nothing floating above Yeongwoo¡¯s head that indicated the status of Strongest Sword. In contrast, Strongest Sword Shin Youngju22, like other Strongest Swords, had a splendid title above her head, attracting Yeongwoo¡¯s attention. ¡®If she assumes the role of the city¡¯s public security, she might have taken the golden route¡­ Was she such a reckless character?¡¯ The artifact tattoo ¡®Stealth Mark,¡¯ which allowed hiding the title, was given as a reward when Yeongwoo first opened the achievement system through the Golden Ratio. At that time, it was thought that the reward was given to anyone who opened the achievement system, but looking at the fact that all the Strongest Swords encountered so far did not know how to hide the title, it was likely a special reward for the Golden Ratio. In other words, the Strongest Sword in front of him probably chose to monopolize 3 million karma with a high probability. ¡®Well, if she took the golden route, she should be wearing some golden equipment or something, but I don¡¯t see anything like that.¡¯ Yeongwoo looked at the Chunju Strongest Sword, who wore an unbelievably ¡®businesslike¡¯ outfit. ck cks, a navy shirt, and a watch with the petrification released on her left arm. Of course, she was also barefoot and held a longsword in her right hand, making her appearance quite awkward. ¡°From what I heard, you were looking for me.¡± Strongest Sword, who opened her mouth first after a while. Suddenly, the tone was mildpared to when she threw the sword. In response, Yeongwoo nodded and greeted. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Jeong Yeongwoo from Gumi. As I mentioned before, I didn¡¯te here to fight¡­¡± As Yeongwoo tried to continue his words, ncing at the police officer hiding behind Chungju¡¯s Strongest Sword, Shin Youngju22 raised her left hand slightly and intervened. ¡°Sorry to interrupt, but what¡¯s your number?¡± ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡± ¡°Your number. The number after your name.¡± She was asking for the identification number assigned based on the order of contact with the exchange office among people with the same name. For example, if the name of the Strongest Sword is Shin Youngju22, it means she was the 22nd Shin Youngju in the country to contact the exchange office. In other words, the smaller the number of this identification number, the more daring the movements on the first day of the reset could be considered. ¡®Checking if I¡¯m a dangerous person.¡¯ Yeongwoo felt that the opponent was a very cautious person. ¡°¡­7. Jeong Yeongwoo 07.¡± ¡°Jeong Yeongwoo is amon name, but you worked very hard. Number 7¡­¡± Chungju¡¯s Strongest Sword, hearing Yeongwoo¡¯s number, pondered the number 7 and showed an unknown smile. Then, she took a few steps to the side and nced into the SUV. ¡°Are they yourpanions over there?¡± ¡°Yes. They are not people I¡¯ve known for a long time. I borrowed the car on the way here.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Looking at Yeongwoo¡¯s bare feet, who said he borrowed the car, Chungju¡¯s Strongest Sword cast a fleeting nce. Then, she bowed deeply towards Yeongwoo and introduced himself. ¡°I am Judge Shin Youngju22 from Chungju branch.¡± Her long hair extending towards the ground created a slightly eerie atmosphere, but for Yeongwoo, it was quite surprising. To bow without hesitation to someone who may be an enemy and who is much younger than you¡­¡­. ¡°Although I¡¯m a Strongest Sword, I¡¯m doing my best to maintain order in this area. I apologize for throwing the sword earlier. From my perspective, I needed to see how Mr. Yeongwoo would react.¡± ¡°Ah¡­! It¡¯s, it¡¯s okay.¡± Yeongwoo was greatly surprised by Shin Youngju¡¯s background. It was amazing enough to break through the exchange zone with such a small physique, but to be a judge as well. ¡®So, is she receiving support from the citizens? It seems that she¡¯s not just supporting the city with strength alone. Her personality seems extraordinary¡­¡¯ Many things have happened, but considering that it¡¯s only the second day since the great upheaval called the reset urred, everyone still held onto the values and systems of the previous world. ¡°Mr. Yeongwoo, what about you? You were giving your introduction, but I cut it off in the middle.¡± ¡°Ah, right.¡± A Strongest Sword from Chungju, the guardian of order in Chungju City. After learning about Shin Youngju¡¯s splendid background, it was difficult for Yeongwoo to speak out. Following the opponent¡¯s introduction format, there was nothing particrly outstanding to present here. Jeong Yeongwoo, who worked at a disy factory in Gumi. Somehow, he became a Strongest Sword in Gyeongbuk, and in order to achieve achievements, he defeated mutants and is heading to Seoul without a clear purpose¡­ There was no impressive profession, and he didn¡¯t have a lofty sense of purpose. ¡°I am¡­¡± When Yeongwoo could not easily continue his conversation even after he began to rumble, Shin Youngju spoke with a gentle smile. ¡°Are you feeling a bit pressured because I¡¯m a judge? It seems like I said unnecessary things. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Then, ncing at the peculiar-looking Yeongwoo, she asked. ¡°How old are you? Can I ask what you did in Gumi?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m thirty-four. I worked at a disy factory in Gumi.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Gumi has quite a few factories. It must have been tough for you, especiallying from Gumi, which is quite far from here.¡± After finishing this sentence with a friendly smile, Shin Youngju quietly looked at Yeongwoo. It was time to get to the main point. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Yeongwoo slowly opened his mouth in response. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re curious about why I came all the way up here.¡± ¡°I guess so.¡± Nodding, Shin Youngju narrowed her eyes. Yeongwoo pointed to the SUV behind him. ¡°Well¡­ They mentioned that their family is here. I wanted to help those who I was indebted to and, at the same time, help them find their family.¡± ¡°Family?¡± To the surprised expression of Shin Youngju, Yeongwoo briefly exined the reasons foring to Chungju, from leaving Gumi to encountering the Jeong family on the highway, killing mutants on the way to Seoul. Then, Shin Youngju looked at the SUV and said thankfully. ¡°Fortunately, we conduct a headcount in front of the city hall every day at 7 PM. Not everyone attends, but¡­ Anyway, you can try finding the husband there.¡± ¡°7 PM is two hours before the start of the nightly quest.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. When we gather at that time, we inevitably end up renting a house near the city hall. It¡¯s a measure to create a densely popted area. It helps with maintaining public order, and I always sleep near the city hall, contributing to security.¡± ¡°Ah, I see¡­¡± Yeongwoo marveled at Chungju City¡¯s management system, which was different from other cities. Of course, the outskirts of the city might be blind spots in terms of security, but it was much better than the entire city bingwless. Chungju City found the best practical solution. ¡°Now, shall we hear why Mr. Yeongwoo came to see me? What business could there be when there are no mutants here?¡± After Shin Youngju subtly exerted some strength in her body and asked, Yeongwoo looked at the sword held in the opponent¡¯s hand. ¡°You might think this is ridiculous, but I wanted to know why you were willing to take on something like this, so I asked to see you.¡± ¡°This¡­ What is it?¡± Shin Youngju had a face that didn¡¯t immediately understand Yeongwoo¡¯s question. In response, Yeongwoo gestured with his arm around. ¡°Chungju City. In essence, you¡¯re volunteering for people who areplete strangers. It¡¯s certainly a good thing, but I¡¯ve never seen a Strongest Sword of this type, so I found it fascinating.¡± ¡°You must have met many Strongest Swords so far.¡± A significant tone of inquiry. It was not an illusion that Yeongwoo felt the will to survive from the opponent. However, the rm to detect an attack by the Golden sh did not ring yet. The opponent still maintainedposure. ¡°Citizens see me as just a stranger? It¡¯s true. Depending on the perspective, it might be urate to say that I am doing volunteer work. However.¡± After a brief pause, Shin Youngju looked up at the sky. ¡°I had to do it.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± ¡°The first Strongest Sword was just a criminal, and the second was too narrow-minded. If I had left them alone, the Strongest Sword himself might have survived somehow, but the city would have copsed.¡± ¡°You consider the city¡¯s preservation very important.¡± When Yeongwoo responded this way, Shin Youngju¡¯s expression suddenly became very cold. ¡°Of course. If monsters are pouring down every day, and there is no order in the city, what would happen?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Yeongwoo knew the result, as he had witnessed it firsthand. If a strong figure emerged, a dictatorship would begin, as in Sangju City. In the worst-case scenario, the city could face extinction due to a single mutant, as happened in Gimcheon. ¡°Of course, it originally started as witch hunting, so I don¡¯t expect wisdom from people. In a way, it¡¯s like living in a world that suits their level.¡± Then, Shin Youngju added with frustration. ¡°But I¡¯m not like that. I wasn¡¯t a person vile enough to throw votes in witch hunting, and I lived sincerely. I had no reason to share the punishment with others.¡± Yeongwoo had nothing to say in response. He understood Shin Youngju¡¯s perspective. She asserted that she hadn¡¯t lived badly enough to deserve such ¡®punishment.¡¯ If there had not been a reset, or even if a reset had urred, if there had not been a senseless witch hunt, this world might have been a little more normal. However, the situation took a turn for the worst, and Shin Youngju ended up having to deal with it. ¡®To take control of her own destiny rather than leaving it to others.¡¯ The 3rd Strongest Sword. If her im about not participating in the witch hunt was true, her growth assets would be the massive Karma obtained through currency exchange. ¡®How she managed to escape the exchange and bring that money with her is still unknown¡­¡¯ Nevertheless, it was clear that Shin Youngju was an extraordinary individual. Many citizens of Chungju City must have willingly joined the witch hunt. Despite that, she faithfully fulfilled the role of guardian of Chungju City. ¡°You¡¯re truly remarkable. Compared to a judge like you, I¡­¡± As Yeongwoo was about to lower his head, a new figure suddenly appeared from the SUV belonging to the Jeong family. It was none other than the golden goblin, a unique ve. -Keet. He jumped out of the car to stick close to Yeongwoo, his owner, when Yeongwoo didn¡¯t appear in his sight for a while. Then, when he stuck to Yeongwoo¡¯s leg, Shin Youngju¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°What¡¯s that? Could that¡­ Yeongwoo?¡± ¡°Yes, um, it¡¯s like a pet.¡± ¡°A pet¡­?¡± Although Yeongwoo introduced him as just a pet, Shin Youngju found it hard to believe it literally. She, too, had experienced facing extraterrestrial beings. ¡°Do merchants sell living creatures too? This is the first time I¡¯ve seen something like this.¡± While Shin Youngju gazed curiously at the goblin, she soon shifted her gaze to scan Yeongwoo from head to toe. Finally, the things that the alien possessed began to be visible again. A snake wrapped around his forearm, a golden bracelet, a ck cape draped over his shoulders, a belt that looked different from standard issue, and on the belt, there was another ck sword along with the early bird. Not to mention the charm hanging around his neck and the ring on his finger. ¡°¡­¡± Shin Youngju unconsciously counted the items that seemed like artifacts and then, inadvertently, her eyes widened. She started looking at Yeongwoo up and down once again. Yeongwoo, who was about to bow his head in embarrassment, closed his mouth when he saw Shin Youngju¡¯s eyes. Her eyes were familiar ¨C the same gaze he saw in the eyes of the thugs during the incident at the currency exchange two days ago. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 52 Chapter 52 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 52: The Judge with the Longsword (5) ¡®Ugh.¡¯ Detecting a sinister glint in Judge Shin Youngju¡¯s eyes, Yeongwoo instinctively stopped himself from reaching for the hilt of his longsword, realizing his hand was already near the scabbard. However, the awkward silence settled in as Judge Shin Youngju had clearly observed his movement. ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Ah, did I stare too openly? I¡¯m sorry if it made you ufortable. There are so many unfamiliar gadgets here.¡± Quickly shifting the atmosphere, Judge Shin Youngju offered a clumsy line, then redirected the conversation, looking towards the SUV of the Jeong family. ¡°You came to find their family in Chungju, right? So, Yeongwoo, are you nning to stay here until then?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡­¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze momentarily touched his wristwatch and then shifted to the timer at the top of his field of vision. Current time: 4:10 PM. |Time until advertiser¡¯s arrival: 03:56:31 ¡®Time is running out. The lodging will start again from 9 PM.¡¯ Since the poption check in Chungju was scheduled for 7 PM, to observe the Jeong family¡¯s reunion, he had no choice but to stay here for the night without a break. Of course, as long as order was maintained in Chungju, a peaceful night was guaranteed. ¡®The problem is those advertisers. They might be extraterrestrial monsters for all we know.¡¯ Yeongwoo didn¡¯t want to involve Chungju in the ominous event of the advertisers¡¯ visit. Regardless of the advertisers¡¯ personalities and tendencies, their appearance alone would undoubtedly cause significant chaos in Chungju. Moreover, he was uneasy about Shin Youngju subtly coveting the equipment he had. Considering the responsibilities she held, it was natural for her to have a strong desire for power. So, in the end, Yeongwoo chose to continue heading north as originally nned. ¡°No, I n to move right away. I want to reach the next city before the lodging starts.¡± ¡°¡­I see. Too bad. I had quite a few things I wanted to ask you, Yeongwoo, as it seemed you have more worldly experience than me.¡± Shin Youngju¡¯s mention of ¡®worldly experience¡¯ probably referred to the world after the reset. In reality, Yeongwoo, who had traversed various regions, had much higher experience points than her, who had been confined to Chungju. ¡°If I had the leisure, I would have learned a lot from Judge-nim. Still, we¡¯ll probably meet again someday.¡± As Yeongwoo tried to leave with these words, Shin Youngju pulled out the early bird she had stuck into the ground, asking before him. ¡°Do you have other business? I thought you came here to meet a merchant, seeing you have so many pieces of equipment.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I did think about it.¡± Since the other party brought up the merchant topic first, Yeongwoo, somewhat flustered, looked towards the dark pir inside the city. ¡°Would it be okay with you? If you allow, I would like to meet the merchant.¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve bought everything that can be bought, and it will disappear tonight anyway.¡± It was the first time Yeongwoo learned that even the merchant had a limited stay. After a moment of thought, Yeongwoo nodded towards Shin Youngju. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll ask for your permission.¡± ¡°Okay. But there¡¯s one condition.¡± ¡°Condition¡­?¡± * * * 4:31 PM. Finally passing through the tollgate and entering Chungju City, Jeong¡¯s family¡¯s SUV was still full. This time, instead of the police, Chungju¡¯s Judge, Shin Youngju, was in the back seat, as her condition for Yeongwoo to apany her until the merchant¡¯s deal was done. Yeongwoo had no reason to refuse Judge Shin Youngju¡¯s condition, as he anticipated being under the surveince of Chungju¡¯s Strongest Sword during his stay in Chungju. In fact, it was somewhat surprising for the Jeong family, as they were in a position where they had to make Chungju their base for their lives, unlike Yeongwoo. And finally, Jongsu said. ¡°Um¡­ If things go this way, do I no longer need to stay with Myeongho? We¡¯ve already achieved a peaceful coexistence here, haven¡¯t we?¡± He was contemting using this situation to break free from the agreement with Yeongwoo. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, big brother? If you¡¯re going to stay here for a long time, you don¡¯t really need a bodyguard, do you?¡± When Jongsu asked casually, Myeongho nodded his head somewhat flustered. However, this was partly sincere. Before Chungju¡¯s safety, Jongsu himself was burdensome. With hisrge build, excessive toughness, and an intimidating presence that felt more like a gangster than just a younger brother¡­ There was nothing easy about him. ¡°Indeed, right? Yeongwoo, what do you think?¡± Confirming that Myeongho¡¯s head moved up and down, Jongsu then looked at Yeongwoo. However, the fierce gaze he had when looking at Myeongho was nowhere to be found. No, instead of fierceness, there was even something close to awe in his eyes. ¡°Um¡­¡± Of course, even in Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes, there was no way Myeongho could handle Jongsu. But that didn¡¯t mean Yeongwoo would easily abandon the agreement with Jongsu like this. Moreover, his statement about not making someone a burden was also genuine. ¡°If you two have reached an agreement, it doesn¡¯t matter how you decide. However, that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll take in Mr. Jongsu. Having apanion imposes many restrictions when moving.¡± When Yeongwoo said this decisively, Jongsu¡¯s expression sank with disappointment. In the meantime, a rectangr, robust building appeared on the other side of the car window. It was none other than Chungju City Hall. ¡°There¡¯s City Hall Square. If your husband is still in Chungju, he probably set up near here.¡± Shin Youngju pointed to the spacious square in front of the city hall and exined. Myeongae gazed at City Hall Square with aplicated expression. Even though it wasn¡¯t the meeting time yet, there were quite a few people in the square. Unlike those in the open field at the entrance of Chungju, most of the people here were sitting or lying on the ground. ¡°Oh, are they waiting for monsters here too?¡± Jongsu muttered, looking at the crowd gathered in the square. At this, Shin Youngju shook her head. ¡°No. Most of the people gathered here are just killing time. From my perspective, it¡¯s a ticking time bomb.¡± ¡°A time bomb?¡± Myeongae asked, raising her eyebrows. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] It was because she was wondering if there might be her husband among the crowd, scanning through the crowd with her eyes. ¡°Yes. Most Chungju citizens are trying to earn more Karma in any way possible at this time. Whether risking their lives to find monsters, challenging daily quests, or even picking up useful items, they do anything.¡± Every day at 7 PM, a temporary market opens along with the gathering time. Shin Youngju exined that even petrified items could be traded. ¡°Then the people there now¡­¡± Pointing to the crowd in the square, Myeongae asked, and Shin Youngju¡¯s expression coldly changed. ¡°They are people who are not implementing even minimal safety measures. When their money runs out, they have no choice but to die. Will they ept it willingly? Those people wouldn¡¯t be strange if they turned into robbers at any moment.¡± Of course, there were some people performing daily quests, but that alone was not enough, Shin Youngju added. It was not a big problem for now, but only solving daily quests wouldn¡¯t address issues beyond room and board, taxes, and fees. For example, the problem of food. ¡°It¡¯s been almost two days since the reset started. In other words, most people have been starving for two days already.¡± ¡°So how is Chungju managing food? Aren¡¯t there food supplies in ces like supermarkets or department stores?¡± This question was thrown by Yeongwoo, likely due to witnessing people fighting in front of a mart in Gumi earlier. In response, Shin Youngju¡¯s gaze lifted to the sky. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to manage. Everything, including marts and whatnot, was looted during the chaos of the First Strongest Sword era.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± As Yeongwoo sighed, Shin Youngju gave a wry smile. ¡°However, even if you have food, you can¡¯t eat it without Karma. In the end, you have to bring it out through the market.¡± ¡°But even petrified food can be traded with Karma, so those who looted during the First Strongest Sword era would have benefited the most, right?¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s remark, Shin Youngju squinted her eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to admit it, but that¡¯s the truth. It¡¯s a realistic limitation. However, even if we forcibly collect all the food owned by individuals, it would cause even greater chaos. Perfect collection is impossible from the start.¡± Anyway, it was a w that Shin Youngju couldn¡¯t deny. And in reality, she wanted to talk about something else. ¡°Well, shall we end this conversation here? Since we¡¯ve arrived at the square, if you¡¯re okay with it, let¡¯s go see the merchant right away.¡± With these words, Shin Youngju opened the back seat door, and the bustling sounds of the square rushed into the vehicle. ¡°Are we really parting ways like this? I feel a bit unfair¡­¡± Turning around with a voice that seemed to express awkwardness, Jongsu looked back. In the meantime, Yeongwoo followed Shin Youngju out of the car. As they did, Myeongho quickly got out of the car and bowed towards Yeongwoo. ¡°Th-thank you for everything.¡± ¡°Is there something to be thankful for? It hasn¡¯t been all good, and I¡¯m also indebted to Mr. Myeongho and your mother.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°By the way, would it be okay if Mr. Jongsu is not with you anymore? He seems like someone who would go his own way sooner orter.¡± Yeongwoo nced at Jongsu, who was just getting out of the car, and said so. Myeongho, in turn, awkwardly smiled. ¡°I think it¡¯ll be okay here. Besides, Mr. Jongsu is ultimately a stranger after all. It was a rtionship that couldn¡¯tst long anyway.¡± Then, Myeongho¡¯s gaze shifted inside the vehicle. Seeing Yeongwoo turning his eyes in that direction, on the back seat, Myeongae bid farewell silently. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Mother, take care. Thank you for your help.¡± This was probably thest conversation shared with the Jeong family. Yeongwoo greeted Myeongae politely and then hurriedly followed behind Shin Youngju, who was already a few steps ahead, heading towards the direction of the ck pir of light. * * * 4:52 PM. Not long after leaving City Hall Square, Yeongwoo sensed something strange. Thump, thump! Shin Youngju, who was running ahead, didn¡¯t match the pace on this side and was moving at her own pace. Of course, now there were no otherpanions, and there were only two people with the status of the Strongest Sword, so it made sense for them to move at high speed. But still¡­ ¡®No matter what, as an outsider and formally a guest, is it okay to run ahead so recklessly?¡¯ So, in Yeongwoo¡¯s thoughts, this couldn¡¯t be seen as anything else. ¡®Could she be trying to gauge my abilities?¡¯ Given the situation, that seemed to be the only interpretation. And if that were the case, Yeongwoo was making it clear that his abilities were significantly lower than those of a Strongest Sword. If Shin Youngju increased her speed a bit, he would easily fall behind. ¡°Is it too fast? We¡¯re almost there¡­ Shall we slow down a bit from now on?¡± Shin Youngju, looking back for a moment with a worried tone, asked. In response, Yeongwoo forced a smile and looked at the ck pir of light that had alreadye a few steps closer. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. We¡¯re almost there now.¡± As he looked around, he felt that there were no people near them, unlike the surroundings near City Hall. Perhaps the area near the merchant was a kind of restricted zone where even people trying to catch monsters couldn¡¯t approach? ¡®Well, merchants only sell products on a firste, first-served basis¡­ It wouldn¡¯t be surprising if a restraining order was issued with the authority of the Strongest Sword.¡¯ So why did Shin Youngju readily allow a foreigner to do business with the merchant? Suuu¡­ ¡­ . Shin Youngju had stopped a little way ahead. When Yeongwoo caught up with her, he couldn¡¯t help but notice the unique difort in the air. Shoo¡­ Finally, the feeling of difort specific to the merchant spread through the air, and the view that had been hidden byrge and small buildings suddenly opened up. They had finally arrived at the intersection where the merchant had settled. And at the right moment, Shin Youngju, who had been running ahead, stood firmly in ce. Tap! Then, she raised her hand and pointed towards the pir of light in front. ¡°I hope there are some useful items left.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 53 Chapter 53 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 53: The Judge with the Longsword (6) I hope there are still useful items left¡­ Yeongwoo pondered Shin Youngju¡¯s words as he walked towards the pir of light in front of him. Currently, the total amount of karma he possessed was 871,000. ¡®With this money, I can probably buy top-notch equipment.¡¯ Of course, Shin Youngju would have seized good items in nine out of ten cases, but Yeongwoo still had a chance. It was thanks to his intermediary, Kubu. ¡®There¡¯s a variable. The merchants here have alreadypleted one transaction.¡¯ The benefit provided by Kubu, Yeongwoo¡¯s intermediary, was to show the merchants who had bid on the transaction and allow him to choose the desired target from among them. But what if Yeongwoo contacted the merchant who had alreadypleted the bidding and finalized the transaction? Would Kubu still show a new list of merchants, allowing Yeongwoo to choose the trader he wanted? ¡®I should look into it now. As long as no unexpected events ur.¡¯ Turning around quietly, Yeongwoo saw Shin Youngju following him at a suitable distance. Her expression was calm, and the Golden sh showed no signs of hostility, but Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t rx. If he were Shin Youngju, he would not let this outsider live and leave. ¡®No one around¡­ It¡¯s the perfect ce for a secret murder. If I strike during the transaction, her reaction will be slow.¡¯ Havinge this far, she must have noticed that his abilities were lower, so if she lowered her morality a bit, this situation would be an unparalleled opportunity for Shin Youngju¡¯s growth. And with that gained power, she could more firmly defend Chungju City. But even so, if she did not continue to pursue him until the end¡­ ¡®Then I have to admit it. I¡¯ve been looking at the world too harshly.¡¯ Yeongwoo thought this way while pulling out the ck sword and early bird from his waist and thrusting them into the ground. ng! In case Shin Youngju had to endure a surprise attack from behind, these swords were called upon for a counterattack. Seeing this, Shin Youngju, who had been watching, asked with a puzzled expression. ¡°What¡¯s going on all of a sudden?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my way of showing respect. It¡¯s a bit weird if someone who came for a trade is holding weapons, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Ignoring her expression of bewilderment, Yeongwoo turned away and walked towards the pir of light again. ¡®About 20 meters or so.¡¯ The distance from the point where the sword was stuck into the ground to the pir of light was about 20 meters. Swish. When he touched his chest, he felt the dagger he had put in his pocket. If Shin Youngju¡¯s movements were faster than expected, he nned to pull out the dagger before the sword returned. ¡®Even a slight touch of the sword¡­ Should be enough to gain an advantage.¡¯ ¡¸Golden Punishment¡¹ ¨C Legendary Bracelet ¡¾Inflicts pain on the enemy.¡¿ ¡¾Cumtive golden ratio: 4¡¿ Yeongwoo, who was undoubtedly confident in his 12-level increase in abilities, believed in the tremendous pain that the Golden Punishment would inflict. Wasn¡¯t it an effect that even the extremely enraged mutants couldn¡¯t properly contain? ¡°Hoo.¡± When Yeongwoo finished preparing himself mentally, the distance between him and the ck pir of light decreased to about ten meters, and finally, the figure of the merchant began to appear. *Squeak.* From the other side, it seemed that Yeongwoo¡¯s presence was felt, it started making an eerie sound, and soon. ¡°Ugh¡­.¡± Even Yeongwoo, who had experienced numerous battles, momentarily hesitated at the sight of a grotesque being that seemed to freeze even him, protruding part of its body beyond the pir of light. Swoosh. It was a giant cockroach. Amon sight on Earth. The only difference was that its body length seemed to easily exceed five meters. If it couldn¡¯te outpletely beyond the pir of light, a long antenna that should have been straight was noticeably bent along the wall of the pir. ¡°Good heavens.¡± Yeongwoo muttered with a horrified tone, and Shin Youngju behind him spoke in a subdued voice. ¡°I still can¡¯t get used to it. Every time I see that, it scares me. We can¡¯t predict what else might happen in the future with things like this.¡± In Shin Youngju¡¯s voice, Yeongwoo sensed fear for the first time. ¡°But you still managed to make the trade. Judge, what did you buy from the merchant?¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s question, Shin Youngju, after a moment of nk expression, burst intoughter. ¡°The merchant? I¡¯ve been feeling this since earlier, but Yeongwoo, you¡¯re really a unique person. Maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯re young.¡± Then she pointed her finger at the merchant in the form of a wheel. ¡°Check it out yourself. I didn¡¯t buy much.¡± *Squeak.* The merchant wheel emitted a cry in response. At this, Yeongwoo took a deep breath and began walking towards the pir of light. Soon, the space between him and the pir of light split, and the intermediary Kubu appeared. Smoothly. -I am honored to meet you again, the Earthling, the strongest in Gyeongbuk Province, Mr. Jeong Yeongwoo07! -I am Kubu, the guardian of Tenta and the owner of Daro, who is mediating this transaction. Kubu¡¯s usual greetings. But this time, he blinked his eyes twice before starting to look around. It was the first time Kubu had examined the trading scene, probably because in the previous two transactions, Yeongwoo was the first trader. However, this time. =Someone else has already been here. There is a record of the transaction. Seeing Kubu¡¯s awkward expression in his voice, Yeongwoo asked. ¡°Is the trade still possible? Or has themission changed?¡± -The trade is possible. Themission is also unchanged, but the trade target can be changed¡­ As Kubu was about to continue his answer, he suddenly rolled his eyeballs and looked somewhere. Then. -Be careful. Yeongwoo unexpectedly spat out a warning line. But he seemed to know the reason. ¡°¡­!¡± The Golden sh that had been silent until now disyed a warning message at this moment. ¡¸The sensory value has temporarily increased from the original 100 to 866.¡¹ ¡®Crazy.¡¯ The sensory value increased by a whopping 766. This meant that the opponent who had ambushed had a sensory value of 1532. And in this vicinity, there could only be a presence with such high abilities¡­ Swish! Turning his head backward, Yeongwoo saw Judge Shin Youngju22 rushing towards him with a golden glint in her eyes. ording to the hologram guide of Gyeongbuk Sword Law, the opponent¡¯s de had already reached his neck. ¡°¡­.!¡± As the hologram advised only evasion without attempting a counterattack, Yeongwoo twisted his body in ordance. Thud. Then, Shin Youngju¡¯s thrust came very close to Yeongwoo¡¯s neck. ¡°Judge¡­!¡± Yeongwoo rolled backward to increase the distance, but it was in vain. Shin Youngju¡¯s movements were much faster. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Before Yeongwoo could even pull out his dagger, Shin Youngju¡¯s sword cut through the air. ¡°Kwak!¡± A sharp pain in the abdomen. Yeongwoo immediately realized that something was seriously wrong. Even if it wasn¡¯t just the pain, his upper body was tilting forward against his will. ¡®No way.¡¯ There was no need to look down. The intensified pain and the floating sensation in the air exined a lot more than could be seen. His body had been severely damaged by the recent blow. Among the misfortunes, the good news is that the senses he had taken from the opponent had not yet left him. Although not certain, he felt like he could still move his arm, and his mind seemed intact enough to think this far. ¡°Ah!¡± Yeongwoo screamed, a sound of either determination or agony, pulling out the two swords that were stuck 20 meters away. At the same time, he drew the dagger he had kept in his pocket and swung it. Swoosh! Since his head was already crashing into the ground, the dagger only swung near the opponent¡¯s ankle. However, Yeongwoo¡¯s final struggle had a significant effect. ¡°What, what is this¡­?¡± This is because he seeded in diverting Shin Youngju¡¯s attention, even if only for a moment. To the point where she realized a little toote that two knives were flying at her from behind her back. Swoosh! ¡°Huh.¡± Shin Youngju, who had btedly realized the meaning of the holograms that were blinding her vision, was already swinging her sword to parry the early bird. This was purely a reflexive action. The early bird, catching the sunlight, shed as it swung. So inevitably. Quack! She didn¡¯t even see themon knife that had just passed through her chest. ¡°Haak¡­!¡± Having experienced significant damage to her body for the first time in her life, Shin Youngju didn¡¯t know what to do as she saw blood flowing from her chest. ¡°Ye-Yeongwoo!¡± She was so helpless that she asked for help from Yeongwoo, who she had cut to pieces just seconds ago. However, Yeongwoo was busy watching the strange scene where the ck sword returned to its original position afterpleting its mission. He was lying on the ground, pouring out blood from his lower body. ¡°¡­It was almost done.¡± For some reason, consciousness remained clear. Yeongwoo felt intense pain and a burning sense of injustice simultaneously. Then, as Shin Youngju copsed to the ground, unable to support her body any longer, Yeongwoo finally paid attention to the chaos. ¡°Jud¡­ Judge. Judge, you¡¯re not dead yet, right?¡± He asked because Shin Youngju¡¯s legs were trembling, but there was no response. Perhaps, due to experiencing the pain inflicted by the golden punishment, she might not even have the strength to speak. When Yeongwoo reached this conclusion, a genuine sense of apology overwhelmed him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. If I had the strength left, I would have killed you quickly. Now, I can hardly move my arm, and I¡¯ll die soon too.¡± Upon closer inspection, Shin Youngju¡¯s trembling had decreasedpared to before. She was also dying. ¡°Whoever it is, the next person passing through here will be in for a surprise.¡± As Yeongwoo tried to open the inventory window for hisst attempt before death, a small silhouette appeared in the distance. -Keet¡­ It was none other than the Relic-grade ve, the Golden Goblin. He had been observing the battlefield from a safe distance when the fight began. ¡°Oh? Here, here!¡± -Keet? Although the Goblin confirmed Yeongwoo¡¯s consciousness, it only looked around withouting to help. ¡°Well, I guess you¡¯ll be free when I die. Anyway, I lost.¡± It seemed this was the end. Perhaps it was difficult for a Strongest Sword, who was born as a level 4 human, to live a long life? ¡°I couldn¡¯t even survive for two days. If it weren¡¯t for the reset, I might have lived for three years.¡± |Name: Jeong Yeongwoo |Role: Level 4 Extra |Function: Background, Maintenance Crew |Creation: April 8th, 1992, 11:41 PM, edited due to unintentional deliberate intervention. |Annihtion: November 7th, 2028, 8:36 PM, fatally assaulted by a drunk passerby while returning home. Yeongwoo recalled his once repulsive Fate Record and chuckled bitterly. Then, as he attempted to slowly close his eyes¡­ Paang! Suddenly, a car horn red from somewhere, jolting him awake. ¡°¡­?¡± It wasn¡¯t far away. Even the characteristic vibration of a car transmitted through the ground. Although he was now too exhausted to turn his head, he could easily guess who the person was without seeing. ¡°Hyungnim? Where are you?¡± Jongsu, who had cast aside the Jeong family, was approaching. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 54 Chapter 54 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 54: Different Species (1) ¡°Jongsu¡­!¡± Yeongwoo called out to the unexpected visitor with an uncertain voice. Kim Jongsu, a 29-year-old native of Andong. Although it was not their first meeting, their rtionship was not close enough to expect loyalty. Also, when he thought about it again, he wondered if it would be helpful if someone came to see his body cut in two. ¡°Hyung-nim, where are you? I really can¡¯t see¡­ Ugh!¡± Jongsu, who had arrived near the scene, discovered Yeongwoo, whose upper and lower body were separated, and abruptly stopped. Squeak! He then stuck his head out of the driver¡¯s seat in disbelief to double-check. ¡°Hyung-nim?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Jongsu, startled, jumped out of the car and stood still for a while, blinking his eyes. It was an unexpected sight, to say the least. A giant cockroach trapped inside a pir of light, and in front of it, a giant eyeball floating in the air¡­ But more chilling than that was the fact that Yeongwoo, whose lower body had been cut off, was speaking and alive. ¡°No, how on earth are you alive?¡± ¡°Well, it seems it¡¯s not easy for a person to survive like this. Or maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯ve increased my stats a lot.¡± ¡°Even so, this doesn¡¯t make sense. How long have you been like this?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± It was only now that Yeongwoo realized how long he had endured to an excessive extent. And the reason became clear after he opened the inventory that he had neglected until now. Pahat! ¡¸Slime Core¡¹ ¨C Mutation Bracelet ¡¾Regenerative power increases dramatically.¡¿ The Slime¡¯s core. A loot taken from the Sangju Province¡¯s Strongest Sword, Dokgo Sehwan 01. It was the Dokgo Sehwan who, despite having his head and body torn apart, had managed to survive with his breath attached. ¡®Oh my. So it was this.¡¯ The phrase ¡°Significant increase in regeneration¡± likely meant this level of effect. ¡®Could it be that if I continue like this, the severed parts will heal?¡¯ It was a usible guess. Originally, he should have died early on due to excessive bleeding or shock. Of course, the amount of blood he had already lost was considerable, but if he attempted to stitch it up now¡­ ¡°Hey, Jongsu.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s okay, could you bring my leg and attach it under here?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± After Yeongwoo¡¯s response, Jongsu opened his mouth wide and trembled in disbelief. Then, as if greatly shocked, he muttered while holding Yeongwoo¡¯s lower body with both hands. ¡°So, if I do that, will your body really stick together¡­?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°So, you mean¡­ you just want me to stick this back on?¡± ¡°Yes, for now.¡± With his weakened energy, Yeongwoo nodded his head, and Jongsu followed suit by nodding his head. Next, Jongsu brought Yeongwoo¡¯s lower body closer to the upper body. Sliiide, sliiide. Now, all that remained was to align the two cut surfaces properly. But when Jongsu came this far, he suddenly stopped moving. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Jongsu?¡± As Yeongwoo called out to Jongsu, who seemed more static than he expected, a calm voice flowed out from him, unlike before. ¡°If I don¡¯t stick it, will you die like this?¡± Well, that¡¯s true. Yeongwoo sighed deeply. ¡°Yes, that would happen. But I won¡¯t resent you even if you leave me to die. I would have thought the same if I were in Jongsu¡¯s position.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If I hadn¡¯te here, hyung-nim would have either withered away without a word or been stabbed by some ruthless guy.¡± While saying this, Jongsu nced at the early bird attached to his waist. Then, still emitting a formidable presence, he shifted his gaze towards the alien merchant and mediator Kubu. ¡°You can¡¯t even imagine how weird I feel right now.¡± After Jongsu finished speaking with a loud gesture, Yeongwoo closed his eyes, thinking that he was about to draw a sword. However, all Jongsu did was attach Yeongwoo¡¯s lower body back together. Clunk. ¡°Do you really expect it to stick together on its own like this? Damn¡­ I feel like I can¡¯t live properly in a world like this.¡± Jongsu spat out a skeptical line, but before he finished speaking, Yeongwoo could sense that something was happening. ¡°Ugh.¡± The sensation of heat surged from the spot where Jongsu had attached the lower body. Of course, it was unclear whether the body was actually attached or if an infection was progressing, but something was happening for sure. ¡°Um¡­ just in case, did you align the front and back properly?¡± Yeongwoo asked out of curiosity, and Jongsu, after momentarily nking out,ughed. ¡°Check it for yourself when you stand upter.¡± And at that moment. ¡°Kkng.¡± Youngju, who had been lying there as if dead, finally twitched his fingers and truly died. ¡¸Chungju¡¯s Strongest Sword has been acquired and merged!¡¹ The title merge message appeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s field of view as evidence. Following that, system messages about the current status of titles continued to appear. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡­You have acquired one title in the Chungju region. ¡­You possess four titles in the Gyeongbuk region. ¡¸The current Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword is ¡®Jung Yeongwoo07.¡¯ Rank 1, 2 defenses.¡¹ ¡®Oh, titles from different regions are collected separately.¡¯ As Yeongwoo stared at Youngju¡¯s corpse on the ground, Jongsu, with a deep voice, said. ¡°This distinguisheddy finally initiated a fight, huh? Unlike earlier when she pretended to be gentle.¡± ¡°She must have thought about it until the end. She had a lot to lose.¡± Just as Yeongwoo said, Youngju lost too much as the price for her failed bet. Even if another mutantes down to Chungju tomorrow, can they defend against that monster without the Strongest Sword? ¡®Without the Strongest Sword, it¡¯ll be difficult to maintain order in this city.¡¯ Originally, the region status window should have information about the Strongest Sword, but now it looked more like a warning message. |Currently staying in the area of ¡®Chungju.¡¯ |There is no Strongest Sword in this area. Nevertheless, the majority of Chungju citizens couldn¡¯t even imagine what that status window meant. Chungju¡¯s Strongest Sword had gambled with the lives of the citizens. In any case, due to this incident, Chungju was expected to return towlessness, and there was a high likelihood that it would be ruined by mutants. ¡°How about it, does the body seem to be attached a bit?¡± Jongsu, feeling bored with waiting, sat on the ground and asked. In response, Yeongwoo, unconsciously examining his waist, stood up abruptly, surprised. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Jongsu, too, widened his eyes. Yeongwoo¡¯s upper body stood straight, supported by the waist and abdomen. Just a moment ago, wasn¡¯t this the person whose upper and lower body were separated? This was an impossible situation. ¡°What the hell.¡± Jongsu eximed in amazement as he sat down, and Yeongwoo, with an unbelieving expression, raised his top to inspect it. Swoosh. Then, it became apparent that the flesh on the cut surface, while notpletely healed, was sticking together. ¡°No, this is¡­¡± While Yeongwoo struggled to find words, the suturing process continued. After a while, a severe hunger struck. As the body reattached, even the internal organs that had lost function began to restart. ¡®Is¡­ is this really happening? If so, you can¡¯t consider it human anymore.¡¯ As Yeongwoo sat and examined every corner of his body, the golden goblin, which had been observing the situation from a distance, hurriedly approached. It had noticed that Yeongwoo was recovering. ¡°This guy.¡± Jongsu made a gesture as if kicking with his foot, but the goblin ignored it and ced a pouch next to Yeongwoo. -Kit. ¡°You¡¯re quite an opportunist too.¡± Yeongwoo briefly looked at the now polite goblin, then turned his gaze to Jongsu. ¡°But Jongsu, why did you save me? It was a chance to be the Strongest Sword.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Jongsu shrugged. Then, he nced at Yeongwoo¡¯s recovering body in real-time. ¡°Well¡­ if I had to give a reason, I didn¡¯t want to live like this. I clearly realized it when I saw that body really sticking together.¡± By ¡®like this,¡¯ he meant living in a state where it was ambiguous whether he was human or a monster. ¡°You seem to be the type who subtly dislikes being tied down. But if it was someone other than my brother, I would have drawn my sword without hesitation. I¡¯m not interested in being the Strongest Sword, but I always think bing stronger is the right thing.¡± An excessively honest remark. As a result, Yeongwoo felt relieved. ¡°There was also a way to take only my equipment.¡± ¡°Yes. I hadn¡¯t thought that wasn¡¯t an option¡­ Well, even if you look like this, you¡¯re probably stronger than I would be with them. So, I chose to be the benefactor of your life.¡± In other words, he didn¡¯t want to be a monster and chose to receive the protection of a monster. ¡°I may not empathize, but I understand what you¡¯re saying.¡± Yeongwoo, saying this, had recovered to some extent during that time. In other words, even if Jongsu changes his mind now, there¡¯s nothing he can do about it. Of course, Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t ready to fight other Strongest Swords or mutants right away. ¡®I¡¯ll need some rest during the journey until we arrive at the next area.¡¯ Fortunately, thanks to Jongsu getting a car, they could take breaks while moving. ¡®Jongsuing to find me is truly a stroke of luck. Maybe it¡¯s not my time to die yet.¡¯ Yeongwoo unconsciously looked up at the sky. Then, along with the clear sky, the timer that was hanging at the top of the field of view caught his eye. |Time until advertiser¡¯s arrival: 03:04:11 A considerable amount of time had passed since he attached his body back together. ¡®It¡¯s almost in the 2-hour range. Tight schedule.¡¯ At this rate, shortly after entering the next area, he would encounter the presence known as the advertiser. ¡°Can you continue driving?¡± When Yeongwoo slowly asked while getting up, Jongsu nced at the car and replied. ¡°Yes, of course. Where do you want to go?¡± ¡°North¡­ I mean, towards Seoul.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to cross through ces like Icheon and Yeoju.¡± As if drawing a map, Jongsu gestured with his finger in the air. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo searched the body of the deceased Shin Youngju, whoy with a hole in her chest. Surprisingly, she didn¡¯t have a single penny, but instead¡­ ¡®Oh my god.¡¯ There was an Epic equipment that could only be obtained by consuming legendary achievements. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 55 Chapter 55 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 55: Different Species (2) Swoosh. As Yeongwoo picked up the problematic equipment, Jongsu tilted his head. ¡°What is that, Hyung-nim?¡± ¡°It¡¯s apass.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s apass?¡± It was a perfectly normal reaction. Even Yeongwoo, looking at it, couldn¡¯t see how it could be rted to apass from the outside. ¡¸Fearful Cat¡¹ ¨C Epic Compass ¡¾Indicates a threatening target.¡¿ ¡¾¨CEmpty slot¨C¡¿ The equipment that came out of Shin Youngju¡¯s left pocket was a small, three-colored cat model smaller than a palm. It crouched down as if frightened, and its eyes were closed in its current inactive state. ¡®Does that mean there¡¯s no threatening target nearby right now?¡¯ Yeongwoo instantly figured out how the ¡°Fearful Cat¡± worked. It was because he already had a simr device. ¡¸Serpent of Greed¡¹ ¨C Epic Compass ¡¾Always seeks rarity.¡¿ In the reset world, Yeongwoo was one of the people who quickly encountered the new material. ¡®Thanks to thepass, Shin Youngju found me right away.¡¯ Of course, at that time, it was impossible to know why the Fearful Cat perceived this side as a threatening target. ¡®I never had the intention of fighting from the beginning¡­ There might have been conflicts due to merchant problems, but I still wanted to solve it through conversation.¡¯ However, this was only Yeongwoo¡¯s one-sided thought. Anyway, the result was that Shin Youngju died, so wasn¡¯t Yeongwoo a threatening figure? ¡°¡­¡± Yeongwoo put the Fearful Cat in his pocket with an ufortable feeling. Then the Serpent of Greed, wrapped around his left wrist, turned its head with a flick of its tongue. Swoosh. The object it stared at was none other than the sword that Shin Youngju had been holding all along. It wasn¡¯t the supply-type sword stuck in the mountain of the sword, nor was it the early bird, which made Yeongwoo curious. ¡®Is it a mutation equipment?¡¯ The probability was high. If it was the current Strongest Sword, even if it couldn¡¯t use mutation equipment, it would have at least two. One obtained from a mutant and one that the former Strongest Sword had. Thunk. Eventually, when Yeongwoo pulled out the sword from Shin Youngju, a tooltip appeared in his field of vision. Ping! ¡¸Underdog¡¹ ¨C Mutated one-handed sword ¡¾Power increases by 25% against targetsrger than the user.¡¿ ¡®Oh.¡¯ Compared to its rtively in appearance, the special ability was outstanding. ¡®If this applies permanently against mutants, it would be good.¡¯ If the ¡®build¡¯ mentioned in the tooltip simply referred to height, it would be activated against the majority of adult males. Conversely, it would have no effect against smaller males and most females. ng. ng. Yeongwoo pulled out the early bird from his waist belt and reced it with Underdog. Jongsu, who was watching this, let out a dryugh. ¡°Even the Strongest Sword rummages through corpses after the fight. How did the world end up like this?¡± ¡°¡­There¡¯s no other choice. Even the Gangnam Strongest Sword probably goes around digging through corpses.¡± Gangnam Strongest Sword. Yeongwoo didn¡¯t have much knowledge about that side, but mentioning Gangnam gave the impression of a wealthy neighborhood, so it was half-joking. Surprisingly, Jongsu took this seriously. ¡°Come to think of it, there might be a Gangnam Strongest Sword. Or maybe just lump it all under Seoul Strongest Sword¡­?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Listening to it, it made sense. Although both are ¡®cities,¡¯ the poption difference is staggering. The poption of Chungju is about 200,000, while Seoul has a poption of 9.4 million. That¡¯s a difference of 47 times. So, logically, there should be more Strongest Swords for Seoul. For example, one for each district. Even so, considering the poption, there could still be fewer Strongest Swords in Seoul. Seoul is divided into 25 districts. ¡°I don¡¯t know if there¡¯s really a Gangnam Strongest Sword.¡± When Yeongwoo said this, Jongsu spoke with an excited voice. ¡°That¡¯s right, isn¡¯t it? Hyungnim, aren¡¯t you curious? Who holds a position like Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword?¡± ¡°¡­¡± [PR/N: It¡¯s PSY. He holds the position. Trust. Oppar gangnam style.] For some reason, unlike the excited Jongsu, Yeongwoo found it difficult to understand the other¡¯s emotions. Is it because everything still feels like a game or a dream? From the beginning, abandoning his formerrades abruptly and sticking with this side, giving up the opportunity to be Strongest Sword¡­ Yeongwoo felt that Jongsu didn¡¯t seem to take post-reset life seriously. ¡°Mr. Jongsu, how do you n to live from now on?¡± ¡°From now on?¡± Receiving Yeongwoo¡¯s question, Jongsu made a face as if he hadn¡¯t thought about that far. Then, he once again let out his characteristic yfulugh. ¡°Moderately¡­ I hope to travel and see the world without too much trouble.¡± ¡°See the world?¡± ¡°Yes. Isn¡¯t it fascinating how the world has turned out like this? Just a few days ago, you wouldn¡¯t have thought you¡¯d end up getting stabbed by a judge¡¯s sword, right?¡± ¡°But¡­?¡± It became clear. Jongsu regarded life after the reset as some kind of bonus. Otherwise¡­ ¡°Hyungnim, do you think I¡¯m strange right now? Like a crazy person.¡± As if reading Yeongwoo¡¯s mind, Jongsu uttered a line that seemed to peer into Yeongwoo¡¯s thoughts. So, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t press the matter any further. ¡°Yes. Usually, people are busy trying to survive or panicking. It¡¯s rare to find someone who wants to see the world in the midst of all this. I doubt there will be many more like you in the future.¡± ¡°Haha, that¡¯s true. Because, for most people, the top priority is to survive.¡± Jongsu¡¯s forcedughter somehow sounded artificial. In contrast to his animated appearance, Yeongwoo found it difficult to understand the other¡¯s emotions. For some reason, Jongsu¡¯s face, even with the fadingughter, appeared quite imposing, reminiscent of their first meeting. It didn¡¯t match the subsequent dialogue at all. ¡°Mr. Jongsu, is survival not your top priority?¡± Surprisingly, Jongsu remained silent. His face, nowcking even a trace of a smile, was unexpectedly intimidating. And then, the words that followed seemedpletely incongruent. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to live, let alone survive. Originally, I should havemitted suicide today.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Yeongwoo, wondering if he heard wrong, tilted his head. Jongsu, with a wrinkled nose, confirmed his statement. ¡°When I checked the Fate Record, today was supposed to be the day I die. If it wasn¡¯t for the reset, I would have reallymitted suicide as nned.¡± And this means¡­ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Are you saying you¡¯ve been thinking about suicide even before the reset?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Yeongwoo reflexively questioned. He couldn¡¯t understand it at all. Wasn¡¯t he a guy with exceptional physical abilities who looked like a dangerous person in this world? Of course, external appearance and inner circumstances are separate, but it was hard for Yeongwoo to easily believe in someone who seemed so strong. ¡°The reason¡­ I¡¯ll tell you slowlyter. It¡¯s not something to brag about.¡± Seeing the shadow on Jongsu¡¯s face, who alwaysughed so heartily, it seemed like he truly desired suicide. After all, it was written in the Fate Record, and if it wasn¡¯t for the reset, he would have truly died. ¡°So, for now, since I¡¯m not dead, might as well live, is that it?¡± ¡°Well, something like that¡­ and I have a bit of curiosity. The conglomerates are rumored to turn into dragons after theye back. Can you just ignore that?¡± With his regained momentum, Jongsu burst intoughter. Yeongwoo, finding it absurd, alsoughed. * * * Having a bizarre conversation with a man with former suicidal behaviour and bursting into fakeughter was only temporary. Soon, Yeongwoo had to continue searching for Shin Youngju¡¯s corpse. For some reason, the second mutation equipment didn¡¯te out from her body. ¡®Could it be the one who defeated the mutant on the first day wasn¡¯t the Strongest Sword?¡¯ It was a difficult thing to ept, but given the circumstances, there was no other way to think about it. Even the Serpent of Greed wasn¡¯t looking at the corpse anymore. ¡®Really, it¡¯s not here. Strange.¡¯ As Yeongwoo, with a serious expression, continued to search Shin Youngju¡¯s pocket, Jongsu asked. ¡°Why? What¡¯s not there?¡± ¡°Equipment. When you defeat a mutant, equipment usuallyes out, but there¡¯s none. Any Strongest Sword should have had it¡­¡± ¡°Oh, really? Then maybe the former one didn¡¯t have it from the beginning.¡± ¡°Yeah. Given the circumstances, it seems likely.¡± Yeongwoo decided to stop searching for equipment at this point and stood up. Perhaps the missing mutant equipment was something consumable like a potion. ¡°¡­¡± For some reason, it felt unclear, but there wasn¡¯t much time left. ¡°Can we still trade?¡± When Yeongwoo asked Kubu, who was looking in this direction from the empty air, the creature blinked its eyes. ¡ªYes. It is possible. Themission fee remains unchanged, but the target of the trade cannot be changed as there is already a record of the transaction. As expected. Kubu¡¯s provided selection of trade targets was only avable to Yeongwoo as a firste-first-served basis. ¡°I guess there¡¯s no other choice. Please proceed.¡± As Yeongwoo nodded, Kubu blinked its eyes once more and recited a formal statement. ¡ªThe intermediarymission for this transaction is 10%, included in the product price. The trade partner is the ck Market merchant in Cheok¡¯s Martial Arts Hall. ¡®Cheok¡¯s Martial Arts Hall¡­¡¯ Learning about the opponent¡¯s origin, Yeongwoo unintentionally stared at the giant wheel trapped inside the pir of light. Whether Cheok was a or another dimension, he didn¡¯t know, but there seemed to be a wheel like that there. ¡ªThe product list isplete. Soon, Kubu rolled its eyeballs to inform that the products were ready. Then, blue spots appeared in front of Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes and began to take the shape of human characters. Ssslik. 1 ¨D ¡¸Executioner¡¹ ¨C Ancient Two-Handed Axe ¡¾Destroys ordinary weapons.¡¿ ¡¾Significant decrease in power when used with one hand.¡¿ ¡ó 70,000 Karma 2 ¨D ¡¸Myol¡¯s Crystal¡¹ ¨C Hero¡¯s Shield ¡¾¨CEmpty slot¨C¡¿ ¡¾Double effect of equipped gems.¡¿ ¡ó 116,000 Karma 3 ¨D ¡¸Vanguard¡¹ ¨C Relic Helmet ¡¾This helmet does not get damaged.¡¿ ¡ó 310,000 Karma 4 ¨D ¡¸Illusion¡¹ ¨C Unique Shoes ¡¾30% chance of detection evasion.¡¿ ¡ó 630,000 Karma As expected, the fifth slot was empty. Shin Youngju, who had visited this ce before, gave a legendary achievement and bought apass. However, in the end, the item came to Yeongwoo, so he practically saved one legendary achievement. ¡®The rest are tremendous. Shin Youngju didn¡¯t deliberately leave some items behind; she just didn¡¯t have the cash to buy them.¡¯ Inparison, Yeongwoo currently possesses 871,000 Karma. ¡®The axe is now meaningless, and the shield is ambiguous. It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t use it, but it¡¯s better to use another sword.¡¯ Therefore, the only things that Yeongwoo urgently desired were the relic helmet, ¡®Vanguard,¡¯ and the unique shoes, ¡®Illusion.¡¯ Especially for ¡®Illusion,¡¯ the tooltip was not ordinary, just like its high grade. ¡®What does ¡®30% chance of detection evasion¡¯ mean¡­ precisely?¡¯ Detection. In a literal sense, it means discerning the opponent¡¯s thoughts. ¡®Could it be?¡¯ Yeongwoo blinked his eyes widely, taking a deep breath. Among the things he experienced in the post-reset world, the only thing somewhat simr to detection was the hologram guide provided by the ¡®Sword Techniques.¡¯ ¡®If it¡¯s a 30% chance of detection evasion, does that mean 30% of my movements won¡¯t be captured by the hologram?¡¯ For the first time, he considered it genuinely crucial for him, who had to fight with a stat disadvantage. ¡®The Illusion costs 630,000. I have enough money, but I have to give up the helmet for now.¡¯ After buying the Illusion, the remaining money was 241,000. ¡®I can¡¯t afford to buy the Vanguard, which requires 310,000.¡¯ Certainly not a small amount, but it wasn¡¯t a considerable sum either. ¡®I can earn that money by hunting a few more monsters, but I don¡¯t have any right now, so¡­¡¯ Swoosh. Feeling regretful, Yeongwoo searched around, hoping he might find some remaining monster marks. Suddenly, he realized one thing. ¡°Ah.¡± Then, turning his head to the benefactor of his life, who was observing this trade from a distance. ¡°Jongsu, how much money do you have?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 56 Chapter 56 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 56: Different species (3) ¡°Coins¡­?¡± Jongsu, who was looking at Yeongwoo with a surprised expression, quickly regained hisposure as he grasped the situation. It was clear that the Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword in front of him was in a difficult situation due to ack of cash. So, Jongsu reflexively asked how much was needed but quickly changed his words. ¡°Would you be surprised if you knew? I have quite a bit.¡± As Jongsu ced the backpack he was carrying on his back on the ground, an unusual sound was heard. ng. The sound of coins shing loudly inside the backpack. And the one most surprised by this was none other than Yeongwoo. In fact, 69,000 karma might be a small amount of money for him, but it could be a significant sum of money that could be a matter of life and death for most people. In addition, carrying such an amount of money in cash without investing it in stats was an unusual thing to do. ¡°¡­How much is it?¡± When Yeongwoo asked curiously, Jongsu opened the backpack and showed him a handful of crimson coins. ¡°It¡¯s 114,000.¡± The amount far exceeded the ¡®bnce¡¯ Yeongwoo needed. ¡°Wow. Why do you carry so much cash?¡± ¡°Because there¡¯s no guarantee when you might encounter a monster. So, I¡¯ve prepared enough in advance. If I think I might have to fight a strong opponent, I can immediately use it on my stats.¡± ¡°Then, do you lend it to others in case of emergencies? About 69,000?¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s request, Jongsu chuckled with a slippery smile. ¡°Hehe, it¡¯s quite arge amount. Would it be helpful if I lend it to you?¡± ¡°I can buy one more piece of equipment.¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Jongsu shrugged his shoulders and took a few steps back from the backpack. It meant he could take as much as he wanted. Then, the golden goblin standing on Yeongwoo¡¯s footte saw the coins in the backpack and twitched its body. -Kiit. Instinctively, the eyes kept going there because it was holding back without receiving the owner¡¯smand. ¡°Can you choose the coins you want? If you can, bring only 69,000 karma.¡± Finally, Yeongwoo pointed to the backpack and ordered, and as soon as his words ended, the goblin jumped out, leaving behind a golden trace. Tatang! It was a movement at an incredible speed, as seen before. In the blink of an eye, it grabbed the backpack, opened the spatial pocket, and poured in the crimson coins. Chwarruk! At a nce, it seemed like it was pouring the coins without counting, but as soon as it emptied 69,000, it returned the backpack to its original position. -Kit. The goblin¡¯s gesture seemed to say, ¡°Check your bnce.¡± Indeed, Yeongwoo¡¯s cash total was now 940,000 karma. An exact amount that would leave nothing after buying the helmet and shoes. ¡°Thank you very much. Thanks to you¡­¡± Unconsciously, Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze turned to the product list. 3 ¨D ¡¸Vanguard¡¹ ¨C Relic Helmet ¡¾This helmet does not get damaged.¡¿ ¡ó 310,000 Karma 4 ¨D ¡¸Illusion¡¹ ¨C Unique Shoes ¡¾30% chance of detection evasion.¡¿ ¡ó 630,000 Karma Still, both pieces of equipment existed only in blue text. Acquired! As soon as Yeongwoo confirmed the purchase, a change urred. Shwaaaah¡­! A strange sound began toe from somewhere in the sky. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Since it was a sound simr to when the early bird first fell, both Yeongwoo and Jongsu looked up at the sky, and soon they saw it. Paaah! Two very thin pirs of light were descending straight towards Yeongwoo. ¡°¡­Ugh!¡± Startled, Yeongwoo crouched down, and as the pirs of light passed by him, an immense heat emanated from them. Hwarlut! ¡°Oof.¡± Although Jongsu, who was nearby, felt the heat to the point of taking a step back, Yeongwoo was unaffected. There was only a slight difort. ¡®Ah.¡¯ From the moment the pirs of light passed, Yeongwoo felt a slight pressure on his head and feet. Having purchased equipment several times already, he quickly understood what had happened. ¡®Every merchant has a slightly different way of filling up equipment.¡¯ As Yeongwoo touched his cheek, he felt the cold touch of metal. On his feet, he wore shoes made of a silvery metal, and contrary to appearances, they were so light that he could hardly feel the weight. ¡®If it¡¯s a unique item¡­ it shouldn¡¯t tear even if I run, right?¡¯ Looking at the shoes, practical concerns crossed Yeongwoo¡¯s mind. On the other hand, Jongsu was observing the transformed appearance of Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword, now even moreical with the helmet and shoes. ¡°Hyung-nim.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you hide your equipment¡­ like, some kind of ability?¡± ¡°Why? Does it look that strange?¡± ¡°Yes, quite a lot.¡± After scanning Yeongwoo from top to bottom again, Jongsu shook his head. It was understandable, as Yeongwoo was now wearing a ck cloak over the training suit he had on at the factory dormitory, with a rugged bronze helmet on his head. He even had a snake on one arm, a golden bracelet, and gloves. Adding an iron belt with two swords and silver shoes, it went beyond strange and looked downright bizarre. ¡°I now understand why there were skins in the game. Still, Shin Youngju was tolerable, but Hyung-nim, you¡¯re a bit entric.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t help it. I can¡¯t just wear less equipment to look cool. But isn¡¯t it better than being barefoot?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know.¡± With an expression that clearly indicated he didn¡¯t know, Jongsu moved towards the car he had brought. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re done here, right? I don¡¯t want to keep staring at those guys all day.¡± The ¡®guys¡¯ Jongsu mentioned were the unknown alien merchant, who came from the Cheok and mediator Kubu. Regardless of their roles and origins, they both looked equally repulsive to Jongsu¡¯s eyes. ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go now. We¡¯ve dyed enough time.¡± After saying this to Jongsu, Yeongwoo bowed his head slightly towards the two aliens, bidding them farewell. In response, Kubu and even the giant wheel responded. ¨C May you continue to live. -Zkrrrk. * * * 5:56 PM. While driving on the road for a while, the regional status window changed. | The current area you are in is ¡®Eumseong.¡¯ | There is no Strongest Sword present in this area. ¡°Huh.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Oh, what¡¯s this?¡± Both Yeongwoo and Jongsu were surprised simultaneously. Just like in Chungju, the Strongest Sword was absent in Eumseong. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean another Strongest Sword has visited here?¡± Jongsu asked, and Yeongwoo nodded in response. ¡°Yes. It means the title of Eumseong Strongest Sword has been absorbed into a different area.¡± In other words, someone else was collecting titles while moving. In a nationwide context, this might not have been umon. It was natural for a Strongest Sword topletely organize their assigned area and search for other anomalies while encountering and inevitably shing with other Strongest Swords. Before disputes over who would defeat the anomaly, there were cases where a fight was initiated because the opponent¡¯s equipment looked tempting. In Yeongwoo¡¯s case, it was Chungju¡¯s Strongest Sword Shin Youngju who had done such a thing. ¡°Is the next area also negative?¡± As the regional status window remained fixed on Eumseong, Jongsu checked the sign ahead. ¡°No. We¡¯re on our way to Yeoju¡­ It was just Eumseong in the middle.¡± And not long after, the disyed area changed to ¡®Yeoju.¡¯ The problem was: | The current area you are in is ¡®Yeoju.¡¯ | There is no Strongest Sword present in this area. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Uh?¡± Both of them were astonished by the unexpected situation. ¡°What, what¡¯s going on here? Who¡¯s going around killing everyone¡­?¡± Theughter disappeared from Jongsu¡¯s face. He had a premonition that from here on, it would be a series of unusual incidents. Yeongwoo also felt tension in the air, different from before, but he quickly regained hisposure. ¡°Eumseong is in Chungcheongbuk-do, and Yeoju is in Gyeonggi-do, right?¡± ¡°Yes¡­? Oh, right. That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Then, it¡¯s possible that different people have visited each area. There could be both the Chungbuk Strongest Sword and Gyeonggi Strongest Sword in different ces.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be a more terrifying situation¡­?¡± ¡°Just looking at me being Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword¡­ It¡¯s likely to have happened.¡± With eyes full of caution, Yeongwoo looked out the car window. He was a 4th-grade human by birth and not particrly specialized inbatpared to others. However, with a bit of luck and courage at crucial moments, he became the Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword. What about others with different types of backgrounds? For example, unknown killers or powerful criminals not eliminated in the first screening phase, or 1st-grade humans. ¡®Already, all the titles are taken from the outskirts, so there must be formidable individuals roaming inside.¡¯ A sense of tension arose. The first day of the reset, when the surroundings were dangerous everywhere and there was no escape route, the image of the exchange station came to mind. ¡°Are we continuing? We¡¯ll soon enter Yeoju. After that, it¡¯s Icheon.¡± Jongsu asked for confirmation, and Yeongwoo brushed his hand against the two swords at his waist. ¡°We have to keep going. That¡¯s why I bought a lot of equipment.¡± ¡°Yes. Then I trust you and will step on it, Hyung-nim.¡± As Jongsu stepped on the elerator, the scenery outside the window retreated even faster. Vroooom! The highway to Yeoju had almost no blockednes, and thanks to that, they could soon see a sign indicating the beginning of Yeoju city jurisdiction. ¡°Oh, we¡¯re in Yeoju now.¡± Of course, the fact that they had arrived in the next area did not resonate yet, as the surroundings were just hills and mountains. There was only a small rest area that they had just passed by, the only building nearby. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s really deste. Is it because everyone¡¯s been killed?¡± As Jongsu jokingly said this, a sudden noise erupted. Grrrrrr¡­! It was apletely different, aggressive engine sounding from behind. The sound direction was towards the rear. ¡°Oh, man, it¡¯s a foreign car.¡± Jongsu, who quickly checked the rearview mirror, chuckled in disbelief. At this, Yeongwoo also captured the ¡®foreign car¡¯ mentioned by Jongsu through the rear window. Grrrrrr¡­! ¡®Are they crazy?¡¯ Jongsu wasn¡¯t just making nonsense. Indeed, two Audi convertibles were making a loud noise as they approached. Their colors were white and yellow, quite noticeable. ¡°Were they waiting in the rest area we just passed? What the hell is happening in this area?¡± Jongsu, with a quick nce at the rearview mirror, could see the foreign sports car that was rapidly closing in on them. At this moment, Yeongwoo felt a shiver down his spine. The situation was getting dangerous. ¡°Hyung-nim, we¡¯re about to be overtaken.¡± Jongsu chuckled nervously, realizing the impending situation. The sports car elerated and approached them rapidly. It seemed like they were about to overtake Jongsu¡¯s car. ¡°That¡¯s right. Get ready.¡± Yeongwoo took out the Epic-gradepass ¡®Fearful Cat¡¯ from his pocket. ¡¸Fearful Cat¡¹ ¨C Epic Compass ¡¾Indicates a threatening target.¡¿ ¡¾¨CEmpty slot¨C¡¿ Then, he put thepass back into his pocket, signaling his partner. ¡°Stop the car. Let¡¯s fight now.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 57 Chapter 57 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 57: Different species (4) A sudden chase on the road. Even before the reset urred, it would have been a particrly tense situation for Jongsu. However, he remained surprisingly calm as he engaged in a chase in this harsh world. Tick. He was soposed that he could even turn on the emergency lights to warn the car behind before starting to decelerate. Of course, a lot of credit for his calmness went to Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword sitting in the back seat. The probability of someone stronger than Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword was extremely low, regardless of the pursuers¡¯ identity. But what Jongsu was more concerned about than that was nothing other than a rear-end collision. If he suddenly mmed on the brakes and the cars behind crashed into him¡­ ¡®Then I¡¯ll be a duck egg in the Nakdong River.¡¯ Even aside from the fact that he could be seriously injured in such an ident, if he lost his means of transportation right away, unable to keep up with the mobility of the Strongest Sword, Jongsu would naturally be abandoned. So, he was doing his best to ensure that the car did not suffer any damage. Vroom¡­ As Jongsu turned on the emergency lights and decelerated, the two Audi cars chasing them also quickly slowed down. Squeak! One car passed Jongsu and Yeongwoo, blocking the direction they were heading, while the other one, as if indicating that it would block the exit, stopped closely behind. ¡°I¡¯ve done this a couple of times before.¡± Jongsu alternately looked around and applied the handbrake. And in the meantime, people started getting out of the two Audi cars that surrounded the vehicle. ng! The identity of the opponent who appeared from the wide-open doors was¡­ ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Oh? They¡¯re kids.¡± Jongsu¡¯s statement was urate. They were at most in theirte teens. There were a total of five of them. Of course, each of them had a weapon, so it was insufficient to simply call them ¡°kids,¡± but regardless, they were much younger than the two had expected. ¡°These little bastards¡­ probably don¡¯t even have a license yet? Is this really the end of the world, Hyung-nim?¡± Jongsu, who usually referred to him as ¡®Hyung-nim,¡¯ couldn¡¯t just stand by quietly in the face of such bold delinquents. ng! Sure enough, with the gleam in Jongsu¡¯s eyes, he pushed open the driver¡¯s seat door. Trusting Yeongwoo in the back seat was one thing, but Jongsu, who was also a skilled individual among civilians, was also curious. But even if they were minors, were these guys who dared tomit vehicle robbery normal? Thud! Before Jongsu could fully open the driver¡¯s seat door, a nimble boy jumped out and, using his body, pushed the door shut, blocking the road. Boom! ¡°Don¡¯t move, just stay still.¡± The voice was as sharp as the appearance. Looking inside through the car window, even a sense of hostility emanated. ¡°What? This little brat.¡± Eventually, as Jongsu¡¯s original temperament began to show, he tried to push the car door back onto the road, but this time, a sharp gesture came from his side. Crack! Suddenly, the passenger-side window shattered, and a long de came in. ¡°What¡­!¡± Turning his head to the side, Jongsu, who was already shocked by the approaching de, was amazed to see the de edgeing dangerously close to his neck. Thud! A hand that popped out from the back seat grabbed the de. Then he simply broke the sword into pieces as if breaking a cookie. Jongsu who saw Yeongwoo¡¯s skills turned his head back, even the ¡®kids¡¯ surrounding the car, had no choice but to turn their gaze to the back seat. ¡°Get close to the left, Mr. Jongsu.¡± But even anticipating that there might be apanion for today¡¯s prey, they never imagined that there would be a passenger who would wield a 5-meter-long ck sword inside the car. Swoosh! The long de extended from the back seat, targeting both the spear wielder and the shotgun-wielding co-pilot, creating arge arc as it swung, cutting them to pieces. ¡°Whoa! Fuck!¡± The nimble boy saw his friend getting cut to pieces, and staggered back. Thud! Jongsu got out of the car, and with a swift motion, he struck the guy¡¯s thigh with the car door. Thunk! ¡°Ah!¡± A flying teenager rolling on the ground. In perfect timing, Yeongwoo also kicked open the back seat door, revealing himself outside. Whoosh! ¡°Unbelievable. They¡¯re all so young.¡± It was 6:21 PM. The newly improved form of Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jung Yeongwoo 07, was shining oddly bright even before the sunset. It was because of the golden achievement gear and the silver-white illusion that reflected the natural light. ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°What is this¡­?¡± In fact, just looking at the appearance, it was an utterly ridiculous sight, but no one could find it amusing after what had just happened with this monstrous warrior. Everyone was simply confused and frightened by the unexpected situation. ¡°Oh, sir¡­ Please spare us. We¡¯re sorry.¡± Finally, the only girl among the bandits swiftly attempted to change her stance. She dropped the knife she was holding and knelt down. ¡°If you let us go this time, we promise we¡¯ll never do it again. Okay?¡± Starting with the girl¡¯s plea, the other two boys near Yeongwoo also knelt one after another. ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± ¡°Really sorry.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Although these guys also surrendered by dropping their weapons, Yeongwoo understood well. This means that they would never have shown mercy to the weak they had encountered before. Just looking at their attack method of forcefully pushing the spear into the driver¡¯s seat window is evidence enough. Moreover, the de of the girl who first dropped her weapon was stained with blood and had a grim, eerie color. ¡°¡­.¡± After confirming that the weapons of the remaining guys were also tinged with red, Yeongwoo sighed and said. ¡°No need to apologize; you¡¯re viins too.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The delinquent teenagers raised their heads in surprise at the unexpected answer. And soon, theirfort was disrupted by Yeongwoo¡¯s dry voice. ¡°Don¡¯t think of me as someone who goes easy on the young. You guys are going to die here.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± The three youths who had been kneeling with faces that looked like they were about to cry changed their expressions to a cold one as soon as they heard Yeongwoo¡¯s words. Then, they exchanged some kind of signal with each other. Swish! Very quickly, each of them reached for their weapons. Their intention was clear; all three simultaneously nned to attack Yeongwoo. But their opponent was not just anyone; he was Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword. Shhh! As soon as they showed their hostility, a ck trail split the air, and soon after. Thud, thud, thud¡­ Three adorable heads fell to the ground in session. Of course, the only ones who witnessed this scene were Yeongwoo and Jongsu, as well as the ¡®clever guy¡¯ who was still clutching his thigh on the ground. ¡°Um, well¡­¡± Soon, Jongsu, alternating between ncing at thest trembling boy on the ground and the three heads that had rolled away, murmured. Though he still knew that these guys were viins and had tried to kill him, witnessing the heads rolling weakened his resolve. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Observing him closely, Yeongwoo tilted his head and said. ¡°Surprising, Mr. Jongsu. Haven¡¯t you been through all sorts of life-and-death situations?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true¡­ But killing monsters and killing people are somewhat different, don¡¯t you think? It¡¯s more instinctive¡­¡± Jongsu chuckled. However, Yeongwoo wasn¡¯tughing. No, rather, he looked perplexed as he nced at the early bird Jongsu was holding. ¡°Are you saying you¡¯ve never killed a person? Even if it meant notmitting murder at the exchange station because of that knife.¡± The early bird, a special reward given to the firste-first-served at the exchange station. In Yeongwoo¡¯s case, he made thatment because as soon as he received the sword, many people rushed at him. But this time, Jongsu wore a puzzled expression. ¡°At the exchange station¡­? In a situation where I held a sword first, could it have led to murder? From that moment on, if I faced a threat, it would be different¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Hearing Jongsu¡¯s words, Yeongwoo seemed momentarily at a loss for words, as if he had been hit in the back of the head. Well, it was only natural. Jongsu was physically stronger than Yeongwoo and much more imposing. That¡¯s why, once he got hold of the early bird, no one dared to challenge him. He didn¡¯t look easy to deal with at all. On the other hand, at that time, Yeongwoo¡­ ¡®Jeez.¡¯ He felt a strange sense of defeat. He knew well that his facial expression wasn¡¯t being managed properly right now. But it was truly unfair. Even though the world had reset, not everyone had experienced the same world. ¡°So, have you really never killed anyone until now?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯ve been in situations where a fight almost broke out, but there haven¡¯t been guys as crazy as this until now.¡± Of course, this was just Jongsu¡¯s one-sided story, highlighting his physical prowess. Since bing Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword, Yeongwoo had to keep fighting challengers who underestimated him. ¡°Well, anyway, hyung-nim¡­ It doesn¡¯t seem right to mindlessly kill them like this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not mindless. It¡¯s making them pay for trying to kill us.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true¡­ but it feels a bit different.¡± Jongsu let out a sigh, nervously stroking his chin. For him, killing was a tremendous burden, crossing a line that should not be crossed. In a way, Jongsu seemed like a thoroughly normal person. ¡°If you can¡¯t do it, step aside. I don¡¯t n to spare a single one of them.¡± As Yeongwoo approached thest bandit, exuding an intimidating aura, Jongsu twitched but eventually retreated. Then, the boy who had been listening to their conversation intervened, grabbing Jongsu¡¯s thigh with desperation. ¡°Hy¡­ hyung! Please, stop that sir! We didn¡¯t know any better! Please¡­!¡± However, the boy¡¯s plea didn¡¯tst long. Without any hesitation, Yeongwoo swung his sword, and Jongsu, who couldn¡¯t see the movement, eventually stepped back. What Jongsu clearly saw was¡­ Thud. In the blink of an eye, the head had fallen from the boy¡¯s body. ¡°¡­.Huh.¡± Jongsu shook his body unknowingly and stepped back, and the headless body fell to the ground with a twist in the air. Fwoosh. ¡°I-Is this really happening, Hyung-nim?¡± Jongsu, with a somewhat destroyed tone, stared at Yeongwoo alternately, who was searching the dead man¡¯s pockets withposure. ¡°If you still don¡¯t understand, think about how many people these kids might have killed. Also, think about what those people might have felt just before they died. I¡¯ve been through it a bit, so I might understand.¡± Yeongwoo spoke after finishing his words, ncing briefly at the partially shattered Sonata. ¡°That won¡¯t roll anymore, right? Let¡¯s switch to a new car.¡± He was talking about the Audi that blocked the Sonata from moving forward. Then, Yeongwoo opened his mouth again. ¡°If you want to be torn apart, this is yourst chance. We have two cars now, so if you¡¯ve changed your mind, leave now.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 58 Chapter 58 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 58: Land of Chaos, Gyeonggi Province (1) ¡°¡­.¡± Jongsu alternately looked at the two Audis at Yeongwoo¡¯s words about the opportunity to tear apart. Then, tightly gripping his facial muscles, he made a smiling face. ¡°Ah, where would I go? If it weren¡¯t for you, I would have died at the hands of those brats long ago.¡± While saying this, Jongsu looked at the five headless corpses with a grim expression. ¡°Since the world has changed, the way of survival has also changed. Still, I think you, hyung, are the kindest among the strong.¡± With these words, Jongsu moved towards the white Audi. ¡°By the way, the yellow is too conspicuous, isn¡¯t it? I wonder what kind of guys are in Seoul again.¡± Suddenly. Jongsu, who had opened the driver¡¯s door, sat on the seat. Then, he started the engine, emitting a loud noise. Vroom¡­! The sound was so loud that it would be impossible not to notice if there were other bandits nearby. Upon this, Yeongwoo looked around, andmanded the goblins to search the bodies around. ¨C Kit! As soon as the order was given, the goblin that popped out like an arrow returned with a loot of 8,000 karma. It was an absurdly insufficient amount to repay Jongsu¡¯s debt of 69,000. ¡®They were much poorer than I thought.¡¯ Was the profit from robbery not as good as expected? It was clear that the amount of cash they had was lowpared to the number of heads, even though they could invest the money they took from others into their stats. ¡®Well, since the time for monster appearances has passed, there aren¡¯t many ways to make money. Maybe robbery or daily quests.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze naturally shifted to the quest log. [Daily] ¡°Daily Ration¡± Remove the petrified state of any food. 1,000 karma [Daily] ¡°Scout¡± Approach the monster until the distance is 10 meters. 3,000 karma Surprisingly, the daily quests of the lord were lower in difficulty than any other region seen so far. ¡®Scout seems to be fixed in any region¡­ and the other one is chosen randomly.¡¯ Now, instead ofmuting to work at thepany, everyone would continue their livelihood through hunting, just as the first day¡¯s prediction came true. The daily quest even seemed to induce a confrontation with monsters. Moreover, even if 10 meters were reached and the quest waspleted, it was a distance that could not guarantee survival. ¡®But with a reward of 3,000 karma and only one opportunity per day, it¡¯s a job that can¡¯t be avoided.¡¯ Current time, 6:36 PM. As expected, there would be no more monster appearances today based on the patterns so far. In other words, Yeongwoo, who doesn¡¯t need to avoid monsters, can¡¯t immediately perform the scout quest. Then, what remains is¡­ ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo approached the waiting golden goblin and looked at it. ¡°Do you have any petrified food in your bag? I think I¡¯ve collected quite a bit.¡± When Yeongwoo asked this, the goblin rolled its eyes and opened its right index finger, pointing to the sky. -Cat! Then, letters with a blue light above its index finger appeared. Then, above the goblin¡¯s index finger, characters with a blue light appeared. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± It was none other than the status of items in the dimensional pocket. |Food: 21 |Tools: 13 |Equipment: 11 |Special: 1 Like a system window, the goblin had its own interface. ¡°13 tools¡­ including things like ropes.¡± As Yeongwoo examined the goblin¡¯s disyed inventory, he paused when he reached thest category, ¡®Special.¡¯ ¡°Special? What¡¯s this?¡± When Yeongwoo asked, the goblin took out a small ck gem from the pocket. -Kit! As the goblin raised the gem, a tooltip appeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s view. ¡¸Kekidaite¡¹ ¨C Heroic Gem ¡¾Slot: Mental Resistance 10%¡¿ ¡°Ah.¡± Kekidaite. It was an item purchased along with this ve goblin. A kind of enhancement item that can be worn in an empty equipment slot. ¡®I¡¯ve never seen Mental Resistance before, but¡­ I bought it just in case. Maybe I should use it now.¡¯ Through the Epic ne ¡®Antinomy¡¯ seenst time, the existence of elemental resistances such as fire and cold was confirmed. The effects of those options could be easily guessed, as they were intuitive. However, it was different for Mental Resistance. ¡®There¡¯s no reference for this. It¡¯s not amonly used concept in games either.¡¯ Therefore, for Yeongwoo, it was only a vague guess that it might be rted to powerful mutants or aliens. ¡®Anyway, since there are quite a few empty slots, there¡¯s no reason not to use it.¡¯ Yeongwoo immediately opened the equipment window and selected items with empty slots. Pop! ¡¸Furious Goblin¡¹ ¨C Mutant Ring ¡¾Daily Strength Increase: 100¡¿ ¡¾¨CEmpty Slot¨C¡¿ ¡¸Assassin¡¯s Finger¡¹ ¨C Artifact Ring ¡¾10% Increase in Stats in PvP¡¿ ¡¾¨CEmpty Slot¨C¡¿ ¡¸Fearful Cat¡¹ ¨C Saga Compass ¡¾Indicates threatening targets¡¿ ¡¾¨CEmpty Slot¨C¡¿ He currently had a total of 3 gem slots. ¡®Spacious.¡¯ The problem was where to insert Kekidaite. ording tomon sense in games, such enhancement gems were usually disposable. ¡®Or you have to pay something when removing them.¡¯ Since there was no specific guide on gem wear, Yeongwoo¡¯s spection was that ¡®once you put in a gem, you can¡¯t remove or rece it.¡¯ Considering the current situation, it was better to prepare for the worst. So, in the end, Yeongwoo¡¯s choice was. Ping! ¡¸Assassin¡¯s Finger¡¹ ¨C Artifact Ring ¡¾10% Increase in Stats in PvP¡¿ ¡¾Mental Resistance 10%¡¿ It was the artifact ring called ¡°Assassin¡¯s Finger.¡± While Furious Goblin might be useless someday when the total stats reach tens of thousands, Assassin¡¯s Finger seemed like it would remain useful for a very long time since its effects were proportional to the possessed stats. Of course, Fearful Cat also had high potential for long-term use, but since it was a Epic-grade item, Yeongwoo decided to put it on hold. ¡®You never know, there mighte a time when you have to dismantle high-grade equipment to obtain something or make a trade.¡¯ This was intuition gained from ying numerous games during the era of inte broadcasting. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Hyung-nim! Aren¡¯t you going?¡± Timely, Jongsu stuck his head out of the car window and asked. In response, Yeongwoo took out two pieces of bread wrapped in stic from the dimensional pocket and walked towards Jongsu¡¯s white Audi. ¡°Do you have any money left? Let¡¯s eat this.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Just as Jongsu was about to ask, a palm-sized stone flew towards his forehead during the moment of his curiosity. Hwaet! ¡°Ouch!¡± Startled, Jongsu instinctively caught the stone, and Yeongwoo faintly smiled as he spoke. ¡°It¡¯s good to have a simple snack before we leave. There¡¯s also a daily quest.¡± ¡°Yes? What?¡± It was only after hearing Yeongwoo¡¯s words that Jongsu realized what had just flown towards him. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Come to think of it, he hadn¡¯t even had a single meal today. And Yeongwoo, who had also been fasting, just found out about it as well. The hunger that had been felt for a long time was now piercing through their backs. [Cream Bread: 1,000] What Yeongwoo pulled out was a cream bread that filled one hand, and the price was a whopping 1,000 karma. ¡®1,000¡­? The bike was priced at 3,000, so does this make sense now?¡¯ Up to now, on the second day of the reset, 1,000 karma was undoubtedly arge sum for the absolute majority. In other words, the prices were set unreasonably high. ¡®The reason the quest reward is 1,000 karma must be here. It means it guarantees just one meal.¡¯ However, except for the Scout quest, each region had different quests every day, so it was limited to guaranteeing one meal for today. Shuaat. As Yeongwoo released the petrification of the cream bread, a white smoke rose, revealing the original appearance of the packaging hidden beneath the gray crust. ¡°1,000? The price is outrageous.¡± Jongsu, who had just released the petrification, also seemed dumbfounded, muttering in disbelief. ¡°I guess they want to squeeze out more money.¡± When Yeongwoo looked up at the sky, as if he had been waiting, the quest reward dropped down. Ping! A crimson coin corresponding to 1,000 karma. ¡®In the end, it¡¯s just breaking even.¡¯ Yeongwoo, whose entire fortune was now back to 8,000 karma, handed it over to Jongsu. ¡°I¡¯ll repay the 8,000. So, there¡¯s 61,000 remaining, right?¡± However, Jongsu didn¡¯t ept it. ¡°Hyung-nim, I¡¯ll feel sick eating while you¡¯re repaying me. Just pay it back all at onceter.¡± ¡°Pay it back all at once?¡± ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t really need the money right now anyway.¡± After brief replies, Jongsu quickly ate the bread, confirmed that Yeongwoo got into the back seat, and stepped on the elerator. ¡°Are we leaving right away? You said there¡¯s not much time.¡± It seemed like Jongsu was now thinking of entrusting his fate to Yeongwoo, as he rushed him forward. So, while tearing open the bread packaging, Yeongwoo nodded his head. ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s leave right away. We can eat while moving.¡± * * * 6:40 PM. Approximately 1 hour and 26 minutes left until the advertiser arrives. The white Audi carrying Yeongwoo and Jongsu continued to speed along the highway. ¡°That should be the downtown area of Yeosu, but I don¡¯t see anything.¡± Jongsu pointed to the right side of the road and shrugged. Yeongwoo turned his head towards Yeosu, but there was no excitement or anticipation. ¡°There¡¯s no need to go there. The fact that there¡¯s a daily quest means a mutant has been caught.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I didn¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°Most people don¡¯t.¡± The daily quest was one of the basic benefits that applied once a mutant was defeated on the second day. Therefore, even for someone like Jongsu, who could be considered skilled, it was natural not to know such a fact. ¡°Do you only visit cities with mutants or monsters, Hyung-nim?¡± ¡°Yes. For now, that¡¯s right. Since farming is the main objective.¡± ¡°Then what about after all the farming is done?¡± ¡°¡­¡± When the conversation reached this point, Yeongwoo fell silent. It was doubtful whether there would be a point when farming for survival would end, and even from the beginning, he didn¡¯t know exactly how this world had changed. Even if the reset happened suddenly, no one exined the background of why extraterrestrial merchants suddenly started doing business. Moreover, in a while, he would meet an advertiser who came from outer space. An advertisement¡­ Who, what, and why would someone use Earth as an advertising medium? He didn¡¯t know, but it might be rted to the reset. ¡®¡­It¡¯s a headache. I don¡¯t understand anything.¡¯ Just as a real headache seemed to being, when Yeongwoo was about to touch his forehead, Jongsu mumbled from the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Ah, what¡¯s that again?¡± It had a subtly ominous tone, so Yeongwoo quickly stretched his head forward to look ahead. Swish- Then. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom¡­! A powerful charge from the opposite side, a single cow appeared in their sight. ¡®A cow¡­?¡¯ And right after that. ¡°Yaaah!¡± Shouting and chasing behind the cow, around a dozen people also appeared. Seeing that the distance to the cow was not easily closing, it was clear that they were closer to ¡®ordinary people¡¯, and therefore, what Yeongwoo and Jongsu were seeing now was¡­ ¡°Hyung-nim, are those people hunting cows because they don¡¯t have food?¡± ¡°Exactly. It¡¯s not that they don¡¯t have food, but they don¡¯t have money to release the petrification.¡± ¡°Ah. But cows are living creatures, so they won¡¯t turn into stone.¡± Understanding the situation, Jongsu casually tapped his knees as if he got it. It meant that some humans had regressed to the era of hunting. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 59 Chapter 59 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 59: Land of Chaos, Gyeonggi Province (2) ¡°Can I help? Those people over there.¡± Jongsu asked, pointing to the cows approaching. His right hand had already reached the early bird at his waist. If Yeongwoo agreed, he would get out of the car and hit the cow on the head. With just that one guy, wouldn¡¯t all the people rushing over there right now be able to fill their stomachs? ¡°¡­.¡± In response, Yeongwoo looked at the cow with a discerning look and hesitated for a moment before nodding. ¡°Let¡¯s do it, and gather information about the situation nearby.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± As soon as Yeongwoo¡¯s approval came down, Jongsu opened the driver¡¯s seat door and got out. Thunk. Then the people chasing the cows hesitated and slowed down. It was notmon to see a ¡®moving car,¡¯ and now someone came out of it with an early bird, making them scared. -Uh¡­! Even the cow fleeing felt an unusual energy from Jongsu and turned its head towards the edge of the road. Snap! A rough movement that showed the intention of hitting the forehead if it continued to interfere. However, Jongsu, being no ordinary guy, did not step back. Rather. ¡°Wait!¡± Running towards the cow at an angle, he grabbed the early bird with both hands and swung it down vigorously. Shwack! A creepy sound echoed as the cow rushing like a tank crashed to the ground. Thud! It was also the moment when therge head of the creature bounced up into the air. It had just been severed by that blow. ¡°¡­.!¡± At this scene, the people chasing the cow realized that Jongsu was no ordinary skilled person. It would have required tremendous strength and endurance to stop a cow in full sprint. Of course, Yeongwoo knew this fact well, so he was actually worried about Jongsu. ¡®Handling that level of attack would not be easy with ordinary stats. Isn¡¯t it too reckless?¡¯ It was a thought that Yeongwoo, who had steadily built up his stats and grown, could afford. ¡°Ugh.¡± Jongsu¡¯s face twisted with considerable burden on his arm. But it didn¡¯t seem like his elbow was broken or anything. ¡°Are you okay, Jongsu?¡± Yeongwoo asked, sticking his head out of the car window. Jongsu clenched and loosened his hand repeatedly, smiling. ¡°Yes. Stronger than I thought, this guy.¡± Jongsu looked at the fallen cow with a pitiful expression. Then he waved his hand towards the people standing far away who couldn¡¯t approach. ¡°What are you doing over there? Come here.¡± Upon seeing this, people nced at each other, then one by one approached Jongsu and the cow, each carrying weapons such as knives and axes. A total of 11 people. Not only were there many of them, but each had a weapon like a knife or axe, but there was no threatening feeling at all. It was because there was no feeling of the energy typical of strong individuals emanating from their eyes. The energy emitted by someone who has experienced ¡®sess¡¯ in this world is a momentum derived from expectations and hopes that, given any opportunity, they can achieve something again. In simpler terms, it can be called confidence. However, the 11 people who had chased the cow showed no sign of that. On their faces, there was only a sense of defeat and worry. Perhaps it was because the prey they had been chasing for their survival was unexpectedly taken away by a predator that suddenly appeared. As always, they had failed this time as well. ¡°What¡­ what is happening?¡± Finally, one of the eleven gathered the courage to speak. They hadn¡¯t even imagined that the person facing them would have killed the cow for their benefit. Based on experience, those with an early bird did not treat others as equals unless they were in an equal position. ¡°¡­.¡± In response, Jongsu looked at the blood sttered on his clothes, then pointed the tip of his knife at the cow¡¯s head, which had rolled far away. Swish. ¡°Weren¡¯t you trying to eat it? That Hanwoo. That¡¯s why I helped.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Almost simultaneously, the eleven opened their mouths wide. And by this time, Yeongwoo, who had been sitting in the car, opened the rear door and set foot on the road. Squeak. The unique sound of his shoes touching the asphalt echoed strangely. Thanks to this, the attention of the eleven, which had been focused on Jongsu, shifted to Yeongwoo all at once. And¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Gasp.¡± As if by agreement, all eleven dropped the weapons they held in their hands to the ground and prostrated themselves t on the ground. ¡°What¡¯s happening all of a sudden?¡± Jongsu, looking perplexed, sheathed the early bird, and Yeongwoo also questioned the unexpected ¡®wee.¡¯ ¡°What are you doing now?¡± When Yeongwoo asked, the one lying at the forefront of the eleven lifted his head slightly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you guys from Seoul¡­? If we happen to meet, we were told to do this.¡± ¡°By whom?¡± In response to Yeongwoo¡¯s question, the other party raised his head a little more and uttered a very strange line. ¡°By those who have met people from Seoul.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°¡­.?¡± People who have met people from Seoul. As Yeongwoo pondered over this bizarre sentence, Jongsu asked a question on his behalf. ¡°What on earth is a person from Seoul?¡± ¡°Well, um¡­¡± Only then did the eleven, from their heads to their upper bodies, finally lift themselves up obliquely. It was only now that the two men in front of them realized that these two were not ¡®people from Seoul.¡¯ Come to think of it, the direction they hade in the car was not Seoul but the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re not from Seoul¡­?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± In response to theme remarks of the eleven, Yeongwoo and Jongsu could only make nk expressions. Why were people who had never directly encountered those from Seoul so frightened even at the mention of theming and going? ¡°Are you not going in that direction?¡± Yeongwoo said, pulling out the ¡®Fearful cat.¡¯ ording to thispass, there was still no threatening presence around. ¡°But why Seoul? Are people from thereing down to cut and stab you?¡± When Yeongwoo put thepass back into his pocket and asked, the 11 individuals just stared at Yeongwoo without saying a word. It was as if ¡®people from Seoul¡¯ were indeeding down tomit violence. ¡°Is it really true? Are they just randomly killing anyone they see on the road?¡± Yeongwoo expressed disbelief, and the representative among the 11 cautiously spoke up. ¡°There¡¯s nothing good about getting in their way. We know that those who hinder monster hunting are all dead.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Yeongwoo immediately grasped the bizarre situation upon hearing the term ¡®monster hunting.¡¯ ¡°So, people from Seoul are meddling with the monsters in Gyeonggi Province. And they kill those who might pose a threat.¡± Perhaps this is also the reason why there is no Strongest Sword in Yeoju. | Currently in the area of ¡®Yeoju.¡¯ | There is no Strongest Sword in this area. ¡®It¡¯s a power struggle. The world hase to this already¡­.¡¯ It made sense, as everyone¡¯s lives were directly at stake. Getting stronger meant an increased chance of surviving encounters with any kind of being. ¡®How is Seoul doing anyway?¡¯ Yeongwoo nced briefly in the northwest direction where Seoul was. Then he gestured to the Gyeonggi Province residents to get up. ¡°Anyway, we are not from Seoul, so there¡¯s no need for you to act like this. We were just curious about what was going on.¡± In Yeongwoo¡¯s ¡®what was going on,¡¯ everything, including the cow lying on the ground with spilled blood, were also included. ¡°Have a good meal¡­ anyway.¡± For some reason, Yeongwoo felt uneasy, and he retreated into the Audi like taking a step back. Then, after a while, Jongsu came to the driver¡¯s seat, sat down, and checked hisplexion in the rearview mirror. ¡°Hyung-nim, should we leave like this? Do you need more water over there?¡± In response, Yeongwoo, hesitating while ncing around, looked with a bitter gaze at the people who were subtly gathering near the ¡®Hanwoo.¡¯ Would they really cut up and eat the meat like that? ¡°They¡¯ve never seen people from Seoul in person. Even if you ask more questions, you won¡¯t get proper answers.¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just go up quickly. We might be able to meet someone or something. Whether it¡¯s people from Seoul or whatever.¡± The current time was 6:54 PM. The outside of the car window was already getting dark. Therefore, those people who luckily solved their meals for today needed to hurry. They should find a room beforeplete darkness and abnormal weather arrives. Of course, it was the same for Yeongwoo and Jongsu. * * * Vroom¡­! The two continued to drive the car northwest. And just like before, they saw three more groups of people chasing cows. It seemed like the cows had escaped from some nearby ranch. Anyway, the sight of people wielding knives and chasing animals was still eerie, no matter how many times they saw it. ¡°It¡¯s probably just for a moment, right? Those who can¡¯t pay taxes today will all die immediately.¡± Jongsu had not mentioned helping those chasing cows since a while ago. It was because they had realized that those running around at this point were likely to die within a few days. Tax collection at 10 PM, abnormal weather at 11 PM. Even if someone managed to survive unnoticed by monsters and mutants, they still had to ovee at least two more survival hurdles. And that had to be done every day. However, could those who didn¡¯t have the money to secure food immediately, nor the ability to run faster than cows, ovee such challenges? Moreover, it was rumored that now people from Gyeonggi Province couldn¡¯t even touch monsters in their own area, as people from Seoul were preventing it. Betting their lives had be impossible. ¡®The world has be a ce where once you fall, it¡¯s hard to get up again.¡¯ Yeongwoo thought, gazing at the darkening sky. If this wasn¡¯t hell, what else could it be? If things continued like this, only superhumans would remain on Earth, facing mutants falling every day¡­ ¡®Wait a moment.¡¯ Lost in various thoughts while looking out the window, Yeongwoo suddenly blinked as something urred to him. ¡®Come to think of it, what about other countries?¡¯ The reset. ording to the announcement on the first day, the ¡®reset¡¯ was an extraordinary measure applied to the entire human race. ¡¸This means that the majority of humans had be hostile towards humanity, and ordingly, the reset function was forcibly activated.¡¹ In other words, it wasn¡¯t just happening in Korea; Japan, China, even ces like the United States or Africa might be experiencing the same situation. ¡®Oh my God.¡¯ As horrific scenes shed through his mind, Yeongwoo, in the midst of trying to shake off those thoughts, noticed a faint message appearing in his field of vision. ¡¸An advertiser will visit in 1 hour.¡¹ ¡¸Prepare gifts for the guest.¡¹ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 60 Chapter 60 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 60: The Pestilent Sword (1) Advertiser. A mysterious presence summoned by the certificate Yeongwoo purchased from an extraterrestrial merchant. Of course, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t summon the advertiser willingly. Following the advice of the Serpent of Greed, he did purchase the certificate, but the fact that it would summon something from another world was not disclosed anywhere. ¡¸Morning Star¡¹ ¨C Ancient Scroll ¡¾Activated in the Open Door state.¡¿ Moreover, the certificate was used automatically, unrted to Yeongwoo¡¯s will. Through this, all Yeongwoo could know was that this world was currently in a ¡®Door open¡¯ state. So naturally. ¡®No, is heing unterally and asking me to prepare a return gift?¡¯ Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but feel unjust. He was a bit scared and annoyed. ¡¸In one hour, the advertiser will visit.¡¹ ¡¸Prepare a return gift for the guest.¡¹ Considering the system¡¯s instruction to prepare a return gift, it was clear that the advertiser, unlike the extraterrestrial upper ss Yeongwoo could meet with basic welfare, was something different from the beginning. And above all. ¡®This isn¡¯t part of the regr reset procedure. Whether it¡¯s bad luck or not, it¡¯s something close to an ident.¡¯ The visit of the advertiser would not have happened if Yeongwoo hadn¡¯t purchased the ancient certificate. Therefore, unlike when he first encountered the extraterrestrial merchant, this meeting might not be protected and mediated by the system. ¡®Fuck.¡¯ With the situation like this, the instruction to prepare a return gift felt more like a warning than guidance. ¡°¡­Jongsu.¡± Calling his partner in a somewhat subdued voice, Yeongwoo looked back as Jongsu held the steering wheel. ¡°Yes, Hyung-nim?¡± ¡°Someone mighte in an hour, and there¡¯s a bit of a problem.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± Momentarily, Jongsu stepped on the break, causing the car to jerk. ¡°Suddenly?¡± ¡°Well, not exactly sudden¡­¡± Only now did Yeongwoo, scratching his chin apologetically, start exining about the advertiser. The certificate that broke in Yeongwoo¡¯s hand when Jongsu first joined was the one summoning the advertiser. It came from across the vast universe to this ce. ¡°No, Hyung-nim! Why are you telling me this now?¡± Sure enough, Jongsu furrowed his eyebrows and raised his voice. However, the next line waspletely different from what Yeongwoo expected. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying, an extraterrestrial ising to sign an advertising contract with you, Hyung-nim! The more I think about it, the more exciting it gets.¡± Jongsu¡¯s eyes twinkled. He was excited. Probably in a good way. There¡¯s no guarantee when the dragon he so eagerly wanted to see mighte, and the extraterrestrial advertiser is said to arrive within an hour. ¡®Is he really out of his mind?¡¯ Looking at Jongsu¡¯s excited shoulders as if possessed, Yeongwoo mumbled. ¡°But we need to prepare a return gift.¡± ¡°A return gift¡­? Like, ¡®Wee to Earth, is this kind of thing?¡± ¡°Well, something like that. Anyway, if they¡¯re really an advertiser, we¡¯re in a position where we have to sell.¡± Even as he said this, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t feel the reality of what he was saying. Meeting an extraterrestrial and making an advertising contract in the midst of this chaotic world¡­? ¡®I just can¡¯t adapt to this world.¡¯ However, if it¡¯s an advertising contract, there must be somepensation. After all, the reason this started was because of the Serpent of Greed that ¡®looks at rare things,¡¯ so there must be some rarepensation. ¡°A return gift¡­ What would an extraterrestrialing for an advertisement want?¡± Jongsu pronounced the seemingly crazy words seriously. ¡°Like a souvenir, shouldn¡¯t we give something like a specialty product unique to Earth?¡± ¡°A specialty product?¡± ¡°Yes. Something that the advertiser aristocrat can¡¯t get anywhere else. We also buy souvenirs when we travel abroad.¡± ¡°Well, that makes sense.¡± Yeongwoo nodded in agreement with Jongsu¡¯s opinion. It seemed like a reasonable suggestion. From the other party¡¯s perspective, they might be on a business trip overseas. ¡®A souvenir unique to Earth¡­.¡¯ As Yeongwoo looked out the window, the dim outside scenery ovepped with the inside of the vehicle. Inside the car was brighter than the dark outside, as the sun had set. And it was only now that Yeongwoo realized that the vehicle he was driving was quite high-end. Swoosh. Turning his head to look at Jongsu in the driver¡¯s seat, the Audi emblem gleamed in the center of the steering wheel, radiating a presence. ¡°¡­.¡± Upon this, Yeongwoo said as if enchanted. ¡°How about an Audi?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°As a souvenir. What if we give them this Audi?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Upon hearing Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Jongsu made a bewildered expression for a moment, then nodded. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be bad, surprisingly. It might look fascinating to an extraterrestrial. Isn¡¯t this some kind of craftwork?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. And we¡¯ve been driving it ourselves. Depending on the perspective, it might be a used item, but¡­¡± On the other hand, couldn¡¯t it be considered a Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword Edition? Yeongwoo¡¯s unconventional thinking was greatly influenced by the meeting with the intermediary Kubu. ¨DGreetings to the human of Earth, Mr. Jung Yeongwoo07, the strongest in Gyeongbuk. Before Yeongwoo could introduce himself, Kubu had already defined him as the ¡®strongest in Gyeongbuk.¡¯ In other words, he already knew where Yeongwoo stood in this world. Which means. ¡®The advertiser probably knows who they are contracting with.¡¯ So, if the opponent highly values the position of the Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword, there was a good chance that the value of the item the Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword used would also be high. ¡°But if we give this as a gift, we might have to buy a new car.¡± Jongsu, looking disappointed, caressed the Audi emblem with a regretful expression. However, Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t particrly interested in foreign cars. ¡°Yes. Next time, let¡¯s switch to a car with better fuel efficiency.¡± * * * It could be seen from the moment they entered the vicinity of Icheon that the advertiser was by no means a trivial existence. Gooo¡­! Suddenly, a sound like a cry was heard, and the sky over the Icheon area began to ripple. Due to the darkening sky, it appeared as if the entire sky had be turbulent like the sea. ¡°What, what is this?¡± Only now did Jongsu, scared, look at the sky with an anxious gaze. However, not long after, he had to avert his gaze. It was because he felt an unbearable eeriness. It was like seeing a giant silhouette pass under you while swimming in the sea. Graaah¡­! [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] This time, a sound slightly different from before scratched the inside of the sky. Perhaps it meant that the advertiser was getting closer. And around this time, the local status window changed. |The current area is ¡®Icheon.¡¯ |The Strongest Sword in this area is ¡®Kim Byeongcheol139.¡¯ Rank 2, 6 defenses. Kim Byeongcheol139. There was a Strongest Sword in Icheon. ¡°¡­.!¡± As the status window changed, both Yeongwoo and Jongsu widened their eyes. ¡°Oh, Hyung-nim.¡± ¡°Yes, I saw.¡± Yeongwoo met eyes with Jongsu through the rearview mirror and then shifted his gaze outside the window. Although the stay area had changed to Icheon, thendscape was still filled with rough mountains and fields. ¡°After passing through Icheon this time, where¡¯s the next destination?¡± In response to Yeongwoo¡¯s question, Jongsu looked up into the sky and answered. ¡°Um¡­ it¡¯s Yongin. And then it¡¯s Seongnam.¡± If it¡¯s Seongnam, it¡¯s right below Gangnam, so practically, they would be on the outskirts of Seoul. However, as they entered Gyeonggi Province, the number of abandoned vehicles on the road significantly increased, causing the actual travel distance to extend much longer due to the need for evasive maneuvers. Squeak! Just now, Jongsu was sweating profusely trying to avoid the zigzagging cars. ¡°Do you think we can reach Yongin by 8 o¡¯clock?¡± In response to Yeongwoo¡¯s concerned question, Jongsu grinned. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure. If the road continues like this, we might bete¡­¡± Current time, 7:26 PM. In about 30 minutes, the advertiser would arrive. And an hour after the advertiser¡¯s arrival, the lodging would begin. ¡®It¡¯s getting ambiguous. If we don¡¯t go into the city, we¡¯ll have to secure a room near the outskirts to handle the lodging problem in time.¡¯ It¡¯s decision time. Should they continue past Yongin, or should they meet with the advertiser near Icheon and then deal with the rental issue more stably? ¡®Still, it would be better to meet the advertiser in a less popted area, so let¡¯s try to get as close to Yongin as possible¡­¡¯ Ultimately, at the moment when Yeongwoo¡¯s mind leaned towards Yongin. Kwagwang! A thunderous roar from the sky, followed by a crimson pir of light shooting down. And this was right in the middle of Icheon. ¡°Huh!¡± Surprised, Jongsu mmed the brakes, bringing the car to a stop, and Yeongwoo also looked at the formidable pir of light with a perplexed expression. Goooo¡­ From the sky, a deafening noise rang out, and a crimson pir of light descended. It was undoubtedly the arrival destination of the advertiser. ¡°Is that the advertiser? Seems like he already decided on the location himself.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be arriving soon.¡± After taking a deep breath, Yeongwoo made a quick decision. ¡°Well, we can¡¯t help it. Let¡¯s go to Icheon.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Although there was a problem of how to handle the Icheon¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jongsu didn¡¯t insist on making a detour. * * * Not long after entering Icheon along the central road, Yeongwoo and Jongsu saw cars rushing out, ring their horns. Bang, bbaaang¡­! They were all cars leaving Icheon, in other words, evacuation vehicles. Startled by the untimely pir of light, they were leaving the city. ¡°This is causing tremendous inconvenience unintentionally.¡± As Jongsu mentioned, the fact that Yeongwoo was passing by Icheon at this particr time was a significant disaster for the citizens. Moreover, the lodging was about to begin soon. Leaving the city at the moment when they needed to secure a room was akin to risking their lives. Bbaaang! Another vehicle from the opposite side approached, honking its horn. And this time, Yeongwoo noticed that the face of the other driver was stern. But it was unlikely that they were carrying their family in the back seat. Just the sight of the sky heaving like the night sea was enough to instill fear. Kurrung! Thunderous sounds reverberated loudly from somewhere above the pir of light. Then, people on bicycles appeared in a line this time. Floating in an orderly manner, they were also leaving the city. ¡®Bicycles are thest resort. Running won¡¯t get them to the next city on time.¡¯ Yeongwoo turned back to look at the procession of bicycles, already far away. At most, only three groups had left by car. Those on bicycles were not even in their twenties. It meant that everyone was struggling with financial difficulties. ¡°Hyung-nim, we¡¯re almost in downtown Icheon now.¡± As Jongsu said this, a ticking sound came from inside Yeongwoo¡¯s pocket. Kkigik. It was the Epic-gradepass, ¡®Fearful Cat,¡¯ making a noise. ¡®Surely.¡¯ Yeongwoo took out thepass from his pocket, and there, a crouching tricolored cat with open eyes was visible. Somewhere nearby, there was a threatening presence. And the direction was as expected. Quaaaa¡­! A crimson pir of light was spreading in the center of Icheon city. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 61 Chapter 61 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 61: The Pestilent Sword (2) ¡®¡­¡­¡¯ Yeongwoo confirmed the fearful cat pointing to the advertiser¡¯s mark and hardened his expression. ¡¸Fearful Cat¡¹ ¨C Epic Compass ¡¾Indicates a threatening target.¡¿ ¡¾¨CEmpty slot¨C¡¿ ording to the tooltip of this item, when there is a ¡®threatening target¡¯ nearby, the cat wakes up and points to the target. It probably means to be prepared for a threat. But what exactly does the term ¡®threat¡¯ mean in this context? Generally, it would refer to a strong target or someone with aggressive intentions, but based on Yeongwoo¡¯s experience, this item didn¡¯t operate on such a simple principle. Just looking back to when he encountered the original owner of this item, Shin Youngju, it is clear. At that time, Yeongwoo had no intention or ability to fight against Shin Youngju, who had been continuously wary of him. However, when the fearful cat pointed him out as a threatening target, the situation changed. Eventually, Shin Youngju, who had been constantly vignt against Yeongwoo, carried out a surprise attack, and in the end¡­ ¡®I survived, and Shin Youngju died.¡¯ However, if she hadn¡¯t attacked first, Yeongwoo would never have drawn his sword. Far from harming the opponent, he even felt admiration for Shin Youngju, who had supported the city of Chungju. In other words, at that time, if thispass hadn¡¯t pointed at Yeongwoo, Shin Youngju might not have suffered any harm. Of course, in the end, Yeongwoo killed Shin Youngju, so from a consequential perspective, the fearful cat was right. No, it turned out right. Kwaaa¡­! A sound resembling a roar echoed from beyond the sky covering Icheon City. It was clear that the advertiser hade even closer. And around this time, another group of cyclists passed by Yeongwoo and Jongsu along the edge of the road. Some of them nced at the conspicuously white foreign car, but most fixed their gaze forward as if eager to get out of here as soon as possible. ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± Jongsu murmured quietly, scanning the rear seat through the rearview mirror. In response, Yeongwoo looked through the car window at the crimson pir of light signalling the advertiser¡¯s arrival. Gooo¡­! A mark iparable to the creatures like monsters or mutants, but more like a tornado than a light pir this time. ¡°Icheon¡¯s Strongest Sword might be around here. So, if you see anyone suspicious, stop the car early¡± It was not only a matter of security on this side but also a concern that the car, which had to present a gift to the advertiser, might be damaged. Then, Jongsu turned around with a face that seemed impossible. ¡°Even if it¡¯s the Strongest Sword¡­ wouldn¡¯t they have run away after seeing that?¡± It was a fairly reasonable opinion. Unlike monsters or mutants, this time, the enormous mark appeared without warning, and only Yeongwoo could see the timer. In other words, from the perspective of Icheon citizens, including the Strongest Sword, it was a situation where an unknown giant mark fell on their heads. Whether mutants would appear in the ce where the mark fell, or something even more ominous, was unknown. Therefore, it was natural for humans to instinctively take cover and watch. However, Yeongwoo¡¯s thoughts were a bit different. ¡°We saw it on the way here, right? The Strongest Swords have all disappeared.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. That¡¯s right.¡± Jongsu nodded after a moment. Since leaving Chungju, they had passed through two regions, Eumseong and Yeosu, but in both ces, the Strongest Swords had vanished. They had either lost their titles to the Strongest Swords from other regions or had been killed by the Strongest Swords who came down from Seoul to find mutants. ¡°But here, the Strongest Sword is guarding the ce perfectly. Moreover, this is the closest city to Seoul among all the cities we¡¯ve seen so far.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± Jongsu finally nodded. Whether the Strongest Sword had been deprived of their title by the Strongest Swords in other regions or killed by the Strongest Swordsing down from Seoul, Icheon was unable to do anything about it. ¡°Maybe the Icheon Strongest Sword is not an ordinary person.¡± Yeongwoo said this while looking at the ¡®fearful cat.¡¯ Perhaps what this fellow is pointing at is not the advertiser but the Icheon Strongest Sword. And if that¡¯s really the case¡­ Kiiing! ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Before Yeongwoo could fully form his thoughts, Jongsu abruptly mmed on the brakes, bringing the car to a stop. He then leaned against the tightly gripped steering wheel, closely observing the scenery ahead. ¡°Hyungnim, isn¡¯t that¡­?¡± Jongsu uttered uncertainly. This was understandable as the number of people who had entered their sight was in the hundreds. Due to the wind blowing the advertiser¡¯s mark right in the middle of an apartmentplex, numerous people were fleeing in a panic. This excluded only the two individuals standing near the apartment entrance. And precisely these two were the cause that prompted Jongsu to hit the brakes. Swoosh. Jongsu instinctively reached for his sword hilt, and Yeongwoo tapped the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Why draw your sword? Not even other Strongest Swords could touch those two.¡± ¡°W-well¡­¡± ¡°Jongsu, please wait here. I¡¯d like to resolve this peacefully through conversation.¡± Of course, Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t entirely sure about his words. * * * Kwaaa¡­! Once again, the red sky shed, and the residents who were evacuating shouted in terror. They would probably never return to Icheon. Whether swept away by abnormal weather on some national highway or arriving safely in another city, it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± 44-year-old Kim Byungcheol was dismayed. He couldn¡¯t find any trust in the eyes of the residents passing by. No matter how much of a Strongest Sword he was, it was clear that he couldn¡¯t handle this situation. And there was quite a reasonable diagnosis for such a conclusion. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Even Byungcheol himself had no idea what was happening right now. ¡°It¡¯s probably mutants, right? There¡¯s nothing else that coulde again, is there?¡± Seeing Byungcheol¡¯s face stiffen, the man next to him spoke in a polite tone. This man in police uniform was 28-year-old Kwon Taeyoung, a rookie officer at Icheon Police Station. And the original profession of Kim Byungcheol 139, the Strongest Sword being guarded by this rookie cop, was also¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t do police work anymore.¡± Icheon Police Station Chief, Superintendent Kim Byungcheol. He intentionally wore a police uniform and worked to show thatw enforcement still existed to the citizens. But just like the uniform that had quickly torn apart due to the fierce battles, thew enforcement he tried so hard to preserve became meaningless in just two days. What was the meaning of having police in a city without citizens? Moreover, even if he searched for a new city, if such incidents could happen anytime in the future¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡± As Byungcheol gazed up at the crimson pir of light with a disheartened expression, Taeyoung, who had been surveying the surroundings, opened his mouth in surprise. ¡°Chief¡­?¡± ¡°¡­What¡¯s going on again?¡± In fact, there was nothing more surprising than the city disintegrating in midair. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Turning his head following Taeyoung¡¯s gaze with a puzzled expression, Byungcheol soon wore a simr expression to the rookie cop. ¡°¡­?¡± In the distance, a man covered in gold from head to toe was getting out of a white Audi. ¡°No way.¡± Although it looked quite different from what they had imagined, the end wasing in any case. Byungcheol, turning away from the swirling crimson pir of light, stared at the bizarrely dressed man in his thirties approaching from the other side. Upon seeing this, Taeyoung ced his hands on his belt and spoke with a voice tinged with fear. ¡°Um, doesn¡¯t he have a lot of equipment?¡± ¡°Yeah. This guy feels different this time.¡± Byungcheol said, wrinkling his nose as he took a deep breath. Right now, he was looking at the outsider who had the smallest physique among those who had visited this ce yet was adorned with the most equipment. ¡°How many people has he killed? And even the Strongest Swords¡­¡± In this world, there are three main ways to obtain ¡®equipment¡¯: defeating mutants, killing those who have defeated mutants, or umting arge amount of karma and meeting a merchant. However, since merchants had only appeared less than a day ago, the only option for someone to have such arge amount of equipment was to defeat the Strongest Swords. And even then, a few wouldn¡¯t be enough. And in reality, this guy deliberately came to Icheon, not staying in his territory. It was certainly not a mistake; he could easily check the regional status just by turning his eyes a bit. |Currently staying in the area of ¡®Icheon.¡¯ |The Strongest Sword in this area is ¡®Kim Byungcheol139.¡¯ Rank 2, 6 defenses. In other words. ¡®Even this time, a Strongest Sword came to kill me.¡¯ Although it was a situation that could instill fear, Byungcheol had a corner of belief. That was his trustypanion slung diagonally on his waist, a .38 caliber revolver. Not a fake one, but a real pistol. Unsealing cost: 1 million, bullet cost: 200,000 each. To acquire this deadly weapon, he had spent almost all of the 3 million rewards obtained by defeating mutants. He had even bought two guns, giving one to the rookie officer Kwon Taeyoung. This was a gesture of respect and a token of trust to the rookie cop who had returned to the station on the first day of the reset. Of course, it was a fact that a partner with sufficient firepower was needed. ¡°Do you still have a bullet left?¡± Byungcheol asked without taking his gaze off the golden outsider, and Taeyoung quickly nodded. ¡°Yes, I have one bullet left.¡± ¡°I only have one bullet left now too. So, we have to shoot carefully. When the timees, aim precisely.¡± ¡°Yes, yes! Of course!¡± The original five rounds of live ammunition were now reduced to just two. Thanks to the numerous powerful individuals, including the Strongest Swords, who had invaded over the past two days. Fortunately, the majority had retreated upon seeing the unsealed guns, but for the very few who stubbornly challenged them, using expensive bullets became inevitable. ¡®Whether it¡¯s a Strongest Sword or not, if it¡¯s a human being, you can¡¯t avoid bullets. And that applies to you too.¡¯ While firmly grasping this reality, Byungcheol slowly pulled out the revolver with his right hand. Once again, he hoped the opponent would retreat peacefully. If a new mutant appeared from behind the glowing pir, he might have to use bullets on him. The metallic footsteps of the golden outsider began to be heard. The distance between them and the Icheon police improved, and both sides¡¯ shooting uracy increased. The distance gradually shortened to about 15 meters, and at this point, Byungcheol aimed his gun at the opponent and shouted. ¡°Stop moving! If you take another step, I¡¯ll shoot!¡± Taeyoung also moved along the diagonal to aim at the opponent, reducing the evasive angle. It was a tactic to limit the evasive angle, a kind of pincer movement. However, with a somewhat surprised expression, the golden outsider, Jung Yeongwoo 07, slowly raised both arms. ¡°Are you the police? It seems there¡¯s a misunderstanding. I didn¡¯te here to harm anyone¡­¡± During Yeongwoo¡¯s dialogue, a chilling roar echoed from the sky, sounding like the cry of a giant beast or the creaking of a ship. Everyone raised their gaze to the sky. Simultaneously, their pupils dted, tinged with iridescent colors. Finally, the red sky opened, and dozens of gigantic heads descended, coiling around the glowing pir. These heads were connected by neuralworks emitting iridescent light, and each emitted an indiscernible sound, screaming in their own ways. ¡°Oh, what is that¡­?¡± Byungcheol muttered, unable toprehend the spectacle, and Taeyoung, who had been standing on the diagonal, suddenly vomited. His brain couldn¡¯t process the situation, and malfunctioned. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± ¡°Taeyoung..¡­!¡± While Byungcheol was calling out to his startled partner, the golden outsider, who had been standing on the diagonal, opened his mouth. ¡°I think I unintentionally caused a lot of trouble. That¡­ is my advertiser.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 62 Chapter 62 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 62: The Pestilent Sword (3) ¡°What¡­ is? What?¡± How many people could instantly connect this situation with the word ¡®advertiser¡¯? Byungcheol, who didn¡¯t immediately understand Yeongwoo¡¯s words, mumbled with his gun tightened even more. ¡°What are you saying now? Exin properly!¡± ¡°That¡¯s an advertiser. They came to visit me to make an advertising contract.¡± Yeongwoo slightly moved his chin to indicate the extraterrestrial being on the other side. Of course, that was an advertiser who came from outer space. And the other party was likely well aware of it without needing an exnation. ¡°An advertisement¡­?¡± Byungcheol, who finally clearly understood Yeongwoo¡¯s line, made a moreplicated expression. ¨DHuh¡­! Meanwhile, the ¡®advertiser¡¯ who had almostpletely wrapped around the pir of light and descended began to make noise. ¨DU¡­! The first few times, it was a sound at the level of an unintelligible roar. ¨DYeong¡­! As time passed, it became inevitable to think that it was trying hard to pronounce something. At least as much as Yeongwoo. ¡°¡­Could this be.¡± Chills ran down Byungcheol¡¯s spine along his spine. And by this time, the advertiser hadpleted the problem sentence and spoke. ¨DYeongwoo¡­! Yeongwoo! The pronunciation was clear enough to evoke the letters ¡®Yeongwoo¡¯ in the mind, even for someone who didn¡¯t know the name Jeong Yeongwoo. The monster had been practicing human speech. ¡°What?¡± Realizing this fact btedly, Byungcheol turned around as if possessed. Then. ¨DYeongwoo¡­! He shouted the word ¡®Yeongwoo¡¯ again, as if confirming that he pronounced it correctly. ¡°¡­Damn it.¡± Finally, cold sweat began to form on Byungcheol¡¯s forehead. It was due to the ufortable fear of the fact that the monster with dozens of heads entwined like a rosary had learned human speech. However, the unpleasant experience did not end here. ¨DJeong¡­ Yeongwoo! The advertiser, who perfectly learned the two letters ¡®Yeongwoo,¡¯ pronounced thest letter ¡®Jeong¡¯ in one go. ¨DJeong Yeongwoo! Perhaps he had grasped how to make human sounds. The radio that had only made noise had finally found the correct frequency. ¡°Jeong Yeongwoo¡­?¡± Byungcheol, sensing that the sound the monster had been practicing was a person¡¯s name, turned his gaze back to the golden foreigner. ¡°Didn¡¯t that thing say it came to meet you earlier? Then that must be¡­¡± As much as Byungcheol¡¯s trembling voice, the muzzle of the gun was also shaking. Yeongwoo, in response, stared at the muzzle and slowly moved his lips. ¡°Yes. I am Jeong Yeongwoo.¡± Finally, the name of the foreigner was revealed. And simultaneously, the advertiser thundered with a voice like thunder. ¨DJeong Yeongwoo¡­! Contract! For¡­ us¡­ came! Although the intonation was a mess, the sentence he pronounced was quite intact. It had been only a few minutes since he arrived on Earth, and he had already learned thenguage here. ¡®Come to think of it, without an intermediary¡­.¡¯ Yeongwoo realized that the being in front of him was something different from the extraterrestrial beings he had encountered so far. Even just looking at the beings who came to Earth as traders,munication was possible only through intermediaries. They could only convey heat, noise, and breathing directly, without the need for an intermediary. On the other hand, this advertiser. ¨DJeong Yeongwoo! For the contract! We came! Not only did he facilitate this meeting without the intervention of an intermediary, but he was also self-correcting awkward intonations. ¡°We¡­?¡± Byungcheol, who had been listening to the monster¡¯s sounds, turned around with a face of realization. Then, he aimed his gun at the extraterrestrial being entwined in the pir of light. He judged that the monster descending from the sky was more dangerous than Jeong Yeongwoo, who was from the same species but hade alone. ¡®Right. He didn¡¯te alone.¡¯ Yeongwoo also carefully observed the being¡¯s appearance at the word ¡®we¡¯ pronounced by the advertiser. Thud. The giant organism firmly wrapped around the glowing pir was a form with dozens of heads adorned with iridescent light. Each head looked so different that one might think they belonged to different species, not to mention differents. Some heads resembled rocks with undting membranes on the surface, reminiscent of fish, while others looked strangely eerie with numerous eyes, resembling Earth¡¯s animals but without eyes. ¡°What on earth is that¡­?¡± Byungcheol, who found a head simr to a human among the colorful heads, made a sound as if he were about to cry immediately. The head with strong cheekbones, arge nose, and a sharp bandit beard was rolling its protruding eyeballs, looking down below. ¡®There was another species simr to humans.¡¯ Yeongwoo also quickly found the bandit head but was not as shocked as Byungcheol. It was because he had already met a trader simr to humans before. During the bidding for the trade, the wandering traders Volthak, who had revealed the ¡®breathing¡¯ sound, had talked about it. ¡®Then are dozens of advertisers gathered here?¡¯ As Yeongwoo approached to get a closer look at the advertiser, Byungcheol shouted, aiming the gun at the extraterrestrial being entwined in the pir of light. ¡°Wh-what¡¯s going on now?¡± ¡°We need to send that thing back quickly.¡± To do that, they had to proceed with the advertising contract first. ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo, ncing at the young policeman still struggling on the ground, passed by Byungcheol and headed towards the advertiser. nk, clink. As Yeongwoo made a metallic sound and approached the pir of light, the dozens of heads, each looking elsewhere, all turned their gaze towards him. Then. ¨DAh¡­! They all eximed at once. As if they were saying He was suitable for the model they desired. ¨DJeong Yeongwoo! The advertisers shouted Yeongwoo¡¯s name once again. It seemed as if they were confirming whether the person standing in front of them was indeed Jeong Yeongwoo. So, Yeongwoo said/ ¡°Yes. I am Jeong Yeongwoo 07, the strongest in Gyeongbuk, the human of Earth.¡± He recited the lines that the intermediary Kubu had mentioned to him sometime, a phrase that was likely the ¡®Universal Greeting¡¯ at that time. The probability was high because Kubu had done something called the ¡®Universal Greeting¡¯ back then. Then, to prove his identity, he tapped his left chest and disyed his title. Paat! ¡ºGyeongbuk¡¯s Best Sword¡» A title interface bestowed by some kind of system overseeing the reset. I don¡¯t know, but wouldn¡¯t advertisers from outer space also trust the reset system? [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡®Now, what¡¯s next?¡¯ As Yeongwoo waited for reactions while scanning through dozens of heads one by one, heads with eyes soon rolled their eyeballs. ¨DNice to meet you. Jeong Yeongwoo 07, the human of Earth and the strongest in Gyeongbuk! Their intonation had be much more natural by now. ¨DWe are ¡°Dogo¡±¡­! We heard the call of ¡°Morning Star¡± first. When Dogo and Morning Star were pronounced, waves of intangible vibrations could be felt in the air, and each time, Yeongwoo could clearly understand the meaning of those words. Dogo¡­. Although it was a proper noun he heard for the first time in his life, Yeongwoo could grasp the meaning as if he had known it for a long time. ¡®It wasn¡¯t just a name for one person; it was Dogo.¡¯ Dogo. A gctic weapons brand and a joint-stockpany with multiple shareholders. In other words, Yeongwoo was now standing in front of the shareholders of a gctic weaponspany. ¡®So, am I supposed to be the advertising model for a weaponspany?¡¯ Yeongwoo was taken aback by the unexpected identity of the advertiser. But why¡­? Why would a gctic weaponspany advertise on Earth, overlooking others? Just as Yeongwoo¡¯s skepticism began to rise, ¡®Dogo¡¯ started uttering strange lines. ¨DConfusion! Civil war on Earth! ¨DWill ¡°Dogo¡± be destructive even on this world? ¡°What¡­?¡± ¨DWe will investigate the outskirts of Earth, together with Jeong Yeongwoo 07! ¡°Oh my goodness.¡± Yeongwoo unknowingly touched his forehead. Considering the sequence of lines, this seemed to be¡­ ¡°¡­An advertising concept.¡± * * * Promoting ¡°Dogo,¡± a gctic militarypany that supports the outskirts of a where civil war has erupted¡­ Understanding this far, Yeongwoo had another question. Anyway, if it¡¯s an advertising contract, there must be conditions, right? Like using only weapons supported by Dogo or exposing the brand name at specific moments. ¡°Uh¡­ for now, I understand that this is a brand advertisement. So, what exactly am I supposed to do?¡± When Yeongwoo asked this, the shareholders of Dogo instantly straightened up. Paat! Then, simultaneously, a system message appeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s view. ¡°Dogo requests ess to data for Jeong Yeongwoo 07. Will you approve?¡± [Requested Data] ¨C Unique code ¨C Language used ¨C Quest slots ¡°Ah.¡± It was a situation simr to when Yeongwoo first dealt with the intermediary Kubu. The only difference was that Kubu had requested only unique code andnguage data, while Dogo added quest slots to the request. ¡°¡­¡± After a moment of contemtion, Yeongwoo approved the data ess. With that, Dogo¡¯s contract proposal was conveyed through the system message. ¡¸Contract: Dogo-49523-IIIII_II-2nd Tier¡¹ (Required) [Utilization of Grade 2 advertising space] ¨C The logo of the headquarters will be printed on the trajectory of the weapons. ¨C Before major battles, you must publicly announce that you fought with Dogo¡¯s support. (Required) [Grade 3 Exclusive Quest] ¨C Receive bonuses for achieving exclusive quests. (Optional) [Grade 2 Exclusive Quest] ¨C Receive ad fees only through achieving exclusive quests. ¨C The total ad fee executed will increase approximately 40 times. #Basic ad fee: Estimated 10 million Karma per week. #Basic contract period: 4 weeks. ¡°¡­Crazy.¡± This was truly an interster advertising contract. While the utilization of advertising space seemed reasonable from an Earthling¡¯s perspective, the crucial parts, such as the payment method for advertising fees and the scale of additional executions, were beyond expectations. ¡®The basic ad fee is estimated to be 10 million Karma per week, and they even offer up to 40 times¡­?¡¯ Of course, in this case, Yeongwoo had to perform the quests designed by Dogo to receive the ad fees, so it might be a tricky use. But still, 40 times. In simple Karma conversion, it was 4 billion. And that was a weekly payment of 4 billion. ¡®If the quests are too difficult, and I can only do one out of ten, it¡¯s still four times the ad fee. This is worth a try.¡¯ And from Dogo¡¯s perspective, wouldn¡¯t they want the model to survive as long as possible for promotion? Therefore, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t think of it as an impossible use that would stab him in the back. ¡®Let¡¯s give it a try. It¡¯s worth a shot. I will make the most out of it¡¯ In the worst-case scenario, he would simply go around announcing the support from Dogo for free for about a month. Yeongwoo blinked his eyes a couple of times, then shouted loudly towards Dogo¡¯s shareholders. ¡°I¡¯ll ept the contract! Including the Grade 2 quest¡­!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 63 Chapter 63 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 63: Audi on its way to space -Good. Grade 2 quest. The shareholders of Dogo seemed satisfied with Yeongwoo¡¯s eptance of the contract. Then, they drew a string of characters in a form that Yeongwoo had never seen before, illuminating their bodies in the air. Swaat! These characters, arranged like scattered wedges, were the signature of the intergctic weapon brand ¡®Dogo.¡¯ ¡®Ah.¡¯ In other words, the shareholders of Dogo had signed the contract. Pang! Following that, Dogo¡¯s signature soared into the sky, and a new system message appeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s view. ¡¸Contract: Dogo-49523-IIII_II-Tier 2 has been concluded.¡¹ An advertising contract between aary resident and a cosmic-scale corporation, executed in just two days after the reset. ¡°¡­¡± As Yeongwoo made a shocked expression, the shareholders of Dogo, wrapped in a pir of light, began to weaken. Finally, they seemed to be leaving this ce. Of course, one more procedure remained as announced earlier. -Return the favor, waiting for you. Dogo requested a souvenir in their unique ¡®alien-like¡¯ tone, and Yeongwoo only now worried about Jongsoo¡¯s safety. Even here, it seemed like not a single police officer could breathe properly. Swoosh. As Yeongwoo looked at the white Audi parked on the other side, Byungcheol, who was pointing the barrel towards the sky, widened his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s this now?¡± ¡°Before sending the advertiser back, you have to give them a gift.¡± ¡°A¡­ gift?¡± Byungcheol made another puzzled expression. But anyway, it was a relief that they would be leaving soon. ¡°Then let¡¯s quickly give it and send them off. Hurry up.¡± While Byungcheol said this, Detective Kwon Taeyoung¡¯sbored breathing wasing up from the ground. In response, Yeongwoo nodded and raised his hand. ¡°Jongsu!¡± As if waiting, the white Audi started rolling. Vroom¡­ Approaching under the red sky, a 4-seater convertible glided smoothly on the Icheon City road. ¡°¡­¡± As Yeongwoo and Byungcheol stared nkly at the strange scene of a foreign car sliding under the red sky, Jongsu¡¯s head popped out from the Audi that had just stopped in front of the two. ¡°It seems to have been resolved through conversation? I was curious about what was happening.¡± Jongsu¡¯s gaze, saying this, was focused on the gun that Byungcheol was holding. On the other hand, Byungcheol was bewildered by Jongsu¡¯spletely unshaken appearance in front of the gun. ¡°¡­Who are you?¡± Byungcheol asked Yeongwoo while keeping the gun at the ambiguous point between the sky and the ground. ¡°He¡¯s my partner.¡± Yeongwoo gave a brief reply while looking at Jongsu. Unlike the young detective wandering around on the ground, Jongsu was in a state where not even a single breath was disturbed. ¡®Is it simply because he¡¯s bold? Or perhaps¡­¡¯ Was it because of the original fate that was supposed to die today? Even though the original fate was reset, Jongsu himself had often talked about the nuance that he was living as an extra. Therefore, he might be more immune to various fearspared to others who are strongly attached to life. ¡°Now is the time to present this?¡± Finally, Jongsu stroked the steering wheel, and his eyes sparkled. ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t know how to convey it¡­ If we park in front there, won¡¯t they just take it themselves?¡± As Yeongwoo pointed to the apartment parking lot in front of the advertiser, Jongsu¡¯s head lifted into the air. It was time to observe the appearance of the advertiser who would soon receive the souvenir. ¡°¡­¡± With a gulp, Jongsu¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple moved noticeably. Even if he didn¡¯t know, facing such a giant creature must have been frightening. Of course, Yeongwoo had no intention of sending Jongsu alone. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± As Yeongwoo opened the passenger seat door and sat on the seat, Jongsu smiled with a rxed face. ¡°Indeed, you are loyal, sir.¡± ¡°Rather than loyalty¡­ it¡¯s my deal.¡± * * * The distance from the point where Yeongwoo and Jongsu were to the advertiser was about 140 meters. Although it would be a distance that they could reach in the blink of an eye by stepping on the elerator, Jongsu almost drove at a constant speed. ¡°By the way, how do we let them know that this car is the souvenir?¡± ¡°We can tell them verbally. The contract was practically done through conversation.¡± If there was a problem, it would be whether the other party would like the gift or not. Vroom¡­ While the two were having a brief conversation, a heavy shadow was cast over the white Audi. Finally, they arrived in front of the strange-looking advertiser again. ¡°¡­Why on earth is something like that here? Wasn¡¯t the reset supposed to end among humans?¡± While Jongsu swallowed another heavy spit and looked up at the advertiser, Yeongwoo looked around with a troubled expression. ¡°Shit.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, brother?¡± ¡°All the cars around here look the same.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± When Jongsu, who was absentmindedly looking out the window, heard Yeongwoo¡¯s words, he btedly pped his knee. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s a parking lot.¡± Currently, the two had ced the Audi in the underground parking lot of an apartment. Therefore, it was natural that there were vehicles everywhere. Although they were all turned into stones, in the eyes of the extraterrestrial visitors, they would all look like simr objects. ¡°Ah¡­ I should have chosen a yellow car back then. Even if it¡¯s just a noticeable color, it might have looked special.¡± While Jongsu mumbled awkwardly like this, something crossed Yeongwoo¡¯s mind. ¡°Jongsu.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Does this car have ambient lights?¡± Ambient lights. Indirect lights inside a vehicle, and for Mercedes-Benz, apetitor, the illumination crossing the front side of the car interior was once a signature. And Audi, too, Yeongwoo knew, had introduced a simr form of mood lighting. He was well aware of this because a YouTuber he used to follow enjoyed driving an Audi. Of course, there was a high probability that the person was now somewhere in the lineup for mutants. ¡°Ambient lights¡­? Well, I don¡¯t know much about Audis.¡± Jongsu scratched his cheek, fiddling with the control panel. Then, after a while. ¡°Oh, this seems like it.¡± With Jongsu¡¯s line, a vibrant neon sign-like lighting along the curves inside the car increased. Pop! [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Uh¡­ it seems a bit too bright. Should I lower it?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s just right. Open the roof in this state.¡± With these words, Yeongwoo opened the passenger door and stepped outside. Soon after, the ceiling of the white Audi folded backward, and a purple light spilled out, as if a treasure chest were opening. ¡°It¡¯s my souvenir.¡± Yeongwoo pointed to the Audi with his palm, timing it perfectly. The current time was 8:23 PM. The Audi convertible, with the roof fully open, and the lights shining brightly in the darkening twilight, looked quite precious. At least enough for a weapon manufacturingpany from outer space to find interest in it. -What is that? That. Vroom¡­ As dozens of shareholders began to tighten the light pir to get a closer look at the souvenir, Yeongwoo debated whether he should exin more. He then remembered that when the other party introduced themselves, they mentioned the unique noun ¡®Dogo.¡¯ ¡°This is¡­ Audi, a special means of transportation.¡± With Yeongwoo¡¯s words, the shareholders echoed in unison with fluent pronunciation. -Audi. Perhaps now Audi could also be considered a cosmic brand. ¡°On Earth, we move with this. As you can see, we are small in size and move slowly.¡± While Yeongwoo pretended to walk slowly in front of the shareholders, he thought that to them, it might look like a single ant wriggling around. Anyway, whether Yeongwoo¡¯s efforts were virtual or if the Audi emitting a mysterious light pleased them, the shareholders gave positive feedback. -Audi, good. Then, suddenly, their bodies twitched. ¡°¡­!¡± That¡¯s a characteristic seen when those guys are touching something. Yeongwoo felt a chill down his spine and shouted. ¡°Jongsu! Come out right now!¡± His intuition told him that the shareholders seemed to be attempting to take the souvenir. ¡°Hurry!¡± As Yeongwoo urged with a scream, Jongsu, who was staring nkly at the advertiser enveloped in a glow, hurriedly jumped out of the car. And then. -Kit! The golden goblin hiding in the back seat leaped agilely, and almost at the same moment, aser beam descended from the sky, striking the Audi. Swoosh¡­ Paaaang! ¡°Gasp!¡± ¡°Ahh!¡± The pitch-ck surroundings suddenly became as bright as daylight, to the extent that the dark sky appeared in broad daylight. Those guys indeed possessed tremendous physical force. ¡°C-Crazy.¡± It was like the spectacle on the first day of the reset when ¡®lives¡¯ were flying, amplified thousands of times. Unconsciously, Yeongwoo took a step back. ¨DJeong Yeongwoo 07! Voices of shareholders echoed in the bright white view. Just as Yeongwoo was about to respond. Shooo! The excessively bright view returned to its original state in an instant, and everything disappeared. The Dogo shareholders, the crimson light pir, the enormousser beam, and the Audi, all gone. ¡°Ugh.¡± As he exhaled the breath he had been holding, Yeongwoo noticed Jongsu sitting on the ground, rubbing his buttocks. ¡°A-Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes? Ah¡­ yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± Jongsu blinked his eyes, looking at the clear night sky as if it had be clear just now. ¡°Gone¡­ right? They¡¯re gone?¡± Jongsu¡¯s eyes seemed to plead, wishing it to be true. Yeongwoo looked at his partner, then shifted his gaze to where the advertisers were. There, something faintly remained in the ce where the crimson light pir had been just a moment ago. ¡°¡­?¡± At first, he thought it was an afterimage due to the intense light he had seen, but¡­ ¡°What is that?¡± Seeing Jongsu discover the same thing, it seemed not to be an illusion. Clearly, something remained. ¡°Be, be careful¡­ Hyung-nim.¡± Gradually, as Yeongwoo approached the mysterious entity, Jongsu also stepped to the side, drawing his sword, preparing for any unforeseen circumstances. On the other hand, Yeongwoo was thinking. ¡®What on earth is this?¡¯ Completely captivated by curiosity, he continued to approach the unidentified entity. With each step he took, the outline and color of the target became clearer. This felt simr to the first day of the reset when he could recognize the currency exchange assigned to him. ¡®Dogo¡¯ must have left something for their advertising model. In other words. ¡®This might be a return gift for the souvenir.¡¯ Finally, when Yeongwoo took a step right in front of the entity, the problematic object turned dark. Srrruuuk! And as the color rose, the size of the revealed object was muchrger than expected. Since the height of the object had already exceeded Yeongwoo¡¯s stature. ¡°¡­!¡± Even Yeongwoo, who belonged to the bold group among humans, was momentarily stunned by the overwhelming sense of unease emanating from the situation. Shortly after, even Byungcheol, who was observing the scene from afar with a gun in hand, rushed over. ¡°What on earth is happening now?¡± Because. Shwaaat! The shape of the object, which emitted a fierce steam as if it hadpleted its mutation, was undeniably an egg. Despite the shiny surface, it was a gigantic pitch-ck egg that gave an inexplicable chill. ¡°Hyung-nim¡­¡± Jongsu alternately looked at Yeongwoo and the egg with an expression of astonishment, and Byungcheol, with a shaky gun barrel, couldn¡¯t figure out where to aim. And in the midst of this chaos. Squeak! The souvenir left by the extraterrestrial munitionspany began to crack open. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 64 Chapter 64 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 64: Strong Tiger¡¯s Early Appearance (1) ¡°What¡¯s this again?¡± Byungcheol, holding a gun, shouted with a face that seemed about to cry right away. No wonder, considering that things beyond themon knowledge of the sr system were happening one after another. Crack! Even in the midst of this, ck cracks,rge and small, continued to appear in the jet-ck egg. ¡°Could it be¡­ hatching?¡± As Yeongwoo opened his eyes wide, something flickered between the cracked surface of the egg. It emitted a biological vitality in abundance. Srip. Something massive wriggled inside the dark shell. ¡°What¡­ is this?¡± Yeongwoo, who knew well that this was a souvenir left by advertisers, was still perplexed. Being a weapon manufacturingpany, he expected equipment items, not throwing some creature, especially of this size. Moreover. ¡°Why is it so big?¡± As Yeongwoo took a few steps back to properly gauge the size of the egg, a significant change urred in the ¡®souvenir¡¯ that had only shown signs of hatching until now. -Squeeeak! Long cries apanied ck steam spraying from inside the shell. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Just in case it was a toxic substance, all three people stepped back, and in doing so, an unexpected presence pushed its way into the space created. Chug! It was none other than. -Squeeeak! Arge iron horse, about two meters tall, belonging to the mammalian order Perissodact, a livestock horse that had coexisted with humanity for thousands of years. [PR/N: The name Perissodact means ¡°odd-toed.¡± This group of ungtes includes horses, tapirs, and rhinos. The name of their order derives from the fact that their middle toe isrger than the others, and the ne of symmetry of the foot passes through it, a condition called mesaxonic.] However, it couldn¡¯t be confirmed whether it truly belonged to the Perissodact order, given its ck iron-ted exterior and the ck smoke emanating from its nose. ¡°That¡­ could it be a horse?¡± Jongsu asked Yeongwoo while awkwardly holding an early bird. And around that time. Chug! The iron horse approached Yeongwoo, crushing the road surface with its steel hooves. -Squeeeak! The cry still sounded unfamiliar. Due to the high stature of the iron horse, it exuded tremendous intimidation just by looking at it, but Yeongwoo was relieved to see the Dogo¡¯s wedge pattern engraved on its exterior. ¡®It seems to be Dogo¡¯s product. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a real creature or a robot.¡¯ Although its appearance resembled Earth¡¯s horse, it couldn¡¯t be known why Dogo left it as a gift. Maybe this gift was a means of transportation, and that¡¯s why they sent a simr type of gift. Shwik! As the iron horse took another breath, ck smoke spewed violently from its nostrils. Was that also a staged performance to mimic a ¡®horse,¡¯ or was it really a breathing animal? ¡°¡­¡± Seeing the iron horse approaching and standing quietly by his side, Yeongwoo slowly raised his hand to its long neck. Tap. ¡°¡­!¡± The creature¡¯s body, once touched, was surprisingly warm. Like Earth¡¯s warm-blooded animals. However, the tooltip that appeared afterward clearly indicated that this existence was definitely not of Earthly origin. ¡¸Negwig¡¹ ¨C Unknown Grade ¡¾Adapts to any.¡¿ ¡°¡­Negwig?¡± As Yeongwoo muttered the name written in the tooltip, the iron horse Negwig fluttered its iron ears, gleaming with purple pupils. -Squeak! That creature¡¯s name was indeed Negwig. ¡°Unbelievable.¡± Jongsu, who btedly realized that the iron horse was a gift to Yeongwoo, sheathed his sword and breathed a sigh of relief. On the other hand, Byungcheol, as soon as he grasped that the situation was under control, felt an overwhelming anger welling up within him. ¡°No, damn it¡­¡± It was because he realized that Icheon City had been sacrificed for the absurd business of that golden foreigner. ¡°Hey, you son of a bitch. Why did you have toe here of all ces?¡± Hwak! The gun, now without direction, aimed precisely at Yeongwoo¡¯s head. But the trigger wasn¡¯t pulled. Beforemitting murder, Byungcheol, formerly a police officer, needed a justifiable reason. But did the foreigner in front of him have any charges worthy of that? Crimes like disturbing public safety by invoking the existence of space, rebellion, obstructing official duties¡ªthere was no way to define it. Moreover, there were no direct casualties from this incident. ¡°This damn world.¡± In the end, Byungcheol reluctantly lowered the gun. He couldn¡¯t find a reason to harm the other person beyond being angry. Seeing him hesitating, Yeongwoo, who had been silently watching, bowed slowly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I tried to find a ce with as few people as possible just in case something like this happened¡­¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s fine. Everything¡¯s already messed up.¡± After spitting out a bitter breath, Byungcheol shifted his gaze to Officer Kwon Taeyoung, who was cautiously walking over from the other side. ¡°Taeyoung.¡± ¡°Captain.¡± Taeyoung also held a gun, but seeing that Byungcheol wasn¡¯t in abat stance, he let the gun hang loosely on the ground. ¡°It seems the situation is over.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s very good to be alive.¡± Taeyoung said this while still looking at Negwig with an unbelieving gaze. ¡°Anyway¡­ what¡¯s going to happen to us now?¡± Taeyoung¡¯s vague question almost perfectly represented the situation of the two police officers. In an instant, their foundation of life, the city that made them exist as police officers, was lost. On the first day of the reset, Taeyoung returned to the police station immediately, as he had no family to take care of separately. Byungcheol, having been separated from his wife, naturally continued his police duties. Ironically, only those without anyone to take responsibility for were carrying the ¡®social obligation.¡¯ To be faithful to one¡¯s work, to uphold thew¡­ Of course, now even the ce to fulfill these obligations has disappeared, but still, the two men remained police officers. ¡°Taeyoung, let¡¯s go to Seoul.¡± ¡°Yes? Seoul?¡± At the mention of Seoul, an instinctive fear shed in Taeyoung¡¯s eyes. Until now, not onlywless individuals from the provinces but also looters from Seoul had invaded Icheon, and all of them were ruthless in both skill and character. ¡°Yes, Seoul. What are we going to do by staying here? Are we going to be robbers starting tomorrow?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± Taeyoung made a dreadful expression. Both Byungcheol and Taeyoung were inherently not likely to be viins. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] That¡¯s why they continued to protect the police station even after the reset. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go and see how fucked up it is there.¡± Byungcheol said this while opening the revolver¡¯s cylinder to check a single bullet. Click. Taeyoung also had only one bullet in his gun. In other words, entering thewless zone that was Seoul while continuing to be police officers was practically suicidal. ¡°¡­¡± At this, as Taeyoung tightened his grip on the gun, trying to put on a resolute expression, Yeongwoo interjected into their conversation. ¡°You¡¯re going to Seoul? How is the situation there?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± * * * Seoul. Thergest city in South Korea with a poption of 9.43 million. Consideringmuters from Gyeonggi Province and elsewhere, the actual poption staying in Seoul would be much higher. Moreover, the time when the ¡®reset¡¯ urred was around 10 a.m. on Tuesday, the time when the poption in Seoul was at its peak. What exactly happened in Seoul at that time? ¡°The currency exchange center tore people apart,pletely ruining the situation. An uncontroble panic situation must have urred.¡± ording to Byungcheol, the appearance of the currency exchange center made people leave their ces they were guarding, in other words, their workces, changing everything. The social structure that had been maintained, at least in form, was destroyed in one fell swoop. Afterward, through the looting battle at the currency exchange center, morality was broken, and most conflicts were resolved through duels between the parties instead of police calls. ¡°Probably, seeing people in police uniforms turning into robbers, everyone realized. The end hase in the worst possible form.¡± Taeyoung, staring into empty space with a vacant gaze, was describing the scenes he had personally witnessed yesterday. The sight of his poilce station colleagues threatening citizens and robbing them. ¡°Even though the poption of Icheon is only 220,000, there were incredible events. Children organizing robbery gangs¡­ Well, they weren¡¯t much different from the adults.¡± Saying this, Byungcheol habitually searched for his cigarettes in his pocket, then made a bitter expression. ¡°Even if everything didn¡¯t turn to stone, it wouldn¡¯t have turned into awlessnd so easily.¡± Just as the military has a deterrent effect on war just by its presence,w enforcement also has a deterrent effect on crime. However, due to the all-epassing petrification phenomenon, all deterrent forces disappeared. There were no CCTV cameras anywhere, and even if a murder urred on the street, it couldn¡¯t be reported to the police. In other words, the deterrent forces that operate in the majority of situations have be solely dependent on individual morality. ¡°In fact, only the area near City Hall and Terminal is managed here. We don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening in the reservoir area below.¡± So how serious could the situation be in Seoul, which is muchrger and moreplex than Icheon? ¡°I heard that they dominate even the monsters from the Gyeonggi region in Seoul. I also heard that they might harm people.¡± When Yeongwoo subtly brought up the rumors he collected while passing through Yeoju, Byungcheol showed a hint of recognition. ¡°Yes. I went there once too. They even gave themselves new names¡­ what was it?¡± At this point, Taeyoung, who had been listening, chimed in. ¡°Hunters.¡± ¡°Oh, right. Hunters. Probably named because they hunt monsters. So, in essence, we should consider them as criminals who happen to be strong enough to avoid punishment.¡± Byungcheol¡¯s forehead wrinkled as he recalled the memory. Even though they were able to make those guys turn around peacefully thanks to the guns, the unpleasant res they received were not easily forgotten. ¡°So, are you going to Seoul just to punish those so-called hunters?¡± As Yeongwoo alternately examined the two guns, each holding only one bullet, Byungcheol cleared his throat. ¡°We need to see the situation in Seoul first. If really absurd things are happening, we have no choice but to suppress them with force.¡± While saying this, Byungcheol added that there might be police officers like them in Seoul. People who are trying to maintain order in any way possible. ¡°We need to let them know thatw enforcement still exists. That way, at least some form of deterrent will be established.¡± ¡°¡­¡± But can they survive even a day in Seoul with just two bullets? Yeongwoo felt both respect and sympathy for the other side. Then, suddenly, his vision shed, and a new quest appeared. Tang! [Dogo] ¡°Strong Tiger¡¯s Early Appearance¡± Engage in 0/2 duels with targets with a total ability score of 3,000 or higher. 5 million karma You must disclose the fact of Dogo¡¯s support in this duel. ¡®Huh¡­?¡¯ It finally came. Dogo¡¯s exclusive quest. Reading the quest content with half expectation and half concern, Yeongwoo paused at the part where the total ability score of the duel targets had to be 3,000 or higher. A total ability score of 3,000 means that the target has acquired at least 3 million karma. In other words, it referred to the most Strongest Swords who monopolized the rewards for mutations. ¡®Either a Strongest Sword or someone at the Strongest Sword level, I have to fight twice.¡¯ And as far as Yeongwoo knew, there was only one ce around here where such a mission could be quickly aplished. That was none other than¡­ ¡®Seoul.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 65 Chapter 65 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 65: Strong Tiger¡¯s Early Appearance (2) ¡°I¡¯m also going to Seoul.¡± When Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo 07, said this, the expressions of the two police officers who had decided to go to Seoul became inevitablyplicated. It was because of the particrly special identity of the opponent. ¡®¡­Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword.¡¯ Byungcheol cautiously scanned the golden-haired outsider¡¯s head, which he had overlooked due to the shock of their intense first meeting. The existence of the Strongest Sword in this world was almost always a gangster or a murderer. Structurally, there was no other way. Bing the Strongest Sword meant either boldlymitting a murder on the first day of the reset to catch the system¡¯s eye, or assassinating an established Strongest Sword. The process of bing a local Strongest Sword was already treacherous enough, so how would it be to unify arge region like Gyeongbuk? But why would such a person go to Seoul of all ces? In the eyes of Byungcheol, a police officer, it looked like a massive bomb was rolling down the powder keg, ready to explode. ¡°Ahem.¡± Byungcheol, trying to maintain a calm face, asked the usual question. ¡°Excuse me, but¡­ why are you going to Seoul?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Yeongwoo scratched his chin and looked at iron horse, Negwig. If he answered that he was going to fight against high-level experts with a total ability score of over 3,000, it wouldplicate the situation. So, Yeongwoo¡¯s chosen answer was. ¡°I¡¯m going to spread money.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°What?¡± The expressions of the two police officers twisted at once. Theypletely did not understand what Yeongwoo was talking about. ¡°What is that¡­¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you choose the exclusive 3 million karma when you caught the mutant?¡± When Yeongwoo asked this, Kim Byungcheol 139, the Strongest Sword, widened his eyes. ¡°No way.¡± Finally, he realized what the outsider was talking about. ?Choice Reward? [3 million Karma] Or [Grant 30,000 Karma to all residents in the area] A dilemma quest, ¡®Quantum Choice,¡¯ in which only the one who defeats the mutant receives the reward. Byungcheol, the Strongest Sword, had faced this choice before and, after much consideration as a police officer, ultimately chose the exclusive 3 million karma. He judged that it was better to grab arge sum for himself and establish order, rather than giving money to citizens whose ratio of viins was unknown. Of course, underneath that judgment was the survival instinct that wanted to live first. After all, wasn¡¯t Byungcheol a person before being a police officer? ¡°Yes, I chose 3 million.¡± Byungcheol deliberately straightened his chest to hide his conscience. Yeongwoo nodded as if to say that it wasn¡¯t a bad choice. ¡°Not a bad choice. Of course, I suffered a bit because I couldn¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Byungcheol made an expression of disbelief. ¡°You chose 30,000?¡± More precisely, he couldn¡¯t believe that Yeongwoo became the Strongest Sword even after giving up 3 million karma. But the truly unbelievable statement was next. ¡°Yes. Four times so far.¡± ¡°Four times¡­?¡± As Byungcheol echoed Yeongwoo¡¯s words as if possessed, he noticed Yeongwoo¡¯s strange attire and shut his mouth. He soon realized that his current appearance was the result of an incredible feat. ¡°What¡­ what happens if you choose 30,000?¡± Byungcheol, who decided to believe the outsider¡¯s statement, asked vaguely. However, since Yeongwoo had no remainingmemorative coins and no way to show his achievements, it was best for him to point towards Seoul and say this. ¡°Golden rain falls. It¡¯s faster to understand when you see it yourself.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Golden rain. It was a natural urrence, but it was a sight that Byungcheol had never seen in his entire life. ¡°But the Strongest Swords in Seoul probably wouldn¡¯t want to choose 30,000.¡± ¡°Strongest Swords?¡± Yeongwoo, hearing Byungcheol express ¡°Strongest Swords¡± in the plural, asked again. ¡°Are there multiple Strongest Swords in Seoul?¡± ¡°Each district has a Strongest Sword. Of course, someone could be the Strongest Sword in Seoul, like you being the Strongest Sword in Gyeongbuk.¡± ¡°Oh, then there might be a Gangnam Strongest Sword.¡± Jongsu, who had been listening to the conversation, chimed in. It turned out that the story he had jokingly shared with Yeongwoo before was true. Seoul, consisting of 25 districts. With each district having arger poption than most provincial cities, it wasn¡¯t surprising that there was a Strongest Sword in each. ¡°Oh, so if there¡¯s a Strongest Sword in each district, there might be mutants too¡­¡± Adding to Yeongwoo¡¯s statement, Byungcheol continued. ¡°Mutants would probably be scattered in each district.¡± ¡°Incredible.¡± Twenty-five mutants falling from the sky every day. And twenty-five Strongest Swords waiting for them. ¡°Hyung-nim, Seoul might be more terrifying than you think.¡± Jongsu shivered, recalling a dreadful scene. Yeongwoo also felt a chill in his spine when he imagined 25 red pirs of light shooting down. But what was even more concerning was¡­ ¡°If mutants fall twenty-five at a time¡­ assuming that no one dropped the golden rain, it means 75 million karma is released every day under the assumption that everyone receives 3,000 karma.¡± Of course, there was also the possibility that the city could be destroyed by arge number of mutants and monsters. Yeongwoo never thought that way, though. ¡°From what I see, it¡¯s unlikely that mutants and monsters are targeting Seoul from the Gyeonggi region. Currently, Seoul is digesting the allocated amount for themselves.¡± In other words, some of Seoul¡¯s Strongest Swords likely secured an enormous amount of karma. ¡°If you¡¯re really going to Seoul to spread the golden rain, Mr. Yeongwoo, you¡¯re in for a tough time.¡± Byungcheol chuckled. It was a self-deprecating remark, as his own situation wasn¡¯t much different. In response, Yeongwoo shrugged his shoulders. ¡°So, what I¡¯m suggesting is¡­¡± Swoosh. As Yeongwoo stroked Negwig¡¯s lower back, he raised his head and his eyes lit up. ¡°Because we are both in a position to be hated in Seoul¡­ How about joining forces?¡± * * * Union with Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo 07. In reality, for Byungcheol and Taeyoung, who only had two bullets, there was no reason to refuse this proposal. At least, Jeong Yeongwoo, who showed no animosity towards them, seemed better than the unknown rogues in Seoul. Of course, it was uncertain how vicious the outsider would be if a conflict of interest arose¡­ ¡®Rather than being ughtered as soon as we get to Seoul, it might be better. It¡¯s apromise instead of the worst-case scenario.¡¯ What was even more worrying was¡­ Current time: 8:49 PM. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] The grand lodging service is about to begin in approximately 10 minutes. ¡®Isn¡¯t this next to Yongin? As long as we finish checking in before 11 PM, we should have enough time to reach Yongin.¡¯ Even though there are no more vehicles avable for travel, there is Negwin from the advertiser. Why not take this opportunity to test its performance? ¡°¡­.¡± As Yeongwoo was silently observing Negwig, Byungcheol, who was still uneasy about something, asked him. ¡°¡­Is there another issue?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. It¡¯s just that it might be difficult for all four of us to ride.¡± ¡°Where¡­ Oh, you mean that?¡± Byungcheol pointed at Negwig and spoke. Then, with a horrified expression, he turned his head. ¡°We have a patrol car to ride.¡± As Byungcheol said this, they could see a patrol car parked in a corner of the parking lot. It was obvious that everyone would pay attention to the conspicuous car, which they nned to take to enter Seoul. ¡°Rumors will spread quickly. There will be rumors that strange people have arrived from somewhere.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes blinked widely. It seemed that they were going to take the horse for another spin this time. ¡°Feel free to do as you please. The important thing is to get into Seoul by tomorrow afternoon.¡± 1 PM. It was the time Yeongwoo empirically learned for the appearance of mutants. Of course, it was unknown whether thisw would apply to Seoul, which consisted of 25 districts. ¡°At 1 PM¡­ We¡¯ll need to move quickly.¡± Byungcheol had encountered mutants as a Strongest Sword before, but this was the first time he was going to find mutants in a different region. Moreover, it was Seoul, not any other area. Therefore, the Strongest Swords of Seoul were likely to be more significant obstacles than the mutants themselves. ¡°Anyway¡­ Should we head straight to Yongin?¡± Byungcheol asked Yeongwoo, and in the meantime, Taeyoung started running towards the patrol car. ¡°Yes. It seems safer to find amodation around Yongin. Besides, there won¡¯t be any mutants appearing today.¡± ¡°Got it. By the way, Yeongwoo, are you really going to ride that thing? If it¡¯s slower than a car, it could be a disaster.¡± Byungcheol expressed his concern while pointing at Negwig. Indeed, it was a mature concern. In response, Yeongwoo looked at the legs of iron horse Negwig, made of gleaming ck steel. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know. Is the patrol car full of gas? You might have to step on the gas all the way to Yongin.¡± ¡°Ha-ha, is that so?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s yful remark made Byungcheolugh, but soon after, he solidified his expression and instructed Taeyoung to check the remaining gas in the patrol car. * * * ¡¸The lodging service has started.¡¹ ¡¸From now on, all buildings ssified as ¡®residences¡¯ will be affected by the lodging system and be invible.¡¹ At 9:00 PM sharp, a terrifying sound from Yeongwoo¡¯s wristwatch announced the start of lodging, followed by consecutive messages. ¡¸Anyone can upy a desired residence by paying karma for a certain period.¡¹ ¡¸During the lodging time, ess to the space can be controlled, and amodating guests is also possible.¡¹ The content was the same as what he sawst night. Therefore, it was expected that simr events would unfold tonight. People knocking on others¡¯ doors because they didn¡¯t secure a residence in time, and in the end, the extraordinary climate sweeping away those who couldn¡¯t enter anywhere. ¡¸By the way, today¡¯s nighttime weather is a heatwave.¡¹ ¡¸Be cautious of severe sunburn.¡¹ ¡®A heatwave¡­¡¯ The weather information appeared, and by this time, Yeongwoo and his party, fully prepared to depart, stood side by side on the road connecting Icheon and Yongin. Yeongwoo and Jongsu were on the back of iron horse Negwig, while Byungcheol and Taeyoung were in the patrol car. ¡°Ah¡­ But what if this guy really isn¡¯t as fast as the old man said? What do we do, Hyung-nim?¡± Jongsu, who was sitting closely behind Yeongwoo, alternately looked at the patrol car and Negwig, expressing his concern. Despite being from outer space, could this creature, in the form of a horse, run faster than a car? ¡®Of course, it should be fast.¡¯ Unlike Jongsu, Yeongwoo had no worries at all. ¡°If this thing couldn¡¯t run faster than Earth¡¯s means of transportation, Dogo wouldn¡¯t have engraved their logo on it. It¡¯s probably indirect advertising even at this moment.¡± ¡°Advertising? Who¡¯s looking at this now?¡± While Jongsu shrugged his shoulders and looked around, the sign to start from the patrol car finally came. ¡°Go ahead! We¡¯ll catch up with your speed!¡± A road of approximately 30 kilometers from Icheon to Yongin. On this road, a horse from outer space and a patrol car from Earth started running side by side. -Snort¡­! As they looked at the road ahead, Negwig, too, seemed excited, emitting a sharp neigh. And then, Shurk! Suddenly, it spewed out a narrow band from its side, wrapping tightly around the lower halves of Yeongwoo and Jongsu. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± This thing, firmly fastening the rider¡¯s legs around Negwig¡¯s waist, was probably¡­ ¡°Could this be a safety be¡ª!¡± Just as Jongsu was about to dere the identity of the ¡®band,¡¯ Negwig shot out at a bullet-like speed. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 66 Chapter 66 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 66: Strong Tiger¡¯s Early Appearance (3) Phew! The driving force of Iron horse Negwig was truly tremendous. Just the sudden eleration alone made both Yeongwoo and Jongsu unable to control their bodies properly. Especially Yeongwoo, who was a person with superhuman physical abilities. ¡®How fast is he running right now?¡¯ As Yeongwoo, who barely stood his upper body upright, turned around, he saw a dimly lit road extending beyond Jongsu¡¯s shoulder, who was screaming with closed eyes. And, at the edge of that road, something small was shining. It was none other than a patrol car approaching with its headlights on. All this distance was covered in such a short time. Moreover, the distance between the patrol car and them was continuously increasing. ¡®Can he possibly increase the speed more than this?¡¯ Yeongwoo, wanting to test Kangho¡¯s abilities a bit more, stopped as he heard Jongsu¡¯s screams continuing. ¡°Hyung-nim, can¡¯t you slow down a bit?¡± ¡°Let me look for it. Just hold on a moment.¡± Upon Jongsu¡¯s request, Yeongwoo groped Kangho¡¯s neck and head to find what seemed like a brake mechanism. Then. -Squeak! A part of the iron te that wrapped around Kangho¡¯s muzzle extended downward, instantly creating reins. ¡®Quite innovative.¡¯ The reins, like Kangho¡¯s outer shell, were made of ck metal, but the texture and flexibility were like leather. ¡®Is this used to control when pulled?¡¯ Thinking so, when Yeongwoo slightly pulled the reins, Kangho¡¯s head lifted, and along with it, the guardrail, which looked like an afterimage, began to follow his movement. He had really reduced the speed. ¡°Phew.¡± Jongsu breathed heavily as if finally relieved. And as a little more time passed, the sound of sirens was heard from a distance. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Uh?¡± When they turned around, a patrol car with its siren on and lights shing was approaching at high speed. As Yeongwoo disappeared from view, the siren sounded, indicating to stop. ¡°Mr. Yeongwoo!¡± Finally, from the patrol car that approached right behind Kangho, Byungcheol¡¯s startled voice echoed. ¡°Even if it¡¯s like this, shouldn¡¯t we be able to confirm each other¡¯s location?¡± Byungcheol looked around the dark surroundings with vignt eyes. In contrast, Yeongwoo calmly spoke after confirming that everything was fine with the fearful cat he took out. ¡°It was much faster than expected. But now that I know how to control it, there should be no problem.¡± Swoosh! As Yeongwoo showed the reins, Byungcheol¡¯s expression becameplicated again. It was because he felt awkward knowing that reins were attached to that strange iron horse. A rather ufortable valley. ¡®How can he ride around on such a thing so casually? Are only those kinds of weirdos able to adapt to this world?¡¯ Byungcheol was in bitter admiration when he saw Yeongwoo preparing to leave, loosening the reins again. * * * 9:26 PM. The surrounding scenery was still only fields and makeshift buildings, but ording to the regional status window, it was now Yongin. Pop! |The current area you are in is ¡®Yongin.¡¯ |There is no Strongest Sword in this area. ¡°As expected.¡± ¡°Is this also the work of people from Seoul, Hyung-nim?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± Yeongwoo looked west, which was likely the direction of Yongin City. To know more, he needed to narrow down the distance, but there were no visible pirs of light so far. In other words, there are no mutants or monsters, and yet the Strongest Sword has disappeared. It seems someone cleaned up and passed through. Most likely, someone from Seoul. The second possibility is that it could be the local Strongest Sword that started patrolling early. If the conflicts between mutants are fierce enough for someone toe all the way from Seoul to here¡­ wouldn¡¯t it be better to settle down here for a while? Yeongwoo thought this while taking out the fearful cat. The cat continued to close its eyes. At least there was no threatening presence in this area. As they went further in, traces of a rather intense battle appeared. Torn stic greenhouses,pletely copsed warehouse buildings. The surroundings indicated that it was not a result of a fight between superhumans but rather the aftermath of monsters wreaking havoc. It meant that monsters had survived in this area for a long time, causing extensive damage to the city in all directions. ¡®The Yongin Strongest Sword might not have been that strong.¡¯ Was it a situation simr to what happened in Gimcheon, where the session of a strong Strongest Sword was happening in real-time due to theck of suitable candidates? As Yeongwoo, gazing at the devastated outskirts of Yongin, Jongsu in the back seat asked him. ¡°Hyung-nim.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Buildings that are once damaged like that can¡¯t be restored, right?¡± Jongsu pointed to a building in the distance. It was a four-story small building, but two floors werepletely crushed, rendering the building practically useless. ¡°Probably not, right? Such ces probably can¡¯t even be rented out.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­ Then, isn¡¯t it more important to prioritize protecting buildings over other things?¡± Jongsu pointed out a fairly important aspect. With the continuous influx of mutants and monsters in the future unknown, ¡®residential areas,¡¯ essential to spending the night safely, were gradually disappearing. ¡°That¡¯s right. No matter how strong the Strongest Sword is, they can¡¯t simultaneously block multiple ces.¡± Therefore, continuous damage to residential areas due to monsters is inevitable. In the end¡­ ¡®In areas with strong Strongest Swords, buildings might be the only things left.¡¯ Of course, that area was likely to be Seoul with a high probability. ¡®Even now, many cities in the provinces have lost their Strongest Swords. They¡¯ll probably turn into ruins by tomorrow.¡¯ In other words, for everyone to survive, they have no choice but to find a city where the Strongest Sword is active. As they continued with the sound of Negwig¡¯s hooves, more buildings appeared in the inner part of Yongin than in the outskirts, and the number of damaged buildings also increased. And finally, people could be seen. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°M-Monster¡­!¡± People started running and screaming as soon as they saw Yeongwoo. ¡°Save us!¡± ¡°Aaaah!¡± It was a natural reaction for them. Yeongwoo¡¯s appearance on iron horse in the darkness was unmistakably that of a mutant or even a monster. ¡°W-What¡­ to run away like that.¡± Jongsu, who was startled by the strong reaction, opened his mouth wide. Since Yeongwoo was already causing trouble for the second time today, he quickly stopped Negwig and surveyed the area. ¡°It will cause amotion if we go further inside. If possible, we should find a good ce nearby.¡± While Yeongwoo was saying this, a police patrol car from Icheon approached from behind. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Byungcheol, who stretched his head outside the passenger seat with a puzzled expression, asked. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Now that they were entering the city, why did they stop? ¡°It seems there are still many people in Yongin. It would be better for us to find a room around here without causing unnecessary trouble.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Byungcheol, hearing Yeongwoo¡¯s words, understood the situation without any further exnation. After all, he was probably the first person to be terrorized by Yeongwoo. ¡°How many rooms do we need? We should sleep separately, right?¡± Byungcheol¡¯s ¡®we¡¯ referred to himself and the patrol officer Kwon Taeyoung. Yeongwoo nced at Jongsu in the back seat before looking back at Byungcheol. ¡°For now, I can sleep alone. So, it¡¯s probably best to get three rooms. If that¡¯s difficult¡­¡± Jongsu and the Icheon Police Station officer might have to share a room. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Umm.¡± Since it was the opinion of Yeongwoo, the strongest in the group, the remaining three couldn¡¯t express their difort but couldn¡¯t object either. ¡°Well, regardless of the number of rooms, it¡¯s good for us to be close to each other. We should check out vis or apartments.¡± Byungcheol attempted to change the mood, and soon Jongsu found a building that met the criteria. ¡°How about there?¡± Swoosh! Jongsu pointed to a motel in a corner across the road. ¡®¡­Another motel.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s expression wrinkled. It wasn¡¯t a pleasant ce for him. However, he couldn¡¯tpletely rule out motels in the future. ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go check there.¡± So, in the end, Yeongwoo agreed to go to the motel. * * * ¡¸Luso¡¹ The name of the motel was Luso. Except for the scattered vehicles in the parking lot next to the entrance, there seemed to be no issues with the appearance. ¡°Two, three¡­ five¡­ it¡¯s about six floors. There should be vacant rooms if we¡¯re lucky.¡± While Jongsu was counting the number of windows on the building, a patrol car approached from behind and stopped. ¡°Motel¡­ How much is the usual amodation fee?¡± Byungcheol asked as if Yeongwoo would naturally know. Coincidentally, Yeongwoo had the experience of staying in motels after the reset. ¡°If it¡¯s a small room, it should be around 3,000 karma.¡± ¡°3,000¡­? Much cheaper than an apartment.¡± ¡°Is an apartment more expensive?¡± ¡°Yes, for an 18-square-meter apartment, they charge around 8,000 karma.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± New information. ¡°Paying 8,000 for one night might not be budget-friendly.¡± ¡°Of course. So usually, trustworthy people pool their money and share a room.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Yeongwoo nodded. Conversely, for those living alone without trustworthy people, it means they have to find motels or boarding houses for financial reasons. ¡®But that¡¯s only possible if motels continue to exist for a long time. If residential areas keep disappearing like Jongsu said,ter on, we might have to stay together forcibly every night.¡¯ Do they all know this fact? ¡°¡­¡± Yeongwoo quickly scanned the seemingly sophisticated motel exterior and then dismounted from Negwig with a tter. Click! Seeing both of themnd, Negwig, who observed them, suddenly squatted in ce. It hid its head, arms, legs, and tail inside its body, transforming into a giant oval shape. Chlorp! As if it were an egg. ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± It was unexpected, so even Yeongwoo looked at Negwig with surprised eyes. ¡°What is this¡­?¡± ¡°I-Is it some kind of parking mode?¡± Jongsu made a usible inference. Since they were in front of a building that served as their residence, Negwig might have automatically switched to parking or waiting mode. ¡°If that¡¯s really the case, does it mean it won¡¯t be affected even in abnormal weather?¡± This was still Byungcheol¡¯s question, who was riding in the patrol car. Since they might spend the night here today, he was curious about what would happen to the patrol car. Of course, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t know the extent of the application of abnormal weather. ¡°Well, who knows? We¡¯ll have to check it out tomorrow after parking anding out.¡± Today¡¯s abnormal weather is scorching heat¡­ People outside would naturally be scorched to death, but what about the items that were purchased with karma? ¡°Let¡¯s first check if there are vacant rooms here. We¡¯ll have to move again if there are no rooms anyway.¡± As Yeongwoo spoke, he attempted to open the motel entrance. At that moment, a shadow appeared behind the opaque ss door. ¡°¡­!¡± For Yeongwoo, it was an unsettling sight. ¡®¡­As expected, I don¡¯t get to see anything good in motels.¡¯ Sure enough, as he quickly stepped back, the ss door split wide open, and a blood-stained man jumped out. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 67 Chapter 67 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 67: Strong Tiger¡¯s Early Appearance (4) Crash! The man who came out of the motel with a loud noise was a middle-aged man who appeared to be in his 50s. ¡°Sigh¡­¡± His body was covered in bruises, as if something harsh had happened inside the motel. Nevertheless, despite falling to the ground, he quickly tried to get up and flee. And then. Thud! He collided headfirst with a patrol car that had stopped right in front of him. ¡°Oops.¡± His condition, indicating ack of awareness. ¡°Are you okay?¡± As Byungcheol hastily got out of the car, the man opened his eyes wide. ¡°¡­!¡± He saw the police uniform worn by Byungcheol. But strangely, the emotion in the man¡¯s eyes was not relief but fear. ¡®What¡¯s going on?¡¯ Yeongwoo, who saw the man¡¯s eyes, tilted his head in confusion. Encountering the police on the way out of the motel after a rough incident seemed to make him more frightened¡­? Although it could be due to encountering corrupt police officers frequently, there seemed to be a different reason. ¡°Stop right there!¡± Soon, armed women poured out from the motel. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Oh, everyone calm down!¡± While the two panicked officers were unable to even take out their guns and were waving their hands around, the man covered in blood attempted to run away again. Thump! The women angrily shouted. ¡°Oh! He¡¯s running away¡­!¡± ¡°Catch that guy!¡± Yeongwoo, who had been observing so far, sensed something strange. The emotions of the women were too intense, and the movement of the man, whom he thought was the victim, was surprisingly fast for a civilian. Bang! Total stats 1,600. Having lower stats was just aparison with other Strongest Swords, but as soon as he moved, everyone in the room was surprised. It took less than a second to catch up to the middle-aged man trying to escape. ¡°Ugh!¡± Caught by the back of his cor in an instant, the middle-aged man, without confirming who his captor was, struggled to free his arms. ¡°Let go of this! Those girls will kill me!¡± Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Why are they trying to kill you?¡± ¡°What? W-Well¡­¡± The middle-aged man, who could only widen his eyes, couldn¡¯t answer Yeongwoo¡¯s question. ¡°¡­¡± At that moment, Yeongwoo looked at Im Bonghee in the shaking opponent¡¯s eyes. It was his roommate who had suffered and disappeared due to a rape charge when the reset began. ¡®There¡¯s something fishy.¡¯ The gaze he had seen when he clung to save him at that time was now glimpsed in the eyes of the middle-aged man in front of him. ¡°Quietly follow me.¡± As Yeongwoo dragged the middle-aged man along, the enraged women quickly regained theirposure. ¡°What¡¯s going on with these people¡­?¡± ¡°¡­They seem to be real police officers.¡± And only then did they realize that the identities of the people surrounding the motel were not ordinary. One of the officers was the Strongest Sword, and the one bringing the middle-aged man now had an abundance of equipment. Thump! Pheuk! Eventually, Yeongwoo approached the middle-aged man near the patrol car and inquired of the women. ¡°Who are you? And what¡¯s going on with this man?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze shifted between the women and the motel. Seven women had rushed out from inside the motel, apparently upying the Luso Motel. And indeed. ¡°We are the Women¡¯s Alliance.¡± ¡°Women¡¯s Alliance¡­?¡± ording to their ims, the group Yeongwoo and hispanions were facing was the Women¡¯s Alliance organization in Cheoin-gu, Yongin City. In response to the absurdly increased difficulty of survival after the reset, women decided to join forces. They hunted monsters, even if it meant sacrificing three for five, and those who survived for two days were now standing here. ¡°Oh my goodness.¡± Yeongwoo naturally wondered why they went to such lengths to gather only women, but soon he understood the reason. Sliip, sliirup. Another group of women dragged out three men¡¯s corpses from inside the motel. ¡°Ah.¡± Observing this, Yeongwoo got a sense of what had happened at the motel. The middle-aged man must have been involved in the incident. As the checkout time approached, they must have seen the women as they rushed into the motel¡­ ¡®They thought they could somehow subdue them with their ability even if the numbers were against them.¡¯ However, what they actually encountered is not a group of powerless women, but abat organization made for a single gender. Of course, since the fighting power of the middle-aged man he had seen earlier was formidable, there were probably quite a few corpses of the female allies inside the motel. ¡°That guy is thest one. Hand him over and go your way.¡± A woman who had identified themselves as the Women¡¯s Alliance pointed at the middle-aged man as if stabbing him, indicating they would proceed with the execution. Upon hearing this conversation, Byungcheol, who had been quietly listening, made a surprised sound. ¡°What are you t-talking about now? This is strictly¡­¡± Illegal, private sanctions. However, Byungcheol couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. To properly intervene in this situation as a police officer, they needed to punish the middle-aged men for the murders and attempted robbery/rape before dealing with the Women¡¯s Alliance. But what evidence did they have? ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ Byungcheol recalled the fact that the judicial system of South Korea had also disappeared along with the reset. If the police immediately punished a crime they witnessed, it was practically the same as private sanctions. It meant imposing punishment without official legal grounds or judgement. In other words, in this crazy world, Byungcheol functioning as a police officer was an impossible scenario from the beginning. ¡°¡­¡± As Byungcheol¡¯s face contorted beyond description, Yeongwoo, who had been staring at him, casually lifted the middle-aged man with one hand and handed him over to the Women¡¯s Alliance. ¡°Handle it as you wish. It looks like self-defense to me.¡± Yeongwoo dared to exercise judicial authority in front of the police. Nevertheless, Byungcheol and Taeyoung could only silently watch as one criminal was handed over to another. ¡°I guess we won¡¯t find a ce to stay here. Let¡¯s try looking elsewhere for now.¡± As Yeongwoo spoke to calm down the bewildered two officers, the woman who had been discussing the matter until now interjected. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°If you don¡¯t n to go to the city center, you won¡¯t find a room in time. Most of the buildings around here are used by our people.¡± ¡°Is the Women¡¯s Alliance that big?¡± ¡°Originally, the world was half women, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was an argument that couldn¡¯t be easily refuted. Seeing Yeongwoo neither affirming nor denying, the woman looked around and made a bold suggestion. ¡°I can give you two empty rooms. Sleep here for now. It¡¯s repayment for helping us.¡± Twelve Women¡¯s Alliance members were already outside the motel. Most people, in such a situation, would have left to find another ce. However, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t hesitate. He sensed that the other party had offered hospitality for a reason. ¡°You really value yourrades.¡± The question was whether they were doing it because they thought that if they left here and started raiding other buildings, there would be casualties to their colleagues there. The woman who heard Yeongwoo¡¯s words was initially taken aback but quickly regained herposure. ¡°You¡¯re quite perceptive. Is that why you¡¯re still alive?¡± * * * Entering the Geumnam District, the Luso Motel. As they followed the woman, passing the counter strewn with ss shards and blood, a lively noise came from the direction of the stairs leading to the second floor. It seemed that the twelve people Yeongwoo saw outside earlier were not the only ones staying at this motel. ¡°How many people are there in here?¡± When Yeongwoo asked this, the woman smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t know when or how we will meet again in the future, so wouldn¡¯t it be right to keep our information a secret?¡± She then gestured to the women blocking the way to the second floor. In response, the women, who had been watching Yeongwoo¡¯s group with wary eyes, gradually stepped back, lowering their weapons. ¡°Are you the leader here?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been asking a lot of questions since earlier. Who are you, anyway?¡± ¡°I am¡­¡± Earth¡¯s human, the strongest in Gyeongsangbuk Province, Jeong Yeongwoo 07. Yeongwoo reflexively thought of a cosmic introduction but erased it. He felt there was no need to reveal everything when they might meet again under different circumstances. ¡°I am¡­ Jeong Yeongwoo.¡± ¡°nd.¡± The woman who had been pushing through the crowd heard Yeongwoo¡¯s response, smirked, and turned around for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m Seong Yerin.¡± Then she added. ¡°Next time, I might be the Strongest Sword, so remember me well.¡± ¡°Strongest Sword? You probably won¡¯t be able to be one in Yongin now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you need to leave here quickly.¡± Yerin spoke with a rather fierce tone. Securing the Strongest Sword was essential for the Women¡¯s Alliance to defend against external threats. However, the problem was that by now, all the Strongest Sword titles in other regions probably had owners. In other words, they had to fight and take it away. ¡®It won¡¯t be easy to kill them with a simple barrage like against the monsters.¡¯ Yeongwoo now saw Yerin as a potential future corpse. ¡°You can use two, here and there.¡± Yerin, who was guiding Yeongwoo¡¯s group, stopped her steps when they reached the fourth floor. The rooms she pointed to, 403 and 404, were shining in a simr bluish hue to the riverside motel they visited yesterday. ¡°Which room isrger? We¡¯ll have three people in one of them¡­¡± Jongsu said, looking at Yeongwoo for a cue, and Yerin pointed to 404 with her hand. ¡°404 isrger.¡± ¡°Oh, yes. Thank you.¡± Jongsu nodded appreciatively at Yerin¡¯s guidance, and Yeongwoo stood in front of room 403. Tap. As he did, the doorframe of the room started to glow a shade bluer, and an interface for the rental service appeared in the middle of the door. ¡¸Do you wish to use the rental service?¡¹ [Luso Motel Room 403] | Space: Small | Facilities: Bathroom | Rental Fee: 3,000 Karma | Duration: Until 10 AM the next day Fortunately, the price was the same as the riverside motel in Gumi. ¡®It seems the cost of living isn¡¯t higher just because it¡¯s in Gyeonggi Province.¡¯ ¡¸How many people are nning to stay? Please enter the number of guests.¡¹ It was Yeongwoo¡¯s chance for a solo stay since the reset. He briefly nced at room 404, which seemed busy with dividing the rental fee, and then reached out his hand to the holographic keypad. Beep. ¡¸1¡¹ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 68 Chapter 68 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 68: Strong Tiger¡¯s Early Appearance (5) Room 403 was surprisingly spacious. In the room, which seemed to be about 8 square meters, there was a queen-size bed, a makeshift dining table, and a built-in vanity. Underneath, as always, the mini refrigerator emitted its distinctive mechanical sound. Another notable feature was the mirrors installed on three sides of the walls around the bed. ¡°Hah.¡± Yeongwoo, surveying around the bed, chuckled when he saw his reflection in the mirror. Due to the various equipment haphazardly ced, his attire looked quite peculiar. It seemed as if children had imitated knight attire in a yful sword fight. Swoosh. Taking off the helmet that tightly encased his head, he finally felt a sense of rxation spreading throughout his body. ¡°Oh, man.¡± Next, he removed the cloak, belt, and shoes one by one, cing all the gear on the table. The golden goblin looked at him with a face expressing iprehension. ¨C Keet? The creature still didn¡¯t understand that this ce was a safe zone. ¡°You should take a break too. You¡¯ve been running around all day.¡± Yeongwoo said this to the goblin and tossed his training clothes in front of the bathroom. He then opened the opaque ss door of the bathroom. ¡°¡­!¡± Surprisingly, there was a bathtub. * * * Although it was a narrow bathtub that required folding both legs, it was a satisfying half-body bath. After finishing all the preparations, Yeongwooy on the bed with only a gown on. Thump! Then, while Yeongwoo was bathing, the goblin lying on the bed suddenly sat up. ¨C Kit! He couldn¡¯t loosen up too much in front of his owner. Of course, that was clearly part of the ¡°show.¡± Ironically, when Yeongwoo was in trouble against the Chungju Strongest Sword, this goblin had fled without a word. Still, Yeongwoo gestured for him to rx. Then, lying on the bed, he looked at the ceiling. ¡°Oh.¡± There was a mirror on the ceiling too. ¡®Why are there so many mirrors here?¡¯ The Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword in his gown was clearly reflected. The goblin on the next bed had entered rxation mode with both hands sped, and the pocket of the empty space he always held was ced next to his head. ¨C Keet¡­. A sluggish sound, unfamiliar from him, flowed out. ¡®Has he fallen asleep in the meantime?¡¯ With an unbelieving look, Yeongwoo checked the desk clock on the bedside table. The current time was 9:57 PM. ¡°Huh?¡± Surprised, Yeongwoo got up from his seat, and the goblin, who had been asleep, also sat up abruptly. ¨C Kit? ¡°It¡¯s almost time for tax collection.¡± Upon checking the wristwatch for cross-verification, the minute hand, which was 57 just a moment ago, moved to 58. ¡¸21:58¡¹ It was indeed approaching 10 PM, which meant¡­ ¡®Anyone who hasn¡¯t paid their taxes yet will die¡­.¡¯ As Yeongwoo swallowed dryly, a system-wide announcement appeared. ¨C Tax collection is scheduled to begin shortly after 10 PM. ¨C The basic tax amount is 1,000 Karma, and whoever doesn¡¯t pay taxes will be immediately extinguished at the time of collection. Shortly afterward, there was amotion outside the door. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± When Yeongwoo opened the door, he saw Women alliance members lining up in the motel corridor. However, unlike thest time he saw them, each one now held a crimson coin instead of weapons. ¡®Are they conducting a headcount? Trying to prevent people from dying because they can¡¯t pay taxes¡­?¡¯ If that were true, it would be a surprisingly systematic approach. Even though it was only the second day after the reset, and although they were all people gathered in the Cheoin-gu area, they were still strangers to each other. Moreover, in a world like this, being a stranger practically meant being a potential¡­ ¡°What are you doing there?¡± Before Yeongwoo could finish his thought, Seong Yerin¡¯s head popped up from one side. ¡°Oops!¡± Startled, Yeongwoo took a step back, and Yerin lightly tapped the barrier blocking the door. ¡°Why are you so surprised? Now that I see it, you¡¯re a person too. You looked like a real monster earlier.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Hearing Yerin¡¯s words, Yeongwoo suddenly realized that he was still in a gown. On the other hand, Yerin, who hadn¡¯t drawn her weapon, was in fullbat gear. Her work was not yet finished. ¡°Is that¡­ a headcount?¡± As Yeongwoo pointed down the corridor while adjusting his gown, Yerin nodded, showing a crimson coin. ¡°Yes. In case someone doesn¡¯t have karma right now, the leader might lend it to them.¡± ¡°Lend it¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. They can repay it by participating in monster hunting the next day.¡± Yerin exined that those who didn¡¯t participate in monster hunting despite being physically able wouldn¡¯t be epted as alliance members in the first ce. ¡°Well¡­ they might die before repaying the karma, but even that is worth the value of the karma.¡± It was a surprisingly tough statement. Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but be surprised again. How many alliance members were staying in this motel? Just looking at the number of people in the corridor on the 4th floor, there were at least ten. With a total of six floors in the building, a simple calction suggested that close to sixtybatants were living ording to their own rules. ¡®But they said they upy half of the nearby buildings¡­¡¯ At least several hundred. In this fragmented era, being able to mobilize several hundred personnel was truly an incredible strength. Beep beep. Finally, the rm on Yeongwoo¡¯s wristwatch rang, announcing 10 PM. Simultaneously, ¨C Tax collection is now in effect. As the system announcement appeared, a strange phenomenon urred. Pop, pop! The crimson coins held by the Women alliance members began to disappear one by one. ¡°Huh.¡± Yerin¡¯s coin, which was standing outside Room 403, soon vanished without a trace, followed by others. Ssht. Something came to Yeongwoo as well. ¡°¡­!¡± It felt as if the wind was passing through his entire body. Then a series of texts appeared in his vision. | Basic Tax: 1,000 | Deduction item: Single household | Determined Tax: 500 ¡®This is¡­¡¯ It was a tax notice. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] The difort he just felt was the moment when the determined tax was deducted. ¡°Is everyone okay? Please check the headcount again from the back.¡± Meanwhile, in the corridor, they were busy verifying whether there were any changes in the number of people before and after tax collection. Yeongwoo, watching people in the corridorplete the check and disperse, asked Yerin, ¡°What is the purpose of this alliance? There must be a reason for such organization and order.¡± Upon hearing this, Yerin stared at Yeongwoo. ¡°If you¡¯re asking out of genuine curiosity, I hope you¡¯ll listen without prejudice.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll do my best.¡± ¡°If you imagine encountering a robber on the street and losing in a fight. In the worst case, the probability of you, Mr. Yeongwoo, dying is high, but generally, that¡¯s not the case for us.¡± The muscles around Yerin¡¯s jaw flexed. ¡°¡­Right.¡± Yeongwoo could easily understand the other party¡¯s words. She was talking about the potential sexual violence that could follow the duel. ¡°Yes. Of course, Mr. Yeongwoo, you probably know what I¡¯m talking about. But that¡¯s as far as it goes.¡± ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re saying I can understand and imagine up to a certain extent.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If, by any chance, Mr. Yeongwoo has experienced rape or a simr situation, the story would be different¡­ But generally, that¡¯s not the case. It¡¯s not a bad thing. It¡¯s simply unavoidable.¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s unavoidable.¡± ¡°So, that¡¯s why we don¡¯t actively recruit men. We can make you understand our situation, but we can¡¯t make them empathize with us to the point of asking them to risk their life and fight with us.¡± At this point, Yeongwoo had nothing more to say. While he couldn¡¯t fully empathize with the twoyers of fear they felt, he could understand perfectly why this alliance had to beposed of a single gender. ¡°Our goal is to avoid death or anything worse. To achieve that, we need a very strong force, and we¡¯ve organized ourselves for that purpose.¡± By the time Yerin finished speaking, the corridor was eerily empty, as if it had always been. ¡°Is that a sufficient answer?¡± Yerin scanned the empty corridor with her eyes. Come to think of it, she hadn¡¯t directly participated in the headcount on the 4th floor. ¡®The only thing she did here was talk to me until the headcount was over.¡¯ Yeongwoo finally realized that the reason Yerin came here was to monitor his group. They were the only male group in this building. ¡®Is she much stronger than she looks? She covered for the Strongest Sword of her city alone?¡¯ Yeongwoo tried to scrutinize Yerin¡¯s equipment status, who seemed quite ordinary, but she gave him a cold look. ¡°Is there anything else you¡¯re curious about?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. I just¡­¡± As Yeongwoo spoke, Yerin disappeared from his sight the moment. She, too, had finished her tasks for the day. ¡®I don¡¯t know what all this is about, but it¡¯s incredible.¡¯ Yeongwoo nced at the now truly empty corridor and closed the door. Returning to the bed, hey down, looking at the mirrored ceiling. ¡®So, are these people going to stay here and gather Karma continuously?¡¯ Thinking about Yerin¡¯s words that hinted at bing the Strongest Sword in the future, he wondered if they were waiting here for the mutation to happen tomorrow. If they monopolized 3 million by killing the guy, it would be a significant advantage in the eventual duel with the Strongest Sword. ¡®Hundreds of female warriors gathered under the red light pir¡­¡¯ Just two days ago, it would have been an unrealizable fantasy, but not anymore. ¡®¡­But the Strongest Swords are getting stronger every day.¡¯ Yeongwoo felt his eyelids getting heavy, recalling the recent battles with the mutants. It felt like it had been months since those events, even though it was just a few days, or even hours ago. All those events had brought intense fatigue, both mentally and physically. ¡°Pfhu¡­.¡± Halfway into a doze, Yeongwoo let out a long exhale, as if a whale briefly surfaced above the water. And again, he tried to exhale with a ¡°Pfhu,¡± but¡­ Suddenly, his body shot up. Or at least, that¡¯s how Yeongwoo felt. ¡®¡­Huh?¡¯ As he opened his eyes wide, he saw it. Shaaaat! ¡°Heck!¡± Reflected in the ceiling mirror, there was a red eye-shaped icon above his left eye. This was probably the Mutant Rank Cornea effect, the ¡®One Eyed Sentinel,¡¯ but before Yeongwoo could recall it, Jongsu burst in. ¡°Hyung-niiiiim!¡± He screamed as if hitting his ears. ¡°Hyung-nim! Something big has happened!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Yeongwoo felt difort as he watched Jongsu nonchntly pass through the door. Swiftly checking the table clock, ¡¸10:07¡¹ ¡¯10 o¡¯clock¡­? No way.¡¯ This time, Yeongwoo¡¯s head turned in the opposite direction. Suddenly, a bright light seeped through the window frame. It wasn¡¯t night; it was morning at 10 o¡¯clock. Yeongwoo had slept for a whopping 12 hours without even hearing the Morning Call from the rental system. Because of this, with the ownership rights to the room having expired, Jongsu could freely enter without any restrictions. ¡®Oh my goodness.¡¯ Sensing that something was seriously wrong, Yeongwoo hastily put on the equipment on the table. Chyuk! While doing so, he realized that the ¡®Fearful Cat¡¯ was wide awake. ¡¸Fearful Cat¡¹ ¨C Epic Compass ¡¾Indicates a threatening target.¡¿ ¡¾¨CEmpty slot¨C¡¿ This signifies that there is a considerably powerful and threatening presence nearby. And then, Ta-aaang! Gunshots resonated from outside the motel. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 69 Chapter 69 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 69: Life and Death in Front of the Motel (1) ¡®Crazy.¡¯ Upon hearing the gunshot, Yeongwoo felt chills running through his entire body. The bullet that just fired was not an ordinary one; it was worth a whopping 200,000 karma per shot. Moreover, ¡®They only had two shotsbined.¡¯ Current time, 10:07 PM. Why did the authorities start firing just 7 minutes after the release of the private room service? ¡°What¡¯s going on downstairs?¡± Yeongwoo asked while putting on thest piece of equipment, the artifact helmet called ¡®Vanguard.¡¯ Then, Jongsu replied with a gasping tone, ¡°I, I don¡¯t exactly know. Someone madly came looking for Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword¡­¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Unexpectedly, Yeongwoo was momentarily speechless at the unexpected culprit. He suspected an attack from the Women Alliance to secure Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword for their territorial expansion. It wouldn¡¯t be strange for them to attack right after it entered their area. ¡®But seeking Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword so pinpoint?¡¯ Yeongwoo, fully armed, rushed out of the room, suddenly recalling something. ¡®Oh, no way.¡¯ He realized that there must be someone who could find Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword without any difficulty. * * * ¡®Fuck¡­ I haven¡¯t even set foot in Seoul yet.¡¯ Icheon¡¯s Strongest Sword, Kim Byungcheol 139, clenched his teeth. These guys were fast. Just 5 minutes ago, he was sunbathing in front of the motel, waiting for Jeong Yeongwoo to wake up. Thanks to that, he was the first to encounter the man who walked out from the other buildings. ¡°Captain, someone ising this way.¡± ¡°What?¡± Until then, he hadn¡¯t even thought that the man might havee here at 10 AM, the time for the end of the private room service. There were no titles above his head, and his footsteps seemed very leisurely. Yet, the reason the two guards remained vignt was¡­ ¡°What¡¯s that¡­?¡± ¡°A sword¡­ maybe?¡± It was because the object in the man¡¯s right hand looked suspicious. A weapon reminiscent of a giant thorn. It was difficult to see it as a typical ¡®sword¡¯ because the boundary between the de and the handle was ambiguous. It was more like a form close to a spear. Anyway, it wasn¡¯t standard-issue equipment, so the probability of the person being strong was quite high. And in this world, strong individuals were the majority. ¡®¡­Dangerous.¡¯ When Byungcheol¡¯s face hardened, Taeyoung, who was standing next to him, asked cautiously, ¡°Should we stop him? That person¡­¡± ¡°No. There¡¯s no need to cause a disturbance.¡± Soon, Byungcheol¡¯s head turned sideways. It wasn¡¯t because he didn¡¯t want to provoke first while wearing a police uniform just because the opponent looked dangerous. It was an unpredictable situation. Moreover, ¡°Our side is much stronger. If he attacks, he¡¯ll be the one making a mistake.¡± Byungcheol reminded himself that Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword and about 60 Women Alliancebatants were in the 6-story motel right behind him. In other words, the person entering the danger zone was the man in front of them. ¡°Oh, there are police officers here.¡± Finally approaching within about 10 meters, the man, who hade, seemed surprised when he saw Byungcheol and Taeyoung¡¯s attire. Then. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± The man stared intently at the title ¡®Icheon¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¯ above Byungcheol¡¯s head. ¡°Oh my.¡± Byungcheol¡¯s expression sank as he met the gaze, recognizing the ruthless look of a relentless plunderer¡ªthe same look he had seen when ying the role of Icheon¡¯s guardian. And even before this, Byungcheol finally realized. ¡®Could this guy be a Strongest Sword too?¡¯ Some Strongest Swords could conceal their titles. Didn¡¯t Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo, possess such an ability? ¡®Probably in his mid tote twenties¡­ Ordinary build, featureless face. Can¡¯t tell if he¡¯s a Strongest Sword, though.¡¯ While thinking this, Byungcheol unconsciously moved his right hand closer to his gun. ¡°What¡¯s happening here?¡± When Byungcheol asked with a stern look, the man, after briefly ncing at Taeyoung this time, let out a strangeugh. ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone. Doesn¡¯t seem like you guys are the ones I¡¯m looking for, though.¡± The man¡¯s gaze shifted back to the motel Luso. Then, he pointed at the motel entrance with his finger, abruptly asking Byungcheol. ¡°Excuse me, how many people are in there? I thought they would have alle out by now¡­ The lodging service is over, right?¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± Caught off guard by the irrelevant question, Byungcheol reflexively turned toward the motel, and at that moment, the man lunged at him. Thunk! It was a too-obvious ambush, but it seemed sufficient for the man to exploit that momentary gap. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± ¡°Icheon Swordsmanship!¡± Before Byungcheol, warned by Taeyoung, could return his head to its original position, the enormous thorn pierced his throat. Shwit! A short whimper escaped through Byungcheol¡¯s clenched teeth. ¡°Captain!¡± While a shocked Taeyoung quickly pulled out his gun, the man¡¯s voice stopped him from firing. ¡°If you shoot, the captain dies too. Do you want to risk your life unnecessarily?¡± In other words, not shooting meant he wouldn¡¯t harm them either. ¡°¡­¡± Breathing heavily with extreme tension, Taeyoung looked at the man with aplicated expression. In essence, he indirectly negotiated with this murderer. ¡°You¡¯re wise. Good.¡± Soon, the man pulled the long thorn from Icheon¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¯s throat. Pfft! As a result, Byungcheol, with blood oozing out, fell to the ground as if kneeling. ¡°¡­Kkurip.¡± Until now, he had been holding his breath. ¡°Captain¡­!¡± However, before Taeyoung could support him, he breathed hisst. Pahat! The title ¡®Icheon¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¯ that had been floating above his head disappeared. It was evidence that the basic session mechanism of the Strongest Sword title, ¡®murder,¡¯ had been activated. However, even though Byungcheol had taken hisst breath, no title appeared above the man¡¯s head. ¡°What the¡­? Seriously.¡± A fact that the young officer realized btedly, just as his superior had long ago¡ªthis man was also a Strongest Sword who concealed his title. ¡°¡­!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] At that moment, as Taeyoung was about to call another Strongest Sword in the vicinity, Jeong Yeongwoo, Kwajak! A group of people walked out of the motel Luso entrance, stepping on ss shards. ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­?¡± ¡°Captain?¡± They were none other than Jongsu and around ten members of the Women Alliance. With the lodging service fully expired, everyone had starteding out. ¡°This bastard¡­!¡± Jongsu was the first to draw his sword, having discovered Byungcheol¡¯s corpse. Then, one after another. Swish, swish! The femalebatants, making loud noises, unsheathed their weapons. Even before the guest¡¯s death, the fact that someone with murderous intent had entered their territory was a significant problem. ¡°Wow.¡± Looking at the people with weapons as sharp as the ones in their hands, the man expressed admiration. ¡°Almost all women. How is the world turning?¡± Then, he added a meaningful remark. ¡°Could Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword be a woman too?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± At thisment, Jongsu felt the hairs on his body stand up, while the Women Alliance members, who still didn¡¯t know Yeongwoo¡¯s true identity, growled and surrounded the man. ¡°What the hell is this lunatic saying?¡± ¡°He found the wrong ce on his own.¡± Despite the tense atmosphere, the reason for not immediately engaging in a fight was clear: Icheon¡¯s Strongest Sword was lying dead on the other side. In other words, this unwee guest was powerful enough to single-handedly kill Icheon¡¯s Strongest Sword. ¡°¡­Where¡¯s the leader?¡± One of the women surrounding the man whispered to her nearby colleague, asking about the leader of this area, Seong Yerin. Through this, Jongsu sensed that the gathered individuals¡¯bat power wasn¡¯t very high. ¡®We¡¯re in trouble. Hyung needs toe.¡¯ Even though it was well past 10 o¡¯clock¡­ Could he still be lying on the bed? ¡°¡­¡± As Jongsu, with a face indicating internal turmoil, nced at the motel, the man, noticing it, menacingly held a needle and said, ¡°There are more.¡± The seemingly rxed expression of the man turned icy cold. The reason was simple ¨C he wanted to clean up the situation before more enemies arrived. Sensing the danger, Jongsu jumped into the motel first, shouting. ¡°He¡¯s here!¡± ¡°Oh-ho.¡± As if understanding the situation, the man turned his body toward the motel entrance. Then, just as he had done to Icheon¡¯s Strongest Sword, the Women Alliance members surrounded him with their weapons raised. Motel lobby, Icheon district police officer Kwon Taeyoung finally fired his gun. Ta-ang! And with this signal, all thebatants in the audience rushed at the man. * * * Thud! When Yeongwoo arrived on the first floor of the motel, the lobby was already chaotic. Inside the motel, Women Alliance members who heard gunshots were trying to rush outside. On the other hand, those who were initially fighting outside were attempting to flee into the motel. ¡°Hey, make way!¡± ¡°Just go outside if you¡¯re not going to fight! What are you doing here?¡± The ones outside wanted to enter the motel because there were more allies here. It was better to run into the motel, filled with dozens ofrades, than risk being stabbed in the back in the open. ¡°What¡¯s happening right now?¡± Soon, Seong Yerin came down to the lobby and furrowed her brows upon seeing the crowd at the narrow entrance. But was that the only problem? Beyond the crowded lobby entrance, a man¡¯s voice came through. ¡°Move!¡± With terrifying sounds piercing flesh, people attempting to escape into the motel began falling rapidly. The man began clearing the way himself. ¡°Agh!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± In an instant, several people fell forward with holes all over their bodies. Seeing this, Yeongwoo, who threw the early bird to stop him, pulled out his sword to intervene. Swish! Although it was at a remarkably fast speed, he threw it expecting the opponent to block it. If he was truly the Strongest Sword, he wouldn¡¯t fall for such an obvious surprise. But, inevitably. Phew! The man casually deflected the early bird and looked at Yeongwoo. Then, with an excited expression, ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± As Yeongwoo took a few steps forward and asked, the man wiped the blood on the needle onto the ground. Shwick! ¡°Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± It was not Yeongwoo but the Women Alliance and Seong Yerin who were surprised at his words. They had only thought of Icheon¡¯s Strongest Sword as a guest so far; they didn¡¯t know there was another Strongest Sword among the group. Moreover, ¡®Wait. If it¡¯s Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword¡­.¡¯ As Yerin tried to grasp the meaning of the word ¡®Gyeongbuk,¡¯ Yeongwoo took another step towards the man. Now the distance between them was about six meters. If he wanted, he could start a full-fledged fight. So Yeongwoo checked the quest message attached to his left field of view in advance. [Dogo] ¡°Strong Tiger¡¯s Early Appearance¡± Engage in 0/2 duels with targets with a total ability score of 3,000 or higher. 5 million karma You must disclose the fact of Dogo¡¯s support in this duel. Engage in two duels with targets with abined power level of over 3,000. This time, he might be able toplete one of those two duels. So Yeongwoo, drawing the ck Sword from his waist, cautiously opened his mouth. ¡°This¡­ the battle will be conducted with the universal weapon brand, Dogo¡¯s support.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I am a human from Earth, the strongest in Gyeongbuk, Jeong Yeongwoo 07.¡± ¡°What¡­ What the fuck is he saying? Is this guy crazy?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 70 Chapter 70 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 70: Life and Death in Front of the Motel (2) The sudden introduction of Yeongwoo¡¯s sponsor surprised not only the men but also everyone in the motel lobby and on the stairs. ¡°What did he just say?¡± ¡°The universe¡­?¡± The crowd in the motel lobby and on the stairs buzzed with confusion. Yeongwoo¡¯s previous lines had been so extravagant that it seemed like a mistake. Of course, it was true that extraordinary events were happening in the world due to some massive force resetting the Earth, events that would not happen in the original reality. But still¡­ ¡°Did he just say he¡¯s getting support from aliens¡­?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s im, as Yerin¡¯s words suggested, was absurd. In fact, some in the audience thought Yeongwoo was insane. ¡°A universal what? What nonsense is this? Have you read too many fantasy novels?¡± The man in question ridiculed Yeongwoo. Then, tapping his left chest, he spoke with a triumphant tone. ¡°You im to be the strongest in Gyeongbuk, but soon, I¡¯ll be the one taking your ce.¡± Thud! A radiant light began to gather above the man¡¯s head. And then, he immediately disyed a title. ¡ºGyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword (Advanced)¡» ¡°Ah.¡± Yeongwoo widened his eyes upon seeing the title. Although he had anticipated it to some extent, seeing the (Advanced) title for the first time was surprising. ¡®Someone is actually tracking me.¡¯ The special title, Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword (Advanced), could be obtained by collecting three or more positions of the Strongest Sword in the Gyeongbuk region. The unique feature was the ability to know the real-time location of the Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword. ¡°I heard he¡¯s Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword, and honestly, I was a bit scared, but I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be a crazy old man.¡± The man mocked, adopting a stabbing posture. In response, Yeongwoo shifted his gaze to the pile of corpses behind the man. ¡°It¡¯s not something a lunatic who kills people like that should say.¡± ¡°This bastard.¡± The man, angered by Yeongwoo¡¯s words, sneered and spoke in a spirited voice, tapping his left chest. ¡°Soon, I¡¯ll be the one taking your ce.¡± Thud! A brilliant light gathered above the man¡¯s head. And then, a kind of settlement message appeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s field of vision. ¡¸Strength has permanently increased by 100 due to the effect of the Furious Goblin.¡¹ ¡¸The use of the pumpkin-colored whistle has been recharged.¡¹ With the passage of a day, the goblin ring and talisman had resumed functioning. ¡®Now I can call Yeongtae again.¡¯ As Yeongwoo unconsciously smiled at this thought, the Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword (Advanced) looked puzzled, unaware of the situation. ¡°What the fuck is going on again, you bastard.¡± Then. Swoosh! He immediately attempted a sharp stab. He didn¡¯t know what it was, but it felt unpleasant, so he wanted to kill him quickly. At that moment, a golden sh activated, absorbing the man¡¯s senses. However. ¡¸The sensation value has temporarily increased from the original 100 to 1,240.¡¹ ¡®What¡­?¡¯ The sensation value Yeongwoo absorbed through the golden sh was a whopping 1,140. In other words, the opponent¡¯s sense value was in the 2000s. ¡®Crazy, that¡¯s why he¡¯s so confident.¡¯ Yeongwoo felt a chill down his spine as he narrowly avoided the opponent¡¯s stab. ¡®My total stats are barely 1,700.¡¯ In contrast, the opponent¡¯s sense value alone exceeds 2,000. Then how high were the other stats like strength, stamina, and durability? Swoosh! Another stab came at him. At the same time, the holographic guide of the Gyeongbuk Swordsmanship instructed him to twist his body instead of extending the sword. It implied that the opponent was not someone to be dealt with by strength alone. ¡®This is bad.¡¯ A sense of defeat crept in. It might be a premature judgement, but fights at the level of the Strongest Sword could be a matter of life and death within a tenth of a second. In the end, while narrowly avoiding the opponent¡¯s sword, Yeongwoo shouted into the air. ¡°Everyone, run!¡± ¡­! Those who had been watching with fascination, sensing the superiority of the current Strongest Sword Yeongwoo, were startled when they heard themand to runing from Yeongwoo himself. ¡®¡­ He¡¯s losing.¡¯ ¡®The challenger is stronger.¡¯ ¡®If Jeong Yeongwoo dies, who¡¯s next¡­?¡¯ Everyone quickly grasped the situation and began to react, and it took less than a second. In the meantime, the two Strongest Swords were already in their eighth sh, and everyone except Jongsu started running outside the lobby. Tadaat! Most of the people here already had skills surpassing ordinary levels. As skilled as they were, their movements were quite fast, but it was still ridiculously inadequate to avoid the Strongest Sword¡¯s attacks. ¡°Where are you going!¡± The eyes of the man who was close to Yeongwoo red at him, and soon a golden wave emanated from his body. Whoosh! It was one of the privileges of the Strongest Sword, ¡®Aura of the Strongest Sword.¡¯ ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± The wave swept through the battlefield terrifyingly, causing those who were fleeing to freeze in their tracks. None of them possessed the momentum or mental strength to confront the Strongest Sword. Only Seong Yerin, the leader in this area, managed to move with effort and spat out curses. ¡°Fuck, what¡­ what is this again?¡± Encountering the battle stance of the Strongest Sword for the first time, she felt utterly helpless. Just by disying it, he could hold everyone in ce? What kind of ridiculous power was this¡­? ¡°Wait right there. I¡¯ll kill this guy first, and then I¡¯ll make holes in all of you.¡± With a malicious remark, the man tried to attack Yeongwoo with even more intense force. Yeongwoo continued to evade the attacks as he had done so far, but his limits were approaching. The opponent¡¯s attack speed was faster than his actual dodging ability, probably because the opponent¡¯s strength was much higher. Without the support of Gyeongbuk Swordsmanship, he would have been defeated much earlier. ¡®My concentration is gradually breaking down. At this rate¡­¡¯ Swoosh! As Yeongwoo felt the attack barely brushing against his ear, he checked for elements that could create variables. Firstly, ¡®Yeongtae.¡¯ ¡¸Pumpkin-Colored Whistle¡¹ ¨C Legendary Ne ¡¾Summon a friend.¡¿ |Yeongtae. A whistle that could summon a mutant friend with whom Yeongwoo sessfully shook hands. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] He could summon the friend up to two times a day, and the summoning count was fully charged at the moment. The second andst element was the ¡®Blue Blood,¡¯ a mutant potion. ¡¾Strength increased by 30% for 10 minutes.¡¿ ¡¾Usage count: 4¡¿ A kind of doping potion, the ¡®Blue Blood.¡¯ Although his pure stats were not high, the practical effect was considerable, especially since his strength was the highest among all stats at 700. ¡®Are these the only two¡­?¡¯ If he had to mention one more, there was the ¡®Golden Punishment,¡¯ which inflicted pain on the opponent if his attacksnded. ¡®But it¡¯s difficult even to avoid, let alonend an attack.¡¯ Yeongwoo twisted his body once again with a feeling of despair. Swoosh! However, his body had already started to feel sluggish, and blood oozed from the waist where the opponent¡¯s de had grazed. ¡®Good grief, not even three years, but three days.¡¯ Yeongwoo made a self-deprecating joke. Originally, ording to fate, he would have died at the hands of a guest in three years, but thanks to the reset, he had died much faster than that. ¡°Ah, damn it!¡± Finally, Yeongwoo also emitted a golden wave from his entire body while filling his pupils. Whoosh! ¡°Oh.¡± At that moment, the man flinched momentarily, and Yeongwoo took advantage of this to leap backward. Thud! ¡°What, he just escaped after making a big fuss?¡± The man who easily shrugged off Yeongwoo¡¯s aura of superiority followed with open mockery, and in the meantime, Yeongwoo¡­ Swish! Swiftly pulled out the ¡®Blue Blood¡¯ from his pocket and stuffed it into his mouth. By the way. Crunch! ¡°Cough!¡± The elongated ss bottle shattered in his mouth, tearing apart his tongue and flesh, but Yeongwoo had no time to even open the lid. ¡°Kwaaah!¡± Intense pain struck to the point where his face crumpled, but the wounds inside and outside his mouth soon healed. Thanks to the ¡®Slime¡¯s Core¡¯ attached to his body. ¡¸Slime¡¯s Core¡¹ ¨C Mutant Bracelet ¡¾Rapid increase in regeneration ability.¡¿ Of course, those who didn¡¯t know about these circumstances, including Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword (Advanced) and the Women alliance, considered it a mysterious event. ¡°This guy, what is he doing?¡± ¡°Wh-what was that just now¡­?¡± ¡°Gasp?¡± However, the miracle wasn¡¯t just Yeongwoo¡¯s insane regeneration. Following that¡­ Swoosh. Yeongwoo pressed the whistle against his mouth. ¡°¡­!¡± Because of what they had seen earlier, everyone in the room, including the man, was ovee with an ominous feeling. Piiiriiiriiiing! When the sound of the whistle actually echoed, everyone screamed in unison. ¡¸Friend, Yeongtae answers your call and is summoned.¡¹ An alert for summoning appeared for Yeongwoo, causing the ambient light to temporarily decrease, and then¡­ ¡¸Yaaaah!¡¹ The voice of mutant Hong Yeongtae resonated faintly from somewhere beyond the ceiling. ¡®Ah, could it be.¡¯ Yeongwoo reflexively raised his head to look at the tightly sealed ceiling. Then. Crackle, crackle! Irregr cracking sounds gradually approached, getting closer and closer. It was probably breaking through the ceiling and floor of each floor in sequence. And finally. Crack! Hong Yeongtae, a mutant friend with the body of a giant and the soul of a human, appeared by breaking through the lobby ceiling of the first floor. ¡¸Uwaaah!¡¹ Yeongtae smashed the lobby floor with his fur-covered buttocks, and then, with hisrge hand adorned with sharp ws, he felt around his waist. And then. ¡¸Uwah!¡¹ As if realizing btedly that he had been summoned, he opened his long snout and looked surprised. Why? ¡¸No?¡¹ He realized that he hadnded in a motel lobby full of women. The next moment, Yeongtae, the mutant friend, discovered his summoner Yeongwoo. ¡¸Oh, Yeongwoo.¡¹ The tone seemed to ask why he was in such a ce. In response, Yeongwoo pointed his sword at the man on the other side. ¡°Get yourself together. That guy over there is the enemy. He¡¯s extremely strong, so help me out a bit.¡± ¡¸What?¡¹ Yeongtae was so surprised that Yeongwoo, who had defeated him, would call someone strong. Yeongtae, still taken aback, turned his snout to look at the man. In the meantime, the man also looked puzzled, as he were staring at a fallen beast from the sky. ¡°What is this?¡± Even the man¡¯s dialogue conveyed a sense of fear. It¡¯s understandable. [Yeongwoo¡¯s Friend ¨C Hong Yeongtae] Above Yeongtae¡¯s head was a tag that nobody except those involved could understand. Being able to summon a mutant was mind-blowing enough, but ¡®friend¡¯? Where and what on earth was happening? ¡°What¡­ the fuck is this?¡± As the man alternated his gaze between Yeongwoo and Yeongtae with widened pupils, the air of authority he had been emanating momentarily faded away. Seemingly shocked, he couldn¡¯t maintain his authority. Then. Swish! Dozens of Women alliance members in the room were released from their restraints, and almost simultaneously, Seong Yerin let out a scream filled with malice. ¡°Attack everyone¡­!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 71 Chapter 71 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 71: Life and Death in Front of the Motel (3) Full-on attack. It was a simplemand without further boration, yet everyone rushed towards a single target as if it had been nned. Shiiiit! Directly towards Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword (Advanced).. ¡°This¡­!¡± The man with thorns clenched in his hands grimaced as he saw female alliance members disregarding even the mutant and rushing towards him. ¡°You crazy bitches.¡± But this wasn¡¯t anger towards the alliance; it was fear of the situation. He had collected titles from the Gyeongbuk region and been through all sorts of battles, but facing dozens of furious female swordsmen, a mutant falling from the sky, and fighting against the current Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword simultaneously was beyond anything he had ever imagined. ¡°Damn it.¡± Finally, the man threw himself out of the lobby to escape to the open ground. Thud! Instantly, the mutant Yeongtae cast a huge shadow and chased after him. ¡¸Wait!¡¹ ¡®Friend¡¯ was a presence that had to set up a ball and return within a limited time to receive a reward. So Yeongtae¡¯s ¡°wait¡± wasn¡¯t a threat; it was genuine. ¡¸Waaaaiiitttt!¡¹ Of course, this time it was a threat infused with emotions. In an instant, Yeongtae¡¯s eyes seemed to glow red, and he leaped at tremendous speed. Shiiiing! A sound like an airne passing overhead. ¡°Wow.¡± As the man looked up, he saw the bulky mutantnding on the other side, blocking his escape route. ¡°Crazy.¡± But there was no time even for astonishment. Whaaack! This time, a heavy sound came from the direction of the motel room. It was Yeongwoo, who had been chasing from behind, thrusting his elongated ck sword up to five meters. ¡°This bastard.¡± The man gritted his teeth and decided to block the ck sword first with his thorns. Due to the dozens of female alliance members rushing towards him, it was difficult to recognize the hologram in front of him, so it was entirely his own judgement. Kaang! The two Strongest Swords shed after a while. ¡°¡­?¡± For the first time, the man faced Yeongwoo in a proper duel, his eyes shing with surprise. ¡®What¡¯s this guy? He¡¯s nothing.¡¯ The opponent¡¯s strength transmitted through the thorns was pathetic. But as dozens ofbined attacks poured down despite this pathetic strength, the situation changed. ¡°Yaaah!¡± ¡°He¡¯s dead!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate!¡± Swoosh! The shing des flew like arrows, and the man was overwhelmed trying to dodge Yeongwoo¡¯s attacks mixed among the dozens of des. Even so. ¡®Well, something¡¯s odd.¡¯ The man didn¡¯t know it, but during Yeongwoo¡¯s attacks, 30% of them didn¡¯t affect the hologram. ¡¸Illusion¡¹ ¨C Unique Shoes ¡¾30% chance of detection evasion.¡¿ This effect called ¡°illusion¡± included the hologram of regional swordsmanship, just as Yeongwoo had hoped. So, in the end. ¡°Isn¡¯t that too cowardly? Let¡¯s have a one-on-one duel!¡± Unlike inside the motel, where he had be increasingly defensive, the man now proposed a 1:1 duel. Of course, Yeongwoo had no reason to ept such a proposal, and the mutant rapidly approaching from the other side wouldn¡¯t allow it either. ¡¸Merit¡­!¡¹ Thud, thud, thud! Yeongtae fiercely charged towards the man, showing his back to Yeongwoo. There was nothing in his mind now except the thought of killing that guy before his return time, so he could receive recognition and put something more in his ¡°room.¡± ¡¸If I go back empty-handed, I¡¯ll really go crazy.¡¹ Commonly known as the returnee¡¯s room. It was a small, white room that filled Yeongtae¡¯s daily life, with no entrance or windows, just waiting until Yeongwoo blew the horn to call him back. Of course, he had received his first reward for his previous stay. It was nothing more than a forearm-sized hourss. It didn¡¯t have any special functions; it just allowed him to watch the sand falling, which was better than staring at the white walls endlessly. Yet, it didn¡¯t make the waiting time enjoyable in any way. On the contrary, waiting became even more agonizing. Once he confirmed that the environment improved when contribution was made, the urgency for the call became even stronger. One might call it a form of psychological torture. ¡¸Hiyah!¡¹ Finally, Yeongtae arrived behind the man and swung hisrge hand. Whoom! Then, a tearing sound echoed, and the man¡¯s field of vision was filled with shattered holograms. ¡®Fuck! When did¡­?¡¯ The man, foreseeing a dog-like future, gritted his teeth. It was because he could already see blurry fingertips in the corner of his vision. ¡°Isn¡¯t this cheating?!¡± Thud! As the man shouted in frustration and swung his thorns, Yeongtae¡¯s fingertips broke miserably. Crack! ¡¸What¡­?¡¹ ¡°Oops?¡± The man¡¯s strength was much stronger than Yeongtae¡¯s endurance. And just as the man realized this, at the moment he was about to smile with satisfaction. ¡°Die!¡± ¡°Get in!¡± Dozens of female alliance members relentlessly attacked without giving him a chance to rest. ¡®I need to figure out how to deal with these guys first.¡¯ Once again, seeing the holograms entangled, the man realized he needed to reduce the number of opponents first. Although the holographic guide of regional swordsmanship showed unreasonable performance in one-on-one duels, it became more of a hindrance when there were multiple enemies, giving too many warnings. ¡°Back off!¡± After adjusting his strategy, the man began swinging his thorns towards the female alliance members, prompting Yeongwoo to instruct immediately. ¡°Find a way to restrain him! He is trying to reduce our numbers¡­..!¡± There was urgency in Yeongwoo¡¯s voice because a miracle was indeed necessary. He knew from past experience that the summoning time of ¡®Friend¡¯ wasn¡¯t long. And if Yeongtae fell now¡­ ¡®Then we have no chance. We¡¯ll all die here.¡¯ As Yeongwoo rushed towards the man with clenched teeth, Yeongtae also attempted a tackle, deliberately aiming to force evasive maneuvers rather than wing with his thorns now that the opponent knew he could break through them. However, the opponent¡¯s response exceeded Yeongtae¡¯s imagination. ¡°You idiot. Did you think I¡¯d dodge you if you came straight at me?¡± Instead of dodging, the man firmly nted his feet and thrust deeply towards Yeongtae¡¯s chest. He chose a direct breakthrough. It meant he was confident in the power of his thrust. And indeed. Squish! With a dreadful sound, Yeongtae¡¯s body was torn apart. ¡¸Grrggh!¡¹ Thunk! Yeongtae let out a desperate scream and copsed to the ground. Meanwhile, the man was advancing towards Yeongwoo with momentum. Thud! The opponent¡¯s movement was so fast that only an afterimage remained visible. Yeongwoo thought the guy was going to stab him again, and sure enough, the hologram of the Gyeongbuk¡¯s Sword Law warned him of a stab ahead. ¡°¡­!¡± A needle thrust rapidly toward Yeongwoo¡¯s neck. Swoosh! At that moment, Yeongwoo made the biggest gamble since the reset. Swish- Instead of clumsily dodging or retaliating, he boldly stepped forward, leaning his head forward. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± It was only for a moment, but the man realized that Yeongwoo was acting out of the ordinary. So he could have switched to a defensive stance if he wanted. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] But¡­ ¡°You fool.¡± He was convinced that his thrust would pierce through Yeongwoo¡¯s head, along with the shabby helmet surrounding the Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword. Swish! The needle continued its trajectory without changing course. Sensing this, Yeongwoo thought there might be a miracle. Because the helmet Yeongwoo has just begun to have thorns prickling its surface¡­. Crack! ¡¸Vanguard¡¹ ¨C Relic Helmet ¡¾This helmet does not get damaged.¡¿ Tee-it! Finally, the thorn that failed to pierce through the ¡°Vanguard¡± slid sideways along the gentle surface of the helmet. Then¡­ ¡°He¡¯s down!¡± Yeongwoo mmed his forehead straight into the man¡¯s face. So, this was¡­ ¡°A¡­ a headbutt?¡± The female alliance members were astonished by the brute attack, and the man, who was hit in the face with a bronze helmet, groaned and staggered backward. ¡°This fucking¡­!¡± However, despite the impressive attack, the damage the man suffered was minimal. His endurance was too high to have his face shattered by a headbutt, and Yeongwoo¡¯s strength was low. However, it was enough of an attack to trigger the pain infliction effect of ¡°Golden Punishment.¡± As the man tried tough but suddenly grimaced in pain, Yeongwoo, sensing this, swung his sword. Swoosh! It was a terrifyingly fast attack, but the man, even now, managed to see through it and raised his thorns to block. ng! But that was as far as it went. As the crossed des met, the man begged for mercy as the sword hovered around his neck. ¡°W-wait¡­! Let¡¯s stop here!¡± It was a sign that he couldn¡¯t guarantee the next bout. ¡°¡­¡± Without even bothering to respond, Yeongwoo swung his sword immediately. Swoosh! Oddly enough, even at the moment the attack pierced through, the man¡¯s thorns didn¡¯t move along the smooth trajectory of the helmet. Shing! Finally, the man¡¯s head soared into the air along with the sharp de, leaving behind a trail of iridescent light following the spiral trajectory of the sword. [2nd Grade Advertisement Space Utilization] ¨C Thepany¡¯s logo will be printed on the weapon¡¯s trajectory. Absurd as it was, it was just as stated in the contract. They really utilized Yeongwoo¡¯s weapon trajectory for advertisement. ;Wait, who would¡­ really see this?¡¯ As Yeongwoo looked around after beheading his opponent, he seemed like a madman to anyone who saw him, even from a distance. ¡°H-Hey?¡± Even Seong Yerin couldn¡¯t get close and stood at a distance. Only after Jongsu appearedte and notified that Yeongtae¡¯s return was imminent did Yeongwoo regain his senses. ¡°Hyung! It seems like our friend¡­¡± ¡°¡­?¡± As Yeongwoo was initially puzzled, he immediately realized that Yeongtae¡¯s body, which had been helping in the battle nearby, was fading. It meant that the creature¡¯s summoning time hade to an end, just likest time. ¡°Yeongtae!¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened as he noticed that Yeongtae¡¯s body waspletely torn apart. This was a clear indication that he had contributed to this battle. In response, Yeongtae barely raised his hand, waved at his partner partner, and opened his long snout andughed. ¡¸Call me again. please.¡¹ Seeming joyous enough to forget even the pain, Yeongtae dissolved into thin air with a bright smile. And in the ce where he had disappeared¡­ ¡°¡­¡± Only the decapitated body of a young man remained. * * * ¡¸You have merged with Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword!¡¹ ¡¸The effect of the Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword title bes stronger.¡¹ As the title interface appeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s vision, the title attached to the headless body disappeared. The titles the man had been holding were now passed on to Yeongwoo. ¡­Have reached one title from Gyeonggi Province. ¡­Own one title from Chungbuk Province. ¡­Possess seven titles from Gyeongbuk Province. ¡¸The current Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword is ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo 07.¡¯ Rank 1, 3 Defences.¡¹ Despite the lengthy statements that seemed to celebrate an achievement, Yeongwoo could not bring himself to rx his stern expression. ¡­Have reached one title from Gyeonggi Province. ¡®¡­Icheon.¡¯ This time, the loot included the life of Kim Byungcheol 139, the Strongest Sword of Icheon. He was a rare virtuous person in the reset world, but he died without even setting foot in Seoul. If it weren¡¯t for Yeongwoo, Byungcheol would never have encountered Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword. So, Yeongwoo felt a considerable responsibility for Byungcheol¡¯s death. ¡°What about the other inspector?¡± When Yeongwoo asked about Taeyoung¡¯s whereabouts, Jongsu turned his head towards the motel direction. ¡°Fortunately, he¡¯s alive. I confirmed it on the way here.¡± But Jongsu¡¯s expression was not bright. Yeongwoo could easily guess the reason. But beforeforting his colleague who lost someone, there was something else he had to do first. That was¡­ Swoosh. Searching the corpse. As Yeongwoo sat down with one leg bent in front of the corpse of the young man who had once been his challenger, a golden goblin that had been hiding far away suddenly rushed over. -Keet! And at the same time, the female alliance members scattered around surreptitiously gathered. They were all curious about what would happen after the battle between the Strongest Swords. But would there be much difference just because they were Strongest Swords? The only slightly better thing was that Yeongwoo had a Relic-level ve, so he didn¡¯t have to search the body himself. -Keek! The goblin, for some reason sounding excited, rummaged through the corpse, and soonid out the loot in front of Yeongwoo. Shrurur. The first was twelve crimson coins. So, it was 12,000 karma. ¡®He wasn¡¯t the type to carry a lot of cash with him.¡¯ As Yeongwoo nodded his head, the goblin threw the coins into the pocket of the non-dimensional bag. -Keet! The second item was¡­ ng! It was the problematic weapon that pierced through Icheon¡¯s Strongest Sword and numerous female alliance members. ¡¸Ashen Thorn¡¹ ¨C Mutation Spear ¡¾Significantly increases stabbing power.¡¿ ¡®It¡¯s really thorny.¡¯ [PR/N: No shit bruh.] It was practically a weapon dedicated to stabbing. As Yeongwoo, whomitted his first murder with a stab, couldn¡¯t help but feel a strange sensation. ¡®My weapons are increasing.¡¯ The mutation one-handed sword, Underdog, obtained as loot in Chungju, and Duhan¡¯s sword, also a mutation one-handed sword¡­monly known as the ck Sword. And now, the Ashen Thorn had been added to them. Even excluding the Early Bird, he now had three main weapons to use. ¡®I wish there was a way tobine or sell equipment.¡¯ As Yeongwoo looked at the Goblin while holding the ¡°Ashen Thorn,¡± the creature showed the next loot with one hand. -Keet. The identity of the small item that even a goblin with not arge build could hold in one hand was¡­ ¡®Huh¡­? Is this also equipment?¡¯ It was a very ordinary-looking fountain pen. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 72 Chapter 72 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 72: Karma (1) ¡°¡­¡­¡± As Yeongwoo picked up the fountain pen and stared nkly, Jongsu and dozens of Women alliance members crowded around him. The world had changed a lot in just a few days. Now it wasn¡¯t strange to see bizarrely shaped swordsing out as loot, but finding writing instruments was a surprising urrence. ¡°Brother, is that also equipment¡­?¡± When Jongsu asked this, Yeongwoo¡¯s head slowly nodded up and down. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right.¡± In Yeongwoo¡¯s view now, there was a tooltip simr to any other equipment. The only unusual thing was that this fountain pen wasn¡¯t a weapon. ¡¸Wanted Poster¡¹ ¨C Unique ¡¾Searching for what you desire.¡¿ |Father ¡®Searching for what you desire? Is it simr to mypass?¡¯ Yeongwoo nced at the blue-green snake wrapped around his wrist, then shifted his gaze forward again. ¡®Wait, what¡¯s this? Father¡­?¡¯ |Father To Yeongwoo, it was an abstract word. But wasn¡¯t that word attached to the tooltip of the fountain pen, which searches for what you desire? ¡°¡­¡­¡± Lost in thought for a moment, Yeongwoo soon felt a tingling sensation in his ears. Given the circumstances, this was a trace left by Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword (Advance), the previous owner of the fountain pen. He had been searching for his father from somewhere in Gyeongbuk, while inflicting harm on numerous people. ¡®Crazy.¡¯ Of course, in this world, many killings were unavoidable to survive. But the previous owner of the fountain pen that Yeongwoo had faced directly was someone with more than just a survival instinct; he possessed evil beyond that. So he wasn¡¯t pitied. Rather, the deceased parents were the ones to be pitied. ¡®Anyway, seeing that father is registered in this equipment, it seems that at least one of the parents was alive somewhere.¡¯ Yeongwoo picked up the fountain pen, dripping dryments like an orphan. Tap. Then an arrow pointing northwest appeared in his view. ¡®Huh¡­?¡¯ This was probably the direction where the target registered in this equipment, the deceased Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword Advance¡¯s father, was. And then. Sizzle. Suddenly, the arrow twisted, and a system message appeared. ¡¸Data change detected. Would you like to update the results?¡¹ ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Thump. Feeling a tingling sensation inside his chest, Yeongwoo barely managed to exhale. The appearance of this message now meant that it was asking if he wanted to try finding his father this time. ¡®What if¡­ if my father doesn¡¯t exist? What happens then? Will the result not update and be nullified?¡¯ As someone with no positive experiences regarding parents, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but entertain negative thoughts. But wouldn¡¯t that be a loss? ¡®At worst, I might just lose the arrow I¡¯m seeing now.¡¯ Since he had no intention of searching for someone else¡¯s father, there was only one conclusion. ¡®Fine. Update the result.¡¯ As Yeongwoo permitted the update, the fountain pen, the ¡°Wanted Poster,¡± in his hand shone brightly. Ah! Then the arrow in Yeongwoo¡¯s distorted vision returned to its original shape. Swoosh. This time, it pointed to the north. ¡°Huh?¡± As Yeongwoo eximed in surprise at the unexpected result, everyone around him, who had been watching him without understanding a word, also took a step back. ¡°What¡¯s going on, brother?¡± Among them, Jongsu was the only one who stepped forward. Yeongwoo looked at him and said quietly. ¡°Looks like my father is alive somewhere.¡± Then he added, ¡°My mother is dead.¡± *** Mother is dead. The basis for Yeongwoo¡¯s conclusion was his achievements. Among the achievements he possessed, there were some rted to the life and death of his parents. [Complete Orphan] |Find and eliminate your parents. (1/2) An achievement with a crazy content of finding and eliminating the remaining parent. When he first saw this, all Yeongwoo could know was that one of the parents was still alive. And now, after a few days, he confirmed that the ¡®one¡¯ still alive was his father. ¡°Father.¡± Yeongwoo silently whispered the three-syble word. Just a presence he knew in concept. But as the thought that his father really existed and that he might even meet him someday crossed his mind, indescribable emotions overwhelmed him. Anticipation? Fear? Regret¡­? It could be all three. ¡®Then¡­ When did my mother die? Was she already out of this world before the reset?¡¯ Yeongwoo recalled his original destiny record from the first day of the reset. [Father]: Grade 6 Extra [Mother]: Grade 1 Supporting Role ording to the destiny record, his father¡¯s grade was 6, while his mother¡¯s was an impressive 1. However, contrary to the grades, it was his father who was still alive. What could have happened? And why? ¡®Why did you abandon me?¡¯ As Yeongwoo raised his empty gaze, he noticed Jongsu, who was wearing a worried expression. ¡°Are you¡­ feeling better now?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Upon hearing Jongsu¡¯s words and looking around, Yeongwoo felt that the situation was gradually being sorted out. The Women alliance members who had surrounded him until a moment ago were now returning to the motel on the other side to take care of the bodies. Of course, the culprit behind all of this, Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword (Advance), was left as he was, with his throat slit. ¡°They¡¯re amazing, those people.¡± As Yeongwoo watched the people bustling around, Jongsu shrugged his shoulders. ¡°People dying in the world these days isn¡¯t anything special. And above all¡­¡± Jongsu paused for a moment before continuing. ¡°They don¡¯t have the power to make any other choice. So isn¡¯t it best to focus on damage control?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Yeongwoo cocked his head in confusion before understanding. What Jongsu meant was that they had actively intervened to cover up the argument. In fact, strictly speaking, the casualties on the Women alliance¡¯s side were all caused by Yeongwoo. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] If he hadn¡¯t stayed in this motel, there wouldn¡¯t have been a reason for the Strongest Sword toe here. However, as seen in this fight, Strongest Sword¡¯s power was beyond imagination. That¡¯s why the Women alliance didn¡¯t even demand an apology from Yeongwoo, despite losing manyrades because of him. If the rtionship with him, who was also Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword, soured any further, they might even lose the few remainingrades. ¡®Ha.¡¯ After organizing his thoughts up to this point, Yeongwoo let out a bitter smile. He had never been the subject of fear to anyone before, so he didn¡¯t know how to act in situations like this. Then, Jongsu, who had belonged to the strong side in the previous world, offered his own alternative. ¡°What¡¯s done is done. We can¡¯t help it now. How about taking care of the remaining authority figures here?¡± With a swift movement, he pointed to where the authority figure, Kwon Taeyoung, was sitting. In front of him was probably the body of Kim Byeongcheol, the Strongest Sword in this era. Upon this suggestion, Yeongwoo stood up and headed towards the motel. Then, the Women alliance members who were attending to the bodies started to look at Yeongwoo one by one. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The first emotion conveyed was fear, followed by a subtle hint of anger. ¡°Are you leaving now?¡± Soon after, Seong Yerin, who had spotted him, came forward to intercept her colleagues¡¯ stares. However, it was also meant as a farewell. ¡°Living as a Strongest Sword isn¡¯t easy, is it? Where are you nning to go?¡± Seeing how she was trying to deflect the situation, it seemed she was hoping for him to leave soon. ¡°I¡¯m heading to Seoul.¡± ¡°Seoul? Going to a more dangerous ce. But I can¡¯t cheer you on for that, you know?¡± Seong Yerin said with a joking tone, but her sincerity was evident. Yeongwoo knew that behind her was the motel turned into a sea of blood. He bowed deeply as he acknowledged it. ¡°It might seem meaningless now, but¡­ I sincerely apologize.¡± Upon this, Seong Yerin raised her eyebrows slightly and stepped back. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not like apologizing will bring back the dead.¡± This was something Yeongwoo agreed with. So, he was thinking about one more thing. And that was¡­ Click. The weapon stained with the most blood from the Cheoin-gu Women alliance members, the ¡°Ashen Thorn.¡± ¡¸Ashen Thorn¡¹ ¨C Mutation Spear ¡¾Significantly increases stabbing power.¡¿ ¡°This isn¡¯t an apology. As you can see, if I had fought alone, I wouldn¡¯t have won. So, this is for all of you.¡± ¡°Oh, this is¡­¡± This time, Seong Yerin¡¯s reaction was a bit different. Unlike the vtile apology earlier, this was a tangible reward that could help with their future survival. Snap! Seong Yerin hastily grabbed the thorn Yeongwoo was offering. ¡°I¡¯m really grateful for this. Honestly, you didn¡¯t need to do this much from your perspective.¡± It meant that even if he was a Strongest Sword, he could have killed everyone here and still survived. Of course, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t blindly ept losses. As he mentioned before, the Women alliance¡¯s participation had shifted the tide of the battle, and he had enough weapons in his possession. Already having two variant weapons, he had no more space left on his belt. ¡°I don¡¯t particrly enjoy being indebted. But this time, I truly owe you.¡± Yeongwoo bowed again to Seong Yerin and her colleagues. Suddenly, something unexpected happened. Bzzt! An achievement was aplished. [Achievement Aplished: Idealist] |Achievement Grade: Epic |Rank Achieved: First ¡¸Within one week of reset, give equipment of relic grade or higher to others for free.¡¹ ¡®What¡­?¡¯ It was an achievement of Epic grade. It turned out that achieving the achievement had been aplished just now when Yeongwoo handed the thorn to Seong Yerin. ¡®In this world, you have to do things that you¡¯d never imagine to aplish achievements.¡¯ Since this wasn¡¯t listed in the rmended achievement list, it was quite a significant gain. ¡¸There is 1 unimed achievement reward.¡¹ ¡¸Would you like to im the reward?¡¹ Following this notification, Yeongwoo immediately imed the reward. ¡°im.¡± Bzzt! As Yeongwoo approved the im, the text in front of him disappeared frighteningly, and a clear sound echoed in the air. Ting! Then, a ring suddenly materialized and dropped. ¡°Huh.¡± Seeing this, Seong Yerin was surprised, her mouth gaping open. In the meantime, Yeongwoo swiftly grabbed the ring. Thud. ¡¸Idealist¡¹ ¨C Epic Ring ¡¾All stats increase by 100 per achieved achievement¡¿ ¡°Ah¡­!¡± After seeing the tooltip of the ring, Yeongwoo almost let out a sound instinctively but managed to hold back. This was an equipment perfectly optimized for him, given his 12 achievements, and the system recognized him as a ¡®stubborn¡¯ person, as evidenced by his achievements: [Your achievement tendency is ¡°Stubborn.¡±] ||Completed achievements: 5 ¡®Five¡­ With one ring, I gained 2,000 in stats.¡¯ It was unbelievable. And indeed, a string of absurd stat increase notifications appeared. ¡¸Strength has increased from the original 700 to 1,200.¡¹ ¡¸Endurance has increased from the original 350 to 850.¡¹ ¡¸Durability has increased from the original 550 to 1,050.¡¹ ¡¸Sensory has increased from the original 100 to 600.¡¹ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 73 Chapter 73 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 73: Karma (2) As all ability stats soared close to doubling, the first thing to notice was a change in the overall feel of the body. Should one say that confidence in one¡¯s own body had increased? It might be a temporary phenomenon, but it felt as if he had be invincible. Actually, it was only natural, as not only strength but also the durability of the body had strengthened. ¡®Unbelievable.¡¯ Yeongwoo clenched and unclenched his fist repeatedly, eximing in admiration. He seemed to have some understanding of why Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword (Advance), whom he had just knocked down, was so confident. His current ability stats were almost twice as high as theirs. So, how much awe was he feeling for his own abilities? Just two days ago, he was just an ordinary person too. It felt like he had be a god. ¡®Wow¡­ I feel like I could even break buildings with my hands.¡¯ Strength 1,200, durability 1,050. Since his initial ability stats were strength 19 and durability 13, he hadn¡¯t known if he could really break buildings with his hands. And maybe¡­ ¡®If my ability stats increase further, could I even block bullets?¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze naturally fell on the opposite side to Kwon Taeyoung, who was sitting there. He had definitely heard the sound of gunfire in the morning, but he hadn¡¯t seen any traces of bullets hitting the dead man. * * * ¡°¡­Are you okay?¡± With a deep voice apanying a long shadow falling over him, Taeyoung lifted his head towards the source of the sound. ¡°Ah, Jong¡­.¡± Because he was so inexperienced, Taeyoung couldn¡¯t immediately recall the other person¡¯s name. So, as the other person crouched down, he lowered his body and said his own name. ¡°I¡¯m Kim Jongsu. Actually, I¡¯m not that important.¡± ¡°Sorry, I¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­Ah. It¡¯s not like I felt bad.¡± Actually, Jongsu was equally inexperienced, so he couldn¡¯t find anything more to say and just closed his mouth. Jongsu had only lived for 29 years. He was still too young tofort someone¡¯s sorrow skillfully. Also, due to his days in the previous world not being generous at all, he was too preupied with his own safety to care about others¡¯ emotions. ¡°Umm.¡± Seeing Jongsu looking ufortable and scratching the back of his head, Taeyoung, still gazing at the corpse of Byungcheol, spoke. ¡°Actually, I¡­didn¡¯t shoot the gun right away. No, it¡¯s more like I didn¡¯t shoot at all.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± When Jongsu tilted his head wondering what he meant, Taeyoung fidgeted with the gun in his hand. ¡°He said he wouldn¡¯t touch me if I didn¡¯t shoot.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Only then did Jongsu understand Taeyoung¡¯s words and nodded. ¡°But in the end, you did shoot, didn¡¯t you? It¡¯s not that you, as a police officer, were bad or weak. The situation itself was just unreasonable.¡± Upon hearing this, Taeyoung murmured in a defeated tone. ¡°Yes. Maybe that¡¯s true, but¡­.¡± What followed was so unbelievable that it was shocking. ¡°Even the shot didn¡¯t go through him.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± With a puzzled expression, Jongsu asked again, and another shadow offort fell over the two. ¡°You mean, even though the opponent was hit by a bullet, it didn¡¯t prate?¡± It was none other than Yeongwoo. He had just finished greeting the Women¡¯s Alliance and hade to see Taeyoung onest time. ¡°Yes. Probably¡­ something like that.¡± Taeyoung looked up at Yeongwoo with a slightly frightened expression. To him, both that crazy guy who survived even after being shot and Yeongwoo seemed like simr monsters. Both were the Strongest Swords¡­ No, strictly speaking, wasn¡¯t Yeongwoo a step higher in monstrosity? ¡°If the durability reaches about 2,000, then it seems bullets can be blocked too. Of course, if it¡¯s arger caliber, it might be a different story.¡± Yeongwoo spoke unrealistically, but in a very casual tone. However, for him, it was a reality that was right in front of him. With him being a superhuman possessing considerable ability stats, and with those he would face in the future likely to be monsters who bullets couldn¡¯t prate, it was inevitable. ¡°Bullets don¡¯t prate¡­ Even if you say so, does that make sense?¡± Jongsu still had an expression of disbelief. On the other hand, Yeongwoo looked towards a silhouette waiting elliptically near the entrance of the motel. ¡°At this point, there¡¯s nothing that doesn¡¯t make sense no matter what happens. Who knows if suddenly people will start flying next week.¡± He had been feeling vibrationsing from the direction where the Negwig was since earlier. So, with a sense of suspicion, he gestured towards it. Shoo! The ¡°parking mode¡± Negwig quickly unfolded its body and took on the form of a horse. -Kweeeee! Thanks to this, the people who had been lingering near the motel retreated in surprise, and thus, Negwig ran out along the open road. ¡°¡­.¡± Still the troublemaker Strongest Sword. But it couldn¡¯t be helped. In this world, isn¡¯t using newspaper ahead of others a matter of survival? -Kwiiik. Finally, Negwig reached Yeongwoo¡¯s vicinity and stopped walking. The current time was 10:42 a.m. It was time to start heading back. ¡®This above us is Seongnam. And next is finally Seoul.¡¯ He would probably be able to enter Seoul before the end of the day, even before the mutant drops. ¡°Do you still n to go to Seoul, officer?¡± As Yeongwoo grabbed Negwig¡¯s reins and asked, Taeyoung hesitated for a moment, then nodded firmly. ¡°Yes. I have to.¡± Then. Swoosh! He took out the gun from Byungcheol¡¯s waist and the thin bracelet wrapped around his left wrist. The deceased had left behind one more souvenir besides the gun. ¡°Oh, now that I think about it.¡± Yeongwoo realized btedly as he looked at the bracelet Taeyoung had taken off from Byungcheol. Byungcheol was also a Strongest Sword who had killed a mutant. And when a mutant dies, it leaves behind one equipment of mutant grade. There had been no exceptions so far, so it must have been a basic rule. ¡°Can I take this¡­ if you¡¯re okay with it?¡± Taeyoung dared not to wear the bracelet immediately and asked Yeongwoo. In response, before answering, Yeongwoo briefly examined the tooltip of the bracelet. ¡¸Cross Knot¡¹ ¨C Mutation Bracelet ¡¾Ability resistance 20%¡¿ ¡¾¨CEmpty slot¨C¡¿ Ability resistance. It was a concept he had first encountered on a kekaidite gemstone used for slots. ¡®What exactly is ability resistance?¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] He didn¡¯t know for sure, but it was likely something that didn¡¯t include basic resistances like fire, cold, lightning, etc. So, Yeongwoo became even more interested. There must be a reason why equipment with ability resistance was appearing frequently. For example, it might have to contend with something much more alien than monsters at some point. ¡°¡­.¡± What naturally came to Yeongwoo¡¯s mind were the shareholders of the weapon brand Dogo. Even they were not just simply described as ¡®monsters¡¯. But it wasn¡¯t the time yet. The ability resistance wasn¡¯t urgent enough for him to forsake his humanity and be greedy. ¡°Yes. Of course, you can take it. It¡¯s your colleague¡¯s souvenir.¡± Yeongwoo gestured meaningfully as he looked away from the bracelet. Then Taeyoung nodded and gently put the bracelet on his wrist. ¡°Um¡­ then, officer, how will you be traveling? Is the car still there¡­?¡± As Jongsu looked towards the motel parking lot and asked, Taeyoung pulled out the car keys from his pocket. ¡°Yes. I checked this morning, and the car was still there.¡± This meant that the anomaly climate didn¡¯t vandalize vehicles that had already been paid for. ¡°That¡¯s good to know.¡± Yeongwoo learned yet another thing about this world as he climbed onto Negwig¡¯s back. * * * Leaving Yongin for Seongnam. In just one day, the group had shrunk from four to three. So this time, Jongsu decided to ride in the patrol car with Taeyoung. Partly because the position atop Negwig, leading the way, was dangerous in various ways, and also because for Jongsu, riding a creature from another world was a precarious matter. ¡°Oh, I prefer things made by humans. It¡¯s more familiar.¡± As Jongsu tapped the window frame of the passenger seat with his palm, Taeyoung, who held the steering wheel, chuckled faintly. It felt like he was trying to lighten the mood a little. ¡°Mr. Jongsu, you¡¯re such a nice person.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just basic human decency. Especially in a world like this, it¡¯s even more important.¡± Jongsu wrinkled his nose. Since the reset, humanity and being human had be much more valuable. In the past, even if there were disputes among people, at most it ended in a fistfight, and even that was mediated byw enforcement before the worst scenarios urred. But now, there were no police to intervene even if crimes urred. No, it was worse than that. On the third day of the reset, strong individuals who bullets couldn¡¯t even prate began to appear. ¡°Since there¡¯s nowhere to run anyway, I just followed along to Seoul blindly, but I¡¯m actually scared.¡± Taeyoung said quietly, looking at Yeongwoo atop Negwig, beyond the steering wheel. Jongsu seemed to understand what the other was getting at, but deliberately asked again. ¡°Yes? What exactly are you afraid of?¡± ¡°All of this. The fact that strong people like Mr. Yeongwoo are starting to appear, and that anyone can be stronger if they have karma.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­ Mr. Yeongwoo is probably the same. So am I.¡± Of course, the scale of that fear was muchrger for Taeyoung, who had been a police officer in the previous world and still wanted to be a police officer now. ¡°If so many Strongest Swords are that strong, there might not be any rule ofw in this country, or even the future of humanity as we know it. At least, justice as we knew it may no longer exist.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± There was nothing Jongsu could do to reply to Taeyoung¡¯s words. In reality, they were already heading in that direction. However, not all Strongest Swords were necessarily evil. There were cases like Yeongwoo who had enough power but restrained its use, and there were Strongest Swords like Byungcheol who were unrealistically just. In other words, while w¡¯ had practically disappeared, some of the ideals it pursued still remained. ¡°I¡¯m not optimistic about the situation either¡­ But we¡¯ll have to wait a bit longer to see, won¡¯t we? Just because everyone has power doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯ll suddenly turn evil.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. But it seems easier for them to turn evil.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s hard to argue against that.¡± As the two conversed, the patrol car they were in finally left Yongin jurisdiction. And that meant¡­ ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Ah, now it¡¯s Seongnam.¡± Before Jongsu¡¯s words could finish, the regional status was updated abruptly. Ping! Surprisingly, there was a Strongest Sword in this area, and their status wasn¡¯t ordinary either. |The current area of residence is ¡®Seongnam.¡¯ |The Strongest Sword in this area is ¡®Lee Namhee 101.¡¯ Rank 31st, 1 defense. ¡°What the¡­¡± ¡°31st generation?¡± A 31st generation Strongest Sword. This meant that in the past two days alone, Seongnam had dealt with thirty Strongest Swords. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 74 Chapter 74 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 74: Karma (Part 3) ¡®This doesn¡¯t seem like an ordinary situation here.¡¯ Seongnam, where the 31st Strongest Sword reigns. Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but think of Gimcheon. It was a city where there was no proper Strongest Sword, and the mutants were being abused. Yeongwoo furrowed his brow, recalling the time when the Strongest Sword title was automatically passed on to anyone near mutants in Gimcheon. It was a good example of what could happen if no one proimed themselves strong in this reset world. ¡®But it¡¯s unlikely the same thing happened in Seongnam.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze shifted back to the regional situation in Seongnam. |The current location is ¡®Seongnam¡¯. |The Strongest Sword of this area is ¡®Lee Nam-hee 101¡¯. Rank 31st, 1 defense. Seongnam is a city right below Seoul, even under the bustling district of Gangnam. Therefore, even though the Strongest Sword in Seongnam might be weak, it was nearly impossible for mutants to survive there for long. Because¡­ ¡®They¡¯re already stretching from Seoul to the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province. With this situation, why would they leave Seongnam, which is the closest?¡¯ Therefore, the session of Strongest Sword in Seongnam had a high probability of being unrted to mutants. For instance, ¡®If a challenger of a high level continues to appear.¡¯ It was hard for Yeongwoo to imagine, but wasn¡¯t this right under Seoul where mutants appeared in numbers of 25 every day? Nothing would be surprising. ¡®At least, if I go to the downtown area, I can find out what¡¯s going on.¡¯ Current time, 11:15 AM. Yeongwoo was traveling along the highway as he did yesterday. However, even though it was the same highway, the atmosphere was quite different from when he crossed Chungbuk and the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province. Apartmentplexes were already lining both sides of the road, and people could be seen near theplexes. ¡®Definitely a lot of people near Seoul.¡¯ Of course, it was the time when the poption was most active. It had been an hour since the end of the curfew. Regardless of weak or strong, people would be roaming the streets, collecting necessities, or solving daily quests. ¡®Oh, now that I think about it.¡¯ Finally, Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze shifted to the quest list on the left side of his vision. Then, the daily quest list adjusted to match the current location, Seongnam. [Daily] ¡°Scout¡± [Mission] Approach the monsters until you are 10 meters away. [Reward] 3,000 karma The first quest was the same as always. An assignment to lead people into battle against the monsters. The mission is to encourage people to fight monsters. ¡®This is fixed no matter which area you go to.¡¯ From now on, everyone had to consider whether or not to perform the Scout quest as soon as they woke up in the morning. Of course, it applied to the majority of people who were still closer to civilians than skilled individuals with considerablebat abilities. While skilled individuals would naturally search for ces where monsters appeared, civilians were in a position where they had to avoid monsters. However, even if they just breathed without eating in this world, they still needed about 4,000 karma a day. The smallest room rental fee at a motel was 3,000, and the basic tax was 1,000 karma. So, if they didn¡¯t perform the Scout quest, they had to make 3,000 karma by begging from others or providing some kind of service to earn wages. In addition, ¡®For civilians, the second quest is practically mandatory. Taxes are a problem, but you can¡¯t live without eating at all.¡¯ Yeongwoo checked the second daily quest, which differed by region and date from the Scout quest. Then he widened his eyes. ¡°¡­!¡± It was because there was a quest floating there that he didn¡¯t want to believe, a dreadful quest. [Daily] ¡°Helping the Needy¡± [[Mission] Find the disabled and give them karma. [Reward] 2,000 karma ¡®What kind of nonsense is this¡­?¡¯ Yeongwoo realized once again that the reset world was not being governed by human morals and conscience. At first nce, this quest seemed like a win-win situation where you help the disabled and receive rewards, but itcked context. Where this quest would progress. This was a ruthless world where individual morality and conscience were no longer monitored. Therefore, if someone was a decent human being, they wouldn¡¯t lead the unspecified majority of this world to wander around looking for disabled people. And they wouldn¡¯t dare to name the quest ¡°Helping the Needy.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo felt chills running down his arms and neck. Who on earth created such quests? Whether they had a profound malice towards humanity or an immense misunderstanding, only beings with extreme negativity or immense ignorance could create such quests. ¡®At least neither of them seems optimistic.¡¯ As Yeongwoo examined the dreadful daily quest, the row of apartments that had been stretching along the right side of the road suddenly broke, and his field of vision opened up. ¡°¡­.?¡± As Yeongwoo turned his head in that direction, he saw two rtively shabby buildings passing by in session. ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ Although it was momentary, Yeongwoo, who read the writing on the top of the buildings, became speechless. ¡¸Evergreen Middle School¡¹ ¡¸Evergreen Elementary School¡¹ He realized it was a school. Perhaps it was a building that was no longer in use? In this world, where most surviving people were likely murderers, what were they teaching the children? [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] And it was uncertain whether children would continue to exist even before that. ¡®Perhaps humanity will not continue in this generation.¡¯ As Yeongwoo quickly looked back at the two schools that were getting further away, he noticed a patrol car slowing down in the rear. It was evident that both Jongsu and Taeyoung had also been distracted by the schools. ¡®11:23 AM.¡¯ ncing at his wristwatch, Yeongwoo pulled on the reins of Negwig to slow down. He had some time to wait for his colleagues to finish observing. ording to the pattern so far, mutants and monsters would appear around 1 PM. ¡®I¡¯ll either wait here and catch the mutants or head straight up to Seoul.¡¯ It was a turning point. The advantage of waiting in Seongnam was undoubtedly the monopolization of mutants. There wouldn¡¯t be as manypetitors as in Seoul, so it would be possible to monopolize mutants more stably. On the other hand, Seoul had many strongpetitors, but it also had many mutants. And above all, ¡®If I enter Seoul an hour earlier, I can immediately see how things are going there.¡¯ Now, 1 PM was the hottest time in this world. It was the time when the most money circted in the market. Strongest Swords would be looking for mutants, and other skilled individuals would be busy trying to catch monsters. However, what made Seoul special was that this phenomenon would ur simultaneously in the 25 adjacent districts. ¡®Going to Seoul would be the right choice, wouldn¡¯t it? It seems like my father is also in Seoul.¡¯ Yeongwoo noticed that the arrow on the ¡°Wanted Poster¡± was still pointing north. Of course, he only knew that it was north from Seongnam, so he didn¡¯t know if his father was staying in Seoul, Uijeongbu, or Dongducheon. In any case, he would find out once he entered Seoul. From his father¡¯s location to the situation in Seoul, the country¡¯srgest poption-dense area. And also, who the strongest Strongest Sword in this country was. ¡°¡­.¡± As Yeongwoo¡¯s thoughts reached this point, he felt an unusual tension. Just then, there was a noise from the road ahead. Vroom¡­! ¡®Engine noise?¡¯ While questioning himself, Yeongwoo was already sure. It wasn¡¯t a sound that could be easily mistaken for something else; it was somethingmonly heard. Clunk. As Yeongwoo pulled the reins again topletely stop Negwig, the patrol car following him also stopped. ¡°Hyung-nim, what¡¯s going on?¡± Eventually, Jongsu opened the passenger door and asked, but he closed his mouth as he spotted the objects starting to appear on the other side of the road. Vroom¡­! It was because a line of cars was approaching along the highway. No, more precisely, they were heading towards where Yeongwoo and his group were. Of course, since the adjacentne was empty, it didn¡¯t obstruct traffic. ¡°Uh¡­ wait, what¡¯s this?¡± Taeyoung, noticing that the speed of the vehicles on the other side was quite fast, made a worried sound mixed with apprehension. He thought they might be surprised when they saw Yeongwoo and hit the brakes abruptly. And sure enough¡­ Screech! As the distance between them decreased to about 40 meters, the leading vehicle started to brake abruptly. However, the problem was¡­ Crunch! The driver was so surprised to see the horse that they ended up turning the steering wheel too sharply. As a result, a disaster unfolded. Crash! As the leading vehicle lost control and spun around, the cars behind crashed into each other, causing a chain reaction collision. Bang, crash! Six cars in front of Yeongwoo¡¯s group collided with the front vehicle and the guardrail,ing to a halt. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± Jongsu and Taeyoung only let out startled breaths at the sudden turn of events, but Yeongwoo¡¯s reaction was a bit different. Thunk! He jumped off Negwig¡¯s back simultaneously. It was because he drew his ck sword. Current time, 11:28 AM. Six vehicles crossing from north to south across Seongnam, starting from the north toward Seoul at this odd hour. In Yeongwoo¡¯s mind, there was no way they were ordinary civilians. Just the fact that they owned cars meant they had a significant amount of cash, and the probability of them being a cartel with some purpose was high. They could be like the so-called ¡°hunters¡± who had visited Icheon, feared by people chasing cows in Yeoju and imed to be ¡°people from Seoul.¡± ¡°Hyung-nim?¡± Click, clunk. Ignoring Jongsu¡¯s slightly puzzled voice, Yeongwoo approached the leading car that had crashed into the guardrail with its driver clutching his forehead. Then he saw a man sitting in the driver¡¯s seat, holding his forehead. ¡°What the¡­ fuck.¡± Though he seemed surprised by the unexpected ident, as Yeongwoo had expected, he didn¡¯t seem to be injured. He must have been a driver at the superhuman level, where a car ident wouldn¡¯t hurt him much. ¡°Are you okay? I¡¯m sorry. It seems like the ident happened because of me.¡± As Yeongwoo spoke with a tone that showed no remorse at all, the man who had been clutching his forehead turned to him with angry eyes, but quickly calmed down. He quickly remembered what had surprised him. The unusual equipment status of the opponent. And above all, ¡°What¡­ what is that?¡± The man, confirming Negwig again, was startled. What he saw earlier wasn¡¯t a mistake. However, the other drivers in the back, unaware of the situation, jumped out of their cars, banging on the crumpled doors and getting out of the cars. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 75 Chapter 75 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 75: Karma (4) ¡°What kind of nonsense is this? Can¡¯t you even drive properly?¡± ¡°Well, this is¡­¡± A total of ten people jumped out of the car. They looked at the leading vehicle with aggressive eyes, but soon wore perplexed expressions. ¡°Oh.¡± It was because they noticed Yeongwoo standing in front of the leading vehicle, as well as the Iron Horse and patrol car in the adjacentne. ¡°¡­¡± Suddenly, silence fell. However, the eyes of the eleven people, including those at the forefront, were moving restlessly. They were assessing thebat power of these unexpected outsiders. Since the reset, even legitimateints had to be handled carefully in this world. One could easily provoke the powerful and end up losing their life. Moreover, how would they deal with this somewhat forced problem this time? ¡°Um¡­ sir.¡± Finally, a man who seemed to be the leader of the eleven cautiously spoke up. It seemed he wanted to show respect, as it appeared the other party was not an ordinary person. ¡°Although it may not have been intentional, you have obstructed our passage. We need somepensation. Our cars are all wrecked¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Yeongwoo smirked while looking at the badly damaged cars. ¡°¡­Me?¡± Of course, he understood what the other party was saying. However, they had been stationary, leaving onenepletely empty. If the driver of the leading vehicle hadn¡¯t been startled by Negwig, such an ident wouldn¡¯t have happened. So, based onmon sense, this was a matter to be settled among the eleven. Swiftly, as Yeongwoo silently shifted his gaze to the leading vehicle, the driver, who was still holding the steering wheel, tensed up. ¡°It¡¯s regrettable that an ident urred, but¡­ I don¡¯t think I should be held responsible. Either continue on your way as is, or¡­¡± Yeongwoo didn¡¯t borate further, but everyone in the vicinity understood. If there was dissatisfaction, they would fight it out ording to the ways of this world. ¡®That guy definitely has something up his sleeve.¡¯ The expressions of the eleven turned cold. It was partly due to Yeongwoo¡¯s provocation, but mostly because they were already heavily tense. How strong would one have to be to show such audacity? ¡°¡­¡± After a brief silence following Yeongwoo¡¯s provocation, Taeyoung, who was not ustomed to such events, stepped down from the patrol car and bowed his head to the group of eleven. ¡°I believe there is some degree of responsibility for the ident, so I will apologize on behalf of our party.¡± An apology on a diplomatic level. He also didn¡¯t want to witness eleven murders happening right in front of him. Even though thew had be somewhat ineffective in this world, he was still a police officer after all. However, the eleven didn¡¯t easily back down. ¡°No¡­ verbal apologies are meaningless, right? And technically, isn¡¯t this a non-contact ident? We should at least have somepensation to consider any concessions.¡± As the leader of the eleven said this, he continuously observed Yeongwoo¡¯s expression. In a situation where the power bnce between both sides was unclear, they were testing how far they could push things. Of course, if Yeongwoo were a bandit, his line would not be drawn so far away. ¡°If we don¡¯t negotiate?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Are you saying if we don¡¯t negotiate, you¡¯ll fight to the death? If you were truly confident, you wouldn¡¯t be wasting time like this.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The eleven were startled by the unexpectedly firm response. Given that this world was filled with blusterers, it was too dangerous to take lightly. In other words, such a response was only possible if one was truly powerful. ¡°I think¡­ let¡¯s just quietly wrap this up this time.¡± Once again, the opinion of the eleven began to lean towards yielding. Everyone present here was not aiming for monsters or mutants in Seoul, but rather skilled individuals in the Gyeonggi Province aiming for them, ranging from the second to third-tier. Therefore, they were well aware of how high the ceiling of the concept of ¡®strong¡¯ was. Moreover. ¡®Damn¡­ who is this guy to have such a strong vibe.¡¯ The temporary leader of the eleven, Lee Jangho 73, gritted his teeth. He could feel the unique aura of the Strongest Sword from the man in front of him. Even though there were no titles above his head. ¡®No way¡­ but no, that can¡¯t be.¡¯ He had never heard of the Strongest Sword hiding his title. Even if that were possible, there was no reason for Jangho to do so in hismon sense. In other words, the man in front of him was just an ordinary person. ¡®If he¡¯s not the Strongest Sword, there¡¯s no reason he can¡¯t be killed.¡¯ While Jangho thought this, he was also preparing to bow his head ording to the public opinion. He didn¡¯t have an absolute certainty of victory. ¡°It seems unavoidable. Well then, this time, we¡­¡± Just as Jangho was about to step back with a smile. Vroom¡­! Another engine sound came from the road behind them, that is, from the direction of Seoul. ¡°What now, again?¡± As Yeongwoo turned his head in the direction of the sound, all eleven, who had been listening to the engine sound in the same spot, simultaneously widened their eyes. ¡°Oh, this¡­¡± ¡°Ah.¡± The momentum of the eleven, which had been somewhat subdued, strangely shifted. Something mixed with anticipation and concern. And not long after, from a distance, a group of vehicles revealed themselves. Vroom¡­! Even though the engine sound was particrly fierce, there was a significant difference in the way they used the roadpared to the eleven they had encountered earlier. While the eleven were using only onene and driving in a single file, the approaching group was using the entire fourne road. Moreover, there weren¡¯t many vehicles, just four. ¡°These guys are doing whatever they want.¡± Looking at the four vehicles, which had now gotten closer, Yeongwoo asked Jangho. ¡°What about them?¡± To which Jangho, gesturing awkwardly, replied. ¡°It seems like troublemakers areing.¡± ¡°Troublemakers¡­?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s question was abruptly cut off as the problematic vehicles arrived at the scene. Screech! Threateningly parked with long skid marks on the ground, all four vehicles were loud, shy foreign cars. ¡°¡­!¡± Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but think of the bandit gang he encountered in Yeosu. Didn¡¯t their cars feel somewhat simr to these? Suddenly, the four vehicles opened their doors one after another, and their drivers stepped out onto the road. Thunk! As the people got out of the cars, the number was the same as the vehicles, four in total. Unlike the previous eleven, who were mostly in theirte thirties, these individuals looked barely in their early twenties. ¡°Hey¡­ mister, what¡¯s the time now? Why are you guys still here?¡± As soon as the four young men got out of the car, they pulled out their swords. Shing! All armed with early birds. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] One of them even had two swords. Seeing this, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but smirk. ¡°Those guys are definitely the type to talk with their swords.¡± As soon as the group of four young men appeared, some of the eleven also discreetly reached for their sword sheaths. With the number of heads from Seoul increasing to fifteen, it was only natural. But that didn¡¯t necessarily increase their chances of winning. ¡°Are these guys the problem?¡± After quickly scanning Yeongwoo¡¯s group, the quartet stopped at Negwig, who was standing in the corner of the road. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± A unanimous reaction. Apparently, even in Seoul, there weren¡¯t such ferocious horses. Then, one of the quartet, holding a pair of swords, suddenly approached Negwig. ¡°It seems like it¡¯s saying something, right? Is it really alive?¡± The guy didn¡¯t even consider seeking permission to speak to the owner of the horse. It was as if anyone present here could be pressed with force. Of course, perhaps¡­ ¡®It seems like he¡¯s deliberately picking a fight.¡¯ Yeongwoo didn¡¯t know if the act itself was intended to provoke a conflict, as Jongsu had been observing the situation. Anyway, from Yeongwoo¡¯s perspective, he couldn¡¯t let the guy mess with Negwig. Swiftly, as the opponent was about to take the second step, Yeongwoo grabbed his shoulder. Thunk! ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? Don¡¯t people from Seoul have any manners?¡± Then, the young man who had grabbed Yeongwoo¡¯s shoulder swung his sword as if he had been waiting for it. ¡°How dare this bastard¡­¡± Or rather, he tried to swing it. Thunk! ¡°What¡­?¡± Currently, Yeongwoo¡¯s strength stat was an impressive 1,200. Of course, it wasn¡¯tparable to the Strongest Sword of Seoul, but it was enough to easily crush the bones of a novice swordsman. However, the problem was¡­ ¡°What¡­? Agh!¡± As Yeongwoo made contact with the enemy, the effect of the golden punishment, inflicting unbearable pain, was triggered. ¡°Gah!¡± The face of the man turned pale with unimaginable pain, and the other three young men shouted angrily. ¡°This crazy guy¡­!¡± ¡°Are you just going to stand there and watch?¡± The target they requested assistance from was none other than the group of eleven. And in the midst of this, the man spoke while grinding his teeth. ¡°You¡¯re finished now. Do you know who I am?¡± ¡°¡­Who are you?¡± As Yeongwoo retorted, his attention was already focused on the fourteen Seoul guys, excluding the pair of swords. ¡¸The sensory stats have temporarily increased from the original 600 to 685.¡¹ ¡¸The sensory stat has temporarily increased from 685 to 790.¡¹ ¡¸The sensory stat has temporarily increased from 790 to 916.¡¹ Finally, everyone unanimously decided to attack the outsider, as the sensory stat was skyrocketing crazily. ¡®Seoul is definitely Seoul.¡¯ Based on the sensory stats stolen from the opponent, the fourteen present here were skilled individuals with total stats ranging from hundreds to even a thousand. It was enough to pick a fight with a neer. But unfortunately, the outsider they encountered this time was the Strongest Sword who unified therge region of Gyeongbuk. ¡°You bastard, I¡¯m¡­¡± As the enraged pair of swords muttered his lines between his clenched teeth, Yeongwoo saw over a dozen death marks floating in his sight. ¡°Yahhh!¡± ¡°Die!¡± The fourteen Seoul swordsmen, who had sharpened their swords, entered Yeongwoo¡¯s striking range. ng! Yeongwoo extended his right foot firmly to the ground and¡­ ¡°Kyaah!¡± ¡­swung his ck sword fiercely towards the rushing enemies. *Boom!* In an instant, the de extended up to five meters, drawing a sinister trajectory. The man, who had been about to proim his identity, clenched his mouth shut. ¡°Eop¡­?¡± Because there were hardly any survivors among the spectators after that blow. *Thud thud thud!* Out of the fourteen, only the hesitating Lee Jangho73 remained standing still, without being drawn into the ck trajectory, while the remaining thirteen were rolling on the ground, turned into piles of flesh. ¡°What¡­ is this¡­?¡± As the bewildered man mumbled, Jongsu, who was preparing for a handover, and Taeyoung, who had already drawn his gun, put down their weapons on the road. And finally, Yeongwoo asked the question he hadn¡¯t finished earlier. ¡°So, who are you?¡± Instead of the pair of swords, who fell into contemtion, Lee Jangho, who had been silent, spoke. ¡°Wha- What did you just do? That guy¡¯s father is Jeong Hyunsik.¡± ¡°Jeong Hyunsik?¡± Yeongwoo asked with a puzzled expression, and Lee Jangho exined hesitantly. ¡°You really don¡¯t know? Jeong Hyunsik¡­ He¡¯s the Gangnam Strongest Sword.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 76 Chapter 76 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 76: Karma (5) Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jeong Hyunsik 04. That name wasn¡¯t just known in Gangnam, but anyone living in Seoul would have heard it at least once. He was not only the representative of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword, but also because he had unified most of Seoul¡¯s Strongest Swords before that. Therefore, even if you didn¡¯t know Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s face, it was normal to have some reaction if you heard that name. Especially if you were the one who messed with Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s son. ¡°Do you really not know Jeong Hyunsik?¡± As Jangho asked again, he sensed that the other person was a country bumpkin who knew nothing about the situation in Seoul. If he didn¡¯t know, he must havee from the countryside and hade to Seoul after gaining some strength. In fact, it was quitemon for all sorts of people to flock to Seoul. The only problem was that this time the country bumpkin¡¯s skills were at a level that could be reckoned with even in Seoul. ¡°¡­..¡± Jangho¡¯s gaze fell on the scattered pieces of corpses around him. ¡®Damn it. What the hell happens now?¡¯ Confusion set in. This outsider was definitely different this time. Perhaps he was thinking he might be able to match most of Seoul¡¯s Strongest Swords. But can he reallypare to Gangnam Strongest Sword? ¡®It¡¯s ridiculous.¡¯ Jangho quickly regained hisposure. Then, ording to etiquette, he stood beside Jeong Gyusang, the eldest son of Gangnam Strongest Sword. p! ¡°Let¡¯s¡­ let¡¯s stop here. If you keep going, you¡¯ll make enemies of all of Seoul. We¡¯ll quietly step back¡­¡­¡± As Jangho spoke like this and nced at Jeong Gyusang, thetter also nodded his head. He knew well that he couldn¡¯t do anything to the outsider right now. But the position of Yeongwoo, who held the sword, waspletely different from that of the two Seoulites. ¡°I don¡¯t care whose son he is. Anyway, he tried to kill me. If I were weak, I would actually be dead.¡± As Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes shed with his words, Jeong Gyusang, who had been silent until now, gritted his teeth and bowed his head. ¡°Damn it¡­ I¡¯m sorry about that. But there¡¯s no need to escte things further, right? As you heard, my father is Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword. If you kill me, you won¡¯t get away unharmed either.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± At this, Yeongwoo dryly looked around and said. ¡°How can you know who the culprit is when there are only two witnesses?¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± The expression of Kwon Taeyoung, a current police officer who was listening to Yeongwoo¡¯s words, became very subtle. Nevertheless, the proceedings continued regardless. ¡°And even if your father finds out, there¡¯s nothing we can do. Scumbags like you deserve to die. I¡¯ll take care of the aftermath, so don¡¯t worry.¡± As if it were the final verdict, Jangho was the first to leap at Yeongwoo¡¯s words. Behind Jeong Gyusang, which means in the direction away from the outsider. It was a calction to use Gyusang, who was the prime target of the opponent, as a shield to buy time to escape. Thud! ¡°Hey, you bastard!¡± Seeing his only ally fleeing, Jeong Gyusang shouted in terror, but Jangho¡¯s figure continued to move away. On the other hand. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t have helped you anyway.¡± Now, Yeongwoo, who seemed like a lunatic serial killer to Gyusang¡¯s eyes, was one step closer. ¡°What do you want, anyway? There¡¯s nothing you gain by killing me.¡± As Gyusang, sensing his imminent demise, asked imploringly, Yeongwoo retorted. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why did you swing the Sword recklessly? I didn¡¯t do anything to deserve death from you.¡± ¡°W-well¡­¡­¡± Seeing Gyusang momentarily speechless, Yeongwoo poured out his words as if pouring cement on his head. ¡°You must have tried to kill several people like me before. There were probably many before, and there will be many more in the future.¡± Having said this much, Yeongwoo shifted his gaze to the south, which was Gyusang¡¯s original destination. ¡°So, if I kill you now, it¡¯s not much different from saving countless lives, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not killing you with such noble intentions. I just don¡¯t think scum like you should live any longer. Consider it your destiny.¡± Listening to this, Gyusang felt like the world was turning dark before his eyes. This guy was truly a ruthless lunatic. Or maybe he had no idea how powerful Strongest Sword truly was. ¡°You son of a bitch! If you kill me, you¡¯ll definitely¡­!¡± As Gyusang¡¯s reasoning gave way to curses once again, Yeongwoo¡¯s shoulder seemed to twitch, and then a sharp trajectory cut through the air. Swish! In the blink of an eye, he struck Gyusang¡¯s neck. ¡°Huh?¡± Gyusang could only let out a feeble sound before falling silent. Then. Thud. The body with only the head left mmed onto the ground one after another. ¡°Oh my God.¡± Taeyoung blocked his mouth briefly to summarize the whole situation tersely. He looked around the gruesome scene with eyes filled with disbelief. Fourteen murders that happened in an instant. And one of the victims was none other than the son of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword, who could be considered a pir of Seoul. Even if Jeong Yeongwoo does indeed kill all the witnesses as he said, will this incident not affect future developments? [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°If they find out that the son went out of Seoul and didn¡¯t return¡­ Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword wouldn¡¯t just sit idly by. Since they can¡¯t identify the suspect, they might just kill all the outsiders recklessly. Parents who lose their children tend to turn cold.¡± Taeyoung was genuinely worried. He had expected to face great difficulties in Seoul, but this was too big of an ident. No matter how strong Yeongwoo was, he wouldn¡¯t be able to fight against Gangnam Strongest Sword, recognized even in Seoul. Moreover, even people unrted to this incident might suffer. ¡°You¡¯re right. Just because he doesn¡¯t know who the murderer is doesn¡¯t mean he will just sit still.¡± Yeongwoo nodded at Taeyoung¡¯s concerns. Then he shifted his gaze back to the direction of Seoul. ¡°In that case¡­ he has no choice but to find out who killed his son. Then, at least, he won¡¯t take it out on the wrong people.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± This time, both Jongsu and Taeyoung were speechless at the unexpected and unreasonable option. Wasn¡¯t that practically suicide? Jongsu¡¯s unspoken words about suicide were omitted. Of course, Yeongwoo knew well that it would be difficult for him to win against Gangnam Strongest Sword in a direct confrontation. Even Jin, the Strongest Sword of Gyeongbuk, whom he met this morning, couldn¡¯t overwhelm him. [TL/N: I don¡¯t know why this is here, maybe the strongest sword he killed in the mornning was named jin? It wasn¡¯t revealed before tbh.] So. ¡°I won¡¯t necessarily go find him myself. But I¡¯ll make sure he can¡¯t wander around freely.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡± Taeyoung, pondering over Yeongwoo¡¯s words, suddenly realized. ¡°Oh.¡± It meant that the man who fled after abandoning the son of Strongest Sword was still alive. As the only survivor of this incident, that man knew Yeongwoo¡¯s face and had some idea of his level of skill. And since he would naturally assume that Yeongwoo was chasing him, he would surely go straight to Gangnam Strongest Sword. In other words, if Yeongwoo¡¯s existence were revealed, the wrath of Strongest Sword, who lost his child, would at least be contained to some extent. ¡°In any case, we¡¯ll eventually end up fighting against Gangnam Strongest Sword.¡± Taeyoung admitted this with a darkened face, acknowledging that there was no alternative. If Yeongwoo didn¡¯t reveal himself, there was a very high probability that a huge bloodbath would ur. ¡°If luck is on our side, we might meet the first mutant in Seoul. And if that happens¡­¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze shifted to the quest board on one side. [Dogo] ¡°Strong Tiger¡¯s Early Appearance¡± [Mission] Engage in 0/2 duels with targets with a total ability score of 3,000 or higher. [Reward] 5 million karma [Special] You must disclose the fact of Dogo¡¯s support in this duel. ¡°If that happens, we might have a slight chance.¡± Yeongwoo intended toplete the mission in Seoul as soon as possible. Since he had already fought once against a target with a total power of over 3,000 points in the morning, he only needed to fight one more time. And the target would be¡­ ¡®It doesn¡¯t necessarily have to be a human. In my opinion, this quest can bepleted even against a mutant.¡¯ The basis for this inference was the quest description itself. [Mission] Duel with a target with a total power of over 3,000 points, 1/2 times. It didn¡¯t say ¡°a human¡± but ¡°a target.¡± ¡®¡¯Target¡¯ is a very inclusive term.¡¯ Ironically, even the mutants also had ¡°power.¡± Their ability to sense the Golden sh during fights was evidence of that. ¡°Brother, then shouldn¡¯t we avoid directly entering Gangnam from here?¡± Listening to Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Jongsu looked at the road leading north and spoke. If it¡¯s Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword, they would naturally wee the mutants in their jurisdiction of Gangnam-gu, so they should avoid that area. Taeyoung agreed. ¡°Even if we change direction now, we should be able to reach Seocho or Gwanak.¡± The current time was 11:41 AM. If the pattern continued, the mutant would appear at 1:00 PM. In other words, they had about an hour of spare time for movement. Yeongwoo also pondered while looking at his watch. ¡°Since mutants fall in each district of Seoul, the Strongest Sword will be waiting in whichever area I go.¡± And there was a very high probability that he would end up in conflict with that Strongest Sword. To maintain his position, that Strongest Sword would need to continue umting karma. ¡°Gangnam is the priority to avoid¡­ So, the ces we can go to right away are Seocho or Gwanak, as suggested by the officer.¡± Although he didn¡¯t want to make judgments about the areas as an outsider, Gwanak-gu seemed more feasible than Seocho. Before the world recognized it, wasn¡¯t Seocho adjacent to the district of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword, which is currently known to be the strongest in Seoul? So, if there was a Strongest Sword in Seocho, there was a high probability that they wouldn¡¯t be greatly inferior in a fight against Gangnam Strongest Sword. On the other hand, Gwanak-gu was not as favoredpared to other areas in Gangnam even in the previous world, and it was quite far from the jurisdiction of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword. The only noteworthy feature that came to mind about Gwanak-gu was that it had Seoul National University. But what good would that do in this reset world? Yeongwoo soon made his decision. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Gwanak. We¡¯ll catch the mutant there and decide our next move.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 77 Chapter 77 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 77: Let Them See Gwanak (1) Once the destination to Gwanak was set, the Golden Goblin was busier than anyone else. -Keet! Following Yeongwoo¡¯s orders, he had to frantically run through the 14 bodies. -Kekeet! The goblin brought anything that could be valuable in the area. From searching through the clothes of the deceased to find coins, to collecting weapons scattered far away, he left nothing behind. Of course, among them, there weren¡¯t many actually useful items. The weapons provided as standard were nothing more than junk to Yeongwoo. So, ultimately, the substantial ie gained from this fight was¡­ ¡®Five early birds, and 72,000 karma.¡¯ It was rather meager loot for killing fourteen. Thanks to the substantial cash from the son of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword, aside from him, the property of the rest of the dead was in shambles. ¡®They were much poorer than they seemed.¡¯ Indeed, they were people who hadn¡¯t even participated in Seoul¡¯s transformation, let alone hunting monsters, and hade down to Gyeonggi Province. While they might have been better off than the majority of citizens who relied solely on daily quests or gambling for ie, they too were not in afortable position. ¡®Most likely, all the money they¡¯ve earned so far has gone into their stats. They had to survive today¡¯s monster hunt to guarantee tomorrow.¡¯ But at least one person¡¯s situation seemed a bit different. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yeongwoo looked at the corpse lying with its head missing. The eldest son of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword. Why on earth was he here? Why did hee down to Gyeonggi Province instead of capturing monsters in Gangnam where his father was? Was it just a personal whim? ¡®No. If he wanted to indulge, he would¡¯ve done it in Gangnam. Whye all the way down to Gyeonggi Province?¡¯ Moreover, he wasn¡¯t even in a state where he could wander around recklessly. ¡°Then¡­¡­¡± There¡¯s only one possibility left. ¡®Even if he¡¯s the son of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword, it means he couldn¡¯t deal with Seoul¡¯s monsters.¡¯ Even if they appeared in Gangnam, which is his father¡¯s constituency. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s brow furrowed even deeper. What could it be? What could have pushed even Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¯s son out of Seoul? ¡®Uh.¡¯ Yeongwoo stopped pondering at this point. There¡¯s no way to know anything for sure until he goes to Seoul in person. Whoosh! Turning his head back, Yeongwoo saw Taeyoung and Jongsu still standing there with tense expressions. Upon this, Yeongwoo threw an early bird to Taeyoung. Swish- ¡°¡­Huh? W-What¡¯s this?¡± Taeyoung opened his eyes wide at the sudden distribution. Yeongwoo pointed at his belt. ¡°I heard you¡¯re still using the basic sword.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Hearing Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Taeyoung nced at Jongsu sitting next to him. Then he noticed an early bird gleaming in his scabbard. ¡°This valuable thing¡­ Can I just ept it even though I didn¡¯t do anything?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel burdened, it¡¯s not that precious to me anymore.¡± Yeongwoo replied like this and nced at the Golden Goblin. In fact, there were four more early birds in his pocket. Since he gave one of the newly acquired ones to Taeyoung, he now had a total of eight early birds. It might still be a valuable weapon somewhere, but at least to Yeongwoo, it was now close to junk. ¡°And Jongsu, you take this.¡± Finally, when Yeongwoo pointed at Jongsu¡¯s feet, the goblin ran over there and poured out a heap of coins. Ching ching! A total of 72,000 karma. It was the money he had borrowed from Jongsu with a bit of interest when purchasing the vanguard and illusions. ¡°Hyung¡­ I¡¯ve mentioned this before, but you can give it to me slowly.¡± Though Jongsu pped his hands in protest again, Yeongwoo wanted to clear his debt this time. ¡°We¡¯ll be entering Seoul soon. But if I happen to die there, I¡¯ll be in debt forever¡­¡± ¡°Hyung¡­ Why do you have to say things like that.¡± Jongsu seemed taken aback by the unexpected reason but eventually picked up the coins as if resigned. Seeing this, Yeongwoo finally rxed. ¡°Well, the basics are more or less sorted out.¡± When Yeongwoo gestured to the air, the four-legged creature standing far away approached, tapping the ground with its steel hooves. ck, ck. It would probably be a significant factor in Yeongwoo¡¯s Seoul life next to Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword. Just as the son of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword showed interest in the four-legged creature, other powers in Seoul would probably be the same. ¡°Moreover, Mr. Yeongwoo doesn¡¯t seem like the type topromise easily¡­.¡± It already smells like bloodshed. Taeyoung looked at Yeongwoo with worried eyes and got into the patrol car. * * * 12:03 PM. Having escaped from the scene of 14 murders, Lee Jangho stopped running as he reached the outskirts of Seongnam City. ¡°Huk, hah¡­!¡± He had pushed himself to the limit with his sprint, but now he couldn¡¯t run any longer. Not only was his breath heavy, but his legs were tingling, refusing to move any further. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] It must be the limit of his stats. He regretted not investing more in stamina. ¡®Phew, damn it.¡¯ Lee Jangho breathed heavily as he looked back. Just like the past 20 minutes, there was still no sign of the pursuer. Had Jeong Hyunsik bought him more time than expected? ¡®No, he might just be searching in the wrong ce.¡¯ In Lee Jangho¡¯s mind, the scene of an outsider cutting down about a dozen people at once came to mind. ¡°¡­!¡± The outsider¡¯s prowess disyed at that moment was truly top-notch. Therefore, if he could just figure out their location, closing the distance wouldn¡¯t be difficult at all. ¡®I have to get to Seoul as quickly as possible.¡¯ Once he entered Seoul, he believed he could get help somehow. Seoul must be filled with monstrous individuals everywhere. That goes without saying for Gangnam. Moreover, if the outsider had any sense, they wouldn¡¯t insist on pursuing him even after seeing the regional situation change to Gangnam. ¡®Seoul¡­ no, Gangnam is my only chance.¡¯ As Lee Jangho gritted his teeth and attempted to move his heavy legs again, he heard a sound he had only dreamed of from the opposite road. Vroom¡­ It was none other than the sound of a car engine. ¡®Wow, looks like my luck hasn¡¯t run out yet.¡¯ Lee Jangho reached for his sword, considering the possibility of stealing the car. Swish! Of course, he needed to be cautious as it was a caring from Seoul. ¡®¡­Please.¡¯ If the car about toe into view was a high-performance vehicle with no regard for fuel efficiency, he would have to let it pass quietly. Given the nature of this world where fuel was bought with karma, choosing to drive a vehicle with poor fuel efficiency meant a lot. On the other hand, if amonly seenpact car from his original world appeared¡­ Vroom! The engine noise grew louder, and a figure appeared at the edge of the opposite road. ¡°¡­!¡± Lee Jangho¡¯s brow narrowed. Soon, a grey Avante came into his view. Swish! Without hesitation, Lee Jangho drew his sword and approached the roadside. * * * At the same time, Yeongwoo and his group were passing through the junction from Seongnam to Seocho-gu along the Gyeongbu Expressway. The current n was not to enter Seocho directly but to follow the Gangnam Circr Road from near Yangjae to Sadang and then cross over to Gwanak. As always, Yeongwoo, riding the Negwig, was leading the way, but Jongsu and Taeyoung couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious. After all, it was Seoul they were heading to, and they had to break through the Gangnam area consecutively. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t see a single rat.¡± When Taeyoung, gripping the steering wheel, said this with a stiff expression, Jongsu, who was also looking out the window, nodded. ¡°It¡¯s probably because it¡¯s the time when monsters appear.¡± In about 50 minutes, monsters would pour down from all over Seoul. So, those who needed to hide would have already hidden, and monster hunters would have already taken their positions. In other words, they were heading towards Seoul, already in abat-ready state. ¡°¡­!¡± Seeing Jongsu¡¯s anxious expression, Taeyoung cautiously spoke up. ¡°You¡¯re worried, aren¡¯t you? We¡¯re basically walking into the jaws of death.¡± In response, Jongsu nodded, gazing at Yeongwoo¡¯s back in front of him. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if I died anytime, but it¡¯s different for you¡­ It feels like a waste.¡± ¡°A waste?¡± When Taeyoung chuckled and asked, Jongsu looked at the road behind them. ¡°Commander, you may not be able to empathize¡­ but in my opinion, among the Strongest Swords, Yeongwoo hyung is the closest to being normal.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s normal, what exactly¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s selfish enough, but he¡¯s not an evil person. If Yeongwoo hyung wanted to, he could kill anyone he sees and take their money. He could do worse. But he still maintains some level of decency.¡± ¡°Ah, if that¡¯s what you mean.¡± Taeyoung¡¯s head moved up and down slowly. Of course, Jongsu¡¯s im that Yeongwoo was normal was hard to agree with. After all, didn¡¯t the recent altercation with the ¡®Seoulites¡¯ end up in bloodshed in the end? Therefore, in Taeyoung¡¯s eyes, a former police officer, Yeongwoo was a murderer stained with blood. However, he was just a spectator now, not having the authority or ability to arrest a murderer. No, he was actually more than just a spectator. He owed his life to Yeongwoo. ¡®In fact, if I were to follow thew, I¡¯m also an aplice to murder.¡¯ As Taeyoung tried to make a bewildered expression, the area where he was staying changed, and the regional information in the corner of his vision was updated. Ping! | The current location is ¡®Seocho¡¯. | The Strongest Sword in this area is ¡®Choi Namhee 11¡¯. Rank 4, 3 defenses. Finally, they had started to set foot on Seoul¡¯s soil. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 78 Chapter 78 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 78: Let Them See Gwanak (2) ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Gasp¡­.¡± As Taeyoung and Jongsu both paused at the realization of stepping foot on Seoul¡¯s soil, Yeongwoo, ahead of them, slowed down Negwig¡¯s pace and directed his gaze into the air. Yeongwoo also felt the immense presence of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword, because of course. ¡°¡­Choi Namhee.¡± Seocho¡¯s Strongest Sword, Choi Namhee11. As expected, this time, the identification number was also in the first order. Among all Choi Namhee in the country, they were the 11th person to contact the currency exchange office. |The best sword in this area is ¡®Choi Nam-hee 11¡¯. Rank 4, 3 defenses. ¡®Was there a bit of a struggle for positions on the first day? Third generation as well.¡¯ Even after bing the 4th Strongest Sword, he fought in defense matches three times. It meant there were plenty ofpetitors. ¡®Of course, Seoul has thergest poption.¡¯ So who would ascend to the Strongest Sword in such a ce? Since they had entered Seoul, Yeongwoo knew they would eventuallye across Choi Namhee. He looked at the name with a mixture of anticipation and concern. Of course, Yeongwoo¡¯s problem wasn¡¯t just about Seoul¡¯s Strongest Sword. Spat. As he entered Seoul, the color of the arrows floating in his vision intensified. This was the mark of the Legendary Pen, ¡°Wanted Poster,¡± obtained by defeating the anonymous Strongest Sword (Advanced) of Gyeongbuk. A mark that pointed to what the owner desired. And currently, the target Yeongwoo was seeking through the Wanted Poster was none other than¡­ his father. Although the previous owner had set the target, thanks to it, Yeongwoo learned that his father was still alive. Until recently, he had no concept of parents, so if he hadn¡¯t obtained the Wanted Poster, he wouldn¡¯t have even attempted to find them. But now he knew. His father had been there all along. Father, Grade 6 Extra. The person who created a rtionship with my 1st-grade supporting mother and me. Then why abandon me? Yeongwoo recalled the question he used to ask himself as a child. Was life too difficult? Or¡­ did he never want me in the first ce? Of course, he still couldn¡¯t answer. But now he could go directly to the person who held the answer. ¡®The intensifying arrows mean the distance has shortened.¡¯ The Wanted Poster still pointed north. Perhaps it meant his father was living in Seocho or somewhere in Gangbuk. ¡®I hope he¡¯s not living nearby. I can¡¯t just go looking for him right away.¡¯ In a situation where Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword had set his sights on this area and would undoubtedly search around, rummaging through the neighbouring area of Seocho was too risky. ¡®But how did you manage to stay alive until now? Many people died from the reset.¡¯ Yeongwoo vaguely imagined his father as nothing more than ¡°some man¡± for now, then tightened Negwig¡¯s reins. The previously empty roadsides were gradually filling up with buildings. Soon, a road sign indicating the direction of Gwacheon and Yangjae appeared. Now, they were truly in Seoul. Was it just a misconception that the air felt different? ¡°Huff.¡± Yeongwoo took a deep breath. And while doing so, Negwig continued to push the ground backward. tter, ck! Despite the noisy sound of Negwig¡¯s steel hooves, the surroundings remained eerily silent. ¡®How can there be so few people in a city with such arge poption? Even if it¡¯s just before the emergence of monsters¡­¡¯ It was definitely different from other areas where thieves and hawkers roamed the outskirts of the city. Yeongwoo shook his head and continued to urge Negwig northward. ck! After running for a while longer,ndmarks finally began to appear. It was the Seocho Sports Complex and the rest area ¡°Seoul Meeting za¡± attached to the Yangjae exit. ¡®There¡¯s not even a single ant here.¡¯ While some cars in the parking lot were wrecked, the rest area building looked pristine, suggesting it was a residue of the chaos on the first day of the reset. It seemed the monsters hadn¡¯t caused trouble here. Which meant, at least, all the monsters in the southern part of Seoul had died in the city. ¡®Was Seoul particrly quick to respond?¡¯ It was difficult for Yeongwoo to estimate what had happened in Seoul. Seoul was not easilyparable to other cities, as it was the capital of South Korea, where the main administrative offices and the Blue House were located. Although the president¡¯s head flew off on the first day of the reset, the government was unlikely to copse from that one incident. The remaining bureaucrats would have tried to handle the situation somehow, right? ¡®Of course, it wasn¡¯t a situation that could be handled just by trying.¡¯ As Yeongwoo pondered, his surroundings darkened again. They had passed the rest area and entered the Yangjae Interchange. Since Yeongwoo had to enter Sadang from here, he looked ahead to find the highway exit. Then¡­ Honk, beep¡­! As Yeongwoo shifted his gaze, the sound of a horn red from the front. ¡°¡­?¡± What came into view was a patrol car parked in the middle of the road, as if it were proudly asserting its presence. ¡®Huh.¡¯ After briefly ncing at Taeyoung¡¯s patrol car following behind him, Yeongwoo turned his attention back to the other patrol car in front. Now he noticed not only the problematic patrol car but also several people behind it. They were blocking the highway exit leading to Gwacheon and Sadang. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡®What¡¯s going on? Is this some kind of tollgate?¡¯ He had seen a simr scene in Chungju, where there was a certain system in ce. The only difference was that Seoul, with its 25 districts tightly packed together, had its unique characteristic. ¡®Whoa.¡¯ Signaling to slow down behind, Yeongwoo also gently pulled Negwig¡¯s reins. *Kwiiik!* As Negwig began to decelerate with an eerie sound, the people on the Yangjae side seemed to sense something unusual. *Bam, bbaaah¡­* The ring horn suddenly weakened. The outsiders approaching the interchange, in other words, Yeongwoo¡¯s demeanor, didn¡¯t seem normal. *Clunk.* Gradually, the doors of the patrol cars blocking the road opened one by one. Then, inside, police officers in uniform stepped out onto the ground with extreme caution. Yeongwoo tensed up, fearing that the opponent might be armed. But when the police officers finally revealed themselves, there were hardly any guns, not to mention rifles, among them. ¡°Please¡­ stop for a moment.¡± One of the police officers extended both hands without drawing a sword. Yeongwoo also raised his hands slightly to show that he had no intention of fighting. ¡°Yes. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Yeongwoo adopted the most friendly attitude possible. There was no reason not to respect these people who were performing police duties, even down to their uniforms. However, the dialogue from the police side that followed was quite strange. ¡°Are youing from another area?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then, by any chance¡­ are you a Strongest Sword or do you intend to challenge the Strongest Sword?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Receiving a question about whether he intended to challenge the Strongest Sword from a police officer, even though they were on official duty, was quite bizarre. Yeongwoo looked at the person in front of him with a puzzled expression for a moment. The opponents, as well as the inclothes individuals blocking the highway exit in the distance, still hadn¡¯t drawn their swords. In fact, most of them seemed to be visibly apprehensive. ¡®They have no intention of overpowering me by force. Rather, they seem¡­¡¯ They even seemed to be hoping for Yeongwoo to pass through quickly. Even now, the police officer facing Yeongwoo showed signs of anxiety, fidgeting his fingers. ¡°Would anything change ording to my response? Frankly, I¡¯m not sure why you¡¯re blocking the passage.¡± As Yeongwoo alternated between looking at the police officer in front of him and the road exit on the other side, the tense officer gestured with his hands. ¡°Ah¡­! No! We¡¯re not daring to restrict passage. We¡¯re here to provide guidance to those who are visiting Seoul.¡± ¡°Guidance¡­?¡± While Yeongwoo raised an eyebrow, Taeyoung¡¯s patrol car arrived behind him. The tense officer, who had been pping his hands, seemed slightly surprised, but continued his exnation. ¡°Currently, Seoul has entered into an agreement between civil and government bodies to minimize casualties.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s between civil and government bodies¡­ does that mean there¡¯s some kind of government presence here?¡± Civil and government. A word epassing both private and public sectors. In other words, an agreement between civil and government bodies meant¡­ ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right. The government of South Korea is intact.¡± ¡ª The government of South Korea is intact. The officer spoke quite confidently, but Yeongwoo found it hard to believe. Wasn¡¯t it just a few hours ago that he had encountered some thugs from Seoul? If the government were truly intact andw enforcement were functioning, there wouldn¡¯t have been Gangwon residents picking fights with ¡°Seoul people.¡± Moreover¡­ ¡®How could the government be intact? Power no longer resides in the country.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just about the judiciary. The reason people followed the ¡°rules¡± set by the state was fundamentally for survival. To maintain their livelihoods and current way of life. But hadn¡¯t the way of survivalpletely changed due to the reset? Surviving against monsters and mutants. And securing thousands of karma every day to resolve tax and residency issues. In that case, could the government help with these problems? Of course not. In a world where even bullets turned to stones, how could the government control monsters, mutants, and citizens wielding swords? ¡°What exactly do you mean by a civil-government agreement? There can¡¯t possibly be a military presence here. Just look at you guys¡­¡± There was no need to add the qualifier ¡°without any enforcement power.¡± Before Yeongwoo finished speaking, the officer smiled and nodded. ¡°Yes. I understand what you mean. It¡¯s indeed the case.¡± But the real story came next. ¡°However¡­ the substantive subject of the civil-government agreement isn¡¯t the ¡®government,¡¯ but the ¡®civilian.¡¯ The most powerful citizens of this country, the Strongest Swords, are the ones empowering the government.¡± ¡°What¡­ What are you talking about?¡± As Yeongwoo widened his eyes in disbelief, the officer nced at his wristwatch briefly before getting to the point. ¡°We¡¯ll have to withdraw soon. But before that, there¡¯s something important we must convey.¡± Then the officer¡¯s gaze swept over Yeongwoo¡¯s head. ¡°If you¡¯re a current Strongest Sword or possess equivalent authority, we rmend attending the Strongest Sword Assembly.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 79 Chapter 79 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 79: Let Them See Gwanak (3) Strongest Sword Assembly. As soon as Yeongwoo encountered this word, he recalled the warning he heard when he attempted to kill the son of Gangnam Strongest Sword. ¨C This¡­ should be enough. If you go further here, you¡¯ll be turning all of Seoul into an enemy. All of Seoul as an enemy. ¡®I thought it was a bit exaggerated, but it might not be.¡¯ What could it mean for the Strongest Swords to gather in Seoul, where the Civilian Agreement was made? It¡¯s definitely not about making life or death decisions together. ¡°What exactly is the Strongest Sword Assembly?¡± When Yeongwoo asked, the officer checked his watch again and replied. ¡°Every day at 3 p.m., Strongest swords from all over Seoul gather in Yongsan Park. Government officials also attend as observers.¡± ¡°The government attends?¡± When Yeongwoo asked again, the officer nodded. ¡°Because they need to reflect the decisions made at the assembly.¡± ¡°My goodness.¡± Yeongwoo finally seemed to understand. Although it was said that the Strongest Swords were empowering the government, in reality, the government held control over the Strongest Sword¡¯s movements. ¡®Now it makes sense.¡¯ Yes. In the reset world, a ¡®healthy government¡¯ meant this kind of arrangement. ¡°You told me earlier to attend the assembly. What kind of treatment can I expect if I, as an outsider, go there?¡± ¡°As long as you¡¯re not here to harm civilians, you¡¯ll be weed in any way possible. Even I, who doesn¡¯t know much, can tell you¡¯re not an ordinary person. Seoul is a great ce for the strong to live.¡± The officer cautiously scanned Yeongwoo up and down. Then he added. ¡°If you want a Strongest Sword position, you can challenge anyone who attends the assembly, and if you want to engage in monster business, you can acquire business rights through duels with those who have preempted them.¡± ¡°Monster¡­ what? Doing business with monsters?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief at the story, and the officer nodded habitually. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s one of the reasons why order is being maintained in Seoul.¡± Monster business. Also known as the Seoul Rotation. ording to the officer, this was a kind of economic recovery project proposed by Seoul National University at the first assembly. It involved selecting a certain level of experts from each region and having themplete ¡°Scout¡± quests with tens or hundreds of civilians each. [Daily] ¡°Scout¡± [Mission] Approach the monster until you are 10 meters away. [Reward] 3,000 Karma And thus, a portion of the 3,000 Karma earned per person was taken as amission by the business. ¡°¡­It¡¯s a crazy idea.¡± Yeongwoo said this, but he understood that it was the best option at a realistic level. If it really was feasible, for those who found it difficult to go monster hunting, it was a deal with no losses from their perspective. Of course, on the flip side. ¡®Other strong people who couldn¡¯t secure business rights would likely be discontent. In essence, this is no different from controlling hunting grounds.¡¯ As Yeongwoo was having these thoughts, the officer¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°But this isn¡¯t the end.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Did you know that the Scout quests are applied separately in each region?¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡°Yes. Even if youpleted the quest in Seocho, you can still perform the Scout quest when you move to another region.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s the ¡®rotation¡¯ of Seoul.¡± This time, Yeongwoo nodded his head. Indeed, the Seoul Rotation meant that the strong would mobilize customers and travel through various areas of Seoul to assist with Vanguard quests, making money in the process. This meant earning over 4,000 Karma per person after deductingmissions, assuming they covered at least two regions. ¡°A tremendous amount of money will be circting. There will be many people vying for business rights as well.¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why to prevent conflicts in the city, all procedures are recognized only during the assembly. The same goes for duels among experts.¡± In other words, any fights or business disputes outside of Yongsan Park were illegal. ¡°It¡¯s very systematic. How is this possible? The reset started just three days ago.¡± When Yeongwoo expressed his natural skepticism, the officer extended two fingers, then folded one of them. Snap! ¡°First, Seoul National University, which serves as the government¡¯s brain, and¡­¡± Then, the officer folded the second finger and uttered a chilling remark. ¡°Thanks to Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword Jeong Hyunsik. He¡¯s the one who created the Strongest Sword Assembly.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Gangnam Strongest Sword Jeong Hyunsik. Although it had been only a few hours since he arrived in Seoul, this was already the second time he had heard this troublesome name. ¡°Is Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword really that remarkable?¡± Yeongwoo pretended not to know as he asked, and the officer checked his wristwatch with a more anxious expression than before. ¡°I should only say that he¡¯s the only one who can summon the Strongest Swords. It¡¯s really time to leave now.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Yeongwoo checked his watch too and indeed, time was running out. ¡®It¡¯s 12:29 p.m. now.¡¯ In just 31 minutes, monsters and mutants would start pouring out all over Seoul. ¡°Immediate withdrawal!¡± The police personnel controlling the Yangjae Interchange were already getting into their vehicles. They all seemed to be trying to evacuate to safety before the monsters arrived. ¡®I thought they were staying here to clean up the monsters, but apparently not.¡¯ Perhaps soon, the so-called ¡®monster entrepreneurs¡¯ would lead numerous civilians and roam the vicinity. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] What kind of ce is Seoul, exactly? Yeongwoo felt even more confused now that he was actually in Seoul. Vroom! Finally, the patrol cars carrying all the personnel began to leave the road. Thanks to that, the exit toward Ssangdam, where Yeongwoo¡¯s group needed to go, was now clear. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go. We need to hurry.¡± Yeongwoo said this to Taeyoung and Jongsu behind him as he grabbed the reins of Negwig. * * * Leaving the Yangjae Interchange and entering the Gangnam Circle Road. As they moved along the outskirts of Seoul, they could see the districts changing rapidly. Pop! |The current area you¡¯re in is ¡®Dongjak.¡¯ |The Strongest Sword in this area is ¡®Lee Hanwook09¡¯. 2nd generation, 8 defenses. [TL/N: Idc i¡¯m changing Rank to generation bc that makes so much more sense, idk why in prev chaps rank was used its so stupid istg.] [PR/N: ur stupid. 0 consistency smh/] ¡°Dongjak¡¯s Strongest Sword¡­ Lee Hanwook.¡± Could Lee Hanwook from Dongjak¡¯s Strongest Sword also be a participant in the Strongest Sword Assembly? Yeongwoo¡¯s perspective on the local situation had changed. ¡®Come to think of it, I didn¡¯t ask how many regions are participating in the assembly.¡¯ Considering the warning that harming the son of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword could turn all of Seoul against him, it seemed evident that the number of regions participating in the assembly would not be small. The nuance of the conversation he just had with the officer also indicated the significant power of the assembly. However, Seoul isposed of as many as 25 regions. Even if Gangnam Strongest Sword is remarkable, could all the Strongest Swords across Seoul have united in just a few days? ¡®Surely, there are regions that haven¡¯t participated in the assembly yet.¡¯ In that case, what would happen to those regions? Would they be considered enemies of the assembly or simply ssified as unexplored territories? ¡®The more I know, the moreplex it gets.¡¯ Yeongwoo shook his head in bewilderment and shifted his gaze to the urban area that was beginning to appear on his right. Then he noticed arge white building in the distance, with numerous people streaming in. ¡®What¡¯s that?¡¯ Furrowing his brow, he finally saw a red logo on the top of the building. It was none other than Homeplus. ¡®Could it be one of the shelters?¡¯ Considering the timing, it seemed likely. Or perhaps it was being used as a waiting area for ¡®customers¡¯ until the locations of the monsters were determined. ¡®They all seem impressive.¡¯ As Yeongwoo muttered his brief impression inwardly, his surroundings suddenly darkened. ¡°Whoa!¡± They had entered the Bongcheon Tunnel, which pierced the northern end of Mt. Gwanaksan. ¡®Damn, all the lights are out.¡¯ It was pitch ck inside the tunnel as if all the lights on the ceiling and walls had been petrified. ¡°Yeongwoo, are you okay?¡± Taeyoung, who had entered the tunnel btedly, shone the car headlights on Yeongwoo, who waved his hand to indicate he was fine. He realized that Negwig, the horse he was riding, had been running smoothly even after entering the tunnel. Perhaps this iron horse had the ability to sense objects even without light. ¡®I guess I received one proper gift.¡¯ As Yeongwoo patted Negwig¡¯s neck, indicating he trusted only him, the horse lifted its head slightly and made an indistinct sound. ¨C Nnay¡­! Then, it started to carry Yeongwoo at an even faster pace than before. Zoom, zoom! ¡°Hey, Yeongwoo!¡± Taeyoung, sensing Negwig¡¯s eleration, expressed his concern, but his voice soon faded away from Yeongwoo¡¯s ears. The distance between them and the vehicle had widened considerably, to the extent that the headlights did not reach Yeongwoo anymore. Soon, the regional status window refreshed. Pop! |The current area you¡¯re in is ¡®Gwanak.¡¯ |The Strongest Sword in this area is ¡®Jo Sangik01.¡¯ 1st generation, 22 defenses. They had already entered Gwanak after leaving Dongjak. ¡®Jo Sangik¡­ 01?¡¯ The first person among all Jo Sangiks nationwide to make contact with the currency exchange. Yeongwoo gazed nkly at the illuminated regional status amidst the pitch darkness. By this time, the other end of the tunnel was gradually brightening. It must be nearing the end of the tunnel. Zoom! Yeongwoo stared nkly at the brightly illuminated regional status amidst the pitch darkness. As Negwig elerated even further, Yeongwoo felt as if he were being pulled into the light. Wha-at! Then suddenly, everything outside became dazzlingly bright. ¡®¡­Ugh.¡¯ They had finally emerged from the tunnel. The rtive freshness of the air enveloped their faces like a blessing. However, what greeted Yeongwoo outside the tunnel wasn¡¯t just fresh air. Pop! As Yeongwoo¡¯s temporarily paralyzed vision returned, he found himself staring at about a dozen young individuals. ¡°What¡­ What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Monsters¡­?¡± ¡°Could there be monsters at this hour?¡± The faces of these individuals, as bewildered as Yeongwoo¡¯s, were contrasted by the presence of skilled individuals, each carrying a weapon at their waist. And above all¡­ ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Despite the hot weather in June, they were all wearing jackets. If the unfamiliar patterns on each jacket didn¡¯t give it away, it might have been mistaken for a hallucination. ¡°¡­¡± Yeongwoo stared at the young people gathered in front of the tunnel. Then, he recalled where he might be and reached a conclusion. ¡°Are you guys from Seoul National University by any chance?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± At that moment, everyone present seemed to gasp in unison. Woo-oong! A tremendous roar erupted from the sky as countless beams of light began to strike the ground. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 80 Chapter 80 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 80: Let Them See Gwanak (4) ¡°Huh!¡± ¡°Oh¡­!¡± The young men in jackets, as well as Yeongwoo himself, shifted their gaze to the sky as if mesmerized. Swoosh! The columns of light descending from the sky, tearing through the air, were none other than monster marks. Spat! Soon, a timer appeared in front of everyone who was looking up at the sky. [00:06:11] 6 minutes and 11 seconds. The time remaining until monsters and mutants appear on thisnd. ¡®The timing of the timer¡¯s appearance is different every day.¡¯ Yeongwoo recalled the monster timer he had seen in the past. On the first day, it was 25 minutes in Gumi, the second day, a mere 10 seconds in Sangju, and today, the third day¡­ 6 minutes. ¡®What¡¯s the difference? Is it purely random?¡¯ As Yeongwoo pondered while looking at the timer, the young men in jackets, who had been murmuring, began to focus their attention on the giant riding the iron horse, one by one. ¡°Um¡­.¡± Someone finally spoke up. When Yeongwoo turned his head towards the sound, he saw a sturdy young man standing there, his facial muscles tense. ¡°Yes. Please, go on.¡± As he encouraged the other person who had stopped speaking to finish the sentence, the whole area was in a state ofmotion again. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a real person.¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s that¡­?¡± In the crowd, someone referred to the iron horse rider as ¡°that thing.¡± Given the heavily equipped appearance of Yeongwoo, not to mention the Negwig he was riding, everyone had trouble gauging his identity, especially because of the Negwig, which looked like it didn¡¯t belong in this world. ¡°I am Kim Daewon from Seoul National University. I¡¯m here to prevent monsters from appearing in the area. Excuse me, but may I ask why you¡¯re here, sir?¡± The sturdy young man carefully chose his words as he looked up at Yeongwoo, who was elevated due to being on the Negwig. But the situation was the same for the inaction. The young men in the audience seemed to sense that as well. ¡°¡­ ¡­ ¡­¡± Despite outnumbering them by far and knowing that monsters would pour in from all directions in 6 minutes, no one drew a sword. ¡®As expected of Seoul National University.¡¯ Yeongwoo nodded as he looked at the jackets worn by the young men in front of him. As expected, everyone here was wearing ¡°Seoul National University Club Jackets.¡± ¡°So, does Seoul National University monopolize the monsters in Gwanak? I heard that Seoul has to both permit and catch monsters.¡± Based on the information he had heard from the previous encounter, when Yeongwoo asked, Kim Daewon¡¯s stiff expression rxed slightly. ¡®He¡¯s not from Seoul¡­ but at least he¡¯s heard about the guidance.¡¯ Daewon¡¯s eyes quickly scanned the two knives tucked into the outsider¡¯s waist. Luckily, there was no blood on them. Unless he deliberately cleaned the knives, it meant he hadn¡¯t killed any guards on the way here. ¡°We only handle monsters near our school, and the monster business is entrusted to the Gwanak Police Station.¡± monster business. It seemed to refer to the monster business mentioned by the guards. ¡°So, if I were to intervene with the monsters in Gwanak, it could cause trouble.¡± The other party was so polite that Yeongwoo tried to speak as politely as possible, but Daewon and the Seoul National University students couldn¡¯t help but feel tense. Isn¡¯t the opponent a stranger who just arrived from outside? ¡®Knowing our rules and epting them are two separate issues. Moreover, seeing him loaded with equipment like that¡­.¡¯ Daewon¡¯s gaze left the Negwig andnded on all the equipment Yeongwoo was wearing. Starting from the rugged helmet worn backward on his head, to the hands protected by golden gloves, and even the live snake wrapped around his wrist, anyone who had some knowledge of this world could only think this way when they saw this giant. ¡®He must have killed everything, monsters or mutants, that got in his way to get here. It seems like he encountered many merchants too.¡¯ Therefore, it was natural that Yeongwoo¡¯s question about intervening with the monsters here sounded like a kind of threat. ¡°Um, well¡­ for now, I can cooperate with the monsters in this area on my own terms.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± But Yeongwoo didn¡¯t actually intend to take away the young men¡¯s livelihoods. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask about fighting over monsters. Then, does Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword handle mutants alone?¡± ¡­! Mutants, and Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword. As the two words came out of Yeongwoo¡¯s mouth, the atmosphere suddenly became chilly. ¡°Is the reason you came here to deal with mutants?¡± A much sharper tone than before. Yeongwoo looked at the other person nkly. ¡°Yes, but¡­ It looks like Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword is affiliated with Seoul National University.¡± He thought the de mighte flying at any moment. That¡¯s because most of the areas Yeongwoo has been through so far were like that. However, Seoul National University students, including Kim Daewon, showed no intent to kill until the end. Because the Golden sh of sensory deprivation did not go off. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Daewon said this and bowed his head towards Yeongwoo. ¡°Although I don¡¯t have the authority to represent the school, I still request that you leave. Please leave Gwanak.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Another change. Yeongwoo lost his words as he looked at Daewon¡¯s expression. In fact, it was almost like saying ¡°get lost from our area,¡± but this polite ¡°get lost¡± was the first since the reset. ¡®Seoul National University¡­.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ording to the guard who guided him, Seoul National University devised the Seoul rotation, and this school also yed a role as the government¡¯s brain. So if this ce turned into a battlefield with outsiders, it would be troublesome in many ways. But. [00:04:11] There were only 4 minutes left. It was somewhatte to go to another area, and Yeongwoo needed to deal with mutants today. [Golden Flood] Summon the Golden Rain in five or more areas. (4/5) [Dogo] ¡°Strong Tiger¡¯s Early Appearance¡± [Mission] Engage in 0/2 duels with targets with a total ability score of 3,000 or higher. [Reward] 5 million karma [Special] You must disclose the fact of Dogo¡¯s support in this duel. With the ¡°Golden Flood¡± and ¡°Strong Tiger¡¯s Early Appearance¡± about to be cleared, postponing the mutant extermination in this situation where he didn¡¯t know when he would encounter the Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword driven by revenge would be suicidal. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. If I give up on the mutants, I¡¯ll be in trouble. But I have no intention of harming others, so let me talk directly with Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword.¡± When Yeongwoo ultimately declined the offer, the faces of the Seoul National University side turned pale. ¡°Fighting between Strongest Swords in the city center is strictly prohibited. If you vite this, you will be pursued by other Strongest Swords.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Pursued by other Strongest Swords. Once again, Yeongwoo felt ¡°Seoul¡± from Daewon¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s already happening.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡± Ignoring Daewon¡¯s dazed expression, Yeongwoo looked towards the tunnel direction. Inside the dim tunnel, something gradually brightened. It was Taeyoung and Jongsu finally emerging from the tunnel. ¡°Hyung!¡± Jongsu leaned out of the patrol car that arrived at the scene with the sound of the engine. Then, seeing the Seoul National University students lined up in front of Yeongwoo, he widened his eyes. Of course, the Seoul National University side was equally surprised. Taeyoung, driving the patrol car, looked unmistakably like a real police officer. [00:03:21] Meanwhile, the remaining time had decreased to 3 minutes. ¡°Are the police in Gwanak also public security personnel? I¡¯m asking if my group might be attacked by people first.¡± At this, Daewon shook his head with a troubled expression. ¡°At least in Gwanak, that won¡¯t happen.¡± A strange answer. But for now, that was enough, so Yeongwoo tightened the reins again. * * * It wasn¡¯t until after the confrontation with the Seoul National University students that they realized the end of Bongcheon Tunnel was adjacent to the main gate of Seoul National University. As they left the scene and looked back, they could see thendmark of Seoul National University¡¯s main gate in the distance. And beyond that, there was a muchrger crowd bustling busily than the students they had seen in club jackets earlier. ¡®What the.. there must be hundreds of them.¡¯ Perhaps that was the main force of Seoul National University. However, there was no time to confirm it firsthand. [00:02:42] Time remaining until the appearance of mutants, 2 minutes and 42 seconds. During this time, Yeongwoo bid farewell to Taeyoung and Jongsu, who had narrowed the distance considerably. ¡°I think I should head towards the mutants first. At this rate, I won¡¯t arrive on time.¡± Upon hearing this, Jongsu in the passenger seat pointed towards the distant red pirs of light and said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, just go ahead. We¡¯ll follow slowly!¡± ¡°Yes. Please try to avoid any conflicts with the people here if possible.¡± Although Jongsu had a somewhat challenging personality, with Taeyoung, a police officer to the core, everything should be fine. Yeongwoo conveyed through his eyes to Taeyoung that he was counting on him, then immediately nudged the Negwig¡¯s side. -Vvweeeeek! Responding to Yeongwoo¡¯s signal, the Negwig lowered its head momentarily before elerating. ng! As the steel hooves struck the asphalt road forcefully, fragments flew in all directions, and the scenery Yeongwoo had been watching began to recede rapidly. ¡®Incredible. How much faster can it go?¡¯ Yeongwoo looked at the distant red pirs of light, still quite far away. [00:02:20] ¡°Now we only have 2 minutes left. Can we get to that red spot as quickly as possible?¡± In response to Yeongwoo¡¯s words, the Negwig seemed to turn back for the first time. -Vviek. It was as if rather than asking if it was possible, but whether it was okay. So instead of answering, Yeongwoo tightened the reins of the Negwig firmly. And then. Vweeek! Steam gushed out fiercely from the Negwig¡¯s body, just like when it first appeared. ¡°Uh, wait¡­!¡± Feeling uneasy for some reason, Yeongwoo tried to pull the reins, but it was toote. -Kwieeeek¡­! The Negwig had already started to sprint at full speed. Boom! The noise was so loud that it felt like a bomb had exploded. It would be some time before everyone in the area heard that sound. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 81 Chapter 81 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 81: Let Them See Gwanak (5) Kwaaaah! Negwig¡¯s high-speed driving was truly amazing. The buildings passing by on both sides looked like lingering scars. However, there were side effects as well. That is. ¡°Kyaaah!¡± ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s a monster!¡± ¡°Has the mutant already¡­?¡± It was highly unsuitable to pass through crowded ces. In various parts of Gwanak-gu, there were crowds of ¡°monster entrepreneurs¡± police officers waiting for the monsters to appear and their customers gathered together. However, amidst this, something riding on an iron horse approached, emitting steam, causing amotion all at once. ¡°Help me!¡± ¡°What are you doing? Stop it quickly!¡± Customers urged Gwanak police officers, who were monster entrepreneurs, to act quickly, and some of them ran away without even looking back. ¡°Damn it.¡± With the situation like this, Gwanak police officers couldn¡¯t help but draw their swords. They naturally didn¡¯t think the opponent would be human. -Kwiieeek! Of course, Negwig didn¡¯t go around hitting people. Kwak! Just before colliding with people, he leaped high forward. Shiaaaat! ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± As the officers who were inbat posture raised their heads, white steam was seen drawing a huge arc all the way to the far distance. And the unidentified intruder had already disappeared from sight. * * * ¡®He leaves traces everywhere he goes¡¯ In just a few hours in Seoul, at least a thousand witnesses were made. ¡®It shouldn¡¯t be that difficult for Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword to find me.¡¯ Yeongwoo looked back while hanging on Negwig¡¯s back, but he couldn¡¯t see the scene from earlier. It was because the distance was too far. Instead, the red pir of light, the problem, was now really close. Kwaaaah¡­¡­! The sound of the pir of light shooting was reaching his ears. ¡®He¡¯s alreadye this far from that distant ce¡­?¡¯ It was amazing, but there was no time to gauge Negwig¡¯s maximum speed. [00:01:33] It was supposed to be 1 minute and 33 seconds before the mutant arrived here. ¡®Where is the Strongest Sword of Gwanak?¡¯ As he turned his head towards the direction where the sound of the pir of light wasing from, he saw a sturdy bridge over the river on the other side, dimly lit. It was because the symbol of Gwanak¡¯s mutant was hanging down at the spacious intersection beyond. Kwaaaah¡­¡­! The red pir of light swirling fiercely with the momentum to swallow everything. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yeongwoo briefly nced at the pir of light, then noticed a middle-aged man in a suit sitting in the middle of the bridge over the river. And above the man¡¯s head was a shining title. ¡ºGwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword.¡» ¡®That¡¯s him.¡¯ Gwanak Strongest Sword, Jo Sangik 01. The man was obliviously staring at the red pir of light without knowing that an outsider had arrived. Upon this, Yeongwoo subtly pulled Negwig¡¯s reins. -Kwiiik! As Negwig lifted his head along with the reins and snorted, the Strongest Sword on the bridge finally turned around. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The man¡¯s eyes touched the ck iron horse, then shifted to a vague point. [00:01:21] He was probably checking the mutant timer. 1 minute and 21 seconds. As the man slowly stood up from his seat, Yeongwoo slowly urged Negwig forward towards the bridge. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect a guest. It¡¯s not a good time. I am Jo Sangik.¡± Gwanak Strongest Sword Jo Sangik 01 greeted while keeping his gaze fixed in the air. Estimated to be in his early 50s, he looked very neat in a navy suit with a military blue tie. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Jeong Yeongwoo.¡± In contrast, Yeongwoo, wearing sports attire with various equipment scattered around, looked utterly perplexing. -Shiit. Even the Serpent of Greed wrapped around his wrist stared at Jo Sangik with a flickering tongue. More precisely, it was staring at the huge sword he held in his right hand. It was the snake¡¯s characteristic to always gaze at rare items. ¡®Is that mutant equipment?¡¯ Yeongwoo was also curious about the identity of the sword, but he put off the question for more important matters. ¡°I¡¯vee to deal with the mutant.¡± ¡°So it seems.¡± Both Strongest Swords checked the timer simultaneously. [00:01:07] 1 minute and 7 seconds. After checking the time, Jo Sangik was the first to speak. ¡°It seems to be your first time in Seoul.¡± ¡°Yes. But I¡¯ve heard the stories roughly.¡± ¡°Then you must know that you are about to vite the regtions.¡± All disputes within Seoul could only be resolved within the meeting in Yongsan Park. And the Strongest Sword of each area had priority over mutants in their respective regions. So, for Yeongwoo to confront a mutant in Gwanak-gu, he would have to attend the meeting first, im the position of Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword, and then officially engage inbat. However, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t have the luxury to wait until the meeting at 3 p.m. ¡°If you concede, I won¡¯t have to vite the regtions.¡± As Yeongwoo uttered these words and dismounted from Negwig, his shoes, the unique-grade footwear called ¡°Illusion,¡± made a clinking sound as they hit the ground. ng! At that moment, Jo Sangik showed signs of hesitation for the first time. It wasmon sense in this world that beings of the Strongest Sword level inevitably remained barefoot. Gwanak Strongest Sword Jo Sangik also exposed his bare feet as much as his body, incongruent with the suit he wore. Usually, he wore shoes, but since they would inevitably burst when fighting mutants, he deliberately waited barefoot. ¡°¡­So what you¡¯re wearing now is also equipment. May I ask where you¡¯re from?¡± Finally, Gwanak Strongest Sword showed curiosity about Yeongwoo¡¯s background. Yeongwoo responded by patting his chest. Paah! ¡ºGyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± Jo Sangik, upon seeing Yeongwoo¡¯s title, involuntarily groaned. It was because he had also agreed to the basis of his opponent¡¯s ongoing confidence. Gyeongbuk¡­ As a unified Strongest Sword of a major region, it was natural not to fear a Strongest Sword of a single district in Seoul. [00:00:48] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Now, there were 48 seconds left. Jo Sangik looked at Yeongwoo with a much more anxious expression than before. Then, for the first time, he uttered a sentence mixed with emotion. ¡°Why did youe specifically to Gwanak?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°As Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword, you must be stronger than me. Since there¡¯s only one life, I have no choice but to step back.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Although Gwanak Strongest Sword was likely mistaken, Yeongwoo pretended to sleep on it for now. ¡°But ultimately, because of this, the position of Seoul National University will greatly diminish during the meeting.¡± ¡°Is it because the Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword might be about 3 million karma weakerpared to other Strongest Swords?¡± As Yeongwoo asked this, Jo Sangik chuckled. ¡°Simply put, yes. But it¡¯s not such a simple matter.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Yeongwoo vaguely understood what Jo Sangik was trying to say. The Strongest Swords¡¯ meeting would be a tense atmosphere. Participants would all be murderers who had spilled blood on their hands, and among them, there would be crazies who transcendedmon sense. However, since they didn¡¯t yet know each other¡¯s strengths properly, they were just testing each other under the pretext of regtions. At least, that¡¯s what Yeongwoo, who had experienced many Strongest Swords in the provinces, thought. [00:00:21] 21 seconds left. Now it had be a time where even talking felt like a luxury. ¡°There¡¯s no other way.¡± Swish. In the end, Jo Sangik stepped aside and opened the way. Without even exchanging a single blow, he conceded the mutant solely based on the opponent¡¯s title. ¡°You¡¯re giving up too easily.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it better than dying? If I die, Gwanak will turn into awless zone again within two days. There won¡¯t be anyone trying to maintain order.¡± Because he carried such a heavy burden, he couldn¡¯t afford to take risks. ¡°¡­.¡± Yet there were stories heard at the outskirts of Seoul that hinted at great arrogance. It was said that Seoul University had essentially taken on the role of the government¡¯s leadership. Perhaps the idea of gathering Strongest Swords in one ce also originated from this side. [00:00:09] Now there were 9 seconds left. ng. Yeongwoo took a step forward and asked Gwanak Strongest Sword Jo Sangik. ¡°But what did you do before? You seem too old to be a Seoul University student. Are you perhaps one of the professors?¡± At this, Jo Sangik¡¯s expression momentarily went nk. Then, with a gaze reminiscent of a professor looking at a disciple, he said. ¡°I was the Deputy Minister of nning and Finance. I¡¯m also one of the directors at Seoul University.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± His extensive background exined many things. Perhaps it was someone from the Ministry of nning and Finance who came up with the absurd n of carrying Strongest Swords on their backs and conducting the monster business to make money through reconnaissance quests. A former Deputy Minister of nning and Finance. A current Strongest Sword. There was a reason why Strongest Swords, akin to monsters, quietly obeyed all sorts of regtions. *Kwwoooong!* Eventually, the red pir of light on the other side of the bridge began to push the surrounding air, swaying. [00:00:02] Only 2 seconds left. *Kwarung!* A dazzling bolt of lightning struck from the distant sky connected to the red pir of light. The mutant assigned to Gwanak-gu was preparing to descend. ¡®Luckily, I received the mutant, but¡­ Can I handle it alone?¡¯ Yeongwoo, fixing his gaze above the pir of light, drew the ck sword from his waist. *Chwaah!* Of course, he could call his mutant friend Yeongtae again and use ¡°Blue Blood¡± for strength doping. But the uing fight was not just any ordinary one. ¡®Another option is right in front of me.¡¯ *Kwajijik!* Finally, a sound like the tearing of the sky was heard, and from the top of the pir of light, a chilling groan echoed. ¡¸Grrraaah¡­!¡¹ It must be the voice of the mutant. However, Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t looking at the pir of light at that moment. ¡°Deputy Minister, if you¡¯re okay with it, let¡¯s make a deal.¡± His gaze was now fixed on Jo Sangik. ¡°Why are you suddenly talking about a deal? Right, right over there¡­!¡± Jo Sangik, who had been watching Yeongwoo from above, suddenly panicked. ¡°Ugh!¡± At the same time, a tremendous movement was felt from above the pir of light. *Swaeaeaeaeak!* It seemed a mutant was descending from beyond the sky. ¡°H-Hey!¡± While Jo Sangik was screaming, Yeongwoo borated on the terms of the deal. ¡°If you help me eliminate the mutant, I¡¯ll scatter 30,000 karma throughout Gwanak-gu.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°If you can find just 100 Seoul University students, it¡¯ll be 3 million karma.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± A 52-year-old Jo Sangik, who was a former Deputy Minister of nning and Finance and the current Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword with both civil and martial skills, suddenly realized. Perhaps he had been deceived by the grandiose title of his opponent. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 82 Chapter 82 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 82: Stubborn (1) ¡°Are you really saying that you don¡¯t have the ability to fight mutants on your own? At this point?¡± Jo Sangik¡¯s angry face turned red. ¡°Then what about the title¡­? How did you be the Strongest Sword in Gyeongbuk?¡± A voice full of confusion. Nevertheless, he had already taken abat posture. Because it was more important to kill the mutant within this intersection than to engage in a clumsy fight with that crazy Strongest Sword right now. Just a little away from here are the Gwanak-gu residents performing the ¡°Seoul Rotation¡±. Although the police, who also act as monster hunters, are escorting citizens, in front of the mutants, whether they are police or citizens, they are all just a punch away. Therefore, the current top priority was to exterminate the mutants. ¡®Let¡¯s kill the mutant first, and then think about that guyter.¡¯ Jo Sangik muttered inwardly as he gripped his sword. And in the meantime, the mutant of the third day descended from the sky andnded in the middle of the intersection. Kwoooong! ¡°Ugh.¡± As soon as the mutantnded, a storm of ck dust swept through the area, and the two Strongest Swords had to step back, covering their faces with their hands. It was because asphalt fragments scattered in all directions as if a grenade had exploded. Ting, ting, ping! The metallic equipment worn by Yeongwoo emitted strange sounds incessantly. Asphalt fragments were pounding against the surface of the equipment. Of course, parts of the body not covered by the equipment had to endure it with bare flesh. Pup, pup! Even Yeongwoo, whose durability had been raised to thousands, felt a tingling sensation, so if an ordinary person were standing here, their body would have been torn to shreds. ¡°Let¡¯s solve the mutant problem first and then talk again. We can¡¯t let that guy escape from here under any circumstances.¡± Jo Sangik¡¯s voice came from the dust. Although they would have to cooperate unavoidably, it meant that civilian casualties would not be tolerated. Upon this, Yeongwoo also nodded while drawing his sword. ¡°Okay. I don¡¯t want innocent people to suffer either.¡± Of course, there was no discussion about the options that would be given after defeating the mutants. Therefore, there was also a possibility that Jo Sangik wouldunch a surprise attack after the mutants were cleaned up. ¡®But by then, my abilities won¡¯t be easy to deal with. I¡¯ll be able to end the Strong Tiger¡¯s Early Appearance Challenge with this battle.¡¯ The karma reward obtainable from the Strong Tiger¡¯s Early Appearance Challenge was a whopping 5 million. After obtaining this, even if he were to engage in a solo showdown with Jo Sangik, he wouldn¡¯t fall behind significantly. ¡®But it¡¯s a story after surviving from the mutant.¡¯ Yeongwoo ced his hand on another sword that he hadn¡¯t drawn yet, watching a huge presence rising from within the front dust. Thud! ¡¸Underdog¡¹ ¨C Mutant one-handed sword ¡¾Increases damage to targetsrger than the user by 25%.¡¿ Underdog. This weapon was taken from the now deceased Chungju¡¯s Strongest Sword. The reason Yeongwooid his hand on this sword was because the mutant¡¯s size this time was clearlyrger than his own. Thud! With an ominous friction sound, something with arge shadow began to walk out of the dust cloud. Thud! The heavy footsteps of the opponent could be felt. Kwoong! From the second step onwards, both Strongest Swords could see the opponent¡¯s name tag. [Businessman ¨C Kim Taejoon] ¡®Kim Taejoon? Could it be that Kim Taejoon¡­?¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s pupils dted. It was because there was someone with exactly that name among the famous people he knew. It was Kim Taejoon, the founder and CEO of the major game developmentpany VC Soft. Commonly known as TJ. Even people who weren¡¯t familiar with games had heard his name, as VC Soft¡¯s games had been hits one after another, but they also had a notorious reputation for their aggressive microtransactions. ¡®But still¡­ Was he considered for annihtion?¡¯ After all, it was a system where if you received a rtivelyrge number of votes, you could be listed, so nothing was impossible. ¡®I never thought I¡¯d meet Kim Taejoon like this.¡¯ Until he went down to Gumi, Yeongwoo had been doing game broadcasts in Seoul, so it was a strange feeling. And it seemed that Kim Taejoon, the main character, felt the same. ¡¸Ah¡­ I feel weird.¡¹ Kwoong! As Kim Taejoonpletely emerged from the dust cloud after the third step, his towering figure, reaching three meters in height, was revealed. Skin made of ivory-colored granite. Shoulders overly broad, and arms even more exaggerated than that. Although his lower body also looked sturdy, it couldn¡¯tpare to the upper body that seemed as if a mountain had been ced on it. ¡°A¡­ a golem?¡± As Yeongwoo muttered without realizing it, Kim Taejoon, who heard him, looked at him. Then, he raised his hand made of stone and inspected it, widening his eyes. ¡¸My goodness. It¡¯s really a golem.¡¹ Yeongwoo confirmed from this dialogue that the mutant he was facing right now was indeed ¡®Kim Taejoon.¡¯ Which mutant in this world would not be impressed by the fact that they had turned into a golem? Considering Kim Taejoon¡¯s childhood involvement in game development, it was entirely possible. Thud! Then, Kim Taejoon turned his head and surveyed the entire intersection neatly cleared. Then. ¡¸This is the ce to raid me.¡¹ The current situation was condensed into a very simple sentence. ¡¸More importantly, where are the others? How long has it been since the reset?¡¹ It wasmon for mutants to be curious about the passage of time. However, for the first time, Kim Taejoon was also asking about the whereabouts of other people. It didn¡¯t seem like he was looking for people to massacre, judging by the nuance. ¡°It¡¯s now the third day since the reset. And the others are safe. We¡¯re the only ones who came out to greet Taejoon.¡± As Yeongwoo exined this, Kim Taejoon¡¯s expression brightened. ¡¸Three days¡­? Really? Where are the people?¡¹ Then, Jo Sangik interjected with a stern voice. ¡°Why are you looking for people? You can¡¯t leave here anyway. Why do you think we¡¯re here?¡± To Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword Jo Sangik, Kim Taejoon was both a source of abundant karma and a disaster threatening civilians just by his presence. In other words, he was a target that must be killed here, no matter what. On the other hand, Kim Taejoon¡¯s perspective was different. ¡¸If it¡¯s only been three days, my family must be somewhere safe. I don¡¯t intend to harm anyone, so please just let me find my family.¡¹ ¡°Ah¡­¡± Upon hearing Kim Taejoon¡¯s words, Yeongwoo immediately understood the situation. Hadn¡¯t he experienced a simr case in Mungyeong? It was the story of Jang Daemyung, who had returned as a mutant just to meet his father again. ¡®That¡¯s right. From the mutant¡¯s perspective, it¡¯s like they¡¯ve been separated from their families in an instant. They might prioritize confirming the safety of their families over seeking revenge.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Even Yeongwoo, an orphan of heaven, had moved to find his father upon learning of his existence. So what about someone who had originally been within the fence of their family? Yeongwoo felt a touch of sympathy. However, Jo Sangik¡¯s subsequent response couldn¡¯t be considered wrong either. ¡°Yes. I understand what you mean, but realistically, it¡¯s impossible. Even if I were to send you, Taejoon, would the other Strongest Swords just sit idly by? And it¡¯s absurd to even think about finding family members whose whereabouts are unknown in the first ce.¡± At this, Kim Taejoon, who had been silently listening, suddenly frowned in anger. ¡¸My wife and children know that I¡¯lle back as a monster. So if I just make it known that I¡¯m here, they¡¯ll find a way toe to me.¡¹ ¡°¡­!¡± It was a statement that couldn¡¯t be made without tremendous trust. In this absurd conversation, Yeongwoo was deeply moved. But as he watched Kim Taejoon¡¯s increasingly distorted body, he sensed that the end of this conversation was approaching. ¡°Taejoon.¡± As Yeongwoo calmly interjected into the conversation between the two, Kim Taejoon responded with a much rougher tone than before. ¡¸What is it?¡¹ ¡°As the gentleman said, it¡¯s almost impossible for you to find your family in your current state. In Seoul, there are dozens of other Strongest Swords besides us.¡± Of course, Kim Taejoon would have been willing to kill all those Strongest Swords if necessary to find his family. So Yeongwoo quickly added: ¡°But there is another way. It may not be to your liking, though.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± With a stern expression, Jo Sangik interjected, while Kim Taejoon showed interest. ¡¸What is it?¡¹ Yeongwoo then extended his right hand. ¡°It¡¯s a handshake.¡± ¡°A handshake?¡± Jo Sangik reacted with utter surprise, while Kim Taejoon¡¯s face brightened slightly. ¡¸A handshake¡­ I¡¯ve heard that it¡¯s used when one regrets returning as a mutant. But how does that be a solution?¡¹ Kim Taejoon made his right hand glow blue and disyed an icon of a door on his palm. ¡°What¡­?¡± In an unprecedented event, Jo Sangik widened his eyes, and sensing a glimmer of hope, Yeongwoo extended a pumpkin-colored magicmp towards Kim Taejoon. ¡°If you shake hands with me¡­ um, that is, you can be something like the genie of thismp. Like Genie.¡± This was the best exnation Yeongwoo could offer. ¡°It won¡¯t be for a long time, but I can summon you twice a day, Taejoon. Usually, I call for help during battles, but¡­ I can also call you when I find your family, Taejoon.¡± By Yeongwoo¡¯s standards, Kim Taejoon was not a criminal. He hadn¡¯t returned as a mutant tomit murder, nor had hemitted any major crimes as a human. So Yeongwoo didn¡¯t lie to lure him. As mentioned earlier, it was a method that Kim Taejoon probably wouldn¡¯t like. ¡¸In other words¡­ it¡¯s like entrusting my family¡¯s search to aplete stranger and willingly confining myself to that belief.¡¹ ¡°That¡¯s the idea. But there¡¯s no better alternative. Even if you kill us and escape from here, you¡¯ll have to fight other Strongest Swords again. The whole world will attack you, Taejoon.¡± ¡¸I¡¯ve already experienced that firsthand. Do you have anything else to say?¡¹ Kim Taejoon demanded the final word. As expected, the negotiation had failed. At this, Yeongwoo nodded as if to acknowledge, then pointed into the empty space and said seriously: ¡°¡­It can¡¯t be helped. This battle will be conducted with the support of the intergctic weapons brand Dogo.¡± ¡¸¡­Huh?¡¹ ¡°I am Jeong Yeongwoo 07, a human being of the Earth and the strongest man of Gyeongbuk.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 83 Chapter 83 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 83: Stubborn (2) As Yeongwoo revealed the support of Dogo, a wedge-shaped logo was drawn along the trajectory of the de when he pulled out ¡®Underdog¡¯. Whoa! Kim Taejoon¡¯s eyes widened at the clearly impressive effect, but it was Jo Sangik who was the most surprised among the audience. Although he had met various Strongest Swords through the assembly, this was the first time he had seen something like this. ¡®What on earth is this person¡­?¡¯ The feeling of strength still didn¡¯te through. But there was definitely something. Something different from mere strength. Sut! Finally, Yeongwoo spoke as he held the Underdog. ¡°The friend who is with me right now didn¡¯t reach out from the beginning. So let¡¯s settle things first.¡± It was a statement implying that his thoughts might change after being hit. Kim Taejoon, who had been looking down at him, raised his granite chin and turned his eyes to the sky. ¡¸Well, can you handle me? I feel like the heavens have given me enough power.¡¹ Then, with a colder look than before, he looked at Yeongwoo again. ¡¸If every Strongest Sword is going to attack me from now on, then I should take care of you two first.¡¹ Kim Taejoon was very quick to make decisions. ¡¸I¡¯m sorry.¡¹ With this significant statement, his pale white body writhed. Ttuk. At the same time, an unbelievable message appeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s field of vision. ¡¸The sensory value has temporarily increased from the existing 600 to 2,144.¡¹ The Golden sh had stolen Kim Taejoon¡¯s sensory value of 1,544. This meant that his basic sensory value exceeded 3,000. ¡®Nonsense!¡¯ There was no time to be silently shocked. The Gyeongbuk Sword Law was immediately ordering to depart in response to the opponent¡¯s attack. Taat! As Yeongwoo hurriedly moved back, almost at the same moment, a rock fist came down and struck the ground. Kwajak! ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°This¡­!¡± Both Yeongwoo and Jo Sangik were astonished at the unbelievable speed of the attack. ¡®Why is it so fast?¡¯ If that attack hade towards them, could they have dodged it immediately? Facing abat power markedly different from that of the second day mutant, Jo Sangik felt a chilling sensation down his spine. ¡¸Guaat!¡¹ Meanwhile, Kim Taejoon, who had punched the ground, swept the ground upwards, sending asphalt waves towards the two Strongest Swords. Kwakwakwakwak! Although the vision of both Yeongwoo and Jo Sangik turned pitch ck for a moment, the Strongest Sword¡¯s technique worked even when their sight waspletely obscured. The order to maneuver sideways to avoid the attack was transmitted to both Yeongwoo and Jo Sangik. Tat! Pat! As the two of them instinctively withdrew their bodies in different directions, Kim Taejoon realized that the consecutive two evasions were not a coincidence. ¡¸The world has be interesting. So this is what it means to be a Strongest Sword.¡¹ However, the two Strongest Swords didn¡¯t hear that line. They were already swinging their swords at Kim Taejoon from both sides, trying to corner him to the death. Whoosh! Finally, the first attack from the two Strongest Swordsmenced. Jo Sangik swung his Gokdo, while Yeongwoo wielded the ck Sword, aiming forcefully at their opponent¡¯s torso. However, strangely, the only battle mark that appeared in the sight of the two Strongest Swords was all destruction. This meant that the current attack would at best disrupt the posture of the opponent. And indeed. Crash! Before the des of the two Strongest Swords could touch Kim Taejoon¡¯s body, they were both grabbed by his hands. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Yeongwoo was surprised that even Jo Sangik, whose abilities were obviously much higher than his own, had his sword caught. Conversely, Jo Sangik sighed at the fact that the level of the Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword was not significantly different from his own. Moreover, both Strongest Swords couldn¡¯t even pull their swords out of Kim Taejoon¡¯s grasp. ¡°Do¡­ Do you have no other tactics?¡± As a bewildered Jo Sangik seemed to ask Yeongwoo toe up with something more, Yeongwoo extended the length of the ck Sword to five meters, increasing the distance between him and Kim Taejoon. Shyaat! A kind of emergency escape. Then, instead of Kim Taejoon, Yeongwoo threw Underdog high into the air above his head. Swish! ¡°What¡¯s going on right now¡­?¡± While Jo Sangik made an incredulous expression, Yeongwoo even let go of the handle of the ck Sword he was holding. Next. Bang! He dashed straight towards the back of Kim Taejoon, who was still facing off against Jo Sangik. ¡°This guy¡­!¡± In a manner that looked like an escape to anyone, a curse burst from Jo Sangik¡¯s mouth, and at that moment, Kim Taejoon¡¯s expression changed strangely. ¡¸Huh¡­?¡¹ It was because the ck Sword he had been holding suddenly began to produce tremendous power. As if it would burst out at any moment. So Kim Taejoon strengthened his grip on the sword with even more force. Swish! His body was forcefully pulled backward. ¡¸Ah!¡¹ The ck Sword, receiving a remote retrievalmand, began to return to its owner while still entangled with Kim Taejoon. Thud! As the center of his body became disoriented and his two legs began to grind against the asphalt floor, Kim Taejoon¡¯s face showed bewilderment for the first time. In addition to this. Whoosh! From the dark sky above, a tremendous sound of destruction resounded. It was the Underdog that Yeongwoo had thrown high returning. ¡®What¡¯s all this?¡¯ Even Jo Sangik, who was hanging on to Kim Taejoon along with his sword, was equally astonished. Although he had asked for something more from the Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword, he hadn¡¯t expected such a skill. Swiftly, Kim Taejoon let go of both the ck Sword and the Gokdo, regaining the center of his body. Then, he barely managed to strike down the Underdog that flew at him like a bullet. Boom! With a tremendous roar, mes erupted. At the same time, granite fragments wrapped in dust scattered in all directions. ¡¸Huh¡­?¡¹ Kim Taejoon¡¯s left palm was partially cracked from hitting the Underdog. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] It was a moment that proved the effectiveness of the formidable weapon, Underdog. ¡¾Increases power by 25% against targetsrger than the user.¡¿ And it was also a moment that confirmed that Kim Taejoon¡¯s granite body was not invincible. ¡®But why isn¡¯t the infliction of pain activating?¡¯ Yeongwoo titled his head as he looked at the returning Underdog covered in dust. Didn¡¯t the Golden Punishment inflict pain just by touching the opponent¡¯s body with the weapon? But this time, Kim Taejoon, despite the damage to his body, showed no signs of suffering. ¡®Could it be that those rocks are all some kind of shield?¡¯ If that were the case, it meant that until that outer shell waspletely removed, the Golden Punishment couldn¡¯t be utilized. ¡°¡­.¡± As Yeongwoo was about to sigh in the darkened vision, Kim Taejoon attacked Jo Sangik alone this time. He had decided to reduce the opponent¡¯s numbers from the head. ¡¸Die!¡¹ Kim Taejoon, who had sustained injuries from the two unions, was much more excited than before. Even though there were dozens more Strongest Swords outside this intersection, he was deeply disappointed that he couldn¡¯t even suppress just two of them. Bang! Kim Taejoon¡¯s furious fist pounded the ground in session. It was due to the advice of the Gwanak¡¯s Sword Technique to only avoid instead of blocking the sword. However, it didn¡¯t mean there was room for counterattack. Kim Taejoon was a monster who exceeded both strength and sensory values of most Strongest Swords. Bang! ¡°This, hey!¡± Having barely evaded Kim Taejoon¡¯s third attack by a hair¡¯s breadth, Jo Sangik finally requested support from Yeongwoo. ¡°Weren¡¯t we supposed to cooperate earlier? What happened?¡± Of course, Yeongwoo hadn¡¯t deliberately refrained from participating in the battle. It was just that Kim Taejoon¡¯s fists had made Jo Sangik move back and forth, prolonging the perceived time. ¡°Hold on a little longer, I¡¯ll figure something out.¡± As Yeongwoo said this, he was already close to Kim Taejoon¡¯s back. ¡®It seems difficult to prate that outer shell with the ck Sword, so I¡¯ll have to keep attacking with the Underdog.¡¯ The Gyeongbuk¡¯s Sword Law also proposed tactics that were not much different from Yeongwoo¡¯s thoughts. After throwing the sword again, it suggested attacking remotely. But how many more times would he have to use that method to chip away at Kim Taejoon¡¯s outer shell? ¡®Before that, I might get hit first. It was really close earlier.¡¯ Perhaps Gyeongbuk¡¯s Sword Law couldn¡¯t find a sharp answer either and was repeating the same advice as before. After all, it couldn¡¯t advise suicide against an unbeatable opponent. ¡°¡­.¡± Although Yeongwoo had some doubts about the guidance of the Gyeongbuk Sword Law for the first time, there was no other way. ¡®Well, I have no choice. Let¡¯s see how Kim Taejoon responds this time.¡¯ In the end, Yeongwoo decided to follow the advice of the Gyeongbuk Sword Law once again. Whaam! Then, after throwing Underdog high above Kim Taejoon¡¯s head¡­ Crash! He dashed forward with the ck Sword gripped in both hands. ¡°Hyuap!¡± A diagonal sh with all his might. Simultaneously, he recalled the previously thrown Underdog from afar and executed a dual-sided attack. Stter! When the formidable noise, simr to before, echoed, Kim Taejoon, who was chasing Jo Sangik, stopped his pursuit and looked back. ¡¸Am I going to fall for the same trick twice?¡¹ Then, he easily caught Yeongwoo¡¯s ck Sword, which was swinging with the Dogo¡¯s spiky pattern. Thunk! The same development as before. And then, Kim Taejoon deflected Underdog, and it was Yeongwoo¡¯s turn to elongate his ck Sword and retreat. ¡°¡­.!¡± However, the hologram shown by the Gyeongbuk Sword Law stood still and did nothing. As if there were no further instructions. What? Is it leaving it up to me? Or perhaps¡­? ¡¸I got you.¡¹ In that brief moment of confusion for Yeongwoo, Kim Taejoon¡¯s massive hand firmly grabbed Yeongwoo¡¯s torso. Originally, he should have used his right hand, which had just dispatched Underdog, to grab Yeongwoo. However he hadn¡¯t nned to defend himself in the first ce. ¡¸This is like giving away flesh and scraping the bone.¡¹ Thud! As Kim Taejoon exerted force in his grip, blood spurted from Yeongwoo¡¯s mouth, staining Taejoon¡¯s forearm. ¡°Urgh!¡± And simultaneously, as Underdog returned to Yeongwoo, it struck Kim Taejoon¡¯s right wrist, which was holding Yeongwoo. Thaang! With a resounding impact, mes erupted under Yeongwoo¡¯s chin, and soon the sound of Underdog hitting the ground was heard. Tik. The full-force attack was sessful, but it failed to prate Kim Taejoon¡¯s body. ¡°You¡­ fool!¡± Jo Sangik swung his sword at Kim Taejoon¡¯s back with a desperate face, but Kim Taejoon didn¡¯t even flinch. ¡¸I told you, I feel like I¡¯ve been given enough power by the heavens.¡¹ Kim Taejoon wore a triumphant expression. But then, not even a secondter¡­ ¡¸Huh?¡¹ Suddenly, he opened his mouth wide and rolled his eyes twice. As if someone had eaten spoiled food without realizing it. ¡¸What¡¯s this?¡¹ A strange energy enveloped his entire body. Then, he immediately felt his hand holding Yeongwoo getting hot as if it were on fire. ¡¸Ugh!¡¹ Kim Taejoon instinctively pushed Yeongwoo away, but the mysterious pain was already spreading up his arm and throughout his body. ¡¸W-What did you do?¡¹ As Kim Taejoon expressed his confusion, Yeongwoo, who was sprawled on the ground, managed to open his mouth amidst the intense pain. ¡°One of my persuasion methods.¡± Then, he raised his bloody arm and grabbed the horn hanging around his neck. ¡°And this.¡± The whistle approached Yeongwoo¡¯s lips. ¡°It¡¯s myst resort.¡± Beep-beep-beep! Finally, Yeongwoo blew the whistle, and the sky began to open once again. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 84 Chapter 84 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 84: Stubborn (3) This time, it was entirely the credit of the Gyeongbuk Sword Law. It was when Yeongwoo realized that he could inflict pain with his own blood. ¡¸Golden Punishment¡¹ ¨C Legendary Bracelet ¡¾Inflicts pain on enemies.¡¿ The special function of the Golden Punishment only activates when the weapon or body of the owner, Yeongwoo, directly touches the opponent. No, at least that¡¯s what he knew until now. ¡®Well, blood is also part of my body.¡¯ During the second attack on Kim Taejoon, the fact that Gyeongbuk Sword Law did not provide the next guide was a loophole in itself. To apply pain to Kim Taejoon, protected by the outeryer of granite, Yeongwoo had to let his blood flow into the cracks on his surface. Therefore, although it was generally suicidal behavior, it was a subtle solution that only Yeongwoo could achieve while still alive. ¡¸Slime Core¡¹ ¨C Mutation Bracelet ¡¾Regenerative power increases dramatically.¡¿ He was the owner of the bracelet that made even his broken body stick back together. Of course, if Kim Taejoon had struck Yeongwoo¡¯s head, the result would have been much different. ¡®But I seeded. I survived again.¡¯ The characteristic ofrge area Sword Techniques like Gyeongbuk is that they n tactics considering the characteristics of other equipment owned by the title holder. And this characteristic matched well with Yeongwoo, who possessed numerous equipment but had low stats. Even Jo Sangik, whose abilities numbered in the thousands, could not inflict significant damage on Kim Taejoon. ¡°¡­¡­¡± As the sky opened with the call of the whistle, and the surroundings darkened, Yeongwoo turned his head to observe Jo Sangik¡¯s movements. And then, far away, he saw him running towards them. ¡®Oh, no way.¡¯ At this point, Yeongwoo realized that his worst fear, ¡®Jo Sangik¡¯s betrayal,¡¯ was finally bing a reality, and he widened his eyes. In fear, he had also called for Yeongtae. But in reality¡­ ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± Jo Sangik¡¯s business was purely to ensure Yeongwoo¡¯s safety. Or more precisely, to seek advice on how to deal with Kim Taejoon, who had suddenly begun to twist his body. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be fine with a little rest. I¡¯ll be able to move in a bit.¡± Although Yeongwoo replied like this, Jo Sangik¡¯s expression showed that he didn¡¯t believe him at all. ¡°A little¡­ rest?¡± Even from an external perspective, Yeongwoo¡¯s ribs were shattered, and his internal condition looked far from good. ¡°Yes. Just a little rest. And my friend will take care of that time.¡± Yeongwoo raised his chin and pointed to the empty space. Then, right on cue, a thunderous cry was heard from the end of the sky. ¡¸Yaaaaaaah!¡¹ Former mutant, Hong Yeongtae, had returned to this world. Crash! Boom! With a loudnding noise, another asphalt storm swept through the area, and at that moment, Yeongwoo was deeply moved to see Jo Sangik blocking the debris with his own body. ¡°Sir¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s Just basic courtesy.¡± As the distant storm passed, another name tag shone in the dust. Swooosh! [Friend of Jeong Yeongwoo07 ¨C Hong Yeongtae] ¡°Is that the friend you just mentioned¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Before Yeongwoo could finish his sentence, the name tag fluttered, and Yeongtae walked out, brushing aside the dust cloud with his hand. Thud, thud! His footsteps carried a weight not much lighter than Kim Taejoon¡¯s. And the figure that appeared shortly after was almost on par with Kim Taejoon. Hong Yeongtae. A giant humanoid with a height of 3 meters and the head of a hyena. ¡¸Ha-ya¡­!¡¹ As soon as Yeongtae set foot on the ground, he took a deep breath. Having spent an eternity in the realm of returnees, this moment of calling felt truly dreamlike to him. And then¡­ ¡¸Huh¡­? Kim Taejoon?¡¹ He showed a surprised expression upon discovering a creature of the same height. Because the opponent was a giant made of granite? No. Yeongtae also knew Kim Taejoon from VC Soft. Another name for Yeongtae was BJ Pagle. As a former notorious inte broadcaster, Yeongtae knew very well who Kim Taejoon, a figure synonymous with the gaming industry, was. ¡¸Why is Kim Taejoon here?¡¹ As Yeongtae asked this, he btedly noticed Yeongwoo on the ground. ¡¸Why are you always in a strange state.¡¹ Yeongtae¡¯s line makes Jo Sangik imagine many things. In response, Yeongwoo barely raised his upper body and asked his friend. ¡°I¡¯m worried about it. Please stop him.¡± The ¡®him¡¯ Yeongwoo pointed out was Kim Taejoon, who was throwing punches towards them. Although still affected by the infliction of pain, he wasn¡¯t in a state where he couldn¡¯t fight at all. Whoosh! With a white trail, apanied by a heavy sound of impact, Yeongtae grabbed Kim Taejoon¡¯s torso in a panic. ¡¸No wait, what the fuck? Teacher, why are you doing this?¡¹ As he turned his long snout towards Yeongwoo, he looked to confirm whether he was simply trying to stop this mutant or fighting with intent to kill. ¡°Can you win? It¡¯ll be troublesome if you kill him, because I want to recruit him if possible.¡± As Yeongwoo made this request, Yeongtae chuckled with his characteristic sinister smile. ¡¸Oh, a new friend candidate.¡¹ Of course, it was just their hope. Before Yeongtae¡¯sughter could fully fade away, Kim Taejoon punched him in the snout. Bam! Then again. m! This time, an uppercutnded on Yeongtae¡¯s jaw. ¡¸This¡­!¡¹ Angry, Yeongtae growled and assumed a fighting stance with both arms, but the ensuing result was clear. Bam! Kim Taejoon¡¯s straight punch hit him right on target. As the target of the attack switched from Yeongwoo to Yeongtae, Kim Taejoon¡¯s sensory values normalized. ¡¸What kind of gamer kid fights this well?¡¹ Bam! Unlike Yeongtae, who swung his arms with brute force, Kim Taejoon, despite struggling with tremendous pain,nded urate blows every time. Wham! ¡°If you keep going like this, your friend will fall first.¡± As Jo Sangik, armed with a curved sword, was about to join the fray. Thud! Yeongwoo, who had been barely sitting, reached out and retrieved the Underdog. ¡°When Kim Taejoon starts to notice me, help me out then.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] It was a story about intervening after the sensory deprivation kicked in, but Jo Sangik was too preupied with examining Yeongwoo¡¯s now clean body to notice. ¡°What¡¯s going on? You, no matter how you look at it, seem like a human¡­¡± Before the follow-up remark that it didn¡¯t seem so, Yeongwoo¡¯s body sprang forward. Thwack! ¡°Ugh!¡± Although his body wasn¡¯t fully recovered, there was a pain as if his whole body was twisting, but Yeongwoo had no choice but to endure it. Because Kim Taejoon, who was still there attacking Yeongtae, was likely enduring even greater pain. He didn¡¯t want to lose to his opponent even in a mental sense. ¡°Mr. Kim Taejoon!¡± As Yeongwoo called out his opponent¡¯s name, Kim Taejoon, who was breaking Yeongtae¡¯s jaw, turned his head with a surprised expression. But it wasn¡¯t because he was startled by Yeongwoo¡¯s rapid recovery or the golden light flowing through his carotid artery. Amidst all this, he was astonished by Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s absurd consistency in addressing his opponent with ¡®Mr.¡¯ Whether it was a stubborn concept or a habit. ¡¸What a stubborn guy.¡¹ As Kim Taejoon withdrew his hand from Yeongtae as if to finish the fight, a warning of golden light shed in Yeongwoo¡¯s vision. ¡¸The sensory values have temporarily risen from the original 600 to 2,144.¡¹ Kim Taejoon began to target Yeongwoo again. And this meant¡­ ¡°Yeongtae! We only have now!¡± It meant Kim Taejoon¡¯s senses were shattered. Whoosh! Eventually, as a granite fist flew towards Yeongwoo, the hologram of the Gyeongbuk Sword Law appeared. This time, the guide was not a suicidal strategy but evasion followed by counterattack. Unlike before, Kim Taejoon¡¯sbat power had dropped significantly, so there was room for counterattack. And indeed. Thud! As Yeongwoo dodged the fist and simultaneously Yeongtae¡¯s ws pierced Kim Taejoon¡¯s waist. Crunch! ¡¸¡­Ugh.¡¹ Kim Taejoon, who received Yeongtae¡¯s first effective blow, groaned. Not because of the pain, but because he realized that this hyena¡¯s attack could damage his granite outer shell. ¡¸What¡¯s this? Surprisingly effective?¡¹ Was it because they were both mutants? The granite outer shell, which could withstand most weapons, was pierced by Yeongtae¡¯s nails as if it were paper. And then came Yeongwoo¡¯s counterattack. Whoosh! As he shed Kim Taejoon¡¯s thick forearm with the Underdog, a shallow but bleeding wound appeared, with fragments flying out. ¡°¡­!¡± Therefore, if a few more strikes were to be made, it might be possible to see inside Kim Taejoon¡¯s tough shell. ¡¸Th-this can¡¯t be. Why¡­?¡¹ Kim Taejoon¡¯s conclusion wasn¡¯t much different, as terror crept onto his face. If things continued like this, not only would he be unable to confirm the life or death of his family, but since the reset began, he would only suffer unteral attacks and eventually perish. ¡¸What the¡­! What did I even do?¡¹ As the assurance of power vanished, rage filled the void left behind. Finally, he became a true mutant in every sense. Nevertheless, the Gyeongbuk Sword Law recognized the opponent as human and scattered hologram guides. Whoosh! A granite fist tore through the air fiercely. As Yeongwoo dodged ording to the hologram, Yeongtae dashed forward like lightning and bit into Kim Taejoon¡¯s forearm. Crunch! Like his ws, the teeth deeply embedded in Kim Taejoon¡¯s body brought out a pile of granite chunks. Then, for the first time from Kim Taejoon¡¯s body, something other than a whitish rock emerged. It was¡­ Sizzle! A white vapor. No, it looked like steam. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡¸Ah!¡¹ As white steam spewed from the torn arm, Kim Taejoon¡¯s energy, which had been raging as if to destroy the world, quickly dwindled. Thunk! He was even unknowingly about to break into a cold sweat. This was probably¡­ ¡°Blood? Is this the power source?¡± Even though the outer shell was so solid, it was only made up of such gas inside¡­ Despite not knowing what it was, if all of it were to be released, it seemed certain that Kim Taejoon would also perish. ¡¸Why, why is this happening?¡¹ Yeongtae btedly covered Kim Taejoon¡¯s forearm with his hand, but was unable topletely stop the steam from escaping. ¡°Mr. Taejoon!¡± Yeongwoo dropped his sword to the floor and approached Kim Taejoon, his granite facial muscles contorting. ¡¸Stop saying that. You didn¡¯t even know me.¡¹ He did not attack Yeongwoo with his other arm. As Yeongwoo first said, it was because he knew that the game was lost. ¡¸Was I really just a raid monster¡­? Why is the world like this? Aren¡¯t you the ones who deserve the punishment?¡¹ As white steam began to billow from the torn arm, Kim Taejoon muttered to himself. In response, Yeongwoo, while looking at the nearly destroyed arm of his opponent, said: ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s enough punishment, but everyone is living in a terrible world. Mr. Taejoon¡­ including your family.¡± ¡¸This bastard¡­¡¹ As Kim Taejoon was about to rage again at the mention of family, Yeongwoo took out a fountain pen, ¡®Wanted Poster,¡¯ from his pocket and raised it. ¡°With this, I can find anyone you want. But, only if they¡¯re alive.¡± It meant that he had the ability to find the Kim Taejoon¡¯s family he so desired. Their life or death status included. At this, Kim Taejoon¡¯s boiling voice somewhat subsided. ¡¸So, are you asking me to enter that conch shell, like that guy?¡¹ As Kim Taejoon said this, looking at Yeongtae, thetter smiled with his elongated jaw. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s one of the few options left for Mr. Chairman.¡± As Yeongwoo said, Kim Taejoon didn¡¯t have many options left. Either perish as he was or be Yeongwoo¡¯s ¡®friend¡¯ to at least maintain existence for the time being. ¡°¡­¡± Sizzle! Even in the midst of this, Kim Taejoon¡¯s life was rapidly fading away, and eventually, his granite palm began to emit a blue light. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 85 Chapter 85 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 85: Stubborn (4) ¡¸In the end, it seems my life¡¯s conclusion is a bad ending.¡¹ Said Kim Taejoon, raising the return button with a bewildered expression. In reality, tragedy was inevitable from the moment his name was put forward as a candidate for elimination after the first screening vote. Even if he had killed the two Strongest Swords here and gone to find his family, there wouldn¡¯t have been a happy ending waiting for him. However, it wasn¡¯t the worst-case scenario just yet. ¡°You still don¡¯t know the ending. It¡¯s only the third day of the reset, and you¡¯re still alive.¡± Said Yeongwoo, causing Kim Taejoon to give a bitter smile. ¡¸You speak so easily. It¡¯s easy for you because it¡¯s someone else¡¯s problem.¡¹ Kim Taejoon replied, as if urging to quickly finish the task, he pped his hand where the exit icon was disyed. In response, Yeongwoo bowed deeply to Kim Taejoon. ¡°If there¡¯s good news, I¡¯ll be sure to deliver it.¡± Good news. At least to Yeongwoo, it had an ambiguous meaning. The promise to inform Kim Taejoon when he found his family, and¡­ ¡®Somewhere out there, isn¡¯t there an item to turn friends back into humans? Somewhere in this universe.¡¯ Of course, it was only Yeongwoo¡¯s wishful thinking. That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t voice it out of fear of false hope. ¡°Please take care, chairman.¡± Eventually, Yeongwoo shook hands with Kim Taejoon. Thunk! Suddenly, a blue light shed, and Kim Taejoon¡¯s imposing figure began to fade. Sssss! Kim Taejoon, the chairman of VC Soft and the third-day mutant of Gwanak-gu, was being incorporated into Yeongwoo¡¯s friend. ¡¸Ah¡­!¡¹ Then, Youngtae¡¯s body also became faint following Kim Taejoon. His summoning time had also expired. ¡¸Let¡¯s definitely meet again.¡¹ Youngtae said, his voice filled with regret, and then¡­ Sshreek. They disappeared without a trace. ¡°Ah¡­ this is really¡­¡± Jo Sangik looked at the spot where Kim Taejoon and Youngtae had been with eyes full of emotion. There are no words to express it, but it was because they were the same person. He, too, hade to regard mutants as humans. However, the time for sentimentalism was brief, as a golden sphere appeared on the ground, indicating the disposal of the mutants. Pfft! ¡¸The mutant has been defeated.¡¹ ¡¸Select a reward toplete the process.¡¹ Followed by the appearing guidance message. For Yeongwoo, this was the fifth time facing the sphere. So, choosing to spread Karma again would mean achieving the ¡®Golden Flood¡¯ achievement. Swish. As Yeongwoo silently looked at Jo Sangik, he gave a typical bureaucratic smile and stepped back. ¡°As agreed, the choice is yours, Mr. Yeongwoo.¡± Of course, there was no clear agreement between the two on the binary choice. Therefore, it was just a natural agreement through the battle with Kim Taejoon. Jo Sangik voluntarily conceded. ¡°Thank you.¡± Yeongwoo also bowed to Jo Sangik, then raised his hand towards the spinning golden sphere in the air. Thump. As the sphere spun faster, it revealed the disposal reward. < > ¡¸Rock Guardian¡¹ ¨C Mutation Gem ¡¾Slot: Reduces all physical damage¡¿ < > [3 million Karma] Or [Grant 30,000 Karma to all residents in the area] ¡®Finally.¡¯ Yeongwoo ended up facing the binary choice even in Seoul after all the twists and turns. [Golden Flood] |Call for golden rain in five or more areas. (4/5) After briefly reviewing his achievement history, Yeongwoo focused on the spinning golden sphere and spoke. ¡°Deputy Minister.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Has there ever been golden rain in Seoul?¡± ¡°Golden¡­? I didn¡¯t catch that properly. Could you repeat it?¡± Judging from Jo Sangik¡¯s reaction, he seemed to be hearing about golden rain for the first time, let alone seeing it. While he knew there was an option to spread Karma, he didn¡¯t know in what form it would be spread. ¡°Well, then you can take a look now. This is the method you were curious about earlier, how I became the Strongest Sword of Gyeongbuk.¡± With that, Yeongwoo ended the binary choice. [Grant 30,000 Karma to all residents in the area] Then, the sphere began to vibrate and suddenly soared into the sky. Swoosh! The sphere moved so fast, leaving a golden trail behind, that from below, it seemed as if a long golden streak was drawn across the skies of Gwanak-gu. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Jo Sangik¡¯s mouth hung open in disbelief at the unexpected performance. Until now, whenever he had chosen the ¡®Exclusive 3 Million Karma,¡¯ the sphere had simply melted away into the air. ¡®So, this was the right choice.¡¯ Jo Sangik swallowed hard, watching the sphere soar even into the far corners of his vision. And then, with a bang! ¡°Huh.¡± His pupils were immediately tinted with gold. The sphere exploding as it reached the sky¡¯s edge filled the entire sky with a golden hue. ¡°Wow¡­!¡± 52-year-old Jo Sangik eximed like a child. It was perhaps inevitable for him to witness a scene so beautiful for the first time since the reset. Moreover, it was just beginning. From the point of the sphere¡¯s explosion, a wide expanse of golden rain began to fall towards the ground. Ssshhhh¡­! The sound of the golden droplets falling was like rain, and the sight was indeed reminiscent of actual rainfall. ¡°Golden¡­ Golden rain. So this was what it meant.¡± Jo Sangik finally understood what Yeongwoo had pronounced earlier. And the fact that there had never been golden rain in Seoul. If there had been even a single instance of golden rain in any area, it would have undoubtedly been discussed at the Strongest Sword assembly. And that meant¡­ ¡®¡­Ah.¡¯ Everyone in the adjacent areas must be witnessing the golden rain falling over Gwanak-gu. So, undoubtedly, it would be a topic of discussion at the Strongest Sword assembly scheduled for 3 p.m. today. For a moment, a shadow appeared on Jo Sangik¡¯s face, but the events that followed took away his attention. ¡¶Gyeongbuk First Sword ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo07¡¯ gave up his monopoly on 3 million karma and gifted 30,000 karma to all Gwanak residents.¡· [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡¶Prepare for the distribution of 30,000 Karmamemorative coins shortly.¡· ¡°Commemorative coins?¡± As Jo Sangik muttered in astonishment, Yeongwoo turned to him and said, ¡°Grab them quickly since they appear in an instant.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to¡­¡± Before Jo Sangik could finish his sentence, a clinking sound came from above his head. And then¡­ Pfft! Three coins, truly shining with a golden hue, appeared in mid-air. ¡°Huh.¡± Though still inexperienced, Jo Sangik was a Strongest Sword with a total stat of thousands. So, even though surprised, catching three suddenly dropped coins was quite an easy task for him. Thunk! Snatching the coins with lightning speed, Jo Sangik spread his hand to reveal the face of Jeong Yeongwoo07 engraved on the coins. ¡°No¡­ How is this possible?¡± ¡°Well, if mutants and Strongest Swords are possible, why not this?¡± After a quick nce at thememorative coins in his hand, Yeongwoo tossed them into the air behind him. Swoosh! Instantly, from across the street where the Negwig was parked, another golden object shot out like a bullet. Thunk! It was none other than a relic-grade ve golden goblin. ¡°¡­¡± Seeing the goblin take the coins, Jo Sangik didn¡¯t even feel the need to question what it was. Now, Yeongwoo seemed almost otherworldly to him. And, to arge extent, it wasn¡¯t far from the truth. Pfft! [Quest Complete ¨C ¡°Strong Tiger¡¯s Early Appearance¡±] [eward Given] |5 million Karma As Yeongwoo had expected, the quest system, which deemed mutants as targets with a total stat of over 3,000,pleted the mission handed down by the dogo. And, as promised. Zoom! ¡°Huh?¡± A sound came from the sky. Zzziiiiing! A tiny bolt suddenly jolted with terrifying force. ¡°Whoa.¡± ¡°What the¡­¡± Thinking it was another attack, both Strongest Swords panicked. But, as the unidentified bolt stopped near them, they realized there was no need for rm. ¡°What¡­ What is this?¡± Unable to resist, Jo Sangik threw the question at Yeongwoo. In response, Yeongwoo approached the problematic bolt. Zzzzzz¡­ Now emitting a soft buzzing sound, the object, spinning at about 1.5 meters above ground level, was¡­ ¡®¡­A card?¡¯ It was a rectangr card about the size of a palm. So, it was a credit card from the human world. Yeongwoo briefly looked at where the object hade from across the sky before picking up the mysterious card. Tap! Then, the number 5,000,000 appeared faintly on the card made of ck metal. ¡°¡­5 million.¡± ¡°5 million? What does that mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Karma.¡± This card was apletion reward for a quest given by the extraterrestrial weapon supplypany Dogo. Perhaps even this remarkable flying card was a form of product cement. Yeongwoo quickly scanned his surroundings and tucked the card into his pocket. Having dealt with the mutants in the area, merchants would likely appear soon. Therefore, after checking the merchandise, he nned to decide how to use the 5 million. ¡°Now, what¡¯s left¡­¡± As Yeongwoo murmured, Jo Sangik¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What else could there be¡­?¡± From dealing with mutants to summoning ¡®friends¡¯ and even performing at the level of golden rain from the sky. They had even seen a carding from beyond the sky. What else could there be? ¡°There¡¯s one thing left, the most important thing. But, there won¡¯t be any more surprises.¡± Saying this, Yeongwoo shifted his gaze to the shing rm message in front of him. [Achievement Unlocked: Golden Flood] |Achievement Grade: Legendary |Achievement Rank: First ¡¸The rmended achievement list has been updated.¡¹ ¡¸There is 1 unimed achievement reward.¡¹ Finally, Yeongwoo had achieved the main achievement that had led him to traverse various areas. The so-called Golden Rain Route. The first reward was the ¡®Golden sh,¡¯ a sensory deprivation ability, and the second reward was the ¡®Golden Punishment,¡¯ which was almost equivalent to asymmetric warfare and inflicting severe pain. Then, what about the third? Looking at the golden equipment on his arm, Yeongwoo spoke. ¡°im reward.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 86 Chapter 86 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 86: Stubborn (5) As Yeongwoo epted thepensation, his upper body immediately began to glow brightly. Crack! ¡°What?¡± Jo Sangik, who had been watching over him, was surprised to the point of astonishment, and then something was seen being put on Yeongwoo¡¯s upper body. Click! It was none other than a golden armor. The third reward item of the Golden Ratio Route was a chest te. ¡¸Golden Oath¡¹- Legendary Breastte ¡¾Reduces enemy attack power by 50%.¡¿ ¡¾umted Golden Ratio: 5¡¿ *¡¯Golden Flood¡¯ bonus. ¡®Attack power¡­? It¡¯s neither power nor strength, so what is attack power?¡¯ The item tooltips in this world are never written in vain. For example, the tooltip for Underdog is ¡®Increases power by 25% against targetsrger than the user.¡¯ Therefore, if the Golden Oath simply reduced the destructive power of the opponent¡¯s attacks, the expression ¡®power¡¯ would have been used. ¡®Then does attack power have a moreplex meaning?¡¯ Even if it was purely a decrease in power, it was clearly an equipment with an unreasonable option. ¡®It¡¯spletely defensive equipment. When I take the initiative, it¡¯s as good as useless.¡¯ Perhaps it was a perfect effect for those walking the Golden Ratio Route. In a world where all powerful people are choosing to monopolize 3 million people, wouldn¡¯t it be a perfect move to attract hate to go around spreading karma alone? ¡°Deputy Minister, is there any kind of hierarchy among the Strongest Swords who attend the meeting?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Jo Sangik made a puzzled expression at the sudden question. But he still gave an answer. ¡°If I were to say that there is no hierarchy at all, it would be a lie¡­ However, since they have never directlypeted with each other, I can only say that there is an implicit hierarchy.¡± ¡°Then, where does the Deputy Minister¡¯s hierarchy lie? I know it¡¯s a rude question, but I¡¯m asking because I need to know.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Jo Sangik hesitated for a moment at Yeongwoo¡¯s question. Then he nced briefly to the north, in the direction of Yongsan Park. ¡°Well, it would be around the middle, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± It was a very defensive answer. ¡®But that means he¡¯s not at the bottom.¡¯ Yeongwoo thought. Since Jo Sangik had said he hadn¡¯t seen the Golden Ratio before, he must have chosen only the 3 million karma monopoly for the past two days. Therefore, the total karma he possessed was at least 6 million. Converted to ability points, it would be 6,000 points. ¡®Judging by the fact that there are no particrly conspicuous items other than the curved sword, it seems that he invested most of his karma in ability points¡­.¡¯ By simple calction, Jo Sangik¡¯s expected average ability value was approximately 1,500. It is a whopping 300 higher than his strength, which is the highest among Yeongwoo¡¯s four major abilities. ¡ºCharacter: Jeong Yeongwoo 07¡» [Strength] 1,200 (19+1,181) [Endurance] 850 (21+829) [Durability] 1,050 (13+1,037) [Sense] 600 (24+576) In other words, if youpare it with other abilities, the difference will be much wider. Yeongwoo, who had thought this far, nodded his head and stood to look directly at Jo Sangik. ¡°Then would you like to try attacking me?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It is the same as I said. Attack me with the intention of killing me. Just once.¡± ¡°Is it because of the armor¡¯s abilities?¡± Indeed, Jo Sangik was sharp as always. Upon this, Yeongwoo nodded again. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. But I won¡¯t die with just one blow.¡± Even if I imagine the worst-case scenario where my body might be torn about, it¡¯ll be just about bearable. Of course, it would be incredibly painful, but once that time passes, I can get back up again. ¡®I need to properly understand what abilities this equipment I obtained this time has.¡¯ Eventually, after mentally preparing himself, when Yeongwoo signaled with his eyes, Jo Sangik raised the sword with a solemn expression. ¡°Are you really okay¡­? I might not have been much help in the fight against the mutant, but things could be different in individualbat. Don¡¯t forget who I am.¡± It meant not to overlook the fact that the person who would soon be facing them with a sword was the Strongest Sword. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve considered it thoroughly. Let¡¯s begin.¡± With Yeongwoo¡¯s repeated approval, Jo Sangik also nodded. And then. Swish! He truly swung the sword. Swish! ¡¸Your sensory value has temporarily increased from the original 600 to 1,360.¡¹ ¡°¡­.!¡± The sensory value of Jo Sangik that Yeongwoo confirmed through sensory deprivation was about 1,400. Truly the Strongest Sword of Seoul. However. ¡®What¡­?¡¯ But when he actually saw his attack, it was incredibly slow. It seemed like it could be blocked even without the help of Gyeongbuk Sword Law. Could it be this slow after being subjected to sensory deprivation? And wasn¡¯t the speed of an attack originally within the realm of strength? But this wasn¡¯t a speed that coulde from a strength of over 1,500. me. Eventually, when Yeongwoo dodged the dodge with simple movements, Jo Sangik¡¯s long scroll cut through the empty space. Swish! ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Just like Yeongwoo, Jo Sangik felt something was off. Upon this, Yeongwoo requested again. ¡°One more time. This time, with the intent to truly kill.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± A sharp killing intent flickered in Jo Sangik¡¯s eyes, with his subtly wounded pride, and this time, his de cut through the air without warning. Swish! It was a diagonal sh harder to dodge than a straight cut. He was really serious about it. However. ¡®Still slow.¡¯ Even this time, Jo Sangik¡¯s attack felt incredibly slow. ¡®It¡¯s not just reducing power, it¡¯s reducing attack ability.¡¯ Yeongwoo, who deduced this much, immediately swung the ck Sword to parry Jo Sangik¡¯s de. ng! Then, something unexpected happened even to Yeongwoo. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Jo Sangik¡¯s expression contorted in pain as he held the sword. ¡°Are you alright?¡± As Yeongwoo approached in surprise, Jo Sangik touched his own wrist and spoke. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. I guess I was a bit careless because I didn¡¯t expect it to be this strong. My wrist feels a bit numb.¡± ¡°You¡¯re strong?¡± Yeongwoo started to ask, but soon closed his mouth. Even if he didn¡¯t reveal it to Jo Sangik, his strength value was supposed to be significantly lower than Jo Sangik¡¯s. And even if he was careless, once you let go of the weapon, it was gone. There wouldn¡¯t be any burden on his wrist. Therefore, what this result meant was¡­ ¡®My strength didn¡¯t increase. For a moment, the Deputy Minister¡¯s strength and durability decreased.¡¯ ¡¾Reduces enemy attack power by 50%.¡¿ Yeongwoo finally seemed to understand what this tooltip meant. ¡®All abilities used for attack.¡¯ [PR/N: HOLY.] From the strength used to wield the weapon, the endurance to support this strength with the body, and even the senses for uracy and stamina to be used in small amounts. It was an effect that shattered all the abilities thatposed an attack. ¡®This is truly an unreasonable item. At least in terms of defense¡­¡¯ Not only Jo Sangik but also any other Strongest Swords in Seoul would be unable to withstand it. ¡®Some may have already defeated mutants, so they¡¯re much stronger than Deputy Minister Jo Sangik, but now I have 5 million too. I can match their level.¡¯ Just as Yeongwoo was about to touch the card containing arge sum of money in his pocket, all of Yeongwoo¡¯s ability scores began to increase by 100 each. ¡¸Your strength value has increased from the original 1,200 to 1,300.¡¹ ¡¸Your stamina value has increased from the original 850 to 950.¡¹ ¡¸Your endurance value has increased from the original 1,050 to 1,150.¡¹ ¡¸Your sensory value has increased from the original 600 to 700.¡¹ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Yeongwoo¡¯spletion of the Golden Flood achievement synchronized with the achievement window, raising all his ability scores by 100, thanks to the Epic ring. ¡®Oh my, I wasn¡¯t even thinking about it.¡¯ As Yeongwoo btedly opened the achievement window, he noticed that thepleted achievement count had increased from 5 to 6. ¡²Your achievement tendency is ¡°Stubborn.¡±¡³ ||Completed achievements: 6 ¡®It¡¯s still stubborn.¡¯ Yeongwoo chuckled as he looked at his achievement tendency. It reminded him of the first Golden Ratio incident, where the system determined his tendency as ¡°Stubborn.¡± ¡®I wonder how Yechan is doing.¡¯ As he recalled the first Golden Ratio, Yechan, who was sitting next to him at the time, naturally came to mind. So, he briefly considered using his fountain pen to check his location, but soon gave up on the idea. There was a much more pressing issue at hand. ¡®Now that I¡¯vepleted the Golden Flood, a new achievement should have been added.¡¯ The rmended achievement list had a maximum of 4 slots, and one of them needed to bepleted to reveal a new achievement. Therefore, now that the Golden Flood had beenpleted, a new rmended achievement should have appeared. ¡®It¡¯s highly likely to be rted to the Golden Ratio route¡­ Could the next one be ¡®Golden Rain in 10 regions¡¯?¡¯ Because he had already started walking the Golden Ratio route, it would be awkward if an entirely different type of achievement appeared. ¡®Well, let¡¯s take a look for now.¡¯ The final task of this mutant battle. With half anticipation and half worry, Yeongwoo unfolded the rmended achievements. Swish! [Nocturnal] |Spend a night outside of your ce of residence. [Jeweler¡¯s Touch] |Wear two rings of hero grade or higher on your index and ring fingers each. (3/4) [Complete Orphan] |Find and eliminate your parents. (1/2) [Golden Journey] |Summon the Golden Flood in the next area. |Domestic (0/3) |Foreign (0/2) * * * Thunk. ¡­ ¡­ Thunk! ¡­ Thud, thunk! ¡®Who on earth is making all this noise?¡¯ Taejoon frowned in his sleep, then abruptly woke up, startled. ¡°Huh!¡± Suddenly, an eerily white ceiling came into view, almost giving him chills. ¡°Wh-what?¡± Instinctively, he sat up and reached out to touch the floor, only to realize that the texture of the ground felt strange. ¡°Ugh!¡± To his surprise, just like the ceiling, the floor was made of an unidentified white material. And not only that. The walls surrounding him and the modest door attached to one side of the wall¡­ ¡®T-There¡¯s a door!¡¯ As soon as Taejoon realized that there was a doorknob in this strange space, he instinctively ran towards it. Thunk! Since it was only about 10 square meters, it only took a few steps to reach the doorknob. Thump! Soon, the doorknob was in his hand. Without hesitation, Taejoon pulled the doorknob, opening the entrance buried in the white wall. Swish! But before he could step outside, he stumbled back into ce,nding on his backside. ¡°Oof¡­?¡± Because, even outside the door, it was still an entirely white space. Moreover, unlike the room with walls and a ceiling, there were no walls or ceilings outside, making it seem like an infinite space. There was simply an endless expanse of bright white background. Because of this, there was no way to gauge up or down, making it impossible to tell whether what he was looking at was the floor or empty space. ¡°W-What the¡­? Where is this?¡± It wasn¡¯t until after Taejoon had crouched outside his room that he noticed another man sitting outside. ¡°Ah!¡± As Taejoon saw the man and let out another scream, the man¡¯s face lit up with what seemed like genuine joy. ¡°Hyung! I¡¯ve been waiting for so long, for real!¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me! It¡¯s me! Can¡¯t you recognize me?¡± The man had a mischievous expression, looking like he was in his early twenties at most. He was wearing something that looked like white pajamas, which seemed incredibly odd. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Taejoon blinked for a moment, then involuntarily shut his mouth. ¡°No way.¡± ¡°You seem to have guessed it right.¡± ¡°Are you¡­ that creature from before?¡± Due to hisck ofposure, Taejoon referred to him as a ¡°creature¡± instead of by his name, but the other person didn¡¯t seem to mind at all. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right! I¡¯m Hong Yeongtae!¡± Hong Yeongtae. He was a friend¡­ no, a captive of Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo07. So, this ce is¡­ ¡°Oh, crap.¡± Taejoon muttered under his breath. He had simply thought it was a long dream. ¡°This is that prison.¡± As Taejoon said this, Yeongtae sniffed and forced a smile. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad now that you¡¯re here, Hyung. There was nothing like this before you came.¡± Yeongtae pronounced ¡°like this¡± as he gestured to the endless space outside the room with his hand. ¡°That¡­ wasn¡¯t here before?¡± ¡°Yes. Until you came, there was only my room here.¡± ¡°¡­¡± His room, he said. So does that mean there¡¯s another room like this? Taejoon felt like he was about to get dizzy. ¡°Come out quickly, Hyung! There¡¯s nothing there anyway.¡± Yeongtae waved his hand eagerly, calling out to Taejoon. After hesitating for a while, Taejoon finally stretched his foot out of the room. Then. In the distance to the left, he could see another square white building. And Yeongtae, jumping with joy, was already running towards it. ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s in that room¡­?¡± As Taejoon looked around the still dark white space, he asked, and Yeongtae, now much further away, answered in a voice louder than before. ¡°There¡¯s an hourss!¡± ¡°An hourss¡­?¡± ¡°There¡¯s also a menu board!¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Next, I¡¯m going to save up money to buy a TV!¡± Yeongtae¡¯s voice sounded even further away. But the word ¡°TV¡± clearly reached Taejoon¡¯s ears. ¡°A TV? There¡¯s a television here?¡± As Taejoon asked this, Yeongtae was already jumping into his room. ¡°¡­¡­¡± So, in the end, Taejoon¡­ ng! ¡­started chasing after Yeongtae. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 87 Chapter 87 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 87: Wave (1) What is a mutant? Superficially, it was obviously a monster. Because it had the power to crush any human being with just one finger. Moreover, it generally harbors hostility towards the world. Why? Because the masses that make up this world killed them. An anonymous unteral attack carried out under the guise of annihtion voting. So Hyunsik didn¡¯t think the return of the mutants was an attack on this world. If you really had to define it. ¡®¡­it¡¯s more like a counterattack.¡¯ Those killed by the massese back and kill the masses. It was truly a terrible world, but Hyunsik could ept it. ¡®We brought this upon ourselves. Did we think we could get away with killing people like that?¡¯ And above all. Ku-woong! Hyunsik was strong. To the point where nothing in this world felt like a threat. In fact, this was the decisive reason why Hyunsik was persuaded to ept the ¡°reset¡±. At least he was still the protagonist of this world. Just like before the reset happened. ¡°Tsk.¡± Hyunsik clicked his tongue and looked down at the huge creature beneath him. About 3.5 meters tall. Thick arms and legs reminiscent of logs, covered with sharp scales. What Hyunsik was looking down at now was Pastor Kim Wongil, who had manifested himself as Lizard Man in Gangnam-gu. ¡°Pastor, since we¡¯re here, let me ask you something. Is there really a God?¡± As Hyunsik kicked Kim Wongil¡¯s neck with his foot, Wongil¡¯s long snout, which stretched far away, weakly opened. ¡¸¡­Now that I think about it, this is hell. Just stop it.¡¹ Although Kim Wongil spat out a seemingly desperate line, Hyunsik paid no attention and stepped on the opponent¡¯s forehead. Squelch. ¡¸Ugh, aah!¡¹ ¡°I asked you, do you think there¡¯s a real God? Do you still believe that?¡± Hyunsik growled as he exposed it. Jeong Hyunsik, 52 years old. Currently the Strongest Sword in Gangnam. At the same time, he was also a former second-generation chaebol. He was the youngest son of the founder of Taewon Group, the thirdrgest conglomerate in Korea. The reason Hyunsik didn¡¯t run for the extinction vote after the reset was purely because he had no external exposure. While his older brother and sister each managed the group and its gship subsidiaries, Hyunsik was merely a director at Taewon¡¯s smallest subsidiary. Thanks to this, he was able to avoid trouble just by blocking a dozen or so lives in ¡°individual filtration¡±. ¡°My brother and sister, who were big shots, became dragons. But what about you, huh? You¡¯re just a lizard. What happened to you?¡± Pwack! As Hyunsik kicked Kim Wongil¡¯s waist hard, there was no response this time. ¡°Oh, is he already dead?¡± It was natural for his death to be formalized afterpletely overpowering his opponent and beating him for a long time. Shwaaat! Finally, as Kim Wongil¡¯s body disappeared cleanly, his death was formalized. Pastor Kim Wongil of Gangnam¡¯srge church ¡°Purem¡± has passed away. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Of course, Hyunsik didn¡¯t have any strong emotions towards Kim Wongil, or anything like that. No, it was rather the opposite. Whenever Purem Church conductedrge projects, Taewon Group had been allocating huge advertising expenses under the guise of donations and offerings. In other words, the two ¡°organizations¡± had a business rtionship. But still, since the other party was fundamentally a religious figure, Hyunsik had expected at least something. ¡°It¡¯s all nonsense.¡± Thinking about how Kim Wongil, as soon as he arrived on thisnd, had sought out people to tear apart, Hyunsik spat on the spot where he had been. Pfft! Suddenly, a golden sphere appeared there. ¡¸You have defeated the mutant.¡¹ ¡¸Please select your reward toplete the procedure.¡¹ ¡°Hmm.¡± Without hesitation, it¡¯s the 3 million monopoly. As Hyunsik chose to receive the payment, the golden sphere disappeared into thin air. And around that time. Vroommmm¡­! The sound of a vehicle engine could be heard from afar. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ The current time, 1:14 PM. Just a moment ago, as this ce was being illuminated by the mutant marker, so any sane Gangnam resident couldn¡¯t be here. Ordinary people would be scared of mutants, and if they were armed thugs, they would be scared of the Strongest Sword. That is to say. ¡®Is it an outsider?¡¯ Sometimes there were inspectors from rural areas who entered through strange roads without going through checkpoints. Vroommmm¡­ Eventually, the problematic vehicle entered Hyunsik¡¯s field of view and began to slow down. They had also spotted Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword. A gray Avante. It seemed like a modest carpared to the cars driven by experts from other regions, so Hyunsik chuckled. Thunk. The driver¡¯s seat door of the Avante, which hadpletely slowed down, opened. And what came out of it was¡­ ¡®Huh? Where have I seen this face before?¡¯ It was a face even Hyunsik knew. Of course, by Hyunsik¡¯s standards, he was a minor character, so he didn¡¯t know his name or status. ¡°Um¡­ Director.¡± Suddenly, the man who came out of the car cautiously walked about 10 meters towards them. ¡°¡­¡­¡± He looked to be in his mid-thirties. Seeing his hand trembling slightly, Hyunsik was suddenly engulfed by a ominous premonition. Referring to this side as Director instead of the Strongest Sword meant that he was either an employee of Taewon Group or one of the people who had bid for the Gangnam-gu monster business rights. But if he was the one who won the Gangnam-gu monster business rights, he should have been more familiar than this. ¡®If he¡¯s neither someone who catches monsters in Gangnam nor our employee¡­¡¯ In that case, the remaining possibility is that he belongs to Gangnam-gu but hasn¡¯t secured the monster business rights. In other words, he¡¯s likely a thug who goes down to Gyeonggi Province to make money. And among them, there¡¯s also Jeong Gyusang, who has proimed his independence while maintaining his family¡¯s dignity. ¡°How did youe here?¡± As Hyunsik was about to step forward to greet him, the man was startled and waved his hands. ¡°Oh, no! Um, I mean¡­¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] The man stopped about 5 meters away from Hyunsik. Then. *Thud!* Suddenly, he fell t on the ground, banging his forehead against the floor. ¡®Oh, no way.¡¯ Seeing the man¡¯s behavior, Hyunsik unconsciously clenched his teeth. He expected what the man would say next. Did his son challenge the mutants to a fight? If not, the monster might have been particrly strong that day. Due to his stubborn personality, he might have shed with outsiders and gotten into a fight. Of course, all of this could just be spection. But if it wasn¡¯t any of these, why would an unknown extra suddenly appear and bang his head on the ground without even being prompted? ¡°I asked how you got here?¡± Hyunsik¡¯s voice trembled slightly this time. Still lying on the ground with his forehead pressed against it, Lee Jangho73, replied to Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword. ¡°Your son¡¯s gone. And I¡­ am the only witness.¡± Jangho, who feared the wrath of Executive Director Jeong, or rather the Strongest sword of Gangnam, stated as clearly as possible that he was the ¡®only¡¯ witness. He thought the enraged Strongest Sword could kill a person with just his breath. However, contrary to Jang Ho¡¯s expectations, the Strongest Sword didn¡¯t go mad. Instead, he immediately asked about his son¡¯s whereabouts. ¡°Where is my son now?¡± * * * 1:31 PM, Gwanak-gu. Yeongwoo was staring at the air beyond the intersection. It was because a ck light pir representing the location of the merchant had finally been shot down. Since it would be after 8 PM, when lodging services and abnormal weather notices appeared, it was essentially the end of the main event. ¡°Now, would you like to meet the merchant?¡± Jo Sangik asked as he followed Yeongwoo, looking at the merchant¡¯s mark. In response, Yeongwoo shifted his gaze to Jo Sangik. ¡°Since you are the Strongest Sword in this area¡­ the merchant¡¯s priority is with the you. Of course, if you permit, I would like to meet him.¡± In fact, this was also a statement made because the new equipment wasn¡¯t urgent. Since he had obtained armor that could tear apart the opponent¡¯s attack power, for a while, the efficiency of pure power would be much higher. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not rich right now, so I don¡¯t think meeting the merchant right away would be meaningful.¡± Jo Sangik joked half-seriously. It was a reminder of how his 3 million, which he thought he would get because of Yeongwoo¡¯s golden rain in the area, had evaporated. ¡°If you go back to school and exin the situation, they¡¯ll probably gather karma and give it to you. Anyway, if Gwanak-gu is going to voice its opinion at the meeting and continue to deal with mutants, they need a strong Strongest Sword.¡± Then Jo Sangik¡¯s eyes fell on the magnificent armor Yeongwoo was wearing. ¡°By the way, what are you going to do in the future, Mr. Yeongwoo? Are you going to roam around Seoul and sprinkle golden rain?¡± Jeong Yeongwoo is a very noticeable figure. And there will definitely be a request for rification on the ¡®Golden Rain Witness¡¯ during the meeting scheduled for 3 p.m. today. So, Jo Sangik wanted to bring Yeongwoo to the meeting as much as possible. That way, they wouldn¡¯t get caught up in any future disputes that might arise. ¡°¡­¡± On the other hand, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t easily speak up. He knew that Jo Sangik wasn¡¯t a bad person, but he didn¡¯t trust him enough to confide in him. And above all else¡­ [Golden Journey] | Call for Golden Rain in the next area. | Domestic (0/3) | Foreign (0/2) Because of the fourth Golden Rain achievement, his mind was in turmoil. ¡®Foreign area¡­ Does that mean ces like China or Japan? If North Korea counts as foreign, I could give it a try.¡¯ Regardless of whether it was a foreign judgement or not, the important thing was that the achievement system was considering mutant elimination in foreign areas. The existence of such achievements meant that the country¡¯s Strongest Swords could also fight overseas. ¡®What does this mean¡­¡¯ Yeongwoo blinked, then decided to stop dwelling on meaningless thoughts. After all, there was still work to be done in Seoul. ¡°If you allow me, I should meet the merchant here first. And as agreed, we should also look for Kim Taejoon¡¯s family.¡± And he also had to find his own father, although he didn¡¯t mention it explicitly. ¡°Oh, right. That¡¯s a good idea.¡± Sangik nodded approvingly at Yeongwoo¡¯s suggestion. ¡°To find Kim Taejoon¡¯s family, it would be best to seek assistance from the government.¡± This was essentially a suggestion for them to attend the meeting. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± As Yeongwoo was about to cautiously bring up the issue with Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword, Sangik¡¯s expression suddenly changed. ¡°Um?¡± Sangik, who had been smilingfortably, nced into the air for a moment before his expression hardened. Then, with surprised eyes, he looked at Yeongwoo and said in a trembling voice. ¡°Are, are you¡­?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that about¡­¡± Yeongwoo wondered as he asked, but he somehow knew why. Even though he didn¡¯t know the exact form it took, Sangik had received some kind of intelligence. For example¡­ ¡°It¡¯s been reported that the son of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword was found decapitated. Near the expressway in Bundang.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Seeing no signs of surprise from Yeongwoo about the decapitation news, Sangik shut his mouth. ¡°Tha no way¡­.¡± ¡°Like you said, some gangsters stopped us near Bundang, so I killed them.¡± ¡°You mean all 14 people?¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s about it.¡± ¡°Then, what about the body? It must have been lying there with its head cut off. Could it be that you left it there?¡± ¡°After killing the monster, do you hold the funeral?¡± This meant that Yeongwoo had left the bodies of 14 people, including the decapitated son of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword, on the roadside. ¡°Crazy¡­¡± Sangik paused for a moment, unable to utter the word ¡®bastard¡¯ before taking a breath. Because now he had to say something really important. ¡°We¡¯re screwed. Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword is running wild right now. Since he said he saw his son¡¯s body¡­ there¡¯s nothing we can do.¡± ¡°But why ¡®we¡¯? It¡¯s strictly my affair.¡± As Yeongwoo questioned, Sangik almost got angry, but managed to calm himself down. ¡°A little while ago, you sprayed Golden Rain in Gwanak-gu. Fuck, everyone must have seen it.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 88 Chapter 88 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 88: Wave (2) Golden Rain. It was a kind of parade that could only be seen if the one who defeated the mutant gave up three million monopolies and decided to give thirty thousand karma to everyone. Of course, no one in Seoul had ever called the golden rain before, and even on a nationwide scale, it was notmon. So, Jo Sangik couldn¡¯t help but be impressed by the golden rain that fell in Gwanak-gu. From the conditions for the appearance of the golden rain to the actual scene of rain, it was like honey rain in this hell-like world. Is this what they call a miracle? But the impression he felt at the time was fleeting. Now, to Jo Sangik, the golden rain was synonymous with disaster. ¡°Why did the golden rain appear only in Gwanak-gu on the day the son of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword died¡­ It wouldn¡¯t seem strange to anyone, would it?¡± When Jo Sangik said this with a pale face, Yeongwoo asked. ¡°So, what happens now?¡± ¡°The Seoul Alliance will demand an exnation from me for this incident. What is the identity of the golden rain, who brought it, and whether that person brutally murdered Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s son.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t you just tell the truth? I, an outsider, defeated the mutant without permission and called the golden rain.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Jo Sangik let out a deep sigh. ¡°Then how am I still alive?¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°An outsider who killed fourteen young men he encountered on the street came up to Gwanak-gu and took away the mutant, so how can Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword be alive?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ at that time, in conversation¡­¡± Yeongwoo, who was about to continue speaking straightforwardly, could only shut his mouth. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense when you say it like this.¡± That¡¯s right. From the perspective of a third party, it was apletely unconvincing story. An outsider who boldly killed even the son of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword didn¡¯t touch Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword? Moreover, Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword just watched quietly as the outsider who suddenly appeared killed the mutant¡­? ¡®I wouldn¡¯t have believed it myself.¡¯ As Yeongwoo seemed to understand the situation, Jo Sangik finished his words. ¡°In Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s eyes, I¡¯ll look like Yeongwoo¡¯s aplice. It means that there is a very high probability that he will try to kill us together without discriminating.¡± ¡°Together,¡± meaning that Yeongwoo, who is a murder suspect, would naturally be killed. And above all. ¡°Jeong Hyunsik is currently the interim leader of the Seoul Alliance. So, most of the Strongest Swords will stand on Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s side.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying no one will stop Jeong Hyunsik.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d I don¡¯t have to jump in alone.¡± ¡°It seems like you receive a lot of hate, Deputy Minister.¡± ¡°Not all Strongest Swords participating in the meeting want order. There are people who want to enjoy power recklessly.¡± Jo Sangik feared that this incident would act as a detonator and destroy the order of Seoul. ¡°But avoiding the meeting would be the worst choice. If so, Jeong Hyunsik wille directly to Gwanak-gu.¡± If such a thing happened, it would lead to a massacre at Seoul National University. Imagining a horrific development, Jo Sangik frowned. ¡°Then are you saying you¡¯ll willingly attend today¡¯s meeting?¡± ¡°Do you have any other options? I have to go and exin as much as I can.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Yeongwoo checked the time on his watch. The current time was 1:36 PM. There was about 1 hour and 20 minutes left until the meeting of the Strongest Swords, which was supposed to take ce in Yongsan Park. ¡°But, sir¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Is Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword really that strong? Why do you think we¡¯ll lose?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°You mentioned earlier, ¡®we¡¯re screwed.''¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± As Jo Sangik couldn¡¯t find the words to say, Yeongwoo continued for him. ¡°We haven¡¯t reached that point yet. We¡¯ll have to see what happens in the long run. And I haven¡¯t lost in a one-on-one fight yet.¡± Of course, this could be the first andst defeat. ¡°They might have earned three million today¡­ but how much did we earn? Thirty thousand per person, so at least thirty million. No, we might have earned hundreds of millions. But does losing make sense? Money is power. Gwanak-gu is the wealthiest neighborhood in Seoul right now.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It seemed true, but it also sounded like a facy. While it was true that Gwanak-gu attracted a lot of money, wasn¡¯t that money divided among the residents of the area? Money wasn¡¯t umted here. ¡°So what do you suggest?¡± Jo Sangik asked, looking confused. To which Yeongwoo pointed south, towards Seoul National University, and said. ¡°We need to fundraise. If you want to receive another thirty thousand karma next time, ask each person to contribute just ten thousand now. Didn¡¯t Seoul already do something simr? They called it the Seoul rotation.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was a vague n, but Jo Sangik couldn¡¯t find a way to refute it. Because the words themselves were very reasonable. Returning a certain amount after distributing the golden rain was no different from helping the residents of each district break the quest and then charging a fee. The only difference was that, from the residents¡¯ perspective, the side of the golden rain was overwhelmingly safer and potentially ten times more profitable. ¡°But they said they need a strong Strongest Sword to voice Gwanak-gu¡¯s opinion at the meeting, right? So, this is also for the public good. It has legitimacy, and it¡¯s an immediate response to the crisis we¡¯re facing. It seems entirely feasible to raise enough funds.¡± Furthermore, wasn¡¯t Jo Sangik a figure who sought the livelihoods of not only the residents but also the citizens through the Seoul rotation? After saying this much, Yeongwoo checked his wristwatch again. ¡°Sir, now there¡¯s 1 hour and 17 minutes left. Gwanak-gu should be in the middle of the Seoul rotation, so the residents should be gathered. If we move quickly, we can handle it. Besides, there are quite a few experts at Seoul National University. Send them out in all directions to collect money.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true, but¡­¡± While Jo Sangik responded hesitantly, he was secretly amazed by Yeongwoo¡¯s adaptability and boldness. Indeed, being a Strongest Sword of a major district wasn¡¯t something anyone could do. ¡°But is it true that you are making this proposal knowing exactly that it is Gwanak-gu¡¯s money?¡± Even if fundraising seeds, the story is that they won¡¯t give that money to Yeongwoo. At this, Yeongwoo nodded. ¡°Of course, as I promised at the beginning.¡± ¡°T-then, what will you be doing while I¡¯m raising money?¡± Jo Sangik asking this meant that he implicitly epted Yeongwoo¡¯s proposal. At this, Yeongwoo showed a slightly relieved expression. ¡°I need to meet with the merchant. But before that, I need to talk to my colleagues.¡± ¡°Colleagues¡­?¡± Could such a monster really have colleagues? As Jo Sangik looked at him with eyes of disbelief, a car horn sounded from behind. Honk, honk! ¡°Ah.¡± Turning back at the abrupt sound, Jo Sangik saw a patrol car approaching from the other side. Finally, it was Taeyoung and Jongsu who came to find Yeongwoo. * * * ¡°Ah, nice to meet you. I¡¯m Jo Sangik.¡± As Jo Sangik offered a warm smile and reached out his hand, Taeyoung shook it with a somewhat formal face. ¡°I¡¯m Kwon Taeyoung from the Icheon Police Station.¡± Taeyoung¡¯s eyes were fixed on the title above the opponent¡¯s head. ¡ºGwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» Therefore, Taeyoung also knew well that this guy was the actual owner of Gwanak-gu. But how were both an outsider intruder like Yeongwoo and this guy still alive? ¡®I¡¯m sure I saw the golden rain earlier.¡¯ Meanwhile, Jo Sangik was gauging the opponent¡¯s strength through his handshake. ¡®But howe the local patrol officer with the Strongest Sword¡­? He seems like apletely ordinary person¡­?¡¯ Jo Sangik cautiouslypleted the handshake, fearing he might break Taeyoung¡¯s hand. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] And then. ¡°I¡¯m Kim Jongsu from Andong.¡± ¡°Yes. Nice to meet you for the first time.¡± Kim Jongsu from Andong¡­ This time, his power was far greater than the previous patrol officer¡¯s. He wasn¡¯t on par with the elites at Seoul National University, but he could still handle monster hunting activities well enough. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about the background of the twopanions. I would like to have a more in-depth conversation, but we¡¯ll have to postpone it to another time. There¡¯s something very important I need to take care of.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll meet again soon.¡± Jongsu gave his characteristic cheeky smile. At this, Jo Sangik also smiled slightly, then turned his head back to Yeongwoo. ¡°Will you be going straight to the meeting venue from here?¡± Now, the question was about how they would each participate in the meeting, as they would likely be torn apart. ¡°It might be safer to go together¡­ but¡­ we don¡¯t have much time.¡± After a moment of thought, Yeongwoo replied. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the meeting venue first.¡± ¡°¡­Is that okay? Jeong Hyunsik might arrive first.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to challenge him to a duel. I heard anyone attending the meeting can challenge anyone else for the position of Strongest Sword.¡± This was what Yeongwoo had heard from the inspectors at Yangjae Interchange. ¨DIf you want to be a Strongest Sword, you can challenge anyone attending the meeting, and if you want to engage in monster business, you can transfer the business rights through a duel with the current owner. They had advised Yeongwoo, an outsider, to participate in the meeting. ¡°I understood that being able to challenge for the position of Strongest Sword meant a one-on-one duel.¡± ¡°Yes. For now, that¡¯s true, but¡­¡± Jo Sangik¡¯s voice trailed off. Jeong Hyunsik would undoubtedly want to personally avenge his son, and in an official duel, the other Strongest Swords wouldn¡¯t be able to interfere recklessly. Unless Jeong Hyunsik requested assistance and broke the rules. ¡°So what role do I have to y in the meeting? If you¡¯re going to have a one-on-one duel with Jeong Hyunsik.¡± As Jo Sangik asked this, Yeongwoo expressed the same concern. ¡°If by any chance I overwhelm Jeong Hyunsik, he can request support from other Strongest Swords. So please prevent that from happening.¡± After all, if Yeongwoo were to bepletely defeated by Jeong Hyunsik, it would be difficult for Jo Sangik to survive as well. Moreover, some Strongest Swords who wanted to create a new district without a master would rush in at this moment. ¡°¡­Understood. See you soon in Yongsan.¡± Havingpleted the series of agreements, Jo Sangik nodded his head. Then, he dashed southward at an incredible speed. Vroom! ¡°¡­.¡± Now, the only ones left at the intersection were Yeongwoo, Jongsu, and Taeyoung. After a while, Jongsu, as if curious since earlier, asked. ¡°What happened in that short time¡­?¡± To this, Yeongwoo shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Well, Seoul is aplicated ce, whether then or now.¡± Then, he looked at Kwon Taeyoung from Ichon Police Station and asked. ¡°Taeyoung, you¡¯re still a police officer, right?¡± ¡°¡­Of course. As you said, Seoul may seemplicated, but¡­¡± ¡°Then, I have a favor to ask.¡± ¡°What kind of¡­?¡± As Taeyoung gestured for him to continue, Yeongwoo scratched his chin. ¡°Could you find some people for me?¡± ¡°People?¡± ¡°Yes. While I attend the meeting and settle matters, it would be helpful if you could find the family of Representative Kim Taejoon.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s Kim Taejoon¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s the chairnman of VC Soft.¡± Upon hearing this, Jongsu, who still seemed unsure, chimed in instead of Taeyoung. ¡°Brother, you don¡¯t mean that TJ, do you?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s him.¡± From the third-day mutant in Gwanak-gu, Kim Taejoon, to the series of battles and forming ¡®friendships.¡¯ When Yeongwoo summarized what happened at this intersection, Taeyoung¡¯s face stiffened. ¡°It¡¯s such an important promise¡­ Do you know the whereabouts of his family?¡± Even if he¡¯s a police officer, it¡¯s not an easy task to find people based on just one clue like Kim Taejoon. So, Yeongwoo took out a pen and said. ¡°If they¡¯re still alive, we can find out now.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 89 Chapter 89 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 89: Wave (3) ¡¸Wanted Poster¡¹ ¨C Epic ¡¾Seek what you desire.¡¿ |Father A magic pen that finds what you desire. Yeongwoo briefly looked at the phrase ¡®father¡¯, which was currently set as the search target, and then quickly re-entered the target. ¡®Will it still search properly even with two conditions attached?¡¯ Kim Taejoon¡¯s, family. From the beginning, it was unclear how an item from space would perceive the overarching concept of ¡®family¡¯. In the human world, the category of family includes not only blood rtions but also rtionships like spouses and adoptive parents. ¡®Whatever it is, if I can find even one member of the family, that would be fortunate.¡¯ With a slightly anxious heart, Yeongwoo re-entered the search target of the wanted poster. Then, the wanted poster in the form of a magic pen vibrated for a moment and disyed a system message. ¡¸A new search target has been entered. Would you like to update the results?¡¹ To update the results meant to erase the arrow pointing to ¡®father¡¯ currently disyed in front of him. ¡°Y-yes¡­ Confirm.¡± As Yeongwoo confirmed the update, the wanted poster shone brightly. Pah-at! Then the search arrow, which had been pointing north, began to tilt eastward. Ssssh. ¡°Huh¡­.¡± ¡°Brother, what¡¯s going on?¡± Now the arrow was pointing northeast. Considering the current location, which is based in Gwanak-gu, northeast would be. ¡°Seocho, Gangnam, Gwangjin, perhaps. Then is Guri City next?¡± On the other hand, VC Soft¡¯s headquarters are in Bundang. So Yeongwoo expected the arrow to tilt south. Swish. Yeongwoo then pointed the arrow direction with his hand. ¡°Is there anything rted to VC Soft or chairman Kim Taejoon in that direction? It seems to span Seocho, Gangnam, and Gwangjin.¡± Upon hearing this, Jongsu looked at Yeongwoo surprisingly. ¡°Brother, VC¡¯s first office was in Nonhyeon-dong. That¡¯s why Kim Taejoon built a memorial there.¡± ¡°Oh, Nonhyeon-dong.¡± ¡°Gangnam-gu.¡± Gangnam-gu. It¡¯s the stronghold of Jung Hyunsik, who lost his son. As fate would have it, Jongsu also pointed out this fact. ¡°It was right under the nose of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword. But they say it¡¯s darkest under themp. There shouldn¡¯t be any problem quickly finding the family and bringing them back.¡± Of course, Yeongwoo agreed with this assertion. At least by this afternoon, Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword should be tied up in Yongsan. ¡°Are you okay, officer?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have experience in investigations¡­ but this is close to handlingints. It brings back childhood memories, and I like it.¡± Taeyoung said this while unconsciously feeling the gun at his waist. It was a keepsake of Kim Byungcheol, the chief of Icheon Police Station, with a bullet in it. ¡°Gangnam is also a rtively well-organized area like here. But just in case, it would be better to move with Mr. Jongsu.¡± ¡°Yes, brother. It¡¯s about time to pay for a meal.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± With both men nodding without hesitation, Yeongwoo intended to pay them for their security. However, Jongsu vehemently refused and took out a golden coin from his pocket. ¡°You have already provided enough for security. And the money you gavest time is still here.¡± Jongsu¡¯s current wealth amounted to a whopping 147,000 karma. In fact, among ordinary people, he was considered quite wealthy. ¡°Right now, abilities would be more useful than cash. Keep only the minimum and invest in your abilities.¡± As Yeongwoo said this, dotted lines appeared along Jongsu¡¯s body contour. He had started investing in abilities as soon as he heard Yeongwoo¡¯s words. Meanwhile, Taeyoung, still a bit concerned, spoke with a stiff expression. ¡°If we find Mr. Taejoon¡¯s family, where should we go next?¡± This was quite a difficult problem. If Yeongwoo were to be killed by Jeong Hyunsik, then the reunion of Taejoon¡¯s family would be problematic. ¡®My name was on the nametag along with Yeongtae¡¯s. So if the owner changes, the chances of our friends disappearing are high.¡¯ Perhaps he would be released from his indenture and be a mutant again. And secondly, if Yeongwoo were to assassinate Jeong Hyunsik. ¡®In that case, I would be the Strongest Sword of Gangnam. It¡¯s unimaginable, but¡­ it would be a very good thing for the chairman and his family.¡¯ In this case, it would be better for Kim Taejoon¡¯s family to stay in Nonhyeon-dong as it is. Andstly, if for some reason both Yeongwoo and Jeong Hyunsik were to survive the reunion. In that case, since Yeongwoo wouldn¡¯t be able to summon his ¡®friends¡¯ in Gangnam, it was imperative to bring chariman Kim Taejoon¡¯s family. Therefore, the conclusion was reached. ¡°It would be best to bring them to Seoul National University.¡± They decided to rely on Seoul National University, which was rtively neutral. * * * 1:52 PM. Yeongwoo, who had dispatched the two to Gangnam, now set out for his final appointment in Gwanak, a meeting with a merchant. ¨C Creak. From the iron horse Negwig to golden goblin. Anyone could see that it was an unprecedented change, but fortunately the road to meet the merchant was quiet. It didn¡¯t seem like the merchant¡¯s symbol itself appeared in the same ces as monsters or mutants. ¡°What, what is¡­?¡± ¡°Ahh!¡± However, there were asional sightings of Gwanak-gu residents running away in terror at the sight of the iron horse. ¡°¡­Huh? What¡¯s going on?¡± And asionally, instead of fleeing, some people stared directly at Yeongwoo¡¯s face. They seemed to have noticed the resemnce between the face engraved on thememorative coin he had just obtained and the creature. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Upon Yeongwoo¡¯s awkward nod, the other party also bowed their head slightly and went on their way, a few bizarre incidents like this happened a couple more times before. Sssaaaat¡­! Finally, they arrived at a park where a ck pir of light had taken hold. ¡®Merchants generally appear in secluded ces.¡¯ Yeongwoo nced around, relieved to see not a single ant in sight. Monsters and mutants didn¡¯t care much whether they appeared on the street or on top of buildings. After all, wasn¡¯t this world theirs to destroy? In contrast, merchants seemed to choose ces that caused the least disturbance to the worlds they visited. Was it because they wereing to trade? ck, ck. As Yeongwoo slowly pushed the iron horse into the park, he saw a ck pir of light descending in the center of the spacious yground. ¡®Looks like I¡¯m the first customer after all.¡¯ After confirming once again that there was no one nearby, Yeongwoo leaped off the iron horse. Thud! At that moment, the silhouette within the pir of light twitched and turned towards Yeongwoo. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] The merchant who had arrived earlier had noticed the arrival of his trading partner. ¡®He¡¯s not as big as I expected.¡¯ Of course, whether he would end up trading with the merchant remained to be seen. As the distance between Yeongwoo and the merchant shrank to within 10 meters, the space in front of the pir of light split open, revealing the mediator, Kubu. Sllurp. ¨C It is an honor to meet you again, the strongest in Gyeongbuk, Mr. Jeong Yeongwoo07 from Earth! ¨C I am Kubu, the mediator of this transaction and the guardian of Daro, representing the Tenta Tribe. The greeting was almost memorized by now. However, Kubu¡¯s appearance, with eyelids as his only facial feature, still didn¡¯t feel familiar. ¨C The mediation fee for this transaction is 10%, included in the price of the goods. Three upper parties have bid for this transaction in total. ¨C Would you like to see the list of bidding parties and their proposals? The perks of being a primary mediator were still in ce. ¡°Yes, please show me.¡± As Yeongwoo nodded, Kubu¡¯s eyes blinked widely. And then. Squiggle! The space between Yeongwoo and Kubu distorted, and soon three fist-sized objects appeared there. ¡®That¡¯s the list of bidders¡­?¡¯ As Yeongwoo approached the unidentified objects, which had been unrecognizable until just now, they began to transform into different shapes. Shirring. It was none other than¡­ ¡®¡­Oh.¡¯ Earthly items. Each bidder had crafted an object that Earthlings would recognize in their own way. ¡®Unbelievable.¡¯ Yeongwoo sifted through the objects imitated by the aliens, feeling like a judge. The first one was¡­ ¡®A statue?¡¯ It was a figure of a person sitting on a sturdy chair, but upon closer inspection¡­ ¡®¡­A king. It¡¯s a king.¡¯ It depicted the figure of a king seated on a throne, even wearing reasonably well-made royal attire. The material seemed to be of a strange substance, neither y nor stone. In any case, what they seemed to be appealing to was Yeongwoo, their trading partner ¨C their understanding of humans seemed to be high. Considering Yeongwoo was Korean, they had sent a representation of a ¡®king,¡¯ a concept that had existed only in the past but was still conceptually used today. Thus, the items they offered were likely closely rted to human characteristics. ¡®They must be very meticulous people.¡¯ However, Yeongwoo¡¯s thoughts changed as soon as he saw the second item. Shirring. The second one was made up of countless grains of sand, moving alone as if it were truly alive. Shit! The second bidder had sent a flying bird. A bird that seemed almost perfect, from the subtle movements of its feathers to the delicate trembling of its beak. ¡®Incredible technology.¡¯ However, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t exactly determine what they were trying to appeal to with the bird. Perhaps they simply liked the concept of a bird among Earth¡¯s various contents. ¡®Now, onto the next one.¡¯ As Yeongwoo turned his eyes to the third item, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. ¡®W-what is this?¡¯ The third one wasn¡¯t an object but rather a kind of scene. A night sea that seemed as though thunder would strike at any moment. In the midst of it, a huge whirlpool was visualized, swirling wildly. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Although it was clearly a depiction of a part of Earth, Yeongwoo felt a sense of dread. At the same time, he also felt a desire to see the items that these beings were presenting. ¡°These people¡­ no, I will trade with these bidders.¡± As Yeongwoo pointed to the problematic seandscape, Kubu blinked his eyes. ¨C Are you sure about this? ¡°Yes.¡± As Yeongwoo nodded again, Kubu¡¯s eyes briefly flickered towards the empty space. Then. ¨C In ordance with the request of Jeong Yeongwoo07, I return the Shameel bidder and call forth the prisoners of Rohm. As Kubu finished speaking, the ck pir of light vanished, and the silhouette that had been visible inside was lifted up into the sky. Then, almost immediately. Whoooo¡­! A thick, oily substance poured out from the inside of the pir of light. ¡®Is that the merchant?¡¯ Yeongwoo stared nkly at the ¡°prisoners of Roam,¡± which filled the entire pir of light from bottom to top with darkness. Then Kubu rolled his eyes and said. ¨C The list of items isplete. The merchant, the prisoners of Roam. Whether they were actually prisoners somewhere or if the name ¡°prisoners¡± was just a title for the bidder, there was no way to know. But judging from the items they were selling. ¡®They¡¯re definitely extreme individuals.¡¯ 1 ¨D ¡¸Broken Scale¡¹ ¨C Unique Ring ¡¾30% reduction in muscle strength.¡¿ ¡¾Endurance and senses increased by 40%.¡¿ ¡ó 680,000 Karma 2 ¨D ¡¸Masochism¡¹ ¨C narrative gem ¡¾Slot: Strength increases by 25% when bleeding.¡¿ ¡ó 1,700,000 Karma 3 ¨D ¡¸Rohm¡¯s Bottom¡¹ ¨C Legendary Sword Technique ¡¾Fight like a prisoner.¡¿ ¡ó Local martial arts [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 90 Chapter 90 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 90: Wave (4) ¡°Hmm.¡± The sea was somewhat expected. It was understood that the items provided by the other party would not be typical. However, this exceeded Yeongwoo¡¯s expectations by two levels. ¡®A merchant selling legendary-grade items.¡¯ Until now, the highest grade of goods offered by all the merchants encountered was Epic. Moreover, those items couldn¡¯t be purchased even with a lot of Karma. It was only possible to exchange them for Legendary achievements. However, this merchant not only sold Epic-grade items for Karma but also possessed Legendary-grade items. This was an unprecedented transaction. 3 ¨D ¡¸Rohm¡¯s Bottom¡¹ ¨C Legendary Sword Technique ¡¾Fight like a prisoner.¡¿ ¡ó Local martial arts ¡®Rohm¡¯s Bottom¡­ But what does it mean to fight like a prisoner?¡¯ Does it mean to fight cruelly and viciously? Whatever it was, it certainly didn¡¯t sound like a refinedbat style. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Finally, when Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze fell on the price of ¡°Local Martial Arts¡± of Legendary Swordsmanship, a new message appeared in the empty space below. Faahh! [Exchangeable] Gyeongbuk Swordsmanship ¨C Unique Grade [Non-Exchangeable] Icheon Swordsmanship ¨C Relic Grade [Non-Exchangeable] Yeongdeok Swordsmanship ¨C Relic Grade ¡­ ¡­ ¡­ [Non-Exchangeable] Gumi Swordsmanship ¨C Relic Grade That was none other than the list of martial arts possessed by Yeongwoo. Including the ones directly collected by Yeongwoo from Gumi, Gimcheon, Sangju, Mungyeong, and Chungju, and the Yeongdeok, Cheongsong, and Yeongju swordsmanship handed down to him. And even the Icheon Swordsmanship of Kim Byungcheol, which was sacrificed to him. ¡°¡­¡­¡± As Yeongwoo looked at the long list of swordsmanshipid out like a grave, he felt a tingling sensation in his chest. He had thought he had tried not to live wickedly in his own way, but seeing this, he realized that the people he had killed so far were by no means few. There were a total of ten martial arts in Yeongwoo¡¯s possession, including nine swordsmanships that existed as the guardian martial arts of each region. And the Gyeongbuk Swordsmanship obtained during the process of collecting them. ¡®Among these, the only one I can exchange for that prisoner¡¯s swordsmanship is Gyeongbuk Swordsmanship.¡¯ Moreover, the grade of Gyeongbuk Swordsmanship was Unique. It was a martial art that was two grades lower than Rohm¡¯s Bottom, which was of Legendary grade. ¡®I thought the title of Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword was Epic, so I assumed the swordsmanship would be Epic too, but it was just a concept of sub-options.¡¯ In the midst of this, Yeongwoo learned another thing. In any case, that problematic swordsmanship had to be bought. ¡®There¡¯s a high chance that I¡¯ll be fighting against Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword in an hour, so I have to go to the assembly with all the avable forces.¡¯ As he had already exhausted all the summoning counts of his friends today, this trade was practically thest chance to create a variable. ¡°I¡¯ll buy Rohm¡¯s Bottom first.¡± When Yeongwoo decided to buy the swordsmanship, the intermediary Kubu blinked his eyes. ¨DConfirmed. Would you like to see other items as well? At this, Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze returned to the list of goods. 1 ¨D ¡¸Broken Scale¡¹ ¨C Unique Ring ¡¾30% reduction in muscle strength.¡¿ ¡¾Endurance and senses increased by 40%.¡¿ ¡ó 680,000 Karma Broken Scale. As it was a unique ring, if Yeongwoo were to buy it, he couldplete one achievement. [Jeweler¡¯s Touch] |Wear two rings of Hero-grade or higher on your index and ring fingers. (3/4) Now, all he needed was one more ring of Hero grade or higher. ¡°But the value of strength is too high. It¡¯s a stat that affects the speed of movement.¡± Moreover, the sense increased by the scale ring was a stat that had always been Yeongwoo¡¯s advantage. ¡®In terms of total stats, it¡¯s definitely a gain¡­ but in actual value, well, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s worth 680,000 Karma.¡¯ At least, it was not a valuable item on this side. Yeongwoo considered the broken scale as a trap item and skipped it. ¡®So, what¡¯s left?¡¯ 2 ¨D ¡¸Masochism¡¹ ¨C narrative gem ¡¾Slot: Strength increases by 25% when bleeding.¡¿ ¡ó 1,700,000 Karma Thest item, Masochism. In fact, as soon as Yeongwoo saw the list of items earlier, he had thought that he must buy Masochism. Thanks to the slime¡¯s nucleus, his regenerative ability was almost inhuman. Of course, it would be best to end the fight without bleeding at all¡­ ¡®But there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll end up like that against Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword. And with 25% strength¡­ it¡¯s right to be in a bleeding state, even if I have to self-harm.¡¯ In fact, he was worried that his blood might clot too quickly due to his fast regeneration. It was a terribly gruesome idea, but Yeongwoo was sincere. ¡°I¡¯ll also buy Masochism.¡± As he finished the transaction by mentioning his second purchase, Kubu blinked his eyes twice. ¨DAlright. I¡¯ll confirm the deal as it is. With Kubu¡¯s deration, themon oils within the column of light began to bubble. And then. Acquired! Yeongwoo¡¯s Karma bnce decreased from 5,046,500 to 3,346,500. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] 1,700,000 Karma had been transferred immediately. And then. Sizzle! A bubbling pool of hot oil formed at Yeongwoo¡¯s feet, then pushed a palm-sized red gem onto the ground. Swoosh. As Yeongwoo bent down to pick up ¡°Masochism,¡± Kubu, who judged that the item had been safely delivered, blinked his eyes and said. ¨DAll transactions have beenpleted safely. ¡°Yes, thank you for your hard work. Both sides.¡± Yeongwoo said this, looking at the merchant¡¯s side, but the quietened pool of oil showed no reaction. * * * Masochism and the legendary swordsmanship, Rohm¡¯s Bottom. Yeongwoo, who bought both items from unidentified prisoners, immediately used Masochism as soon as the deal was over. Flicker! ¡¸Fearful Cat¡¹ ¨C Epic Compass ¡¾Indicates a threatening object.¡¿ ¡¾Strength increases by 25% when bleeding.¡¿ Yeongwoo inserted the gem into an empty slot on the epicpass ¡°Fearful Cat,¡± just like he did with the kekidite. He could see that a new tooltip had been added. From now on, his strength would increase by 25% while bleeding. ¡®But does this really work?¡¯ A radical effect befitting an epic grade. Yeongwoo briefly looked at Fearful Cat, which had be something he could never abandon, and then btedly brought up the tooltip of the title. Ping! Then, he saw that Gyeongbuk Swordsmanship had indeed disappeared, reced by an unfamiliar message. ¡¸Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¹ ¨C Epic Title ¡¾The Majesty of the Strongest Sword¡¿ ¡¾Voting Rights¡¿ ¡¾Rohm¡¯s Bottom¡¿ ¡®A legendary swordsmanship under an epic title.¡¯ Could it still be called Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword if he no longer used Gyeongbuk Swordsmanship¡­? He had his doubts for a moment, but it was probably for the best. It was much better than bing a wandering spirit all the way to Seoul. ¡®Now, all that¡¯s left is how to spend this money.¡¯ * Avable Karma: 3,346,500 Yeongwoo¡¯s current cash was about 3.34 million Karma. In terms of stats, it amounted to 3,340 points. Finally, he could raise his average stats to around 2,000. ¡ºCharacter: Jeong Yeongwoo07¡» [Strength] 1,300 (19+1,281) [Stamina] 950 (21+929) [Endurance] 1,150 (13+1,137) [Senses] 700 (24+676) ¡®The top priority stats are strength¡­ followed by endurance and stamina.¡¯ To properly utilize his strong strength, he needed evenly distributed endurance and stamina to control that power. While there were no issues with everyday movements, when he had to continuously output maximum power like in a duel with the Strongest Sword, an enormous amount of stamina was consumed, and there was considerable strain on his body. ¡®Anyway, I can always steal senses from my opponent, so it¡¯s not urgent right now.¡¯ Furthermore, in practical terms, his strength would increase by more than 25% due to Masochism, so Yeongwoo invested 1,500 points into strength and evenly distributed the rest to stamina and endurance. ¡ºCharacter: Jeong Yeongwoo07¡» [Strength] 2,800 (19+2,781) [Stamina] 1,850 (21+1,829) [Endurance] 2,050 (13+2,037) [Senses] 700 (24+676) * Avable Karma: 46,500 When his strength level, which was initially only 19 and previously only 1,300, soared to 2,800 in an instant, he felt nauseous for some reason. ¡®I wasn¡¯t human before, but now my output has doubled. How much stronger can I get like this?¡¯ Moreover, his current stats were close to those of the second day¡¯s Strongest Sword in Seoul. Therefore, the Strongest swords that monopolized the third day¡¯s mutant would have an additional ability score of at least 2,000 points. ¡®At this point, aren¡¯t the real threats not the mutants, but the Strongest Swords? They¡¯re practically bombs residing in the city.¡¯ There might be a reason why Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jo Sangik, was wary of the Seoul Alliance. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Having finished distributing his stats, Yeongwoo naturally looked northward, havingpleted all his tasks in Gangnam. Then, Negwig, who understood Yeongwoo¡¯s intentions, approached him and let out a strong breath by his side. ¡°Snort!¡± Now, it was time for Yeongwoo to meet the Strongest Swords of Seoul. * * * 2:23 PM. The Strongest Swords of Seoul were all smiling knowingly. They were getting ready to attend the assembly when they received a strange message from Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword. ¡¶If you encounter a stranger riding a horse, please bring them to the assembly hall alive. Please.¡· This was the function of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¯s signature equipment, ¡°Wave.¡± ¡¸Wave¡¹ ¨C Unique Ring ¡¾Voice transmission to the Strongest Sword of the acquired area.¡¿ |Area: Seoul A truly unique item that allows any Strongest Sword in Seoul to send their voice to anyone. It was all thanks to this item that Jeong Hyunsik yed a central role in the Strongest Sword assembly. However, because the content of this message was so absurd, the reactions of the Strongest Swords were vastly different. ¡°Riding a horse? Has the Strongest Sword gone senile?¡± Some mocked Jeong Hyunsik behind his back. ¡°Even Jeong Hyunsik is asking for a favor¡­? What on earth is going on?¡± ¡°If we ask Gwanak, we might get an answer. Something happened there today.¡± Some sensed that something unusual had happened, thinking about the sender¡¯s position. And even those who had not yet participated in the assembly. ¡°Something interesting seems to be happening.¡± ¡°No, is there really someone riding around deliberately? Why¡­?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on at the assembly?¡± As a result of this message, they seriously considered attending the assembly. They couldn¡¯t tolerate the idea of a ¡°stranger riding a horse.¡± Meanwhile, Yeongwoo, the protagonist of the widespread ¡°equestrian rumor¡± that spread throughout Seoul in no time, was¡­ Kwaaaah! Riding on Negwig¡¯s back, rushing towards the Dongjak Bridge. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 91 Chapter 91 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 91: Yongsan Park (1) ¡°Something feels off today.¡± A middle-aged man with a receding hairline rushed over, tilted his head politely, and muttered. This man¡¯s name is Park Sangdo162. A former Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, he currently holds the position of Prime Minister of the ¡®New Seoul Government.¡¯ He is the most powerful figure in the government formed after the reset. ¡°What seems strange?¡± A young man, upon receiving Park Sangdo¡¯s report, responds with a puzzled expression. What is the identity of this man sitting on the bench, smoking a cigarette? ¡ºYongsan¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» Yongsan Strongest Sword Kim Doha03. He is the strongest residing in Yongsan and the onlybat weapon of the New Seoul Government. Due to the quasi-independence and privatization of all armed agencies, including police departments nationwide, the current government is practically reduced to an administrative body. Thus, the government, which needed ¡®physical force¡¯ externally, reached out to Kim Doha, asking him to be their patron. Given that the former president¡¯s office was located in Yongsan, there was no other option. So, it came to pass that Park Sangdo, a former high-ranking bureaucrat, found himself bowing to Kim Doha, who once ran a convenience store in Yongsan. In essence, the government, mere semnce though it was, had nothing else to offer to the real power in this world, the Strongest Sword, except for its formal recognition. Soon enough, Park Sangdo raised his head and finished his report. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ We received someone from Guro and Gangdong. They intend to participate in today¡¯s meeting.¡± Guro District, Gangdong District. Both areas had not participated in thest meeting, and they had rudely treated the envoys sent by the Seoul Alliance. Especially Guro District, not only did they rudely dismiss the envoys, but they also made them disappear. The same was true for the neighboring district of Yeongdeungpo. So, they were nning to discuss investigations into Guro and Yeongdeungpo at the meeting, but it was surprising that Guro, one of the high-risk areas, expressed willingness to participate first. ¡°Oh, really? It¡¯s unexpected that they¡¯reing from Guro.¡± However, Kim Doha, upon hearing the news, wasn¡¯t particrly surprised. They knew well that their main objective wasn¡¯t the meeting but the ¡®outsider who rides a horse,¡¯ as announced by Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword through a message. In other words, they were here for some interesting spectacle. ¡®It seems they¡¯re getting bolder. They¡¯vee all this way just for a show. They must think they can get away with anything now. It¡¯s bing a habit.¡¯ Anyway, it wasn¡¯t a pleasant development for Kim Doha either. The more Swords gathered, the higher the chances of troublemakers among them, and inevitably, there would be incidents. And the location of such incidents, unbeknownst to them, would likely be right in the middle of Yongsan District. ¡®Of course, that might be today.¡¯ The unidentified outsider pursued by Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword, and the dyed attendance of Guro and Gangdong at the meeting. It¡¯s all ominous. ¡°Tsk.¡± After dropping the cigarette butt, which had burned down to the filter, to the ground, Kim Doha crushes it with his foot and says, ¡°We still don¡¯t know the identity of Guro¡¯s Strongest Sword, right? They could be a crazed Korean-Chinese. It might be wise not to station anyone to the west.¡± ¡°Yes. Understood. Any other instructions?¡± Park Sangdo repeatedly nods his head almost submissively. Anyway, once the meeting is over, there¡¯s no need to confront the Strongest Sword until 3 p.m. tomorrow. A few hours of shutting his eyes tightly would allow him to live out the rest of the day as a ¡°real prime minister.¡± ¡°¡­¡± As Park Sangdo, who hadn¡¯t received the dispersal order, continued to stand in ce waiting, Kim Doha seemed to remember something btedly and asked, ¡°Oh, is there something you need, sir?¡± ¡°Yes? Well¡­ I¡¯m not aware of anything specific.¡± ¡°Is something wrong? Should we send someone to Gangnam?¡± When Park Sangdo, now concerned, asked, Kim Doha waved his hand dismissively. ¡°No need. They¡¯ll be here soon anyway, so we¡¯ll find out shortly.¡± And Kim Doha¡¯s words turned out to be true. Before long, a policeman in uniform rushed over to where the two were. ¡°Urgent!¡± With swift movements, it was evident that he was one of the elite police stationed on the border of Yongsan for the Strongest Sword meeting. ¡°Urgent¡­?¡± Kim Doha, sensing that the uneasiness he felt earlier was materializing, suddenly rose from his seat. Most policemen on patrol wouldn¡¯t leave their posts ande to Yongsan Park. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s urgent?¡± Park Sangdo, following up, asked the policeman. The policeman gasped for breath and pointed south. ¡°I¡­ I think there¡¯s a mutant appearing on Dongjak Bridge.¡± * * * The Han River. A massive body of water dividing the capital city of Seoul into north and south. With an average width of 1.2 kilometers, even the superhumans emerging after the reset could only cross it via bridges. This meant that thosemitting crimes in the reset world didn¡¯t use bridges at all. There was no way to evade inspections on the bridges, and if they were surrounded, there was no escape. So, thanks to the vast width of the Han River, the riverside naturally became a safe zone. Of course, strictly speaking, the safest ce would be the residence of each Strongest Sword. For this reason, everyone, past and present, wanted to live by the riverside, and the actual poption there was thergest, leading to maximum police deployment for security. Just like what Yeongwoo was witnessing now. ¡®How many of them are there¡­?¡¯ Yeongwoo frowned as he looked at the mass of policemen gathered at the far end of the bridge. It wasn¡¯t because he was feeling bad; he just wanted to take a closer look at them. ¡®Those over there are probably Yongsan police.¡¯ When Yeongwoo turned around, he could see another group of police gathered at the starting point of the bridge. ¡®Those must be from Dongjak.¡¯ Dongjak Bridge, spanning 1.3 kilometers, connecting Dongjak-gu, Seocho-gu, and Yongsan-gu. Yeongwoo had just crossed about half of Dongjak Bridge. Suddenly, the police, who were nowhere to be seen earlier, appeared out of nowhere and blocked the bridge front and back. There hadn¡¯t been any obstruction when he climbed up to this side from Dongjak-gu earlier, but perhaps the police had been hidden somewhere, keeping an eye on this side. ¡®Well, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯ Yeongwoo shrugged and focused back on the road ahead. Clunk. Clunk, clunk. Moving slowly for now. There was still some time before the meeting started, and there was no need to rush, nor did Yeongwoo feel like threatening the police by speeding up. After all, isn¡¯t it us who have the right to life and death? Even though surrounded by dozens of police officers, Yeongwoo¡¯s mind was as peaceful as ever. Clunk, clunk. With each sound of Negwig¡¯s steel hooves hitting the ground, Dongjak Bridge, visible in Yeongwoo¡¯s sight, gradually shortened. ¡®Come to think of it, have there been any monsters or mutants appearing on the bridge? There¡¯s not a single trace of destruction.¡¯ Misfortune may be a blessing in disguise. Apart from the fossilized subway tracksid on the 11-meter-wide railway in the center of Dongjak Bridge, it didn¡¯t look much different from before the reset. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Clunk. As Negwig, carrying Yeongwoo, almost reached the Yongsan side of Dongjak Bridge, the Yongsan police guarding that side began to hesitate. ¡°Is¡­ is the Strongest Sword not here yet?¡± ¡°Should we buy some time somehow?¡± ¡°I heard mutants can actually talk.¡± They couldn¡¯t bring themselves to think that the rider on that strange iron horse was human; they simply assumed that mutants from other areas hade up to Yongsan. ¡°Stop, stop moving! If youe any closer, we¡¯ll consider it an intention to attack and retaliate!¡± Finally, the Yongsan police sent a sharp warning towards Yeongwoo. But if the opponent was indeed a mutant, it was a careless response to issue a threat before concluding the dialogue. After all, had they actually met mutants before? ¡°Hmm.¡± Yeongwoo first halted Negwig and then nced at the police blocking the way out of Dongjak Bridge. Unlike their sloppy handling earlier, their gaze was quite stern now. Although they might seem like chicks to Yeongwoo, who had fought against the Strongest Swords and mutants, if all Seoul citizens were lined up, they belonged to the top ranks as well. Moreover, some of the policemen here were eager to have a chance to fight mutants. It was due to their misconception that they had be strong enough after hunting monsters for the past three days. They didn¡¯t understand that thebat power of monsters and mutants was iparable. Those who had realized this had already perished. So, some people regarded mutants merely as ¡®slightly stronger monsters.¡¯ However, because there was a bounty of 3 million won on their heads monopolized by the Strongest Swords, it¡¯s said that they¡¯re exclusively controlled by the Strongest Swords. But this ¡®mutant¡¯ doesn¡¯t seem to have an owner, does it? ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t get excited. I¡¯m not a mutant¡­¡± As Yeongwoo said this and raised his arms to show, swish! ¡°I told you to stop moving¡­!¡± Contrary to Yeongwoo¡¯s advice, some of the officers who were very excited rushed to subdue the ¡®mutant¡¯. Thunk! ¡°What? Stop it!¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Of course, the majority didn¡¯t move an inch. It wasn¡¯t just the instinctive fear of mutants, but rather, the thought that the opponent might be a person that came to them btedly. Because despite the strange appearance of that iron horse, anyone could see that the person on top of it was clearly human, showing a bewildered expression. ¡°Oh my. Aren¡¯t you all too hasty?¡± Yeongwoo, who hadn¡¯t expected the police to react so rashly, had no choice but to tap his left chest, invoking the ¡®prestige of the Strongest Swords¡¯ while internally worrying about potentially exacerbating misunderstandings. Thunk! It was to bring out the legitimate title of Strongest Sword he deliberately concealed before crossing the bridge. ¡®I might only make things worse by doing this.¡¯ The reason why Yeongwoo, a legitimately recognized Strongest Sword, had such concerns was nothing other than¡­ ¡¸Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¹ ¨C Epic title ¡¾Prestige of the Strongest Swords¡¿ ¡¾Voting Rights ¡¿ ¡¾Rohm¡¯s Bottom¡¿ It was because of the new martial arts that reced the majorponents of the Gyeongbuk Sword Law, called ¡®Rohm¡¯s Bottom.¡¯ Rohm¡¯s Bottom. Perhaps due to the legendary swordsmanship being incorporated into the tooltip of the Strongest Sword of Gyeongbuk, his title¡¯s form had strangely changed. Ssshhh¡­ The Epic title ¡®Strongest Sword of Gyeongbuk,¡¯ summoned by the call, finally began to manifest above Yeongwoo¡¯s head. And at that same moment, everyone in the vicinity stared in astonishment, their eyes and mouths wide open. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 92 Chapter 92 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 92: Yongsan Park (2) Where does fear reallye from? ¡°What, what is that?¡± ¡°Run away!¡± The elite police officers of Yongsan let out newly born screams. While doing so, they asked themselves. Why am I afraid? That¡­ is nothing more than a title. But it couldn¡¯t be ignored. The fear signals that his brain desperately sprayed. Shi-ah-aat¡­! The title that appeared above Yeongwoo¡¯s head seemed like a living creature. Because the characters wriggled as if they were really alive. Moreover, unlike other titles, something was oveid on the background, which was clearly part of another dimension. No one exined it, but anyone could intuitively feel it when they saw the title. Definitely not from the normal world¡­ No, what should I call it? ¡°Something wicked.¡± One of the police officers murmured, nodding his head, thinking of the appropriate word. He couldn¡¯t keep looking at the opponent¡¯s title anymore. Although he had already run away dozens of times in his mind, for some reason, his body didn¡¯t move. He had never dared to challenge the Strongest Sword, so he didn¡¯t even know what the prestige of the Strongest Sword was. ¡°Ugh!¡± As twenty or so police officers stood rooted to the spot wearing dragon helmets, Yeongwoo looked up at the title in his eyes with a malicious feeling. ¡ºGyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» Shi-ah-aah¡­! Once a title that shone brightly was now shrouded in a purplish fog-like substance, and within it, a profound evil emanated. ¡®What¡¯s with changing even the form of the title?¡¯ Whether to call it a distortion or contamination. Anyway, the only fortunate thing was that he could recognize the characters written on the title. ¡°Um¡­ first of all, please calm down, everyone.¡± Yeongwoo cautiously spoke to the Yongsan police officers under the prestige of the Strongest Sword. ¡°Can you see the contents of the title? I am not a mutant. And certainly not here to harm any of you.¡± Of course, it was aplicated situation in many ways, as he had killed the son of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword on his way up to Seoul. He didn¡¯t necessarily want to harm the police officers, but he came here with the intention of being willing to even take the life of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword if necessary. Swoosh- As Yeongwoo pointed directly at the title with his finger, the gazes of the officers finallynded on the letters ¡®Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword¡¯. ¡°Gye¡­ Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword?¡± ¡°The Strongest Sword¡­?¡± ¡°Uh¡­!¡± Instantly, the atmosphere changed dramatically. From fear of the unknown to a clear dread. As the prestige of the Strongest Sword was gradually diminishing, starting with the officer closest to Yeongwoo, one by one they began to kneel down on the ground. Hwaet! ¡°We¡­ We havemitted a grave offense!¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t know!¡± ¡°Please forgive us!¡± It was an unbelievable turnaround from just moments ago when they were ready to draw their swords. To them, the Strongest Sword was a more terrifying presence than a mutant. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but be bewildered. And at the same time, he learned a little about the position of Strongest Sword in Seoul. ¡°Um¡­ I forgive you, so please, stop kneeling now.¡± Just as Yeongwoo made an awkward expression and was about to jump down from the sculpture, a booming voice erupted from behind the police officers. ¡°Is everyone kneeling?¡± At this, everyone, including Yeongwoo, turned their heads in that direction and soon saw it. It was the sight of a middle-aged man in police uniform and another man who looked to be in his early thirties at most. ¡°¡­Chief.¡± Eventually, one of the officers rose briskly from his position, saluted the middle-aged man, and then bowed to the man next to him. Then the rest also rose and behaved in the same way as the person in front of them. While it was true that they had made a big mistake against the Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword who came to Seoul, at least for the Yongsan police officers, the sudden appearance of those two was due to their higher authority. Because the middle-aged man in uniform was the Chief of the Yongsan Police Station, Lee Kwangwon, and the man in his thirties next to him was none other than¡­ ¡ºYongsan¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» It was Yongsan Strongest Sword, Kim Doha 03. Of course, in terms of the Strongest Sword¡¯s rank, the Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword who unified arge region was a more fearsome presence, but¡­ ¡®That¡¯s a story that might hold true in any province, but this is Seoul.¡¯ Like the thoughts of one of the officers, this was Seoul. And not just any Seoul, it was right in front of Yongsan Park where the Strongest Sword assembly was held every day. Even if Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword was strong, could he really take on the Strongest Swords of Seoul alone? From the police perspective, it was only natural to fear the disapproval of their direct superiors who were under the protection of the Seoul Federation. In fact, even if it wasn¡¯t the case, it was morefortable to bow to fellow Seoulites than outsiders. ¡°¡­¡± With a series of reasons, as soon as the traffic was cleared, Chief Lee Kwangwon felt a great weight on his shoulders. ¡°Now, let¡¯s have a discussion.¡± As if indicating that it was now permissible to handle the matter, Lee Kwangwon gestured with open arms, as if opening the way. But the Yongsan¡¯s Strongest Sword was not responding as expected. ¡®What¡­ What is this, you bastard?¡¯ He was in a state of shock upon seeing the true identity of the ¡°outsider on horseback¡± that had been widely rumored. He had never dreamed that the ¡°horse¡± was made of ck steel, nor did he expect¡­ ¡®How much equipment is he wearing¡­?¡¯ Because even the specifications of the body atop the horse looked formidable. ¡®This guy is from a different dimension.¡¯ Yongsan¡¯s Strongest Sword Kim Doha was not a physically powerful person. Mentally speaking. During Strongest Sword assemblies, if opinions on certain matters couldn¡¯t be reconciled, they would resort to duels for resolution. This was the case when the meeting ce was designated as Yongsan Park, and when he faced Jeong Hyunsik, the Strongest Sword of the time, he acknowledged defeat immediately after receiving the first attack. He was scared. His spirit was broken in just one bout. Despite being fearful as a Strongest Sword, he had one distinctive skill. ¡®That guy¡­ He¡¯s strong.¡¯ He could recognize opponents stronger than himself like a ghost. He felt a simr feeling to when he stood in front of Jeong Hyunsik, the Gangnam Strongest Sword, in a duel. No, strictly speaking, it was even more intense. While he still felt a sense of familiarity with Jeong Hyunsik, which allowed him to endure at least one bout, he didn¡¯t want to face the attack of that monster riding the iron horse at all. So, Kim Doha made a decision based on his own logic. ¡°Wee¡­ Pleasee in.¡± Swoosh! [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Bowing deeply, showing utmost respect. He hoped the monster wouldn¡¯t feel difort. ¡°It seems that our people havemitted an offense. Let me apologize on their behalf.¡± When Kim Doha, the strongest in Yongsan, went this far, even the police chief who had been making a fuss just a moment ago had no choice but to bow his head. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Following that, the officers, like lightning, rose from the ground and pressed their foreheads to the road. Hwaet! ¡°I apologize!¡± ¡°Please forgive us!¡± ¡°¡­¡± The most awkward one in this situation was Yeongwoo. Because they might soon find themselves in a situation where they couldn¡¯t kill each other. After all, he was the culprit who had killed the son of the Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword, who was the axis of the assembly. He didn¡¯te here expecting a warm reception. ¡°Um¡­ By any chance, is the Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword present at the assembly now?¡± When Yeongwoo asked, Kim Doha¡¯s stiff expression softened slightly. ¡°Ah, so you know to some extent. Excuse me, but may I ask what rtionship you have with Jeong Hyunsik?¡± ¡°That¡­ well¡­¡± It seemed that the other party didn¡¯t quite grasp the situation. Yeongwoo initially hesitated to speak, but then changed his mind. Was there really a need to awkwardly hide something that everyone would soon find out anyway? ¡°It¡¯s a matter of enmity. I killed his son.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°The son of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword.¡± He didn¡¯t even remember the guy¡¯s name. Even though he knew the man¡¯s father was the Gangnam Strongest Sword, he didn¡¯t regret killing him. ¡°¡­¡± Despite making a terrifying confession, he had an unusually nonchnt expression. It was actually Kim Doha who wore a puzzled expression. ¡°No, I mean, sir¡­¡± Kim Doha, who was trying to recall what he had heard, suddenly fell silent. He was at a loss for words at such an unbelievable story. But he didn¡¯t doubt its truthfulness. ¡¶If you encounter an outsider riding a horse, please bring them to the assembly, alive. I request it.¡· The strange message spread by the Gangnam Strongest Sword was evidence of this, and given the bizarre appearance of this outsider, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if they were involved in whatever it was, whether it was chopping up the son of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword or not. ¡°So, let¡¯s rify¡­ You killed Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s eldest son, and now you havee here with the intention of killing Jeong Hyunsik as well?¡± The summary seemed slightly twisted. Upon this, Yeongwoo corrected a few things. ¡°I killed the son of that Jeong Hyunsik person, and now, it¡¯s more urate to say that Jeong Hyunsik hase here to kill me. I don¡¯t particrly want to spill any more blood.¡± ¡°¡­I see. But if you don¡¯t have any feelings for Jeong Hyunsik, couldn¡¯t you have just left the scene after killing his son?¡± Intrigued by the conversation between the two Strongest Swords, everyone in the audience was silent and focused. And soon, an absurd line popped out of the problematic outsider Yeongwoo¡¯s mouth. ¡°It¡¯s my job, after all. I have to wrap things up somehow, don¡¯t I?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Thinking of it as his job, he came here to duel the Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword. It was a motive that was difficult for the cowardly Strongest Sword Kim Doha and the Yongsan police officers, who were just here to make a living, to understand easily. Swoosh! The current time was 2:34 PM. Kim Doha, checking his wristwatch, let out a deep sigh. ¡°Hoo¡­¡± There were about 26 minutes left until the start of the Strongest Sword assembly. If this monster¡¯s words were true, it wouldn¡¯t be long before Jeong Hyunsik made his way to Yongsan with vengeance in mind. ¡®Today, with new attendeesing in, it will be quite a spectacle.¡¯ After some contemtion, Kim Doha finally made up his mind. Whoosh! With arms outstretched towards the outsider, he spoke. ¡°Once again, wee! Today might be a very important day. I¡¯ll inform the other Strongest Swords as well that there might be a duel for the position of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword today.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 93 Chapter 93 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 93: Yongsan Park (3) When Yongsan Strongest Sword officially recognized Yeongwoo as a ¡®guest¡¯ through enthusiastic hospitality, many things changed. First and foremost. Chot-chot! Until just a moment ago, Yongsan police officers, who were ready to confront Yeongwoo with swords, cleared the way by lining up on both sides. The procession had begun. ¡°Let¡¯s go, please.¡± Then, Kim Doha, Strongest Sword of Yongsan gestured towards a ck sedan parked on the other side, indicating they should go together. Even near the sedan, mobile security agents on motorcycles were waiting. It was a direct imitation of state ceremonies from childhood. ¡°¡­.¡± As Yeongwoo stared nkly at the clearly formal procession, Yongsan Police Chief Lee Kwangwon spoke up. ¡°Not only is Yongsan home to key departments of the New Seoul Government, but Yongsan Park, designated as a meeting ce, is also here. It¡¯s practically the capital of Seoul.¡± That¡¯s why, he exined, such a procession was a great morale boost for the residents of Yongsan. ¡°¡­I see.¡± Yeongwoo didn¡¯t fully understand, but he nodded anyway. Starting with the term ¡°capital of Seoul¡± seemed awkward. Of course, judging by the name ¡°New Seoul Government,¡± it seemed they no longer viewed Seoul as just another city. ¡®They seem to be too preupied with their own agendas to call this a government.¡¯ It was almostical to see the one who killed the son of a member of the Seoul Federation receiving a procession. Yeongwoo slowly approached Negwig, looking down at Kim Doha and Yongsan Police Chief Lee Kwangwon. ¡°You two ride as usual. As you can see, I have a horse.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I see.¡± Kim Doha nced at the horse of the outsider that had been bothering him since earlier. The vehicle of unknown grade that Yeongwoo, his advertiser for Dogo, had given as a token of gratitude. Kim Doha, unaware of Negwig¡¯s background, could only wonder where he had bought such a rare item and how much he had paid for it. * * * Yongsan Park. Arge green space in the heart of Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Once a space upied by U.S. military bases, it covers an area of 3 million square meters and is now used as the meeting ce for the Yongsan Federation, supervised by the Seoul Federation. In other words, it is said to be a ce where superhumans, who can even demolish buildings barehanded, might engage inbat if circumstances permit. ¡°I wonder if there have actually been fights among the Strongest Swords.¡± As Yeongwoo muttered to himself, a police officer following on a motorcycle blinked. He had just heard Yeongwoo¡¯s words. ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo nced around. Their current location was above Dongjak-daero, heading towards Yongsan Park. In front of him, there was a ck imported car carrying Yongsan¡¯s Strongest Sword and Yongsan¡¯s Police Chief, rolling along. Yeongwoo was following them from behind at a suitable distance, apanied by four police motorcycles, not regr security. ¡°Why, do you happen to know something? Please tell me.¡± As Yeongwoo asked, the police officer, who had been cautiously observing the surroundings, opened his mouth. ¡°We couldn¡¯t get inside, so we don¡¯t know much, but¡­ we heard there was a duel at the first meeting.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ really?¡± As Yeongwoo showed interest, the officers standing right next to him started to move away. It was because they suddenly stopped the bikes. ¡­? Yeongwoo, with a puzzled expression, turned his head back towards the front and then understood the reason. In the meantime, they had arrived at Yongsan Park. Vroom¡­ The vehicle carrying the Strongest Sword was already gliding into the park, receiving a 90-degree salute from men in formal attire. ¡°And wee. From here, it¡¯s Yongsan Park.¡± As Yeongwoo passed by on Negwig, the men bowed their heads again. ¡°They¡¯re not following separately. Can¡¯t even the security enter the park?¡± There were no additional guards on the Strongest Sword vehicle racing from the other side either. In other words, from now on, they would have to handle everything solely with their own strength. Although there were rules for the meeting, it was essentially an informal agreement among the Strongest Sword. With no public eye here, one could argue that this was a truewless zone. ¡®Even if someone dies here, it wouldn¡¯t make much of a difference.¡¯ Meanwhile, the vehicle ahead kept moving forward without stopping, continuing into the park. ¡®How vast is this ce¡­?¡¯ Yeongwoo, following the vehicle in front of him, began to understand why the Strongest Swords had chosen this ce as their meeting spot. This amount of space was needed for the minds of the Strongest Sword-level individuals to feel at ease when fighting. Vroom¡­! Gradually, the engine noise of the vehicle subtly changed, slowing down, and in time, something began to appear in the distance. First, there were people who seemed busy moving something, and then, what caught the eye was¡­ ¡®A chair¡­?¡¯ The object they were moving was indeed a chair. ¡°Is that the meeting ce over there?¡± This time, there was no one to answer Yeongwoo¡¯s muttering. And Yeongwoo didn¡¯t need an answer this time either. Anyone could tell that was the meeting ce where Seoul¡¯s elites gathered. ¡°¡­¡± A vast open space covered with evenlyid grass. On it, there were about a dozen chairs spaced at regr intervals. That was all there was. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] There wasn¡¯t even a table for refreshments, let alone a canopy to shade from the sunlight. Just chairs ced on the ground. Even those chairs were mismatched, some resemblingvish leather seats that could be reminiscent of sofas, while others were simple stic folding chairs one might find at a convenience store. ¡®This is ridiculous. They made such a fuss on the way here, and this is what the meeting ce looks like?¡¯ It was aposition that couldn¡¯t have resulted without a clear intention. Moreover, some chairs already had people sitting on them. It meant that some of the Strongest swords had arrived early. Click! Finally, the ck sedan ahead stopped, and Kim Doha and Lee Kwangwon got out one after another. Yeongwoo also jumped off Negwig and approached Kim Doha holding the reins. ¡°Is this the meeting ce?¡± To this, Kim Doha smiled as if he knew what Yeongwoo was thinking and replied. ¡°It¡¯s surprising, isn¡¯t it? Just conducting the meeting on the ground.¡± Then, he nced at the scene where the chairs were being arranged. ¡°Even cing these chairs here costs money. We can¡¯t just bring in furniture carelessly because if a fight were to break out, everything around could be destroyed.¡± In other words, they hadn¡¯t wasted effort preparing assuming a duel or fight would ur. And flipped around, it also meant it was difficult to control each individual Strongest Sword. ¡°Still, we offer one service¡­ You can choose the chair you¡¯ll sit on during the meeting yourself. Of course, sitting on the ground is also possible.¡± With these words, Kim Doha sent a look as if asking if Yeongwoo wanted to choose a chair. ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m fine. As you said, sitting on the ground is fine.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze naturally turned south, towards his back. He hoped Gwanak Strongest Sword, Jo Sangik, would arrive soon. It seemed ufortable to be stuck here without knowing anyone. However, the actual development waspletely different from his expectations. One by one, the Strongest Sword who had been present at the meeting started to rise from their seats. They were all looking towards Negwig as if waiting for something. ¡°Let¡¯s go and say hello.¡± Kim Doha scratched his chin and took a step in the direction where the Strongest Sword were. On the other hand, Yongsan Police Chief Lee Kwangwon didn¡¯t move from near the vehicle. It wasn¡¯t clear whether he had no authority to go further or simply didn¡¯t want to be near the Strongest Sword. Anyway, since they hade this far, there seemed to be no other choice. ¡°Ahem.¡± Yeongwoo cleared his throat once and then moved forward holding Negwig¡¯s reins. ck, ck. Thanks to the illusion wrapped around his feet, every step Yeongwoo took produced the sound of metal. This caused a murmuring among the Strongest Sword who stood in their ces. It was a reaction simr to when Yeongwoo first met Jo Sangik, Strongest Sword of Gwanak. Insisting on going barefoot was a tradition among the Strongest Sword, known as ¡®bizzare,¡¯ but the sound of metal with each step was more akin to being a ¡®monster.¡¯ Furthermore, the creature Yeongwoo was leading with the reins, resembling a horse, alsocked a metal outer shell. ck, ck, creak. As the distance between Yeongwoo and the meeting ce narrowed to about 20 meters, the first reaction finally erupted. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± With one hand halfway resting on the hilt of his sword at his waist, the man who spoke was Yang Wootaek07, a 42-year-old male. Above his head shone the title of ¡®Mapo Strongest Sword.¡¯ On the other hand, above Yeongwoo¡¯s head was the title of ¡®Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword,¡¯ writhing in a purple haze. ¡ºGyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» Another person mumbled, feeling out Yeongwoo¡¯s peculiar title. Seongbuk Strongest Sword, Lee Yoobin16, a 22-year-old female. She had sensed unease upon seeing Yeongwoo earlier. Considering the form of the title and the fact that Gyeongbuk was a major region, it indicated a different ss of opponent. ¡°Excuse me¡­ What¡¯s wrong with the title? Is that how the title of a great region is supposed to be?¡± Of course, she wasn¡¯t so scared to hesitate to ask. After all, this was Seoul, and even at this gathering, there were far more members of the Federation. ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­¡± Just as Yeongwoo was about to answer, suddenly¡­ ng! A person who had been sitting quietly on a chair all this time suddenly stood up with a loud motion. ¡°Oh my, we¡¯ve heard a lot about you.¡± Jang Jeongho01, 29 years old male, Dongdaemun¡¯s Strongest Sword. As he rose with a heavy presence, Lee Yoobin¡¯s expression hardened. Jang Jeongho was a troublesome figure even at the meetings. As far as the Strongest Swords knew, he was apletely different person from the previous world with no criminal record then, but now he was a murderous maniac. For example, the punishment method he enforced in Dongdaemun-gu was solely beheading. ¡°Hmm.¡± Mapo¡¯s Strongest Sword Yang Wootaek also sat downfortably on his chair upon seeing Jang Jeongho rise. Thud, thud. If Yeongwoo was a monster, Jang Jeongho was a strange man. Even now, he confidently walked barefoot, disying his identity. For the Strongest Swords, wearing shoes was a kind of courtesy and respect. This is a roundabout way of expressing that you are not here to fight and that you want to stay politely before leaving. It meant they wouldn¡¯t exert themselves to the point of breaking their shoes. However, Jang Jeongho belonged to a category that didn¡¯t care about such things. In fact, wasn¡¯t the world before the reset the same? Not everyone adhered to public morality. ¡°Since we¡¯ve met like this, shall we shake hands?¡± Jang Jeongho, who had suddenly approached Yeongwoo, extended his hand with a glint in his eyes. Swish! It felt like he was already gripping with strength in his hand. ¡°That¡¯s enough. He¡¯s a guest on business with our leader.¡± Kim Doha, sensing the obvious joke, or rather, provocation, intervened to stop Jang Jeongho. In reality, whether they quarreled or not didn¡¯t matter much, but not now. ¡®I want to see Jeong Hyunsik get beaten up.¡¯ If it was true that this outsider had killed Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s son, then one of the two Strongest Swords would surely die today. And Kim Doha¡¯s wish was for Jeong Hyunsik to die, if possible. Ever since the duel over the choice of the meeting ce, he had harbored resentment against Jeong Hyunsik So it was essential to ensure that the outsider facing them didn¡¯t exert unnecessary force. For example. Thud! ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Engaging in a handshake turned into a power struggle initiated by Jang Jeongho. ¡°Wait a minute!¡± Just as Kim Doha realized the handshake had begun, Jang Jeongho¡¯s eyes began to glow with a golden light. This lunatic was trying to assert the authority of the Strongest Sword. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 94 Chapter 94 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 94: Yongsan Park (4) ¡°Jang Jeongho¡­!¡± As Kim Doha called out the name of Dongdaemun Strongest Sword, a golden wave erupted around Jang Jeongho¡¯s body. Paaah! It could have ended as a simple power struggle, but using the ¡®Strongest Sword¡¯s momentum¡¯ was a different story. It was a very rude provocation, testing the opponent¡¯s resolve. ¡°Urgh¡­!¡± As Jang Jeongho¡¯s momentum enveloped Kim Doha, he had to grit his teeth. It was because of the throbbing pain as if his heart was being squeezed. He couldn¡¯t stop Jang Jeongho¡¯s momentum. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ However, he couldn¡¯t afford to show any signs of weakness here. Not only Jang Jeongho and the outsider, but also the Strongest Sword from Mapo and the Chief of Yongsan Police Station were present. ¡®If I show weakness here, it¡¯s over.¡¯ So, amidst the sweating and enduring pain, an unexpected savior appeared. It was none other than¡­ ¡°Kraaaaagh!¡± Jang Jeongho. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Why was he screaming when he was the one who released the momentum? An absurd situation that momentarily made even the piercing pain in the heart forgettable. And even in this situation, Jang Jeongho twisted his body, screaming fiercely. Thanks to that, the fact that Kim Doha was overwhelmed by Jang Jeongho¡¯s momentum was quietly buried. ¡°What¡¯s this? Did Gyeongbuk win?¡± ¡°No matter what, rolling around like that¡­?¡± Mapo and the Strongest Sword from Seongbuk only thought that the outsider¡¯s momentum had overwhelmed Jang Jeongho. There was nothing else significant between them. Even if we call it physical contact, it was just a handshake, they didn¡¯t exchange proper blows. But the three people involved, Jang Jeongho, Jeong Yeongwoo, and Kim Doha, knew well. It was Jang Jeongho alone who had used the Strongest Sword¡¯s momentum just now. ¡®What¡¯s going on? It¡¯s definitely not the momentum. Did he use some other technique?¡¯ Of course, Kim Doha, who had watched everything nearby, didn¡¯t know exactly what had happened. Anyway, what was important to him right now was¡­ ¡®Thankfully, he didn¡¯t get caught.¡¯ Because Jang Jeongho¡¯s re-up seeded in saving face. ¡°Who¡­ What¡¯s your identity?¡± Eventually, as Jang Jeongho staggered halfway to the ground, trembling lips, he red at Yeongwoo. In response, Yeongwoo slightly clenched his right hand and smiled wryly. ¡°I just shook hands because you asked.¡± That was also true. All Yeongwoo did was shake hands with the opponent. But as soon as the handshake started, Jang Jeongho exerted force as if to crush Yeongwoo¡¯s hand, and Yeongwoo, in turn, raised his output against him, resulting in the explosion. ¡®Golden Punishment¡¯ considered the opponent as an enemy and triggered pain infliction. ¡®Considering that he doesn¡¯t have many ovepping equipment, he seems to have invested heavily in his stats, surprisingly capable.¡¯ From Yeongwoo¡¯s perspective, experiencing the third day¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¯s momentum indirectly had its merits. ¡®Even if I fight alone, I think I can win easily.¡¯ While staring at Jang Jeongho, Yeongwoo thought to himself, the guy suddenly flinched and stepped back. ¡®This guy¡­''¡± Nevertheless, he didn¡¯t rush back at Yeongwoo. If they were to engage again, it wouldn¡¯t be just a ¡®joke¡¯ anymore; it would be a decisive battle, especially since he had no confidence in defeating that outsider. Even when faced with the Strongest Sword¡¯s momentum at close range, he didn¡¯t bat an eye. He was definitely not an ordinary opponent. ¡°¡­¡± As an awkward silence ensued, the inexperienced Seongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword, Lee Yoobin, spoke up. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else to do, let¡¯s call it quits. People should being soon.¡± There was a hint ofughter in her words. ¡°This bitch¡­!¡± Jang Jeongho red, but Lee Yoobin wasn¡¯t someone to be trifled with either. ¡°Well, what can I do? He¡¯s the one acting out alone.¡± Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t add the word ¡®retard¡¯. She didn¡¯t attach it probably because one of the ¡®people¡¯ she mentioned was already visible in the distance. ¡°Sister!¡± Lee Yoobin waved her hand behind Yeongwoo. Then, Kim Doha, the Yongsan¡¯s Strongest Sword, approached Yeongwoo and whispered softly. ¡°Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword, Oh Yeonhee.¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Yeongwoo was perplexed by the sudden guidance, but he followed Kim Doha¡¯s gaze for the time being. Swish- Then, a tall woman with a sturdy figure came walking from the other side. ¡°Unbelievable.¡± Yeongwoo thought he knew why Kim Doha deliberately mentioned Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword. It was because Oh Yeonhee was someone he recognized, a kind of celebrity. Oh Yeonhee04. A former professional basketball yer and current Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword. Not only was she selected as the MVP of the domestic pro league for four consecutive years, but she was also well-known as a medalist in the Asian Games. Of course, Yeongwoo only knew her face thanks to entertainment programs. Due to her background as a famous athlete and her tall stature and excellent eloquence, she once enjoyed tremendous poprity. ¡®But why is she¡­?¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] While staring at Oh Yeonhee¡¯s shadow stretching out on the grass, Yeongwoo doubted his own eyes. As it was evident now, despite being a celebrity, Oh Yeonhee hadn¡¯t been nominated for elimination. That was because she was not usually the subject of gossip and wasn¡¯t someone who could easily make enemies. But why would someone like her be a Strongest Sword? A Strongest Sword was essentially a murderer. They killed people to be a Strongest Sword, and if necessary, they would continue to kill. ¡°¡­¡± As Yeongwoo nkly stared at the newly appeared Strongest Sword, Oh Yeonhee also looked at the outsider with an expressionless face. Then, she nced at the fallen Jang Jeongho and slightly lowered her head towards Kim Doha before speaking. ¡°It seems there was somemotion here.¡± Oh Yeonhee¡¯s height was a whopping 186 cm. Her weapon was also a long, curved sword, which added to her imposing presence. ¡°Ah¡­ Yes. But it¡¯s been resolved well.¡± Kim Doha said with a confident smile, and Oh Yeonhee nodded silently. It was apletely different atmosphere from what she had seen on television. Perhaps many things that happened along with the reset had made her more reticent. ¡°Sister!¡± As Lee Yoobin waved her hand again, Oh Yeonhee brightened up and greeted them with her long arms, warning them like a continuation of a martial arts move. ¡°Master-nim is alsoing this way. It might be better to seat the guests separately.¡± It was a message to Kim Doha, the owner of the meeting room. From the nuances, it seemed Oh Yeonhee also knew what had happened to the son of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword. ¡°¡­He¡¯ll be here soon. Understood.¡± As Kim Doha¡¯s expression stiffened, Oh Yeonhee approached Lee Yoobin. Now, there were only three left on the scene. ¡°What did you do?¡± Jang Jeongho asked, feeling that something was off in the conversation, and Yeongwoo answered without hesitation. ¡°I killed Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s son.¡± ¡°What¡­ Why on earth?¡± ¡°He suddenly came and started a quarrel.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jang Jeongho, who had been like a cat that got the cream, suddenly fell silent. But the atmosphere didn¡¯t be awkward again. Since someone else had arrived during that time, all the Strongest Swords in the meeting room who had been watching this way stood up at once. ¡°¡­¡± Since the reaction wasn¡¯t even this much when Oh Yeonhee appeared, Yeongwoo could instinctively tell. ¡®He¡¯s here.¡¯ As Yeongwoo slowly turned around, he saw the silver-grey carriage sliding smoothly into the meeting room at just the right moment. Respect. Mourning. ¡°Ah.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s heart pounded. It finally hit him that he had killed someone¡¯s son. Behind the carriage, another ck sedan followed, and Yeongwoo thought that Jeong Hyunsik would be in that one, so he kept his eyes on it. However, where Jeong Hyunsik was actually riding. Ba-aang¡­ As the carriage stopped abruptly, the driver¡¯s door opened. Thunk. Then, the driver in a ck suit stepped out onto the grass. Thud. With the title ¡®Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¯ affixed above his head. ¡®Gangnam Strongest Sword, Jeong Hyunsik.¡¯ Yeongwoo recited the driver¡¯s identity in his mind. As if hearing it, Jeong Hyunsik turned his head towards Yeongwoo. Shoooo¡­ For a moment, Yeongwoo felt like he was standing in front of a calm wave in the winter sea. From Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s face, which was silently watching this way, he felt the cold and lonely sea. Perhaps even if there hadn¡¯t been a title above his head, Yeongwoo would have known. That he was the father of the deceased. Thud! Kim Doha and Jang Jeongho were already moving as far away from Yeongwoo as possible, and meanwhile, the passenger door of the carriage opened. Thunk! And out stepped someone Yeongwoo knew well. Lee Jangho73. He was the only man who survived at the scene where Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s son was killed. Lee Jangho nced alternately between Yeongwoo¡¯s face and his horse, then moved his lips in a mocking manner towards Jeong Hyunsik. That¡¯s the man who did it, or something simr. Then, Jeong Hyunsik said something to Lee Jangho and ced a chrysanthemum on top of the carriage, which had been pinned to his chest. And then. Swish! In the blink of an eye, a dagger pierced through Lee Jangho¡¯s forehead. ¡°Gasp!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The other Strongest Swords, who had been holding their breath, were in an uproar. Although Lee Jangho hadn¡¯t been able to protect his son, didn¡¯t this help narrow down the killer? ¡®Is he nning to kill anyone rted to his son¡¯s death?¡¯ Yeongwoo pondered. In that case, it would be difficult for Jo Sangik, Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword, to survive. Thud. As Lee Jangho¡¯s head with a hole in it fell to the ground, the people in ck suits from the previously quiet sedan rushed out. Yeongwoo didn¡¯t know them well, but they were Dongjak¡¯s Strongest Sword Lee Hanwook and employees of Taewon Group. However, they didn¡¯t surround Yeongwoo or anything of that sort. They simply pulled out Lee Jangho¡¯s body and loaded it into the trunk of their vehicle. And finally, Jeong Hyunsik began to move. Silently, he walked towards the outsider who had killed his son. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 95 Chapter 95 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 95: Yongsan Park (5) Jeong Hyunsik, 52-year-old male. He is not only the sole survivor of the thirdrgest conglomerate Taewon Group in Korea but also the current head of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¯s office. In the world of Strongest Swords who each consider themselves the protagonist, Jeong Hyunsik was a special figure. This was because he had a novel-like story, even in a society of Strongest Swords where ¡°prestige¡± was important, waiting for the brothers who had be dragons to return. In the world where ¡°prestige¡± was important among Strongest Swords, such a background was a tremendous halo. Moreover, wasn¡¯t he part of the ruling ss even in the world before the reset? In other words, while other Strongest Swords from ordinary backgrounds were meremoners, Jeong Hyunsik was a true noble. With such a foothold, the reset did not feel like a disaster to him. At least until yesterday. But now, having lost his child overnight¡­ ¡°¡­¡± Eventually, Jeong Hyunsik stood in front of a stranger. Thud! It was the first disaster that finally came to him. After carefully scanning through Yeongwoo¡¯s peculiar title, the iron horse, and the golden goblin, Jeong Hyunsik signalled to the Taewon Group employees waiting behind the meeting room. Then he said to Yeongwoo. ¡°Have a seat for a moment.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± Unknowingly tense, Yeongwoo let out an awkward sound. The distance between the two was only 5 or 6 meters at most. Since it was a short distance where either one could stab the other¡¯s throat in the blink of an eye, Yeongwoo thought only of an ambush. Thud! Suddenly, men in ck suits approached with something in their hands. It was nothing but¡­ Thump! Folding chairs. Folding chairs with synthetic leather cushions attached. One chair unfolded near Jeong Hyunsik and Yeongwoo each, and Jeong Hyunsik took the seat first. ¡°Sit down.¡± Ordered again to sit by Hyunsik, Yeongwoo awkwardly leaned on the chair. Then, Jeong Hyunsik, who was staring intently at him, chuckled and said, ¡°You¡¯re such a kid. Did you really kill my son¡­?¡± Upon this, Yeongwoo could only say one thing. ¡°Well, your son wasn¡¯t exactly ordinary either. Why would I, knowing who his father is, kill him?¡± As soon as Yeongwoo finished speaking, there was a cracking sound from Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s side. ¡°This brat. Watch your mouth.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you here to kill me in the first ce? I don¡¯t really understand what conversation you want to have.¡± When Yeongwoo said this, Jeong Hyunsik waved his finger in the air as if tearing something apart. Boom! It was the carriage he had brought. ¡°My son is in there right now. Just as he was found for the first time, unable to breathe. Can you imagine what condition he might be in?¡± At the time of the incident, Yeongwoo slit Jeong Gyusang¡¯s throat. So, ording to Jeong Hyunsik, his son would now be in a state where his head and body were separated and ced in a coffin. ¡°I regret the loss of your son. But I think it was unavoidable.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Your son swung the sword first. Of course, I could have reasonably restrained him and let him live, being a high-profile case¡­¡± In terms of syntax, the conclusiones next. From Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s perspective, it was the moment when the motive of the person who killed his son was revealed, so he held back. He held back the desire to tear apart the ¡°brat¡± in front of him and kill him. And finally, Yeongwoo finished speaking. ¡°That¡¯s only an eptable exnation when there¡¯s a level of madness involved. Isn¡¯t it right to cut off someone who¡¯s about to kill you before theymit more murder?¡± ¡°¡­So, you killed my son for just that reason?¡± ¡°Just that?¡± Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s words made Yeongwoo gradually angry. ¡°You mourn for your son¡¯s death and yet you say ¡®just that¡¯¡­?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you understand. I¡¯ve saved hundreds, if not thousands, more people than I¡¯ve killed. If it weren¡¯t for me, this meeting wouldn¡¯t have happened, and rotations and such would have been impossible.¡± Of course, this was a reasonable argument. ¡°So, don¡¯t I have the qualifications? It¡¯s just one troublesome son I¡¯ve kept alive.¡± But this was sophistry. ¡°What are you talking about? Then doctors should be given murder licenses since they save people every day. Who decides on those qualifications anyway?¡± As Yeongwoo spoke with a furrowed brow, Jeong Hyunsik responded as if it were obvious. ¡°Who? Naturally, people like us decide.¡± People like us. Referring to the strong ones in the Strongest Sword¡¯s Assembly. ¡°Oh.¡± Yeongwoo lost his words at this point. After all, wasn¡¯t it a ce where if both sides couldn¡¯t reconcile their opinions, they settled it through a duel? And in reality, their words and thoughts were indeed thew. ¡°¡­In my opinion, the only qualification you as a father have is to avenge your son¡¯s death.¡± Yeongwoo sighed heavily. ¡°But since I¡¯m the perpetrator in this case, I understand that I have no right to say more. So, let¡¯s settle this ording to thews of this ce.¡± As Yeongwoo finished speaking, the other side of the meeting room trembled ominously. Everyone pretended not to show it, but they were all quietly listening to the conversation between the two. ¡°We both knew that words wouldn¡¯t solve anything.¡± ¡°Just because you apologize doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll be forgiven.¡± ¡°Sigh, what a pathetic guy.¡± In the end, the conversation broke down. At the same time, Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s pupils turned golden. Ha-ah! He was emitting the prestige of the Strongest Sword. ¡°Let¡¯s see if you can say the same thing after losing an arm and a leg¡­!¡± This was a chilling line for Yeongwoo, who had a high regenerative ability. Theoretically, he was in a state where he could undergo torture indefinitely. However, unlike Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s menacing words, Yeongwoo remained unaffected by his prestige. On the other hand, Yeongwoo¡¯s prestige¡­ Shi-ah! Was not golden but purple in color. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± It gripped Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s heart, despite him being the Strongest Sword of Gangnam. ¡°What¡­ What is this?¡± Even Yeongwoo was surprised by the palpably evil aura, but Jeong Hyunsik quickly unleashed his prestige and initiatedbat. ¡¸The sensory value has temporarily increased from the previous 700 to 2,476.¡¹ A tremendous amount of sensory perception was stolen. ¡®2,476? How much sensory perception did he steal exactly?¡¯ Without time to be astonished, a violet hologram appeared before Yeongwoo. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± It was a color and atmosphere he had never seen before. It was the interface provided by the legendary martial arts, ¡°Rohm¡¯s Bottom.¡± Shi-ah! As the hologram rushed toward Jeong Hyunsik, Yeongwoo swiftly moved his body. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Thud! Jeong Hyunsik, who had just drawn his sword from his belt, widened his eyes. ¡°¡­!¡± Not only was the opponent¡¯s movement much faster than expected, but they were also getting too close. Usually, inbat, the distance between both parties would be at least the length of the sword. You need to secure enough distance to swing your sword and block the opponent¡¯s sword. But now, the distance between the two Strongest Swords¡­ ¡®Why are we getting this close?¡¯ Even the attacker, Yeongwoo, was surprised by the distance, which was only 30 centimeters. Then, Yeongwoo¡¯s upper body swiftly descended as if sliding on the ground, wrapping Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s waist with both arms and lifting him up. ¡°Huh?¡± So, this was, in Earth terms, a wrestling-style tackle. Ha-et! In an instant, Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s legs were left hanging in the air, losing his bnce, and Yeongwoo pushed Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s pelvis with his head and shoulders. ¡°This¡­!¡± As both of Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s hands were on his belt to draw his sword, he had no choice but to be caught off guard. And so, eventually¡­ Kwoong! In the blink of an eye, he was mmed to the ground. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Wow¡­!¡± Even for the other Strongest Swords watching from a distance of about ten meters, it was a shocking scene. Because they had never seen such a¡­ what should I call it? A savage duel opening. Of course, the one who was most shocked by this ¡°savage¡± first move was none other than the person involved, Jeong Hyunsik. ¡°This bastard!¡± He was still pinned to the ground without even having drawn his sword. [TL/N: pinned down huh. Well¡­since it¡¯s valentine¡¯s¡­] [PR/N: ] He thought that this was a very unfavorable position indeed. And in his state of mind, soon¡­ Shiiit! The scene of the guy who killed his son swinging his elbow like a knife came into his view. ¡°Kkup!¡± Due to the extreme tension, he let out a gasp. However, even in this situation, Hyunsik followed the hologram¡¯s guide, turning his head to the right and shrinking his left shoulder. Then, Yeongwoo¡¯s elbow attack, with a strength value of a whopping 2,800, struck Hyunsik¡¯s head and shoulder simultaneously. Ba-aack! Such a powerful blow that the sound of impact reached the meeting room on the other side. However, the damage was dispersed enough for Hyunsik to bear, and in the meantime, a route for escape from the melee was found by Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¯s Technique, pulling the owner out of the melee. ¡¸Self-destruct¡¹ ¨C Mutation Bracelet ¡¾Causes a powerful explosion.¡¿ ¡¾Durability increased by 300.¡¿ It was telling him to use the self-destruct device he had. Already, in front of Hyunsik¡¯s eyes, the hologram reproducing the explosion was flickering, and realizing there was no other way, he decided before his neck was broken by the next attack. ¡°Motherfuc*er.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Kwaaaaang! An explosion apanied by mes urred between Hyunsik and Yeongwoo, allowing Hyunsik to be bounced off the ground for about five meters. He had escaped from the mad Strongest Sword¡¯s grasp. ¡°Wow, ugh.¡± However, that didn¡¯t mean the situation was optimistic. He had just suffered severe burns from the explosion and was in considerable pain, and the condition of his left shoulder, which had blocked the opponent¡¯s elbow earlier, was not good either. But. ¡®That bastard must be almost dead by now. And now I can use my sword.¡¯ Hyunsik sharpened his gaze. It was because he keenly felt that his opponent was not to be underestimated. Moreover, if he lost in this fight, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to properly hold his son¡¯s funeral, let alone seek revenge. ¡®I must¡­ I must win.¡¯ As Hyunsik clenched his resolve, pulling his sword from his waist, he noticed a figure rising in the distance on the opposite side. ¡°What¡­?¡± As if entranced, Hyunsik shifted his gaze beyond the embers. Soon, he saw Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword walking through the charred grass, their figure silhouetted against the darkness. Sssah¡­ It was as if the burnt skin was rapidly regenerating due to the burns. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 96 Chapter 96 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 96: Yongsan Park (6) ¡°What, what is this¡­?¡± Jeong Hyunsik blinked his eyes several times. He doubted if he had seen correctly. Hadn¡¯t the foreigner¡¯s skin just failed to regenerate? The cheeks, which had seemed almost half-cooked, were now clean as if nothing had happened. Of course, Yeongwoo was equally surprised by the other party. ¡®Has the infliction of pain not been triggered? Why does he look fine?¡¯ He had definitely struck Jeong Hyunsik with his elbow earlier. He had swung with the intention to kill, so there was no way the golden punishment didn¡¯t work. In other words, that guy. ¡®He must be enduring the pain so well that it doesn¡¯t show, or else¡­.¡¯ For some reason, pain infliction wasn¡¯t working on Jeong Hyunsik. ¡®No matter how great the sadness of losing a son is¡­ can pain infliction be ignored so easily?¡¯ Yeongwoo didn¡¯t think so. He had seen countless Strongest Swords and mutants struggling with the effects of pain infliction. While it was possible to endure pain solely with mental strength and still fight, it was hard to ept that someone wouldn¡¯t even scream, like Jeong Hyunsik right now. ¡®If he¡¯s Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword, his items must be above average. There¡¯s definitely something. I have to fight thinking that pain infliction won¡¯t work.¡¯ Yeongwoo assumed that the opponent had some kind of immunity item. And then. Swoosh! He also drew his dark sword to match the opponent. ¡®From now on, it¡¯s a real showdown.¡¯ At that, on the other side, Jeong Hyunsik also slowly extended his foot while tightly holding the sword. He was greatly tense from the recent skirmish. Swish! Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s weapon was a broad-ded silver-white straight sword. From the pommel to the handle and guard, the sword was one piece, and if you looked closely, it was shaped like a dragon with its wings spread. Whatever it was, it was a weapon with a dragon-themed motif. ¡®What, it definitely doesn¡¯t look like an ordinary weapon.¡¯ Yeongwoo narrowed the gap while looking at the opponent¡¯s gleaming sword. And then, finally, when the distance between them had shrunk to about 5 meters. Swish! Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s silver-white weapon suddenly glowed dimly into a reddish hue. ¡°¡­.!¡± At this, Jeong Hyunsik made a meaningful expression, and the Strongest Swords watching from afar each let out a gasp or an exmation. The fact that the sword turned red meant that the challenger, the Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword, was a human of level 2 or lower. ¡¸Dragon¡¯s Legacy¡¹ ¨C Epic One-Handed Sword ¡¾ssist.¡¿ |Increased effectiveness against targets of level 2 or lower. *Special reward of ¡®Royal Blood¡¯. Epic grade weapon, Legacy of the Dragon. This was Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s signature equipment, and if you were a Strongest Sword of the Seoul Federation, you knew the characteristics of this weapon. Most of the Strongest Sword in the left section had fought against Jeong Hyunsik and his sword during the first meeting. And those whose innate ranks were not high had to surrender to Jeong Hyunsik without exception. ¡°Oh, so that guy was also a low-level human.¡± ¡°Here it ends¡­¡± ¡°When he pinned him to the ground earlier, it was the first andst chance.¡± Most of the Strongest Swords here were criminals of level 2 or lower. So, everyone was secretly rooting for the foreigner in question. Although it was true that the man who suddenly appeared and caused amotion was frightening, there was also arge amount of resentment towards Jeong Hyunsik, a noble by birth. Of course, this was emotionally speaking, and if they had to bet on one of them, the vast majority would stand with Jeong Hyunsik. Regardless of their backgrounds, aren¡¯t the Strongest Swords the privileged ss of this world? In the current situation where Seoul¡¯s system was just taking shape, the death of Jeong Hyunsik, who was practically the lord of Seoul, would be inconvenient even for the other Strongest Swords. ¡°Hey.¡± Finally regaining hisposure unlike before, Jeong Hyunsik spoke to Yeongwoo. As both were in each other¡¯s range, this was also a tremendous arrogance. ¡°¡­?¡± Instead of answering, Yeongwoo just looked at his opponent, so Jeong Hyunsik said with a contemptuous look. ¡°What level are you? Level 3? No, don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s level 4?¡± ¡°What nonsense are you talking about again?¡± Even as Yeongwoo said this, he seemed to understand why Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s momentum suddenly soared. ¡®He must have some function to detect levels.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze briefly touched on the purple hologram that glowed on the ¡®Legacy of the Dragon¡¯. As he had several responsive items like that, it wasn¡¯t difficult to deduce the function of that sword. ¡®But if it simply detects levels, he wouldn¡¯t be so excited. Most likely, it¡¯s equipment that bes stronger against opponents of lower levels.¡¯ Like ¡®Underdog,¡¯ which increases effectiveness againstrger opponents. ¡®I need to be careful.¡¯ As Yeongwoo tightened his grip on the sword, a purple hologram appeared again in his field of vision, and a sensation theft rm was triggered. ¡¸The sensory value has temporarily increased from the previous 700 to 2,476.¡¹ Jeong Hyunsik initiated the second round. ¡°Looks like the sky is still on my side¡­!¡± At that moment, Jeong Hyunsik was already swinging his sword, leaving a dim trail, and Rohm was instructing him to block the iing attack. However, while holding the ck sword with both hands. ¡®With both hands?¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Without further time to think, Yeongwoo immediately grasped the dark sword with both hands and assumed a defensive posture. Then, the crimson de struck Yeongwoo¡¯s sword like lightning. Boom! A shockwave spread sharply from the point of impact. ¡°Ugh!¡± Yeongwoo unintentionally groaned as he felt his hands holding the sword bing numb. This was the strike of Gangnam Strongest Sword Jeong Hyunsik, which had forced countless Strongest Sword to submit. ¡®Insane. He¡¯spletely a monster.¡¯ Even Yeongwoo, who had experienced many battles, felt fearful of the power of that attack. However¡­ Swish! Rohm continued to propose the next round. There was still something more he could do. ¡®Oh my god.¡¯ The next move the Legendary Swordsmanship desired was for Yeongwoo to strike first, so Yeongwoo swung the dark sword again with trembling hands. Hwaaat! But as the strength in his hands had already drained, it was clear to Jeong Hyunsik that this attack wasing. ¡°You¡¯re using the dragon. That¡¯s it.¡± With a smile of satisfaction, Jeong Hyunsik countered Yeongwoo¡¯s attack. Taaang! At this moment, an astonishing event unfolded even to the Strongest Sword observing the battle. The dark sword, which had been overwhelmed in the power struggle with the opponent, was knocked out of Yeongwoo¡¯s hand. It was the moment when it was revealed why so many Strongest Swords had epted Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s first challenge and surrendered. ¡°Ah.¡± As Yeongwoo let go of the sword from his hand, Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s momentum increased even more upon hearing the sigh. But Yeongwoo¡¯s sigh was not born of despair. He was still fighting as if he were a ¡°prisoner.¡± Thunk! As Yeongwoo bent his upper body once again, Jeong Hyunsik, feeling a terrible sense of urgency, gritted his teeth. ¡°This crazy bastard.¡± Like discovering a huge insect, Jeong Hyunsik hastily retreated. But ironically, the foreigner who should have been tackled was not in front of him. Much to his amusement, Thud! Behind Jeong Hyunsik, that is, in the direction of the cart he was driving. Where Hyunsik¡¯s sony. ¡°This fucking bastard!¡± From Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s perspective, he couldn¡¯t help but think that the madman was trying to target his son¡¯s corpse. And even the Strongest Sword of the Seoul Federation, who had been mere spectators until now. ¡°No, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he going too far?¡± They considered intervening as they watched the foreigner running towards the cart. Indeed, Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword Oh Yeonhee had alreadyunched herself towards the cart. ¡°Easy there. Winning is important, but there¡¯s a limit.¡± While Oh Yeonhee cast a long shadow and brandished her Crescent Moon Sword, Yeongwoo, who was running towards the cart, pulled something out of his pocket. Pop. It was none other than: ¡¸Blue Blood¡¹ ¨C Mutant Drug ¡¾Increases strength by 30% for 10 minutes.¡¿ ¡¾Usage count: 3¡¿ It was Yeongwoo¡¯s doping agent, Blue Blood. ¡°W-what¡¯s happening now¡­?¡± As anyone could see, when Yeongwoo put the ¡®Blue Blood¡¯ from the ss bottle into his mouth, Oh Yeonhee, who was watching him, made a horrified expression. ¡°Hey!¡± Crack! With Oh Yeonhee¡¯s scream, Yeongwoo vigorously chewed on the bottle in his mouth. Then, Yeongwoo¡¯s strength, which had been 2,800, skyrocketed to 4,550 after increasing twice due to the 30% increase in strength from Blue Blood and the 25% increase in strength from Masochism¡¯s bleeding effect. ¡¸Masochism¡¹ ¨C Epic gem ¡¾Slot: Strength increases by 25% when bleeding.¡¿ ¡°Huuurgh¡­!¡± Due to the torn mouth, immense pain surged in his mouth, but Yeongwoo diligently carried out the order given by Rohm. ¡®Damn, do I really have to go this far?¡¯ Hwaaat! He sent another sword, ¡®Underdog,¡¯ towards the direction of the cart. ¡°No-o-o!¡± At the sight, Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s eyes rolled back. Thwack! Simultaneously with this, Yeongwoo twisted his body and delivered a left hook directly to the back of Jeong Hyunsik. Boom! A fist that literally tore through the air. Surprised by the output of 4,550 strength, Jeong Hyunsik hastily raised his sword to guard. ¡°Toote!¡± Crash! At that moment, Yeongwoo¡¯s wrist, which swung the sword, broke at a grotesque angle. Snap! His current durability couldn¡¯t withstand the maximum output of 4,550 strength. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Nevertheless, Yeongwoo held onto Jeong Hyunsik with all his might, not letting go. He still had his right hand intact. ¡°W-what¡­ what are you trying to do, you crazy bastard?¡± As Jeong Hyunsik, feeling dizzy, red at Yeongwoo with cold sweat streaming down his face, Swish! A ck sheath that had been closing in from a distance stabbed Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s lower back. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°¡­Ugh!¡± It was none other than Yeongwoo¡¯s dark sword. The weapon he had dropped on the ground during the second round. ¡°This¡­!¡± As Jeong Hyunsik sensed that he had been pierced, he opened his eyes wide, and then Yeongwoo¡¯s right elbow swung like a knife. Swish! And what followed was¡­ ¡°Ahh¡­¡± ¡°Oh my god.¡± ¡°¡­Insane.¡± Thunk, thud. Decapitation. Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s severed head rolled on the ground twice after detaching from his body. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 97 Chapter 97 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 97: Long Live the King (1) ¡ºGangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword has fallen!¡» In an unbelievable event, everyone in Yongsan Park fell silent. ¡°¡­.¡± But in their minds, more tumultuous thoughts were brewing than ever before. ¨C Is it really true that Jeong Hyunsik is dead now? ¨C Then, does that mean the next Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword will be that outsider? ¨C No, before that, can we even consider what just happened as an official duel? It wasn¡¯t sanctioned by the League members. ¨C What if it wasn¡¯t an official duel? What happens next? ¨C If we were to attack that outsider right here? ¨C Then, what about all those treasures¡­? As everyone fiercely calcted in their minds, Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword, Oh Yeonhee, still nursed her sore wrist. With the head of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword gone, she was now the most influential swordsman in this assembly hall and temporarily the strongest. Of course, her own thoughts were different. ¡®What was that¡­? That attack just now.¡¯ Just seconds ago, as she blocked the path in front of the carriage, she reflexively deflected a sword thrown by the outsider. However, the sword in question had almost twice the power she had anticipated, and as a result¡­ ¡°¡­.¡± She suffered a wrist injury so severe that it was difficult to properly swing a sword for the time being. It wasn¡¯t even a direct hit with a de, just blocking a roughly thrown sword from the other side. It was impossible unless the opponent possessed strength far beyond ordinary. Moreover, the strange thing was not just that. ¡®From the start, the direction of the sword wasn¡¯t aimed at the carriage.¡¯ Someone with such strength would undoubtedly have staggering other abilities. So, it was unlikely that they identally missed the carriage. Meaning, the outsider used a fake to induce a specific action from the deceased Jeong Hyunsik. ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± Meanwhile, Yeongwoo felt the gradual pain of his broken wrist subsiding as he sat beside Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s body. ¡¸The title of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword was acquired and merged!¡¹ ¡­Achieved one title in the Seoul region. The title acquisition message was frantically shing in front of him, but Yeongwoo¡¯s attention was focused beyond the message. Because he could feel the gathering tension among the assembly of Strongest Swords without a sound. ¡®Yeah, it¡¯s better to fight quickly if we¡¯re going to fight. Since the potion effects are still lingering.¡¯ Although he was currently alone, his strength stat was still at 4,550. Therefore, he couldn¡¯t take on all the Strongest Swords here, but he could certainly make some of them hisrades in the journey to the afterlife. ¡°Ugh.¡± Yeongwoo, despite wincing once again at the throbbing pain in his wrist, mentally prepared himself to summon his weapons at any moment. Then. Thwack! Finally, one of the Strongest Swords in the assembly hall stood up. It was none other than Jang Jeongho Dongdaemun¡¯s Strongest Sword. ¡°Is this really happening? Our leader has passed away¡­!¡± As he subtly revealed his intention and began to move towards the scene, the remaining Strongest Swords all looked towards Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword, Oh Yeonhee. They were gauging Yeonhee¡¯s intentions, as she was now closest to being the ¡°head¡± after Jeong Hyunsik, both physically and metaphorically. However. ¡°Yes¡­ As everyone saw, our leader has passed away. Defeated in the duel.¡± Resolute refusal. Yeonhee, shifting her katana to her left hand, took a step back, clearly indicating her unwillingness to escte the situation further. She didn¡¯t want to escte things here. ¡°Damn it.¡± Thus, Jeong Jeongho, now left to confront alone, red at Yeongwoo as if to kill him. ¡°How can you let that asshole debut like this¡­¡­?¡± But even Jeong Jeongho, speaking like this, dared not attack Yeongwoo. If Yeonhee didn¡¯t move, other Strongest Swords would also remain bystanders, and then wouldn¡¯t he be the only one to face death? And along with that. ¡°Isn¡¯t the duel over? Why isn¡¯t it being settled?¡± A figure emerged from the edge of Yongsan Park, throwing a wrench into the current situation. ck, ck. A man dressed in a navy suit with ck leather shoes. ¡°Deputy¡­ Deputy Minister.¡± Jeong Jeongho, who had been so lively just a moment ago, now looked unbelievably submissive. It was because Jo Sangik, former Deputy Minister of nning and Finance and current Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword, had appeared. Of course, if Jeong Hyunsik were alive, Sangik might have been immediately targeted as an aplice of the outsider and executed upon his arrival at the assembly. However. ¡°¡­.¡± As Sangik looked on, it was clear that Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s head was no longer attached to his neck. That meant that there was no one in this ce who could wield authority over Sangik. Not even Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword, Oh Yeonhee, could defeat Sangik in terms of influence within the assembly. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived, Deputy Minister.¡± Yeonhee looked at Sangik, and behind him, the people from Seoul National University, with a strange glint in her eyes. This was a clear vition of the rules. No Strongest Sword could bring soldiers into Yongsan Park. Except for a few attendants for minimal security. ¡°If someone unfamiliar sees this, they might think a coup is being staged.¡± Yeonhee remarked, causing Sangik to smirk. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°It seems like there was quite amotion earlier. Just in case, I brought some personnel to help settle the disturbance.¡± Sangik continued after this point, pausing briefly and scanning his surroundings. He looked at the carriage containing the headless body of Jeong Hyunsik, likely with his son, and the staff from Taewon Corporation who had gathered more than allowed. Then, with a less bitter tone than before, he chuckled softly and continued. ¡°But it seems like it was a false rm. There was no need to employ anyone.¡± With that said, as Sangik took a big step forward, Jang Jeong-ho flinched and stepped back. It was an intuitive reaction. Jo Sangik had already made a deal with the outsider. ¡°Mr. Jeong Yeongwoo, are you alright?¡± Sangik inquired about the outsider¡¯s well-being and openly expressed his support. It was just revealed that the outsider¡¯s name was ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo.¡¯ This revtion prompted another Strongest Sword, who had been watching the situation nkly, to stand up abruptly. Bam! He was none other than Kim Doha from Yongsan Strongest Sword. Thud! Standing somewhat awkwardly before Yeongwoo and Sangik, he hesitated for a moment before bowing his head and saying. ¡°Congrattions on bing Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword! Mr. Jeong Yeongwoo¡­!¡± Realizing that the momentum hadpletely shifted towards the outsider, he quickly chose his stance. Observing this silently, Oh Yeonhee interjected with a very dry tone. ¡°You should handle the logistics with Taewon Group well.¡± In other words, she acknowledged the outsider¡¯s entry into Gangnam. With the situation unfolding this way, the other Strongest Swords had no choice but to ept it. ¡°Congrattions.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see a new Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword.¡± ¡°Congrattions.¡± While the Strongest Swords exchanged greetings with mixed feelings, Sangik turned to Yeongwoo again and asked. ¡°How long do you think it will take for your wounds to healpletely?¡± ¡°¡­Huh? Do you have another opponent to fight?¡± Yeongwoo innocently replied, eliciting a wry smile from Sangik. ¡°It may not necessarily be the case¡­ But you should participate in the assembly. Not all the Strongest Swords have arrived yet.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Only after hearing this did Yeongwoo remember one fact he had forgotten all this time. The duel with Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword was merely an opening event for this assembly. ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo nced at his watch btedly. The current time was 2:54 PM. There were about six minutes left until the start of the assembly. ¡°With it almost being 3 o¡¯clock, and everyone is not here yet?¡± Yeongwoo asked, prompting Sangik to chuckle awkwardly. ¡°There are some unruly folks.¡± Sangik replied, indicating that although Jang Jeongho Dongdaemun¡¯s Strongest Sword arrived on time, there were still more troublesome individuals. ¡°¡­.¡± This meant that there could be another disputeter today. Of course, Oh Yeonhee acknowledged this, and more importantly, with Sangik¡¯s support, there wouldn¡¯t be any hasty decisions like during Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s time. ¡®What should I do first?¡¯ As Yeongwoo pondered, he snapped out of his thoughts when he saw the Negwig and Golden Goblin standing on the other side. ¡®Ah, the loot.¡¯ He had forgotten the most important thing because of hisck of experience. But¡­ ¡®Do I have to search Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s corpse in front of all the Strongest Swords?¡¯ But realistically, there was no other way. Dragging the corpse to some secluded ce to search would seem even more suspicious. And soon, those who hadn¡¯t seen the decision battle of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword would attend the assembly. If he waited until then to collect the loot, it would cause even more chaos. So now was the best time. ¡°Deputy Minister.¡± ¡°Yes, what is it?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t collected the loot yet.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± Sangik, who had been tilting his head in confusion for a moment, suddenly widened his eyes. He realized what the other was talking about a momentte. ¡°Oh.¡± Then, Sangik¡¯s gaze fell on Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s head on the other side. ¡°First, let¡¯s quickly take out the equipment and move the body somewhere. If other Strongest Swords are expected toe here.¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Sangik nodded vigorously. ¡°Well, that¡¯s true. We can¡¯t proceed with the assembly like this.¡± Without hesitation, Yeongwoo reached for the Silver-White Straight Sword, which had given him the most trouble. Click. As Yeongwoo touched it, instead of glowing red as it used to, a tooltip appeared, indicating that he was currently without an owner. ¡¸Dragon¡¯s Legacy¡¹ ¨C Epic One-Handed Sword ¡¾Rank exclusive¡¿ |Increases power against targets of Rank 2 or lower. *Special reward for ¡®Blood of the Royal Family.¡¯ A weapon meant to subdue lesser beings, ironically ended up in the hands of a lesser being. ¡®Blood of the Royal Family¡­¡¯ As Yeongwoo shifted his gaze to the bottom of the tooltip, additional information appeared. [Blood of the Royal Family] |Achievement Grade: Legend ¡¸Obtain the title of Strongest Sword while two or more of your rtives have be mutant.¡¹ ¡®Oh my god.¡¯ This achievement was something that could hardly be discovered by anyone other than someone on the level of Jeong Hyunsik. ¡®It must be fate. To have such an achievement prepared¡­¡¯ Of course, it was a tragic fate in a sense. Considering this kind of fate, it seemed that even the existing fate had been erased along with the reset. Click. As Yeongwoo finally wielded the ¡®Dragon¡¯s Legacy,¡¯ the Strongest Swords at the assembly, who had just noticed it, began to buzz with excitement once again. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Wait, is that¡­?¡± However, contrary to Yeongwoo and Sangik¡¯s expectations, the interest shown by these Strongest Swords in handling Yeongwoo¡¯s loot was not due to some romantic concern for the deceased¡¯s dignity being offended. Their curiosity was purely about¡­ ¡°Is that the sword¡­?¡± ¡°What about that bracelet? Can I have a look at it?¡± It was the equipment list of Jeong Hyunsik, which no one had dared to uncover until now. Finally, the unboxing of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword had begun. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 98 Chapter 98 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 98: Long Live the King (2) ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yeongwoo was surrounded by Strongest Swords as he searched the body, engulfed inplex emotions. After all, wasn¡¯t Jeong Hyunsik just a pivotal figure in the Seoul Alliance until a moment ago? But now, having lost his life, he had be nothing more than a spectacle. ¡®What on earth?¡¯ A sense of difort arose. Did everyone hereck empathy because they were all murderers? Perhaps, being born into the ruling ss, they all secretly wished for Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s downfall. As the ¡°reset¡± began, everyone participated in the vote for annihtion as if they had been waiting for it. And amidst this, the Strongest Sword meticulously searched the headless corpse,menting as they went. ¡°I think that¡¯s the ¡®Wave.''¡± ¡°Is there anything in the pouch? It looks bulging.¡± Continuous admonitions. Ignoring them, Yeongwoo began to collect the equipment in the order they caught his eye. The first was the ring that had been on Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s finger. Swoosh. As Yeongwoo reached for the ring, an item tooltip appeared above it. Pop! ¡¸Wave¡¹ ¨C Unique Ring [Voice transmission to the Strongest Sword of the acquisition area.] | Area: Seoul ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°¡­Huh.¡± As the tooltip for ¡°Wave¡± appeared, the bustling interior fell silent for a moment. It was only then that everyone truly realized. That all the possessions of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword were passing into the hands of an outsider. Among them, the ¡°Wave¡± in particr was equipment closely rted to Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s position within the assembly, making its significance even more palpable. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo¡¯s attention was more drawn to the equipment grade than the function of the ring. ¡®Oh, it¡¯s unique.¡¯ It was two grades higher than heroic. Therefore, he couldplete one of the achievements he had been holding onto for a long time. [Jeweller¡¯s Touch] | Wear two rings of heroic grade or higher on the index and ring fingers. (3/4) ¡®Finallypleting it.¡¯ Completing one achievement would reveal a new one in its ce. So, Yeongwoo was more excited about the content of the newly emerging achievement thanpleting the current one. Due to his achievement tendency being ¡°stubborn,¡± he could asionally indirectly obtain very rare information. Like the ¡°social worker¡± that revealed the return function of mutants. ¡®There really is something in the pouch.¡¯ Yeongwoo, holding the Wave, searched Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s suit pocket as per one of the admonitions he had heard earlier. Click. Then, along with a few crimson coins, an oval-shaped stone came out. ¡®What¡¯s this¡­?¡¯ As Yeongwoo grabbed the stone, just like before, a tooltip appeared. Pop! ¡¸Berserker¡¹ ¨C Mutant Charm [Ignore a certain level of pain.] ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°What kind of item is this again?¡± This time, the equipment was aplete mystery to the other Strongest Swords. However, they immediately recognized how beneficial the effect written on the tooltip was. Weren¡¯t these the people who fought mutants and skirmished every day, even without challengers? ¡°What level does it mean by ¡®certain level¡¯?¡± ¡°Anyway, just looking at the options, it¡¯s an amazing item¡­¡± Amidst the Strongest Sword¡¯s spections, Yeongwoo looked at the ¡°Berserker¡± with a meaningful expression. ¡®So, it was thanks to this stone that Jeong Hyunsik could fight so well.¡¯ Of course, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t precisely determine what the ¡°certain level¡± mentioned in the tooltip meant. But at least, it seemed that the pain inflicted by the golden punishment exceeded that ¡°certain level¡± for sure. ¡°This item matches Yeongwoo¡¯spatibility very well.¡± Jo Sangik added ament. It referred to Yeongwoo¡¯s miraculous regeneration ability. Isn¡¯t it Yeongwoo who, even if his body ispletely distorted, can recover perfectly given enough time? Given such a person, giving him equipment that can conditionally ignore pain would create tremendous synergy. ¡°Yes. Thepatibility must be great, but¡­¡± Yeongwoo omitted the rest of the sentence. Surely, even the legendary martial art ¡°Rohm¡¯s Bottom¡± was aware of this absurd new equipment. In other words, it is no longer possible to guess what the Rohm¡¯s Bottom, who previously ordered self-harm tactics, will now order. Yeongwoo shuddered at the dreadful thought and shifted his gaze to thest visible piece of equipment. The red bracelet hanging on Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s left arm. Tug. As he removed the bracelet from the deceased, Yeongwoo himself experienced a tooltip he knew well. ¡¸Self-Destruct¡¹ ¨C Mutation Bracelet [Causes a powerful explosion.] [Durability increased by 300.] ¡°Oh, it even raises durability. This is amazing.¡± This item also suited Yeongwoo, who had a high regeneration rate. Although the equipment named ¡®Self-Destruct¡¯ might not be easily usable by ordinary people, it was a risk-free move for Yeongwoo. ¡®Is it over now? It¡¯s much simpler than I thought.¡¯ While thinking like this, Yeongwoo looked at ¡®Serpent of Greed¡¯ to see if there might be any other equipment. ¡¸Serpent of Greed¡¹ ¨C Epic Compass [Always seeks out rarity.] *Ssshh!* Unlike usual, the serpent opened its eyes wide and flicked its tongue, seeming to sense something from Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s body. ¡°What is it?¡± Yeongwoo asked the snake in a low voice, and once again, the other Strongest Sword who were surrounding him murmured. Carrying a live snake around one¡¯s left arm was already unusual, but now he was even talking to the snake. There had never been such behavior in their expeditions. *Ssshh!* Eventually, the snake turned its head in one direction, and as Yeongwoo began to probe that direction, tension naturally spread among the assembly. If by some chance the outsider found something else, then the snake might also be some kind of equipment, meaning he found something. But if it turned out to be a bluff, he was just a crazy person keeping a pet snake. Whatever it was, it was an interesting situation. *Swish, swish.* As Yeongwoo searched Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s body here and there for a while, he suddenly made an expression that seemed to be wondering. ¡°What¡­?¡± What could be surprising enough for this expert to react like that? ¡°What is it?¡± Even Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword Oh Yeonhee, who had been silent until now, urged Yeongwoo for an answer. Upon this, Yeongwoo untied Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s shirt before responding. ¡°¡­?¡± Another round of murmurs from the Strongest Sword assembly. In the meantime, Yeongwoo noticed that the Serpent of Greed was still pointing at the upper abdomen of the corpse, so he covered his mouth with his hand. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°It feels like there¡¯s something inside this person¡¯s stomach.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s statement caused a stir among the audience. Even Jo Sangik seemed to speak as if to warn him not to joke. ¡°What, what are you talking about? What could be inside him?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way this guy is wrong. He¡¯s found simr things before.¡± Yeongwoo nced at Serpent of Greed. Thanks to this serpent, he had found the mutant cornea ¡®One Eyed Sentinel¡¯ that he would have missed before. Therefore. ¡°Since there are no tattoos on his abdomen or chest¡­ it¡¯s highly likely that something is inside.¡± Yeongwoo said as he pulled out a small dagger from his pocket, causing the Strongest Sword to protest and step back. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see, let¡¯s see.¡± ¡°What are you doing, exactly?¡± However, Yeongwoo paid no attention to them. His wrist was almost fully recovered by now, and more importantly, he needed to do this kind of mischief before more spectators gathered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It might look a bit gruesome, so please step back.¡± Even before Yeongwoo mentioned it, most of them had already backed away. The only ones closely watching the situation were Oh Yeonhee and Jo Sangik. ¡°Are you sure about this? What if nothinges out of it? This is ridiculous.¡± Oh Yeonhee seemed genuinely angry. But it wasn¡¯t like they were going to cut open a living person¡¯s stomach, and after all, wasn¡¯t this part of the process of iming the spoils after a duel? Yeongwoo decided to push forward. ¡°Let¡¯s think about that only after we¡¯re sure that nothinges out.¡± Then, he immediately raised the dagger and shed Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s abdomen. *Squish!* ¡°Argh, fuck it.¡± ¡°Oh, my goodness.¡± While the audience grimaced, Yeongwoo began to extract the organs that started to flow out from between the yellowyers of fat one by one with the dagger. To an outsider, it would have seemed extremely cruel, but to Yeongwoo, it was just aborious farming process. ¡®Ah, there it is.¡¯ Finally, as he dug into the innards, Yeongwoo found what he had been confident about¡ªa ¡®piece of equipment.¡¯ *Squelch.* As Yeongwoo reached in and pulled something out from among the organs, Mapo¡¯s Strongest Sword Yang Wootaek vomited on the floor. It seemed he had the weakest stomach among the audience. And in the meantime, Yeongwoo slowly raised the problematic equipment that was still active even though its owner was dead. ¡¸Self-Generation¡¹ ¨C Mutant ¡¾You can live without eating.¡¿ ¡¾Energy is self-generated¡¿ ¡¾¨CEmpty slot¨C¡¿ ¡°This¡­ it¡¯s certain?¡± Without even realizing it, Jang Jeongho, who read the tooltip, quickly retreated. It seemed he, too, was overwhelmed by nausea. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo regarded the ¡®Self-Generation¡¯ with curiosity, as it seemed to parasitize Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s existing organs. The equipment, with its wet hair tangled like crazy, appeared to be breathing lightly, almost as if it were alive. ¡°Mr. Jeong Hyunsik was truly remarkable. To think he would consider putting something like this inside his body.¡± Yeongwoo himself had experience wearing mutant corneas, so he could imagine how significant of a decision it must have been for Jeong Hyunsik. The idea of transnting something unknown into one¡¯s body was beyond terrifying. ¡®But how did he attach this to his stomach? Did he swallow it?¡¯ Of course, Yeongwoo wearing the mutant corneas was a thing of the past. Since then, he had been through a lot, from being sliced up by Sungbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword to sacrificing an Audi to the shareholders of Dogo, an alien armspany. In other words, he had be an even more daring and entric individual than when he had worn the mutant corneas over his eyes. *Thud.* As Yeongwoo tore off the ¡®Self-Generation¡¯ covering Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s abdomen, Seongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword Lee Yoobin screamed in horror, almost as if she were shrieking. ¡°Oh! Are you insane? Why would you do that?¡± Then, when Yeongwoo brought the ¡®Self-Generation¡¯ near his mouth, ¡°¡­!¡± No one could make a sound. It was beyond their realm ofmon sense. Would Jeong Hyunsik have been doing this on his own while he was alive¡­? ¡®If that¡¯s true, then he deserves to be recognized not as Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword but as Seoul¡¯s Strongest Sword.¡¯ As someone in the audience thought this, the problematic ¡®Self-Generation¡¯ suddenly stuck to Yeongwoo¡¯s mouth, emitting a disgusting slurping sound. Then, *Suck!* In the blink of an eye, it was sucked into Yeongwoo¡¯s throat. [TL/N: OH NAH WTF???] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 99 Chapter 99 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 99: Strongest Sword Assembly (1) ¡°Ah¡­!¡± ¡°Phew.¡± As Yeongwoo finally swallowed his self-generation, all the Strongest Swords watching him were not only shocked by his expression but also twisted their bodies in amazement. ¡®What¡­ What¡¯s with this guy?¡¯ ¡®Isn¡¯t he afraid¡­? How is this possible?¡¯ Anything that crosses a certain line tends to instill fear in the observer. Everyone present here felt fear towards Yeongwoo, who easily crossed the invisible boundary. Dongdaemun, Mapo, Seongbuk, Songpa, Yongsan, Dongjak, Gwanak. At least seven regions¡¯ Strongest Sword members had directly witnessed reasons why Yeongwoo should not be considered an enemy. ¡°Ugh!¡± Of course, even Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t ustomed to inserting foreign objects into his body. ¡®This is insane, it¡¯s on a whole different level than inserting contact lenses.¡¯ Because the volume of self-generation was muchrger than the esophagus, Yeongwoo¡¯s throat to his stomach seemed to be in turmoil. Then, at some point, the tumultuous body quieted down. Perhaps it was when the mutation stomach had finished its formation. ¡°¡­.¡± Finally regainingposure, Yeongwoo looked down at his abdomen, and the Strongest Swords, who had been scattered, gradually gathered around. Then, each one of them stared intently at Yeongwoo¡¯s abdomen. Upon this, Yeongwoo gathered the lingering unpleasant taste in his mouth and spat it out with saliva before saying. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s all over. I¡¯m sorry for surprising you.¡± me. ¡¸Self-Generation¡¹ ¨C Mutant ¡¾You can live without eating.¡¿ ¡¾Energy is self-generated¡¿ ¡¾¨CEmpty slot¨C¡¿ Now, only Yeongwoo could see the tooltip of self-generation whenever he ced his hand on his abdomen. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ As expected, he wasn¡¯t feeling good. While the mutation cornea concept was originally about wearing equipment on the body, this was closer to recing the body with extraterrestrial material. ¡°Well then.¡± Eventually, Jo Sangik tried to lighten the mood. ¡°We should tidy up¡­ and prepare for the assembly.¡± He had to, as the meeting time had already passed. Current time, 3:02 PM. By now, theters would have entered Yongsan Park. In this chaotic situation, if the rear guard arrives and sees the body of Jeong Hyeonsik, whose neck is cut and abdomen is split¡­ ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Unknowingly, Jo Sangik shook his head, then ordered the Seoul National University people to move Jeong Hyeonsik¡¯s body with a transport cart. Then, near the transport cart, he gave instructions to the Taewon Group employees, who were still unable to move. ¡°Return to headquarters. And inform CEO Baek Dohwan to prepare for the takeover. Let him know that the Strongest Sword of Gyeongbuk will be staying in Gangnam.¡± Upon Jo Sangik¡¯s words, the Taewon Group employees hesitated for a moment, then promptly drove the transport cart out of the park. This prompted Yeongwoo to ask. ¡°¡­Who is Baek Dohwan?¡± ¡°He¡¯s the leader of the Taewon Group.¡± ¡°Ah¡­?¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s rted to Jeong Hyeonsik. From our perspective, he¡¯s just administrative personnel. You¡¯ll understand when you meet him.¡± Baek Dohwan, 47 years old. Former CEO of Taewon Life and current CEO of the conglomerate ¡®Taewon.¡¯ However, the reason Jo Sangik referred to Baek Dohwan as ¡°just administrative personnel¡± was due to the abnormal structure of the current world. Just like the government, without the protection of Strongest Sword, no business could thrive, especially Taewon. Currently, Taewon had even absorbed Gangnam Police Station, bing the only monster operator in Gangnam. And the key to Taewon gaining such dominance was solely ¡®Jeong Hyeonsik.¡¯ What more needed to be said when Jeong Hyeonsik, Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword, was the sole survivor of the Taewon family? ¡®But he¡¯s no longer alive.¡¯ Jo Sangik watched the Taewon Group¡¯s transport cart disappearing from his sight for a while. Otherpanies in Gangnam had been unable to operate due to the overwhelming dominance of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¯s directpany, Taewon. Unable to deal with the monsters appearing in Gangnam, most of them left for the Gyeonggi Province to make money, and some with good skills worked as mercenaries in adjacent areas. Amidst this, if news spread suddenly that Jeong Hyeonsik had died, what would happen? There would be a coup in the private sector. The fact that the new Strongest Sword killed Jeong Hyeonsik meant that he had no rtion to Taewon, and that meant that when the new Strongest Sword arrived in Gangnam, survivingpanies would take over Gangnam¡¯s business rights. That¡¯s why Jo Sangik indirectly informed Taewon of the situation. A move to raise the hands of the privileged ss to prevent major disruptions. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go.¡± Jo Sangik guided Yeongwoo to the assembly hall and sent a signal to the Seoul National University side to disband now. He feared that the remaining Strongest Swords, upon seeing them, would rebel. ¡®Today¡¯s meeting has undergone enough changes. It¡¯s enough.¡¯ Jo Sangik¡¯s eyes shone sharply. At least he was quickly adapting to the rapidly changing situation in Seoul. * * * ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m Park Sangdo.¡± Park Sangdo162. Former Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, and the current Prime Minister of the ¡®New Seoul Government.¡¯ In the absence of the president, he was the most powerful figure in the government. ¡°¡­.¡± He bowed 90 degrees to a person nearly thirty years younger than him. That person was none other than the newly appointed Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo. Of course, the intimidating title of ¡®Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword¡¯ wriggling above his head yed a significant role. ¡°Ah, yes. I¡¯m Jeong Yeongwoo. I think you¡¯ve bowed enough now¡­¡± When Yeongwoo extended his hands as a sign to stop bowing, Park Sangdo, who saw the iron gloves enveloping his hands, startled and stepped back. ¡°I-It¡¯s okay! Thank you for your concern.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Park Sangdo had seen, albeit from a distance, Yeongwoo killing Jeong Hyeonsik and splitting his abdomen. So, even though Yeongwoo seemed harmless and smiled innocently, it was more chilling than any other Strongest Sword with murderous intent. ¡®Indeed, these Strongest Swords are all monsters¡­.¡¯ As Park Sangdo silently sweated coldly, the firstter finally appeared. Shuffle, shuffle. Current time, 3:06 PM. Despite being six minuteste, the person approaching with a slow pace was none other than¡­ ¡°Seocho¡¯s Strongest Sword, Choi Namhee. Former detective.¡± Jo Sangik sat next to Yeongwoo and exined that Choi Namhee was a former detective from the Seocho Police Station, who was still leading the crackdown on crime in Seocho. The only difference now was that instead of just capturing criminals, she was now directly taking their lives. ¡°¡­I see. I¡¯ve met former police officers before.¡± As Yeongwoo said this, he nced silently at Choi Namhee, who had approached quite close by now. Choi Namhee, who appeared to be in her early forties, looked more like a gangster than a police officer. However, perhaps due to the difficulty of acting rashly in Strongest Sword society, she quickly suppressed the wildness in her eyes upon seeing Yeongwoo, a neer. ¡°Who is this¡­?¡± Choi Namhee¡¯s gaze briefly touched the chair where Yeongwoo was sitting and then moved away. It was because the leather chair where Yeongwoo was sitting was the seat of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword Jeong Hyeonsik. However, since no one in this seat was telling the outsider to get up, there was only one conclusion. ¡°Could it be that Gangnam Strongest Sword has changed?¡± Jo Sangik quietly nodded in response to Choi Namhee¡¯s question. At this, Choi Namhee nced discreetly at the scorched grass that had been bothering her eyes since earlier. Apparently, it seemed to be traces of a duel between Jeong Hyeonsik and this young man. Seoul never had a quiet day. Anyway, if someone had taken over the seat through a duel, the opponent was a legitimate Strongest Sword. ¡°I am Choi Namhee from Seocho.¡± Swiftly, as Choi Namhee extended her hand first, Dongdaemun¡¯s Strongest Sword Jang Jeongho cleared his throat for no reason. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m Jeong Yeongwoo.¡± Eventually, Yeongwoo¡¯s right hand met the outstretched hand of Choi Namhee. But unlike with Jang Jeongho, there was no show of strength between them. Instead¡­ Ping! An rm rang in Yeongwoo¡¯s ear. [Dogo] ¡°Headhunter¡± [Mission] Behead 7 Strongest Swords. [Reward] 7 million karma [Special] You must disclose the fact of Dogo¡¯s support in this mission. The dormant Dogo quest had been reactivated. ¡®What¡­?¡¯ The reward for this quest was a whopping 7 million karma. But the condition was absurd. ¡®Behead 7 Strongest Swords¡­ That means¡­ killing everyone present here.¡¯ Thanks to Choi Namhee¡¯s arrival, Jo Sangik, the closest ally at the moment, could be spared. In other words, the quest content was clearly intentional. Moreover, it was evident that someone was monitoring this scene in real-time. ¡®These crazy bastards.¡¯ As Yeongwoo unknowingly nced into the air, Choi Namhee, who was still shaking hands with him, cast a strange look in the same direction. But there was nothing to see there. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Concluding that the new Strongest Sword¡¯s mind was quite distracted, Choi Namhee decided that it was best to ask. Even in a reset world, it was unimaginable that someone would receive a murder order from aliens. ¡°Anyway, everyone is sote.¡± ¡°Yeah, except for Seocho, everyone else was on time yesterday.¡± Meanwhile, other Strongest Swords were discussing the reasons for the dyed attendance of the remaining members. It was one of the rules of the meeting to consider regions where Strongest Swords didn¡¯t attend the meeting by 3 p.m. as defeated in battle against mutants. And in regions where Strongest Swords were presumed dead, the Strongest Sword meeting, or in other words, the Seoul Federation, could intervene. The Strongest Swords gathered here could participate in hunting mutants in the absentee regions. ¡°I think it¡¯s time to start moving.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t they all arrived yet?¡± Mutants meant a considerable amount of karma. Just as the Strongest Swords at the meeting began to stir ording to their instincts, a silhouette started approaching rapidly from the other side of Yongsan Park, where there had been no activity for a while. ¡°Whoa!¡± This was most likely the mobility of a top-notch Strongest Sword. Was it ater sprinting barefoot? Some initially thought so, but soon changed their minds. Because¡­ ¡°No, damn it.¡± Behind the silhouette in question, a crimson pir of light was trailing. That light pir signified the mark of a mutant. ¡°At 3 p.m., a mutant mark¡­?¡± As someone muttered this, all the Strongest Swords in attendance drew their swords. Swish! The bounty hunt had begun. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 100 Chapter 100 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 100: Strongest Sword Assembly (2) Thunk! Thunk, thunk! As the heavy footsteps of the mutant echoed, most of the Strongest Swords wore expressions filled with anticipation. ¡°What on earth is this¡­?¡± ¡°So, how will the distribution work then?¡± On the other hand, Yeongwoo¡¯s worries took precedence. ¡®No matter what, didn¡¯t they start causing trouble from outside Yongsan District? Then the path we¡¯ve taken so far¡­¡¯ It was inevitable that numerous citizens had suffered, and the loss of the ¡®residence,¡¯ a resource as rare as human lives at this point, must have been significant. Since the destroyed buildings were no longer designated for ¡®temporary shelter services.¡¯ In other words, the morend the mutants tread upon, the less space there is for people to live. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Looking around, Yeongwoo noticed that only Jo Sangik, Oh Yeonhee, and Seocho¡¯s Strongest Sword Choe Namhee were wearing grim expressions. At least they realized what it meant for surviving mutants to being this way across the city at this hour. ¡°First¡­ let¡¯s deal with the mutants.¡± Jo Sangik spoke, his tone firm. Regardless of who brought those mutants here, it must be to seek help from the meeting. Thwack! Soon, the person causing the problem by bringing the mutants was within the meeting¡¯s visible range. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°Gangdong?¡± And some members of Strongest Sword were taken aback. The identity of the other party was none other than¡­ ¡ºGangdong¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» It was Gangdong¡¯s Strongest Sword, who had never attended a Strongest Sword meeting. Then Yongsan¡¯s Strongest Sword, Kim Doha, added a brief exnation. ¡°We did send someone to ask them to attend the meeting today.¡± Of course, they didn¡¯t expect a visit like this. Perhaps they had sent the envoy before the appearance of the mutants. ¡®Or maybe, after fighting with the mutants, they realized it wouldn¡¯t work out and hurriedly sent someone.¡¯ Whatever the case, the deed had already been done. ¡°Let¡¯s discuss distribution after resolving the matter.¡± Everyone nodded at Kim Doha¡¯s words, and the mutants chasing Gangdong Strongest Sword were revealed on time. ¡¸Krrraaaaa¡­!¡¹ On the third day, the mutant that appeared in Gangdong was a giant wild boar. The length of its tusks alone seemed to be about 2 meters, and its body length was at least 5 meters. And the shadow extending widely from this physique was already encroaching upon Gangdong¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¯s feet. ¡°Ugh, ugh¡­!¡± The face of Gangdong¡¯s Strongest Sword, who had been running at full speed for dozens of minutes, was a mess drenched in sweat. Especially, his gaze was so weak that it was hard to consider him a Strongest Sword. It was understandable, even being defeated by mutants alone was a great disgrace as a Strongest Sword. In addition, during the time it took to bring that monster here, Gangdong¡¯s Strongest Sword must have caused all sorts of trouble, so his pride must have been shattered to pieces by now. ¡°P¡­ Please help me!¡± Finally, Gangdong Strongest Sword pleaded for help from the Strongest Swords at the meeting with a helpless voice. At that moment, even the mutant in the form of a wild boar chasing him hesitated for a moment and stopped moving. ¡¸What¡¯s going on?¡¹ From Dongdaemun to Seocho. It was discovered that there were as many as nine Strongest Swords standing in the middle of the park. Moreover, ¡¸Huh?¡¹ He even recognized one of the members of the meeting. ¡¸Oh Yeonhee¡­?¡¹ The opponent was none other than Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword, Oh Yeonhee. It was someone who had been so exposed in the media that even the mutants recognized her. Upon this, Oh Yeonheeid down her sword and took a step forward. ¡°Seyeol, nice to see you again like this.¡± As she smiled broadly, the heavy shadow of the mutant shook violently. [Actor ¨C Park Seyeol] The third mutant in Gangdong, actor Park Seyeol. He was a former male idol who gained poprity and sessfully transitioned to a career as a drama actor, butter he plummeted after being used of sexually assaulting a waiter at an entertainment bar. Because the roles he used to y were righteous and upright characters, the fact that he frequented entertainment bars dealt a significant blow to his image. Of course, although he was acquitted of sexual assault through trialter, the public¡¯s perception of him remained unfavorable. As the reset began, the name Park Seyeol was immediately included as a candidate for oblivion. ¡¸¡­Fuck!¡¹ Park Seyeol¡¯s long tusks leaned threateningly at an angle. What emotions was he feeling right now? Shame? Anger? Whatever it was, his chosen solution seemed to be ¡®killing all witnesses.¡¯ Thud thud thud¡­! He immediately started rushing towards the Strongest Sword meeting hall, or more precisely, towards Oh Yeonhee at high speed. ¡°Ah, sir.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s fight a little closer to the front.¡± It was an opponent that Gangdong¡¯s Strongest Sword could not handle and ran away, but the Strongest Swords of the Seoul Federation rxed enough to carry their chairs and slip away sideways. For one thing, there was a neer, Jeong Yeongwoo, the Strongest Sword of Gangnam, and there were also eight Strongest Swords, including the existing strong ones like Oh Yeonhee, present. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] It was a situation where they couldn¡¯t afford to lose in battle. ¡°Cough!¡± Adding Gangdong, who copsed almost vomiting, there were a total of ten Strongest Swords. Kugugugu! While the most courageous mutant in history was charging straight ahead, Yeongwoo finally stood up from his seat. Swoosh. He held ¡®Underdog¡¯ in his right hand. ¡¸Underdog¡¹ ¨C Mutant One-Handed Sword ¡¾Increases damage by 25% against targetsrger than the user.¡¿ Seeing this, the rest of the Strongest Swords rushed towards Park Seyeol. Crack! sh! They all aimed to thrust their swords into Park Seyeol at least once. Because they needed some aplishment to im their share in the loot distribution that would happen soon. ¡¸These bastards!¡¹ Feeling like he had be just a prey, Park Seyeol was furious, but it was almost impossible to block attacksing from eight directions with the body of a boar, his main weapon being frontal attacks. Kwaah! In an instant, several sword des pierced Park Seyeol¡¯s flesh, and soon, red blood gushed from the wounds. Fwaaaah! ¡¸Aaargh!¡¹ Finally, making a beast-like sound, Park Seyeol, with several Strongest Swords clinging to his body, suddenly thought it wouldn¡¯t work out like this, so he rolled on the ground. Thud thud! Although it was indeed a beastly move, it was quite effective. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Grrrrgh!¡± The Strongest Swords hanging on were all dropped at once. After rolling on the ground for a fewps like that, Park Seyeol snorted angrily and quickly got up on all fours. -Chwiik! Then, Thud! He began to run forward vigorously by stomping the ground. Considering it impossible to face all the Strongest Swords here, he decided to flee this time. ¡°Park Seyeol¡­!¡± As Oh Yeonhee, who was the first to stand up from the left, grabbed her sword again, a distant silhouette passed by her side like an arrow. ¡°¡­?¡± As she followed the silhouette with narrowed eyes, she saw the back of the newly appointed Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword riding a jet-ck iron horse. ¡°¡­Ah!¡± ¡°No way!¡± Other Strongest Swords also realized the situation btedly and got up from their seats, gritting their teeth in anger. If things continued like this, it was obvious that the outsider would monopolize the mutant. * * * Kugugugu¡­! Park Seyeol, the third mutant in Gangdong, was now heading back in the direction he came from, that is, to the east. It was because he knew that at least there, the Strongest Swords wouldn¡¯t be as active as they were in the park earlier. He didn¡¯t want to risk facing another disaster by turning his head in the wrong direction. ¡®Hepletely wrecked everything.¡¯ Thanks to that, Yeongwoo would witness firsthand what this mutant had done while crossing the eastern part of Seoul. People lying t dead on the streets, buildings crumbling down miserably¡­ ¡®Oh my god.¡¯ Who should take responsibility for this disaster? Was it Gangdong¡¯s Strongest Sword for not defeating the mutants alone? ¡®No. Mutants seemed unusually strong today. Just look at Kim Taejoon¡¯s case.¡¯ If Yeongwoo hadn¡¯t arrived on time, it was evident that both Jo Sangik and the forces of Seoul National University would have been annihted, not just Gwanak. In other words, this situation wasn¡¯t because the Strongest Swords in a specific area were weak, but rather because abnormally strong mutants had started to appear. So perhaps¡­ ¡®Maybe those who haven¡¯t attended the meeting yet aren¡¯t justte¡­¡¯ Could it be that they had already be casualties and couldn¡¯t make it here? ¡°¡­¡± Yeongwoo stopped his thoughts there for now and looked back at Park Seyeol, who had seeded in overtaking the Negwig. At that moment, Park Seyeol looked at Yeongwoo with a perplexed expression, his eyes filled with resistance. ¡¸You¡­ what are you?¡¹ ¡°Stop.¡± ¡¸What?¡¹ Yeongwoo¡¯s next response wasn¡¯t words but a sword that flew towards Park Seyeol. Thwick! It was a fairly fast attack, but as a mutant who had overwhelmed Gangdong¡¯s Strongest Sword, Park Seyeol dodged Yeongwoo¡¯s sword with a short jump. And then. Thwick! Another sharp sound of a de came from Yeongwoo¡¯s direction. In fact, it was something he had been waiting for. Park Seyeol¡¯s body momentarily reached a state of suspension. ¡¸Huh¡­!¡¹ Park Seyeol, sensing something, spat out an exmation, and at the same time, the long de of the Underdog pierced through his chest. Squelch! ¡¸Kkek!¡¹ Struck by the sword in mid-air, Park Seyeol copsed to the ground without making any evasive maneuvers. Thunk! Despite the asphalt being upheaved and dust flying everywhere, the silhouette of his bulky figure was clearly visible due to hisrge size. Thunk! At this, Yeongwoo approached Park Seyeol with Negwig and said softly to him, who was trembling in pain from the golden punishment of the de. ¡°Those people will soone and torture Seyeol.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± To the unexpected demonic dialogue, Park Seyeol raised his eyelids heavily. ¡°But if you decide to be my prisoner, I will spare you from dying a miserable death.¡± Then, Park Seyeol revealed a resentful expression with eyes resembling those of a human in the boar¡¯s body. ¡¸W¡­ What nonsense are you talking about now?¡¹ ¡°If you want to use the return function, use it now.¡± ¡¸How could you¡­¡¹ Park Seyeol, understanding Yeongwoo¡¯s intention, showed a surprised expression, then suddenly changed his gaze and twisted hisrge nostrils maliciously. ¡¸Don¡¯t bullshit me, no matter how much you¡­ I¡­ Kek!¡¹ Instead of continuing his speech, he clenched his jaw tightly. It was because Yeongwoo had pierced his throat with the ¡°Dragon¡¯s Legacy.¡± ¡¸Dragon¡¯s Legacy¡¹ ¨C Epic One-Handed Sword ¡¾ssist.¡¿ | Increases damage against targets of rank 2 or lower. ¡®He was indeed a rank 1 human. The sword doesn¡¯t change.¡¯ After ncing at thepletely unburned Dragon¡¯s Legacy, Yeongwoo finally shifted his gaze to the Strongest Swords rushing from the other side. As expected, Oh Yeonhee was at the forefront, but she soon realized that the situation had ended and wore a disappointed expression. It was probably because she saw Park Seyeol¡¯s body melting into the air already. However, since everything hadn¡¯t ended yet, other Strongest Swords arrived in haste after Oh Yeonhee. Because¡­ Shirring! A golden sphere appeared in the ce where the mutant¡¯s body had disappeared, just like usual. ¡¸The mutant has been defeated.¡¹ ¡¸Select a reward toplete the process.¡¹ It was a binary-choice quest that established mutants as the main stakes for Strongest Swords. Soon, Kim Doha, the representative of the majority of the members present here, stepped forward. ¡°Hehe¡­ Thank you for your hard work. But since we fought together, you¡¯ll divide the karma fairly, right?¡± Here, he meant to smoothly yield the fixed reward, mutant equipment, as Yeongwoo was the strongest here. Instead, he suggested dividing about 3 million karma per head. Upon this, Yeongwoo readily epted Kim Doha¡¯s proposal. ¡°Yes. We will divide it fairly.¡± [PR/N: Lmao they gon get scammed.] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 101 Chapter 101 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 101: Strongest Sword Assembly (3) ¡°Ah¡­¡± An exhtion burst out from Jo Sangik at once. At least he understood what Yeongwoo¡¯s response meant, that the distribution of the binary choicepensation would be divided fairly. ¡°Mr. Yeongwoo, considering all the unfortunate events today¡­ let¡¯s just let it go.¡± As Jo Sangik cautiously approached the golden sphere and spoke, other Strongest Swords also noticed that something was going strangely awry. ¡°Sir, what does that mean?¡± ¡°What¡¯s good and what¡¯s not?¡± ¡°What¡­ What could possibly be bad here¡­?¡± While everyone harbored suspicions, none of them dared to imagine. None of them had anticipated that the newly appointed Strongest Sword would consistently choose ¡®Grant 30,000 karma.¡¯ ?Choice Reward? [3,000,000 karma] Or [Grant 30,000 karma to all residents in the area] Except for Yeongwoo and Jo Sangik, the rest naturally assumed that 3,000,000 karma would be selected as the reward for dealing with mutants. Everyone present had always done so, and therefore, it wasmon sense. However. ¡°When I first faced the binary choice, a friend who was with me said this.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± When Yeongwoo diverged into an irrelevant story, the Strongest Swords who had been focusing on him initially wore somewhat vacant expressions. ¡°¡­What did he say?¡± The only one who somewhat entertained his words was Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword Oh Yeonhee. Upon this, Yeongwoo quietly raised his hand toward the golden sphere and touched the ground with ¡®Dragon¡¯s Legacy¡¯. It was an implicit warning not to interfere with his impending actions. ¡°He said to choose 3,000,000 no matter what. He doesn¡¯t want to give money to viins, and he wants to be stronger first to personally eliminate injustice.¡± Upon hearing this, the Strongest Swords nodded with solemn expressions. ¡°That makes sense.¡± ¡°Even though we don¡¯t know who he is, he spoke rightly.¡± They too had once faced the first binary choice and had all chosen to monopolize the 3,000,000. ¡°So, what did you, Strongest Sword, do?¡± Finally, Jo Sangik, who had begun to be drawn into this conversation, spoke for the first time. This naturally redirected the attention back to Yeongwoo, and the Strongest Sword in question scratched his forehead in response. ¡°I chose 30,000.¡± ¡°Excuse me¡­?¡± ¡°Why did you do that?¡± The Strongest Swords not only expressed surprise but also revealed feelings bordering on difort. Because Yeongwoo¡¯s statement just now was tantamount to negating them. Fighting mutants meant staking their lives. As such, a Strongest Sword who sessfully dealt with mutants would inevitably have a survival instinct as strong as their reward psychology, which ultimately led to the choice of monopolizing 3,000,000 in the binary choice. In other words, whether it was a scoundrel like Jang Jeong-ho or a celebrity like Oh Yeonhee, they all had their own justifications for monopolizing 3,000,000. ¡°No, why did you choose 30,000? You directly killed mutants, right? Then you deserve a reward equal to that. You don¡¯t need to pretend to be a good person for no reason.¡± Seongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword Lee Yoobin spoke with a slightly angered tone. Of course, since Yeongwoo had no intention of needlessly provoking the Strongest Sword, he quickly waved his hands. ¡°No, I¡¯m not trying to talk about who¡¯s good or bad. At that time, I also struggled a lot with choosing the 3,000,000 monopoly.¡± ¡°Then why bring it up now¡­?¡± This time, Dongjak¡¯s Strongest Sword Lee Hanwook muttered under his breath. Upon this, Yeongwoo finally got to the point. ¡°I just want to ask for your understanding. From now on, I will choose to distribute 30,000 karma in front of you all.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± As expected, the Strongest Swords were shocked, so Yeongwoo continued without pause. ¡°Previously, there was a high probability that even bad people would receive 30,000 karma. But now?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Thanks to all of you, isn¡¯t order restored now? There may still be criminals, but there are far fewer than before. However, the need for money has increased.¡± Like soothing children, Yeongwoo gently coaxed the gathered monsters from various ces. Of course, it was a well-known fact that all the resources allocated for the Strongest Sword, including personnel and vehicles, were all money. ¡°It doesn¡¯t mean you have to choose 30,000 karmas from now on. Because 3,000,000 karma is by no means a small amount of money. However¡­¡± After Yeongwoo said this much, he counted the number of people in this ce with his fingers. ¡°There are nine people here including myself. If we receive 3,000,000 karma and divide it, how much will each person get?¡± It wasn¡¯t aplicated calction. Roughly 330,000 karma. ¡°At least for today, giving up that much money isn¡¯t a big deal. If each of us gives up about 300,000, we can provide the residents of the area with several times their daily ie.¡± ¡°Are you suggesting volunteer work at this time? Ha, we¡¯re not UNICEF.¡± Sure enough, Jang Jeongho, famous for being a scoundrel, grumbled with a wrinkled forehead. But just now, someone was moved by Yeongwoo¡¯s impromptu speech, and that was none other than¡­ ¡°Um¡­ If Strongest Sword chooses to distribute 30,000, where does that money go?¡± It was Yongsan¡¯s Strongest Sword Kim Doha. Although the mutants came from Gangdong-gu, he asked just in case because the ce where the deceased was located was Yongsan-gu. ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± Yeongwoo hesitated. He had never caught mutants from other areas. So from Yeongwoo¡¯s perspective, he had to choose 30,000 karma even more. This kind of data had to be obtained when there was an opportunity. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know. This is my first time catching mutants from other areas.¡± ¡°Ah¡­.¡± Because Yeongwoo gave such an honest answer, Yongsan¡¯s Strongest Sword couldn¡¯t continue to indulge him. ¡®He¡¯s quite good at speaking¡­ Maybe he¡¯s not good at politics because he¡¯s still young.¡¯ Although Jo Sangik, who had been quietly listening, thought so, Yeongwoo¡¯s honesty was not due to hisck of ability to handle situations. ¡°Well, I think that¡¯s enough exnation, right? I would be more than happy if money were distributed to Yongsan, our assembly hall, but Gangdong-gu will also be a member of the federation soon, right? It¡¯s not a big loss.¡± Fundamentally, it was because he had power. If someone were to oppose him, he had the power to turn them into a corpse, just like Jeong Hyunsik did. ¡°Then I¡¯ll proceed under the assumption that there¡¯s no objection.¡± As Yeongwoo said this and manipted the golden sphere, the other Strongest Swords only gaped. ¡®I feel dizzy.¡¯ It was because his actions were so simr to those of the deceased Jeong Hyunsik. Of course, Jeong Hyunsik, as Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword, wouldn¡¯t have distributed 30,000 karma to the elite Strongest Swords, but still. Thunk! Pah-aat! In the meantime, Yeongwoo ordered the golden sphere to distribute 30,000 karma to the Strongest Swords, whether they liked it or not. And then. Kwaa-at! The sphere quickly started spinning. Piyung! Suddenly, it soared into the sky, drawing a golden arc in the sky. ¡°Huh?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Uh¡­!¡± Except for Jo Sangik, all the Strongest Swords in Seoul were greatly shocked by the ¡®malfunction¡¯ of the sphere, something they had never seen before. The ¡®3,000,000 karma monopoly¡¯ they had been choosing all along was all about the sphere disappearing from its ce after the post-processing. Shuaaaaa! And the golden sphere that had risen to the dark side of the sky in the meantime¡­ Puperpung! It exploded into a golden burst in front of the Strongest Swords eyes. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°Oh my god.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like a fireworks show.¡± Dongdaemun, Mapo, Seongbuk, Songpa, Yongsan, Dongjak, Gwanak, Seocho. The eight monsters of Seoul momentarily forgot their worries and watched as the sky was filled with golden light. Then. ¡°Huh?¡± As the golden threads in the sky¡­ Suaaaaa¡­! As if rain, they fell to the ground. Chelgeureok. Some of the Strongest Swords felt something more than just surprise, dropping their weapons. It was a sight too miraculous for an ordinary human toprehend. ¡°¡­This is called a golden rain.¡± Jo Sangik said, extending his palm through the golden raindrops. And this was a subtle hint that he had seen a golden rain once before with the newly appointed Strongest Sword, implying a political statement as well. ¡°Oh, golden rain.¡± ¡°Golden rain¡­.¡± ¡°Haha.¡± Regardless of Jo Sangik¡¯s intentions, the bewildered Strongest Sword repeated the word ¡®golden rain¡¯ like babies learning a new word. And finally. ¡¶Jeong Yeongwoo07, the Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword, has given up the 3,000,000 karma monopoly and gifted 30,000 karma to all residents of Yongsan.¡· ¡¶30,000 karma will soon be issued in the form ofmemorative coins. Get ready.¡· Thememorative coins, the final event of the golden rain show, were issued. ¡°Commemorative coins?¡± The response came without exception. As someone muttered this, Jo Sangik pretended to know once again. ¡°Pay attention and catch them as they appear in the blink of an eye.¡± And indeed, with a clicking sound above everyone¡¯s heads, three golden coins appeared. ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°What¡¯s this again?¡± The Strongest Swords, who had been standing with bright expressions so far, showed ghost-like quick movements when the coins suddenly appeared. Pop, pop, pop! Then, after carefully examining the shape of the coins in their hands, as if they had made a promise, everyone looked at Yeongwoo. This was because the face of Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword Jeong Yeongwoo was engraved on the coins. Then Yeongwoo, looking at thememorative coins in his own hands, calmly said. ¡°If you distribute 30,000 karma, you can also have your face engraved on the coins.¡± This symbolic currency was also easy to use as a political propaganda tool. But everyone knew that no one in this gathering would easily attempt it. Before the fact that it would be difficult to get back some of the coins distributed to residents, it was a matter of direction. Choosing to distribute 30,000 and starting to receive some of the coins back would give the public significant power from that point on. It was like politicians pretending to bow down to the people only during election season. ¡®Even the coins need to be collected every day.¡¯ The Strongest Swords of Seoul felt a strong opposition to this. On the other hand, if they chose the 3,000,000 monopoly. ¡®At least I¡¯ll befortable.¡¯ ¡®And I¡¯ll be the only one getting stronger.¡¯ In a way, this was the fundamental reason why the Strongest Swords had been choosing the 300,000 monopoly without any other concerns. They wanted to get stronger themselves. Although bing the strongest might be difficult, they still desired to reign as the absolute authority within their own districts, which led them to choose the karma monopoly. So, from their perspective, Yeongwoo, who had been choosing to distribute 30,000 from the first selection, seemed really odd. And Yeongwoo himself. ¡®If this continues, we won¡¯tst more than a few days. The mutants are bing too powerful too quickly.¡¯ Just now, Gangdong couldn¡¯t handle the mutants alone. And the same was true for Gwanak. Why couldn¡¯t those who had been monopolizing 3,000,000 karma every day perform their roles properly? It was simple. The difficulty of the survival game called the arrival of mutants exceeded the growth rate of each Strongest Sword. So what should they do? Just as Yeongwoo was pondering the dark future, a messenger rushed over to where the Strongest Swords were. Tap-tat! ¡°It¡¯s¡­ urgent news!¡± [TL/N: Again? Seriously?] ¡°¡­?¡± What¡¯s this now? Standing still where the golden rain had ceased, the Strongest Swords wondered what news the messenger had brought. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 102 Chapter 102 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 102: Finally, Disaster (1) ¡°Emergency? What¡¯s going on?¡± As Yongsan¡¯s Strongest Sword recognized the face of the other person and inquired, the sweating inspector spat out his words along with rough breaths. ¡°People came from Gwangjin and Jongno. They couldn¡¯t stop the mutants.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Gwangjin, Jongno. Although they belonged to the existing Seoul Federation, the areas that couldn¡¯t attend today¡¯s meeting. Also, due to the current system wheremunication is impossible and Pavels are used, there was always a timeg in all news. In other words, the decision that Gwangjin and Jongno Districts were no longer safe was made tens of minutes ago. ¡°Gwangjin is right above our area. I guess I should go and see for myself.¡± Sensing the seriousness of the situation, Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword, Oh Yeonhee, proposed to suspend the meeting. She meant to go and protect her own district. ¡°There¡¯s still no news from the Jung-gu district¡­ It¡¯s probably a simr situation, right?¡± Jo Sangik, mentioned another area that hadn¡¯t attended the meeting yet. Upon hearing this, Sungbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword, Lee Yoobin, and Dongdaemun¡¯s Jang Jeongho widened their eyes. Their districts were adjacent to both the central district and Jongno. ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­ What¡¯s happening right now?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t we need to go too?¡± If you want to use the strongest in each district, then that district must exist. The Strongest Swords in the crowd were trapped in a different type of fear than they had felt before. ¡°So, does that mean there are mutants alive in Gwangjin, Jongno, and the Jung-gu? It¡¯s already well past 3 PM, isn¡¯t it?¡± Finally, someone voiced the fear that had been kept inside, and from that point on, the atmosphere began to grow restless. ¡°Uh¡­ Then it¡¯s been abandoned for almost two hours, right?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Mutants. And they would likely be very fierce mutants. They would have realized it as soon as they returned to this world. That damned world was still hostile to them. What the feelings of those mutants would be if as soon as they opened their eyes, they would have to fight against the Strongest Swords waiting for them. And if such a mutant seeded in defeating the swords sent by the world to kill them. ¡°¡­.¡± The Strongest Swords who had reached this point in their thoughts each turned their heads in the direction of their own districts. And seeing this, Yeongwoo quickly proposed the next course of action. ¡°Let¡¯s split into three teams and go to the problem areas. Since we can¡¯t hold a meeting in this situation, as Yeonhee said.¡± ¡°Th¡­ That¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do that.¡± The Strongest Swords epted Yeongwoo¡¯s proposal as if they had been waiting for it, and soon, Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jo Sangik, announced to the nine Strongest Swords gathered around him. ¡°Let¡¯s split into groups of three based on nearby districts and go. If there¡¯s any issue that requires a majority decision, we¡¯ll send someone from Seoul National University. Let¡¯s all stay alive.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± Since this issue was amon concern for all Strongest Swords, no one objected. ¡°Yeongwoo, youe with us to Gwangjin. Gangnam is also near Gwangjin.¡± Soon, Oh Yeonhee invited Yeongwoo to apany them. And behind her was Choi Namhee from Seocho, who was already raising her fighting spirit. ¡°Huh.¡± As a former detective, her hostility had risen sharply. It was obvious that mutants left unattended for over two hours would havemitted a significant number of murders. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go. Once the issues in each area are resolved, send reports to Seoul National University or Yongsan!¡± With Jo Sangik¡¯s words, the nine Strongest Swords of Seoul scattered in three directions. * * * Seocho, Songpa, Gangnam. It would be appropriate to call the Strongest Swords of these three areas the ¡°Gangnam Trio.¡± Thud! The three Strongest Swords dispatched urgently to investigate the situation in Gwangjin raced recklessly without checking each other¡¯s speed, as if in a race. The first reason was naturally because there was a high risk that the problems in Gwangjin would spread to their respective areas. The second reason was¡­ ¡®Why are they so fast?¡¯ It was the pride typical of Strongest Swords. Generally, if your abilities are high, your running speed will also be fast. So, when Strongest Swords run side by side like this, the superiority of their abilities naturally bes evident. Yeongwoo had experienced this once in Chungju. Of course, he wasn¡¯t running with his own two feet now, but you get the idea. ck! ck! ck! As Yeongwoo sat on Negwig¡¯s back and looked back, he saw Oh Yeonhee and Choi Namhee, both looking angry for some reason, and their expressions stiffening. And they were getting further and further away. It was because the two of them couldn¡¯t catch up with Negwig¡¯s running speed. Even if they were Strongest Swords of Seoul, they couldn¡¯t defeat a top-grade vehicle from outer space. ¡®I feel a bit sorry.¡¯ While thinking this way, Yeongwoo resolved the problems one by one that he had been unable to do due to the situation at the meeting hall. Among them was¡­ ¡¸Rock Guardian¡¹ ¨C Mutant Gem ¡¾Slot: Reduces all physical damage¡¿ It was the task of equipping the gem obtained by defeating Kim Taejoon as the mutant. ¡®I wonder¡­ Should I attach this to my armor?¡¯ It was an absurd line, but it made sense to Yeongwoo. ¡¸Self-Generation¡¹ ¨C Mutant grade ¡¾You can live without eating.¡¿ ¡¾Energy is self-generated¡¿ ¡¾¨CEmpty slot¨C¡¿ There was actually a gem slot in his armor. ¡®Do I have to eat this too? Or¡­¡¯ As Yeongwoo held the gem in his hand and brought it near his abdomen, Choi Namhee, the Strongest Sword from Seocho who was watching from behind, furrowed her brow. ¡°What¡¯s that bastarf up to now¡­?¡± The Oh Yeonhee, who had overheard her, let out a strangeugh. ¡°Watch your words. If the ears are good, what will you do?¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± Meanwhile, despite bringing the gem near his abdomen, nothing happened, and Yeongwoo was making another decision. ¡®Let¡¯s try eating this too.¡¯ Then he immediately threw the ¡°Rock Guardian¡± into his mouth. ¡°Ugh!¡± Because the gem wasrger and sharper than he expected, it caused cuts in his throat, but it wasn¡¯t a big problem as it would heal soon. The important thing was solely¡­ ¡®Will it work¡­?¡¯ Piiiing! ¡¸Self-Generation¡¹ ¨C Mutant Camouge ¡¾You can live without eating.¡¿ ¡¾Energy is self-generated¡¿ ¡¾Reduce all physical damage¡¿ ¡®¡­Oh, it worked!¡¯ After confirming that the tooltip of his armor had changed, Yeongwoo let out a relieved sigh. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] If this method hadn¡¯t worked as expected, he would have had to cut open his own abdomen this time. ¡®Now, all that¡¯s left is¡­¡¯ [Jeweler¡¯s Touch] |Wear two rings of hero grade or higher on your index and ring fingers each. (3/4) It was the achievement he had been holding onto for a long time. Yeongwoo took out a memento from Jeong Hyunsik that he had carefully stored in his pocket. ¡¸Wave¡¹ ¨C Unique Ring [Voice transmission to the Strongest Sword of the acquisition area.] | Area: Seoul Then he carefully slid the ring onto his ring finger. Swish. Suddenly, both of Yeongwoo¡¯s hands grasped the air. Piiiiing! ¡°What?¡± He was so startled that he almost fell, but there was a worthwhile gain. [Achievement Unlocked: Jeweler¡¯s Touch] |Achievement Grade: Epic |Rank Achieved: #2 ¡®Atst.¡¯ A line of achievement cleared after a long time. However, it was unexpected that the rank achieved was second. This meant that someone had gathered four hero-grade or higher rings before him. ¡®Who could it be¡­? I don¡¯t recall seeing anyone at the meeting wearing four rings each.¡¯ Of course, it wasn¡¯t immediately important. Plop! Soon, achievement rewards appeared in the air. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ Because the objects generated were smaller than expected, Yeongwoo hastily reached out to grab them. Thud. In his hand appeared circr objects even smaller than a crimson coin. These items, about the size of a ten-won coin, were none other than¡­ ¡¸Void Stone¡¹ ¨C Epic tool ¡¾Add slot to equipment.¡¿ And there were even two of them. ¡®Oh¡­ Can they be added to any equipment? Can I punch two slots into one piece of equipment?¡¯ Whatever the case, it was clear that it was a tool that allowed something previously impossible. ¡®I should keep it for the equipment I¡¯ll use for a lifetime¡­¡¯ Yeongwoo naturally thought of the word ¡®lifetime¡¯ but then stopped abruptly. ¡°¡­.¡± Lifetime. It was a thought that arose from wondering how long he could live in this world. |Created: April 8, 1992, 11:41 PM, with involuntary intentional modifications. |Extinction: November 7, 2028, 8:36 PM, beaten to death by a drunken attacker while returning home. ording to the original fate record before the reset, Yeongwoo could only live for three more years. It was a story about living those three years in anticipation of the moment he would be beaten to death by an attacker on his way home. But now¡­ Creak. As Yeongwoo unknowingly tightened the reins, Negwig, sensing it, turned his head slightly. Although they hadn¡¯t spent a long time together, at least the density of that time was high enough for Yeongwoo to notice that something was different from usual. *Squelch* When Yeongwoo didn¡¯t give any further instructions, Negwig turned his head back to the front. And around this time¡­ Paaaah! There was a change in the corner of the vision of the three Strongest Swords. |Currently staying in the area: ¡®Gwangjin¡¯. |The Strongest Sword in this area is ¡®Kim Sangyoung 66¡¯. 294th, 0 defenses. They had finally arrived in the problematic district, Gwangjin. ¡°What the fuck.¡± And soon, a string of coarse curses poured out of Choi Namhee¡¯s mouth. ¡°294th? This bastard¡­! Is this some kind of error?¡± Although she seemed extremely angry, in reality, she was scared. Choi Namhee knew well that there could be no errors in the system that constructed this world. |The Strongest Sword in this area is ¡®Kim Sangyoung 66¡¯. 294th, 0 defenses. ¡°Are you telling me the Strongest Sword has changed 293 times¡­? Is that possible?¡± Oh Yeonhee, too, seemed incredulous at the state of affairs in Gwangjin, her mouth hanging open as she stared into space. Still, she continued to follow Yeongwoo on the other side. And Yeongwoo, leading the group, remained silent. ¡°¡­.¡± He had a more miserable expression than anyone else in this ce. From Gumi, Gyeongsangbuk-do, to Seoul. Having passed through countless regions, he had witnessed such phenomena for the first time. *Kwoong!* Suddenly, a rumble was heard from a considerable distance, and the region status they were observing changed. *Pat.* |The Strongest Sword in this area is ¡®Kim Sungwoo102¡¯. 295th, 0 defenses. At this, one word escaped Yeongwoo¡¯s tightly closed lips. ¡°Ah.¡± The horrific incident in Gimcheon was being replicated in Seoul. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 103 Chapter 103 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 103: Finally, Disaster (2) ¡¸Hey, stand straight¡­!¡¹ The thunderous voice peculiar to mutants echoed through the air. Upon this, the people forming a line about ten meters long panicked and stood up straight. This ce is now in the middle of Children¡¯s Grand Park in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. And those standing in rows ording to the mutant¡¯s orders were none other than the personnel from Gwangjin-gu Police Station and monster contractors. Simply put, they were the second strongest individuals in Gwangjin-gu after the Strongest Sword. They were the security personnel of Gwangjin-gu and the next vested interests. But now, they were merely pawns in the mutant¡¯s n. ¡¸Alright, next!¡¹ Cha Dooseong, a mutant on the third day in Gwangjin-gu, pointed his finger towards the human formation. More precisely, he called forth someone bearing the title ¡®Gwangjin¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¯ over their head. ¡¸Don¡¯t annoy me ande out quickly, before everyone else is killed.¡¹ As the impatient mutant issued a threat, finally, a man tremblingly stepped out of the formation. This man¡¯s name was Kim Seongwoo 102. He was also the 295th Strongest Sword of Gwangjin-gu. ¡°Uh, ugh¡­.¡± His face was already soaked with tears, and his body was stiffened to the point where he couldn¡¯t walk properly. Understandably so. ¡°¡­.¡± In the ce he was called to, the 294th Strongest Swordy fallen, having died in battle earlier. And from that corpse, about four meters away,y the beginning of all this cmity, Strongest Sword Jang Taemin04, dead. ¡®Fuck.¡¯ Kim Seong-woo looked at the corpse of the first Strongest Sword with eyes full of sorrow. If he hadn¡¯t lost to Cha Dooseong, he wouldn¡¯t have had to stand in this position as the 295th Strongest Sword. But before facing Cha Dooseong in a real fight, the first Strongest Sword had sensed his impending defeat and hastily sent out a call, rallying all the forces of Gwangjin-gu. In response, Kim Seongwoo and other skilled individuals from Gwangjin-gu answered the call, but it was already toote. ¡ªBoom, Bang! I still can¡¯t forget it. The sound that echoed as I stepped into the Children¡¯s Grand Park to chase the mutant¡¯s mark. Until then, Jang Taemin was still alive. ¡ªBoom, Thud! However, his limbs were all twisted back, rendering him unable to fight anymore. And standing before thepletely ruined body of Jang Taemin was a mutant, casting a long shadow over him. Once the strongest presence in Gwangjin-gu, Jang Taemin¡¯s face continued to be hit. ¡ªBoom¡­ Thud. [Sports Athlete ¨C Cha Dooseong] Upon seeing the mutant¡¯s name tag, the supporting troops froze in an instant. Cha Dooseong. He was a genius boxer, a former Olympic gold medalist in boxing. However, due to his violent nature, he was expelled from the boxing world after causing assault incidents, and thereafter, he lived a downward spiral life, engaging in assault, extortion, vandalism, and other crimes. So, it was only natural that such a person would be a candidate for elimination. But who could have known? Later, given the choice, Cha Dooseong chose to be a ¡®mutant¡¯ and returned to Gwangjin-gu on the third day of the reset. Then he killed all the hundreds of skilled individuals from Gwangjin-gu who hade at Jang Taemin¡¯s call. Nheless, still unable to calm his anger, he began to y with the remaining survivors. A game known as the sparring of death. If someone could dodge even one punch from Cha Dooseong, they could leave this ce alive. But of course, no one seeded, and now it was Kim Seongwoo¡¯s turn. ¡¸Over here.¡¹ Finally, Cha Dooseong pointed with his pale finger at Kim Seongwoo. Cha Dooseong, a mutant on the third day in Gwangjin-gu, was about two meters tall, resembling a ghoul, a monster that tears apart corpses. ¡°Phew¡­ huff.¡± Breathless. After Kim Seong-woo stood in the designated spot, he closed his eyes tightly and then opened them again. Given that he had been called up to this point¡­ he must already consider himself dead. As he nced briefly at the back, he saw dozens of survivors watching him anxiously with equally restless expressions. Soon, after he dies, the 296th Gwangjin Strongest Sword will be born among them. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± His legs trembled. Finally, he saw Cha Dooseong¡¯s horrifying shadow cast by his own feet. And then. -nk! ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Beyond Cha Dooseong¡¯s shoulders, a superhuman riding a ck horse appeared from the direction of the park entrance. * * * ck, ck! A chilling sound of iron hooves, so unfamiliar it sent shivers down one¡¯s spine. The skilled individuals from Gwangjin-gu who were lined up in front of Cha Dooseong were in despair. They thought another mutant had appeared. But. ¡¸What¡­ what¡¯s this god-awful smell?¡¹ Seeing a fearful glint pass over Cha Dooseong¡¯s face for the first time, their thoughts changed. ¡®What¡­ could it be?¡¯ ¡®Isn¡¯t there only one smell that mutants react to that much?¡¯ ¡®¡­Mutant equipment.¡¯ Indeed. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] In this world, only mutant-grade equipment with the scent of dead mutants could unsettle a mutant by smell alone. |This equipment contains the scent of a mutant. Another mutant can detect and be wary of it. In other words, the person approaching from the other side was not a mutant but someone wearing mutant equipment¡­ ¡°Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword¡­?¡± Someone in the audience read the purple title of the approaching opponent within visible range. Then others, as if deranged, repeated the same word. ¡°Strongest Sword? Strongest Sword?¡± ¡°Strongest Sword has arrived?¡± Then, at some point, the mood shifted slightly. ¡°Wait, where did Strongest Sworde from?¡± Although it was a miracle that Strongest Sword appeared before everyone died, that alone wasn¡¯t enough. Because the Strongest Sword who appeared had to face none other than Cha Dooseong, a former Olympic gold medalist in boxing who now possessed the powerful physique of a ghoul. Seeing how he easily subdued Gwangjin Strongest Sword Jang Taemin as if breaking a twig, it was clear that any ordinary Strongest Sword was not going to be enough. At least. ¡®We need someone like Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword¡­¡¯ The moment the prospective deceased thought this, the Strongest Sword in question, who had approached within about twenty meters, leaped off his horse. Thud! Then, his ck cloak fluttered, revealing the golden armor hidden beneath it. ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°¡­Oh?¡± The golden equipment, including three pieces of Golden Gear, and even the Artifact Helmet,¡¯Vanguard¡¯ a reward of the Golden Route. This Strongest Sword, or rather Jeong Yeongwoo07, had appeared more convincingly than anyone else since the reset. Though not perfect, he closely resembled a knight from fantasy. Click. As Yeongwoo finally touched the ground with his silver-white boots, Cha Dooseong, who had been only ncing back until then, straightened up fully. ¡¸What are you?¡¹ Cha Dooseong¡¯s twisted nose snarled incessantly, the smell of the mutant equipment having be much stronger than before. Though the Strongest Sword who was currently struggling over there emitted a disturbing smell, it was definitely not to this extent. In other words, the neer this time was much stronger than the Strongest Sword he had killed just hours ago. ¡¸What are you doing?¡¹ Cha Dooseong asked, his tone much angrier than before. Finally, Yeongwoo spoke up. ¡°Don¡¯t you know? As far as I know, mutants can even read Hangul properly.¡± Even Yeongwoo¡¯s tone was sharp. It was evident even without mixing words that this mutant had a twisted personality. In addition to that, the hundreds of corpses scattered around the Children¡¯s Park¡­ if one didn¡¯t get emotionally moved by that, they wouldn¡¯t be human. ¡°What¡¯s up? Come at me.¡± As Yeongwoo confirmed his opponent¡¯s height and pulled out Underdog, preparing to engage, Cha Dooseong, sensing something different about this one, tensed his body. But then. ¡°Wait a moment!¡± An unexpected figure intervened between the two monsters. ¡°¡­?¡± As a startled Yeongwoo turned his head towards the source of the sound, the face of Gwangjin¡¯s Strongest Sword, Kim Seongwoo102, with a frightened expression, came into view. And soon, the line that followed from his mouth was: ¡°Ho¡­ Are you alone?¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± Apletely unreasonable question based on suspicion, asking if there really was only one of him. ¡°What about the others? Like Jeong Hyeonsik?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Only now did Yeongwoo understand what his opponent was worried about and nodded briefly. After all, he had seen the Gwangjin Strongest Sword suffer a crushing defeat earlier, and for nearly two hours, he had been humiliated by the mutant, so it could be considered a very natural reaction. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Two more¡­¡± Just as Yeongwoo was trying to reassure his opponent. Swoosh! With a tremendous noise, a sensory decay notification appeared. ¡¸The sensory value has temporarily increased from the original 800 to 2,410.¡¹ ¡°¡­.!¡± Through this, it could be inferred that the opponent¡¯s sensory value was a whopping 3,220. ¡®What, this guy. His stats are even higher than Kim Taejoon¡¯s.¡¯ Of course, Yeongwoo had not been idle during this time. Currently, Yeongwoo¡¯s stats had once again increased due to the ¡°Idealist¡± effect, and on top of that¡­ ¡¸Golden Oath¡¹- Legendary Breastte ¡¾Reduces enemy attack power by 50%.¡¿ ¡¾umted Golden Ratio: 6¡¿ He even had a new suit of armor boasting overwhelming defensive capabilities. Thanks to this. Swish! ¡°¡­.Huh.¡± Yeongwoo, who had oncegged behind even in ordinary races among civilians, managed to avoid the punches of a boxing gold medalist. ¡¸Is this¡­?¡¹ Cha Dooseong wore an expression of disbelief. Although there was a considerable distance between him and his opponent, he never dreamed he could dodge the punches like this. ¡¸You lucky bastard.¡¹ Eventually, Cha Dooseong, his pride scratched, assumed a full-fledged fighting stance, and just as Yeongwoo was about to face him with his sword, a quest notification suddenly sounded. [Dogo] ¡°Romanticism¡± [Mission] Engage in a solo battle with Cha Dooseong using bare hands and win. [Reward] 2 million karma [Special] You must disclose the fact that you are supported by Dogo. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 104 Chapter 104 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 104: Finally, Disaster (3) ¡°What¡­?¡± Yeongwoo, upon seeing the quest details, doubted his eyes. Even during the ¡®Headhunter¡¯ quest, where he had to sever the seven heads of Strongest Sword, it was somewhat tant, but this time it was an outright real-time quest. [Dogo] ¡°Romanticism¡± [Mission] Engage in a solo battle with Cha Dooseong using bare hands and win. [Reward] 2 million karma [Special] You must disclose the fact that you are supported by Dogo. They did not specify the opponent as ¡®Cha Dooseong¡¯ outright. This was evidence that the entity giving out the quest was observing their situation. ¡®Why did they give me another quest when I haven¡¯t evenpleted the first one yet¡­? Could it be that they didn¡¯t like my choice?¡¯ The first Dogo quest in Seoul, ¡®Headhunter,¡¯ urred when all the Strongest Swords of the Seoul Federation gathered in one ce. In other words, what Dogo wanted to stage at that time was a showdown between the outsider, Jeong Yeongwoo, and the assembly of Strongest Sword. A confrontation between the Strongest Sword supported by Dogo and the seven strongest individuals in Seoul. The reward was a whopping 5 million karma. ¡®It¡¯s certainly arge sum of money, but¡­ it¡¯s not worth leaving Seoul defenseless.¡¯ Perhaps that¡¯s why this quest came about. This time, Yeongwoo alone had to face the danger. And the reward of 2 million was certainly not insignificant. ¡®So, what I must absolutely observe to clear this quest is¡­¡¯ [Mission] Engage in a solo battle with Cha Dooseong using bare hands and win. ¡®Bare hands, solo battle¡­¡¯ You can¡¯t use weapons, and no one else can intervene in the fight. ¡®More than anything, having a solo battle is probably the most difficult. The two of them will be here soon.¡¯ Sure enough, at that moment, there was a sudden movement behind Yeongwoo. Tap! Finally, Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword and Seocho¡¯s Strongest Sword arrived at the scene. ¡°No, this crazy bastard.¡± As expected, Seocho¡¯s Choi Namhee, a former detective, rolled her eyes in exasperation. Seeing the bodies piled up like mountains in the park, she was furious. Shwaaaack! As she immediately drew her sword, Yeongwoo stepped back from Cha Dooseong and simultaneously blocked Choi Namhee. ¡°Ms. Namhee, hold on a moment!¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Choi Namhee, momentarily annoyed, spat out. She was annoyed because her flow was interrupted, even though she could start smashing the mutant¡¯s head right away. But since Yeongwoo would lose 2 million immediately if Choi Namhee intervened, he had to at least make up some nonsense to ensure a solo battle. ¡°I want to fight first. Alone.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Even Oh Yeonhee, who was maintaining someposure, widened her eyes. It was apletely iprehensible story even inmon sense. The survivors of Gwangjin-gu, who had been unable to say anything until now, erupted into chaos as if they were driven to the edge of a cliff. ¡°Why alone?¡± ¡°Why suddenly like this? Why now of all times?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t he know who the opponent is¡­?¡± A situation of madness where nothinges to mind except for the word ¡®crazy.¡¯ Amidst this, the only oneughing was Cha Dooseong, the mutant. ¡¸He¡¯s really an interesting guy.¡¹ Although there was a gut feeling that this tough guy with a strange title wouldn¡¯t be an ordinary opponent, it didn¡¯t make him afraid. The former Gwangjin¡¯s Strongest Sword he had faced earlier was so weak. So, even if he were to face a Strongest Sword from another region, they wouldn¡¯t be much stronger than a dead man. ¡¸Indeed, unless it¡¯s a time like this, there won¡¯t be a chance to fight against someone like me. Stupid, but brave.¡¹ Then Oh Yeonhee, sticking closely behind Yeongwoo, spoke with a grimace. ¡°Are you really crazy? Does it make sense to deliberately fight alone? What¡¯s going on?¡± To this, Yeongwoo alternated looks between her and Choi Namhee and said, ¡°I have achievements to fulfill. I feel like I won¡¯t be able to resolve them if not now. Please understand.¡± ¡°Even so, this¡­¡± ¡°If it really doesn¡¯t seem right, I¡¯ll request support. Please help me then.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Even so, the expressions of the two Strongest Swords were still difficult to persuade. There is a time and ce for everything. But since the new Strongest Sword insisted on fighting alone, there was no reason to break the harmony by insisting otherwise. ¡°He¡¯s really out of his mind.¡± Eventually, Oh Yeonhee raised both hands, and following her, Seocho¡¯s Strongest Sword Choi Namhee also stepped back. ¡°If it seems like you¡¯re falling behind, we¡¯ll step in right away.¡± ¡°Yes. Understood.¡± Thus began the solo duel between Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword and the mutant Cha Dooseong. However, the real shocking event was just beginning. As Yeongwoo stood in front of Cha Dooseong, he put the Underdog he had been holding in his hand on the ground and assumed abat stance, following his opponent. It was such a sloppy posture that it was evident he didn¡¯t even know the ¡®stance¡¯ ofbat. So, eventually, ¡¸Kkuukukkk¡­!¡¹ Cha Dooseong, who was staring nkly at him, burst intoughter. ¡¸You¡¯re going to fight like that with me?¡¹ Then, in an instant, his face turned cold. ¡¸This bastard¡­ Does he think I look like a fool just because he avoided one punch by chance earlier?¡¹ Before bing a mutant, Cha Dooseong was a human, a boxing yer proud of his fists and medals. Therefore, he felt extreme humiliation that someone who couldn¡¯t even properly hold a stance dared to challenge him to a fistfight. ¡¸I¡¯ll beat you until every bone in your body is shattered.¡¹ Then, with a sharp gleam in his eyes, Cha Dooseong rushed towards Yeongwoo. Thud! A forward step worthy of a gold medalist. Choi Namhee, the only one here who had trained in martial arts, immediately realized Cha Dooseong¡¯s movements and grabbed his forehead. ¡°You bastard, you¡¯re really crazy.¡± These words were directed at Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword Jeong Yeongwoo. To dare to challenge a top-tier boxer bare-handed was madness, indeed. Moreover, Cha Dooseong now had the body of a ghoul, standing at a towering height of 2 meters. Therefore, due to the significant reach difference, a close-range fight itself was impossible. In almost every situation, he would be the one to take the first hit. And now, Yeongwoo was keenly feeling that as well. ¡°Phew.¡± As Yeongwoo exhaled within his clumsy guard, the fist came flying in from a much farther distance than he had thought. Swish! The fist was so fast that it momentarily made a whip-like sound, and sensing it, Oh Yeonhee adjusted her sword stance. It seemed like it wouldn¡¯t work. However. Swoosh! Yeongwoo, who had been standing with a sloppy pose until now, suddenly raised his guard tightly and bent both knees. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Then his upper body naturally descended in a diagonal line. Whoosh! Simultaneously, Cha Dooseong¡¯s fist swept through the space where Yeongwoo¡¯s head had been, missing its target. ¡°¡­.!¡± Yeongwoo had evaded the opponent¡¯s fist once again. So, what just happened was¡­ ¡°¡­Ducking.¡± Choi Namhee murmured involuntarily. It was one of the basic evasion techniques in boxing, typically used to avoid straight attacks like jabs while aiming for a counterattack. In other words, ¡®If he has used it correctly by now¡­¡¯ With an inexplicable sense of anticipation, Choi Namhee widened her pupils as Yeongwoo¡¯s upper body, lowered in ducking position, rotated like a nted ring. ¡®What¡­?¡¯ Though it was amateurish, it was clearly a predictive weaving for the opponent¡¯s follow-up. Currently, Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword is showing the level of game management at least at the level of a city-level regionalpetition in terms of tactics alone. ¡¸You bastard!¡¹ Cha Doo-seong¡¯s right straight cut through the air in anger. Damn it! Since Youngwoo¡¯s upper body was already rotating at an angle, he ended up narrowly splitting the empty space again. ¡¸What¡­?¡¹ At this point, Cha Dooseong was convinced. His opponent had some inexplicable ability. Every time he reached out his fist, he couldn¡¯t describe it, but he felt a sudden decrease in attack speed and power. And judging by all the skills the opponent had demonstrated so far, it was clear that this was purely a hoax caused by that unknown ability. ¡¸You¡­ what the hell.¡¹ Just as Cha Dooseong was about to voice his suspicion. Thunk! Yeongwoo¡¯s upper body, which was in the midst of weaving, came to a halt. Wham! From bottom to top. A rather weighty light uppercut shot out. ¡°Wow¡­!¡± Seeing this, Choi Namhee¡¯s mouth, which had been gaping wide open, widened even further. To face a boxing gold medalist and deliver a ducking, weaving, uppercutbo. And not even taking a single hit in between. To Choi Namhee, it looked like a miracle in itself. And then¡­ ¡¸¡­.Damn¡¹ For Cha Dooseong, who had lived his whole life as a boxing genius, this was nothing short of a disaster. Shwooat! Of course, due to Cha Dooseong¡¯s body bent in evasion, Yeongwoo¡¯s uppercut ended up cutting through the air, aplishing nothing. At least, it was too obvious a pattern for Cha Dooseong. But the important thing was. ¡°What, what¡¯s¡­?¡± ¡°Is that guy also a boxer?¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Like the reactions of the Gwangjin survivors, at least from the outside, it seemed like the fight between the two was making sense. Moreover, Yeongwoo was gradually getting more ustomed to ¡®bare-handedbat.¡¯ ¡®Ha¡­ Is this worth it?¡¯ Although he was currently moving clumsily as instructed by ¡®Rohm¡¯s Bottom,¡¯ he could instinctively feel it. If he could properly execute this instruction, he would be able to bring down the opponent sufficiently. ¡°Huu¡­¡± Meanwhile, the hologram in front of him was once again assuming a fighting stance. It was time for another round against the mutant boxer. ¡®Is he still using boxing style again¡­? Even if so, wouldn¡¯t it be better to wrestle instead, considering the opponent is a gold medalist¡­?¡¯ Yeongwoo silently questioned his martial arts inwardly. Wasn¡¯t tackling not very effective against Jeong Hyunsik back then? But naturally, there was no answering back. ¡®Right. Let¡¯s give it another shot.¡¯ As the hologram in front of him took a forward step this time, Yeongwoo stretched his leg forward blindly. Then, this time, Cha Dooseong prepared to counter the attack with ducking as the opponent¡¯s attack came out. Swoosh. He was nning to dodge to the side while the opponent¡¯s attack wasing out, thinking of throwing a check hook. If things went well, he could hit the throat or jaw directly and knock them down. Thus began the third match between the two fighters. Thud! Eventually, Illusion that wrapped around Yeongwoo¡¯s foot pushed forcefully against the ground. ¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹ The moment Cha Dooseong interpreted it as a forward one-two and pulled his chin and upper body downwards. Boom! Suddenly, Yeongwoo¡¯s right foot kicked off the ground, sending his knee bouncing into the air. It was a flying knee kick, prepared by Rohm¡¯s Bottom, fighting like a prisoner. ¡¸This son of a¡­!¡¹ Cha Dooseong hurriedly raised both arms to protect his face, thinking like this. ¡®W¡­ Wasn¡¯t this boxing rules?¡¯ Before the monologue in his head could finish, a flying knee kick struck his guard. Kwaaaah! Then, shortly after, a trembling voice came from behind Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s knee. ¡°This battle is supported by Dogo, a gctic-scale weapon brand¡­¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 105 Chapter 105 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 105: Finally, Disaster (4) No one here would have any disagreement. The fact is that everyone is now witnessing a bizarre scene that is difficult to see twice in one¡¯s life. Kwaaak! The boxing gold medalist who had manifested into a ghoul was delivered a flying knee kick by Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword. Then, strange lines, so absurd that they seemed terrifying, flowed from the Strongest Sword¡¯s mouth. ¡°This battle is supported by the intergctic weapon brand Dogo¡­ I am Jeong Yeongwoo 07, the strongest in Gyeongbuk and Gangnam, representing humanity on Earth.¡± ¡°Ah¡­? ¡°What?¡± Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword, Seocho¡¯s Strongest Sword, and dozens of masters from Gwangjin-gu all opened their mouths at the same time. Iprehensible. Is this what they call fear of the unknown¡­? Forgetting for a moment that he was also human before being a mutant, Cha Dooseong stared nkly at the local Strongest Sword in front of him. ¡¸What¡­ did you just say?¡¹ However, Yeongwoo was preupied with something else. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ He just realized that Cha Dooseong¡¯s arms, which blocked the knee kick, were wrapped in a gray metal armor. So, this is probably¡­ ¡®Oh, it¡¯s a weapon. Because this person doesn¡¯t have a sword.¡¯ Is that why? Even though there was clearly hostile physical contact, Cha Dooseong seemed to be unaffected by the pain. Just like Kim Taejoon¡¯s granite exterior, Cha Dooseong¡¯s arms were also being treated as both weapons and armor. ¡®If that¡¯s the case, I have to break through the guard andnd an effective hit.¡¯ While Yeongwoo was thinking this way, Rohm signaled the next move. It was none other than¡­ ¡®¡­Low kick?¡¯ From the start, these cunning and vicious prisoners had no intention of using anything but their fists against the boxers. Since a hologram was already striking Cha Dooseong¡¯s left leg heavily, Yeongwoo swiftly moved his body. Hyaat! As Yeongwoo twisted his pelvis to kick low, Cha Dooseong noticed and withdrew his body smoothly. ¡¸This bastard.¡¹ He then looked at Yeongwoo with a puzzled expression. It was because he felt that this martial chatan surprisingly knew well about boxing evasion techniques. Boxers generally maintain a wide gap between their legs. About 1.5 times widerpared to the basic stance of a kickboxer. This is necessary to control the weight distribution, which moves rapidly due to punches, ducking, weaving, and so on, in a stable manner. As a result, they were naturally vulnerable to attacks targeting the legs like low kicks. Hyaeeak! Even to Yeongwoo¡¯s clumsy low kick, Cha Dooseong reacted excessively. ¡¸You¡­¡¹ But who was Cha Dooseong? He was once at the pinnacle as a boxer. Moreover, because he had been involved in all sorts of disputes and fights even after being expelled from the boxing world, he was not only skilled inbat as a sport. Shaaat! Eventually, Cha Dooseong slipped away sideways, disappearing from Yeongwoo¡¯s sight. ¡°¡­!¡± Yeongwoo quickly twisted his body to chase after Cha Dooseong. Hyaeeat! But it was toote, as a body hook shot out from the position already upied by the opponent in his field of view. Pweeooeok! ¡°Oof¡­!¡± For a moment, he felt intense pain in his side. ¡°Ha¡­ huh?¡± But soon, all the pain disappeared. ¡¸Berserker¡¹ ¨C Mutant Charm [Ignore a certain level of pain.] Due to the overwhelming strength of Cha Dooseong¡¯s punch, ¡®Berserker¡¯ blocked the pain. ¡¸¡­Huh?¡¹ Cha Dooseong felt difort once again. To his surprise, as he instinctively weaved, Yeongwoo¡¯s elbow shed over his head like lightning. ¡®Crazy, he¡¯s really something else.¡¯ Yeongwoo admired inwardly as he watched Cha Dooseong evade once again. Then¡­ Baaack! Once again, an uppercut came from below, hitting his chin and lifting his head upward. ¡°Ugh!¡± As Cha Dooseong withdrew his upper body with a weave, he simultaneously threw a left uppercut. Hit squarely on the chin, Yeongwoo¡¯s visionpletely lifted upwards, leaving him vulnerable to the opponent¡¯s follow-up. The liver shot, also known as the ¡®body shot.¡¯ Pwong! With an unbelievable sound of impact, Cha Dooseong¡¯s punchpletely scrambled Yeongwoo¡¯s organs. ¡°Cough!¡± Blood gushed from his mouth as if it were flowing back through his esophagus. Since Yeongwoo¡¯s blood was practically toxic, contact had to be avoided, but Cha Dooseong didn¡¯t know that. ¡¸You bastard, die.¡¹ Thinking he had finally broken through the opponent¡¯s ¡®luck,¡¯ Cha Dooseong smoothly swung a left hook as Yeongwoo¡¯s head, drenched in blood, descended back due to gravity. Hyaeeak! ¡¸You son of a bitch!¡¹ Taeaeaeaeang! A strange sound rang out from Yeongwoo¡¯s head as it was struck by the hook. ¡¸Vanguard¡¹ ¨C Relic Helmet ¡¾This helmet does not get damaged.¡¿ This is because the helmet covering Yeongwoo¡¯s head was equipment that could not be ¡®damaged¡¯. Of course, that didn¡¯t stop his kic energy, so Yeongwoo¡¯s head turned violently and blood spurted out. ¡°Pugh!¡± ¡¸Huh? What¡­?¡¹ A strange sensation he had never felt before in his life. Then, suddenly, excruciating pain engulfed his entire body. ¡¸Agh¡­!¡¹ Nevertheless, even in this situation, Cha Dooseong didn¡¯t forget that he was in a match, no, in a duel. He quickly stepped back to increase the distance between him and his opponent. Truly, the epitome of mental strength. ¡®Oh my god.¡¯ Yeongwoo was astonished at two things. First, Cha Dooseong¡¯s incredible mental fortitude as seen before, and second. Tatat! Amidst this, ¡®Rohm¡¯s Bottom¡¯ was casting a spell to kick Cha Dooseong¡¯s left leg. ¡®A martial art that¡¯s essentially based on the floor.¡¯ Yeongwoo thought this while alreadyunching a retaliatory low kick following the hologram. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Rushing towards the opponent, who couldn¡¯t even properly open his eyes due to experiencing the taste of agony. ¡°You¡¯re done for!¡± As Yeongwoo willingly became one with Rohm¡¯s Bottom, he mercilessly lunged at Cha Dooseong, causing a brief but palpable anxiety among the audience. However. ¡¸Ugh!¡¹ Cha Dooseong was much more vicious than people had anticipated. Feeling a threatening aura beyond the shredded view, he rather attacked Yeongwoo. It was a brawl driven purely by physicality and determination. Hyaet! As Cha Dooseong closed the distance, Yeongwoo¡¯s low kick only grazed his thigh. Meanwhile. Thunk! nting his foot firmly on the ground with a forward step, Cha Dooseong immediately swung his upper body and unleashed a short hook. Essentially, it was a response akin to hoping for a lucky punch when cornered during a match. However, it was the best course of action for now. Leaving the distance open would only allow continuous low kicks. ¡¸Gaaah¡­ ¡­ !¡¹ As Cha Dooseong started the fight with a scream that was unclear whether it was a shout or a scream, Rohm¡¯s bottom ordered Yeongwoo to backstep. Retreating to set up a slow barrage of low kicks. However. ¡°¡­Fuck it.¡± Yeongwoo didn¡¯t heed the advice of the legendary martial arts. Firstly, because he knew he could win without going that far, and secondly, he wanted to quickly put a stop to that bastard¡¯s antics. The notorious ¡®stubborn¡¯ tendencies recognized by the system emerged again. ¡°Fuck it, that¡¯s enough.¡± Boooom! Eventually, as Yeongwoo began to mix it up with Cha Dooseong, something unexpected happened. Ding! The distinctive notification sound of the Dogo quest rang out, and a system message appeared. ¡¶Quest rewards have been increased.¡· Indeed, the ¡®Romanticism¡¯ reward had risen from 2 million karma to 3 million. [Dogo] ¡°Romanticism¡± [Mission] Engage in a solo battle with Cha Dooseong using bare hands and win. [Reward] 3 million karma [Special] You must disclose the fact that you are supported by Dogo. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± It was such a surprising event in the midst of the brawl that Yeongwoo was momentarily stunned, and as a result, Cha Dooseong¡¯s heavy hook grazed his head, eliciting yet another fountain of blood. ¡°Arrgh!¡± Thunk-thunk! Blood soared into the sky, then quickly rained down on Yeongwoo and Cha Dooseong. The audience murmured in disbelief at the sight. ¡°What the¡­?¡± The scene before them had be so bizarre that it was no longer recognizable as a fight. And at this point, Rohm¡¯s Bottom also relented to Yeongwoo¡¯s stubbornness and presented an alternative. Thunk! As the hologram, which was stepping back, realigned itself, it began to throw a hook while stepping on Cha Dooseong¡¯s left foot. ¡°Ah.¡± Sensing that the brutal fight wasing to an end, Yeongwoo immediately followed the guide. Kwaak! As Yeongwoo stepped on Cha Dooseong¡¯s outstretched left foot, the dynamics of the brawl changed drastically. With Cha Dooseong¡¯s left foot pinned down, the movement of his left ankle was naturally restricted, reducing the effectiveness of all attacks involving the lower body. On the other hand, Yeongwoo could still unleash most of his attacks with full force. Thud, thwack! From then on, it was essentially like hitting a frozen piece of meat tethered to a ring. ¡¸Urgh!¡¹ Despite being a gold medalist, Cha Dooseong showed a decent guard rate even in such situations. However¡­ Due to the umtion of too much damage from the previous brawl and pain infliction, even his sturdy guard gradually weakened. Thud! When Yeongwoo suddenly started focusing on attacking his abdomen, the pain from that area became too much to ignore, and Cha Dooseong asionally lowered his guardpletely to defend his abdomen. ¡®It¡¯s over.¡¯ This was a fact even Yeongwoo, who wasn¡¯t familiar with boxing, could understand. The opponent¡¯s face waspletely messed up. Thud, whack! As the essentially one-sided beating continued, survivors from Gwangjin District began to open their mouths one by one. ¡°Ah¡­¡± It was because they sensed the impending doom. It was reminiscent of the scene they witnessed when they first arrived at this park in response to the call of Gwangjin¡¯s Strongest Sword. That vicious violence was now being fully reciprocated upon Cha Dooseong. Thwack, smack! ¡°¡­¡± Yet, no one in this ce felt joy or amusement at this. Thwack. ¡°¡­¡± Eventually, when Cha Dooseong¡¯s legs lost their strength, he knelt on the ground, and Yeongwoo grabbed his head with both hands. Crack. Then¡­ Swoosh! This time, Yeongwoo precisely delivered a flying knee to Cha Dooseong¡¯s forehead. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 106 Chapter 106 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 106: Finally, Disaster (5) Thunk! An ominous sound of impact. Then, a rough sensation was transmitted to Yeongwoo¡¯s palm, which was wrapped around Cha Dooseong¡¯s head. It was because Cha Dooseong¡¯s skull was shattered, causing his scalp to twist. He was probably dead from that blow. ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± As Yeongwoo shuddered and withdrew his hand from his opponent, Cha Dooseong¡¯s hefty body slumped to the ground. Boom! Then, a beam of white light shot up from his head. Paaaat! It was evidence that the mutant had died. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Perhaps that was the mutant¡¯s soul. Yeongwoo watched until the light from Cha Dooseong¡¯s bodypletely disappeared into the sky. Then, shortly after. Ping! With a brief notification sound, the questpletion message appeared. [Quest Completed ¨C ¡°Romanticism¡±] [Reward Issued] |3,000,000 Karma As promised, the reward had been increased to 3,000,000 Karma, and once again, it was provided in the form of¡­ Swish! A credit card. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± As a piece of iron rapidly descended from the sky, everyone except Yeongwoo panicked. To them, it seemed like a small de was falling. But Yeongwoo, who was already receiving his second reward, anticipated the location where the card would arrive and waited. Thud. He lightly picked up the card, which stopped precisely 1.5 meters above the ground. Then, the number 3,000,000 floated above the card. ¡°3 million¡­?¡± Sure enough, Seocho¡¯s Strongest Sword Choi Namhee, who sensed that it was some kind of payment, muttered with widened eyes. Receiving 3 million in one lump sum was something that could only be encountered through the ¡°Binary Choice¡± quest. But this time, even before touching the golden orb, this distant Strongest Sword had somehow pulled money from somewhere. ¡°What is this? What in the world¡­?¡± As if urging Yeongwoo to listen, Choi Namhee muttered aloud. However, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t have the confidence to exin to them about universal brands or anything like that. ¡°¡­¡­¡± He omitted an exnation about the ¡°card¡± and ced his hand on the orb. ¡°I¡¯ll invoke the Golden Ratio once again. Any objections?¡± It was practically a notification from Yeongwoo. Despite overlooking the fact that Yeongwoo had fought this battle entirely on his own, no one dared to raise objections to him, who was covered in blood. And above all, even to the Strongest Swords, Yeongwoo seemed different. ¡®Who is this person, and what is he doing¡­?¡¯ Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword Oh Yeonhee¡¯s gaze turned toward the sky where the card had been shot down from earlier. Once you be a Strongest Sword who has killed a mutant three days in a row, it¡¯s natural to develop curiosity about the structure of this world. It was only natural that interest in Karma, themon currency of the reset world, would grow. But to think that there was someone who received Karma falling from the sky¡­? Something beyond curiosity was bound to arise. ¡°I guess Gwangjin-gu needs a lot of money to recover from the damage.¡± In the end, Oh Yeonhee nodded on behalf of everyone in the audience, and Yeongwoo manipted the golden orb upon seeing it. [Distribute 30,000 Karma to all residents in the area] The orb that received Yeongwoo¡¯smand quickly trembled and then, as always, burst into the sky. Boom! Already, it was the third time the golden rain had fallen over Seoul. As the golden light that dyed the sky began to fall to the ground, the survivors of Gwangjin-gu opened their mouths in awe. And the two Strongest Swords who had followed Yeongwoo also marvelled once again. As humans, it was inevitable. ¡°Hmm. It¡¯s still amazing to see.¡± ¡°Judging from the fact that this rain only falls when distributing 30,000, it seems.¡± Oh Yeonhee was about to add more words, but she closed her mouth. She almost let her thoughts slip out unintentionally. Perhaps this was the ¡®answer¡¯. ¡¶Gyeongbuk¡¯ Strongest Sword ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo07¡¯ gave up his monopoly on 3 million karma and gifted 30,000 karma to all Gwangjin residents.¡· ¡¶Soon, 30,000 Karma will be paid in the form ofmemorative coins. Get ready.¡· Then, thememorative coins, the final event of the golden rain, were created. Pop, pop! For the survivors of Gwangjin-gu, who had their lives saved thanks to Yeongwoo, and likewise for the two Strongest Swords who had lost at least 1 million in bonuses because of Yeongwoo, coins with this troublemaker¡¯s face engraved on them were given in threes. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± As Seocho and Songpa Strongest Swords looked fixedly at the now familiar ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo coin,¡¯ the originator of the portraits approached and spoke. ¡°Thank you for your understanding.¡± Of course, as he was still covered in blood, the two Strongest Swords facing Yeongwoo could only give awkward smiles. ¡°Well, is it all over now? Have you received all the rewards? What about equipment?¡± Choi Namhee subtly aimed for item distribution, but it was hopeless. ¡°Yes. Since we agreed to return to our respective areas after finishing the job, I guess I¡¯ll go to Gangnam.¡± After saying this, Yeongwoo looked at the Gwangjin-gu inspectors standing awkwardly on the other side. ¡°What about Gwangjin-gu now? It¡¯s practically without a Strongest sword.¡± As Yeongwoo said, Gwangjin-gu was now literally deste. Although the survival infrastructure represented by ¡®residence¡¯ was preserved thanks to the mutants not venturing outside the children¡¯s park, there were no Strongest Sword to stop tomorrow¡¯s mutant. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Yes. This is the first time we¡¯ve encountered such a situation¡­¡± Seocho and Songpa Strongest Swords showed simultaneous expressions of embarrassment. They had never thought that the Strongest Swords would be unable to defeat the mutants. But starting today, the third day of the reset, things began to happen. Then what would happen on the fourth day tomorrow? ¡°¡­¡­¡± The Strongest Swords realized once again that the reset was a ¡®disaster¡¯. And those who were not Strongest Swords had been living in disaster from the beginning. ¡°We should start retrieving the bodies. Thanks to those who were here, the residents of the area were not harmed.¡± Choi Namhee said, thinking like a former police officer. Upon this, Songpa¡¯s Oh Yeonhee told Yeongwoo. ¡°Gangnam might not be in a state of chaos right now. We¡¯ll handle it here and ask for manpower from the Yongsan area, so go see for yourself.¡± ¡°Is it okay, though? Then I¡¯ll be in your debt for now.¡± After bowing to the two Strongest Swords and the inspectors of Gwangjin-gu, Yeongwoo immediately summoned Negwig. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Then, in the distance, Negwig, who had been emitting a strong sense of unease, came running and stood before Yeongwoo. *Squeak!* And then. *Peek!* Golden goblin, who had secretly massaged the body of the Gwangjin Strongest Sword, came running. ¡®What were you doing?¡¯ Seeing this, Yeongwoo realized after a moment. ¡®¡­Ah.¡¯ He had been distracted by the grim sight of the Grand Park and hadn¡¯t bothered to collect the ¡®spoils.¡¯ It was a cruel story, but even the deceased Gwangjin Strongest Sword, who had been killed by Cha Dooseong, would have had their own signature equipment. *Chuckle!* Moreover, there was something inside the partially open dimensional pouch of the golden goblin. Probably the deceased¡¯s belongings. It was something that couldn¡¯t be done as a human, but ironically, the golden goblin wasn¡¯t human, nor was it even from Earth. ¡°P-Please wait!¡± Though the 295th Gwangjin¡¯s Strongest Sword came running btedly to see them off¡­ Swoosh! Yeongwoo had already left, just like an arrow shot by a goblin. * * * The current time, 4:14 PM. Although he was in a precarious position riding on a horse from another world, Yeongwoo felt genuinely peaceful. From being the roommate of Im Bonghee, the r*pist who hid his past, to the present, there had been too much going on. And during all those events, Yeongwoo had never let his guard down, mainly because he was always in the position of the weak or the challenger. But now¡­ Swoosh, swoosh! As Negwig carrying Yeongwoo left a ck trail and passed through the intersection of the Konkuk University entrance, the people standing by the roadside stared nkly at the spot where the unidentified object had passed, startled. Although the speed was so fast, they couldn¡¯t understand what they had just seen due to the strange appearance of the target. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo felt a deep sense of relief that he was no longer under threat in this world, even if he caused a bit of trouble. At least there would be no need to risk his life anymore, at least not today. ¡®Until the grand announcement, there¡¯s still over three hours left. I¡¯ll take a break for once.¡¯ Swoosh! Passing through Konkuk University, crossing Dukseom Bridge, and finally reaching Gangnam via Cheongdam Bridge, Yeongwoo¡¯s dted pupils suddenly widened. ¡°Huh?¡± People dressed in suits were lined up on both sides of the 1.2-kilometer-long Cheongdam Bridge. ¡®Could they be Taewon Group employees?¡¯ Of course, judging by the fact that some were leaning on the railing or sitting on the ground, they seemed to be taking a break. Perhaps they had sent out surveince teams to every bridge without knowing which one the new Gangnam Strongest Swords would use. Regardless, as time passed, it became clear that they were Taewon Group employees. Swoosh! As Negwig made a grand entrance onto Cheongdam Bridge, the people who had been absent-mindedly standing there quickly reformed their ranks. And most importantly¡­ Swoosh- About 200 meters ahead, at the center of the bridge, seeing people struggling to raise something, it was clear. Crackle! ¡ºWe wee Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s inauguration as Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword.¡» ¨C All executives and employees of Taewon Group It was none other than a banner. A wee banner for Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s inauguration as Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword in the reset world¡­ Although it was handwritten, it gave off a more corporate vibe because of it. You could glimpse the stubbornness and desire to somehow implement something from the previous world. ¡°Wee! Jeong Yeongwoo¡­!¡± Soon, all the Taewon Group members bowed respectfully towards the Strongest Swords passing by on horseback, and Yeongwoo entered Gangnam like a victorious general. * * * At the same time, on the outskirts of Bugok-dong in Gumi City, Gyeongsangbuk-do. A boy appeared, holding a long staff, in an area where the Gyeongbu Expressway connecting Gimcheon and Gumi passes through. ¡°Phew, it¡¯s still the same here.¡± His hands were full of calluses, and his legs seemed even more ruggedly used. After ncing at the regional situation in the air, the boy looked at two red pirs dominating the airspace over Gumi. Then. ¡°It seems the old man really went to Seoul.¡± With a strange smile, he stretched his bare feet inward towards Gumi City. |The current area you are in is ¡®Gumi.¡¯ |There is no Strongest Sword in this area. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 107 Chapter 107 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 107: On a Pitch-ck Night (1) Gumi, Gyeongsangbuk-do. A memorable ce where Yechan and Yeongwoo had their first battle against monsters, as well as where they received the ¡®existing fate record¡¯. Of course, Yechan didn¡¯t revisit this ce out of nostalgia. He came here purely for one reason. ¡®Two of them. It¡¯s a windfall.¡¯ By now, he judged that there would be a pile of mutants or descendants of monsters in the Gyeongsangbuk-do area. As expected, there were two mutant markers in Gumi. ¡®On the 2nd and 3rd day, those guys are probably together, right?¡¯ If that¡¯s the case, caution was necessary. Because by the 3rd day of the reset, the gap inbat power between mutants had be significant. Just today, he managed to catch about four mutants of the 3rd day, but one of them was unusually strong. ¡®There isn¡¯t a single monster.¡¯ Yechan quickly crossed Gumi City and confirmed that there were no blue pirs of light visible around. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ There are mainly two reasons why there are no monsters in a neglected city like this. First, it could be because monster hunters who roam neglected cities like this have swept through. However, since hunters who search on a city-wide scale generally have arge number of members, it was almost impossible not to encounter mutants. And secondly, it could be because the mutants themselves drove out the monsters. ¡®Probably this one.¡¯ Now Yechan was quite the expert in this world. After parting ways with Yeongwoo, Gumi¡¯s Strongest Sword, he explored numerous cities and towns. On the 2nd day of the reset, Yechan, who had parted ways with Yeongwoo, headed not to Seoul but rather to Jeonbuk. It wasn¡¯t a clear n; it was the result of vaguely stepping on the pedal with the thought of standing alone from now on. Also, due to the fact that people are more frightening than monsters, there was also the instinctual desire to head to areas where human presence seemed scarce. And before long, he realized. Jeonbuk, Chungnam, Gyeongbuk¡­ The regions corresponding to the centralyer of this country¡¯s terrain became ruins one by one starting from the 2nd day of the reset. There could be various reasons, but it was mostly because the Strongest Swords of those regions moved elsewhere or died. For some reason, most Strongest Swords started to move to metropolitan areas like Seoul or Busan after experiencing the first day of the reset. And this was true not only for the Strongest Swords but also for the residents of those regions. Is it a human instinct? Wanting to stay in ces with many people if possible. ¡°¡­¡­¡± For Yechan, who had the opposite tendency, it was hard to understand. Anyway, because the majority left for big cities, the areas Yechan visited were all filled with monsters and mutants. Thanks to that, sometimes he witnessed the astonishing sight of mutants and monsters waging war. Of course, on the other hand, there were also cases where monsters negotiated with mutants to obtain territorial rights. ¡®It¡¯s definitely an area to avoid stepping foot in.¡¯ So, Yechan targeted areas where only monsters remained because mutants had left for other regions first. By catching just a few monsters separated from the group, he could significantly increase his abilities. And when he grew to the point where it was difficult to die against monster opponents, he challenged mutants for the first time. A snake-shaped mutant perched on the roof of the Muju County Office. [Muju County Governor ¨C Song Iktae] Despite his terrifying appearance, his actual power wasn¡¯t that impressive. Strictly speaking, Yechan, who had caught about a hundred monsters for this challenge, was in an overpowered state. Easily dispatching the first mutant than expected, Yechan chose 3 million karma without hesitation, and from then on, it was smooth sailing. Everything encountered in the ruined city was all about money. 20,000 karma for each monster, 3 million for a mutant. From the 3rd day onward, he began meeting traders who hade from various ces, buying equipment and martial arts skills, and as a result, he reached his current state. A nameless powerhouse roaming around Gyeongsangbuk-do and Jeobuk-do. He didn¡¯t even have a single title of a Strongest Sword, but his total stats were unparalleled. However, he rarely encountered anyone, so he didn¡¯t attract external attention. Whack! In Yechan¡¯s sight as he crossed Gumi City, a red pir of light finally approached. ¡®It¡¯s a mutant. They¡¯re here.¡¯ As he went a bit further, he saw a huge beast perched on the rooftop of a 4-story building on the other side. [Comedian ¨C Kim Jonggu] Kim Jonggu. Once a famous entertainer who appeared in various entertainment shows but was expelled from the broadcasting industry due to repeated drunk driving incidents. Thanks to his actions, he had be a hellhound, emitting sparks near his nose every time he exhaled. ¡¸What¡¯s this smell?¡¹ Kim Jonggu, who had been staring at the ground nkly, suddenly raised his head and immediately looked towards where Yechan was. It was because he caught the scent of mutant equipment emanating from him. ¡¸What, you¡¯re a kid.¡¹ He exuded an unusual aura for an ordinary ¡®kid,¡¯ but since Kim Jonggu hadn¡¯t properlypeted with a skilled opponent since returning to this world, he didn¡¯t pay much attention. ¡¸Kid, I want to take it easy today, so go back.¡¹ ¡°Uh¡­?¡± Yechan hesitated at the unexpected kindness. Then, in the process of shifting his foot to the side, he stepped on something. ng! It was none other than¡­ ¡°Wow.¡± A crimson coin. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] There were not just one or two, but hundreds scattered around the 4-story building Kim Jonggu had chosen as his residence. In other words, these were remnants of monsters that should have filled the entire area. Probably, this was where Kim Jonggu had engaged in arge-scale battle with monsters while taking control of this area. ¡°¡­Unbelievable.¡± While Yechan was amazed at the coins scattered around, Kim Jonggu gently opened one of his eyes, which had been closed, and said. ¡¸Take it if you need it. But don¡¯te back again. And don¡¯t go to Seoul either. This uncle is giving you a pass.¡¹ At this, Yechan¡¯s expression, which was about to eagerly pick up the coins, suddenly turned cold. ¡°¡­Why not Seoul?¡± Then, Kim Jong-gu, slightly surprised by the sudden change in the ¡®kid¡¯s¡¯ attitude, said, ¡¸Why¡­ because it¡¯s dangerous.¡¹ ¡°Why is Seoul dangerous? There are lots of people, and surely there are Strongest Swords¡­¡± As Yechan was talking up to this point, he suddenly realized. ¡°But what are you guys waiting for here?¡± At the mention of ¡®you guys¡¯ by Yechan, Kim Jonggu¡¯s eyes widened, and right on cue, arge shadow emerged from the right side of the building where Yechan was. Swoosh! [Gumi City Councilor ¨C Im Taehong] Another mutant who was staying in Gumi, Im Taehong. Also known as ¡®Shadow,¡¯ he manifested as a shadow human with a towering height of up to 4 meters. In other words, due to Yechan¡¯s actions, a 4-meter shadow was looming over him. ¡¸The stench is too much, and there¡¯s too much talk. Let¡¯s just kill him.¡¹ Soon, a sharp voice flowed from the shadow on the ground. Kim Jonggu wrinkled his nose in disgust, but rather, Yechan was the first to prepare for battle. Swish! As he swung the long red spear he held in his right hand onto the ground, the twisted de of the spear glowed crimson in a strange shape. ¡°If you¡¯re nning to attack Seoul, think again. You guys won¡¯t even be able to handle me.¡± Yechan thought they were waiting for the 4th-day mutant to arrive to attack Seoul. Given the circumstances, there was no reason for two mutants to remain in this wastnd. And indeed, that seemed to be the case. ¡¸Who do you think you are, trying to stop us?¡± Im Taehong¡¯s voice was much more ruthless than before. At that moment, the surroundings were already filled with pitch-ckness beyond Yechan¡¯s feet, probably a preparation unique to shadow humans. In response, Yechan shouted as he struck the darkened ground with the spear he hadid out. ¡°I¡¯ll call myself Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Spear¡­!¡± * * * Gangnam-gu. Arge autonomous district epassing affluent neighborhoods such as Yeoksam, Cheongdam, and Nonhyeon, collectively known as ¡®Gangnam.¡¯ Before the reset, its poption was 530,000, making it the third most populous among Seoul¡¯s 25 districts, a ranking that probably hadn¡¯t changed much even now. Because Gangnam was the neighborhood where all the people of Seoul who were still alive wanted to live. Of course, this was only true during the tenure of former Strongest Sword Jeong Hyunsik. Nowadays, rumors about Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s downfall had spread far and wide throughout Gangnam. And Yeongwoo could clearly feel it. ¡°Is that him?¡± ¡°Is that the Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword¡­?¡± ¡°If he¡¯s from Gyeongbuk, is he someone who rose from the provinces?¡± ¡°He¡¯s riding on monsters.¡± As Yeongwoo followed the guide from the Taewon Group¡¯s Intelligence Team from Cheongdam Bridge to COEX in Samseong-dong, residents who came out to wait on the streets didn¡¯t stop murmuring. ¡®If I had known it would be like this, I would have just said I would take a car.¡¯ Yeongwoo squinted his eyes as he saw even more people gathering on the other side. When he was about to exit Cheongdam Bridge, the Taewon Group staff clearly suggested taking the car they had brought along since there would be a lot of people on the way. However, at that time, he refused because he felt it would be more ufortable to leave Negwig behind and follow alone. ¡®But it was a big mistake.¡¯ When Yeongwoo looked back, he could see that the residents who had been following him closely on the road were taken aback. Anyway, they were curious about the person who would follow in Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s footsteps to protect this area. Then, the mobile police officers on bikes who were following near Yeongwoo formed a kind of barrier, separating the residents from Yeongwoo, allowing him some distance. And in the meantime, COEX in Samseong-dong, which was used as the headquarters of the Taewon Group, came into view. It was a strategically important area with the Han River to the north and Tancheon to the east, with an overwhelmingnd area and buildings. It was especially a masterpiece of artificial construction where you could secure even the most valuable resource in this world, ¡®residence,¡¯ as it was adjacent to the InterContinental Hotel and the Parnas Hotel. ¡®So, Taewon is Gangnam.¡¯ Yeongwoo widened his eyes as he saw another long procession of Taewon¡¯s intelligence in front of COEX. Surely, not all of these people were actual Taewon employees¡­ Most likely, after the reset, Taewon absorbed numerous personnel in the process of taking control of Gangnam. Anyway, Yeongwoo passed through the bureaucratic hospitality procession and reached the entrance of COEX. There, a middle-aged man with security guards stood waiting and slowly approached Yeongwoo. ¡°Oh¡­ Mr. Jeong Yeongwoo!¡± This well-built man in his 50s was named Baek Dohwan, 47 years old. He was a former Taewon Life CEO and the current CEO of the Taewon Group, making him a significant figure in Gangnam¡¯s administration. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. You must have been through a lot. I¡¯m Baek Dohwan from Taewon.¡± Baek Dohwan nced at Yeongwoo, slightly bowing his waist. He was assessing what kind of person he was dealing with. But Yeongwoo didn¡¯t care about such things. Suddenly, as the Serpent of Greed raised its head, he looked beyond COEX. -Hiss¡­ Startled by the sound, Baek Dohwan took a step back, and then Yeongwoo asked. ¡°What¡¯s up there?¡± Yeongwoo pointed vaguely with his hand, but Baek Dohwan immediately understood what he was looking for. ¡°Most likely¡­ You¡¯re referring to the former Strongest Sword¡¯s office.¡± Because, coincidentally, there was the office of Jeong Hyunsik where Yeongwoo pointed. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 108 Chapter 108 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 108: On a Pitch ck Night (2) Former Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword, Taewon Group ¡®Executive Director¡¯ Jeong Hyun-sik. His office and lodging were on the 32nd floor of the Parnas Hotel across from COEX, in the Presidential Suite. Before the reset, the daily amodation fee for this high-priced room was a whopping 15 million won. Of course, there was no way the Serpent of Greed would turn its head for such a reason. ¡¸Serpent of Greed¡¹ ¨C Epic Compass ¡¾Always seeks rarity.¡¿ ¡®Rare things¡­ generally refers to equipment or something essential at the moment.¡¯ Whatever it was, it meant there was something valuable in that room. ¡°Over here.¡± Baek Dohwan, who guided Yeongwoo to the lobby of the Parnas Hotel, pushed open therge ss door of the entrance and led the way. Then, he cautiously said, ncing at the four parked cars shaped like in front of the entrance. ¡°Um¡­ there¡¯s one problem.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The elevators here only operate at night.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± The elevator would start moving once the building began to be ssified as a ¡®residence¡¯ as the day-shift servicemenced. The petrification phenomenon had been applied to the entire Parnas Hotel. In other words. ¡°So how did the Strongest Sword get to his room?¡± Even as Yeongwoo spoke, he was already looking towards the emergency exit in the corner of the lobby. Considering it was Jeong Hyunsik, could there have been another way? If not climbing the exterior walls of the building, the only option would be to use the stairs. And sure enough. ¡°Although it is assumed that you only use the room at night¡­ in unavoidable circumstances, you would have used the emergency exit.¡± Baek Dohwan¡¯s hand immediately pointed to the emergency exit. ¡°Yes. I understand for now.¡± As Yeongwoo nodded, intending to use the emergency exit, Baek Dohwan hastily added a follow-up. ¡°Um¡­ so, do you n to stay in the room today?¡± ¡°Well, do I have other matters to attend to today?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s okay with you, I was nning to personally introduce you to Gangnam District. Since you probably aren¡¯t familiar with this area¡­¡­¡± This was probably one of Baek Dohwan¡¯s political activities. Yeongwoo wanted to amodate him if possible, but there was too much to do immediately. There were the spoils held by the Golden Goblin, the karma distributed in the form of cards, and the equipment obtained from the past two battles that needed to be properly examined. ¡°I see. But I¡¯d like to take it easy today.¡± ¡°Oh, I see. Still, you need to keepmunicating with us, so I¡¯ll assign a resident employee. Is that okay with you?¡± ¡°Yes. Please do.¡± After nodding, Yeongwoo immediately began to ascend the emergency exit. *** Thud, thud! Climbing the stairs from the 1st to the 32nd floor. Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help butugh as the golden goblin, adorned with spatial pockets, followed closely behind him. Although he didn¡¯t particrly want to receive any extravagant protocol, it was amusing to see someone who was touted as the strongest in the region climbing so many stairs himself. ¡°Goodness, what is this? It¡¯s truly a disaster.¡± The impending ¡®ruin¡¯ finally hit him. Yet, if it had been the previous Yeongwoo, he probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to climb these stairs in a month. Yeongwoo arrived at the entrance to the 32nd floor in an instant, took a deep breath, and pushed open the door leading to the corridor. Squeak- There, he could see a hotel corridor with a peculiar patterned rug. ¡®Is it over there?¡¯ The room number given by Baek Dohwan was 3233. At the end of the corridor stretching to the left, there was arge door, which seemed to be the room where Jeong Hyun-sik had stayed alone. Creak, creak. It had been a long time since he¡¯d been in a space where even a pin dropping could be heard. ¨C Click¡­¡­ Even the golden goblin seemed to feel unfamiliar in this environment so different from the fields it had been running around in. ¡®Do I need a key card or something?¡¯ Finally arriving at room 3233 with some hesitation, Yeongwoo pulled down the door handle. Clunk. The sound of the lock being released echoed. Then, as Yeongwoo pulled, the door opened. ¡°¡­Oh.¡± The space revealed beyond the door was a room so spacious and luxurious that it made one forget why they hade in search of ¡®precious things¡¯. ¡°You used this spacious room alone? It must have had a hefty rental fee.¡± Yeongwoo, who had been marveling, quickly regained hisposure and moved in the direction indicated by the serpent of greed. ¨C Shhhh. Naturally, he passed through the spacious living room and reached the office space arranged in the corner of the room. And there. ¡°¡­Huh.¡± Now, he found an ¡®item¡¯ tantly without the snake¡¯s assistance. A white coin casually ced on the desk as if it were nothing. Thud. As Yeongwoo touched the coin, a tremendous tooltip appeared. ¡¸nk Check¡¹ ¨C Unique Currency ¡¾Once, it transforms into touched currency.¡¿ ¡°¡­!¡± nk Check. It was something he had seen once before through a merchant. ¡®Did he just leave it like this?¡¯ Of course, even if he had obtained a safe and put it in, in a world where the superhumans ruled, it would have been meaningless. ¡®Maybe he left it here so he wouldn¡¯t use it carelessly.¡¯ Yeongwoo shook his head in disbelief. He couldn¡¯t help but think that Jeong Hyunsik was not an ordinary person. ¡°Putting it there won¡¯t activate it immediately, right?¡± As Yeongwoo asked the golden goblin while holding the nk Check, the goblin raised both arms high and shook its feet. ¨C Kit! Kit! It must mean it wanted Yeongwoo to hand it over quickly. Yeongwoo handed the nk Check to the goblin, confirmed that it put it in the spatial pocket, and then instructed again. ¡°Take it out.¡± Fortunately, the goblin handed back the nk Check in its unused state. ¡®It seems reliable in performance.¡¯ After all, its purpose was to collect and store equipment. But the real settlement would start now. He needed to examine the equipment obtained from the mutants today and the equipment from the 1st Gwangjin¡¯s Strongest Sword brought by the golden goblin. Since the meeting in Yongsan, he had acquired only two mutant equipment. ¡¸Deformed w¡¹ ¨C Mutant Ne ¡¾Increased power against beast-type enemies.¡¿ ¡¸Frost Crown¡¹ ¨C Mutant Helmet ¡¾20% cold resistance¡¿ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡®Oh, such a helmet.¡¯ Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help feeling regretful when he saw the ¡°Ice Crown.¡± Of course, he knew someday this would happen, given therge amount of equipment he was collecting, but¡­ ¡®So, that¡¯s why it asked me to buy the Extractor back then.¡¯ ¡¸Extractor¡¹ ¨C Ancient one-handed hammer ¡¾Change equipment into gems for slots.¡¿ He still remembered it as it was the first item he saw during his trade with the merchant. At that time, the price of that hammer was 40,000 karma. Now, it might seem like a small amount, but back then, it was quite a sum. ¡°¡¯ust seeing Jeong Hyunsik having a nk Check¡­ I might encounter the same item again someday.¡¯ When that timees, he should buy it without hesitation. Yeongwoo decided to wear the ¡°Deformed w¡± for now, handed the ¡°Frost Crown¡± to the golden goblin, and instructed it to keep it in the pocket. ¡°Now, let¡¯s take a look at the equipment of the 1st Gwangjin¡¯s Strongest Sword.¡± When Yeongwoo issued thismand, the goblin began rummaging through the spatial pockets. ¨C Kit! Then, to Yeongwoo¡¯s surprise and anticipation, the goblin pulled out a piece of equipment. Thunk. It was none other than¡­ ¡¸Climber¡¹ ¨C Mutant Pants ¡¾Leap distance tripled.¡¿ ¡°Pants¡­? There are pants among the equipment?¡± Even the unique effect was peculiar. Increasing leap distance¡­ Was it for fighting giants or something? ¡®Tripled effect is quite remarkable.¡¯ Coincidentally, the pants he was currently wearing were almost burnt and torn, almost to the point of being in tatters. ¡®If I had waited a little longer, I would have been walking around in my underwear¡­ It¡¯s a good thing it happened now.¡¯ As Yeongwoo touched the ¡°Climber,¡± the pants swiftly disappeared and appeared on Yeongwoo¡¯s lower body. Swoosh! ¡®It¡¯s too tight, isn¡¯t it? Anyway, next¡­¡¯ As Yeongwoo nced at the goblin, it presented a hatchet and a ring this time. ¡¸Merciless¡¹ ¨C Mutant one-handed axe ¡¾Increase power against opponents with a total lower stat sum than the wearer.¡¿ ¡¸Agility¡¹ ¨C Mutation Ring ¡¾When sense is the highest attribute, gain 10% damage reduction.¡¿ ¡®Oh, Agility is quite good.¡¯ While he already had good weapons, essories like rings were always wee. Moreover, this one seemed perfect for Yeongwoo, who used sense abduction. ¡®The stronger the opponent, the higher the probability of Agility activating. If I want it to be constantly active, I just need to focus more on sense.¡¯ Through a series of settlements, Yeongwoo ultimately gained increased power against beast-type enemies, conditional damage reduction, and tripled leap distance¡­ Yeongwoo briefly looked at the ¡°Climber,¡± which looked like leather pants, and finally began the long-dyed project. Putting the money where his mouth was. Snatch! ¡¸Change character settings¡¹ |Appearance |Attributes ¡®Let¡¯s give it a try.¡¯ This time, what Yeongwoo was going to do was change his appearance. He had already designated an appearance preset optimized forbat, and the exact amount of money needed for this was 2,116,000 karma. * Avable karma: 3,112,500 With the whopping cash he had, nearly 3.11 million, there was no better time to make a decision than now. ¡°Hoo.¡± He had experimented with mutant corneas in his eyeballs and changed his appearance before, but altering the structure and size of his body was a different challenge altogether. It meant bing apletely different entity outwardly. ¡®¡­ External, external appearance.¡¯ When Yeongwoo selected exterior change, another interface appeared. ¡¸For user convenience, we provide three types of preset collections.¡¹ |Combat |Charm |Special It was a menu he hadn¡¯t seen in a while. When Yeongwoo chose ¡®Combat¡¯ among the three presets, a semi-transparent window opened on the left side of his field of view, disying dozens of body samples. ¡°Oh my god.¡± Even though it was his second time seeing it, he still hadn¡¯t quite adapted. These samples, in stark nakedness, showed human body types deemed advantageous by the system forbat. Around 2 meters tall, perfectly bnced upper and lower bodies both aesthetically and functionally. ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo, who knew well that his own arms and legs were somewhat short and his upper body skeleton was unimpressive, felt a strange sensation as he looked at the nearly perfect bodies. It felt like the phrase ¡®Innate 4th Grade¡¯ was floating around in his mind. Perhaps this was also a form of inferiorityplex. But even this inferiorityplex might be a 4th-grade trait. Yeongwoo cleared away messy thoughts and called up the body preset he had chosen in advance. Then, a body sample appeared, very simr to what he had seen before, but strangely familiar to Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes. And underneath it¡­ [2,116,000] The total karma required for that body was written there. 2,116,000 karma. It was still a considerable amount of money, but now that his total stats had increased, it was definitely worth investing in. Increased reach due to elongated arms and increased stride due to extended legs. These were not things that could be obtained simply by increasing stats. ¡®In fact, it¡¯s practically stic surgery.¡¯ Yeongwoo chuckled and approved the preset payment. Then, a final confirmation message, almost like a warning, appeared. ¡¸All appearance changes are permanent, and some elements may be inherited when the next generation is created.¡¹ ¡¸Do you want to proceed?¡¹ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 109 Chapter 109 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 109: On a Pitch ck Night (3) ¡°Yes. I will proceed.¡± For some reason, it felt necessary, so Yeongwoo responded clearly with determination. This seemed like an incredibly important matter. Especially the phrase ¡®inherit the gics upon the creation of the next generation¡¯ stabbed sharply at his heart. Could the concept of ¡®my next generation¡¯e to fruition in this lifetime? As Yeongwoo made a troubled expression, his entire body was enveloped in light. ¡°Gasp!¡± Then, a very strange pain, which not even the Berserker Talisman could block, wrapped around his whole body. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Could this be growing pains? While pondering such absurd thoughts, Yeongwoo searched the spacious room for a mirror. It was to witness his body expanding in real-time. Because moments like this were rare and hard toe by. ¡®Found it.¡¯ Finally, Yeongwoo found arge full-body mirror between the reception room and the kitchen, and he stood straight in front of it. Thud. Then, he saw his body wrapped in a blinding white light. And the sight of that light gradually expanding. ¡®Wow, what¡¯s this?¡¯ As Yeongwoo watched his own head, the only part not covered by light, gradually moving upwards, he felt an overwhelming sense of unease. This was¡­ because it was a scene of his height actually increasing in real-time. Not only that. It was evident to the naked eye that his arms were getting longer too. ¡®Shi¡­!¡¯ Eventually, steam emanated from his entire body, and all the equipment he was wearing fell to the ground. tter! Then, as the light enveloping his body dissipated, his bare skin was exposed. ¡®Ha.¡¯ Though he waspletely naked without a single piece of equipment, Yeongwoo felt no embarrassment; instead, he was busy exploring his body. There were abdominal muscles he had never seen in his life, and even the major muscles of the legs, such as the quadriceps, were smoothly developed like a dolphin¡¯s dorsal ridge. With the addition of the upper body skeleton, his shoulders had widened, and even his corbones looked beautiful. ¡®This is unbelievable.¡¯ Yeongwoo muttered the phrase ¡°unbelievable¡± repeatedly as he examined every corner of his body. 2,116,000 karma. The money needed to be apletely different organism from before. At this moment, Yeongwoo felt that therge sum of money was not wasted at all. There was a shock and satisfaction beyond what he had imagined. ¡®So, there¡¯s an option to change appearance.¡¯ As his body underwent a transformation beyond belief, Yeongwoo cunningly thought that he also wanted to match the level of his appearance. Of course, it was something that would be of no use inbat, so it was a luxury he didn¡¯t even dare to consider at the moment. ¡®With just money, you can change your body and face as you please¡­ Is this really reality?¡¯ Yeongwoo pinched his reconstructed arm, wondering if he wasn¡¯t just dreaming a long dream. ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± As if to confirm, the reddened skin indicated that all of this was not a dream. ¡°This is truly unbelievable.¡± As Yeongwoo murmured, at that moment, a slight movement came from the mirror-covered wall opposite to him, towards the reception room direction. Rustle. ¡°¡­!¡± At this, Yeongwoo¡¯s heightened alertness skyrocketed, and in the blink of an eye, the ¡®Dragon¡¯s Legacy¡¯ in his hand sliced through the air. Swish! ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± As Yeongwoo menacingly approached the reception room, the ¡®Dragon¡¯s Legacy¡¯ red up ominously. There was someone of Grade 2 or lower nearby. And shortly after, ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. I kept knocking on the door, but there was no answer¡­¡± Along with a woman¡¯s voice, a hand suddenly popped out from behind the wall of the reception room, slowly waving its wrist as if waving a white g. ¡®What¡­?¡¯ At this, Yeongwoo first showed a bewildered expression, then btedly realized. Come to think of it, didn¡¯t Baek Dohwan mention sending a staff member over here? ¡°Um¡­ if it¡¯s alright with you, may Ie out and introduce myself now?¡± As the problematic staff member hiding behind the wall attempted toe out slowly, Yeongwoo nodded his head to signal her to do so. ¡®Oh?¡¯ Then, he realized that he was currently in a state of nudity. ¡°Ah, wait a moment!¡± However, she had already extended her head from her bowed position with an expression of apology. Then, ¡°¡­Ah.¡± She let out an ambiguous remark. It was a momentarypse, but there was clearly a pause, and in that moment, Yeongwoo saw a fleeting trace of disdain in her eyes. Nevertheless, her subsequent voice showed no hint of regret. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you for the first time, Mr. Jeong Yeongwoo! I am Assistant Manager Lim Suna, from the first secretary¡¯s office.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor to serve you. If you need anything in the future, please feel free to ask me.¡± ¡°Um¡­ yes, for now, just a moment¡­¡± As Yeongwoo awkwardly wavered, barely concealing his lower body with the ¡®Dragon¡¯s Legacy,¡¯ Lim Suna walked somewhere with brisk steps, and then returned holding a gray robe. She was already well aware of both the structure of this room and the locations of supplies. Because¡­ ¡°President Jeong Hyunsik also requested my assistance. Since he was so unique¡­ This should be fine.¡± What did she mean by ¡°this should be fine¡± and what exactly was ¡°this¡±? Taking the robe with a hesitant gesture, Yeongwoo felt like his appearance was bing increasingly ridiculous and wanted to make some excuse. ¡°Actually, just a moment ago¡­¡± However, Lim Suna had already reached the mirror and was looking at Yeongwoo¡¯s scattered equipment on the floor, so he had no choice but to hold his tongue. To anyone, it was obvious that Yeongwoo had undressed himself in front of the mirror and was admiring his own physique. ¡°Do you like the room? Actually, we have prepared another amodation, but if you prefer, you can continue using this room as it is.¡± As Lim Suna spoke while trying to tidy up the equipment in front of the mirror, Yeongwoo, who was taken aback, stopped her. ¡°I-I¡¯ll do it myself!¡± A swift forward movement from Yeongwoo, thebined might of Gyeongbuk and Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword. Swish! Although it was a light movement with no intent of threat, he was now over two meters tall and wearing a robe, so there was a momentous aura. ¡°¡­Gasp.¡± Lim Suna, who had maintained herposure well until now, almost let out a scream. She also had some vague fear of the person in front of her. Although she had handled the famously difficult second-generation chaebol, Jeong Hyunsik, and her previous position in the previous world was as an assistant manager in the secretary¡¯s office, she was not immune to fear. No, rather, she knew well that the scariest thing in this world was people, having dealt with many. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Moreover, the subject she was now in charge of was the person who had killed the esteemed Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jeong Hyunsik, after killing his son. ¡®I heard he cut off the president¡¯s head in front of his son¡¯s body. That garbage of a son, Jeong Gyusang, was beyond saving, so I¡¯m grateful for that part at least. But still¡­¡¯ ¡®What kind of person in the world would think of beheading both the son and the father¡­? As long as you don¡¯t go crazy.¡¯ Lim Suna looked at the new Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword, who was clumsily picking up the equipment on the floor, with a somewhat fearful gaze. Yet, she quickly corrected her trembling breath. In any case, the first reason was that she had a sense of professionalism to provide proper service as the new Strongest Sword¡¯s dedicated secretary, and the second reason was that she did not want to be belittled by such a dishonest murderer. ¡°Are the other amodations that are said to be prepared in advance simr in size to this one?¡± When Yeongwoo, who was gathering his equipment in his arms as soon as possible, asked this, Lim Suna looked confused for a moment. It was because she perceived that this human butcher had some dissatisfaction with the treatment from thepany. ¡°We assigned you to thergest room avable, although it¡¯s slightly smaller than this one, and we paid extra attention to the amenities, so you shouldn¡¯t have any inconvenience during your stay. As I mentioned earlier, you can continue to use this room as it is. The rental fee will be fully covered by Taewon.¡± Upon hearing this, Yeongwoo tilted his head and said. ¡°It¡¯s just that the room seems too big.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± ¡°Rooms like this must have a hefty rental fee, right? Motel rooms start at a minimum of 3,000 won, but isn¡¯t using a hotel room too extravagant when all you need to do is shower and sleep?¡± As Yeongwoo muttered quietly, Lim Suna¡¯s pupils shook even more noticeably than before. Although she had dealt with many executives before and after the reset, this type ofint was unprecedented. However, she understood well what the other party was trying to say, so she immediately began to persuade him. ¡°As you mentioned, we can look into rtively cheaper amodations. However, those ces are usually used by residents, and more importantly¡­¡± Her exnation was that the standard rooms around here had already been preupied by quick-witted residents. Like most cities, Gangnam had a rtively good public safety system, but once the sun went down, there was an increase in robberies. Therefore, residents preferred to live near the Strongest Sword¡¯s lodgings for safety reasons. Since no one would dare attempt robbery in front of the Strongest Sword¡¯s residence, even if they were the most heinous criminals. In other words, if Yongsan was the capital of ¡°New Seoul,¡± then around Yeongwoo¡¯s residence became the capital of Gangnam. Taewon Group wanted to keep Yeongwoo near the headquarters for this reason, even if it meant paying high rental fees. ¡°¡­I see.¡± In contrast to Lim Suna¡¯s grand exnation, Yeongwoo concluded with a brief response. Then, after ncing at the equipment in his arms, he said. ¡°Let¡¯s stay here for today. However, I¡¯d prefer to change to a cheaper ce tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes, understood.¡± ¡°And could you send someone to Seoul National University? My colleagues might be staying there. If they¡¯ve arrived safely, they need to be brought here.¡± He was referring to Jongsu and Taeyoung, who went to find Kim Taejoon¡¯s family. ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll take care of it right away.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s all. Is there anything else I need to check with Taewon? I¡¯d like to take a break for a while if everything¡¯s done.¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Lim Suna pursed her lips. ¡°Well, actually, there¡¯s a scheduled city tour with Baek Dohwan, the CEO, at six o¡¯clock this afternoon, but I¡¯ll cancel it.¡± ¡°Yes, please do.¡± It seemed that Baek Dohwan wanted to use the new Strongest Sword as a sort of promotional material. But Yeongwoo really wanted to rest. Regardless of how others viewed him, Yeongwoo¡¯s heart was not at ease in killing a father in front of his son¡¯s dead body. And after the brawl with the boxing gold medalist, Cha Dooseong¡­ There had been too much happening today. ¡°If you need anything, just press this button and call me. You can always make a request while the weather is clear.¡± *Tak.* Lim Suna ced a small walkie-talkie on the console table. It was an old-fashioned transmitter and receiver that operated with batteries. Yeongwoo, with a look of wonder, touched the walkie-talkie. Lim Suna then bowed slightly and bid him farewell. ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave now! Have a pleasant evening.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you for your hard work.¡± As Yeongwoo, d in a gown, moved to escort her, Lim Suna gestured that it was unnecessary. While heading towards the door, she left a few instructions behind. ¡°Our staff wille to process this room for overnight stay at 9 p.m. I¡¯ll also visit again at that time. Dinner will be served here at 7 p.m.¡± Yeongwoo raised his hand slightly and added. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of meals myself, so you don¡¯t have to prepare anything. I¡¯ll see youter at 9 p.m.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Suna, who had no idea that Yeongwoo had an alien in his stomach from another world, wondered why the other party was so stubborn, observing his stiffened face. ¡®Well, maybe he doesn¡¯t feel like eating after fighting with blood all over his face.¡¯ Then, she smiled professionally and nodded as if she understood. ¡°All right. Have a good rest!¡± As the entrance door of Room 3233 began to close, Yeongwoo finally felt at ease. ¡®I¡¯m free until nine o¡¯clock.¡¯ Yeongwoo poured out the equipment he had been carrying on his chest onto the console table, theny down on therge sofa. ¡®Now, what should I do?¡¯ He had been running around so hectically every day that he even forgot how to rx. For now, the only rest he had was to remove his equipment for a moment, as his eyes were already engaged in another task. ¡®Right, I need to check the achievements.¡¯ Finally, since he managed to get his hands on the jeweller, new achievements would have been added to the rmended achievement list. *Poof!* As Yeongwooy on the sofa and called up the achievement list, a new golden achievement, ¡°Golden Journey,¡± began to be printed out one by one. [Golden Journey] |Summon the Golden Rain in the next area. |Domestic (2/3) | Foreign (0/2) [Perfect Orphan] |Find and eliminate parents. (1/2) [Nocturnal] |Spend a night outside of your residence. And finally, ¡°Huh¡­?¡± As Yeongwoo, who wasfortably lying on the sofa, called out the achievements, his upper body automatically straightened up. Because the name of the new achievement that appeared after a long time was: [Ending Maker] |Find the protagonist after the reset. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 110 Chapter 110 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 110: On a Pitch ck Night (4) ¡°What, what is this?¡± Due to the achievement-oriented nature of the ¡°Stubborn¡± trait, Yeongwoo had only received exceptional achievements regardless of whether they were good or bad. From being told to kill all his parents as a ¡°Complete Orphan¡± to being a ¡°Excellent Social Worker¡± who had to send mutants back after they were born. And finally. [Ending Maker] |Discover the protagonist after the reset. He had finally received an achievement with the name ¡°Ending Maker.¡± And in context, this ¡°ending¡± was supposed to be the ending that Yeongwoo had in mind. The conclusion. It was the end of this world that had faced the unprecedented disaster called a reset. ¡®Discover the protagonist¡­? You mean the main character?¡¯ The conclusion of every story is made and confronted by the protagonist, right? In other words, what this achievement implied was nothing other than finding the protagonist who was moving towards the end of this world. However, there was a subtle point. ¡®After the reset protagonist¡­.¡¯ It only says to find the protagonist after the reset, not to find a second-ss or first-ss protagonist. ¡®What does this even mean?¡¯ Perhaps there is more meaning implied than meets the eye. Even in the past achievement of the Excellent Social Worker, it was only written to send mutants back after they were born, but in reality, it was an achievement that could only be achieved by activating the ¡°Return¡± function through agreement with the other party. ¡®Anyway, someone has taken on the role of the protagonist and is living somewhere.¡¯ Fourth-tier extra, Jeong Yeongwoo wrinkled his nose. Of course, there was now that said the one who took on the role of the protagonist must be in Korea. Isn¡¯t the reset something that happened all over the world? So, it was rather strange that each country had a protagonist. ¡®If the protagonist is a foreigner¡­ then there¡¯s a high chance they¡¯ll be in China, India, or the United States. After all, they have overwhelminglyrge poptions.¡¯ Come to think of it, he doesn¡¯t know how this reset was applied to other countries. And at this point, it was clear that very few people had thought about the situation in other countries. If it weren¡¯t for the ¡°Golden Journey,¡± Yeongwoo wouldn¡¯t have easilye up with such a thought. [Golden Journey] |Summon golden rain in the next area. |Domestic (2/3) |Foreign (0/2) By tomorrow, all the domestic goals of the Golden Journey will be achieved. ¡®So, the next one is foreign.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just a matter of visiting a foreign country, but summoning golden rain there¡­? It was hard to imagine. ¡®This is a headache.¡¯ Thump. Yeongwoo pressed his temples, feeling a tingling sensation, and buried himself on the sofa. Then, for the first time in a while, a feeling offort enveloped not only his body but also his mind. ¡®Ah.¡¯ Comfortable. Soon, his eyelids grew heavy, and his vision began to darken. Amidst this, a thought crossed his mind that he needed to check the time, but before he could act on it, consciousness shut off. Then. Thunk. ¡­ ¡­ Thunk. ¡­ Thunk, thunk! ¡­ As always, the sound of the rm clock woke him back to consciousness. ¡®Is someone here already?¡¯ I think it was said that Taewon Group employees woulde at 9 o¡¯clock at night, when it was time for the waiting room. ¡°Ugh.¡± As Yeongwoo struggled to open his eyes, for a moment, a red eye-shaped icon seemed to linger in his vision before disappearing. ¡¸One Eyed Sentinel¡¹ ¨C Mutant Cornea ¡¾When you fall asleep, the sentinel stands guard.¡¿ Evidence that the mutant cornea ¡°One Eyed Sentinel¡± was on guard duty while he slept. Swoosh. As Yeongwoo sat up, he noticed that the window had turned pitch ck unlike before. ¡®What time is it now?¡¯ As he nced around to find his wristwatch, the system notification that he missed while sleeping unfolded before his eyes. Bam! ¡¸Nightfall has arrived.¡¹ ¡¸Therefore, to ensure your right to sleep, the lodging service will begin in one hour.¡¹ This was a pre-notice given one hour before the start of themon room service at 8 PM. However, the current time Yeongwoo directly confirmed with his wristwatch was¡­ ¡®9:03 PM.¡¯ Which meant, while the mutant cornea stood guard while the wearer slept, it also helped to remember the system notice that had passed. ¡®Surprisingly useful¡­?¡¯ This way, there wouldn¡¯t be any risk of missing important notices while sleeping or unconscious. And then. ¡¸Themon room service has started.¡¹ ¡¸From now on, all buildings ssified as ¡®residences¡¯ will be in an invible state due to themon room system.¡¹ At 9 PM, a series of notifications that had appeared just before Yeongwoo woke up unfolded one by one. Exnations about the residence upancy method and dormitory fees¡­ Then, at the end, a really important part of the information was provided. ¡¸By the way, today¡¯s nighttime weather is Obsidian Rain.¡¹ ¡¸Please be careful of physical damage.¡¹ ¡°What¡­!¡± Yeongwoo eximed without realizing it and sat uppletely. Then he picked up a ck cloak from among the equipment scattered on the floor. Then. Bam! ¡¸ck Wind Cloak¡¹ ¨C Hero Cloak ¡¾Nullifies Obsidian Rain.¡¿ The tooltip of the cloak appeared and widened Yeongwoo¡¯s pupils. The cloak he had bought thinking it mighte in handy someday finally proved its worth. Today¡¯s abnormal weather, Obsidian Rain. And a cloak that nullified Obsidian Rain. Moreover, he had inadvertently managed to get some rest, albeit briefly. [Nocturnal] | Spend a night outside the residence. ¡®Today is the day to deal with the Nocturnal achievement.¡¯ Yeongwoo eagerly donned the equipment. Click. With just touching the wear on each piece of equipment, they automatically attached to his body, so it took less than a minute to put on dozens of items. ¡¸Obsidian Rain will ur 1 hour and 54 minutester due to the abnormal weather.¡¹ The climate notification finally appeared. Next, a timer was disyed at the top of his field of vision. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡¸01:54:32¡¹ This meant that Obsidian Rain would fall starting at 11 PM, roughly two hourster. ¡®After the lodging processing, I¡¯ll take a shower first and¡­ take a short rest, and then the rain shoulde down.¡¯ ck. Lastly, Yeongwoo held the smoldering Legacy of Dragon in his hand and approached the room¡¯s entrance. Then he still sensed the presence of employees from Taewon outside the door, tapping it once again. ¨C Should I knock one more time? ¨C ¡­Yes, please. Thunk! Perhaps it was Lim Suna, who had witnessed an unusual sight when she entered without proper approval, warning not to enter without the leader¡¯s consent. Creak. Eventually, as Yeongwoo opened the room door, the Taewon employees who had been about to knock again halted their arms. Then. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Gasp?¡± Reflexively, he lifted his head and looked at the newly appointed Strongest Sword. A towering figure of 2 meters in height. In addition, the title ¡°Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword¡± emitted an imposing aura from above. ¡°You¡¯re here because of the lodging?¡± As the employees didn¡¯t speak up, Yeongwoo initiated the conversation, and finally, Lim Suna, who had been behind them, walked out. ¡°Hello, Mr. Jeong Yeongwoo! Did you rest well?¡± ¡°Yes, thanks to you, I did.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that. As I mentioned earlier, I¡¯m here to process the lodging for the room you¡¯re staying in. And¡­¡± As Suna spoke up to this point, she suddenly lowered her head slightly in apology. ¡°There was something that was carried out without your approval, Mr. Yeongwoo. I apologize for that.¡± ¡°¡­What is it?¡± ¡°There was an issue regarding refugee resettlement in Gwangjin, Gangdong, Jongno, and Jung-gu. It was about relocating residents from the areas where the Strongest Sword positions were vacant to nearby districts¡­¡± This part of the exnation was Suna¡¯s exnation, stating that it was a kind of public service project conducted at Strongest Sword assembly level, and Taewon¡¯s representative, Baek Dohwan, had provided proxy approval. ¡°Since the approval was urgently needed, I judged it as unavoidable.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s¡­ Actually, I appreciate you taking care of it on my behalf. So, are people from Gwangjin-guing to Gangnam?¡± ¡°Yes. Gangdong-gu will be amodated in Songpa.¡± By now, the poption movement between regions must be in full swing. ¡°Then, for a while, the mutants in the four areas will be left unattended.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the case. For now, the federation hopes that Strongest Swords in adjacent areas will take care of it as much as possible.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was not much different from saying that there was no way to deal with it. ¡®This is the worst.¡¯ Yeongwoo thought so, but he also understood that there was no alternative. This was an inevitable situation. Regardless of the number of surviving Strongest Swords, it happened every day because mutants fell into 25 districts. ¡®The best I can do¡­ is to catch the mutants appearing in Gangnam tomorrow as quickly as possible and then go to Gwangjin-gu.¡¯ Strongest swords in other districts adjacent to the problem areas must be thinking the same thing. In simple terms, it¡¯s a time attack from now on. The longer each Strongest Sword fights against the mutants assigned to them, the higher the probability and number of local residents being ughtered by the ¡°neglected mutants¡± increases exponentially. ¡°¡­Not everyone knows about this yet, do they?¡± When Yeongwoo asked this, Suna nced at the employees processing the room and replied. ¡°Rumors spread so quickly¡­ It¡¯s just a matter of time. And even if not, people will notice that refugees areing in, and they¡¯ll know that something¡¯s going on.¡± When the conversation between the two reached this point, the employees who had been operating the lodging interface reported to Yeongwoo. ¡°Strongest Sword, the lodging setting isplete. If you set the number of people to ¡®1¡¯ and enter, you can use the room right away.¡± Upon hearing this, Yeongwoo turned around to see a crimson tray filled with azure coins in front of the entrance to room 3233, shining brightly. Since there were no higher currencies obtained from Taewon Group as achievement rewards, they had brought an excessive amount of azure coins. But even that disappeared quickly. ¨C Kiiit! The golden goblin, which had been hiding its presence from Yeongwoo¡¯s feet, swept the coins into its pocket with a greedy manner. Swish, swish! ¨C Keekit! As it made a noise, the employees finally regained their senses and started to step back, one by one. ¡°Uh, is it safe? Yeongwoo-nim.¡± Lim Suna was also frightened by the golden creature. ¡°Yes. Since it doesn¡¯t attack people, you can rest assured. I¡¯d better leave quickly.¡± With a troubled expression, Yeongwoo stood in front of the door. Swoosh! Then, the familiar interface that he had seen every night appeared, but with slightly unusual content. Ping! ¡¸Would you like to use the lodging service?¡¹ [Parnas Hotel Room 3233] | Space: Very spacious | Facilities: Bathroom, television | Rental fee: 62,000 Karma | Period: Until 10 AM the next day ¡®Television¡­?¡¯ Yeongwoo, who thought he wouldn¡¯t be surprised by anything anymore, involuntarily widened his eyes. The items listed under the ¡®Facilities¡¯ category generally operated ignoring thews of the previous world. For example, even if the water supply facilities were not in good condition, one could still use water freely in the rental residence. ¡®Now that I think about it, electricity was also working fine, so I could turn on the lights.¡¯ In that case, how would the television provided by the rental system work? What could one watch on a television in the reset world? ¡¸How many people are nning to stay? Please enter the number of people.¡¹ Then, as the prompt asked for the number of upants, Yeongwoo quickly operated the hologram keypad. ¡¸1¡¹ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 111 Chapter 111 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 111: On a Pitch ck Night (5) Parnas Hotel, Room 3233. A high-priced room where 62,000 karma must be paid in just one night. As Yeongwoo stepped into the room, Lim Suna bowed behind him and greeted him. ¡°Well then, please rest. We¡¯ll take our leave now.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you as always.¡± Bowing his head slightly to see off the Taewon Group employees, Yeongwoo immediately took off his equipment as soon as the entrance door closed. Click, ck, thud! From now until 10 a.m., this space would be protected by the rental system. In other words, as long as no one forcibly enters, there would be no danger in this room. Of course, when it¡¯s 11 p.m. and the Obsidian rain starts, he would have to go outside, but until then, he wanted to enjoy uninterrupted rest. ¡°Unbelievable.¡± Yeongwoo loosened the three weapons and belts on the floor, enjoying the safety. Then he hurried to the bedroom. Thud! It was to confirm if there was really a television there. And indeed, the bedroom he arrived at did have one. ¡°Wow¡­¡± As Yeongwoo had hoped, there was a television. Moreover, it was positioned in a way that he could watch it while lying on the bed. ¡°It¡¯s huge.¡± [PR/N: THAT¡¯S WHAT SHE SAID ] The screen was sorge that he thought it might as well be a window. Upon this, Yeongwoo immediately grasped the remote control and pressed the power button. Click. Then. Buzz¡­! For a moment, the remote control seemed to turn into a hologram, and the television in question blinked. Then. Fwish! With an eerie sound effect, the screen turned on. ¡°Oh, is it really working?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened at the unexpected development. The television screen, which had just reflected Yeongwoo¡¯s appearance, was now filled with gray noise. Then suddenly. Pfft! The noise momentarily stopped, then began to flow steadily in a certain direction. ¡®¡­Ah.¡¯ To the right. At this, Yeongwoo pressed the right direction key on the remote control as if possessed. Click. Then, this time, the screen brightened so much that it was blinding. ¡°Ugh.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s forehead wrinkled deeply at once. However, he couldn¡¯t help but rx his expression after hearing the sounding from the television. ¨DHow long do I have to keep doing this? ¨DUntil we¡¯re summoned again. ¨DWhen will that be? ¨DI don¡¯t know either. ¡°What¡­¡± Although it sounded like muffled sound quality as if listening through a wall, it was clear because of the voices. This voice¡­ ¡°Chairman?¡± It was the mutant, or rather now, ¡®friend¡¯ Kim Taejoon, the chairman, and Hong Youngtae. So, what Yeongwoo was looking at now was¡­ ¡°No way¡­¡± The room where Yeongwoo and the others had shook hands, also known as the ¡°returnee¡¯s room.¡± A quarantine space without a sense of time,munication with the outside world, or any external contact. ¡°¡­Youngtae!¡± Yeongwoo shouted loudly as he approached the television, but the two people on the screen didn¡¯t even flinch. They simply sat huddled in the endless expanse of white space, gazing endlessly at a white hourss. While Yeongwoo could see and hear them through the television, those two didn¡¯t even know that someone was watching them. ¡°Hah.¡± It was just as Youngtae had said before. He had said that going back to the room with nothing to do would drive him crazy from boredom. Thanks to the few times he had been summoned, he could buy an hourss at least, but before that, there was nothing in the room but white walls. ¨DI¡¯ll really go crazy if I stay like this. Eventually, Chairman Kim Taejoon, dressed in white pajamas, sprang up from his seat. Then he looked up at the ceiling, which was so white that he couldn¡¯t tell if it was the ceiling or the sky. ¨DShould I just y chess? If I have that, maybe it¡¯ll be a bit better. At this, Youngtae, who had been staring intently at the hourss, grabbed Chairman Kim Tae-joon¡¯s sleeve. ¨DNo, Chairman! We promised to endure and buy a television. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± At this point, Yeongwoo¡¯s ears perked up. ¡°You can buy a television? From there?¡± If he hadn¡¯t misheard, he was sure. The fact that there was a television among the items that could be purchased in the returnee¡¯s room. If so, what would appear on the television screen over there? ¡®Perhaps they can see this world from over there, just as I can see that world now.¡¯ Through this peculiar television, Yeongwoo finally realized why the rental system charged such a high fee for this room. The rental fee of 62,000 karma for this room was essentially the usage fee for an irreceable function. The spacious area andfortable bedding were just extras. ¡®Then what did Jeong Hyunsik see here¡­? He didn¡¯t have anything like a whistle.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze naturally turned back to the direction button on the remote control. The two ¡®friends¡¯ on the screen eventually resolved to endure a little longer and sat down on the road. ¨DHmm. ¨D¡­ The two of them began to gaze at the hourss in silence again. Since it seemed like nothing would happen for a while, Yeongwoo cautiously pressed the right direction button on the remote control again. Click. Would there really be another channel? Click! Eventually, as the screen shifted somewhere else, it became much morefortable than before. Because what was being broadcast on the second channel was the natural light of Earth. More precisely, it was the view of a motel called Lusso located in Cheoin-gu, Yongin City, where the morning sunlight of Earth was shining. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Yeongwoo, after confirming what was ying on the screen, involuntarily covered his mouth with his hand. ¡°This¡­ the battle is supported by the intergctic weapon brand Dogo.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°I am Jwong Yeongwoo07, the strongest man in Gyeongbuk, Earth.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°What, what is this? This crazy guy.¡± On the screen, thete Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest sword, Jin, was as bewildered as ever. Then, another scene, different but familiar, appeared. ¡°¡­It can¡¯t be helped. This battle is supported by the intergctic weapon brand Dogo.¡± This was the moment when Yeongwoo informed Chairman Kim Taejoon of Dogo¡¯s support. ¡°My goodness.¡± Simply put, this channel was a collection of horrifying moments when Yeongwoo fulfilled his obligations as an advertising model. ¡°¡­¡± If this continued, scenes like when he had kicked Cha Dooseong, who was honestly boxing ording to the rules, would appear. So, Yeongwoo quickly pressed the direction button on the remote control. Click! Then, for the first time, a dark screen appeared. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Yeongwoo thought it was noise starting again and narrowed his eyes, but soon realized it wasn¡¯t. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Breathing sounds could be heard in the pitch-ck screen. And upon closer inspection of the dim screen, a certain figure was clearly visible. ¡°A¡­ a person.¡± A person. What Yeongwoo was seeing now was someone sleeping with all the lights off. ¡°What, could it really be a person?¡± The reason for this thought was because the background on the screen looked like a motel somewhere. ¡®If that¡¯s a real person¡­ are they showing somewhere in this world right now?¡¯ If that were the case, what he was seeing now was likely a live broadcast. Without knowing who it was, they had rented a room and fallen asleep as soon as the rental service started. ¡®It must have been a really tough day.¡¯ Since the face of the person was too dark to confirm, Yeongwoo reluctantly changed the channel again. Click! Then, the screen suddenly brightened again. Shoaaaa¡­! It was apanied by the sound of water out of nowhere. ¡°¡­?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened in fear as the sight of a foreigner washing his wounded body filled his vision. And the title above his head. ¡°Wh-what!¡± Yeongwoo let out a scream-like sound. ¡ºSwordmaster, London¡» ¡°No¡­!¡± Although it was so alien, paradoxically, something that seemed to be known or not known stirred in his mind. What he was looking at right now, no matter how you looked at it. ¡®Isn¡¯t that the Strongest Sword from abroad?¡¯ No, more precisely, it should be ¡®Swordmaster¡¯. It seemed that the concept of ¡®Strongest Sword¡¯ didn¡¯t exist there. ¡°What¡¯s this? Why are they showing this?¡± Panicked, Yeongwoo repeatedly pressed the direction button on the remote control, and each time, people of different races appeared one by one. And the forms of the titles each of them had on their heads were also different. Guardian Sword, Sword Judge¡­ And some had the title ¡®Five Heroes of Shanxi¡¯, which Yeongwoo thought belonged to the Strongest Sword system of China. ¡°Is this all real?¡± [TL/N: Chat is this real? Or is Yeongwoo tripping rn] The ¡®World¡¯s Strongest¡¯ channel Yeongwoo could see had a total of six channels. And after scrolling through all the channels, it returned to the initial noisy screen. He experienced all the contents that this strange television had to offer at least once. Then. -Taxes will be collected starting shortly at 10 p.m. ¨DThe basic tax amount is 1,000 karma, and non-payers of taxes will be forfeited immediately at the time of collection. A tax collection notice appeared in Youngwoo¡¯s field of vision, informing him that it had already reached 10 p.m. ¡°Wow, already.¡± Yeongwoo, who had been engrossed in the television and had lost track of time, was suddenly brought back to reality. Beep beep. Suddenly, the rm on Yeongwoo¡¯s wristwatch rang, indicating 10 p.m. And at the same time. -As of now, taxes will be collected. |Basic tax: 1,000 |Deduction item: Single household |Final tax: 500 For a moment, his body felt cold, and 500 karma in taxes was automatically withdrawn. * Avable Karma: 996,000 Tax paymentpleted. Yeongwoo, who had once again endured another day, stared nkly at the disappearing tax details in his vision, then shifted his gaze back to the peculiar television. With a calmer mind than before, he began to flip through the channels one by one. These were the world¡¯s strongest individuals spending their night in their own ways. ¡®But why are they showing this? Is it to inform us that we will soon be going overseas?¡¯ Perhaps they were the main characters or candidates for the new achievement, ¡®Ending Maker¡¯. Or maybe they were candidates for the lead role. Anyway, one thing seemed certain. ¡®Jeong Hyunsik must have seen somethingpletely different from me. It seems that depending on the user,pletely different channels are shown.¡¯ Then what did Jeong Hyunsik, the original owner of the Dragon¡¯s Legacy, see? Yeongwoo pondered vaguely, then immediately straightened up and began to execute what he needed to do right away. He started to memorize the titles and faces of the overseas strongmen shown on television. Except for one person whose face couldn¡¯t be confirmed due to the darkness of the screen, the owners of the other five channels clearly showed their titles and faces. ¡¸00:58:14¡¹ Now, there were about 58 minutes left until the Obsidian rain fell. ¡®But it should only take about 20 minutes to memorize the five people. Five Heroes of Shanxi, Five Heroes of Shanxi, Five Heroes of Shanxi¡­!¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 112 Chapter 112 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 112: On a Pitch ck Night (6) Five Heroes of Shanxi. Swordmaster, London. Mn¡¯s Guardian Sword. Tokyo¡¯s sword inspector. Chicago¡¯s ughterer. After memorizing the faces and names of the five strong men shown on TV, Yeongwoo took a shower for the first time in a while, washing his body soaked in blood. Still, he kept turning over the strange experience he had earlier in his mind. ¡®Then, could there be someone who saw me through the television?¡¯ Even if there was such a person, there wouldn¡¯t be many. Because using a television required a significant amount of money, one had to be wealthy enough to integrate arge area like this or burn tens of thousands of karma in one night. ¡®Normally, you can only watch TV in a rented state¡­ I wonder if they broadcasted me taking a shower.¡¯ Thinking like this, Yeongwoo came out of the bathroom and put on his equipment one by one. And finally. Click. Wearing a ck cloak, he reflected on the day¡¯sst tasks. ¡¸ck Wind Cloak¡¹- Hero¡¯s Cloak ¡¾Nullifies Obsidian Rain.¡¿ When it¡¯s soon 11 p.m., he had to go out to the street where the obsidian rain, which destroys the body, falls. ¡®It says to spend one night for an achievement¡­ How long exactly does that mean?¡¯ [Nocturnal] |Spend a night outside your residence. It was unclear whether it meant until 10 a.m. when the rental ends, or simply until sunrise. Perhaps at any time, the achievement might bepleted when the rain stops. The reason spending a night outside the residence could be an ¡°achievement¡± was simply because the weather was dangerous. ¡®Whatever, I have to go out to find out.¡¯ The current time, 10:54 p.m. Since the long-awaited obsidian rain would fall in about 6 minutes, Yeongwoo prepared to go out in earnest. He turned off the problematic television, checked if he had all his equipment. Then he put on the Dragon¡¯s Legacy and Underdog on his waist, and held Duhan¡¯s sword in his hand. If he encountered something outside in the rain, it was more likely to be a monster than a person. In that case, the ck Sword was the most versatile. Now, even his height had grown, so the maximum extension length of the sword would have increased. Thud. Eventually, as Yeongwoo opened the door of the guest room with the golden goblin, and came out into the corridor, Lim Suna, who happened to be waiting for the elevator on the other side of the corridor, turned back with surprised eyes. ¡°Uh¡­ Where are you going? Yeongwoo.¡± Then she looked at her wristwatch, wondering if she was correct. The current time, 10:56 p.m. 4 minutes left until he would be torn apart if he stayed outside the room. With an awkward smile, Yeongwoo walked slowly down the corridor. ¡°I guess the assistant manager is going home from work.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ that¡¯s right.¡± Lim Suna looked at Yeongwoo suspiciously. So Yeongwoo exined to her truthfully. ¡°I¡¯m going out for a bit. I¡¯lle back when it¡¯s bright.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going outside?¡± Lim Suna¡¯s mouth hung open. Leaving for the ¡°outside¡± after the sun hadpletely set in this world was synonymous with an impossible agreement. Other than the fact that abnormal weather killed people, nothing else was known, an undeniable realm. ¡°Can¡¯t I just go outside?¡± ¡°Usually, that¡¯s the case¡­¡± Ding! Since the elevator Suna was waiting for arrived just then, Yeongwoo bid her farewell without continuing the conversation. ¡°You go down first. I¡¯ll take the stairs.¡± ¡°Wait, but¡­¡± Just as Lim Suna was about to say something, Yeongwoo darted sideways like an arrow. * * * 10:58 p.m. Arriving at the hotel lobby, Yeongwoo nced briefly at the elevator Suna had taken, still descending. Then he passed through the spacious lobby and went out through the main entrance where his horse was parked. Click, click. As Yeongwoo stepped outside with a ng, his horse, which had been coiled up, unfolded with a loud noise. -Kwii¡­! Yeongwoo lightly mounted its back and grasped the ck reins. Following him, the golden goblin also climbed onto the horse. -Keet! ¡°Are you okay? It¡¯s about to rain soon.¡± Yeongwoo asked the goblin, who seemed to understand and looked up at the sky. And right on cue. Kurrrrrrr¡­ An unusual sound echoed from somewhere high in the sky. That was probably thunder. Then, indeed. Kwarrang! A muchrger thunderbolt struck, illuminating the sky with a brilliant sh. ¡°¡­.!¡± And at that moment, Yeongwoo saw it. It was fleeting, but countless dots appeared in the sky illuminated by the lightning. Kwaaaaaaa¡­! Soon, a sound like that of cars driving in a long tunnel echoed. ¡°¡­It¡¯sing.¡± The abnormal weather that erased the concept of ¡°night¡± in this world. Yeongwoo was witnessing the beginning of one of them for the first time. ¡¸00:00:00¡¹ As the time decreased to zero, the abnormal weather timer disappeared before Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes, and at the same time, his vision began to split vertically into countless pieces. Kududududuk! ¡°Oh my god.¡± Obsidian rain. It was literal. Chunks of obsidian formed into icicle-like shapes fell from the sky, shattered upon hitting the ground, and melted away into the air. Kwajak! ¡®At this level, my body will not be damaged but rather turned into minced meat.¡¯ Yeongwoo raised his arm, and the moment the obsidian rain touched his forearm, he saw it melt away. This was the effect of the ¡°ck Wind Cloak.¡± On the other hand, thews of physics applied normally to Negwig and the golden goblin. This is because obsidian was continuously embedded in the outer shell of the four ears, making a loud noise as it broke. Kakang, Kang! Kang! The golden goblin also couldn¡¯t get a grip due to the obsidian rain hitting its forehead, but despite that, it seemed like the lethality of this rain was only effective against creatures native to Earth. ¡°Hide under the cloak. You¡¯ll feel better that way.¡± Yeongwoo handed the end of the cloak to the golden goblin, then slowly pulled the reins to drive Negwig. Where to? He didn¡¯t know yet. The achievement system only gave him the mission to spend the night outside, nothing else. He wondered if there might be a nighttime-specific quest, but there wasn¡¯t one avable. There was only the obsidian rain and the dark cityscape, which split his vision haphazardly. ¡®At least for a few hours¡­ Let¡¯s go outside Seoul for now.¡¯ Just as monster hunters who hadn¡¯t set foot in Seoul went to Gyeonggi Province or even farther, Yeongwoo decided to leave Seoul this time. And while at it. ¡®To the north.¡¯ Toward the closest ¡°foreign¡± country, North Korea. As Yeongwoo drove Negwig northward, the creature emitted a sharp noise in the heart of Gangnam. -Kwiiiiick! Then Yeongwoo began to dash quickly in the direction he had chosen. Kwasssh! As a result, the windows of nearby residences, which were in a state of lodging and the lights were on, were opened one after another. They thought that a monster that only appears at night had appeared. Of course, Yeongwoo, riding an iron horse and waving a ck cloak amidst the obsidian rain that tore people apart, looked like a monster to anyone who saw him. Kwassh, kwakk! In this way, Yeongwoo crossed Seoul, alternating between the noisy sound of iron hooves and Negwig¡¯s cries, heading north. Starting from Gangnam, he crossed the Han River, passed through Jung-gu, Seodaemun, and Eunpyeong, and finally set foot in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Pat! |The current residence area is ¡°Goyang.¡± |The Strongest Sword in this area is ¡°Park Jeongjin02.¡± Rank 1, Defense 42. ¡®Park Jeongjin¡­02. Goyang is still strong.¡¯ Indeed, the poption of Goyang is about twice that of most districts in Seoul. So if someone became the strongest Sword in such a ce, how strong would they be? A whopping 42 defenses, and ¡°1st Rank¡± indicating they monopolized all growth factors from the first day of reset. In addition, the identification number 02 allowed them to see the opponent¡¯s moves. However, they probably couldn¡¯t stop abnormal weather, so by now, they were likely taking shelter from the rain in their residence. Kwassh! Just like before, Yeongwoo quickly passed through Goyang, spreading nighttime ghostly rumors in Gyeonggi Province. It is said that from the night of the fourth day of reset, a monster wandering through abnormal weather appeared. Kwak, Kwatt! Having swiftly passed through Goyang, Yeongwoo finally arrived at Paju, where the North Korean Kaesong Industrial Complex and the border were located. And then. Pot! And then. Thud! |The current residence area is ¡°Paju.¡± |There is no Strongest Sword in this area. Yeongwoo learned that there was no Strongest Sword in Paju. ¡®Could it be that Goyang¡¯s Strongest Sword absorbed it?¡¯ There was a fairly high possibility of that. Because. ¡°Ah.¡± As he went a bit further north, he spotted a pir of red light burning fiercely in the distance. Proof that Paju was unable to deal with mutants. Probably, the Strongest Sword in Paju had always been vacant. Kwaaaaaaa¡­¡­! Perhaps it was because of the darkened surroundings, but the mark seemed muchrger and darker than usual. Kwassh! As Yeongwoo drove Negwig straight toward the pir of red light, he noticed the mark, which had been stationary all this time, momentarily flinch. It probably caught wind of the ¡°scent¡± from this direction. Now, the distance to the mutants was about 2 kilometers. Judging by the location of the mark, the opponent was not staying in the city center but somewhere near the nearby mountains. ¡®Hiding to avoid the rain.¡¯ Considering how the golden goblin had been tormented by the obsidian rain hitting its forehead, it was highly likely that the abnormal weather wasn¡¯t pleasant for the mutants either. Kwassh! Eventually, the distance between Yeongwoo and the pir of red light in the mountains decreased to several hundred meters, and at that moment, the eerie voice characteristic of mutants pierced the darkness. ¡¸Why would you seek a monk on such a foul day?¡¹ ¡°¡­?¡± A strange tone. Anyway, having confirmed the presence of mutants in the mountains, Yeongwoo leaped off Negwig. Thud! ¡°I didn¡¯te here to fight. If you¡¯re okay with it, let¡¯s have a conversation.¡± In Korea, Yeongwoo was the only one who could try to negotiate with mutants like this. However, the mutant in the mountains, who had no idea about this fact, responded with an incredulous tone. ¡¸Haha! The stench is so strong, and the fourth of the Ten Evils is falsehood.¡¹ Then the trees in the mountains began to rustle. ¡®It¡¯sing.¡¯ What kind of mutant would it be this time? No, more importantly. ¡®Who on earth speaks like that?¡¯ Yeongwoo felt that his opponent was likelyrge, so instead of his ck sword, he pulled out his Underdog. Swish! And right on cue. Kwoong! A bulky silhouette emerged from the mountains where the voice hade from. ¡¸Yaaaap!¡¹ The opponent was none other than. [Monk ¨C Jo Seungtae] It was none other than Jo Seungtae, also known as the ¡°Colorful Robber.¡± He was infamous for crimes such as drunk driving, sexual assault, and aggravated assault, with fewer sins he hadn¡¯tmitted physically. Yeongwoo had heard his name through the news, as he was notorious enough. For this reason, he was now running towards Yeongwoo as a half-dragon, half-rooster creature, a cockatrice. Thud, thud, kugung! As the distance between them narrowed, the red jewel on Yeongwoo¡¯s belt, indicating a presence of Grade 2 or lower, glowed brightly. Yeongwoo, pulling out the jewel with his left hand, spoke sharply. ¡°Even scum like you gets a reaction from this sword, signifying you¡¯re still considered human. Let me erase you from this world altogether.¡± In response, Jo Seungtae bulged his eyes and opened hisrge beak. ¡¸The monk has repented all sins! You too, shut your mouth and repent!¡¹ Gruuuu¡­! At first, Yeongwoo thought the beak was merely opening to speak, but as the dialogue ended, he felt a chilling energy gathering inside the creature¡¯s maw. ¡®What is that¡­?¡¯ ¡¸Dieeeeee!¡¹ Suddenly, a gray breath spewed from the creature¡¯s gaping beak, but by then, Yeongwoo had already rolled away in an evasive maneuver to the side. ¡¸This¡­!¡¹ Caught off guard by Yeongwoo¡¯s unexpectedly agile movement, Jo Seungtae was still in shock when Yeongwoo swung both the Dragon¡¯s Legacy and the Underdog he held in his hands simultaneously. Shiaaaaat! As the weapons traced an X in the dim darkness, a sh of light followed along the path of the sword, and soon, the outline of a Dogo symbol appeared right where they intersected. [Grade 2 Advertisement Space Utilization] -Thepany logo will be printed on the weapon¡¯s trajectory. And at the point where the patterns of the two weapons ovepped. ¡¸Kkuk¡­!¡¹ Therey the severed head of Jo Seungtae, the third mutant in Paju. Yeongwoo had split his head into four pieces, to be precise. Tsrrrrup! As the heavy head of Jo Seungtae split into four pieces and fell to the ground, a white beam of light shot up into the sky from where his head had been. Then¡­ ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Instead of the golden orb that should have appeared, a ck orb manifested in its ce. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 113 Chapter 113 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 113: Night Dungeon (1) ¡°What¡­ Why is it ck?¡± Amidst the obsidian rain falling from the murky sky, a ck sphere¡­ Yeongwoo felt a vague sense of unease. ¡°Is it because it¡¯s night? But it shouldn¡¯t just be a different color, right¡­?¡± In this world of the night, there was only Yeongwoo, a human. So, he had no choice but to converse with the goblin, who was sheltering from the rain at the edge of his cloak. -Keet! Eventually, the little goblin reached out from under the cloak as if gesturing to touch the sphere. Of course, it was highly unlikely that this Relic-level ve knew the secrets of this world. He was probably just imitating what Yeongwoo had been doing whenever he touched the sphere. Still, it was somewhatforting. ¡°Well, leaving this here just because it looks a bit scary doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± In essence, he was talking to himself. After hesitantly ncing around the dark surroundings, Yeongwoo cautiously reached out his hand towards the ck sphere. Tap. Then, as usual, a system message appeared. ¡°Huh.¡± The content waspletely different from when it was ¡®day¡¯. ¡¸New authority has been unlocked.¡¹ |Dungeon ¡°Dungeon¡­?¡± As Yeongwoo muttered to himself, a grayish wave emanated from the ck sphere where he had ced his hand, spreading in all directions. Bzzzt! Suddenly, the colors of the entire area turned to shades of gray, as if they had crossed over to a parallel world. -Purrrup! The unidentified grade horse, Negwig, provided by Dogo, licked its lips. It seemed to be disliking this endlessly silent space. -Keey¡­.. Even the golden goblin let out a sharp, prolonged cry, unlike its usual behavior. And a momentter. Kwaadddd! The ground beneath their feet began to tremble, and something began to happen. ¡°W-What¡¯s¡­¡± As Yeongwoo, taken aback, pushed Negwig back, the ground in front of them split open, and a huge structure rose up. Kwaaaa¡­! It was a pyramid. However, it was a pyramid made of something ck and sturdy, created in another world. ¡®But why does it feel so familiar?¡¯ Yeongwoo was ovee with a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu as he looked at the swollen ¡°pyramid¡± that seemed to cover the entire sky. And then he realized where this familiarity came from. ¡®¡­Currency Exchange.¡¯ It was like looking at that currency exchange that reflected no sunlight and gave a sense of difort on the first day of the reset. ¡®Was it made in the same ce?¡¯ It was familiar, yet entirely unwee. He wondered what would happen next this time. ¡°¡­¡­¡± As Yeongwoo stared intently at the pyramid, a brightly lit rectangle appeared on the front of the pyramid. Pip! Upon Yeongwoo nudging Negwig forward, letters soon appeared above the problematic rectangle. ¡¸Please dismount from the mount.¡¹ ¡°Oh¡­?¡± A user-friendly interface, contrary to expectations. Following the instructions, Yeongwoo dismounted from Negwig. ng! Then, as the golden goblin also leaped down, almost simultaneously, another message appeared. ¡¸You cannot bring ves into this dungeon¡¹ Keek! Ket! Immediately, the golden goblin raised its ears and voiced angry protest. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo stroked his chin and nodded his head. ¡®So, this is a dungeon after all. The appearance conditions must be so strict that I haven¡¯t seen it until now¡­¡¯ On the first day of the reset, many factors emerged, including quests, currencies, as several celebrities, including the president, chose ¡®disbandment¡¯. Among them, Yeongwoo distinctly remembered the dungeons. ¡®No wonder. I wondered why I couldn¡¯t see any dungeons when monsters were falling from the sky every night.¡¯ In fact, they were avable for appearance every night, but no one came out to see them through the abnormal weather. ¡°Hoo¡­¡± As Yeongwoo¡¯s thoughts reached this point, he suddenly felt his heart racing. He was excited to have reached the hidden elements of this world that no one had discovered so far. Was this also a trait of the ¡®stubborn¡¯? ng. As Yeongwoo left Negwig and the goblin behind and took another step towards the pyramid, a new message appeared in the glowing rectangle. Paaat! It was none other than the dungeon format. [Pain of Iria] |Dungeon Grade: Normal |Difficulty: D |Required Personnel: 3 ¡®This is surprisingly straightforward.¡¯ Yeongwoo chuckled at the dungeon system he hadmonly seen in games. Then¡­ ¡°Wait a moment.¡± He checked thest letters written in the dungeon information again. ¡°Required Personnel?¡± And it was three people. ¡°If it requires three people, who else is here besides me?¡± With a resentful expression, Yeongwoo took another step towards the pyramid, and a whirlpool began to swirl in front of the pyramid, opening up space. Whiirrrr! So, this was¡­ ¡®A portal.¡¯ It was the entrance to this dungeon. ¡®But we need two more people.¡¯ With a disappointed expression, Yeongwoo peered into the portal and discovered numbers written inside. [0/3] Of course, this didn¡¯t change the situation. It simply meant that there was currently nobody inside this dungeon that required a total of three people. ¡®Too bad.¡¯ Still, since he was already here, should he take a look inside the dungeon anyway? Although the excitement had waned a bit, there was still some potential gain. After all, now that he knew the appearance conditions of the dungeon, he could eventually recruit two more warriors and explore the dungeon. ¡®Anyway, let¡¯s go in and do some preliminary exploration¡­¡¯ As Yeongwoo thought this, as he was about to step into the portal¡­ Pat! [1/3] The number inside the portal changed to ¡®1/3.¡¯ ¡°Huh?¡± Yeongwoo withdrew his foot at this, but the number didn¡¯t change back. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Unless it was a system error, the current situation implied something significant. ¡°Could it be¡­ someone is inside¡­?¡± He couldn¡¯t help but think so. In that case, who entered the dungeon from where? ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it means there are multiple entrances.¡± More precisely, someone came out tonight and summoned another dungeon from somewhere else. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Sssaaat! Without hesitation, Yeongwoo drew his ck sword. Then, with heightened vignce, he walked into the portal. * * * Portal. In games or novels, it generally refers to ¡®dimensional gates¡¯ or ¡®spatial transportation.¡¯ Regardless, the core function of a portal is to instantly transport the user to their destination, no matter how far it may be. So, Yeongwoo once wondered what it would feel like to experience portal movement in real life whenever he used portals in games. But this time¡­ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Suaat! He couldn¡¯t tell. ¡°Wow!¡± Although the time passing through the portal was very short, he didn¡¯t feel anything during that time. Despite taking just a few steps forward, he found himself in an entirely different ce. It was a spacious room that resembled an ancient ruin. ng! As Yeongwoo, who had passed through the portal, instinctively stepped on the floor, he immediately heard a chilling sound from behind. Shiriririk! It was the sound of the portal closing. ¡°What¡­!¡± Startled, Yeongwoo turned around, but the portal had already disappeared. Then, someone who had been leaning against the opposite wall approached him, speaking with a voice that felt surprisingly weing. ¡°Don¡¯t worry at all! You can leave anytime you want if you wish! But you shouldn¡¯t leave yet!¡± ¡®What¡­ what do you mean?¡¯ Only then did Yeongwoo realize that he had btedly decided to be cautious of people. ¡°¡­Who¡¯s there?¡± ¡°Oh, startled, aren¡¯t you? It seems like everyone experiences that when using portals for the first time. Your memory nks out for a moment.¡± It was only then that Yeongwoo noticed arge brazier in the center of the room. And on this brazier, there were numbers written in the same format as what he had seen in the portal. [2/3] ¡®It was 1/3 before, but now it changed to 2/3.¡¯ Presumably, it was the result of the person on the other side of the brazier and the one on this side chatting incessantly. In other words, two out of the required three for dungeon exploration had arrived. And amidst all this, the other person continued to speak without pause. ¡°Now, shall we take a leisurely look at each other? I¡¯m so curious about what you¡¯re like.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yeongwoo finally understood why the other person couldn¡¯t stay still like a restless puppy. ¡°Did you happen to be here yesterday too?¡± As Yeongwoo asked this, the figure across the brazier responded with a much more animated voice than before, pping enthusiastically. ¡°No, how did you know¡­! That¡¯s right! I stayed up all night yesterday waiting, but nobody came!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Despite the somewhat ridiculous tone, it meant that the other person was undoubtedly a skilled individual. It meant that they had been able to pass through the abnormal weather for two consecutive days. Either they were incredibly lucky or they had equipment that could ignore all weather conditions. ¡°Now, let¡¯s slowly move to the right, shall we? Let¡¯s see each other¡¯s faces.¡± Of course, they didn¡¯t seem to be particrly sharp-witted. ¡°Um, whose right are we talking about? If we each go our own right, we¡¯ll never meet.¡± ¡°Oh¡­! That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°You shoulde out to the right from your perspective. Then I¡¯ll move ordingly.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The other person readily epted Yeongwoo¡¯s suggestion. And finally¡­ ng, ng. Step by step. With the brazier between them, the two who had only exchanged voices began to close the distance little by little. And as their faces gradually became visible under the light¡­ ¡°Oh¡­ Oh.¡± ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s going on?¡± Both of them couldn¡¯t help but stiffen their expressions. Because¡­ ¡°Oh, you¡­ for an Asian¡­ you¡¯re tall.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re Sicilian¡­ aren¡¯t you from Italy?¡± One was Korean, and the other was from Sicily, Italy. ¡ºGyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» ¡ºGuardian Sword of Sicily¡» Two people from opposite sides of the Earth. ¡®Oh my god.¡¯ Yeongwoo had a premonition that this dungeon was a ce essible to people from all over the world. But if that were the case¡­ ¡°Um, wait a moment.¡± A very strange sensation, or rather something close to fear, began to creep from the elbow to the back of the neck. ¡°What did you just say? Didn¡¯t you say you waited all night yesterday?¡± Upon hearing this, the Italian swallowed heavily and looked around anxiously. ¡°Yes¡­ I waited alone all night yesterday and then went back. But why are you saying this all of a sudden? It¡¯s a little scary.¡± Upon this, Yeongwoo felt as if his heart had stopped, so he briefly ced his hand on his chest. ¡°What day was it on the second day of the reset?¡± ¡°It was the second day. Of course.¡± ¡°Then today is¡­¡± ¡°The third day¡­¡± As the Italian counted on his fingers, his face finally stiffened. He too realized. That there was a significant discrepancy in this space, or rather in this meeting. ¡°¡­Time difference.¡± As the Italian widened his eyes, Yeongwoo nodded. ¡°If you¡¯re from Italy, there¡¯s about an 8-hour time difference with Korea.¡± ¡°T-Then¡­¡± ¡°I also entered here on the third night. So, in Italy, it should be around three in the afternoon of the third day.¡± ¡°So, you mean¡­ I¡¯m experiencing events that haven¡¯t happened yet?¡± ¡°At least from my perspective, yes. You, sir, havee from the future.¡± ¡°But I have memories of everything from three in the afternoon today until now. Rather, from my perspective¡­ you¡¯re the one who came from the past.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± As the conversation reached this point, it was no longer surprising that the two had been effortlessly traversing thenguage barrier from the beginning. And to make matters worse¡­ Shirring! Once again, there was the sound of the portal closing from beyond the brazier. The third party member had arrived at the dungeon. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 114 Chapter 114 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 114: Night Dungeon (2) [Tocantins Leopard] The final party member, bearing a rather peculiar title, appeared in a significantly worse condition than the two who had arrived earlier, sporting wounds all over their body as if they had experienced particrly harsh days. After ncing around with a terrified expression as the portal disappeared, they spotted the other two and immediately brandished their sword. ¡°What, what¡¯s this? These guys¡­!¡± One could see the multitude of injuries covering their body, indicating they had endured quite rough times. With deep wounds on their face, just their presence alone stiffened the atmosphere. ¡°Huff!¡± At the sound of the ¡®leopard¡¯s¡¯ breath, as if about to charge forward, Sicilia¡¯s Guardian Sword gestured for calmness, stepping back a few paces. ¡°Oh, calm down! We didn¡¯t gather here to fight each other!¡± On the other hand, Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened as he noticed a new fact. ¡®The Dragon¡¯s Legacy¡­.¡¯ The Dragon¡¯s Legacy, which hung from his belt, serving both as a Epic-grade weapon and a means to assess the opponent¡¯s grade, had finally started to heat up. ¡¸Dragon¡¯s Legacy¡¹ ¨C Epic One-Handed Sword ¡¾ssism.¡¿ |Increases power against targets of Grade 2 and below. Which meant¡­ ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze fell upon the European who was earnestly trying to calm the third participant. ¡®He was a Grade 1 human.¡¯ Although it seemed the man wasn¡¯t the protagonist, judging by the fact that the achievement ¡°Ending Maker¡± hadn¡¯t beenpleted. But it was also a fact that he wasn¡¯t an ordinary person. Swoosh. As Yeongwoo btedly turned his gaze towards ¡®Tocantins Leopard,¡¯ the opponent flinched and aimed the sword towards Yeongwoo. ¡°Are you¡­ Chinese?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m Korean. Where are you from?¡± As Yeongwoo, towering at two meters tall, took a step forward with the torch behind him, a massive shadow covered the ¡®leopard¡¯s¡¯ feet. ¡°Why do you ask such things.¡± The man realized Yeongwoo¡¯s size and, emitting a more murderous gaze than before, assumed abat stance. ¡°Strongest Sword¡­ or whatever you are, you¡¯re probably the strongest in this area right now, yet you seem to have little patience. Shall we put down our weapons and have a conversation first?¡± As Yeongwoo spoke and ced the ck sword he had been holding onto the ground, the ¡®leopard,¡¯ who had been watching, flinched. They refrained from attacking instinctively upon seeing the opponent lower their weapon. Because¡­ [3/3] They too had just noticed the numbers on the torch. The number of people needed to explore this dungeon, three. If they fought and even one of them died, most likely, that number would return to 2/3 again. ¡°If fighting leads to even one death, the number will probably return to 2/3.¡± ¡°Ah, the world has be so dangeroustely that even exchanging greetings can be quite difficult, don¡¯t you think?¡± Gradually, Sicilia¡¯s Guardian Sword intervened between the two strong individuals, nudging its way in. Then, with his right hand, he tapped his chest and slightly bowed his upper body, greeting them. ¡°I am Ottavio Simorelli from Sicily. Strictly speaking, I am Italian.¡± At this, the ¡®leopard¡¯ finally grasped the situation and stared nkly. ¡°I¡­ Italy?¡± Didn¡¯t that Easterner earlier say he was Korean? Italy, Korea, and¡­ ¡°¡­I¡¯m Ricardo Da Silva Tabares¡­ I came from Tocantins Brazil.¡± Brazil. In other words, here they had representatives from East Asia, Southern Europe, and South America, each one. ¡°I¡¯m Jeong Yeongwoo from Korea.¡± Continuing with his self-introduction, Yeongwoo approached Ricardo. nk, nk. As Yeongwoo made metallic noises approaching, Ricardo¡¯s de menacingly rose again. However, Yeongwoo paid no attention and closed the distance with the opponent to about three meters. Then. Swish. He extended his right hand into the air. Which meant. ¡°If you want to continue this dungeon, shake hands with me. You were the only one pointing your sword here.¡± As Yeongwoo requested a handshake, Ricardo looked bewildered, and Ottavio from Italy gazed at Yeongwoo as if he were very interesting. Amidst this, the number disyed on the torch continued to indicate that there were still three people alive. Having nced at the number, Ricardo finally ced his weapon on the ground and took a step forward. Then. Thud! Yeongwoo grabbed his outstretched hand vigorously. ¡°I apologize for earlier, friend.¡± * * * The time difference between Korea and Brazil is 12 hours. The time difference between Italy and Korea is 8 hours. The time difference between Brazil and Italy is 4 hours. However, the moment they set foot inside the dungeon, not only did the time difference disappear, but time itself merged. How, why does that happen? After a while of futile discussion, the three agreed that they couldn¡¯te to a conclusion. Then, they decided to focus on the fundamental purpose ofing here: exploring the dungeon. ¡°Well¡­ for now, all the people are here.¡± Ottavio stroked his chin and looked around. In this stone chamber that gave off an ancient ruin vibe, there seemed to be no separate exit. The portal would open if you knocked on the wall twice, though. ¡°I thought the dungeon would automatically start once everyone was here, but it seems that¡¯s not the case.¡± If Ottavio, the first in the dungeon who had been waiting, said this, it meant there weren¡¯t any special physical mechanisms involved. Upon this, Yeongwoo stared quietly at the numbers on the torch and then shifted his gaze to the mes that were burning incessantly. ¡°Hey, is it hot for everyone?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± Observing the reactions of the two, Yeongwoo walked straight up to the torch without hesitation. Then, before anyone could stop him, he reached into the mes. Whoosh. ¡°Ouch!¡± ¡°What¡­ what are you doing?!¡± Even Ricardo from the rugged Brazil was astonished by this bold move, but Yeongwoo¡¯s expression remained calm. ¡°The fire isn¡¯t hot. Come on, try putting your hand in here.¡± It sounded so absurd that they might have thought he¡¯d lost his mind, but both the South American and the European approached the torch as the Asian instructed. I don¡¯t know why, but I thought it might be right to go againstmon sense, at least in this dungeon. After all, it was a space where time from all over the world merged, so could anything illogical exist? Swish. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Finally, the other two also put their hands into the mes. In fact, this was possible because each of them representedrge regions. Before the reset of Tocantins poption, there were about 1.5 million people, and Sicily had a poption of nearly 5 million. Sizzle! With all three participants cing their hands in the mes, an rm sounded, and the dungeon format appeared where the number of participants had been disyed. [Pain of Iria] |Dungeon Grade: Normal |Difficulty: D |Required Personnel: 3 ¡°Pain of Iria¡­¡± ¡°I was worried about this even before entering. What could it mean?¡± ¡°Whatever it is, it probably means a painful time awaits us.¡± Ricardo offered a pessimistic outlook. Then, a new message appeared on the torch. ¡¸The required personnel have been gathered.¡¹ ¡¸The dungeon will start shortly.¡¹ Upon hearing this sentence, familiar to anyone who survived after the reset, the attention of the three individuals was drawn. ¡¸Get ready.¡¹ ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°¡­Fuck¡± Ricardo¡¯s curse seemed to signal something, as the entire floor of the room began to shake. Clunk! ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°What, what¡¯s going on?¡± However, the real problem urred next. Screeeeeech! Somewhere, the sound of gears turning could be heard, and then the floor sank downwards. Aaaaah! It felt as if they were riding a giant elevator. The only difference was that the walls were moving rapidly upwards, and the speed was dangerously fast. ¡°Madness!¡± ¡°Aaaaah!¡± ¡°This damn¡­!¡± In reality, the descent speed was almostparable to freefall, giving the three individuals a sensation akin to riding a perpetual drop tower. Squaaaaaaa¡­! In addition to this, the mes of the torch left long trails as if being sucked up into the air, allowing them to see the vertical passage they had just traversed. It was a long, distant passage, so high it seemed the ceiling was already out of sight. ¡®How, how far down are we going?¡¯ It was clear they were not on Earth anymore. They must have descended at least a kilometer, judging by their perception. Squaaaaaaa¡­! Despite this, the insane floor of the room didn¡¯t know when to appear, and when it seemed they had descended about twice the depth they had already descended, Ricardo, who had been biting his lips, finally spoke as if he was sick of it. ¡°Where the hell are they taking us?¡± As he said this, he helplessly looked up. He was thinking of the Earthbound portal they had ced above. ¡°At this rate, we¡¯ll¡­¡± Just as Sicilia¡¯s Ottavio, who had been the embodiment of optimism, was about to express his concerns, a mechanical sound, rougher than before, of the gear teeth resounded, and the descent speed of the floor, which seemed endless, gradually slowed down. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°This fucking¡­¡± Had they finally reached their destination? As the three individuals caught their breaths and blinked, the passageway that had surrounded the room disappeared in an instant. Whoosh! Or rather, it was more appropriate to say that the passage segment had ended. Now the three of them were suspended hundreds of meters below ground. Except for the stone floor beneath their feet, there were no structures around. Just endless ckness and vast emptiness. ¡°¡­Unbelievable.¡± ¡°Where in the world¡­¡± ¡°Look up.¡± At Ricardo¡¯s gesture pointing upwards, everyone shifted their gaze there, soon seeing it. It was a gigantic stone structure with intricate patterns carved on its surface. Part of a massive rectangr prism, this structure had several tiny square holes punctured into it, one of which seemed to be the passage they had just traversed. ¡°How¡­ how big is this¡­?¡± Ottavio asked, but no one could provide an answer. The edge of the structure wasn¡¯t even visible in their immediate field of view. Only a fraction of this structure was visible to the eye. Kwaaaaa¡­ Gradually, the stone floor beneath them slowed down even more. And by this time, the mysterious space that had been nothing but darkness began to reveal itself, albeit partially. This was solely thanks to the torch in the center of the stone floor. Its light began to illuminate the ¡°ground.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a floor! We¡¯re almost there.¡± Ottavio eximed as he drew his sword. He, who hadn¡¯t made a single threatening gesture since entering the dungeon, was now preparing for battle on his own. It was a sign that he felt threatened in this space. Swish! Then Ricardo drew his sword from his belt, and Yeongwoo pulled his ck sword closer to his body. And just as the stone floor met the bottom of this vast space. Kuwoong! ¡°Phew.¡± ¡°Ugh, ugh.¡± ¡°Shh¡­¡± The three of them tried to calm their nerves while regting their breathing in their own ways. However, since the torch didn¡¯t illuminate far, the area around the stone floor remained dark, and they couldn¡¯t rxpletely. ¡°It¡¯s too dark. We wouldn¡¯t even know if someone else came here.¡± Where is this life heading? Yeongwoo recalled the shock he felt on the first day of the reset when he stabbed someone with a knife. At that time, he thought his life was undergoing an unstoppable change. Butpared to now, that time seems¡­ Beep! Suddenly, a sharp warning sound emanated from the torch, causing everyone, including Yeongwoo, to pause their thoughts and turn their gaze. ¡¸Shortly, ¡®The Pain of Iria¡¯ will begin.¡¹ ¡¸To pass this dungeon, you will need one handler and two marksmen.¡¹ ¡°A handler and marksmen¡­ What does that mean?¡± As Ottavio asked this question, two iron chains shot out from one side of the stone floor. Shoooloot! Then, faint lights began to illuminate one by one on the ground in the direction where the chains were shot. Tap, tap, tap. Toward the darkness beyond. So, this was some sort of guide light. ¡°Surely not.¡± Sensing something, Yeongwoo¡¯s expression twisted, and soon the dungeon system¡¯s exnation followed. ¡¸From now on, the handler will pull the chains to move the boat, and the two marksmen must protect the torch and the handler from intruders.¡¹ ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Having faced numerousbat situations, the three individuals could imagine a lot from just that exnation. But that wasn¡¯t the end of it. ¡¸Rule one, only the handler can touch the chains.¡¹ ¡¸Rule two, only the handler can be outside the boat.¡¹ ¡ºIron rule one, anyone who vites the above rules will be disqualified.¡» ¡ºIron rule two, at the moment of disqualification, one survivor will be eliminated.¡» ¡°What does this mean?¡± The three individuals didn¡¯t even have time to be astonished, let alone time to familiarize themselves with the rules. By the time Yeongwoo finished reading the second rule, a holographic text appeared above the torch. ¡¸The one wishing to be the handler, please grab the chains.¡¹ ¡¸Time limit, 10 seconds.¡¹ And just as everyone horrifically anticipated, the numbers began to decrease immediately. ¡­9. ¡­8. ¡­7. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 115 Chapter 115 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 115: Night Dungeon (3) ¡¸The one wishing to be the handler, please grab the chains.¡¹ ¡­6 ¡­5 The remaining time is 5 seconds. At this, Ricardo almost shouted as he revealed it into the air. ¡°Fuck you! Does this make sense?¡± Ottavio, on the other hand, remained rtively calm, holding the chain and ship¡­ So, he took turns looking at the stone floor they had been riding on. ¡°It seems like the ¡®handler¡¯ is some kind of tank. From the fact that the marksmen have to protect him, it seems like his chain is so heavy that he can¡¯t use weapons¡­¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no time for that.¡± As Ottavio reiterated the rule, Yeongwoo, seeing the remaining time drop below 2 seconds, immediately picked up the chain. nk. ¡°¡­I¡¯m a handler. It¡¯s already decided.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± The given time was too short, so it was not a matter of discussion. It was a problem that depended on luck, a sort of party member lottery, where those with the will to pull off the handler and confidence in themselves had to pick them up on their own. And luckily, the Guardian Sword of Sicily and the Leopard of Tocantins were in the same boat as Jeong Yeongwoo, the Strongest sword of Gyeongbuk. ¡°My skill might be a bit lower than yours. But still, there won¡¯t be a big difference now.¡± Yeongwoo lightly tapped the ¡®Golden Oath¡¯ wrapped around his upper body as he said this. Thunk. ¡ºGolden Oath¡»- Legendary Armor [Enemy Attack Power Reduced by 50%.] ¡°Fortunately, even though my stats are a bit low, I can endure a lot of beating. I don¡¯t know how much of a beating the handler¡¯s role is, but¡­¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± There was no other way for Yeongwoo to exin. It¡¯s not like he can recite his specs here. At least for now, they seemed like colleagues, but who knows what will happen in the future. ¡°I won¡¯t die easily, so please focus on protecting the bonfire. It doesn¡¯t even know how to scream when in danger.¡± As Yeongwoo finished speaking and started wrapping the chains around his body, Ricardo looked at him nkly for a moment before bursting intoughter. ¡°He¡¯spletely crazy.¡± But still, as if acknowledging his greatness, he raised his thumb. Meanwhile, Ottavio seemed genuinely concerned about Yeongwoo. ¡°¡­Are you really okay?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not okay, it¡¯ll just be Russian roulette. But seriously, what kind of reward is there to make the difficulty this high?¡± Now Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze was on the ¡®navigation course¡¯ where faint lights were lined up. Probably, the end of that light array is the final destination. Until then, they had to navigate through the darkness with the two of them on that stone floor. ¡®I guess I¡¯ll have to spend all my money now.¡¯ As Yeongwoo put thememorative coin he had put in his pocket into his mouth, dotted lines appeared along his body contours. Pahat! ¡ºCharacter: Jeong Yeongwoo07¡» [Strength] 2,900 (19+2,881) [Endurance] 1,950 (21+1,929) [Endurance] 1,950 (21+1,929) [Durability] 2,450 (13+2,437) [Sensitivity] 800 (24+776) * Avable Karma: 996,000 What are the important stats for a handler? ¡®For now, let¡¯s exclude strength since we can increase it by 25% with Masochism.¡¯ That leaves endurance and durability. ording to the rule we just saw, the marksmen¡¯ role is to protect the handler and the bonfire within the boundary of not leaving the stone floor. In other words, it means those intruders will actively attack the handler too. ¡®I¡¯m not sure how deadly their attacks will be. If it¡¯s at the level of cutting some flesh, I can cover it with regeneration.¡¯ Of course, the resulting pain would have been entirely Yeongwoo¡¯s responsibility. This is because the pain that the Berserker Talisman nullifies is limited to critical hits that cause the body to shatter. ¡¸Berserker¡¹ ¨C Mutation Amulet ¡¾Ignore a certain level of pain.¡¿ ¡®Now, since my endurance is quite low at the moment, I think I should give a bit more power to this side¡­¡­¡¯ Judging from the atmosphere, the ¡®voyage¡¯ is about to begin. In the end, Yeongwoo evenly invested in endurance and durability. In case his strength iscking, he was considering drinking a doping potion. Pahat! ¡ºCharacter: Jeong Yeongwoo07¡» [Strength] 2,900 (19+2,881) [Endurance] 2,448 (21+2,427) [Durability] 2,948 (13+2,935) [Sensitivity] 800 (24+776) * Avable Karma: 0 Perhaps because this could be thest time, he left not a single penny. Then Ottavio, who realized what Yeongwoo was doing, looked at his sword with a determined face and said. ¡°We won¡¯t fail. We¡¯ll protect you no matter what.¡± And at that moment. Beep! The unpleasant warning sound from earlier echoed again. ¡¸In 5 seconds, the dungeon will begin.¡¹ ¡¸All marksmen, pleasee up to the deck.¡¹ At this, Ottavio and Ricardo took their positions on the stone floor near the bonfire. ¡°What¡¯s this¡­ I¡¯m shaking like crazy.¡± As Ricardo stroked his bruised face and muttered, Ottavio added with a sniffle. ¡°Wasn¡¯t this supposed to be level D difficulty? Are youing again if you survive?¡± ¡°Are you insane?¡± As Ricardo spat out his lines, the mes of the bonfire flickered once. Whoosh! ¡¸Dungeonmencement.¡¹ Finally, it began. The insane voyage. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± ck! As Yeongwoo stepped forward, the chains connecting him to the ground tightened. And then. Thunk. Suddenly. The stone floor carrying the two marksmen truly began to move. But this was purely due to Yeongwoo¡¯s strength. There were no wheels under this stone floor. ¡°Fuck fuckk¡­¡± Ricardo spat out curses, filled with remorse for the handler and fear of the dreadful situation. And just as the stone floor was starting to pick up speed, an rming sound came from beyond the darkness surrounding them. -Over there. -What¡¯s that? Although the voices sounded as harsh as metal scraping against metal, they were undoubtedly human voices. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°Why are there people in a ce like this?¡± But no matter how much one thought about it, these sounds were undoubtedly from the ¡®intruders¡¯ described in the rule earlier. The ones aiming for the handler and the bonfire. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the bonfire stay lit?¡± Ricardo, who had be confused by the fading rules, asked anxiously while ncing around at the darkness. To this, Yeongwoo, who was practically a ve pulling the boat, replied. ¡°Yes. We have to protect both the handler and the bonfire.¡± And with this conversation, the assants appeared. -Kill them! -Hiyaaah! Tatatat! From the darkness all around, figures rushed into the illuminated area near the bonfire. They looked like people, and there were easily over a hundred of them, visible in the light. It felt like the first day of a reset, recreating the brawl at the currency exchange. ¡°¡­!¡± These monstrous figures, covered in ash-like powder, climbed onto the boat one by one, each wielding a weapon in hand, and then attacked the two marksmen guarding the bonfire. -Die! -Kyaaah! Although these monsters varied in gender and race, their purpose seemed singr: to ensure the failure of the three who hade here. ¡°These fucking bastards!¡± Ricardo, who was standing near the bonfire, gritted his teeth and swung his sword, but they mercilessly charged at him without fear. ¡°Urgh¡­!¡± Not only Yeongwoo but also the other two were traumatized to the point of mental oppression, as their memories from the currency exchange were close to traumatic. ¡°Get off!¡± ¡°Uwaaaah!¡± Of course, as the strongest in therge area, each time they swung their swords, several of the monsters were cut down. But the real problem began from this point. Thunk thunk. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s incredibly heavy!¡± As the bodies piled up, the boat became unbearably heavy to the point where Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t pull it anymore. It was clear that the weight of the monsters was not at the level of an ordinary person. ¡°Oh my god. We need to clear away the bodies.¡± Realizing the situation, Ottavio began kicking the bodies strewn across the stone floor with sweat pouring down his face. And in the meantime, an evenrger number of monsters had gathered around. Although it was still not bright enough to confirm with the eyes, the chaoticmotion felt from beyond the darkness was evident. A dreadful premonition, as if thousands were wriggling nearby, despite being unable to see. ¡°Fuck.¡± Eventually, curses escaped from Yeongwoo¡¯s lips too. He decided he needed to reduce the number of monsters, even if it meant sacrificing some speed. With this in mind, Yeongwoo lowered his gaze to draw the sword from his belt. Then¡­ ¡°¡­!¡± He saw the Dragon¡¯s Legacy glowing red. It could have been because of Ricardo behind him, but a more ominous intuition brushed against Yeongwoo¡¯s back. So Yeongwoo¡­ Shwack! Drew the Dragon¡¯s Legacy from his belt. ¡°Huah!¡± In the darkness, he forcefully threw the sword towards the darkened distance. He did it to see if the Dragon¡¯s Legacy was burning inside there too. Whoosh! Gradually, the red de cut through the darkness diagonally, illuminating glimpses of the ashen monsters that filled the darkness around the grade detector. ¡°This¡­!¡± As expected, the monsters filled every inch of space along this route. But what made Yeongwoo more scared was¡­ ¡®This seems real after all.¡¯ The Dragon¡¯s Legacy, which had flown tens of meters, was still burning red near the de. This meant that the monsters surrounding the sword also had internal ranks. And as far as Yeongwoo knew, the only ones with internal ranks were those with human status. Since mutants are essentially judged to be human, they be the subject of local swordsmanship guidance and the Dragon¡¯s Legacy responds to them. ¡®These bastards might really be humans.¡¯ Around this time, another group of monsters rushed forward from the front, their eyes glinting. -Target the chains! Get the one unhooking the chains first! -Let¡¯s cut their legs! -Cut them off! It seemed these ones were specifically targeting the handler. Seeing the monsters near the bonfire being swiftly dealt with, they immediately rushed towards Yeongwoo. Upon this, Yeongwoo remotely retrieved the Dragon¡¯s Legacy he had thrown far away and also drew the ck Sword still tucked into his belt. He intended to wield the ck Sword to its fullest extent, thinking it might be able to clear a path, at least for the boat. ¡°Come at me, you bastards!¡± As Yeongwoo roared with determination, one of the monsters who had emerged from the darkness spat out an unbelievable line. -Oh, Yeongwoo! ¡°What¡­?¡± Yeongwoo could only turn his head towards the origin of the voice, seemingly entranced. And his already dted pupils widened even further. -This time, please grant my request. Can you do that? What is the identity of the thing draped between the darkness and the light of the bonfire, looking at Yeongwoo? -Today, please die here. It was none other than Yeongwoo¡¯s former roommate, Im Bonghee. Chapter 116 Chapter 116 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 116: Night Dungeon (4) ¡°Im Bonghee¡­?¡± As Yeongwoo muttered in a daze, a sensation of golden shes filled his vision. ¡¸The sensory value has temporarily increased from the original 800 to 924.¡¹ ¡¸The sensory value has temporarily increased from the original 924 to 1,089.¡¹ ¡¸The sensory value has temporarily increased from the original 1,089 to 1,235.¡¹ Eventually, reaching the highest sensory ability triggered the activation of ¡®Agility.¡¯ ¡¸Agility¡¹ ¨C Mutation Ring ¡¾When Senses is the highest ability, 10% damage reduction is obtained.¡¿ The monsters that appeared with Im Bonghee began to rush in earnest. ¨C Catch them¡­! ¨C From their legs! Judging by the obtained sensory values, the average ability of the monsters ranged between 200 and 300. Therefore, they weren¡¯t a significant threat in terms ofbat alone, but the issuey in their numbers. Just sticking to them consumed a lot of stamina. Moreover, every time they swung the daggers they held in their hands, it caused a chilling sensation on the skin, which became increasingly unbearable over time. Despite Yeongwoo¡¯s durability reaching thousands, repeated attacks on the same spot inevitably deepened the wounds. ¡°Ugh!¡± Of course, Yeongwoo had a trick to shake off the clinging enemies. That was none other than¡­ Boom! ¡¸Self-destruct¡¹ ¨C Mutation Bracelet ¡¾Causes a strong explosion.¡¿ ¡¾Durability increased by 300.¡¿ A kind of self-destruct device called ¡®Self-destruct.¡¯ However, as terrifying as it was to st away nearby monsters with it, more monsters rushed in like ants, and since there was a reload time for the explosion, it was impossible to use it infinitely. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Eventually, within ten minutes, blood started to flow from Yeongwoo¡¯s body, prompting Ricardo to intervene. ¡°Korean! Hold on a little longer¡­!¡± Although he said so, in reality, he was already surrounded by a dozen or so monsters. It was practically impossible to guard both the bonfire and the handler at the same time. ¡®Damn, can this mission even seed?¡¯ Yeongwoo poured blood from his whole body, still gazing at the distant lights of the pathway with no end in sight. Something¡­ Something more was needed. However, the whistle hadn¡¯t charged yet, and using the Dragon¡¯s Legacy like a boomerang wasn¡¯t enough to wipe out the constantly iing monsters in time. Of course, due to ¡®Masochism¡¯ his strength had increased dramatically, and his speed was faster than before, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel increasingly sure that he couldn¡¯t finish this. ¡¸Slime Core¡¹ ¨C Mutation Bracelet ¡¾Regenerative power increases dramatically.¡¿ His regeneration couldn¡¯t offset the minor damages caused by the monsters. Their numbers were just too many. ¡®Wait, where did Im Bonghee go?¡¯ As Yeongwoo swung his ck sword extended up to 6 meters, he tried to find a familiar face among the ashen corpses. And then¡­ ¨C Agh! Hearing a sharp voice from the side, outside his field of vision, he turned his head. From the side, Yeongwoo heard a sharp voiceing from outside his field of vision and turned his head. Then¡­ Swish! Arge gray axe de flew towards him. ¨C Die! It was none other than Im Bonghee aiming for Yeongwoo¡¯s neck and swinging her weapon. ¡°This¡­!¡± However, unlike Bonghee, who functioned as a mere ¡°troublemaker¡± within this abyss, Yeongwoo was the ¡°Strongest Sword,¡± who had grown through numerous hardships. Therefore, such a trivial attack like this¡­ ¡®I don¡¯t even need the help of swordsmanship. It¡¯s too obvious.¡¯ Yeongwoo easily deflected Bonghee¡¯s attack, which seemed to move in slow motion, with his forehead. ng! Bonghee¡¯s attack, which failed to prate Yeongwoo¡¯s head, bounced back without force, and immediately, Yeongwoo¡¯s ck sword swept towards her side. Whoosh! And then, something amazing happened. Shaaah! On the arc drawn by Yeongwoo¡¯s ck sword, the logo of Dogo was printed as if embroidered. And on top of that, Bonghee¡¯s head, which was spinning like a couple of wheels, flew by simply. Thud. It was like a scene from a movie. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Yeongwoo instinctively held his breath for a moment. The endless waves of lightweight ashen monsters, the pain radiating from the wounds covering his entire body, and even the tense breathing of his party members from behind. Given the circumstances, he had forgotten. That he was the advertising model for the intergctic weapon brand, Dogo. Surely the shareholders of Dogo were watching this insane situation as well. ¨C Aaah! ¨C Kill him! Even amidst this chaos, more ashen monsters were swarming in from the front, forming another huge crowd. The number of them was so great that the lights illuminating the pathway werepletely obscured. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Ricardo, who had just dragged out a monster leaping towards the bonfire, noticed the darkness surging towards the direction of the handler and looked at it with fearful eyes. He realized that a far greater number of monsters wereing now than before. Moreover, there were still hundreds of monsters near the ship. ¡°H¡­ Hey, Korean! Are you okay?¡± Seeing that even the pathway lights werepletely obscured, Ricardo asked the handler. Then he noticed that something was wrong with the handler and shouted in rm. ¡°What the fuck are you doing, Korean!¡± Seeing this, Ottavio, who was frantically swinging his sword while showing his back to Ricardo, turned around hastily. Then¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± He suddenly saw the back of an Asian hunter kneeling on the ground. It was as if he was praying to the sky. No, it was obvious that he was praying to the sky, with both hands bound in chains, looking up at the distant sky. ¡°Jeong Yeongwoo!¡± Ottavio, realizing that the ship hadpletely stopped, showed a furious expression for the first time since entering the dungeon. Could there really be a god in this fucked up world? If this mission failed, one out of the three would inevitably have to y Russian roulette and face death. However, Ottavio had no intention of leaving his fate to chance. ¡°This insane¡­!¡± At the moment Ottavio was about to curse the pitiful Asian hunter, Yeongwoo, bound in chains, raised his blood-soaked arms to the sky and shouted. ¡°This battle¡­! Is sponsored by the intergctic weapon brand Dogo!¡± * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] How did Moses feel standing in front of the locked Red Sea? Yeongwoo was an atheist, but at this moment, he was closer to a fanatic. He proceeded with the task with a unteral certainty that Dogo, or rather the sky, was watching over him. Now, he was about to start the Dogo brand advertisement. ¡°I am Jeong Yeongwoo, the strongest from Gyeongbuk and Gangnam on Earth! From now on, it¡¯s ad time!¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s arms, raised high into the air, were trembling slightly. If Dogo didn¡¯t answer this call¡­ no, this provocation, there would be little left of the remaining pathway. He didn¡¯t show it, but his strength had been rapidly draining since a while ago. It was probably due to losing too much blood. But at least, wasn¡¯t Yeongwoo the world¡¯s top-tier ¡°tanker¡±? If he couldn¡¯t handle it, no matter who took the helm, the oue would likely be the same. It was such a diabolical difficulty level that one might think it was a trap to kill one of the three participants from the beginning. ¡°Dogo¡­!¡± With Yeongwoo¡¯s final shout, thousands of monsters that were approaching under the cover of darkness revealed themselves under the light. ¨C Aaah! ¨C Kill the handler first! ¨C Attack! In a sh, the monsters overwhelmed Yeongwoo, piling up on top of him like a small mountain. The chain connecting him to the ¡°ship¡± couldn¡¯t even be seen anymore. And when the pile grew too big to climb, the rest surged towards the bonfire. ¡°Ha, fuck.¡± Ricardo, anticipating the worst oue, looked at Ottavio with a pale face. It was meant to be theirst farewell. But Ottavio, in the midst of this tense situation, was staring into the void. ¡°What¡¯s happening¡­¡± Observing Ottavio¡¯s reaction, Ricardo, too, shifted his gaze upwards. ¡°Crack!¡± Soon, his eyes turned white. Because aser beam was shooting down from the sky. Zzzzzzzz! The area, previously shrouded in darkness, suddenly brightened up as if it were midday. ¨C Eek! ¨C Aaah! Not only the two marksmen but also the ashen monsters filling the chamber felt an instinctive fear and began to scatter in all directions. As if cockroaches were seeking shelter in the dark. Thud! And in the moment when the monsters piled up like a mountain on top of Yeongwoo, a sharp de suddenly soared up from among them, drawing a spectacr spiral pattern as it swung diagonally. ¡°Hyaaah!¡± This was none other than Gyeongbuk¡¯s strongest sword, Yeongwoo07. He had just received a response from Dogo, the one who had been given a chance to survive. It was all thanks to his strategy of starting an advertisement on his own. [Dogo] ¡°Almost Sold Out¡± [Mission] Survive using the equipment provided. [Reward] Survival guaranteed [Special] Real-time feedback on equipment usage is required for this mission. [Note] The provided equipment will be collected. In Yeongwoo¡¯s view, a new Dogo quest was now avable, and there was a palm-sized dodecahedron lying on his palm. A dodecahedron with twelve pentagonal faces. Swoosh. As Yeongwoo picked it up, theser that had been descending vertically suddenly disappeared as if it were a lie. Whack! Then the ashen monsters, who had been fleeing from the light, began to show signs of aggression again. ¨C Disappear! ¨C Now¡¯s the time! ¨C Quick, kill him! ¨C Hurry up¡­! Tap, tap, tap, thud! The ashen horde began to surge back from the darkness. Yeongwoo unknowingly exerted force on the dodecahedron he was holding. Squeak. Then, each face where Yeongwoo¡¯s fingers touched slightly indented inward, like buttons. Click. ¡°Huh.¡± Then holographic numbers appeared on the dodecahedron. ¡¾3¡¿ ¡°Huh?¡± ¡¾2¡¿ ¡°¡­Oh.¡± ¡¾1¡¿ Yeongwoo had a gut feeling that this was a bomb and threw the dodecahedron into the darkness. Whoosh! ¡¾X¡¿ ¡­! If Yeongwoo hadn¡¯t seen it wrong, the dodecahedron disyed ¡®X¡¯ as itsst message, and then¡­ Boom! With a deafening roar, the dodecahedron exploded, or more precisely, opened up in mid-air. Then¡­ Swoooosh! All the monsters within the dodecahedron¡¯s cavity were sucked in. At least a thousand of them. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°W-what¡­?¡± In disbelief, Ottavio and Ricardo, who were still standing on the deck, opened their mouths wide. At first, they thought the Asian had gone crazy, muttering nonsense towards the sky, but then something actually came down. A divine weapon that could tidy up the entire chamber with just one throw. ¡°It¡­ It can¡¯t be.¡± Could there really be a god in this world¡­? As the two foreigners looked at Yeongwoo in awe, the Asian hunter walked over to the ship and picked up the dodecahedron from the ground. Then, looking up at the sky, he eximed loudly. ¡°Ah¡­ Wow! Amazing, it¡¯s a¡­ spatial bomb! With its polygonal structure, it seems to fit well in any hand!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 117 Chapter 117 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 117: Night Dungeon (5) What on earth is happening? Ottavio from Sicily, Italy, and Ricardo from Tocantins, Brazil, were feeling a strange mix of joy and fear, half and half. For starters. Quaddddook! The fact that the ship was moving quite fast was very encouraging. With this speed, they didn¡¯t need to resort to the ¡°Russian roulette,¡± where one of them had to die as the price of mission failure. However. Pweeeeeng! The fact that the Asian man on this ship¡¯s helm was sucking in the monsters with the ¡°A-Space Bomb¡± provided by the heavens made the two of them fearful. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s really light!¡± Is he muttering to himself into the air? It seemed as if he were reporting to someone¡­ Even though it was a world with dragons and quests, that was¡­ something that transcended even post-resetmon sense. Of course, it was thousands of times better to die unnoticed in this abyss. Because that would be such a worthless death. Pweeeeeng! Finally, another explosion urred, and Yeongwoo quickly moved the ship as if he had been waiting. Dududuk, Dududuk! Then he picked up the twelve-faced dice lying on the floor where the explosion had urred. me. Next time. Click. After pressing the switch to activate the timer, he threw it back into the darkness ahead where there was a noisymotion. Hwaeat! Then, as always, the twelve-faced dice split in twelve directions, sucking in all the monsters near the throwing point. Kweaaaaaah! ¨C H, help! ¨C Save me! ¨C Aaaaaa! Each time, the monsters screamed in agony, but it didn¡¯tst long. Their bodies were eerily muted as they reached themon space contained within the twelve-faced dice. Shuaaak! Once the ¡°space¡± finished sucking in, the twelve-faced dice returned to its original form and fell to the ground with a thud. And Yeongwoo, who saw this, moved forward again. Dududuk, Dududuk! This was the entirety of how the trio from the three countries was navigating through the dungeon. Of course, from the rear and sides where the bomb¡¯s range didn¡¯t reach, monsters were still pouring in, butpared to the previous difficulty, it was iparable. ¡®If we keep going like this¡­!¡¯ ¡®I can survive!¡¯ Just like the two marksmen whose hope was growing brighter, Yeongwoo also became convinced that he could survive here. The only problem is¡­ ¡°¡­I have nothing more to say.¡± An efficient hardware structure that could be utilized even if an alien came, a mysterious operating system that caused explosions but didn¡¯t produce shes, astonishing suction power that didn¡¯t even leave corpses behind, and so on. Now, everything that can be said about this ¡°product¡± has been said. Click. As Yeongwoo activated the A-Space Bomb again, the marksmen behind subtly nced towards him. This time, they were secretly anticipating what nonsense he would utter next. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Meanwhile, oblivious to his colleagues¡¯ nces, Yeongwoo threw the bomb forward as he did before. Hwa! Then, the monsters rushing towards the fire like moths¡­ Pweeeeeng! ¡­were sucked into the air along with the explosion above their heads. Kweaaaaaah! An unidentified hole that selectively sucked in hostile targets without requiring specific conditions from the user, swallowing even the enemies¡¯ heads, leaving no trace of them. Yeongwoo gazed at the problematic hole, which seemed even darker than the darkness enveloping the surroundings, as if mesmerized. ¡°If this is clearly hell, then what is that ce inside, which seems even darker than this hell? Is it emptiness itself?¡± Now almost resembling a poet, the Eastern handler muttered with a wistful gaze, before stepping forward again. Dududuk! And so, the three continued their journey through the darkness. * * * Hell. When Im Bonghee, who had been eliminated and perished, saw this ce, it was fair to say that this was indeed hell. ¡®All those who have been eliminated gathered here. They became monsters worse than mutants.¡¯ At the time, ¡®Voting¡¯ was a one-sided attack method, but it was also the only way to block the flesh that mighte at you. In other words, in order to harm others, one had to risk one¡¯s own life as coteral. And flipping that around. ¡®Getting voted means someone has harbored tremendous resentment against you. Resentment enough for someone to risk their life to denounce you.¡¯ For example, someone like Im Bonghee, who was actually a rapist. Sweep. Yeongwoo, who had picked up the twelve-faced dice as usual, suddenly felt difort and nced beyond the darkness. ¡°¡­.¡± Then silence returned like an echo. The presence of monsters, which had been as natural as breathing until now, was no longer detectable. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± With that, Yeongwoo, for the first time without throwing the twelve-faced dice, steered the ship away. Dududuk, Dududuk. And the two marksmen, who realized that there had been no more surprise attacks from the sides or rear for some time, widened their eyes like people who had discovered ake in the desert. ¡°I-Is it¡­ over?¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± Ricardo reflexively checked the fire. ¡°Oh¡­¡± As he wished, the me in the center of the stone floor was still burning brightly. Then, all that remained was¡­ Dududuk! To continue pulling the ship until the Eastern handler reached his destination, wherever that may be. Dududuk! As Yeongwoo silently dragged the boat with the two aboard for another hundred meters, Ricardo suddenly spoke with a shy tone. ¡°T-Thank you, Korean. I won¡¯t forget your efforts until I die.¡± Then, Ottavio sitting beside him poked his side and added a word. ¡°Jeong Yeongwoo. By now, you should remember our names.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s not easy to remember Eastern names.¡± They had be quite close over time. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Considering the sheer number of monsters they had fought off together, numbering in the thousands, it was only natural that their inner bond had strengthened as they crossed swords and backed each other up. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo, who had been quietly leading the group forward like the group¡¯s father, finally spoke up. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± It wasn¡¯t until the moment when the sound of the ground rubbing against the boat changed that he opened his mouth. ¡°The ground material has changed.¡± Then he bent his body forward and exerted more force to pull the boat. However. Kwak! This time, the boat didn¡¯t budge an inch. It was as if it had hit something. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Finally, a sense of relief washed over him. Yeongwoo silently released the chains that had bound him all over his body. Chyurk, Chyurryuk. It was an intuition that only the handler who had been pulling the boat alone for so long could possess. The end of this arduous journey hade. Chyrat! Yeongwoo, who had released all the chains wrapped around his waist, walked forward like a prisoner released after a long sentence. Then. Cheolk, Cheolk! A strange sound, different from before, emanated from the illusion. At this, Yeongwoo momentarily removed his gloves and touched the ground. me. ¡°It¡¯s stone.¡± The same material as the ¡°boat¡± he had been pulling all this time was now spread out in front of him. Although it was still pitch ck, he couldn¡¯t exactly discern whaty ahead. ¡°It seems to be over. I¡¯ll go in further to check¡­.¡± As Yeongwoo spoke, taking another step into the darkness. Chat! A faint light descended from high above, illuminating Yeongwoo¡¯s position. And towering right in front of him was a pile of rocks. ¡°¡­?¡± Resembling the remains of a copsed giant ruin, this pile of rockspletely blocked Yeongwoo¡¯s path. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°The path ispletely blocked.¡± Unconsciously, the two marksmen were about to follow Yeongwoo out of the boat, but they managed to stop themselves just in time. They remembered that the dungeon hadn¡¯t ended yet. ¡¸Rule one: Only the handler can touch the chains.¡¹ ¡¸Rule two: Only the handler can be outside the boat.¡¹ Due to the absurd nature of this damn dungeon, they didn¡¯t even know if this was a trap designed to induce a rule vition. ¡°Let¡¯s just wait for now.¡± ¡°¡­Agreed.¡± Eventually, when the two marksmen decided not to leave the vicinity of the fire, the next development unfolded. Paat! A holographic message appeared above the pile of rocks blocking the path. ¡¸You have reached the end of the dungeon.¡¹ ¡°What?¡± ¡°This damn¡­¡± As they suspected, it was indeed a device for ¡°fishing.¡± Still, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t entirely trust this dungeon until the end. ¡°But don¡¯t leave yet. There¡¯s no other way out.¡± The path was still blocked, and there were no additional instructions on the pile of rocks. Instead. Duduk! The stone floor, which Yeongwoo had been pulling all this time with the boat, containing the fire and the marksmen, suddenly moved backward on its own. Even though no one was holding the chains. ¡°Huh, what¡¯s this?¡± Ottavio, sensing something, looked at Yeongwoo. And when Yeongwoo saw the stone floor moving, he quickly ran over and pushed his body against it. Cheolk! As Yeongwoo stepped onto the stone floor, the problematic boat, which had been slowly moving backward, suddenly floated into the air. ¡°Oh¡­ We¡¯re going back!¡± Ricardo eximed with joy, sounding like a child. Ottavio couldn¡¯t hide his excitement as he looked up at the sky. As the boat flew faster and faster towards the spot where everything had started, even the mighty ones among them couldn¡¯t help but be startled. Shoaaaaaat! The stone floor, cutting through the vast emptiness diagonally, reached the hole beneath the stone structure where the three had first descended. Then, after some adjustments. Shiiiiiiik! ¡°Ugh.¡± ¡°Urk!¡± Inside the high-speed elevator that even made the strong ones flinch, Ottavio managed to speak to Yeongwoo. ¡°Thank you very much, really.¡± ¡°¡­No, everyone worked hard to get us out alive.¡± Ottavio chuckled softly and cautiously continued. ¡°We may not have much time left here, but I wanted to ask.¡± ¡°Yes, what is it?¡± ¡°Will we be able to see each other again?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Shaaaaaaaat! A fierce roaring sound cut through their conversation like a de. Then, Ricardo, who had been quietly listening, scratched his cheek and said. ¡°Do you seriously n oning back here? We¡¯ve had enough at this point, haven¡¯t we¡­?¡± He seemed genuinely amazed by the difficulty of the dungeon. However, Ottavio¡¯s eyes were still filled with hope and determination. ¡°You¡¯re called Yeongwoo, right? It¡¯s the characteristic of having the surname first in Korea.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. Yeongwoo is my name.¡± However, it wasn¡¯t certain whether ¡°Jeong¡± was originally a surname. Being an orphan from the start, even the name ¡°Yeongwoo¡± given to him by the orphanage director had no real origin. Of course, such unnecessary information wasn¡¯t explicitly mentioned. ¡°If we meet again next time, please call me Yeongwoo. In Korea, close friends call each other by their names.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s the same here.¡± Then Ottavio extended his right hand to Yeongwoo. It was the first handshake with this European. Thump! When Yeongwoo readily shook hands with him, Ricardo also unexpectedly extended his hand. ¡°My full name is Ricardo da Silva Tavares Junior. Ricardo, I have the same name as my father.¡± ¡°Yes. Nice to meet you, Ricardo.¡± After shaking hands with the South American for the second time, Yeongwoo looked at the fire and felt that the speed of the stone floor¡¯s ascent was gradually decreasing. At that moment, a new system message began to appear on the fire. [Pain of Iria] |Dungeon Grade: Normal |Difficulty: D |Required Personnel: 3 ¡¸The dungeon has beenpleted.¡¹ ¡¸Survivors: 3¡¹ Finally, the dungeonpletion judgment was made. ¡°Is it finally over?¡± As Yeongwoo took a deep breath and looked up, another message appeared in front of the fire. ¡¸For the sake of rewards, individual scores will be calcted.¡¹ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 118 Chapter 118 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 118: Transition (1) ¡°Wait, you¡¯re saying there will be differentiated rewards?¡± Ricardo uttered the words bluntly, almost involuntarily. Then, as if realizing his abruptness, he nced at Yeongwoo, who had taken on the role of the leader. Although all three had risked their lives in the struggle, they wouldn¡¯t have made it to this moment without Yeongwoo¡¯s peculiar performance. ¡°Well, there certainly were differences in contributions. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything to be upset about.¡± As Ottavio expressed his thoughts on the ¡®individual score calction,¡¯ Ricardo nodded in agreement. ¡°Y-yes, that¡¯s true. I don¡¯t have anyints about the differentiation¡­¡± Ricardo couldn¡¯t continue his thought. Yeongwoo had already learned from past experiences that Ricardo tended to speak before thinking, so he wasn¡¯t too bothered by it. In fact, he felt grateful that the system seemed to be taking care of something extra. ¡®They were keeping track of individual scores too¡­ It¡¯s much more meticulous than it appears.¡¯ However, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but wonder what the ¡®reward¡¯ would be. ¡®If it weren¡¯t for Dogo¡¯s support, we probably wouldn¡¯t have made it out of the dungeon. It¡¯s undoubtedly a ce designed for at least one person to die inside. But we managed to break through¡­ What kind of reward will they give us?¡¯ From the moment he received the first golden coin, his suspicion about this world, which had already been deep, had now turned into a valley. Drurrur! Eventually, as they ascended the corridor, a familiar sight appeared before their eyes. ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°Finally.¡± The walls and ceiling of the ruins themed area. They had finally returned to the starting point of this dungeon. It seemed like the stone floor had no intention of moving anymore, as they heard something locking below. nk, ng! Almost simultaneously, the torches announced the individual scores of the three. ¡¸The individual score calction isplete.¡¹ [1st ce] Yeongwoo ¨C Total 172/100 ¨C Excellent dodging skills. ¨C Very high equipment score. ¨C Deceiver. [2nd ce] Ottavio ¨C Total 84/100 ¨C Excellent supporter. ¨C High equipment score. ¨C Divine presence. [3rd ce] Ricardo ¨C Total 62/100 ¨C Excellentbatant. ¨C Great courage. ¨C Slightly obtuse. ¡°What? 62 points? These bastards!¡± Sure enough, as soon as the scores were revealed, Ricardo cursed. Meanwhile, Ottavio noticed something strange in Yeongwoo¡¯s score. ¡°Yeongwoo, isn¡¯t your score exceeding the maximum?¡± ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Yeongwoo nodded. He had been paying attention since it was his own score. He had scored a whopping 172 out of a possible 100 points. But even Ottavio, who had shown exemry behavior throughout the dungeon, only managed to score 84 points. Which meant¡­ ¡®Normally, the maximum score is 100. That¡¯s how the system is designed.¡¯ So why did Yeongwoo get 172 points? ¡®Well, it¡¯s probably because of Dogo. He performed at a level that was originally impossible.¡¯ As Yeongwoo looked at the Dice of Fate still in his hand, the Dogo quest hanging in the corner of his vision was marked aspleted right on time. [Dogo] ¡°Almost Sold Out¡± [Reward Granted] |Survival Assurance Nothing was actually given, but from Yeongwoo¡¯s perspective, it was definitely a strange situation where he received a reward. ¡®Well, thanks to that, I definitely survived.¡¯ Next, as Yeongwoo nced at the weapon he had named the ¡°Dimension Bomb,¡± it disappeared into thin air as if melting away. Shirling. ¡°Huh.¡± As Yeongwoo chuckled, this time the dungeon system brought a ¡®real reward.¡¯ ¡¸Rewards are paid differentially ording to the confirmed ranking.¡¹ [1st ce] Yeongwoo ¨C essory Encyclopaedia [2nd ce] Ottavio ¨C Random Epic Equipment [3rd ce] Ricardo ¨C Random Unique Equipment ¡°Oh¡­!¡± ¡°Damn, Unique?¡± Ottavio and Ricardo¡¯s reactions were mixed. But soon, both of their gazes shifted to Yeongwoo¡¯s reward. Because only the 1st ce received apletely different type of reward. ¡°What¡¯s an essory Encyclopaedia? I¡¯ve never seen anything like it.¡± At Ottavio¡¯s question, Yeongwoo shrugged, indicating that he didn¡¯t know either. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve encountered various pieces of equipment, but¡­ I¡¯ve never seen anything like a encyclopaedia before.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯ll have to receive it and see for yourself.¡± Before Ottavio could finish his sentence, a sh appeared in front of each of the three. Grab! Instantly, Ottavio received a silver-white box, while Ricardo received an orange box. So, this is¡­ ¡°¡­Random boxes.¡± As Yeongwoo muttered to himself, Ottavio asked him. ¡°What about the encyclopaedia? Did you get it?¡± In response, Yeongwoo realized that although there was a sh in front of him, no physical item was given. Because¡­ ¡¸essory Encyclopaedia¡¯ has been added to user Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s data.¡¹ Immediately after the sh, Yeongwoo realized that it was not a box but a notification message. ¡®¡¯essory Encyclopaedia¡¯ has been added to my data?¡¯ Understanding that the ¡®essory Encyclopaedia,¡¯ which was the 1st ce prize of this dungeon, was some kind of system, Yeongwoo immediately attempted to view the encyclopaedia. ¡°Encyclopaedia open?¡± Though he said it as a rhetorical question, when Yeongwoo wished to see the encyclopaedia, something really happened. Whoosh! Arge rectangr window suddenly appeared in front of him, with numbers engraved inside. ¡²13¡³ ¡°13¡­?¡± After a moment of thought, Yeongwoo realized that this was the number of registered items in the encyclopaedia. And shortly after, the following guidance confirmed Yeongwoo¡¯s guess. ¡¸Wee to the encyclopedia, Jeong Yeongwoo07!¡¹ ¡¸The encyclopaedia is a support system for adventurers who explore this world.¡¹ ¡¸The essory Encyclopaedia can store all types of essories, and once registered, you can use the functions without wearing them directly.¡¹ In other words, even if you didn¡¯t wear equipment all over your body, you could still receive item effects. Yeongwoo was already reaching the point where he would soon run out of fingers to wear rings, and there was no more space for bracelets either. In addition, the number of items likepasses or talismans that needed to be carried on the body was increasing. Ignoring storage issues, the biggest risk was the probability of losing items during intensebat. ¡®Well, now I can endlessly purchase items. Even if I have 100 rings, I can wear them all.¡¯ This was probably the true value of the ¡®Encyclopaedia¡¯ system. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] So, it was likely provided only to the contributor ranked 1st in the extremely harsh dungeon. ¡®This means that encyclopaedias for weapons and armor would be the most useful. Even if you want to carry many weapons, you can¡¯t have more than four.¡¯ Moreover, since Yeongwoo could remotely retrieve weapons, even weapons worn at the waist could be effective equipment. The same applied to armor; it wasn¡¯t significantly different. Currently, even if you obtained excellent equipment, if it was a helmet, top, or pants, you had to discard one. However, with such an encyclopaedia, you could easily collect equipment of the same type without any worries, just byparing their performance. ¡®In essence, there¡¯s no limit tobat power.¡¯ As someone who had hosted gaming broadcasts, Yeongwoo quickly grasped the potential of the new system. ¡®Then maybe there are collection rewards in the encyclopaedia?¡¯ As Yeongwoo inwardly asked this question, the next guidance followed. ¡¸Each encyclopaedia has its unique collection effects. If the encyclopaediapleteness exceeds a certain threshold, you can obtain astonishing blessings or techniques.¡¹ ¡®Oh, I see.¡¯ Finally, satisfaction appeared on Yeongwoo¡¯s face. This was exactly what he had hoped for. ¡®Perhaps blessings are like permanent buffs.¡¯ The inclusion of terms like ¡®astonishing¡¯ in the system¡¯s description was also intriguing. [Collection Effect: 10] |Usage count of all essories +1 Finally, as indicated earlier, the collection effect of the encyclopaedia was disyed. ¡®So, effects are added in units of 10? Hmm, wait a moment.¡¯ Yeongwoo took out an item from his pouch. Whoosh. It was the doping drug ¡®Blue Blood.¡¯ ¡¸Blue Blood¡¹ ¨C Mutation Drug ¡¾Strength increased by 30% for 10 minutes.¡¿ ¡¾Number of uses: 2¡¿ ¡®It¡¯s still the same. Drugs aren¡¯t considered essories, huh. Well¡­¡¯ On the other hand, the sk he had been wearing around his neck seemed to be affected by the encyclopaedia. ¡¸Pumpkin-Colored Whistle¡¹ ¨C Legendary Ne ¡¾Summon friends.¡¿ |Youngtae, Taejoon. Because there was a book-shaped icon on the right side of the tooltip that appeared when he held the item. ¡®Previously, it could be used twice a day¡­ Now, can it be used three times?¡¯ As Yeongwoo pondered over the whistle, Ottavio and Ricardo, who had been watching him nkly, couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and spoke up. ¡°Can you please enlighten us a bit?¡± It was only then that Yeongwoo realized. Those two couldn¡¯t see the encyclopaedia they hadid out. ¡°It¡¯s simr to the encyclopaedia system in games. So, this means¡­¡± Yeongwoo tried to give a brief exnation, but the dungeon system didn¡¯t allow it. ¡¸In 10 seconds, the dungeon will be closed.¡¹ ¡¸Please use the portal to exit.¡¹ ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± They hadn¡¯t even properly said goodbye, yet they were being torn apart like this. ¡¸9¡¹ Meanwhile, a countdown was underway above the firece. ¡¸8¡¹ As Ottavio opened the portal by tapping on the wall, he asked Yeongwoo. ¡°If you coulde back to the dungeon tonight, would you participate again?¡± Yeongwoo interpreted it as a question implying that if he were to participate, Ottavio would also bet his life again tonight. ¡¸7¡¹ In fact, until a moment ago, Yeongwoo had been considering participating in the second dungeon, but after confirming the power of the encyclopaedia, he had made up his mind somewhat. ¡¸6¡¹ ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t know if it will be tonight, but if the opportunity arises again, I will return to the dungeon.¡± ¡¸5¡¹ In response to Yeongwoo¡¯s answer, Ottavio nodded. ¡°Understood. If fate allows, let¡¯s meet again.¡± ¡¸4¡¹ Then, instead of exiting through the portal, Ottavio hastily turned back. ¡°Yeongwoo! South Korea right? Just to make sure.¡± ¡¸3¡¹ ¡°Yes, I¡¯m from South Korea. I¡¯m currently in Seoul.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ottavio finally made a face indicating that everything was settled, and with hisst words, he stepped into the portal. ¡°Even meeting outside the dungeon might not be impossible. If we could cross Eurasia very quickly!¡± ¡¸1¡¹ And as the final second approached, just as Yeongwoo was about to step into the portal, Ricardo¡¯s rough voice reached his ears. ¡°See you alive again! Yeongwoo!¡± Shhhaaah! Ignoring the South American¡¯s farewell, Yeongwoo passed through the portal and immediately felt his vision darken. Then. Crunch! Along with loud thunder, he could see ck obsidian rain pounding the ground. He had returned to Paju, where the dungeon had first opened. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m back.¡± As Yeongwoo blinked, he was greeted by a golden goblin and Negwig waiting for him at the dungeon entrance. ¨C Kwiiiik! ¨C Kikkit! Yeongwoo checked the time while covering the goblin with his cloak on top of the Negwig. ¡®It¡¯s 7:52 AM.¡¯ It should have been the time when the sun rose, but the sky was still dark due to the abnormal weather. ¡®The dungeon has disappeared without a trace. It feels like a dream.¡¯ However, when he summoned the encyclopaedia, the interface for the essory encyclopaedia he had seen before appeared unchanged. Everything that happened in the dungeon was definitely not a dream. Then, Ottavio and Ricardo, who had gone through the opposite portal, must have returned to their respective homnds. ¡°¡­¡± Thinking about the two spending the end of the night in Italy and Brazil, Yeongwoo shifted his gaze to the north. At this point, the closest foreign country, North Korea, was worth a visit. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 119 Chapter 119 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 119: Transition (2) Paju. A city located at the northwest edge of South Korea, facing the border with North Korea¡¯s Kaesong Special City. The pre-reset poption was approximately 490,000. One notable feature of this city is the presence of many military bases due to its proximity to North Korea and the presence of a Joint Security Area. Commonly known as Panmunjom. Even if one briefly considers crossing over to North Korea, it¡¯s hard to resist visiting Panmunjom. So, Yeongwoo was already at Dorasan Station, also known as the st station in South Korea.¡± nk, clunk! Riding on Negwig, a horse from another world. Kwaaaah¡­¡­! Since obsidian rain continued to pour from the sky, not a single living creature could be seen near Dorasan Station. However, even before the reset, it wasn¡¯t a ce with much human traffic, so even if it wasn¡¯t abnormal weather, it would have been deste. ¡®Then what about the soldiers? What happened to the soldiers stationed in Paju?¡¯ In a world where not only weapons but even bullets had turned to stone, one couldn¡¯t expect soldiers to be ¡®sheltered¡¯ as depicted in typical apocalypse movies or novels. ¡®But that doesn¡¯t mean contact with currency exchange was impossible, right¡­? In terms of reset adaptation, they might have been better off than urban areas.¡¯ Infantry units typically live in toon-sized groups ranging from a minimum of nine to a maximum of ten soldiers. In other words, the situation was very different from the first currency exchange in urban areas, where people live without any sense of camaraderie or belongingmon among soldiers. ¡®Of course, each soldier would have received their share without question, and there wouldn¡¯t be any preparations for a future threat¡­¡¯ Yeongwoo was exempt from military service due to being an orphan, but he volunteered for enlistment and served until the end of his term as a sergeant, a rare case. It was due to a sense of entitlement that had been with him since childhood, before his youthful vigor. ¡®At that time, it was humiliating to be told that I didn¡¯t have to go to the military because I was an orphan.¡¯ Of course, he didn¡¯t regret that choice even now. Was it the right thing to do? He wasn¡¯t sure. Ultimately, even that choice seemed to have followed what was written in the book of fate. ¡®It doesn¡¯t make sense even when I think about it again. That the fate of so many people was predetermined¡­?¡¯ As Yeongwoo turned his head on Negwig¡¯s back, a sign appeared on the previously deserted battlefield, indicating that they were finally adjacent to the DMZ. And next to it, there were long rows of iron fences set up across the forest. Due to Yeongwoo¡¯s decision to head straight north from Dorasan Station without crossing the Unification Bridge, they ended up entering from the side of the military base near Panmunjom. But naturally, there wasn¡¯t a single soldier on guard duty in the vicinity. ¡®Even if there were corpses, this rain would have washed them away into tiny pieces.¡¯ Yeongwoo shuddered at the thought as he continued to enter further inside the military base, crossing over the iron fences. Soon, he spotted the mess hall where soldiers would have once chatted and the barracks across the training grounds. ¡®In fact, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that there are no borders now. During the day, one could freelye and go¡­?¡¯ Perhaps the vacancy in Paju¡¯s Strongest Sword and the unresolved issue of the mutant were rted. Until recently, it was thought that Goyang¡¯s Strongest Sword had absorb the title of Paju, but now¡­ ¡®It could have been taken by North Korea.¡¯ For instance, it could have been taken by the Strongest Sword from Kaesong, which they would soon see. nk, clunk! As Yeongwoo continued to ascend northward, a building he had seen in pictures finally came into view. ¡®We¡¯re almost there.¡¯ It was none other than the House of Peace, the South Korean building at Panmunjom where Kim Jong-un had visited for inter-Korean summits. And about a hundred meters away stood the Freedom House, facing North Korea¡¯s Panmungak across the Military Demarcation Line. ¡®Oh, hold on.¡¯ As Yeongwoo shifted his gaze between the Freedom House and Panmungak, he reflexively pulled the reins, slowing Negwig¡¯s pace. -Neigh¡­! It was because of the astonishing sight before him. ¡®¡­Unbelievable.¡¯ The entire territory of the North, including Panmungak, was shrouded in a bluish mist. ¡®It seems each country has its own strange climate phenomenon.¡¯ Of course, this was within the expected range. But what shocked Yeongwoo was¡­ Kwaaaah¡­¡­! The ck obsidian rain, peculiar to South Korea¡¯s strange climate, was precisely falling only up to the Military Demarcation Line. And the bluish mist, peculiar to North Korea¡¯s strange climate, was lingering only across the border. In other words, it meant that some sort of system that shaped this world was still acknowledging the concepts of ¡®territory, borders¡¯ arbitrarily distinguished by humans before the reset. ¡®What¡¯s the criterion for this distinction? Perhaps it¡¯s the reset point.¡¯ By now, Yeongwoo was curious about whether Dokdo was considered part of South Korea or Japan. How did the universe perceive the territorial disputes concerning Dokdo? nk, clunk. Negwig finally came to a halt right in front of the Military Demarcation Line at Panmunjom. -Neigh! As the creature raised its head, it made a somewhat sharp sound, as if it wanted to convey that they shouldn¡¯t go any further. ¡®I know too. We don¡¯t have the equipment to fend off such mist yet.¡¯ After quickly surveying the surroundings, Yeongwoo used the Epic Compass ¡®Fearful Cat¡¯ to confirm once again that there were no threatening presences nearby. Then, he thought to himself. ¡®Anyway, won¡¯t the strange climate in North Korea clear up before the lodging service ends? Let¡¯s wait until then.¡¯ With this in mind, he opened the essory Encyclopaedia. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Snap! Except for the equipment that needed to be checked frequently, like the ¡®Fearful Cat,¡¯ everything else that didn¡¯t require direct wearing was stored in the encyclopaedia. ¡®I can remove all the rings and bracelets. This makes things much easier.¡¯ The method of storing equipment in the encyclopaedia was very simple. Just focus on the equipment as if you were viewing a tooltip, or touch it with your hand, and a book-shaped encyclopaedia icon would appear along with the equipment tooltip. Then, just look at the encyclopaedia icon, and that¡¯s it. Whisk. The equipment was sucked into the encyclopaedia icon, automatically stored, and its abilities remained active. ¡®I¡¯ll keep just thepass types, Serpent of Greed, and the Whistle.¡¯ Yeongwoo decided to keep the Legendary Bracelet ¡®Golden Punishment¡¯ as it still had its effects intact, and it also served as a sort of defensive gear on its own, which held some significance for him. ¡®Now, is everything sorted out?¡¯ As Yeongwoo nced at his much cleaner hands, he couldn¡¯t help but think that he wanted more encyclopaedias. Even now, he couldn¡¯t utilize equipment like the ¡®Frost Crown¡¯ because he couldn¡¯t wear two helmets simultaneously. ¡¸Frost Crown¡¹ ¨C Mutant Helmet ¡¾20% cold resistance¡¿ But if I obtain a gear encyclopaedia, I could carry the Frost Crown¡¯s 20% cold resistance effect while wielding the Vanguard. ¡¸Merciless¡¹ ¨C Mutant one-handed axe ¡¾Increase power against opponents with a total lower stat sum than the wearer.¡¿ Simrly, with other encyclopaedias, I could obtain different effects. ¡®But to obtain more encyclopaedias, I have to challenge the dungeon every night and achieve the top rank in contributions each time. It¡¯s definitely not an easy task.¡¯ ¡®And even before challenging the dungeon, obtaining equipment that can withstand various strange climates is also a challenge. No matter how diligently I meet with traders, there must be limits, right?¡¯ ¡®Since I can¡¯t predict what kind of climate will ur every night, even if I have several pieces of strange climate equipment, ultimately, it will depend on luck.¡¯ Moreover, there was no guarantee that he would encounter Ottavio and Ricardo in the next dungeon. ¡°¡­ ¡± As Yeongwoo pondered the troublesome issues, his wristwatch began to beep. Beep, beep. It was the 8 o¡¯clock morning rm. ¡®I still have a long way to go until 10 o¡¯clock. Should I take a look around other areas?¡¯ As Yeongwoo nced at the sky while listening to the rm, the ck obsidian rain, which had been filling the sky until just now, disappeared in an instant. Pop! ¡°¡­Huh?¡± And the same was true on the northern side of the Military Demarcation Line, just a few steps ahead. The bluish mist that had filled the area there was also cleanly swept away. ¡®Oh¡­ So 8 a.m. is the end time for the strange climate.¡¯ Yeongwoo learned another rule of this world. Soon after, a series of system notifications appeared in his vision. ¡¸You have permanently increased your strength by 100 due to the Furious Goblin.¡¹ ¡¸The usage count of the Pumpkin Whistle has been replenished.¡¹ It turned out that the officially designated starting point of a ¡®day¡¯ by the system was also 8 a.m. ¡®Hold on. In that case¡­¡¯ As Yeongwoo¡¯s thoughts naturally shifted towards achievements, the long-awaited achievement ¡®Nocturnal¡¯ waspleted. Bang! [Achievement Aplished: Nocturnal] |Achievement Grade: Epic |Achievement Rank: #5 ¡¸Spend a night outside your residence.¡¹ ¡°Wow¡­!¡± Although Yeongwoo was among the top ranks of the elites in the reset world,pleting an achievement was always a wee urrence. And as another achievement waspleted, the Perfectionist was triggered. ¡¸Idealist¡¹ ¨C Epic Ring ¡¾All abilities increase by 100 per achievement¡¿ Once again, there was a notification of increased stats filling his vision. However, Yeongwoo¡¯s attention wasn¡¯t entirely focused on the rapidly increasing stats at the moment. ¡°But why rank 5? Shouldn¡¯t it be at least 3?¡± First ce was probably Otavio. He had been entering the dungeon sincest night. That meant only Yeongwoo himself and Ricardo from Brazil remained. But the achieved rank turned out to be fifth. In other words, at this point in time, at least ¡®five¡¯ individuals hadpleted the Nocturnal achievement. ¡®Does this mean there were more people out at night besides our party?¡¯ Of course, Nocturnal could bepleted without entering the dungeon, so this rank didn¡¯t necessarily imply the existence of another ¡®dungeon party.¡¯ ¡®But it¡¯s not impossible. People who braved the strange climate all night wouldn¡¯t have just sat still, right?¡¯ Most likely, they would have explored areas they hadn¡¯t been to before and probably encountered mutants resting during the night. ¡®It¡¯s challenging. If I can enter the dungeon tonight, I might meet more people than I thought.¡¯ Whether it would be a good thing or a bad thing remained to be seen. Anyway, Yeongwoo never imagined he would experience the term ¡®global vige¡¯ in this way, so he was somewhat taken aback. At the same time, he also thought that if possible tonight, he must visit the dungeon. ¡®Of course, if I¡¯m lucky enough to find more strange climate equipment again.¡¯ As Yeongwoo scratched his chin, contemting crossing the military demarcation line between North and South, thest system notification appeared in his vision. ¡®Oh, I almost forgot.¡¯ It was none other than¡­ ¡¸There are unreceived achievement rewards avable.¡¹ Thepletion reward for the Epic achievement ¡®Nocturnal.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 120 Chapter 120 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 120: Transition (3) ¡®Receivingpensation.¡¯ As Yeongwoo decided to receive the reward for his achievement ¡®Nocturnal,¡¯ a bright light began to emanate from around his neck. Swish! ¡°Huh.¡± Then, a ne with a round gemstone attached to the end of a metallic cord was hung around his neck. ¡¸Eye of the Typhoon¡¹- Epic Ne ¡¾Ignore abnormal weather of wind type.¡¿ *Special reward for ¡®Nocturnal¡¯. ¡®Ah, as expected.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s expression brightened as he read the tooltip of the ne. Although conditional, he had obtained another piece of equipment for immunity to abnormal climates. And above all. ¡®If it¡¯s a wind type¡­¡¯ On the second day, there was red fog, and on the third day, obsidian rain. So, considering the situation, the probability of a different type of abnormal climate appearing on the fourth day, today, was high. ¡®I hope it¡¯s a wind type. It seems that the same type of climate doesn¡¯t ur twice in a row.¡¯ Of course, since there wasn¡¯t much data umted yet, it was just a guess. ¡®Anyway, it¡¯s a good thing.¡¯ So far, the identified types of abnormal climates were fog and rain. In addition to those, he learned about the existence of the wind type through the ne he obtained this time. Swish. As Yeongwoo lifted the gem parts to put the ne into the encyclopaedia, he saw a cute typhoon swirling inside the small gem. ¡®What a fascinating world.¡¯ At Yeongwoo¡¯s mutter, Golden Goblin pointed north and shouted. ¨C Kitkii¡­! It seemed to be a suggestion to quickly go to the new area. ¡°You seem to have be a bitfortable with me. You¡¯re even expressing intentions.¡± Although it was a surprising thing, the Golden Goblin must have been a resident of some world, right? But how did he end uping all the way here and end up dead? I was curious. It would be difficult to hear the full story because I couldn¡¯t have a proper conversation with him. ¡®Well then, shall we move?¡¯ By 1 p.m. today, the mutants of the fourth day were supposed tond throughout Seoul, so he had to return to Seoul before noon. Dealing with mutants appearing in Gangnam was an issue, but he also had to meet Kim Taejoon¡¯s family, whom Jongsu and Taeyoung had found. And one more thing. ¡®If possible, I should also look for the man who is my father.¡¯ There was still a tracking mark of ¡®Wanted Poster¡¯ in Yeongwoo¡¯s field of view. A holographic arrow pointing to the biological father¡¯s location. ¡®But how did I end up having to find someone else¡¯s family first?¡¯ So now, it was time to look for his own flesh and blood. While there was still a chance. ¡°Let¡¯s go for now. Northward.¡± As Yeongwoo stroked Negwig¡¯s neck, the horse from another world began to step forward without hesitation. ck! That¡¯s how Yeongwoo crossed the military demarcation line of the Korean Penins after the reset. That¡¯s none other than the history of Kaesong¡¯s Strongest Sword. Gaah! |The current area of stay is ¡®Kaesong.¡¯ |The Strongest Sword of this area is ¡®Kim Seongu 02.¡¯ Rank 1, Defense 311. ¡®Ah, so North Korea also uses the title of Strongest Sword. But defense 311 times¡­?¡¯ It¡¯s an unprecedented number of defenses. At least, it has never been seen in South Korea. So, this indicates that after the reset, it perfectly reflects the atmosphere of North Korea. ¡®Indeed, the situation seems quite different from our side. Down below, the number of defenses is at most a few tens.¡¯ It¡¯s one of two things. Either there were too many challengers, or Kaesong¡¯s Strongest Sword was a crazy serial killer. Anyway, it¡¯s true that North Korea is a much harsher environment than South Korea. ¡°Hmm.¡± As Yeongwoo gradually picked up speed on Negwig, he scanned the deste outskirts of Kaesong with his eyes. The surroundings were filled with rice fields and mountains, and in the far southwest, there was a ce that seemed to be the downtown area of Kaesong. ¡®At least I might see people over there.¡¯ There were no signs of mutants or monsters, and most of the buildings were intact. This meant that when mutants and monsters fell into Kaesong, someone cleaned them up. ¡®Since I can¡¯t see mutants falling here anyway¡­ I¡¯ll just check the atmosphere.¡¯ Yeongwoo had two main purposes for visiting North Korea. First, to see if he could progress with the achievement ¡®Golden Journey.¡¯ [Golden Journey] |Summon a golden rain in the next area. |Domestic (2/3) |Foreign (0/2) However, since Kaesong, the closest North Korean city, was doing well at keeping mutants out, the first goal became difficult to achieve immediately. And second, to see what the current atmosphere of North Korea was like. ording to the antagonistic rtionship before the reset, North Korea was the enemy of South Korea, and this was likely to remainrgely unchanged even after the reset. In terms of the likelihood of war, it was much more dangerous now than before the reset. Just one person. Even if only one Strongest Sword in South Korea harbored enmity toward North Korea, wouldn¡¯t that lead to war? ¡®If that¡¯s the case, what I¡¯m doing now might be seen as a provocative act towards North Korea.¡¯ As soon as Yeongwoo¡¯s thoughts reached this point, he tapped his left chest to hide his title and covered his golden equipment with his cloak as much as possible. Since he was riding a horse in the first ce, it was almost impossible not to attract attention, but at least he had to hide his origin. ¡®It¡¯s a risky move, but I need to examine the situation in North Korea while I have the chance. Seoul is already establishing its system, but who knows if North Korea is any different.¡¯ Especially considering that North Korea was under a dictatorship led by Kim Jong-un. Therefore, the copse of society due to the reset would likely have a very different aspect here. ¡®Of course, there¡¯s a high probability that Kim Jong-un has been put on the list of potential casualties, or even if not, he probably died after receiving hundreds of thousands of hits.¡¯ If he were still alive, that would be the worst-case scenario. ¡®And even if Kim Jong-un is dead, the existing senior military officials could have easily attempted a coup¡­ Whatever happened, those guys are hard to predict.¡¯ If Kim Jong-un were alive, he would probably be the Strongest Sword of Pyongyang at least, and if he were dead, it was highly likely that an immensely powerful mutant would return to thisnd. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Mutant, Kim Jong-un. The Strongest Sword of Pyongyang, Kim Jong-un. Which of the two is closer to disaster? It was truly an absurd imagination, but surprisingly, this was reality. And from the perspective of South Korea, which is adjacent to North Korea. ¡®¡­ A time bomb.¡¯ As Yeongwoo made a horrifying imagination, the area gradually changed into fields, and buildings began to appear one by one. Most of them were outdated buildings between 1 and 3 floors, but as he moved forward, the buildings became more sophisticated in shape and taller in height. There were even apartmentplexes forming arge-scale city on the other side. It was then that Yeongwoo remembered. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Kaesong was a city that had received special privileges as part of the inter-Korean joint economic project known as the ¡®Kaesong Industrial Complex.¡¯ ¡®Thanks to that, Kaesong was once considered one of the well-off cities in North Korea.¡¯ However, due to the ongoing tensions with North Korea and, crucially, the revtion that the funds injected into the Kaesong Industrial Complex by the North were used for nuclear development costs, the Kaesong Industrial Complex was shut down at the end of 2016. So, it was natural for the city of Kaesong, once called ¡®Buchon,¡¯ to copse rapidly. After that, thest news Yeongwoo heard about Kaesong was an article from 2023, which reported that deaths from starvation were rampant in Kaesong. ¡®It was said that the people of Kaesong were in such a miserable state that they had even provided free food distribution. Just looking at this, it must have been difficult for Kim Jong-un to survive the purge¡­¡¯ ck, ck! Eventually, Negwig brought Yeongwoo into the inner part of Kaesong. However, there was strangely no sign of life in the well-constructed city, even whenpared to South Korea. It was truly a ghost town. ¡®Even though it hasn¡¯t been long since the abnormal climate subsided, could this happen?¡¯ If there were no people in the city, shouldn¡¯t there be mutants or monsters? ¡°¡­¡­¡± But the sky over Kaesong remained clear without a single pir of light. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Just as Yeongwoo blinked, as if in a dream, he heard a momentary sound in his ear. ¡°Wait¡­!¡± As Yeongwoo pulled the reins to stop Negwig, his intuition turned into certainty. ck! Although very faint, it was clear that there was a sign of life between the buildings to the right. Something was fleeing from Yeongwoo. ¡°Wait!¡± Yeongwoo turned his head in the direction of the sound and shouted, and Negwig started the pursuit on its own. -Whee-ee-ee! With a long howl. ¡°Shh¡­!¡± Yeongwoo was startled. If the opponent was a person, wouldn¡¯t they run away even more desperately after hearing this horse¡¯s cry? And during that time, the figure of the opponent, who had been fleeing with all their might, came into Yeongwoo¡¯s view. ck! Since there were no more buildings to hide around, the identity of the opponent, who finally revealed themselves on the main road, was none other than¡­ ¡°Yi¡­ Eik!¡± It was a barefoot boy wearing clothes that were half tattered. ¡°P-please save me!¡± He must have been around middle school age at best. Then, the boy who had lured Yeongwoo here widened his eyes and asked quite innocently. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Upon seeing the boy closing its eyes, Yeongwoo wrinkled his nose. At this, Yeongwoo wrinkled his nose as he watched the boy closing its eyes. ¡°You guys have a cat that tells you bullshit.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± It seemed like it was the first time someone had given them this kind of feedback, as the teenage scavengers couldn¡¯t find anything to say and exchanged nces among themselves. So, inevitably, Yeongwoo, who was closer to double their age, took the lead in the conversation. ¡°Where are your parents?¡± ¡°They¡¯re dead.¡± ¡°When?¡± ¡°Eight days ago.¡± The parents of the boy who brought Yeongwoo here were already deceased before the reset urred. Then, the other boys chimed in one after another. ¡°Last year.¡± ¡°Yesterday.¡± ¡°A hundred and forty-three days ago.¡± ¡°The day before yesterday.¡± A kind of unfortunate battle, where they boasted of their misfortune. A sense of profound pessimism emanated from them. However, even so, this phenomenon of only orphans remaining in Kaesong was not exined. Surely, there were adults here before. ¡°So, where did the other adults go?¡± Yeongwoo asked, hoping they wouldn¡¯t say they had killed them. In response, the barefoot boy pointed north. ¡°They all went to Pyongyang.¡± ¡°To Pyongyang? Why?¡± ¡°Because the Supreme Leader left his seat, so now they¡¯re going to be outstanding generals.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to¡­?¡± Yeongwoo, who was about to retort, closed his mouth. He understood the rebuttal btedly. ¡®Ah, so that bastard received a hit after all. That¡¯s why everyone went up to Pyongyang because there¡¯s no leader in Pyongyang now. Since there wasn¡¯t anything to eat or live on in Kaesong anyway.¡¯ And the situation where brainwashed children who still call Kim Jong-un ¡®Supreme Leader¡¯ are left to guard their positions, even though the world hase to this point. ¡®If they managed to get some food by doing odd jobs, they could have held out for a few days.¡¯ But even so, they couldn¡¯t handle mutants and monsters. ¡°Let me ask two more questions.¡± ¡°What is it? Go ahead.¡± As Yeongwoo kept asking questions, the North Korean scavenging youths started giggling. ¡°Where is Kaesong¡¯s Strongest Sword right now?¡± Then, as the crowd fell silent for a moment, the barefoot boy answered on behalf of everyone. ¡°He¡¯s probably waking up.¡± ¡°I see.¡± It was a predictable response. Kaesong¡¯s Sword was probably the kingpin among these guys. The reason for setting a trap here was probably because the Strongest Sword¡¯s residence was nearby. ¡°Then, one more question.¡± ¡°Why are you so curious? Besides, sir, you came from South Korea. You can¡¯t live even if you leave anyway.¡± Swish. The barefoot boy drew a dagger from his waist. It seemed like their hunting game was over. And other boys who had been surrounding the area also raised their weapons threateningly. However, before Yeongwoo could ughter everyone here, he wanted to hear one thing. ¡°Kim Jong-un.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Did Kim Jong-un also be a mutant? If he became one, what did he turn into? I¡¯ll tell you what, even if you¡¯re leaving, I¡¯ll make sure you leave with your belly full.¡± As Yeongwoo finished speaking, he took out chocte from the goblin¡¯s dimensional pocket, causing the eyes of the teenage scavengers to widen unexpectedly. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 121 Chapter 121 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 121: Transition (4) ¨D [Dictator-Kim Jong-un] is faced with choices. ¨D He is extremely angry. ¨D selected. ¨D Reflecting the umted points. ¨D A new type of monster, ¡ºYaksha¡»has been added to this world. ¨D [Dictator-Kim Jong-un] is now a Geumgang Yaksha and threatens you. ¡°Geumgang Yaksha¡­?¡± Yeongwoo, who heard about Kim Jong-un¡¯s mutation from the boys, widened his eyes. Of course, he only knew that Kim Jong-un would have transformed into something like a dragon or a giant. ¡°But bing a Geumgang Yaksha¡­ It¡¯s rare even in games.¡± The only encounter Yeongwoo had with the existence of Geumgang Yaksha was in a martial arts game. There was a Geumgang Yaksha among the boss monsters in the game. Still, with at least some authenticity, Yeongwoo knew the basic settings of Geumgang Yaksha. ¡®A god of anger with three faces and six arms.¡¯ As one of the five kings of the Underworld, it is known as a being that defeats evil spirits. ¡®But Kim Jong-un bes a Geumgang Yaksha and returns? Ironically, he himself was close to being an evil spirit.¡¯ Of course, from his perspective, he didn¡¯t even know if the North Korean residents who threw death warrants at him were evil spirits. Anyway, the important thing is¡­ ¡®Although it¡¯s a world where goblins are two meters tall,mon settings are generally well maintained. At least in terms of appearance.¡¯ So it was certain that Geumgang Yaksha would maintain its representative external features when manifested. For example, the setting is that it has three heads and six arms. Moreover, Geumgang Yaksha holds different weapons in its six arms. In other words, it means that it can unleash up to six attacks at once. ¡®Insane.¡¯ While making a dreadful prediction, Yeongwoo kept his promise and threw choctes and chocte bars to the North Korean boys as soon as they reached his hands. Swish! ¡°It¡¯s the promised chocte. Sorry, but you guys have to figure out how to unwrap it yourselves.¡± Only two people stated the fact that Kim Jong-un became one of the five kings of the Underworld, but most of the audience rushed towards the choctes Yeongwoo threw. Now, unlike Yeongwoo, who no longer needed to consume food, these guys had intact human organs. They had all been hungry because they hadn¡¯t had proper food for a long time. Crunch, rustle. While the boys were frantically tearing open the South Korean products, those who didn¡¯t even get their share in this ¡°distribution¡± looked at Yeongwoo with envy. There were only a few choctes for about ten people, so there were dropouts. ¡°Why, what is it?¡± When Yeongwoo asked like this, one of the dropouts pointed to a bag with a golden goblin and said. ¡°Is there nothing more?¡± It was a question asking for more choctes or anything else. Upon hearing this, Yeongwoo pondered for a moment before asking another question. ¡°Why are you staying here even though you are starving? There are ways to go to Pyongyang like adults.¡± At this, the boys, who had been grimacing, subtly shifted their gaze back to the bag of space. They knew well that answering the South Korean¡¯s question would bring them food. ¡°Well, it¡¯s because¡­¡± After a while, one of the boys started to answer, rubbing his nose. ¡°Because the Leader always emphasizes it.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s important to hold our ground, especially when times are tough!¡± As he said this, the boy straightened up and momentarily exerted his strength. ¡°¡­¡± And Yeongwoo, seeing this, felt his heart soften instead. Despite being so indoctrinated by the authorities, they wouldn¡¯t even open their mouths when given choctes. No matter how harsh the world was, he thought, a child was still a child. ¡°So even if you really starve to death here, you¡¯ll still hold your ¡®ground¡¯ to the end?¡± When Yeongwoo instructed the Golden Goblin to retrieve petrified bread, the boys¡¯ eyes widened once again. ¡°W-Well, of course!But the Leader will return soon!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± What kind of nonsense is this again? ¡°You guys said it yourselves earlier, that person became a Geumgang Yaksha.¡± ¡°Yes. He¡¯lle back stronger and more magnificent to set everything right.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Yeongwoo was speechless. The premise was different from the start. ¡®They firmly believe that if they hold their ground ording to the Party¡¯s instructions, Kim Jong-un wille back and reward them.¡¯ Yeongwoo looked around the deserted streets of Kaesong, with only the boys left. Now he felt like he might understand the situation in North Korea. Kim Jong-un¡¯s reign of terror continued even after the reset had begun. The children suffered from hunger, waiting for his return, while the adults who had targeted Kim Jong-un during the reset were desperately preparing for his return as a Yaksha. ¡®Near Pyongyang must be a paradise for the powerful. They must have gathered karma to survive.¡¯ Perhaps there was some kind of alliance in North Korea, like the Seoul Federation. Unlike Seoul, the primary purpose of the North Korean Union would likely be the high probability of striking Kim Jong-un. ¡®If it was just fear of Kim Jong-un, everyone would have fled to China or our side. But the situation seems different. Whatever it is, something serious is happening.¡¯ Yeongwoo decided it was time to give the boys the petrified bread. ¡°Do you guys have any money too?¡± When Yeongwoo said this, the boys hastily released the petrification without even nodding their heads. Shiaaaat! Soon, smoke rose from everywhere, and the truly bothersome mealtime began. In fact, if the North Korean authorities were still intact, such contact, let alone eating bread from a South Korean, would have been considered an act of defection. ¡°¡­..¡± Yeongwoo quietly spoke as he watched the boys, who were busy enjoying their first meal in a while. ¡°After you finish that, leave this ce. Then I won¡¯t chase after you.¡± It was a significant decision for Yeongwoo, but the difference in perspectives wasn¡¯t limited to just Kim Jong-un. ¡°What nonsense, sir. You can¡¯t leave here alive.¡± One of the boys, with breadcrumbs on his lips, shot Yeongwoo a sharp nce. Realizing the deep gap between him and his counterpart, Yeongwoo spat out another word. ¡°Ah.¡± He momentarily misconstrued. These kids gathered here were not just naughty boys but also monsters running a gang in the reset world. They couldn¡¯t be considered typical North Korean civilians. They were more than the Southern boys who stabbed knives through car windows, not less. ¡°Ah, I misunderstood the situation.¡± Yeongwoo jumped off of the horse with the Dragon¡¯s Legacy in his hand. Thud! Instantly, the cloak fluttered in the air, revealing the golden armor, the Serpent of Greed, and other things within it. ¡°¡­!¡± The boys looked startled at this sight, but not a single one fled. Because¡­ Swish! Before they could react, a de flew in from outside the scene. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡¸Sensory values have temporarily increased from the existing 900 to 2,083.¡¹ ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± This was undoubtedly at the level of the Strongest Sword. Yeongwoo immediately leaned back and swung the Dragon¡¯s Legacy to repel the projectiles. Whack! It was evident that the basic one-handed sword supplied on the first day of the reset from the Sword Mountain bounced off. It was initially thrown as a provocation. Swish- As Yeongwoo turned his head in the direction of the flying de, he saw a figure, quiterge, walking out between the buildings on the other side. ¡°Who¡¯s this visitor so early in the morning?¡± Despite his menacing appearance, his voice still carried traces of youthfulness. He couldn¡¯t have been more than eighteen or neen. He seemed to be slightly over 180 centimeters tall. It was unclear whether his original size wasrge or if he obtained a new body through karma. At this point, all Yeongwoo could ascertain was: ¡®He¡¯s the youngest Strongest Sword I¡¯ve seen.¡¯ The fact that his opponent was the Strongest Sword here. ¡ºKaesong¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» As Yeongwoo looked at the title above his opponent¡¯s head, Kim Seongu02, who had defended 311 times, grinned. Then, the boys surrounding the outsider noticed them eating something and stiffened their expressions. ¡°No, these guys¡­¡± It was evident that the chocte bars wrapped in gold paper were not just lucky finds from distributions. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo was now fully engaged in battle mode. He was already identifying what appeared to be equipment amidst his opponent¡¯s shabby demeanor. ¡®First, a ring. Is that bracelet also equipment?¡¯ Above all, what caught his eye was the weapon his opponent wielded. Swish! The weapon Kim Seongu02 held in his hand was a spear. It was a form with a long shaft and a broad de at the end, simr to the shape of a Chinese sword used by Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword, Oh Yeonhee. However, there was a difference: while Oh Yeonhee¡¯s spearhead was curved, the one Kim Seongu had was closer to a veryrge Chinese broadsword. Therefore, it was neither an Eunwoldo nor a halberd but a weapon of ambiguous form. Anyway, if he won this battle, it would be the first time he obtained a spear. ¡®There¡¯s probably a special ability, but I¡¯ll have to fight to find out what it is.¡¯ As Yeongwoo thought this, Kaesong¡¯s Strongest Sword, Kim Seongu, was scolding the delinquent teenagers who had fallen from grace. ¡°Are you out of your mind? These bast*rds don¡¯t even know what shame is.¡± Then, he exposed his teeth to the culprit of this situation, Yeongwoo. ¡°Let¡¯s kill that bastard first and talkter.¡± Whack! The tip of Kaesong¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¯s spear shed, pointing at Yeongwoo. In response, Yeongwoo gripped the Dragon¡¯s Legacy, preparing for an attack. If he hadn¡¯t noticed the quest that suddenly appeared in his field of vision just before the battle, he would have immediately shown off the Strongest Sword¡¯s dominance. ¡®Huh? Wait a minute.¡¯ What Yeongwoo discovered just before the battle was none other than an advertisement quest from the universal weapon brand Dogo. [Dogo] ¡°Headhunter¡± [Mission] Cut off the heads of seven Strongest Swords. [Reward] 7 million karma [Special] You must disclose Dogo¡¯s support in this mission. A whopping 7 million karma was at stake, but the conditions of the quest were merciless, requiring the killing of seven Strongest Swords. At the time, the only way to fulfill this quest was to kill the Strongest Swords affiliated with the Seoul Federation, but not anymore. As can be seen now, isn¡¯t North Korea also using the title system of ¡®Strongest Sword¡¯? Therefore, even defeating North Korea¡¯s Strongest Sword would fulfill the conditions of ¡°Headhunter.¡± However. [Special] You must disclose Dogo¡¯s support in this mission. This means disclosing Dogo¡¯s support before cutting off the opponent¡¯s head. Just as mentioning support in the dungeonst night unexpectedly triggered the receipt of an unnned quest, this ¡°sponsor disclosure¡± was clearly an important procedure. In other words, to kill the Kaesong Strongest Sword and advance the Headhunter quest progress, just like before, you have to disclose Dogo¡¯s support. ¡®Oh God, today¡¯s not really the day for this.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s lips involuntarily curled downward. However, now that half of his life practically belonged to Dogo, it was not an exaggeration. Moreover, wasn¡¯t he already acting like a pro since he started getting paid? ¡°What are you hesitating about? Everyone attack!¡± In the meantime, Kaesong¡¯s Strongest Sword, Kim Seongu, couldn¡¯t take his greedy eyes off Yeongwoo¡¯s equipment and urged the crowd. Then, about ten sharp movements around Yeongwoo started to be more intensepared to earlier, and sensing this, Yeongwoo quickly raised his hand and shouted loudly. ¡°Hold on a moment!¡± ¡°¡­..?¡± Surprised by the sudden ¡®Time¡¯ request, Kim Seongu, who was about to thrust his spear, frowned, and seizing the opportunity, Yeongwoo hastily inserted his lines. ¡°Sir, I have something to say. Just a word¡­ No, a few words.¡± ¡°What? If you¡¯re going to beg for mercy now, don¡¯t bother wasting your breath.¡± Kim Seongu scowled in annoyance and tightened his grip on the spear. Yeongwoo, with his pupils tinged with golden light, continued. ¡°No, it¡¯s not such a clich¨¦ statement.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 122 Chapter 122 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 122: Transition (5) Woah! As golden waves emanated from Yeongwoo¡¯s body with his pupils turning golden, Kim Seonggu, the Strongest Sword of Kaesong, widened his eyes. ¡°This¡­!¡± He knew it all too well. The approaching golden waves were none other than the aura of the Strongest Sword. Hence, he realized the identity of the man before him as the Strongest Sword of South Korea. ¡°Huhup!¡± Kim Seongu also btedly emitted the aura of the Strongest Sword in response, but the waves he produced couldn¡¯tst even a second before crumbling. ¡­! This meant that the aura of the outsider who dared to challenge him was much stronger. ¡®What¡­? Is that bastar* tougher than me?¡¯ Having experienced all sorts of battles in Kaesong since the first day of the reset, Kim Seongu knew rtively well how this ¡®aura of the Strongest Sword¡¯ worked. The power of this technique was closely rted to the prowess of the Strongest Sword themselves, but it primarily relied on internal strength. In vulgar terms, it was called ¡®spirit¡¯, epassing boldness, cunning, mental strength, and the like. And this also applied to the ability to resist the aura. So, even those who grew up like greenhouse flowers, despite having high equipment or stats, were greatly influenced by the aura, while those with strong inner selves could withstand the aura even when struck. In other words, in a situation where two best swordsmen shed with their auras, being overwhelmingly pushed back meant¡­ ¡®¡­Fuc*. Unbelievable.¡¯ Being pushed back meant being rtively close to a greenhouse flower. Eudeuk. With wounded pride, Kim Seongu tried to extend his spear with a glint in his eye. But. Shwaaat! Due to Yeongwoo¡¯s golden waves shattering his aura and starting to demonstrate his skills, he couldn¡¯t do it. ¡°Kkuh¡­?¡± Suddenly feeling as if his heart was being squeezed, he couldn¡¯t move properly. This was true not only for Kim Seongu but also for about a dozen flying teenagers filling the audience seats. ¡°Ugh, ugh!¡± ¡°Save us¡­!¡± ¡°Mister!¡± The boys, who saw even their ¡®king,¡¯ Kim Seongu gripped by fear, begged for mercy from the man from South Korea who was also affected by the aura. However, it was already after Yeongwoo began chanting ¡°that.¡± ¡°This battle is supported by the interster weapon brand Dogo¡­.¡± A somewhat gloomy sponsorship announcement, unlike usual. It made the listeners even more fearful. ¡°Mister?¡± ¡°W¡­ What are you saying all of a sudden!¡± ¡°I am the human of Earth, the strongest in Gyeongbuk and Gangnam, Jeong Yeongwoo 07.¡± Finally revealed, the reason for this man¡¯s powerful aura. Of course, despite him revealing the sponsorship, neither Kim Seongu nor the boys in this ce could understand. They couldn¡¯t know what the man before them had experienced. If Kim Seongu was a greenhouse flower on Earth, Jeong Yeongwoo of Gyeongbuk was close to a weed who came to see the universe outside the atmosphere. No wonder Kim Seongu¡¯s aura could never match Yeongwoo¡¯s. ¡°This lunatic bastard.¡± Finally breaking free from the influence of the aura, Kim Seongu thrust his spear straight towards Yeongwoo. Shwaaat! As expected from someone who had been through all sorts of battles, it was a decisive thrust that even felt poisonous. However, since Kim Seongu utilized the Earth¡¯s martial arts, ¡°Kaesong Swordsmanship,¡± in his attack, to Yeongwoo, his thrust appeared merely as an honest attack. ¡®It¡¯s sharp, but the intention is clearly visible.¡¯ On the other hand, Yeongwoo¡¯s martial arts came from another realm. ¡¾Rohm¡¯s Bottom¡¿ And the unconventional martial art proposed by Rohm¡¯s prisoners offered a counter. Kwig! It involved receiving the opponent¡¯s spear with the forehead, or in other words, the front of the helmet. Due to the overwhelming defensive performance of the ¡°Golden Oath¡± and the sensory advantage, Kim Seongu¡¯s attack seemed incredibly slow to Yeongwoo. Chit! Ultimately, Kim Seongu¡¯s spear couldn¡¯t pierce through the front line and slipped sideways, prompting Yeongwoo to grab the tip of the spear with his left hand. Thud! Kim Seongu¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°What¡­?¡± Next, Yeongwoo pulled the spear towards himself. Hwaeaat! Naturally, Kim Seongu was drawn closer to Yeongwoo. ¡­! In fact, Kim Seongu was trying to narrow the distance with Yeongwoo. Based on hisbat experience so far, it was natural for the opponent to wield a sword in such a situation. Wasn¡¯t his center of gravitypletely off? And the Kaesong Swordsmanship was also advising him to approach the opponent¡¯s right arm, near where he held the sword. However, the next attack executed by Yeongwoo after fulfilling this was¡­ Pwoeeok! A kick utilizing the recoil caused by pulling Kim Seongu in. ¡°Kkuh!¡± Kim Seongu¡¯s face contorted from the unexpected attack, but even in the midst of this, he kept an eye on the opponent¡¯s zing red sword. He thought the sword would move next, anyway. However. Hwaeaeck! What followed was a left body hook flying like lightning. Pwoeeok! ¡°Kehk!¡± A gasp escaped from Kim Seongu¡¯s throat. ¡®Why is this crazy guy using his fists when he has a sword?¡¯ Is this how they fight in South Korea¡­? While Kim Seongu was confused by Yeongwoo¡¯s unexpected attack, finally, the ¡°Dragon¡¯s Legacy¡± began to move. Ssweut. From Yeongwoo¡¯s perspective, after all, Dogo had ordered him to cut the throat. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Ironically, Kim Seongu felt relieved seeing his opponent finally resorting to using a weapon. In a weapon-to-weapon duel, he had umted a lot ofbat data, and he believed that a spear would have a significant advantage even in a close-range fight. ¡°You¡¯re finished now.¡± Thud! So, as Kim Seongu instinctively leaned back. Hwaeak! With another ominous gesture, Yeongwoo¡¯s right foot shot out swiftly. It was none other than a front kick. Pwoeeok! Yeongwoo¡¯s front kick, extended like a thrust, directly hit Kim Seongu¡¯s abdomen, causing him to reflexively bend over in pain. ¡°What¡­?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] He felt something was seriously wrong. With his upper body bent and his neck stretched out, this posture was definitely¡­ ¡°Oh, no!¡± Ideal for decapitation. And indeed, at that moment, Yeongwoo was wielding the ¡°Dragon¡¯s Legacy¡± with both hands and swinging it towards Kim Seongu¡¯s back. Ssguk! The ¡°Dragon¡¯s Legacy¡± traced a dazzling trajectory without any deviation. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Uh¡­!¡± ¡°Oh my god¡­!¡± Everyone in the audience, including Yeongwoo, saw the Dogo¡¯s wedge pattern pierce through Kim Seongu¡¯s neck and touch the ground. Then. Thud, thump! The head of Kim Seongu, the Strongest Sword of Kaesong, fell to the ground. * * * 10:02 AM. Although the sun had already started to rise quite high, still not a single person appeared. Just as the first impression suggested, Kaesong City was indeed a ghost town. The only ones stationed here were Kim Seongu and his gang, in this abandoned city. ¡®Well, now this ce¡¯s fate will remain in a neglected state.¡¯ Yeongwoo, amidst the scattered bodies of boys, calcted the round-trip time between Gangnam in Seoul and Kaesong. ¡®At 1:00 PM, deal with the mutants appearing in Gangnam as quickly as possible¡­ Then move to Gwangjin-gu. If I can handle the mutants in Gwangjin-gu in time, it should be around 1:30 PM.¡¯ And from then on, high-speed travel from Seoul to Kaesong. He didn¡¯t know if he could arrive in Kaesong around 2:00 PM if he could wrap up things in Seoul a little faster. Of course, even this was a n that could be achieved because Yeongwoo was the owner of iron horse Negwig. ¡®It¡¯s a really absurd idea, but that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s entirely impossible. And this way, I can almostplete my achievements in just one day.¡¯ [Golden Journey] |Summon a golden rain in the next region. |Domestic (2/3) |Foreign (0/2) The fact that North Korea¡¯s climate was different meant that at least the world system was considering the North Korean region as a foreign jurisdiction. Therefore, there was a very high probability that he could fulfill the additional condition of summoning a golden rain in two foreign regions. ¡®Let¡¯s go with that n for now. Now that I know Kim Jong-un will return as a mutant, we need to keep an eye on North Korea.¡¯ Then, how would the Strongest Swords of the Seoul Federation react to this news? Yeongwoo was about to transmit this information through the ring ¡®Wave,¡¯ but he hesitated as he saw the system message that appeared before him. -Would you like to merge or merge Kaesong Strongest Sword? ¡­ The merger authorization will disappear in 5 seconds. ¡­ 4. ¡­ 3. ¡°What?¡± He momentarily forgot about the assassination of the Strongest Sword, a long-awaited event. It meant the ability to absorb titles from other regions. ¡®Ha, approval for the merger.¡¯ When Yeongwoo decided to acquire the title of Kaesong¡¯s Strongest Sword, the regional status in the corner of his vision immediately changed. Whoosh! |The current location is ¡®Kaesong.¡¯ |There are no Strongest Swords in this area. Then, a familiar but slightly different merger notification appeared. ¡¸Acquired Kaesong¡¯s Strongest Sword!¡¹ ¡­Reached 1 title in possession of North Korean regions. ¡®¡­North Korean regions.¡¯ However, the really important information followed next. [Kaesong Strongest Sword] => Merged with arge region 2 or more times. = [Joseon Strongest Sword (Advanced)] ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Although it was a format he had seen before, the content waspletely different. This is because the example of title merger that Yeongwoo had seen before was not a merger betweenrge regions, but the process of bing the Strongest sword of arge region, which was the previous step. [Gumi Strongest Sword] => Merged 2 or more times. = [Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword (Advanced)] On the other hand, the example that appeared this time¡­ ¡®Wait¡­ Isn¡¯t the Joseon Strongest Sword a superior version of arge region?¡¯ A title that could only be obtained by integratingrge regions such as South Hwanghaenam Province, Hwanghaebuk Province, Pyongyang Directly Governed City, and North Hamgyeongnam Province, probably the highest-ranking title in North Korea. ¡®But why am I getting this notification now that I¡¯ve only acquired one title in North Korea¡­?¡¯ Could it be because I obtainedrge region titles from South Korea? ¡®Then wouldn¡¯t the genealogy of titles in North Korea be moreplicated? I don¡¯t think it will work like that.¡¯ Considering various hypotheses, Yeongwoo finally arrived at a very usible conclusion after much contemtion. That was¡­ ¡®Ah¡­ Could it be because Kaesong is a special city?¡¯ Special City of Kaesong. In fact, in terms of scale alone, it was just an ordinary city with a poption of 370,000, but due to its unique location and administrative characteristics, Kaesong was ssified as a special city within North Korea. In other words, unlike other cities, it was an independent area not belonging to any ¡®province.¡¯ Therefore, if the regional ssification system epted this straightforwardly, the status of Kaesong¡¯s Strongest Sword could have been ced on par with titles like Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword or Pyongyang¡¯s Strongest Sword. ¡®If that¡¯s really the case, it¡¯s a kind of w, albeit not an error.¡¯ And most importantly, Yeongwoo himself became the main beneficiary of this w. Of course, since two morerge region titles were needed in North Korea, the probability of Yeongwoo bing the Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, while he had his main base in South Korea, was extremely low. No, he had been thinking that way until just now. Until the warning message of the title system popped up, that is. ¡¸As you have acquired titles from regions not belonging to your country, the stigma ¡®Territorialismr¡¯ will be created.¡¹ ¡°What did you say?¡± As Yeongwoo voiced his confusion, a tooltip appeared before him along with a conspicuous de mark, something he had never seen before. ¡ºTerritorialism: North Korea¡» |You have plundered assets from North Korea. To atone for this sin, all Strongest Swords in North Korea will be informed of your location. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 123 Chapter 123 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 123: Territorialism (1) ¡°Hey¡­!¡± Stigma, territorialism. Exposed for the crime of plundering North Korean assets to the Strongest Swords of the opposing side. Yeongwoo felt unjust, but he couldn¡¯t help but ept it because there was nothing wrong with what was written in the tooltip. First, the title of the Strongest Sword of North Korea, Kaesong Strongest Sword, was plundered? ¡®It¡¯s true. I admit it.¡¯ Second, then is that really a sin? ¡®Regardless of the reason, it¡¯s a sin because someone was killed. Of course, strictly speaking, what the system judges as a sin is not murder¡­ It seems to be the act of taking away a foreign title.¡¯ ¡ºTerritorialism: North Korea¡» |You have plundered assets from North Korea. To atone for this sin, all Strongest Swords in North Korea will be informed of your location. Anyway, no matter how Yeongwoo felt about this stigma, the predetermined oue could not be reversed. Therefore. ¡®¡­I lost.¡¯ He is now the top priority fugitive in North Korea. Moreover, since the sentiment between the two countries was not particrly good, it was obvious that an unfortunate incident would ur due to this incident. ¡®It wouldn¡¯t be strange at all if a war broke out because of this.¡¯ Moreover, wasn¡¯t it said that outer cities were being abandoned due to the shortage of supplies in North Korea anyway? So, there was no telling whether arge-scale invasion operation would begin with this opportunity. Dozens of North Korean Strongest Swords crossing the military demarcation line to find the South Korean trash that took away their country¡¯s title¡­ ¡°¡­.¡± As Yeongwoo imagined the terrible scene, he shook his head. Then, he noticed a golden goblin digging through corpses on the other side. -Tsk tsk! Tsk! ¡®Yeah. It¡¯s not like this is the only crisis. I have to find a way to survive somehow.¡¯ Eventually, the golden goblin rushed to Yeongwoo with a handful of coins and equipment that Kaesong Strongest Sword had. -kit! Then, as if reporting to Yeongwoo, he spilled coins and equipment in front of him. ¡°You had quite a lot of spare change.¡± After checking to see if the goblin had missed any valuable items using the Serpent of Greed, Yeongwoo picked up the loot piled on the floor. ¡®For now, the coins¡­ 34.¡¯ 34,000 karma. Since he had poured all the money he had at the time into his stats to survive in the dungeon, such cash was weed no matter how much it was. ¡®There are three pieces of equipment.¡¯ The loot obtained from Kaesong Strongest Sword consisted of a spear, a ring, and a bracelet, totaling three. Considering that they were all mutant-grade, it seemed that the karma he had gained so far had been invested in his stats and body. ¡®Well, his size was unusually big.¡¯ As Yeongwoo picked up the spear on the ground, the equipment tooltip appeared immediately. ¡¸Armor Cutter¡¹ ¨C Mutation Spear ¡¾Ignore 50% physical damage reduction rate.¡¿ ¡®Oh, it¡¯s more terrifying than I thought.¡¯ This would have been suitable as one of the main weapons, but due to the nature of the spear, it couldn¡¯t be tucked into the belt, so one of the three existing weapons had to be entrusted to the goblin. Duhan¡¯s sword, which extends up to 6 meters. Underdog, which increases its power againstrge enemies. And the Dragon¡¯s Legacy, which bes stronger when fighting targets of rank 2 or lower. ¡®There¡¯s nothing to throw away. If anything, it would be Underdog.¡¯ Although Duhan¡¯s sword was also considered, the maximum reach of up to 6 meters was an irreceable characteristic. ¡°Hmm.¡± Yeongwoo, who was pondering for a moment, suddenly remembered something and asked the golden goblin. ¡°Hey.¡± -Tsk! ¡°Do you understand what I¡¯m saying well enough?¡± -Ket! ¡°If a fight breaks out, can you wait nearby and throw me the weapons I ask for?¡± Then, the goblin suddenly closed its mouth. -¡­¡­ It seemed like it could, but it didn¡¯t want to. ¡°Since I don¡¯t have a weapon encyclopaedia right now, you¡¯ll have to y the role of a squire for now.¡± After unterally informing it, Yeongwoo handed Underdog to it. ¡°Just looking at it, if the opponent is bigger than me, I¡¯m preparing to throw this.¡± -¡­Kiik. The goblin made an iprehensible sound as it received the Underdog. Nevertheless, it obediently put Underdog into its spatial pocket. Because it was a ¡®ve,¡¯ it had to fulfill the orders as much as possible. ¡°Fortunately, the rest of the equipment is essories, so I can just put them in the encyclopaedia.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze fell on the remaining two essories of Kaesong Strongest Sword. ¡¸Firestop¡¹ ¨C Mutation Ring ¡¾Fire Resistance 10%¡¿ ¡¸Contemtion¡¹ ¨C Mutation Bracelet ¡¾Sense increased by 500.¡¿ ¡°Oh¡­?¡± Yeongwoo, checking the tooltip of the new loot, widened his eyes. The bracelet that increased perception was undoubtedly wee, and it was also the first time he had acquired me-resistant equipment. nning ahead for battles with dragons, Yeongwoo intended to gradually collect elemental resistance equipment as well. Shiaat! [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] As Yeongwoo registered both essories in the encyclopaedia, the number ¡¯16¡¯ briefly appeared before his eyes. ¡²16¡³ It was the current number of equipment registered in the essory encyclopaedia. Now, with four more, the second effect of the essory encyclopaedia would be activated. ¡®Ah¡­ I want all the other encyclopaedias too. It¡¯s so fraudulent.¡¯ But to do that, he would have to enter the insanely difficult nighttime dungeon again, and for that, he had to stay alive until tonight. From the mutants in Seoul who were scheduled toe at 1 p.m., and the potential assassins from North Korea who could strike at any moment. ¡®Life is bing more and more dynamic.¡¯ Yeongwoo finally checked his current stats. It was because a new notification had appeared in his vision since he registered the mutant ring ¡°Firestop¡± in the encyclopaedia. ¡¸Resistance indicator has been added to the stats.¡¹ ¡®Resistance indicator? Is it because I¡¯ve started wearing resistance items?¡¯ When Yeongwoo opened the stats window, he noticed that resistance values began to be disyed at the bottom. ¡ºCharacter: Jeong Yeongwoo07¡» [Strength] 3,100 (19+3,081) [Endurance] 2,548 (21+2,527) [Durability] 3,048 (13+3,035) [Sensation] 1,400 (24+1,376) |Fire Resistance: 10% |Ability Resistance: 10% * Avable Karma: 34,000 ¡®There might be more monsters breathing fire in the future, but I still don¡¯t know what ability resistance is.¡¯ While Yeongwoo tilted his head, he also thought that he should collect ability resistance equipment whenever it appeared. ¡®There¡¯s no reason for resistance concepts to exist for nothing. You have to be prepared in advance to make use of them at crucial moments.¡¯ After finishing up, Yeongwoo straightened his waist and looked up at the sky, where the sun had risen higher than before, shining down on him. ¡°Whew.¡± With a deep exhale, Yeongwoo took out the Unique Ring Wave. ¡¸Wave¡¹ ¨C Unique Ring [Voice transmission to the Strongest Sword of the acquisition area.] | Area: Seoul He then cautiously spoke into the ring. ¡¶Can¡­ can you hear me?¡· Naturally, since this was a one-way transmission device, there would be no response, and after realizing this a momentter, Yeongwoo brought the ring to his mouth again. ¡¶Today¡¯s meeting will be held in about 40 minutes at 11 a.m. in front of Paju City Hall. There are urgent matters to discuss, so please attend if possible.¡· After saying this much, Yeongwoo was about to head straight to Paju City Hall, but he felt something was missing and added a few more words. ¡¶I¡¯m on my way back from North Korea. Please make sure toe and listen.¡· * * * Seoul buzzed with excitement at the meeting announcement hosted by the newly appointed Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo. The fact that this meeting ce was outside Seoul was unusual, but the meeting time unterally set by Jeong Yeongwoo was about 40 minutes from the announcement. This meant dropping everything and rushing over. ¨DNo, if he¡¯s unterally calling for it, can he be so shameless? Asking us toe within 40 minutes is like telling us to run barefoot. So, some expressed great difort, but still, they couldn¡¯t dare refuse the call. Because. ¨DNorth Korea¡­? ¨DComing back from North Korea? ¨DWhat kind of bullshit is this again? ¨DThere¡¯s never a quiet day. It was because Yeongwoo had thrown the topic of ¡°North Korea¡± at the end. In a world after the reset, where famous individuals, including all sorts of chaebols, were scheduled to return as monsters one after another. Amidst everyone living in such a world, how could anyone just sit back and ignore Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword promising to unravel the ¡°story¡± of his visit to North Korea? ¡ªIf it¡¯s North Korea¡­ Kim Jong-un is probably on the mutant list, nine times out of ten. ¡ªIf he¡¯s been to North Korea and urgent news has emerged¡­? I¡¯m very uneasy. ¡ªThis lunatic, what trouble has he caused this time? Especially those who had attended thest meeting, having witnessed Yeongwoo ¡°unboxing¡± the corpse of Jeong Hyunsik and swallowing the mutant parasyte, even felt fear at the mention of urgent matters. I was wondering what was so serious that that monster would use the expression urgent. So, as soon as most people received Yeongwoo¡¯s announcement, they immediately left their respective areas and headed to Paju. ¡ªGangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword is quite something. Is he trying to make us run barefoot? ¡ªBut why Paju, of all ces? And at this hour. Anyway, they had to arrive by 11 o¡¯clock at thetest. Because of this, Strongest Swords from distant regions had to give up their dignity and rush barefoot at high speed. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo, the source of thismotion¡­ Clippity-clop, clippity-clop! He was hurrying to leave Kaesong City, riding on an iron horse¡¯s back. The distance between Kaesong and Paju City Hall was as far as the distance between Seoul and Paju, so he had to hurry. Clippity-clop! He had scheduled the meeting for 11 o¡¯clock purely based on the appearance time of the mutants. After the meeting, everyone would need enough time to return to their respective areas. ¡®And since we don¡¯t know when someone wille down from the North, we can¡¯t have the meeting in Yongsan.¡¯ Of course, Yeongwoo thought that the Strongest Swords of North Korea would also have their own areas, so they wouldn¡¯t move recklessly in the morning. If they were toe down to reim their titles, it would likely be around three or four in the afternoon after the mutant problem had been resolved. ¡®By the way, if the top title in North Korea is Joseon Strongest Sword¡­ what about South Korea? Would it be something like Daehan¡¯s Strongest Sword?¡¯ As Yeongwoo pondered these thoughts, the end of the Gyeongui Line railway appeared in the distance. He had returned to the outskirts of Paju in South Korea. Pop! |The current area you are in is ¡®Paju¡¯. |There are no Strongest Swords in this area. Shortly after the area status of Paju, which he had seenst night, appeared, as he went further in, he saw the railwayid over the Imjin River. ¡®Well, I¡¯ll arrive soon¡­¡¯ Just as Yeongwoo was about to cross the river via the railway¡­ -Meow. Along with a small vibration from Yeongwoo¡¯s embrace, the cry of a cat echoed out. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Yeongwoo asked, but he was already looking around. The vibration just now was probably¡­ ¡¸Fearful Cat¡¹ ¨C Epic Compass ¡¾Indicates a threatening target.¡¿ ¡¾Strength increases by 25% when bleeding.¡¿ It was undoubtedly the rm of the Fearful Cat, the threat detector. ¡°Wait a minute. I don¡¯t see anything yet. Why is the cat meowing?¡± Sensing something amiss, Yeongwoo pulled on the reins of Negwig and halted just as he was about to continue forward. Kwiing¡­! From somewhere, a very peculiar sound of breaking through space echoed, and Yeongwoo¡¯s vision was engulfed in a deep purple. It was his legendary martial art, ¡°Rohm¡¯s Bottom,¡± delivering a powerful warning. ¡®Huh!¡¯ At the same time, the hologram in front of him suddenly pulled Negwig¡¯s neck backward. ¡®What?¡¯ But it couldn¡¯t have been an act without reason. With a sense of doubt, Yeongwoo immediately pushed Negwig¡¯s neck backward. *Squelch!* Suddenly, where Negwig¡¯s forehead had been just moments ago¡­ *Squealing!* A single beam of light shot down at an incredible speed, piercing the ground. Kwaak! ¡®That¡¯s insane¡­!¡¯ It was none other than an arrow. A silver-colored metallic arrow. ¡®It¡¯s a sniper.¡¯ There would undoubtedly be further attacks. *Thump!* Yeongwoo hastily noticed that the Fearful Cat in his arms was already looking northwest. ¡°¡­!¡± As Yeongwoo turned his head in that direction, he saw a woman holding a bow on a distant hill. And the title above the woman¡¯s head. ¡ºHwanghae¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» ¡°Hwang¡­!¡± Before Yeongwoo could fullyprehend the opponent¡¯s title, the troublesome sound echoed again. *Squealing!* ¡°You son of a bastard! Hand over your head quietly and leave!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 124 Chapter 124 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 124: Territorialism (2) ¡°Good heavens.¡± Yeongwoo, after confirming the opponent¡¯s identity, was greatly surprised by two facts. The first was the mobility of Hwanghae¡¯s Strongest Sword. Even though the Kaesong area was adjacent to the Hwanghae Province, known for its individuality, didn¡¯t they just move straight here riding a steel horse, Negwig? ¡®Of course, it wasn¡¯t a full-speed rush. Still, the fact that someone who departed from Hwanghae Province has already found me¡­¡¯ That meant the opponent¡¯s mobility was nearly double that of Negwig¡¯s normal speed. And the second one was¡­ Sweeeeesh! ¡°Insane¡­!¡± A long-range sniper who had been steadily targeting Negwig since earlier. It seemed like they were nning topletely block the mobility first and then deal with it slowly. In stark contrast to shouting to expose oneself immediately, the actualbat was being conducted very rationally. ¡®They¡¯re not an ordinary opponent. It¡¯s evident they¡¯ve subdued many people with a bow.¡¯ Seeing another arrow narrowly skim past Negwig¡¯s ear, Yeongwoo nced again at the Hwanghae Strongest Sword, which was pulling the bowstring again. ¡®I need to narrow the distance for now. This won¡¯t do.¡¯ Because the opponent was persistently targeting Negwig instead of Yeongwoo, the sensory deprivation of the golden sh didn¡¯t trigger. Therefore, allowing the sniper to continue shooting like this would eventually lead to being hit. ¡°Let¡¯s use full power. I need to make you attack me, not Negwig, to have a chance of winning.¡± Pointing towards the Hwanghae Strongest Sword on the hill, Yeongwoo spoke to Negwig, and it seemed to understand as it snorted heavily. Hyyyyyyah! Then, it immediately started a full-speed rush towards the Hwanghae Strongest Sword. ¡°Wha¡­?¡± The approach speed of the ck horse was much faster than expected. Swoosh! As Negwig covered over two hundred meters in the blink of an eye, the contours of the opponent¡¯s face finally came into focus for Yeongwoo. The Hwanghae Strongest Sword was a small-built woman in herte twenties, but oddly enough¡­ ¡®What¡¯s that?¡¯ There was a holographic interface floating near her right eye. It looked like a sniper scope. ¡®Could it be a real scope?¡¯ Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but think so. Given how she managed to make urate shots from such a long distance, he had been curious. No matter how high her sensory capabilities were, weren¡¯t there limits? However, if she had equipment that corrected her vision or sight like that, the situation would change. Swoosh! Hyyyyyyah! As Negwig, who had been the target until now, brought the opponent within visibility, emitting an angry sound, Yeongwoo also menacingly extended the ¡°Iron Cutter,¡± a variant spear. ¡¸Armor Cutter¡¹ ¨C Mutant Spear ¡¾Ignores 50% of physical damage reduction.¡¿ Using its longer reachpared to conventional weapons, he intended to pressure the opponent. ¡®If they handle things much better than expected, I¡¯ll have to create some variables with the ck Sword at that time.¡¯ As the distance between him and the Hwanghae Strongest Sword rapidly closed, Yeongwoo noticed that the red glow emanated from the Dragon¡¯s Legacy, which he had stored in his belt. This meant that the opponent was also a Grade 2 or lower human. On the other hand, the Hwanghae¡¯s Strongest Sword let out a venomous shout as she saw South Korea¡¯s Strongest Sword rushing towards her like cavalrymen. ¡°How dare you¡­! Die, you bastard!¡± ng! Now that the distance had significantly shortened, Yeongwoo also heard the sound of a bowstring being pulled in his ears. And for the first time, this happened: ¡¸Sensory values have temporarily increased from the previous 1400 to 3000.¡¹ The golden sh had seized the opponent¡¯s senses. And it was a staggering value of 1600. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened. Among all the Strongest Swords he had encountered, this one had the highest sensory perception. Was it because she primarily used a bow as her weapon? ¡®No matter what, could she have heightened her senses to this extent?¡¯ Of course, it was a favorable situation for Yeongwoo. Considering his ability to halve the opponent¡¯s senses unconditionally, this was a fight he couldn¡¯t lose. Shwaaaah¡­! As Yeongwoo¡¯s senses soared to 3000, the Hwanghae Strongest Sword also seemed to sense something amiss. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Being someone whose original sensory value was not just 1 or 2 thousand but a staggering 3200, and being someone who used a bow where precision was crucial, she immediately realized that there was a problem with her own senses. ¡°What kind of trickery is this now?¡± While aiming at Yeongwoo¡¯s chest, she released her hand from the bowstring. Thud! Then, from the seemingly empty front part of the bow, an arrow suddenly shed out. Kwiiiiing! The silver-white arrow shot out towards Yeongwoo with a speedparable to a fired bullet. ¡°¡­!¡± With the distance between both sides being only tens of meters, the arrow inevitably struck Yeongwoo¡¯s chest. Ka-aang! ¡°Ugh!¡± Yeongwoo, startled, screamed. This was the first time he had been hit by an arrow in his life, and above all, the area around his chest hurt terribly. ¡®Even with all the equipment I¡¯ve covered myself with, I couldn¡¯t dodge an arrow flying straight at me from up close.¡¯ ¡¸Golden Oath¡¹- Legendary Breastte ¡¾Reduces enemy attack power by 50%.¡¿ ¡¾umted Golden Ratio: 5¡¿ ¡¸Rock Guardian¡¹ ¨C Mutation Gem ¡¾Slot: Reduces all physical damage¡¿ ¡¸Agility¡¹ ¨C Mutation Ring ¡¾When sense is the highest attribute, gain 10% damage reduction.¡¿ However, it was also thanks to having such equipment ¡°covered¡± that he survived. The situation he had just gone through, which he passed over with regret, was a miracle that could not happen to the Hwanghae Strongest Sword. ¡®That arrow¡­ he was definitely hit, right?¡¯ Hwanghae Strongest Sword, Park Seolhwa09. She cast a fearful nce at the unexpected turn of events. She had just witnessed her arrow not only failing to pierce the opponent¡¯s chest but also being deflected by the golden armor. Then, she should at least tidy up her fall. ng, ng! Despite being hit by arrows, the strange South Korean Strongest Sword continued to approach on horseback. It was as if he was brushing off his chest as if it tickled where the arrow had struck. ¡®No, even after being hit by an arrow?¡¯ The reason Seolhwa primarily used a bow as her weapon was because she used to be an archer before the reset. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] It was an Olympic sport called ¡°archery¡± in South Korea. The advantage of the bow was undoubtedly one-sided killing. Even if the first shot was blocked or missed, she could shoot more while the opponent approached. Thanks to this, Seolhwa had never been exposed to the opponent¡¯s range until now. But now, for the first time, she encountered an opponent who didn¡¯t even bleed after being hit by her arrow. ¡®Maybe he¡­ dodged it?¡¯ ng! With a frightened expression, Seolhwa hastily drew her bowstring. However, seeing the iron horse charging towards her, she gave up her follow-up attack. This was because the South Korean Strongest Sword, riding the horse, was swinging a club-like weapon ignorantly. Whaaaack! A tremendously powerful attack. Just brushing against it would tear one¡¯s body apart, so Seolhwa rolled back to avoid it and leaped high backward. Thud! Was it just the distance from the ground? She could create enough sniping distance even in the sky. ¡®This time, it¡¯s your head!¡¯ As Seolhwa, who leaped about ten meters into the air, aimed her bow at her opponent again, Yeongwoo, who was watching her, suddenly soared into the sky. Paaaah! He even reached a much higher ce than Seolhwa. ¡¸Climber¡¹ ¨C Mutant Pants ¡¾Leap distance tripled.¡¿ Yeongwoo had reached a level where he received equipment buffs for every action. ¡°Ugh.¡± Seolhwa, who was trying to re-aim at the opponent who had climbed above her head, frowned as the sunlight pierced her eyes. And in the meantime¡­ Whaaaack! A ck streak erupted from Yeongwoo in the sky. It was a ck sword, its de extended up to six meters. ¡°Ah!¡± Seolhwa, who had only been thinking about the range of the spear so far, tried to block the unexpected attack with her bow. There was no other way to block the opponent¡¯s sword in this empty space. So, in the end¡­ Ka-aang! As Yeongwoo¡¯s ck Sword shed with Seolhwa¡¯s silver-white bowstring, tremendous pressure was transmitted to Seolhwa. ¡°Ugh!¡± Most of the money she had saved had been spent on sensory perception and equipment purchases, so she couldn¡¯t exert strength in such a direct strength fight. In the end, Seolhwa barely escaped with her life, crashing to the ground, and soon after, Yeongwoo settled down with his ck cloak fluttering down. ng! As Yeongwoonded with a metallic sound, Seolhwa, in ast-ditch effort, drew an early bird from her waist and swung it in a counterattack. Swish! However, even this was easily seen through by Yeongwoo. This time, instead of swinging his sword, he simply stepped on her Early Bird with his foot, blocking it. ¡°Give up.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s closebat abilities were unparalleled. As Yeongwoo stared down at her, Seolhwa, who was also staring at him, spat out unexpectedly. ¡°Pfft!¡± But even this was blocked by Yeongwoo raising his ck Sword. ¡°Hah.¡± Finally, Seolhwa copsed with a bitterugh. Yeongwoo scanned the surroundings to see if there were any other North Korean Strongest Swords around and asked her. ¡°Did youe alone? Did youe right away in anger after hearing about the theft of your title?¡± Upon hearing this, Seolhwa looked incredulous and replied sharply. ¡°Then, did you expect me to stay, have a meeting, ande with others? You should return it soon.¡± Given that the location of the thief was being transmitted in real-time along with the notification that assets had been leaked, it was ridiculous to just stand by and watch. ¡®Then maybe another Strongest Sword ising.¡¯ Especially since there had been no change in location due to fighting with the Hwanghae Strongest Sword for a while¡­ It was possible that they were quietly pursuing him at this moment. ¡°Anyway¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to provoke you on purpose, I¡¯m sorry. Thanks foring with all this equipment. In a way, I¡¯m grateful too.¡± As Yeongwoo said this and looked around again, Seolhwa, realizing that the South Korean was waiting for the next assassin, widened her eyes. ¡°You, you bastard. You¡¯re saying that, but you¡¯re also waiting, aren¡¯t you?¡± Yeongwoo had no intention of lying, so he nodded. ¡°Yes. Since you brought all this equipment to find me. I¡¯m also grateful in a way.¡± As Yeongwoo reached out to touch the silver-white bow still in Seolhwa¡¯s hand, a tooltip appeared in his eyes. Pah! ¡¸White Fire¡¹ ¨C Epic Bow ¡¾Sensory perception applies to arrow power.¡¿ ¡¾Power increases with arrow distance.¡¿ ¡°This is my first time getting a bow, but seeing how you used it earlier made me think it would be useful.¡± Especially for Yeongwoo, who leaps in both strength and perception. Since arrow distance was based on strength. And just as he struggled with sniping earlier, this bow would be able to subdue the uing North Korean powerhouses. ¡°Do you have anyst words? Or is there anyone in Hwanghae that you must protect?¡± As Yeongwoo asked for final words, Seolhwa retorted. ¡°You¡¯re all puffed up just because you won one round! You¡¯re going to regret it today too, you bastard! Soon¡­!¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Since there seemed to be no significantst words, Yeongwoo was about to swing his sword when he hesitated for a moment. He almost forgot something very important. ¡°Alright, then please listen to me for a moment.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about the previous battle¡ªit was sponsored by the Universal Weapon Brand Dogo!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°I am the strongest in Gyeongbuk, Gangnam, and Kaesong on Earth, Jeong Yeongwoo07!¡± With that, Yeongwoo¡¯s de swiftly severed the neck of the Hwanghae Strongest Sword in the blink of an eye. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 125 Chapter 125 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 125: Territorialism (3) 10:48 AM. North Korea was in an uproar. Just minutes after the stigma of ¡®territorialism¡¯ had urred, another unpleasant news followed. ¡¸Our country¡¯s title, the Hwanghae Strongest Sword, has been robbed!¡¹ In the morning, or practically the beginning of the day, two major regional titles from North Korea were being sucked into South Korea. This was a significant problem regardless of whether the counterpart was South Korea or not. Was the country¡¯s assets being leaked abroad? Although it was a world where even countrymen pointed swords at each other, at this moment, everyone was outraged by this incident. And that¡¯s the same for Sinuiju¡¯s Strongest Sword Jo Seonghu 01. ¡°What? This son of a bitch.¡± Looking across the Yalu River while having breakfast, he unconsciously crushed the rice cake he was holding in his hand. ¡°What on earth are you doing? Southern bastards.¡± The ¡®Southern bastards.¡¯ that Jo Seonghu was talking about referred not to thieves from South Korea but to the entire south, including Kaesong and Hwanghae, which had consecutively lost their titles. How much of an indignity can one have to be mentallyx to suffer? How can you lose a fight like nothing else to a South Korean guy who has never experienced the slightest hardship in his life? ¡°Damn it.¡± Seonghu furrowed his brow as if frustrated. Yet, he couldn¡¯t hide his ominous expression. This was because yesterday, even at the Sinuiju, Chinese thieves were discovered crossing the border. However, since they were clearly unrted to the Chinese authorities, Seonghu decided to cut off one of their arms each and send them back. But now, titles were being taken away by South Korea¡­? While the intruders from China were mere riffraff, that thief was undoubtedly extraordinary. Kaesong and Hwanghae Strongest Swords were weaklings, but¡­ Anyway, isn¡¯t it the Strongest Sword? ¡®What on earth is going on down there, that the Strongest Sword level has already started crossing the border?¡¯ Whoosh. As Seonghu raised his hand into the air for a signal, a person waiting behind him hurriedly approached. ¡°Yes, give me the order.¡± ¡°Only dispatch one Pawel to Pyongyang. I guess I have to catch that rat myself.¡± * * * At the same time, Yeongwoo, unaware that a flood was being prepared from the Yalu River, was relentless in shooting arrows. Twang! ¡¸White Fire¡¹ ¨C Epic Bow ¡¾Sensory perception applies to arrow power.¡¿ ¡¾Power increases with arrow distance.¡¿ Thrilled by the fact that he could unterally attack enemies hundreds of meters away. ¡°Oh, my goodness!¡± Yeongwoo was on the Negwig running towards Paju City Hall, aiming at the traffic light in the distance. Then. Thud. He pulled the bowstring with all his might. Thwack! He released the hand holding the bow. The silver-white bowstring shed in the forefront of the silver-white bow, and from that spot, the arrow shot out like a sh of lightning. Thunk! It took practically no time for Yeongwoo to shatter the red traffic light nearly 400 meters away. Of course, if his opponent were of a decent level, like Park Seolhwa, they could probably react adequately to this attack, with a probability of about 70%. ¡¸Illusion¡¹ ¨C Unique Shoes ¡¾30% chance of detection evasion.¡¿ But what if a stealth arrow, undetectable even by local forensic examination from outside the field of vision, came at high speed? How many could react to that? ¡®It¡¯s terrifying just to imagine.¡¯ However, as the impact point exceeded 500 meters, he had to slightly elevate the bow to shoot, indicating that extensive practice would be necessary. ¡®So that¡¯s why Park Seolhwa¡¯s arrows seemed to fall just above the brow.¡¯ Although her shooting angle might not have been perfect, it would have been close to 40 degrees. Strength. The stronger the force pulling the bowstring, the farther the arrow could fly even at low angles. Conversely, if the shooting angle was too high, the range would decrease. ¡®Archery is practically a matter of instinct. I¡¯ll have to shoot a lot to get used to it.¡¯ But where was he? This was the world after the reset. With Yeongwoo¡¯s sensory index reaching 1,400, it rapidly improved his archery skills. Twang¡­ thunk! He had just seeded in a precise shot at 700 meters. ¡®I may not be able to ount for variables like wind yet¡­ but I¡¯ll get more ustomed to it today.¡¯ As expected, since the arrow¡¯s range was rted to strength, Yeongwoo¡¯s realistic maximum range was about 2 kilometers. So how could he identify and snipe enemies beyond 2 kilometers? That¡¯s where one of the loot items, ¡°irvoyance,¡± came in handy. ¡¸irvoyance¡¹ ¨C Mutant Earring ¡¾Visibility is amplified up to 5 times.¡¿ The hologram above Park Seolhwa¡¯s right eye was this item. Moreover, it was a piece of jewelry, so it could be added to the inventory. ¡®Since the bow was a Epic grade, she must have acquired it herself. As for the irvoyance, it¡¯s a mutation item, so she must have decided to use the bow after obtaining it.¡¯ In other words, obtaining the irvoyance, a core item enabling bow operation, marked the start of her ¡°bow build.¡± So how many merchants did Park Seolhwa meet to find a bow in her lifetime? Even the third loot item she obtained seemed to be deliberately prepared for proper use of the bow. ¡¸Shoes¡¹ ¨C Sole Shoes ¡¾When there are no adjacent enemies, movement speed doubles.¡¿ ¡®I need to quickly obtain an armor encyclopaedia to make good use of this.¡¯ Right now, it¡¯s not too disappointing because I have Negwig, but in ces like dungeons, it¡¯s impossible to bring a mount, so there wille a time when it¡¯s needed. ¡®Andstly.¡¯ ¡¸Poison¡¹ ¨C Mutant Dagger ¡¾Neurotoxin¡¿ |Decreases the target¡¯s senses by 10%. This was the dagger that Park Seolhwa carried with her. It was probably herst resort to use when she inevitably allowed the opponent to approach. Of course, for Yeongwoo, who was overflowing with weapons, this was just another factor that awaited the acquisition of a new encyclopaedia . If he were to obtain a weapon encyclopaedia, wouldn¡¯t the neurotoxin be released whether it was ck Sword or Dragon¡¯s Legacy? ¡®I want to get to the dungeon quickly.¡¯ Yeongwoo thought such crazy thoughts as he pulled the bowstring and precisely hit the center of one of the signs on the other side. Twang¡­ boom! Thanks to his rapidly increasing archery proficiency, Yeongwoo could make quite urate shots even while riding a horse. ¡®So this is how the sensory equipment is used.¡¯ Currently, Yeongwoo¡¯s basic strength index was 3,100. If bleeding started in this state, his strength would increase by 25%, and if he also used blue blood doping, his strength index would be further amplified by an additional 30%. In other words, the power and range of his arrows could increase by almost 60%. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡®Since the locations of the mutants are clearly visible, it¡¯s possible to take positions in advance and snipe them.¡¯ As Yeongwoo thought this, he began to see the building of the Paju City Hall, the meeting ce for today. With that in mind, Yeongwoo pulled the bowstring for onest shooting practice before the meeting. * * * Around the same time, in the parking lot in front of Paju City Hall. Contrary to Yeongwoo¡¯s expectations, several Strongest Swords were already present in front of the city hall, and they were all barefoot. This was in response to the shocking statement made by Gangnam Strongest Sword regarding their visit to North Korea. ¡°It¡¯s probably something you¡¯d hardly see twice in your lifetime.¡± Mapo¡¯s Strongest Sword Yang Wutaek07 chuckled as he scanned the ¡°barefoots.¡± In response, Dongdaemun¡¯s Strongest Sword Jang Jeongho01 sat on the ground, grumbling. ¡°What¡¯s going on that they¡¯ve summoned these high-level talents here? It must be something serious.¡± Then, Seongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword Lee Yoobin16 mocked him. ¡°Serious? Are you nning to shake hands again?¡± This reminded everyone of the incident yesterday when Jang Jeongho challenged the newly appointed Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword to a power struggle and got severely reprimanded. ¡°But still, the employees haven¡¯t arrived yet, right? Shouldn¡¯t we at least bring out some chairs? Or go inside? There are new people joining today, and their appearance seems¡­¡± Pointing to the inside of the city hall was Lee Hanwook09, Dongjak¡¯s Strongest Sword. And a few meters away from him was Kim Hyeonggyu11, Eunpyeong¡¯s Strongest Sword, who was attending the meeting for the first time, holding a veryrge and t two-handed sword stuck into the ground. Although he was also a Strongest Sword from the Seoul area, he looked very grim due to joining the meetingte. ¡°¡­.¡± Therefore, he was making a rather cautious expression, as he was unfamiliar with the structure and atmosphere of the meeting and didn¡¯t want to seem underestimated. ¡°Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword¡­ is the strongest right now, right?¡± When Eunpyeong¡¯s Strongest Sword asked with a somewhat heavy voice, the bustling crowd suddenly fell silent. Everyone present here had witnessed the moment when the strongest Strongest Sword changed firsthand. The newly appointed Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo. The monstrous giant who came from another world, riding on a steel horse, and tackled Jeong Hyunsik in a wrestling-style, toppling him over. ¡°He¡¯s strong, incredibly so.¡± After a while, Seongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword Lee Yoobin said with a wistful look. Right now, she was recalling the sight of Jeong Yeongwoo swinging his elbow and cutting off Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s neck. On the other hand. ¡°He¡¯s strong, but he¡¯s a bit strange, so be on your guard. He¡¯s a guy who eats people¡¯s organs.¡± Dongdaemun¡¯s Jang Jeongho made a disgusted expression, recalling the scene where Jeong Yeongwoo opened Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s abdomen and swallowed his entrails. ¡°He eats human organs¡­?¡± The concept of a neer meeting momentarily shattered. Kim Hyeonggyu11, Eunpyeong¡¯s Strongest Sword. Although he was a hero who had protected Eunpyeong-gu against mutants every day, he couldn¡¯t help but be surprised at the idea that the strongest person in this meeting ate human organs. ¡®What kind of person is he¡­?¡¯ As Kim Hyeonggyu imagined the worst-case scenario, Yongsan¡¯s Strongest Sword, who had been looking around anxiously, pointed to the south. ¡°Oh¡­ That person is the second-inmand of our meeting.¡± At this, Kim Hyeonggyu¡¯s head turned involuntarily, and soon he saw a woman with a sword, holding an Woldo. Ta-tat! She was none other than Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword, Oh Yeonhee04. Behind her were Seocho¡¯s Strongest Sword, Choi Namhee11, and Gangdong¡¯s Strongest Sword, Kim Juwoo13, sticking closely. Gangdong was especially the farthest area from Paju among the Seoul regions. ¡°It seems like almost everyone is here. Now, all we need is for the host to appear¡­¡± As Yongsan Strongest Sword, Kim Doha, said this, everyone waited for the moment when Jeong Yeongwoo would enter from the north. Twang! A strange sound, unfamiliar to everyone, rang out. Thwack! Along with the sharp sound, a silver arrow flew through the Strongest Swords and embedded itself into the ground. Thunk! The arrow had such a powerful force that it pierced through the hard asphalt like tofu. ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°What¡¯s this, where did ite from?¡± ¡°What is this¡­?¡± The Strongest Swords in the crowd were bewildered, staring nkly at the arrow, and only reacted btedly when it disappeared into thin air as if melting into the air. Shwooosh! Thud! Drawing their weapons from their waists, they began to search for the direction from which the arrow hade. Then. ¨C Twang! Along with the distinctive cry of his iron horse Negwig, Yeongwoo¡¯s voice was heard from across the city hall. ¡°Oops¡­ Sorry! Was anyone hit by the arrow?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 126 Chapter 126 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 126: Territorialism (4) ¡°An arrow¡­ What would we have done if someone got hit?¡± Jang Jeongho muttered quietly with an expression of difort. His feelings towards Yeongwoo weren¡¯t great, but he didn¡¯t have the skill to confront him directly. ¡®Even though he¡¯s the Strongest in Seoul, isn¡¯t this crossing the line? Isn¡¯t it?¡¯ Jeongho nced around, thinking he would actively support any other Strongest Sword who protested against Yeongwoo. Shooting an arrow in the middle of a meeting¡­ The proud Strongest Swords couldn¡¯t just sit still. Moreover, they had alle barefoot from afar, so it was clear they were in a low-pressure state. ¡°Hmm. Hasn¡¯t this¡­ crossed the line a bit? How many Strongest Swords are here in this position¡­?¡± Finally, Jang Jeongho subtly hinted at his difort. Since their numbers were much greater here, it was an opportunity to break Gangnam Strongest Sword¡¯s spirit. But. ¡°A bow¡­? This time you brought a bow?¡± ¡°Where on earth did you get something like this?¡± ¡°Where else. He went to North Korea.¡± However, the rest of the Strongest Sword only showed interest in Yeongwoo¡¯s new weapon. At least on the surface. ¡®Fuck¡­ An arrow? Didn¡¯t even see iting.¡¯ ¡®That Jang Jeongho keeps talking nonsense. Does he want to start a war with Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword?¡¯ ¡®The guy who beat Jeong Hyunsik to death with his fists now has long-range weapons. A bow¡­ No, at this rate, it¡¯s more like a missile.¡¯ This was the true feelings of the majority of the Strongest Swords gathered at Paju City Hall today. Of course, if everyone here attacked at once, they might be able to subdue one Gangnam Strongest Sword. ¡®But at least a few would die in the process. Just because their pride got hurt, are they going to y Russian roulette?¡¯ This was the reason why everyone maintained cheerful expressions. ck! Finally, from behind the city hall, the sound of Negwig¡¯s iron hooves echoed, and a faint silhouette rose high into the sky. Taahat! ¡°Huh¡­?¡± First, Kim Hyeonggyu of Eunpyeong Strongest Sword widened his eyes. ¡®He¡¯s riding a horse¡­?¡¯ He had heard all kinds of rumors about how powerful Gangnam Strongest Sword was, or how they could eat internal organs, but he had never expected this. In a world where you could drive a car if you had money, and in fact, running with two feet was faster, could horseback riding even be considered practical? Moreover, the creature the opponent was riding wasn¡¯t just a horse, but an otherworldly being made of thick iron. ¨C Kwiiieeek! Then, Negwig let out another long cry andnded in the middle of the meeting hall where the arrow had fallen moments ago. Kuung! The aura emitted by Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword was as substantial as their reputation. Since the eight Strongest Sword on the left had never seen Negwig up close, they suddenly realized howrge the creature was. And Kim Hyeonggyu from Eunpyeong¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡± He looked at the face of the organizer of this meeting and the current Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo, with a more tense expression than anyone else. Then. The face of a man in his thirties, much more ordinary than expected, caught his eye. ¡°Huh?¡± Kim Hyeonggyu, who involuntarily made a surprised sound, drew his gaze above Yeongwoo¡¯s head as if mesmerized, then opened his mouth wide. Shiaaaaah¡­! There, twisting and turning, was a peculiar title that perfectly matched the absolute devil Yeongwoo had in his mind. ¡ºGyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» An earthly regional title belonging to South Korea, contaminated by the transntation of the Otherworldly martial art, ¡°Rohm¡¯s Floor,¡± which had been tarnished into a form barely recognizable due to adaptation. Shiaaaaah¡­! From the purple mist that wrapped around the five characters of the title, mana continuously spewed out, and the title itself kept wriggling as if it were alive. ¡°But¡­ why Gyeongbuk¡­?¡± As Kim Hyeonggyu instinctively stepped back and muttered, Yeongwoo bowed his head slightly and greeted him. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo. I also hold the position of Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword.¡± And although he was now also concurrently serving as Kaesong¡¯s Strongest Sword, it wasn¡¯t the time to reveal that yet. First, it was necessary to gauge the atmosphere of the meeting. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m Kim Hyeonggyu from Eunpyeong-gu. But¡­ you¡¯re not from Seoul. Oh, I mean, not that it matters.¡± As Kim Hyeonggyu babbled withoutposure, Yeongwoo smiled as if to say it was okay. ¡°By the way, is everyone here? First of all, thank you all foring all the way here.¡± Yeongwoo looked around the assembly from his position on the stage. Then, it was clear that all eight Strongest Sword were wide awake. ¡®Thank goodness.¡¯ Yeongwoo felt relieved that his provocation, unintentional as it was, had been well received. While it hadn¡¯t been an outright challenge, shooting an arrow into the center of the meeting hall had been quite deliberate. There were two main reasons for this. Firstly, to see how the Seoul Strongest Sword would react to the arrow. ¡®As I saw earlier, most of them didn¡¯t react in time. It might be because it wasn¡¯t an attack they were prepared for, and the local swordsmanship didn¡¯t activate¡­ But if it had been a real fight, even if unintentional, it could have killed a few and started something.¡¯ Judging from the encounter with the two North Korean Strongest Swords earlier, the gap in skill between the two sides wasn¡¯t that significant. In other words, even if the North Korean Strongest Swords were to gather in force, it would still be possible to handle them to some extent. Even for Yeongwoo alone. And the second reason, to confirm his own strength to the Seoul Strongest Swords. ¡®If they have any sense, they should have realized by now that I¡¯ve grown significantly sincest night.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just an increase in ability, but a change in perspective. From exploring dungeons akin to hell in this world, to coborating with people from Italy and Brazil, to infiltrating North Korea for the first time, and killing two North Korean Strongest Swords. And now, with the addition of a long-range weapon like a bow, the concept of bat¡± that he could engage in had expanded. In other words, no one here could rece Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword Jeong Yeongwoo anymore. But why was this fact important at the present moment, on the eve of the meeting? ¡®Because I have to ask for everyone¡¯s understanding soon.¡¯ As Yeongwoo seemed to be preparing to speak, the Strongest Swords standing around him held their breath and paid attention. ¡°Well, first of all¡­ as I mentioned in the meeting notice, I went to North Korea this morning.¡± ¡°North Korea? You¡¯re not joking, are you?¡± ¡°Really¡­?¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be true.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± The inside of the hall buzzed withmotion. Then, Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword Oh Yeonhee raised her hand slightly, and pointed to the silver-white bow Yeongwoo was carrying across his chest. ¡°So, is this bow North Korean? It¡¯s something I¡¯ve never seen before yesterday.¡± North Korean. It was a strange expression, but in a way, it was urate. ¡°Yes. Although the ce of production ispletely different, it¡¯s true that I obtained it by killing a North Korean Strongest Sword.¡± As Yeongwoo changed his title sessively to Kaesong¡¯s and Hwanghae¡¯s Strongest Sword, the Seoul Strongest Sword began to stir beyond meremotion. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Are you crazy, really¡­?¡± This lunatic who had been devouring the innards of his predecessor since their first meeting seemed strangely quiet, but it turned out he had been out since morning fighting North Korean Strongest Swords. However, strictly speaking, Yeongwoo had been out sincest night. ¡°Before we continue with the North Korea story, we should start with the nighttime dungeon in chronological order.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that again?¡± ¡°A dungeon?¡± ¡°At night¡­?¡± Lo and behold, the Strongest Swords stood with dumbfounded expressions, much like people from ancient times in front of the newspaper stand. ¡°You may have already seen or have some of these items. There are items that can ignore abnormal weather conditions.¡± As Yeongwoo said this and pressed his cloak lengthwise, item tooltips appeared in everyone¡¯s field of view. ¡¸ck Wind Cloak¡¹ ¨C Hero¡¯s Cloak ¡¾Nullifies Obsidian Rain.¡¿ ¡°Yesterday, it rained Obsidian rain, so I was able to go outside, and I defeated a mutant left abandoned on the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province, which opened the dungeon.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s statement afterwards seemed like something he had actually experienced. Powerful individuals who entered through portals from other countries on the same day. And dungeons of insane difficulty where one couldn¡¯t survive without cooperating with them. Of course, he didn¡¯t mention the top-ranked reward, the Encyclopaedia. Instead. Yeongwoo, meanwhile, slowly scanned through the equipment of the Strongest Sword gathered here and continued. ¡°It¡¯s like risking your life to get one more piece of equipment. That¡¯s why I rmend against it. However, sharing information as soon as possible is good. But¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± ¡°Hurry up and say it.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the ¡®but¡¯?¡± In the meantime, Seoul Strongest Swords, eager for the next development, intervened in Yeongwoo¡¯s story, and Yeongwoo continued. ¡°Risking your life to obtain one more piece of equipment, especially one of Unique or higher grade, isn¡¯t that an enormous advantage? The difference between those who participated in the dungeon and those who didn¡¯t will only grow wider.¡± Then, looking southward, Choi Namhee of Seocho¡¯s Strongest Sword finished his thought. ¡°Moreover, considering the current growth trend of mutants these days, isn¡¯t it right to do whatever it takes to be stronger?¡± Just looking at the boxing medalist Cha Dooseong, who appeared in Gwangjin-gu yesterday, was extraordinary. Ultimately, he did meet his end against Yeongwoo. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. But the dungeons aren¡¯t just made for no reason. However, the difficulty is too high¡­¡± As Yeongwoo spoke up to this point, Lee Yoobin of Seongbuk blinked and said with a resolute voice. ¡°But we have someone who has returned alive from the dungeon, don¡¯t we?¡± It referred to Yeongwoo, who was likely the only dungeon experiencer in Asia at the moment. ¡°After all, nighttime outings require equipment, and it¡¯s not like we can all go out together¡­ It would be much safer if only experienced individuals went out.¡± ¡°¡­Right. In a way, it¡¯s like having a dungeon career.¡± ¡°That makes sense.¡± One by one, the Strongest Swords began to nod their heads. And this was also why Jeong Yeongwoo had be indispensable within the assembly. ¡®Fortunately, it¡¯s going smoothly. Anyway, I can¡¯t progress through the dungeon alone, so I need party members. And it¡¯s better to channel the rewards into our country.¡¯ Thinking about it in terms of the stamp system, it seemed that eventually there would bepetition or even conflict with other countries. However, the problem was that in Korea¡¯s case, this ¡°conflict¡± arrived unexpectedly quickly. ¡°¡­.¡± So, Yeongwoo revealed the real reason for convening this meeting. ¡°Now then, let me tell you why I brought you all together.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t the dungeon the main point?¡± ¡°What else is there¡­?¡± As the Strongest Swords swallowed heavily at Yeongwoo¡¯s words, the problematic stamp appeared above Yeongwoo¡¯s head. Stamp! ¡ºTerritorialism: North Korea¡» |You have plundered North Korea¡¯s assets. To atone for this crime, all Strongest Swords in North Korea will be aware of your location. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s this now?¡± ¡°Assets¡­ plundered?¡± As Seoul¡¯s Strongest Sword showed various uneasy reactions, Yeongwoo pointed to the northern sky. Thrust! ¡°North Korea is currently waiting for Kim Jong-un to return as a mutant and is sharpening their knives.¡± Then, Yeongwoo bowed his head to the Strongest Swords in the audience. ¡°In the midst of this, I unterallymitted murder in North Korea, which led to this stamp.¡± So, it was likely that enraged northern forces would soone here, and in the process, the chances of being killed on sight would be high not only for those marked but also for those who had acquired something from the South¡­ At Yeongwoo¡¯s subsequent exnation, all Strongest Swords were left speechless. They had thought about how to fight mutants every day, but they had never imagined that strong survivors from the North woulde down in droves like this. ¡°Th-then what happens now? Is it war¡­?¡± Kim Doha, also known as the guardian of Neo-Seoul, asked with a somewhat incredulous expression. Because of the earlier conversation, he couldn¡¯t scold Yeongwoo, and the conclusion was to first properly understand what had happened. Upon this, Yeongwoo nodded with a calm expression. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m sorry.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 127 Chapter 127 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 127: Territorialism (5) War with North Korea has arrived¡­! This event was as shocking as the reset that changed everyone¡¯s lives here just a few days ago. The majority of the people in the crowd have gotten to this point by acting like dogs. Yet, suddenly finding themselves in a life-threatening situation overnight. If there¡¯s any silver lining in this misfortune, it¡¯s that the most skilled fighters on the Korean Penins are on the same side. ¡®Ugh¡­ Why did we have to let this bastard in?¡¯ ¡®I knew there would be trouble eventually, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be today.¡¯ ¡®But still, can¡¯t that brat handle three of them alone? Then maybe it¡¯ll be surprisingly manageable.¡¯ Amidst countless thoughts of optimism and pessimism crossing the minds of the fighters, someone unintentionally muttered to themselves. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t he just stay here and stop the North Koreans, while we continue to handle the mutants as we¡¯ve been doing¡­?¡± And the one who spoke wasn¡¯t someone else. ¡°¡­Tsk!¡± It was Kim Doha, the Strongest Sword of Yongsan. The weak Strongest Sword who had surrendered Yongsan Park as a meeting ce after being struck by the previous Strongest Sword, Jeong Hyunsik. ¡°Ugh, seriously.¡± ¡°You call that a n?¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± Despite other Strongest Swords rushing in to criticize, they subtly nced at Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s expression. They were actually thinking the same thing. In fact, it¡¯s not an unreasonable opinion. ¡®Well, the Strongest Swords from North Korea won¡¯t alle down at once, right? Of course, it would be regrettable if ten really came down at once, but¡­¡¯ While mutants are indeed bing stronger, not all regions were experiencing a simultaneous strengthening of mutants. Just yesterday, weren¡¯t there only about three regions out of twenty-five with issues? Meanwhile, the Strongest Swords from North Korea could appear anytime, anywhere. ¡®They could be at least as strong as me, or even stronger. In terms of winning probability, it¡¯s 50%. But that¡¯s only when one of themes down from over there¡­¡¯ Already, two Strongest Swords from the north have died. Next time, they¡¯ll surely increase their numbers, won¡¯t they? ¡°Ugh.¡± Yang Wootaek, the Strongest Sword from Mapo, btedly shivered realizing that his district was close to the front line. And Kim Hyeonggyu from Eunpyeong, closer to the north than Mapo¡­ ¡°Um, excuse me. If a war is suddenly dered like this, what should we do?¡± Now the ¡®solid¡¯ concept he had maintained was nowhere to be found. What¡¯s the importance of such dignity when they¡¯re facing North Korean des dozens of times today? ¡°We need to do something, right? Yes? Strongest Swords!¡± As Kim Hyeonggyu looked around the audience and shouted a renewed cry, Yeongwoo, who had been perched on Negwig all this while, came down to the ground. nk! All the Strongest Swords in the area suddenly widened their eyes. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°He¡¯s grown taller¡­?¡± While it was thought that Yeongwoo exuded intimidation due to Negwig¡¯s bulk, it turns out that his physique itself had grown muchrger than before. Until now, it was thought that Yeongwoo exuded intimidation because of Negwig¡¯s bulk, but now it was clear that his physique itself had grown muchrger than before. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Standing right in front of Yeongwoo, Kim Hyeonggyu grinned and looked up at his opponent. Kim Hyeonggyu, the Strongest Sword from Eunpyeong, was 176 centimeters tall. He was certainly not short, but the height of Yeongwoo, whom he faced now, was a whopping 2 meters. Literally a giant. Swoosh. Slowly, Yeongwoo nted his feet firmly on the ground, then gently grabbed both of Kim Hyeonggyu¡¯s arms with his bare hands. ¡°Especially with this recent incident, there¡¯s been an increased risk burden on Eunpyeong. I apologize sincerely. But if you hadn¡¯t shown up to this meeting today, you would have been angry without knowing anything. Wee.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± With Yeongwoo¡¯s oddly twisted point, Kim Hyeonggyu looked puzzled. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo looked at the rest of the Strongest Swords and said. ¡°It¡¯s really a good suggestion for me to specialize in Paju all day. I really want to do that.¡± This was truly sincere. With the need to take down five more Strongest Swords in the future, it wasn¡¯t their ce to choose their targets here. ¡°But.¡± Yeongwoo added a follow-up. ¡°However, we can¡¯t just leave Seoul vacant all day either. I¡¯m already in charge of two areas.¡± He meant Gangnam and Gwangjin-gu. Of course, Gwangjin-gu was a joint area that also restrained Songpa and Seocho, but practically speaking, it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that Yeongwoo, the strongest within the meeting, was in charge. The highest probability of quickly defeating the mutants assigned to each and rushing to Gwangjin-gu first was indeed Yeongwoo¡¯s. ¡°Yes. If Yeongwoo leaves his position, it¡¯ll be difficult for us too.¡± Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword, Oh Yeonhee, supported Yeongwoo¡¯s argument. She also didn¡¯t want mutants in Gwangjin-gu harming Songpa residents. And if Yeongwoo stayed in Paju, who would handle Gangnam¡¯s mutants? ¡°Even handling just Gwangjin-gu alone is overwhelming¡­ If Gangnam is also vacated, it¡¯ll be impossible.¡± Seocho¡¯s Strongest Sword, Choi Namhee, nodded in agreement. Then, finally, Yeongwoo drove the nail. ¡°So, the alternative I propose is that once mutant hunting in Seoul is done, I¡¯ll move to Paju.¡± ¡°I-Is that possible¡­?¡± Kim Dohha, the Strongest Sword of Yongsan, asked like this, then immediately realized he had asked a stupid question and shut his mouth. Didn¡¯t he see it firsthand just a moment ago? The moment when Jeong Yeongwoo single-handedly intimidated everyone in this meeting. He was a figure capable of subduing eight Strongest Swords, so handling mutants in two areas wasn¡¯t a big problem at all. ¡°Yes. We can handle the mutants somehow. The problem is if more Strongest Swordse down from North Korea than expected.¡± Therefore, Yeongwoo added that the voluntary participation of the remaining Strongest Swords was necessary. ¡°You don¡¯t all have toe. Just a few who are confident in one-on-onebat would be reassuring.¡± ¡°T-Then¡­ should we just vote quickly?¡± Asked the Yongsan Strongest Sword, spreading his hands on the ground. At this, Seocho¡¯s Strongest Sword, Choi Namhee, was the first to raise her hand. Swoosh. ¡°I¡¯d like to see how Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword fights at least once, even if out of curiosity.¡± A tough yet humble reason for participation. Following suit, Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword, Oh Yeonhee, also volunteered. Swoosh. ¡°If something were to happen to Yeongwoo, it would be troublesome for us too since Songpa and Gangnam are neighboring areas.¡± She said, providing a reasonable justification. After that, no one else raised their hand. ¡°¡­Is there anyone else besides these two?¡± As if finally concluding, the Yongsan Strongest Sword looked around, and at this point, Seongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword, Lee Yoobin, cautiously raised her hand. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I can eliminate mutants quickly, but¡­ I¡¯ll do my best.¡± As she said this, her eyes met with Oh Yeonhee, who had previously expressed her willingness to participate. In fact, Oh Yeonhee had raised her hand out of concern. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Then the Yongsan Strongest Sword, as if saying it was enough, hastily concluded. ¡°Ah¡­ So there are three of you. That¡¯s reassuring.¡± ¡°Well, what about future meetings? Even if today we can roughly go through it here, what about from tomorrow onwards¡­?¡± This was a concern from the Dongjak¡¯s Strongest Sword, Lee Hanwook. So, Yeongwoo pointed to another Strongest Sword who was hurrying over from the other side. ¡°That¡¯ll be handled by him for the time being.¡± At the end of Yeongwoo¡¯s finger was none other than Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jo Sangik. * * * 11:32 AM. Temporary meeting in Paju dispersed. Yeongwoo headed straight to Gangnam as soon as he left the meeting. He judged that North Korea¡¯s Strongest Swords wouldn¡¯te down now since mutants would appear in an hour and a half. tter, tter! And next to Negwig, who was currently running with the sound of iron hooves, Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jo Sangik, was moving along at a fairly fast pace. ¡°You¡¯ve only been in Seoul for barely a day, but your influence is even greater than that of your predecessor.¡± Jo Sangik said with a subtle smile, referring to the series of events he heard about hastily upon arrivingte to the meeting. ¡°I caused a lot of trouble.¡± For Yeongwoo, it was best to make a suitablement as he didn¡¯t have much to say. Then Jo Sangik shifted the topic with a smile. ¡°Yesterday evening, they sent someone from Taewon to our side. They¡¯re going to bring your colleagues to Gangnam.¡± ¡°Yes, I requested it.¡± ¡°As expected. They¡¯re probably almost near Gangnam by now. Just in case, I attached our people to them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. I was worried if it would ovep with the mutant¡¯s appearance time.¡± Then Yeongwoo hesitated and asked Jo Sangik cautiously. ¡°Um¡­ how many of my colleagues are there?¡± ¡°¡­Yes? Oh, I remember there were five.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Yeongwoo finally smiled in relief. If there were five of them, it would probably be Jongsu, Taeyoung, and Kim Taejoon¡¯s wife and two children. Jongsu and Taeyoung must have managed to find and bring them. ¡®Now the chairman might be a bit more satisfied.¡¯ Yeongwoo fiddled with the whistle hanging around his neck and then urged Negwig to pick up the pace. * * * At 11:57 AM. Yeongwoo arrived in Gangnam like an arrow shot from a bow. To avoid the crowd gathering around Negwig, he leaped into the air. Swoosh! Every time he did this, the residents of Gangnam rushed after Negwig¡¯s departing figure, eximing ¡°Oh!¡± in awe, as if he were their guardian deity. Now, to the residents, the Gangnam Strongest Sword was akin to a guardian spirit. Of course, there were all sorts of terrifying rumors about him circting, such as decapitating the former Strongest Sword and even eating his body whole, but the true identity of the incumbent Strongest Sword remained shrouded in mystery, hidden from the public eye. Up to now, the only known fact about him was that he rode a horse from somewhere in the universe. So, paradoxically, because he seemed so unrealistic, the residents weren¡¯t afraid of him. ¡°He¡¯s just like an airne.¡± ¡°I wonder where he¡¯s been since morning.¡± ¡°I heard the meeting today was outside of Seoul.¡± Regardless of the rtionship with the localmunity, everyone knew that the Strongest Swords captured mutants to maintain order. Therefore, it was expected that today¡¯s mutant in Gangnam would be taken care of by this mysterious Strongest Sword. For the residents, Yeongwoo naturally evoked a sense of internal intimacy. On the other hand, Yeongwoo¡­ Swoosh! He soared through the air on Negwig, lost in thought. ¡®Should I go back to the amodation we stayed at yesterday? Taewon probably handled things that way. It¡¯s the only ce I know in Gangnam.¡¯ Already, the Parnas Hotel, where Yeongwoo had stayed, was only a kilometer away. Within reach with a few more leaps from Negwig. Swoosh! Finally, Negwig made another powerful leap, and by now, Yeongwoo could see people near the entrance of the hotel staring at him in amazement. And among those people¡­ ¡°Mr. Jeong Yeongwoo!¡± There was Lim Suna, Yeongwoo¡¯s aide. She had been waiting at the hotel entrance all this time, as he had promised to return when daylight came. And even here¡­ Yeongwoo¡¯s close aides, Jongsu and Taeyoung, as well as their entourage. ¡°Aaaah!¡± ¡°Mom!¡± ¡°Is that really dad¡­?¡± Even Kim Taejoon, the chairman¡¯s family, came out to greet him. They probably heard that they could meet Chairman Kim here if they waited quietly. The former founder of VC Soft, and the current Golem of granite, Kim Taejoon. ¡°Uh-oh.¡± Yeongwoo realized that the children were younger than he had expected, and he looked awkward. Then¡­ Swoosh! Hended heavily on the road in front of the hotel, shattering it into pieces. ¡°Nice to meet you. Are you the family of CEO Kim Taejoon?¡± Yeongwoo smiled coolly as he slowly dismounted from Negwig, and instinctively, Kim Taejoon¡¯s wife, trembling with a mixture of fear and anticipation, asked. ¡°Uh, where is our¡­? Didn¡¯t hee with you?¡± All she could see now were a two-meter-tall giant, a horse from another world, and a greedily looking golden goblin. There was no trace of her husband anywhere. ¡°Strongest Sword¡­?¡± As the other party sent a desperate gaze, Yeongwoo, unable to resist, fiddled with the whistle and exined. ¡°Your father is here.¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean¡­?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Seeing is believing. Before starting the task, Yeongwoo first asked Lim Suna for a favor. ¡°Suna.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you could mobilize all the staff to control civilian ess in Gwangjin-gu.¡± ¡°Gwangjin-gu? May I ask what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I need a space with no one around. As far as I know, Gwangjin-gu is already empty.¡± ¡°Oh? Yes, that¡¯s true, but realistically, it¡¯s difficult topletely control the entire area. How wide of a restricted area do you need?¡± To which Yeongwoo replied, ¡°When a mutant appears, how many meters around the vicinity are usually cleared?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 128 Chapter 128 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 128: Diary of a Wanderer (1) It would be a lie if I said it wasn¡¯t a waste. To use the whistle once in a nonbat situation. Especially today, there were at least three major battles scheduled. One, a fight with the mutants who might appear, whose strength was unknown. Two, a battle with the Strongest swordsing down from the north. Three, the hardships in the unpredictable nighttime dungeon. But wasn¡¯t there a promise made to Kim Taejoon? ¡®He said he would definitely find and meet his family.¡¯ For Kim Tae-jun, it is no exaggeration to say that it was a bet that put the meaning of life on the line. He chose to be trapped in the whistle, believing only in Yeongwoo¡¯s words that he would find his family. If he had chosen death instead of bing a ¡°friend¡± then, he wouldn¡¯t have suffered the agony of waiting for eternity in the white room. But he finally made a difficult decision. ¡®I have to meet his expectations as well. There¡¯s a way to repay faith with faithfulness.¡¯ For some reason, Yeongwoo lightly sniffled his nose, which had be a little sore, and then spoke politely to the woman in her 50s, who had a nervous expression on her face. ¡°You¡¯ll be able to meet him soon. Please wait a little longer.¡± ¡°¡­Yes. I understand.¡± Kim Seok186. The wife of VC Soft founder Kim Taejoon and the chairman of the Moi Cultural Foundation. Yeongwoo didn¡¯t know it well, but the Moi Cultural Foundation was quite famous for supporting struggling artists as a non-profit organization. So, even though her husband became a target of hatred among gamers and was put on the brink of extinction, Kim Seok, who was as famous as her husband, could save her life. ¡°What¡­ exactly is the condition of our husband now? I heard he¡¯s with Yeongwoo.¡± Kim Seok asked cautiously. ¡°Uh¡­ about that¡­¡­¡± At this, Yeongwoo nced briefly at the two pale-faced children behind Kim Seok. One girl, one boy. Both looked to be in their mid-teens at most. Of course, in this world, there are children whomit murder and robbery, but at least the two in front of him were purely ¡°kids.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Our kids know roughly what happened to their father.¡± It means they saw with their own eyes that their dad was targeted by the public and turned into a monster. ¡°¡­¡­¡± And hearing this story, Yeongwoo felt a heavy heart. Fortunately, a dramatic reunion would be arranged soon, but that didn¡¯t mean Kim Taejoon¡¯s situation had changed significantly from before. The father of those two children no longer had to fight the public, but instead had to traverse various battlefields following the thread of fate. ¨DIn the end, the ending of my life is a bad ending. Kim Taejoon¡¯sst words, as he epted the handshake, were not wrong. ¡°If I blow the whistle, your husband will fall from the sky.¡± ¡°From the sky?¡± ¡°Yes. He won¡¯t stay here long, so if you have anything to say, you should think about it now.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡­¡± While Kim Seok made aplicated expression, Lim Suna came to inform that the ¡°Restricted Zone¡± had been prepared. ¡°Yeongwoo, it¡¯s all set.¡± The current time, 12:24 PM. The ce Yeongwoo was at now was the heart of Gwangjin-gu, where all the residents were relocated due to the absence of the Strongest sword. Calling Kim Taejoon to Gangnam¡¯s heart would have caused panic among the residents, so they moved to a less popted area as much as possible. ¡®Well¡­ as expected of my brother, he¡¯s not going to spend a single moment quietly. For some reason, he seems a bit taller in the meantime¡­¡¯ Jongsu made an amazed expression as he looked around Yeongwoo, Kim Taejoon¡¯s family, and the vast destendscape of Gwangjin-gu. Of course, there were some people in the area. Taewon Group¡¯s employees secured an area with a diameter of about 400 meters. However, they only installed barricades sparsely along the perimeter of the designated area and surrounded it with restricted ess tape, so they couldn¡¯tpletely block the locals from gathering one by one. ¡°It¡¯s almost time for the appearance of monsters and mutants! Everyone, go back home!¡± Although Taewon Group warned as 1 PM approached, it was not enough to curb people¡¯s curiosity. ¡°Why¡­ why are they doing this all the way out here in Gwangjin-gu?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that? Isn¡¯t that our Strongest Sword over there?¡± Residents of Gangnam, upon discovering Gangnam Strongest Sword Jeong Yeongwoo, began to murmur. However, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t postpone the reunion of Kim Taejoon¡¯s family any longer, as he had to take up a sniping position before 1 PM. Those who had riskeding here would witness a rare sight. If you have the courage to endure what you are about to see. ¡°If your children are surprised, will it be okay?¡± Yeongwoo asked onest time. ¡°I haven¡¯t mentioned it because I have no experience, but when I blow the whistle, it¡¯s not just the chairman who gets summoned.¡± ¡°What? Then who else¡­?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± This time, Yeongwoo¡¯s expression becameplicated. ¡°One more mutant is also contained in this whistle.¡± And when he mentioned that he was a giant beast who had the head of a hyena, Kim Seok, who had maintainedposure so far, looked shaken. ¡°A hyena¡­? Could it be that person is fighting with our husband?¡± ¡°Oh! No! Both are¡­ friendly. I confirmed they¡¯re doing well.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a relief. Really, it is.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± It was a great relief that they had left the room after watching the returnee through the television. ¡®I guess families can think like that. I thought they would be getting along just fine until I watched TV.¡¯ Certainly, family is family. Yeongwoo looked at Kim Seok and her two children with an even more remorseful heart than before. Then. Swoosh- He brought the whistle near his mouth. ¡°Then I¡¯ll call the chairman.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kim Seok shifted her gaze to the sky with a resolute expression. Yeongwoo also slowly looked up at the sky. ¡°Phew.¡± He blew into the whistle vigorously. Brrriiiiiiiiiiiiiing! Suddenly, the saturation of the entire area decreased, and an alert message appeared in front of Yeongwoo. ¡¸Friends, Yeongtae, Taejoon are summoned in response to your call.¡¹ ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Yeongtae, Taejoon. The list of friends who had truly responded to the call had expanded to two. And indeed. ¡¸Yaaaaaah!¡¹ With a shout that was starting to get annoying, typical of Yeongtae, along with a scream filled with fear rather than a shout from chairman Kim Taejoon. ¡¸Uwaaaaaaaaah!¡¹ The harmony of the two former mutants. Kwaaaaaaang! Kuuuuuuung! Both ¡°people¡± seemed to have the same height of 3 meters, but theirponents and masses werepletely different, so the sound ofnding waspletely different as well. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] And the tension right afternding was definitely different too. ¡¸Wow, where are we now?¡¹ As a seasoned friend, Yeongtae, upon returning to this world, immediately looked for Yeongwoo¡¯s enemy, or rather, the target to make a deal with. *Cough¡­!* Kim Taejoon habitually coughed in the midst of the dust clouds filling the surroundings, revealing himself to be a novice summon, because he wasn¡¯t actually choking or coughing. ¡¸Ah¡­?¡¹ Kim Taejoon, who realized this fact btedly, stopped coughing, and Kim Seok, who sensed her husband¡¯s tone in that brief cough, tossed her words into the dust. ¡°Honey¡­?¡± She had shown tremendous courage as someone who had only known from the reset notification on the first day that her husband had turned into a ¡°Granite Golem¡± but had never actually seen him like that. Because. *Dudududuk¡­* In the dense dust, the sight of two giant silhouettes wriggling was a sight that could only evoke fear as a human. ¡¸What¡­?¡¹ Eventually, Kim Taejoon, who felt like he had heard something, raised his head and his voice flowed from within the dust cloud. Seeing this, Yeongwoo moved closer to Kim Seok just in case of any idents. He thought Kim Taejoon might jump out in excitement. ¡°Darling!¡± Then Kim Seok called her husband again, and this time, Kim Taejoon, who clearly detected his wife¡¯s voice, emitted an excited voice as expected. ¡¸Seok!¡¹ *Wham!* He started to push aside the dust to see his wife. ¡¸Is this real? Are the kids here too?¡¹ As soon as Kim Taejoon pronounced ¡°kids,¡± his movements, which had been swiping through the air, suddenly stopped. He had a moment of enlightenment. It was because he btedly realized that he was currently not in a human body but in the body of a 3-meter Granite Golem. ¡¸¡­Uh.¡¹ He was afraid that moving this body recklessly might hurt his family, and before that¡­ ¡¸Wait, Seok. I¡­ right now¡­¡¹ Kim Taejoon stuttered from within the dust. He realized that if his family saw the body of a monstrous creature, their hearts might be hurt. ¡¸Brother¡­¡¹ Yeongtae quickly caught on to the situation and immediately ttened himself on the ground. Compared to Kim Taejoon, who was a rock, Yeongtae was much more beastly, so he tried to shrink his size a bit. As the dust that had covered them finally began to settle, the surreal bodies of the two figures that had been seen only as murky silhouettes gradually became apparent in this world. ¡¸Seok-ah, wouldn¡¯t the kids be too surprised? How about we close our eyes for a moment? We can still talk like before.¡¹ Kim Taejoon suggested, and Seok responded with a faint smile. ¡°What are you talking about? How much they¡¯ve been wanting to see you¡­¡± At the same time, she swallowed heavily as she felt the body heat of her two children, who had been holding her hands tightly for some time. Gulp. ¡°¡­Dad¡¯s here.¡± With Seok¡¯s line, the dust cloud that had obscured the rtionship between the couple finally dissipated. The skin made of gray-white granite. Shoulders so broad they felt monstrous, and arms formed even more terrifying than that. It was a figure sculpted for brutalbat. Seok, confirming her husband¡¯s physical form, cautiously observed her children¡¯s expressions while feeling their slightly trembling breaths. However¡­ ¡°¡­.?¡± Contrary to expectations, the children¡¯s expressions weren¡¯t too dark. No, a faint smile seemed to be delicately wrapped around their faces, repeating the process of appearing and disappearing. Although there was still some fear in their eyes, it wasn¡¯t entirely absent. Curious, Seok followed their gaze. ¡¸Ugh.¡¹ Behind her husband, there was a creature that was ambiguous as to whether it was human or beast, making absurd facial expressions and poses frantically. ¡°Oh.¡± Although it wasn¡¯t that the terrifying feeling unique to mutants hadpletely disappeared, it was quite ridiculous and amusing. The fact that with that monstrous body, he was doing his best to make the childrenugh. [Friend of Jeong Yeongwoo07 ¨C Hong Yeongtae] It was only now that Seok realized who the other person, whom Yeongwoo had talked about, spending time with her husband, was. ¡°Thank goodness¡­ it seems like you have a friend.¡± As Seok stuttered her words andughed morefortably than before, Kim Taejoon, who hadn¡¯t said a single word so far, opened his eyes wide. ¡¸Darling¡­! Mo-se, Lee Hyeon-ah!¡¹ Kugung. Kim Taejoon knelt on the ground, his cheek made of granite distorted, and finally, the family reunion began. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 129 Chapter 129 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 129: Diary of a Wanderer (2) ¡°Did you know about it?¡± When Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword, Oh Yeonhee, asked, Choi Namhee responded with a distracted voice. ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t know. No one knew. Who would have imagined such a thing?¡± Seocho¡¯s Strongest Sword, Choi Namhee, 11. Right now, she was too preupied trying to understand the inexplicable event unfolding before her. Summoning mutant beings¡­ Does that even make sense? But such an event did ur. Not even during the usual appearance time for mutants, but in broad daylight in the heart of Gwangjin-gu, two mutants were summoned. If news hadn¡¯t reached quickly that Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword was heading to Gwangjin-gu, they might have missed the scene just now. ¡°It seems like they¡¯re friends of Jeong Yeongwoo, right? Allies¡­ I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s an alliance or a master-servant rtionship.¡± O Yeonhee chuckled as she looked at the name tags above the heads of the two mutants. [Jeong Yeongwoo07¡¯s Friend ¨C Hong Yeongtae] [Jeong Yeongwoo07¡¯s Friend ¨C Kim Taejoon] Judging by the format of the name tags, it was clear that these two mutants had somehow be indebted to Jeong Yeongwoo, akin to genies in amp, in some way. But what really piqued curiosity was¡­ ¡®Do those mutants also fight for Jeong Yeongwoo? But they didn¡¯t appear when Jeong Hyunsik was in a confrontation?¡¯ As someone who didn¡¯t know that the magicmp had a usage limit, Oh Yeonhee couldn¡¯t help but be puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s happening¡­ I really don¡¯t know.¡± Choi Namhee was equally bewildered, if not more so, by the increasing confusion. Isn¡¯t Jeong Yeongwoo supposed to be the absolute viin from the start? But now, even the suspicion arose, ¡®Is he really the same human being?¡¯ ¡°Anyway, we should start heading back soon. It¡¯s almost 1 o¡¯clock.¡± As Choi Namhee looked at her watch and turned her head south, Oh Yeonhee nodded in agreement. Current time, 12:31 PM. In roughly 29 minutes, the fourth-day mutants would appear all over Seoul. Also, the appearance of mutants and monster marks could ur as early as 30 to 10 minutes before, so they needed to return to their respective districts in advance. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo was now observing the family reunion, which was now calming down. Contrary to his initial concerns, chairman Kim Taejoon¡¯s family quickly recovered from the shock of the recent events, allowing Yeongwoo to quietly step aside. ¡¸How heartwarming. I¡¯ve lived for so long to see such things happen.¡¹ Yeongtae, who had also escaped from the scene with Yeongwoo,ughed heartily while patting his long chin with his hand. To this, Yeongwoo chuckled. ¡°Living for so long, well¡­¡± He was about to say, ¡®It¡¯s been four days since you became a mutant,¡¯ but quickly closed his mouth. He momentarily forgot that this world and the ¡®Returnee¡¯s Room¡¯ hadpletely different time flows. While the remaining people in this world had spent only four days, Hong Yeongtae and chairman Kim Taejoon had spent what could literally be an eternity. So when Yeongtae casually used the phrase ¡®living for so long,¡¯ it wasn¡¯t a big deal. ¡®Right. From Yeongtae¡¯s perspective, it could be considered living for a long time.¡¯ Thinking so, Yeongwoo checked the time. Current time, 12:34 PM. ¡°¡­?¡± If it wasn¡¯t a mistake, the two ¡®friends¡¯ were staying in this world longer than usual. Before, they would disappear after a short period, maybe tens of seconds at the shortest, or three to four minutes at the longest. ¡®What¡¯s going on? Did they give them extra time for family reunions?¡¯ If so, who? Does the system even have ¡¯emotions¡¯? As Yeongwoo vaguely thought about his opponent, Yeongtae tilted his head. ¡¸Why? What¡¯s up?¡¹ ¡°Oh, nothing, I¡¯m just¡­ worried about the mutant appearing soon.¡± As Yeongwoo vaguely replied, Yeongtae perked up his ears. ¡¸Oh, really? Then will you call us again when it happens?¡¹ Yeongtae was always eager to earn merits. But Yeongwoo had no intention of using the horn in the mutant battle. Not at the moment. ¡®Thankfully, thanks to the encyclopaedia effect, I earned one more usage¡­¡¯ [Collection Effect: 10] | Usage of all artifacts +1 ¡®But that only makes it three in total. I can only use it twice more.¡¯ Of course, there was no need to deliberately crush Yeongtae¡¯s hopes. It¡¯s a sad story, but whether he calls them shortly after 1 o¡¯clock or after the nighttime dungeon appears, it¡¯ll be the same long wait for Yeongtae. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ll see each other again soon.¡± Yeongwoo lied with good intentions. Then, to avoid any possible loss of expression control, he changed the subject. ¡°What are you nning to buy with the points you¡¯ve collected? Have you thought about it?¡± The topic Yeongwoo chose was none other than the public point shop. ording to what he saw on television in the hotel room, points could also be umted in the Returnee¡¯s Room to buy televisions. And if what Yeongwoo saw was indeed true¡­ ¡¸Oh, that¡¯s it. I¡¯ve decided. A television!¡¹ ¡°Ah.¡± Confirming that Yeongtae¡¯s response was as expected, Yeongwoo uttered a remark with significant meaning. ¡°If you buy a television from there¡­ what¡¯s broadcasted?¡± ¡¸Well, I don¡¯t know. The price list only had the product names written on it.¡¹ ¡°¡­I see.¡± Yeongwoo nodded. Personally, he thought a television might shed light on this world, but he decided to save his words on that matter as well. ¡°Well then¡­¡± Just as Yeongwoo was about to bring up the next topic, the time hade. ¡¸Oh!¡¹ Yeongtae eximed, widening his eyes. Then. ¡¸We are already leaving¡­!¡¹ With a regretful expression, he ttened his ears. Even the extension time permitted by the system had beenpletely used up. Swoosh. Yeongtae¡¯s two feet were already disappearing rapidly into thin air, which meant¡­ ¡°Darling!¡± ¡°Hm? Oh, Dad¡­?¡± On the other side, chairman Kim Taejoon, who was having a precious conversation, was also disappearing. ¡°Thank you for your hard work, Yeongtae.¡± As Yeongwoo bid farewell with a smile, the faint voice of Yeongtae, with only the tips of his ears left visible, murmured. ¡¸Let¡¯s meet again!¡¹ Then. Swoosh. Hepletely disappeared from this world. And the same went for chairman Kim Taejoon, who had cast arge shadow on the other side. ¡°¡­¡± The family who were exchanging fond words under Kim Taejoon¡¯s shadow just moments ago were now looking at the empty space with deste expressions. It was such a short time. ¡°¡­Hyung-nim, what happens now? Those people¡­¡± Jongsu, who had been silently observing everything from behind, spoke up. To this, Yeongwoo smiled bitterly and nced back. ¡°First, Jongsu, thank you for your hard work. And you too, officer.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind. Aftering here today, I think I made the right decision to follow Mr. Yeongwoo.¡± Taeyoung, still seeming unsettled, wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his police uniform and sniffed. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo organized his emotions and spoke in a somewhat businesslike tone. ¡°Since the usage of the whistle is limited, I can¡¯t just summon chairman Kim Taejoon anytime. Today¡¯s family gathering is over.¡± ¡°What about tomorrow?¡± This was Jongsu¡¯s question. So Yeongwoo deliberated. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll have to wait and see how things go tomorrow. If I die or if the safety of the family members is jeopardized, the meeting may not happen.¡± ¡°That makes sense.¡± ¡°For a while, please take care of chairman Kim¡¯s family. I¡¯ll request amodation near Taewon Group. And if there¡¯s anything else to do, please let me know.¡± Perhaps Jongsu would be suitable for monster hunting, while Taeyoung would be suitable for private security in Gangnam. Not only the mutants but also the monsters might suddenly be stronger, so both of them needed to earn money. ¡°Hyung-nim, have youpletely settled down in Seoul now?¡± Jongsu¡¯s question was quite sharp. But for Yeongwoo, it was difficult to answer. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll have to wait and see. But for the time being, I¡¯ll be based around Gangnam.¡± Of course, this was just a guess. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] After all, isn¡¯t it a world where it¡¯s hard to predict even what will happen tomorrow? ¡®Just the Golden Journey achievement alone suggests leaving the country. Nobody knows what else will happen in the future.¡¯ Anyway, he needed to hurry up and get ready for the mutants. First, he had to send chairman Kim Taejoon¡¯s family to a safer ce within Gangnam. ¡®The current time¡­ is 12:40.¡¯ Now there were exactly 20 minutes left. As Yeongwoo was about to call Lim Suna from Taewon Group, a tremendous noise erupted from the sky. Taaaang¡­ Tattang! It sounded like the gunfire amplified dozens of times. Sssshooooo! Red and blue pirs of light. It was the sound of the marks of the invaders of this world falling. * * * ¡°Aaah!¡± ¡°Ack!¡± ¡°Save me¡­!¡± Time left until the appearance of mutants and monsters: 19 minutes. The residents of the area, who were watching the astonishing ¡°family reunion,¡± started running for their lives, each heading towards their own vehicles or towards their neighborhoods several kilometers away from here. Amidst the chaos, Yeongwoo observed the red pirs of light piercing the sky in the direction of Gwangjin-gu. ¡®Fortunately, itnded in the southern part of Gwangjin-gu.¡¯ The location where the fourth day mutant was scheduled to appear in Gwangjin-gu was inside the campus of Konkuk University. It wasn¡¯t as close as the Han River, but still rtively close to Gangnam-gu. Amidst this, Taewon Group had already dispersed their employees into vehicles and one of them came near Yeongwoo before stopping. ¡°Yeongwoo-nim!¡± As the window opened and someone called out, it was none other than Lim Suna. She had brought chairman Kim Taejoon¡¯s family in the car. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of your colleagues. If Yeongwoo-nim ns to move to Gangnam for now¡­¡± It was a gesture to offer him a ride out of courtesy. However, Yeongwoo only took Jongsu and Taeyoung in the car, as he had a means of transport from another world. ¡°I¡¯ll look around here and make my own way. Please go ahead. Thank you for your hard work.¡± He had to say something appropriate to be Seoul¡¯s Strongest Sword. ¡°Ah, yes. Understood.¡± Lim Suna stared at Yeongwoo for a moment, then snapped out of it and grabbed the steering wheel. And then. Vroom! Like any other evacuees, they dashed towards the outskirts of Gwangjin-gu. ¡°Hmm.¡± The current time was 12:49 PM. With 11 minutes left until the appearance of the monsters. Yeongwoo nced at the red pirs of light piercing the sky, then released the parking mode and climbed onto the nearby Negwig, which had approached. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Cheongdam Bridge.¡± * * * Cheongdam Bridge. A two-story bridge over the Han River, between Jayang-dong in Gwangjin-gu and Cheongdam-dong in Gangnam-gu. Once, Subway Line 7 used to run through the lower section of this bridge, but now subway operations, like those of Dongjak Bridge, were suspended. Instead. Vroom! Several cars were racing madly across the bridge, in the midst of the evacuation time attack by the residents who had witnessed the family reunion in Gwangjin-gu until the end. ¡°¡­¡± And ahead of them, having arrived at Cheongdam Bridge ahead of time, Yeongwoo was hanging on the railing, looking around. To the left, Gwangjin-gu. To the right, Gangnam-gu. ¡®It seems like I might be able to reach it if I¡¯m lucky.¡¯ From Cheongdam Bridge, located between the two districts, one could simultaneously confirm the red marks of the mutants about to fall in each area. In other words, for someone like Yeongwoo with a maximum range of 2 kilometers, it meant he might be able to snipe both mutants in session. Paat! As Yeongwoo activated ¡°irvoyance,¡± a holographic scope appeared in his right eye, enhancing his vision up to 5 times. ¡¸irvoyance¡¹ ¨C Mutant Earring ¡¾Visibility is amplified up to 5 times.¡¿ ¡®Gangnam is near Jongno, right? It¡¯s a little further than Gwangjin.¡¯ The distance from his current location to the mutant in Gwangjin-gu was about 2.3 kilometers. Meanwhile, the mutant in Gangnam-gu was scheduled to appear a little over 2.5 kilometers away. ¡®If this is the case, you will have to bleed before shooting the arrow.¡¯ Youngwoo¡¯s strength increases by 25% while bleeding, and as strength increases, the arrow¡¯s distance increases. ¡¸White Fire¡¹ ¨C Epic Bow ¡¾Sense values apply to arrow power.¡¿ ¡¾Power increases depending on the distance the arrow flies.¡¿ And as the distance increases, the power of the arrow also increases. So, in theory, it was possible. After stabbing one¡¯s own arm and causing bleeding, he jumps to a high altitude to gain visibility and continuously snipes mutants in Gangnam and Gwangjin-gu. ¡¸Climber¡¹ ¨C Mutant Pants ¡¾Leap distance tripled.¡¿ ¡®If this works, I¡¯ll be a genius.¡¯ With a satisfied smile, Yeongwoo nced at the Golden Goblin who was watching him from a distance. And as he did so. [00:00:10] The timer for the monster hanging in the air decreased to 10 seconds. ¡®It¡¯s almost time. Have people evacuated?¡¯ [00:00:08] ¡®I should start bleeding soon.¡¯ [00:00:06] sh! Yeongwoo shed his own side with the end of the bow, and blood began to trickle from inside his skin. ¡°Ugh.¡± It was quite painful, although not enough to be stopped by the Berserker talisman. But with considerable vitality already flowing through his body, Yeongwoo felt confident. ¡®At this level, what¡¯s 2 kilometers? I can snipe even up to 3 kilometers away.¡¯ [00:00:03] Suddenly, three seconds left. Yeongwoo, in a stance ready to jump, alternately looked at the two red pirs of light fiercely cutting through the sky on both sides. [00:00:01] Now, one second. [00:00:00] Vroom! As the timer reached 0 seconds and disappeared frighteningly, the sky shed, and from all the marks including the red pirs of light, numerous figures began to rain down like hail. ¡°Unbelievable.¡± Seeing the monsters falling from the clear sky for the first time, Yeongwoo was momentarily stunned. But then. Shaaaat! Shaaaat! Seeing therge silhouettes falling from beyond the sky along with the red pirs of light, Yeongwoo quickly snapped out of it. ¡®They¡¯re here¡­!¡¯ With a swift motion, Yeongwoo¡¯s feet forcefully nted in the middle of Cheongdam Bridge, and then. Vroom! His body soared into the sky, raising the bow and aiming from Gangnam. [TL/N : Hawk Eye moment from avengers 1.] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 130 Chapter 130 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 130: Diary of a Wanderer (3) ¡®I can do it! No, I must do it.¡¯ Thunk! Yeongwoo, who pulled the bowstring tens of meters above the ground, looked carefully at the name tag of the mutant fallen in Gangnam. [Singer ¨C Lee Seonho] ¡®Ah, Lee Seonho.¡¯ This mutant was also a name Yeongwoo knew. Lee Seonho, the leader of the second generation male idol group ¡°Zero¡± in South Korea. Although it had been almost 20 years since his debut and he was practically retired from the entertainment industry, the name Lee Seonho still remained unforgettable to the public. Because. ¨D[Exclusive] ¡®Zero¡¯ Lee Seonho, Assault Incident in Drinking Session, Charged. ¨D¡±Sorry to Fans and Zero¡± Lee Seonho, First Confession after Assault Incident. ¨DUnstoppable Assault Lotive, Lee Seonho Faces Fourth Indictment. This is because his personality changes whenever he drinks alcohol, and he gets caught up in assault controversies almost every day. So, although Yeongwoo might not know Zero¡¯s representative songs, he was well aware of the face and notoriety of Lee Seonho, the group¡¯s leader. ¡®But he¡¯s not even human anymore.¡¯ What kind of monster had Lee Seonho, the perpetrator of the assaults, turned into? The ground was still covered in dust at thending site, making it impossible to see him clearly. But. Thunk! As the bright name tag of the opponent shone, Yeongwoo released his hand from the bowstring. ng! Suddenly, tremendous pressure built up in front of the silver bowstring. Swoosh! With its distinctive sound, an arrow was shot. ¡®The sound is incredibly loud.¡¯ Yeongwoo realized anew how loud the whizzing sound of the arrow was. He hadn¡¯t been bothered by the noise before because he hadn¡¯t had to snipe opponents unterally. ¡®Isn¡¯t there any equipment to reduce the sound?¡¯ Thinking so, Yeongwoo quickly turned his body and looked towards Gwangjin-gu. His body was already beginning to descend, leaving him with little time. Thunk! As Yeongwoo pulled the bowstring again, aiming towards the Konkuk University campus, something began to emerge from thending point, just like in Gangnam, enveloped in dust. ¡°What¡­¡± Yeongwoo widened his eyes at the unexpected movement. The mutant in Gwangjin-gu was a flying-type monster appearing for the first time since the reset, a wyvern. -Kkkkreeeeak! ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± Yeongwoo frowned at the unfamiliar cry of the wyvern, then aimed at the head under the opponent¡¯s name tag, but changed his mind. [Seoul City Councilor ¨C Kim Seokshin] The incessant pping of its massive wings kept it aloft, causing its head to sway continuously. So, in the end, Yeongwoo¡­ Thunk, ng! ¡­shot an arrow towards the opponent¡¯s enormous wings. Swoosh! Once again, the distinctive sound echoed, and this time, a sensory alert appeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s field of vision. ¡¸The sensory value has temporarily increased from the previous 1,400 to 3,566.¡¹ ¡®What? Again this time?¡¯ It¡¯s an enormous amount of sensory input. Perhaps Lee Seonho from Gangnam, who had been hit by the arrow first, recognized this direction. And judging by the amount of sensory input gathered, the opponent¡¯s basic sensory value was a whopping¡­ ¡®4,332¡­.¡¯ Could it be one of the reinforced mutants that started emerging since yesterday? Quack! As Yeongwoonded on the Cheongdam Bridge, he quickly turned his head towards Gangnam. ¡®As expected.¡¯ As anticipated, the red pir of light from Gangnam was rapidly approaching. Lee Seonho, who initiated the attack, wasing for the sniper. ¡¸Aaargh!¡¹ Judging from the voiceing from afar, it seemed like the arrow hit him squarely. His scream conveyed immense anger. ¡®Should I deal with Lee Seonho first?¡¯ Wouldn¡¯t it be more appropriate to stabilize Gangnam, his current district, rather than Gwangjin-gu, which currently has no residents? Clunk. Just as Yeongwoo was about to go out to meet Lee Seonho¡­ Rumble! A strange noise erupted behind him. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± As Yeongwoo turned around, he saw the sight of Gwangjin-gu transforming into a sea of fire. ¡°This is insane.¡± The flying wyvern that fell in Gwangjin-gu along with Seoul City Council member Kim Seokshin began to emit breaths. * * * Wyverns. Imaginary creatures often referred to as flying dragons. In general, they are considered to be a sub-mutant of Western dragons, or in other words, a subcategory of dragons. Their appearance has undergone numerous changes throughout history, but recently, they are generally described as ¡°lower dragons with front legs integrated with wings.¡± Their intelligence and personality vary greatly depending on the work that features them, but to differentiate them from dragons, wyverns are often portrayed as more aggressive orcking inmunication skills. In other words, simply put, ¡®It¡¯s just the perfect monster to send out before bringing out dragons. Strong enough, capable of flying, and even spewing fire.¡¯ As Yeongwoo contemted his definition of wyverns, he looked at dozens of them spewing fire on the other side. And among them¡­ ¡¸That bastard¡­!¡¹ There was Seoul City Councilor Kim Seokshin, who had finally located Yeongwoo and started pping his wings. A particrlyrge wyvern, with crimson blood trickling down from one of its wings. ¡®Even with a hole in its wing, it can still fly.¡¯ Soon after, Kim Seokshin seemed to have fully recognized Yeongwoo as the enemy, as his sensory value shot up once again. ¡¸The sensory value has temporarily increased from the previous 3,566 to 4,811.¡¹ This time, the absorbed sensory value was 1,245. Therefore, Kim Seokshin¡¯s original sensory value, as manifested in the wyvern, was 2,490. ¡®At least in terms of abilities, Lee Seonho seems stronger.¡¯ Just byparing their sensory values, it¡¯s 2,490 versus 4,332. Thunk! As Yeongwoo quickly mounted the wyvern¡¯s back, he nced briefly behind him. Then, enraged Lee Seonho finally arrived at the end of the Cheongdam Bridge. ¡¸Aaargh!¡¹ His physical form emerged with a silver arrow lodged near his neck. [Singer ¨C Lee Seonho] None other than a Death Knight. A skeletal, ghastly figure d in gray armor, an undead knight. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡®Ah, if the chairman had seen it, he might have liked it.¡¯ While there were differences in appearance from the domestic version of ¡®Death Knight¡¯, Yeongwoo sensed that Lee Seonho had returned as a considerable monster nheless. Starting from the basic abilities, they were extraordinary. ¡¸Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongesy Sword¡­¡­!¡¹ Eventually, Lee Seonho, standing tall on the other side of the Cheongdam Bridge, roared out the only text visible to him. It was the only means by which he could summon the madman who had shot an arrow at him. In response, Yeongwoo¡­ ¡°¡­¡± Thunk. Pulled the bowstring once again without a word. He judged that now, with the sensory value at its peak, was the time to attack. ¡®Let¡¯s see how much stronger it bes.¡¯ ¡¸White Fire¡¹ ¨C Epic Bow ¡¾Sense values apply to arrow power.¡¿ ¡¾Power increases depending on the distance the arrow flies.¡¿ ording to the tooltip, White Fire receives power adjustments not only based on the arrow¡¯s distance but also on the sensory value. And indeed. Thunk! As Yeongwoo released the bowstring, a shimmering energy gathered in front of the bow, unlike before. Shwaaah¡­ Then. Boom! An explosion apanied the creation of a silver arrow that sliced through the air like a shell. ¡°Ugh!¡± Directly towards the Death Knight Lee Seonho, standing confidently on the other side. Shwaaaaa! ¡®This is just a cannon.¡¯ Yeongwoo, astonished by the power beyond imagination, btedly realized that the trajectory of the arrow was embroidering a pattern resembling a dogo¡¯s crest. Shirrrrring! As the real fight began, the insertion of that damn logo began. ¡®Hm, should I do another promotional slogan?¡¯ But this time, there wasn¡¯t any separate money set aside for this battle. Yeongwoo gazed at the sky, subtly waiting for something. And in the meantime¡­ ¡¸Eeek!¡¹ As he returned to this world, Lee Seonho, once again receiving an arrow as a gift, urgently raised his sword and blocked the arrow. Whack! ¡¸Grrr!¡¹ Lee Seonho, blocking the arrow with sparks flying, momentarily staggered, and upon seeing this, Yeongwoo immediately urged the wyvern towards Gwangjin-gu. ¡®Sufficient. With this level, I can handle them both.¡¯ This battle inevitably had to be fought in Gwangjin-gu. Although it would have been ideal to capture Lee Seonho within Gangnam to unleash the Golden Rain, it meant epting that the wyverns filling Gwangjin-gu would move to other areas. ¡®Even if those bastards don¡¯t spew their breath, I have to deal with Lee Seonho in Gangnam first.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s sight already caught sight of some wyverns entering Gangnam through the Yeongdong Bridge on the opposite side. So. Thunk, Boom! He swiftly pulled the bowstring in session, unsettling them. And finally, Kim Seokshin realized. The identity of the horse archer who suddenly ambushed them. ¡¸So, your role is to stop us. Haha, what an interesting world.¡¹ Then, blocking the entrance to Cheongdam Bridge towards Gwangjin-gu, where Yeongwoo was heading, he¡­ Kwoong. ¡¸DIE.¡¹ With its scaled mouth wide open, it spewed out a fiery breath. Fwaaaah! Instantly, as the 27-meter-wide Cheongdam Bridge was engulfed in mes, it attempted to swallow Yeongwoo whole. ¡®What kind of firepower is that?¡¯ Yeongwoo, astonished by the unrealistic level of firepower, leaped high into the air with Negwig. It was towards the body of Kim Seokshin, blocking the exit of Cheongdam Bridge. Quack! As Yeongwoo left behind a small shadow and disappeared into the sky, Kim Seokshin, momentarily losing sight of his opponent, raised his head. Then. Thunk, Thunk! From above the sky to towards the ground, he saw the opponent pulling the bowstring vertically. ¡¸Uh¡­!¡¹ Kim Seokshin realized that something was seriously wrong. And Lee Seonho, who had been rushing to the scene, screamed a scream-like cry from within the gray armor. ¡¸You sick old bastard! You obviously should have¡­!¡¹ Though he spoke like this, he was actually worrying about Kim Seokshin, who was practically his only ally in this world. If he were to die now, wouldn¡¯t he have to fight against that horse archer alone? However. Fwaaaah! Along with another explosion, the arrow that followed pierced through Kim Seokshin¡¯s mouth, striking the surface of the Han River under the Cheongdam Bridge. ¡¸Ugh¡­!¡¹ To anyone¡¯s eyes, it was clear that the one struck had taken theirst breath. Then, suddenly, the body of Kim Seokshin, who had been thrashing around, seemed to lose all strength. He had just been struck and killed. ¡¸You bastard!¡¹ Lee Seonho, the fourth-day mutant of Gangnam, the Death Knight, screamed in anguish as he sharpened his sword. Unlike the previous returnees, he was one of the few mutants who tasted despair as soon as he arrived in this world. Coincidentally, the return destination was under the jurisdiction of the ¡®Monster,¡¯ Jeong Yeongwoo. ¡¸Stay right there! I will definitely kill you!¡¹ Despite Lee Seonho¡¯s fury-filled shout, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t even look back, but instead headed towards Gwangjin-gu, past Kim Seokshin¡¯s corpse. Because¡­ ¡®Ah, finally.¡¯ [Dogo] ¡°Marksmanship Practice¡± [Mission] Defeat the wyvern with a ¡®headshot,¡¯ 1/40 times. [Reward] Equipment upgrade sponsorship [Special] You must disclose Dogo¡¯s support in this mission. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 131 Chapter 131 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 131: Diary of a Wanderer (4) It was a situation that could be deemed perfect. ¡®Forty headshots on wyverns¡­? Anyway, all the monsters in this area were going to die. This is practically a free upgrade.¡¯ Just imagine those wyverns dispersing to nearby areas, each spewing mes. It was a disaster waiting to happen. Of course, thanks to the ¡°Seoul Rotation,¡± there were skilled monster hunters in each area¡­ But no matter how seasoned they were, had any of them ever fought flying monsters in the sky? ¡®They probably don¡¯t even have me resistance, right? I barely have 10%.¡¯ Swish, swish! Yeongwoo pulled the bowstring with all his might atop Negwig, and the wyverns filled the inside of Gwangjin-gu, darting towards him. Then, the wyverns, who had been melting the asphalt and buildings with me breath, began to turn their heads towards Yeongwoo, one by one. -Kiiiiieeek! -Kieeeek! ¡°Ugh.¡± Dizziness overwhelmed him at the horrifying screeches that seemed to tear his eardrums. Adding to this, a Death Knight with an agitated demeanor wasing after him from behind. ¡¸Stop right there! How long do you n to run away!¡¹ In truth, if Lee Seonho had appeared in another district, he would have probably simply ughtered the district¡¯s strongest and begun his worst rampage, just like the boxing gold medalist Cha Dooseong in Gwangjin-gu. But everything is rtive. Lee Seonho, who had received unexpected arrow bombardment instead of confirming his own strength upon returning to this world, was now greatly discouraged. -No, fuck. Why am I doing this? Didn¡¯t they clearly say that we are the judges? A space as ck as night. What Lee Seonho heard through the ¡°voice¡± in that ce, which was like a kind of waiting room for return, was a story that he would eventually return to the original world and judge the masses. It was said that he would be a messenger of the heavens with tremendous power and make everything right. But the reality that faced him. Swish, swish! He was in the situation of chasing after the backside of an archer riding a iron horse. -What the hell is this bastard¡­? Only then did Lee Seonho feel unease in the midst of the wyverns filling Gwangjin-gu. Whooooo! The problematic archer fired another shot with his bow and then looked up at the sky, muttering something strange. ¡°This battle! Will be carried out with the support of the intergctic weapon brand, Dogo!¡± ¡¸What¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡°I am the strongest of Gyeongbuk, Gangnam, Kaeseong, and Hwanghae, the human of Earth, Jeong Yeongwoo 07!¡± Then, pulling the bowstring again, he pierced the head of one of the wyverns and looked up at the sky. ¡¸Huh¡­?¡¹ Although Lee Seonho didn¡¯t know what was going on, it seemed like the guy was performing some kind of ritual in his own way. -Is he¡­ Sacrificing something to the sky? It couldn¡¯t be. In the midst of all this, Lee Seonho, who had once been a human and had returned as a Death Knight, was equally astonished by the world after the reset. So, instinctively. -I have to kill that bastard before he finishes the ritual. I have a bad feeling about this. Lee Seonho thought he had to stop what Jeong Yeongwoo 07 was doing right now. He didn¡¯t know well, but he had a hunch that something big would happen when that guy finished his work. And Lee Seonho¡¯s intuition wasn¡¯t far from reality. [Dogo] ¡°Marksmanship Practice¡± [Mission] Defeat the wyvern with a ¡®headshot,¡¯ 13/40 times. [Reward] Equipment upgrade sponsorship [Special] You must disclose Dogo¡¯s support in this mission. ¡®Now 13 times¡­ It¡¯s a bit close, but it¡¯s not impossible. It¡¯s even a real shooting practice.¡¯ Because of the nature of the wyverns flying by pping their wings, their heads kept moving, and this quest, which required him to concentrate and hit them, rapidly improved Yeongwoo¡¯s shooting skills. Are the wyverns just hovering quietly? -Kiiiiieeek! They either ran at him with piercing screams or breathed fire. ¡°Oof!¡± This time, because two of them rushed at him in session, Yeongwoo performed a ¡°rapid fire¡± for the first time. Whoooooh, whooooo! Thanks to the way arrows were generated when the bowstring was pulled, this was possible. Pulling out an arrow and putting it on the bow, the process of aiming was skipped altogether. ¡®Although the power and uracy are reduced¡­ There¡¯s nothing better for dealing with mobs.¡¯ But now was an exception. Because of the Death Knight behind him, his sensory stats had skyrocketed, amplifying the power and uracy of the arrows. ¡¸Sensory stats have temporarily increased from the original 1,400 to 3,566.¡¹ Because of this, Yeongwoo could sessfully achieve ¡°headshots¡± with a very high probability even while performing rapid fire. ¡®At this rate, Seonho is practically a benefactor.¡¯ ¡¸There you are¡­!¡¹ Of course, Lee Seonho was oblivious to the fact that he was being used as a sensory vending machine and was chasing after him like a madman. And in the meantime. Boom! The ¡°White Fire¡± rapidly cleared away the wyverns scattered in all directions by firing volleys. [Mission] Defeat wyverns with ¡®headshots¡¯, 27/40 times. ¡®It¡¯s almost over. If I just clean up the remaining ones, it should be about done.¡¯ When Yeongwoo turned around, Seonho, who seemed to have be more furious, was waiting as if to say something. ¡¸How long are you going to keep running away? Let¡¯s settle this fairly.¡¹ To this, Yeongwoo checked the quest status again and responded to his opponent. ¡°Just hold on a little longer. We¡¯re almost done.¡± At this, Seonho clenched his bony jaw in anger. ¡¸What? This bastard.¡¹ But Yeongwoo paid no attention and swiftly took down the wyverns pping their wings on the left side. Whoooooah, boom! As he did so, he thought to himself. ¡®I feel like the level of mutants and monster grades is increasing rapidly. If it¡¯s a wyvern, isn¡¯t it just below the dragon grade?¡¯ However, it didn¡¯t seem like the conglomerates that had mutated into dragons would fall tomorrow. Because. ¡®If that really happens, except for Gangnam, the rest will be immediately doomed. How can you win when the opponent flies in the sky and you only have a sword?¡¯ So, the survival difficulty wouldn¡¯t skyrocket to that extent. Given the developments so far, there seemed to be an opportunity to prepare at least minimally. ¡®Even so, we should have time until tomorrow, shouldn¡¯t we?¡¯ With this thought in mind, Yeongwoo dropped the fortieth wyvern from the air. Whoooooah! -Kiiiiieeek! The fortieth wyvern, just about to cross over to Dongdaemun, fell with its head pierced by Yeongwoo¡¯s arrow, plunging into the Jungnangcheon. Kuuuuung! Then, on the other side of the Jungnangcheon, a group of people rushed over and watched the wyvern stranded between the Dongbu Expressway and the Jungnangcheon. ¡°What, what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°A dragon¡­?¡± These were none other than monster hunters from Dongdaemun-gu. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Having led citizens nearby to clean up the monsters, they witnessed the situation in Gwangjin-gu. ¡°Everyone, step back! It¡¯s not all cleared yet!¡± As Yeongwoo gestured for them to flee towards Dongdaemun, Lee Seonho, who had been chasing him with bulging eyes, shifted his gaze across the Jungnangcheon. He noticed that there were much weaker individuals on the other side than Jeong Yeongwoo07. ¡°Don¡¯t act up. Your opponent is me.¡± Eventually, after Yeongwoopletely stopped Negwig, he turned to look at Lee Seonho, who smiled wickedly. ¡¸Hey, you bastar*, you should have fought with me earlier then.¡¹ Then suddenly. Tap, tap, tap! He abruptly changed direction and started running towards Jungnangcheon. ¡°Lee Seonho!¡± He was nning to cross over to Dongdaemun and start massacring civilians. Leaping across the Dongbu Expressway in an instant, Lee Seonho soared into the air above the Jungnangcheon. Kwaaack! ¡¸Kyakkakkak!.¡¹ Finally, with the thought that he could now ¡°judge,¡± Lee Seonho¡¯s vicious nature was clearly revealed in his voice and on his face. He was indeed a figure who had returned with the intention of staining his hands with blood. And right on cue. Ping! [Quest Completed ¨C ¡°Marksmanship Practice¡±] [Reward Issued] |Equipment Upgrade Sponsorship As Yeongwoo¡¯s newly assigned quest from Dogo waspleted, his bow shimmered. ¡°What¡­?¡± He wondered what the equipment upgrade sponsorship was, and it seemed that Dogo was designating one of the equipment to provide a new function. Swish! ¡¸White Fire¡¹ ¨C Epic Bow ¡¾Sensory stats applied to arrow power.¡¿ ¡¾Power increases ording to arrow¡¯s distance.¡¿ ¡ó Dogo: Covert Arrows ¡ó Dogo: Special ability damage Yeongwoo¡¯s bow had the ¡®Dogo¡¯ tag added to it, indicating new options. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ Yeongwoo quickly drew the bowstring while tilting his head in confusion. Twang! Lee Seonho, who was already nearing the Jungnangcheon, was about to step foot in Dongdaemun-gu shortly. ¡®It seems like Dongdaemun hasn¡¯t dealt with their mutants yet. If he crosses over, it¡¯ll be a disaster.¡¯ Indeed, there were still red light pirs in Dongdaemun-gu. Most likely, Dongdaemun¡¯s best sword, Jang Jeongho, was struggling there. ¡®I¡¯ve caused enough trouble so far. It¡¯s getting too difficult.¡¯ With a grim expression, Yeongwoo aimed his bow as soon as Lee Seonho entered the center of his crosshair. Thunk! Then. Phesh! Unlike before, the arrow shot out with a sound akin to wind blowing through a balloon, nearly silent as it moved. ¡ó Dogo: Covert Arrows ¡®Huh?¡¯ It truly was a covert arrow as the name suggested. Not only was the firing sound drastically reduced, but the arrow¡¯s movement also emitted almost no sound. Swiiiiish! It was a miraculous performance for Yeongwoo. ¡¸¡­¡­?¡¹ However, for Lee Seonho, who btedly sensed the arrow, it was an utter cmity. ¡¸This¡­!¡¹ As he turned his head, a terrifying purple sh filled his vision. The arrow fired by Yeongwoo had exploded. Kwaaaang! ¡¸Grrrk!¡¹ In an instant, tremendous pressure emanated from the explosion point of the arrow, smashing Lee Seonho into the Jungnangcheon and simultaneously shattering his armor into pieces. Crackling! ¡®Crazy! What the hell is that?¡¯ Even Yeongwoo, who had attacked, was astonished by the phenomenon. Not only was the physical force generated by the explosion extraordinary, but damaging the armor was something he had never seen before. ¡®Huh, could it be?¡¯ Yeongwoo btedly checked thest tooltip of the bow that received the ¡®equipment upgrade sponsorship.¡¯ ¡ó Dogo: Special Ability Damage Then, as if possessed, he opened his mouth. ¡°Ah! Is¡­ is this Dogo¡¯s technological prowess¡­?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 132 Chapter 132 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 132: Diary of a Wanderer (5) Special Ability damage. Watching Lee Seonho, who had been thrown into the Jungnangcheon, trying to get up, Yeongwoo wondered what exactly ability damage was. It was because Lee Seonho¡¯s armor was shattered like candy smashed on the ground. Crackle. With every step the guy took, fragments of his armor poured down to the ground, leaving Yeongwoo bewildered. ¡®If I were exposed to special ability damage¡­ could I end up like that?¡¯ The basis of this question was none other than the resistance options rted to equipment. | me resistance: 10% | Ability resistance: 10% As can be seen from the resistance status attached to the bottom of the stat screen, in addition to elemental categories like me and cold, there was also ¡°Ability¡± resistance that could be acquired through equipment. In other words. ¡®It means that someday there might be enemies who use ability attacks.¡¯ On the fourth day, a wyvern thatunched ¡°me¡± attacks appeared for the first time. If you didn¡¯t have separate resistance values, tough opponents were already starting to appear. ¡¸Let¡¯s fight with swords, fair and square.¡¹ While Yeongwoo pondered on ¡°ability damage¡±, Lee Seonho, who crawled out of the Jungnangcheon, looked up at Yeongwoo and reached out with his sword. Swish! However, even the de he extended was not intact. Perhaps due to the earlier ability explosion, there were cracks on the de as well. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Seeing this, Yeongwoo silently jumped down from Negwig. Thud! While gesturing towards Lee Seonho. ¡°Come up here. I¡¯ll fight you with a sword as you wish.¡± In response, the opponent, who didn¡¯t know how to respond to the bold challenge¡­ no, the plea, opened his mouth wide. ¡¸What¡­?¡¹ Then, shortly after. ¡¸Ah, of course. Right away.¡¹ Regaining a wicked smile, Lee Seonho sprang up towards Yeongwoo with a determined look. Thwack! He thought that he had gained the upper hand with that bastard Strongest Sword. But Yeongwoo was serious. ¡®If I hit that sword strongly, will it break?¡¯ The reason Yeongwoo reluctantly epted Lee Seonho¡¯s request was one. To see what would happen if he inflicted non-ability damage on that seemingly vulnerable weapon. Would the sword break? Or would its power decrease? The idea of ??conducting a test battle against a mutant was not normal from the start, but after all, wasn¡¯t Yeongwoo¡¯s closebat ability one of the best in Seoul? So there was no burden. Of course, Lee Seonho didn¡¯t think that way. ¨D Hehe, a bowman brat probably won¡¯t handle a sword well. You¡¯re done for now. Lee Seonho was also a person who enjoyed games as a hobby before the reset. So he was well aware that the ¡®Death Knight¡¯ monster was generally a master of swords. ¨D If only I could swing a sword. Crash! Soon enough, Lee Seonho found himself back on the ground in Gwangjin-gu. Upon this, Yeongwoo, with a bow slung across his upper body, threw an iron armor cutter at the Golden Goblin and received an underdog. Thunk! ¡¸Armor Cutter¡¹ ¨C Mutation Spear ¡¾Ignore 50% physical damage reduction rate.¡¿ ¡¸Underdog¡¹ ¨C Mutated one-handed sword ¡¾Increases power by 25% against targetsrger than the user.¡¿ Lee Seonho, manifesting as a Death Knight, was taller than Yeongwoo. Lee Seonho¡¯s height was 2.5 meters, while Yeongwoo¡¯s was about 2 meters. ¡®And above all, the cutter is not a sword but a spear¡­¡¯ It was useless stubbornness, but anyway, Yeongwoo feltfortable doing it this way. On the other hand. ¡¸You lunatic.¡¹ Lee Seonho couldn¡¯t hide his smirk as he watched the opponent exclude the spear. He couldn¡¯t understand or didn¡¯t want to understand the behavior because he was not in a mood for it. ¡¸You bastard, do I look like a pushover to you? Is that it?¡¹ Feeling a slight unease at Lee Seonho¡¯s menacing words, Yeongwoo recalled a simr remark when he first heard about Early Birds, directed towards those surrounding him. But strictly speaking, the situation was not the same as back then. ¡°I don¡¯t know who Mr. Seonho is. So I don¡¯t see him as a pushover, just as I said before, I just held up the sword.¡± After saying this, Yeongwoo gripped the underdog. ng. ¡°And among the swords I have, this one suits Mr. Seonho best.¡± Whether it was Yeongwoo, who used to fight with flying kicks against Cha Dooseong fighting under boxing rules, or not, he was doing his best in his own way now. ¡¸What are you saying, you idiot.¡¹ But for Lee Seonho, it was just an unpleasant event no matter what. After all, wasn¡¯t it the remaining humans on thisnd who had turned him into a monster in the first ce? So after waiting for a long time, he came back to judge them. ¨C How dare you treat me like a pushover? Cha, who had been chasing after nothing but the tail of a steel horse all along, without properly swinging a sword even once. So even choosing a weapon that suited his opponent was a tremendous insult to him. In the meantime, his self-esteem had unknowingly crumbled. ¡¸These inferior bastards!¡¹ Finally, one of Lee Seonho¡¯s buried emotions burst out. While doing so, Lee Seonho also rushed towards his opponent with a threatening sword. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword. He was aiming towards the despicable man who came to assassinate him, representing the remaining people in this world. ¡¸Dieeee!¡¹ Lee Seonho screamed at the top of his lungs as he swung his sword, and at this moment, Yeongwoo was staring intently at the opponent¡¯s movements, which seemed slow thanks to the ¡®Golden Oath¡¯. ¡¸Golden Oath¡¹- Legendary Breastte ¡¾Reduces enemy attack power by 50%.¡¿ The legend martial art ¡®Rohm¡¯s Bottom¡¯ was pulling his body to the right side, likely a preemptive move for the close-quartersbat to pierce the opponent¡¯s guard as he had been doing so far. However, instead of pulling away, Yeongwoo swung the underdog directly, intercepting Lee Seonho¡¯s attack. This was not just defense or counterattack, but a full-on ¡®initiative¡¯ attack aimed at the purple-cracked de of Lee Seonho. ¡¸Huh?¡¹ Realizing the opponent¡¯s fierce momentum, Lee Seonho instinctively gripped the sword handle with both hands and exerted more force, and at that moment, there was a crack. A sound that must nevere from the blue de of Lee Seonho¡¯s sword that was in contact with the underdog. ¡¸This¡­!¡¹ ¡°Gasp.¡± That was the sound of fracture. As expected by Yeongwoo, when he applied force to the weakened weapon, it shattered. ¡®What, I actually destroyed the opponent¡¯s weapon?¡¯ It was unclear whether this was a mutation-specific effect or if it was effective against other humans like Strongest Swords. Anyway, one thing was clear. ¡®I need to prepare for ability resistance. A big day is surelying.¡¯ From now on, it was also necessary to pick up ability resistance equipment one by one. ¡¸Huh? Why is this happening?¡¹ Meanwhile, as the weapon shattered in one strike, Lee Seonho, with only the handle remaining, looked at the broken sword in bewilderment. Although he had anticipated many situations as he entered the ¡®true battle¡¯ with Jeong Yeongwoo, he had never thought that the weapon would break. Then Yeongwoo fixed his grip on the underdog and said something chilling. ¡°Indeed, weapons can be destroyed. Anyway, it¡¯s time to go back. I also need to finish my work.¡± ¡¸What? Where¡­?¡¹ As Lee Seonho asked this, he unconsciously nced up at the sky. Swoosh! The de of the underdog shed through the air diagonally, vividly drawing the pattern of the Dogo¡¯s wedge pattern. And Lee Seonho. ¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹ Unlike Kim Seokshin, who went to heaven first, he couldn¡¯t even utter a single word and choked. Then, with Lee Seonho¡¯s skinny head spinning a few times in the air. Thud! It quietlynded on the asphalt floor of the Dongbu Expressway. ¡®Ah, the urgent fire is extinguished for now.¡¯ After confirming the white beam rising from Lee Seonho¡¯s corpse, Yeongwoo raised the ¡®Golden Journey¡¯. Swish! ¡®Golden Journey¡¯ Swish! [Golden Journey] |Please summon the Golden Rain in the next area. |Domestic (2/3) |Foreign (0/2) There are 1 domestic and 2 foreign Golden Rains left until the Golden Journey achievement is reached. And ording to Yeongwoo¡¯s n, the foreign Golden Rains could now be resolved by dealing with the mutants in the ownerless Kaesong and Hwanghae.. ¡®Of course, we should move north without dy.¡¯ While Yeongwoo was thinking this, Lee Seonho¡¯s corpse melted into the air, and a golden sphere appeared in its ce. Click. As Yeongwoo instinctively reached out to touch the sphere, he hesitated for a moment and stepped back. ¡°Ah, there¡¯s no point in scattering the Golden Rain here other than breaking the record.¡± Yeongwoo said this while looking towards the south of Gwangjin-gu. If no big thieves appeared there in the meantime, there would be another sphere left by Kim Seokshin. In other words, Yeongwoo could activate two golden spheres right now. However, both were still tied to Gwangjin-gu. While it was natural to be able to scatter the Golden Rain, it meant that it was difficult to expect arge currency supply as there were no residents in Gwangjin-gu at the moment. ¡®Then should I gather the people who used to live in Gwangjin-gu for a moment? No, there¡¯s no time for that now.¡¯ Current time, 1:14 PM. As Yeongwoo nced at his wristwatch, the Golden Goblin, who had been struggling to lift the iron armor cutter, suddenly dropped it to the ground. ng. -Kit! Then. Tap tap tap. Swiftly, the Golden Goblin approached the golden sphere. Swish! ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± In front of Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes, the Golden Goblin lifted the golden sphere. -Kiki! The Golden Goblin boasted, lifting the sphere up to his head. Upon this, Yeongwoo covered his mouth. ¡°Wait, you could carry it? Then, the Goblin let out an excited voice as he ran towards Yeongwoo while holding the sphere. -Kekeke! [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 133 Chapter 133 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 133: Diary of a Wanderer (6) Reversal of Roles. Yeongwoo held the Underdog and the Armor Cutter in his arms, busy following the Golden Goblin. The only one who could carry the sphere without activating it was him. ¡®Is it because he¡¯s not human that the sphere doesn¡¯t react? Come to think of it, I¡¯ve never imagined entrusting the sphere to a goblin.¡¯ The more you know, the more astonishing the world bes. ¨C Kiki! Ki! It seemed like the little one realized he had be a very important existence, as he happily dragged Yeongwoo around while holding the golden sphere. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean he was cking off on his duties. ck, tter! He was diligently collecting the crimson coins left by the Wyverns of Gwangjin-gu. ¨C Ki! Ki! While the little one kept babbling about something, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°Um, could you possibly carry two? One to take to Gangnam for use, and the other to keep forter?¡± When Yeongwoo asked this, the golden goblin, who had just picked up thest coin, turned to him. ¨C Kitch! ¡°¡­¡­¡± Was that a yes, or was it a bit awkward? ¡®Well, anyway, if I can¡¯t carry them all at once, I can alwayse back again.¡¯ In any case, Yeongwoo followed the goblin, who had finished his task, back south. Not long after, he saw another golden sphere floating near the entrance of Cheongdam Bridge on the other side. And standing next to it, as if she had been there all along, was Songpa Strongest Sword, Oh Yeonhee. ¡°Oh, Yeongwoo.¡± Yeonhee looked at Yeongwoo and the golden goblin with a strange expression. She must have realized that Jeong Yeongwoo had already taken care of the mutants in both areas. ¡°I came just in case you needed help, but it seems I¡¯m not needed after all.¡± The phrase ¡°I¡¯m not needed¡± sounded ambiguous. Yeongwoo faintly smiled and pointed to the golden goblin, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s take this too.¡± Then, in front of the astonished eyes of Oh Yeonhee, the golden goblin approached the second sphere. And then. ¨C Kiki¡­¡­ After a moment of hesitation, it put the first golden sphere, which it had already been holding, into the pocket of the spatial vacuum. Swoosh. ¡°Huh?¡± Once again, Yeongwoo was shocked. He hadn¡¯t even considered that the golden sphere could be stored in the spatial vacuum pocket. ¡®So¡­ does that mean I can stack up a bunch of spheres and use them when needed?¡¯ This was nothing short of a loophole. From now on, it meant that he could summon the Golden Ratio to any desired area at any time, and even¡­ ¡®With this, can¡¯t I summon the Night Dungeon as well¡­? Even if there are no mutants left in that area.¡¯ That was just the beginning. There were countless other potential uses he hadn¡¯t even thought of yet. ¡°W-what just happened?¡± On the other hand, Oh Yeonhee was still gaping, unable to recover from the shock. To her, the golden sphere was just a kind of system. So, the idea of actually carrying it around like a ball or storing it in a pouch had never crossed her mind. ¡°I just learned that too. So, I don¡¯t know anything beyond what I¡¯ve seen.¡± Of course, to do something like this, you needed to have a ve from outer space, so it wasn¡¯t something you could just do because you understood it. Click, ck. As Yeongwoo started to cross the Cheongdam Bridge with the golden goblin back on his shoulder, Oh Yeonhee hurriedly stopped him. ¡°Where are you going this time?¡± To which Yeongwoo pointed across the bridge as if it were obvious. ¡°To Gangnam. Since it¡¯s still my jurisdiction, I have to sprinkle some rain.¡± * * * Golden Rain. A kind of public service activity that provides 30,000 karma inmemorative coin form to all residents of the corresponding district. Because of this, the more people staying in the area, the higher the value of the golden rain. It meant that more karma was released into the area. ¡®No matter how much Seoul rotates, it can never keep up with the karma released by the golden rain.¡¯ After confirming that the regional status had changed to Gangnam, Yeongwoo touched the second sphere held by the goblin. Thump. And once again, he was presented with the choice between two options. ¡¶Choice Reward¡· [3 million karma] or [Grant 30,000 karma to all residents in the area] Again, only beings not from Earth could carry and move this sphere. ¡®Grant 30,000 karma.¡¯ As Yeongwoo chose the 30,000 distribution, the sphere slowly spun and then floated away into the void, leaving the hands of the goblin and Yeongwoo. And then. Fizzle! With a sharp sound, it shot up into the sky, drawing a golden arc in the sky. Shooaah! In an instant, the golden sphere soared up to the distant sky. Puffff! As usual, it exploded in a golden burst, but for the residents of Gangnam, it was a shockingly unprecedented performance. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What, what is it?¡± ¡°Fireworks¡­?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s something much more¡­¡± Not only the monster hunters who were fighting the skeleton swordsmen, but also the residents who were out on the streets toplete the scout quest, all saw the sky turn golden. And then. Suaaaaah¡­¡­! The golden threads that had filled the sky began to fall to the ground. Finally, golden rain began to fall on Gangnam¡¯s streets as well. ¡¶The Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo07¡¯ has relinquished exclusive ess to 3 million karma and gifted 30,000 karma to all residents of Gangnam.¡· ¡¶Prepare yourself as 30,000 karma will soon be distributed inmemorative coin form.¡· Following this, a message exining the identity of the golden rain appeared, and three golden coins appeared at the bedside of every resident of Gangnam. Pop, pop! And the same happened for Yeongwoo and Oh Yeonhee. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Having already seen the golden rain three times thanks to Yeongwoo, Oh Yeonhee now looked at the face of Gangnam Strongest Sword engraved on the coins with a somewhat familiar gaze. ¡°Now, Yeongwoo will be more famous in Gangnam than Taewon.¡± Her words were probably true. Despite the amount, there was no promotion method that could beat the effects of thememorative coin engraving. But Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze was focused not on Gangnam but on the north. ¡®Wow, so you can really move the spheres and detonate them in other areas. This means¡­¡¯ It meant that it was possible to take the collected spheres from within the country to foreign countries for use. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Yeongwoo threw himself onto Negwig as if he were crazy about spreading the golden rain. Then¡­ ¡°I¡¯m heading to Paju now!¡± After briefly informing Oh Yeonhee of his destination, he disappeared like the wind. * * * [Golden Journey] |Summon the golden rain in the next area. |Domestic (3/3) |Foreign (0/2) Golden rainpleted three times domestically. Now, all that remained was to bring the rain down twice in foreign areas. ¡®In theory, I canplete the achievement today. Since I already have one sphere, if I¡¯m lucky, I might encounter another mutant in Paju or Kaesong.¡¯ Quaqua, Quaqua! Yeongwoo, riding on Negwig, had already passed through Gwangjin-gu and was crossing Dongdaemun-gu. Unlike before, there were no mutant marks visible in Dongdaemun-gu. It meant that Jang Jeongho of Dongdaemun had finally dealt with the mutant assigned to him. ¡®It seems like he had quite a hard time, judging by how long it took.¡¯ Although he had been contentious since the first meeting, Yeongwoo still didn¡¯t wish for his death. After all, he was one of the important figures supporting Seoul, and above all, he was a fellow countryman. ¡®It¡¯s better for fellow citizens to do well.¡¯ So, Yeongwoo pulled out his bow towards the north side and increased the magnification of his sight. Thunk thunk! It was because he saw the remaining monster marks this time. It seemed that the monster hunters in that area were somewhat inferiorpared to other ces. Pew! As Yeongwoo shot a covert arrow, the monsters in battle with the Dongdaemun residents began to explode one by one. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What was that just now?¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Since the arrows flew from a far distance and the attacks were covert, to the people of Dongdaemun, it simply looked like the monsters suddenly died. Vroom, vroom! Meanwhile, the owner of the arrows, Yeongwoo¡­ |The current area of residence is ¡®Seongbuk¡¯. |The Strongest Sword of this area is ¡®Lee Yoobin16¡¯. Rank 1, 8 defenses. He was now passing through the entrance of Seongbuk, which was under Lee Yoobin¡¯s jurisdiction. ¡®Oh, this ce is clean.¡¯ Yeongwoo, who unintentionally ended up wandering around Seoul, admired the clean sky of Seongbuk. It meant that there wasn¡¯t a single monster or mutant left in Seongbuk. ¡®Ah, I see why Lee Yoobin was subtly eager in the meeting to get rid of Jang Jeongho.¡¯ In the society of Strongest Swords, strength was everything. If the two of them were to fight and things turned sour, the one most likely to lose their life would be Jang Jeongho. So, even though Jang Jeongho asionally provoked Lee Yoobin, it seemed like she was letting it go quietly. Whee! As they finished passing through the downtown area of Seongbuk-gu and Bukhansan loomed ahead, Negwig let out a long howl and pulled up the output. ¡°Huh? Jeong Yeongwoo?¡± Just as Lee Yoobin, who happened to be resting nearby, heard Negwig¡¯s howl and rushed out. Kwaaaah! But Negwig had already taken off, carrying Yeongwoo up to Bukhansan. * * * Having crisscrossed Seoul, leaving traces of himself everywhere, Yeongwoo was now passing through Goyang City. ¡®This ce feels a bit risky.¡¯ Gyeonggi-do¡¯s Goyang City. One of the major cities where the poption is twice that of most areas in Seoul. Since Yeongwoo only briefly passed by on his way to Pajust night, he knew nothing about this area. It was also outside the influence of the Seoul Federation, and above all¡­ |The current area of residence is ¡®Goyang¡¯.¡± |The Strongest Sword of this area is ¡®Park Jeongjin02¡¯. Rank 1, 42 defenses.¡± The Strongest Sword here was in very good shape. And just like Seongbuk, there were no signs of monsters or mutants here either. ¡®It seems they have their own system and the Strongest Sword is strong.¡¯ Considering the possibility of a full-scale conflict with the North, Yeongwoo had no intention of provoking the major cities in Gyeonggi-do. ¡®Let¡¯s get through here quickly.¡¯ As Yeongwoo gently touched Negwig¡¯s hindquarters, the horse picked up speed once again. Whee! Suddenly, the surroundings blurred, and the scenery rapidly moved aside as Yeongwoo¡¯s body jumped northward. Vroom, vroom! In the blink of an eye, they skipped over a couple of districts in Goyang City, and shortly after¡­ ¡°¡­¡­!¡± In the distance, red light pirs began to appear. ¡°There it is! Paju¡­!¡± It meant that there were still mutants in Paju. But the problem was¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± The erratic movement of the mutation marks caught his attention. In response, Yeongwoo increased the magnification of his telescope. ¡°Hmm¡­?¡± An unexpected scene came into view. People were tangled up around the mutations, wielding all sorts of weapons, but the issue was what was attached above their heads. ¡ºPyongyang¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» ¡ºWonsan¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» ¡ºAnak¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» Each one had a strange name. ¡®Oh¡­ Wonsan, isn¡¯t that in North Korea? So, right now¡­¡¯ As Yeongwoo surveyed the scene with a fivefold magnification, a very familiar name suddenly appeared before his eyes. That was none other than¡­ ¡ºGoyang¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» ¡®Oh, my goodness.¡¯ Yeongwoo immediately realized. Right in front of him, the first battle of the North-South confrontation was unfolding. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 134 Chapter 134 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 134: Diary of a Wanderer (7) ¡®Fuck, what kind of situation is this?¡¯ Life¡¯s greatest crisis. Park Jeongjin, the Strongest Sword of Goyang, looked around with widened pupils. ¡°Aaaaah!¡± ¡°Kill that basta*d first!¡± ¡°Chase him, you damn bastar#s!¡± It was because three of the Strongest Swords from the north were rushing towards them. Thanks to this, he was sweating profusely, and his back was already wet for a long time. ¡°¡­.¡± Although he usually referred to himself as the guardian of the northern part of Korea, when it came to actually ying the role of a ¡®guardian¡¯, he felt so weak that it was pathetic. Because. ¡°Goodness.¡± Right now, he was trying to avoid the northern Strongest Swords and hide behind the mutant. Of course, this was merely a tactical move. Who in the world could face three Strongest Swords simultaneously? An overwhelmingly disadvantageous battle of 1 vs. 3. In such a situation, anything that could be used had to be utilized. Even if it meant dealing with mutants. ¡®But still, there¡¯s no way to avoid some crumples.¡¯ Damn it! When Jeongjin swiftly took shelter under the mutant¡¯s huge shadow. ¡¸What on earth are you doing?¡¹ On the fourth day of the mutation in Paju, Kim Younghyeom, with a silvery-white beard, growled. [Soldier ¨C Kim Younghyeom] As a mutant, his body reached about 6 meters in length and 2.5 meters in height, resembling a white tiger. Jeongjin couldn¡¯t help but tremble unknowingly when he looked up at him. Just looking at him was terrifying. Perhaps it was because the fear of tigers was ingrained in his genes from his ancestors. It¡¯s said that in the old days, people were really bitten by tigers. However. ¡®I can¡¯t die in such a ridiculous way.¡¯ There¡¯s also a saying that if you keep your wits about you, even if you¡¯re bitten by a tiger, you can survive. In the face of the fear of death, Park Jeongjin remembered the identity of his opponent. ¡°General! P-please help us just once. After all, aren¡¯t we fellow countrymen! They are from North Korea!¡± ¡¸¡­¡­.!¡¹ At the sound of ¡°general,¡± Kim Younghyeom, who had be a white tiger, twitched his white eyebrows. Kim Younghyeom, a colonel in the army. Former director of the Army Headquarters Policy Office. He is probably the most famous figure among the soldiers currently alive. When he was active as the director of policy, he became a topic of discussion for saying, ¡°If North Korea fires one missile, we should fire two,¡± butter it was revealed that he was involved in military procurement corruption. However, it was not the missile corruption that the public ridiculed at the time, but the suspicion that he exerted indirect influence in selecting the suppliers for supplying field rations. Although there was no definitive evidence as his duties were not directly rted to supplier selection, several circumstantial evidences were found. Above all, it had been confirmed that 1.3 billion won had been received from the problematic supplier, so Kim Younghyeom¡¯s name had been stered all over television and the inte for a while. Moreover, this incident had urred just two months before the reset date. Therefore, before the trial results came out, the judgement of the public had already been passed. They had nominated Kim Younghyeom as a candidate for eradication voting. ¡¸Do I look like a moron? Anyway, you¡¯re here to kill me just like they are.¡¹ At the words of the Goyang¡¯s Strongest Sword asking for help, Kim Younghyeom twitched his silvery-white beard. ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s true, but! General!¡± As Park Jeongjin was desperately trying to exin himself, he suddenly widened his eyes. ¡°Now¡¯s the time!¡± ¡°Kill him!¡± While the two exchanged a brief conversation, the trio from the Southern faction were targeting Kim Younghyeom. Naturally, they had resolved to take out the mutant with the most significant presence first. However, the mutant in Paju was ultimately a possession of the South. ¡°How dare you!¡± Enraged, Park Jeongjin managed to engage each of the three opponents, albeit narrowly. ng! But could miracles happen one after another? ¡°This damn bastard.¡± ¡°We got him!¡± Just as the second engagement was about to start, Park Jeongjin was soon overwhelmed. And this was as natural as arithmetic. In a fight between swords of simr levels, wouldn¡¯t there be a difference of three to one in numbers? Swoosh! Eventually, when Park Jeongjin couldn¡¯t pass the second engagement and received a wound on his arm, mes sparked in Kim Younghyeom¡¯s eyes, who had been silently watching the fight until now. ¡¸Hey, you pathetic bastard.¡¹ Although both sides were attackers who hade to kill the mutants, Kim Younghyeom¡¯s mood soured when he saw the Strongest sword of his own faction being beaten by North Koreans. ¡¸So, as I always say. When they hit us once, we should hit them twice!¡¹ Crack! As Kim Younghyeom lifted his front paw and struck the ground hard, an instant gust of wind arose, pushing back all four of the nearby Strongest Swords. ¡¸To think I¡¯d have to prepare for another armed conflict while still alive.¡¹ A mutant of army general rank, Kim Younghyeom, with his head covered in white fur, looked up at the sky. He couldn¡¯t tell how long it had been since the reset. Judging by the fact that the Strongest Swords were brandishing their swords, it seemed like it had been several hundred years, but¡­ ¡°General!¡± Just by looking at the guy who was pathetically calling him ¡®General¡¯ while lying down, one could tell that the world still remembered him. Surprisingly, it was clear that not much time had passed. ¡°Hyaaah!¡± ¡°Uwah!¡± While Kim Younghyeom briefly lifted his head to look at the sky, Pyongyang and Anak¡¯s Strongest Swords did not miss the opportunity and swung their swords. ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ At that moment when Kim Younghyeom was about to demonstrate his skills in earnest. Fuuuuuut! Somewhere, only a very faint sound, barely perceivable by Kim Younghyeom, could be heard. ¡¸What?¡¹ And then. Swish, boom! A sharp movement and a purple explosion urred almost simultaneously. Right in front of Kim Younghyeom. ¡°Aaargh!¡± ¡°Cough!¡± Thanks to that, although the Northern Strongest Swords were thrown to the ground, the appearance of another powerful figure, from the perspective of the mutants who saw everyone as enemies, was a disaster. ¡¸Who¡¯s there?¡¹ Kim Younghyeom, who had not yet identified the source of the sound, whipped his head around, and the Strongest Sword from Wonsan, who had not been caught up in the explosion yet, pointed somewhere. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°T-There! That bastard!¡± The fingers of the Strongest Sword from Wonsan trembled. It was because the ¡®stamp¡¯ left on the one who plundered the assets of North Korea was clearly visible in his eyes. -Kweeee! And then, a strange cry erupted from the south. ¡¸Huh?¡¹ When Kim Younghyeom turned around, he saw a man riding a horse from afar, holding a bow in his hand. ¡¸What is that¡­?¡¹ Such an unreal appearance that the term ¡®that¡¯ came out of the mutant¡¯s mouth involuntarily. Swish! Moreover, as the horse began to gallop, the ck cloak worn by the ¡®mounted archer¡¯ fluttered, revealing the golden armor hidden underneath. ¡¸What is that, and is that also a Strongest Sword like you?¡¹ As the distance with ¡®that¡¯ shortened rapidly, Kim Younghyeom red at Park Jeongjin, and the pitiful Strongest Sword from Goyang. Swoosh. After ncing briefly at the mounted archer. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know! I¡¯ve never seen anything like that before!¡± He blurted out a useless line. Because there was no title visible on ¡®that¡¯ which should have been above the head if he were a Strongest Sword. And in the meantime. Kwaaat! -Kweeek! With the piercing sound of the horse, the problematic mounted archer rushed into the scene. ¡¸Uh¡­!¡¹ Feeling threatened, Kim Younghyeom crouched down and assumed a defensive stance. Swish, swish! The opponent passed by without a care, then stopped between the Strongest Swords from the North. And then. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m really sorry. These are people who came looking for me.¡± With a truly nonchnt tone, he bowed his head to Younghyeom and Jeongjin. However, what could be said to the two who hadn¡¯t even properly grasped the situation yet? ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ ¡°Um, well¡­.¡± The two blinked their eyes and exchanged nces for a while, finally breaking the silence when Kim Younghyeom asked a question. ¡¸S-So, who are you¡­?¡¹ ¡°Oh, right.¡± As if the opponent had forgotten, he looked up at his own head, then suddenly tapped his chest. Hwaaat! ¡ºGyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» The identity of the mounted archer was finally revealed. ¡¸Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword¡­?¡¹ As Kim Younghyeom slowly read the strangely named title, the opponent drew a sword from his waist and introduced himself formally. ¡°Yes. I am the strongest in Gyeongbuk, Gangnam, Kaesong, and Hwanghae, the strongest on Earth, Jeong Yeongwoo 07.¡± ¡¸Huh?¡¹ ¡°And this battle is supported by the intergctic weapon brand, Dogo.¡± ¡¸W-What are you talking about?¡¹ Feeling uneasy, Kim Younghyeom instinctively ttened his ears, while the Goyang¡¯s Strongest Sword, Park Jeongjin, opened his mouth with a pale face. ¡°G-General! This is really strange. The Strongest Swords don¡¯t say such things. It¡¯s just¡­¡± However, Park Jeongjin couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. While he was speaking, Jeong Yeongwoo of Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword swung his sword at Pyongyang¡¯s Strongest Sword, who was lying on the ground. Hwaeeeak! And with that, due to the splendid spike pattern drawn along the path of the sword, everyone in the area realized a beatte. Thud. The fact that Pyongyang¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¯s head had just been severed by that blow. ¡¸This¡­!¡¹ ¡°Ah!¡± Although Younghyeom and Jeongjin were greatly surprised by the overwhelming disy of skill, the other two Strongest Swords from the North were even more shocked. ¡°You bastard!¡± ¡°P-Please spare us!¡± Anak, Wonsan. While the two showed different reactions, they both unconsciously looked towards the North. As if waiting for someone. So, Yeongwoo sensed it. nk. ¡°There¡¯s more, right? The people who came to capture me.¡± It was probably true. Considering the time, it was too early for the main force to arrive. Since they didn¡¯t even react to the arrow that was shot earlier, the three who were already here were just makeshift pawns. In other words, there was a high probability that it was an unexpected attack that had not been agreed upon by some sort of alliance in North Korea. Having lost two major regional titles earlier, it was unlikely that they would send only a few sacrificial pawns again. ¡°Do you know anything at all? Otherwise, you¡¯ll die right away.¡± When there was no response from the opponent, Yeongwoo raised his sword again, and at this, Anak¡¯s Strongest Sword, lying beneath his de, attempted to plead for mercy. ¡°St-Stop your actions!¡± From afar, a voice echoed loudly from a rugged mountain. ¡°¡­.?¡± Turning his head to look in the direction of the voice, Yeongwoo saw people standing in line on the mountain. There were as many as eight of them. ¡®¡­That¡¯s quite a lot this time.¡¯ They were likely the main force from the North. The narrativepass, the ¡°Fearful Cat,¡± also trembled thinly, indicating a threatening presence on the other side. At this point, Kim Younghyeom spoke up again. ¡¸Isn¡¯t that a bit challenging for you too? Aren¡¯t there eight more peopleing now?¡¹ ¡°Ah.¡± At Younghyeom¡¯s words, Yeongwoo realized he needed to exin to some extent. Just then, a swift movement came from the south. ¡®Huh, could it be¡­¡¯ As Yeongwoo turned his head, he saw peopleing from the south as well. They were the Strongest Swords of the Seoul Federation. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 135 Chapter 135 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 135: Diary of a Wanderer (8) ¡¸The title of Pyongyang¡¯s Strongest Sword, has been stolen!¡¹ ¡°It seems like chaos.¡± In response to the notification that the title of Pyongyang¡¯s Strongest Sword, the North Korean asset, had been stolen, a man in military attire spoke calmly. This man¡¯s name was Kim Jeongtae02. He was the Strongest Sword of Hamhung, one of North Korea¡¯s major cities. In the North, reaching a height of about 2 meters, which was difficult to achieve naturally, was aplished through karma, and this in itself was Kim Jeongtae¡¯s signature. It meant that he had eliminated arge number of mutants to the extent that he could invest karma in his body. Therefore, ¡°These idiots keep messing things up.¡± Even the Strongest Sword of Hamnam, who was present with Kim Jeongtae, couldn¡¯t fully muster his courage. Hamnam, or in other words, Hamgyeongnam Province, including Hamhung, was arge area in the North. ¡°He seems to be more than just an ordinary guy.¡± This time, Gongsan¡¯s Strongest Sword, Lee Chungwoo09, added a word. Gongsan, which he upied, was a lower region of Hwanghae Province. Since the thieves from South Korea, visible in the distance, were also the Strongest Swords of Hwanghae Province, it seemed like they hade to provoke a big fight. ¡°He may not be ordinary, but if several of us team up, they¡¯ll have no choice but to die.¡± Finally, Pyeongnam¡¯s Strongest Sword, Go Jeonhoon 01, summarized the current situation with a fierce remark. That¡¯s right. No matter how skilled one was in martial arts, there were limits to bing stronger in this world. That guy, Jeong Yeongwoo07, wouldn¡¯t have gone around swallowing all the mutants of South Korea alone, would he? Therefore, ¡®In a one-on-one confrontation, I can win several times. Of course, it¡¯s impressive to have defeated Hwanghae. I admit that he¡¯s strong.¡¯ But if the difference in numbers is significant, the story changes. ¡°Has Shinuiju not arrived yet?¡± When Go Jeonhoon looked north and asked, the other Strongest Swords turned their heads. There was still no news. ¡°Hmm.¡± The king of Pyeongannam Province, Go Jeonhoon, sighed. The reputation of Shinuiju¡¯s Strongest Sword, who guarded the border with China, was widespread even to Pyongyang. So, upon hearing the news that Shinuiju was joining this battle, there was a sense of relief. It would indeed be a great boost to their forces, but before that, they were curious about the swordsmanship of those who survived in the border areas with China. ¡®There are only two of the Strongest Swords from therge areas present here. It shouldn¡¯t happen, but we must never lose.¡¯ If by some chance they were to lose this battle, it would be a terrible thing for the Strongest Sword of South Korea to be the Strongest Sword of Joseon. So, it was wise to attack with maximum force at this moment. If the opponent was just Jeong Yeongwoo07, they would have started the attack immediately, but it seemed that South Korea had also gathered some people. ¡°¡­¡­¡± While stroking his chin and looking down at the South Korean camp on the other side, Kim Jeongtae of Hamhung¡¯s Strongest Sword drew his sword and spoke. ¡°Then how about I try to stall for some time? It¡¯ll give us a chance to gauge their mood.¡± ¡°¡­ Is that possible? In case any problems arise.¡± Although Go Jeonhoon voiced his concerns, in reality, they had no choice. Whoosh! The nationally wanted thief, Jeong Yeongwoo 07, suddenly began shooting arrows, prompting the start of the battle. * * * ¡®Does this guy have no fear¡­?¡¯ Choi Namhee, the Strongest Sword of Seocho, watched Yeongwoo¡¯s back with a bewildered expression. Thunk! Without a moment of hesitation, he pulled back the bowstring again. Whoosh! As Yeongwoo released the bowstring, another arrow shot out just like before, and soon a purple explosion urred in the northern camp. Boom! Then, enraged northern Strongest Swords were seen jumping down from the hill. The war had truly begun. ¡°Are you¡­ sure it¡¯s okay to start like this?¡± Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword, Oh Yeonhee, asked, her mouth agape, looking at Yeongwoo. They hade all this way to help this lunatic, only for the fight to start before they could even assess the situation. In response, Yeongwoo nced back briefly and said. ¡°Thank you, everyone.¡± It was a very bted greeting. Then, he answered Oh Yeonhee¡¯s question. ¡°Even though they have allies here, there must be a reason they didn¡¯t charge right away. Perhaps they¡¯re waiting for reinforcements.¡± The ¡®allies¡¯ from the North that Yeongwoo mentioned referred to the still-breathing survivors, the Strongest Sword of Wonsan. ¡°We can¡¯t just sit here and have tea with them¡­ It¡¯s better to start the fight before they organize their ranks.¡± ¡°No, the reason things soured between us and them is actually¡­¡± Choi Namhee was about to refute Yeongwoo¡¯s words but closed her mouth. In any case, the spilled water couldn¡¯t be recovered, and as Yeongwoo had said, further dialogue with North Korea seemed impossible. ¡°Scatter!¡± ¡ºPyeongnam¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» Following the instructions of the Strongest Sword of Pyeongnam, the North Korean side was narrowing the encirclement from all directions, prompting Kim Younghyeom to stroke his long beard. ¡¸Why are you just standing there? Aren¡¯t you going to break through the center?¡¹ Upon hearing this, from Gyeongbuk, Songpa, Seocho, to Goyang, the four Strongest Swords in the audience looked at him with puzzled eyes. It was a momentary forgetfulness. They had forgotten that the fourth day mutant from Paju was still alive and breathing in this ce. ¡°W-wait, he¡¯s not your ¡®friend¡¯?¡± Yeonhee, realizing this important fact toote, almost screamed. Until now, she had thought the white tiger in front of her as another ¡®friend¡¯ of Yeongwoo. However, Kim Younghyeom, without paying any attention to whether the Strongest Swords were pointing their swords at him or not, pointed his thick front paw towards the North¡¯srge formation. ¡¸You guys have never banded together and fought, right? If we keep getting surrounded like this, our rear will be exposed and we¡¯ll all die in the end.¡¹ Kim Younghyeom was now talking about basic infantry tactics. ¡¸Isn¡¯t he the strongest one here anyway, just by looking at him?¡¹ Pointing at Yeongwoo with his chin, Kim Younghyeom spoke, causing the rest of the audience to unknowingly nod their heads. ¡¸Then you go into the center and deal with the one who came from Pyeongnam first.¡¹ Meanwhile, as the fiercely enraged North Korean Strongest Swords approached, a desperate Oh Yeonhee asked the white tiger, Kim Younghyeom. ¡°What about the rest?¡± In response, the white tiger, Kim Younghyeom, stretched out his front paw and yawned. ¡¸I¡¯ll handle the west alone. You guys take care of the rest.¡¹ ¡°Yes, sir! General!¡± Goyang¡¯s Strongest Sword hurriedly prepared his weapons. On the other hand, Oh Yeonhee and Choi Namhee looked at Yeongwoo with expressions of disbelief. They were really questioning whether this was okay. However, it was Yeongwoo who had made the most radical moves in this situation. Cooperating with mutants wasn¡¯t even that surprising to him. ¡°Nice to meet you, even though it¡¯s our first time. I¡¯ll be counting on you, General¡­¡± With Yeongwoo¡¯s words, the temporary alliance against North Korea was decided, and having witnessed all this, the Strongest Swords of Anak and Wonsan, also made a decision. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Now, they were starting to run towards the main North Korean forces, who hade closer. Thud! Each of them moved like the strongest in their respective regions, but luck wasn¡¯t on Anak¡¯s side. The closest one to him happened to be none other than Yeongwoo. ¡°Wait!¡± Seeing the opponent trying to escape, Yeongwoo immediately drew his ck sword. Swish! As the elongated de, now six meters long, sliced through the air, a massive jagged pattern unfolded, and Anak¡¯s head fell. ¡¸Our country¡¯s title of Anak¡¯s Strongest Sword, has been stolen!¡¹ It was a scene of North Korea¡¯s asset being drained right in front of them. ¡°You bastar*¡± ¡°That bast*rd!¡± The faces of the already angry North Korean Strongest Swords twisted into a grim expression, and by this time, the distance between the two sides had narrowed to about ten meters. They were now approaching the point where a sh would ur as soon as they reached out with their swords. [Doggo] ¡°Headhunter¡± [Mission] Cut the necks of 4/7 Strongest Swords. [Reward] 7 million karma [Special] You must notify Doggo¡¯s support in this mission. ¡®Three more to go.¡¯ After confirming the progress of the greatly advanced ¡®Headhunter,¡¯ Yeongwoo shifted his gaze towards the center of the encirclement, as ordered by General Kim Younghyeom. Then, he noticed a figure called ¡®Strongest Sword of Pyeongnam¡¯ who had been giving orders to the main North Korean forces all along. ¡ºPyeongnam¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» Strongest Sword of Pyeongnam, Go Jeonhoon01. As indicated by the identification number 01, his robust character was evident even on his face. ¡®He¡¯s no ordinary guy.¡¯ Yeongwoo admired his opponent, while Go Jeonhoon snarled back at him. ¡°¡­Fuck.¡± However, when he got closer, he realized that his opponent was too tall. Go Jeonhoon¡¯s height was 171 centimeters. While this was quite tall for a man in North Korea, where the average height was in the 160s, it was definitely not the case here. Just the woman standing tall with a crescent de on the other side was much taller than them. ¡°¡­¡­¡± As Go Jeonhoon began to lose some of the confidence he had when he first stood on the hill, Yeongwoo spoke first. ¡°If it¡¯s North Korea, the Pyongyang Strongest Sword should be the strongest, right? But I don¡¯t see him today.¡± Although it was purely out of curiosity, to Go Jeonhoon, it sounded like a provocation. ¡°Pyongyang is preparing for a bigger problem. You¡¯re enough for us to handle.¡± ¡°Oh, is it because of Kim Jong-un?¡± ¡°Shut up and fight, you bastard!¡± Swish! Soon, Go Jeonhoon, the Strongest Sword of Pyeongnam, rushed forward emitting a fierce aura. ¡¸The sensory value has temporarily increased from the original 1,400 to 2,516.¡¹ The sensory value of Go Jeonhoon, the Strongest Sword of Pyeongnam, was roughly around 2,000. ¡®Closer to the strength side.¡¯ While Yeongwoo was thinking this, Go Jeonhoon pulled out a pair of short swords from his waist in session. Swish! The weapon he pulled out had a strangely short length, giving the impression of a pair of short swords from the simr appearance of the two handles, indicating that they were originally made as a pair. ¡®Although the reach is a bit short, it seems like it¡¯s used as a main weapon.¡¯ Despite being in the midst of a solo battle with Yeongwoo, it wasn¡¯t wise to take risks with other allies present. The situation called for a swift and decisive victory. So, Yeongwoo¡­ Swish! Instead, he leaped backward shortly, pulling back the bowstring. ng! ¡°This crazy bastard!¡± Upon realizing that his opponent would use a bow at such close range, something Go Jeonhoon couldn¡¯t have imagined, he widened his eyes, almost at the same moment as¡­ Swish! Yeongwoo¡¯s hidden arrow struck Go Jeonhoon¡¯s front, exploding. Boom! However, contrary to Yeongwoo¡¯s expectations, the opponent didn¡¯t recoil or have his weapon shattered. Because¡­ ng. In that brief moment, Go Jeonhoon¡¯s crossed pair of short swords created a shield, protecting him. ¡®Wait, was it also a shield?¡¯ Seeing the weapon operate in a way he had never seen before, Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Meanwhile, Go Jeonhoon, whose momentum had risen again, unleashed a series of rapid thrusts. Swoosh! It was an incredibly fast thrust that resembled the needle of a sewing machine. But wasn¡¯t Yeongwoo equipped with the ¡®Item Luck,¡¯ which made him nearly invincible in closebat? ¡¸Golden Oath¡¹ ¨C Legendary Breastte ¡¾Reduces enemy attack power by 50%.¡¿ ¡¸Self-Generation¡¹ ¨C Mutant Camouge ¡¾Can survive without eating.¡¿ ¡¾Energy is self-generated.¡¿ ¡¾Reduces all physical damage¡¿ In a fleeting moment, Yeongwoo drew out only half of the ¡®Dragon¡¯s Legacy¡¯ with his right hand and blocked Go Jeonhoon¡¯s thrust. Thunk! Due to the broad nature of the Dragon¡¯s Legacy, which was suitable for use as a shield, but also due to the considerable height difference between them, the target of Go Jeonhoon¡¯s thrust was Yeongwoo¡¯s abdomen, which yed a significant role. In other words, the recent attack was purely blocked due to Go Jeonhoon¡¯s smaller stature. ¡°This fuc*ing b*stard!¡± Veteran swordsman Go Jeonhoon, who knew better than to give up, narrowed the distance and pressed forward. Swish! Then suddenly, Boom! A sturdy presence loomed over his head. ¡¸Vanguard¡¹ ¨C Relic Helmet ¡¾This helmet does not take damage.¡¿ Whoooom! Yeongwoo struck with the ¡®Vanguard.¡¯ Crack! Given that there were no swordsmen in North Korea who fought like this, Go Jeonhoon was greatly surprised. Nevertheless, ¡®If I fall, it¡¯s over!¡¯ As a general representing his country on an expedition, he showed a fighting spirit that was almost miraculous. Even as his forehead was halfway shattered and he began to feel the effects of ¡®Inflict Pain,¡¯ he managed to lift one eyelid with great difficulty. Then, this time, Boom! Unexpected mes filled his field of vision. ¡¸Self-Destruct¡¹ ¨C Mutation Bracelet ¡¾Causes a strong explosion.¡¿ ¡¾Durability increased by 300.¡¿ At this, General Kim Younghyeom, who was single-handedly in charge of the western front, couldn¡¯t help but turn towards Yeongwoo. ¡¸That guy¡­ Is he a wizard?¡¹ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 136 Chapter 136 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 136: Diary of a Wanderer (9) ¡°Hurry up, please!¡± As Jang Jeongho exhaled deeply at Seongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword Yoobin¡¯s urging, he grumbled. ¡°Why rush like this? Gangnam will handle it well anyway.¡± Yoobin from Seongbuk and Jang Jeongho from Dongdaemun. The two Strongest Swords were now on their way to Paju to participate in the ¡®North-South War¡¯, which was the main agenda of yesterday¡¯s meeting. But in reality, it was closer to Yoobin dragging Jeongho forcibly into the battle. Jeongho had just finished a battle with the mutant not long ago, and he didn¡¯t want to help Jeong Yeongwoo in the first ce. However¡­ ¡°So, as Jeongho said, Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword will handle it well, so why aren¡¯t we going? If we don¡¯t go, it¡¯s definitely a loss, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°If you stay still, you might regret itter. At least show your face. Anyway, since Yeongwoo will be doing a one-man show, we just have to watch.¡± Yoobin, who was keenly aware of the situation despite not having seen it firsthand. On the other hand, Jeongho, while following her to Paju, did not seem pleased. ¡®Would there only be people like us in North Korea? There might be crazy people like Jeong Yeongwoo there. If that guy keeps kicking up a fuss, someday we might get into big trouble.¡¯ Of course, this was only Jeongho¡¯s hope. Meanwhile! Continuing to argue back and forth, the two eventually saw the signs of mutants not long after. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Uh¡­?¡± It was a bright pir of light piercing the sky over Paju. That meant that mutants were still alive in Paju. ¡°What? How is that possible?¡± With her mouth agape, Yoobin started running even faster. Isn¡¯t Paju supposed to be where the Strongest Swords of North and South are fighting? But how can mutants be alive in the meantime? ¡°What on earth is happening?¡± As it reached this point, Jeongho couldn¡¯t help but increase his speed, and shortly after, the battlefield appeared before their eyes. ng, ng, swoosh! The friction sounds of all sorts of equipment flying like bells. And in the midst of it, a giant white tiger, as seen before, was fighting with North Korean Strongest Swords. ¡°¡­?¡± For Yoobin and Jeongho, who had just arrived at the scene, it was something they could hardly believe, but what overwhelmed them more than anything was¡­ ¡°T-Too many¡­?¡± It was the number of Strongest Swords from both sides gathered here. On the North side alone, there were a whopping nine, plus two corpses on the ground, totaling eleven, and there were also four Strongest Swords from the South. A total of fifteen Strongest Swords were fighting in this ce. ¡°No, the number is too uneven?¡± As Jeongho, the Strongest Sword of Dongdaemun, hesitated at the muchrger scale of the battle than expected, someone¡¯s head bounced into the air in the middle of the battlefield. Swoosh! The neers didn¡¯t know, but the owner of that head was¡­ ¡ºPyeongnam¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» The Strongest Sword of the North Korean army, General Go Jeonhoon01. * * * ¡°That bas*ard, that son of a¡­!¡± Kim Jeongtae, the Strongest Sword from Hamhung, cursed as he saw Go Jeonhoon¡¯s head flying. And for good reason. ¡¸The title of our country, Pyeongnam¡¯s Strongest Sword, has been stolen!¡¹ Even the position of the Strongest Sword of Pyeongnam Province has passed to South Korea. And this means¡­ ¡¸A new Strongest Sword of Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword (Advanced) has been elected.¡¹ It was no different than implying that the thief became the sole candidate for the strongest position in North Korea. ¡¸A new Joseon Strongest Sword has been elected.¡¹ To no one¡¯s surprise, with no other Joseon Strongest Sword candidates topete against, the sole candidate naturally took the position of the Joseon Strongest Sword. ¡°This is insane.¡± ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable.¡± ¡°Oh, Pyeongnam is dead¡­?¡± The northern camp became chaotic for a moment. On the other hand, the southern side had a strong sense of foreboding upon seeing General Go Jeonhoon¡¯s head severed. ¡°It¡¯s all over! It¡¯s time to retreat!¡± General Kim Young-hum screamed towards the north, and indeed¡­ ¡¸The title of our country, Joseons Strongest Sword, has been stolen!¡¹ As the worst possible notification message was broadcasted, the morale of the North Korean Strongest Swords hit rock bottom. To make matters worse, there was no other choice but for Kim Jong-un to return now. ¡°This¡­!¡± As Kim Jeongtae from Hamhung wore an expression as if he lost his country, Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword Oh Yeonhee, who had been facing him, firmly gripped her sword and said, ¡°What¡¯s the use ofing this far? That person is a monster beyond our control. It¡¯s regrettable that things havee to this, but anyway¡­¡± Whack! Instead of continuing her words, Oh Yeonhee swung her sword. Seeing this, Kim Jeongtae, who had been momentarily distracted, quickly raised his sword to block it. ng! ¡°What the hell is this lunatic talking about? We¡¯re not done yet. Do you think there are only monsters on that side?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± As Oh Yeonhee stared through the de at her opponent, a roaring sound came from the north again. ¡°You bastards! Who among you is the Joseon Strongest Sword? Come out now!¡± Standing proudly on the hill with a long sword plunged into the ground was none other than the one who Go Jeonhoon, now deceased, had been eagerly awaiting reinforcements from. ¡ºShinuiju¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» Strongest Sword from Shinuiju. In a way, he was an indispensable figure, even if he was called the guardian of the northern part of the penins. He had been killing thieves, big and small, while guarding Shinuiju, near the border with China. But now, as the titles of his homnd continued to slip away, he had descended to Paju. ¡®I would have been in big trouble if I hadn¡¯te down here.¡¯ As he looked down at the already chaotic battlefield, Jo Sunghoo sighed. Although the number of North Korean Strongest Swords was still much higher, the fact that the title of Joseon Strongest Sword had been transferred alone indicated that the actual situation waspletely different from what it appeared to be. ¡°¡­¡± Meanwhile, the war had temporarily reached a lull. Thanks to the unexpectedmand of Cho Sunghoo. The northern side turned their heads to see if the nobles they had been waiting for had arrived, while the southern side shifted their attention to another enemy¡¯s appearance. Of course, the tension was much less on the southern side. If the Shinuiju Strongest Sword on the northern side was considered a noble, then on the southern side, there was Gangnam¡­ No, now it was the Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo. At this point, he was arguably the person closest to being a demon on the Korean Penins. ¡°Just by looking at the appearance, you can tell that their reinforcements over there are somewhat reasonable. Whether it¡¯s strength or whatever.¡± While Oh Yeonhee exchanged a word with Kim Jeongtae, who was facing her, ¡®Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¯ Jeong Yeongwoo took a few steps towards the hill. ck, ck. Then, he reced the title above his head with Joseon Strongest Sword. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Click! With that, a slightly different tooltip appearedpared to the Gyeongbuk Strongest Sword. ¡¸Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¹ ¨C Legendary title ¡¾Supremacy of the Strongest Sword¡¿ ¡¾Voting Rights¡¿ ¡®¡­Joseon Swordsmanship.¡¯ Actually, it was only natural, but the title of Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword was apanied by Joseon Swordsmanship. For Yeongwoo, who had spent quite a while on Rohm, it was quite a refreshing change. ¡®But is Rohm¡¯s Bottom still higher in terms of grade?¡¯ As Yeongwoo brought up the list of martial arts, it appeared that both the current Joseon Swordsmanship he was using and Rohm¡¯s Bottom, which was a legendary grade martial art, were the same. ||Joseon Swordsmanship ¨C Legendary Grade |Rohm¡¯s Bottom ¨C Legendary Grade |Gyeongbuk Sword Law ¨C Unique Grade ¡®Oh¡­ But still, giving it a legendary grade as the best martial art of the nation.¡¯ In that case, there might not be a need to use Rohm¡¯s Bottom this time. And if he wanted, he could always switch between Joseon Swordsmanship and Rohm¡¯s Bottom. ¡®Let¡¯s try Joseon Swordsmanship this time.¡¯ Swoosh! After Yeongwoo sheathed the Dragon¡¯s Legacy and drew out the ck sword again, Strongest Sword of Shinuiju twisted his mouth. ¡°What a disrespectful brat.¡± It wasn¡¯t just that the opponent confidently put ¡®Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¯ on his head, but also his pride was hurt by not using a bow hanging on his body and drawing out his sword instead. It was clearly a sign of underestimating them. However, Yeongwoo, on the other hand¡­ Swish! In the meantime, he was in the process of pulling out his bow. With a sword in one hand. It was possible because the distance between them was close. ¡°Considering the situation, wouldn¡¯t it be right toe at me? Ourrades¡¯ lives are at stake.¡± As Yeongwoo let go of his bow with those words, tremendous pressure emerged from the front of the bow. Phe! Then, a secret arrow shot from the bow, aimed at Shinuiju¡¯s Strongest Sword. Swoosh! But the astonishing thing happened next. ¡°¡­.!¡± The arrow didn¡¯t explode. It was only natural for Shinuiju¡¯s Strongest Sword to twist his body to avoid the arrow. ¡®A master is a master. It seems North Korea was worth waiting for.¡¯ Seeing Yeongwoo¡¯s surprised expression, Shinuiju¡¯s Strongest Sword rushed forward with a confident smile and spoke in a bold voice. ¡°I came down here because of you, leaving the border empty. But if I can return as the Strongest Sword of Joseon, it should be enough for a bargain.¡± Swoosh. Shinuiju¡¯s Strongest Sword was trying to pull something out of his bosom. Since Yeongwoo had experienced various ambushes, he turned his upper body before the hologram of Joseon Swordsmanship was activated. Swish. Then, as expected, two small daggers flew in session, and Yeongwoo¡¯s vision momentarily turned navy blue. ¡®Oh, this is it.¡¯ The hologram color of Joseon Swordsmanship was navy blue. Swish! Continuing, as Yeongwoo grasped the sword following the navy blue hologram, Shinuiju¡¯s Strongest Sword, who was rushing at him like a storm, flinched. It was because he realized thepletely differentbat posture of his opponent from before. It seemed to be a very refined posture, probably¡­ ¡®Joseon Swordsmanship¡­!¡¯ Facing off against Joseon Swordsmanship, which should have been North Korea¡¯s secret technique, directly was quite an experience. ¡°Son of a bitch.¡± Whether it was because of overwhelming emotions or not, Shinuiju¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¯s face contorted viciously. ¡°This disgrace shall be repaid in blood.¡± In response, although awkwardly, Yeongwoo raised the tip of his sword as directed by the Joseon Swordsmanship. ¡°Come in.¡± With that, the other Strongest Swords who had been watching the meeting between the two men in a daze, also regained their vigor. Shouldn¡¯t they end this war? ¡°Yaaah!¡± ¡°Die!¡± As the momentum of the North side surged with the appearance of the Strongest Sword of Shinuiju, General Kim Youngheum, who was already holding onto the four Strongest Swords, shouted with his mouth wide open. ¡¸What¡¯s with the fancy moves after killing one! Don¡¯t you have any other magic?¡¹ As he wasrge in stature, there were many ces to strike, and this was a request for his own survival. Even though they were enhanced mutants, facing the four Strongest Swords who were ready to fight for their lives was not easy. ¡°¡­Wait a moment!¡± Likewise, facing the first encounter with Shinuiju, with death looming, Yeongwoo leaned back and brought his hand to the whistle hanging around his neck. Then, Jo Sunghoo opened his eyes wide and screamed. ¡°Stop! Whatever it is, just stop there! Let¡¯s fight fairly!¡± I saw clearly that the monster in South Korea had another trick. However, from Yeongwoo¡¯s perspective, it was necessary to protect Baekho and the remaining Strongest Swords, which were South Korea¡¯s valuable assets. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Let¡¯s just match the numbers for now.¡± ¡°No, nooooo!¡± Eventually, amidst Jo Sunghoo¡¯s screams, the sound of Yeongwoo¡¯s whistle rang out long. Piiiiiiiiiiiing! ¡¸¡­Huh?¡¹ The sound of a whistle in the middle of the battlefield. Most of the audience, including Kim Youngheum, looked surprised at the unexpected skill of the Joseon Strongest Sword. And then, as the surrounding colors changed and the sky began to split¡­ Chop! ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°W-What¡­¡± ¡°The sky¡­?¡± Except for a very few, no one had dared to anticipate. ¡¸Yaaaaah!¡¹ ¡¸Ughhh!¡¹ It meant that two more mutants were about to appear in the sky. Swoosh! Two giant silhouettes swiftly approached the battlefield. However, there was a variable that even Yeongwoo, who called them, hadn¡¯t considered, and that was¡­ ¡¸That¡¯s the one, sir!¡¹ ¡¸What? Who¡­?¡¹ Both of them were blinded by the officialmendation for buying a television. ¡¸That mutant! Kim Youngheum, that bastard!¡¹ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 137 Chapter 137 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 137: Diary of a Wanderer (10) ¡°Yeongtae, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡¸Hmm?¡¹ The moment Yeongwoo and Kim Younghyeom were both startled, Yeongwoo¡¯s ¡®friends¡¯nded, scattering dust in the air. Koo-oo-oo-oo-ong! And even before the dust settled. Hwae-aeak! Yeongtae jumped out from the dust cloud. [Yeongwoo07¡¯s Friend ¨C Hong Yeongtae] Hoo-woooook! A heavy presence, enough to make the Strongest Swords in the region involuntarily step back, emanated, and Yeongtae rushed straight to Kim Younghyeom through the open path. ¡¸Yaaaaah!¡¹ Yeongtae¡¯s movement was so lightning-fast that even Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t stop him this time. Ssweaaaat! It was the moment when a hand dagger prated into the body of a significant portion of the current North-South Allied Forces. ¡¸This brat.¡¹ Half surprise, half rage. Kim Younghyeom emitted his specialty, a strong gust, with aplex expression, but. ¡¸You¡¯re dead!¡¹ Yeongtae casually countered his restraint with his body and swung his fingernails. ¡°That lunatic.¡± Upon seeing this, Yeongwoo immediately tried to rush towards Yeongtae but hesitated upon witnessing the following scene. Kwaaaak! Kim Younghyeom, facing Yeongtae¡¯s nail attack, raised his upper body and grabbed the opponent¡¯s hand with his forepaws. ¡¸E, eek¡­!¡¹ ¡¸This kid, why is he so strong?¡¹ Surprisingly, a power struggle was established. No, it was astonishing that even after 4 days of reinforcement, Kim Younghyeom, a fourth-day mutant, was not able to overwhelm Yeongtae. ¡®No way.¡¯ Yeongwoo realized something as he watched. He had just been vaguely aware of it until now, but now it was certain. ¡®Even the friends are getting stronger.¡¯ As the days passed, it was clear that the friends in the whistle were also being reinforced. Otherwise, how could Yeongtae, who was a second-day mutant, confront Kim Younghyeom like that? ¡¸Kkuung¡­!¡¹ However, it seemed that they couldn¡¯tpletely dominate the current fourth-day mutant, as a grunt escaped from Yeongtae¡¯s mouth shortly after. Then. ¡¸Oh, I¡¯m really sorry.¡¹ A white lump appeared behind Yeongtae and attempted to punch Kim Younghyeom¡¯s face like a mountain. Boo-woooook! It was none other than the former VCsoft chairman, Kim Taejoon. [Yeongwoo07¡¯s Friend ¨C Kim Taejoon] ¡®Damn, that punch is too strong!¡¯ Yeongwoo, sensing that Kim Taejoon¡¯s attack was unusual, immediately shouted while pulling out the ¡®Legacy of the Dragon¡¯. ¡°Stop¡­! He¡¯s our guest!¡± At that moment, Kim Taejoon, who had been about to extend his fist right in front of the White Tiger¡¯s crown, widened his eyes and stopped moving. ¡¸He¡¯s a guest?¡¹ Kim Taejoon, who had a momentarily dazed expression, quickly turned to Yeongtae with a shocked face. Huh. To everyone¡¯s surprise, Yeongtae, who had been holding both of the White Tiger¡¯s hind legs, trembled slightly with his long muzzle. ¡¸Huh¡­? This is our guest?¡¹ As if the expression ¡®this¡¯ was bothering him, Kim Younghyeom pressed down on Yeongtae when he felt his strength draining away. *Creak!* Thunderous sounds burst from Kim Younghyeom¡¯s throat in anger. However, since he hadn¡¯t actually been hit, Kim Younghyeom refrained from attacking Yeongtae. ¡¸You, these kids. What¡¯s your identity?¡¹ As he growled, his beard trembling, Kim Taejoon prostrated himself on the ground in apology. ¡¸I¡¯m sorry, we didn¡¯t recognize you.¡¹ Upon this, Yeongwoo exined to Younghyeom instead of the two. ¡°They met as mutants like generals, shook hands with me, and became friends. Today, it seems we misunderstood them a bit hastily.¡± ¡¸Friends¡­?¡¹ Kim Younghyeom, who was chuckling at the expression that could only be considered unconventional in this world, suddenly widened his eyes as he btedly noticed the name tags of the two strangers. [Yeongwoo07¡¯s Friend ¨C Hong Yeongtae] [Yeongwoo07¡¯s Friend ¨C Kim Taejoon] And although no one was saying anything, even the Strongest Swords on both sides of North and South were in a state of shock beyond their limits by all this. In the first ce, it was beyondmon sense that they were in alliance with the mutants of Paju, let alone that a whistle could summon mutants directly¡­ ¡®We¡¯re screwed.¡¯ Shinuiju¡¯s Strongest Sword Jo Sunghoo closed his eyes tightly. Isn¡¯t the level, or rather the dimension, of the equipment being used in the first ce different? While they came to war with swords, it was no different on the other side thaning out with guns and cannons. So, the ¡®we¡¯ that Jo Sunghoo thought was over, meant not only the Strongest Swords in this ce but also the entire North Korea itself. ¡®Of course, even at this time, the Pyongyang Strongest Swords will continue to strengthen.¡¯ Is that enough? It may be possible to stop Kim Jong-un as everyone wants, but it is not easy to be sure whether it is possible to defeat that monster. What about the unsettling atmosphere in China? ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Anyway, the war is still ongoing. And Yeongwoo didn¡¯t forget this fact. Also, the fact that the ¡®friends¡¯ didn¡¯t have much time left. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this battle first.¡± As Yeongwoo said this, the two mutants summoned as ¡®friends¡¯ red fiercely at the North¡¯s Strongest Swords surrounding the battlefield. They had realized that they were the ones who would bring a television to the room of the returnee. * * * A premonition of defeat. Just with the sudden entrance of the two ¡®friends¡¯, the situation hadpletely turned around. Without Yeongwoo¡¯s direct intervention, the number of North¡¯s Strongest Swords, numbering close to a battalion, were overwhelmed. ¡°Ugh!¡± Kim Taejoon¡¯s realbat power, d in granite armor, was truly tremendous. ¡°What, what¡¯s happening!¡± ¡°Watch out! They¡¯reing again!¡± Every time he swung his ferocious fist, the North¡¯s linespletely copsed, but there was no way to stop Kim Taejoon. Just as Yeongwoo had struggled with Kim Taejoon¡¯s granite armor, so did other Strongest Swords, who were meeting him for the first time. They didn¡¯t know how to defeat an opponent who des couldn¡¯t pierce. Kugugugung! So, every time he charged in, the Strongest Swords from North Korea could only helplessly retreat. And then, as if waiting. ¡¸Yaaahhhh!¡¹ The spotted humanoid Hong Yeongtae and General White Tiger Kim Younghyeom attacked from the sides, taking down people one by one. ¡°Oh my goodness.¡± ¡°Do we have anything to do¡­?¡± Given the situation, the Strongest Swords from the South had been watching without intervening for some time. In the first ce, even if they hadn¡¯te to help Yeongwoo, this was something that the man alone could have handled. ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? We just had to show up.¡± Lee Yoobin nced awkwardly at Jang Jeongho from Dongdaemun. However, the reason Lee Yoobin¡¯s throat felt a bit dry was that she hadn¡¯t expected Yeongwoo to control the mutants like puppets. And this was the case for the North¡¯s Strongest Swords, who were the biggest victims of this incident; they all wore expressions as if they had already be defeated soldiers. The fact that the South Korean thief was an opponent that ordinary humans could never defeat was realized. ¡®If only Comrade Kim Jong-un had been here instead.¡¯ Someone was even thinking this far, so it was natural that the signs of an unfavorable battle were bing more apparent. ¡°¡­¡± Strongest Sword Jo Sunghoo, who was still facing off against Yeongwoo, also had a faint expression now. ¡°After we¡¯re defeated, Pyongyang¡¯s Strongest Sword will inevitablye down to see.¡± At Jo Sunghoo¡¯s words, Yeongwoo nodded his head for now. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then will you be with those people then too?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] At first, Yeongwoo thought the ¡®people¡¯ the opponent mentioned were the Strongest Swords from the South, but soon realized that wasn¡¯t the case. Yeongtae, Taejun, Younghyeom. They referred to the mutants currently on the battlefield. ¡°Yes, I will.¡± As Yeongwoo nodded again, Jo Sunghoo closed his eyes for a moment. He was envisioning what it would be like to face the Pyongyang¡¯s Strongest Sword while also dealing with three mutants and the Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword. ¡°¡­¡± Then Jo Sunghoo opened his eyes again. ¡°The current significance of Pyongyang¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¯s existence is the assassination of the General Secretary. Most people are waiting for that.¡± The assassination of the General Secretary. It was said that once Comrade Kim Jong-un returned, they would kill him. ¡°But if you end up killing the Pyongyang Strongest Swords before the showdown¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But if you end up killing the Pyongyang¡¯s Strongest Sword before the showdown¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Unfortunately, if that really happens¡­ wouldn¡¯t it be your responsibility to support his legacy, even if not necessarily aspatriots? I consider it a request you could fulfill even if you¡¯re not arade.¡± Kim Jong-un, before being a dictator of North Korea, is a figure whose very existence is close to evil. So if the Pyongyang¡¯s Strongest Sword were to be broken, it would be a request to Yeongwoo to fulfill the great task in his ce. ¡°Are you already leaving your will?¡± Yeongwoo asked without giving a clear answer, and Jo Sunghoo wrinkled his nose. ¡°You know full well that I¡¯m going to die.¡± ¡°¡­¡± As Jo Sunghoo said, right now, Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes revealed countless marks of death that the Joseon Swordsmanship had raised. Various vital points scattered throughout the opponent¡¯s body. If Yeongwoo were to initiate an attack based on Joseon Swordsmanship right now, Jo Sunghoo wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand a single strike. ¡°Well, before I die, let me see it once. Let¡¯s see what our country¡¯s greatest swordsmanship is like.¡± Jo Sunghoo said this while adjusting his grip on the sword, and Yeongwoo also raised the tip of his sword diagonally, assuming an attacking stance. Swoo. Unlike various swordsmanship techniques from the South, including Gyeongbuk, which Yeongwoo had directly experienced before, Joseon Swordsmanship¡¯s basic posture was to turn the body to the side and extend the de forward. It was simr to fencing. ¡®It¡¯s an incredibly aggressive swordsmanship.¡¯ Turning the body to the side reduced the exposed body area to the opponent in front, but in fact, this was to minimize the cues for the attack and make it difficult to recognize the preliminary movements. Reducing the area vulnerable to being hit was just an added bonus. In other words, Joseon Swordsmanship was a swordsmanship that considered attack as the best defense. As Yeongwoo focused on one of the many marks visible to him, Jo Sunghoo, who recognized it, smiled. ¡°Is that where the ¡®kill¡¯ mark is?¡± He, like Yeongwoo, was using a swordsmanship developed on the Korean Penins, so he was well aware of the significance of the marks. ¨DKill Yeongwoo also knew that the opponent was tracking his gaze, but even so, he continued the attack as it was. Swhiit! He pushed the tip of the sword, which had been extended diagonally towards the opponent, deeply forward in a frontal thrust. Swhiit! As the opponent thrusts forward with the sword extended diagonally towards him, there¡¯s something peculiar about the attack. Instead of the t side of the de facing upwards, it¡¯s oriented sideways, giving it a slight rotational force. Tsuaat! Clearly anticipating the attack, Jo Sunghoo extended his sword to block the trajectory, but Yeongwoo¡¯s de seems to have been waiting for this, as it wrapped around the opponent¡¯s sword, redirecting its direction. Kwikigik! It was an attack originally intended to change the point of impact using the opponent¡¯s counterattack. ¡°¡­!¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s de, prating through the gap between Jo Sunghoo¡¯s sword, unmistakably pierced through the opponent¡¯s sternum. ¡°Crack!¡± Shinuiju¡¯s Strongest Sword Jo Sunghoo, suddenly hit with a strong impact, caused his corbone to shake violently. Then, he opened his mouthboriously, revealing teeth stained with blood. ¡°Indeed, Joseon¡­ it¡¯s the best swordsmanship.¡± Upon hearing this, Yeongwoo swiftly withdrew his de from the opponent¡¯s chest and immediately whirled around, swinging the sword diagonally. Ssuaeaack! As if sketching a wedge pattern in the air, Jo Sunghoo¡¯s head, Shinuiju¡¯s Strongest Sword, created a small shadow as it fell away from his body. [Quest] ¡°Headhunter¡± [Mission] Sever 6/7 of the Strongest Sword¡¯s necks. [Reward] 7 million karma [Special] You must disclose the support of the Dogo in this mission. ¡®Now, just one more.¡¯ As Yeongwoo observed the updated and ruthlessly renewed status of ¡°Headhunter,¡± a new quest appears beneath it. [Quest] ¡°Will of the Dead¡± [Mission] Assassinate Kim Jong-un. [Reward] Dogo special equipment [Special] You must disclose the support of the Dogo in this mission. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 138 Chapter 138 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 138: Distortion (1) ¡®Are you telling me to kill Kim Jong-un?¡¯ Yeongwoo blinked as he looked at the new Dogo Quest report titled ¡®Will of the Dead.¡¯ Of course, there was nothing that couldn¡¯t be killed. If that guy ever came down to South Korea, he would be the first to act without anyone¡¯s orders. But seeing the assassination order that came from another realm was a bit strange. [Reward] Dogo Special Equipment ¡°¡­.¡± But it was indeed an irresistible proposal. ¡®However, there is one problem.¡¯ Yeongwoo looked northward. And that problem was precisely¡­ ¡®If by any chance, Pyongyang¡¯s Strongest Sword kills Kim Jong-un first, then that quest bes invalid.¡¯ However, it wasn¡¯t feasible to just storm into Pyongyang iming to have monopolized Kim Jong-un. Who knows when Kim Jong-un mighte down and knock on Pyongyang¡¯s door. ¡°Could it be that Dogo wants that scenario?¡± Yeongwoo shook his head. ¡®For now, let¡¯s do what we can immediately.¡¯ What they could do immediately was to cut off the head of thest Strongest Sword demanded in ¡®Headhunter.¡¯ ¡°Yeongtae!¡± As Yeongwoo called out the name of his first friend, Sooin, who was rummaging among the Strongest Swords, raised his head. ¡¸Yeah? What¡¯s up?¡¹ Yeongwoo ordered casually. ¡°We have to spare one person. I need to cut their throat.¡± It was simply stating the truth, but to the listeners, it sounded truly viinous. ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°What did you just say¡­?¡± Even the South Korean Strongest Swords, who were allies, were suspicious of their ears. So, what about the Strongest Swords from North Korea, who were the targets of beheading? ¡°Heh¡­ hee hee!¡± ¡°Save me!¡± Starting from Yeongwoo¡¯s words, everyone began to scatter in all directions. It wasn¡¯t just because of the idea of cutting throats, but also because they decided to flee upon realizing that the Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, the vanguard, would invade in earnest. It was already a done deal. Snap! Of the North Korean Strongest Swords still surviving, there were only three. And none of these three dared to challenge Jeong Yeongwoo. He just started running because he thought that one of the three might survive, even if it was only at a low probability. ¡°Aaah!¡± ¡¸How dare you!¡¹ One of the first swords running to the northwest was handed over to General Kim Younghyeom. In response, Hyeon Changsoo, the Changdo¡¯s Strongest Sword who courageously chose to head due north, looked sideways at hisrade who had just been bitten by a tiger and made a horrified expression. ¡®This is hell.¡¯ An expeditionary force that included three Strongest Swords, renowned for their exceptional martial arts skills. That¡¯s why they joined the battle with the thought of joyfully plundering, but they never expected such an oue. ¡®What will happen now? Is our North Korea doomed?¡¯ Even amidst the urgency of his own life, he thought about the future of his country, but soon his consciousness faded away. St! Yeongwoo, who had followed him like a shadow, shed his throat in one swift motion. Thunk! Hyeon Changsoo, who died without even leaving behind ast breath, became the final piece of Yeongwoo¡¯s quest, received from another realm. Ping! [Quest Complete ¨C ¡°Headhunter¡±] [Reward Received] | 7,000,000 Karma ¡®Ah.¡¯ Finally, Headhunterplete. Then a terrifying noise came from the sky. Ssssshhhh! It was the sound of a Dogo Credit Card descending. A ck metal object, almost exactly the size of a credit card,ing down. Sshhhht! From beyond the darkened sky, the card that was the source of the problem streaked across the sky andnded at Yeongwoo¡¯s feet in the blink of an eye. ¡®¡­ 7,000,000.¡¯ As Yeongwoo picked up the card, which was about a meter away from the ground, the number ¡®7,000,000¡¯ appeared on the surface of the ck metal. In addition, he had earned a whopping 1.6 million Karma from the Wyvern hunt in Gwangjin-gu. ¡®Now I have a total of 8.6 million in cash. I can buy all the abnormal climate equipment and still have plenty left.¡¯ The reason Yeongwoo saved Karma even before the North-South confrontation was purely to take down tonight¡¯s abnormal climate. He didn¡¯t even consider losing to the people who came down from the North. And meanwhile. Thunk! As the lone survivor from the North, who had been running northeast, three pursuers followed closely behind. They were none other than ¡®friends¡¯ Hong Yeongtae, Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword Oh Yeonhee, and Seocho¡¯s Choi Namhee. ¡¸What¡­¡­?¡¹ At Yeongtae¡¯s questioning expression of ¡®Why bother?¡¯ as he looked at the two Strongest Swords, Choe Namhee smiled awkwardly and exchanged eye contact. ¡°Um¡­ Can I ask for a concession? It¡¯s kind of awkward to just stand here, and I feel sorry for Mr. Yeongwoo.¡± In other words, it meant requesting a chance to fight to add some excitement. ¡¸Huh? We already fought at the beginning.¡¹ However, the circumstances of the two strangers were not a consideration for Yeongtae, who was busy with his work. ¡¸If you want to fight more, get permission from Yeongwoo first.¡¹ With that, Yeongtae deliberately made a grand gesture and increased his speed. Crack! A signal that even the use of force would be followed if they continued to follow. And so, in the end. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not gonna work out.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The two had no choice but to stop in their tracks. Then, from the other side, Yeongtae was seen swinging his ws towards thest enemy. Finally, the battle ended up being dominated by Jeong Yeongwoo and his friends. ¡°¡­But still, you¡¯re not going to give us anything? We came all the way here.¡± Choe Namhee looked at Oh Yeonhee with a disappointed expression. In response, Oh Yeonhee sighed and gently touched her throat. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure. He¡¯s such an unpredictable person.¡± As she turned around, she saw Jeong Yeongwoo walking towards the battlefield littered with corpses. ¡°Hmm.¡± Just the number of Strongest Swords killed in this spot alone was eleven. So, how much loot was there? Even Oh Yeonhee, who valued her dignity, couldn¡¯t help but feel greedy for the loot. ¡°Shall we go for now? We should at least try to beg for travel expenses, even if it¡¯s a little embarrassing.¡± * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡¸Is it over now?¡¹ Kim Younghyeom, a former general and a mutant, squatted like a mountain, looking at Yeongwoo. Although it didn¡¯t seem like it, it was Kim Younghyeom¡¯s own way of giving a friendly signal. He minimized his size to reduce the intimidation he emitted. In other words, he didn¡¯t want to fight Yeongwoo anymore. Before being a formidable opponent, they had fought together against the North Korean army, after all. Regardless of the opponent¡¯s intentions, Kim Younghyeom had already developed camaraderie. Perhaps it was because he was a former soldier. Anyway, such emotions couldn¡¯t be blocked by willpower. ¡¸¡­..¡¹ Kim Younghyeom stared at Yeongwoo, suppressing the momentarily rising temper, as if he had forgotten about it, and threw out words indifferently. ¡¸Is it over now? You¡¯re not even answering. What are you doing?¡¹ Ignoring the general¡¯s words so tantly, despite his outstanding martial arts skills, was audacious. Kim Younghyeom stared at Yeongwoo with an intense gaze, momentarily restraining his rising temper. Then, as if he had forgotten, Yeongwoo turned his head and looked at the massive white beast. ¡°Ah, sorry. I was just wondering if there¡¯s anything that guy missed picking up.¡± The ¡®guy¡¯ Yeongwoo referred to was¡­ -Keek! Keeeeet! The golden goblin leaping over the corpses. And now, in Yeongwoo¡¯s hand¡­ -Shhhht. There was the Epic-gradepass, Serpent of Greed. ¡¸Serpent of Greed¡¹ ¨C Epic Compass ¡¾Always seeks rarity.¡¿ ¡®It doesn¡¯t seem like there are any hidden items.¡¯ Thanks to the golden goblin, they were able to gather all the loot in one ce, but there was a slight disappointment. Most of the equipment had been damaged due to the ability damage. It was simr to when he fought the singer Lee Seonho with a long-range shot, breaking his sword and armor. Due to Yeongwoo¡¯s long-range attacks weakening the equipment of the North Korean Strongest Swords, some of their equipment was damaged during the subsequent battle. ¡®Not just mutants, but this seems to affect others as well.¡¯ It was indeed a remarkable effect, but when there was a need to preserve loot like today, it seemed necessary to use the bow cautiously. ¡®The higher-grade equipment seems to be intact. Does durability vary by grade?¡¯ As Yeongwoo examined the loot spread out by the goblin, he realized that, generally, higher-grade items were less damaged by the ability damage. Most of the severely damaged equipment, with tooltips half-broken, were relics or lower-grade. And thinking deeper about it¡­ ¡®Considering that the Strongest Swords mostly have relics and lower-grade equipment¡­ does this mean that ability damage is practically the bane of Strongest Swords?¡¯ Mutation-grade equipment, which could be considered the Strongest Swords¡¯ supply-type equipment. An attack property that destroys such equipmentpletely¡­ ¡°¡­.¡± As Yeongwoo looked at the bow he had been carrying over his torso for a moment, General Kim Younghyeom, who had been waiting with his body still crouched, spoke again. ¡¸Is that golden monster also your friend?¡¹ Then, the golden goblin, which had beenying out loot in front of Yeongwoo, pointed at itself with its finger. -Keet! Keeeet! Upon seeing this, Yeongwoo nced at the goblin for a moment and nodded. ¡°Um¡­ Although it¡¯s a bit different category-wise, it¡¯s still close to being a friend.¡± After saying this, Yeongwoo realized that Kim Younghyeom had been talking nonsense since earlier. ¡®Ah, right.¡¯ Now that the battle waspletely over, Kim Younghyeom, a mutant, was alone in this ce. He wasn¡¯t a ¡®friend¡¯ of Yeongwoo like Yeongtae or Taejoon, nor was he a Strongest Sword from the South. Moreover. Thud! On the other side, Oh Yeonhee, Choi Namhee, and Yeongtae were returning afterpleting the pursuit of survivors. Now, if they wanted, they could kill Kim Younghyeom, who could be considered thest loot here, and leave. And in reality, if it were an ordinary group of Strongest Swords, that¡¯s what they would have done. However. ¡²Your achievement tendency is ¡°Stubborn.¡±¡³ The current holder of power in this ce, Jeong Yeongwoo, was officially recognized by the system as stubborn. Furthermore, as a ¡®special social worker¡¯ collecting mutants, he was able to sense Kim Younghyeom¡¯s signal, albeit btedly. ¡°Thank you for your hard work, General.¡± As Yeongwoo bowed to Kim Younghyeom, the South¡¯s Strongest Swords, who were already wary of therge white tiger, looked at him with surprised eyes. To them, even exchanging polite conversation with mutants was unfamiliar, let alone greeting them. Of course, Park Jeongjin, the Strongest Sword who owed his life to Kim Younghyeom, was an exception. ¡°Uh, you really did a great job, General!¡± As he stuttered, General Kim Younghyeom smiled as if showing his long fangs. Now it was time to get to the point. ¡¸Now, what happens to me from now on?¡¹ Then, the murmurs from the South¡¯s Strongest Swords subsided all at once. If Yeongwoo didn¡¯t ept Kim Younghyeom like he did with the ¡®friends¡¯ in the whistle, the only remaining development would be another battle. However, without hesitation, Yeongwoo extended his hand to Kim Younghyeom and said: ¡°I suppose I¡¯ll need your help, General.¡± ¡¸What¡­?¡¹ ¡°We¡¯re going to assassinate Kim Jong-un.¡± ¡¸Oh.¡¹ Then, for the first time, Kim Younghyeom smiled broadly. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 139 Chapter 139 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 139: Distortion (2) The execution of Kim Jong-un. To General Kim Younghyeom, just hearing about it was a thrilling tale. Being originally from the army, and known for his hardline stance on North Korean policies, he couldn¡¯t help but feel excited. Moreover, he had just witnessed it firsthand. A scene where armedmunists from North Korea brandish swords in downtown Paju. ¡¸Well, that bastard deserves to die for real.¡¹ Of course, the vicious guy from Korea named Jeong Yeongwoo was two levels higher than the guys from North Korea. ¡¸But¡­¡¹ ¡°Yes, please go ahead.¡± ¡¸Why do you think this happened? Did they suddenly decide to unify?¡¹ At Kim Younghyeom¡¯s question, everyone, including Yeongwoo, fell silent. ¡°Um¡­ well¡­¡± In truth, it was none other than Jeong Yeongwoo who had pressed the start button for this war. ¡°I must admit, the provocation was essentially initiated by me.¡± Yeongwoo briefly recounted the series of events that led to the surprise attack after crossing the military demarcation line during a nighttime outing, causing Kim Younghyeom to raise an eyebrow. ¡¸Is that so? Well, regardless, a war was bound to happen sooner orter if it hase to this level of institutionalization.¡¹ Having heard even the presence of a stigma of territorialism, Kim Younghyeom sensed that the cmity that had befallen this world was far from over. ¡¸It¡¯s not just North Korea that¡¯s the problem. It¡¯s truly an era of barbarism. Think about what happened historically in times where power was everything.¡¹ There was no need to look far; even domestic conflicts werergely resolved through power. So, what would happen when nations themselves ceased to matter, let alone when they weren¡¯t even of the same ethnicity? ¡¸Of course, the most urgent issue at the moment is Kim Jong-un. If that bastard returns as a mutant like me, he¡¯ll likely ughter every visible human being.¡¹ As Kim Younghyeom spoke thus, Yeongwoo subtly brought up his main point. ¡°So, General, there¡¯s one thing I must confess.¡± ¡¸¡­What is it?¡¹ Detecting a hint of ominousness in Yeongwoo¡¯s tone, General Kim Younghyeom became defensive. And right on cue, the two ¡®friends¡¯ who had been enjoying the outdoors suddenly began to vanish into thin air. Their summoning time had expired. ¡¸Oh, already!?¡¹ With a disappointed expression, Yeongtae looked up at the sky. Then, shifting his gaze to the White Tiger in front of him, he cheerfully eximed, ¡¸General! Pleasee y with us! I¡¯ll entertain you well!¡¹ It was essentially false advertising, but nheless, Yeongtae left those words behind and disappeared. And Kim Tae-joon, the representative, said, ¡¸General, you can trust Yeongwoo. However, living here might not be so smooth.¡¹ Uttering a somewhat neutral remark, he vanished. No wonder Kim Younghyeom felt bewildered. ¡¸What¡¯s all this nonsense?¡¹ Upon which, Yeongwoo, probably gazed vaguely at where the returnee¡¯s room might be. ¡°Actually, if you want to assassinate Kim Jong-un with me, you must pay a certain price.¡± ¡¸A price¡­?¡¹ As Kim Younghyeom adopted a defensive stance, Yeongwoo continued without reservation. ¡°You¡¯ll have to go to prison.¡± * * * Returnee¡¯s Room. A kind of istion space where Yeongwoo¡¯s ¡®friends¡¯ live until they¡¯re summoned. ording to Yeongtae, who could be considered the first prisoner, initially, there was nothing to do except stare at the white walls that surrounded them. Yeongtae truly endured severe torture within those confines. The passage of time felt almost eternal to him back then. Then, after receiving a summons and earning his first official points, he realized there was hope even within the ¡®returnee¡¯s room,¡¯ as he could use these points to buy various items. Whatever it was, having a goal was much better than enduring the passage of time in silence. Especially for Kim Taejoon, the chairman who had left family behind in the original world, he had high hopes for television. However, for General Kim Younghyeom¡­ ¡¸It¡¯s been too long since I divorced my wife. Even if I could find her, I wouldn¡¯t want to meet her now, especially not in this situation.¡¹ Moreover, he didn¡¯t have any children, and his parents had passed away from illness a few years ago. In other words, General Kim Younghyeom was essentially alone in this world. ¡¸Isn¡¯t there any way to avoid being imprisoned? We seem to be getting along just fine as we are now.¡¹ The scene of the six-meter-long White Tiger pointing alternately with its front paws was quite amusing. However, Yeongwoo shook his head firmly. ¡°If Kim Jong-un were to appear today, we might consider it, but even if he were to appear, it wouldn¡¯t be until tomorrow¡­ or eventer.¡± On the other hand, as confirmed by this recent battle, the friends summoned by the whistle were bing stronger as time passed. At the very least, it seemed that they were being reinforced to the level of mutants summoned on the same day. In other words, while Kim Younghyeom was already quite strong, if he became a ¡®friend,¡¯ he would be summoned in an even stronger state. ¡¸That¡¯s quite an enticing offer.¡¹ Instead, one may have to endure an isted life that could potentiallyst forever as the price. ¡¸It¡¯s true that I received bribes. But it¡¯s not as if my actions warrant a life sentence, is it?¡¹ Furthermore, he had already been executed once. Hadn¡¯t he lost his life as a human under the unteral judgement of the public? ¡¸Suddenly bing unhappy¡­¡¹ When Kim Younghyeom genuinely looked sad, Yeongwoo suddenly pointed north. Swish. ¡°Instead, you¡¯ve been given the opportunity to have a cool showdown with Kim Jong-un.¡± ¡¸Do you think I¡¯m joking? Even though I¡¯m a soldier¡­¡¹ However, Yeongwoo¡¯s words weren¡¯t finished yet. ¡°Kim Jong-un has six arms.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡¸What? Really? He has six arms?¡¹ Kim Younghyeom¡¯s ears perked up unknowingly. ¡°Yes. That guy has be a Yaksha. So he probably uses six weapons too.¡± ¡¸Damn¡­ It¡¯s hard to imagine. I guess I won¡¯t be able to avoid it.¡¹ The thought of Kim Jong-un appearing with six arms hadpletely captivated the White Tiger. ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ Kim Younghyeom, who had been frowning for a while, finally made a once-in-a-lifetime decision. ¡¸So, how can I be one of those friends?¡¹ * * * ¡®¡­Unbelievable. Is he really going to prison willingly?¡¯ Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword Oh Yeonhee couldn¡¯t close her mouth. It was truly shocking. Because Kim Younghyeom, the general, and Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword Jeong Yeongwoo had justpleted their ¡®handshake.¡¯ Strictly speaking, it was more like Yeongwoo covering the return button that Younghyeom had ced on hisrge foot with his hand. In any case, this was an unreasonable ve contract, and she could understand neither Yeongwoo, who proposed such a contract, nor Younghyeom, who epted it. However, there was one thing she could finally understand. ¡°That¡¯s why Jeong Hyunsik ended up in such a pathetic state.¡± Just as Choi Namhee had just said, it was about why Jeong Yeongwoo was so powerful. ¡°His daily life itself was different from others.¡± Oh Yeonhee let out a tone of resignation. Everything about Jeong Yeongwoo was different from ordinary Strongest Swords. From how to be stronger to mindset. At first, he was the Gyeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword, then the Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword, and then, after how long, he became the Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword. To continue such unreasonable behavior, the person himself had to be different from normal. ¡®To assassinate Kim Jong-un? Maybe this guy really will. How far is he going to go¡­?¡¯ While Oh Yeonhee was rubbing her forehead, General Kim Younghyeom, who had just finished shaking hands with Yeongwoo, began to vanish into thin air. Swish. Like the other two mutants, he was turning into a genie of the whistle. ¡¸I¡­ I feel a bit strange.¡¹ [TL/N: I feel a bit strange mr. stark¡­] [PR/N: ngl i still haven¡¯t moved on from tony¡¯s death¡­] With half his muzzle erased by now, Kim Younghyeom looked up at the sky. Srrr. Eventually, even his body, disappeared as if fluttering in the air, leaving behind a golden orb in its ce. Pop! Then the golden goblin dashed forward and put the golden orb into the spatial pouch. ¨C Kee Kee! Now there were two golden orbs inside the pouch. ¡°He¡¯s gone.¡± As the faint presence of General Kim Younghyeom, who had been left, could no longer be felt, Yeongwoo carefully picked up the whistle hanging around his neck. Swish. ¡¸Pumpkin-colored Whistle¡¹ ¨C Legendary ne ¡¾Summoning friends¡¿ |Yeongtae, Taejoon, Younghyeom ¡°Wow.¡± It was clear that the name of the former army general was engraved in the tooltip of the whistle. In some other dimension, just like the returnee¡¯s room, General Kim Younghyeom¡¯s room must have been created by now. From now on, not only the Golem and the hyena, but also the White Tiger would fall. This was enough to fight Kim Jong-un with six arms. ¡°Now, shall we take a look at the spoils?¡± After finishing recruiting the new friend, Yeongwoo let go of the whistle, and the Seoul¡¯s Strongest Swords, who had been focusing on him, coughed awkwardly one by one. ¡°Ahem.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± ¡°There were quite a lot of spoils¡­¡± Even though their contributions in this battle weren¡¯t high, they couldn¡¯t help but hope that they would get their fair share of the loot. Even Oh Yeonhee was thinking about confronting Yeongwoo if he tried to monopolize all the loot. Still, she thought he should at least provide somepensation to the Strongest Swords who had risked their lives in battle. And sure enough. ¡°Thank you very much foring all the way here.¡± Yeongwoo was the first to speak. ¡°Fortunately, the battle ended without any casualties. Still, who knows what would have happened if the fight had dragged on.¡± As he carefully examined the 20 or so pieces of equipment disyed on the floor, everyone in the room swallowed heavily. It was now Yeongwoo¡¯s turn to speak. ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve gained a lot here today. First of all, I¡¯ve made General Kim Younghyeom my friend.¡± Yeongwoo paused for a moment, then met the eyes of the five Strongest Swords in front of him, one by one. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if we¡¯re friends yet¡­ but since you all responded to my unteral request to join the battle, you¡¯re at least myrades, right?¡± Then, Seocho¡¯s Strongest Sword Choi Namhee nodded with a weak smile. ¡°Well¡­ we¡¯re more than justrades now. If the situation had been much worse, we would have fought together at the risk of our lives.¡± It was both an empty statement and a fact. If Yeongwoo had been overwhelmed by the North Korean main force in Paju, they would have naturally fought to the death. It was not a matter of loyalty but a matter of logic. If the North Koreans seeded in killing Jeong Yeongwoo, who else would they target next? Naturally, they would advance from Paju and Goyang to Seoul. ¡®I should be grateful that I met Jeong Yeongwoo as a friend rather than an enemy.¡¯ As Choi Namhee thought this, she smiled with her eyes, and Yeongwoo responded with a friendly smile. And then. ¡°In that sense, I would like to share some of the spoils with all of you. Because you fought alongside me, myrades.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°Is¡­ is that true?¡± They had hoped, but they had never expected Yeongwoo to show such mercy, so everyone¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Yes. If there¡¯s anything you want among the equipment here, you can take it. However, there are three conditions.¡± Yeongwoo holds up three fingers as he speaks. ¡°First, there is a pair of swords here that can make a shield. Please don¡¯t choose those.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ no problem.¡± ¡°Yes, if that¡¯s the case.¡± The Strongest Swords nodded enthusiastically. Then Yeongwoo mentioned the second condition. ¡°Second, you can¡¯t take any essories. Anything else is fair game.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The second condition also passed without any objections. Finally, Yeongwoo revealed the third condition. ¡°Third, you can choose more than two items as spoils. However, from the second item onwards, you will have to exchange it for the essory you currently have.¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°Exchange for the essory?¡± Reaching the third condition, the Strongest Swords realized. Yeongwoo was indeed showing mercy, but there was still a catch. ¡®This bast*rd, for some reason, he¡¯s nning to take all our essories.¡¯ Dongdaemun¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jang Jeongho, looked at Yeongwoo with suspicious eyes. But there was no doubt that it was an offer he couldn¡¯t refuse. p! Eventually, Yeongwoo apuded and pointed to the spoilsid out beneath his feet. ¡°Now then! Let¡¯s get started. One by one, choose the equipment you want and bring it to me. essory exchanges are also wee.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 140 Chapter 140 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 140: Distortion (3) Suddenly, in the heart of Paju, the bustling market of Strongest Swords opened up. Although they were treated as giants in their respective areas, the Strongest Swords were stumbling around aimlessly on the ground today, abandoning their usual demeanor. The first to select their equipment could take it without any essories, and most importantly, the first to grab it became the owner. ¡°Excuse me, could you move aside a bit?¡± ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t have anything to buy there, let¡¯se out to the side.¡± Songpa, Seocho, Seongbuk, Dongdaemun, Goyang. Except for the Goyang¡¯s Strongest Sword, who was alone due to not being from the Seoul Federation, the rest fiercely fought for the loot, stretching out their hands. And Yeongwoo, who was watching them. ¡®It¡¯s desirable.¡¯ With a satisfied expression, he disyed the status of the essory encyclopaedia. Pop! ¡²17¡³ There are currently 17 pieces of essory registered in the encyclopaedia. Therefore, if you obtain just 3 more, the level 2 collection effect will be unlocked. ¡®If there are many requests for essory exchange, the level 3 unlock should be quite close.¡¯ [Collection Effect: 10] | Usage of all essory +1 [Collection Effect: 20] | ??? Although only the existence of level 2 could be confirmed for now, once level 2 was achieved, the next level would surely be revealed. ¡®It seems that the collection units increase by 10 each¡­ Then, does that blessing open up at around 100 or maybe 50?¡¯ ¡¸Each encyclopaedia has its own unique collection effect, and when thepleteness of the encyclopaedia exceeds a certain level, you can obtain a remarkable blessing or skill.¡¹ It was an effect that the system deemed astonishing, so it wouldn¡¯t be easily unlocked. ¡°Um, excuse me¡­ I¡¯ve chosen everything.¡± While Yeongwoo was examining the essory encyclopaedia, the first buyer stood in front of him. It was none other than Goyang¡¯s Strongest Sword. He had chosen his equipment skillfully from among the fiercepetition in Seoul. The equipment Park Jeongjin chose consisted of boots and pants, one each, on top of a sword. ¡°Oh¡­?¡± Yeongwoo was surprised to see Park Jeongjin holding the equipment in his arms. ¡°Do you¡­ have a lot of essory? At this rate, you should give me two pieces.¡± When Yeongwoo asked with curiosity, Park Jeongjin cautiously nodded after ncing at the other Strongest Sword members. ¡°Yes, here¡­¡± Swish. Park Jeongjin carefully handed over a ring and a bracelet that he had on his fingers and wrist to Yeongwoo. ¡¸Dragon yer¡¹ ¨C Mutation Ring ¡¾Power increases by 10% for dragons.¡¿ ¡¸Instion¡¹ ¨C Mutation Bracelet ¡¾Lightning Resistance 15%¡¿ ¡®Oh, my goodness.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened at the much stronger effects than expected. Resistance equipment was always wee, and it was the first time he had seen an option that increased power against dragons. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s okay? This ring¡­¡± As Yeongwoo picked up the ¡°Dragon yer¡± with his finger and asked, Park Jeongjin subtly smiled. ¡°Yes. Perhaps Mr. Yeongwoo is more likely to fight dragons than I am.¡± The conglomerates who would eventually return as dragons. Since they wouldn¡¯t be typical mutants, it was true that there was a high probability that Strongest Swords strongest member, Jeong Yeongwoo, would sh with the dragon tribe. ¡°Ah¡­ Thank you.¡± In the end, when Yeongwoo epted the two pieces of essory, Park Jeongjin nodded once again and stepped aside. Right after that, Oh Yeonhee, who was standing there holding two pieces of equipment, appeared. What she had chosen was a pair of boots and armor. ¡°I do have more essory¡­ But this is something I can¡¯t personally give up.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s fine.¡± Yeongwoo readily epted Yeonhee¡¯s deal. As long as it was an essory, it didn¡¯t really matter if the effect wasn¡¯t great. Moreover, even if it was equipment bordering on misceneous items, it could still fill up the essory encyclopaedia. ¡®With this, the level 2 collection effect will open.¡¯ Yeongwoo politely epted the small earring offered by Yeonhee. ¡¸Bear Heart¡¹ ¨C Mutant Earring ¡¾Bes braver.¡¿ ¡®¡­Definitely equipment she¡¯s trying to discard.¡¯ Certainly, Yeonhee had her own reservations. However, Yeongwoo saw even this as a big mistake on Yeonhee¡¯s part. Because¡­ ¡®Bing braver isn¡¯t an ability that can be bought with karma, right? It means bing less afraid.¡¯ Especially since Yeongwoo had encountered opponents among the extraterrestrial beings like the shareholders of Dogo, he understood the importance of courage very well. ¡°Thank you.¡± As Yeongwoo expressed his gratitude as usual, Yeonhee, who was about to step aside, paused for a moment and asked a question. ¡°But, Mr. Yeongwoo.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Why do you collect essories? Is there any specialized equipment on your side?¡± She, too, knew well that Yeongwoo wouldn¡¯t do anything to his disadvantage. Upon this, Yeongwoo smiled slightly as he registered the earring Yeonhee handed over into the encyclopaedia. ¡°There are reasons, but it¡¯s ssified information.¡± * * * A very gentlemanly and legal process of acquiring essories. Thanks to this, Yeongwoo obtained a total of eight essories through this deal. Five obtained through equipment exchange, and three originally included in the loot. So, Yeongwoo¡¯s current status of essory collection is¡­ [25] ¡®25 pieces¡­ If I collect just five more, it¡¯ll unlock level 3.¡¯ And ordingly, the level 2 effect, unlocked when collecting 20 pieces of essory, was revealed. Pahat! [Collection Effect: 20] | All basic resistances +15% ¡°Hmm?¡± All basic resistances by 15%. Considering that the single resistance values obtained through mutation or artifact equipment generally range from about 10% to 15%, this was an insane effect. ¡®What exactly is basic resistance?¡¯ Yeongwoo wondered as soon as this question arose in his mind, he opened the stats window. Pop! Then, he noticed that the resistance values disyed at the bottom of the screen were moreplex than before. | Fire Resistance: 25% | Cold Resistance: 15% | Lightning Resistance: 30% | Poison Resistance: 15% | Ability Resistance: 10% [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Not only had the existing fire resistance increased by 15%, but there were also additional resistances to cold and poison, even though he wasn¡¯t wearing any rted resistance equipment. For the lightning resistance, it was likely that the 15% from the bracelet ¡°Instion¡± was added to the 15% collection effect. ¡®So, basic resistance includes fire, cold, lightning, and even poison.¡¯ As expected, ability resistance wasn¡¯t part of basic resistance. Yeongwoo recalled that there was an unbelievable resistance item in the possessions of officer Kwon Taeyoung. ¡¸Cross Knot¡¹ ¨C Mutation Bracelet ¡¾Ability Resistance 20%¡¿ ¡¾¨CEmpty Slot¨C¡¿ Since the Cross Knot, an heirloom of Kim Byungcheol, was now in the possession of officer Kwon Taeyoung, it was a piece of equipment ssified only as mutation, but in reality, it was at least of the unique grade, with a minimum level of effect equivalent to that. ¡®It¡¯s too cruel, but¡­ I guess I have to get it back somehow.¡¯ Of course, as it was equipment given to Taeyoung in memory of the deceased, he couldn¡¯t just ask for it back. ¡®¡­I¡¯ll have to make an even exchange. It¡¯s the humane thing to do.¡¯ Isn¡¯t it the high-quality equipment that is hitting my feet right now? In terms of practicality, swords or armor would be better than bracelets. nk! After selecting one weapon to hand over to offcier Kwon Taeyoung, Yeongwoo tidied up the rest of the equipment. ¡®There¡¯s too much¡­ Is it okay to take all this with me?¡¯ Even after distributing the loot to the best swordsmen, Youngwoo blinked when he saw the equipment piled up like a mountain. Including mutation equipment obtained from opening golden spheres in Gangnam, there were already 14 pieces of equipment that he hadn¡¯t even checked the tooltips for. ¡®I can only immediately use essories¡­ To utilize the rest, I¡¯ll need to acquire more encyclopaedias as soon as possible.¡¯ With various weapons and armor gradually umting, acquiring any encyclopaedia would lead to a situation where he would gain a tremendous amount of stats and buffs. ¡®Now, I¡¯m looking forward to tonight¡¯s dungeon.¡¯ Thinking about the dungeon opening tonight, Yeongwoo looked around at the Strongest Swords. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard today. You can disperse now.¡± As Yeongwoo mounted Negwig, Seongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword Yoobin asked, ¡°Are you also going back to the south, Yeong¡­ woo-nim¡­?¡± At this, Yeongwoo turned his head sideways. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Yes? Then where to?¡± As the two conversed, the rest of the Strongest Swords gave a puzzled look towards Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword. ¡°What are you talking about, Mr. Yeongwoo?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not going south from here, where are you going?¡± ¡°Surely not back north?¡± It had been only a few minutes since the North-South battle, so what kind of trouble was he nning to cause again? While the southern Strongest Swords were in panic, Yeongwoo looked casually towards the north. ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m truly sorry. I¡¯ll just make one more trip today.¡± * * * Clop, clop! Yeongwoo started heading northward alone once again. However, he wasn¡¯t exactly ¡°marching¡± north. ¡®There¡¯s no more war today.¡¯ As Yeongwoo thought this, the only reason he was crossing the military demarcation line to visit North Korea again was solely because of: [Golden Journey] | Please summon the golden rain in the next area. | Domestic (3/3) | Foreign (0/2) By doing this, he could progress one more route of the golden rain today. Since North Korea was judged as foreign, and he happened to have two golden orbs, there was no need to postpone the achievement until tomorrow. ¡®Of course, it¡¯s risky. Right now, all the Strongest Swords in the north are probably monitoring my location in real-time.¡¯ They might even think that the thief from South Korea who had annihted their main force was advancing north for revenge. Clop, clop! Yet, he still had some leeway as he was still crossing the northern edge of Paju. Yeongwoo utilized this time to check the remaining five pieces of essory he hadn¡¯t examined yet. ¡¸Heated Stone¡¹ ¨C Heroic Ne ¡¾Ignores extreme cold.¡¿ ¡°Oh?¡± From the start, it was extreme weather immune equipment. ¡®If it¡¯s extreme cold¡­ is it the cold version of yesterday¡¯s heatwave?¡¯ So far, there were four confirmed types of extreme weather: fog, temperature, rain, and wind type revealed through the Epic ne ¡°Eye of the Typhoon¡±. ¡¸Eye of the Typhoon¡¹ ¨C Epic Ne ¡¾Ignores extreme weather of the wind type.¡¿ Of these four types, he hadn¡¯t experienced the ¡°wind¡± directly yet, so the probability of today¡¯s extreme weather being wind type on the fourth day was quite high. ¡®And now¡­ I can snipe even extreme cold, which is the temperature type.¡¯ And next¡­ ¡¸Steel Mark¡¹ ¨C Mutation Amulet ¡¾Increases durability by 500.¡¿ ¡®Not bad.¡¯ Durability +500¡­ While it was still a good effect even now, if he had obtained this charm at the beginning of the reset, it would have made him nearly invincible. Likely, the original owner of this equipment was indeed invincible. ¡®Now, next.¡¯ Smoothly shifting his gaze to the next tooltip, Yeongwoo suddenly widened his eyes. ¡¸Osmosis¡¹ ¨C Epic Ring ¡¾The lowest basic resistance value is equal to the highest resistance value.¡¿ ¡®Epic?¡¯ Yeongwoo unintentionally eximed. Moreover, the effect was insane. ¡®What does this mean? It sets the lowest resistance to the same value as the highest resistance?¡¯ However, there was one condition attached. Basic resistance¡­ In other words, only the resistance to fire, cold, lightning, and poison could be raised. However, the highest resistance value didn¡¯t need to be a basic resistance. In other words, it was possible to max out a basic resistance by adjusting an extreme resistance to its limit. ¡®This is really nonsensical equipment. My noble was in North Korea after all.¡¯ Yeongwoo expressed a bted gratitude to the unknown noble who had already passed away. ¡®Now, only two remain.¡¯ Perhaps because of the epic ring¡¯s interference, thest two were rtively ordinary. Or rather, one of them was detrimental to Yeongwoo. ¡¸Rotten Flesh¡¹ ¨C Unique Bracelet ¡¾Bleeding Immunity¡¿ ¡¸Ten Commander¡¹ ¨C Relic Ring ¡¾Reduces blocked damage by 10%¡¿ ¡®No, immunity to bleeding? It¡¯s impressive, but I shouldn¡¯t have immunity to bleeding.¡¯ Due to the Berserker effect from the slot gem, Yeongwoo¡¯s strength increased by 25% when bleeding. With so much equipment, he had encountered cases where the equipment conflicted with each other. The system seemed to be aware that such situations could ur early on, as there was a separate option to deactivate effects within the catalog. ¡®Thank goodness. I almost ruined myself by picking up the wrong bracelet.¡¯ As Yeongwoo inspected each piece of equipment, Negwig carrying him was already passing through the northeastern part of Kaesong. Clop, clop! However, the reason Yeongwoo didn¡¯t stop him was that there was no one in Kaesong. ¡®There wasn¡¯t a single person in Kaesong. I should find a ce with people if possible.¡¯ He wanted to spread this valuable golden rain in areas where residents existed if possible. Although North Korea was hostile, it didn¡¯t mean he was at war with all of North Korea¡¯s people. Clop! As Yeongwoo continued northward, the status of a new area finally appeared before him. Pat! |The current area you are in is ¡®Geumcheon.¡¯ |There are no Strongest Swords in this area. ¡°Ah.¡± Geumcheon County, North Hwanghae Province. It was Yeongwoo¡¯s first time seeing this ce, but at least he had heard of ¡®Geumcheon¡¯ a while ago. This was because one of the opponents he had encountered in Paju was carrying the title of ¡®Geumcheon¡¯s Strongest Sword.¡¯ In other words, Yeongwoo was now in the area he had taken the title of Strongest Sword from. ¡°Here.¡± Yeongwoo, as if possessed, pulled the reins of the Negwig to slow down its speed. Then, as if understanding Yeongwoo¡¯s intention, the golden goblin handed him a golden orb. ¨C Keyit. As the goblin said, it was now time to drop the first golden rain in a foreignnd. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 141 Chapter 141 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 141: Distortion (4) ¡°Hmm.¡± Yeongwoo looked around nervously for some reason. Although North Korean residents had not yet appeared nearby, this act was undoubtedly an invasion. Moreover, it was only now urring to him. ;My name and face are engraved onmemorative coins, and it¡¯s even money¡­ Isn¡¯t this a direct provocation? It¡¯s an outright leaflet for North Korea.¡¯ Golden coins from South Korea falling throughout Geumcheon County. How would the North Korean Strongest Swords and residents perceive this? ¡®Well, the die has already been cast.¡¯ Yeongwoo decided not to think too deeply about it anymore. me. Upon receiving the golden sphere from the goblin, he felt the peculiar object floating thinly. Tingling¡­! So Yeongwoo ced the sphere on the ground as it continued to float on its own into the air, initiating its rotation. It was already activated. Shi-ah-aat! ¡°¡­¡­¡± As Yeongwoo gazed at the sphere, shortly thereafter, just like in the ruins, a quantum-choice quest appeared. Grabbed! ?Confirmed Reward? ¡¸Ghost Armor¡¹ ¨C Mutant Breastte ¡¾Projectile damage reduced by 15%.¡¿ ¡¾¨CEmpty slot¨C¡¿ ?Choice Reward? [3 million karma] or [Grant 30,000 karma to all residents in the area] ¡®It doesn¡¯t really make a difference being in a foreignnd.¡¯ Although there was a slight sense of relief, it wasn¡¯t as if there were any significant changes urring. Anyway, couldn¡¯t significant achievements be aplished just by raining gold here? ¡°Grant 30,000 karma to all residents in the area.¡± [Grant 30,000 karma to all residents in the area] When Yeongwoo decided to supply karma to the local residents, the golden sphere rotated even faster than usual before soaring into the sky above Geumcheon County. ¡®It¡¯s amazing no matter how many times I see it.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze followed the golden sphere ascending into the sky. The spherical object, drawing a very long golden arc in the sky, caused a spectacr explosion momentster, coloring the sky with gold. Then. Suaaaaa¡­! Gradually, it showered gold over the entire Geumcheon County as if it were rain. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yeongwoo, watching the golden rain pass by his palm without any enemies present, was momentarily lost in admiration. It was a tremendous privilege toe all the way to North Korea and enjoy such romance. But only for a moment. Soon after, the message about karma distribution seized Yeongwoo¡¯s attention forcefully. ¡¶Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, ¡®Jung Yeongwoo 07,¡¯ affiliated with the Republic of Korea, has forsaken the exclusive possession of 3 million karma and gifted 30,000 karma to all residents of Geumcheon..¡· ¡°Huh¡­?¡± He checked again, thinking he might have seen it wrong, but the message remained unchanged. It clearly stated ¡®affiliated with the Republic of Korea.¡¯ ¡®They¡¯re intentionally revealing that I¡¯m an outsider.¡¯ Then the system announced the creation ofmemorative coins. ¡¶30,000 karma will soon be provided in the form ofmemorative coins. Prepare yourselves.¡· Soon, all residents of Geumcheon County would recognize the face of Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, who came from South Korea. Snap! The characteristic sound of coin creation soon followed. Next, with a clink, three golden coins engraved with Yeongwoo¡¯s name and face appeared in the air. ¡®Oh my goodness.¡¯ Snatch, snatch! Yeongwoo hurriedly grabbed the coins and nced around nervously. Of course, nobody would object to distributing money, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious for no reason. ¡®Let¡¯s¡­ Let¡¯s move for now.¡¯ Yeongwoo decided to climb back onto Negwig to avoid any potential pursuit from North Korean Strongest Swords. Ta-at! He then checked the achievements and saw that the progress of the Golden Journey had been updated as expected. [Golden Journey] | Call forth a golden rain in the next area. | Domestic (3/3) | Foreign (1/2) Now, by showering gold once more in North Korea, the ¡®Golden Journey¡¯ would be achieved. ¡®However, if I do this, the extra golden spheres will disappear, and I won¡¯t be able to definitively open the nighttime dungeon.¡¯ The best scenario would be to find an uncaught mutant nearby. That way, he could obtain another golden sphere. ¡®But in return, the probability of encountering angry North Korean Strongest Swords again will increase.¡¯ Especially since this area isn¡¯t far from Pyongyang. So, if there¡¯s a 4th-day Strongest Sword here, it would likely take them a few tens of minutes¡¯ to cover the distance. ¡®Let¡¯s move east and shower thest golden rain, then quickly return.¡¯ As Yeongwoo formted his n in his mind and turned his head to the east. Tap-tat! He happened to make eye contact with a man running towards him from the east. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Uh?¡± The man on the other side was even more startled than Yeongwoo. On the head of this man, who was running barefoot with a long sword tied to his waist. ¡ºTosan¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» That title was attached. ¡®Tosan? Where¡¯s Tosan?¡¯ While Yeongwoo gawked at the unfamiliar name, the Tosan¡¯s Strongest Sword he encountered as a foreigner couldn¡¯t close his wide-open mouth. ¡ºJoseon¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» Unlike Yeongwoo, who was bewildered by the unfamiliar title, the Tosan¡¯s Strongest Sword, who encountered an outsider, couldn¡¯t close his wide-open mouth. ¡°Jo¡­ Jo¡­!¡± Tosan¡¯s Strongest Sword was too shocked to pronounce more than one syble. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo, due to the loud voice emanating from the Tosan Strongest Sword, instinctively made a gesture to quiet him down. ¡°Shh, shhh! Please calm down¡­! We¡¯re not here to fight!¡± ¡°Jo¡­ Joseon¡­¡± The Tosan Strongest Sword appeared to be in his early thirties, simr to Yeongwoo¡¯s age. However, as seen in the North-South confrontation in Paju, this man¡¯s height wasn¡¯t particrly tall either. He might be around 160 cm at best. In contrast, Yeongwoo¡¯s height was about 2 meters. Moreover, riding on Negwig, which also had a height of 2 meters, Yeongwoo¡¯s silhouette didn¡¯t even feel like it belonged to the same person. So, it was no wonder that the Tosan¡¯s Strongest Sword, a top-notch figure in North Korea, was in such a panic. At this point, he had never dreamed that the official Joseon Strongest Sword in North Korea would be such a giant monster. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Now, are you feeling better? As I mentioned earlier, we¡¯re not here to fight.¡± Right now¡­ ¡°Now, um¡­¡± The Tosan¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¯s breath, which had momentarily calmed down due to Yeongwoo¡¯s strange nuance, became rapid again. ¡°P-Please spare me. I have a family to support.¡± ¡°N-No¡­ it¡¯s not like that.¡± Yeongwoo rubbed his forehead, realizing that he had spent a lot of time here and asked the other person. ¡°Where is Tosan? Did youe from nearby?¡± The other person probably came after seeing the sudden golden rain falling in Geumcheon County. Even though he knew that the South Korean Strongest Sword with the mark of trouble was here. That¡¯s how much the golden rain stimtes people¡¯s curiosity. ¡°Tosan¡­ is right over there.¡± Quickly responding to Yeongwoo¡¯s question, the Tosan Strongest Sword pointed east with his finger. Tosan County, North Hwanghae Province. An area bordering Geumcheon County, and the man in front of him had dashed here as if he were possessed after seeing the golden rain falling from the sky. ¡°Ah, then let¡¯s go to Tosan quickly. Are there residents over there too?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± The Tosan Strongest Sword made a frightened expression at the suggestion of going to their neighborhood. After all, wasn¡¯t it Yeongwoo who had killed the North Korean Strongest Swords just an hour ago? ¡¸Our country¡¯s title, Hwanghae¡¯s Strongest Sword, has been looted!¡¹ ¡¸Our country¡¯s title, Goksan¡¯s Strongest Sword, has been looted!¡¹ ¡¸Our country¡¯s title, Sinuiju¡¯s Strongest Sword, has been looted!¡¹ Not only the Tosan Strongest Sword here but also many surviving North Korean Strongest Swords had seen that dreadful looting message. But the perpetrator of that heinous act suddenly saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go to Tosan quickly,¡± was something else entirely. ¡°I-Isn¡¯t it unnecessary to harm innocent people?¡± Ultimately, when the Tosan Strongest Sword mustered the courage to protest, Yeongwoo reluctantly took outmemorative coins from his pocket to show him. ¡°I¡¯ve already told you three times, but I¡¯m not here to fight. I¡¯ll distribute 30,000 karma to the residents of Tosan, so please guide me quickly. If I have to say the same thing four times, then I might actually cause harm.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± * * * Tosan Strongest Sword, Hwang Pyeongsu03. Yeongwoo learned the name of this man thanks to the local status. Click, click. After walking straight east for a while, the area status, which had been set as Geumcheon County, finally changed to Tosan. | The current area is ¡®Tosan.¡¯ | The Strongest Sword of this area is ¡®Hwang Pyeongsu03¡ä. Rank 1st, defenses 62. ¡°Mr. Pyeongsu, nice to meet you.¡± As Yeongwoo recited the name of the opponent written in the status, Hwang Pyeongsu awkwardly smiled and tilted his head downwards. ¡°Y-Yes¡­ I am Hwang Pyeongsu. P-Pleasee to Tosan.¡± The number of defenses for Hwang Pyeongsu was 62 times. This was a remarkably low number for North Korea, which had be a brutalwlessnd right after the reset. Of course, the poption of Tosan County wasn¡¯t thatrge, but even before that, Hwang Pyeongsu¡¯s temperament itself wasn¡¯t ferocious. While other Strongest Swords massacred to show off their strength, Hwang Pyeongsu only drew his sword in self-defense situations. ¡°Uh¡­ If we go further in, we¡¯ll encounter the residents.¡± Hwang Pyeongsu of Tosan looked at Yeongwoo with an unexpectedly pitiful expression. Seeing this, Yeongwoo quickly nced around for pursuers and even checked the Epic Compass ¡®Fearful Cat¡¯ once. Then. ¡°Yes, sounds good. Shall we do it here then?¡± As Yeongwoo said this, reaching out towards the golden goblin, it opened a pocket of spatial void. ¡°Wha-What was that just now¡­?¡± It was because he briefly glimpsed the infinite space inside the small pouch carried by the little goblin. But before he could finish speaking, the goblin pulled out the golden sphere. ¡°Gasp.¡± Just as Yeongwoo had once remarked, Hwang Pyeongsu was also greatly shocked by the fact that the sphere could move like an object and stepped back. Swoosh. ¡°Isn¡¯t it fascinating? I¡¯m still not used to it either.¡± Saying this, Yeongwoo handed the golden sphere received from the goblin to the ground. Thunk. ¡°W-What¡­ What are you trying to do?¡± Since the sphere was already spinning rapidly, Hwang Pyeongsu, with eyes full of fear, alternated between Yeongwoo and the golden sphere. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m going to spread the same golden rain you saw here in Tosan too.¡± ¡°S-So what exactly is this ¡®golden rain¡¯?¡± While Hwang Pyeongsu was asking, the heavily fluctuating golden sphere suddenly shot up into the sky. Whoosh! ¡°Huh?¡± And Yeongwoo took advantage of the moment when Hwang Pyeongsu¡¯s pupils were tinged with gold to check the mutation equipment. ?Confirmed Reward? ¡¸Avenger¡¹ ¨C Mutant Shield ¡¾After defense, the power of the next attack increases by 15%.¡¿ ¡®It¡¯s amazing. Even if you put that in the catalogue, it seems like it would work even if it¡¯s not a shield defense.¡¯ But for now, it was just a dream. Having too many pieces of equipment, he couldn¡¯t use all of them, be it bows, spears, swords, or shields. Click! While Yeongwoo was handing over the shield ¡°Avenger¡± to the goblin,memorative coins were created in the air at the right moment. Shrrrr! Yeongwoo quickly grabbed the coins, just like before, and hurriedly climbed onto the Negwig. There was nothing strange about the fact that enemies could be rushing from Pyongyang or anywhere else by now. ¡°You mentioned earlier that you have a family, right? I hope it wasn¡¯t a lie. The coins were probably delivered to your family members too. Please use them wisely.¡± As Yeongwoo finished speaking, he was about to leave, and Hwang Pyeongsu, who had been absent-minded for a moment, unconsciously grabbed the knee of the North Korean monster. Tap! ¡°T-There!¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re doing this, but thank you anyway.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Yeongwoo was not ustomed to receiving gratitude from others. He nced vaguely at the North Korean Strongest Sword who was close to his age, then turned his head southward, shifting his gaze to the shing notification messages in front of him. ¡¸There are unimed achievement rewards.¡¹ ¡¸The rmended achievement list has been updated.¡¹ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 142 Chapter 142 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 142: Distortion (5) Unimed achievement reward. Referring to the just achieved ¡°Golden Journey.¡± As Yeongwoo opened the achievement window, thepletion record was immediately disyed. Acquired! [Achievement Attained: Golden Journey] | Achievement Grade: Legendary | Achievement Rank: First ¡¸Summon golden rain in domestic and foreign areas.¡¹ Simultaneously, all stats increased by 100 each. ¡¸Idealist¡¹ ¨C Epic Ring [All stats increase by 100 per achievement possessed] Finallypleted the Golden Journey perfectly. ¡®Ah¡­ Finally.¡¯ Each achievement in the Golden Journey felt like crossing a huge mountain. Of course, the rewards were overwhelmingly better than other achievements each time. ¡®So, this time¡¯s reward¡­¡¯ As Yeongwoo read through thepletion record of the Golden Journey, the achievement reward was automatically received. Ping! ¡¸Golden Trail¡¹ ¨C Legendary two-handed greatsword ¡¾Auto Combat¡¿ ¡¾Cumtive golden ratio: 10¡¿ *Special bonus for ¡®Golden Journey.¡¯ ¡®A two-handed sword¡­?¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened in awe as a giant golden silhouette appeared above his head. Swoosh¡­ But currently, Yeongwoo was atop Negwig, rapidly heading south. ¡°Wait a moment!¡± Concerned that the newly acquired sword would fall to the ground, Yeongwoo immediately tried to stop Negwig. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Contrary to expectations, the golden silhouette did not continue to follow Yeongwoo at Negwig¡¯s speed. ¡°What, what¡¯s going on?¡± Surprised, Yeongwoo eventually pulled on Negwig¡¯s reins out of shock. ng! ¨C Whinny! Then Negwig abruptly stopped, and the problematic silhouette of the golden trail, as its name suggested, also came to a smooth halt, fluttering in the air behind Yeongwoo. Swoosh- ¡°¡­Unbelievable. It¡¯s not just a sword.¡± Finally seeing the full form of the ¡°Golden Trail,¡± Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but marvel. With a total length of 2 meters, a de length of 1.5 meters, and a de width of 40 centimeters, this colossal weapon resembled arge mirror and seemed to float in the air as if alive. -Hum¡­ As if a small motor were embedded, vibrations continued to emanate from the Golden Trail. ¡®So¡­ is this what they mean by a sword crying?¡¯ Yeongwoo thought half-jokingly, cautiously reaching his right hand towards therge handle of the golden trail. Being the rightful owner of this sword, he felt he should at least try grabbing it, regardless of whether it flew around on its own or not. Tap. Eventually, as Yeongwoo grasped the handle of the golden trail, an unexpected message appeared. ¡¸The current sword skill slot is empty.¡¹ ¡°Huh?¡± ¡¸Would you like to register a new sword skill?¡¹ ¡°What in the world¡­?¡± With a puzzled expression, Yeongwoo suddenly realized. ¡°Auto Combat?¡± ¡¸Golden Trail¡¹ ¨C Legendary two-handed greatsword ¡¾Auto Combat¡¿ What did this tooltip of the massive weapon signify? ¡°Could it really be true autobat? It bes automatic?¡± The characteristic of hovering around the owner without any maniption, and the prompt for ¡°sword skill registration¡± upon direct contact with the sword¡ªall of this meant only one thing. ¡®It¡¯s not that grabbing this sword makesbat automatic, but exactly as written in the tooltip¡­¡¯ -Humming. That colossal sword engaged in automaticbat. Even more astonishingly¡­ ¡®Using the sword skills I¡¯ve registered for automaticbat¡­?¡¯ This was an equipment at an overwhelmingly overbnced level that no one would dispute. ¡¸Would you like to register a new sword skill?¡¹ The message asking about registering a new sword skill still hovered in front of Yeongwoo. ¡°Y-yes, register.¡± As Yeongwoo approved the registration, the avable martial arts that ¡°Golden Trail¡± could use were selected from his current repertoire. ||Joseon Swordsmanship ¨C Legendary Grade |Rohm¡¯s Bottom ¨C Legendary Grade |Gyeongbuk¡¯s Sword Law ¨C Unique Grade ¡­ ¡­ |Gumi Swordsmanship ¨C Relic Grade And surprisingly, all martial arts, including Rohm¡¯s Bottom, could be registered. ¡®I thought Rohm¡¯s Bottom was too close to martial arts to be usable.¡¯ How would the automaticbat of a 2-meter-long sword flying in the sky work? Moreover, if that greatsword were to use martial arts used by prisoners from another realm¡­ Gulp. After swallowing hard once, Yeongwoo registered the legendary martial art ¡°Rohm¡¯s Bottom¡± to the golden trail. Acquired! Then, it was visible on the equipment tooltip that the currently used martial art was promptly indicated. ¡¸Golden Trail¡¹ ¨C Legendary two-handed greatsword ¡¾Auto Combat¡¿ |Rohm¡¯s Bottom ¡¾Cumtive golden ratio: 10¡¿ *Special bonus for ¡°Golden Journey.¡± ¡®Oh¡­ it¡¯s recognized immediately,¡¯ Yeongwoo muttered to himself. However, since there was no immediate opponent to test against, there was no way to know how the greatsword would interpret and use Rohm¡¯s Bottom. ¡®It¡¯s hard to imagine.¡¯ Even if it¡¯s a greatsword, it couldn¡¯t possibly engage in boxing or wrestling. ng, clunk! Meanwhile, Negwig continued its descent, and by this time, Yeongwoo had turned Negwig¡¯s direction eastward. It was to check if there were any mutants still alive in the Yeoncheon or Cheorwon area. Now that he could store the golden sphere, it would be safer to secure it before nightfall. ¡®Let¡¯s sweep through Gyeonggi Province and then return to Paju to meet the merchants.¡¯ By now, there would likely be merchantsing down to Gangnam and Gwangjin-gu areas. Although Gwangjin-gu was unknown, Gangnam was a region with an owner, so no one would have touched the merchants, probably Paju too. ¡®Paju should be the same. Everyone dispersed.¡¯ *Avable Karma: 8,694,000 With current cash holdings totaling 8.69 million Karma, there was no shortage of money. In unavoidable situations, he could also duplicate a card containing 7 million Karma. ¡¸nk check¡¹ ¨C Unique Currency ¡¾Once, it changes into the touched currency.¡¿ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡®Of course, it would be too wasteful to just burn 7 million Karma. I should save a lot more if possible.¡¯ Anyway, except for the nighttime dungeon tickets, everything had almost reached perfection. ng! Continuing to steer Negwig eastward, Yeongwoo turned his gaze to thest notification he hadn¡¯t checked yet. ¡¸The rmended achievement list has been updated.¡¹ With thepletion of the achievement ¡°Golden Journey,¡± there would probably be new entries in the rmended achievement list. ¡®The probability of the next stage achievement rted to the golden ratio series is high.¡¯ And even if he didn¡¯t know, there would be another achievement in the ce where ¡°Nocturnal¡± used to be. ¡°Check achievements.¡± As Yeongwoo opened the achievement window, two existing achievements appeared first in order. Pop, pop! [Complete Orphan] |Find and eliminate parents. (1/2) [Ending Maker] |Discover the protagonist after the reset. ¡®Still the same.¡¯ Two stubborn stumbling blocks that he still couldn¡¯t figure out how toplete. Instead, the newly appeared achievement below was rtively straightforward. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean it was easy. This time, it wasn¡¯t just a matter of going out to domestic or foreign areas and summoning golden rain. [Golden Storm] |Summon golden rain in the following four ways. (0/4) -When there are seven or more mutants nearby. -In the North American continent. -When two entities with the attributes of #chaebol and #dragon race are fighting each other. -At the moment when an entity with the attribute of #national enemy dies. -When a second-grade or higher otherworldly entity visits. ¡®Those crazy bast*rds.¡¯ Yeongwoo was generally the one hearing such words directed at him, but this time, a curse slipped out of his own mouth first. ¡®Don¡¯t these guys know when to stop?¡¯ This was practically at the level of not even considering the achievementpletion. However¡­ ¡®¡­But strictly speaking, it¡¯s not entirely impossible.¡¯ The system¡¯s officially acknowledged stubbornness subtly raised its head. ¡®Four sightings are required to fulfill the conditions, right? So, at least two are possible for now.¡¯ -When there are seven or more mutants nearby. -At the moment when an entity with the attribute of #national enemy dies. Amazingly, Yeongwoo had the ability to summon three mutants, so by gathering four mutants on the battlefield, he could achieve the condition of ¡°seven or more mutants nearby.¡± ¡®I could just recruit more friends. So, breaking that condition is just a matter of time.¡¯ The case was the same for an entity with the attribute of #national enemy. Due to Yeongwoo¡¯s starting point being the Korean Penins, he had a national enemy right next to him, without any guilt even if he were to cut their throat and kill them. That was none other than¡­ ¡®¡­Kim Jong-un.¡¯ With the quest for Dogo¡¯s assassination in hand, there was no reason not to try it. ¡®As soon as Kim Jong-un dies, I just have to spread the golden rain. It¡¯s like a congrattory performance.¡¯ Regardless of the intention, two out of four achievements were quite achievable with a fairly high probability. ¡®Now, the remaining two are the problem¡­¡¯ ¨C In the North American continent. ¨C When two entities with the attributes of #chaebol and #dragon race are fighting each other. ¨C When a second-grade or higher otherworldly entity visits. Two out of these three methods must be performed. ¡®If they¡¯re chaebols and dragon race at the same time¡­ we might be able to meet them when Korean chaebols return, but they have to be fighting each other.¡¯ Since he hadn¡¯t met a dragon yet, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t imagine it well. It would be a situation where chaebols who came down as mutants fought each other, having taken on the identity of mutants. ¡®I could make one of them my friend, and that could make it work.¡¯ Nevertheless, it wasn¡¯t an easy task. The request to summon golden rain in North America was equally strange. ¡®Is this telling me to swim across the Pacific to North America?¡¯ But why specifically pick the North American continent? As Yeongwoo pondered, he naturally shifted his gaze to the bottom of the achievement list and found the reason. [Pangea] | At the moment when a tectonic shift urs, witness the movement of the continent. ¡°¡­¡± Pangea. A supercontinent appearing in Alfred Wegener¡¯s theory of continental drift, meaning all existing continents are connected as one. In other words, what this achievement implied was¡­ ¡°Ah¡­ thend is about to connect soon. I didn¡¯t know that.¡± His mind went nk. Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t think anymore. * * * At the same time, on the outskirts of Geumcheon-gun, North Hamgyong Province. Pyongyang¡¯s Strongest Sword, Lim Yeongpyo 01, chuckled as he watched children who seemed to be no older than ten ying happily. He had rushed here upon receiving a report of unusual weather phenomena urring in Geumcheon, where the thief from South Korea had visited. However, when he arrived, instead of unusual weather, the sky over Geumcheon-gun was clear as ever. And most importantly, children were outside as if nothing had happened. ¡®Was the report wrong?¡¯ Yeongpyo raised his head again and looked towards the stigma that had crossed over to the south. Then, suddenly¡­ ng! With a familiar metallic sound and a momentary sh of brilliance, Yeongpyo¡¯s gaze shot like an arrow. Straight into the hands of those children. ¡°Hey there.¡± Sensing something ominous, Pyongyang¡¯s Strongest Sword approached the child who held something in his small hands. And then¡­ Swooosh. ¡°Would you like me to give you some candy?¡± He pretended to take out a candy from his pocket. ¡°Really?¡± The child grinned and reached out his hand to take the candy, and in that moment¡­ ¡°¡­?¡± For the first time in his life, Lim Yeongpyo saw a dazzling golden coin, engraved with the face of the South Korean thief in the center. ¡°Jeong Yeongwoo, this bas*ard?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 143 Chapter 143 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 143: Distortion (6) Pangaea. As anticipated through achievements, if indeed all continents were to merge into one, what would happen? ¡®Could General Kim Younghyeom be right about a real war breaking out?¡¯ The merging ofnd meant that borders would physically converge. In simpler terms, from our country¡¯s perspective, it could mean and connection with the neighboring ind nation, Japan. ¡®And there could be other possibilities. While it¡¯s written as Pangaea in the achievements, thend could merge inpletely different forms.¡¯ The biggest characteristic of the original Pangaea was the gathering of North and South America, Africa, and India. On the other hand, Eurasia wasrgely clustered at the northern end of Pangaea, not significantly different from its current form. In other words, for our country, the anticipated change would be merely and connection with Japan. ¡®But if it¡¯s named Pangaea and yet its form ispletely different¡­.¡¯ For instance, if the ¡°Pangaea after the reset¡± were a gigantic ring-shaped continent, what would happen? ¡®Then we can¡¯t know which country woulde and merge with the Korean Penins.¡¯ From a realistic perspective, Japan or the Philippines might have been candidates, but it could be an entirely different scenario. Up to this point, Yeongwoo¡¯s thoughts were based on the premise that the dimensional shift would somewhat preserve the current geography. ¡®Well, it looks like I¡¯m going to have a sword fight with Kim Jong-un soon, so I wonder if the ground is moving a little.¡¯ Due to experiencing too many events, Yeongwoo hade to ept the idea of Pangaea quite quickly. And above all else. Swoosh, swoosh! Yeongwoo¡¯s attention was entirely focused on a distant glowing column of red light. ¡®There¡­ it¡¯s there!¡¯ There was a mutant even at this hour. For Yeongwoo, a mutant meant a dungeon entry ticket, and that meant¡­ ¡®If I do well tonight, I might earn another encyclopedia.¡¯ Yeongwoo nced over the local situation with slightly excited eyes. |The current area of residence is Yeoncheon. |The Strongest sword in this area is ¡®Jo Seongsik14.¡¯ Rank 2, 11 defenses. The city he was traversing was Yeoncheon-gun in Gyeonggi Province. However, the glowing column Yeongwoo was observing was not in Yeoncheon but rather across the city in Cheorwon, a mutant. Hence, the reason the red glowing column moved as if startled was probably¡­ ¡°Is the Yeoncheon¡¯s Strongest sword in Cheorwon right now?¡± The probability was high. Because. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Mo, monster¡­!¡± ¡°rm! Sound the rm!¡± Even though people mistook Yeongwoo for a new monster and sounded the rm by hitting bells, the Strongest sword did not appear. The golden flying greatsword, alone in the sky above Negwig. Perhaps because these two impressions were too strong, people seemed unable to muster the courage to read the title affixed above Yeongwoo¡¯s head. ¡®Wow, there are more people than I thought.¡¯ Even about 30% of the residents visible in sight in Yeoncheon were dressed in military attire. As it was a front-line area, there were many military units, and the survival rate of soldiers was high right after the reset. Especially with the makeshift checkpoint set up ahead, it seemed like the security of this area was voluntarily undertaken by the soldiers. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°S-Stop!¡± Of course, this was a world after the reset where soldiers brandished swords instead of guns. Swoosh! It was utterly strange to see people in military attire drawing medieval-style swords from their waists, even to Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes. But given the circumstances, Yeongwoo instructed Negwig to leap forward without engaging with them. -Whoosh! Then, Negwig, with its sharp iron hooves, propelled itself forward, leaping high over the barricades set up by the soldiers. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± In an instant, the suspicious individual passed through the checkpoint. ¡°What was that just now?¡± ¡°Joseon¡­ Strongest Sword?¡± Some soldiers btedly caught sight of Yeongwoo¡¯s title ¡°Strongest Sword,¡± but they couldn¡¯t possibly imagine that it referred to the actual ¡°Strongest Sword.¡± How could a golden greatsword soaring through the sky and a ck horse made of steel be human possessions? Swoosh! Meanwhile, Yeongwoo and Negwig, having leaped over the checkpoint,nded on the ground and headed straight for Cheorwon. Thunk! Soon, the updated regional status arrived. However, ¡®The hell?¡¯ Contrary to expectations, there was a Strongest Sword in Cheorwon. ¡®Then who¡¯s fighting over there¡­?¡¯ Scratching his head, Yeongwoo continued inward towards Cheorwon until he could soon resolve his doubts. * * * Yeongcheon Strongest Sword, Jo Seongsik14. Cheorwon Strongest Sword, Kim Gwangyong06. Both thought at the same time. ¡®This is fuc*ed.¡¯ The mutant that appeared in Cheorwon was too powerful. [Cheorwon County Mayor ¨C Son Junyong] Son Junyong. A politically ambitious type who, upon assuming office as county mayor, pursued ambitious redevelopment projects in Cheorwon, only to find outter that his ambition was merely a passion for bribery. Most of the contracts rted to the redevelopment project were found to involve corruption. ¡®Fuck, shouldn¡¯t these basta*ds who¡¯ve eaten up so much moneye back as weaker monsters?¡¯ Kim Gwangyong, the Cheorwon Strongest Sword, gritted his teeth, feeling the tingling sensation in his left arm holding the shield. It was beginning to strain just to block Son Junyong¡¯s attacks. That corrupt mayor¡¯s power was unexpectedly formidable. ¡¸Hehe, are you starting to feel the pressure?¡¹ The mutant Son Junyong acquired was an ogre standing an impressive 4 meters tall. Its weapon was an enormous club, making it impossible to parry with a sword. In other words, they had to either block with the shield orpletely evade, just to withstand the next blow. But now, even blocking with the shield had its limits, and it was only a matter of time before both of them were crushed. And there was another Strongest Sword here, Jo Seongsik, who didn¡¯t even have a shield. ¡®At this rate, we¡¯ll both end up dead soon.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯d rather both attack to the end simultaneously and settle this¡­¡¯ As the two Strongest Swords were exchanging signals with their eyes, Cheorwon County Mayor Son Junyong let out a cruelugh. ¡¸Don¡¯t make futile resistance, you basta*ds!¡¹ He knew very well that soon both Strongest Swords would be fighting for their lives. Whoosh! Then, with a heavy stride, Son Junyong¡¯s massive figure suddenly retreated. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°What?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] As the two Strongest Sword turned their heads to chase the suddenly disappeared opponent, ¡¸Hah.¡¹ A triumphant smile appeared on Son Junyong¡¯s face, towering four meters high. Then, Boom! Without hesitation, his club cut through the air. It was a horizontal swing from right to left. An attack aimed at annihting both of them with a single blow. ¡°Dodge, dodge!¡± ¡°This is insane.¡± The sights of the two Strongest Swords were already in chaos due to the warning from the regional magic system, urging for an emergency escape. However, instinctively, they knew it was already toote. Because¡­ ¡°¡­!¡± Even before they could move, the shadow of the club was already looming dangerously close. ¡®This damn bas*ard, he¡¯s been toying with us all this time.¡¯ Kim Gwangyong finally realized, as the club approached, that Son Junyong had been deliberately holding back his strength all this while. He felt a surge of anger rising in his throat. And as if his emotions were materializing, Boom! ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± A violet explosion erupted from Son Junyong¡¯s right hand, which was holding the club. ¡¸That son of a¡­!¡¹ The one most surprised by the sudden explosion was none other than Son Junyong himself. Not only did he feel tremendous pain from his right palm due to the aftermath of the explosion, but there was also a crack on the club. ¡¸What the hell did you just do?¡¹ Struggling with the pain that had risen to his temples, Son Junyong, with one eye barely open, red at the two Strongest Swords in front of him. Naturally, he assumed that one of them had pulled out ast-minute trick. When a cornered mouse is pushed to the brink, it doesn¡¯t hesitate to attack the cat. But then, Fweeew! A small gunshot followed, clearlying from outside the battlefield. ¡°Huh!¡± ¡°Who else is there¡­?¡± Only when the two Strongest Swords finally turned their heads to the west did they see a mounted archer holding a bow hundreds of meters away. ¡°Fu*k, who¡¯s that now?¡± ¡°Wh-who¡­?¡± Then, Boom! Another explosion urred near Son Junyong, causing his right hand, which was holding the club, to shatter into pieces. Thud, thump. The sight of arge finger rolling to the ground was evidence of the Strongest Sword¡¯s escape. But the most astonishing thing was Son Junyong¡¯s reaction. ¡¸You, you bastard!¡¹ Despite his right hand beingpletely destroyed, instead of writhing in pain, he suddenly sprang up and rushed towards the intruder. Thud, thud! Unlike before, his entire body was now turning bright red, indicating¡­ ¡®Is he going berserk?¡¯ Just like the thoughts of the two Strongest Swords, Yeongwoo also sensed something as he watched the mutant charging towards them at an incredible speed. ¡®If their stamina or energy drops below a certain level, they go berserk.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t hard to understand, as it was amon setup in games, but seeing it firsthand was fascinating. ¡®It seems like the mutants with their own gimmicks are starting to appear. With these reinforced mutants, conglomerates returning as dragons or Kim Jong-un won¡¯t be easy opponents.¡¯ So, dealing with enhanced mutants like this should be rtively straightforward. Thud, boom! In the meantime, as Son Junyong approached closely, Yeongwoo leaped off Negwig to meet him. ng! At the same time, the ¡°Golden Trail¡± emitted a very intense vibration. ¨C Humming! As if seeking approval for deployment. ¡®Ah¡­ That¡¯s right. You were an automaticbat sword, weren¡¯t you?¡¯ ¡¸Golden Trail¡¹ ¨C Legendary Two-Handed Greatsword ¡¾Automatic Combat¡¿ | Rohm¡¯s Bottom A legendary-grade two-handed greatsword equipped with martial arts said to be used by the prisoners of another realm. Since it was hard to imagine how this sword could engage in automaticbat in the first ce, Yeongwoo silently approved the deployment by nodding his head towards the sword. ¡®Is¡­ this enough for approval?¡¯ Having given his silent approval signal, Yeongwoo stared intently at the Golden Trail, while Son Junyong, who had approached within about 20 meters, blinked in surprise. ¡¸Strongest Sword of Joseon¡­? Huh, are these guys kidding?¡¹ Indeed, from the perspective of a political figure who had justnded in this world, titles like Strongest Sword would undoubtedly seem amusing. ¡®But would my sword seem amusing too?¡¯ Just as Yeongwoo was about to draw his sword from his belt, Thunk! ¡°¡­?¡± The Golden Trail firmly plunged its broad de deep into the ground. ¡°What? You said it¡¯s for automaticbat!¡± Thinking he might have finally been tricked, Yeongwoo widened his eyes, only for the golden greatsword to start emitting a high-powered engine-like noise. ¨C Whiiiiing! Then, ¡¸Die!¡±¡¹ At the moment Son Junyong charged towards Yeongwoo, Crunch! The asphalt on the ground erupted towards the ba*tard¡¯s forehead. ¡®This b*stard, really?¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 144 Chapter 144 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 144: Origin (1) Sprinkle asphalt in the eyes. Although the technique of the fourth equipment of the Golden Ratio achievement was somewhat inferior for maniption, its effect was tremendous. ¡¸Huh?¡¹ Because Cheorwon County Mayor Son Junyong, who was rushing with a fierce momentum, stopped moving all at once. ¡¸No, this damn bastard.¡¹ But who is Son Junyong? A man who was expelled from this world after receiving the majority vote of Cheorwon County citizens in the extinction vote. Now his body was an Ogre with a height of a whopping 4 meters, so he could easily block asphalt debris with enough distance between his eyes and the ground. ¡¸The sensory value has temporarily increased from the original 1,500 to 3,647.¡¹ The sensory value far exceeded that of most Strongest Swords. ¡®As expected, it was a reinforced type.¡¯ Yeongwoo exhaled deeply as he looked at the sensory deprivation alert. This was a higher value than that of Death Knight Lee Seonho, who was also a reinforced type mutant. ¡¸A guy who does this kind of thing is called the Strongest Sword of Joseon?¡¹ Then Son Junyong showed an angry gesture. He was trying to retaliate for the despicable ambush. Boom! Once again, when Son Junyong¡¯s huge muscles produced a mighty output, the Strongest Swords of Gyeonggi Province who were watching it opened their mouths in shock. ¡°Whoa!¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t¡­!¡± To both of them, it seemed impossible to block the current blow. Swish! Arge club swung fiercely, cutting through the air menacingly. Yet, that so-called Strongest Sword of Joseon remained calmly within the opponent¡¯s range. ¡°Watch out!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Yeoncheon Strongest Sword Jo Seongsik. Cheorwon Strongest Sword Kim Kwangyong. As the two screamed almost in panic, Strongest Sword Jeong Yeongwoo drew his sword like lightning. sh! But it wasn¡¯t Yeongwoo¡¯s sword that blocked Son Junyong¡¯s club. It was none other than the golden trail ¨C Legendary Two-handed Sword. ¡¸Golden Trail¡¹ ¨C Legendary two-handed greatsword ¡¾Auto Combat¡¿ ¡¾Rohm¡¯s Bottom¡¿ ¨C Wheeee! It was a legendary-grade greatsword roaring with tremendous momentum. ¡¸What, what¡¯s this?¡¹ Only then did Son Junyong realize, with a bewildered expression, that the golden greatsword was moving on its own. Of course, Yeongwoo was equally surprised. ¡®What¡¯s the output?¡¯ Instead of being driven into the ground by Son Junyong¡¯s attack, the golden trail remained floating in the air. And in the meantime¡­ ¨C Break The symbol of ¡®Break,¡¯ meaning the ability to break the opponent¡¯s posture, appeared countless times in Yeongwoo¡¯s sight. So, without hesitation, Yeongwoo thrust his ck sword towards Son Junyong whilemanding the golden goblin somewhere. ¡°Underdog!¡± Upon hearing this, the goblin sitting on the neck of Negreg opened its pocket dimension hastily. ¨C Kiiiiit! After a while, the goblin, with an urgent voice, threw the Underdog spell at Yeongwoo. ¡¸These guys¡­!¡¹ Seeing another sword added to the battlefield from outside, Son Junyong made a resentful expression. For some reason, he felt as if he was being ganged up on. And indeed¡­ ¨C Uuuuuung! At the timing of Yeongwoo¡¯s ck sword thrust, the golden trail rushed towards Son Junyong. Swish! Being stabbed by a 2-meter-long Strongest Sword and a sword with a length of a full 2 meters was apletely different experience from the pressure alone. Of course, the more frightening one was obvious. ¡¸Eek!¡¹ Son Junyong, with a frightened expression, swung his club to block the golden trail. ng! At that moment, another symbol appeared on his whole body. ¨C Kill It meant the opponent¡¯s life was finished. ¡®Is this the end?¡¯ As the Underdog arrived just in time, Yeongwoo threw away the ck sword and grabbed it, holding the Underdog. Thunk! Upon seeing this scene, Yeoncheon and Cheorwon Strongest Swords looked at Yeongwoo with eyes close to awe. ¡°Wow, what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°No, damn it¡­.¡± The sight of them fighting, changing swords as if changing empty magazines, was a big shock to them. Adding to that was the halo effect of the title ¡°Strongest Sword.¡± Even though the level of the battle was different, it was too different. ¡¸These damn¡­!¡¹ On the other hand, Son Junyong pushed away the golden trail clinging to his club with his foot and bit his lip. In the meantime, the Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, which had changed its sword, was seen making an unusual attack. It seemed that he was resentful because he felt that something was not right. ¨CDo these bastards not know when to stop? Swooosh! Since the tip of the sword had already approached near the abdomen, Son Junyong¡¯s best response was to dodge behind the club. Anyway, if he could somehow block a single strike, it wouldn¡¯t be difficult to turn that guy, who had alreadye within range, into a sitting duck. So, at the moment Son Junyong attempted an emergency evasion¡­ Thuuuung! With an unexpected sound of impact, his lower body momentarily lifted in the air. ¡¸¡­?¡¹ Startled, Son Junyong reflexively rolled his eyes downward, only to catch a glint of gold so bright it almost blinded him. ¨CAh. It was that despicable greatsword that had knocked his legs out from under him earlier. And then¡­ Swoop! The Underdog, which had been rushed forward at an early speed, pierced his abdomen. ¡¸Urgh!¡¹ Even the tough skin of the Ogre couldn¡¯t withstand such a powerful blow, almost like cracking a coconut. ¡¸Underdog¡¹ ¨C Mutant one-handed sword ¡¾Power increases by 25% against targetsrger than the user.¡¿ But this didn¡¯t take Son Junyong¡¯s life. Whatpletely severed his lifeline was¡­ Wheeeeng! In an instant, the golden trail, which had floated high into the air and then descended vertically, was there. Crunch! [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] As if dropping like a guillotine de, the greatsword, with a width of 40 centimeters, fell, seemingly doing nothing to Son Junyong¡¯s head, and returned to Yeongwoo¡¯s side. ¨CW-What¡­? Done, and with blood smeared all over its slender de, it seemed. ¡®Is it¡­ over?¡¯ Because everything had happened so quickly, even Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t quite grasp it all and blinked for a while. Though he was the attacker, even Yeongwoo himself felt uncertain about winning if he were to fight the one with this golden trail. That¡¯s how much of a threatening variable ¡°Automatic Combat¡± weapons were. And¡­ ¡®Its power is unbelievably strong. It¡¯s a legendary-grade weapon, so maybe it¡¯s to be expected, but¡­ still, is it this much?¡¯ Yeongwoo nkly stared at the decapitated body of Cheorwon County Mayor Son Junyong. Then, his body seemed to melt into thin air, disappearing and leaving behind a golden sphere. ¨CKit! Next, the golden goblin rushed forward to the sphere, then nced at Yeongwoo. ¨CKeet? It seemed to indicate whether to store this in the pocket dimension. ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo nodded in agreement to the sphere¡¯s storage, then shifted his gaze to the two Strongest Swords standing like statues. ¡°Are you both okay? Any injuries?¡± ¡°¡­Eh?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ ah! Yes, we¡¯re fine!¡± The two Strongest Swords from Gyeonggi Province, who had been momentarily stunned, swallowed hard as they watched the golden goblin toss the sphere into its pocket dimension. It was as if the 3 million karma allocated to Cheorwon had now gone there, but of course, it was money they couldn¡¯t have gotten anyway. If it hadn¡¯t been for that man, the Strongest Sword of Joseon, not only would the two have been smashed into the ground, but the entire Cheorwon area would have been turned into a battlefield. ¡°¡­.¡± As the two Strongest Swords stood with a dejected look, Yeongwoo observed their attire and asked. ¡°Are you both soldiers?¡± As Yeongwoo pointed out, they were both dressed in military uniforms. The difference was that Yeoncheon Strongest Sword Jo Seongsik wore the rank insignia of a sergeant, while Cheorwon Strongest Sword Kim Kwangyong wore the insignia of a corporal. ¡°Yes, somehow¡­¡± Kim Kwangyong, a corporal, was the first to smile awkwardly and answer. On the other hand, Sergeant Jo Seongsik¡¯s position was clearly different. ¡°Althoughte, let me introduce myself. I am Sergeant Jo Seongsik, 2nd toon Leader of the Army¡¯s Temporary Headquarters Firearm Company in Yeoncheon.¡± Then Jo Seongsik raised his palm and saluted like a knife. Thunk! ¡°Ah, it¡¯s an honor to meet you, Sergeant Jo Seongsik.¡± Yeongwoo, thinking it might be rude to salute back, nodded with a slight bow. ¡°By the way, is there still a Firearm Company?¡± Upon hearing Yeongwoo¡¯s inquiry after hearing his introduction, Jo Seongsik turned his head with a bitter expression. ¡°All of us¡­ perished on the second day.¡± ¡°¡­Ah. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. It was my mistake.¡± Jo Seongsik¡¯s exnation was that he thought the second-day mutant would be simr in difficulty to the first day¡¯s. So, like the previous day, he had dedicated himself to handling the mutants with his toon members, but only he, Jo Seongsik, the Strongest Sword himself, survived. Still, it was fortunate in misfortune that many of the other unit members who had been responsible for clearing the monsters in the Yeoncheon area had survived. ¡®Then the soldiers I saw in Yeoncheon earlier must be the survivors from back then.¡¯ Yeongwoo had grasped the situation to some extent. ¡°The predecessor of the Army¡¯s Temporary Headquarters was the 36th Division of the 5th Army.¡± Of course, the 36th Division was the unit with the highest ratio of remaining personnel after the reset, but in reality, there were a few soldiers from other nearby units mixed in, ording to Jo Seongsik¡¯s exnation. In simple terms, the soldiers who had been guarding the Yeoncheon area had gathered themselves after the reset to maintain a makeshift form of the army. ¡°So, you haven¡¯t made contact with other units yet.¡± ¡°Yes. Currently, stabilizing our jurisdiction takes precedence.¡± In fact, it was only natural. Isn¡¯t it just the 4th day since the reset? While Yeongwoo has been busy shuttling between South Korea, North Korea, and dungeons in just one day, the majority of survivors were already out of breath just trying to fend off the mutants and monsters thate every day. ¡°Right now, it¡¯s only in name¡­ But anyway, there¡¯s a provisional government set up in Seoul. How about visiting and having a chat with the government officials?¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Although Jo Seongsik hesitated, he couldn¡¯t hide his suspicious gaze. Given that they are practically fighting a war every day, it¡¯s hard to believe that a new government has been established in Seoul. Understanding this, Yeongwoo concluded the conversation by informing him of the location of the government office at the north end of Yongsan Park. ¡°Then¡­ Are the soldiers maintaining security in Cheorwon?¡± At this point, the previously silent Cheorwon Strongest Sword Kim Kwangyong widened his eyes. ¡°No. Cheorwon doesn¡¯t have its own regr army¡­¡± When Kim Kwangyong couldn¡¯t continue his words, Corporal Jo Seongsik spoke instead. ¡°Cheorwon is being led by our Kim Kwangyong, the Strongest Sword, and our provisional headquarters is assisting with civilian security.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Strongest Sword Kim Kwangyong¡­ It¡¯s an expression that means a lot. Because Corporal Kim Kwangyong holds such great power, the temporary army headquarters can¡¯t treat him as a corporal. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s fortunate. I didn¡¯t know you were putting in so much effort at the front lines. Thanks to you, Seoul was safe.¡± When Yeongwoo said this with sincerity mixed with formality, Jo Seongsik¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Seoul is safe because of us?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Did I make a mistake?¡± Surprised by the other¡¯s reaction, Yeongwoo found himself bewildered. Then, Corporal Jo Seongsik exined, tilting his head. ¡°No, you didn¡¯t make a mistake¡­ I was just curious about how the problem in Uijeongbu was resolved. After all, they were so powerful¡­¡± As Jo Seongsik tried to retreat, Yeongwoo grabbed him. ¡°No, about the problem in Uijeongbu? I¡¯m hearing about it for the first time.¡± ¡°Huh? How could that be? I thought Uijeongbu waspletely destroyed because of the problem¡­ Wouldn¡¯t they have gone to Seoul?¡± At this point, Yeongwoo realized that he hadpletely missed one of the major events in this world. After all, he had only just arrived in the northern part of Gyeonggi Province today. ¡°Who exactly are ¡®they¡¯ in Uijeongbu?¡± When Yeongwoo asked this, Jo Seongsik pointed south. ¡°They are the prisoners of Uijeongbu Prison.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± As Yeongwoo nodded, following Jo Seongsik¡¯s gaze to the south, a small vibration urred in his arms. ¡°?¡± So, rummaging through his embrace to find the source of the vibration, he pulled out a fountain pen that he hadn¡¯t used in a while. ¡¸Wanted Poster¡¹ ¨C Epic ¡¾Find what you want.¡¿ |Father [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 145 Chapter 145 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 145: Origin (2) ¡®What, what does this mean?¡¯ As Yeongwoo looked surprised while holding the fountain pen, Sergeant Jo Seongsik tilted his head. ¡°Why are you doing that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Yeongwoo hesitated, then closed his mouth again. Why would the ¡®Wanted Poster¡¯ set up to find his father react at this point? ¡®Could my father have any connection to the prison?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t help but think so. The wanted poster that reappeared in his sight pointed south, towards Uijeongbu. Yeongwoo nced vaguely to the south, pondering his own background. ¡¸This individual is a randombination of level 4 settings.¡¹ ¡¸Influenced by parental settings, they possess the following immutable elements at birth: #Level4 #Orphan.¡¹ ¡¸As a level 4bination, they receive retroactive adjustments to acquire settings of level 2 or higher throughout their lifespan.¡¹ The ruthless preface of the fate record, which even evoked fear at the time. But now, Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t afraid of those ominous words anymore. He had be the person he was now, facing much more terrifying things than those mere phrases. Jeong Yeongwoo07. The daring ¡°Jeong Yeongwoo,¡± seventh of all the Jeong Yeongwoos on Earth to contact the Currency Exchange, and the Strongest Sword of Gyeongbuk Province, Gangnam, and Joseon. ¡®Also known as the advertising model for the universal weapon brand Dogo.¡¯ And at some point, he wouldpete with Kim Jong-un and who would emerge as Geumgang Yaksha. However, despite all that. [Father]: Grade 6 Extra [Mother]: Grade 1 Supporting Role Faced with the clear confirmation of his own origins in the fate record, Jeong Yeongwoo07 couldn¡¯t help but feel diminished. Of course, it was natural. Jeong Yeongwoo07 was also born between a man and a woman and inherited much from them. ¡®A randombination of level 4 settings¡­¡¯ When certain settings from his grade 6 father and grade 1 mother were appropriately integrated, it resulted in the system-designated ¡®stubborn¡¯ being born. ¡°What exactly happened in Uijeongbu? Did the prisoners conduct a mass breakout?¡± Yeongwoo asked, hoping it wasn¡¯t true. In response, Lieutenant Jo Seongsik gave a merciless answer. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s said that several Currency Exchanges even fell on top of the prison. Because of the chaos, it seems prisoners poured out.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Yeongwoo rubbed his forehead. This meant that his father was most likely one of the criminals imprisoned in Uijeongbu, and he would soon have to identify him among those sinners. ¡®Does the wanted poster pinpoint the exact target I¡¯m looking for? So far, it seems to only vaguely indicate the direction.¡¯ Would it leave a mark like a target above the opponent¡¯s head when he got close enough? He could only find out by meeting the target himself. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Yeongwoo stared anxiously southward. At that moment, Jeong Seongsik cautiously asked. ¡°Are you nning to go to Uijeongbu¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. If the city is in such chaos, I need to see it for myself.¡± There was no need to explicitly mention that his father might be there. But apart from that, there was one other question. ¡®If there was such a big uproar in Uijeongbu, why doesn¡¯t Seoul know about it yet?¡¯ At least the members of the Strongest Swords assembly, who had started the alliance early, should have been aware, shouldn¡¯t they? ¡°¡­¡± In the end, he would have to go to Uijeongbu himself to find out. With determination, Yeongwoo reached out his left hand into the air and summoned his ck sword. *Swish.* ¡¸Gnoll¡¯s Iron Belt¡¹ ¨C Mutant Belt ¡¾Remotely retrieve weapons.¡¿ Instantly, the ck sword lying on the ground flew back like an arrow and stabbed itself into Yeongwoo¡¯s waistband. *ng!* ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Once again, Lieutenant Jo Seongsik was greatly surprised. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo was climbing on top of the Negwig with the Golden Goblin. *Tap!* As Jo Seongsik inserted the sword he was holding into the waistband, he bid farewell to Strongest Sword. ¡°If I visit Seoul, can I see you again¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. Every day at 3 p.m., the Strongest Sword of Seoul gathers in Yongsan Park. You can see me then too.¡± Yeongwoo added that if it wasn¡¯t at that time, he would have toe to Gangnam himself. It also implied that he wasn¡¯t often attached to Seoul. ¡°Oh¡­ So there¡¯s a Strongest Sword gathering.¡± For Jo Seongsik, who had been guarding the front, everything he heard from Yeongwoo, who came from Seoul, was new and surprising. ¡°Please be careful. Pocheon is close to a gray area, but you should be a little cautious from Yangju onwards.¡± Of course, whether there was anyone who could deal with this monster over there was another matter altogether. Jo Seongsik advised with concern. ¡°Yes, thank you. If there are any problems on the way, I¡¯ll take care of them.¡± Meant that Yeongwoo would kill any threats to himself and Seoul as he passed through. ¡°¡­!¡± Seongsik realized the meaning of Yeongwoo¡¯s words btedly and felt a chill run down his spine involuntarily. *Clunk.* Finally, the Negwig carrying Yeongwoo began to move its iron hooves slowly. * * * Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. Before the reset, its poption was only 140,000, making it one of the cities with very few peoplepared to its size. Even Gangnam had a poption of 540,000. ¡®There¡¯s literally no one there. It¡¯s closer to a ghost town than a gray area,¡¯ Seongsik remarked. ording to him, Pyeongtaek had be a sort of public hunting ground where all nearby Strongest Sword and monster hunters gathered around 1 p.m. to earn money. ¡®It¡¯s true that Yangju¡¯s Strongest Sword serves as the protectors of this city. So people must be living here.¡¯ |Current location: ¡®Pyeongtaek.¡¯ |There is no Strongest Sword in this area. There was no Strongest Sword acting as the defense force here, and consequently, there were no residents either. Therefore, most of the buildings along the path Yeongwoo was taking were severely damaged, to the extent that one might think rental services were avable in them. Perhaps these were traces left by monsters or mutants that had been summoned here, freely wreaking havoc. ¡®This is what happens when there are no people around.¡¯ At 11 p.m. every night, those who couldn¡¯t find a ce to stay died for the most part. Thus, Pyeongtaek, with hardly any intact buildings left, was practically uninhabitable. There hadn¡¯t been any way discovered yet to restore the destroyed buildings. Still, the fortunate thing was that there were many areas Yeongwoo could leave Pyeongtaek for. Even neighboring areas like Cheorwon, Hwacheon, Yangju, Dongducheon, and Namyangju were difficult to count with one hand. ¡®People probably scattered to the east and west, as they wouldn¡¯t have stayed near Uijeongbu.¡¯ Yeongwoo confirmed that even the ¡°fearful-cat¡± was closing its eyes, then increased Negwig¡¯s speed. *Vroom, vroom!* Since there were no people living in Pyeongtaek anymore, there was no need for him to be there. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡®There aren¡¯t even any merchants here.¡¯ The sky over pristine Pyeongtaek. As it was known as the gathering ce for Strongest Sword and monster hunters from various regions, merchants who came here likely sold out their goods in an instant and left. In other words, they were leaving work early. ¡°¡­¡± Yeongwoo continued to traverse the deste city of Pyeongtaek. Then¡­ |Current location: ¡®Yangju.¡¯ |The Strongest Sword in this area is ¡®Choi Jongseon02,¡¯ Rank 2, defense 233 times. ¡°¡­¡± Finally, as the location status changed to Yangju, the information about Choi Jongseon02, the Strongest Sword of Yangju, was revealed. ¡®233 times¡­?¡¯ What caught Yeongwoo¡¯s attention was the number of defenses by Choi Jongseon, which was over 200 times. Such high defense counts were usually only seen in North Korea. ¡®But¡­ with such a big uproar around here, how did they manage to defend 233 times?¡¯ This not only hinted at the rough atmosphere of the Yangju area but also meant that Choi Jongseon was not an ordinary person. *Vroom, vroom!* As they passed through the entrance of Yangju and began to see houses scattered around, people started to appear here and there. ¡®It¡¯s definitely different.¡¯ There wasn¡¯t a single unarmed person among those caught in Yeongwoo¡¯s sight, each maintaining a sufficient distance from each other. ¡®About 40 meters apart.¡¯ It was probably a safety distance learned through experience over the past few days. That is, in Yangju, if someone breached that distance, people would either flee or prepare to fight. -*Neigh!* Of course, Yeongwoo was riding a horse from another world. -*Whiiiinng!* Wearing a flying greatsword shining with golden light, the rules of Yangju did not apply to him. *Vroom!* Since his speed was too fast, and those he encountered were busy avoiding him first, not many people paid attention. ¡°What¡¯s¡­ that?¡± ¡°Whoa! It scared me.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on, riding a horse¡­?¡± The survivors of Yangju were captured by an ominous sense of foreboding as they looked at the unidentified cavalryman who had suddenly appeared. Because¡­ *Vroom, vroom!* The familiar figure of the dark light pir that had almost disappeared from their sight was moving towards the city center. It was heading towards the location where the remaining merchants were staying in Yangju. ¡®Oh¡­! There are still merchants here.¡¯ As Yeongwoo, riding atop Negwig, also fixed his gaze on the distant dark pir, which indicated the location of the merchants, he naturally entered Yangju. Then, he felt that the atmosphere was somewhat different from the outskirts of the city. For one thing, there were no people walking alone, but instead, everyone was moving with about a 20-meter safety distance between them. Perhaps, in the city center, people mostly knew each other, so that might be the reason. ¡®Still, it¡¯s somewhat unusual to maintain the safe distance. Usually, the atmosphere in the city center is more rxed.¡¯ Could it be rted to the unusually high defense count of the Strongest Sword? But it didn¡¯t seem like they were indiscriminately killing everyone they saw. If that were the case, there shouldn¡¯t be anyone in the city center, just like in Pyeongtaek. ¡®It¡¯s a peculiar city.¡¯ However, there seemed to be hardly anyone here who could be considered ordinary residents like in Seoul. Most seemed to bebatants with a high level of self-defense ability. That meant living in this area was not easy. ¡°¡­¡± As the distance with the ck light pir gradually decreased, Yeongwoo pulled on Negwig¡¯s reins to slow down the speed. Gradually, he felt the residents of Yangju, who had been hiding between the buildings, narrowing the distance as they approached. But they were all staying behind him. ¡®What¡¯s this? Riding a horse looks strange to them?¡¯ In just a few minutes, the number of people following behind reached about twenty, but Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t tense. In a simr situation, he was confident that he could fight them all at once and survive. And above all¡­ ¡°Ho-o-o-o¡­!¡± The eerie atmosphere characteristic of the ck light pir was emanating from ahead, almost reaching the vicinity of the merchants in Yangju. ¡®I have plenty of cash right now, so I¡¯ll meet the merchant and head towards Uijeongbu.¡¯ As Yeongwoo thought so and continued to move Negwig forward, the scenery under the ck light pir, hidden behind the buildings in front, caught his eye. ¡°¡­¡± And now, Yeongwoo finally understood why the cautious residents of Yangju had started following him. ¡°Ah¡­¡± As Yeongwoo involuntarily sighed, a woman sitting in front of the merchant on the other side turned her head towards the visitors. ¡ºYangju¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» With this title shining brilliantly above her head, there was no room for doubt. She was Choi Jongseon02, the Strongest Sword of Yangju, with 233 defense counts. ¡°¡­¡± Studying Yeongwoo¡¯s appearance carefully, Choi Jongseon, the Strongest Sword of Yangju, made a troubled expression, then picked up the sword lying on the ground and suddenly an unexpected sound came. ¡°Waaah¡­!¡± This was undoubtedly the cry of a baby. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Surprised by this, Yeongwoo blinked his eyes, and he saw a baby wrapped in a swaddle lying on the ground, struggling at the feet of Choi Jongseon. ¡°If you¡¯re going to fight, let¡¯s do it quickly.¡± Choi Jongseon urged Yeongwoo with tired eyes and a weary voice. So Yeongwoo¡­ *Clunk, thud!* Dropping all the bows and swords he had on him to the ground, Yeongwoo spoke. ¡°Madam! I am an orphan on my way to find my father in Uijeongbu. If it¡¯s alright, may I meet the merchant for a moment?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 146 Chapter 146 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 146: Origin (3) Orphan. A term used to refer to a child who has lost their parents or has been abandoned by them and has nowhere to attach themselves to. Therefore, Yeongwoo was undoubtedly an orphan. It was certain because he had been abandoned by his parents. However, in order to be fully recognized as an orphan even by the achievement system, he had to perfectly fulfill the literal meaning. [Complete Orphan] |Find and eliminate parents. (1/2) The system considered only children who had no parents in this world asplete orphans. ¡®Then am I an iplete orphan now?¡¯ Nevertheless, he wouldn¡¯t be wrong to introduce himself as an orphan externally. ¡°¡­¡­¡± As Yeongwoo spread his arms with all the weapons thrown aside, Yangju¡¯s Strongest Sword, Choi Jongseon, swallowed heavy saliva. Gulp. ¡°Ah¡­ an, an orphan? What should I do¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Although she was taken aback by the sudden confession of her opponent¡¯s unexpected situation, she kept herposure. Because Choi Jongseon was once a mother before she became Yangju¡¯s Strongest Sword. As a mother who wielded a sword to protect her child, how could she ignore someone who openly admitted to being an orphan? However, there was never a trivial problem, and that was precisely¡­ -Wiiiiing¡­¡­ Behind the opponent who had seemingly given up fighting by discarding their weapons, there was still a heavy golden greatsword floating. With a grand shadow cast on the ground as if showing off. ¡°Ah.¡± Yeongwoo btedly realized the situation as he looked at Choi Jongseon¡¯s strange gaze and hurriedly grabbed the handle of the greatsword and stabbed it into the ground. ng! ¡°I, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s a sword I recently acquired, so I¡¯m not good at controlling it.¡± At that moment, Choi Jongseon, who had been tense until now, let out a forcedughter and rxed her expression for a moment. Even forcedughter wasughter, and unknowingly, her guard had loosened somewhat. Then, shortly after. ¡°Um¡­ is your father really in Uijeongbu¡­?¡± She asked cautiously again, now with a solemn expression. It was because she felt trust in Yeongwoo, perhaps due to his sudden confession earlier, despite her previous flustered state. So her earlier greeting calling herself an orphan was definitely not a lie. ¡°Yes. As far as I know, he is.¡± As Yeongwoo answered like this, he nced briefly at the tracking marker in his field of vision. The arrow was still pointing south unchanged. ¡°Ah¡­ I see.¡± Choi Jongseon looked at Yeongwoo with an even more pitiful expression than before. If this man¡¯s father was a resident of Uijeongbu, by now he would most likely be either a corpse or have fled to apletely different area. Even in her dreams, she could not have known that this orphan had an achievement that allowed him to know whether his parents were alive or dead, and that the name of that achievement was ¡®Complete Orphan.¡¯ So in the end. ¡°Although it¡¯s unusual¡­ if that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s nothing we can do about it. It means I hope you can meet your father safely.¡± Swish. She extended her kindness to the outsider, opening the way as a merchant. ¡°Ah¡­ thank you.¡± Upon this, Yeongwoo bowed deeply to the other person. It was a sign of gratitude and respect. Yangju¡¯s Strongest Sword Choi Jongseon is a courageous person who did not avoid a fight even after seeing the ¡®golden trail¡¯, and at the same time, she is a mother of one child. Yeongwoo didn¡¯t want to fight such a person. So he had confessed to being an orphan first. Even if she was a person who felt inmmation in this world, wasn¡¯t she someone who protected a child? Therefore, he thought she couldn¡¯t help but react to the keyword ¡®orphan.¡¯ And fortunately. ck, ck. Yeongwoo could open the way without swinging his sword once. ¡®Being an orphan can be helpful sometimes.¡¯ As Yeongwoo made his way towards the merchant with the nking sound of his shackles, Choi Jongseon picked up the child from the ground and stepped aside. -Grrrr¡­¡­ The fourth-day merchant of Yangju City was a toad with fancy patterns. However, if there was a difference from those on Earth, it was in its legs¡­ no, it had an extra pair of arms. -Gruk. Supporting its body with its thick legs, the creature felt the surface of the ck shiny pir with its numerous arms. It was as if it were contemting whether it could not go beyond this barrier. ¡®So this guy is a merchant too¡­? He seems quite proactive.¡¯ As Yeongwoo watched the constantly moving eyeballs of the extraterrestrial merchant without pause, the space in front of the shiny pir split open, and the mediator Kubu appeared. Sssrrr¡­ A space broker of the universe who used the vast area of empty space as his eyelids. As soon as Kubu revealed himself on Earth, he blinked his big eyes once and made a surprised sound. ¨DHuh. And then, a sentence that was clearly different from before. ¨CIt is an honor to meet again, Mr. Jeong Yeongwoo07, a human of earth, the strongest in Gyeongbuk, Gangnam, and the northern part of the Korean Penins! During the time he hadn¡¯t seen him, Yeongwoo¡¯s record had be much more glorious. ¨CI am Kubu, the owner of Tenta and the guardian of Daro, who will be mediating this transaction. Atst, Kubu¡¯s greeting, as if heard after a long time, flowed out. Then, the Yangju¡¯s Strongest Sword, too, widened her eyes. ¡°¡­!¡± Although she, as someone who had traded with merchants before, wasn¡¯t surprised by the presence of a mediator, but the expressions used to describe the orphan just now werepletely unexpected. ¡®The strongest in Gyeongbuk, Gangnam, and the northern part of the Korean Penins¡­?¡¯ While the Yangju Strongest Sword pondered the meaning of ¡®the northern part of the Korean Penins¡¯, Kubu spoke the next lines. ¨CThe intermediary fee for this transaction is 10% and is included in the price of the goods. However, since the transaction has already been made, changes at the top are not possible. ¡°I see. It¡¯s been a while. Please proceed with the transaction.¡± As Yeongwoo lightly greeted and approved the transaction, Kubu blinked his huge eyes. ¨CThe target of this transaction is the Tattoo of Pegua. Let me show you the product list. As Kubu rolled his eyeballs, something like a blue blotch appeared in front of Yeongwoo, then gradually changed into the shape of human characters. 2 ¨D ¡¸Mark of Endurance¡¹ ¨C Artifact Tattoo ¡¾All resistances increase by 1%.¡¿ ¡ó 330,000 Karma 3 ¨D ¡¸Protection of the Night¡¹ ¨C Moon ¡¾Acquire 15% damage reduction at night.¡¿ ¡ó 750,000 Karma 5 ¨D ¡¸Whitespace¡¹ ¨C Epic Tattoo ¡¾Allocate advertising space to the body.¡¿ ¡ó 3,400,000 Karma This time, the merchant was someone who sold tattoos. But. ¡°Huh?¡± As Yeongwoo carefully examined the product list, the Yangju¡¯s Strongest Sword, who had been watching him, involuntarily grasped her sword, surprised. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Why¡­? Why are you like that?¡± While it was true that she had opened the way for Yeongwoo out of kindness, she couldn¡¯t ignore the fear that the epithet ¡®the strongest in the northern part of the Korean Penins¡¯ instilled in her. What other way was there to prove oneself as the strongest in the northern part of the Korean Penins in this reset world? Wouldn¡¯t it be nothing more than having killed numerous strong individuals in the northern part of the Korean Penins? Especially since it was a fact spoken directly by the mediator from another world. ¡®Goodness.¡¯ Meanwhile, Yeongwoo was in a state of shock at the 5th item left by the Yangju Sword, ¡®Whitespace¡¯. This was something that only someone who had been active as a model in another world could appreciate. ¡®Could it be that I¡¯ll have to engrave some sort of alien text on my body?¡¯ Whatever it was, there weren¡¯t many people on Earth who would invest 3.4 million Karma into such an odd tooltip. And coincidentally. ¡®¡­I definitely have to buy this.¡¯ Jeong Yeongwoo07 was one of those few individuals. *Avable Karma: 8,694,000 Yeongwoo currently had approximately 8.69 million Karma. And to buy all the items sold by Pegua, he needed 4.48 million Karma in total. ¡®This might actually leave me with a deficit? I also have to meet merchants in Paju, Gangnam, and Gwangjin-gu.¡¯ However, it wasn¡¯t worth taking up the other two tattoos besides Space. The effect of the Mark of Endurance granting the maximum resistance was literally breaking through the limit of each resistance value. Without obtaining such effects in advance, there was a high chance of regretter. And as for the ¡®Protection of the Night¡¯¡­ ¡¸Protection of the Night¡¹ ¨C Moon ¡¾Acquire 15% damage reduction at night.¡¿ ¡®This is for sniping in night dungeons.¡¯ Especially since unlike other equipment, one could wear multiple tattoos at once as long as there were empty spaces on the body. ¡®And there¡¯s also the possibility of a tattoo encyclopedia existing. It¡¯s not a deal that will only result in losses in many ways.¡¯ After reaching a conclusion, Yeongwoo decided to purchase all the items from this merchant. ¡®I¡¯ll buy all three remaining tattoos.¡¯ Once Yeongwoo gave his final approval, Kubu rolled his eyeballs once again, and Pegua¡¯s Dorgon also showed a reaction as if he were delighted. -Crash! Making apletely different sound from before, he repeatedly pounded the walls with his two pairs of arms radiating light. ¨CThe transaction isplete. Thank you as always. Finally, as Kubu announced thepletion of the transaction, Yeongwoo¡¯s Karma bnce plummeted rapidly. Plundered! *Avable Karma: 4,214,000 The bnce was 4.21 million Karma. Even though he had spent half of what he had, he still had a considerable amount left. ¨DI¡¯m leaving now. Please stay well until next time. With these parting words from Kubu, Yeongwoo hastily reached out, grabbing his arm. ¡°Wait! Just a moment!¡± This unexpected action halted Kubu, who was about to roll his eyes and the Dorgon, who was lifting his head to the sky. ¨D¡­? Seeing a mediator already done with his work being held back was a first for Kubu, so he blinked his eyes and just looked at the trader. ¡°I have something to ask. It¡¯s something only you, Kubu, can answer.¡± Yeongwoo said, prompting Kubu to nce briefly at the sky before responding. ¨DPlease speak. ¡°Ah!¡± With Kubu¡¯s permission, Yeongwoo asked his question without hesitation. ¡°What about Grade 2 or higher beings from other worlds? What level are they? Have I met any Grade 2 or higher beings among the traders I¡¯ve encountered so far? Or does your grade fit into that category¡­?¡± This was to understand the conditions for the new Golden Vow achievement, ¡°Golden Typhoon¡±. However, the other person¡¯s reaction was unexpected. Upon hearing the question, Kubu¡¯s eyelids began to flutter violently. He was clearly very anxious. ¨DI dare not¡­ describe their dignity. And surprisingly, ¨DGrung¡­ The Dorgon of Pergua, unlike before, spread out his four arms and assumed a very humble posture. In the realm of otherworldly beings, the status of Grade 2 beings was such that even discussing them was off-limits. ¡°So, what grade are you, Kubu? Can¡¯t you tell me that?¡± As Yeongwoo realized his impropriety, he suggested a different route, to which Kubu blinked his eyes. ¨DKubu, the owner of Tenta and the guardian of Dar0, is a humble being of Grade 9 in the Law of universe. And¡­ -Grug, grug¡­ ¨DBeing of humble origin and unnamed, Pergua¡¯s Dorgon is a being of Grade 11 ording to the Laws of the universe. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Upon hearing their self-introductions, even Choi Jongseon, who was listening alongside Yeongwoo, wore a sad expression. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo, after hearing the grades of the two beings from other realms, was biting his lip, as another question arose. Can I ask this¡­? ¡°So, what grade am I ording to the universalw?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 147 Chapter 147 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 147: Origin (4) Perhaps Kubu would know. It¡¯s about the universew ranking of Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo 07. Doesn¡¯t it seem unreasonable not to know at what level the counterpart one is dealing with is? And whatever the answer, Yeongwoo was fine. Having been shocked by the existing destiny record, that Jeong Yeongwoo was no longer there. ¡®It doesn¡¯t seem like the ranking would be that high¡­ It could even be the lowest ranking. As long as it¡¯s not said that they don¡¯t know.¡¯ Curiosity. The question Yeongwoo threw was purely out of curiosity. After hearing one by one the universal rankings of cosmic beings, why wouldn¡¯t Yeongwoo be curious about his own ranking? ¡°Madam, are you curious too? From a cosmic perspective, what grade is the Strongest Sword of Earth?¡± When Yeongwoo asked Jongseon, she hesitated for a moment. Since he kept calling her ¡°Madam¡± from earlier, it was probably because their ages were quite simr for her to hear such a term from the other person. Anyway, Jongseon reluctantly nodded her head. ¡°Oh, yes¡­ I suppose I am curious.¡± Then she nced at Kubu as she added a word. ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it be a bit awkward from that person¡¯s perspective¡­?¡± However, before Jongseon could finish her sentence, Yeongwoo was already pressing the pitiful intermediary for answers. ¡°Mr. Kubu knows, right? My ranking. If he says he doesn¡¯t know, it¡¯s obviously a lie.¡± ¨C¡­Yes, that¡¯s correct. Eventually, Kubu admits it. Indeed, he knew what grade his trading partner existed at cosmically. ¡°Then what grade am I?¡± Yeongwoo asked with a voice full of anticipation. Internally ssified as a 4th ss extra within Earth. A being that didn¡¯t even have an identification number like 07 until the reset happened. In other words, not only among numerous humans on Earth but also among individuals like ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯, he was not specifically identified. So, the probability of being below 11th ss ording to the cosmic standard, like the Dorgon of Pegua, which didn¡¯t have a name due to its humble origin, was quite high. ¡®Well, it¡¯s only natural.¡¯ Yeongwoo awaited Kubu¡¯s response with humility. And then. ¨CThe current universal grade of Jeong Yeongwoo07, the strongest in Gyeongbuk and Gangnam on Earth, and in the northern part of the Korean Penins, is¡­ Finally, Kubu gave an answer. ¨CInitial grade, 12th ss. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± At Kubu¡¯s first words, Yeongwoo tilted his head. The word ¡®initial¡¯ grade implies that it¡¯s different now, doesn¡¯t it? ¡°So what about now? Did the grade change by any chance?¡± As Yeongwoo prompted for the next line, Kubu blinked hisrge eyes once again. ¨CYes. ording to the universew, the current grade of Jeong Yeongwoo07 is 7th ss. ¡°7th ss?¡± This time, Jongseon expressed her surprise. Hadn¡¯t she heard Kubu say 9th ss? But even if he was called the Strongest Sword of Joseon, isn¡¯t it strange that he¡¯s only 7th ss, essentially just an Earthling? Didn¡¯t he even start from the 12th ss? ¡°Are you sure? We only met a few days ago at most, and during that time, did my status change from 12th to 7th?¡± Yeongwoo also questioned in a tone of disbelief. ¡°No, if it¡¯s a universew grade, what kind of promotion system is this¡­?¡± As Yeongwoo was about to continue his words, something crossed his mind, and he shut his mouth. Then, as if knowing exactly what he was thinking, Kubu provided additional exnation. ¨CThe current ssification of Jeong Yeongwoo07 is an advertising agent, a skyrocketing stock. ¡°Oh.¡± That makes sense. Yeongwoo¡¯s mouth gaped. ¡®My grade shot up while doing Dogo¡¯s brand advertisement.¡¯ Then what would be a skyrocketing stock alongside the trait of ¡®advertising agent¡¯? Yeongwoo was about to ask about the skyrocketing stock, but Kubu cut in. ¨CAs all transactions arepleted, I will return! He hurriedly closed his eyelids. Swish. Erasing even the horizontal dashed line that was dividing the air, hepletely concealed his presence. And then. -Whoosh! The nameless one, the Dorgon of Pegua, also quickly raised its head and disappeared beyond the sky along with the ck light column. Shoo-ahh! Two beings from another realm, clearly fleeing as if hiding. Thanks to them disappearing, Yeongwoo and Jongseon, who were left in their ce, could only look at each other with bewildered faces. ¡°¡­What¡¯s all this about?¡± In response to Jongseon¡¯s question, Yeongwoo shrugged. ¡°Merchant¡­ Thank you for letting us meet.¡± ¡°¡­ ¡± Jongseon¡¯s expression showed disbelief. Then, on the other side, the Yangju citizens who had gathered to watch this bizarre event began to disperse one by one. It seemed that since the two Strongest swords weren¡¯t going to fight each other, and all the merchants had left, they deemed the ¡°show¡± to be over. But the major event involving Yeongwoo¡­ ¡®Ah, finally.¡¯ It was starting now. Swish, swa-aht! Perhaps the tattoos he purchased from the potter had finally arrived, as he could feel alternating warmth and coldness throughout his body. Next, in front of Yeongwoo, tooltips appeared one by one along with the shape of each tattoo. Pop, pop! ¡¸Mark of Endurance¡¹ ¨C Artifact Tattoo ¡¾All resistances increase by 1%.¡¿ ¡¸Protection of the Night¡¹ ¨C Moon ¡¾Acquire 15% damage reduction at night.¡¿ ¡¸Whitespace¡¹ ¨C Epic Tattoo ¡¾Allocate advertising space to the body.¡¿ The Mark of Endurance was in the form of a circr pattern ced within a slightly smaller circle than the palm of a hand. It was probably going to be tattooed on his body exactly as it appeared in size and shape. ¡®Oh¡­ Are they showing the design before tattooing it? It¡¯s quite considerate, perhaps because I purchased it directly.¡¯ The only tattoo currently on Yeongwoo¡¯s body was the ¡°Covert Mark,¡± received as a reward for unlocking the Golden Ratio achievement. ¡¸Covert Mark¡¹- Artifact Tattoo ¡¾Can conceal titles.¡¿ This tattoo, shaped like a spiral me, was embedded on the left side of Yeongwoo¡¯s chest and couldn¡¯t be moved arbitrarily. ¡®But what I bought seems a bit different.¡¯ Yeongwoo shifted his gaze to the next tattoo, ¡°Protection of the Night.¡± This one was slightlyrger than the Mark of Endurance. It was a sizeable cloud-like shape that could probably fill one side of his chest. ¡®Not easy. At this rate, I¡¯ll end up looking like a walking canvas.¡¯ Next was thest tattoo, ¡°Whitespace,¡± but there was nothing there. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°¡­?¡± More urately, he could feel that Whitespace had been allocated, but there was nothing visible to the naked eye. Just as its name suggested, Whitespace. It was a tattoo meant to be filled in through post-processing. ¡®The contents of the tattoo are probably determined by the advertiser. I expected this.¡¯ Intuitively, the size of the ¡°Whitespace¡± tattoo seemed to be about the size of the front of his abdomen. ¡®I¡¯ll have to decide on the location carefully.¡¯ Yeongwoo considered his options between the back, abdomen, or shoulders. If he could choose the location himself. After Yeongwoo confirmed the designs of the three tattoos, a new system message appeared. ¡¸Please designate the location where the tattoo will be inked from now on.¡¹ [Warning] After this procedure, the tattoo¡¯s location cannot be arbitrarily moved. Please consider carefully. ¡®Of course. I¡¯ll consider it carefully.¡¯ As Yeongwoo read the system message twice, the next guidance appeared. ¡¸Drag the disyed designs with your hand directly onto your body or ce them on the human body model on the left.¡¹ ¡®Wow, why is this so systematic?¡¯ Yeongwoo eximed in admiration as he saw a holographic model of himself with the same physique as him appear to the left of the tattoo designs he had been looking at. ¡®With this level of detail, there must be a tattoo encyclopedia.¡¯ Swish. Following the guidance, Yeongwoo dragged the design of the ¡°Mark of Endurance¡± onto the humanoid model, and the size of the design adjusted to match the proportions of the model. ¡®Since it¡¯s a functional tattoo.¡¯ As discreet as possible. Yeongwoo decided on the inner side of his thigh or perhaps inside his leg, in the groin area, for the Mark of Endurance. ¡®After all, the groin is not easy to see even when wielding a weapon, but it¡¯s not so for the abdomen.¡¯ And in terms of difficulty of movement and maintaining dignity, the armpit side was much better than the groin. ¡®In the future, I¡¯ll ce functional tattoos mainly on the lower body and advertising tattoos on the upper body.¡¯ After Yeongwoo established his own cement principle, he moved on to the second tattoo, ¡°Protection of the Night,¡± and ced it opposite the Mark of Endurance. Thunk! Then, the area near his groin became somewhat noisy. ¡®Now, all that¡¯s left is¡­¡¯ The most important tattoo, Whitespace. ¡¸Whitespace¡¹ ¨C Epic Tattoo ¡¾Allocate advertising space to the body.¡¿ This one also allowed him to drag the intangible design with his hand anywhere on his body. ¡®Since it¡¯s ad space¡­ It should be in a visible location.¡¯ But he didn¡¯t want it on the front of his abdomen or back. It was still too early to sell those spaces as advertising, as he didn¡¯t know much about the cosmic advertising ecosystem yet. Was this the only way to allocate ad space on the body? Especially since he had just been referred to as a skyrocketing stock. ¡®I¡¯m not exactly sure what it means, but one thing¡¯s for sure.¡¯ The fact that the stock here was high, and there was potential for something to keep rising, be it body value or grade. Therefore. ¡®I should leave the prime advertising space intact.¡¯ But since this was his first ¡°body advertisement,¡± it needed to be in a position with sufficient meaning and promotional effect. So, after much deliberation, Yeongwoo chose the right upper arm. In other words, from the right shoulder to the elbow. ¡®Since I¡¯m right-handed and mainly use this arm, it also has a significant exposure effect.¡¯ Of course, since the advertising space would wrap around the upper arm and shoulder, there was only a limited visible area, such as the back or abdomen. ¡®But whether standing in front or behind, it will always be exposed, especially duringbat, making it one of the most noticeable areas. It¡¯s sufficiently marketable.¡¯ For these reasons, Yeongwoo allocated the right upper arm as the first advertising space on his body. Thunk! Then, the tattoo interface finally asked whether the cement was confirmed. ¡¸The tattoo design cement has beenpleted. Do you want to proceed like this?¡¹ ¡®Yes. It will be like this.¡¯ As he confirmed the cement, a sensation akin to burning spread over his groin and right upper arm. Tsss¡­! ¡°Ouch!¡± With the confirmation of the cement, the tattoos were inked onto his body. ¡°Are you¡­ okay?¡± Choi Jongseon, who had been watching the orphan gesturing at thin air, asked with a mixture of concern and apprehension. Upon hearing this, Yeongwoo looked at her as if momentarily forgetting her presence, then threw the ck cloth covering his shoulders onto the ground before replying. ¡°Madam, if it¡¯s alright with you, could you take off your clothes for a moment¡­¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. Are you out of your mind?¡± * * * Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword Jeong Yeongwoo. To Jongseon, who had explored this world to the fullest, the orphan seemed different somehow. ¡®It¡¯s like their style doesn¡¯t match this world.¡¯ Right now, she was watching the orphan, while tightly hugging her baby, about to leave for Uijeongbu to find his father, while taking off his clothes. Considering the 3.4 million karma he spent on the advertisement tattoo, he had to check. ¡°¡­¡± Even though Jongseon had seen this absurd tattoo during her dealings with merchants, she eventually epted it. The reason the orphan needed to check his body after taking off his clothes. ¡®Well, it¡¯s not like it¡¯s 3.4 million won.¡¯ But she couldn¡¯t stand seeing him constantly stare at his groin. ¡°Um¡­ Could you stop looking down there? You didn¡¯t get a tattoo there, did you?¡± ¡°Well, yes, but still, I apologize. It¡¯s not easy to see, so I keep checking.¡± ¡°¡­I suppose.¡± Jongseon sighed as she looked down at the ground. It wasn¡¯t bad because I was able to have an innocent conversation for the first time in a while, but I was slowly starting to wish that orphan Strongest Sword would leave. Because if she left that person alone, she felt like another incident would happen soon. It was a gut feeling she had developed surviving in this harsh world. ¡°Um, are you done now? Since the merchants have all left, can we stop¡­¡± Finally making up her mind, Jongseon lifted her head while holding the baby. Shhh. She noticed the half-naked Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword muttering something strange while looking up at the sky. ¡°Looking for someone to advertise in the whitespace!¡± [TL/N: MAD !!] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 148 Chapter 148 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 148: Hot Stock (1) ¡°Oh¡­ No!¡± Yangju¡¯s Strongest Sword, Choi Jongseon, didn¡¯t really understand. Is it possible to bring out something real with a weak line like that? But for some reason, it seemed very likely with that crazy orphan Strongest Sword. The n is to find an alien to ce an advertisement on the tattoo that he spent a whopping 3.4 million karma on. ¡°No, damn it, go do it in another neighborhood!¡± In the end, Choi Jongseon, the mother Strongest Sword, reached her limit and drew her sword. She couldn¡¯t tolerate anything that could threaten Yangju. This city was also a sanctuary for children in the future. ¡°Now stop it, you crazy orphan!¡± Choi Jongseon threatened the orphan with harsh words and a menacing sword. As someone who prioritized her child¡¯s safety, she could say even harsher words. But. ¡°S-Sorry, I got carried away. I should have thought about the child.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Surprisingly, Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s sensible reaction made Jongseon feel awkward. ¡°I sometimes¡­ get narrow-minded.¡± With a truly apologetic expression, the strongest orphan of the North Korean Penins hastily picked up the equipment on the ground. ¡°¡­?¡± Watching him nkly, Jongseon eventually softened her voice and asked him to be slow. ¡°¡­Take your time. I might have been a bit harsh just now. It¡¯s not like aliens will really appear just because you call them from the sky.¡± After Jongseon said this, Yeongwoo awkwardly smiled and silently finished picking up the equipment. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± From Jongseon¡¯s perspective, it was a reaction that could only make her spine chill with the thought of what if. ¡°R-right? Aliens aren¡¯ting.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry.¡± ¡°Kid, why did you pretend to pick up the equipment?¡± Then Jongseon poured out very harsh words, but they were not transmitted to Yeongwoo due to the deafening roar from the sky. Fuuuuuuuuuuck! A cannon st came from high above, and a crimson pir of light was driven into the center of Yangju City. At the same time, the sky, which had turned pitch ck, swayed heavily like the night sea. ¡®Someone¡¯s really angry.¡¯ Looking up at the sky, Yeongwoo snorted. The one he just thought of as ¡°angry¡± internally was none other than. ¨DYeongwoo¡­! The shareholders of the intergctic weapon brand, Dogo. * * * Quarrrk! Thunder roared loudly from the pitch-ck sky. Then, a more intense voice spewed out from the tip of the crimson pir of light. ¨DYeongwoo¡­! Whether it was because they were in a hurry or because they were very angry, the shareholders of Dogo sent their voices before revealing themselves on Earth. ¨DJeong Yeongwoo! Contractor of ¡°Dogo¡±! In response, Yeongwoo waved his arms as if directing parking in front of the crimson pir of light. ¡°Yes! Over here!¡± Then, as if he suddenly remembered, he turned to Jongseon. ¡°Wait, is the kid okay?¡± The shareholders of Dogo were beings that were difficult for humans to perceive with a clear mind. In fact, when they first called them on Earth, Kwon Taeyoung was unable to contain himself and was lying on the floor vomiting. That¡¯s why Yeongwoo suddenly remembered the child¡¯s condition. However, surprisingly, Jongseon¡¯s child was not affected by Dogo¡¯s presence at all. ¡°Abvbb!¡± Instead, he even pointed at the crimson pir of light with his finger andughed. ¡°My kid seems fine for now. But what are we going to do about this? The city ispletely ruined.¡± As Jongseon said, Yangju City was nowpletely devastated. ¡°Hee, hee!¡± ¡°What on earth is that?¡± ¡°Run away!¡± An untimely crimson pir of light. Moreover, a crimson pir of light in the form of a tornado, which had never been seen since the reset, appeared, causing everyone to flee the city. And to make matters worse. Goooh¡­! ¨DJeong Yeongwoo! We¡¯re here! Finally, as the shareholders of Dogo revealed themselves in a rainbow-colored glow, even those who trusted Strongest Sword nearby began to flee. In an instant, the city was destroyed. ¡°..¡­¡± Seeing the deste surroundings, Yeongwoo looked around and then alternated between Jongseon and the baby before saying, ¡°Well, then, how about moving to Gangnam?¡± ¡°W-what¡­?¡± ¡°There are vacant properties all over Seoul. I¡¯ll arrange a ce for you and the child in Gangnam. You canmute to Gwangjin-gu if you want.¡± ¡°What on earth¡­¡± The conversation between the two Strongest Swords ended here. ¨C ¡¸Whitespace¡¹ belongs to our ¡°Dogo¡±! The reason the shareholders of Dogo, who had descended to the bottom of the pir of light, began to voice their anger more fiercely than before, was because of what had happened earlier. Of course, Dogo hade looking for Yeongwoo in surprise, as he had returned ¡°Whitespace¡± through an open bid. That¡¯s understandable. [00:03:26] In Yeongwoo¡¯s sight, the advertiser timer was already disyed separately. It seemed that his advertisement-exclusive tattoo, ¡°Whitespace,¡± had once again summoned another advertiser. ¡®Dogo seems to havee to me as if we already had a contract¡­ Then who is the timer pointing to?¡¯ As Yeongwoo chuckled while looking at the timer, the Dogo shareholders wrapped the pir of light around even more tightly and shouted. ¨C Jeong Yeongwoo 07! Remember our ¡°contract¡±! Large-scale entities like Dogo¡¯s shareholders were capable ofpressingrge amounts of data or emotions into a single word. For example, even to entities that had no idea what ¡°Dogo¡± was, conveying voices or texts alone could help them understand new concepts. So, as soon as Yeongwoo heard Dogo¡¯s pronunciation of ¡°contract,¡± he could vividly recall the details of the contract he had made with them before. Of course, even without that, Yeongwoo had memorized the contract details down to thest detail at the time. ¡¸Contract: Dogo-49523-IIIIII_II-Tier 2¡¹ [Grade 2 advertisement space utilization] ¨C The Dogo logo will be printed on the trajectory of the weapon. ¨C Before major battles, you must announce loudly that you are fighting with the support of Dogo. [Grade 3 exclusive quests] ¨C Receive bonuses forpleting exclusive quests. [Grade 2 exclusive quests] ¨C Receive split payments for advertising fees only through thepletion of exclusive quests. ¨C The total advertising fee executed increases by about 40 times. #Basic advertising fee: Estimated 10 million karma per week. #Basic contract period: 4 weeks. Maximum weekly payment of a 400 million contract. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] However, the sry can only be obtained through thepletion of Dogo quests. ¡®I¡¯ve already received well over the basic advertising fee, but I¡¯m still far from 400 million.¡¯ After double-checking the contract details, Yeongwoo addressed the Dogo shareholders. ¡°I¡¯m grateful for the contract you made with me, but isn¡¯t the advertising space we contracted for the trajectory of the weapon and my advertising slogan? If you want to include advertising in the tattoo, you¡¯ll have to make an additional contract.¡± This was also strictly business. Yeongwoo spoke as firmly as possible, ensuring that his rtionship with Dogo would not bepromised. ¨C Ugh¡­! Nevertheless, the shareholders of Dogo with dted pupils seemed displeased from the listening position. [00:01:13] Meanwhile, Yeongwoo¡¯s advertiser arrival timer was still a minute away. ¡°A new bidder will being soon. Please keep the contract proposals in mind. We should try to maintain loyalty with Dogo, but¡­ if the conditions differ too much, there¡¯s nothing we can do.¡± Yeongwoo said this while hurriedly putting on his pants. Since the area with ¡°Whitespace¡± engraved was on the upper right arm, he only needed to remove his upper armor. Then, he turned his head back to where the baby in Choi Jongseon¡¯s arms was, and saw the baby looking at Dogo¡¯s unique iridescent color with an even happier expression than before. ¡®Could it be that children arepletely unaffected by prestige?¡¯ This was a hypothesis with some basis. Even when the Strongest Swords exuded prestige among the crowd, only children were not affected. Why could that be? ¡®It doesn¡¯t make sense for the system to only favor children.¡¯ ¡®¡­.Karma¡¯ So, the only possible reason for children being exempt from many threats of the system, due to not having any ¡°Karma,¡± could be enough. ¡®Then what about Dogo? To what extent are beings from other worlds affected by Earth¡¯s rules?¡¯ ¡®I don¡¯t know. Perhaps the prestige of the Strongest Swords and the aura emitted by beings from other worlds are fundamentally simr. After all, there were no Strongest Swords like them on Earth originally.¡¯ As Yeongwoo pondered this far, the advertiser timer hanging in his sight fell below 10 seconds. [00:00:09] With 9 seconds left until the arrival of the bidder for ¡°Whitespace.¡± ¡°Shareholders, are your contracts ready?¡± Yeongwoo asked his first advertiser with an excited voice. Another color appeared in the sky, which had been a deep shade until now. Kwi-aaah¡­! With an unusual atmosphere, the sky began to turn cyan. The representative color of the newpany was oveid on the space that Dogo had painted pitch ck. -¡­! At this, the shareholders of Dogo raised dozens of heads towards the sky and showed surprised expressions. ¡°Lemu!¡± The scene unfolds with the reactions of the shareholders of Dogo, who raised their heads to the sky in surprise. ¨CLemu! ¨CLemuuuu! ¨CWretched Lemus! ¨CLemu! Filthy creatures! The Dogo shareholders began chanting the name ¡°Lemu.¡± Sensing their reaction, Yeongwoo had a hunch that apany preferring cyan as their color, like Lemu, did not have the financial power of ordinary people. ¡®Why would they act like this? There seems to be some discord between Lemu and Dogo¡¯. Yeongwoo thought to himself. With Dogo deliberately withholding the meaning of ¡°Lemu,¡± Yeongwoo had no choice but to wait patiently. [00:00:05] With just 5 seconds left, Yeongwoo anticipated their appearance. ¡®It¡¯s about to reveal itself,¡¯ Yeongwoo thought as he observed the increasingly intense cyan sky. Then, a thinser guidance line shot down from beyond the sky. Piiiiit! About a hundred meters away from Dogo¡¯s appearance point. ¡®What¡¯s this? It¡¯s quite neat.¡¯ It was a method that was contrary to the Dogo method, which announced the location of the appearance with a huge pir of light. And finally. [00:00:00] Finally, as the timer hit zero, changes urred in the cyan sky. Zzweoong! With a loud crack, a space near the guidance line opened up, and from within it¡­ Shuaaaat! A brightly glowing, pure white cuboid descended as if sliding. ¡®That¡­ Lemu?¡¯ ¡®Lemu¡¯ felt more like an object than a living creature, unlike the residents of Dogo. It resembled a television with six sides all made of screens. Pah! Eventually, the problematic cuboid blinked, andrge characters appeared in the air. It looked like hieroglyphs, disying the logo of ¡°Lemu.¡± ¡¸Lemu¡¹ It also served as apany pamphlet offered to Yeongwoo, who was looking for a second advertiser. ¡®These guys, they¡¯re a universal pornography productionpany, aren¡¯t they¡­?¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 149 Chapter 149 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 149: Hot Stock (2) Lemu. A universal pornography productionpany. As apany that must satisfy desires of numerous species, there were no limits to the forms of products they created. If they could satisfy their customers, they made everything from text, pictures, sounds, videos¡­ to even immediate-consumption ¡¯emotions¡¯ or biologically engineered tools to assist and induce arousal. In Earth terms, it¡¯s like an adult entertainmentpany producing drugs and sex robots. ¡®These guys are extremely aggressive in their business.¡¯ Yeongwoo, who had been quite epting of Earth¡¯s sensationalism, couldn¡¯t help but hesitate at this moment. Even if the system officially endorsed them as ¡®old-fashioned,¡¯ fundamentally, they were still Earthlings. So, there was a minimum of humanity, or rather, a minimum of decency for him. For example, worrying about a baby¡¯s safety before entering into negotiations with universalpanies was a minimum level of humanity. So, when he realized that Lemu could make anything if it meant money, he became scared. ¡®If I contract with them, I can¡¯t even guess what I¡¯ll end up advertising.¡¯ It was the moment when he realized why Dogo criticized Lemu as soon as they heard it. The reason theybeled Lemu as wretched, filthy, was to criticize both the industry and its business practices. Of course, even brands that make lethal weapons would find it hard to escape criticism from a moral perspective¡­ ¡®But Dogo probably has its own standards unlike Lemu. So, there¡¯s resentment towards Lemu.¡¯ It was just a guess, but if it were true, it would be somewhat reassuring. This meant that there were concepts like ethics and dignity even in space. In a form that Earthlings could understand. ¡®Well, since our ways of thinking are somewhat simr, we couldmunicate with each other.¡¯ Yeongwoo stood in the tense space between the twopanies, looking back and forth slowly. Dogo, crowded with dozens of shareholders, and Lemu, appearing very clean unlike its external reputation. Actually, he wanted to tattoo Dogo¡¯s first advertiser, but from a distance, it was definitely not a good idea. ¡®Don¡¯t forget. This is a public contract.¡¯ Summoning Lemu was quite simple for Yeongwoo. He bought an ad space and then shouted to the sky, asking forpanies to put ads in the tattoo. This surprising thing happened: a universal pornography productionpany, which had no contact with them, visited Earth. In other words¡­ ¡®Surely all of this is being broadcast somewhere. Like a show.¡¯ The starting point might have been when alien merchants wandered around Earth, but it wasn¡¯t important right now. The most important fact at this point is¡­ ¡®¡­Otherpanies must be watching this scene right now.¡¯ Otherpanies. In other words, potential advertisers. ¡®If I refuse to contract with Lemu just because I think it¡¯s merely about money or a vulgar industry, not manypanies will respond to my call in the future.¡¯ Knowing that there are otherpanies in this vast universe, should I choose advertisers based on my taste from now on? ¡®Now is not the time.¡¯ Moreover, rookies in the industry don¡¯t pick and choose their work, isn¡¯t that one of Earth¡¯s virtues? So, Yeongwoo decided not to discriminate against Lemu. ¡°I would like to express my gratitude to everyone who visited on behalf of both parties today.¡± As Yeongwoo cautiously spoke, dozens of Dogo shareholders turned their gaze to their advertising models. Meanwhile, Lemu simply rotated their rectangr shape as if to express that they were listening to the conversation. Yeongwoo finished his words. ¡°While loyalty is a very precious value to me, I also think it¡¯s very important to observe etiquette.¡± Then Dogo¡¯s shareholders, who immediately understood the gist of what he said, opened their eyes wide. ¨DNo way¡­! ¨DJeong Yeongwoo07! ¨DMaintain your dignity! They realized that Yeongwoo, as a potential advertiser, was trying to show courtesy to Lemu. ¡°This contract will proceed with thepany that offers rtively better conditions.¡± Eventually, Yeongwoo set the premise of the contract, and as a result, Dogo¡¯s side began to murmur with discontent. ¨D¡à¡à¡à¡à ¨D¡Ø¡×¡Ø¡× ¨D¡Ï¡Î¡Ä¡Ï¡Ï¡Ä This time, since the shareholders were not using Earth¡¯snguage but their own, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t understand what they were talking about. They were probably discussing things like the current executable advertising budget. ¡®I wonder if they sold a lot of weapons so far¡­? Topete in advertising contracts with a pornography productionpany, they must have immense financial power.¡¯ While silently cheering for Dogo¡¯s shareholders, Lemu sent down ¡®transcendental characters¡¯ implying the contract details. ¡¸¡õ¡¹ This was a character with a square shape, like the cube that existed on Earth. Was this the contract? Swish. With a soft sound, Yeongwoo ced his hand on the intricate characters, and immediately the advertisement contract presented by Lemu was disyed as a system message. ¡¸Contract: Lemu-8739-IIIIII_II-Tier 2¡¹ (Required) [Permanent advertisement space ¨C Tattoo] ¨C The headquarters¡¯posite advertisement will be broadcasted in the tattoo ¡®nk space¡¯. (Optional) [Indirect appearance] ¨C During the validity of this contract, parts of your appearance and actions may be indirectly used in thepany¡¯s products. ¨C A minimum of 5 million karma will be paid as a reward for each indirect use. ¨C If this option is selected, the basic advertising fee will triple. (Optional) [Sound test] ¨C Whenever you are hit, thepany¡¯s sound-based products will be demonstrated. ¨C 50,000 karma will be paid immediately per hit. ¨C If this option is selected along with ¡®indirect appearance¡¯, the advertising fee paid by thepany will be doubled additionally. #Basic advertising fee: 30 million karma per week. #Basic contract period: 2 weeks. ¡°Crazy¡­.¡± Yeongwoo eximed without realizing it. The basic advertising fee alone was 30 million karma per week, three times higher than what Dogo had offered in the initial contract. And on top of that¡­ ¡®If you choose both optional options, the basic advertising fee will increase to 180 million. Plus, all incentives will double¡­¡¯ Moreover, the 180 million won was not conditional, like the contract with Dogo, but was paid out weekly. Additionally, individual rewards were paid separately in exchange for selling one¡¯s portrait rights and dignity. ¡®But, all of this is only if I ept all three contracts. If even one is rejected, the total amount received will decrease significantly.¡¯ Yeongwoo immediately realized that Lemu was a rather wickedpany. Well, with this level of nning and financial power, it¡¯s not surprising they could engage in the adult entertainment business in space. ¨C The headquarters¡¯posite advertisement will be broadcasted in the tattoo ¡®nk space¡¯. ¡®What does posite advertisement¡¯ mean exactly? Could it include videos or something, not just simple drawings?¡¯ Although Yeongwoo expressed his doubts, Lemu did not provide any further exnation. After all, as they had offered an offer of money that couldn¡¯t be refused, they didn¡¯t provide any clues that could work against them. ¡®If it¡¯s about adult content production¡­ On Earth, it was traditionally an industry where money flowed freely.¡¯ Yeongwoo admired Lemu¡¯s financial power once again and turned his head towards Dogo, his original advertiser. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Then he noticed that the Dogo shareholders, who had been making noise in their ownnguage, had be quiet. ¨C¡­¡­ Their faces were so downcast it was almostical, especially the shareholder with the fish head whose ugly downturned mouth made the scene even more ridiculous. ¡°Is the contract¡­ ready?¡± As Yeongwoo asked in a somewhat trusting tone about the contract, the Dogo shareholders looked as if they had lost their country. It seemed impossible for Dogo¡¯s corporate image and core values to align with those of a universal adult content productionpany. However, due to financial pressures, they reluctantly agreed to have Lemu¡¯s advertisement tattooed on their model, who were currently in high demand in the market. It was a heartbreaking decision. ¡®Ah¡­ you already know you¡¯re going to lose, don¡¯t you?¡¯ Yeongwoo also watched with a mncholic heart as the Dogo shareholders reluctantly handed over the brightly shining contract. Sseu-eut. ¡°¡­.¡± Brief but significant memories with Dogo shed through his mind like a meteor streaking across the sky. The day the Dogo shareholders, on their first visit to Earth, learned to speak human from the first syble. The first Dogo quest, where they encountered a ferocious tiger. The surprise quest where they were asked to fight a boxing gold medalist bare-handed. And the urgent request for rescue in the nighttime dungeon, which led to equipment sponsorship. ¡®But that¡¯s all over now. Lemu will essentially be the main advertiser from now on.¡¯ Nevertheless, if he ever had the opportunity, Yeongwoo vowed to repay Dogo in some way. With his own determination, Yeongwoo reached out his hand towards the contract prepared by the Dogo shareholders. Sseut. If the conditions inside were worse than Lemu¡¯s, they would have no choice but to proceed with the tattoo contract with Lemu. ¡®But there won¡¯t be any surprises. Look at the shareholders¡¯ faces already¡­¡¯ Just as Yeongwoo¡¯s fingertip was about to touch the Dogo contract, Hwoo-ook! A sense of impending doom washed over him as a massive presence covered the entire sky. ¡°¡­.?¡± Looking up, Yeongwoo saw the center of the turquoise sky gradually turning dark. Then, suddenly, Hwaaaah! A gigantic metallic object, resembling an anchor, tore through the turquoise sky andnded in the middle of the city with a thunderous crash. Kwaaaaang! As a result, buildings were destroyed and dust flew everywhere, but fortunately, due to the appearance of the two precedingpanies, there were no casualties among the residents. However, isn¡¯t this a clear case of unauthorized intrusion? Among the beings that came from other dimensions, except for mutants who were originally from this, nobody dared to damage Earth¡¯s property. This might be due to thews of the universe. For example, there might be rules stating that when entering others, one should avoid causing physical harm, etc. Or perhaps, since the majority of visitorse as traders, they naturally observe etiquette. Regardless, it was a clear fact that the sudden appearance of that being was extremely rude. ¡°No, who the heck¡­¡± Just as Yeongwoo, who was responsible for the visits of the beings from other dimensions to Earth, was about to protest on behalf of the, an unexpected line came out of the mouths of Dogo shareholders. ¡ªChairman! ¡ªChairman¡­! ¡ªOh my! ¡ªThe chairman has arrived! ¡°What?¡± Chairman. On Earth, it generally refers to the head of argepany. Usually, thergest shareholder or founder of thepany sits in the chairman¡¯s seat, and judging from the atmosphere, the meaning of ¡®chairman¡¯ in space didn¡¯t seem much different from Earth. So, the intruder who just appeared. ¡°Dogo has a chairman¡­ No, that chairman is here?¡± As Yeongwoo¡¯s mouth fell open, a massive steel te, the size of a high-rise apartment building, slowly descended above the anchor that had been embedded earlier. ¡°¡­Unbelievable.¡± Yeongwoo widened his eyes at the tomb-like gigantic metallic structure, and Choi Jongseon, who had been wrapping her child to protect him from the dust, also showed a shocked expression. ¡°W-what¡­ What did you summon this time?¡± All Yeongwoo could say was, ¡°The¡­ The chairman.¡± Then, a booming voice echoed from the ¡°tomb¡±. ¨DI am Dogo, the King of Destruction, the one born on the battlefield, the master of the Hundred Thousand Swords Mountain! Jeong Yeongwoo07, I will write the contract with my sword. As expected, the chairman hade to propose a new contract. More precisely, it seemed like he hade to prevent any dealings with the lowly Lemu. ¡®But wait a minute.¡¯ As Yeongwoo watched the bottom of the ¡°tomb¡± gradually open, he raised an eyebrow. ¡®Could it be that the brand name is his own name¡­?¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 150 Chapter 150 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 150: Hot Stock (3) Born on the battlefield, owner of the Hundred Thousand Swords Mountain, the Destruction King Dogo. Also the chairman of the intergctic weapon brand ¡°Dogo,¡± he was a giant standing at a height of 4 meters, his entire body covered in armor. ¡®Wow, what¡¯s this? That tombstone was some sort of flying ship.¡¯ ng ng¡­! As the bottom of the tombstone opened, Dogo appeared suspended in midair, leaving Yeongwoo unable to help but admire. It was astonishing that the founder of this mega-corporation, with shareholders spanning across the universe, was of a humanoid race. At least outwardly, Dogo¡¯s body proportions and number of limbs seemed identical to humans. Of course, with a helmetpletely covering his face, it was impossible to tell if his eyes, nose, and mouth were intact. ¡®But we¡¯ve seen humanoid species before. Perhaps the chairman is the same.¡¯ Meanwhile, as Chairman Dogo effortlessly soared dozens of meters above, he murmured while gazing at Lemu¡¯s cuboid structure. ¨CBe thankful that this is amercial zone. At that moment, Dogo¡¯s right hand rested near the sheath at his waist. Had this not been amercial area, he would have drawn his sword without hesitation. ¡®¡­Truly befitting of the head of a weapons manufacturingpany.¡¯ Simultaneously, it indicated that even Dogo couldn¡¯t defy the universalws. ¡®How does the world outside Earth function?¡¯ Dogo, the founder of a weaponspany born on the battlefield, and Lemu, a cosmopolitan pornography producer whose species remains unknown. Just by observing the two major corporations present here, one could understand the vastness of the universe, as evidenced by the expressions used by the traders encountered thus far. And there was undoubtedly a clear hierarchical system. ¡®If what Kubu says is true, then my current universal ranking is Grade 7. Just judging by the rank, I have a higher status than those who trade across multiples. How is this possible?¡¯ Initially, I was even Grade 12, they said. In other words, one¡¯s status in the universe varies depending on what one achieves. Then, could someone who was just a resident of a single establish a cosmic enterprise like ¡°Dogo¡± and make a name for themselves? ¡°¡­¡± As Yeongwoo stared nkly at Dogo hovering high in the sky, he soon began descending towards him. How does he manage to float in midair like that? Is it a feature of his equipment? Or a racial characteristic? As Yeongwoo scrutinized the figure before him, Dogo, approaching within 3 meters above his head, nced down at him. No, at least that¡¯s what it seemed like. Dogo wore a helmet shaped like some sort of beast, with no exposed areas for the eyes, hence no gaze was visible. ¡°¡­ Chairman, nice to meet you.¡± Yeongwoo managed to correct himself from stumbling over his words as he faced the founder of Dogo. While he didn¡¯t exude a unique aura like Dogo¡¯s shareholders, his mere presence was imposing. However, whether it was due to his position or his actual skill, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t tell. At any rate, one thing was certain. ¨CLooking at you like this, I can see that you have grown taller. Dogo, the founder of Dogo, who was also asionally observing the daily life of the new advertising model Yeongwoo. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ an honor.¡± Yeongwoo expressed his gratitude even though he wasn¡¯t sure what he was honored for. While doing so, he noticed the damaged and dented parts of Dogo¡¯s full-body armor. ¡®Unbelievable.¡¯ Who or what could inflict physical damage on such a giant? ¡®Or maybe it¡¯s his sense of aesthetics¡­? A testament to his various battles?¡¯ In any case, from the fact that he could threaten Lemu, it seemed that the chairman¡¯s status was extraordinary even on a cosmic scale. So Yeongwoo had no choice but to ask before epting the contract. ¡°Chairman, if I may.¡± ¨DSpeak. ¡°It may be an intrusive question, but¡­ what is your rank?¡± If Dogo were Grade 2 or above, he would have to use the Golden Orb right here and now. After this moment, there might never be another opportunity to see someone of Grade 2 or higher. ¨D¡­ After receiving Yeongwoo¡¯s question, Dogo, who had been gazing at this Earth-originated advertising model for a while, ced his hand on the dented part of his armor. ¨DAs for myself, the Destruction King Dogo is a Grade 3 entity in ordance with universalw. Regrettably so. Regrettably, indicating that Dogo already knew about Yeongwoo¡¯s achievements. Then Dogo raised a finger encased in armor, pointing towards the distant cuboid. Swish. ¨DThe despicable Lemu is a Grade 4 entity. Since he will leave no achievements behind, he will remain there until his demise. In other words. ¡®A being of a cosmic business level is roughly Grade 4. If one reaches the level of founding such a business, they move up to Grade 3.¡¯ Of course, judging by the expressions used to describe Dogo, he didn¡¯t seem like a mere elder merchant. The titles used by cosmic figures are based on factual achievements. It is as if Yeongwoo can use the epithet ¡°the strongest in the northern part of the Korean Penins, a human of Earth,¡± just like that. In other words, Dogo is essentially recognized as a destroyer by the universe. ¡®Well then¡­ Just how high are Grade 2 entities¡­?¡¯ Suddenly, memories of when Kubu was just Grade 9 resurfaced, unable to even dare to describe Grade 2. Perhaps achieving the ¡°Golden Storm¡± aplishment, which he once thought could be easily achieved, had be more elusive than ever. ¡°Um, then¡­ How can one meet entities of Grade 2 or higher? Have you ever met them, Chairman?¡± When Yeongwoo asked again, Dogo chuckled softly from within his distant armor. ¨CIf you cause enough trouble, you will undoubtedly meet them. There¡¯s a possibility for you as well. Although it was an ambiguous expression, Yeongwoo interpreted it as meaning that Dogo, too, had encountered Grade 2 entities due to his cosmic troubles. And also known as ¡®Stubborn¡¯ by the system, Jeong Yeongwoo 07. ¡®At this rate, I might meet them someday.¡¯ In truth, to truly cause trouble, perhaps the lewd advertisement side¡­ Swiftly, as Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze unintentionally shifted towards Lemu, Dogo, sensing it like a ghost, swiftly drew his sword like lightning. ¡°Yikes.¡± Wish! In the blink of an eye, Dogo¡¯s sword was inches away from Yeongwoo¡¯s nose. However, neither Yeongwoo¡¯s Joseon swordsmanship nor Rohm¡¯s Bottom embedded in the Golden Trail on his back responded. Perhaps because there was no intention to harm the opponent, neither Yeongwoo¡¯s martial skills nor Rohm¡¯s Bottom reacted. ¨CBing vulgar is not a bad way to be famous. ¡ªBut. As Dogo slowly pulled back the sword he had thrust at Yeongwoo, creating a straight line, spikes spread out around that line, emitting a bright light. So, this was¡­ ¡®A contract written with a sword.¡¯ It was exactly what Dogo had said when he first arrived on Earth. He had actually written a new contract with his sword. And at the same time, the contract given by Dogo¡¯s shareholders disappeared without a trace. ¨CYour battles already belong to Dogo. Do not fight with mud on you. Dogo used surprisingly poetic expressions for a Destruction King. But if the power of the contract he offered wasn¡¯t impressive, then those words would just be empty. ¡°¡­¡± With a tense heart, Yeongwoo reached out towards Dogo¡¯s new contract. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] And as his fingertips touched the contract with the spike pattern, apletely different format appeared before his eyes for the first time. Woah! Suddenly, as if a space opened up before his eyes, characters began to appear within. Most notably, the name of the original contract attached to the top of the contract caught Yeongwoo¡¯s eye. ¡¸Contract: Dogo-107-IIIIII_II-Tier 1¡¹ ¡®Tier 1? Is it because it¡¯s a direct contract with the founder?¡¯ The name ¡°Dogo¡± on the contract represented the subject of the contract or the party executing the contract. And the barcode following it was Yeongwoo¡¯s unique code. So, the number 107 between the names of the two parties was probably¡­ ¡®The number of 1 Tier contracts Dogo has executed so far.¡¯ It was a reasonably based inference. Previously, the number attached to the advertising quest contract with Dogo was an astonishing ¡°49523¡±. ¡¸Contract: Dogo-49523-IIIII_II-2 Tier¡¹ In other words, Dogo had generated nearly 50,000 Tier 2 contracts thus far, and there were 107 Tier 1 contracts, including this one. Then, what about Lemu? ¡¸Contract: Lemu-8739-IIIIII_II-Tier 2¡¹ Although the contract Lemu offered was also Tier 2, the number was only 8739. That could mean his experience was much shorterpared to Dogo. ¡®Now I¡¯ve learned a bit about reading contracts.¡¯ As Yeongwoo finished reading the contract¡¯s header, the main content finally appeared line by line. (Required) [Permanent Advertisement Space ¨C Tattoo] ¨C The headquarters¡¯ mixed advertisement will be broadcasted on the ¡°Tattoo¡± space. ¡®Oh, this seems to be a standard contract. Simr to Lemu¡¯s.¡¯ So, the characteristics of thepany would be revealed in the subsequent optional selections. However¡­ ¡°Huh¡­?¡± In this contract from Dogo, there were no optional selections. #Basic Advertisement Fee: 10 million Karma per week. #Basic Contract Period: 4 weeks. Immediately, the standard payment for a Dogo contract was indicated. ¡®What? It¡¯s supposed to be a Tier 1 contract. But this is much worse than Tier 2¡­?¡¯ Just as Yeongwoo was skeptical, at the moment when he had doubts about the level of sry that cannot even follow Lemu¡¯s proposal¡­. Boom! A conditionbeled ¡°Special Agreement¡± appeared beneath. (Special Agreement) [Owner of Myth] ¨C Upon the conclusion of this contract, the headquarters must provide you with one piece of equipment of myth grade. (Special Agreement) [Expensive Beads of Sweat] -¡¸Dogo¡¹ will obtain an encyclopedia. ¨C If you choose a type, Dogo will acquire one within two days. ¨C In case of failure to meet the deadline, the headquarters will pay a penalty of 100 million Karma. ¡®My goodness.¡¯ Seeing the contents of the special agreement, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but be astonished. Especially thest item, ¡°Dogo,¡± referred not to thepany but to the founder, Dogo. If you specify the type of encylcopedia you want, Dogo will personally fetch it for you. ¡®Is the chairman going to venture into the higher dungeons himself¡­?¡¯ This was something that couldn¡¯t be valued in terms of money. And above all¡­ ¡®Mythical equipment. You can¡¯t even buy it with millions.¡¯ The merchants from other dimensions sell at most legendary-grade items for legendary aplishments. And the grade above ¡°legendary¡± would be ¡°mythical.¡± How would one obtain mythical-grade equipment? Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t even imagine, which is why he was captivated by the contract directly proposed by Dogo. And it seemed¡­ ¡®Dogo doesn¡¯t have much cash on hand right now. Probably because they have so many contracts in progress.¡¯ With already executed Tier 2 contracts alone, Dogo had nearly 40,000. There were all reasons why Dogo¡¯s shareholders were dismayed when Lemu appeared as apetitor. ¡®So, in the end, the chairman is selling off his own inventions¡­?¡¯ ¨CYour battles already belong to Dogo. Do not fight with mud on you. Yeongwoo recalled the chairman¡¯s words once again. ¡°Alright, Chairman.¡± ¨CIs the contract concluded? ¡°Yes. I will contract with Dogo¡­ I mean, with the chairman.¡± As Yeongwoo finally approved the contract with Dogo, he could feel the chairman nodding inside his helmet. ¨CA wise decision. And then, he addressed the shareholders who were still waiting in the background. ¨CI will call for Hundred Thousand Swords Mountain on this. Erect a defensive barrier. And then the shareholders started to murmur with astonished eyes. In fact, the mythical-grade equipment offered as a special agreement was the chairman¡¯s personal possession. And Yeongwoo could sense this fact discreetly. ¡®Mythical equipment is not something you can easilye by.¡¯ On the other hand, witnessing the entire process of this great undertaking, Yangju Strongest sword Cho Jongseon muttered in disbelief. ¡°Hundred thousand¡­ What? What¡¯sing now?¡± [TL/N: Poor woman ] [PR/N: Let her and her city be man well her city doesn¡¯t exist anymore] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 151 Chapter 151 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 151: Hot Stock (4) Hundred Thousand Swords Mountain When Yeongwoo heard that Dogo was the owner of the Hundred Thousand Sword Mountain, he was captivated, recalling the first day of the reset. It was because the name evoked memories of the ¡°Mountain of Swords,¡± which supplied weapons all over the country. ¡®Could it be that the weapons back then were also provided by Dogo?¡¯ As Dogo was a war weapon manufacturer, it was entirely possible. Supplying weapons to a scheduled to open its gates due to the reset would undoubtedly be helpful from a marketing perspective. Rumble¡­! Eventually, thunder roared from the sky, indicating that something was about to happen. With a beam of light, Lemu, who had lost in the contractpetition, soared into the sky. Piaaaat! As Dogo¡¯s shareholders jeered at Lemu, who was quickly moving away, he ascended into the sky with a cubic shape. ¨CBoo! Lemu! ¨CBooo¡­! ¨CLemuuuu! ¨CGet lost ¡®It seems since they are a weaponspany, they are extremely belligerent.¡¯ Yeongwoo shook his head nervously. Of course, the shareholders were quite upset. They almost lost in the biddingpetition. But with the chairman¡¯s dramatic intervention, they managed to turn the tables, causing the shareholders¡¯ morale to soar. ¡®It seems like even those giants change in front of the chairman.¡¯ As Yeongwoo shifted his gaze back to the chairman, he noticed Dogo, the founder, looking up at the sky. Then¡­ Quack! The same sound he heard on the first day of the reset echoed again. The sound of the sky tearing apart, with tens of thousands of feathers falling. Quaaaaa¡­! All sorts of weapons began to pile up on the ground, making the same sound as a train passing on a railway. The sight was reminiscent of the ¡°Mountain of Swords.¡± The only difference was that the equipment piling up here started from at least the Unique grade. ¡°Ch¡­ Chairman¡­ This¡­¡± As Yeongwoo looked at the Hundred Thousand Sword Mountain with wide eyes, Dogo slowly flew up to the mountain and said: ¨CWhat you saw was a product made to mimic the Hundred Thousand Sword Mountain. Upon hearing this, Dogo¡¯s shareholders borated. ¨CIt¡¯s also a product that we generally provide to our customers. ¨CCalling the Hundred Thousand Sword Mountain in the Tier 4 contract is an honor. ¡ªPraise be to Dogo¡­! ¡°Oh¡­¡± The intergctic war weapon brand Dogo. In fact, Earth was just one of the many customers for them. ¡®So when I used the Morning Star, Dogo was the first to detect it.¡¯ Seeing that Earth was a Tier 4 contract site, the contract between Dogo and Earth was also Tier 4. In other words, until the appearance of the individual known as Jeong Yeongwoo 07, Earth was not significant to Dogo. ¡®So Earth¡­ or rather, are those council members the ones who have contracted with Dogo?¡¯ As Yeongwoo pondered this, Dogo, who had reached the top of the Hundred Thousand Sword Mountain, reached out his hand into the air. Swish. Then, from inside the mountain, a shimmering light emerged, and a single sword rose among the myriad of equipment. ¡®Oh, that¡­¡¯ That was the mythical-grade equipment promised by the Dogo chairman. ¨CTake it. With this, the first promise has been fulfilled. (Special use) [Owner of the Myth] ¨C Upon the signing of this contract, the headquarters must provide you with one mythical-grade equipment. Special use fulfilled. As Dogo snapped his fingers, the unknown sword that had risen above the Hundred Thousand Sword Mountain flew towards Yeongwoo like an arrow. Shaaaat! ¡°¡­.!¡± Naturally, Yeongwoo thought the sword would hit the ground and stepped back. Shaaaat! But to his surprise, the problematic sword, instead of falling to the ground, remained suspended in the air. ¡°Huh?¡± Like the Golden Trail with an automaticbat function. Shweeaaat¡­ Wrapped in crimson magic, the sword had a unique appearance, resembling a thorny vine. ¡®Wow, it feels very evil.¡¯ The expectation of something dignified like the ¡°Dragon¡¯s Legacy¡± shatteredpletely upon seeing it. Moreover, it was impossible to read the tooltip just by looking at it. ¡®Do you have to touch it to read the tooltip?¡¯ If not, perhaps only the owner could know its functions. After all, it was a mythical-grade equipment. Swoosh. As Yeongwoo cautiously reached out his hand, the crimson energy enveloping the sword began to flow towards his fingertips, as if it were alive. ¡®Huh¡­?¡¯ Yeongwoo was somewhat surprised to see the magic winding around his fingers, but he remained silent as the chairman spoke. ¨CThe sword has simply detected its new owner. ¡°Ah¡­ I see.¡± Were mythical-grade equipment originally like this? Receiving mythical-grade equipment for the first time in his life, Yeongwoo watched with a tense expression as the crimson magic permeated his body. Finally. ¡¸You have be the owner of the myth.¡¹ ¡¸You will be able to maintain dignity in the presence of transcendents.¡¹ ¡¸Existence will no longer break.¡¹ Some unknown procedures were carried out through the system notifications that Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± As Yeongwoo looked at the bizarre notifications, Dogo, looking towards the sky, said: ¨DThis means that from now on, you can showcase ¡°Dogo¡± anywhere. Though it was a cryptic statement, the chairman seemed to think he had done what he needed to do. ¨CIf you have any desired encyclopaedias, feel free to request them. You will receive them within two days. With Dogo¡¯s words, the anchor that had descended onto Earth floated back into the air. As countless weapons that had formed a giant mountain soared back into the sky, Yeongwoo forgot even to bid farewell to the chairman, gaping in awe at the surreal sight, as if rewinding a scene of rain falling. And the same went for the Yangju Strongest Sword Choi Jongseon. Perhaps it was because she had seen too much in such a short time. She felt not only amazed but also fearful. ¡®Is this the world I have to live in from now on¡­?¡¯ Moreover, it was also the world the child in her arms would have to navigate. Ooooooh¡­! As the giant ¡°tombstone¡± that Dogo¡¯s chairman had ridden on gradually floated up, Yeongwoo finally came to his senses. ¡°Chairman!¡± Yeongwoo called out the title of Dogo, who had already entered the tomb, somewhat btedly. Then Dogo, as if ncing back slightly, closed the tomb¡¯s door. ¡°¡­He really left.¡± As Yeongwoo looked disappointedly at the tomb that had already risen far away, Dogo¡¯s shareholders bid him farewell. ¨CJeong Yeongwoo07! ¨CMay glory be upon you! ¨COwner of the myth¡­! Then, amidst a moment of brilliance. Paaaaaah! With a loud roar, they disappeared into the sky as if being sucked in. And as all beings disappeared from sight, Yangju¡¯s Strongest Sword Choi Jongseon cursed into the sky. ¡°You lunatics!¡± But little did they know that countless beings in the universe were listening to this sound. ¡°¡­Madam, I¡¯m terribly sorry.¡± Yeongwoo bowed to Yangju¡¯s Strongest Sword, who waspletely taken aback, again btedly. Upon this, Yangju¡¯s Strongest Sword, with a look of disbelief, surveyed thepletely devastated cityscape, then pointed to the sword still floating in front of Yeongwoo. ¡°That thing looks too ominous. Take it away quickly or do something.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± As Yeongwoo grabbed the handle of the eerie-looking sword at her words, tooltips for the mythical-grade weapon, which had not been visible until now, appeared. Pah! ¡¸Bastard¡¹- Mythical One-handed Sword ¡¾Authority Obstruction¡¿ ¡¾Contempt for the weak¡¿ ¡¾challenger¡¿ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Wow¡­¡± Each of them were unique effects that felt rather ominous. And following that, detailed tooltips for each effect appeared. ¡¾Authority Obstruction¡¿ |Weakens the authority of transcendents. ¡¾Contempt for the weak¡¿ |This sword¡¯s attack can only be blocked with mythic or higher equipment. ¡¾challenger¡¿ |Combat abilities increase dramatically when fighting beings of higher rank. ¡®Crazy. Mythical-grade equipment transcends the concept of ordinary equipment.¡¯ Although ¡°Contempt for the Weak,¡± which prohibited even confronting the sword, was an insane effect, what caught the eye more was ¡°Authority Obstruction.¡± ¡®Do you need mythical-grade equipment to maintain dignity in front of transcendent beings¡­? But isn¡¯t this sword a weapon to fight against those transcendents?¡¯ Yeongwoo became lost in thought. Because Dogo deliberately chose this weapon from the Hundred Thousand Sword Mountain. Even if mythical-grade equipment was precious, would the chairman have only this sword? ¡®He had other mythical-grade equipment, but he deliberately handed this one over for a reason.¡¯ Then what was the reason? ¡®I¡¯ll have to ask next time I see him.¡¯ Yeongwoo thought to himself, as one agreement had not yet been fulfilled, giving him a reason to summon Dogo again. (Special Agreement) [Expensive Beads of Sweat] -¡¸Dogo¡¹ will obtain an encyclopedia. ¨C If you choose a type, Dogo will acquire one within two days. ¨C In case of failure to meet the deadline, the headquarters will pay a penalty of 100 million Karma. Although he could immediately issue a encyclopaedia search warrant, Yeongwoo¡¯s thoughts were different. ¡®I¡¯ll be going to the dungeon again tonight anyway. So, it won¡¯t be toote to request it after checking what encyclopaediaes out from there.¡¯ Therefore, the remaining tasks for today were. ¡®Meeting the merchants in Seoul and Paju to gather more equipment and find out about my father.¡¯ At least until entering the nighttime dungeon, that was the main agenda. Swoosh- The tracking mark still in sight was still pointing south, towards Uijeongbu. ¡®If Uijeongbu is such an ominous neighborhood¡­ then it¡¯s better to start looking for my father. He might end up dead before I even get to see him.¡¯ As Yeongwoo pondered alone while looking south, Choi Jongseon approached cautiously. ¡°Now you¡¯re really leaving¡­ I mean, going?¡± Jongseon had initially thought she would finally see Yeongwoo off, but she changed her mind. Because of the kinds of things that the orphan Strongest Sword had brought, Yangju City was no longer at a level where it could be considered a city. ¡°The story about Gangnam earlier. Is it true? That you¡¯ll give me a home and a job if I go there?¡± ¡°Yes. Of course.¡± To reassure Jongseon, Yeongwoo temporarily changed his title to ¡®Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword.¡¯ ¡°Seoul is quite different from what you think. It¡¯s quite systematic and political¡­¡± But thanks to that, when he was around the level of Gangnam Strongest Sword, finding a ce for a friend in Gangnam wasn¡¯t a problem. ¡°You can live in Gangnam andmute to work in Gwangjin-gu at the time of mutant emergence. I¡¯ll take care of the mutants in Gangnam and move on, so it won¡¯t be too dangerous.¡± The ¡®danger¡¯ that Yeongwoo mentioned referred to when reinforced mutants appeared in Gwangjin-gu. As long as he survived while organizing Gangnam, he could handle any mutants that appeared in Gwangjin-gu. ¡°Are you sure?¡± It was a story that Jongseon could not easily believe, but there was no other option in her current situation. Isn¡¯t it impossible to raise a child in this ruin? And even though the orphan in front of him was a lunatic, knowing that he had some faith also helped her calm down. ¡°¡­Okay. Let¡¯s do it that way for now.¡± ¡°Yes. You won¡¯t regret it.¡± ¡°Then are we moving to Gangnam now?¡± As Jongseon looked to the south, hoping for afortable future, Yeongwoo shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve said it from the beginning. I¡¯m someone who¡¯s on my way to Uijeongbu to find my father.¡± ¡°What do you mean? No, no way.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same way anyway. I¡¯m just going to briefly meet my father on the way.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s Uijeongbu¡­?¡± Entering the worstwless city with a child. Seeing Jongseon¡¯s horrified expression, Yeongwoo showed her ¡°Bastard¡± and reassured her. ¡°I promise. I won¡¯t let a drop of blood spill on the baby.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 152 Chapter 152 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 152: Father (1) Uijeongbu. A northern city in Gyeonggi-do with a poption of 460,000 before the reset. To the north, it faces the boundary with Yangju City, and to the south, it is connected straight to Seoul Dobong and Nowon Districts. In other words, Uijeongbu serves as a bridge connecting northern Gyeonggi and Seoul. ¡®But the Seoul Federation was unaware of the Uijeongbu incident¡­¡­?¡¯ Of course, it wasn¡¯t unreasonable. Dobong and Nowon, bordering areas with Uijeongbu, had never participated in the Strongest Sword Conference. ¡®Well, at least Dobong and Nowon probably knew what state Uijeongbu was in. But they didn¡¯t necessarily inform the conference.¡¯ After the reset, most districts became autonomous regions. So, participation in the conference or providing information was purely optional. ¡®Come to think of it, there are still many areas in Gangseo that we don¡¯t know about.¡¯ As Yeongwoo examined the unfamiliar areas one by one, Choi Jongseon raised her hand and pointed ahead. Swish. ¡°That¡¯s Uijeongbu from there.¡± Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo. Yangju¡¯s Strongest Sword, Choi Jongseon. The two of them were currently on their way to Uijeongbu to find Yeongwoo¡¯s father, while being apanied by Negwig. However, due to Jongseon carrying a baby, they needed a bit more space, so eventually¡­ -Kiket! The golden goblin, who had been riding in Yeongwoo¡¯s back seat all along, had no choice but to follow by leaping with its two feet. ¡°¡­Is it okay? Even if it keeps running like that.¡± Seems like the sound of the goblin¡¯s footsteps bothered Jongseon, as she kept looking back. Upon hearing this, Yeongwoo also nced back. ¡°It¡¯s fine¡­ Probably? It¡¯s naturally quite fast in its movements.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± However, Jongseon couldn¡¯t rx even after hearing Yeongwoo¡¯s words. -Kiket! Kiket! Surely, even for that clumsy goblin, there must be parents or children somewhere. She started to worry about where they left them and how they ended uping all the way here. ¡°How did you meet that person?¡± ¡°I bought it with money.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°From a merchant.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Relic-grade ve, golden goblin. ¡¸Golden Goblin¡¹ ¨C ve ¡¾Stores items in the subspace.¡¿ ¡¾Collects things that turn into money.¡¿ When they met the wandering merchant Voltak in Mungyeong, the ¡®Serpent of Greed¡¯ pointed at this golden goblin, which they purchased together at the time. And it was also apanied by ¡®Morning Star,¡¯ who called for advertisers. In a way, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that the Serpent of Greed had greatly changed Yeongwoo¡¯s life. ¡°Do you keep worrying? If it¡¯s ufortable for you to keep following behind, you can ride on my back.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not like that, but¡­ Still, I wonder how it ended uping all the way here when it probably has family somewhere.¡± Typical maternalpassion. As Yeongwoo looked at the goblin, he felt a simr sentiment because he had once had a simr thought. ¡°Do mothers usually think like that? They¡¯re quite generous.¡± ¡°Well, since they have children, it¡¯s natural to have such thoughts. Even if they don¡¯t know others, mothers tend to cherish their own children.¡± In that context, this side is indirectly making someone¡¯s precious child run aimlessly on the streets. ¡°Hmm.¡± Finally, after Jongseon made a determined sound, she asked Yeongwoo. ¡°That person doesn¡¯t bite people or anything, right?¡± ¡°Yes. Probably not.¡± ¡°¡­Then I should carry it.¡± ¡°With the baby?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± And around this time, the regional status in the corner of their vision changed. p! |The current area is ¡®Uijeongbu.¡¯ |The Strongest Sword of this area is ¡®Gwak Seongwon04.¡¯ Rank 2, defense 93 times. ¡°Ah.¡± From now on, it¡¯s Uijeongbu. You will be stepping into an area where your biological father may be staying. ¡®Surely the Strongest Sword here isn¡¯t my father, right?¡¯ Yeongwoo looked around with a strange feeling. Anyone they meet here might have a slight chance of being his father. From now on, he will have to check the tracking mark at least once before swinging his sword. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± When Yeongwoomanded Negwig to move again, Jongseon, who had been holding the golden goblin in her arms, asked a question. ¡°By the way, do you know your father¡¯s name?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Then his face¡­?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know that either.¡± ¡°What¡­? Then how do you n to find him? Are you sure your father lives here?¡± Jongseon¡¯s face darkened again. She wondered if this orphan was doing something absurd again. At this, Yeongwoo took out the pen ¡®Wanted Poster¡¯ and showed it. ¡°This will show us the location of the target. If there¡¯s no error, then my father should be in Uijeongbu.¡± In addition to this being Yeongwoo also had an achievement, ¡®Complete Orphan,¡¯ but he didn¡¯t bother to mention it. ¡°If the item is indicating it, then¡­ it¡¯s certain that your father is here.¡± Jongseon¡¯s tone became gloomy. The fact that Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s father was still in Uijeongbu meant that he was most likely a viin. Since the incident at the Uijeongbu Prison on the first day of the reset, most ordinary citizens were believed to have died in the city or barely escaped Uijeongbu. ¡®Well, looking at this person¡¯s condition, my father probably isn¡¯t an ordinary person either.¡¯ At this point, Jongseon¡¯s eyes naturally turned to the name of Uijeongbu Strongest Sword. If he was indeed the father of the Strongest Sword of Joseon, it wouldn¡¯t be strange for him to be at least as powerful as the Strongest Sword of Uijeongbu. As they passed through the somewhat deste outskirts of Uijeongbu, tall apartment buildings began to appear on the right side of the road. ¡°The buildings are very neat.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°It means that any monsters or mutants appearing have been dealt with immediately.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Having only seen Yangju after the reset, Jongseon nodded after hearing Yeongwoo¡¯s words. ¡°But if, as you mentioned before, the real power in Uijeongbu has been handed over to criminals, it means that those people have been dealing with monsters at such a fast pace.¡± In other words, all survivors in this area were on a simr level to monster hunters in other areas. No, perhaps their actualbat abilities were much better. The prisoners weren¡¯t living their lives well like others, only to have their lives ruined by the reset, but rather, through the reset, they gained a kind of freedom. So wouldn¡¯t their attitude towards this world be much more proactive than that of ordinary people? ¡°Yeah. So basically, everyone we meet here is an enemy¡­¡± Before Jongseon could finish her sentence, she nced ahead. And Yeongwoo was already looking at a group of people waiting on the other side. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] There were about ten of them. The ones sticking out above the crowd were spears, and the glinting des reflecting the sunlight were mostly early birds. ¡®¡­There are so many early birds.¡¯ That meant they were eitherbatants or plunderers. Unless the early bird owners gathered together on purpose, there could not have been so many swords that were only given out as firste, first-served rewards at the exchange shop. ¡®It¡¯s not an easy neighborhood.¡¯ Of course, Yeongwoo was a problematic figure who made even intergctic weapon brands troubled, and the mother in the back seat was none other than the Yangju¡¯s Strongest Sword with 233 defenses. So Yeongwoo didn¡¯t ask for Jongseon¡¯s opinion and just let Negwig continue walking forward. nk, clunk. As they approached the roadside, the faces of the Uijeongbu residents who hade out to see the stranger gradually stiffened. ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°What, what is it?¡± ¡°Fuck, what¡¯s that?¡± A ck iron horse that was difficult to even estimate as a living being, a two-meter golden greatsword flying in the sky, and two Strongest Swords and a baby. Lastly. ¡°Is that¡­ a goblin?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Even the Strongest Sword in the front seat had the title of ¡®Strongest Sword of Joseon.¡¯ Since there was no such thing as a ¡®knockoff¡¯ title in this world, it was certain that the person they were seeing was the Strongest Sword of Joseon. ¡°If it¡¯s the Strongest Sword of Joseon¡­ what is it?¡± ¡°Where is Joseon talking about?¡± While they were repeatedly eximing ¡®What is that?¡¯, the iron horse carrying the two Strongest Swords approached closely. At this, the people of Uijeongbu retreated little by little, holding their weapons firmly, and cleared the way for the stranger to pass. They couldn¡¯t muster the courage to attack first against an opponent they couldn¡¯t handle. Then Yeongwoo looked at them first. ¡°¡­.¡± Could his father be among them? However, the tracking mark disyed in his sight was tilted to the east. Although the target was nearby, it wasn¡¯t here. So Yeongwoo pointed to thergest person among the people in front of him and asked with his gaze. ¡°What¡¯s over there?¡± With these words, Yeongwoo lifted up the ¡®Bastard¡¯ and pointed to the east, so everyone in the audience was scared and backed away from him. There was a sinister energy emanating from the sword, making it difficult to even look at. ¡°Well, um¡­ The first thing thates to mind is¡­¡± Being pointed out by Yeongwoo, the person stumbled, searching for the next line. ¡°A prison?¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± The subsequent sigh was Jongseon¡¯s. She had a bad feeling about seeing the warm reunion of the father-son pair here today. On the other hand, Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t perturbed at all, as he had some expectations to begin with. ¡°I see. Is the Uijeongbu Strongest Sword also in the prison now?¡± The current leading candidate for being his father, the Strongest Sword of Uijeongbu, Gwak Seongwon04. When Yeongwoo asked about the whereabouts of the Strongest Sword, the guy scratched his forehead. ¡°Um, sir. I¡¯m sorry for constantly saying ¡®I don¡¯t know,¡¯ but¡­ We also don¡¯t know much about the situation in the prison. It¡¯s practically a battlefield there, so we try not to get too close.¡± ¡°A battlefield? Are you saying they¡¯re fighting someone?¡± ¡°They¡¯re fighting the Gangbuk Alliance.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± The Seoul Federation¡¯s practical backbone is here, so what does the Gangbuk Alliance mean? But at the same time, it was vaguely understood. The three areas above Gangbuk, namely Nowon, Dobong, and Gangbuk-gu, have no connection with the Strongest Sword gathering. Therefore, if those three areas were forming their own alliance and fighting Uijeongbu¡­ ¡®That would make sense. That¡¯s why the Seoul Federation had no idea about Uijeongbu.¡¯ Because the frontline established by the Gangbuk Alliance hadn¡¯t been pushed back yet, the Strongest Sword Federation in the center of Seoul couldn¡¯t feel the presence of Uijeongbu. ¡°If you¡¯re going to meet the Strongest Sword of Uijeongbu, you should hurry a bit.¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± When Yeongwoo asked, the guy briefly shifted his gaze to the local situation. ¡°Because it¡¯s the perfect time for a fight. They¡¯ve cleaned up the mutants, and the merchants have left.¡± Then he added. ¡°Even if the Strongest Sword of Uijeongbu is powerful, wouldn¡¯t it be difficult for him if three Seoulmanderse looking for him at once?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± After hearing the guy¡¯s words, Yeongwoo also nced at the local situation. |The current location is ¡®Uijeongbu¡¯. |The Strongest Sword of this area is ¡®Gwak Seongwon04¡¯. Rank 2, 96 defenses. ¡®Oh.¡¯ Then he noticed that the defense count, which had been 93 earlier, had changed to 96. Whether it¡¯s a real war or not, the fact that the Strongest Sword of Uijeongbu is inbat is true. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we go quickly? If that person is him¡­¡± Jongseon voiced her concern, and Yeongwoo nodded in response. But the subsequent dialogue waspletely different from Jongseon¡¯s intention. ¡°Anyway, if someone is going to die, it¡¯s better if I kill him.¡± ¡°Why¡­?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 153 Chapter 153 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 153: Father (2) ¡°Why, of course¡­.¡± Yeongwoo naturally recalled the orphan achievement, but soon closed his mouth. [Complete Orphan] |Find and eliminate parents. (1/2) He realized it wasn¡¯t appropriate to speak in front of the mother and baby he had just met today. However. ¡®Finding and eliminating parents as an achievement means I have to kill them myself toplete it, right¡­?¡¯ Yeongwoo believed that he had to personally perform the task of removing the parents for the achievement to be fulfilled. Otherwise, the achievement system wouldn¡¯t have used the phrase ¡®find and eliminate.¡¯ ¡®Of course, if Mother is already counted, I could be wrong.¡¯ Yeongwoo hadn¡¯t even decided whether this achievement should bepleted. However, if his father was destined to die, he thought it would be better to kill him himself to fulfill the achievement. ¡®Is this thought too insane?¡¯ [TL/N: No shit sherlock.] [PR/N: ofc not kafka, it¡¯s totally normal to want to kill your father with your own hands, for he is your hero and your viin.] In fact, to Yeongwoo, ¡®father¡¯ was more of a hypothetical figure, so he didn¡¯t feel guilty about the idea of killing him. He had never met him once in his life, nor had he ever felt his presence indirectly. At this point, the only realities that resonate with Yeongwoo are things like the mythic ss weapon Bastard and the universal weapon brand Dogo. ¡®But soon, the existence of a father will be a reality.¡¯ So wouldn¡¯t it be better to meet a living father rather than a dead one? ¡°I really need to hurry. I want to see Father alive and moving, if possible.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just¡­¡± As Yeongwoo directed Negwig toward the prison, Choi Jongseon tightly embraced the baby. This was because she had be more determined not to make her child an orphan. -Whizz! Finally, Negwig began to run toward the prison in the east, following Yeongwoo¡¯smand. Whoosh! The scenery of Uijeongbu city passed by quickly. asionally, people appeared on the streets, but none could stop the giant running like lightning. And Choi Jongseon could finally catch a glimpse of the orphan Strongest Sword, right before her eyes, and how he had been doing so far. ¡®He must have been invincible. I don¡¯t know when it started, but¡­¡¯ A golden greatsword floating in the sky, a steel horse from another world, and the ridiculous title of the Strongest sword in Joseon. With one person possessing all of this, who could argue with him? For Choi Jongseon, who had faced numerous challenges in Yangju, Yeongwoo¡¯s existence itself was surreal. Such a life, with such a powerful human existence¡­ And now. ¡®The moment when such a person goes to find his father, I get to witness it. Truly, human affairs are unpredictable.¡¯ Whoosh, whoosh! Finally, Negwig, which had been running straight to the southeast, slowly changed direction. Yeongwoo sensed that they were approaching Uijeongbu prison. ¡®¡­Two more people have joined.¡¯ In the meantime, Uijeongbu¡¯s Strongest Sword Gwak Seongwon¡¯s defense count had increased by two. |The current area is ¡®Uijeongbu.¡¯ |The Strongest Sword of this area is ¡®Gwak Seongwon04.¡¯ Rank 2, defense 98 times. This meant that in a short period, two more people had challenged Gwak Seongwon. Evidence that the battles in the prison were being fiercely waged. ¡°Baby, hold on tight.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± With Yeongwoo¡¯s warning, Negwig¡¯s front legs sliced through the air fiercely, and for a moment, the scenery blurred and shifted backward. ¡°Wow! J-Just a little slower!¡± While Jongseon was astonished by Negwig¡¯s sudden eleration, arge outdoor parking lot appeared to the left as the road narrowed. ¡®It seems to be up there.¡¯ Yeongwoo sensed that they were nearing the prison because there were sporadic corpses lying among the abandoned cars, some with clean cuts like they were sliced with a sword. Also, the scattered corpses on the ground became more numerous as the road gradually turned into a mountain path. ¡°Oh¡­ my goodness.¡± Some of them hadn¡¯t even dried their blood yet, so Jongseon hurriedly covered the baby¡¯s eyes. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo¡­ ¡°Here we are!¡± He pointed forward as if he had just seeded in finding treasure. The tracking markers\ from the wanted posters were prominently visible on the right. Whoosh! A small checkpoint appeared to the right as they continued uphill. ¡®So, this is the entrance to the prison.¡¯ Yeongwoo confirmed that he had arrived properly when he saw that the barrier beside the checkpoint was split in half. ¡®They must have gone in noisily. Or maybe it got destroyed when they came out.¡¯ Whatever the case, the important thing was that Father was now in the middle of a battle inside. Indeed, from afar, the sound of shes and the loud voices of many people could be heard mingling. ¡°It seems they¡¯re already in the midst of a fierce fight.¡± Jongseon said, to which Yeongwoo replied, looking back at her. ¡°If you¡¯re worried, would you stay here? It seems like there are quite a few people inside.¡± Upon hearing this, Jongseon shook her head. ¡°No. I can fight to some extent too¡­¡± Moreover, where could be safer than right behind the Strongest sword of Joseon? Surely, there would likely be members of the Uijeongbu Strongest Sword and the Gangbuk Alliance inside, but no matter how much she thought about it, they didn¡¯t seem stronger than the orphan before them. This is because Jongseon herself, who was tired of fighting, never wanted to fight with Jeong Yeongwoo. ¡®Even if there were ten of me, would I be able to make even a small wound¡­? I can¡¯t imagine winning this.¡¯ As Jongseon checked her waist to make sure the sword was in ce, Negwig crossed the barrier and entered the prison grounds. Then, they saw the white outer wall of the Uijeongbu prison, towering like a fortress over the wide asphalt area. Especially the prison gate, wrapped in arge ck stone structure, looked surreal up close. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s so different from what I saw in movies.¡± Yeongwoo said, unable to take his eyes off the magnificent structure, to which Jongseon pointed below and said. ¡°But the gate is already broken.¡± As Jongseon said, the blue iron gate with the correctional facility logo was heavily damaged by a powerful force. Someone forcibly pushed and entered through the locked gate. ¡°It seems like someone from outside exerted force inward. Perhaps people from Seoul.¡± As Yeongwoo directed Negwig beyond the bent gate, Jongseon muttered as she looked at the thickness of the gate. ¡°Are people from Seoul all monsters¡­?¡± Of course, Yeongwoo was included in this. ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m meeting people from the Gangbuk Alliance for the first time too.¡± Creak. As they crossed the gate and entered the inside of the prison walls, the voices of people began to be heard clearly. ¡°Aiyah!¡± ¡°Got him¡­!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t retreat!¡± Although no one could be seen on the mountain, it was clear that many were engaged in fiercebat through the soundsing from somewhere on the right. ¡°Do you hear that too? Let¡¯s go over there.¡± Yeongwoo instructed Negwig in the direction of the sound, summoning his ¡®Fearful cat.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Swoosh. As expected, the cat had its eyes closed. After all, could there be anyone here who posed a threat to the owner of a mythical-grade weapon? ¡®Then let¡¯s hurry and stop the fight.¡¯ ording to the area¡¯s status, the neck of the Uijeongbu Strongest Sword was still intact, and there was a sense of noisy poprity in sync with thest-minute battle. From far away, arge hole was pierced in the inner wall of the prison. Chae-chaeng, Chae-ae-ang! Now the sound of swords could even be heard clearly as the distance shortened. -Whizz! This time, the path to take was clear, so Negwig moved without Yeongwoo¡¯smand. Crash! The creature suddenly made a high jump. Huah! As Negwig swiftly jumped twenty meters, the shadow of Yeongwoo¡¯s group was cast faintly over the inner wall of the prison. And then¡­ ¡°¡­..!¡± The scene of dozens of swordsmen scattered around the prison yard engaged in battle came into view. Click, click, click! Moreover, the battle was almosting to an end. From the air, it was clear that the Uijeongbu side was being pushed into a corner. ¡®All three of the Gangbuk Strongest Swords are still alive.¡¯ As Yeongwoo found the words Nowon, Dobong, and Gangbuk inside the stadium, Dobong Strongest Sword, who was wiping the blood off his sword, noticed the strange shadow on the ground and looked up. Swoosh. Then¡­ ¡°¡­.?¡± His eyes widened as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. -Whizz! Because something unidentifiable was falling, screaming. ¡°What the¡­ damn it¡­.¡± Together with the bewildered exmation of Dobong Strongest Sword. Boom! Negwig, carrying Yeongwoo¡¯s group,nded in the middle of the yground, stirring up dust. -Whizz! Strange cries, heavy footsteps, and waves of dust. Everything was exactly like the scene of the appearance of a mutant, so all the swordsmen in the stadium reflexively turned their swords towards the intruder. And then. Swoosh¡­ Amidst the dust cloud that filled the air, a metallic sound rang out first. nk! It was the sound of Yeongwoo¡¯s footsteps, wearing the Unique Grade Boots. Illusion, but no one present could discern it. After all, metallic boots were notmon equipment. -Wheeiiing¡­ Following that, the characteristic vibrating sound of the ¡°Golden Trail¡± softly reverberated. ¡°What, what is it¡­ a mutant?¡± ¡°At this hour?¡± ¡°Where on earth did it suddenly appear from?¡± The three typical Strongest Swords from Nowon, Dobong, and Gangbuk checked if there was no pir of red light rising above the dust. However, naturally, there was no sign of a mutant, but instead¡­ ¡°Hmm.¡± As the dust settled a bit, something faintly glowing, resembling a name tag, was visible at a height of over 2 meters. The letters were not yet clear, but under the circumstances, it was undoubtedly¡­ ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s a real mutant.¡± ¡°Fuck! What¡¯s going on all of a sudden?¡± Everyone present, including the Gangbuk Alliance, was convinced. Despite the absence of the pir of light, all other characteristics pointed to a mutant. ¡°Ah¡­ no matter how much we¡¯re in the midst of war, mutants are the bigger enemy.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s deal with the mutants first.¡± At the sudden appearance of the mutant, there was a momentary moment of cooperation between Uijeongbu and the Gangbuk Alliance. ¡°Waaaah!¡± A human baby¡¯s cry burst out loudly from the dust. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± At this, everyone in the vicinity fell into a momentary panic. nk. After the initial metallic sound was heard again, someone asked, ¡°Father¡­? Are you here?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 154 Chapter 154 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 154: Father (3) ¡°Father?¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± Father, the magical word. With this single word, the murderous spirit emanating from those holding swords dissipated without vigor. The majority present here had either lost their families as a result of the reset or were those who, unlike others, took up arms to avoid losing their families. And because of that. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± The tension was palpable. Because their own deaths were the same as the death of the family they left behind in the residential area. ¡°Everyone, snap out of it! It could be a distraction tactic from the mutants!¡± Someone instinctively grabbed the sword that had been slipping out of their hands and shouted, and right on cue, there was another ng from within the dust cloud. ng. It was the sound of Yeongwoo taking steps to step out of the dust cloud. ¡°Rx, everyone! Let me speak for a moment¡­.¡± As Yeongwoo waved the dust away with his arms and took another step forward, one of the Strongest Swords from Gangbuk reflexively extended his sword, interpreting this movement as an attack. Swish! ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Then the other Strongest Swords of Gangbuk couldn¡¯t help but intervene. Such clumsy attacks not only did not affect the mutants but also risked their lives by inviting counterattacks. Therefore, it was an ironic situation where the three Strongest Swords of Gangbuk, Nowon, and Dobongunched a joint attack in order to save the person who initiated the first attack. Swish! ¡®Fuck, what¡¯s going on? I don¡¯t know what kind of guy he is, but thanks to him, my life will be saved.¡¯ Taking advantage of the intruder¡¯s presence, Gwak Seongwon of Uijeongbu¡¯s Strongest Sword gained some time and started looking around for an escape route. He intended to escape from the Gangbuk Alliance while they were engaged in battle with the monster in the dust cloud. But before he could even take a step, something absurd happened first. Swoosh! The des of the Gangbuk Alliance, which had been cutting through the dust, were all blocked. And then. ¡°Misters, I¡¯ll retaliate from the second attack onwards.¡± The voice of a man that had been continuously echoing from within the hazy dust finally emerged without a single break in breath. And then. Thunk! As the Alliance¡¯s des were deflected onto the road, the person in question revealed himself. ng! ¡°Father! Stop all actions!¡± As Yeongwoo called out to the fathers indiscriminately and walked out of the dust, everyone on that side who had been aiming their swords at him widened their eyes. ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°¡­Huh.¡± Everything about the opponent surpassed their imagination. A height of two meters. The title of Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword. Golden armor adorned all over the body. A golden greatsword floating in the air like a guardian deity. And even a sinister aura emanating from a cursed sword. ¡°Is, is he really human?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not a mutant¡­?¡± Then someone finally uttered the problematic line. ¡°So, whose son is he¡­?¡± * * * Father. Or rather, he was looking for his biological father. For Yeongwoo, there was only the one who created him, but there was no one who nurtured him. So what Yeongwoo was looking for now was nothing more than his biological father. More precisely, a being who passed on some of his gicponents to Yeongwoo, and depending on the perspective, could be considered as the original. ¡¸This individual is a randomlybinedposition of Level 4 settings.¡¹ ¡¸Influenced by the settings of the parents, they possess the following immutable elements from birth. #Level4 #Orphan¡¹ ¡¸As a Level 4posite being, they receive retroactive adjustments to settings of Level 2 or higher during their lifetime.¡¹ [Father]: Level 6 Extra [Mother]: Level 1 Supporting Role Thebination of a Level 6 Extra and a Level 1 Supporting Role. This rather discordantbination gave rise to the problematic existence known as Jeong Yeongwoo07. A ¡®stubborn¡¯ acknowledged by the system and a ¡®rising star¡¯ that the beings of the universe began to take notice of at this moment. However, Yeongwoo was also a pitiful existence who, if not for the reset, would have died a miserable death from being beaten by a drunken passerby during his return to home. So he didn¡¯t have high expectations for his father. It¡¯s not like he was a remarkable or excellent person. Before the reset, in other words, in the original world, the child Yeongwoo¡¯s father had made was not the Strongest Sword but someone who had died in the streets. |Name: Jeong Yeongwoo |Role: Level 4 Extra |Function: Background, Supportive Role Of course, that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t curious about his father¡¯s existence. No, in fact, he was even more curious because he didn¡¯t have high expectations for his father. Because he was curious about how bad it was if it was bad. ¡°Anyone here could be my father. So for now, let¡¯s put down our swords.¡± A mysterious man with overflowing power. As Yeongwoo scanned the audience and spoke, everyone hesitated, exchanging nces, and one by one began to lower their swords. Isn¡¯t he a monster who easily deflected the attacks of the three Strongest Swords? They had no choice but to listen. Moreover, the three Strongest Swords of Gangbuk Alliance knew very well that the man had sessfully defended against their attacks without even using weapons. ¡®Where did this bastard suddenlye from?¡¯ ¡®If it¡¯s not an illusion, he blocked ourbined attack with his bare hands¡­¡¯ ¡®Even though weunched our attacks without securing the area properly¡­¡¯ As Gangbuk, Nowon, and Dobong Strongest Swords reminisced about the recent events, Yeongwoo scrutinized the people in front of him one by one. ¡®This is tricky.¡¯ The reason Yeongwoo referred to them as ¡®fathers¡¯ was because a considerable number of the members were indeed father figures. Also, |Created: April 8, 1992, 11:41 PM, unwritten and intentionally modified. As Yeongwoo had been abandoned due to unintentional modifications, the age range of his father was likely much lower than expected. ¡®He could have had me when he was young, so he¡¯d be in his early fifties.¡¯ Yeongwoo is currently thirty-four years old. Therefore, excluding all women and men between the ages of 20 and 40, there was a high probability that his father was among the remaining candidates. So, when counting the number of candidates, there were as many as nine. ¡°Hey, wait a minute. Are you saying your father is here¡­? Are you sure?¡± Soon, doubts arose among the candidates. The one who spoke was none other than Gangbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword, Lee Jingeun. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] At the age of sixty-six, he had a son of simr age to Yeongwoo living in Gangbuk. ¡°If your father is really here, there¡¯s no reason to hesitate like this.¡± Their meaning was why aren¡¯t you going to find your father when everyone has stopped fighting as you demanded? It¡¯s something you could tell just by looking at their faces. For those who had never experienced life as an orphan, it was a natural thought. So Yeongwoo looked up at the tracking marker at the top of his field of vision. Sinceing here, the marker had been changed to a square. It meant that there was a wanted person nearby. ¡°I¡¯ve never met my father in my life. I was abandoned as soon as I was born.¡± ¡°¡­..!¡± ¡°But somehow I got an item that helps find people.¡± As Yeongwoo took out the ¡®wanted poster¡¯, people poured out words of admiration as if they had made an agreement. ¡°Oh my, is it true?¡± ¡°¡­Oh my god.¡± ¡°It seems like he came to find his father with that.¡± ¡°He was an orphan¡­.¡± Then people¡¯s eyes began to focus on men who were the age of the monster¡¯s father. Who could havemitted the wicked act of abandoning a newborn baby? ¡°Ugh, whoever did it, it¡¯s really messed up.¡± ¡°Who is it? Confess quickly.¡± ¡°Is it even possible for there to be orphans in this day and age? Who is it?¡± Then, the candidates began to step back, raising their arms. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not. I have all my children.¡± ¡°Neither am I.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even have a lover, let alone a son.¡± The scene at the Uijeongbu prison, which had turned into the worst father discovery scene in a matter of seconds from a war scene. Those who had participated in this battle had begun to express their annoyance due to their own stories. For example, like Kim Jeonggu of Dobong. ¡°What the hell is all this nonsense? Did wee here to fight, or to y jokes?¡± Kim Jeonggu, 58 years old. He was here to avenge his brother who lost his life to the Uijeongbu¡¯s Strongest Sword. ¡°How can you expect to find your father when you don¡¯t even know what he looks like?¡± With these words, Kim Jeonggu aggressively gripped his sword. ¡°Anyway, since the number of candidates is going to decrease, you¡¯d better look carefully among the remaining people.¡± They were going to sneak out of the war for now. ¡°¡­..!¡± At this, Uijeongbu¡¯s Strongest Sword Gwak Seongwon, who had been looking for an opportunity to escape, leaped towards the high outer wall of the prison. ¡°Dammit!¡± Ta-aat! The strongest man among the Uijeongbu prison inmates, Gwak Seongwon, moved like lightning. ¡°That bastard!¡± ¡°Get him!¡± Seeing this, all the Strongest Swords of the Gangbuk Alliance, including Kim Jeonggu of Dobong, naturally lit up and jumped up. And Yeongwoo was no different. ¡°Gwak Seongwon¡­!¡± Calling out the name of the man who might be his biological father, he sent the ¡®Dragon¡¯s Legacy¡¯ towards his left leg. Sshaeaeaeat! It was the duel sword of the Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword. Thanks to that, Gwak Seongwon was hit in the leg with the sword and mmed into the ground, unable to even cross half the distance to the outer wall. ¡°Krek!¡± Then the enraged people of Gangbuk Alliance rushed towards him, brandishing their swords fiercely. Of course, they were soon bound by the golden waves that swept through the field. Hwaaat! ¡°Ah¡­!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°What is this¡­?¡± Some of the people immediately recognized the nature of this energy and widened their eyes. This oppressive feeling, like squeezing one¡¯s heart, could only be felt when facing the prestige of the Strongest Sword. ¡ºJoseon¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» Eventually, Yeongwoo, the source of this prestige, calmly walked among dozens of swordsmen, emitting golden rays from his eyes. Then. ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± Standing in front of Gwak Seongwon, who still hadn¡¯t removed the Dragon¡¯s Legacy from his leg, Yeongwoo looked down at him. ¡°¡­.¡± The tracking marker was still square. After a moment of thought, Yeongwoo opened his mouth. ¡°How old are you now? You must be in your early fifties at most.¡± Upon hearing this, Gwak Seongwon, sweating profusely, managed to answer. ¡°W-Well. I just turned sixty this year¡­! But what about this sword? Even if I were your father, what good would it do to break my leg?¡± To this, Yeongwoo nced briefly at the Dragon¡¯s Legacy stuck in the man¡¯s leg and then spoke again in a harsh tone. ¡°I am currently thirty-four.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re sixty, it means you had me when you were seventeen.¡± ¡°W-What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying you¡¯re not my father.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± With Yeongwoo¡¯sst words, a long shadow was cast over Gwak Seongwon¡¯s head. ¡°What? This crazy bastard!¡± Gwak Seongwon eximed with a scream. Then. Gwak Seongwon¡¯s body was split in half by a mythic-ranked sword, ¡®Bastard¡¯. ¡°Kyaaah!¡± ¡°You little¡­!¡± Everyone in the audience, except for Kim Jeonggu, was startled and stepped back. Of course, at this time, even Kim Jeonggu, who came to avenge his brother, did not have murderous intent in his eyes. The reason was that the gaze of the Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, who had just killed one of the candidates for his father, overwhelmed him. ¡°¡­He was the enemy of my brother. I¡¯m just sorry I didn¡¯t kill him myself. I have no feelings for him.¡± As Kim Jeonggu said this, Yeongwoo reached out his left hand and retrieved the Dragon¡¯s Legacy stuck in the dead man¡¯s leg. Thunk! ¡°I knew he wasn¡¯t my father. The sword didn¡¯t ignite.¡± Then Yeongwoo pointed the Dragon¡¯s Legacy at Kim Jeonggu. Whip. ¡°By the way, was this guy the enemy of your older brother?¡± ¡°Big¡­ What?¡± While Kim Jeonggu made a puzzled expression, Yeongwoo looked at the tracking marker in front of him with a very clear mind. The reason was that just a moment ago, when everyone except Kim Jeonggu stepped back, the marker changed to a circle. In other words. ¡°It seems like you might be my father.¡± ¡°W-What are you talking about? That can¡¯t be¡­.¡± As Kim Jeonggu made an unjust expression and shook his head sideways. On the other hand, Yeongwoo threw the question with a confident face. ¡°How old are you this year?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 155 Chapter 155 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 155: Father (4) The giant monster is asking about the age. That¡¯s right. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Kim Jeonggu nced at the lifeless body of Uijeongbu¡¯s Strongest Sword, split in half. ¡°So, you say I can¡¯t be your father¡­? You must have made a serious mistake.¡± As seen before, revealing one¡¯s age often leads to death. But not revealing it didn¡¯t seem likely to save him either. ¡®What should I do? It seems like he really thinks of me as his father.¡¯ The opponent was a skilled fighter, unstoppable by force, as seen earlier, fleeing from him was impossible. ¡®How did I end up meeting such a lunatic?¡¯ Cold sweat trickled down. Yet Jeonggu desperately calcted the age difference between himself and the giant. ¡®Ah¡­ How old did he say he was earlier? Thirty-four?¡¯ And Kim Jeonggu is 58 years old this year. So if we subtract the giant¡¯s age from Jeonggu¡¯s age¡­ ¡®¡­Twenty-four.¡¯ What happened then? It was so long ago that I really couldn¡¯t remember. ¡®No, is he iming I had a son at such a young age?¡¯ As Jeonggu stood there with a face that could burst into tears at any moment, Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword impatiently prompted him while gripping the evil sword menacingly. ¡°Age, please tell me.¡± ¡°W-Why does that matter at all? You¡¯re going to kill me anyway once you hear my age!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± At this, Yeongwoo looked at the sword ¡®Bastard¡¯, which had already been covered in blood once. ¡°That¡¯s still under consideration.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Kim Jeonggu, who was starting to feel terrified by the opponent. In contrast, Yeongwoo was serious. ¡°He was killed because he was the Uijeongbu¡¯s Strongest Sword. His notorious reputation has spread from Cheorwon to this area.¡± Then Yeongwoo scratched his chin with Dragon¡¯s Legacy, thoughtfully. It was an unconscious action due to holding swords in both hands, but to those who saw it, it was a threat of murder in itself. ¡°Of course, even if he imed to be my father, I would have killed him. Considering he was kept in prison until the reset day, he must have been a level 6 human¡­ It would¡¯ve been right to erase him as a son.¡± Yeongwoo muttered his inner thoughts. Of course, most of the people present didn¡¯t properly hear his words, but Kim Jeonggu, the Dobong Strongest Sword, was different. ¡°Level 6¡­?¡± Kim Jeonggu¡¯s mouth fell open involuntarily. Then Yeongwoo said as if he had expected it. ¡°Father, you¡¯re a level 6 human, right? Am I right?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Yeah?¡± Dobong¡¯s Strongest Sword was visibly flustered. What are the chances of guessing the internal grade of a person you¡¯ve never seen before? It was clear that the giant knew in advance his self-proimed father¡¯s level. And coincidentally, the internal grade of the ¡®father¡¯ Kim Jeonggu pointed out by the giant was. ¡®Me, me¡­ It¡¯s true that I¡¯m a level 6.¡¯ Shivers ran down his spine, and a vague sense of terror arose. Could it be that everything the giant had been saying so far was true? ¡®Did my own child grow up without my knowledge?¡¯ Chuk. As Kim Jeonggu retreated in confusion, a woman¡¯s voice could be heard from somewhere behind. ¡°She could have given birth alone. Anyway, what he said might not be entirely wrong.¡± The owner of this voice was Choi Jongseon, the Yangju Strongest Sword, who was riding on an iron horse with a baby in her arms. ¡°W-Who are you¡­?¡± Kim Jeonggu looked at Jongseon and was surprised. Could she be his daughter-inw? ¡ºYangju¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» ¡®Fuck, what am I thinking right now?¡¯ He shuddered and turned his head back towards the giant, only to see the madman approaching from behind. ¡°¡­Ugh!¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably hard to admit it right away. Since it doesn¡¯t feel real.¡± Yeongwoo shrugged his big shoulders as he looked down at ¡®father¡¯. ¡°But I feel the same way. This person as my father¡­? I don¡¯t really know because I¡¯ve never had a father in the first ce, but it feels a lot different than I expected.¡± Kim Jeonggu, 58 years old. Other than the title ¡®Dobong¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¯ attached to his head, he didn¡¯t seem particrly special. At 165 cm, he wasn¡¯t tall, and his innate skeleton wasn¡¯t good either. If we only consider physical specs, it would be easy to agree that he was a ¡®level 6¡¯. But. ¡®But still, he became the Strongest Sword. How on earth? How could a level 6 human be the Strongest Sword, surpassing tens of thousands?¡¯ The reason Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t dare to stab this man with his sword was because of this. Although there wasn¡¯t a movie-like incident where he instantly felt like he was looking at his father as soon as he saw this man, there was still some kind of connection visible. Despite being born as a 4th level, Jeong Yeongwoo rose to be the Strongest Sword of the Gumi region. And despite being born as a 6th level, Kim Jeonggu became the strongest in Dobong, one of the 25 regions of Seoul. Can we use the term ¡°illegitimate child¡± here? Anyway, this man was as extraordinary as Yeongwoo. More precisely, his achievements after the reset were what mattered. ¡®Originally, I thought what my father had created was not me as I am now, but someone who died on the street. But I was wrong.¡¯ Finally, Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze shifted from Kim Jeonggu¡¯s rtively small title to his. ¡ºDobong¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» ¡®It¡¯s true that this man has partially made me who I am now. Something that produces results higher than the original grade came from this man.¡¯ Then what did he receive from his mother, whom he still didn¡¯t know at this point? ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yeongwoo closed his eyes tightly, and to his surprise, an achievement window appeared in his pitch-ck field of vision. Pop! Whether it was a system malfunction or whether Yeongwoo unconsciously summoned the achievement window, it was unclear. What mattered now was¡­ ¡°¡­Ah.¡± The fact that the ¡®Complete Orphan,¡¯ who had been guarding the achievement list the longest since the opening of the achievement system, appeared, as if waiting. [Complete Orphan] | Find and eliminate parents. (1/2) An achievement that wouldplete Yeongwoo¡¯s core element ¡®Orphan¡¯ engraved in his internal settings. This was also one of the initial achievements rmended by the system, defining Yeongwoo as a ¡®stubborn¡¯ person. In other words, although he didn¡¯t know what it meant, it implied that the reward for this achievement would likely enhance Yeongwoo¡¯s unique traits. ¡®But to do that, I have to kill my father.¡¯ Swish. As Yeongwoo stared silently at Kim Jeonggu, Choi Jongseon, who had been observing the scene from the other side, suddenly widened her eyes and shouted. ¡°You madman! No way, right? You¡¯re not an orphan anymore¡­!¡± Then Kim Jeonggu, swallowing dry saliva, spoke to Yeongwoo. ¡°Y-You must be very angry. But am I really your father? Even if¡­ by some chance I am, how could I, who has lived my whole life without knowing of my son¡¯s existence, be a father who abandoned his son¡­!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Kim Jeonggu¡¯s defense was full of injustice. Nevertheless, when Jeong Yeongwoo didn¡¯t even bat an eysh, Kim Jeonggu suddenly mmed the sword he was holding into the ground. ng! Then he knelt on one knee and looked up at Yeongwoo. ¡°Fifty-eight.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Fifty-eight. That¡¯s my age. So if I really were your father, it would have been around when I was twenty-four.¡± Then this time, Yeongwoo said something. ¡°Involuntary intention.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s called an involuntary intention adjustment. It¡¯s in the destiny record.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Could Kim Jeonggu possibly counter that line? He continued to kneel with a bewildered expression. ¡°Anyway, if you want, you can kill me anytime.¡± A son who had be a general¡­ no, something excessively terrifying hade to find him. By this point, Kim Jeonggu could no longer deny it unconditionally. As mentioned earlier, if what the giant imed was true¡­? ¡°If, by some chance, I¡¯m wrong, then I must havemitted a great sin against you. In the terms of this world, it would be ¡®karma.¡¯¡± A 6th level human, Dobong Strongest Sword Kim Jeonggu, gazed with aplex expression. Although he still considered it unbelievable, he couldn¡¯t rule out the very low probability that he might be wrong. Above all, it felt extremely eerie that the opponent had guessed his grade so urately. ¡°Just as we voted to eliminate people and mutants came looking for us, perhaps you might be a mutant for me.¡± As if urging him to strike with the sword, Kim Jeonggu extended his neck and uttered a profound line. If this was a penalty for his achievement, he would ept it. ¡®¡­Why did he suddenly be so detached?¡¯ Yeongwoo, rather perplexed by the sudden change in the opponent¡¯s attitude, then thought to himself. ¡®Is this guy a con artist? He seems to be acting somehow to escape.¡¯ A ¡®stubborn¡¯ person certified by the system. Yeongwoo raised the mythical one-handed sword ¡®Bastard¡¯ into the air as soon as doubt arose in his heart. Swish. ¡°If you think that way, I¡¯m very grateful. In fact, I have an achievement to find my parents and kill them.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s unexpected confession, Kim Jeonggu, who had been stretching his neck, widened his eyes. ¡°W-What did you say?¡± ¡°Soon, if I strike at your father¡¯s neck, you¡¯ll know. If we really are father and son, the achievement will bepleted.¡± ¡°Wait a minute!¡± ¡°Even if you say no, since there might be some achievement, please ept the penalty, Father!¡± Hwaaaaah! ¡°Bastard,¡± had begun to swing towards Kim Jeonggu¡¯s neck. Everyone, including Choi Jongseon, closed their eyes tightly. ¡°Ugh evil!¡± ¡°Is he really crazy?¡± ¡°Aaaah!¡± No one wanted to witness another scene where a human body was torn apart in real time. However¡­ Swish! What people expected didn¡¯t happen at all. Initially, Yeongwoo had no intention of striking Kim Jeonggu¡¯s neck. Therefore, the de of the ¡°Bastard¡± stopped before touching Kim Jeonggu¡¯s neck. But Kim Jeonggu¡­ ¡°Ah¡­¡± He was performing a big motion that everyone in the audience stand couldn¡¯t miss, rolling sideways. Swoosh! He even managed to pull out a dagger hidden in his bosom while rolling. His speech about epting fate just now was purely a ruse. ¡°This bastard?¡± As Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes zed with astonishment at the unexpectedly clever move, suddenly his vision shed, and a system prompt appeared. Ping! [Dogo] ¡°Paternal Confirmation¡± [Mission] Spend 3 days with ¡®Kim Jeonggu11.¡¯ [Reward] 20 million karma. [Special] Kim Jeonggu11 must remain alive during the mission. This was none other than a Dogo quest. ¡®Ah.¡¯ This was the first request he received after meeting with the chairman. ¡®Spend three days with that bastard?¡¯ The advertiser didn¡¯t want to go so far as to demand his death. After all, Dogo had criticized the productionpany Lemu for being vulgar. Considering that Dogo was a group with strong ideals, it couldn¡¯t just stand by while its own advertising model killed his father. ¡®What about the achievement then? The conditions seem to imply that I can kill him after three days.¡¯ [Complete Orphan] |Find and eliminate parents. (1/2) Actually, Yeongwoo originally didn¡¯t have the intention to kill the man in front of him, but after seeing that amazing roll just now, his killing intent surged. But how could he refuse the 20 million karma that woulde rolling in with time? ¡°¡­¡­¡± After calming his mind for a moment, Yeongwoo spoke to Kim Jeonggu, who had hidden the dagger again. ¡°I¡¯ve changed my mind. I won¡¯t kill you, Father. Instead, there¡¯s a condition.¡± ¡°A c-condition¡­?¡± ¡°Convince me within three days. If you¡¯re really not my father, you¡¯ll have to prove it somehow.¡± Then Kim Jeonggu, unsure of himself, asked a negative question first. ¡°¡­What happens if I fail?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll truly be a Complete Orphan.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 156 Chapter 156 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 156: Father (5) Aplete orphan. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Upon hearing these words, Choi Jongseon couldn¡¯t help but think that Yeongwoo was generous, but Kim Jeonggu¡¯s perspective was entirely different. ¡®¡­Is hepletely insane?¡¯ Regardless of whether he was his real father or not, saying he¡¯d kill his father if he made a mistake was not a normal thought. ¡®Did Imit a grave sin in my past life? How did I end up with a son like this?¡¯ But he was also a top survivor who became the Strongest Sword in Dobong, surpassing tens of thousands ofpetitors with his Level 6 physique. That¡¯s why. ¡°¡­Is there no other choice? Besides dying right now.¡± At this point, he quickly understood his situation. ¡°Yes. You said it yourself. And earlier, weren¡¯t you trying to stab me? So, if I kill my father now, it¡¯s self-defense.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Kim Jeonggu let out an awkwardugh. Then, with a casual tone, he said as he pped his thighs with both arms. ¡°Well, then. Can¡¯t be helped. Three days? Let¡¯s try it once.¡± Three days of challenges to avoid bing a father. As Jeonggu dly epted and got up from his seat, Jongseon let out a deep sigh of relief. Although she was relieved not to see the crazy tyrant immediately, the thought of going to Seoul with those two stubborn men still bothered her. ¡®¡­Is this the right choice?¡¯ Jongseon instinctively looked down at her child. Still,pared to life in the city where she always had to be vignt as she never knew when a challenger would appear, Seoul seemed better. At least for a while, there wouldn¡¯t be a challenger to defeat Yeongwoo, so safety should be guaranteed, right? -Keet! As the situation seemed to settle, the golden goblin that was with Jongseon darted out to the scene. Taht! It was none other than to retrieve the loot from the deceased former Strongest Sword, Gwak Seongwon, who was cut in half. ¡°Oh, I killed someone today.¡± Upon this, Yeongwoo took out the ¡®Serpent of Greed¡¯ to check if there were any hidden items. And seeing this, Kim Jeonggu¡­ ¡®What the hell is this, you bastard?¡¯ He clicked his tongue at the scene that seemed to have some procedure for looting. How many people did he have to kill to have a goblin picking up loot for him? -Keet! Soon, Yeongwoo¡¯s relic-level ve brought him the loot and reported. -Keet! The first loot removed from the dead was: ¡¸Slime Fingerprint¡¹ ¨C Mutant Gloves ¡¾Can be attached to the wall or ceiling.¡¿ ¡®Hmm¡­?¡¯ Mutant Gloves, Slime Fingerprint. It was a special mobility-rted equipment like the ¡®Climbing Gear¡¯ or ¡®Jump Boots¡¯ he obtained before. ¡¸Climber¡¹ ¨C Mutant Pants ¡¾Leap distance tripled.¡¿ ¡¸Jump Boots¡¹ ¨C Unique Shoes ¡¾Movement speed doubles when no enemies are nearby.¡¿ ¡®It¡¯s notmon, but items like this do show up from time to time. I wonder why?¡¯ Increasing jump distance or being able to stick to walls or ceilings wasn¡¯t particrly helpful in regrbat situations. However, in this world, there were no items made without reason. It was like the ability resistance he couldn¡¯t understand at first. ¡®Where would I even need to climb?¡¯ As Yeongwoo had visited dungeons of other dimensions before, his imagination far exceeded that of an ordinary person. When he thought of ¡®climbing¡¯, it wasn¡¯t a mountain but something like a gigantic dimensional structure. ¡®Anyway¡­ it¡¯s good to have many things. They mighte in handy someday.¡¯ As Yeongwoo shifted his gaze to the next loot, this time he saw the golden goblin extending a knife directly. ¡¸Unfair Trade¡¹ ¨C Unique One-Handed Sword ¡¾Inflicting wounds on enemies, increasing wearer¡¯s recovery rate.¡¿ -Keekit! As if they found remarkable loot, the voice eximed. Of course, Yeongwoo agreed. ¡°It¡¯s a perfectly tailored gear.¡± Among Yeongwoo¡¯s survival mechanisms during battles, ¡®regeneration¡¯ was undoubtedly one of the most representative. ¡¸Slime Core¡¹ ¨C Mutation Bracelet ¡¾Regenerative power increases dramatically.¡¿ With an amazing regeneration ability that allowed him to recover as long as his head wasn¡¯t smashed, even if his body was torn apart. On top of that, what currently supported Yeongwoo¡¯s ¡®fortitude¡¯ were various damage reduction effects and resistances. Since he often had to resort to self-harm to reach the bleeding state, this loot was more than wee for him. Already a regeneration monster, if recovery rate is added to it, how much tougher would he be? ¡®If it¡¯s recovery rate¡­ is it a superior concept to regeneration? Anyway, he had something remarkable. The synergy would be tremendous.¡¯ The only downside was that this equipment was a sword, not an essory. ¡®Of course, I could ask the chairman to acquire a weapon encyclopaedia.¡¯ However, which encyclopaedia to request would depend on the nightly dungeon that would appear today. ¡®Then next.¡¯ As Yeongwoo shifted his gaze to thest loot, a dusky leather belt came into view. ¡¸Fireproof Leather¡¹ ¨C Mutation Belt ¡¾Fire resistance 10%¡¿ ¡¾¨CEmpty Slot¨C¡¿ ¡®A resistance and a slot. Not bad.¡¯ Yeongwoo nodded approvingly as he watched the goblin toss the loot into his spatial pocket, then he titled his head. ¡°Wait, is that all?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze returned to the Serpent of Greed once again. Apparently, the snake didn¡¯t sense any other loot nearby, as it remained quietly wrapped around Yeongwoo¡¯s wrist. ¡°There was only one unique item¡­ But still, being the Strongest Sword, only three items?¡± While it was possible that one piece of equipment was devoured, there should still be at least one more mutation gear, shouldn¡¯t there? If he had dominated all mutants while reigning as the top in Uijeongbu, wouldn¡¯t he have taken all of their mutations? ¡°¡­¡­¡± Without further thought, Yeongwoo walked briskly toward the corpse of the former Strongest Sword in Uijeongbu. Then. Shhwack! He swung his sword twice, tearing apart the dead man¡¯s clothes to retrieve the loot. ¡°Oh my.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± The spectators in the audience grimaced at the corpse¡¯s dishonor, but at the same time, they were amazed. Because there was a tattoo of a muscrrge dog shape engraved on the deceased Strongest Sword¡¯s thigh. ¡¸Ferocious Dog¡¹ ¨C Mutant Tattoo ¡¾Strength increased by 700.¡¿ Once again, it was a tattoo item. ¡®Strength increased by 700¡­ Certainly, even if they are of the same grade, tattoo items have higher values.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] And tattoos couldn¡¯t be taken or passed on. Neither the golden goblin nor the Serpent of Greed treated that tattoo as loot, which was evidence of that. ¡®It¡¯s a bit disappointing to leave behind Strength 700. But still, I¡¯ve learned one more thing.¡¯ Without lingering regrets, Yeongwoo turned his gaze away from the corpse. Then. ¡°We¡¯re done here. Let¡¯s start heading out.¡± He said to Jongseon, gesturing for her toe this way. Swoosh. At his signal, the Negwig trotted over, nudging Yeongwoo with its iron hoof. ¡°Where are we going now? Are we heading to Seoul?¡± With her head full of surreal, tyrannical, and horrifying events, Jongseon looked to the south with hopeful eyes. To this, Yeongwoo said the words she had been waiting for. ¡°Yes. We¡¯re going to Seoul now. If we go to Gangnam, people there will arrange amodations for you and the baby. And we can also find someone to take care of the baby while fighting mutants.¡± The ¡°people there¡± that Yeongwoo mentioned referred to the Taewon Group. ¡°¡­Is it really happening? Is the crazy development finally over?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Yeongwoo smiled faintly and reassured Jongseon. Then he climbed onto the front of the Negwig and took the reins. ¡°I have some more things to take care of here, so I¡¯ll take you to Seoul first.¡± ¡°O¡­ Okay.¡± Finally, the end of hardship, the beginning of happiness¡­ No, maybe stability? With hopeful eyes, Jongseon looked at Yeongwoo, and then Kim Jeonggu, who had been watching them both, cautiously spoke up. ¡°So¡­ do I need to go to Gangnam too?¡± To this, Yeongwoo looked down at Kim Jeonggu from atop the Negwig and nodded. ¡°Of course. You have to apany me for the next three days.¡± ¡°Um¡­ but don¡¯t you have no room for another person to ride?¡± Indeed, there was no space for another adult male on the back of the Negwig right now. Certainly, if they squeezed tightly, they could barely fit one more person¡­ But it seemed unlikely that the other party would agree, thought Kim Jeonggu as he threw out the question. And indeed. ¡°Yes. Since Father has no room¡­¡± Scratching his nose, Yeongwoo nced up and down at Kim Jeonggu. ¡°It looks like you¡¯ll have to run a bit.¡± * * * ¡®¡­Crazy.¡¯ ¡®That bastard.¡¯ Both Jongseon and Jeonggu naturally thought it was a joke. Although they had only met today, what kind of situation was it to ask Father to run after them? But Yeongwoo was serious, and so in the end. Swooosh, swooosh! Kim Jeonggu had to run after the Negwig, which was running at a considerable speed. ¡°Can you keep up? With this speed, it won¡¯t take long to get to Gangnam.¡± Yeongwoo said, turning back to look at Jeonggu, who nodded vigorously, sweating profusely. Dobong-gu being directly under Uijeongbu, which was Jeonggu¡¯s jurisdiction, he wanted to leave this area as quickly as possible. ¡°What¡¯s¡­ what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that our Strongest Sword?¡± As fate would have it, as Yeongwoo¡¯s group began passing through the bustling streets of Dobong-gu, the residents outside murmured to themselves upon seeing Jeonggu, who was practically being dragged along, with only a rope around his neck. ¡®Ugh, thanks to that kid, we¡¯re all being sold out.¡¯ Meanwhile, Yeongwoo was observing that the wanted poster¡¯s tracking symbol was still in its original form. If this epic-grade fountain pen wasn¡¯t lying, the middle-aged man who was now running behind him was indeed his father. ¡°Is it true that my uncle passed away?¡± As Yeongwoo asked this, Jeonggu furrowed his brow at the term ¡®Uncle,¡¯ seeming to not understand the question at first, then realizing itte. ¡°Why would I lie about that, no matter what?¡± The tone was different from usual, indicating that this was likely true. ¡°What about other rtives?¡± ¡°¡­I only had one brother. But even though he got married and had children¡­ As far as I know, they¡¯re all dead.¡± Jeonggu¡¯s steps, which had been running vigorously, noticeably slowed down. Then. Thunk. He came to aplete stop where he stood. The fact that he was now left alone in this world with his brother¡¯s death hit him anew. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Of course, ording to the ims of that monster that fell from the sky, Jeonggu still had some blood ties left. ¡°Um, Father? Are you okay?¡± Although his brother had died, hadn¡¯t he acquired a son? This is the son who casually tells his father that he will ride a horse and that he should run himself. nk! Suddenly, Jeonggu¡¯s illegitimate son jumped off the Negwig and looked apologetic. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I misspoke. I didn¡¯t know that my uncle really existed.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Uncle. It was still an awkward term for Jeonggu, who had not yet recognized Yeongwoo as his son. Why should my brother be this lunatic¡¯s uncle? ¡°My brother was a much better person than me, so from now on¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t even finish the long afterword, saying, ¡®I hope you don¡¯t use the word ¡®uncle¡¯ so casually.¡¯ Because. Swoosh! Suddenly, a beam of light shot down from the sky, and a ck metal card appeared out of nowhere. ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s this?¡± As Jeonggu retreated in surprise, Yeongwoo grabbed the card from the air and began undressing abruptly. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 157 Chapter 157 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 157: Hot Night (1) *ng!* As Yeongwoo removed the golden breastte that wrapped around his torso after taking off his cloak, Jeonggu¡¯s expression turned to surprise. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± It was because there was a spiral-shaped me tattoo on the chest of Jeong Yeongwoo, the dreadful son candidate. That wasn¡¯t all. ¡°Why¡­ Why is your shoulder like that¡­?¡± Right now, Yeongwoo¡¯s right upper arm was flickering as if covered in gray noise, like a graphic error. Seeing this, Yeongwoo nced at his shoulder briefly and then touched the ck metal card in his hand. ¡°It looks like the screen is adjusting because the advertisement is about to be attached soon. I just received the advertising fee.¡± #Basic advertising fee: 10 million karma per week. #Basic contract period: 4 weeks. With the basic advertising fee of 10 million karma that the chairman had promised along with two special uses, it was now in Yeongwoo¡¯s hands. *Avable karma: 14,214,000 Thanks to this, Yeongwoo¡¯s total karma amount had increased to a whopping 14 million. ¡®The timing is incredible. I was nning to visit the merchants one by one after arriving in Gangnam.¡¯ At this rate, it was almost certain that he would enter the night dungeon tonight. ¡°¡­.¡± As Yeongwoo, who had finished changing his clothes, raised his head to the sky, a system message appeared in his field of vision. ¡¸As of now, thebined advertisement for the ¡®Dogo¡¯ weapon brand will be broadcasted on your advertising tattoo ¡®White Space¡¯.¡¹ ¡¸The content of the broadcast advertisement will be periodically changed, and the contract period is 4 weeks.¡¹ ¡®Finally, it¡¯s starting.¡¯ As Yeongwoo read all the messages, arge Dogo emblem appeared before his eyes. *Swoosh!* Then immediately. *Bzzz¡­* A vibration-like sound emanated from the ¡®White Space¡¯ covering Yeongwoo¡¯s right upper arm, and the screen adjustment stopped, turning ck. *Swish.* It was like the moment before a movie started at the theater. ¡°Oh.¡± As Yeongwoo searched for something resembling a mirror, he stood in front of therge two-handed sword, ¡®Golden Trail¡¯, which was floating nearby. Then, the advertisement surface covering his shoulders and elbows was reflected on the wide de. ¡°Is¡­ Is that an advertisement from outer space?¡± Both Choi Jongseon and Kim Jeonggu, his probable father, couldn¡¯t help but be interested in the advertisement being broadcasted on the body of Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, Yeongwoo. *Gulp.* As Jeonggu swallowed heavily and subtly shifted his gaze towards Yeongwoo¡¯s shoulder, the advertisement started right on time. ¨C¡Ï¡Å? It was the first tattoo advertisement for Yeongwoo, starting with the appearance of extraterrestrial characters meaning ¡®Dogo¡¯. This caused the pupils of all three people, including Yeongwoo, to widen. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Can you just read that?¡± Although the characters they saw with their eyes were strangely shaped, they could understand their meaning in their minds. Within the ¡®White Space,¡¯ the red atmosphere of a deste was visible. Then. *Whoosh!* The camera angle descended towards the ground, revealing a desert scattered withrge rocks. It was a scene of extraterrestrial beings, small in stature with reddish-brown skin, diligently striking the rocks with their tiny fists. Then cracks started to appear in the rocks, and thick blue liquid began to pour out from the cracks. ¨C¡ã¡Å¡Ð¡Ä¡Ï¡¤¡£ (Monocr boy Gepi from the Jargal had to pound the rocks every day until blood came out of his hands in order to obtain the sap.) The camera zoomed in on one extraterrestrial in front of a rock. Probably Gepi, the boy from the Jargal. Gepi looked at the rock with a sad expression, then slowly raised his hand, which was covered in scabs, and extended his fingers. *Swish.* Suddenly, between his cute fingers, a scene appeared where arge anchor descended from afar and struck the ground. ¡®Oh, it¡¯s the chairman¡¯s ship.¡¯ It seemed to be a staging of the encounter between the impoverished Gepi of the frontier and ¡®Dogo¡¯. ¨C¡É¡Ð¡Á¡£ (But not anymore.) The screen faded to ck with extraterrestrial text. Then suddenly the screen brightened, showing Gepi standing on a with apletely different feel from before. He was standing upright, wearing a lot of unusual equipment on his small body. ¨C?¡Ð¡ã¡Å¡Ï?¡à¡à¡Ê¡£ (With the support of Dogo, Gepi became a space pirate ruling over 6s.) ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± While Yeongwoo and the two Strongest Swords wore nk expressions, in the advertisement, Gepi was kicking the inhabitants of others into his spaceship that he had brought along. ¨C¡Ï¡¤¡Ä¡ã©V (And now, Gepi has 70,000 ves pounding rocks for him.) Gepi, now back on his home, had a happy expression on his face. And by his feet, there was a ve holding a jar filled with sap, lying on the ground. Thunk! Gepi snatched the jar away and gulped down the sap in one breath. ¨C?¡Ð?¡Ï¡Ü¡£ (Dogo supports your dreams.) However, the camera was now zooming in on a ve lying on the ground. When Dogo said ¡®your,¡¯ it meant both Gepi and his ves. Crunch. Eventually, the ve clenched the sand on the ground with his hand, leaving a spike pattern on the ground with his fingers, and the advertisement concluded. ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°What¡­ is this¡­?¡± Choi Jongseon alternately looked at Yeongwoo and the ¡®White Space¡¯ with a dumbfounded face. Now, on Yeongwoo¡¯s shoulder, an alien with several tentacle-like arms was exining the usage of ¡®Dimensional Bombs.¡¯ These were the bombs Yeongwoo had received as sponsorship from the dungeonst night. ¡°What¡¯s this about? It¡¯s one of my breadwinning methods.¡± As Yeongwoo said this, he hesitated as he tried to put on his armor. ¡®Wait, can I wear a top? That way, the advertisement will bepletely covered.¡¯ Once money is received, professionalismes first. If Yeongwoo were the advertiser, he wouldn¡¯t allow the model to wear a top. ¡®Of course, the contract didn¡¯t explicitly say to keep the advertisement exposed¡­¡¯ But logically, is it reasonable to hide the advertisement after receiving payment? ¡®And this is also a matter of principle.¡¯ However, there was another problem. The effects of the armor he was currently wearing were too good to take off and wander around naked. ¡¸Golden Oath¡¹- Legendary Breastte ¡¾Reduces enemy attack power by 50%.¡¿ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡®I guess I have to wait a bit until I get the Armor Encyclopedia.¡¯ Yeongwoo nced vaguely at Dogo, then quietly put on the armor he had thrown on the ground. nk. Nothing happened. ¡°Is¡­ Is it okay?¡± Yeongwoo murmured as he looked at the sky, and Jongseon tilted her head. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°The clothes. I was wondering if I could cover the advertisementpletely.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Understanding Yeongwoo¡¯s meaning, Jongseon furrowed his brow. So he was considering wandering around without a top the whole time. ¡°Shall we go back then? We need to finish our work quickly before it gets too dark.¡± The current time was 7:10 PM. Although it was summer and the days were long, the surroundings were already getting dark. There wasn¡¯t much time left until the notice for the lodging will appear in 50 minutes, so time wasn¡¯t that abundant. ¡°What other tasks do we have left?¡± Kim Jeonggu asked as he prepared to chase after the iron horse again. Yeongwoo pointed south and said. ¡°First, we need to leave Jongseon and the baby in Gangnam, and then we¡¯ll go through the merchants.¡± ¡°Merchants¡­? At this hour, wouldn¡¯t everyone have taken away the goods?¡± Jeonggu expressed a logical doubt. However, it wasn¡¯t the case for Seoul, especially for Yeongwoo. ¡°The merchants left in Paju might be a little worrying, but no one would have touched the ones in Seoul. They know I¡¯lle back.¡± He spoke with great confidence. As someone who didn¡¯t know Yeongwoo¡¯s status among the Strongest Sword in Seoul, Jeonggu could only tilt his head in confusion. * * * ¡¶We have invited Yangju Strongest Sword, Choi Jongseon, who will be in charge of Gwangjin-gu mutants starting tomorrow.¡· Yeongwoo entered Gangnam through ¡®Pado¡¯ while informing the Strongest Swords in Seoul about the new Strongest Sword they had recruited. Since it was almost time for the next lodging notice to appear, there weren¡¯t many people outside the city outskirts. At 8 PM, the lodging notice appeared. At 9 PM, the lodging service began. Everyone was waiting in front of their favorite residences to upy them as soon as possible. ¡°It seems like Gangnam¡­ almost doesn¡¯t show any signs of the reset.¡± Kim Jeonggu opened his mouth in surprise as he looked at the neat buildings in Gangnam. Even Dobong-gu had considerable damage on the first day of the reset, so most of the low-rise buildings had one defect after another. ¡°Yes. I heard the previous holder of Gangnam was a chaebol, so the order was established early on.¡± ¡°Gangnam chaebol¡­? By the previous holder, do you mean the Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword?¡± ¡°Yes. Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Upon Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Kim Jeonggu nced at Yeongwoo¡¯s title, which read ¡®Joseon Strongest Sword.¡¯ After all, the title of Strongest Sword could be seized. ¡°What happened to the previous holder?¡± ¡°Of course, he died. And now I¡¯m also the Gangnam Strongest Sword.¡± He didn¡¯t explicitly mention swinging his elbow to cut the throat of the previous Gangnam Strongest Sword. Nor did he mention the presence of the son¡¯s body of the former Gangnam Strongest Sword at the scene. ¡°The people who used to help the previous Gangnam Strongest Sword run Gangnam are now helping me. It¡¯s a strange world, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°The bottom of Seoul was really chaotic.¡± Jeonggu finally realized that the monster on horseback he had heard about through the ¡®wave¡¯ announcement the other day was Jeong Yeongwoo in front of him. At that time, he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to the situation in the southern part of Seoul, but now he realized that it was the time of upheaval in Seoul. Squeak, squeak! As they exchanged various conversations, the three of them entered the central part of Gangnam, and they could feel that the number of citizens along the roadside was gradually increasing. It was because there were more and more people following them as they talked. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°Strongest Sword?¡± ¡°Did your title change again?¡± The rumor that the Gangnam Strongest Sword was riding a horse had already spread throughout Gangnam, and even if it hadn¡¯t, thanks to the golden rain that had fallen today, all the residents of Gangnam knew Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s face. However, because they hadn¡¯t heard the story of him flying around with a greatsword, they didn¡¯t approach the Strongest Sword rashly but followed from a distance. ¡°It¡¯s fortunate. It used to be so congested that it was difficult to move.¡± Yeongwoo nced back slightly and said, making Jeonggu look at him with a puzzled expression. ¡°Why do the people in this area like you so much¡­?¡± It was understandable. All Jeonggu had seen of Jeong Yeongwoo so far was when he had split the Uijeongbu Strongest Sword in half and stabbed him with a sword. ¡°I wonder. Maybe because I¡¯m the representative of their region?¡± Yeongwoo said this, looking at the Coex building and the Parnas Hotel on the other side. It was because he could see that the protocol team of Taewon Group was already gathered there. They must have been standing there for hours, not knowing when he would return. ¡°¡­What¡¯s that?¡± Dobong¡¯s Strongest Sword Kim Jeonggu, who was once again in culture shock due to the protocol of argepany, opened his eyes wide, and a person from the Taewon side who recognized Yeongwoo ran towards them. It was none other than Lim Suna from the secretary¡¯s office. ¡°Yeongwoo!¡± Lim Suna¡¯s expression froze in real-time as she ran towards the Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword. It was because she had just realized that this troublemaker had brought two more Strongest Swords from other regions. Moreover, what did he do? Wasn¡¯t his title changed to Joseon Strongest Sword? At this point, it wasn¡¯t surprising that the golden greatsword was flying around by itself. ¡°S¡­ So many things must have happened.¡± ¡°Yes. Was there any trouble during that time?¡± When Yeongwoo asked like this, Lim Suna cautiously opened her mouth after ncing behind him. ¡°The family of chairman Kim Taejoon requested a meeting while you were away.¡± ¡°Want to see me?¡± ¡°It seems like they want to meet Kim Taejoon again.¡± ¡°Ah, that makes sense.¡± Yeongwoo smiled awkwardly. But it was awkward. Although there was one more chance with the whistle, it was intended to be used in the dungeon tonight at 11 o¡¯clock. ¡°Uh¡­ the chairman has to go to the dungeon tonight, so he can¡¯t go out. What should I do?¡± Yeongwoo fiddled with the whistle and then his eyes lit up as if he had a good idea. ¡°Please tell his family. If it¡¯s okay with them, how about staying at my ce tonight?¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Lim Suna, who didn¡¯t fully understand Yeongwoo¡¯s words, made a face asking for more exnation. So Yeongwoo made a square with his index fingers and thumbs. ¡°Kim Taejoon will appear on TV tonight. This time, it¡¯ll be a human appearance, so it¡¯ll be more pleasant to watch.¡± Yeongwoo said this and then made a request. ¡°Oh, but it¡¯s better not to let the children see it after 11 o¡¯clock.¡± ¡°Why? Why is that¡­?¡± ¡°At that time, the chairman might be doing something dangerous.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 158 Chapter 158 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 158: Hot Night (2) ¡°Over here is Choi Jongseon, who came from Yangju. And this is her son.¡± As Yeongwoo introduced the Yangju Strongest Sword and her baby in order, Lim Suna greeted the two with a big smile. It was typical of Jeong Yeongwoo to introduce even a newborn baby as ¡®her son.¡¯ ¡°Oh, I see. I¡¯m Lim Suna, the assistant manager of Taewon Group¡¯s secretariat. Nice to meet you.¡± Then, Suna sent Yeongwoo a nce, questioning how this situation came about. It was because every time Yeongwoo returned to Gangnam, he kept bringing in outsiders without permission, which made Suna feel a bit awkward. ¡°Oh¡­ I had to bring them along because I identally blew up Yangju. Besides, we needed someone to handle Gwangjin District, so¡­¡± ¡°I see¡­ you blew up Yangju¡­?¡± Suna asked with wide eyes, thinking that what Jeong Yeongwoo said might be a metaphor, not a literal fact. ¡°It just happened that way.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± How could someone just identally blow up a city? ¡°¡­Then I¡¯ll arrange amodations near the headquarters for Choi Jongseon as well.¡± ¡°Yes. And¡­¡± Yeongwoo then gestured towards Kim Jeonggu. Quickly. ¡°This is Mr. Kim Jeonggu. He¡¯s my father.¡± At this, Suna failed to control her expression for the first time. ¡°Huh?¡± She looked at Yeongwoo and Jeonggu with incredulous faces. The fact that this crazy Strongest Sword had a father was surprising enough, but what was even more shocking was¡­ ¡°Kim¡­.¡± That Jeong Yeongwoo and his father had differentst names. Finally, she glimpsed that Yeongwoo¡¯s background was not typical. Moreover, wasn¡¯t Gangnam the area where Jeong Yeongwoo killed the previous master and his son and took over? Bringing his own father there was quite an extraordinary thing to do. ¡°Father, it¡¯s an honor to meet you. I¡¯m Lim Suna.¡± As Suna bowed politely, Kim Jeonggu also lowered his head with a solemn expression. ¡°Pleased to meet you. I¡¯m Kim Jeonggu.¡± Given the situation, Jeonggu didn¡¯t insist on denying that he was Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s father. ¡°Shall we prepare amodations for your father as well?¡± When Suna asked this, contrary to everyone¡¯s expectations, Yeongwoo shook his head. ¡°No need. It¡¯s better to just have him stay in my ce without bothering with additional arrangements.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Kim Jeonggu looked at Yeongwoo with a puzzled expression. However, since Suna was Yeongwoo¡¯s subordinate after all, she nodded even after seeing Jeonggu¡¯s face. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll prepare as you said. Is there anything else you need?¡± ¡°Yes. Just in case, ask Mr. Jongsu and Chief Inspector Kwon Taeyoung too. Ask them if they¡¯d like to watch TV in my room tonight.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I understand.¡± Although it seemed like a ridiculous story to Suna, Yeongwoo¡¯s intention was to provide welfare for the colleagues who had worked hard for him. Especially, didn¡¯t Jongsu say that the reason he lived in this world was to witness extraordinary events that were never seen in the previous world? Like the sight of conglomerates turning into dragons and returning. So, Jongsu would naturally be interested in watching TV that illuminated the rooms of returnees and the strong from various parts of the world. ¡°Alright, is everything done? I still have some work left, so I¡¯ll leave it to you, Jongseon.¡± When Yeongwoo signaled to Jongseon that she could go, Kim Jeonggu asked with a pale face. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I stay here too¡­?¡± To this, Yeongwoo gestured towards Kim Jeonggu from across the window. ¡°What are you talking about? You should ride an iron horse from another world while you¡¯re at it. We¡¯re only going to spend three days together, so let¡¯s make some memories.¡± * * * Riding the flying horse Negwig with his father for a drive through the streets of Gangnam. Of course, there was no romance in it since it wasn¡¯t a typical father-son rtionship. ¡°What are we doing tonight?¡± Asked Jeonggu, who was sitting in the back seat, and Yeongwoo pointed to the ck light pir visible on the other side. ¡°We have to meet the merchants in Gangnam, Gwangjin, and Paju. We need to collect abnormal climate equipment.¡± ¡°Abnormal climate equipment¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Yeongwoo briefly exined abnormal climate immunity equipment and night dungeons to Jeonggu. He said that if you activate the orb left by the mutants on the road at night, you can enter the interdimensional dungeons where people from all over the world gather. ¡°¡­That¡¯s absurd.¡± Of course, Jeonggu found it hard to believe. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t seen it myself, I wouldn¡¯t have believed it either.¡± People from all over the world gathering in an interdimensional dungeon to carry out cooperative missions. Even for Yeongwoo, who had experienced all sorts of extraordinary events, it was hard to imagine. ¡°¡­Then how do youmunicate inside? If everyone is a foreigner.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s only inside the dungeon or if it¡¯s the same for all reset checkpoints, butmunication just works.¡± ¡°Well¡­ I guess there¡¯s nothing impossible.¡± Surprisingly, Kim Jeonggu readily agreed. ¡°However¡­¡± Yeongwoo continued, adding to his previous statement. ¡°The dungeon difficulty is quite high, and if even one person doesn¡¯t follow the rules, the entire party is at risk. At least that was the case in thest dungeon.¡± ¡°But in the end, you came back alive, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Yeongwoo fell into a brief recollection. It could only be expressed as luck. The Sicily¡¯s guardian sword of Sicily, Ottavio. And the Tocantins Leopard, Ricardo. Although there was some initial friction, they turned out to be excellentrades in the end. But what if in the next dungeon, they meet a Strongest Sword from a country like North Korea or Japan, where the national sentiments are not favorable towards each other? ¡®There¡¯s a chance we might be lucky enough to meet good people again, but¡­ the probability of that not happening is quite high.¡¯ So, Yeongwoo nned to organize a party with fellow Strongest Swords from his own country as much as possible. That way, there would be less discord within the dungeon, and the rewards forpleting the dungeon could also be directed towards their own country. Therefore. Yeongwoo¡¯s father in the back seat was also one of the candidates for the party. After all, he was a figure who could be the strongest in Dobong, even as a 6th-grade native. ¡®He¡¯s still my father. Even if he doesn¡¯t admit it himself.¡¯ Perhaps he wanted to feel something fatherly from this man before the day came when he would have to kill his father in three days. It was probably a desire born out of long deprivation. ¡®Whether it¡¯s a dungeon or anything else, something might happen in extreme situations, right? In movies, there¡¯s always that kind of scene.¡¯ Of course, Yeongwoo knew better than anyone else that movies and reality were quite different. He realized this once again when his father, as if showing off, rolled over. ¡®I wish I never knew my father. What exactly does having a father mean?¡­¡¯ As Yeongwoo was lost in thought with a troubled expression, merchants from Gangnam finally appeared ahead. Gooooooooo¡­! Within the faint light pir, as usual, a strange silhouette loomed, and when Yeongwoo approached it with Negwig, the mediator Kubu appeared. A grade 9 broker under the Universal Law that is made up of eyelids. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¨CNice to meet you again, the strongest in Gangnam, Gyeongbuk, and the northern part of the Korean Penins, Mr. Jeong Yeongwoo07! Upon this, Yeongwoo waited for Kubu¡¯s self-introduction. He wondered if there had been any changes in Kubu¡¯s title or something. Ever since he found out that this diligent mediator¡¯s legal grade was much lower than expected, he had been curious about this extraterrestrial as well. ¨CI am Kubu, the owner of the Tenta tribe and the guardian of Daro, who is mediating this transaction. ¡®Same as before.¡¯ It hadn¡¯t been long since theirst meeting. Yet when Yeongwoo showed a slightly disappointed expression, Kubu blinked hisrge eyes and looked at him. ¨CYou¡¯re quitete. ¡°Yes. I was busy today, so it turned out like this. But fortunately, there are still merchants left. They should also be getting off work soon.¡± This was true. When he visited Chungju, he heard directly from Shin Yeongju, the Strongest Sword there. ¨CYes. As all the merchants waiting in line have returned, currently, only trades with the auctioneer from Totom are possible. ¨CShall we proceed with the transaction? He was probably designated as a merchant in Gangnam-gu as of today. ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s deal right away.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s heart bes anxious. At this point, wouldn¡¯t it be highly likely that merchants in the other two regions would also be preparing to leave work? Kubu must have noticed Yeongwoo¡¯s feelings, and he started trading right away. ¨CThe intermediary fee for this transaction is 10% and is included in the product price. ¨CI¡¯ll show you the product list. As Kubu rolled his eyes, blue spots appeared before Yeongwoo, then began to transform into human characters. 1 ¨C ¡¸Crow¡¹ ¨C Heroic Helmet ¡¾Ignores Void Fog.¡¿ ¡ó 110,000 karma 2 ¨C ¡¸Power Attack¡¹ ¨C Relic Hammer ¡¾Power increases by 15% when using both hands.¡¿ ¡ó 344,000 karma ¡®Wow. Someone great was waiting for me.¡¯ As soon as Yeongwoo nced at the top of the product list, he couldn¡¯t help but smile. Usually, items 1 and 2 were like curses, but this time, there was nothing to discard. ¡°Crow¡± seemed to be abnormal climate equipment, and ¡°Power Attack¡± would be perfect for the weapon encyclopaediater. Sometimes, when items are added to the weapon encyclopaedia, theye out at an unbelievably cost-effective level. Power Attack itself might only be worth the price of a weapon when viewed separately, but if that effect is constantly applied through the encyclopaedia, wouldn¡¯t the story changepletely? But even more than that, there were two items below that stood out. 3 ¨C ¡¸Body Modification¡¹ ¨C Epic Spine ¡¾Martial art slot +1¡¿ ¡ó 820,000 karma 4 ¨C ¡¸Body Deficiency¡¹ ¨C Epic Breastte ¡¾Power increases up to 80% depending on the degree of limb loss.¡¿ ¡ó 4,100,000 karma ¡®Crazy.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s mouth hung open. ¡®If I add a martial art slot, does that mean I can use two sword techniques at the same time?¡¯ After consulting with himself, that was the only conclusion. Of course, there was a risk of having to change part of the body to an alien item¡­ but wasn¡¯t this deal with Jeong Yeongwoo07? ¡®If I could cut open someone else¡¯s stomach and eat their organs, there¡¯s nothing I couldn¡¯t change, right?¡¯ Besides, didn¡¯t Yeongwoo have conditional anesthesia? ¡¸Berserker¡¹ ¨C Mutant Charm ¡¾Ignore a certain level of pain.¡¿ Therefore, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t feel much psychological burden no matter what the process of ¡®wearing¡¯ that spine was like. Even if the worstes to worst, his body would regenerate quickly. And in the same vein, the Epic Breastte, ¡°Body Deficiency,¡± was also a must-buy item. ¡®If it¡¯s a limb deficiency¡­ Does that mean¡­ it refers to having limbs cut off?¡¯ Perhaps it was a piece of equipment designed for special cases like a one-armed swordsman, but Yeongwoo could use it just as easily. ¡®Whether it¡¯s cut off by someone else or by me, it doesn¡¯t matter. As long as it¡¯s in a deficient state, the effect will trigger, right? Among people with intact limbs, I¡¯m probably the one who can make the best use of it.¡¯ The only downside was that he couldn¡¯t give up the armor he was currently wearing, so the armor encyclopaedia was essential. And another problem was¡­ ¡¾Power increases up to 80% depending on the degree of limb loss.¡¿ ¡®How much limb deficiency is needed for maximum activation?¡¯ Surely it wouldn¡¯t be referring to a state where all limbs were missing from a human perspective. ¡®No, that¡¯s from a human perspective, but the one who made it¡­¡¯ Yeongwoo looked up at the merchant inside the pir of light. The Totom Auctioneer looked like arge tree with awkward branches. ¡°I suppose we can¡¯t expect additional exnations about the equipment effects?¡± When Yeongwoo asked this, Kubu blinked and replied. ¨CThat¡¯s correct. ¡°Hmm.¡± As expected. So Yeongwoo nodded immediately. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll find out for myself if possible.¡± Then, he scanned through the four items on the product list one by one. ¡°I¡¯ll buy everything here, so Kubu, please hurry and stop the merchants from leaving Gwangjin-gu.¡± Upon hearing this, Kubu blinked hisrge eyes again. ¨CThe transaction isplete. Thank you as always. Once the transaction waspleted, Yeongwoo¡¯s karma bnce was updated. * Avable karma: 8,840,000 With a current bnce of 8.84 million karma, it was unprecedented to have money left after buying Epic-grade equipment with cash. ¨CWell then, see you again. As the transaction ended, Kubu bid farewell with a farewell message different from usual. Did he ept Yeongwoo¡¯s request to hurry and stop the other merchants from leaving? Soon after, Kubu vanished into thin air, so Yeongwoo quickly directed Negwig towards Gwangjin-gu. And then, he called out to the passenger in the back seat. ¡°Father.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not surprised at all. Even if it¡¯s like this, you¡¯re still the Strongest Sword¡­¡± Before Jeonggu could finish his sentence, Yeongwoo¡¯s ¡®Bastard¡¯ suddenly appeared in the air. ¡°You damn¡­!¡± It was only after seeing that he had not been warned about dealing with merchants or mediators that Jeonggu realized what the warning was about. Creak! Just now, the crazy orphan had cut off his own arm. -Ke-ak! Of course, the arm was grabbed by the Golden Goblin with both hands, but Jeonggu flipped it over after the bloodshed. ¡°Oh no fuck¡­ why are you doing this?¡± To which Jeong Yeongwoo07 replied bluntly. ¡°40%.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 159 Chapter 159 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 159: Hot Night (3) ¡°What¡­?¡± As Jeonggu uttered in bewilderment, the golden goblin attached its arm back to Yeongwoo. Thunk! Then, the flesh of the severed sides that werepletely separate until a moment ago was seen sticking together. ¡°What, what is this?¡± Difort surged. It was a whole different dimension when it came to riding an alien horse and having one¡¯s body function oddly, apart from the usual. ¡°What have you done to your body? It¡¯s fine to be stronger, but you still ought to remain human.¡± For the first time since meeting Yeongwoo, Jeonggu lectured as an adult. At the age of 58 this year, he was inevitably part of the conservative middle-aged group. Of course, part of his difort stemmed from the fact that his face was now covered in someone else¡¯s blood, making him feel extremely ufortable. But. ¡°You have to endure these hardships to be able to survive in this world without having inherited anything.¡± Yeongwoo rebuked his father gently. And in fact, considering those who transcended humanity, wouldn¡¯t they all be included in this world¡¯s top ranks? How could those who could punch through building walls with their bare fists be considered ¡®human¡¯? ¡®Anyway, the effects are remarkable. It¡¯s worth the grade value, as expected.¡¯ ¡¸Body Deficiency¡¹ ¨C Epic Breastte ¡¾Power increases up to 80% depending on the degree of limb loss.¡¿ In Yeongwoo¡¯s view now, the icon of the severed arm and the figure ¡°40%¡± disyed below it were visible together. It meant that he gained a 40% increase in power due to the recent left arm severance. Then the figure started to decrease rapidly. This was probably because the arm was starting to reattach. ¡®It¡¯s quite convenient, perhaps because it¡¯s a high-grade item. It even disys the buff values.¡¯ Just losing one pair of arms increased the power by a whopping 40%. And if he were to lose another arm or a leg, he could attain the maximum buff of 80%. ¡®I must obtain an Armor encyclopaedia. When encountering opponents strong enough to cut off my arms, it will create variables, and conversely, sacrificing an arm temporarily for extreme attack would also be possible.¡¯ The appearance of the deficiency icon in Yeongwoo¡¯s view was because he was wearing the equipment directly. Afterpleting the transaction with Totom, instead of the Golden Oath, ¡®Body Deficiency¡¯ was automatically worn. ¡®In terms of versatility, the Golden Oath is still much more useful.¡¯ Therefore, ¡®Body Deficiency¡¯ was a somewhat awkward piece of equipment to use immediately. ¡®Encyclopaedia¡­ The encyclopaedia is too OP. With just that, it bes possible to configure truly absurd equipment.¡¯ Meanwhile, his left arm was almost restored, and ordingly, the effectiveness increase effect of ¡®Body Deficiency¡¯ decreased to 0%. ¡®Even if the arm is slightly less attached, once it¡¯s somewhat restored, the buff disappears.¡¯ After learning one more thing about this bizarre equipment, Yeongwoo shifted his gaze to the system message he had been postponing. ¡¸Will you equip the unique grade ¡®Body Modification¡¯ spine?¡¹ |Warning: There is an unusual equipping procedure. Please equip it while being in a state of undressed. ¡°¡­¡­¡± If the system expressed it as ¡®unusual¡¯, then it truly was unusual. So even Yeongwoo, who was bold enough, couldn¡¯t help but hesitate upon seeing this phrase. ¡®Is it really necessary to physically remove the spine and rece it¡­? Is that possible?¡¯ Yeongwoo, whose thoughts hade this far, couldn¡¯t help but worry about Jeonggu behind him. Isn¡¯t he the one who was horrified just by seeing the arm being reattached? ¡®If I say that the spine is being reced, he would probably faint.¡¯ It seemed that this was not a procedure that could be carried out on horseback, so for now, he decided to postpone it further. Fortunately, a merchant from Gwangjin-gu was visible ahead. ¡°Kubu! Mediator¡­!¡± As Yeongwoo called out the mediator¡¯s name from a distance, the space in front of the pir of light split open, and he appeared. ¨DNice to meet you again, Mr. Jeong Yeongwoo07. ¡°Have you caught him? The merchant!¡± Then Kubu, after rolling his eyes once, replied. ¨DAn agreement has been reached with the upper part of Seoul¡¯s Gwangjin-gu, South Korea. ¡°Then what about Paju¡­?¡± While asking this, Yeongwoo had a hunch that the merchant from Paju had already left Earth. ¨DRegarding the Paju you mentioned, the trade has already begun, and the stay has expired. Someone had met and taken the merchant Yeongwoo called for. Therefore, due to the restricted stay of the merchant, they were forced to leave as the sun set. ¡°Ah, what kind of a bastard?¡± Yeongwoo rubbed his forehead. Though he didn¡¯t know, it was most likely someone who hade down from North Korea. ¡®But still, it¡¯s not such a bad oue since I managed to get a merchant from Gwangjin-gu.¡¯ After all, couldn¡¯t he just turn his remaining money into stats? Besides, he was in a state where he had an abundance of equipment butcked stats. ¡°Mr. Kubu! Let¡¯s proceed with the transaction!¡± Eager to rece his spine quickly, Yeongwoo urged the mediator. Then, after Kubu blinked his eyes widely, he introduced the next trading partner. ¨DThe waiting traders are followers of Cerium. ¨DThe mediation fee for this transaction is 10% and is included in the product price. ¡®Cerium¡¯s followers¡­ There are religious groups even in space.¡¯ As Yeongwoo confirmed the merchant¡¯s name, Kubu soon announced the start of the transaction. ¡°I will show you the product list.¡± Swish. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] 1 ¨C ¡¸Firewall¡¹ ¨C Unique Cape ¡¾Ignores all abnormal weather conditions with me attributes.¡¿ ¡ó 623,000 Karma 2 ¨C ¡¸Heresy¡¹ ¨C Unique Gauntlets ¡¾15% of attack power is converted into mental damage.¡¿ ¡ó 680,000 Karma 3 ¨C ¡¸Rebirth¡¹ ¨C Unique Gem ¡¾When reaching the state of death, all abilities increase by 25%.¡¿ ¡ó 732,000 Karma 4 -¡¸Judgement¡¹ ¨C Unique Gloves ¡¾Increases power by 20% against enemies with #abilities.¡¿ ¡ó 850,000 Karma All four items were of the unique grade. After looking at the entire product list, Yeongwoo furrowed his eyebrows. ¡®They¡¯re selling quite peculiar equipment.¡¯ The equipment sold by Cerium¡¯s followers mostly seemed to have effects aimed at preparing for something beyond the Earth¡¯s internal conflicts. Even the gloves, ¡°Judgement,¡± increased power against enemies with #abilities. ¡°There are even items that convert attacks into mental damage. If I collect such items, it might be possible to convert 100%ter on.¡± So, even if it was a bit burdensome for an ordinary Strongest Sword, he decided to buy all the items. ¡°I¡¯ll buy them all.¡± On the contrary, it was an investment for Yeongwoo¡¯s future. After all, he had already reached a level where it was difficult to find opponents on Earth. ¡®Of course, somewhere on that continent, there must be formidable opponents. But even that will end once I acquire more encyclopaedias.¡¯ As Yeongwoo decided to purchase all the items with a meaningful expression, Kim Jeonggu widened his eyes. ¡°D-Do you have that much money?¡± As a Strongest Sword, he knew roughly how much the products of these merchants would cost. Moreover, this was already the second time he was buying everything at once. Even if a Strongest Sword earned a considerable amount of moneypared to ordinary people, he was still just a wage earner¡­ No, he was more like a dayborer. ¡°I told you earlier, I also have ie from advertising.¡± After saying this to Jeonggu, Yeongwoo concluded the transaction with the followers. ¨CThe transaction isplete. Thank you as always. After blinking his eyes, Kubu refreshed Yeongwoo¡¯s Karma bnce. Acquired! * Avable Karma: 5,955,000 ¡®5.95 million? There¡¯s more left than I thought.¡¯ If he poured all of this into his stats, it would increase nearly 6,000. ¡ºCharacter: Jeong Yeongwoo07¡» [Strength] 3,200 (19+3,181) [Stamina] 2,648 (21+2,627) [Endurance] 3,648 (13+3,635) [Sense] 1,500 (24+1,476) Currently, Yeongwoo¡¯s total stats were approximately 10,000. ¡®How much stronger can I get? No, how much stronger can I be? If I have money, can my stats skyrocket to tens of millions?¡¯ As he began to feel powerless and fearful of his own growing strength, Yeongwoo also became curious about how much the likes of Destruction King Dogo would have in terms of stats. As confirmed in their previous meeting, even the chairman uses ¡®equipment.¡¯ One of them, a mythical one-handed sword, is now in my hands. ¡¸Bastard¡¹- Mythical One-handed Sword ¡¾Authority Obstruction¡¿ ¡¾Contempt for the weak¡¿ ¡¾challenger¡¿ A weapon for those who dare to challenge transcendent beings, meant for the ultimate confrontation. ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo nced briefly at the peculiar appearance of the Bastard before grasping the reins of Negwig once again and spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s go now.¡± ¡°¡­Where are we going this time?¡± ¡°To Gangnam. We¡¯ve seen everything we need to see outside.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Jeonggu¡¯s voice sounded somewhat relieved now. Simultaneously, Negwig began to gallop towards Gangnam, emitting long cries. * * * tter, tter! The distance from Gwangjin-gu to Gangnam was not far, so Yeongwoo had to move quickly. First and foremost, he needed to equip the gem he had just obtained. ¡¸Rebirth¡¹ ¨C Unique Gem ¡¾When reaching the state of death, all abilities increase by 25%.¡¿ The term ¡°state of death¡± essentially meant a state close to death, which might not be very useful for ordinary humans, but for Yeongwoo, who possessed an incredible regenerative ability, there was no better insurance equipment. ¡®If all abilities increase by 25%, it should include strength and endurance, right? It will surely help in blocking the final blow.¡¯ Luckily, there was a slot avable for the ¡°Furious Goblin¡± in the essory encyclopaedia, so Yeongwoo immediately equipped the gem. [Furious Goblin] ¨C Mutant Ring ¡¾Increases strength by 100 every day¡¿ ¡¾When reaching the state of death, all abilities increase by 25%.¡¿ Bing a monster day by day. But there were still a few tasks left, including investing nearly 6,000 in stats. ¡¸The night is approaching.¡¹ ¡¸Therefore, to ensure your right to rest, the lodging service will begin in one hour.¡¹ Soon, a pre-announcement for the lodging service starting at 8 PM appeared. At this, Jeonggu cautiously spoke while gazing at the Parnassus Hotel building in the distance. ¡°Is it really over now? Are we going in to rest?¡± Given his age, mental fatigue umted rapidly, and he really wanted to rest. Haven¡¯t they had enough terrible experiences today? ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s go to the lodging and rest for a while, and then see how the general and the chairman are doing when the lodging service starts¡­¡± ¡°The general¡­?¡± ¡°Ah, before that, I need to rece my spine. Before the kids arrive.¡± ¡°¡­Spine?¡± [TL/N: there¡¯s more toe sir] [PR/N: I miss jongsu tho, also jeonggu boutta see crazier shit] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 160 Chapter 160 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 160: Hot Night (4) 8:00 PM, notice for the lodging room posted. 9:00 PM, lodging room service begins. 10:00 PM, tax collection. Yeongwoo entered the lobby of the Parnas Hotel, drawing a timeline in his mind. -Quiiiiii! While riding Neguig, an iron horse that makes a groaning sound. Kwaaah! As Negwig, halfway through tearing the carpet in front of the lobby, came to a stop, the Taewon Group employees who were standing in front of the entrance door retreated, startled. Then, recognizing Yeongwoo¡¯s face btedly, they bowed their heads. ¡°Ah, Mr. Yeongwoo¡­!¡± ¡°Strongest Sword, nice to meet you for the first time!¡± The reason they recognized Yeongwoo¡¯s face was because of thememorative coins he had scattered. ¡°The lodging service is starting soon. Are you working?¡± When Yeongwoo asked this as he got off Negwig, the employees habitually lowered their heads again. ¡°We were instructed to guard the lobby until you arrived, Mr. Yeongwoo.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± From Taewon¡¯s perspective, Jeong Yeongwoo had to be considered an ally without question. So they were even paying attention to such minor etiquettes. ¡°Anyway, now that we¡¯ve arrived, you can go off duty. Is Secretary Lim upstairs?¡± As Yeongwoo asked for Lim Suna, the deputy secretary, the employees picked up their walkie-talkies. ¡°Yes. She¡¯s probably getting your room ready. I¡¯ll call her right away¡­¡­¡± ¡°No need. Since I was going up anyway, I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± As Yeongwoo gestured that they could go now, Jeonggu looked at him strangely. Outside¡­ the Yeongwoo among the elite, including the Strongest Swords, and the Yeongwoo in front of civilians feltpletely different. ¡®Why is this bastard acting like this all of a sudden?¡¯ Was this the same monster who had been cutting his own arm just a while ago? At least sinceing to Gangnam, Yeongwoo had been behaving like an ordinary member of society. Speaking in a socially eptable manner, disying unbelievable humility and modesty for Seoul¡¯s strongest Sword. If it weren¡¯t for the titles above his head and all the equipment on his body¡­¡­ ¡®He lookspletely normal.¡¯ Of course, the more the rice ripens, the more it bows its head. However, isn¡¯t Jeong Yeongwoo a variety closer to a carnivorous nt than a rice nt? ¡®Well¡­ it¡¯s much better than running wild inside and outside his territory.¡¯ Anyway, Jeonggu realized once again through this incident that Jeong Yeongwoo was still fundamentally human. ¡°Go ahead. Until 9 o¡¯clock, the electricity won¡¯te on, so you¡¯ll have to take the stairs.¡± As Yeongwoo signaled to Jeonggu to get off, the Golden Goblin and the Golden Trail immediately stuck to their master. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Finally, Jeonggu jumped off, and Negwig, which had turned into a parking mode, moved from the front of the hotel entrance. ¡°Eek? What¡¯s this¡­¡­?¡± Jeonggu panicked as he saw Negwig transformed like an egg. Where on Earth could there be a creature that changes like this? It was a characteristic that clearly showed its otherworldly origin. ¡°When it¡¯s not going to move for a while, it naturally does this.¡± ¡°But won¡¯t the strange weathere soon¡­?¡± ¡°It never fails. Maybe it¡¯s because it¡¯s not from Earth.¡± ¡¸Negwig¡¹ ¨C Unknown Grade ¡¾Adapts to any.¡¿ Negwig. A mount of unspecified grade gifted by Dogo. No matter how much experience one has, there are always things in this world that are impossible to encounter. And one of them is the iron horse Negwig. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it and leave it. If it breaks down, I can take it up with the chairman.¡± Yeongwoo said this and then suddenly thought. ¡®Wait a minute. Then where is the Audi I gave? Does the chairman have it?¡¯ * * * Parnas Hotel Room 3233. Former Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword, Taewon Group¡¯s ¡°Executive Director¡± Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s former residence, currently used as the amodation for the sessor, Jeong Yeongwoo 07, the Strongest Sword of Joseon. Even though the electricity wasn¡¯t on, the grandeur of the room, which used to cost 15 million won per day before the reset, was still impressive. ¡°W-What kind of room is this¡­?¡± As Jeonggu slowly looked around the dim room, Lim Suna illuminated the surroundings with an electronicmp and followed along. ¡°It¡¯s thergest room among all avable rooms in Gangnam-gu. It¡¯s also a space that Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Swords traditionally use as their office.¡± Lim Suna exined in a stable tone, as if she were a museum curator. Although Yeongwoo found the expression ¡®traditionally¡¯ somewhat amusing, it was a nicely packaged phrase to hear that the sessor was using the former upant¡¯s office. ¡°Your son has been a great help to our Gangnam-gu. So, in a gesture of gratitude, Taewon Group is providing support, even if it¡¯s just the amodation fee.¡± ¡°Ah, my son¡­ I see. Anyway, thank you.¡± Since Jeonggu was also showing a weak side in front of civilians, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to correct Suna¡¯s expression of ¡®son¡¯ and stammered. ¡°Then how much is the daily amodation fee here?¡± After a while, when Jeonggu asked, Suna responded as if she had been waiting. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s 62,000 karma, sir.¡± ¡°¡­ 62,000 for one night?¡± Of course, for Jeong Yeongwoo, who spent millions in shopping overnight, 62,000 was just a small amount. But for Jeonggu, who had been living in Dobong-gu, which had be a tough ce in Seoul after the reset, 62,000 karma was by no means a small amount of money. Especially if it was just for one night¡¯s sleep, it was even more so. Kwung! Then came the sound of Taewon¡¯s employees setting down a shelf full of coins outside the door. A whileter, they brought cash to be used as the rent for this room. Seeing this, Jeonggu sincerely expressed his concern to Yeongwoo. ¡°Aren¡¯t you¡­ tormenting these people too much? Even if it¡¯s just a small change for you, for ordinary people, it could be a few weeks¡¯ worth of living expenses.¡± Yeongwoo chuckled. ¡°Father is more generous than he seems.¡± Yeongwoo also had simr thoughts to Jeonggu on his first day in Gangnam. But now, isn¡¯t he in a position to have been of enough help to Gangnam-gu, as Suna said? He had distributed 30,000 karma to all residents through the Golden Ratio. ¡°I probably gave hundreds of millions to Gangnam-gu today alone. So it¡¯s okay to get a room here. And Taewon Group is not like ordinary people.¡± After Yeongwoo said this much, he asked Suna, ¡°Did you inform Jongsu and Inspector Kwon Taeyoung? Do they want to watch TV?¡± ¡°Yes. Both of them have decided to visit during the lodging room time.¡± ¡°And what about the chairman¡¯s family?¡± ¡°I will personally escort them in 20 minutes.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Tonight, the ¡°Yeongwoo party¡± would gather together in this room for the first time. Then Jeonggu interjected. ¡°Why on earth are you calling people together and making such a fuss about the TV¡­?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll seeter. The reason this room is expensive is because of the TV.¡± Yeongwoo omitted exining the concept of television in this world because he didn¡¯t have confidence in it. Anyway, Jeonggu, being a Strongest Sword, would probably understand it well enough when he saw it. Except for the channel that reflected the returnee¡¯s room. ¡°Suna.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Yes, Yeongwoo.¡± ¡°Could you please leave for a moment?¡± Suna looked back and forth between the father and son Strongest Swords before stepping back. ¡°I¡¯ve been taking up your time without realizing it. I¡¯ll leave the lights here and go. Please restfortably.¡± As Suna quietly closed the door and disappeared, Jeonggu looked at the monster with an anxious expression. ¡°Why are you kicking her out when you¡¯re supposed to stay around here until the lodging room?¡± It was actually a fearful statement made because of being alone with the son. And sure enough, the crazy orphan said something frightening again. ¡°I need to change my spine.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°No one knows what might happen, but it¡¯s impossible to proceed with the children around. If things go wrong, it¡¯s like ying with fire.¡± ¡°Then¡­ how about in front of me? I¡¯m your father, after all.¡± ¡°Your official stance as a father is ¡®I have no children,¡¯ wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s¡­¡± Jeonggu was speechless. He had just used the term ¡®father¡¯ himself, so how could he only pretend to be an orphan when it suited him? ¡®This shameless orphan.¡¯ As Jeonggu wore an unwittingly angry expression, Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze shifted to the empty air. ¡¸Do you wish to equip the unique grade spine ¡®Body Modification¡¯?¡¹ | Warning: There is an unconventional instation procedure. Please install while wearing minimal clothing. Now was the time for Yeongwoo to respond to the system¡¯s warning. With that, Yeongwoo removed the cloak and armor he had on his upper body and, while looking at the warning message, said, ¡°I will equip it.¡± Then, as soon as Yeongwoo finished hisst syble, something astonishing happened. Zzzz! A whiteser shot out from the living room floor, beginning to form arge rectangr frame. Zwoosh! With a length of about 2.5 meters on one side, this rectangr prism was designed to be longer on the horizontal side than the vertical side. ¡°Now, wait a moment. What¡¯s this? Are you really recing the spine?¡± Jeonggu, seeing the white rectangr prism that looked like a surgical table, took a step back unconsciously. And at that moment, Yeongwoo also broke out in a cold sweat. Recing corneas? That was manageable as they were at the level of lenses. Transnting someone else¡¯s organs? It was a bit unsettling, but it wasn¡¯t beyond Yeongwoo¡¯s capability. Cutting off his own arm? That was actually easier than the previous two options. However¡­ ¡®To rece the spine while lying on a temporary surgical table sent from space¡­? Even I find that terrifying.¡¯ Perhaps it was because he was undressed, but Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but shiver involuntarily. Seeing this, Jeonggu shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s right, look at you, now you¡¯re worried too, aren¡¯t you? This is really uneptable. Even though I¡¯m not your father, I want to strongly advise you not to lie down there.¡± Advice given as an adult and as a fellow human being. However, instead, Yeongwoo thought he should definitely get on the operating table after hearing this. Although it was already quite an expensive piece of equipment that he had bought, he had thought he would wear it regardless. However, in the meantime, Jeonggu¡¯s grumbling about ¡®not being his father¡¯ annoyed him. ¡°You¡¯re not my father, so please don¡¯t meddle unnecessarily.¡± As Yeongwoo approached the operating table with a visibly irritated face, Jeonggu grabbed his forehead. ¡°You ugly bastarf. So you¡¯re getting a spine recement? Lie down there and just rot.¡± An enraged Jeonggu muttered ¡°bastarf¡± and copsed on the living room floor. And in the meantime, Yeongwoo had approached right in front of the operating table. Grab! Finally recognizing Yeongwoo, the operating table projected a hologram into the air and slowly drew a strangely shaped, silver-white metal object. It was none other than. ¡¸Body Modification¡¹ ¨C Unique Spine ¡¾Martial Arts Slot +1¡¿ Now, it was the unique-grade spine that Yeongwoo would soon be wearing. ¡®¡­Fuck.¡¯ Seeing the problematic spine, curses involuntarily escaped as a heavy sigh passed. But if he wore that spine, he would be able to unleash two martial arts simultaneously in the future. ¡®The path to bing a master is truly treacherous.¡¯ After taking a deep breath, Yeongwoo carefully climbed onto the operating table. Swoosh. Then, the operating table, which had only drawnser frames until now and appeared to be hollow inside, smoothly supported Yeongwoo¡¯s body. ¡¸Please lie down with your back facing upwards.¡¹ ¡®Are they really going to remove and rece the spine?¡¯ This was a space-style procedure. Therefore, it wouldn¡¯t be strange even if they physically removed the spine. ¡®But even so, would they rece the equipment in such a crazy way?¡¯ After all, when he wore the mutation talisman, didn¡¯t he have to cut Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s abdomen and swallow the equipment attached to his disguise? ¡¸The correct posture has been confirmed. The surgery will proceed shortly. Please do not move.¡¹ ¡°¡­!¡± At the truly unusual guidance, Yeongwoo widened his eyes, and Jeonggu made a ¡°asshole¡± gesture as he looked at him. Then. Peww! An enormousser beam shot down from the ceiling of the room, tearing Yeongwoo¡¯s skin along the spine line. Ziiiiiiing¡­¡­! ¡°Aaargh!¡± Naturally, tremendous pain ensued, but the pain nullification effect of the mutation talisman ¡®Berserker¡¯ did not activate. His pain had narrowly missed the activation criteria for the Berserker. ¡°You fucking bastards! Shouldn¡¯t you give me anesthesia¡­?!¡± As Yeongwoo screamed in agony, the next guidance message appeared before his eyes. ¡¸Now, you will start to feel a little ufortable. Please do not move.¡¹ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 161 Chapter 161 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 161: Hot Night (5) ¡®What? Ufortable now¡­?¡¯ Then, what have they been tearing apart all this time? As I tried to turn my head to see what was happening behind my back, a warning message promptly appeared. ¡¸Please refrain from moving. Spinal injury may ur.¡¹ These lunatics. As Yeongwoo reluctantly returned his head to its original position, a heat sensation spread throughout his back. ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± Then, a sharp sound from somewhere behind, followed by a blur in front of his eyes and an indescribable pain. ¡°Argh!¡± For a moment, it felt like his teeth were being pulled out forcefully, blood oozing from his gums. Then, the ¡°Berserker¡± kicked in, holding Yeongwoo¡¯s mind from slipping away as his body tried to escape the pain. ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± But apart from the ¡°pain,¡± there was a clear sense that the universal surgery system was tampering dangerously with his spine. There was significant difort in his cervical spine. ¡®Are they¡­ are they recing my spine from the top down? Is that even possible?¡¯ Since moving hastily would result in spinal damage, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t turn back but strained his eyes to nce at his back. ¡°Father!¡± Upon hearing Yeongwoo¡¯s call, Jeonggu, who seemed to be wearing a ghostly expression, responded in a trembling voice. ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Can you see, father? What these guys are doing behind my back?¡± ¡°W-well¡­ Eek!¡± Perhaps another shocking scene unfolded, as Jeonggu covered his mouth and almost staggered backward. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Bring me a mirror.¡± As Yeongwoo demanded to see the surgery scene himself, Jeonggu hesitated. ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s probably better not to see. There¡¯s such a thing as death from shock, you know.¡± Jeonggu genuinely worried about Yeongwoo¡¯s shock. Regardless of whether this crazy brat was his son or not, if this kid, who seemed to be crucial to Gangnam¡­ no, to the heart of Seoul, were to die, it would undoubtedly lead to many problems. But Yeongwoo¡­ ¡°Stop talking nonsense and bring the mirror quickly. If I¡¯m shocked by a little back surgery, then it means I wasn¡¯t destined to live long anyway.¡± Seeing the fire in Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes, Jeonggu reluctantly searched the room and brought arge full-length mirror. ¡°You¡¯re hopeless.¡± ¡°This is all thanks to mother and you. You know my mother passed away, right? Or do you not?¡± ¡°What?¡± Jeonggu paused with the mirror halfway to Yeongwoo¡¯s view. ¡°You said your mother died? No, do you even know who your mother is¡­?¡± Jeonggu still subtly drew a line with Yeongwoo, but his tone was unexpectedly softer. If the ¡°mother¡± this damn orphan mentioned was someone he knew, that would be the irrefutable evidence of the rtionship between Joongwoo and Kim Jeonggu. But¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t know who my mother is either. Instead, I know from achievement. You¡¯re the only one of my ¡®parents¡¯ still alive.¡± ¡°What a shame.¡± Damn achievements. Jeonggu sighed heavily. And then, he realized that he had been speaking informally to Yeongwoo for some time now. After witnessing a series of reckless, or rather, childish acts, he finally began to see his opponent as his son. ¡°Look at yourself now. Is it appropriate to lie down and talk about your mother¡¯s death?¡± Finally, Jeonggu stepped into Yeongwoo¡¯s view with the mirror in hand. Gasp. Then Yeongwoo could finally see it. His dorsal skin spread out like a flying squirrel¡¯s, wide open. ¡°No way¡­¡± As Yeongwoo¡¯s mouth fell open, a holographic forceps generated in the air was seen pulling out a piece of bone from his back. None other than one of the 12 thoracic vertebrae. That is, a part of the spine was being carried up right now. Shirring! The piece of Yeongwoo¡¯s thoracic spine lifted by the holographic forceps disappeared into thin air along with the forceps. ¡°Uh! My spine!¡± Then, dozens of parts of the ¡°Body Modification,¡± the unique-grade spine enhancement, which had been dismantled and waiting in the air, gradually descended and entered the gap where the thoracic vertebra had juste out. ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was literally a spinal recement. ¡°How does it feel to see it firsthand?¡± Now, not only did heck parents, but he alsocked a spine, but Jeonggu restrained himself from saying so. The opponent is Joseon¡¯s Greatest Sword. And he¡¯s not a stable character by any means. Jeonggu wanted to live as long as possible. But Yeongwoo¡¯s subsequent reaction was unusual as well. ¡°How does it feel? It feels like I¡¯m being squeezed terribly.¡± Yeongwoo was already watching thest vertebra exit his body. Shirring! Just like before, Yeongwoo¡¯s original spine disappeared somewhere, and next, pieces of pale vertebrae descended to take their ce. Click. A locking sound emanated from Yeongwoo¡¯s back. Thensers appearing out of thin air began manipting his new spine. ¡°Argh, fuck¡­!¡± This time, again, ambiguous pain not meeting the criteria for the activation of the ¡®Berserker.¡¯ But it was enough pain for a human to lose their mind. ¡°These bastards!¡± As Yeongwoo cursed while the system seemed intentionally causing this, thesers finished post-processing his spine. Next. Thud, thud. Holographic forceps that had been wide open on Yeongwoo¡¯s dorsal skin started folding neatly. And then followed byser suturing. Ziiing! ¡°¡­¡­¡± This time, as the pain was much less than before, Yeongwoo gritted his teeth but didn¡¯t let out a groan. ¡°¡­Tough guy.¡± While saying so, Jeonggu couldn¡¯t help but admire Yeongwoo inwardly. It was evident that he was no ordinary guy, for better or for worse. ¡®But to think this bastard is Joseon¡¯s Greatest Sword¡­ the future of South Korea won¡¯t be smooth sailing.¡¯ Paah! As theser show ended, the surgical interfaces that had been disyed in the air were swiftly erased. Sasat. And as usual. Pah! The surgery table supporting Yeongwoo disappeared without a trace. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Suddenly affected by gravity, Yeongwoo reached out his arm just before his head hit the floor. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Thunk! And soon, the familiar system message appeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s view, directed towards the ground. ¡¸The lodging service service has begun.¡¹ ¡¸From now on, all buildings ssified as ¡®residences¡¯ will be in an invible state under the lodging system.¡¹ 9:00 PM. Finally, the lodging time hade. Thud, thud. Outside the room, Taewon Group employees were knocking on the door. ¡¸Anyone can upy the residence for a certain period by paying karma.¡¹ ¡¸During the lodging period, ess to the space can be controlled, and dormitory fees can be charged.¡¹ ¡°Mr. Jeong Yeongwoo, we¡¯re here to process the rental of the room.¡± The voices of the employees outside the door. Upon this, Yeongwoo hastily picked up his equipment from the floor, put it on, and opened the room¡¯s entrance. Duck! Then, three employees were seen waiting with a shelf of coins in their hands. ¡°If we disturbed your rest, we apologize. There was an instruction from the secretary¡¯s office to process the rental on time.¡± ¡°Yes, I heard from Suna.¡± As Yeongwoo nodded, making way for them, the employees pushed the shelf of coins into the room and activated the rental interface. Ping! ¡¸Would you like to use the rental service?¡¹ [Parnas Hotel Room 3233] | Space: Very spacious | Facilities: Bathroom, Television | Rental fee: 62,000 karma | Period: Until tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM ¡°All set. You can set the number of upants and use it now.¡± As the setting window appeared in front of the entrance of room 3233, the employees left with the empty shelf. And Yeongwoo waved goodbye to them and turned his gaze to the rental interface. ¡¸How many people are nning to stay? Please enter the number of upants.¡¹ ¡®Number of upants.¡¯ Today, it¡¯s the day when Mr. Kim Taejoon¡¯s family, Jongsu, and Taeyounge to watch television. ¡®So, if we count Mr. Kim Taejoon¡¯s family as three, add Jongsoo and Taeyoung, and finally me and my father¡­¡¯ Seven. After calcting, Yeongwoo set the room upancy to 7. ¡¸7¡¹ Then, the entrance to room 3233, wrapped in a blue shield, shed to indicate that the upancy setting had been reflected. ¡°So¡­ seven people are going to be in this room today¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. They¡¯re here to watch television. You can¡¯t watch it without renting.¡± As Yeongwoo opened the room to show the television himself, thest system message of 9:00 PM appeared. ¡¸For your information, tonight¡¯s weather is an ember storm.¡¹ ¡¸Please be aware of spontaneousbustion.¡¹ Today¡¯s weather forecast. ¡¸In 2 hours, an [abnormal climate] ember storm will ur.¡¹ ¡¸01:59:59¡¹ ¡®Ember storm? So, is it wind-based? It could also have a fire attribute.¡¯ Upon seeing the abnormal climate timer start, Yeongwoo nced at the Golden Goblin. ¡°Didn¡¯t I buy a cloak today? Something called ¡®Firewall¡¯.¡± As Yeongwoo scratched his temple and tried to remember the cloak¡¯s name, the goblin automatically rummaged through the pocket dimension. -Rustle! Eventually, what the Golden Goblin brought out was the unique cloak ¡®Firewall.¡¯ ¡¸Firewall¡¹ ¨C Unique Cape ¡¾Ignores all abnormal weather conditions with me attributes.¡¿ It disregards any abnormal climate rted to fire. So, even in an ember storm that would ignite the body, one could remain unharmed with this. ¡®So, does that mean I have two pieces of equipment that can target today¡¯s weather? If it¡¯s a storm, it¡¯s likely wind-based.¡¯ Yeongwoo invoked the tooltip of the narrative ne already registered in his jewelrypendium. Pop! ¡¸Eye of the Typhoon¡¹ ¨C Epic Ne ¡¾Ignores extreme weather of the wind type.¡¿ An equipment obtained afterpleting the achievement ¡®Nocturnal.¡¯ Since there hasn¡¯t been an abnormal climate of wind type so far, there¡¯s a high chance it can be used today. ¡®So, I¡¯ll use the Eye of the Typhoon myself, and with the Firewalll, I can take one more person with me tonight.¡¯ With a golden orb also tucked away, tonight¡¯s dungeon entry was confirmed. ¡®Am I going crazy? Why is my heart racing?¡¯ As Yeongwoo¡¯s face swelled with anticipation, Jeonggu, who noticed it all at once, looked at him with a terrifying gaze. ¡°Wha¡­ what¡¯s with the expression? What are you thinking again?¡± To this, Yeongwoo briefly looked out the window, which had turned ominously dark, before saying, ¡°Wanna go sightseeing?¡± At that, Jeonggu¡¯s face showed learned terror. ¡°Huh? Where¡­ to?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 161: Hot Night (5) ¡®What? Ufortable now¡­?¡¯ Then, what have they been tearing apart all this time? As I tried to turn my head to see what was happening behind my back, a warning message promptly appeared. ¡¸Please refrain from moving. Spinal injury may ur.¡¹ These lunatics. As Yeongwoo reluctantly returned his head to its original position, a heat sensation spread throughout his back. ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± Then, a sharp sound from somewhere behind, followed by a blur in front of his eyes and an indescribable pain. ¡°Argh!¡± For a moment, it felt like his teeth were being pulled out forcefully, blood oozing from his gums. Then, the ¡°Berserker¡± kicked in, holding Yeongwoo¡¯s mind from slipping away as his body tried to escape the pain. ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± But apart from the ¡°pain,¡± there was a clear sense that the universal surgery system was tampering dangerously with his spine. There was significant difort in his cervical spine. ¡®Are they¡­ are they recing my spine from the top down? Is that even possible?¡¯ Since moving hastily would result in spinal damage, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t turn back but strained his eyes to nce at his back. ¡°Father!¡± Upon hearing Yeongwoo¡¯s call, Jeonggu, who seemed to be wearing a ghostly expression, responded in a trembling voice. ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Can you see, father? What these guys are doing behind my back?¡± ¡°W-well¡­ Eek!¡± Perhaps another shocking scene unfolded, as Jeonggu covered his mouth and almost staggered backward. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Bring me a mirror.¡± As Yeongwoo demanded to see the surgery scene himself, Jeonggu hesitated. ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s probably better not to see. There¡¯s such a thing as death from shock, you know.¡± Jeonggu genuinely worried about Yeongwoo¡¯s shock. Regardless of whether this crazy brat was his son or not, if this kid, who seemed to be crucial to Gangnam¡­ no, to the heart of Seoul, were to die, it would undoubtedly lead to many problems. But Yeongwoo¡­ ¡°Stop talking nonsense and bring the mirror quickly. If I¡¯m shocked by a little back surgery, then it means I wasn¡¯t destined to live long anyway.¡± Seeing the fire in Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes, Jeonggu reluctantly searched the room and brought arge full-length mirror. ¡°You¡¯re hopeless.¡± ¡°This is all thanks to mother and you. You know my mother passed away, right? Or do you not?¡± ¡°What?¡± Jeonggu paused with the mirror halfway to Yeongwoo¡¯s view. ¡°You said your mother died? No, do you even know who your mother is¡­?¡± Jeonggu still subtly drew a line with Yeongwoo, but his tone was unexpectedly softer. If the ¡°mother¡± this damn orphan mentioned was someone he knew, that would be the irrefutable evidence of the rtionship between Joongwoo and Kim Jeonggu. But¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t know who my mother is either. Instead, I know from achievement. You¡¯re the only one of my ¡®parents¡¯ still alive.¡± ¡°What a shame.¡± Damn achievements. Jeonggu sighed heavily. And then, he realized that he had been speaking informally to Yeongwoo for some time now. After witnessing a series of reckless, or rather, childish acts, he finally began to see his opponent as his son. ¡°Look at yourself now. Is it appropriate to lie down and talk about your mother¡¯s death?¡± Finally, Jeonggu stepped into Yeongwoo¡¯s view with the mirror in hand. Gasp. Then Yeongwoo could finally see it. His dorsal skin spread out like a flying squirrel¡¯s, wide open. ¡°No way¡­¡± As Yeongwoo¡¯s mouth fell open, a holographic forceps generated in the air was seen pulling out a piece of bone from his back. None other than one of the 12 thoracic vertebrae. That is, a part of the spine was being carried up right now. Shirring! The piece of Yeongwoo¡¯s thoracic spine lifted by the holographic forceps disappeared into thin air along with the forceps. ¡°Uh! My spine!¡± Then, dozens of parts of the ¡°Body Modification,¡± the unique-grade spine enhancement, which had been dismantled and waiting in the air, gradually descended and entered the gap where the thoracic vertebra had juste out. ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was literally a spinal recement. ¡°How does it feel to see it firsthand?¡± Now, not only did heck parents, but he alsocked a spine, but Jeonggu restrained himself from saying so. The opponent is Joseon¡¯s Greatest Sword. And he¡¯s not a stable character by any means. Jeonggu wanted to live as long as possible. But Yeongwoo¡¯s subsequent reaction was unusual as well. ¡°How does it feel? It feels like I¡¯m being squeezed terribly.¡± Yeongwoo was already watching thest vertebra exit his body. Shirring! Just like before, Yeongwoo¡¯s original spine disappeared somewhere, and next, pieces of pale vertebrae descended to take their ce. Click. A locking sound emanated from Yeongwoo¡¯s back. Thensers appearing out of thin air began manipting his new spine. ¡°Argh, fuck¡­!¡± This time, again, ambiguous pain not meeting the criteria for the activation of the ¡®Berserker.¡¯ But it was enough pain for a human to lose their mind. ¡°These bastards!¡± As Yeongwoo cursed while the system seemed intentionally causing this, thesers finished post-processing his spine. Next. Thud, thud. Holographic forceps that had been wide open on Yeongwoo¡¯s dorsal skin started folding neatly. And then followed byser suturing. Ziiing! ¡°¡­¡­¡± This time, as the pain was much less than before, Yeongwoo gritted his teeth but didn¡¯t let out a groan. ¡°¡­Tough guy.¡± While saying so, Jeonggu couldn¡¯t help but admire Yeongwoo inwardly. It was evident that he was no ordinary guy, for better or for worse. ¡®But to think this bastard is Joseon¡¯s Greatest Sword¡­ the future of South Korea won¡¯t be smooth sailing.¡¯ Paah! As theser show ended, the surgical interfaces that had been disyed in the air were swiftly erased. Sasat. And as usual. Pah! The surgery table supporting Yeongwoo disappeared without a trace. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Suddenly affected by gravity, Yeongwoo reached out his arm just before his head hit the floor. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Thunk! And soon, the familiar system message appeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s view, directed towards the ground. ¡¸The lodging service service has begun.¡¹ ¡¸From now on, all buildings ssified as ¡®residences¡¯ will be in an invible state under the lodging system.¡¹ 9:00 PM. Finally, the lodging time hade. Thud, thud. Outside the room, Taewon Group employees were knocking on the door. ¡¸Anyone can upy the residence for a certain period by paying karma.¡¹ ¡¸During the lodging period, ess to the space can be controlled, and dormitory fees can be charged.¡¹ ¡°Mr. Jeong Yeongwoo, we¡¯re here to process the rental of the room.¡± The voices of the employees outside the door. Upon this, Yeongwoo hastily picked up his equipment from the floor, put it on, and opened the room¡¯s entrance. Duck! Then, three employees were seen waiting with a shelf of coins in their hands. ¡°If we disturbed your rest, we apologize. There was an instruction from the secretary¡¯s office to process the rental on time.¡± ¡°Yes, I heard from Suna.¡± As Yeongwoo nodded, making way for them, the employees pushed the shelf of coins into the room and activated the rental interface. Ping! ¡¸Would you like to use the rental service?¡¹ [Parnas Hotel Room 3233] | Space: Very spacious | Facilities: Bathroom, Television | Rental fee: 62,000 karma | Period: Until tomorrow morning at 10:00 AM ¡°All set. You can set the number of upants and use it now.¡± As the setting window appeared in front of the entrance of room 3233, the employees left with the empty shelf. And Yeongwoo waved goodbye to them and turned his gaze to the rental interface. ¡¸How many people are nning to stay? Please enter the number of upants.¡¹ ¡®Number of upants.¡¯ Today, it¡¯s the day when Mr. Kim Taejoon¡¯s family, Jongsu, and Taeyounge to watch television. ¡®So, if we count Mr. Kim Taejoon¡¯s family as three, add Jongsoo and Taeyoung, and finally me and my father¡­¡¯ Seven. After calcting, Yeongwoo set the room upancy to 7. ¡¸7¡¹ Then, the entrance to room 3233, wrapped in a blue shield, shed to indicate that the upancy setting had been reflected. ¡°So¡­ seven people are going to be in this room today¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. They¡¯re here to watch television. You can¡¯t watch it without renting.¡± As Yeongwoo opened the room to show the television himself, thest system message of 9:00 PM appeared. ¡¸For your information, tonight¡¯s weather is an ember storm.¡¹ ¡¸Please be aware of spontaneousbustion.¡¹ Today¡¯s weather forecast. ¡¸In 2 hours, an [abnormal climate] ember storm will ur.¡¹ ¡¸01:59:59¡¹ ¡®Ember storm? So, is it wind-based? It could also have a fire attribute.¡¯ Upon seeing the abnormal climate timer start, Yeongwoo nced at the Golden Goblin. ¡°Didn¡¯t I buy a cloak today? Something called ¡®Firewall¡¯.¡± As Yeongwoo scratched his temple and tried to remember the cloak¡¯s name, the goblin automatically rummaged through the pocket dimension. -Rustle! Eventually, what the Golden Goblin brought out was the unique cloak ¡®Firewall.¡¯ ¡¸Firewall¡¹ ¨C Unique Cape ¡¾Ignores all abnormal weather conditions with me attributes.¡¿ It disregards any abnormal climate rted to fire. So, even in an ember storm that would ignite the body, one could remain unharmed with this. ¡®So, does that mean I have two pieces of equipment that can target today¡¯s weather? If it¡¯s a storm, it¡¯s likely wind-based.¡¯ Yeongwoo invoked the tooltip of the narrative ne already registered in his jewelrypendium. Pop! ¡¸Eye of the Typhoon¡¹ ¨C Epic Ne ¡¾Ignores extreme weather of the wind type.¡¿ An equipment obtained afterpleting the achievement ¡®Nocturnal.¡¯ Since there hasn¡¯t been an abnormal climate of wind type so far, there¡¯s a high chance it can be used today. ¡®So, I¡¯ll use the Eye of the Typhoon myself, and with the Firewalll, I can take one more person with me tonight.¡¯ With a golden orb also tucked away, tonight¡¯s dungeon entry was confirmed. ¡®Am I going crazy? Why is my heart racing?¡¯ As Yeongwoo¡¯s face swelled with anticipation, Jeonggu, who noticed it all at once, looked at him with a terrifying gaze. ¡°Wha¡­ what¡¯s with the expression? What are you thinking again?¡± To this, Yeongwoo briefly looked out the window, which had turned ominously dark, before saying, ¡°Wanna go sightseeing?¡± At that, Jeonggu¡¯s face showed learned terror. ¡°Huh? Where¡­ to?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 162 Chapter 162 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 162: Hot Night (6) Sightseeing. Visiting other regions or countries to see their scenery, customs, and cultural heritage. Therefore, Yeongwoo¡¯s proposal made sense in terms of sightseeing. ¡°Where are we going? A dungeon. I¡¯ll take you there.¡± ¡°A dungeon¡­?¡± Upon hearing the name of the tourist spot, Jeonggu first tilted his head for a moment, then widened his eyes. That ce where you have to go out at night and activate the orb left by a mutant to enter. A space called a dungeon where people from all over the world gather to fight for their lives. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid, why should I go there?¡± ¡°It¡¯s worth a visit before you die. When else would you go to such a ce?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not the point¡­¡± Jeonggu, unable to speak, just opened his mouth silently. Then Yeongwoo continued. ¡°In the dungeon, it¡¯s very important not to betray yourrades and to adhere to the rules.¡± ¡°So, why do you want to go there with me? I¡¯d be free the moment you die, so why should I refrain from betraying you?¡± ¡°Betrayal. You haven¡¯t done it even though you had a chance.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jeonggu looked puzzled by Yeongwoo¡¯s words. Then, inadvertently, he pped his hands with a sudden realization. ¡°Oh, damn. Right.¡± If he really wanted to be free, he should have taken advantage of the moment when Jeong Yeongwoo07 was lying on the operating table, recing his spine. ¡°But there¡¯s no need to regret it. Your son, Don Jeong, could have beaten you even lying down.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s words were literally true. ¨C Weeing¡­ Because he had an automaticbat greatsword equipped with prisoner sword technique. How could an ordinary Dobong Strongest Sword fight against a legendary-grade weapon equipped with legendary martial arts? ¡°¡­This bastard is real.¡± ¡°And it¡¯s better to entrust the rear to one of our own than to trust foreigners.¡± And if it¡¯s a blood rtive, it¡¯s even better, Yeongwoo added. At this, Jeonggu nced at the sword at his waist and spoke up. ¡°Don¡¯t I have the right to refuse? Aren¡¯t there other Strongest Swords in Seoul? You could choose one from among them. They¡¯ll all probablye running if you ask.¡± ¡°Well, most of them I think are people who could stab me in the back whenever they want when I¡¯m in crisis. It¡¯s just natural because they are strangers.¡± Yeongwoo didn¡¯t think it was bad to betray others in a crisis situation. In this world, it was wise to bet on what was advantageous for oneself. That¡¯s why Yeongwoo highly appreciated Jongsu, who discovered him struggling in Chungju but didn¡¯t swing his sword. Because he was a truly rare character in the world after the reset. ¡®And another person who could do that has emerged.¡¯ None other than his father. Or rather, Kim Jeonggu, the candidate for father. Of course, he couldn¡¯t trust him entirely, but as mentioned earlier, he was more trustworthy than the other Strongest Swords in the meeting. But paradoxically. ¡°You have the right to refuse¡­ That¡¯s right. Because the dungeon is a ce where the will of the gods matters, forcibly dragging you along won¡¯t do any good.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± As Jeonggu hesitated to respond, Yeongwoo added a warning. ¡°You should know, father, that there is probably no one on the Korean Penins who can defeat me.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s probably true.¡± ¡°That means, if I die in the dungeon, the power of this country will greatly diminish.¡± ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that a bit of an overstatement?¡± ¡°The rewards in the dungeon are substantial. Just staying alive until the end guarantees unique equipment.¡± ¡°¡­It makes me realize once again that life is precious.¡± ¡°And more than anything else, do you want to see your son die betrayed by foreigners? Last time, I was lucky withrades, but who knows what will happen this time.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s words this time left Jeonggu speechless. Apart from whether he agreed with the term ¡®son,¡¯ the fact that the nation¡¯s leading Strongest Sword could die at the hands of foreigners was unpleasant. So when Jeonggu was about to find a suitable response, ¨C Weeing. The doorbell rang near the entrance to the room. As promised, Suna brought the people. ¡°The kids are here, father. Please rx your expression.¡± With these words, Yeongwoo took out the weapons strapped to his waist and handed them to the Golden Goblin. Then he gestured for ¡®Golden Trail¡¯ to hide behind the sofa. Then. ¨C Weeing. The sword reallyy quietly behind the sofa in the living room as Yeongwoo instructed. ¡°Should I draw my sword too?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°You should have told me that in advance.¡± Jeonggu hurriedly hid his sword behind the sofa in the living room. ¡°You¡¯re not hiding a dagger in your chest again, are you?¡± Yeongwoo confirmed that Jeonggu had returned hurriedly, then opened the door to the room. Click. Then, outside the door, Kim Taejoon¡¯s wife, Kim Seok, and their children, were standing side by side in the long corridor. ¡°Oh, CEO, pleasee in.¡± After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Yeongwoo chose to address Seok as a CEO. In fact, she was the head of the Moi Cultural Foundation. On the other hand, Jeonggu¡­ ¡°Oh, nice to meet you. I¡¯m Kim Jeonggu.¡± He bowed his head and reflexively extended his hand for a handshake. Swoosh. Seok also lightly shook hands with Jeonggu and introduced herself. ¡°Yes, nice to meet you. I¡¯m Kim Seok. These are my children.¡± As she introduced her son and Lee Hyun one by one, Lim Suna, who had been quietly standing in the corner of the corridor, told Yeongwoo. ¡°Your colleagues will be here soon.¡± And indeed, there was the sound of the elevator opening on the other side of the corridor. Swoosh. Then, two long shadows appeared in the corridor. It was none other than Jongsu and Taeyoung¡¯s silhouettes. ¡°Hyung!¡± Finally recognizing Yeongwoo, Jongsu dashed down the long corridor towards him. ¡°Nothing happened while I was away, right? I asked you toe because I thought there was something you might find interesting.¡± ¡°Oh, thanks to you, I¡¯ve been doing well¡­¡± As Jongsu chuckled as usual, he suddenly widened his eyes at the sight of Yeongwoo¡¯s changed title. ¡°Joseon¡­? What did you do again within half a day?¡± Then, Kwon Taeyoung, with his head bowed, approached, showing more interest in Jeonggu, who seemed like a police officer, as he was meeting him for the first time. ¡°Who is this¡­?¡± ¡°Kim Jeonggu. He¡¯s my father.¡± ¡°Yeongwoo¡¯s father¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As Yeongwoo introduced the two strangers to each other, Lim Suna, who had been watching them closely, quietly stepped back. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since the room was bustling. I¡¯ll go in first! If you need anything, call me on the walkie-talkie.¡± ¡°Yes. Thank you for your hard work.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Although Lim Suna had temporarily left, the corridor was still chaotic. It was natural with seven people remaining. ¡°Now, pleasee in. It¡¯s time to watch TV until 11 p.m.¡± * * * Television. To be precise, it should be called the television of the reset world. So far, Yeongwoo had only seen it in expensive residences like Room 3233 of the Parnas Hotel. And as such, on the reset version of television, unusual things were always broadcasted. ¡®Last time, it showed videos of experts from various countries sleeping and scenes of me promoting Dogo¡­ If you think about it, maybe different channelse out depending on the guests.¡¯ In particr, the fact that the television showed the rooms of returnees was crucial. Because Yeongwoo was the only one in Korea who considered mutants as ¡®friends.¡¯ ¡°Everyone please go to the bedroom.¡± Once again, Yeongwoo confirmed that there was a television in the bedroom and called everyone together. And when Detective Kwon Taeyoung approached the bedroom area, Yeongwoo cautiously pulled him aside and said. ¡°Detective.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Yeongwoo.¡± ¡°Do you still have it? The bracelet Commandermander used.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Taeyoung showed his right wrist. Swoosh. Sure enough, there was an artifact, a mutant-grade weapon, on his wrist. ¡¸Cross Knot¡¹- Mutant Bracelet ¡¾20% resistance to abilities¡¿ ¡¾¨CEmpty Slot¨C¡¿ An absurd equipment with 20% resistance to abilities on a single bracelet, with a gem slot attached. Until a few days ago, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t recognize the true value of this equipment, but now it was different. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the impertinence¡­ Can I use that bracelet? I¡¯ll give you a weapon that you can use right away in return.¡± When Yeongwoo instructed the Golden Goblin to open the dimensional pocket, artifacts and mutant-grade weapons slid out of the pocket as if on cue. Then, after seeing the weapons, Taeyoung, who was momentarily taken aback, looked back at Yeongwoo. ¡°It seems like you really need this bracelet.¡± ¡°Yes. I do.¡± Yeongwoo answered brazenly. Because 20% resistance to abilities had its value. And frankly speaking, for Taeyoung, who was finding it difficult to rise to the ranks of the strong, ability resistance didn¡¯t hold much significance. Because if he encountered a being that inflicted abilities, whether human or alien, he would probably die nine times out of ten. ¡°When you gave it to me in the first ce, it was out of kindness. If you need it, of course, I should give it to you. And I feel like Yeongwoo will use it much more meaningfully.¡± Taeyoung said as he willingly took off the bracelet and handed it over. Yeongwoo nodded slightly with a somewhat uneasy expression. Then, he took out a weapon from the Goblin¡¯s dimensional pocket and handed it to Taeyoung. ¡°Please take this, even if just for my peace of mind.¡± While it was true that it was easy to hand over mutant equipment without much hesitation, the sentiment was genuine nheless. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, thank you, I¡¯ll dly ept it,¡± Taeyoung replied. Finally, Taeyoung epted the authorized weapon from Yeongwoo, and at the same time, Jongsu called out to him. ¡°Hyung.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Something strange is showing on the television.¡± ¡°What? You¡¯ve already turned it on? Who did?¡± Why would they turn on the television when the children were present? Was it his reckless father? Startled, Yeongwoo quickly entered the bedroom, where he saw Kim Taejoon¡¯s family standing in a row by the bed, staring nkly at the television. In front of them, Jeonggu stood holding the remote. ¡®Ah.¡¯ Indeed, it was undoubtedly this audacious gentleman who pretended to know something while turning on the television. However, the problem was¡­ ¨CThese reactionary bastards must all be killed. It was a strange voice that was currently echoing in the room. ¡°Crazy.¡± As soon as he heard the voice, Yeongwoo felt chills down his spine. He seemed to know the owner of that voice, and he confirmed it through the reflection in the children¡¯s pupils from the television screen. ¨CKill them all! Don¡¯t let anyone get away with it. The strange voice echoing in the room. What was being broadcast on the television after the reset was none other than. [Dictator ¨C Kim Jong-un]. It was North Korea¡¯s Kim Jong-un, locked in a secret space, muttering to himself. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 163 Chapter 163 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 163: Hot Night (7) ¡°No, that¡­ ¡± ¡°¡­Uh?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± The figure appeared on television. However, no one in the audience dared to confirm it with their own eyes. Firstly, because it was so unrealistic that they couldn¡¯t believe their eyes, and secondly, they suddenly felt afraid. What if they mentioned his name, and he heard it? So, they all ended up deferring to each other to be the first eyewitness. Finally, Jeonggu called out his name. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that bastard¡­ Kim Jong-un?¡± After his name was called out, the man on the screen finally became ¡®Kim Jong-un¡¯. This prompted people in front of the television to start mentioning the name in question. ¡°Is that really him?¡± ¡°Why is Kim Jong-un there?¡± ¡°Is it really him?¡± In response, Yeongwoo snatched the remote from Jeonggu and hammered an idea into everyone¡¯s mind. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s Kim Jong-un.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Kim Jong-un. The General Secretary of the Workers¡¯ Party of Korea and Chairman of the State Affairs Commission. But now, he was an exiled figure, having received mass votes from North Korean residents and banished from this world. Or rather, a future enemy waiting to return as a mutant. ¡°I went to North Korea myself to hear it directly. Kim Jong-un is also a mutant. He¡¯s nning to return after bing a Geumgang Yaksha.¡± ¡°Oh my goodness.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a Geumgang Yaksha?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Yeongwoo hesitated as he attempted to describe Kim Jong-un on the screen. His current appearance was just like the human form Yeongwoo knew from before. ¡®Ah, mutants still maintain their human appearance in the waiting room.¡¯ Was it a principle simr to the returnee¡¯s room where friends resided? ¡°¡­¡± Yeongwoo reluctantly spread his arms wide, making a gesture that seemed to scare people. ¡°He¡¯s a monster with six arms, wielding six weapons. And he has three heads.¡± ¡°Three heads?¡± Jeonggu reacted to Yeongwoo¡¯s description of Kim Jong-un¡¯s transformation. ¡°Then, does hee out with your grandpa and great-grandpa¡¯s heads too?¡± ¡°My goodness.¡± ¡°Hey, what are you talking about in front of the kids?¡± Seok, feeling somewhat ufortable, protested. However, Yeongwoo was surprised by the unexpected perspective. ¡°Huh¡­? That could be possible, right? Why did they choose ¡®Kim Jong-un¡¯ out of all those monsters?¡± If that were true, Kim Jong-un¡¯s return would be the worst event for the North Korean residents. They would witness all three generations of the Kim family who had oppressed them at once. ¨CThe significance of the current existence of Pyongyang¡¯s Strongest Sword is the assassination of the General Secretary. Most people are waiting for that. ording to Jo Seonghu, now a deceased Shinuiju Strongest Sword, killing Kim Jong-un is what most North Korean residents wish for. ¡®It would definitely be a huge event.¡¯ Even the Strongest Sword asked Yeongwoo to take care of things before leaving. ¨DBut what if I end up killing the Strongest Sword of Pyeongyang before the duel? ¨DUnfortunately, if that were to happen¡­ at least you should support our wish, shouldn¡¯t you? Yeongwoo thought that this was a moment that well demonstrated how much the survivors of North Korea feared and hated Kim Jong-un. ¡®What else would Kim Jong-un do after he finishes organizing North Korea? He¡¯ll probablye south.¡¯ Moreover, ironically, even without the Strongest Sword¡¯s testament, Yeongwoo was destined to confront Kim Jong-un anyway. Coincidentally, the title of ¡®Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¯, originally meant for the confrontation with Kim Jong-un, was now with Yeongwoo. ¡°Yeongwoo!¡± Finally, Seok sharply called out Yeongwoo¡¯s name, snapping him back to reality. ¡°What about the kids¡¯ dad? Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯ll let them see my husband?¡± Kim Jong-un continued his chilling soliloquy on the screen. That was why she urgently asked to change the channel. ¡°Oh, right. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Yeongwoo nced at Kim Jong-un on the screen. Seeing him plotting revenge in that grim space, Yeongwoo thought he understood why the returnees from other worlds were so angry. Click! As Yeongwoo changed the channel with the remote, a ck screen appeared again. ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°W-What¡¯s this now¡­?¡± People in the audience made terrified expressions. After witnessing the spectacle of Kim Jong-un, everyone in this ce had be aware of what they were seeing was by no means a regr television. Therefore. ¡°Uh, Yeongwoo?¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Everyone in this ce turned their gaze to Yeongwoo, who had the most extraordinary experience from another world. In response, Yeongwoo said. ¡°Um, well¡­¡± He watched as a slowly appearing square logo emerged on the previously pitch-ck screen. Then, he suddenly realized, this channel was associated with the intergctic adult content productionpany ¡°Lemu.¡± ¡°This is the Lemu logo.¡± As Yeongwoo muttered almost as if possessed, Seok asked, ¡°Lemu¡­? What¡¯s that?¡± Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but look at Seok¡¯s children. How could he possibly say that we were watching intergctic adult content in front of them? In a proper manner. Then, after the Lemu logo disappeared, an instruction message in anguage understandable to Earthlings appeared. ¡¸It¡¯s a paid channel. To make a payment, please pick up the phone and dial 992 0909#.¡¹ ¡®As expected.¡¯ As expected, this seemed to be the adult channel broadcasting Lemu¡¯s content, and it required payment to ess it. ¡°¡­¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze naturally drifted towards the phone by the bedside. Until now, he had only used it for wake-up calls, but it seemed that you could also make payments with it. ¡°Should we switch to the next channel for now? It seems like Kim Taejoon isn¡¯t here.¡± When Yeongwoo suggested this, Jeonggu jumped up as if to say, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?¡± ¡°Hey, you¡¯re rich, aren¡¯t you? Aren¡¯t you curious about this?¡± ¡°¡­Please be quiet. We don¡¯t have time, so let¡¯s just move on for now.¡± After gesturing for Jeonggu to be quiet, Yeongwoo manipted the remote again. Click! Finally, the channel Yeongwoo wanted appeared. In an instant, the screen turnedpletely white. ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°Whoa, what¡¯s this?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] As everyone, except Yeongwoo, shielded their eyes from the suddenly bright screen, voices from people came through the television speaker. ¨DTo be fooled by such a young brat at my age. ¨DI guess it¡¯s natural to have such thoughts at this point. It¡¯s hard to know how much time has passed. It was none other than the voices of General Kim Younghyeom and Hong Yeongtae. ¡°Oh¡­ General.¡± Yeongwoo took a step closer to the television with joy. General Kim Younghyeom, like other ¡®friends,¡¯ was also in human form inside the returnee¡¯s room. ¨DWhen is he going to call us? ¨DNobody knows for sure. We just have to wait. Would you like me to turn the hourss? Hong Yeongtae handed over arge hourss rolling around his heel. And when Kim Younghyeom, who received the hourss, held it, he was entirely white, reminiscent of his appearance as a mutant. He was wearing white pajamas, and even his hair and eyebrows were dyed white. ¨DDamn it! When Kim Younghyeom, who had been holding the hourss, couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and threw the clock to the ground, Kim Taejoon, who was walking from afar, picked it up and ced it upright again. ¨DAre you really angry? I was like that at first too. Kim Taejoon¡¯s voice was transmitted through the television, frightening his family members who were looking at the screen. ¡°Honey?¡± ¡°Oh, Dad!¡± ¡°Dad¡­!¡± Moreover, weren¡¯t theyplete humans on the screen, not mutants? For Kim Taejoon¡¯s family, it couldn¡¯t have been a more joyful moment. The only regret was. ¡®It¡¯s one-waymunication. Still, it would be better if they got a television from that side.¡¯ Yeongwoo looked at Seok and her two children, feeling a bit disappointed. Of course, there was no guarantee that televisions purchasable in the returnee¡¯s room would broadcast this side of the world. ¡®But the probability is quite high. At least one of the several channels should show this side.¡¯ As Yeongwoo was thinking this, Kim Taejoon on the screen started talking about television. ¨DBy the way, when can we buy our television? It was a timing of lines as if the family unconsciously felt they were being watched. At this, Yeongtae took out what looked like a white menu whileying on his buttocks. ¨DWell¡­ The points we get each time we participate vary so much that it¡¯s hard to predict. ¨DNo, we can still calcte the average. This furious voice was from General Kim Younghyeom. ¨DSince the amount of points we receive depends on our achievements, if we fight Kim Jong-un as you wish, General, we can solve it all in one shot, right? ¨DOh, that¡¯s right. We haven¡¯t fought that bastard yet. The magic word, the three letters of Kim Jong-un, softened General Kim Younghyeom¡¯s anger a bit. ¨DIf we average it out, it should be about two more times in the future? A television is quite expensive. Yeongtae calmed down the two middle-aged men as a veteran. ¨DBut didn¡¯t we wait quite a bit already? He should be calling soon, right? Hong Yeongtae boasted an incredible sense of feeling. In fact, if they entered the night dungeon soon, they would be called. ¡®At this point, I should call them even if I don¡¯t need to.¡¯ As Yeongwoo was fiddling with the whistle, Jeonggu approached cautiously and asked, ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°What on earth is all this? Who¡¯s inside there?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Apparently, Jeonggu wasn¡¯tpletely aware of ¡®friends¡¯ and the whistle. ¡°Those people are mutants.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Strictly speaking, they used to be mutants. Now, they¡¯re my colleagues.¡± Yeongwoo exined that if he blew the whistle, three former mutants would appear. ¡°Aii, this bastard really thinks I¡¯m a fool.¡± At this, Jeonggu naturally didn¡¯t believe it. It was such a radical im that even as a current Strongest Sword, it was hard to ept. ¡°Do you think you can just call mutants like it¡¯s nothing? Does that make sense?¡± ¡°I have a sword that flies on its own. Can¡¯t I summon mutants?¡± ¡°Hey, that¡¯s apletely different story.¡± As he said this, Jeonggu rolled his eyes. He was imagining the scene where mutants would jump out when the whistle was blown. Since he was Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s biological father, he couldn¡¯t help it, so his curiosity was enormous. ¡°Instead of that, have you considered going to the dungeon? You were about to say something earlier before you drank it.¡± As Yeongwoo tried to wrap up the dungeon talk since the topic came up, Jeonggu awkwardly took a step back. ¡°Why are you so persistent in bothering me like this?¡± ¡°Why did you even give birth to me? You should have listened to Father and started a business so you could receive blessings.¡± ¡°No, I keep saying this, but I¡­¡± As Jeonggu tried to deny his son¡¯s existence again, Yeongwoo interrupted his dialogue. ¡°Level 1 supporting role.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Father is a Level 6 extra. But ording to the destiny book, Mother was a Level 1 supporting role.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s words, not only Jeonggu but everyone in the bedroom concealed their presence and listened intently. ¡°Level 6 humans generally don¡¯t live a good life. So the rtionship with a Level 1 supporting role must be a very special event. It¡¯s a story that you wouldn¡¯t easily forget.¡± ¡°What are you talking about now, and such words should¡­¡± Flustered, Jeonggu looked around, his face dripping with cold sweat. In this ce, there was Seok, her two children, and even Jongsu and the current police officer Lwon Taeyoung, whom he had just met today. However, this insane orphan who had experienced everything from pre-birth to interster warfare didn¡¯t know when to back down. ¡°Tell me, Father! Have you ever met a woman who¡¯s difficult to find in a horoscope? Not even once¡­!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 164 Chapter 164 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 164: Hot Night (8) ¡°Man, this guy is really insane.¡± Jeonggu, who had his life publicly auctioned off, was so shocked that he couldn¡¯t even speak. Level 6 human. That¡¯s right. That was the truth. Jeonggu himself had confirmed his internal Level and even his miserable fate through the destiny record he received on the first day of the reset. But. ¡®Level 1 supporting role¡­? What nonsense is this? I¡¯ve never had such a thing¡­.¡¯ Jeonggu, with an expression that said it was absurd, momentarily felt something catching and jerked his body. At that moment, Yeongwoo noticed it and questioned his father, ¡°See, there¡¯s something, right? Who is my mother?¡± ¡°W¡­ Wait. You¡¯re out of your mind.¡± Jeonggu looked at Yeongwoo as if he were annoying, but at the same time, he began to scrutinize the face of this Level 4 orphan. ¡°¡­..¡± Considering the age difference between the two, when Jeong Yeongwoo was created, Kim Jeonggu¡¯s age was between twenty-three and twenty-four. Therefore, the woman Jeonggu met and had a rtionship with at that time became Yeongwoo¡¯s likely birth mother. And Jeonggu thought, ¡®¡­It couldn¡¯t be. It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡¯ In his naive mid-twenties, he had experienced an unusual event. That was precisely¡­. ¡°Have you seen anything else in the destiny record? Like your grandfather¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Grandfather?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyebrows twitched at the unexpected keyword, and Jeonggu¡¯s gaze shifted to the empty space. ¡°Back in the old days, I used to go to clubs.¡± ¡°Clubs?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s mouth hung open. He probably knew what woulde next. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re going to tell me that you just met my mother and had a one-night stand through a night reservation. Right?¡± ¡°¡­..¡± ¡°Oh, damn it.¡± Unable to say anything, Jeonggu was grabbed by the cor by Yeongwoo in anger. Crack! The cor grabber of the Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword. With a strength that a mere Strongest Sword couldn¡¯t match, Jeonggu barely managed to catch his breath. ¡°This guy is really¡­!¡± ¡°Is that really the best you can think of, Dad? Is that really the biggest event of your life?¡± Yeongwoo, who stood over two meters tall, shouted at his father¡¯s face, and Jeonggu shook his head vigorously in response. ¡°I-I mean, it wasn¡¯t just a one-night stand.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°She was a conglomerate.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°The other party was Jinhyeon Group¡¯s youngest daughter.¡± Jinhyeon Group. A conglomerate that owned various subsidiaries in tourism, hotels, shipping, including Jinju Airlines, one of the top three airlines in the country. Ranked second in the domestic business world before the reset, it was one level above Taewon, which currently dominates Gangnam. In other words, Jeonggu was referring to a conglomerate family recognizable by name. ¡°What? Jinhyeon? That¡¯s insane. No matter how much of a knight you were, does it make sense for someone from there to be involved with someone like you?¡± Then, for the first time, Jeonggu showed signs of anger and opened his eyes wide. ¡°You think I knew? Thanks to her, I was dragged out while sleeping and almost beaten to death.¡± He exined that he had been attacked by Jinhyeon¡¯s employees after sleeping together in an inn without knowing that she was the youngest daughter of Jinhyeon. It was the early 1990s, so the situation wasn¡¯t entirely imusible. ¡°¡­Damn it, but it still doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± Yeongwoo found it hard to believe. To this, Jeonggu retorted with a look of disbelief. ¡°See, don¡¯t you believe me? That¡¯s how I¡¯ve been feeling all this time.¡± And then, still not calming down, he continued, ¡°And I still can¡¯t think of you as my son. No, I can¡¯t. You know why?¡± Snap. Jeonggu clenched his fist. ¡°There is no way the woman who calmly got into the car after seeing me being beaten up outside gave birth to my child.¡± ¡°¡­..¡± It was a valid point. From the perspective of a father, or rather Jeonggu, it couldn¡¯t be thought otherwise. And even in Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes, it seemed to be the case. ¡°But¡­ you are my father.¡± ¡°This crazy bastard till the end!¡± Crack! This time Jeonggu grabbed Yeongwoo by the cor, causing Seok, who had been watching them, to shout in surprise. ¡°Both of you, shut up!¡± Seok, the representative of the Moi Cultural Foundation, which loves artists, scolded them with a dignified tone. At hermand, the two Strongest Sword involuntarily stopped their quarrel and widened their eyes. ¡°¡­.!¡± Then, Seok, who had regained herposure, continued speaking with a calm breath. ¡°No, is this really happening? We came here to see my husband, not to watch you two fight. Of course, Yeongwoo, I appreciate your concern, but you should control yourself.¡± Then she looked at Kim Taejoon, the representative on the screen, with a pitiful gaze. ¡°And strictly speaking, isn¡¯t Yeongwoo using us as a cover to work my husband for free?¡± ¡°Madam, that, that¡¯s¡­.¡± When Yeongwoo, at a loss for words, began to sweat, Seok shot him a sharp re. ¡°I¡¯m not asking for anything grand, just show some basic manners. Don¡¯t argue in front of the kids.¡± ¡°¡­I apologize, Madam.¡± Yeongwoo raised his head, addressing Seok with a more respectful title, realizing that this wasn¡¯t a good scene for children¡¯s education. ¡°And¡­¡± Seok hesitated for a moment, unlike before, seeming to be trying to say something different. Then she cautiously spoke up. ¡°She might have just given birth. It couldn¡¯t be helped.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°W-What do you mean?¡± When both men asked in confusion, Seok repeated herself. ¡°That woman might have given birth involuntarily. She might not have had the courage to kill the child.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Since it was the opinion of a current mother, neither Yeongwoo nor Jeonggu could say anything. So in the end, ¡°Father, let¡¯s talk about this separatelyter.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± At this point, Jeonggu couldn¡¯t argue further. ¡°¡­Alright. Let¡¯s settle this in a quieter ceter.¡± Eventually, the conversation ended with Jeonggu feeling his privacy vited, and soon a notice appeared indicating that the night was progressing. ¨DTax will be collected from 10:00 PM onwards. ¨DThe basic tax amount is 1,000 karma, and tax defaulters will be instantly extinguished at the time of collection. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Is it already thiste¡­.¡± It was time for tax payment. ¡°Are the children¡¯s taxes all prepared?¡± Yeongwoo asked Seok just in case, and she nodded. ¡°Yes. A while ago, someone named Lim Suna handed me some coins.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Indeed, she was acting like a true secretary of a conglomerate. Then what remained was, ¡°Is there anyone here who doesn¡¯t have enough cash to pay the taxes on the spot?¡± Yeongwoo looked around the room and everyone nodded. Jeonggu, as the Dobong Strongest Sword, had enough cash, and Jongsu and Taeyoung had financial flexibility as they were part of Taewon Group¡¯s job cement, which yed a significant role in the monster business. ¡°Good.¡± Yeongwoo checked his wristwatch. It was almost 10:00 PM. And shortly after. Beep. An rm rang from Yeongwoo¡¯s wristwatch, indicating that it was 10:00 PM, and a system message appeared. ¨DTax will now be collected. Then the hands of those holding coins began to move simultaneously. nk, nk! [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] And for Yeongwoo, Swish¡­! A feeling as if a wind passed through his whole body apanied the appearance of a tax notice. |Basic tax amount: 1,000 |Deduction item: Single household |Final tax amount: 500 ¡®It¡¯s the same asst time.¡¯ Yeongwoo blinked as he looked at the notice. But this was his misconception. Thud! Immediately, another message appeared in his view. ¡¸Your business ssification has been changed to ¡®individual business-advertising agency.¡¯¡¹ ¡®Huh¡­?¡¯ ¡¸As a result, your tax status has been changed from ¡®simple taxation¡¯ to ¡®general taxation,¡¯ and there will be changes to the basic tax amount starting from tomorrow, June 14, 2025.¡¹ ¡®What does this mean? Taxes are going up starting tomorrow?¡¯ In fact, it meant that they would charge more taxes by considering Yeongwoo as a businessman who started earning a lot of money through the contract with Dogo. ¡®How much¡­ how much will the taxes increase?¡¯ It was a fact that he had earned a considerable amount in a decidedly unconventional manner on Earth, so there was no dispute about having to pay the corresponding taxes. It felt a bit unfair, but that was the reality. ¡®But still, shouldn¡¯t they at least tell us the estimated tax amount? So that we can prepare for it.¡¯ However, there were no follow-up messages. It ended with just telling them that they would have to pay more taxes in the future. ¡®I can¡¯t believe these guys.¡¯ There was no point in grumbling to thin air, but Yeongwoo quickly changed his mind. ¡®Anyway, since I have to call the chairman after finishing the dungeon tonight, I¡¯ll just ask him directly. Usually, for a personal business of this scale, they should give an estimate of how much the taxes would be.¡¯ And maybe Dogo would introduce him to a tax consultant for advertising models. Anyway, what mattered now was¡­ ¡®Tonight, I¡¯ll take Father to the dungeon and survive.¡¯ * * * 10:52 PM. About 8 minutes left until he would bring Father into the heart of the storm. Yeongwoo was now in the living room, talking with Jeonggu. ¡°Anyway, there¡¯s no doubt that I was right. The fact that it finds the target we want has already been verified once.¡± ¡¸Wanted Poster¡¹ ¨C Epic ¡¾Find what you want.¡¿ |Father Previously, Yeongwoo had used this fountain pen to find Kim Taejoon¡¯s family. So logically, Jeonggu, whom he found in the same way, had to be Yeongwoo¡¯s father. ¡°Right. Let¡¯s assume for the sake of argument that I¡¯m your father. What happens next? Are you going to kill me? What crime have Imitted?¡± ¡°While the world is falling apart, and your son hase to you in difficult times, you¡¯re worried about your own life? What kind of father are you? I¡¯ve seen fathers in movies, they weren¡¯t like that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s a movie¡­!¡± Whispering and shouting, Jeonggu nced toward the bedroom. ¡°Of course, you may really be my son. But aren¡¯t you trying to kill your father?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve never had a son who looked at me at first sight, so it¡¯s understandable, isn¡¯t it?¡± When Yeongwoo said this, Jeonggu pointed to the ¡°Wanted Poster.¡± ¡°That.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°How can you be sure it didn¡¯t make a mistake? It could have malfunctioned temporarily.¡± ¡°Hah.¡± Yeongwoo chuckled, disying extreme tolerance. He hadn¡¯t double-checked the tracking mark, as Jeonggu suggested. ¡°Fine. Then let¡¯s change the target and try to find Father again.¡± ¡°O-Okay.¡± Jeonggu hesitated at Yeongwoo¡¯s words. ¡°Uncle passed away, right? To the Strongest Sword of Uijeongbu.¡± ¡°What else are you trying to do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to input ¡®Uncle¡¯ here. So, at least the search target will change or reset.¡± And if the ¡°Wanted Poster¡± disyed an arrow when ¡°Uncle¡± was entered, it would mean that the wanted poster was also making a mistake. After all, there was no way to find someone who was already dead. Quickly. As Yeongwoo lifted the Epic fountain pen to re-enter the search target, Jeonggu tensed up. Tap! |Uncle Soon, a new search target appeared on the wanted poster, and shortly after¡­ Tswat! A new tracking mark appeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s field of vision. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s¡­ what¡¯s going on? Why is that?¡± It was none other than¡­ ¡¸X¡¹ ¡°I see an X. It¡¯s a new mark I¡¯ve never seen before. It seems to appear when searching for someone who¡¯s dead.¡± Of course, there could be other possibilities. ¡°Maybe it just shows up uniformly when searching for non-existent targets.¡± So Yeongwoo changed the search target once more. Tap! |Elder Brother A target that might not have even been born in this world to begin with. Then, the mark in his field of vision disappearedpletely, and an alert message appeared. ¡¸Non-existent target.¡¹ ¡®Ah.¡¯ Now it was clear. The wanted poster distinguished between targets that never existed and those that did exist but were no longer alive. ¡®Then if I search for Mother, I¡¯ll get the same X mark.¡¯ Because of the achievement of being a ¡°Complete Orphan,¡± which implied his mother¡¯s death, Yeongwoo had never inputted her into the wanted poster before. ¡®So, should I give it a try?¡¯ He immediately entered Mother as a new search target. Pop! |Mother Then, once again, a tracking mark appeared in his field of vision, but its shape was¡­ ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡¸¡÷¡¹ ¡°A triangle?¡± As Yeongwoo voiced his confusion, his wristwatch sounded an rm. Beep! 11:00 PM. Then, a system message appeared in everyone¡¯s field of vision. ¡¸An [Abnormal Weather] Ember Typhoon is forming as of now.¡¹ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 165 Chapter 165 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 165: Hot Night (9) Kwaaaah¡­! Simultaneously with the abnormal weather alert, the scenery outside the living room window turned reddish. It was indeed the beginning of a wildfire typhoon. ¡°My, my goodness.¡± As Jeonggu opened his mouth wide and looked out the window, the flying embers hitting the ss made sharp noises. Titi-titic! ¡°Is this really okay?¡± As it was the first time Jeonggu looked at abnormal weather through such arge ss window, he turned to his son, no, Yeongwoo, with a fearful expression. To which Yeongwoo, still fixated on the traces in front of him, said, ¡°Mom¡¯s name, what is it?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the name of the youngest daughter of Jinhyeon Group who left after hitting Dad?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Song Jiseon.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Song Jiseon. Even Yeongwoo, who had little interest in politics, had heard of the name. The so-called ¡®Iron-blooded Empress¡¯ Song Jiseon. Once, there were articles all over the inte about how she defeated her two older brothers in the battle for control of the conglomerate. ¡®That group was Jinhyeon.¡¯ And that means. ¡®Wait. Two older brothers¡­?¡¯ If Song Jiseon, thest owner of Jinhyeon Group, was really Yeongwoo¡¯s biological mother, then naturally, he would have two uncles as well. Uncles who were likely to be mutants, being from a conglomerate background. ¡®What kind of bullshit is this?¡¯ What started as a small snowball rolling by Kim Jeonggu, a Level 6 human, 30 years ago, had led to this situation. The by-product of the Night Booking in the 90s and the hidden child of the secondrgest conglomerate in Korea, Jinhyeon Group, was none other than Jeong Yeongwoo, known as ¡°Joseon¡¯s Greatest Sword.¡± ¡°Then Mom must be a mutant too. Or she might have been hit and disappeared.¡± As Yeongwoo imagined his mother transformed into a dragon, Jeonggu scratched his chin. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°Not sure?¡± ¡°As you know, it was really busy at the beginning of the reset. So, I didn¡¯t pay much attention to all the mutant notices.¡± At that time, Jeonggu never dreamed that Song Jiseon had given birth to his child, and even if she had, surviving was a struggle. So Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t me Jeonggu for that. ¡°Well, after the exchange area, there was no chance to keep track of all the mutant notices.¡± And if she had been hit and disappeared, he didn¡¯t know if she was in some dungeon, serving time in a miserable state. ¡®Well, whatever happens, we¡¯ll have to wait a bit longer to find out.¡¯ After reaching his own conclusion, Yeongwoo put his lips to the ring, ¡°Wave.¡± ¡¶If you have equipment to respond to abnormal weather today, pleasee to the Parnas entrance immediately. Departing in 10 minutes.¡· It was a broadcast notice without much expectation. So far, the Strongest Swords of Seoul had been so focused on raising their stats that they hadn¡¯t properly utilized the merchants. ¡°Who woulde?¡± As expected, when Jeonggu asked this, Yeongwoo shook his head. ¡°There are a few who want to go to the dungeons, but they probably haven¡¯t found the equipment yet.¡± Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword Oh Yeonhee, and Seocho¡¯s Strongest Sword Choi Namhee, and Jo Sangik of Gwanak were among those who could enter the dungeons on their own, to some extent, they were people with faith. So Yeongwoo was hoping they would show up within 10 minutes. ¡®But it¡¯s unlikely. Unless they¡¯ve deliberately met all the merchants in Seoul.¡¯ Shoom. ¡°Cloak.¡± As Yeongwoo pped his hands toward the Golden Goblin, the creature opened a pocket dimension and pulled out a dusky cloak. -Kikit! It was none other than equipment for Jeonggu. ¡¸Firewall¡¹ ¨C Unique Cape ¡¾Ignores all abnormal weather conditions with me attributes.¡¿ ¡°Put this on. We¡¯ll have to go out soon.¡± When Yeongwoo pointed out the window where red embers were flying, Jeonggu made a terrible expression. ¡°¡­Are you serious?¡± ¡°Stop talking too much and get dressed quickly.¡± In response to Yeongwoo¡¯s torch, Jeonggu mumbled alone and put on a red cloak. ¡°You¡¯ll have to wait downstairs for 10 minutes before we depart.¡± ¡°So if someone manages to break through that typhoon¡­ will all three of us go?¡± ¡°Yes. Anyone whoes.¡± After saying this, Yeongwoo went to the bedroom with a television and spoke to Seok and Jongsu, and Taeyoung. ¡°As I mentioned before, it would be better to limit the TV for the kids up to here. There¡¯s another bed in the room across, so let them sleep there.¡± Then, not knowing the exact reason, Kwon Taeyoung cautiously asked, ¡°Mr. Yeongwoo, excuse me, but may I ask why?¡± To this, Yeongwoo lifted the whistle hanging around his neck and showed it. ¡°Soon, we¡¯ll need to summon the whistle in the dungeon, and we won¡¯t know what will appear on TV at that time.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Taeyoung agreed soon after hearing this. Seok nodded as if understanding. ¡°Got it. Since it¡¯s gettingte, we should let the kids sleep early.¡± ¡°So¡­ Are you going out now, Yeongwoo?¡± At Taeyoung¡¯s question, Yeongwoo nced briefly at Jeonggu in the living room and told Jongsu and Taeyoung, ¡°Yes. And since we don¡¯t know what will happen in the dungeon, if I¡¯m unlucky, I might die.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°If that happens, go find Jo Sangik, Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword. He won¡¯t be there to worry about it as much as before, but he won¡¯t just leave you alone.¡± After leaving this nonchnt advice, Yeongwoo looked at the television screen still illuminating the room of the returnees. Now, three men dependent on Yeongwoo were sitting closely together, staring intently at an hourss. * * * 11:16 PM. ¡°¡­They¡¯re noting. Or rather, they can¡¯te.¡± ¡°Whatever it is, in the end, it¡¯s just the two of us.¡± Even after the announced 10 minutes had passed, no one appeared in the lobby of the Parnas Hotel. Either no one had equipment to withstand the ember typhoon, or they had the equipment butcked the courage. Of course, since the hotel lobby was no longer a residence, it was filled with heat to the extent that space seemed to ripple. ¡°We can¡¯t help it. Let¡¯s go now.¡± With determination, Yeongwoo opened the hotel entrance without hesitation, causing Jeonggu to hesitate. ¡°I¡­ This is my first time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my second time too.¡± With these words, Yeongwoo stepped outside toward the hotel. Click. Red embers struck Yeongwoo¡¯s body indiscriminately, leaving red marks all over. However¡­ ¡¸Eye of the Typhoon¡¹ ¨C Epic Ne ¡¾Ignores extreme weather of the wind type.¡¿ For Yeongwoo, who received the effect of the ¡°Eye of the Typhoon,¡± there was no harm at all. As expected, the ember typhoon was a wind-type abnormal weather. ¡°Come out. You won¡¯t go that far.¡± When Yeongwoo gestured for him to hurry up, Jeonggu slowly pushed his body out of the lobby, stumbling. ¡°¡­Is it really okay?¡± Jeonggu, still unable to dispel his fear, asked once again, and Yeongwoo pointed to his father¡¯s toe. ¡°You¡¯re already fine.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Toot-toot! In fact, Jeonggu¡¯s toes, which had just been brought out of the lobby, had been exposed to the embers for a while now. In fact, he had been protected by the ¡°fire shield¡± all the way from the corridor outside the room. ¡°Oh¡­!¡± Jeonggu, opening his eyes wide in surprise, but not feeling any heat, stretched his arm out further, which had been kept inside the hotel. Toot! Simrly, even though his bare hands were fully exposed to the ember typhoon without gloves, nothing happened this time either. ¡°Whew.¡± Jeonggu finally let out a relieved breath. Then, with a determined face, he pushed his whole body into the ember typhoon. ¡°Whoa!¡± The terrifying energy of the mes enveloped his whole body. ¡°Oh¡­ my goodness.¡± It felt like driving a car with the windows wide open at high speed, and the sound ofrge trees swaying in the wind continued to echo in his ears. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Shoo-oo-oo-oo¡­! This was the sound of countless embers filling the air, hitting the walls of the building or colliding with each other. ¡°Amazing, right?¡± Beyond the noise of the embers, the voice of Jeong Yeongwoo could be heard. He was already sitting on the back of the iron horse, waiting for his father. ¡°Get on.¡± When Yeongwoo extended his hand wrapped in golden armor from the iron horse, Jeonggu grabbed it as if possessed. Then, with a push, Joseon¡¯s Greatest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo, lifted him up and put him in the back seat with ease. ¡°Father.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°You know I can¡¯t swim yet?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°But now I walk through the mes and ride through the darkness between the obsidian rain. That¡¯s the world we live in now. There¡¯s no need to fear the strange anymore. Such things will bemonce from now on.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jeonggu still couldn¡¯t fully grasp Yeongwoo¡¯s words. But at least one thing seemed certain. That Jeong Yeongwoo was a person perfectly suited to this insane world. It could be seen as embracing a new world. And such a person¡­ ¡®Perhaps, this is my son¡­,¡¯ he thought. Now the only bloodline left in this world. Also, even if this body rotted away, his legacy would remain in this world for some time. Yet Jeonggu still couldn¡¯t feel the sense of ¡®son¡¯ from the monster in front of him. Perhaps, just like Jeong Yeongwoo, who had never experienced having a son in his life, he didn¡¯t exactly know what ¡®son¡¯ meant and was wandering in search of the concept of ¡®father¡¯. ¡°Where are we going now?¡± Jeonggu asked, looking at Yeongwoo¡¯srge back. Then another strange word came out of the mouth of the monster who imed to be his son. ¡°Since Gwangjin-gu has practically be a vast open space, we¡¯ll go there and open the dungeon.¡± ck, ck! At Yeongwoo¡¯smand, Negwig began to run through the ember storm. ¡°Of course, there¡¯s one variable.¡± ¡°¡­Variable?¡± ¡°Yes. Just because we enter through the same entrance doesn¡¯t guarantee we¡¯ll be moved to the same dungeon.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Of course, before the dungeon starts, you can always leave, so don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief, but¡­¡± ¡°Anyway, if we enter the dungeon and you don¡¯t see me, you have toe out before all the slots are filled. As I mentioned before, there¡¯s no guarantee that the dungeon can be cleared.¡± As the two conversed, Negwig began to cross the Cheongdam Bridge, connecting Gangnam and Gwangjin-gu. ck, ck! As they were about to cross the bridge, Jeonggu panicked when he saw arge hole in the middle of the bridge. ¡°What the hell is that again?¡± To him, it seemed like the bridge had copsed due to abnormal weather. But in reality¡­ ¡°¡­I did that.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°I shot some arrows there.¡± ¡°You did that just by shooting arrows¡­?¡± Technically, it was the spot where a Wyvern returned and an intuitive arrow was ced in the head of Seoul Metropolitan Councilor Kim Seokshin. However, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t feel confident enough to exin this in detail, so he just brushed it off. ¡°Think of it as evidence of a fight with a mutant.¡± He then pointed ahead and instructed the Golden Goblin. ¡°Put the sphere over there. We¡¯re going to open the dungeon from there.¡± -Kik! Upon hearing this, the Goblin took out a golden sphere from the spatial pocket and jumped off Negwig. Thud! The sphere, which had been emitting golden light when taken out, quickly lost its light and turned ck, even in Jeonggu¡¯s eyes. ¡°¡­!¡± It was an ominous sight that couldn¡¯t help but be seen as an onught. ¡°Th-the sphere is ck?¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it¡¯s supposed to be.¡± On the other hand, Yeongwoo, who already had experience entering dungeons, casually jumped off the horse. ¡°Get down. You can¡¯t bring horses or ves into the dungeon anyway.¡± ¡°It¡¯s one thing after another.¡± Jeonggu made a disgusted expression. But what could they do at this point? The goblin had already ced the ck sphere on the outskirts of Gwangjin-gu, and now all Yeongwoo had to do was touch it to open the dungeon. ¡°Come closer. Since we don¡¯t know how the dungeon will open.¡± ¡°W-what do you mean?¡± Jeonggu approached Yeongwoo with a puzzled look on his face, and when they were close enough, Yeongwoo put his hand on the ck sphere. Tap! ¡°Last time, a pyramid emerged, so if a different dungeon appears every time, then naturally¡­¡± Just as Yeongwoo was about to continue exining how the dungeons appeared differently, suddenly both of them were lifted into the air. No, it was more urate to say that the ground they were standing on shot up into the sky. Which meant¡­ ¡®It¡¯s a tower.¡¯ In other words, they were now standing on top of a tower that had risen from below the ground. ¡°W-what is this? How high does it go?¡± Jeonggu¡¯s bewildered voice was apanied by a message that appeared in the air between them. ¡¸No ves can apany you in this dungeon.¡¹ Then, the golden goblin standing on Yeongwoo¡¯s foot was ejected from the top of the tower. -Kekeke¡­! It screamed as it fell to the ground, its tail stretched out long. Yeongwoo watched the goblin, now a small dot, fall before turning to Jeonggu. ¡°Unfortunately, it seems this dungeon doesn¡¯t allow for an immediate return.¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Jeonggu asked, as if asking what Yeongwoo meant. Yeongwoo raised his index finger and pointed to the empty space. Unconsciously, Jeonggu raised his head and saw a huge ring of light, several kilometers in diameter, shining brightly in the pitch-ck sky. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a portal. The entrance to the dungeon.¡± ¡°What?¡± Meanwhile, the tower that carried both of them continued to rise towards the portal, with the open mouth of the portal facing inward. In other words, once the portal connected, they would enter it whether they liked it or not. If they had any intention of giving up, they should have jumped off when the tower began to rise. ¡°W-what happens now?¡± Jeonggu urgently asked as they were about to touch the portal. Yeongwoo checked his equipment and replied quietly. ¡°Good luck, Father.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 166 Chapter 166 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 166: Sharing the Bed with Enemies (1) Dungeon. Every night, emerging through the extraordinary climate and using the golden orb was the only way to enter the otherworldly space. As a reward, it guaranteed at least one unique equipment, but it was never easy for those who had ventured into the dungeon once to challenge it again. That¡¯s because the dungeon¡¯s difficulty was high and it was structured unpredictably. Knowing how ruthless the dungeon was, it was inevitable that the revisit rate would plummet. Even at this moment. ¡®If it¡¯s like this, nobody would want toe back to the dungeon.¡¯ Yeongwoo looked at the now considerably closer dungeon portal with a dumbfounded expression. The portal was so massive that its edge wasn¡¯t even in sight at the moment. Kwaaah! As the tower carrying the two entered inside the ring of light outlining the portal, the information about this dungeon was finally revealed. Pahat! [Sanctuary of Valor] |Dungeon Grade: Normal |Difficulty: C |Rmended Participants: 6 ¡°Rmended participants 6¡­?¡± As Yeongwoo made a slightly surprised expression, Jeonggu asked with a fearful face. ¡°Why¡­ Why? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°The number of participants is twice as many asst night.¡± [Pain of Illya] |Dungeon Grade: Normal |Difficulty: D |Required Participants: 3 The dungeon Yeongwoo acted as a guide for yesterday had a difficulty grade of D with three required participants. However, this time, it was ¡®rmended¡¯ for six participants with a difficulty of C. It meant it was more difficult than ¡°Pain of Illya¡± and required more people. ¡°But still, since it¡¯s rmended¡­ it means it¡¯s possible even if all six don¡¯t gather, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the problem. It means we might start the dungeon with insufficient personnel.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Jeonggu, who hadn¡¯t visited the dungeon yet, only felt vague anxiety, but Yeongwoo was different. ¡®Why is it rmended? Is there no specific essential role this time?¡¯ As Yeongwoo sweated nervously, the tower carrying the men entered inside the portal. Kwaaah! As the surroundings turned blue, the surroundings were engulfed in pitch darkness in no time after passing through the portal. Suaaht! No, to be precise, it should be said that they had transitioned to apletely different space while passing through the portal. From the temperature and the air felt on the skin, it was markedly unfamiliar. ¡°What, what¡¯s this?¡± Jeonggu looked around tightly gripping his sword, and at this moment, faint light entered the top of the tower, still carrying the two. Thunk! Then finally, the two realized the space they were in. Whoosh! Although the distance was considerable, there was a massive wind sound with a sense of huge volume. Yeongwoo and Jeonggu were inside an incrediblyrge cave. ¡°Damn it.¡± Jeonggu, who inadvertently looked down, trembled at the abyss of immeasurable depth. ¡°Where is this¡­? Is this how it¡¯s supposed to be?¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s probably somewhere in outer space.¡± Shuck. As Yeongwoo looked up, he saw something tiny and yellow in his field of vision. And as soon as he saw that ¡®spot¡¯, he had a premonition of what was going to happen next. ¡°That¡¯s the waiting room entrance over there.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It looks like a spot from here, but it¡¯s still far away from the other side. In reality, it¡¯s probably a hole that exactly matches the size of the floor we¡¯re standing on. The reason it looks yellow is probably because of the lighting inside.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my second time.¡± Although it was his first time visiting this dungeon, he had simr experiences anyway. ¡®The development ispletely opposite tost time. Back then, we went down from the top, but this time, we¡¯re shooting up from below.¡¯ If one wasn¡¯t nervous, it would be a lie. Everyone tends to get scared in dungeons, but especially for Yeongwoo, it was not a trivial challenge as he had to endure rtively greater losses. ¡®There are no dwarves or goblins here. So using weapons of choice is impossible. We have to deal with what we have.¡¯ Of course, he had quite a lotpared to others. Currently, he had five weapons with him: the myth-grade one-handed sword ¡®Bastard¡¯, the epic one-handed sword ¡®Dragon¡¯s Legacy¡¯, the mutated one-handed sword ¡®Duhan¡¯s Sword¡¯. And. ¨C Wheeing. The legendary two-handed sword ¡®Golden Trail¡¯, which was still functioning within the dungeon. And adding the epic-grade bow ¡®White Fire¡¯ worn on his upper body, he had a total of five weapons. Still, the absence of the goblin felt significant. ¡°Why¡­ why do you keep checking your weapons? Are you unsure too? That would be troublesome.¡± Now Jeonggu¡¯s face was pale, and Yeongwoo chuckled as he looked at him. ¡°It is true that I am a little weaker here than when I was outside, but don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°This guy, all you do is actions that make me worry.¡± While Yeongwoo and Jeonggu were bickering like this, the thing that previously looked like a yellow dot started to appear quite close. Ssueut¡­¡­ The yellow dot was indeed a diamond-shaped hole pierced in the cave ceiling, just as Yeongwoo had said. And from that hole, yellow light was pouring out. ¡°Oh¡­ it¡¯s real. It¡¯s a hole.¡± ¡°By the way, I don¡¯t know how many people might be there.¡± ¡°People¡­? Ah.¡± Jeonggu, who btedly remembered that this was where all the world¡¯s strong gathered, opened his mouth in surprise. And by this time. Kuguguguguk! The tower, which was gently rising, suddenly shook roughly, pushing the two towards the hole. Dudududduk, click! The shape of the tower¡¯s top and the yellow hole were perfectly designed to fit together without a single inch of error. ¡°Wow, damn.¡± Jeonggu, confirming that there was indeed another space above the cave ceiling, looked around with an expression of disbelief. Somewhere, faint yellow light was descending, and this ce was a circr stone arena reminiscent of a colosseum. The diameter of the arena was approximately 500 meters. And the height¡­ ¡°Oh, what¡¯s that?¡± Jeonggu, now pointing to somewhere above his head as if tired, looked. As Yeongwoo looked up, he saw a vaguely humanoid figure hanging upside down in the middle of the ceiling, which seemed to be at least a hundred meters high. It was like a bat hanging upside down in sleep. ¡°It looks ominous even to me.¡± This was a dungeon. There was no reason for such a cement without a purpose. ¡°That could be our opponent for the fight.¡± Saying this, Yeongwoo quickly scanned the colosseum. Then, he noticed huge doors attached to one side of the colosseum wall, and people gathered in front of them. ¡°Those people over there are probably the ones who arrived first. Let¡¯s head over there for now.¡± * * * nk, nk. Thud, thud. The reason for the difference in the footsteps of the two father and son was undoubtedly one. Yeongwoo was the only one wearing shoes. ¡¸Illusion¡¹ ¨C Unique Shoes ¡¾30% chance of detection evasion.¡¿ Meanwhile, Jeonggu was barefoot like any wild wanderer. ¡°¡­Why don¡¯t you have anything?¡± ¡°My father¡¯s a bitcking. Merchants must have sold at least one pair of shoes by now.¡± After giving Jeonggu this snide remark, Yeongwoo nced at Jeonggu¡¯s feet. ¡°Why don¡¯t you at least get some sneakers and wear them? If you asked the staff, they would have given it to you.¡± ¡°Even if you got some sneakers and wore them, wouldn¡¯t they tear apart soon? I want to wear something with a grade like the ones you¡¯re wearing.¡± ¡°Well, then work hard and earn money to get yourself a pair.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Their conversation ended there. Soon, the people gathered on the other side noticed the new participants and began to turn their heads one by one. But then. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°The atmosphere doesn¡¯t seem right.¡± Yeongwoo wrinkled his nose. It felt like the smell of blood was rising from somewhere. And indeed. nk, nk. As they went a bit further, bloodstains scattered on the floor came into view. There had already been a conflict even before the dungeon started. ¡®Ah¡­ today¡¯s going to be a bit painful.¡¯ Yeongwoo was about to scratch his head with his hand but refrained from doing so, fearing it might seem like a provocation. Because. ¡ºSandong¡¯s Twin Evil¡» ¡ºGowung¡¯s Sword Dragon¡» ¡ºMiyagi¡¯s Sword Master¡» All the swordsmen gathered here today were from East Asian countries. ¡®If it¡¯s Sandong, it must be China, and Miyagi is probably Japan. Thest one, Gouwong¡­ is it Taiwan?¡¯ And there were two additional Korean Strongest Swords present. It was obvious to anyone that this was intentionally gathering neighboring countries. ¡°Uh¡­?¡± ¡°Are they Koreans?¡± The three East Asian masters who had arrived early at the dungeon were each startled when they saw Yeongwoo¡¯s title and his father¡¯s. Until now, there had been one person from each country, which seemed fair, but the bnce was disrupted due to the addition of Koreans. ¡°¡­Why are there two of them?¡± When a middle-aged man with the title ¡°Sandong¡¯s Twin Evil¡± asked this, Yeongwoo was about to answer obediently, but he felt a strange irritation and retorted. ¡°Why are you using informal speech?¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t China have honorifics? I¡¯m meeting you for the first time.¡± As Yeongwoo, with his unique shoes ¡°Illusion,¡± took another step forward, the legendary greatsword ¡°Golden Trail¡± also moved through the air along with him. ¨C Wing! Suddenly, all eyes in the audience were drawn to the golden greatsword. Not only was the sword just floating in mid-air, but it also seemed to move on its own, revealing itself as a formidable weapon. ¡°Uh¡­ Swordsmanship?¡± The eyes of Sandong¡¯s Twin Evil, which had grown slightlyrger, lit up with surprise. And not only his. Gowung¡¯s Sword Dragon from Taiwan and Miyagi¡¯s Sword Master from Japan also took a step back, holding their breaths. At this, Jeonggu turned slightly, muttering to himself. ¡°Damn, I must look like a total loser.¡± Then he quickly turned back and patted Yeongwoo¡¯s shoulder. Thump! ¡°Stop it, son.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± This time it was Yeongwoo who widened his eyes in surprise. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not fight since we have to proceed with the dungeon.¡± Jeonggu wanted to show that he had a higher status than someone who wielded swordsmanship in front of these Asian masters. ¡°What the hell¡­.¡± Yeongwoo was about to frown and say something, but¡­ Crack! Miyagi¡¯s Sword Master, a woman with that title, mmed her sword into the ground, preventing him from doing so. ¡°Before we start another fight, let me introduce myself first. I¡¯m Tomiko Hayama from Japan.¡± ¡ºMiyagi¡¯s Sword Master¡» Tomiko Hayama. 26 years old, female. She had an unbelievably innocent face, considering she was someone who had subdued Miyagi Prefecture, with a poption of nearly 2.2 million. Rather, that¡¯s what made her aura even more unusual. ¡°Yes¡­ I¡¯m Jeong Yeongwoo from Korea.¡± As Yeongwoo nodded politely, Jeonggu also greeted Tomiko. ¡°I¡¯m Kim Jeonggu. And let¡¯s not fight.¡± Jeonggu waved his hands as if to calm everyone down. At this, a young man from Taiwan, who had been silent until now, spoke up. ¡°I¡¯m Ryu Manho from Gouwong City, Taiwan.¡± When Yeongwoo was about to show his teeth again in a rather cynical greeting, Tomiko quickly intervened with a smile. ¡°Both of them seem to be in a bad mood today. There¡¯s a slight difference in stance on international affairs, so you had a little argument.¡± The ¡®both of them¡¯ she mentioned referred to Ryu Manho from Taiwan and the middle-aged man called Sandong¡¯s Twin Evil, whose name had not yet been revealed. Taiwan and China. Since they were in a difficult situation to get along, they immediately started quarreling as soon as they met and had a conversation in this dungeon. ¡°No wonder I kept smelling blood.¡± Yeongwoo noticed that there were small puddles of blood where Ryu Manho and Sandong¡¯s Twin Evil had been standing. Although it wasn¡¯t obvious on the surface, they had fought fiercely enough to create small injuries inside their armor. ¡®That woman, describing that as a ¡®little fight,¡¯ must be unusual too.¡¯ Anyway, now that Yeongwoo had grasped the situation to some extent, he pointed to the giant statue hanging far up on the ceiling. ¡°Does anyone know exactly what that is?¡± Upon this question, Tomiko shook her head regretfully. ¡°Well¡­ I think we¡¯ll all find out soon enough when we have to fight it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± This person was an experienced dungeon explorer. Yeongwoo raised his guard against Tomiko and surveyed the vast space of the arena, which was nothing more than an empty field for now. ¡°We¡¯re still missing one person to meet the rmended number.¡± It would have been nice if Ottavio, the Sicilian, showed up now. As Yeongwoo hoped for the appearance of the sixth participant with a wistful look, Tomiko pointed somewhere. ¡°Most likely, the five of us will have to start very soon.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Yeongwoo nced curiously at Tomiko, who was grinning, and looked in the direction she pointed. There, he saw a stone table ced in front of the three door panels lined up on the wall. On top of ity a thick book spread open. ¡®That must be the rulebook.¡¯ Yeongwoo had a hunch that it contained some sort of rules. It probably yed the same role as the bonfire did in the previous dungeon. ck, ck. As Yeongwoo stepped forward with a metallic sound and stood in front of the table, the familiar numerical format appeared before his eyes. [5/6] Out of the rmended six participants, five were present. Below that was a countdown timer. [00:00:08] ¡°Huh?¡± Now, a timer was ticking down with only 8 seconds remaining until the time expired. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 167 Chapter 167 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 167: Sharing the Bed with Enemies (2) ¡°¡­Shit.¡± As Yeongwoo quickly grasped the situation after checking the timer, Jeonggu, who hade chasing after him btedly, asked. ¡°Why? What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing much. Since it¡¯s the rmended number of people as my father said, it shouldn¡¯t be impossible to proceed even if one person is missing.¡± As Yeongwoo said this and pointed to the book on the table, the timer, which had just reached 3 seconds, came into view. [00:00:03] Then. [00:00:01] ¡°Huh?¡± In an instant, along with Jeonggu¡¯s exmation, all the numbers changed to ¡®0¡¯. [00:00:00] Boom! Time expired. Then the timer disappeared into thin air, and a sharp signal echoed somewhere in the colosseum. Beep-beep! This meant that the participants were confirmed. Next, dungeon information was disyed prominently in the space above the table. [Sanctuary of Valor] |Dungeon Grade: Normal |Difficulty: C |Rmended Participants: 6 ¡¸Now that the minimum number of participants has been met, we will begin exining the rules.¡¹ ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°So, there is a minimum number of participants.¡± As it seemed like the dungeon was about to start in earnest, the three from China, Taiwan, and Japan, who had been distant from each other, approached the rulebook. ¡¸In a moment, the ¡®Sanctuary of Valor¡¯ will begin.¡¹ ¡¸To pass through this dungeon, it is rmended to have at least three Igniters.¡¹ Three or more Igniters. At this, the five experts looked at each other¡¯s faces in turn. Then suddenly, a redser shot up from the rulebook, pointing towards the giant statue in the center of the ceiling. ¡¸The ultimate goal of this dungeon is to defeat the Giant Gameta.¡¹ ¡°The Giant¡­ Gameta?¡± All eyes turned to the statue in question. Indeed, it seemed they would have to fight it, just as they had feared. ¡¸When you close the book on the altar, Gameta will immediately awaken and attack you.¡¹ ¡¸But before that, by igniting the furnaces of this dungeon, you can weaken Gameta.¡¹ ¡°Ahh¡­¡± Upon understanding the progress of this dungeon, Yeongwoo looked at the three giant doors that had caught his eye since earlier. Perhaps those doors were entrances to each furnace. ¡®So, the rmended number was six because there need to be three groups of two-person teams.¡¯ Sure enough, soon, a redser shot from the rulebook, pointing at threerge iron doors lined up on the stadium wall. ¡¸There are a total of three furnaces, and you can ess them through the entrances you see now.¡¹ Then, numbers from 1 to 3 were assigned to each entrance, with the number of people disyed below each. [0/2] ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± As Jeonggu tilted his head, Yeongwoo exined, ¡°They didn¡¯t make it easy to get to the furnaces. Probably, two people can enter each door.¡± Upon Yeongwoo¡¯s exnation, the experts from other countries nodded in agreement, and soon, a statement confirming this appeared. ¡¸From now on, you need to organize Ignition Teams to attempt ignition on each furnace.¡± ¡¸Ignition Teams can consist of up to two people, and each team cannot ess the furnace assigned to other teams.¡± ¡°In other words, each furnace has only one team. If one fails, they cannot ignite that furnace.¡± Upon hearing Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Tomiko acknowledged them. ¡°At the moment, we¡¯re short on personnel¡­ So, we have to decide whether to fight the boss with just two furnaces lit, or to push ourselves a bit and fight with all the furnaces lit.¡± Therefore, how much weakening one furnace could inflict on the Giant Gameta was crucial, but naturally, there was no further boration on this. Yeongwoo continued, ¡°Most likely, you¡¯ll have to ignite all furnaces to stand a chance.¡± Whoosh. As Yeongwoo pointed to Gameta stuck to the ceiling with his mythical-grade one-handed sword ¡®Bastard,¡¯ Tomiko cautiously spoke up. ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­ does it mean that someone has toe alone to light one of the three furnaces¡­?¡± At this point, the final instructions appeared. ¡¸From now on, we will begin organizing Ignition Teams. Please stand in front of the entrance you desire.¡¹ ¡¸Gameta will awaken in 30 minutes.¡¹ Tick! [00:29:59] The 30-minute timer began to countdown without dy. ¡°We need to hurry. We only have 30 minutes, including the time it takes to pass through those doors and ignite the furnaces.¡± As Tomiko urgently spoke, Ryu Manho from Taiwan, who had been leaning against the wall, finally stepped forward. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take over.¡± Swish. This time, Ryu Manho took out his sword. However, what he pointed at wasn¡¯t Gameta but the anonymous Chinese, Sandong¡¯s Twin Evil. ¡°I can¡¯t go with that bastard.¡± Sandong¡¯s Twin Evil smirked wickedly and shed his dagger. ¡°Don¡¯t you have the confidence to fight me again?¡± If he were to be paired with Taiwan, he also nned to kill his opponent on the way to the furnace. In the end, Yeongwoo revealed his teeth. ¡°These idiots.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Anyway, if we can¡¯t properly ignite the furnace, we¡¯ll all die at that monster¡¯s hands. Is this your first time in a dungeon?¡± Of course, Yeongwoo¡¯s anger wasn¡¯t simply because the two foreigners were fighting. If there were any problems with ignition due to their fight, the damage would fall squarely on Yeongwoo himself, his father, and Miyagi¡¯s Sword Master, who were doing their best. ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility for Door 2 alone.¡± Yeongwoo stood in front of the door marked ¡®2¡¯ without a hint of fear, and the status below the ignition team changed to ¡®1/2¡¯. This surprised Gowung¡¯s Sword Dragon and Sandong¡¯s Twin Evil. Of course, internally, they thought that one of the two Koreans in this position would have to sacrifice themselves, but they didn¡¯t say it out loud. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go to Door 3. Will youe with me?¡± Tomiko smiled brightly and extended her hand to Sandong¡¯s Twin Evil. With no other choice, the middle-aged man from China obediently followed suit. The only other option was the father of the Korean swordsman and the Taiwanese. ¡°¡­Okay. Can¡¯t be helped.¡± In the end, Sandong¡¯s Twin Evil followed Tomiko to Door 3, and Yeongwoo felt somewhat relieved. I didn¡¯t like both Taiwan and China very much, but if I had to send my father with either of them, Taiwan would be better. The Chinese side had titles like ¡®Twin Evil¡¯. ¡®Shaanxi is said to be the Five Heroes, but why is Sandong the Twin Evil?¡¯ Five Heroes and Twin Evil differed greatly in terms of numbers. Of course, whether this reflected regional characteristics or was simply a distinction based on the final selected numbers was unknown. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Well, then I¡¯ll automatically take Door 1.¡± Eventually, Jeonggu stood in front of Door 1. Then, Gowung¡¯s Sword Dragon Ryu Manho grumbled to himself and took his ce behind Jeonggu. Creak. Now all five people stood in front of the doors, and then¡­ Beep! Another signal sounded, and the system message appeared. ¡¸Ignition teams have been confirmed.¡¹ Then the three firmly closed iron doors began to slowly open. Thud! [00:27:42] Now there were about 27 minutes left. However, no one here was checking the remaining time. Because¡­ ¨C Kraaaaa! ¨C Hahah! I smell something delicious¡­! ¨C It¡¯sing! Wow! I can feel it! Left, center, right. From inside the three long corridors extending in different directions, eerie voices filled with monstrous instruments poured out endlessly. Moreover, the corridors were so dark that one couldn¡¯t see an inch ahead. ¡®There are those damn bastards here too.¡¯ Yeongwoo rememberedst night when he was on the boat, swallowing heavily. Yesterday, there were two people watching his back, but this time, he was alone. Of course, the feelings of the foreigner and his father, who had to navigate through that darkness, wouldn¡¯t be ordinary either. ¡°¡­¡± As Yeongwoo nced back at his father, he happened to see him turning his head this way. Jeonggu was also worried about Yeongwoo having to break through there alone. ¡°Shit, shit.¡± ¡°Fuck¡­ How many are there inside?¡± As the five people expressed their anxiety in their own ways and felt the chilling atmosphere inside the corridors, the middle-aged man who had been silent until now spoke softly. ¡°Jang Jaham.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Among Sandong¡¯s Twin Evil, one of the Twin Evils is Jang Jaham.¡± Perhaps feeling that he might die in there, he finally revealed his name. Then Tomiko smiled warmly and greeted Jang Jaham. ¡°Nice to meet you, Jang Jaham. Let¡¯s do well inside. It won¡¯t be easy, but let¡¯s try our best.¡± While everyone hesitated under the pretext of a new greeting, the remaining time was in the mid-25s. [00:25:13] Confirming this, Yeongwoo changed his tone and recited a tragic line. ¡°If we hesitate any longer, that thing will awaken before we can ignite the furnace. Let¡¯s go now.¡± With that, Yeongwoo stepped straight into the second corridor. nk! Then, as if they had made a pact, everyone turned their heads toward Door 2. nk! However, Yeongwoo, who had already ventured deep into the door, was nowhere to be seen. ¡°We should go too.¡± ¡°¡­We have no other choice.¡± The remaining four people also began to step forward, each eyeing their respective corridors. * * * Swoosh! As Yeongwoo started running unabatedly into Door 2, he had to pass through a very dark corridor for a while. However, contrary to what was expected from outside, there were no attacks from the monsters. There was just a vast, empty space for a while. ¡®It¡¯s literally just a corridor. Perhaps this is to prevent ¡®cheating¡¯ from outside?¡¯ Since there was no timer in this space, Yeongwoo just kept running forward blindly. And then¡­ ¡°¡­!¡± He began to see the front of the corridor gradually brightening. Of course, it was still pitch ck to the point where it was difficult to see, but there was a slight glow. The problem was that¡­ ¨C Kraaaa! ¨C It¡¯sing! They¡¯re all here! ¨C Run! The voices of the monsters heard from outside began to echo again. ¡®Crazy.¡¯ As Yeongwoo continued forward, listening to the terrifying sounds, he soon felt the corridor narrowing in one direction. And in the distance, the exit of this corridor¡­ no, the proper entrance to the furnace appeared. It was a rectangr opening the size of a medium-sized building, filled with those gray monsters they had seen on the dungeon floorst night. Moreover, not a single one was missing; they were all staring greedily in Yeongwoo¡¯s direction. Perhaps that huge entrance served as some kind of boundary. And this meant that the moment they crossed it, hundreds of monsters would rush at them all at once. However, there was something that caught Yeongwoo¡¯s eye. ¡®What is that?¡¯ Beyond the rectangr entrance, therge space filled with monsters resembled a cosmic void. There was no ground, just empty space withrge chunks of stone debris floating around. One of the stone debris pieces on which the waiting monsters stood was right in front of the rectangr entrance. So, here was a ce where participants had to navigate through obstacles, a kind of obstacle course. Moreover, the furnace Yeongwoo had to reach was located high above. ¡®It means finding a way to get up there while pushing away the monsters that are running at you.¡¯ Yeongwoo finally understood why the difficulty level of this dungeon was higher thanst night. And they didn¡¯t have much time left. ¡®How much time has passed? About 10 minutes?¡¯ As Yeongwoo nced at his wristwatch to estimate the time, he was surprised to see that the time disy waspletely scrambled. Participants couldn¡¯t check the time at will inside. ¡®But I should still be able to use equipment.¡¯ Standing in front of the rectangr entrance, Yeongwoo activated his ¡°irvoyance¡± skill and looked at the furnace in the distance. ¡¸irvoyance¡¹ ¨C Mutant Earring ¡¾Visibility is amplified up to 5 times.¡¿ Zoom! Then¡­ ¡°These bastards, what have they done now?¡± He saw a structure resembling a furnace ced on arge rock floating in midair, and on the opposite side of this furnace. ¡¸1¡¹ ¨C ¡¸3¡¹ Another structure with buttonsbelled 1 and 3 respectively came into view. Their purpose was unclear, but they seemed to be separate devices unrted to the furnace. And Yeongwoo¡¯s thought on this was¡­ ¡®Surely it¡¯s not group 1 or group 3? If that¡¯s the case, there¡¯s no way it¡¯s a button that gives blessings to that person.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 168 Chapter 168 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 168: Sharing the Bed with Enemies (3) A furnace ced high above. And on the opposite side of that furnace, two unidentified buttons. In any case, in order to know exactly what they were, one had to reach the furnace. ¡®Whatever it is, I have to light the furnace for now.¡¯ Yeongwoo pulled out his bow experimentally and shot an arrow towards the monsters beyond the rectangr entrance. Whoosh! Instantly, as usual, the arrow emitted a fierce energy and exploded right in front of the entrance. Boom! ¡®They¡¯ve really made it tough to just waltz in.¡¯ Just as you couldn¡¯te over here from the other side, you couldn¡¯t attack the area where the furnace was located within this passage. That means¡­ ¡®I have to go in and wipe them out myself.¡¯ nk. As Yeongwoo moved towards the entrance muttering ¡®bastards¡¯, the monsters gathered there blinked and yelled. -Oh¡­ -What, all alone? -Wow, bold. -You came here alone? Amidst this, some of them spat out lines as if they had encountered other challengers before. Upon this, Yeongwoo did something that other challengers probably wouldn¡¯t. ¡°Has anyone else besides me been here?¡± He spoke to the monsters. Then, one of them tapped a transparent barrier blocking the entrance with his finger. Tap, tap. -We had a very interesting rehearsal. You can¡¯t pass here. -We¡¯ve already blocked the two first swords. -You came here alone¡­? Impossible. -This is your grave. ¡°¡­I see.¡± Yeongwoo listened to the series of dialogues and realized. This dungeon was designed with various difficulty tests in mind. ¡®They deliberately rehearsed to increase the difficulty?¡¯ Even if he didn¡¯t know, the ¡®two first swords¡¯ they mentioned were probably replicas made based on the average power of expected challengers. In a world where even great swords capable of injecting martial arts existed, that wasn¡¯t anything special. Therefore. ¡®Maybe this side isn¡¯t the problem, but the other groups might be in danger.¡¯ Yeongwoo finally thought that the buttons numbered 1 and 3, ced far away, might actually help other groups. Didn¡¯t those monsters just say that? They¡¯ve already blocked the best two swords. This meant that this dungeon was designed to be impossible to clear with a typical memberposition. So, it might be a dungeon structured so that one excellent group withbat power or cooperation drags other groups up. ¡®I need to hurry. No matter how I think about it, it doesn¡¯t seem like the other groups wille together to break through there.¡¯ The remaining two groups are Taiwan and Korea, and Japan and China. Taiwan and Korea are fine, but historically, Japan and China have been archenemies, so it¡¯s uncertain what might happen between them. ¡®I¡¯m feeling uneasy.¡¯ As soon as Yeongwoo sorted out his thoughts, he immediately rushed towards the monsters. Swish! To their surprise, the bold entry was even more daring than they had thought. -Whoa? -This kid! -Hey, look at this? ¡°Defend as you practiced. Let¡¯s see how you defend.¡± As Yeongwoo leaped into the spacious entrance and drew his ck sword from his waist, the thick ck de, which had expanded to five meters in an instant, left a massive trail. Swish! Then, dozens of monster bodies shed together, creating space for Yeongwoo to advance. Thud! ¡°Take this!¡± With his pupils tinged with golden light, Yeongwoo began to push forward without hesitation, and the monsters began to look perplexed. They realized that their opponent, whom they met on their first real battlefield, was by no means ordinary, the Strongest Sword. -What¡­ who is this kid? -Wait, hold on. Amidst the crowd of mixed races, a few Koreans btedly recognized their opponent¡¯s title. -Isn¡¯t this the Strongest Sword of Joseon? -Joseon¡­? -Where¡¯s Joseon? Of course, even the monsters who recognized Yeongwoo¡¯s title didn¡¯t know that it symbolized the pacification of the northern region of the Korean Penins. However. -So, Joseon means¡­ Anyway, it means a monster. -So, it¡¯s like the Strongest Sword of Britain or something. -What¡­? The monsters¡¯ disorganized conversation didn¡¯tst long. Soon they were swept away by their impending doom. Whoosh! With just two shes, Yeongwoo neatly cleared a radius of five meters and leaped straight towards the distant stone structure fragments. Thunk! Then, the monsters who jumped up together to pull him down soon began to plummet into the deep abyss. This was because the challenger in question jumped a much farther distance than the monsters expected. ¡¸Climber¡¹ ¨C Mutant Pants ¡¾Leap distance tripled.¡¿ Shwaaat! Essentially at a flying level. Having leaped in a perfect arc from the entrance, which he would have had to step on one by one, Yeongwoo skipped six stone structures he was supposed to touch and headed straight for the seventh, visible in the distance. Then the monsters guarding his destination, the seventh stone structure, went wild. -What, what¡¯s with this bastard? -He¡¯sing straight this way¡­? -Block him! Prevent him from stepping foot here in the first ce! No matter how capable one is of high-altitude jumps, they couldn¡¯t fly in the sky. The monsters made their way to the edge of the stone structure, nning to push their opponent forcefully into the abyss the moment hended. However. Thud, thud! When the opponent about tond started pulling his bowstring in mid-air, all the monsters sensed that something was wrong. And indeed. Whoosh! As the bowstring, which had been pulled forcefully, returned to its original position, a violet explosion erupted fiercely from the seventh stone structure. Boom! Dogo¡¯s special explosive arrow. The explosion, capable of inflicting severe damage, sent all the monsters gathered at Yeongwoo¡¯snding point flying in all directions. -Aaaah! -Argh! Seeing dozens of monsters being flung into the abyss with a single arrow, the remaining monsters guarding the other six stone structures couldn¡¯t help but flinch. Didn¡¯t they just see it? A scene where dozens of monsters were thrown into the abyss by a single arrow. ¡°Stop annoying me.¡± Whoosh! As Yeongwoo turned his bow behind him and said this, hundreds of monsters chasing after him were startled. -Whoa, whoa. -C-Calm down. However, Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t in their sight anymore. Swoosh! He had already made another high-altitude leap. -Huh? -When did he get all the way there? The monsters looked up at the challenger soaring high into the air. Then, the ¡°Golden Trail¡± that had not followed him, suddenly revealed itself, shing mercilessly at the necks of the monsters exposed perfectly. Squaark! And this ruthless execution scene was clearly observed by the monsters above, where Yeongwoo had not yet reached. -¡­? -What¡¯sing? -A m-monster. Finally. -Run away! [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] One of the monsters said this and began to descend the rubble bridge made of stone fragments. Thunk! From top to bottom. They had left their posts. -Aargh! -P-Please spare me! At first, there was just one person running away, but it soon spread to dozens or even hundreds of people running away. Eventually, when Yeongwoo reached the thirteenth stone structure afterpleting his leaps, there was no one to stop him. ¡®What¡­ Is it possible to solve it like this?¡¯ Now only seven stone structure fragments remained in front of Yeongwoo. Yet, as he peered down, the Golden Trail was seen swaying its body upwards from below as if dancing. Even though the monsters had already lost their senses and were fleeing, they were still being mercilessly cut down by the legendry sword technique, ¡°Rohm¡¯s Bottom¡±, probably programmed inside. ¡®That crazy guy.¡¯ Upon this realization, Yeongwoo thought about summoning the Golden Trail but changed his mind. ¡®Wait. Most of the convicts serving as monsters here have been hit and destroyed, right?¡¯ For example, Im Bonghee, who used to share the same room at the dormitory. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Having reached this point in his thoughts, Yeongwoo left the Golden Trail to rampage alone and raised his bow again. Swish. Then he shot arrows towards the ash-gray monsters on the other side who were wearing frightened expressions. * * * Whoosh! Yeongwoo didn¡¯t need to deal with every single monster. Thanks to the legendary-grade dual sword fighting like prisoners, Yeongwoo neatly dealt with the ones he hadn¡¯t taken care of. As a result, Yeongwoo just needed to leap happily between the stone structures and asionally shoot arrows imbued with special abilities. ¡®Although I made surprisingly smooth progress, it¡¯s because I far exceeded the average level of dungeon challengers expected by the system¡­¡¯ Now, looking at the furnace that hade much closer, Yeongwoo thought of Kim Jeonggu, who was probably surrounded by hundreds of monsters by now. In this ce, based on the second furnace, challengers had to pass through twenty stone structures. Moreover, some of the structures had quite a wide gap between them, and some were ced at heights where even a top-grade Strongest Sword would barely reach with a full jump. In other words, even if there were no monsters to hinder them, there could be cases where they couldn¡¯t pass due to insufficient physical ability. ¡®So that¡¯s why it¡¯s rmended for two people to enter each passage. Because in the leap sections, the other person can assist as a foothold or go ahead and catch them.¡¯ But one shouldn¡¯t forget that the monsters¡¯ interference was also quite threatening. This dungeon was essentially designed to eliminate all but the average level Strongest Sword. ¡®So is that why those buttons are there?¡¯ Quack! Finally, as Yeongwoo¡¯s foot touched the stone structure where the furnace was installed, the ground briefly shimmered, highlighting the outline of the furnace and button mechanism across from it in turn. It seemed to be an intention to indicate that there were two devices here. ¡®It¡¯s surprisingly kind once everyone has arrived.¡¯ Yeongwoo approached the furnace first, as his purpose foring here was mainly the furnace. As seen before, the furnace was in a dormant state, but there was a pedestal underneath with a crimson me burning. ¡®Is this the end if I light a fire with this?¡¯ Yeongwoo immediately picked up the pedestal and inserted it into the furnace. Then. Whoaaaack! The furnace immediately zed blue, and a blueser shot out, pointing at the button mechanism on the opposite side. The other mechanism could only be used after activating the furnace. ¡®Now that¡¯s my job done.¡¯ As the Golden Trail returned, soaked in blood, Yeongwoo moved straight to the button mechanism. ck, ck. A peculiar device with two buttonsbeled 1 and 3 on the front of the stone b, reminiscent of a tombstone. This device was in an activated state with a hologram interface after receiving theser from the furnace. And the content of that interface was. ¡¸By choosing one of the following three options, a portal to return to the arena will open.¡¹ ¡°Huh? Weren¡¯t there only two options?¡± It was a somewhat unexpected development. As Yeongwoo read all the instructions, three options appeared in session. ¡¸Immediate return.¡¹ It would be the cleanest and most desirable choice. ¡®But showing such a normal option first¡­¡¯ The remaining two were probably options to cause chaos. And sure enough, an astounding option appeared one after another. ¡®These guys¡­ I guess that¡¯s how it is.¡¯ ¡¸1¡¹: Transfer all enemies of furnace 1 to furnace 3. ¡¸3¡¹: Transfer all enemies of furnace 3 to furnace 1. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 169 Chapter 169 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 169: Sharing the Bed with Enemies (4) ¡¸1¡¹: Transfer all enemies from furnace 1 to furnace 3. ¡¸3¡¹: Transfer all enemies from furnace 3 to furnace 1. Forcing enemies into one furnace. Simply put, it was a device that allowed the first person toplete the mission to sacrifice one of the remaining two furnaces so that the other side could ignite the fire. ¡®Choose the lesser evil if not the worst.¡¯ Of course, if all ignition rods safely reached the front of the furnace, there would be no need to use this function. Everyone could simply press the return button and return to the stadium. However. Crack, pop! The situation did not resolve so easily. Soon, screens showing the situations of furnace 1 and furnace 3 appeared above the two buttons, because both sides were in dire straits as per the worst-case scenario. ¡®What? They haven¡¯t even gone halfway yet¡­?¡¯ In furnace 1, where Jeonggu and the Taiwanese entered together, and furnace 3, formed by China and Japan, both were stuck in the middle of the passageway, unable to proceed any further. They eventually got surrounded because their monster handling speed was not as fast as Yeongwoo¡¯s. ¡°Father! Hey, Kim Jeonggu¡­!¡± Yeongwoo, feeling frustrated, called out loudly to his father on the screen, then suddenly something came to his mind, and he looked at his own hand. Then, a ring worn on his finger popped up in his view with a tooltip. ¡¸Wave¡¹ ¨C Unique Ring ¡¾Voice transmission to all Strongest Swords in the acquisition area.¡¿ | Area: Seoul Wave. A ring that transmits voice to all Strongest Swords in Seoul. And, Kim Jeonggu, who was being beaten by the monsters. ¡®¡­If he¡¯s Dobong Strongest Sword, he should be able to hear the voice transmitted by the wave.¡¯ Of course, if the ring operated normally even within this dungeon created in the extraterrestrial area. Anyway, there was no time to think anymore. Yeongwoo immediately put the ring to his mouth and hurriedly spoke. ¡¶Father, can you hear me?¡· Then, Kim Jeonggu on the screen suddenly lifted his head. He had heard Yeongwoo¡¯s voice. ¡®It¡¯s¡­ alright, for now.¡¯ Although it was inevitable that all other Strongest Swords in Seoul would also hear this sound, there was nothing to be done about it. Yeongwoo publicly revealed to all Strongest Swords in Seoul that something unusual was happening in today¡¯s night dungeon. ¡¶From now on, I¡¯m going to send all the monsters in that ce to furnace 3.¡· Yeongwoo said this, then looked apologetically at Tomiko and Jang Jaham of furnace 3, who were still moving diagonally. ¡¶Then, it¡¯s only a matter of time before Japan and China, who are in charge of furnace 3, die, right? Instead, Father should be able to go to the furnace without any hindrance.¡· At this, Jeonggu once again looked at the empty space with a fearful expression. He didn¡¯t know what it was, but it seemed like his son was nning something strange again. And that was the truth. ¡¶So now it¡¯s up to Father. When all the monsters suddenly disappear, run to the front of the furnace with all your might.¡· ¡¶Then, ignite the furnace, and then run to the opposite stone te and send all the monsters from furnace 3 to furnace 2.¡· Furnace 2. It meant where Yeongwoo was. In other words, it meant doing another round of monster forcing before Tomiko and Jang Jaham died. ¡¶You¡¯ll know what all this means as soon as you arrive.¡· Yeongwoo said this, then pressed the forcing button in front of him with force. Bang! Then, all the monsters in furnace 1 where Jeonggu was really disappeared without a trace. Then soon. ¡®¡­Insane.¡¯ The screen projecting furnace 3 was filled entirely with ash-colored light. The number of monsters guarding there had doubled. ¡®I¡¯m sorry. China, Japan¡­!¡¯ Even here, it was enough to send chills down one¡¯s spine, but what were the two people inside really feeling? Yeongwoo closed his eyes tightly and then scolded Jeonggu, who was bewildered by the sudden destendscape. ¡¶Father, what are you doing? Run!¡· * * * At the same time, Jeonggu of furnace 1 was madly traversing this space ording to Yeongwoo¡¯s unteral instructions. Thud! He was leaping over the scattered fragments of stone sculptures in the air each time. Swish! If he had put a little less force on his front legs just now, he would have slipped down into that abyss. ¡°¡­.¡± Jeonggu nced briefly at what might be below, which he dared not even imagine, then flew his body towards the stone sculpture visible in front of him with all his might. Thud! Then, Ryu Manho, who had been following him without knowing what was going on, spat out an annoyed remark. ¡°Hey, old man! What¡¯s all this sudden running about? All the monsters are gone, why are you still running?¡± Then, without even turning back, Jeonggu, who had barely hung on to the next stone sculpture, replied. ¡°That bastard¡­ No, my son seems to have a n.¡± ¡°Your son? Are you talking about that guy who went to furnace 2? I thought he would have died by now.¡± Upon this, Jeonggu smirked. ¡°If people die, it will be people like us who will die. There¡¯s no way he could die in a ce like this.¡± Of course, when he was surrounded by at least hundreds of monsters earlier, he honestly had doubts. Could this really be ovee by someone like Jeong Yeongwoo? He would probably be lying on the ground by now, breathless. But that guy¡­ ¨DYou¡¯ll know what all this means as soon as you arrive. He survived as if to show off and boast as usual. He said that once he arrived in front of the furnace, everything would make sense. ¡®If that¡¯s the case, doesn¡¯t it mean he already lit the fire in his furnace? Crazy bastard¡­.¡¯ Thud! Jeonggu flew towards the next stone sculpture. Then, Ryu Manho, who was following him,ined again. ¡°Hey, old man! Let¡¯s slow down a bit. Even though you¡¯re still lively, I¡¯m bleeding from the wound that the Chinese guy inflicted on me earlier.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time to rest. Do you know where all the monsters that were here went?¡± ¡°Huh? Where did they go?¡± As Ryu Manho tilted his head, Jeonggu raised his right hand and vaguely pointed somewhere on the wall. ¡°Furnace 3.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± ¡°They haven¡¯t even lit the fire there yet. So my son sent all the monsters here to furnace 3.¡± ¡°No, then¡­.¡± While Ryu Manho had aplicated look, Jeonggu was measuring the distance to jump to the next stone sculpture. ¡°If we¡¯rete, the two people who went to furnace 3 will most likely die.¡± Thud! With these words, Jeonggu¡¯s body cut through the air. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Thanks to Yeongwoo¡¯s orders to keep running, there were only two stone sculptures left to the furnace. ¡°If it¡¯s too difficult for you, take a break ande. It seems that moving the monsters can be done by one person.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Upon hearing the words of the ¡®elder¡¯ who came from Korea, Ryu Manho, who finally grasped the situation, momentarily became angry. ¡°Does that mean that old man is now going to save that Chinese guy?¡± ¡°Well, Why? Because you don¡¯t want to save that Chinese person?¡± The urgency of the mission was pressing, but what if that young man from Taiwan intervened to stop it? ¡®Not only lighting the third furnace, but even guaranteeing my own life would be difficult.¡¯ Of course, it was no longer a world where young people were stronger than old people. Moreover, that Gowung¡¯s Sword Dragon fellow even had the stad wound he obtained while fighting with the Chinese earlier. Yet¡­ ¡®When I fought those monsters earlier, it was clear that he¡¯s not just an ordinary fighter. But that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll necessarily lose¡­¡¯ However, Jeonggu¡¯s conclusion is that this is not an opponent that can be defeated by justpeting with a few moves. So, even if it took some time, he decided to appease the young man from Taiwan. ¡°Are there only Chinese on the other side of the furnace? There are also Japanese. We¡¯re not going to help them willingly. But for now, we need to survive here.¡± As he said this, Jeonggu noticed that Ryu Manho¡¯s right hand was near the hilt of his sword. He was also pondering his options. ¡®If this old man starts running towards the furnace again, should I ambush him or not?¡¯ ¡°But if you guys had heard that Japanese person say that Korea is Japan¡¯s vassal state, you wouldn¡¯t have wanted to save and send him.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, damn. That¡¯s a valid point.¡± Ridiculously, Jeonggu, who was convinced logically or emotionally in just one shot, scratched his chin. ¡°That Chinese guy¡­ Did he really talk like that about Taiwan?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± After all, would masters from both countries have fought even before the dungeon started? ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Now Jeonggu was looking at the furnace with a face as angry as Ryu Manho¡¯s. What would this problem-solving Korean old man, Jeong Yeongwoo, have done? ¡°So, let¡¯s do this.¡± Finally deciding after much deliberation. ¡°Let¡¯s make sure to light the fire in furnace 3 too. It¡¯ll give us an advantage when we fight against that arrogant bastard.¡± ¡°Then ultimately, you¡¯re going to save the Chinese guy.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been quite a while since all the monsters went over there. Are those two really in good shape right now?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°When that Chinese guy lights the fire in the furnace andes out, ambush him then. If that Chinese guy is really your enemy, you can endure that level of treachery, right?¡± * * * ¡°¡­.¡± How much time had passed? Jeonggu, who had been talking with the Taiwanese for a while, finally seemed to be lighting the fire in the furnace. ¡®Ah, it¡¯s muchter than I thought¡­ but still, at least we avoided the worst.¡¯ Upon seeing the fire lit in furnace 1 through the screen, Yeongwoo immediately turned his head towards furnace 3. Swish- Then, he noticed Miyagi¡¯s Sword Master and Sandong¡¯s Twin Evil being trampled by the ash-colored monsters, exactly as described. And then¡­ Crack! In the blink of an eye, all the monsters on the screen disappeared. It was because Jeonggu had ordered all the enemies from furnace 3 to be sent here, to furnace 2. As a result, Yeongwoo¡¯s previously quiet space was now filled with bustling noises and the sound of monsters. -Another¡­ another movement? -Kuaaaah¡­! -Over there! -They¡¯re dead! Thousands of ash-colored monsters began to rain down like a storm through the ceiling and walls. Yeongwoo¡¯s field of vision was now filled with alert messages appearing one after another due to sensory overload. It was only natural, as all the monsters inside the furnace were now focused on him. ¡°Phew, this time it¡¯s pretty intense.¡± Yeongwoo, while trembling as if tired of it all, aimed at the empty space and pulled the bowstring. Sizzle. ¡¸White Fire¡¹ ¨C Epic Bow ¡¾Sensory values apply to arrow power.¡¿ ¡¾Power increases ording to the distance of the arrow.¡¿ ¡ó Dogo: Stealth Arrows ¡ó Dogo: Special Ability Damage An epic bow equipped with Dogo¡¯s special options. Therefore, promoting Dogo with a supernatural explosion would produce quite a convincing image. Wasn¡¯t this a battle of thousands against one in another realm? The only problem was¡­ ¡°No matter what, free advertising is a bit awkward.¡± Yeongwoo, while just pulling the bowstring, looked up at the sky above his head. Thanks to this, even though the ash-colored monsters filled the space around him, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t care much. He could already leave anytime through the portal on the other side, and he was confident enough to win even without the help of explosive arrows. ¡°Is there no ad fee? Then I¡¯ll just use the sword and leave? Still, logo printing on the sword trajectory wouldn¡¯t be too bad.¡± When Yeongwoo went so far as to say this, something really happened. Ping! Dogo issued a quest as if to say it couldn¡¯t be helped. [Dogo] ¡°Dogo, Supreme Archery¡± [Mission] Defeat monsters using a bow, 0/2,743 times. [Reward] 2 million Karma [Special 1] You must disclose the fact that Dogo supports you in this mission. [Special 2] If you show the logo, an additional 1 million Karma will be paid. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 170 Chapter 170 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 170: Sharing the Bed with Enemies (5) ¡®Removing the armour? Are you saying to advertise tattoos at the same time?¡¯ Already surrounded by grayish monsters, or rather, ghostly creatures, there was no time to hesitate. Swoosh! ¡¸Golden Oath¡¹- Legendary Breastte ¡¾Reduces enemy attack power by 50%.¡¿ As Yeongwoo immediately removed the breastte, it revealed a new advertisement for Dogo ying on the ¡®white space¡¯ on his right forearm. This advertisement was a kind of making film where Dogo researchers in aboratory-like ce resembling two-legged animals were shooting arrows. ¡®So, among Dogo products, there are real bows too.¡¯ The quest name wasn¡¯t just ¡°Dogo, Supreme Archery¡± for nothing. On the other hand, the monsters who unexpectedly faced the challenger who had just thrown off the breastte. -What¡­ What is this bastard? -What is he going to do now? -Is this how it always is¡­? They looked at the problematic challenger with fearful eyes. They even forgot to rush towards their opponent. The opponents they had encountered so far were just testbat dolls copied from challengers who woulde someday. So, they only knew that the challengers had superhuman strength like themselves, but they didn¡¯t know exactly who woulde. Then today, for the first time, they met a challenger, an outsider, and it happened to be Jeong Yeongwoo, the Strongest Sword of Joseon. -What¡¯s happening outside¡­? -This guy is the Strongest Sword of Joseon? The monsters had been waiting for what felt like an eternity until someone came to the dungeon, so the adventures unfolding before their eyes were inevitably stimting. Even Yeongwoo, who had spent millions of karma to buy his body, was quite beautiful in an aesthetic sense. Rather, it made it even more eerie. ¡°Um¡­ Are you all feeling it too?¡± As a moment of silence fell over the area, Yeongwoo awkwardlyughed and extended his shoulder to the audience. Swish. Then the monsters, looking ufortable, retorted. -What are we supposed to feel, you crazy bastard? -What the heck is this guy doing? Upon this, Yeongwoo gradually raised hisbativeness and said. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel that the answer in this universe¡¯s military industry is Dogo?¡± -¡­? -What? -What nonsense¡­ ¡°Well then, let¡¯s feel it from now on. The technology of ¡¸Dogo¡¹!¡± Trduduk! As Yeongwoo suddenly rolled his eyes and vigorously pulled the bowstring, the monsters facing him realized that something was seriously wrong. -This¡­ this guy is not human! -What¡¯s this guy up to now? -Hurry up and kill him! Instinctively sensing danger, thousands of monsters began to rush towards the golden challenger, forgetting about attacking collectively. At the same time, Yeongwoo¡¯s sensory values ??also skyrocketed in a blink of an eye, surpassing tens of thousands, as if going crazy. ¡°Ughhh¡­!¡± In front of the grayish wave filling his sight, Yeongwoo let out a roar that was truly inhuman as he let go of his bowstring. Thud! With a whoosh, a purple explosion of transcendent arrows urred, ruthlessly crushing the monsters rushing towards him. ¡°This battle¡­! Is sponsored by the universal weapon brand, ¡¸Dogo¡¹!¡± Yeongwoo, who was introducing the sponsor with a fanatic expression, realized at this moment. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± He realized that he had already pronounced¡¸Dogo¡¹twice in a transcendentalnguage. Just hearing or seeing it conveyed the meaning and emotions contained within, amunication method of higher beings. So at first, he thought it was a misconception or another promotional method provided by Dogo, but it wasn¡¯t. ¡®This¡­ This is what I pronounced myself. I don¡¯t know why, but I¡¯m sure of it.¡¯ Of course, the transcendentnguage he could use was only ¡¸Dogo¡¹, but this gave Yeongwoo a significant shock. ¡®What, what is this? Why all of a sudden¡­¡¯ And meanwhile, on the back. -We got him! -The back is clear¡­! -Kyaaaa! While Yeongwoo was shooting arrows, hundreds of monsters who hade close were attempting a surprise attack. At this, the automaticbat greatsword ¡®Golden Trail¡¯ tried to move, but¡­ ¡°Wheeeng!¡± ¡°Wait! There are separate quest conditions.¡± Due to Yeongwoo¡¯s restraint, it couldn¡¯t move. [Mission] Defeat monsters using the bow, 59/2,743 times. ording to the quest content, he had to record 2,743 kills using the bow. In other words, if the Golden Trail intervened and there weren¡¯t enough remaining monsters, it could lead to quest failure. ¡°Don¡¯t touch them. Instead, just protect my back. You know what I mean? Just stand firm like a shield.¡± As Yeongwoo gave thismand and shot arrows again towards the front, the Golden Trail stood in his way like a barrier. Thunk! ¡°Luckily, you listen well.¡± With the Golden Greatsword positioned like a shield behind him, Yeongwoo deeply cut his left leg like a self-harming child. Shwaaat! As blood flowed profusely from his thigh, Yeongwoo¡¯s strength stat increased by 25%. ¡¸Fearful Cat¡¹ ¨C Epic Compass ¡¾Indicates a threatening target.¡¿ ¡¾Strength increases by 25% when bleeding.¡¿ The reason Yeongwoo increased his strength while self-harming was purely because this quest ordered him to fight using the ¡°bow¡±. ¡°Grraaah!¡± asionally, there were creatures crawling over the Golden Trail that blocked the rear, but in this case, it was more efficient to simply wield the bow like a sword rather than pull the bowstring. sh! So, he deliberately increased his strength to amplify his closebat abilities. ¡°Ah¡­! Indeed, Dogo¡¯s technology is the best in the universe¡­!¡± After shing nearby enemies with his bow, Yeongwoo shot arrows forward again. Pshhhhh! ¡¸White Fire¡¹ ¨C Epic Bow ¡¾Sensory perception applies to arrow power.¡¿ ¡¾Power increases with arrow distance.¡¿ ¡ó Dogo: Covert Arrows ¡ó Dogo: Special ability damage Due to the characteristic of ¡°White Fire,¡± where sensory values ??are applied to arrow power, Yeongwoo¡¯s attack power against the thousands of monsters surrounding him was truly immense. If the dungeon boss were present at this moment, he might have been able to obliterate them with just a few arrows. ¡°I am Jeong Yeongwoo07, a human of the earth, the strongest in Gyeongbuk and Gangnam, and the whole of the northern part of the Korean Penins! ¡¸Dogoooooo¡¹!¡± As Yeongwoo shouted in a transcendentnguage, the monsters, who were forced to understand the meaning of ¡¸Dogo¡¹ turned pale. -This bastard too¡­? -He wasn¡¯t a human, was he? -What¡­ what¡¯s going on? [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Finally realizing that there was something huge behind this madman, the dungeon monsters began to retreat without even knowing it. And then¡­ -I-I¡¯m scared. With someone¡¯s word as a trigger, everyone began to stick to the outer wall of the space and flee in all directions as if ying a game of tag. ¡°Huh? Wait up! It¡¯s not over yet¡­!¡± This time, it was Yeongwoo who was bewildered. [Mission] Defeat monsters using the bow, 1,321/2,743 times. Since he still had to kill over a thousand monsters, Yeongwoo limped with his leg bleeding profusely, chasing after the monsters. ¡°Only a thousand and three hundred! Just a thousand and three hundred left¡­!¡± Thunk! As Yeongwoo urgently pulled the bowstring, a light from the bow spread his enormous shadow over the legion of monsters and the monsters now began to dodge his aim. -H-hey! -Run away! -Avoid that way! Like ying tag in a narrow space, the monsters started running around, trying to evade Yeongwoo¡¯s aim. However, with too many heads to hide and facing someone like the Strongest Sword, dodging Youngwoo¡¯s arrows was nearly impossible, especially since they were just low-level minions deployed for this area. ¡°They¡¯re all going to die with the technology of ¡¸Dogo¡¹!¡± Yeongwoo pulled the bowstring once again. Trduduk! Then, beams of light extended from the furnace, casting his massive shadow over the horde of monsters. -¡­.P-please save us. * * * [Quest Completed ¨C ¡°Dogo, Supreme Archery¡±] [Reward Given] |3 million karma. Massacre. Having exterminated all 2,743 monsters, Yeongwoo received a card with 3 million karma in front of the portal. Paahh! The status of Dogo, a universal weapon brand that could shoot cards even in dungeons in other dimensions. However, Yeongwoo¡¯s expression was not very good. ¡®It turned out to be unexpectedly shady.¡¯ He received the promised basic fee of 2 million along with the additional bonus of 1 million for removing the upper garment, but the problem was the number 2,743 that Dogo had set as thepletion condition for this quest. This was because this number perfectly matched the number of monsters that had poured in through the fireces earlier. In other words, if Yeongwoo had checked the quest content even a littlete and swung his sword, or if the Golden Trail had gone rampant, it would have inevitably led to quest failure. ¡®Of course, since it¡¯s almost like coercion to ept the quest, there¡¯s nothing to say¡­ But was it right to beg for advertising fees in the first ce?¡¯ (Optional) [Grade 2 Exclusive Quest] ¨C Ad fees will be distributed only through exclusive quest achievements. ¨C The total advertising fee executed increases by about 40 times. # Basic advertising fee: Estimated 10 million karma per week. ording to the contract, Dogo had to pay about 400 million karma in sries through quests every week. Therefore, even if Dogo diligently issued quests to fulfill the promised amount, it would still be insufficient. ¡®It¡¯s business, isn¡¯t it? Shouldn¡¯t they handle this on their own?¡¯ After briefly ncing at the empty space above where the card had been shot down, Yeongwoo slowly walked towards the portal in front of him. ck, ck. Soon, the shimmering portal wrapped around Yeongwoo¡¯s entire body and sent him back to the arena. Shoooaaah! ¡®I still can¡¯t get used to this.¡¯ Although it was brief, the peculiar sensation of spatial movement throbbed through his body, and when Yeongwoo opened his eyes, the surrounding scenery had changed to a vast arena. Quaaak! As Yeongwoo, just emerging from the portal, set foot on the arena floor, experts from the three East Asian countries, excluding Jeonggu, took a step back with fearful expressions. ¡°What¡­ why are you acting like that?¡± Sensing something strange, Yeongwoo asked, and Jeonggu scratched his head awkwardly before speaking. ¡°W¡­ we all saw it too.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°T¡­ that¡­ uh¡­¡± ¡°If you say ¡®that,¡¯ how am I supposed to know? What did you see?¡± ¡°Dogoooo¡­!¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Suddenly feeling embarrassed, Yeongwoo scratched his chin following his father¡¯s lead, then chuckled. ¡°Huh? But did you hear something? I couldn¡¯t hear anything on the screen.¡± Then, Tomiko cautiously spoke up. ¡°We couldn¡¯t hear it. But when you shouted Dogo, we heard the sound.¡± ¡°Oh, only Dogo¡­?¡± Yeongwoo sensed it. What they heard wasn¡¯t just a ¡°sound,¡± but the meaning spread by the transcendentnguage itself. The transcendentnguage could prate even through ry screens that didn¡¯t output sound. However, the narrow-minded experts from the three countries were nowpletely misunderstanding the situation. ¡°Excuse me, Yeongwoo-nim, but¡­ are you perhaps¡­ an alien?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 171 Chapter 171 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 171: Sharing the Bed with Enemies (6) ¡°Alien, you say? What nonsense.¡± Yeongwoo pretended tough it off, but inwardly, he was sweating coldly. He was already equipped with the disguise and spine of another dimension. So strictly speaking, he wasn¡¯t entirely human anymore, was he? ¡°Oh, by the way.¡± Yeongwoo turned the topic towards Tomiko, the Miyagi¡¯s Sword Master who survived from furnace 3, and Sandong¡¯s Twin Evil Jang Jaham. ¡°Are you two okay? You don¡¯t look too good.¡± As Yeongwoo spoke, the two who had been waiting for him in the arena were truly battered. Due to the ¡®hunting¡¯ problem, they had been in battle with the monsters for too long and had no uninjured parts on their bodies. Especially Jang Jaham, who had been injured outside the arena, was now covered in blood even on his face. Just how serious the injuries were¡­ Ryu Manho, who had dered he would kill him just a while ago, had already cleaned up his intentions neatly. ¡®No matter how much you hate someone, it¡¯s not honorable to attack someone who¡¯s practically incapacitated in battle.¡¯ Besides, they had already retaliated by scattering the monsters over there. And above all, he was concerned about the Korean named Jeong Yeongwoo and didn¡¯t want to cause any more trouble. ¡°Ah¡­It might be a lie to say I¡¯m okay. But since my bones aren¡¯t broken, I should be fine with a little rest.¡± Finally, Tomiko, who came from Miyagi, wrapped her blood-stained arm and spoke. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s fortunate that you seem to be conscious¡­¡± After ncing alternately at the two who didn¡¯t seem well, Yeongwoo shifted his gaze to the timer hanging in the air. Tick. To the regret of the injured, the rest time was already ending. [00:00:19] Remaining time, 19 seconds. As Yeongwoo checked the timer, the others also wore grim expressions. ¡°Well, well. Is the time already up?¡± ¡°Considering we were only given 30 minutes.¡± ¡°¡­So are we going straight into the boss battle?¡± Including Yeongwoo, the five of them looked up at the ceiling of the arena. Then they noticed the giant statue they saw when they first came here. A creature of unknown identity, hanging upside down on the ceiling like a bat. ¡®Did they call it Titan Gameta?¡¯ Yeongwoo recalled the dungeon boss¡¯s name. Even though the distance from the ceiling was quite far, if it looked that big, its actual size must have been enormous. And finally. [00:00:01] Beep¡­! As the timer expired, a sharp signal echoed throughout the arena. Then. Crash. A sound like buildings copsing came from the ceiling. ¡°¡­!¡± It was none other than the sound of Titan Gameta waking up. Crash! Titan Gameta, who had been crouching on the ceiling, began to straighten his upper body. ¡°Unbelievable.¡± ¡°Is it, is it that big¡­?¡± Experts from various countries widened their eyes at the sizerger than they imagined. Crash! Titan Gameta, made entirely of rocks, looked like a giant despite its height not exceeding 8 meters. On its back were a pair of wings resemblingrge hands, but because Titan Gameta was hanging upside down, it looked as if only the hands were wide open while its arms were pressed against each other. Its grotesque appearance gave off a strange sense of horror and difort. The problem was that everyone here was trapped in the same space as this unpleasant creature. ¡°¡­Now we have to fight that?¡± Sandong¡¯s Twin Evil Jang Jaham murmured in a fearful voice. It had only been a few minutes since he struggled among thousands of monsters. As a result, his spirit was already half-broken. ¡°But, but¡­ since we¡¯ve already set fire to the furnace, wouldn¡¯t that be enough?¡± Tomiko, the Miyagi¡¯s Sword Master, also spoke uncertainly, without any conviction. And just as her words ended, three dim lights appeared somewhere in the ceiling. Bang, bang, bang! Presumably, as many lights came on as the number of furnaces sessfully ignited. ¡°Well, what¡¯s this now?¡± ¡°Looks like it¡¯s time for the boss battle.¡± As everyone nervously looked around, a new message appeared in everyone¡¯s sight. ¡¸Activated furnace: 3/3¡¹ ¡¸Titan Gameta¡¯sbat power decreases by 3 levels.¡¹ Then, a veryrge circr boundary line was drawn in blue on the floor of the arena. Swish! ¡¸The boundary line you see now is the ¡®deadline.¡¯¡¹ ¡°Deadline?¡± ¡°What¡­ what does that mean?¡± It didn¡¯t sound good. The tone wasn¡¯t very pleasant, and indeed, it was meant to be taken literally. ¡¸From now on, each of you will be assigned a number based on the order of entry into the deadline area.¡¹ ¡°Number?¡± As someone reiterated, holographic numbers from 1 to 5 appeared in the center of the arena. Pop, pop! ¡¸These numbers represent the attack priority of Gameta.¡¹ ¡°Oh¡­¡± Understanding the rule immediately, Yeongwoo checked the ¡®deadline¡¯ of Balch. ¡°So the tank will be assigned ording to the order of entry.¡± Before Yeongwoo finished speaking, the system added more details. ¡¸When the battle begins, Gameta will prioritize attacking yer 1. If yer 1 dies or exits the deadline, yer 2 will be designated as the next target.¡¹ ¡°What¡¯s this¡­?¡± As Jang Jaham frowned at the somewhatplicated exnation, Yeongwoo summarized it simply. ¡°That Gameta guy will kill us one by one in order of entry.¡± But the rules didn¡¯t end here. ¡¸yers who exit the deadline area will be pushed down the priority list for Gameta¡¯s attacks. However, for each yer who exits, Gameta¡¯sbat power will increase by one level.¡¹ This was the core rule of this boss battle. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this insane?¡± ¡°Why did we even light the furnaces then?¡± As people went crazy over the nonsensical rules, Yeongwoo exined while putting on his golden oath breastte again. ¡°We lit the furnaces, so it starts from -3. Originally, it would have increased by one level from 0, right?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°The increase inbat power doesn¡¯t just mean it¡¯s restored from negatives to its original state. It could be even stronger than before.¡± Click! Fully armored now, Yeongwoo stared at Gameta with a calm gaze. ¡°And judging by how they referred to us as ¡®yers,¡¯ they¡¯re not the type toy down the gauntlet. Until yer 1 dies, the rest of us are meant to attack while they run around.¡± Come to think of it, that made sense. Why did theybel us as runners instead of warriors or fighters? [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] That purely meant people who run. ¡°Huh¡­¡± As everyone nodded in understanding of the fairly reasonable interpretation, Jeonggu swallowed heavily and asked. ¡°So, what do we do now? If the role of yer 1 is to run around, shouldn¡¯t the fastest person take it?¡± If that were the case, Tomiko and Jang Jaham, who seemed barely able to move, were already out of the running for the first number. In other words, they werecking not just yers but attackers as well. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s usually how it goes.¡± The most agile person takes yer 1 to draw Gameta¡¯s attention, while the restunch a full-on attack. This was the textbook strategy for this boss battle. ¡°But we have injured people, and if it weren¡¯t for me, the weak team wouldn¡¯t have made it through the furnace section, right?¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± Everyone was taken aback by Yeongwoo¡¯s sudden arrogance, but no one dared to say anything. Anyway, it was a fact. ¡°So what do we do?¡± As Jeonggu¡¯s mood soured, Yeongwoo pointed to himself. ¡°I¡¯ll take number 1.¡± Then he pointed to Jeonggu next. ¡°You¡¯re number 2, Father. Taiwan takes 3. China and Japan, figure out 4 and 5 amongst yourselves.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s strategy was very simple. ¡°There¡¯s no way you can handle that monster that¡¯s clearly set to run away. So I¡¯ll make sure the numbers don¡¯t fall behind.¡± ¡°So you¡¯ll be guarding number 1?¡± ¡°Yes. But once the battle starts, don¡¯t ever run out of the deadline. If that thing gets stronger, I can¡¯t guarantee victory either.¡± Instead of fleeing outside the deadline, he wanted to say they¡¯d better off die on the spot for the sake of the remaining people, but Yeongwoo held his tongue. Even if he rmended it, there was no guarantee it would be followed. ¡°Are you really volunteering for number 1?¡± It was such a radical suggestion that Jang Jaham couldn¡¯t believe it. Since they were already quite injured, there was a high chance they would die in the boss battle if no one stepped up. If the Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword really managed to defeat Gameta in this battle, it would be no different than owing his life to him. ¡°As you said, if Yeongwoo takes number 1¡­ what should we do? How do we defeat that Gameta?¡± Tomiko showed her determination to fight despite her injuries, and Yeongwoo nodded. ¡°The two of you with severe injuries should stay as far away from Gameta as possible. If you get exposed to him, even for a moment, it¡¯ll be a bigger headache.¡± In this battle, Yeongwoo was most wary of allies fleeing. Didn¡¯t they say that for each escapee, Gameta¡¯sbat power would increase by one level? ¡°But if the two of us drop out, practically three of us will have to deal with it?¡± Tomiko reminded them that the rmended number of people for this dungeon was six. Of course, Yeongwoo hadn¡¯t forgotten that fact, so he had devised a n. ¡°We won¡¯t be short of numbers. We¡¯ll fill the six slots tightly.¡± ¡°What¡­? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Yes¡­? What do you mean?¡± As Tomiko queried, Jeonggu realized what Yeongwoo was talking about. ¡®Ah, this bastard. He had a squad of mutants.¡¯ Even now, three ¡®friends¡¯ were waiting desperately for Yeongwoo¡¯s call in the returnee¡¯s room. Yeongwoo had intended to call them to fill the numbers in this battle. Yeongwoo, Jeonggu, Ryu Manho. Adding Yeongtae, Taejoon, and General Kim Younghyeom made exactly six. ¡°If there are no objections, let¡¯s begin now.¡± Eventually, Yeongwoo touched the whistle hanging around his neck and stepped into the blue ¡®deadline.¡¯ Click. Suddenly, light gathered above his head, forming arge number. ¡¸1¡¹ yer 1, Jeong Yeongwoo. Gameta¡¯s top priority target. And right on cue, Gameta, who had been hanging upside down from the ceiling, descended vertically toward the ground as if icicles were falling. Swoosh, crash! It was so much like the scene of a mutant¡¯s appearance that everyone in the arena flinched, and by this time, Jeonggu pushed himself into the deadline and received number 2. Pop! ¡¸2¡¹ Then, with somewhat cheerful voice, he asked yer 1. ¡°Yeongwoo, what should I do? Since I¡¯m number 2, if by any chance you fall behind¡­.¡± Before the dialogue even ended, Yeongwoo threw two swords with a flick of his foot. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°My weapons. Now that I have to alternate between bow and sword, hold onto those and give them back to me when I ask for it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If I drop the sword on the ground, you¡¯ll have to pick it up quickly. Got it? I didn¡¯t have the golden goblin here, so I was a bit short-handed, but it worked out well.¡± ¡°What, you bastard? You¡¯re telling me to shuttle swords?¡± An infuriated Jeonggu protested, but Yeongwoo didn¡¯t hear hisst words. ¨DFive¡­? Your courage is incredible. Because Gameta, who hadnded on the ground by then, was counting the number of humans in the arena. Yeongwoo then looked at Gameta while clutching the whistle around his neck. ¡°Then how about eight¡­¡­?¡± ¨D¡­? [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 172 Chapter 172 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 172: Sharing the Bed with Enemies (7) ¡°Are you deaf? I said, how about eight?¡± As Yeongwoo strode towards the center of the arena, Gameta looked at him with an expression as if he had never seen anything like this before. ¨DHow audacious. How dare this guy¡­! ¡°Who are you?¡± ¨DWhat? ¡°Who are you? No, I¡¯m genuinely curious. We¡¯re meeting for the first time.¡± Thwack! As Yeongwoo swung a Bastard in preparation for battle, Gameta, who had been watching him, widened his eyes. Then, Yeongwoo uttered something unexpected. ¨DBastard¡­! ¡°¡­What?¡± This time, Yeongwoo was the one with a surprised expression. He thought the guy would react somehow, but he never imagined he would guess the name of the sword he just swung. ¡°What did you just say?¡± As Yeongwoo asked again for confirmation, Gameta raised his blunt index finger to precisely point at ¡®Bastard¡¯. ¡ºBastard¡» ¨C Myth-grade One-handed Sword ¡¾Authority Obstruction¡¿ ¡¾Contempt for the weak¡¿ ¡¾Challenger¡¿ ¨DIsn¡¯t that the Challenger, ¡®Bastard¡¯? How is that sword in your hands? ¡°Is this sword that famous?¡± Indeed, the Bastard was a mythical-grade weapon that Yeongwoo would never have obtained in his lifetime if it weren¡¯t for his connection with Dogo. ¡¸You have be the owner of the myth.¡¹ ¡¸You can maintain dignity in front of transcendent beings.¡¹ ¡¸No longer will your existence be broken.¡¹ Just by looking at the permanent buffs gained upon acquiring a myth-grade equipment, one could understand. Myth-grade equipment was universal gear for those who sought to stand on par with the beings called ¡®transcendents¡¯. ¡®No, no matter what, it¡¯s still enough to recognize the monster trapped in some dungeon?¡¯ So Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but ask again. ¡°This is the second time I¡¯m asking, who are you? And how did you recognize this sword?¡± Upon hearing this, Gameta finally spread his hand-like giant wings wide, casting a grotesque shadow over the arena. ¨DI am Gameta, the rebel of the Vesedel royal family, a titan of Kromonius! ¡®¡­Is being a rebel something to be proud of?¡¯ While thinking this internally, Yeongwoo decided to move on for now. Perhaps even rebelling against a royal family in the universe could be considered an ¡®achievement¡¯. ¡°So are you trapped here as a consequence of your rebellion? You certainly don¡¯t look like the owner of this dungeon.¡± ¨DHow arrogant, owner of the myth. Gameta scolded Yeongwoo and then looked at three lights that entered the ceiling of the arena. It seemed like he was concerned about the 3-step debuff applied to him. ¨DBastard. I saw it in thest battle in Vesedel. Then he made a gesture as if grasping something with hisrge hand. ¨DThe day to see the myth again hase¡­ Even eternity is now just a handful of sand. Seeing the myth-grade equipment ¡®Bastard¡¯ unexpectedly brought new feelings. However, Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t interested in the monster¡¯s nostalgia trip. ¡°What nonsense. Then it¡¯s not that big of a deal in reality.¡± ¨DThis¡­! In response to Yeongwoo¡¯s nonchnt reaction, Gameta folded his wings like fists. Thunk! ¨DI don¡¯t know how a creature like you attained the status of a challenger, but the appearance of that sword here is for me¡­! ¡°It seems we¡¯re entering thebat phase soon.¡± At that moment, Yeongwoo was looking at the tooltip of ¡®Bastard,¡¯ which was glowing red. ¡¾Challenger¡¿ |Combat abilities greatly increase when fighting beings of higher grades. ¡®Since I¡¯m a grade 7 existence under universalw¡­ That guy must be at least grade 6 or higher.¡¯ As Gameta himself mentioned, Bastard was a sword for challengers. In other words, in this situation, Yeongwoo, who came to challenge higher beings, was more suitable as the owner of Bastard. ¨DFinally, the shackles of the prey are capturing me! You, creature, hand over that sword. It will be the key to my remaining tasks. Thud. Eventually, Gameta crouched like a predator about to hunt, staring at Yeongwoo. And simultaneously. ¡¸The sensory value has temporarily increased from the existing 1,500 to 4,500.¡¹ The golden light brought the sensation up by 3,000. ¡®¡­What?¡¯ This meant that Gameta¡¯s basic sensory value was as high as 6,000. Moreover, wasn¡¯t this the version that had been weakened by three stages due to the ignition of the furnace? ¡®If the furnace hadn¡¯t been ignited, I wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance against him.¡¯ Watching Gameta charging fiercely, Yeongwoo gripped Bastard with both hands. Thunk. ¡®Just one match. I want to fight properly, even just once.¡¯ Can Yeongwoo still fight on equal footing with a higher being like Gameta in his current state? As Yeongwoo stood still, gripping the sword, Jeonggu, feeling that something was amiss, screamed almost like a shriek. ¡°What, what are you doing? Are you going to switch between using the sword and the bow?¡± Seeing this, the experts from the remaining three countries also looked on in disbelief as the distance between Gameta and the Strongest Sword of Joseon, narrowed to a few meters. And finally. ¡°This crazy guy¡­!¡± Before the eyes of everyone, including Jeonggu, Jeong Yeongwoo and Gameta shed. Baaang! Gameta¡¯s right-hand swing seemed to tear through the air. In response, Yeongwoo¡¯s Bastard seemed feeble, but¡­ Kwaaaang! When the two objects collided, a shockwave swept through the arena, making ears ring. ¡°Kruh!¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± While Gameta¡¯s attack power was evident, Yeongwoo¡¯s resilience against it was extraordinary. ¨DThis bastard¡­! Seeing his blow received without flinching, Gameta expressed surprise. Of course, Gameta thought this was solely due to the power of Bastard. ¨DIndeed, Bastard! A mark of the Challenger. Upon this, Yeongwoo pushed away Gameta¡¯s hand, which was in contact with Bastard, and lightly grazed just above his left knee. Fwaat! This induced bleeding, boosting his strength by 25%. ¨DOh. Seems like you have some tricks up your sleeve. Seeing the self-harm by his opponent, Gameta quickly deduced the reason and immediately began pressing with his left hand. Baaang! Another heavy blow that tore through space. At the same time, Yeongwoo also swung his sword towards Gameta¡¯s left hand. Kwaaaang! This was already their second sh. And at that moment, Yeongwoo felt immense exhration. ¡®This world has truly be anything is possible.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Who would have known that a mere human could engage in such a power struggle? Even now. -Weeiiing! He was watching as the automaticbat greatsword, Golden Trail, aimed behind Gameta and flew towards him. If that attacknded, it would be the first time causing harm to a higher being. ¡°Die!¡± As Yeongwoounched an attack to grab Gameta¡¯s attention, he revealed his n. ¨DI admit, you¡¯re quite something, creature. Then, he reached out behind him and grabbed the Golden Trail that was just about to attack. Kwak! ¡°¡­!¡± Not only Yeongwoo but also the other ¡®creatures¡¯ witnessing this duel could only be astonished. -Weeiiing¡­! Even though the Golden Trail, caught in a split second, desperately increased its output, it couldn¡¯t escape from Gameta¡¯s grip. ¨DNow disappear. Then, holding the Golden Trail, Gameta rushed towards Yeongwoo. Kwakwakkung! He truly intended to end this battle. The scene of the 8-meter giant swinging both arms was terrifying in itself. ¡®He seems really angry this time.¡¯ Instead of counterattacking, Yeongwoo leaped backward. Pwaat! The ¡®Climber,¡¯ which amplified the leap distance by three times, explosively propelled him backward. ¡®Ah, I thought it was just for climbing, but it¡¯s actually a weapon from the Giant Temple.¡¯ Hwaaak! Watching Gameta il through the air by a hair¡¯s breadth, Yeongwoo btedly realized the true value of the ¡®Climber.¡¯ Then, after swiftly checking Bastard, he drew the bow ¡®White Fire¡¯ that he had been carrying over his torso and prepared to draw an arrow. Tudududuk! ¨DA bow? Gameta, whose body was made of rocks, couldn¡¯t be frightened by such arrows. But the problem was. Fyuwooosh! The arrow shot from this bow was made by Dogo. ¡ó Dogo: Stealth Arrow ¡ó Dogo: Elemental Damage Even Gameta, whose grade was higher than Yeongwoo¡¯s, found it difficult to react to the stealth arrow. It was only after the arrow almost touched his forearm that he realized something was wrong. ¨D¡­! Pueeeong! With a purple explosion, a faint crack appeared on Gameta¡¯s right forearm where the arrow struck. Of course, as Gameta was ced as the dungeon boss, he was not an entity that ¡®creatures¡¯ could never kill. ¡°You¡¯re finished now.¡± As Yeongwoo uttered another audacious remark upon confirming the purple crack, Gameta, seething with anger, spread his wings wide and slightly levitated into the air. The next time Yeongwoo tries to jump again, he will snatch him up from the sky. However, unfortunately for him, Yeongwoo¡¯s next move was¡­ Swoosh. It was a whistle performance. Piiiiiiiiing! As the sound of the whistle resonated in the indoor arena with a diameter of 500 meters, a clear echo reverberated. And soon after¡­ Suaaaaa¡­ The surroundings dimmed as a sinister aura invaded the arena. ¡°What, what¡¯s happening? All of a sudden?¡± Tomiko, Miyagi¡¯s Sword Master, looked around with a fearful expression, questioning Jeonggu. ¡°What did you summon¡­?¡± Even Jang Jaham, who sensed that this was ¡®summoning,¡¯ looked up at the ceiling with widened eyes. Despite being seasoned warriors from various countries who had experienced all sorts of events, none of them could have anticipated this. The fact that the Strongest Sword of Joseon had a summoning squad of mutants. Kwaaack! Eventually, space near the ceiling of the arena tore apart, and from within, screams and shouts began to echo one after another. ¡¸Aaahhh!¡¹ ¡¸Uuuhh!¡¹ ¡¸No, dammit¡­!¡¹ Yeongwoo¡¯s three friends. Yeongtae, Taejoon, and Younghyeom were returning to this world. A 3-meter tall hyena humanoid. Likewise, a 3-meter tall granite golem. And finally. [Kim Younghyeom ¨C Friend of Jeong Yeongwoo07] A 6-meter long, 2.5-meter tall white tiger. Unlike the returnees seen on television, the three had regained their transformed bodies. And¡­ Kwaack, Kwaak! As they arrived at the arena of the other world one after another, they each guarded their surroundings, revealing their readiness. They seemed to have practiced theirnding positions in preparation for being summoned like this. But the beings they had to face¡­ -What are these damn mutts? An 8-meter tall rock giant. Upon this, Yeongtae boldly provoked Gameta, opening his elongated jaws. Thud! ¡¸This time, we¡¯re sure! It¡¯s definitely you!¡¹ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 173 Chapter 173 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 173: Sharing the Bed with Enemies (8) ¡¸Hwa¡­ Are you sure?¡¹ General Kim Younghyeom couldn¡¯t easily believe Yeongtae¡¯s conviction. Meanwhile, chairman Kim Taejoon tilted his head at the unfamiliar surroundings. ¡¸Where are we now?¡¹ Having spent an iprehensible amount of time only in the returnee¡¯s room, Taejoon felt curiosity rather than fear in this unfamiliar ce. Upon this, Yeongwoo aimed another arrow at Gameta and shouted. Pe! ¡°I hit him!¡± With Yeongwoo¡¯s official confirmation, a violet explosion burst from Gameta¡¯s shoulder. Pweeong! And as a signal, the three ¡®friends¡¯ all turned their gaze towards Gameta. ¡¸Ugh¡­.!¡¹ Leading the charge was Kim Taejoon, who urgently needed to purchase a television. Kwakwakkwong! A 3-meter tall granite golem. Although he had once nearly pulverized Yeongwoo,pared to Gameta, who stood at 8 meters tall, he looked like a small stone doll. Naturally. ¨DRidiculous. More than anyone present, Gameta, with his cosmic rating, felt disdain. As the golem¡¯s torso was so broad, it looked as if he could kick rather than punch. And Gameta immediately acted on this thought. Kwakkwong, hwaeaaak! Like kicking a rolling ser ball, he swung his right leg to kick Kim Taejoon who was approaching. Paeaeaaeang! Then, with a tremendous noise, Gameta¡¯s right ankle snapped. ¨DHuh¡­? The granite golem¡¯s exterior was much tougher than expected. ¡¸Hey? His foot¡¯s broken!¡¹ Reacting promptly, Yeongtae leaped to Gameta¡¯s right side, and Younghyeom also leaped into the air without hesitation. Kwaaat! He aimed for Gameta¡¯s neck. ¡¸¡­Why am I doing this here?¡¹ Despite baring his long fangs, General Kim Younghyeom was still struggling to adapt to his role as Yeongwoo¡¯s ¡®friend¡¯. To support Younghyeom, Yeongwoo shot an arrow towards Gameta¡¯s left ankle. Pe! While doing so, hemanded Jeonggu to throw a weapon. ¡°ck Sword! Throw it over there!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Jeonggu, who had been staring nkly as the three mutants attached themselves to Gameta, btedly came to his senses and looked down at the two knives in his hands. The Dragon¡¯s Legacy and the Sword of Duhan. ¡°Is¡­ this it?¡± Jeonggu held the particrly ck Sword of Duhan and swung his arm forcefully in the direction indicated by Yeongwoo. Sswoeatt! Immediately catching the ck Sword, he extended the de up to 5 meters and swung it directly. Hwaeaaeaaak! Right towards Gameta¡¯s chin. ¨DThese guys! Though quite threatening attacks wereing at him, Gameta couldn¡¯t move his body. His right foot was broken, his right arm was being pulled by the dotted-line humanoid, and the tiger clinging to his neck kept trying to gouge out his eyes. So Gameta had no choice. Hwaaat! Dodging the ck Sword by flying into the air, he threw the ¡®Golden Trail¡¯ he held in his left hand onto the ground. Kwaang! Then, with his free left hand, he attempted to grab the white tiger clinging to his neck to tear it apart. ¨DAnnoying bastards. But just then, thanks to Yeongwoo¡¯s shout from below, he involuntarily looked in that direction. ¡°Bastard! Catch!¡± ¨D¡­? Looking towards the voice, Gameta saw Bastard flying towards him at high speed. Perhaps in an attempt to save hisrade in some way, he hastily threw him. ¨DYou¡¯ve brought this upon yourself. If he caught the sword, it would have been over, so he snorted. ¨DNow, behold! The true¡­! And just as Gameta was about to catch Bastard confidently. Pweeong! A violet explosion urred at the handle of Bastard. ¨DUgh! Yeongwoo had once again shot an arrow, hitting Bastard. Thanks to that, Bastard bounced off at a strange angle into the distance, and in the meantime, General Kim Younghyeom, who had been persistently aiming for Gameta¡¯s head, seeded in gouging out one of his eyeballs. ¡¸Ugh, why do I have to do this.¡¹ He had poked out the viin¡¯s eyeball with his long fang. Squish! At that moment, Gameta, who had not responded to Yeongwoo¡¯s tormenting effects so far, made an agonized expression with his mouth. ¨DKrrrraah! How dare you! And simultaneously. Thud! Yeongwoo moved right under Gameta, who was struggling in the air, and called out to Bastard who was bouncing up to the ceiling. ¡¸Gnoll¡¯s Iron Belt¡¹ ¨C Mutant Belt ¡¾Remotely retrieve weapons.¡¿ A traditional attack method that Yeongwoo had used since his days as a local swordsman. ¡°Die!¡± As Yeongwoo swung his arm to summon Bastard, the mythical-ss weapon floating high in the air descended rapidly. Swooosh! The crimson trace that split the extradimensional dungeon vertically. ¡°W-what¡­!¡± ¡°Oh my god!¡± The three experts, who had been observing from the sidelines, widened their mouths as they watched the crimson trace pierce through Gameta¡¯s flesh. Although it was no different from a mass lynching by calling in mutants, it was true that Jeong Yeongwoo faced the six-yer boss alone. ¨DAh¡­! Finally, Gameta let out a sigh for the first time and trembled hisrge wings. Then. Whooosh! With his immense body now devoid of strength, he copsed to the ground. Kwaaaang! As soon as he hit the ground, the three mutants began to mercilessly beat him, much like miners discovering a mineral deposit. It was almost time to return, so they had to make a bit more effort to be able to afford the television. ¡¸What, a damn dog?¡¹ ¡¸Ugh, this guy!¡¹ ¡¸Die quickly!¡¹ ¡°Mr. chairman¡­ Maybe your family members are watching¡­¡± Before Yeongwoo could add that they might be watching on television, his ¡®friends¡¯ stopped their movements first. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡¸Gasp.¡¹ ¡¸Ah, already?¡¹ As Yeongtae, who had been beating Gameta vigorously, gradually blurred, their summoning time had expired. ¡¸Isn¡¯t this guy dead yet?¡¹ As General Kim Younghyeom, who had already be half-transparent, asked this, Yeongwoo slowly approached the fallen Gameta. Then, it seemed like the Golden Trail was preparing for the usual ¡®decapitation.¡¯ -Weeeeeeng¡­! If he felt as if he were angry for some reason, it might have been a misconception. ¡¸We¡¯re done here.¡¹ Following this, chairman Kim Taejoon bid farewell with a disappointed voice and disappeared into thin air. And then. Sliiick, shiiriing! Yeongtae and General Kim Younghyeom also concealed themselves one by one. Now, only five humans and the giant Gameta remained in the dungeon. ¨DIt was an absurd battle. As Gametay on the ground, jotting down his brief thoughts on the battle, Yeongwoo approached his head. ck, ck. In his right hand, he held the Bastard that Gameta had so desired. ¨DChallenger, Bastard¡­ They¡¯re still in your hands. ¡°You said you¡¯ve seen this sword before, right?¡± With these words, Yeongwoo postponed the execution as he suddenly remembered something. ¡°I¡¯ve seen this sword before, haven¡¯t I?¡± ¨DYes, you saw it clearly during thest battle of the Vessadel. As Gameta seemed to be sinking back into memories, Yeongwoo quickly asked again. ¡°Who was the owner of the sword at that time?¡± Then, Gameta¡¯s remaining eye squinted. ¨DThe Bastard was originally the decisive weapon of the Vessadel royal family. Why do you ask about its owner? It seems you have no idea how myths are created. ¡°¡­.!¡± This means that the Bastard that Gametast saw was a weapon carried by its original owner, the Vessadel royal family, for war. ¡®Then how did the chairman acquire this weapon? Could it be that the chairman¡­ of the Vessadel royal family¡­?¡¯ Considering that one of the chairman¡¯s attached epithets is ¡®Destroyer,¡¯ it wasn¡¯t an impossible story. ¡°Th-the¡­ how are mythical items created? Before you die, shouldn¡¯t you give some guidance or something to this speck?¡± As Yeongwoo spread out the child, the eerie shadow of this cursed sword crossed Gameta¡¯s forehead. ¨DHa, interesting. Gameta chuckled wryly. But even so, he gave a concise answer in a solemn tone, as if it were a dying wish. ¨DOnly those who write their own myths can leave that achievement as tangible heritage. Vessadel killed the transcendent and gave birth to Bastard. Then, Gameta gestured towards the shadow looming over his head. ¨CAnd you now hold that heritage. The phrase ¡°How dare you¡± couldn¡¯t be more fitting than this. Gameta ventured into his memories once again. From just looking at his expression, it was evident. His lips had already sealed shut, so Yeongwoo sensed that it was finally time to carry out the execution. ¡°Well, I still don¡¯t fully understand¡­ but I understand that it¡¯s something precious that must be treated with care.¡± ¨C¡­ ¡°Then, farewell!¡± As Yeongwoo finished speaking, the Golden Trail, which had been waiting in the air early on, shot down vertically, drawing its golden path like a signature. Whaeeaack! Inevitably, the Dogo pattern unfolded along with that trace. Then, at the fleeting moment, Gameta, who noticed the wedge pattern, widened his eyes. ¨C Dogo¡­! And at that same moment, the Golden Trail struck Gameta¡¯s neck forcefully. Tearrrring! The problem was. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Gameta¡¯s neck didn¡¯t get severed instantly. Even with a legendary greatsword whose de width was about 40 centimeters, they couldn¡¯t cut Gameta¡¯s neck. So, in the end. ¡°Hut!¡± Yeongwoo swung down with all his might while holding the child in both hands. Swoooosh! Finally. Thunk! Gameta¡¯s tough neck was severed, and hisrge head rolled across the arena floor. ¡¸The Titan, Gameta, has been in.¡¹ The system notification officially announcing the death of the dungeon boss. Then finally, the settlement process began. [Sanctuary of Valor] |Dungeon Grade: Normal |Difficulty: C |Rmended Participants: 6 ¡¸The dungeon has beenpleted.¡¹ ¡¸Survivors: 5.¡¹ All survived. ¡°Is¡­ is it really over?¡± As Jeonggu, also confirming the system notification, spoke as if he couldn¡¯t believe it, Yeongwoo looked at Gameta¡¯s head and said, ¡°From now on, it is the best part.¡± ¡¸We will now calcte individual scores for rewards.¡¹ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 174 Chapter 174 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 174: Sharing the Bed with Enemies (9) ¡°Individual scores¡­?¡± ¡°Could it be that the rewards vary for each person?¡± As they reached the reward section, the reactions of dungeon novices and experienced adventurers differed. Jeonggu and Ryu Manho were first-timers in this dungeon. Meanwhile, Tomiko and Jang Jaham were individuals who had already experienced other dungeons, as evidenced by their reactions. ¡°Rankings are probably determined by contribution. Rewards also vary ording to rank.¡± When Tomiko said this, Ryu Manho furrowed his brow. ¡°Contribution¡­?¡± It was an unwee topic. If they were talking about contributions to this dungeon, wouldn¡¯t Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword overwhelmingly receive the highest score? ¡°Well, since we managed to survive this absurd ce, we should consider that reward sufficient.¡± Following this, Sandong¡¯s Twin Evil Jang Jaham sighed and slumped to the ground, uttering a rather dramatic line. It had be difficult even to stand due to the ordeal they faced in the third stage. ¡¸The individual score calction isplete.¡¹ Eventually, the dungeon system finished calcting the scores of the five participants. [1st ce] Yeongwoo ¨C Total score 133/100 ¨C Outstanding resolver. ¨C Overwhelming equipment score. ¨C Between legality and illegality. [2nd ce] Tomiko ¨C Total score 62/100 ¨C Exemry manners. ¨C High equipment score. ¨C Unfortunate experience in the third stage. [3rd ce] Jeonggu ¨C Total score 56/100 ¨C Excellent weapon proficiency. ¨C Did their best. ¨C Yeongwoo¡¯s father. [4th ce] Jaham ¨C Total score 47/100 ¨C Exceptionalbatant. ¨C Provoker. ¨C Unfortunate experience in the third stage. [5th ce] Manho ¨C Total score 36/100 ¨C Exceptionalbatant. ¨C Divider. ¨C Moody. ¡°What? Am I reallyst?¡± Upon the revtion of the rankings, Ryu Manho from Taiwan, who was ranked fifth, expressed his dissatisfaction. To this, Jang Jaham from China sneered at Ryu Manho and chuckled menacingly. ¡°Heh heh, it¡¯s just as it¡¯s written on the report card. Divider, and moody.¡± ¡°What did you say, you provoker?¡± As Ryu Manho growled and attempted to draw his sword, once again, Tomiko intervened between them, expressing her displeasure. ¡°Oh,e on! Stop it already. Aren¡¯t you all embarrassed to be carried up on his back like that?¡± Swiftly, Tomiko pointed towards Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo. Of course, she hadn¡¯t made significant contributions to this dungeon herself. Nevertheless, wasn¡¯t she still a party member with a score of 62 out of 100, as judged by the system out of a maximum of 100 points? In terms of ranking, she was second. ¡°With a score of 36 in this position, 62 is quite excellent.¡± This was why Tomiko dared to speak out loudly despite Yeongwo being 133 points ahead of her. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Meanwhile, Jeonggu tilted his head somewhat tepidly at his own scorecard. A total score of 56 out of 100. It seemed he was being praised for doing his best. Although he had only thrown a weapon to Yeongwoo during the boss battle, thebel ¡°excellent weapon proficiency¡± wasn¡¯t entirely false. ¡®But then again¡­¡¯ ¨C Yeongwoo¡¯s father. What did being Yeongwoo¡¯s father mean? Did he introduce himself as Yeongwoo¡¯s father when he first entered this dungeon? But if that wasn¡¯t the case¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡± While Jeonggu wore aplicated expression, Tomiko, looking at the rulebook, asked, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a score exceeding 100. How did such a scoree about? Was it the same before?¡± [1st ce] Yeongwoo ¨C Total score 133/100 Tomiko was already confident that Jeong Yeongwoo had solved the dungeon in a simr manner before, as she asked. A monster who summoned flying swords and mutants¡­ Wasn¡¯t it a natural thought? ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true.¡± While Yeongwoo affirmed Tomiko¡¯s question, he didn¡¯t reveal further details. ¡°Is the score important? Surviving this dungeon is what matters.¡± Of course, it wasn¡¯t sincere. Yeongwoo desperately wanted to obtain the encyclopaedia, the reward for first ce. ¡®So I¡¯ve secured first ce. That¡¯s it¡¯ As Yeongwoo looked at the scorecard with a satisfied expression, the message for reward distribution appeared at the perfect timing. Plop! ¡¸Rewards will be distributed ording to the confirmed rankings.¡¹ [1st ce] Yeongwoo ¨C Armor encyclopaedia [2nd ce] Tomiko ¨C Random Epic Equipment [3rd ce] Jeonggu ¨C Random Epic Equipment [4th ce] Jaham ¨C Random Unique Equipment [5th ce] Manho ¨C Random Unique Equipment ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± While everyone was surprised by the rewards, the reasons varied slightly for each of them. Jeonggu and Ryu Manho, who were experiencing the dungeon for the first time, were amazed by starting with unique grade rewards. However, Tomiko and Jang Jaham, who were experienced, had their own reactions¡­ ¡°An encyclopaedia?¡± ¡°What¡¯s an encyclopaedia¡­?¡± They reacted as if they were seeing the reward for the first time. Consequently, Yeongwoo also couldn¡¯t help but feel puzzled. ¡°You¡¯re seeing an encyclopaedia for the first time? There must have been a first ce in the previous dungeons too.¡± When Yeongwoo asked this, Tomiko nodded as if it were obvious. ¡°Of course. Wasn¡¯t the first ce reward supposed to be legendary equipment¡­?¡± ¡°The first ce reward I saw was also legendary equipment.¡± It seemed that the two who had experienced different dungeons each considered the first ce reward to be legendary, while only Yeongwoo thought of it as an encyclopaedia. That meant¡­ ¡®Was I wrong?¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze returned to his own score. [1st ce] Yeongwoo ¨C Total score 133/100 ¡®Total score, 133.¡¯ Andst night, in ¡°Pain of Ilya,¡± where he was rewarded with the Artifact encyclopaedia, Yeongwoo had scored¡­ [1st ce] Yeongwoo ¨C Total score 172/100 ¡®¡­172 points. Both times I scored over 100 for first ce.¡¯ Yeongwoo finally realized. The equipment encyclopaedia was a hidden reward in the dungeon. It was a reward beyond just being ¡°first ce¡± in terms of achieving something more substantial. ¡®Although achieving first ce in a dungeon is never easy, considering there are probably several dungeons opening worldwide every day¡­ It didn¡¯t make much sense.¡¯ As Yeongwoo came to this realization, Tomiko and Jang Jaham approached him as if to start a conversation. ¡°Why? What is it?¡± ¡°Stop gaping and say something.¡± However, the meeting of the four experts from four countries ended here. Soon, a beam of light shed before the eyes of the four, excluding Yeongwoo. Zap, zap! It was none other than the physical rewards being given. The unique rewards were contained in orange boxes, while the epic rewards appeared in silver-white boxes. ¡°Wow, what¡¯s this? It¡¯s like getting presents.¡± Jeonggu eximed with excitement, feeling relieved of the tension he had been holding onto for so long. He had obtained epic-grade equipment after crossing the threshold. To obtain this through trade with merchants, one would have to pay a huge amount of karma or sacrifice a legendary-grade achievement. ¡°So what about Yeongwoo¡­¡± Then Tomiko turned her head back to Yeongwoo again, but at that moment, Yeongwoo was already checking a notification message that only he could see. ¡¸Yeongwoo07¡¯s data: ¡®Armor encyclopaedia¡¯ has been added.¡¹ ¡®Oh, it¡¯s over. It¡¯s an Armor encyclopaedia.¡¯ As Yeongwoo confirmed the type of encyclopaedia that appeared as a reward, his expression unintentionally filled with pride, noticed by Jeonggu who recognized it as ominous. ¡°You, bastard¡­ What incredible thing did you get now?¡± ¡°Well, I just¡­¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Yeongwoo smiled, swallowing the words ¡°I¡¯m invincible.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but think of dozens of armors sleeping in the spatial bag of the Golden Goblin. And finally¡­ ¡¸In 10 seconds, the dungeon will be closed.¡¹ ¡¸Please use the portal to exit.¡¹ With the announcement of the dungeon closure, the countdown began. ¡¸9¡¹ ¡°Huh!¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s already time.¡± ¡°What happens now? Are we going back to where we came from?¡± ¡¸8¡¹ As the remaining time decreased without hesitation, everyone¡¯s gaze turned to Yeongwoo. To the monster, no, the nobleman who had broken through this absurd dungeon in an absurd manner. ¡°By any chance¡­ will youe tomorrow?¡± In the end, Jang Jaham subtly requested an after-meeting. Being somewhat bloodthirsty, he also had a strong desire for power, even though he had almost died today, he thought ofing back to the dungeon again. Of course, assuming he would be on the same team as the Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword. Upon hearing this, Yeongwoo nodded as he looked at the timer, which had now decreased to 6 seconds. ¡¸6¡¹ ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll probablye to the dungeon tomorrow.¡± ¡¸5¡¹ ¡°Are you unaware? Since it¡¯s random matching every time, it¡¯s difficult to meet again once we part like this.¡± As Yeongwoo said this, he remembered Ricardo and Ottavio, who had been his partners in the first dungeon and had shown quite remarkable teamwork. At this point, one could even say that he missed them a little. He just wanted to know their current situation, even if it wasn¡¯t rted to the dungeon. ¡®They must have been causing chaos somewhere. Maybe if I keep flipping through the channels on TV, they¡¯ll show up?¡¯ With this thought in mind, Yeongwoo was about to hurry back to check when an unexpected line came from behind. ¡°But you two came together, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Turning around, he saw it was Jang Jaham. ¡°You and your father, didn¡¯t youe together like you wanted?¡± ¡¸3¡¹ ¡°Well¡­ we did pass through the same entrance at the same moment¡­?¡± Yeongwoo answered as if it were obvious. And Jang Jaham responded in the same manner. ¡°That¡¯s what I mean.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°So, we¡¯re also¡­¡± Jang Jaham¡¯s words didn¡¯t continue further. Or rather, it would be more urate to say that they didn¡¯t reach Yeongwoo¡¯s ears. Before his words could be fully pronounced, Iche, the dungeon master, filled the room and bounced everyone out of the stadium. Bam! Presumably, due to the dungeon¡¯s closure as previously announced, all participants were forcibly ejected. ¡°Ugh!¡± It was only at this moment that Yeongwoo painfully learned why he had to open the portal and leave by himself before the countdown ended. Being forcibly ejected from the dungeon was apanied by severe nausea and pressure. ¡°Aargh!¡± As Yeongwoo screamed unlike his usual self, at some point, the surroundings filled with Iche suddenly turned red, and his eyes and ears opened. ¡°Huh!¡± And simultaneously¡­ ¡°Agh!¡± From behind, there was a sense that Jeonggu suddenly appeared, rolling on the ground. He, too, had been forcibly ejected. ¡°What the heck is all this? Is this how we¡¯re supposed to be kicked out?¡± ¡°Ugh, what is this¡­ Normally kicked out?¡± Moaning, Jeonggu vomited on the ground. Of course, with a wildfire raging nearby, red embers flew into Jeonggu¡¯s wide-open mouth. ¡°This damn world! Still the same as ever.¡± As he muttered in arrogance, Golden Goblin, riding on Negwig, approached with a clinking sound. ck, ck. -Kweee! With that, Yeongwoo waved to his two colleagues and asked his father, who was still lying on the ground. ¡°Did you hear earlier?¡± ¡°¡­Hear what?¡± ¡°What the Chinese guy said.¡± ¡°About using the same entrance tomorrow?¡± ¡°Yes. I didn¡¯t hear it all the way to the end, but it was something like that.¡± ¡°But is that possible? Even if he finds out where we are, it¡¯s too far toe back. Do you even know where Sandong is?¡± ¡°Where is it?¡± As Yeongwoo sincerely asked, Jeonggu touched his forehead. ¡°Damn, it¡¯s across from Incheon. Do you know what that means? It¡¯s across the sea.¡± Sandong Province, China. If you use the sea route, it¡¯s the city closest to South Korea among all regions in China. However, considering the current means of transportation, which mainly consists of fastnd travel, there was hardly any ce as difficult to reach as the area across the sea. But¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± As Yeongwoo made a sound as if he remembered something, Jeonggu¡¯s face wrinkled. ¡°Why? What now?¡± ¡°Is there¡­ really Sandong across from Incheon?¡± ¡°If I say so.¡± ¡°Then, wouldn¡¯t it be not impossible for people from Sandong to use the same entrance?¡± ¡°What¡­? W-why is that?¡± Jeonggu looked at his son with an uneasy expression. Then the problematic son spread his hands and pped his palms together. p! ¡°Soon, thend will be connected. Like Pangaea!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going to be connected¡­?¡± Jeonggu¡¯s mouth hung open wide. And then, he looked at Yeongwoo with a bewildered face. ¡°No, seriously, look at this¡­ This asshole treats his father like an idiot.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 175 Chapter 175 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 175: Master of Myths (1) ¡°It¡¯s true. The continents will soon merge. Whether you believe it or not won¡¯t change anything.¡± Yeongwoo said this while gazing at the sky, which was stirred up by embers. Knowing that the dungeon reward this time was an armor encyclopaedia, it was time to invite the chairman. (Special Agreement) [Expensive Beads of Sweat] -¡¸Dogo¡¹ will obtain an encyclopedia. ¨C If you choose a type, Dogo will acquire one within two days. ¨C In case of failure to meet the deadline, the headquarters will pay a penalty of 100 million Karma. Special conditions of the previous advertising contract, wanted encyclopaedias. Moreover, if this special contract is not upheld, a penalty of 100 million karma will be imposed. Therefore, no matter what the oue, Yeongwoo would not suffer any loss from the contract. ¡°Are you feeling ufortable right now?¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± ¡°I need to call someone. There¡¯s no one around, so now¡¯s the perfect time.¡± As Yeongwoo said this, Jeonggu reflexively furrowed his brow. ¡°What nonsense is that? Who would you call in this weather?¡± However, Jeonggu also had a gut feeling. The person this troublemaker was calling was definitely not an ordinary person. But he never imagined that this person wouldn¡¯t even be human. ¡°Chairman! I will use the special contract now! ¡¸Dogo¡¹¡­!¡± ¡°Chairman?¡± As Yeongwoo shouted at the sky, Jeonggu¡¯s expression turned fearful. It was because he knew from experience that everything this guy said woulde true. So, the chairman he just called out to the sky must be a real person. ¡®Where on earth is the chairmaning from? No, could it be¡­?¡¯ It was onlyter that Jeonggu realized something. Last time, didn¡¯t a mutant teame down from the sky? So, naturally, this time too¡­ ¡®That chairman must not be a regr person either.¡¯ Only after realizing the situation did Jeonggu look at Yeongwoo, about to say something, when suddenly¡­ Crunch! Suddenly, the sky turned blood-red and the abnormal weather in the area stopped instantly. It was as if a night dungeon had appeared. ¡®Oh, so the chairman can control the weather at thending point.¡¯ Yeongwoo, who dared to test the head of advertisers, looked around as if in admiration. Within a radius of 3 kilometers from where Dogo set hisnding point, not a single breeze blew. ¡°What¡­ who¡¯sing?¡± Jeonggu, unaware of the ¡®extraterrestrial¡¯, realized that something extraordinary wasing and looked up at the sky. Then, soon after¡­ Crash! The center of the red sky split open, and a gigantic anchor, also the Dogo chairman¡¯s insignia, shot down. Whoosh! Crash! ¡°Whoa, damn!¡± The massive anchor that fell in the middle of the ruins of Gwangjin-gu emitted a chilling sense of danger. Rustle! Then, connected by chains to the anchor, the Dogo chairman¡¯s airship slowly descended, this time with the lower hull already open. ¡°Chairman!¡± As Yeongwoo waved his hand and approached where the anchor hadnded, Dogo finally appeared leisurely from within the giant tomb. ¨C Jeong Yeongwoo07. You¡¯re still alive, I see. Dogo, who clearly witnessed everything in the dungeon, pretended not to know and Yeongwoo lightly ced his hand on Bastard at his waist in response. ¡°Yes, thanks to you, Chairman.¡± Then, ncing at the imposing chairman¡¯s airship once again, Yeongwoo uttered the next line. ¡°I have finally begun to ¡®speak¡¯, do you know why?¡± It meant being able to express the meaning of ¡¸Dogo¡¹ in a transcendentnguage. At this, Dogo chuckled silently within his thick armor. No, to be precise, that¡¯s how Yeongwoo felt. ¨C Your existence is rapidly escting. The evidence being your ability to coin a single word. After saying this, Dogo added one more thing. ¨C Unfortunately, it¡¯s your choice. ¡°¡­Yes? Are you talking about words?¡± To Yeongwoo¡¯s question, Dogo nodded silently. ¨C Even your subconscious needs ¡¸Dogo¡¹. ¡°Ah, I see¡­¡± Jeong Yeongwoo, a clever little creature, was inwardly tilting his head even at this meaningful moment. He wondered if the chairman was using this scene as part of his promotional activities. Anyway, if the chairman was the founder of the weapon brand Dogo, wouldn¡¯t he be a salesman through and through, down to his bones? ¡®My subconscious needs Dogo too¡­? It sounds usible, but isn¡¯t that a bit too prepared?¡¯ As Yeongwoo gave him a cunning look, Dogo raised a finger d in armor and pointed at his advertisement model. ¨C Request the special contract. ¡°Ah, right. I¡¯ve taken too much of your time, Chairman. However, before that.¡± nk. As Yeongwoo took a step back, he reached out and grabbed someone¡¯s arm behind him. Thunk! ¡°What¡­?¡± It was none other than his father, Kim Jeonggu. ¡°I should introduce him to the chairman. He¡¯s Kim Jeonggu, my father.¡± As Yeongwoo pulled with force, Jeonggu could only be dragged out reluctantly. ¡°Father, please greet him as well. He¡¯s the chairman who pays for the advertisements.¡± ¡°Oh. Uh, nice to meet you. I¡¯m Kim Jeonggu¡­ Is Yeongwoo doing well?¡± As Jeonggu awkwardly blurted out whatever came to mind, Dogo stared at him for a moment. Swish. Seeing Jeonggu meet his gaze and then quickly nce at the spaceship, Yeongwoo thought, ¡®What¡¯s up with this guy? He¡¯s not even fixing his gaze on his helmet. Is he the boss?¡¯ Then, finally, -Special contract. Dogo once again ordered the contract tomence to Yeongwoo. ¡°Yes, Chairman. The encyclopaedia I request is¡­¡± Yeongwoo hesitated until thest moment, but ultimately, there was only one encyclopaedia he needed to request. ¡°It¡¯s a weapon encyclopaedia. I just obtained an armor encyclopaedia earlier. So now, I can always walk around without armor.¡± At this, Dogo showed a hint of joy for the first time. ¡°Good news.¡± Perhaps because he was pleased with the news. Dogo, who was about to return immediately, left some room for further discussion. -Is all business concluded? ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Given Dogo¡¯s position and personality, even if he disappeared right in front of him, Yeongwoo wouldn¡¯t have anything to say. So, Dogo giving him another chance to ask was a tremendous favor. ¡°If you permit, I¡¯d like to ask two more things.¡± -Speak. I¡¯ll give you ¡®a hand¡¯ of time. A hand. It meant one minute of Earth time. So, Yeongwoo used this precious time firstly to seek tax advice. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°I will transition from a simplified taxpayer to a general taxpayer starting tomorrow. How much tax should I prepare?¡± Though it seemed like a pointless question to ask the chairman of a cosmic corporation, it was actually crucial. In this world, taxes were absolute. Even if it was the rising star of the cosmos, Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword defaulting on taxes meant instant obliteration. And surely, Dogo, the chairman, must have been well aware of that fact. -Speak the name of existence. I will entrust your affairs to that person. As expected, the chairman had an answer. However. ¡®The name of existence¡­? So, he means to say the name of the person who will serve as my tax consultant?¡¯ Yeongwoo, with his cosmic experience, only knew one name¡­ that of the mediator Kubu. ¡®If I do this, I might have to pay Kubu some under-the-table money.¡¯ There wasn¡¯t much time left. Yeongwoo immediately pronounced the name that came to mind. ¡°Kubu¡­ Guardian of the Otherworld, I choose Kubu.¡± -Good. What¡¯s next? How much time was left? Since the chairman kindly didn¡¯t set a timer, Yeongwoo could only guess the passage of time by intuition. ¡°Bastard!¡± -¡­? ¡°Why did you give me the Bastard? As the chairman, you must have had many other mythical items.¡± The decisive weapon of the Vessedel royal family, the Bastard. Why was this sword in Dogo¡¯s possession? And why did he hand it over to Yeongwoo? ¡°Was that a slightly ufortable question?¡± Seeing Dogo¡¯s cautious reaction to Yeongwoo¡¯s careful question, Dogo turned his gaze to the tomb he hade on. -Next. As he had no intention of answering, he was ready to ept another question instead. Then, unknowingly, Jeonggu, who had been holding his breath beside him, blurted out without thinking. ¡°How much tax do you pay, Chairman? Do you pay any? You might do a bit of tax evasion.¡± ¡°This¡­!¡± Yeongwoo was taken aback by the unexpected intrusion, but upon hearing it, he realized it was actually quite an interesting question. Did taxes exist even in the world of a cosmic corporation? ¡°Do you pay taxes?¡± After a while, Yeongwoo officially asked the question at Jeonggu¡¯s urging, and Dogo drew a heavy sword. Swooosh! Immediately, Jeonggu panicked and ttened himself on the ground. ¡°Eek! Chairman! I¡¯m sorry! I dare to¡­!¡± However, Dogo, only left a mysterious line. -The only way to escape the sacred duty of paying taxes is to be someone beyond death. After leaving this eerie line, he disappeared as if scattered into thin air. Pah! He spatially shifted into the airship. Upon this, Yeongwoo stood dumbfounded for a moment before quickly bidding farewell to the chairman. ¡°Chairman! Please take care¡­!¡± Tap! Thud! As Yeongwoo sprinted towards the chairman¡¯s airship, like a child chasing a bird, Negwig followed closely behind. -Squeeeak! And surprisingly, at that moment¡­ Whoosh! Following Negwig¡¯s path, Dogo¡¯s spike pattern glittered brightly. It seemed he had his own tracking function. Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, chasing after the chairman¡¯s airship while holding the Bastard high. And beside him, the iron horse scattering spike patterns. ¡°¡­¡± Still lying on the ground, Jeonggu only lifted his head in astonishment, feeling disoriented by the bizarre sight. ¡°No, how does the world even work?¡± And in the midst of all this¡­ ¡°Chairmaaann!¡± With Yeongwoo¡¯s utmost sincerity in seeing him off, the chairman¡¯s massive airship rose into the sky like a sh of lightning. Shooaaat! Then¡­ Pop! As if nothing had happened, the space where the airship had been was now clean and empty. ¡°¡­Phew.¡± Finally, Jeonggu breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing Yeongwoo returning to his side, Jeonggu attempted to take off his cape. Thwip! ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s this? What the hell, you crazy guy!¡± ¡°Oh, right. Father would die if this was taken off, wouldn¡¯t he?¡± Seemingly forgetting, Yeongwoo startled, removing his hand. ¡°I almost wasted 2,000.¡± Then Jeonggu, sweating in the suddenly reignited storm of embers, asked, ¡°What, what was that? Why did you suddenly try to take off the clothes again?¡± To which Yeongwoo scratched his chin and replied, ¡°I finished my work, so I was going to put it in the encyclopaedia.¡± Then, he unfolded today¡¯s biggest harvest, the Armor encyclopaedia. Pop! [Armor encyclopaedia] ¡²20¡³ ¡¸The Collection Effect Level 1 has been unlocked.¡¹ ¡¸The Collection Effect Level 2 has been unlocked.¡¹ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 176 Chapter 176 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 176: Master of Myths (2) Unlocked up to level 2 at once. ¡®I collected twenty. No, with the cloak, it¡¯s twenty-one.¡¯ In the typhoon of embers, Yeongwoo watched the activation messages of the equipment passing by in front of him in a daze. From the most recently obtained equipment to the defensive gear that had been left untouched for days, all dormant special effects were being applied at once. ¡¾20% increase in power against enemies with abilities.¡¿ ¡¾15% of attack power converted to ability damage.¡¿ ¡¾Power increases up to 80% depending on the degree of limb loss.¡¿ . . . ¡¾20% cold resistance¡¿ ¡¾Can be attached to walls or ceilings.¡¿ And ordingly. Poof! |Fire Resistance: 35% |Cold Resistance: 35% |Lightning Resistance: 30% |Poison Resistance: 15% ¡¾Osmosis 35%¡¿ |Ability Resistance: 30% Yeongwoo¡¯s resistance also increased significantly, with the average exceeding 30%. ¡®Wow, Osmosis seems ridiculously good like this.¡¯ ¡¸Osmosis¡¹ ¨C Epic Ring ¡¾The lowest basic resistance value is equal to the highest resistance value.¡¿ As the tooltip suggested, the basic resistance with the lowest value, ¡®poison¡¯, received the pressure resistance effect, raising its resistance to 35%. ¡®Now I don¡¯t even need to bother buying poison resistance equipment.¡¯ From now on, Yeongwoo¡¯s resistance securing strategy was to bolster only the three elements of fire, cold, and lightning, and if possible, even the ability resistance. ¡®So far, the power prevailing in the Barren Universe is of the ability type. They were even making ability damage equipment.¡¯ So Yeongwoo was thinking of gathering as much ability-rted equipment as possible. With the idea that he wouldn¡¯t back down even if he shed with anyone in the universe. Being a Grade 4 human by birth, Yeongwoo, who had beengging behind in running since the first day of the reset, possessed a kind of instinctual weakness. ¡®No matter how much you increase your strength, it¡¯s never excessive.¡¯ As Yeongwoo deeply breathed in the air filled with embers, the armor encyclopaedia, which had finallypleted the registration process, revealed the collection effects of levels 1 and 2. ¡¸Each encyclopaedia has its own unique collection effects, and when the encyclopaediapletion exceeds a certain level, you can obtain amazing blessings or skills.¡¹ [Armor encyclopaedia] ¡²20¡³ [Collection Effect: 10] |All damage reduced by 10% [Collection Effect: 20] |50% increase in designated equipment¡¯s effects ¡°What¡­?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze stopped at the level 2 collection effect. ¡®The effect of designated equipment? Does that mean it can also increase the effects of sense deprivation or golden oath?¡¯ It probably could. A special function that could only be activated by collecting a whopping 20 pieces of armor couldn¡¯t be useless. ¡®Wow, then¡­¡¯ ¡¸Golden Oath¡¹ ¨C Legendary Breastte ¡¾50% decrease in enemy¡¯s attack power.¡¿ If the Golden Oath is targeted for the level 2 effect, it reduces the enemy¡¯s attack power by 75%. ¡®This is definitely it.¡¯ Yeongwoo took off his armor and immediately stored it in the encyclopaedia, applying the collection effect. And then. Poof! The tooltip of the encyclopaedia, which was disyed in front of him, shed, and the level 2 effect changed. [Collection Effect: 20] |50% increase in designated equipment¡¯s effects ¡¾75% decrease in enemy¡¯s attack power.¡¿ ¡°Wow¡­!¡± Shocking. Yeongwoo stood with his mouth agape for a while, unable to say anything. Then Jeonggu asked, tugging at the hem of his cloak. ¡°What on earth is it? Let me know.¡± In the midst of the zing firestorm. For Jeonggu, standing here staring nkly into the air was all he could do at the moment, so he couldn¡¯t help but feel both anxious and bored. ¡°It¡¯s nothing much.¡± ¡°It seems like a big deal.¡± ¡°Now it¡¯s harder for humans to kill me, no matter who they are.¡± ¡°¡­That was the case before.¡± Jeonggu pointed out with a tilt of his head, then quickly asked another question. ¡°So who can kill you then?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You said it¡¯s difficult for any human to kill you. So who do you think can kill you?¡± Why ssify and categorize opponents by their species? ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Finally, Yeongwoo made up his mind. ¡°The Chairman would definitely be able to kill me¡­¡± Yeongwoo then thought of Titan Gameta as his next opponent. Although he couldn¡¯t determine what rank he was, he was certain that his original presence would be more imposing than it was today. Even in a weakened state of Grade 3 debilitation, he was still a formidable opponent. ¡®If I had not lit two extra fires in the furnace, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to guarantee victory.¡¯ So¡­ ¡°I¡¯m not sure if this expression is appropriate, but mercenaries with some recognition from outer space¡­? Wouldn¡¯t they be capable of killing me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re quite confident, huh? Well, you¡¯re confident, but if someone from outer spacees, wouldn¡¯t it be natural for you to die? We¡¯re human after all.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I mentioned it. I probably will lose.¡± Yeongwoo said this, but in his heart, he was somewhat denying it. Because soon the Chairman woulde back with the Weapon encyclopaedia. ¡®Now that my armor is reinforced¡­ If I can get the Weapon encyclopaediater, can I win against the Gameta of the past?¡¯ Of course, this was a very reckless thought. Was he trying topare himself, a mere mortal, to a being like the Gameta, a traitor to the royal family? ¡°Anyway, is everything done now? I want to go in and rest quickly.¡± Meanwhile, Jeonggu looked towards Gangnam with a nostalgic look in his eyes. However, he tightly held the silver-white box he received as a reward from the dungeon earlier. ¡°¡­ Aren¡¯t you going to open it?¡± So when Yeongwoo pointed to the box with his chin and asked, Jeonggu hugged the box even tighter. ¡°Are you trying to snatch it? No, you can¡¯t. This is my life¡¯s worth.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the lodging. I will open it there. It¡¯s too valuable to open on the street, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± A valuable item. If it were an Epic Grade equipment, it could be adequately described as precious. Even Yeongwoo didn¡¯t have much Epic Grade equipment. [PR/N: Buddy¡­ u have legendary and mythic grade equipment¡­.] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Then let¡¯s go now.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± ¡°Yes. I think I need to rest a bit to be able to move tomorrow.¡± This was also true. Because of the long dungeonst night, he had hardly slept for two days. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go back quickly. I¡¯m sick of fire now.¡± * * * Parnas Hotel Room 3233. It was hard to believe that just a few hours ago, he was waiting for the night toe inside. It felt like he had been gone for at least a few days. ¡°What time is it now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just before 1 a.m.¡± After briefly looking at the clock, Yeongwoo walked towards Room 3233, which was visible on the other side. Then. Tap. He lightly knocked on the door. Immediately, a sound from inside was heard, and Jongsu opened the door to greet him. ¡°Ah, sir! Thank you for your hard work.¡± However, as he noticed Yeongwoo standing outside without his upper garments, he quickly stepped back and opened the way. ¡°P-Pleasee in.¡± ¡°Where are the children? Are they asleep?¡± ¡°Uh, well¡­¡± Jongsu scratched the back of his head. Upon this, Yeongwoo sensed that the children had seen what happened in the dungeon through the television. Seok did not separate her children. Of course, the children might not have stepped back. ¡®Well, I shouldn¡¯t interfere too much.¡¯ After blinking once, Yeongwoo asked Jongsu again. ¡°How far did ite out?¡± ¡°From the television¡­ right?¡± As Yeongwoo continued to look at him, Jongsu told him about what he had seen through the television overnight. Even after Yeongwoo and Jeonggu left the room, they continued to watch the returnee¡¯s room through the television, and then at some point¡­ ¡°Suddenly, it felt like the floor was sinking, and the three of them were sucked in.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± It was probably right after Yeongwoo yed the horn. ¡°After that?¡± ¡°After that¡­¡± The darkened screen suddenly showed a huge monster, Jongsu exined. ¡®Titan Gameta¡¯s. The television was actually illuminating where friends were.¡¯ Until now, he thought it was illuminating the returnee¡¯s room, but the focusing of that channel was actually on the individuals. ¡°Then all of the Chairman¡¯s actions must have been shown.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ we were all very impressed.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Nevertheless, it wasn¡¯t a very desperate battle. ¡°Then now they must be focusing on the returnee¡¯s room again.¡± ¡°Yes. It was chaotic because of that.¡± ¡°Why?¡± When Yeongwoo asked nkly, Seok, Kim Taejoon¡¯s wife, rushed over from the other side of the room with a loud noise. ¡°Why? Because we¡¯ve been watching you from over there!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Yeongwoo didn¡¯t understand what she was saying at first, but soon he understood Seok¡¯s meaning. ¡°Oh, no way.¡± This time, Yeongwoo¡¯s steps quickened. As he entered the bedroom where the television was, the children of Seok, who were watching the entrance register, widened their eyes. ¡°Oh¡­!¡± At first, it seemed like ¡®oh¡¯ was just an astonished sound, but the actual words the children were trying to say were, ¡°Dad!¡± It was a word calling for their father. ¡°Dad¡­?¡± Yeongwoo repeated the children¡¯s words as if entranced, then looked up above his head following their gaze. Then a voice came from the direction of the television where the children were looking. -Uh, yes! It¡¯s dad! It looks good now! It was the voice of Kim Taejoon, the chariman. As Yeongwoo took two more steps and looked at the television screen, he saw Yeongtae, Taejoon, and Yeongheum sitting in the all-white yard. And in front of them was a small ck and white television, about 9 inches, which seemed a bit small for three adult men to watch together. Inside it, just like it was looking down at the returnee¡¯s room, the scenery of the bedroom of room 3233 was visible. It was as if it was ntingly looking down from above Yeongwoo¡¯s head. ¡°Is there a transparent camera attached here?¡± As Yeongwoo murmured while examining his head, the three people on the screen spoke simultaneously. ¡°Thank you, Yeongwoo.¡± This was Kim Taejoon¡¯s thanks for being able to see his family directly thanks to Yeongwoo. ¡°Hey, why is this guy taking off his clothes in front of the kids?¡± This was General Kim Younghyeom¡¯sint. And finally. ¡°Sir! A new item has been added to the menu! But there¡¯s something strange about it!¡± A report on the current situation of the ¡°Returnee¡¯s Room¡± from Hong Yeongtae. ¡°Something strange?¡± Until now, Yeongwoo had no particr thoughts. Yeongtae was originally the type to tter, and besides, wasn¡¯t that ce the returnee¡¯s room? The only items that could be purchased there were items for the welfare of prisoners. Things like an hourss, chess, or television to ease the pain of waiting. But this time, the story that came out of Yeongtae¡¯s mouth was a bit different. ¡°There¡¯s an item called ¡®Laser Bombardment¡¯ here. What is this? But sir, you know¡­?¡± At this, Yeongwoo, for the first time, turned his head with a fearful expression. ¡°I, I don¡¯t know¡­ What is that?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 177 Chapter 177 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 177: Master of Myths (3) ¡°Laser?¡± ¡°Laser¡­?¡± ¡°You mean,ser?¡± Sincemunication with ¡®friends¡¯ through the television was being heard by everyone in the room, chaos erupted in an instant. ¡°What nonsense,ser? Why would there be aser here?¡± At Jeonggu¡¯s words, Yeongwoo waved his hand in the air. ¡°Ah, because it¡¯s so noisy, could everyone please quiet down?¡± Then he asked Yeongtae on the television again. ¡°Are you sure? Laser bombardment¡­?¡± Upon which, Yeongtae pushed the menu towards the transparent camera in the air. ¨DLook, it¡¯s written here. ¡°Ha.¡± It was indeed there. In the middle of therge menu shown by Yeongtae, there was clearly written ¡°Laser Bombardment.¡± However. ¡°What¡¯s aboveser bombardment? Is it nk?¡± Yeongwoo asked when he saw the empty space at the top of the menu, to which Yeongtae shook his head. ¡ªThere¡¯s something more, but it¡¯s covered for now. Seems like it¡¯s locked or something. Yeongtae said with his nose wrinkled, just like a true sniffer. ¨DBut there are many other things besides this. There¡¯s also high-definition television, and something called a generator¡­ huh? While examining the prices of other products, Yeongtae suddenly widened his eyes. ¡°Why? What is it?¡± To which Yeongwoo asked, tilting his head, and this time General Kim Younghyeom snatched the menu from Yeongtae¡¯s hand. Hmph! ¡ªWhat¡¯s this? There¡¯s no price forser bombardment? ¡°Eh?¡± Could it mean it¡¯s free? From the name alone, it definitely didn¡¯t seem like something that could be free. ¡°General, what are you talking about?¡± Yeongwoo was about to ask again about the price of the bombardment. ¨DWhoa! General! ¨DBe careful! With Yeongtae and Taejoon¡¯s frightened voices, General Kim Younghyeom selected ¡®Laser Bombardment¡¯ from the menu. Seeing there was no price tag, he immediately proceeded with the purchase. And then. Zap! Instantly, the returnee¡¯s room on the television shone brightly white. ¡°Gasp.¡± ¡°¡­What¡¯s that?¡± Something astonishing enough to even surprise the people in the bedroom piled up in the returnee¡¯s room. It was none other than. ¨DDamn these lunatics. Components of aser gun turret. Presumably, when properly assembled, it would be a huge machine, consisting of thousands of parts. ¡°¡­Oh my.¡± Yeongwoo, who examined the returnee¡¯s room through the television, soon touched his forehead. He seemed to have a good idea of what was going on. ¡®So, is this why the returnee¡¯s room seemed endlessly spacious?¡¯ The essence of the returnee¡¯s room began to fit the assumption of it being a prison. Instead of sellingser guns, why give out countless parts? It must be a hint to assemble that thing while time passes, like inmates in a prison doingbor. ¡®Well¡­ It¡¯s more productive than just ying chess endlessly.¡¯ In actual prisons, inmates are often assigned to produce products like soap and razors under the name of penalbor. So, in a way, this is also a kind of penalbor. Of course, it would be nearly impossible for the three, who were not even from the mechanical field, to correctly assemble those many parts. And as expected, this time, a system message appeared to both the ¡®friends¡¯ and Yeongwoo. ¡¸Due to the purchase of the television, conditional two-waymunication has been enabled.¡¹ ¡¸As a result, some equipment sponsored by the weaponpany Toma has been added to the list of activatable products.¡¹ ¡®Weaponspany Toma?¡¯ Since it wasn¡¯t written in a transcendentnguage, its meaning couldn¡¯t be clear, but to Yeongwoo¡¯s thoughts, it seemed like one of those universal arms manufacturers, like ¡®Dogo.¡¯ Plop! Then, the returnee¡¯s room shed again, and a hefty holographic book appeared in front of the three prisoners. ¡°What, what is this?¡± While the others were curious, Yeongwoo felt even more intrigued. And the three on the television hurriedly opened the problematic book. After a while, General Kim Younghyeom began to stumble as he recited the first words of the book. ¨DThank you for purchasing Toma¡¯s product. This product is aary-scale bombardment support equipment, and if you need bombardment at the gctic level, please contact headquarters¡­ ¡°Crazy.¡± So, in short, the holographic book the three received was some sort of product manual. Kim Younghyeom just read the preface, indicating that theser turret activated this time supportsary-scale bombardment. And if you want intergctic long-range bombardment, you need to purchase additional products through Toma headquarters. ¨DI thought it might be a ballistic missile because I saw something like a barrel, but it turned out to bepletely different. After Kim Younghyeom roughly scanned the book, Yeongwoo quickly asked. ¡°General, so what does that mean?¡± ¨DOrbital bombardment. ¡°Yes¡­?¡± ¨DIf weplete theuncher here and shoot theser, somewhere up there, they will receive theser and shoot it at the target for us. ¡°Is that possible?¡± ¨DLet¡¯s see if those guys from Toma can do it. What¡­ should we call it intermediary orbital bombardment? It¡¯s a way I¡¯ve never seen before. Aser. If you shoot energy, Toma receives that power and attacks on our behalf¡­ It sounded like a story that wasn¡¯t entirely imusible at first nce. ¡°And what about the bombing target? If you¡¯re just shootingsers on your side, how do you know the bombing target?¡± Then General Kim Younghyeom, who had been diligently searching through the holographic book, suddenly looked up at the camera with a puzzled expression. ¨DAre you really going to use this? Perhaps feeling something ominous, General Kim Younghyeom immediately used a distant form of address towards Yeongwoo. ¡°What else would we do? As long as we can assemble it.¡± ¨DIt may take some time, but we can assemble it. Everything after this is just assembly instructions. Then, finally, Younghyeom found the coordinate request part in the manual. However. ¨DAh. His first words were a sigh. ¡°Why?¡± ¨DTo properly carry outser bombardment, at least two things are needed. ¡°What are they? Please tell me.¡± Yeongwoo urged, and General Kim Younghyeom raised his fingers one by one. ¨DFirst, a generator for constant operation of the television anduncher. Ah, it seems like you can¡¯t keep the television on indefinitely. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Generator. This was the product mentioned by Yeongtae earlier. Among the items with price tags, there was a generator in addition to the high-definition television. ¨DSecond, a coordinate locator. ¡°A coordinate locator¡­?¡± ¨DThis is something you need to acquire. When you call out the coordinates from your end, we enter them into theuncher. ¡°I see¡­ That makes sense.¡± Yeongwoo now understood this whole process to some extent. The three prisoners detained in the returnee¡¯s room would assemble theser turret until the next call, and in the meantime, Yeongwoo on Earth thought, ¡®I can search for the coordinate locator from traders¡­ I can issue a warrant to the Seoul Strongest Swords tomorrow afternoon.¡¯ He might not know, but that coordinate locator is likely a product from apany called ¡®Toma.¡¯ If he were the CEO of Toma, he would have set up a bait like that. ¨DWow, this is amazing. Meanwhile, Yeongtae, who had already started touching theuncherponents, showed on the other side how two pieces of metal stuck together like mas. ¨DThey stick together like mas. See? To this, Yeongwoo showed a response that was not particrly surprised. ¡°It¡¯s probably designed to be assembled by hand.¡± They support even intergctic-scale bombardment. So, implementing that level of convenience is a piece of cake for them. Yeongwoo stared at the numerousponents in horror, then turned to General Kim Younghyeom again. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯ll have plenty to do for a while.¡± He omitted the unnecessary words about not feeling bored, but General Kim¡¯s dissatisfaction emerged immediately. ¨DNo, but why do we have to go through this trouble? Isn¡¯t it enough to fight willingly every time you call us? He meant that he was trapped here for a showdown with Kim Jong-un, the Secretary-General of the Joseon Workers¡¯ Party, not for endlessbor. To this, Yeongwoo looked genuinely puzzled and asked. ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¨DWhat? ¡°Laser turret ready forunch! Target: Kim Jong-un, Secretary-General¡­!¡± Yeongwoo suddenly made a crazy remark, but at least General Kim Younghyeom showed a more enthusiastic demeanor than anyone else. ¨DAh¡­! He only realized it now. If they couldplete that weapon in time, they might be able to use theser turret in the showdown with Kim Jong-un. ¡°Launchmand? No. You can press theunch button directly.¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s words, General Kim Younghyeom, who was barely calming down his excitement, coughed slightly. ¨DHmm, that¡¯s not such a bad suggestion. ¡°And anyway, you guys are the ones doing theser bombardment, right? So you can also umte merit points.¡± ¨DOh! ¨DAh, that¡¯s really true. Yeongtae and Taejoon also nodded with bright expressions at the mention of merit points. This meant that they could acquire points even when not on call. There were still many leisure items on the menu that they hadn¡¯t purchased yet. ¨DBy the way, besides theser bombardment, there were quite a few items locked above¡­ What could they be? Chairman Kim Taejoon muttered as he checked the menu again. ¨DRight. The first item we make was theser turret. So the second one must be even more extraordinary. General Kim Younghyeom also agreed with Taejoon¡¯s thoughts. ¡°There must be something unreasonable.¡± Yeongwoo was curious about the other products, but there was no immediate way to find out. Perhaps the chairman would know? Being a military contractor like Toma, he must be well-informed about this side of things. ¡®Maybe they¡¯re inpetition with each other.¡¯ It¡¯s a problem that can¡¯t be solved without more consideration. Yeongwoo decided to wrap up theser situation at this point. ¡°Anyway, please put in a lot of effort. The sooner you assemble it, the sooner you can use it in realbat.¡± Perhapster this afternoon, or tomorrow¡­ Kim Jong-un would eventually appear in the northern part. So they needed to prepare as quickly as possible. ¨DYes, sir! We¡¯ll hurry up! ¨DWe don¡¯t have anything to do here anyway. ¨DIt¡¯s better to do that than just stare at the hourss. With this agreement with the three detainees, Yeongwoo suddenly felt all the tension dissipating, and fatigue came over him. All these things aboutsers had given him a subtle psychological shock. ¡®This crazy world¡­ How far does it go?¡¯ For now, it seemed like he needed to get some sleep, so he unconsciously made his way to the sofa in the living room. Sssshh. The space in the living room he was heading towards split open. ¡°Uh¡­!¡± What¡¯s this now? As Yeongwoo reflexively prepared for battle, a familiar tone came from the split space. ¨DEarthling, the strongest man in Gyeongbuk and Gangnam, and the guardian of the northern part of the Korean Penins, it is an honor to meet you, Lord Jeong Yeongwoo 07! ¡°¡­Ah. Mr. Kubu.¡± ¨DI, who have been promoted to level 8 under thews of the universe! Kubu, the guardian of the Tenta and the master of the Darro! Kubu¡¯s universalw rank promotion. It seemed that his existence had been elevated as he was entrusted with Yeongwoo¡¯s tax affairs. ¡°Oh, congrattions. Did youe under Chairman Dogo¡¯s orders?¡± As Yeongwoo approached with a bright smile, Kubu lifted the space and opened his eyes. ¨DYes! Thanks to you mentioning my name, Lord Yeongwoo! For me, who has lived half my life as level 9, this is too much¡­! Seeing Kubu sincerely moved, Yeongwoo scratched his chin cautiously and offered a luck. ¡°So, do you have something prepared?¡± ¨DThank you so much¡­ Uh, what¡­? It seemed to be an unexpected story, as Kubu forgot to even blink and stared at Yeongwoo. ¨DUm, what are you talking about? ¡°On Earth, there is a long-standing tradition of bribes. If you¡¯re not familiar, I¡¯ll exin it to you now.¡± [PR/N: Is bro really asking for a bribe rn ??] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 178 Chapter 178 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 178: Master of Myths (4) Under-the-table money, bribery, rebates. Whatever term you used, it seemed like there were simr concepts in the universe. ¨CAh¡­ Yes, of course! Kubu blinked hisrge eyes, hiding his confusion. ¨CYou¡¯ve bestowed upon me an honor that cannot be bought with money, Jeong Yeongwoo07. So, I shall give you a gift that cannot be bought with money! Pfwaat! Suddenly, Kubu, with yellowish pupils, stared nkly at something as if calling out for it. ¡®Huh¡­? Why are you doing this so formally? I was expecting to negotiate the transaction fee or ask for a bigger discount.¡¯ Of course, therger the amount of under-the-table money, the better it was. Anyway, Yeongwoo looked around cautiously, slightly bewildered. Suddenly, amid themotion, people from the bedroom started walking towards the living room. ¡°What¡¯s going on this time?¡± Seok, appearing with the children, asked with concern. So Yeongwoo made an effort to smile at her and the children. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°¡­Nothing?¡± Seok disagreed entirely, looking at therge eyes dominating the living room. ¡°Ah, are you seeing this for the first time? He¡¯s the one who will take care of my tax affairs from now on.¡± As soon as Yeongwoo finished speaking, Kubu, havingpleted some kind of summoning ritual, opened his eyes again. ¨CJeong Yeongwoo07! Please ept the under-the-table money I¡¯ve prepared here! With that, a portal emitting yellow light opened beneath Kubu¡¯s yellowish pupils. Pfwaat! Apparently, something was being brought in through that portal. ¡°No, Kubu! Under-the-table money should be given discreetly¡­¡± While Yeongwoo was expressing his indignation towards the under-the-table money entering through the main gate, something groped its way out of the yellow portal. ¡®Walking¡­?¡¯ Seeing the ¡®under-the-table money¡¯, Yeongwoo sensed that something was terribly wrong. And then, immediately, ¨CKeeiiii! The under-the-table money, walking out of the portal, made a whimpering sound. The bribe prepared by Kubu was none other than a living creature. ¨CThe finest quality Tenta ve! It¡¯s Pofu Tenta! Kubu, the guardian of the Tenta people, proudly introduced the bribe ve. Upon hearing this, Yeongwoo, like the people behind him, was left speechless. ¡®Do aliens have nomon sense? What are you going to do bringing a ve in front of the kids?¡¯ From the Portal, 3233¡¯s living room was graced by the broad foot of the fully emerged Pofu Tenta from the portal. Squelch, squelch! ¡°What¡­?¡± Youngwoo eximed with a drained voice as he noticed ws on the creature¡¯s feet. The being brought by Kubu as part of his elevated status was a bipedal frog with a height of 70 centimeters. ¨C Brrrup! Half of its face was a mouth, typical of amphibians. Pofu Tenta opened itsrge mouth wide, surveying the room. It seemed to be mentally preparing itself for the new where it would likely end up buried as a ve. ¡°¡­Goodness. Yeongwoo, do you even trade ves now?¡± Despite being gagged by her own words, Seok questioned like this. However, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t bring himself to answer. After all, the golden goblin he had seen earlier, as well as the man who was to be her husband, were practically no different from ves. And, right on cue. ¨C Kiiiiii! The senior ve who had been resting on the living room sofa rushed towards the new ve. Tatat! -Kiik! When the goblin waved its arms, Pofu Tenta responded in kind. -Babaat! Then both of them looked at Yeongwoo simultaneously. Swish. ¡®¡­I don¡¯t know what it is, but it doesn¡¯t feel good.¡¯ As Yeongwoo wore a troubled expression, Kubu blinked again and spoke. ¨CPofu Tenta is the highest ve of the unique grade. It will greatly assist you on your journey, Jeong Yeongwoo07. ¡°Highest grade?¡± Yeongwoo, who had been about to send the frog-like creature back to space, stopped short. ¡®The golden goblin was an artifact-grade, but¡­?¡¯ This meant that this Pofu Tenta was of a higher grade than the goblin. ¡°So, does it have a name? The golden goblin was just called the golden goblin.¡± ¡¸Golden Goblin¡¹ ¨C Artifact ve ¡¾Stores items in a pocket dimension.¡¿ ¡¾Collects things that turn into money.¡¿ Knowing this, Yeongwoo felt inexplicably sad. When ves reached a certain grade, they could have their own names. ¨CThis is the ownership of Pofu Tenta. Finally, Kubu presented a small yellow bead in front of Yeongwoo. Probably, touching that bead would officially make Yeongwoo the owner of Pofu Tenta. ¡°I hope I won¡¯t end up like a ve trader, leading around a group of followers.¡± Yeongwoo reached out slowly toward the bead. And then¡­ Touch. Finally, when his fingertips touched the bead, he saw a new item tooltip appear before his eyes. ¡¸Pofu Tenta¡¹ ¨C Unique ve ¡¾ys the trumpet¡¿ ¡¾Iron Chain Band¡¿ | The effect of trumpet performance increases by 10% for each adjacent ve. ¡°Trumpet performance¡­?¡± Muttered Yeongwoo to himself as he saw the tooltip. Pofu Tenta reached into the bulging pocket on his side and pulled out a small golden trumpet. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°Was his stomach a pocket?¡± In that case, was Pofu Tenta some kind of bard? Does this mean he gives buffs to his owner through trumpet performance¡­? ¨DPofu is the best trumpet yer of the Tenta tribe. Kubu¡¯s exnation continued. But that wasn¡¯t really important. ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s obvious that he ys well, but isn¡¯t the effect of his performance more important?¡± So when Yeongwoo requested a trumpet demonstration from Pofu, Kubu declined on his behalf. ¨CIt¡¯s difficult here. ¡°Why?¡± ¨CPofu¡¯s trumpet performance is for attack purposes. * * * An attack-oriented trumpet performance¡­ What kind of performance is that? Yeongwoo was left with only questions, so he decided to ept Kubu¡¯s ¡°fee¡± for now. ¡°Shall we start some business now?¡± As Yeongwoo looked at Kubu, his first tax ountant, Kubu blinked once again. ¨CYes. First, let¡¯s calcte the business ie of Mr. Jeong Yeongwoo07. ¨CLet¡¯s calcte the total business ie of Mr. Jeong Yeongwoo07, which amounted to 34 million karma over the past two days, with 28 million karma being paid in cash. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] At this, the people gathered in the living room, ranging from Jeonggu, the Strongest Sword of Dobong, Jongsu, Kwon Taeyoung and Kim Taejoon¡¯s family, who could only be considered low-ie in terms of imports, couldn¡¯t close their mouths. ¡°What? How much¡­?¡± ¡°34 million?¡± Even in this ce where various sses gathered, a daily ie in the tens of millions was something unimaginable. However, Yeongwoo noticed something strange about Kubu¡¯s ie calction and mentioned it. ¨CWhy is the total amount 34 million when the cash is only 28 million?¡± Then Kubu rolled his eyes and quickly replied. ¡°Some of the ie from advertising activities was paid in physical goods. ¡°Ah.¡± As soon as Yeongwoo heard this, he realized that it was the cost of modifying Dogo¡¯s equipment. ¡ó Dogo: secret arrow ¡ó Dogo: Special ability damage This is Dogo¡¯s special function attached to the epic bow ¡®White Fire¡¯. ¡®Then is this option valued at 6 million karma? Even though it looks like a retail price, not a wholesale price.¡¯ After all, Dogo was not a non-profit organization. They wouldn¡¯t engage in unprofitable business. ¡®Still, the items received through special agreements are not counted as business ie. Thank goodness.¡¯ If the weapon encyclopaedia and mythical-grade weapon were converted into actual ie, how much would it be? There was a high probability that Yeongwoo would not be able to even afford the taxes. ¡°So¡­ How much tax do I have to pay tonight?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s voice became smaller for some reason. But of course, wasn¡¯t that what Dogo¡¯s chairman said? In this universe, the only way to avoid taxes is to transcend death. In other words, if you didn¡¯t want to die, you had to pay. ¨CThe current basic calcted tax for Mr. Jeong Yeongwoo07, a general taxpayer, is 3.4 million karma. Calcted tax. It refers to the tax before applying deductions. ¡°What¡­?¡± Yeongwoo shouted without realizing it. ¡°Wait, does it make sense to pay 3.4 million in taxes in just one day?¡± In an instant, Yeongwoo lost hisposure and became a real taxpayer. But the amount of money was also a fact. ¡°Businesses have a tax rate of 10%. In fact, it¡¯s not that highpared to Earth.¡± Jeonggu from the corner of the living room chimed in. But Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t easily agree. ¡°No, if you were a real businessman on Earth, you could deduct expenses from your ie. Isn¡¯t this just taking 10% of the total ie?¡± Yeongwoo hesitated, then suddenly remembered something and asked Kubu. ¡°What about the single-person household deduction? Until yesterday, it was supposed to halve the tax.¡± Then Kubu replied with regret. ¨CThe single-person household deduction is a special deduction applied only to simple taxpayers during the protection period after the gate opening. It does not apply to Mr. Jeong Yeongwoo07, who has converted to a general taxpayer. ¡°Ah, damn it¡­!¡± Yeongwoo almost blurted out the F word, but managed to hold it back as he looked at the kids. ¡°So, am I supposed to pay the full 3.4 million? Who the hell is taking all that money?¡± As Yeongwoo spoke with the intention of finding the tax collector and killing him, Kubu trembled with his eyes. Because¡­ ¨CJeong Yeongwoo07, sir. ¡°Yes.¡± ¨CIn addition to the basic calcted tax, there¡¯s also an acquisition tax for each item. ¡°What? For real, just say it straightforwardly!¡± The rage of Joseon¡¯s Greatest Sword, who had received a tax bomb, pierced through the cabin ceiling. ¡°It¡¯s for illegitimate children, right? That acquisition tax.¡± ¨CThat¡¯s correct. ¡®Fuck, I¡¯m tired.¡¯ How much would the acquisition tax be for myth-grade equipment? Yeongwoo now felt dizzy. ¡®Could it be that I was set up by the chairman? When he gave me myth weapons, he never mentioned anything about an acquisition tax.¡¯ Luckily, he had a considerable amount of cash just in case. * Avable Karma: 8,954,500 8.95 million Karma. But wasn¡¯t the tax for advertising already 3.4 million Karma? Could he really bear the acquisition tax for myth-grade equipment with that money? ¡®Even the weapon encyclopaedia might have an acquisition tax¡­?¡¯ Bankruptcy. This would lead to bankruptcy. And the consequences of that¡­ ¡®Death¡­?¡¯ Being threatened not by mutants but by taxes, he had never imagined such a life even in his dreams. ¡°Then did the chairman pay the transfer tax? Actually, if you think about it, that sword he gave was one-sided!¡± Upon hearing this, Kubu responded without even blinking this time. ¨CSince it was recorded in the books as a business transaction, the chairman paid the transfer tax as usual. ¡°Hah.¡± At this point, there was nothing more to say. So Yeongwoo asked again in a voice devoid of spirit. ¡°Is there no other way? This is really bankruptcy.¡± To this, Kubu rolled hisrge pupils. ¨Cording to the education I received in Dogo for Jeong Yeongwoo07¡¯s tax representation work¡­ ¡°Oh, is there something?¡± With a feeling of grasping at straws, Yeongwoo perked up his ears, and Kubu looked at him with rolling eyeballs. ¨CCurrently, the tax-saving strategies that I can rmend to Jeong Yeongwoo07 are dependent family deduction and single-parent household special deduction. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 179 Chapter 179 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 179: Master of Myths (5) ¡°What¡­?¡± He heard it. Clearly heard it. But he couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°A single parent¡­ what?¡± Dependent Family Deduction, Single Parent Household Special Deduction. Is it really true that such things exist in universalw? ¡®Considering there¡¯s also a deduction for single-person households.¡¯ Whether it¡¯s a single parent or two parents, what wouldn¡¯t one do to avoid death by taxes? ¡°So, what do I need to do? Since I already have my father with me, doesn¡¯t that automatically fulfill both conditions?¡± Dependent Family Deduction. Simply put, it¡¯s a deduction applied when supporting parents, grandparents, or spouses. In addition to direct descendants under South Koreanw, deductions are also given for spouses, siblings, adopted children, and foster children under certain conditions. Of course, the scope of ¡®dependent family¡¯ under universalw may be unknown, but in any case, wouldn¡¯t a biological father be sufficiently included? ¡®And now we are already a single-parent family. Is there anything else he can do other than rmend tax-saving strategies? As if waiting for Yeongwoo¡¯s answer, Kubu looked at Jeonggu, while the tax ountant continued to gaze at Jeonggu. ¨DFor the ¡®Single Parent Household Deduction¡¯ to apply, both Mr. Jeong Yeongwoo07 and Mr. Kim Jeonggu11 must be recognized as family under universalw. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°Uh¡­? Then, aren¡¯t we not recognized as family under universalw yet?¡± Jeonggu¡¯s expression becameplicated. He had been avoiding Yeongwoo¡¯s de, but subconsciously began to wonder if that orphan could really be his son. As the two men couldn¡¯t continue the conversation, Kubu borated. ¨DTo put it in Earth terms, you need to go through formal documentation to prove your rtionship under universalw. Currently, the two of you are not officially recognized as family. ¡°Ah.¡± Yeongwoo, who had experienced quite a few cosmic procedures, understood first. ¡°It¡¯s like needing some sort of notarization. Since we¡¯ve never formally acknowledged our status as family until now.¡± More precisely, the situation was that Yeongwoo¡¯s father, Jeonggu, was denying the existence of his son. ¨DThat¡¯s correct. If you wish to formalize your rtionship, please carefully read and sign this ¡®document¡¯ I¡¯m presenting to you. Snap! As Kubu finished speaking, a holographic document appeared in front of the two men. And the content of that document was none other than a ¡®Direct Descendants Certificate.¡¯ ¡¶Universal Descendants General Certificate¡· ¨C ¡¸Jeong Yeongwoo07¡¹ is recognized as the biological and legal son of ¡¸Kim Jeonggu 11¡¹ and thus proves the family rtionship under universalw. ¨C ¡¸Kim Jeonggu 11¡¹ is recognized as the biological and legal father of ¡¸Jeong Yeongwoo07¡¹ and thus proves the family rtionship under universalw. Under each statement, there was a nk space bordered by an original design, which seemed to be a ce for signatures. ¡°Good heavens.¡± After carefully reading the statements, Jeonggu was left speechless. A universal family rtionship certificate. He had never imagined he would be faced with something like this in his lifetime. But that¡¯s exactly why. ¡°¡­But if we sign here and the contents don¡¯t match the truth, what happens?¡± Jeonggu had to be cautious. ¡°There¡¯s a statement here iming to prove biological fatherhood, but it might not be true.¡± In fact, before the reset, they had never even touched each other, so the statement of being a biological father wasn¡¯t quite appropriate. Still, at this point, if Jeonggu acknowledged it, there was room to consider them as actual father and son. However, the issue of biological fatherhood was a problem that couldn¡¯t simply be brushed aside. The answer to this problem was either true or false, nothing in between. ¨DThat¡¯s correct. Finally, Kubu began to answer. ¨DIf the content of the certificate you sign does not match the truth, you may be arrested and prosecuted for forgery of an official document. ¡°¡­Prosecuted?¡± This time, Yeongwoo showed curiosity. There¡¯s a concept of prosecution in the universe too? Then who and where do you get arrested and prosecuted? ¨DIn this case, there¡¯s a possibility that intentionality may not be proven during the trial. However, since most are unexpectedly killed during the detention period, please sign carefully. ¡°Killed during detention¡­? Are you saying they die in prison?¡± To Yeongwoo¡¯s question, Kubu gave a chilling response. ¨DThat¡¯s correct. Approximately 84% of those awaiting trial die in custody. That means, even if you¡¯re innocent, there¡¯s a high chance you¡¯ll end up dead. ¡®An 84% fatality rate for pre-trial detainees? What kind of world is this?¡¯ What kind of universe is it, indeed¡­? ¡°Th-then, shouldn¡¯t we avoid signing this?¡± With a frightened expression, Jeonggu moved away from the direct descendants certificate, prompting Yeongwoo to immediately pick it up. Snap! ¡°Stop talking nonsense, Father. If we can¡¯t pay the taxes this time, I¡¯ll die.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll die even if you¡¯re prosecuted, you lunatic!¡± ¡°That¡¯s only if we¡¯re not recognized as actual wealthy individuals! Even if you get detained, there¡¯s a 16% chance of survival.¡± After saying this, Yeongwoo raised his hand to the signature space on the certificate without hesitation. Tap! ¡°But if you can¡¯t pay the taxes, you¡¯ll die with a 100% chance. Do you understand? So sign quickly if you don¡¯t want to die right now.¡± Swish. Having finished signing first, Yeongwoo drew a diagonal line between his and Jeonggu¡¯s signature spaces with the tip of his knife. If you don¡¯t want to die, then sign. An incredibly ruthless move indeed. ¡°¡­.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] However, no one could reprimand Yeongwoo in this situation. Everyone present knew he was ruthless, and this was a special circumstance. Basic tax alone amounted to 3.4 million karma. Plus, there was the acquisition tax for myth-grade equipment. Some in the audience thought it was surprising that Jeong Yeongwoo hadn¡¯t lost his temper earlier. ¡°Sign it. It¡¯s the only way for both of us to survive. And let¡¯s find out for sure whether we¡¯re wealthy or not.¡± ¡°Uh¡­.¡± Jeonggu hesitated. Yeongwoo¡¯s words were true. If they signed this universal document, they would definitely find out. If Jeong Yeongwoo and Kim Jeonggu were indeed rted by blood, tax deductions would proceed. And if not¡­ ¡®Imprisoned in a universal prison with an 84% mortality rate.¡¯ Of course, if imprisoned with that crazy orphan, there might be a slightly lower chance of dying from an ¡®ident¡¯ before the trial. ¡°You¡¯re a real bastard.¡± In the end, Jeonggu cursed as he raised his hand to the signature space. Tap. With a satisfied expression, Yeongwoo then turned his gaze to Kubu. ¡°Is it done now? How much will the tax decrease with two deductions?¡± An eagerly awaited question. However, the response from Kubu was dismal. ¨DEven if the family rtionship is proven, the Dependent Family Deduction will not be activated. Currently, only the Single Parent Household Special Deduction can be applied. ¨DThe Single Parent Household Special Deduction rate is 30%. ¡°No¡­ Why won¡¯t they recognize us as dependent family? Even if Father tries his hardest and earns money, he won¡¯t even make enough to cover my basic tax?¡± Once again, Yeongwoo criticized his father¡¯s life in front of everyone. Yet, Kubu¡¯s response remained the same. ¨DMr. Kim Jeonggu11¡¯s ie for the past two days amounts to 6.84 million karma, exceeding the daily ie requirement of 100,000 karma for the dependent family criteria. ¡°Oh¡­ You¡¯ve earned quite a lot, Father.¡± ¡°You little¡­¡± ¡°This is giving me a headache.¡± Yeongwoo rubbed his temples and asked Kubu again. ¡°No, why did you rmend the Dependent Family Deduction then?¡± In response, instead of answering, Kubu rolled his eyes and looked beyond the living room. ¨D¡­¡­ Toward the direction where Seok and her children were, behind Yeongwoo and Jeonggu. ¡°Oh, really¡­ No way.¡± Yeongwoo, sensing a lot, rubs his face with both hands. Under South Koreanw, the scope of dependent family includes direct descendants, spouses, siblings, adopted children, and foster children. In other words, if the same criteria apply under universalw, there was a considerable chance that Taejoon and Seok¡¯s children would be considered as candidates for foster children. ¡®Or maybe they could be adopted by me.¡¯ As Yeongwoo looked at the children with a perplexed expression, Kubu spat out a ruthless remark. ¨DIf there are foster children or adopted children, they can receive the benefits of the Dependent Family Deduction. The deduction rate is 15% and is calcted inbination with other deduction rates. Combined with other deduction rates. This means that if the Single Parent Household Special Deduction rate of 30% is already applied, and the Dependent Family Deduction is added, the deduction rate bes 45%. ¡°45%¡­ That¡¯s not even half. Is that enough? And we still have to pay the acquisition tax.¡± Yeongwoo looks silently at the ¡®Bastard¡¯ in his hand. Since it¡¯s still an unpaid weapon, it¡¯s hard to consider it as fully owned. ¡®And because of this weapon, lives have been taken.¡¯ As Yeongwoo¡¯s expression darkens, Jeonggu tries to console him. ¡°Why are you acting like this? I even signed it with great determination. Even if it¡¯s bad, the acquisition tax won¡¯t be ridiculously high, right? Mr. Tax ountant.¡± Named the Strongest Sword of Joseon. Does it make sense to die because of unpaid taxes? Jeonggu asked, thinking that the acquisition tax wouldn¡¯t be that much. However, taxes in the universe were never trivial. ¨DThe acquisition tax for the ¡®Bastard¡¯ that Jeong Yeongwoo07 must pay is¡­ 30.8 million karma. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°How much¡­?¡± Even before Yeongwoo¡¯s reaction, the audience in the cabin was more shocked, covering their mouths. ¡°T¡­ Thirty million? Is it not a lie?¡± Jeonggu also asked in disbelief, and here, only Yeongwoo was not surprised. Because he knew that the tax would actuallye to him soon. ¡°Do we have to pay the acquisition tax by tonight?¡± ¨DThe deadline for the acquisition tax payment is tomorrow at 10 p.m. Since it¡¯s the early morning of the 5th day, it¡¯s practically about two days¡¯ time. ¡®And amazingly, it coincides with the deadline for the Dogo Quest.¡¯ [Dogo] ¡°Paternal Confirmation¡± [Mission] Spend 3 days with ¡®Kim Jeonggu11.¡¯ [Reward] 20 million karma. [Special] Kim Jeonggu11 must remain alive during the mission. Yeongwoo realized that the chairman of Dogo knew about this tax issue and its solution from early on. ¡®For now, I can cover the tax due today. But the problem is the acquisition tax for the ¡®bastard¡¯ and the acquisition tax for the weapon encyclopaedia that I haven¡¯t even seen yet.¡¯ Money. A lot of money is needed. How much do you need to earn to pay all the taxes and still have money left? ¡°¡­I¡¯ll start gathering money by any means necessary from now on. I¡¯ll have to ask the chairman for more advertisements.¡± As Yeongwoo stares into space with a half-turned gaze, Kubu cautiously asks again, his eyelids trembling. ¨DC-can I, can I go off duty now¡­? [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 180 Chapter 180 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 180: Master of Myths (6) ¡°What about foster children? But the family support deduction hasn¡¯t been applied yet.¡± Jeong Yeongwoo 07, chased by taxes. Now he was even more thick-skinned than before. ¡°Madam, may I borrow the kids for a moment? Is that okay?¡± ¡°Yes? Oh, yes¡­.¡± Seok¡¯s expression was bewildered. To think that even though their mother, not parents, was living well, they had to make their children foster children¡­. Normally, she would have raised a fuss right away, but Seok had just heard the unreasonable tax details a moment ago. Moreover, if that man were to be killed by taxes, wouldn¡¯t the survival of her husband also be uncertain? ¡°Kids, it¡¯s okay. Did you see just now? Just go ande back after putting your hands on it.¡± When Seok said this to the kids, Yeongwoo instructed Kubu to prepare the foster child certification. ¨DFoster child certification, prepared. As Kubu rolled his eyes one more time, he raised the signature box just like before, and then the two kids stood side by side in front of him. Yeongwoo instinctively reached for Bastard to pick it up, but changed his course and tucked it into his waistband. Click. Then he spread out his hands and said. ¡°The signatures we¡¯re doing now will ensure that this gentleman and your father will live long lives.¡± ¡°Our¡­ our father too?¡± ¡°Of course¡­! Now, let¡¯s sign.¡± Yeongwoo pointed to the hologram signature box. Upon that, the two kids, each ced their hands on their respective signature boxes. Phah! ¨DFoster child signaturespleted. ¨DNow, please have the guardian sign directly for the foster child. With Kubu¡¯s words, small signature boxes appeared on the foreheads of the two kids. ¡®What¡­ This is much more formal than I thought.¡¯ Yeongwoo awkwardly approached the foster children and cautiously raised his hand. ¡°T-thank you. From now on, I¡¯m your guardian.¡± Although he whispered as best as he could as if he had something to say, it was sincere. One reason Kim Taejoon, the chairman, was putting all his efforts into helping them was because of these kids, and above all, wouldn¡¯t it be necessary to repay the value of the 15% deduction? Of course, the children had no idea what it meant for the Strongest Sword of Joseon to be their guardian. ¨DGuardian signaturepleted. ¨DAs of now, Mr. Jeong Yeongwoo 07 is the official guardian of Kim Moses 47 and Kim Leehyun. Along with Kubu¡¯s promation, a new system message appeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s view. ¡¸The family support deduction has been activated.¡¹ ¡®Oh¡­ It¡¯s applied immediately.¡¯ Then when can we confirm the status of single-parent families? ¡°When will proof of rtionship with the father be avable? It seems like the special deduction hasn¡¯t been applied yet.¡± At that, Kubu looked up into the air. ¨DYou can check the eligibility for the special deduction at the time of tax collection today at 10 p.m. ¡°So if the deduction isn¡¯t applied, that means that person isn¡¯t my father?¡± Swoosh. When Yeongwoo pointed to Jeonggu with his finger, Kubu nodded with his eyeballs. ¨DThat¡¯s correct. Furthermore, if the special deduction is not applied today, there is a high probability that arrest proceedings will be initiated in the near future. ¡°That¡¯s great. The arrest mortality rate is 84%?¡± If you don¡¯t pay taxes, it¡¯s immediate execution, and even just forgery of official documents results in an 84% mortality rate. But if taxes are paid on time and if Kim Jeonggu is the father, wouldn¡¯t there be no arrests or prosecutions? ¡®There won¡¯t be any problem. If there¡¯s a problem, I¡¯ll just beg the chairman.¡¯ Anyway, today¡¯s tasks were all done now. ¡°Mr. Kubu, thank you for your hard work. You should go home now. From now on, we should think about how to reduce the acquisition tax.¡± When Yeongwoo said this, Kubu blinked and replied. ¨DI¡¯ll look for more solutions too. Then, goodbye. Silently, Kubu left for home through the air. After seeing off the tax ountant like that, Yeongwoo looked around at the people remaining in the room. ¡°Thank you all for your hard work. Now, let¡¯s get some rest!¡± * * * ¨DB-497, B-497,e here. It looks like a long rod. If you¡¯re not sure, take the blueprint and find it. ¨DGeneral, is this it? Huh? No, it¡¯s not. This is D-77. It looks exactly the same though. The three prisoners on the television screen were now assembling part of the lowerser rifle. Judging by the size of the piles of parts around them, it seemed like it would be difficult to assemble even more than half of it overnight. ¡°¡­ Should I keep it on?¡± When Yeongwoo said this while holding the remote control, Seok, who had been sitting on the bed with the kids, watching her husband¡¯s face, nodded. ¡°Yes. I want to watch it steadily today. We don¡¯t know what will happen next.¡± That¡¯s right. Will they be able to use a room with a television next time, who including Seok will die when, how, no one knows. ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be resting in a separate room, so please let me know if anything happens.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Having heard Seok¡¯s response, Yeongwoo briefly switched channels to see if there were any screens left unchecked. However, on another channel, all he found was the eerie muttering of Kim Jong-un in the dark, and the adult channels of Lemu remained locked. ¡¸This is a paid channel. To make a payment, please pick up the receiver and dial 992 0909#.¡¹ ¡®I am a little curious about Lemu¡¯s broadcast¡­.¡¯ Yeongwoo soon operated the remote control again and illuminated the returnee¡¯s room. Then, he noticed Kim Taejoon, the chairman, rummaging through piles of parts in his white pajamas. ¡®¡­As expected.¡¯ To have the chairmanboring and watching obscene foreign broadcasts in front of his family would not be appropriate. Moreover, Chairman Dogo would probably prefer not to watch Lemu¡¯s broadcasts either. So, in the end, ¡°Rest.¡± Leaving the remote control with Seok, Yeongwoo slipped out of the bedroom. Then, he noticed Jeonggu, Jongsu, and Taeyoung sprawled near the sofa in the living room. Everyone seemed quite tired given the time. Meanwhile, thergest sofa waspletely empty, and it seemed like it was reserved for Yeongwoo, the owner of this room. ¡°Did you leave it for me?¡± As Yeongwoo entered the living room and asked, Jeonggu, who was half-closed his eyes, raised his upper body slightly to greet him. ¡°What about your bedroom?¡± ¡°I left it for Madam so that she could have a better look at the chairman¡¯s face.¡± ¡°You finally gave it to her? Even so, shouldn¡¯t you be the one using it?¡± Jeonggu narrowed his eyes. Upon this, Yeongwoo shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s the first day of television. And as long as I can restfortably, I¡¯m going to use the bed in the special room.¡± ¡°This child acts like a dog to his father and like Bodhisattva to others.¡± Jeonggu climbed onto the empty sofa. And as Yeongwoo watched his father, he murmured quietly. ¡°Father, please rest well too. We never know what will happen when you sleep and wake up again.¡± Soon, when the day breaks, the official fifth day of the reset will begin. New mutants, new merchants, and¡­ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡®Newser cannon?¡¯ Yeongwoo chuckled and entered the special room. Every day felt long, but this time, it felt even longer. Perhaps it was because he had encountered too much. Thud. As he kicked off his shoes andy down on the bed, the soft white sheets enveloped his body gently. ¡°¡­Ha.¡± When soft fibers touched his skin, which had only touched des, ws, rocks, and the like, Yeongwoo felt a sensation as if his consciousness were melting away. And indeed. ¡°¡­Kung.¡± With a strange groan, he drifted off to sleep. * * * Whooosh¡­! Somewhere, a gust of wind swept fiercely around his ankles. ¡®Ah, it¡¯s cold.¡¯ Yeongwoo shivered without realizing it. Then he realized btedly. He was standing barefoot on something. Whooosh¡­! Another powerful gust of wind blew, pushing his body recklessly, and only then did Yeongwoo look down at his feet. There, he saw a giant figure with ck scales, filling his view. ¡®Wow.¡¯ It was¡­ a dragon¡¯s scales. Yeongwoo was standing on the dorsal fin of a flying dragon. ¡®What, what¡¯s all this?¡¯ As a bewildered Yeongwoo took a step backward, lightning struck near the clouds, revealing the silhouette of another dragon. Then. ¨DGreet with the sword. That person is your uncle. Voices, no, meanings, rose up from under Yeongwoo¡¯s feet like rising heat. ¡®¡­Mother?¡¯ Sensing something, Yeongwoo was about to speak to the dragon beneath his feet when suddenly, because of the lightning emitted by the dragon¡­ no, his uncle, his vision turned white. ¡®Mother¡­!¡¯ In the white view, Yeongwoo cried out for his mother. And in reality. ¡°Mom!¡± Yeongwoo woke up with a shout. ¡°Huh!¡± With a start, Yeongwoo¡¯s upper body sprang up like lightning. And there before him stood an old man with a nasty expression, furrowing his eyebrows. ¡°Why the fuss since morning? Are you trying to provoke something?¡± ¡°W-What is it? Now?¡± ¡°What do you mean, now? It¡¯s morning.¡± Jeonggu raised his finger and pointed outside the window. Indeed, as he said, sunlight was pouring in through the window of the special room. It was dazzlingly bright. ¡°Answer the phone. It¡¯s so noisy, it¡¯s killing me.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± Only after hearing Jeonggu¡¯s words did Yeongwoo realize the ringing that was spreading from the bedroom. Ring ring! Ring ring! It was the morning call ringing right now, as it does every day at 8 a.m. with the end of the abnormal climate. And then, ¡¸Your strength has been permanently increased by 100 due to an Furious goblin.¡¹ ¡¸The usage count of the pumpkin-colored Horn of Plenty has been recharged.¡¹ All the devices that operate or recharge daily were activated simultaneously. The officially designated ¡®day¡¯ by the system had now begun. ¡®Ah¡­ What kind of mess will happen today?¡¯ As Yeongwoo began to put on his illusion again to answer the morning call, this time, a system message, or rather a notice from the Council, appeared before everyone¡¯s eyes. ¡°Hello, this is an announcement from the Council.¡¹ It was the first time the name ¡®Council¡¯ had appeared in the announcement since the first day of the reset. ¡°Huh? The Council? These bastards.¡± Unconsciously, Yeongwoo referred to the Council as ¡®these bastards.¡¯ On the first day of the reset, they were merely felt as unknown entities, but now, Yeongwoo could sense that the Council members were just another part of the cosmic beings. ¡®What grade is the Council? And exactly which Council are they?¡¯ It could be the Earth Council, or maybe a ster managementpany on a universal scale. So, Yeongwoo waited for the next message from the Council. And then, ¡¸Reset Phase 3 will begin shortly.¡¹ A kind of warning message was broadcasted. ¡°What¡­? Phase 3?¡± Perhaps it might lead to Pangaea. But what the Council was warning about was not the onset of Reset Phase 3. ¡¸Prior to this, high-risk mutants are expected to visit, so representatives of each region are advised to form pairs of two if possible.¡¹ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 181 Chapter 181 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 181: Everyone¡¯s Strongest Sword (1) High-risk mutant. And a rmended formation of one group with two people, directly appointed by the council. ¡°What¡­ What¡¯s this? Even as the Strongest Sword, it¡¯s asking to not to be alone?¡± As Jeonggu, reading the warning, scratched his chin, Yeongwoo, who had put on his shoes, nodded. ¡°Yes. From today on, it means that those who are difficult to handle alone as the Strongest Sword areing back.¡± Yeongwoo thought that maybe it wasn¡¯t just a simple dream. It was the dragon dream he saw just before waking up. ¡®Of course, it¡¯s absurd to think that my mother really gave a prophecy.¡¯ If his mother was really a mutant, she would have been waiting in the darkness like Kim Jong-un for the day to return. Rather than giving a prophecy to an unnamed son, it¡¯s a story of not even being able to look ahead to her own future. Then what was that dream earlier? ¡®If my uncle really returns as a lightning-spewing dragon, then I should seriously consider it.¡¯ Ring! The morning call continued to ring loudly. Yeongwoo moved to the bedroom and picked up themunicator with the problem. Thunk. Then, as usual, a strange voice informed him of the checkout time. ¡¶There is 1 hour and 56 minutes left until check-out.¡· And then. ¡¶There is one unconfirmed message. Press 5 to receive.¡· For the first time, a dialogue other than the checkout notification flowed. ¡°Huh?¡± It seemed there was some kind of voicemail function. But why would someone leave a message at this point? Yeongwoo pressed 5 on the phone just as he heard, and the strange voice read out the message stored in Yeongwoo¡¯s mailbox. ¡¶Hello, Mr. Jeong Yeongwoo07. This is Prism Credit contacting you.¡· ¡°Prism Credit¡­?¡± For some reason, he felt he knew what business they had. And indeed. ¡¶Our Prism Credit is based on cheaper rates and thorough credit loans than death¡­¡· ¡®Of course. Various parasitese running when they find out I¡¯m in trouble with taxes.¡¯ Prism Credit. An intergctic loanpany. To summarize the message they left, it was that they knew he was in trouble because of the acquisition tax and would lend him money. ¡¶If you want a consultation, press 403 0909# on themunicator. We will send a pager. Consultation and paging fees are free.¡· ¡®What¡¯s this about?¡¯ Yeongwoo hesitated to hang up themunicator at the content that seemed like spam mail. ¡®Wait a moment.¡¯ Because he really needed money. And not just a small amount. ¡®The acquisition tax on ¡®Bastard¡¯ isn¡¯t the end. When you receive the weapon encyclopaedia, acquisition tax will ur again.¡¯ Although this is a one-time payment separate from the basic tax, it was a problem that could not be overlooked considering that the price of non-payment is death. ¡®So should I consider loans as an option?¡¯ Yeongwoo has been scammed by the dungeon system as well. Of course, he didn¡¯t think he would be caught na?vely. ¡°Golden.¡± Calling out to the golden goblin while holding themunicator, Yeongwoo, who was sitting in the star room, rushed over. -Keet! ¡°Do you still have it? That check.¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s words, the goblin, realizing what he was looking for, opened the pocket of the spatial pouch. -Keekit! Swish. What the goblin handed over was none other than a white coin. ¡¸nk check¡¹ ¨C Unique Currency ¡¾Only once, it changes into the currency you touch.¡¿ ¡®If the money lent by the loanpany is also provided in the form of currency, then I can copy it with this.¡¯ And if it was really possible, it would be advantageous to borrow as much money as possible. Of course, it was still just one of the options. ¡®For now, let¡¯s keep the pager. I have nothing to lose.¡¯ Deciding, Yeongwoo immediately pressed the call number of Prism Credit, and suddenly a part of the empty space split open quietly. Swish. Then, from inside, someone slid in a small device. It was as if secretly putting in a snack. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s this?¡± Yeongwoo hastily called out to the other party, but the problem space was already closed. It was a contact method that was quite different from Dogo, who openly shot beams of light from the sky. ¡°Is this the pager?¡± Yeongwoo could only pick up the dropped pager from the floor. Swish. ¡¸Prism Pager¡¹ ¨C General Tool ¡¾ICheaper rates than death! Prism Credit.¡¿ ¡°Hah.¡± Seeing the tooltip on themunicator, Yeongwoo chuckled at the characteristic cheapness of Prism Credit. Perhaps the reason why themunicator¡¯s grade was ¡®general¡¯ was also due to cost-saving measures? Since it was probably made to be scattered around for free. ¡®Cheaper rates than death¡­ Looking at the copy, it seems that there are quite a few people dying because of taxes.¡¯ Anyway, since he had already started receiving spam mails, it seemed certain that he was experiencing quite rapid growth cosmically. ¡®If I press this, is it an immediate call?¡¯ As Yeongwoo fiddled with themunicator, which seemed like he had just removed one button from a keyboard, Seok, who had been standing in the corner of the bedroom, spoke up. ¡°¡­Are you done with everything?¡± To this, Yeongwoo nodded with a cool smile. ¡°Ah, I didn¡¯t even say hello¡­ Sorry. Did you sleep well?¡± At this greeting, Yeongwoo realized. That he had been undressed sincest night. But Seok was not an ordinary person, so she didn¡¯t make a fuss about Yeongwoo¡¯s actions. Instead. ¡°Sleep? I almost couldn¡¯t sleep. How could I sleep when the kids¡¯ dad is up all night.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Yeongwoo, btedly shifting his gaze to the television in the room, saw Kim Taejoon, the CEO, and the other two inmates buried in parts just like yesterday. [PR/N: Changing chairman taejoon to ceo taejoon bc its confusing bw chairman dogo] And. ¡°Huh?¡± Yeongwoo could also see the progress of the work to the extent that it was surprising. ¡°No, were you really working all night?¡± In fact, the results on the screen were so obvious that there was no need to hear the answer. ¨D F-634, General! ¨D Wait. Where did you put all the Fs? ¨D They¡¯re at the back. The three of them had arranged the parts ording to the assembly numbers to the extent that they had established their own system. And even the giant barrel was nearly half finished. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡®Even if the concept of time disappears in there, it seems there¡¯s no limit to stamina.¡¯ However, the television in the returnee¡¯s room was currently off. It was probably because the generator had run out of power at some point. ¡®Even if theser cannon ispleted and the coordinate locator is found, if there¡¯s no generator over there, it¡¯s impossible to request artillery support. I have to earn merit points today to buy a generator.¡¯ Having grasped the situation to some extent, Yeongwoo asked Seok to get ready to go out. ¡°Will you stay here a little longer? You can watch TV until 10 a.m.¡± ¡°Yes. We¡¯ll be here until ten. But where will you go, Mr. Yeongwoo? Don¡¯t you need more rest?¡± ¡°Ah, I think I¡­¡± Yeongwoo nced at his watch. The current time was 8:12 a.m. Although there was still quite some time left until the appearance of the mutant, it was a time to do what needed to be done. ¡®We might need to move up the Strongest Swords¡¯ meeting time and discuss the high-risk mutant countermeasures that were issued today.¡¯ If possible, it¡¯s best to do it during the morning when the Strongest Swords are least busy. ¡°You¡¯ve probably seen it too, but the mutanting today seems quite strong. So I think we should have a strategy meeting of our own.¡± At this, Seok looked at her husband on the screen with a worried look. ¡°Then my husband will have to fight hard today.¡± Of course, it was a natural thing to say. But Yeongwoo took it to heart. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to make sure nothing like that happens. Today¡¯s battle won¡¯t be easy, but it will umte a lot of merit points, so we should be able to buy a generator.¡± The generator was also welfare equipment for the inmates before theser cannon was ready to operate. ¡°Please don¡¯t worry too much, and if you stay here until ten, I¡¯ll leave the guards and Jongsu here.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you as always.¡± As Seok bowed her head in thanks to Yeongwoo, Moses and Leehyun, who had been standing behind her as if hiding, also bowed their heads carefully. ¡°Th¡­ Thank you, sir.¡± Although he thought the kids had no experience at all, they remembered what Yeongwoo had saidst night. -From now on, I¡¯m your guardian. ¡°Well¡­ Yes. Listen to your mother.¡± After forcing an awkward smile to the children, Yeongwoo quickly left the room. Then Jeonggu, who was standing in the living room, quickly approached him. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°The two-person, one-group formation. Of course, you¡¯re in the same group as me, right?¡± It seemed that Jeonggu was also concerned about the council¡¯s warning. ¡°Right. Doesn¡¯t my father have his own constituency too? He¡¯s the Strongest Sword of Dobong, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Do you know how many people live in Dobong? The lives of all those people are in my hands¡­¡± While Jeonggu was ranting, someone knocked on the door to the guest room. Thump, thump. ¡°What¡¯s this in the morning?¡± ¡°It could be Suna.¡± However, both of their expectations werepletely wrong. Creak. When Yeongwoo opened the door, wondering who it could be, there was a woman standing outside the room still protected by the blue barrier. ¡°Oh? Mam.¡± Commonly known as Mam, Choi Jongseon02. She was the Strongest Sword of Yangju, which had be a ruin, and a new mother who was scheduled to work as the dedicated agent of Gwangjin District from today. As usual, she wrapped the baby in a carrier and strapped it to her body, already holding a weapon in her hand. ¡°They said a very strong mutant ising?¡± ¡°Yes. Even without that news, I¡­¡± Yeongwoo tried to exin that he had ns for follow-up measures, but Jongseon interrupted. ¡°Yeongwoo, of course, you¡¯re in the same group as me, right?¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a two-person, one-group formation. Since you brought me here, you should naturally take responsibility, shouldn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Well, yes, but¡­¡± It was not logically or morally incorrect. When Yeongwoo looked embarrassedly behind him, Jeonggu added as if he had been waiting. ¡°Hey, let¡¯s just go with a three-person, one-group formation. We just need to work harder, right?¡± ¡°No¡­ It doesn¡¯t matter if we move between regions.¡± The problem was the distance between regions. Although Gangnam and Gwangjin were rtively close, so they could deal with the mutant quickly¡­ Dobong was quite far north. ¡®They were all scared by the council¡¯s warning. Even Mam is trying to form a group with me¡­¡¯ [TL/N: For some reason author is using ¡°mom¡± for choi jongeon ??idk that sounds weird as fuck so im going with mam, if more context is provided, for why is yeongwoo calling jongseon as mom i¡¯ll change it.] Until yesterday, he was called the crazy orphan here. But in battle, that crazy orphan was the most reliable ally. And that was true even from the perspective of Jeonggu, who was Yeongwoo¡¯s very capable father. ¡®A high-risk mutant¡­? It¡¯s safer to stick by this guy¡¯s side no matter what.¡¯ While thinking this, Jeonggu nced provocatively at Choi Jongseon, who seemed to be thepetitor for this group assignment. If Yeongwoo tried to stick to a two-person group, it was a nuance of telling him to get lost. But Jeonggu¡¯spetitors were not only Jongseon. Ding! This time, the sound of arrival came from the direction of the elevator on the other side of the corridor, and an unusual atmosphere swept in. ¡°Huh, who¡¯s already here?¡± ¡°Oh, Yeongwoo!¡± ¡°Yeongwoo! Good morning!¡± An impressive array of titles gathered densely on the 32nd floor corridor of Parnassus Hotel. ¡ºSongpa¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» ¡ºSeocho¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» ¡ºYongsan¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» And then. Tap! Even Dokjang Strongest Sword Lee Hanwook, who had jumped up the stairs instead of taking the elevator. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re all here already.¡± At Lee Hanwook¡¯s words, Jeonggu sensed that those kids had alle here for the sake of asking him to be their group leader. All the Strongest Swords of the Seoul Federation wanted to be in the same group as Yeongwoo. ¡°This fucking¡­¡± Having quickly grasped the situation, Jeonggu narrowed his eyes. But at this point, physically and rtionally, Kim Jeonggu himself was closest to Yeongwoo. Thump! So he confidently put his hand on Yeongwoo¡¯s shoulder and boldly said, as if to make everyone hear. ¡°Son! Good morning!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 182 Chapter 182 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 182: Everyone¡¯s Strongest Sword (2) ¡¶Father, what are you doing? Clench your teeth and run!¡· The urgent instruction conveyed through ¡®Wave¡¯st night. No one knew exactly what the situation was, but everyone knew about the strange operation led by Jeong Yeongwoo to lure Japanese and Chinese people into the disaster and rescue them again. Anyone in the Seoul area would know about the Strongest Sword. So everyone became simultaneously afraid and curious about the dungeon space. Something dangerous happenedst night, but in the end, didn¡¯t both Jeong Yeongwoo and his fathere back safely? And above all. ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo will never die.¡¯ This fact was deeply ingrained in everyone¡¯s minds. So who should form the rmended ¡®2-person, 1-team¡¯ advised by the council that first introduced the reset? It was undoubtedly Jeong Yeongwoo07, who is currently serving as the active Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword and concurrently serving as the Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword. ¡°What are you nning to do today?¡± Finally, Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword, Oh Yeonhee, asked Yeongwoo on behalf of the gathered Strongest Swords. And in the meantime, the elevator was descending back to the first floor. Other Strongest Swords who arrived a stepte had called the elevator from the lobby floor. ¡°Well¡­ Even though something needs to be discussed to some extent, since everyone seems to have gathered here, should we advance the meeting time?¡± As Yeongwoo spoke, seeing Seongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword who appeared through the stairs again, Oh Yeonhee spoke openly. ¡°It seems like everyone is thinking the same thing based on the situation, but let me speak first.¡± Then, clutching the hilt of her sword with her right hand, she said. ¡°Please include Songpa in Yeongwoo¡¯s team.¡± At that, at once, Yongsan, Dongjak, and Seongbuk stood up. ¡°No, what do you mean?¡± ¡°Well¡­ Since it¡¯s an adjacent area to Gangnam, wouldn¡¯t Yeongwoo naturally pay attention to it without you saying so?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it right to prioritize areas far from Gangnam first? They will suffer the most damage, won¡¯t they?¡± The only one keeping silent in this ce was Seocho¡¯s Strongest Sword, Choi Namhee. ¡°¡­¡­¡± However, that didn¡¯t mean she was just keeping quiet to maintain appearances. ¡®No matter how much Jeong Yeongwoo is a monster, as a human, he can¡¯t bend his arms inwardly. So, he won¡¯t be able to help everyone.¡¯ So the solution she thought of was. ¡®The fortunate thing is that Gangnam and Seocho are geographically adjacent. So¡­.¡¯ To confront today¡¯s mutants first and, if it doesn¡¯t work out, flee to the neighboring neighborhood, Gangnam. In other words, it was a n to forcibly draw Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s intervention. ¡®There might be civilian casualties in the process¡­ But still, it¡¯s much better than losing to the mutants.¡¯ The fact that the area where the Strongest Sword lost to the mutants became aplete ruin could be clearly understood by looking at the nowpletely devastated Gwangjin-gu. Ding! Finally, as the arrival sound echoed from the elevator, this time, Dongdaemun¡¯s Strongest Sword Jang Jeongho and Gangdong¡¯s Strongest Sword Kim Juwoo appeared. Then. ¡°Ha, fuck.¡± Seeing the Strongest Swords who were already crowded, they chuckled. Especially Jang Jeongho had dared to engage in a power struggle with Yeongwoo in their first encounter. As much as he was such a person, he came to break his own pride¡­. ¡®Oh, they¡¯re all the same bastards.¡¯ As Jang Jeongho entered the corridor with a face as if he had eaten a bug, the Strongest Swords who were already thereughed and made remarks one by one. ¡°Isn¡¯t the formal greeting a bit excessive?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t the people in the back stand by the emergency exit?¡± And amusingly, Mapo¡¯s Strongest Sword and Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword Jo Sangik appeared through the stairs. ¡°Oh my.¡± As soon as he entered the corridor, Jo Sangik briefly summarized the current situation. He even wore a suit. Although he was originally a person who cared about his appearance. ¡°Is everything alright? There was a bit of amotionst night, wasn¡¯t there?¡± As Jo Sangik asked through the heads of the dozen or so people, Yeongwoo raised his hand slightly. ¡°Yes, but we handled it well. Thank you for your concern.¡± Then he carefully looked over the Strongest Swords filling the corridor. ¡°2-person, 1-team. It seems like it would be appropriate to organize teams with nearby areas. Don¡¯t you have confidence in yourself?¡± Some Strongest Swords were startled by Yeongwoo¡¯s somewhat straightforward statement, but the fact that they hade here already meant they had made a lot of decisions. ¡°It will be a tough day for everyone, as we all know. The problem isn¡¯t just that it won¡¯t be easy, but that the price of failure is death.¡± Dongjak¡¯s Strongest Sword Lee Hanwook spoke with a tone that showed he didn¡¯t care about pride at all. ¡°Everyone knows that a wyvern appeared in Gwangjin-gu yesterday, right? So what do you think today will be?¡± At Hanwook¡¯s words, everyone thought of one word. ¡®Dragon.¡¯ The representative monster that everyone thinks of when they hear mutants, and at the same time, an unknown existence that has never appeared even once. However, since the council directly stated that a ¡®high-risk¡¯ mutant would appear, today was highly likely to be that day. ¡°Today, those who have turned into dragons wille back. We don¡¯t know how many wille, but if even one falls anywhere, that area will be devastated.¡± Hanwook focused on ¡®devastation of the area¡¯ rather than talking about the death of the Strongest Swords. He wanted to express that they hadn¡¯te here simply because they were cowards seeking Jeong Yeongwoo. Of course, primarily, it was true that they hade here because they didn¡¯t want to lose their lives, abandoning their pride. ¡®Dongjak-gu was surprisingly eloquent.¡¯ Yeongwoo looked at Lee Hanwook with a rather interested expression. ¡°As you said, the probability of dragons appearing today is high. And even if we form 2-person, 1-team, the areas facing dragons will be somewhat precarious.¡± And indeed, will the dragons only kill the Strongest Sword in that area? In the reset world, there wasn¡¯t an exact idea of what abilities the existence called dragons had, but there was at least some reference. It was the wyverns that fell in Gwangjin-gu on the fourth day. ording to what Yeongwoo had seen, they flew and breathed fire. In other words. ¡°Even if we can kill the dragons, it will be a problem. Because everything, whether it¡¯s people or buildings, will melt down during the battle.¡± Perhaps in this world, the existence of dragons was a kind of death sentence button. ¡°So, we came to find you, Yeongwoo. We have to ept some damage, but if you help, we can avoid the worst-case scenario.¡± This was the consensus of everyone present, including Dongjak¡¯s Strongest Sword. ¡°¡­¡­¡± At this, Yeongwoo hesitated for a moment. Although Gangnam would be the top priority area for defense, there was no reason not to help other areas if conditions permitted. However, the problem was. ¡°As you know, I only have one body. No matter how quickly I can dispose of the mutants, I can¡¯t cover the entire Seoul.¡± Then, Seongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword, Lee Yoobin, made a surprising suggestion. ¡°How about drawing lots?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Drawing lots?¡± Everyone looked bewildered, but Yoobin was quite serious. ¡°After all, each person is responsible for their own area. But since the mutants are exceptionally strong today, we need Yeongwoo¡¯s help.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°So, let¡¯s leave the survival bonus to luck. Let¡¯s draw lots to determine the order in which Yeongwoo will help.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Although it was absurd, it was better than having no contingency n at all. However, the problem was. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Yeongwoo 07, the one who would provide assistance, did not agree. ¡°Drawing lots might make everyone feel relieved, but the efficiency will be ridiculously low. Won¡¯t the routes be randomly tangled?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡­¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡± Although the proposed alternative was rejected outright, the expressions of the Strongest Swords were still bright. After all, there was a nuance in Yeongwoo¡¯s recent dialogue that said, ¡®Anyway, I¡¯ll help.¡¯ ¡°So, what do you think is the right thing to do, Yeongwoo?¡± Eventually, Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jo Sangik, asked a meaningful question. So Yeongwoo thought for a while. ¡®Unless the high-risk mutants only fall in Gangnam, I can¡¯t prevent damage whether we draw lots or I support the nearby areas first.¡¯ Then what should he do? He had ovee many obstacles so far, but this was the first time he faced a situation where the solution was ambiguous. ¡®Actually, it¡¯s simple as long as I do my job and don¡¯t care whether they seed or fail¡­.¡¯ In his frustrated mind, Yeongwoo suddenly came up with a solution that was not a solution. ¡°But why do I have to go and help?¡± ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡± ¡°Why all of a sudden¡­?¡± At the sudden remark from the Strongest Sword of Joseon, everyone wore expressions as if they were having a nightmare. At that moment, Yeongwoo refined his words and spoke again. ¡°Oh, I phrased that strangely. It¡¯s not that I¡¯ll be moving, but rather, you all cane to me, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± The Strongest Swords still looked puzzled. Then Oh Yeonhee from Songpa looked at Yeongwoo with an incredulous gaze. ¡°So, the person who needs help should directlye to Yeongwoo, right? With the mutants following behind.¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right. Even if we can¡¯t defeat the dragon, everyone here has the ability to provoke it and bring it here.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± The Strongest Swords were speechless and just exchanged nces. It wasn¡¯t apletely unreasonable n, but it was a strange n indeed, much like Jeong Yeongwoo. ¡°But¡­ if we lure the dragon across the city, wouldn¡¯t there be tremendous civilian casualties?¡± One of the Strongest Swords raised a fairly realistic question. However, ¡°Anyway, since we have enough time to prepare now, the residents can evacuate in advance. Even if we suffer some damage, it won¡¯t be worse than leaving the mutants unattended in the middle of the city.¡± Yeongwoo also pondered and proposed the n. ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was a statement that seemed to make sense no matter how you looked at it. So, no one could refute it. Then, this time, Dongdaemun¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jang Jeongho, doubted Yeongwoo¡¯s ability to carry out the mission. ¡°Even if we lure and bring the mutants, there will be more than ten of them¡­ Are you saying you¡¯ll deal with all those mutants?¡± ¡°Are ten or twenty of youing? Anyway, it doesn¡¯t matter. The more enemies there are, the stronger I be.¡± When Yeongwoo said this, no one could make a weak argument anymore. If they didn¡¯t have confidence in themselves to stop the mutants by forming a team with the Strongest Swords from neighboring areas, they had to go to Jeong Yeongwoo themselves and request salvation by luring the mutants. ¡°If there are no objections, I understand that we¡¯ll meet again around one o¡¯clock. I¡¯ll clean up Gangnam and be in Gwangjin-gu, so bring the dragon or whatever there.¡± Interestingly, Gwangjin-gu has been so useful for two days already. In any case, at the proposal of Yeongwoo, who was a top-notch human with confidence, all the Strongest Swords started to buzz. ¡°So, if that operation really seeds, what aboutpensation for the mutants?¡± ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t mention it.¡± Since it was a problem that had to be addressed, Yeongwoo waited and then gave an answer. ¡°All the spheres are mine. And I n to bestow a golden rain on the area where the mutants are dealt with that day.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Most of the people present understood what Yeongwoo meant by ¡®golden rain.¡¯ Giving 30,000 karma to all residents in the area. However, Yeongwoo¡¯s purpose was not simply to provide arge amount of karma. ¡°When the golden rain is given, an enormous amount of karma will umte in each area, right? I don¡¯t need much, so please collect ten million karma per area for the areas I helped.¡± ¡°Are you really saying that you are going to collect protection money from us?¡± Daring to demand protection fees from the Strongest Swords of Seoul. It was an unprecedented event. However, Yeongwoo did not back down in the face of dozens of angry res; instead, he raised his hand to his waistband and revealed Bastard. ¡°Oh¡­ It¡¯s not a protection fee. It¡¯s the value of your lives. Do you understand?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 183 Chapter 183 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 183: Everyone¡¯s Strongest Sword (3) Charging a protection fee from the best swords¡­ no, charging a fee for their lives. As Yeongwoo boldly manipted the audience with his n, Jeonggu approached quietly and asked in a very soft voice. ¡°Hey, are you¡­ really okay? You haven¡¯t faced dragons or fought before.¡± It was a question about what would happen if he dragged mutants from as many as ten different areas, just as Jang Jeongho of Dongdaemun had said. ¡°Ten¡­? Honestly, it might be a bit much, but not all of them are dragons¡­ there¡¯s nothing we can¡¯t handle.¡± He said, relying on the collection effect of the defense equipment catalogue. [Collection Effect: 20] |Increases the effect of designated equipment by 50% ¡¾Reduces enemy attack power by 75%.¡¿ Although it might take some time to take them down, he had faith that they wouldn¡¯t lose. And above all. ¡®In any case, if we want to install a generator in the returnee¡¯s room, we need to let our friends umte a lot of public merits.¡¯ Therefore, Yeongwoo intended to call his friends up to three times during today¡¯s ¡°hunting¡± in Gwangjin-gu. In other words, even if ten mutants came rushing in during today¡¯s battle, it wouldn¡¯t be a one-on-ten fight but rather a four-on-ten situation. ¡®And if four or more mutants gather, we can fulfill one condition for the golden storm. Such opportunities are rare.¡¯ [Golden Storm] |Please summon golden rain in four ways. (0/4) -When there are seven or more mutants nearby. Four mutants from various parts of Seoul, and three friends. This would exactly meet the condition of ¡°seven or more mutants nearby.¡± So, in fact, Yeongwoo hoped that at least four Strongest Swords would surrender without a fight. ¡°Well then, pleasee into the rooms for now. Even if we organize a n, it won¡¯t be an easy fight, so we need to prepare a evacuation n for the residents in advance.¡± Thud! As Yeongwoo increased the number of people entering the rooms and said this, the Strongest Swords began to follow him one by one, murmuring. * * * Around 9 a.m. With thete arrival of Strongest Swords from distant areas including Eunpyeong, all the Strongest Swords of the Seoul Federation gathered in Yeongwoo¡¯s living room. And naturally, the 5th day Strongest Sword meeting was held ordingly. The main agenda consisted of two items. Formation of teams for today¡¯s mutant preparedness and evacuation ns for the residents. ¡°First of all, it seems prudent to temporarily suspend today¡¯s rotation.¡± An expression of regret was evident on Gwanak Strongest Sword Jo Sangik¡¯s face as he announced this. The Seoul rotation allows residents toplete the reconnaissance quests in each area in session, but doing so on a day like today would lead to a disaster. ¡°Then, regarding the formation of teams, are we grouping together with nearby areas for now?¡± Kim Doha, Yongsan¡¯s Strongest Sword asked. Known for surrendering to Jeong Hyunsik of the former Gangnam Strongest Sword in just one move, he was notorious as a cowardly Strongest Sword. He was well aware of his own reputation, so he asked with a bit of self-interest. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s the idea for now¡­ but¡­ rtively green areas will suffer less civilian casualties even if mutants are attracted there. So, going straight to Gwangjin-gu might actually be safer.¡± Green areas. It was obvious to anyone that he was referring to Yongsan Park. ¡°But there¡¯s a considerable chance that monsters as well as mutants will follow¡­ are you really sure about this?¡± This was the concern of Yangju¡¯s Strongest Sword Choi Jongseon. She was sincerely worried about the orphan Strongest Sword. If this guy did something beyond his abilities and ended up dead, the survival of herself and her baby would be uncertain. But Yeongwoo remained firm. ¡°It¡¯s actually better if monsterse too. The more enemies, the stronger I be.¡± It was the second time he mentioned this. Sensory deprivation. Of course, the Strongest Swords present who had never mixed swords with Yeongwoo didn¡¯t know exactly what that meant, but they were definitely feeling as if they were being threatened. ¡®Are monsters and mutants really what he means by ¡°enemies¡±?¡¯ ¡®Isn¡¯t he basically telling us to listen to him?¡¯ ¡®Can he really handle all of us at once?¡¯ In any case, it was a clear fact that among the Strongest Swords of Seoul, the one most suited to be a ¡°dragon yer¡± was Jeong Yeongwoo. He was now an irreceable force in Seoul. So, even though he said he would receive ten million karma per region, no one objected. Even Gwanak¡¯s Jo Sangik subtly took Yeongwoo¡¯s side. ¡°Um¡­ regarding the ¡®aid fee¡¯ Yeongwoo mentioned, we will assist in fundraising. People who haven¡¯t done this kind of thing before will face a lot of difficulties.¡± When Jo Sangik, who had experience in fundraisingmemorative coins for local residents, said this, Yeongwoo was surprised. ¡®Come to think of it¡­ how did Vice Minister Jo handle the concrete until now?¡¯ Gwanak-gu was the first ce in Seoul where the golden rain fell, and it was the only area that had conductedmemorative coin fundraising based on Yeongwoo¡¯s advice. Therefore, if Jo Sangik had any ambition, he might have continued to summon the golden rain himself and then taken some of the coins for himself afterward. ¡®Surprisingly, he may be very strong now.¡¯ Yeongwoo looked silently at Jo Sangik, then opened his mouth as if he had just remembered something. ¡°Oh, everyone. I have a personal request for today.¡± ¡°A request?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± As the Strongest Swords gathered their attention as if surprised, Yeongwoo pointed to the sky with his finger. ¡°There will be merchants appearing in each area today.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The Strongest Swords tensed, thinking he might even restrict ess to merchants, but Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t that much of a dictator. ¡°If you see a product called Coordinate Locator, please let me know. It will be useless to you anyway.¡± Coordinate Locator. Just hearing the name, it was clear it wasn¡¯t an ordinary item. ¡°What are you going to use it for?¡± Sure enough, Lee Yoobin of Seongbuk asked. So Yeongwoo tried to evade the question vaguely. ¨DWaaa! Suddenly, a loud noise came from the bedroom, distorting everything. ¡°What, what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Is it from inside?¡± Since the sound itself was somewhat peculiar, around a dozen Strongest Swords in the audience room drew their swords simultaneously. Swoosh! As they did, Seok peeked out from the bedroom, surprised. ¡°¡­Wow.¡± It was only natural for her to be surprised when she felt the full presence of the so-called Strongest Swords from various regions. Yeongwoo made a slow gesture with his hand, trying to calm everyone down. ¡°Put away your swords, everyone. It seems there¡¯s a misunderstanding. My friends are in there. Looks like they found something interesting.¡± Saying this, Yeongwoo left the living room and headed towards the bedroom with the television. Soon, the other Strongest Swords also followed Yeongwoo to the source of the noise, and they soon saw it. ¨COh my, how do we turn this off? ¨CSince there¡¯s no generator anyway, won¡¯t it turn off soon? ¨CHey, are we going to make a hole in the sky with this? In the bedroom, three people in white pajamas were assembled, trying to figure out what to do with aser gun. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Moreover, at the end of the troublesomeser gun. -Phew! A crimsonser beam was emitted with tremendous output. ¡°What, what is this¡­?¡± ¡°Are you preparing for a war or something?¡± ¡°Yeongwoo, please say something.¡± As the Strongest Swords were shocked by Yeongwoo¡¯s secret weapon beyond imagination, Yeongwoo, feeling the tension rising, spoke quietly. ¡°Please, everyone, be quiet. I don¡¯t want to identally shoot that thing above your heads.¡± * * * Around 10 a.m., Busan City Hall in Yeonje-gu, Busan Metropolitan City. Just as the strongmen of Seoul had an emergency meeting due to the High-Risk Mutant Warning from the council, the same was true for Busan. The so-called ¡°Southern Union.¡± These groups, consisting of Gyeongnam Kimhae, Ulsan, and Busan Metropolitan City, hurriedly gathered at Busan City Hall. However, their agenda was not only about dealing with high-risk mutants. ¡°Reset Level 3 will begin soon.¡± What the Southern Union was more vignt about than high-risk mutants was the ¡°Reset Level 3¡± mentioned by the council. Currently, afterpleting Stage 2 of the reset, ¡°Individual Filtering,¡± they were temporarily in a state of tranquility, but now they were on the verge of entering Stage 3. Of course, how they would know what the next stage of the reset would be and discuss it was difficult, but at least the Southern Union was different. ¡°I¡¯m sure. Today, or by tomorrow at thetest, thend will be connected.¡± Busan¡¯s Strongest Sword, Kang Gyowon02, looked around the audience with a tense expression. The basis for his confidence was the red dotted lines that began to be drawn along the coast of Busan from this morning. Perhaps the holographic dotted lines, which seemed to indicate the start of the reset system, were confirmed to be drawn only along the coast of the South, at least for now. So why is that? Since the Southern Union was not made up of ind people, they could easily make an astonishing inference. Perhaps thend would be connected. ¡°It sounds absurd, but¡­ there¡¯s no other usible hypothesis besides that. It¡¯s the coast, after all.¡± ¡°Well, it could mean that water attribute mutants are appearing, couldn¡¯t it?¡± Park Seongjun13, a fisherman¡¯s son, suggested another exnation, but he didn¡¯t receive much support. ¡°Oh, is it Level 3 just because some fish appear?¡± So eventually, ¡°Then let¡¯s take a look. Have simr markings appeared on other coasts?¡± When Busan¡¯s Strongest Sword Kang Gyowon said this, among the numerous Strongest Swords, a tall spear wielder stepped forward. ¡°Where to?¡± ¡ºUlsan¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» Kim Chaena 01 from Ulsan. She was famous not only as the strongest spear wielder in the South but also as the owner of the Epic-gradepass ¡°Telescope.¡± ¡¸Telescope¡¹ ¨C Epic Compass ¡¾Once a day, you can peer into the desired area.¡¿ ¡°I was nning to check Seoul around this time.¡± As Chaena expressed her regret and took out the ¡°Telescope,¡± Gyowon shifted his gaze to the southeast. ¡°Shimonoseki, perhaps. If thend is really connecting, that area is likely where we¡¯ll be facing it.¡± Yamaguchi Prefecture, Shimonoseki City. One of Japan¡¯s representative port cities. If there were simr dotted lines drawn there, it would indicate a reaction, regardless of what it meant. ¡°Then let¡¯s aim for the coastal area near the port.¡± As Chaena input the coordinates, the t, gravel-like telescope glowed brightly. Zap! Then, it projected a small screen into the air, showing the area around Shimonoseki Harbor. ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°Huh? Is that real?¡± The Strongest Swords of the Southern Union widened their eyes in surprise. Indeed, holographic dotted lines were also drawn along the coast of Shimonoseki. But what was projected on the telescope¡¯s screen was not just the dotted lines. ¡°Um, can you tilt the screen a bit higher?¡± At Gyowon¡¯s request upon noticing something, Chaena slightly adjusted the telescope, changing the shooting angle. Then, it showed people standing side by side at regr intervals along the coast near the outskirts of the port. Since they were taking it from a high altitude, the actual distance between them was probably quite wide. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°They seem to be doing something strange, even though I don¡¯t know what it is.¡± The Strongest Swords of the union murmured one by one while looking at the screen, and after observing for a while, Gyowon furrowed his brow and spoke. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re also watching over there.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°When thend is about to connect.¡± ¡°Oh,e on.¡± If thend were really about to connect, there would be no need to check the moment thend started moving, considering thend would shift drastically. Then Chaena came up with apletely different hypothesis. ¡°What if thend connects smoothly without earthquakes? In a world like this, nothing is impossible, right¡­?¡± ¡°Still, even if that were the case, why bother having people stand there and wait for it?¡± They still looked puzzled. Upon which, Gyowon spoke again. ¡°There must be something to do as soon as thend connects.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°For example¡­ a preemptive attack?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 184 Chapter 184 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 184: Everyone¡¯s Strongest Sword (4) 11:14 AM. A standalone house located in Sakata City, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. In front of the rather ostentatious house that didn¡¯t quite fit in with the coastal countryside neighborhood, Tomiko hesitated for a moment. ¡°¡­Is this really the ce? They called us to a house instead of a municipal building.¡± ording to the note she held in her hand, this address was indeed correct. It was designated as the emergency meeting ce for the ¡°Reset Level 3¡± situation. ¡°Hmm.¡± After some hesitation, Tomiko approached the front door of the house and knocked. Soon, two men in formal suits appeared from inside. And then. ¡°Oh.¡± They were briefly surprised. ¡°M¡­ Miyagi! Miyagi¡¯s Sword Emperor, you¡¯vee!¡± They eximed loudly, bowing deeply as if they were yakuza. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± For some reason, Tomiko felt like she had to act fierce, so she entered the building with her facial muscles tense. ng! ¡ºMiyagi¡¯s Sword Emperor¡» The strongest of Miyagi, Tomiko Hayama 01. Last night, she was just a polite member of a team with a score of 62 in the dungeon, but here on the maind of Japan, she was treated as a ¡°Sword Emperor.¡± Unlike Korea, Japan had only two types of titles. The supreme authority inrge regional units like prefectures was called ¡°Sword Emperor¡±. And for the strongest in smaller regions like cities, they were called ¡°Sword Master¡±. [TL/N: My bad guys ?? I made a mistake, tomiko is actually sword emperor not master, will be using sword emperor for her in the future.] ¡°What is this house?¡± As they passed through the door, revealing a spacious yard with a ratherrge pond, Tomiko looked around while lightly touching the handle of her sword. And then. Creak. A handsome man emerged from the annex on the other side to greet her. ¡°Ah¡­! I didn¡¯t expect you toe. It¡¯s an honor.¡± The identity of this man, with a sword on each hip, was. ¡ºSakata¡¯s Sword Master¡» ¡°I¡¯m Tsuchiaka Fukuhito of Sakata City. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re the one who sent the note.¡± As Tomiko showed him the note in her hand, Fukuhito nodded again. ¡°Yes. It¡¯s a very important matter.¡± Then, still bowing his head, he gestured towards the annex. ¡°Pleasee inside. Everyone is waiting.¡± ¡°¡­Inside there?¡± Tomiko frowned slightly. She was a little suspicious, but she didn¡¯t think this meeting itself could be a trap. This morning, she had seen the warnings from the council. ¡°I should have visited you sooner¡­ I¡¯m sure you can¡¯t help but be suspicious. It¡¯s all my fault.¡± Seeing Tomiko hesitate, Fukuhito untied his belt, which held his sword. Click! ¡°¡­!¡± As Tomiko watched in surprise, Fukuhito, nowpletely unarmed, uttered a strange line. ¡°Although Miyagi Prefecture is on the coast, there¡¯s nothing beyond it but the open sea. But beyond our coast, there is Korea.¡± ¡°¡­Korea?¡± Tomiko¡¯s eyes widened at the unexpected word. Why would Korea suddenly be mentioned here? Korea was the country to which Jeong Yeongwoo, whom she had metst night, belonged. So, this morning, she had thought it would be best to avoid any entanglements with them. ¡°¡­.¡± Despite her growing unease, Fukuhito continued speaking. ¡°I understand that there is no ¡®dotted line¡¯ along Miyagi Prefecture¡¯s coast. That¡¯s what Pavel, who passed on the note, said.¡± ¡°If there¡¯s no dotted line, what¡­¡± Seeing Tomiko¡¯s puzzled reaction, Fukuhito nodded. ¡°See for yourself.¡± With that, Fukuhito walked to the annex and opened the door. Thud. Inside, she saw several Sword Masters from Yamagata Prefecture seated in a formal manner. Regardless of what she knew, a national issue had undoubtedly arisen. ¡°¡­.¡± Swallowing heavily, Tomiko moved towards the open door of the annex, and through the window that upied one side of the annex, she could see the deep blue sea stretching out beyond. This house was built to face the sea. And naturally, from this annex designed to overlook the sea. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± She could see a holographic dotted line drawn along the coastline. ¡°What is that?¡± As Tomiko pointed to the dotted line, Fukuhito looked at the other Sword Masters in the annex and said. ¡°We believe that¡¯s the ¡®Connection Scheduled Line.¡¯ And it¡¯s probably the Level 3 situation announced this morning.¡± ¡°Connection? Are you saying thend will connect?¡± Tomiko quickly understood. That¡¯s why this man had suddenly mentioned Korea. ¡°It means Korea and Japan will share a border. That¡¯s the only country beyond ours.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°¡­¡± It was an absurd im, but having just seen the ¡°dotted line¡± with her own eyes, she couldn¡¯t deny it. This also exined why there was no dotted line along Miyagi Prefecture¡¯s coast. Miyagi Prefecture faced the Pacific Ocean with no nearbyndmass. ¡°This is insane. It¡¯s truly a crazy development. Connectingnd is considered a Level 3 reset?¡± As Tomiko looked away from the coast and towards Fukuhito, she saw him and six other Sword Masters kneeling. ¡°In Yamagata Prefecture, we don¡¯t have a Sword Emperor yet. Therefore, we request assistance from Miyagi¡¯s Sword Emperor, Tomiko.¡± ¡°What kind of assistance do you need? You¡¯re not nning for war with Korea, are you?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Tomiko¡¯s words startled the six Sword Masters. ¡°War¡­ No, at least we must prepare for conflict. Isn¡¯t it necessary to prepare for at least that?¡± ¡°Other coastal regions are also preparing in their own ways.¡± ¡°There are rumors that Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, and Fukuoka have already entered a state of readiness.¡± As the excited Sword Masters spoke, Tomiko grew frustrated. ¡°The southern regions are dominated by the yakuza, so of course they¡¯d be thinking about war. But isn¡¯t it ridiculous to start fighting even before thend connects?¡± Of course, even as Tomiko spoke, she remembered the fights between Taiwanese and Chinese she had witnessed in the dungeon at night, so she wasn¡¯t entirely confident. What would happen if Japan and Korea¡¯snds really did connect? ¡°Either way, if weunch the first attack, it will truly be a war. Besides, we don¡¯t even have a legitimate reason for it yet.¡± As Tomiko sighed deeply while looking at the dotted line again, Fukuhito responded with disappointment. ¡°Then, does Sword Emperor intend to stand by and watch whether Koreans push in or not?¡± ¡°We won¡¯t know until thend connects.¡± ¡°If we are subject to a preemptive attack, it will be toote to regret. Besides, we¡­¡± If thends truly connected, Yamagata Prefecture would immediately be the front line. That¡¯s why they were so restless. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] However, Tomiko did not side with the Sword Masters. No, she couldn¡¯t. ¡°Don¡¯t fight with Korea.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a monster there.¡± Jeong Yeongwoo, the Strongest Sword of Korea, No. 07. Wielding a sword that could cut through the sky, and using mutants as ves. Tomiko still felt as if she had dreamed seeing him fight. But¡­ ¡°¡­Ha.¡± The Yamagata Sword Masters, who hadn¡¯t seen the problem monster firsthand, couldn¡¯t sympathize. ¡°Disappointing. To think someone like you held the title of Sword Emperor.¡± ¡°What?¡± As Tomiko turned away, the six Sword Masters, who had been kneeling just a moment ago, suddenly stood up. ¡°If you won¡¯t lend your strength, we¡¯ll take it.¡± Shing! As if they had anticipated this situation as n B, the Sword Masters drew their swords. In response, Miyagi¡¯s Sword Emperor Tomiko also drew her sword with a bitterugh. ng! ¡°You guys only have the courage to fight me after you get together in groups of about six, and you¡¯re going to start a war.¡± As Tomiko mocked them while holding her sword, Sakata¡¯s Sword Master Fukuhito rebuked her. ¡°All-out attack!¡± * * * Meanwhile, across the sea, while Tomiko engaged in a 1 vs. 6 battle, Yeongwoo was lying down, eating bread. ¡°Mmm.¡± ¡°Hey, lying down while eating is bad for your health.¡± ¡°I can survive without eating. So, it doesn¡¯t really matter.¡± He was talking about the self-sustaining effect of his mutation. Then, Jeonggu lowered the corners of his mouth in a frown. ¡°Then why bother with the bread?¡± ¡°I sometimes like to pretend to be human.¡± In reality, it was Yeongwoo¡¯s consideration to Jeonggu, who was having breakfast. Moreover, even though he could survive without eating, his sense of taste hadn¡¯t disappeared, so eating itself was enjoyable. ¡°For something that turned to stone, it¡¯s quite tasty.¡± ¡°That¡¯s one advantage.¡± One of the few advantages of the reset world. The petrified food didn¡¯t rot. Perhaps even after months or years, once the petrification was lifted, it would still be edible. ¡°By the way.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Howplete is thatser cannon?¡± Jeonggu asked, recalling themotion during the morning meeting. Jeonggu recalled themotion that urred during the morning meeting. Theser cannon in question was suddenly fired from inside the television. It was just that, as soon as the powerponents were connected to the framework of the cannon, which was alreadypleted, theser was fired. In other words, the essential parts of theser cannon were mostly in ce. ¡°It seems like it¡¯s more than halfwaypleted. But with a bit more tweaking, it should be able to fire.¡± Of course, there was no way to confirm the progress at the moment. Due to the discontinuation of the public service after 10 a.m., they couldn¡¯t use the television anymore. ¡°I can just ask when I fight with the mutantster to see how much progress has been made.¡± Yeongwoo calmly said while taking another bite of his bread. Jeonggu looked at Yeongwoo as if he couldn¡¯t understand. ¡°How can you be so calm? Aren¡¯t you worried at all today?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been through so much that maybe that¡¯s why. Of course, it would be much safer if the weapon encyclopedia arrived early¡­¡± Even without it, Yeongwoo thought they could ovee the seemingly insurmountable obstacles. ¡°By the way, do you know?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°My father also needs to bring a mutant.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Jeonggu¡¯s response showed he hadn¡¯t even thought about it. In response, Yeongwoo pointed north with the bread he was eating. ¡°There will be mutants appearing in Dobong-gu as well. Since I decided to wait in Gwangjin-gu, father should bring back whoever appears in Dobong-gu.¡± ¡°What if I die¡­?¡± ¡°You should be careful not to. I need to get tax deductions.¡± Yeongwoo said this, then added an afterthought. ¡°I¡¯ll lend you Negwig. Use it toe and go.¡± Negwig, the iron horse. An unspecified grade of vehicle that Dogo gave to Yeongwoo as a gift in return for the Audi. Even if his father was ipetent, if he sent him off on Negwig, he should be able to return safely. ¡°Now then.¡± After putting thest piece of bread into his mouth, Yeongwoo took out a smallmunicator from his pocket. Swoosh. ¡°Shall we call the loan shark?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 185 Chapter 185 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 185: Everyone¡¯s Strongest Sword (5) ¡¸Prism Pager¡¹ ¨C General Tool ¡¾ICheaper rates than death! Prism Credit.¡¿ A caller that summons a loanpany of the universe, whose origins are shrouded in mystery. As Yeongwoo toyed with the device, consisting of just a small button, Jeonggu, holding a second bun, asked, ¡°Why take out a loan? You¡¯ll be protected by the Strongest Swords¡­ or rather, you¡¯ll receivepensation for your life, so isn¡¯t tax settlement simple after that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Then why call them? It may not cost money, but¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no reason not to call.¡± Yeongwoo double-checked his current funds. * Avable Karma: 8,954,500 A total of 8.95 million Karma. ¡°To receive money, you first need to seed in your mission, right? So you should invest all your current funds into your abilities.¡± Today marks the 5th day since the reset. Therefore, even ordinary mutants appearingter would be much stronger in ordance with the first day. Even for non-high-risk types. ¡°And surprisingly, there may not be many Strongest Swords visiting Gwangjin-gu¡­ It¡¯s wise to have insurance. At least you should know how much you can borrow. Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± If the loan is provided in the form of currency like Dogo¡¯s card, it means it can be copied with a ¡®nk check¡¯. In other words. ¡®It means there¡¯s a way to pull in money inrge quantities. It doesn¡¯t have to be right now.¡¯ Knowing that space taxes are imposed more than imagined, it was very important to have an outlet ready to release money at any time. Click. So eventually, Yeongwoo pressed the small caller. Squeak. As before, a part of the empty space opened slightly, revealing only someone¡¯s silhouette, as if cing opaque ss against it. ¨C Prism Credit, did you call? Finally, a voice whispered from somewhere in outer space. It was the first time hearing the sales pitch of an unfamiliar loanpany. It was even more baseless than mediator Kubu¡¯s greetings. With no proper self-introduction or regard for the other party¡­¡­ ¡°What is this¡­ some kind of hole-in-the-wall?¡± Jeonggu, feeling something was off, looked at the silhouette of Prism Credit with suspicious eyes. Upon hearing Jeonggu¡¯s dialogue, Prism Credit showed a reaction from its side. ¨C Oh, sorry. Bending over like a tterer, all one could see was the other party bowing. It was somewhat cimucal, but Yeongwoo proceeded with the loan consultation. ¡°You mentioned a credit loan, so what are the criteria for credit assessment by yourpany?¡± ¨C First, we consider the actual ie amount, and second, we prioritize universal grades. As expected of a loanpany, they seemed to value substance over status. ¨C Of course, the possession of assets is also one of the reference conditions. We also process secured loans. A space loan shark, chuckling unpleasantly. Upon this, Yeongwoo thought to himself. ¡®My recent two-day ie is 34 million¡­ Will they lend me the same amount?¡¯ Even if they did, it would be somewhat wasteful to use a nk check. ¡®It could be a currency that I won¡¯t be able to get again¡­ Unless it¡¯s really urgent, I should go for billions to make copies.¡¯ Yeongwoo set his own limit and asked the other party, ¡°So, ording to my current standards, how much loan can I get?¡± Then, as if waiting for it, the other party answered. ¨C 1.6 billion. ¡°What¡­?¡± ¨C Up to 1.6 billion is possible. However¡­¡­ Swiftly, a presence beyond the curtain pointed a finger-like object at Yeongwoo¡¯s waist. ¨C You must set that sword as coteral. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± As soon as Yeongwoo heard this, he felt chills all over his body. It was because of his intuition that Prism Credit hadn¡¯te to ask for interest or profit. ¡®These guys are also aiming for the Bastard.¡¯ But if that 1.6 billion were paid out in currency and it was a loan that allowed early repayment, it could bring huge profits. Yeongwoo tried to hide his panic as much as possible and asked again, ¡°If I were to borrow 1.6 billion, would that money be paid out entirely in currency?¡± ¨C That¡¯s correct. ¡®Good grief.¡¯ Yeongwoo swallowed his saliva and asked the next question. ¡°What about the repayment schedule and interest rate?¡± ¨C You will see in the contract, but the schedule can be freely set by you. It can be from one day to eternity. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¨C However, the interest rate is 10% per day, and early repayment is possible from the 2nd day. ¡°¡­ If the loan amount is 1.6 billion, I would have to pay 160 million every day.¡± Essentially a dailyborer. Since early repayment is possible from the 2nd day, they would pocket 20% of the principal as profit just by initiating the loan. But even this would be nullified if they were to copy the loan of 1.6 billion. ¡°Well then¡­¡± Yeongwoo was about to ask to see the loan agreement, but hesitated for a moment. ¨C Shall I draft the contract? Prism Credit seemed to sense something and attempted to show the contract, prompting Yeongwoo to reiterate one thing. ¡°Currency.¡± ¨C ¡­? ¡°You said the loan of 1.6 billion would be paid out in currency, but is it a single currency? Like a card.¡± Upon this, Prism Credit¡¯s loan officer sighed silently. ¨C The loan will be paid out in multiple currencies. ¡°How much exactly?¡± Yeongwoo asked again, slightly annoyed, and the response came as if the other party had no choice. ¨C Physical currency worth 10 million each, a total of 160 pieces. ¡°Ah.¡± That makes sense. Things seemed to fall into ce easily. After all, the top loanpany wouldn¡¯t be unaware of the variable known as the nk check. So, they couldn¡¯t allow the duplication of currency to facilitate early repayment or to stop interest. Especially when it¡¯s more profitable to induce defaults and take coteral, as in this case. ¡°Then, it won¡¯t be possible to receive that money all in one currency.¡± ¨C We are not capable of that, even technically. It¡¯s a skill that only top-tierpanies can handle. Merging the originally divided cash into a card or the like at will. That alone being possible indicates they belong to the top-tier, as Prism Credit describes. That¡¯s understandable, as it¡¯s essentially creating a new currency. In other words, ¡®Dogo must be one of those top-tierpanies.¡¯ It seemed even more impressive now to see the capabilities of Chairman. ¡°Alright. So, all you can offer me is an unsecured credit loan, and the interest rate is 10% per day, right?¡± ¨C That¡¯s correct. Shall we calcte the loan amount? Since the other party asked so insistently, Yeongwoo felt there was something else and asked back. ¡°To calcte the loan amount, do you need ess to my data?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¨C ¡­Yes. ¡°Then I decline. See you next time.¡± As Yeongwoo declined data ess in one go, the other party showed an embarrassed expression. However, Click. Yeongwoo pressed the caller again and closed the area of Prism Credit that had been partially connected to this side. Swoosh! ¡°Indeed, both Earth and space loans are risky.¡± ¡°10% per day is insane. In ten days, you¡¯d only be paying off interest.¡± ¡°But still, I do have some ie.¡± Yeongwoo looked down at Bastard at his waist. Didn¡¯t even a loanpany whose origins were unclear called for 1.6 billion karma in coteral loans? This opportunity allowed him to glimpse the value of mythical equipment. Moreover, ¡®I might get some idea of how loans work on the other side.¡¯ Looking at the toppanies, there must have been major banks, equivalent to the number one financial sector on Earth, somewhere. That means, with solid capital and status, much more stable loans could be obtained. ¡®Of course, whether they¡¯ll allow copying with a nk check is questionable.¡¯ As Yeongwoo spent quite some time conversing with the dealer, the window outside was already glowing red. So, Yeongwoo said, ¡°Why is the sky already turning red¡­?¡± While checking his watch, he suddenly realized. It was only just noon now. ¡°What, what¡¯s going on? Why is the sky like that?¡± Jeonggu also looked out the window with widened eyes. Is it reasonable for the sky to turn so red around lunchtime? This is probably¡­ ¡°It¡¯s because of the mutants.¡± ¡°Is a dragoning today for real?¡± The return of the chaebols. It seemed like the dragons were being treated differently. Previously, there were no signs of any mutants until their appearance time. ¡°Father should leave for Dobong in advance, right? Even a little dy and the whole city might go up in mes.¡± As Yeongwoo said this, Jeonggu hesitated for a moment before nodding. ¡°Y-yeah, you¡¯re right. It¡¯s definitely okay to lend Negwig this time¡­?¡± * * * 12:03 PM. As Yeongwoo and Jeonggu stepped out of the lobby of the Parnas Hotel, Lim Suna, who was turning back to give instructions to the staff, noticed the two. ¡°Yeongwoo¡­!¡± Her shadow rushing towards them was entirely crimson. It was because the sky had turned even redder during that time. ¡°We¡¯ve already evacuated all the residents in our district. The hunters are just waiting at their original locations, ready to clean up the monsters.¡± It meant that Taewon and the monster contractors from Gangnam Police would engage in battle as before. Leaving monsters unchecked just because high-risk mutants appeared would result in buildings used as residences being destroyed tonight. ¡°Yes. But if by any chance, a dragon appears¡­ tell everyone to run away without hesitation.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± And then, followed by, ¡°Hey, Yeongwoo!¡± Yangju¡¯s Strongest Swordsman, Choi Jongseon, appeared from afar, waving her hand. She had rushed out at once upon seeing the sky turning red. She even had her baby with her. ¡°Oh, Mrs. Choi.¡± As Yeongwoo raised his hand in response to Jongseon, Jeonggu muttered beside him. ¡°Why did she bring the baby out? Why are there only crazy people around you?¡± ¡°Well, if mother is the Strongest Swordsman, wouldn¡¯t it be safest by her side?¡± Of course, the baby¡¯s face had to be well covered. To prevent the baby from being blinded by the mes or getting burned. ¡°Hyung-niiiiim¡­!¡± Finally, Kim Jongsu, who had stuck Yeongwoo¡¯s body together that was hacked in two pieces in Chungju, appeared. Yeongwoo knew well that the reason Jongsu survived in this world was to see the ¡®dragon¡¯ in person, so he couldn¡¯t help butugh. And not only that, Jongsu was now making an ecstatic expression while looking at the red sky. ¡°It feels like a dream, hyung-nim.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be too excited. There¡¯s still a chance it might not be a dragon.¡± At the bizarre conversation, Jeonggu and Jongseon, as well as Suna, showed signs of fatigue. Meanwhile, the entire Gangnam District was in a state of emergency. Just the fact that the sky turned red made all the residents anxious, and even the monster contractors, who usually didn¡¯t believe, were now praying to the gods. ¡°If my body falls apart again this time, you¡¯ll have to stick it back together.¡± As Yeongwoo joked like this and was about to open the system window to invest in his abilities¡­ Kwang¡­! Suddenly, lightning and thunder struck one after another from inside the red sky. And then, ¨CSeoul, have you prepared someone to face me? ¨CThose with courage, step forward and reveal your name. A deep voice resonated endlessly from somewhere beyond the sky. A powerful presence that dared not to answer. It was undoubtedly one of the high-risk mutants scheduled to appear today. ¡°¡­.¡± At this, everyone instinctively looked at Yeongwoo. Thud. But unexpectedly, Yeongwoo¡­ ¡°Chwaat!¡± Already shouting while swinging the myth sword ¡®Bastard¡¯ towards the sky. ¡°I am an orphan, the master of the mythical sword ¡®Bastard¡¯, Joseon¡¯s Strongest Swordsman, Jeong Yeongwoo¡­!¡± ¡°¡­What? Yeongwoo, that¡¯s a lie.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll fighttttt!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 186 Chapter 186 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 186: Everyone¡¯s Strongest Sword (6) ¨CHa¡­! A voice from beyond the skyughed as if it were thrilled. Although he had asked if there were challengers, he hadn¡¯t expected someone to step forward as if they were waiting. But then, Paaaah! Something shot down through the clouds. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± What pierced through the air, leaving a clear trace, was none other than¡­ ¡¸Œ¢¡¹ The character for ¡°general.¡± It was the character for ¡®Jang¡¯ (Œ¢). Just like a mark of death for regional swordsmanship, there seemed to be some kind of mark attached to Yeongwoo as well. ¡°General¡­? Does it mean the one who will fight the dragon first?¡± As Jeonggu looked at the red mark on Yeongwoo¡¯s forehead and spoke, Yangju¡¯s Strongest Sword Choi Jongseon grinned. ¡°They said whoever is brave should step forward. There was no talk about fighting the marked ones first, right?¡± ording to her guess, that mark was purely for identification. So that the mutants who came to thisnd could recognize the one they needed to be most wary of among the myriad of Strongest Swords. ¡°Of course, if he were someone who could transform into a dragon, he woulde looking for the mark deliberately.¡± Jongseon added with a follow-up remark. Since it wouldn¡¯t be typical, she said. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t pay much attention to the mark on his head and instead looked at his father. ¡°Isn¡¯t it time for you to leave?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Dobong-gu. Ride on Negwig and go.¡± As Yeongwoo extended Negwig¡¯s steel reins, Jeonggu smirked. ¡°Won¡¯t you lend something else? Like a sword or something.¡± Jeonggu¡¯s eyes were fixed on what was wrapped around Yeongwoo¡¯s waist, the ¡®Dragon¡¯s Legacy.¡¯ Perhaps he thought it might be a weapon like a Dragon yer because of its handle shaped like a dragon. But. ¡°This is a useless weapon. And if a dragon appears in Dobong-gu, it¡¯s best for my father to flee as quickly as possible.¡± As Yeongwoo spoke, urging him to go, he handed Negwig¡¯s reins again to Jeonggu. ¡°Since it¡¯s much faster, please put more strength into your thighs.¡± After Yeongwoo made his final plea to his father, he spoke to Jongseon. ¡°If possible, don¡¯t fight today. Things might be more chaotic than expected.¡± It was a word spoken out of concern for the baby. Even Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t predict how today¡¯s battle would unfold. ¡°I didn¡¯t have any intention of fighting anyway. Look at the sky.¡± Jongseon spoke with a grim look as she looked at the red sky. But contrary to her words, her ck sword was already drawn from her waist. ¡°How do you n to fight? I¡¯ve never fought against multiple mutants at once.¡± When Jongseon asked like this after staring at the sky for a while, Yeongwoo looked down at the newborn in her right hand. ¡°The bnce between offense and defense is quite good right now. I¡¯m confident in a one-on-one battle with a dragon, but the problem is the other mutants¡­¡± Yeongwoo nned to solve that problem with his friend summoning and the automaticbat greatsword, ¡®Golden Trail.¡¯ He could also use the bow that Dogo equipped with an explosive function. The equipment of Yeongwoo boasted a clever synergy, as if it had been built up for this moment. ¡°¡­¡­¡± While looking at the sky, which seemed to have reddened even more, Yeongwoo began the final preparation process, distributing his ability points. * Avable Karma: 8,954,500 If he survived, he could somehow earn back the money he had to pay in taxes today. ¡®So let¡¯s use it all.¡¯ 8.95 million Karma, all invested in ability points. When converted into ability points, it amounted to 8,950. Therefore, even if you were the Strongest Sword, you would normally have no idea where and how much to invest your points, but Yeongwoo was different. He was good at understanding equipment effects like a person who used to do game broadcasts. ¡®If you drink a potion while bleeding, your strength increases by 55%. So if you raise your strength too much, your body might not be able to handle it.¡¯ Moreover, if possible, even in a state where strength is amplified, the sensory value should be the highest among all ability values, so a certain level of bnce was necessary. ¡¸Agility¡¹ ¨C Mutant Ring ¡¾When Senses is the highest ability, 10% damage reduction is obtained.¡¿ ¡®Since agility usually increases with a sense effect, it just needs to be maintained at a reasonable level.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s ¡®reasonable level¡¯ was half of his strength value. More precisely, it was half of the strength value increased by 25% due to bleeding. At this level, even in a one-on-one situation, the agility effect can be activated just by depriving the senses. ¡®It¡¯s perfect since arrow damage is also proportional to the sensory value¡­ Great.¡¯ After establishing his ability point investment strategy, Yeongwoo immediately put it into action. First, he gave 2,000 points to strength, then adjusted it so that the final strength value plus 25% was simr to the sensory value. And the remaining points were distributed to stamina and durability, ensuring that durability didn¡¯t fall far behind the strength value, which increased due to bleeding. ¡ºCharacter: Jeong Yeongwoo07¡» [Strength] 5,300 (19+5,281) [Stamina] 5,148 (21+5,127) [Durability] 6,298 (13+6,285) [Sensory] 3,300 (24+3,276) ¡®So it turned out to be a bnced type of ability again.¡¯ However, in this state, if bleeding urs and a potion is consumed, strength increases significantly. Therefore, practically speaking, it was closer to being a ¡®Strength Build.¡¯ ¡®Anyway, all preparations are done now. Whether it¡¯s a dragon or something else, as long as ites.¡¯ As Yeongwoo continued to look at the red sky, behind him, the golden goblin and the top trumpeter of the Tenta tribe, Pofu Tenta, also raised their heads. And finally. Paaaah! Beams of light began to shoot down from the sky. These were signs that indicated the locations where mutants and monsters would appear in advance. Shooaaah! Soon, a beam of light fell near the Parnas Hotel where Yeongwoo was waiting, but contrary to expectations, it was blue. ¡°What¡¯s this? Where are the mutantsing?¡± As Yeongwoo looked around for the red beam of light, Jongseon, who was looking behind him, tapped his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s over there.¡± ¡°Where¡­?¡± Following Jongseon¡¯s gaze backward, Yeongwoo¡¯s mouth dropped open. The ce where mutants were scheduled to appear today was right in the middle of Seolleung Station. ¡°Unbelievable.¡± Lim Suna also looked at the location of the red beam of light, her eyes widening at first before she regained herposure. ¡°It¡¯s near Daechi-dong. Evacuation of residents must already be underway¡­¡± There were numerous buildings, or rather, buildings designated for residential purposes, which were once used aspany buildings. If high-risk mutants appeared there, the most important resource in this reset world, residential areas, could be extensively damaged. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°If high-risk mutants don¡¯t appear there, I¡¯ll find a way to handle it somehow. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Yeongwoo was about to call Negwig out of habit but then realized the creature wasn¡¯t there and let out a small sigh. Then. Crack. By stomping his right foot on the ground, he prepared to run towards Daechi-dong. * * * Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu. It was one of the representative affluent neighborhoods in Gangnam-gu, with high-rise apartments lined up in the south and a business district established in the north. Of course, since the reset, calling Daechi-dong an affluent neighborhood was a thing of the past. Now people wanted to live near the Strongest sword¡¯s residence or by the riverside. However, not everyone could have the residence they desired, so it wasn¡¯t umon for people to live in Daechi-dong, which was two whole neighborhoods away from Gangnam Strongest Sword¡¯s residence. ¡®And even if no one lives there right now, buildings must be preserved as much as possible. You never know when and where a building might copse.¡¯ Yeongwoo looked at the mutant¡¯s mark, which had be considerably closer to Gangnam. As he entered the vicinity of Seolleung Station, he could see the procession of Daechi-dong residents moving in the opposite direction, and some of them noticed Yeongwoo and greeted him or whispered among themselves. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Strongest Sword-nim¡­!¡± ¡°Is that Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword?¡± ¡°He looks exactly like the one on thememorative coins.¡± ¡°But why is he walking around without clothes¡­?¡± Although today¡¯s Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword didn¡¯t ride on a horse as rumored, everyone could still easily recognize him. Thanks to thememorative coins scattered with yesterday¡¯s golden rain in Gangnam. ¡°Strongest Sword-nim, is Daechi-dong going to disappear now?¡± ¡°Please help our house not copse.¡± In fact, since everyone was evacuating, some residents came with such requests, and Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but empathize with them. Because before the reset, he was someone who went back and forth between rent and dormitories as a homeless person, so he knew to some extent what it felt like to fear even the temporary disappearance of a ce to stay. Moreover, even in this world, no matter how much money one had, if the designated ¡®residence¡¯ specified by the rental system wasn¡¯t physically preserved, one couldn¡¯t spend the night alive. So how much fear would this situation bring to those who were already pushed out to Daechi-dong? Mutants were just monsters that spit spheres to Yeongwoo, but they were still a disaster to most people. ¡®What if I shoot them down from the moment they start falling to the ground?¡¯ Passing another line of evacuees, Yeongwoo finally saw the red beam of light that had been struck down south of Seolleung Station. ¡®One building will inevitably copse.¡¯ Yeongwoo scratched his chin as he looked at the four-storymercial building, which was half covered by the trajectory of the beam of light. Still, if he could snipe from the point where the mutants fell, additional damage could be prevented. ¡°Let¡¯s try it this time. Shooting arrows before the mutants hit the ground.¡± This time, with the sensory value considerably enhanced and equipped with a kind of scope, he didn¡¯t know if it would be possible. ¡¸irvoyance¡¹ ¨C Mutant Earring ¡¾Visibility is amplified up to 5 times.¡¿ With five times magnification, he could capture the moment when the mutants tore through the sky well enough. ng. After moving the ¡®White Fire¡¯ he had wrapped around his body with his hand and aiming at the top of the beam of light, Jongseon, who arrived shortly after, tilted her head. ¡°What¡­ are you nning to do? This time?¡± ¡°A preemptive strike.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll shoot to kill the mutants before theynd. Well, even if they don¡¯t die with one shot, I can inflict a fatal injury.¡± Upon hearing this, Jongseon tilted her head again. ¡°¡­Is that possible?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know until I try.¡± ¡°Perhaps during their descent, they might have invincibility like merchants. It¡¯s amon rule inics that viins are usually left alone when they transform, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not a hero or the main character.¡± [PR/N: Uh huh, ofc ur not¡­. ??dense f**ker] Yeongwoo¡¯sment on whether he could interfere was buried. Kwaaaah¡­¡­! The red beam of light began to sway at just the right time. The fifth-day mutants were about to return to this world. ¡°Wow, what is it? It¡¯s already time.¡± As Jongseon held the baby close and stepped back, the golden goblin and Pofu Tenta moved forward, raising their arms. -Keey! -Baahh¡­! ¡®They¡¯re reallying soon.¡¯ Yeongwoo observed the gestures of the ves and immediately checked the time. The current time was 12:58 PM. Then, as it turned 12:59, the blood-red sky roared. Kurrrng! The thunderous sound echoed from behind the clouds, tinged with an ominous hue. Along with the sound of what seemed like the cry of a beast, the red beam of light vibrated thinly. It¡¯s slowly opening. The gateway connecting this world and the mutants¡¯ domain. Kwarrng! Followed by another angry thunder, and immediately. Kwajak! A sound like something tearing from the sky at the end of the beam of light. And at that moment, Yeongwoo¡­ ¡°Huuh.¡± While holding his breath, he was aiming at the starting point of the mutant¡¯s fall using his ¡®irvoyance¡¯. And then. -Kwaaaaaaaah! With the usual roaring cry of the mutant, a silhouette appeared above Yeongwoo¡¯s aiming point. ¡®They¡¯re here¡­!¡¯ Recognizing the target, he fired the arrow. Thud! As soon as Yeongwoo released the taut bowstring, the highly concentrated energy gathered in front of the white Fire wasunched towards the sky. Siiiiik! The specially crafted covert arrow sliced through the air in the blink of an eye, and then. Puaaang! With a burst of purple, today¡¯s feedback from the mutants in Gangnam-gu followed. -Kachk¡­! Leaking purple smoke, the mutant deviated from its original path and plummeted diagonally. Upon this, Yeongwoo lifted Bastard from his waist with an excited expression. ¡°Let¡¯s chase after it quickly! It seems like it¡¯s not dead yet!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 187 Chapter 187 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 187: Everyone¡¯s Strongest Sword (7) Interception before the mutant evennded. This was an extraordinary strategy from the start, but it was also made possible by Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s presence before anything else. Equipped with a long-range weapon, White Fire, and specialized sniper equipment, and above all, a monster with a total ability score exceeding 20,000. Who would dare to intercept a mutant falling like lightning from the edge of the sky if it weren¡¯t for him? ¡°Let¡¯s, let¡¯s go together¡­!¡± Jongseon chased after Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, who was already ahead. Thud! The mutant, hit by an arrow and deviating from its path, fortunatelynded not on a nearby building but on Teheran Road. And just now. ¨DNo, damn it. What is this¡­? Rubbing his throbbing back of the head, he struggled to open his eyes. A Cyclops towering at a height of 5 meters. Kugugugu¡­¡­ As the creature finally lifted its upper body from the ground, a huge shadow cast over the road, creating a formidable presence. [CEO ¨C Song Myeongbae] ¡®Oh, Song Myeongbae¡­!¡¯ Yeongwoo, seeing the mutant¡¯s namete from afar, blinked his eyes. Like Kim Taejoon, he also appeared with the title ¡®CEO,¡¯ but Song Myeongbae was apletely different character. ¡®Luckily, that piece of trash was assigned to Gangnam.¡¯ He was the 5th-day mutant of Gangnam, Song Myeongbae. Externally, he was the CEO of a domestic clothing brand known as the ¡®Dongdaemun Myth,¡¯ but one day, when he was caught in a drunk driving checkpoint, his true nature was revealed to the world. At that time, a police officer, judging that Song Myeongbae¡¯s condition was peculiar for a simple drunk, conducted a quick drug test, and the result was positive. Moreover, hispanion, suspected to be his lover, also tested positive for drugs. Later, during police investigations, it was revealed that Song Myeongbae had been secretly administering drugs to hispanion. This revtion sparked a huge controversy. Moreover, at that time, Song Myeongbae was a married man with two children. He wasmitting drunk driving, drug abuse, and adultery all at once. So in the end, he was sentenced to prison, but it seems he seeded in an early release for some reason. Anyway, Yeongwoo felt relieved to see the familiar namete. He realized that he might havemitted a grave breach depending on the opponent, as he had shot arrows without confirming the mutant¡¯s identity. ¡°Mr. Myeongbae! I¡¯m d it¡¯s you!¡± As Yeongwoo ran towards the mutant with a bright expression, Song Myeongbae, who was just getting up, felt an unusual atmosphere and turned his head. ¨DWho are you¡­? The first thing Song Myeongbae saw when he turned his head was the opponent¡¯s upper body clearly revealed. For some reason, a madman without a shirt was swinging a sword towards him. ¨DWhat the hell! Startled by the nightmare-like scene, Myeongbae instinctively rolled back to avoid Yeongwoo¡¯s frontal strike. Whoosh! At that moment, Song Myeongbae¡¯snding, unseen until now, came into Yeongwoo¡¯s view. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± For a moment, Yeongwoo¡¯s pupils were tinted with a reddish hue. It was because Song Myeongbae¡¯s entire back was adorned with a splendid Irezumi. That was probably a tattoo that Myeongbae had when he was human. ¡®I wonder if tattoos are inherited as they are¡­?¡¯ It was a fact that he learned for the first time. Since he had never seen a mutant with such conspicuous tattoos before, this was his first data obtained. Kwaaah! In the meantime, Myeongbae, who had finished rolling back, quickly got up and caught his breath. His eyes wereplicated. ¨DWho¡­ who are you? Was that also your doing? From the sky. It seemed that Myeongbae didn¡¯t even know what he had been hit by from the sky. Upon this, instead of answering, Yeongwoo pulled back his bow again. Tck-tck-tck! ¨DThis¡­! Realizing that the opponent was a prepared archer from the start, Myeongbae showed a terrified expression. ¨DS-stop that! The 5-meter tall Cyclops, Song Myeongbae, rushed towards Yeongwoo, who had pulled back his bow. Thud! Then, sensory deprivation was activated, amplifying Yeongwoo¡¯s sensory values. ¡¸The sensory value has temporarily increased from the original 3,300 to 5,420.¡¹ The sensory stolen from the opponent amounted to a whopping 2,120. ¡®Incredible. Even if it¡¯s a two-man team, it won¡¯t be easy to deal with someone like this.¡¯ Yeongwoo thought so while mercilessly shooting arrows at the mutant in front of him. Pesh! ¨DAaah! This time, Myeongbae saw the arrow clearly. However, he had no skill to stop it. Thudddd! Without a doubt, he was hit in the chest with an arrow and staggered sideways. A mutant appearing on a day when a warning had been issued through general notice¡ªsuch helplessness was unbelievable. However, if Song Myeongbae¡¯s appearance had not been in Gangnam, the situation would have been very different. ¡°Mr. Myeongbae, did this symbole from you?¡± When Yeongwoo put away his bow and pointed to the ¡®General¡¯ character above his head with his hand, Song Myeongbae narrowed his single eye. ¨DWhat are you talking about? Due to excessive exposure to abilities, his body was now covered in purple cracks like spiderwebs. Probably in a vulnerable state, even a slight touch could shatter him, and it did. ¡°Wiiiiing!¡± While his attention was diverted, a golden streak approached from behind and struck his neck. Thud! With a sound like a biscuit breaking, Song Myeongbae¡¯s thick neck was minced into pieces. ¡°Ah!¡± Startled by the unexpected decapitation, Choi Jongseon inadvertently screamed. More than being surprised by the Cyclops¡¯s severed neck, she was astonished by the fact that the flesh around it turned into hundreds of fragments and scattered. It was the first time she had seen a mutant¡¯s body deform like that. ¡°What, what is this? Why is the mutant breaking like candy¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the effect of ability damage. If the power is sufficient, it can break not only armor but also the body.¡± Yeongwoo briefly exined to Jongseon, observing a goblin pocketing Song Myeongbae¡¯s orb. ¡°The monsters of Gangnam will probably be taken care of by Taewon. Let¡¯s move on to Gwangjin-gu.¡± As Yeongwoo spoke, he inserted the unused talisman into his waistband, and at that moment, the distant northern sky changed dramatically. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Jongseon¡¯s expression froze in concern. Seeing her look towards the north, Yeongwoo soon wore a simrly troubled expression. ¡°Oh my.¡± In the sky of Gwangjin-gu were three mutant symbols. Already arrived on that side were the Strongest Sword¡­ no, a group of ten million karma customers. * * * Gwangjin-gu. Currently, a deserted area with no remaining residences or actual Strongest Sword. However, today it was busier than any other city. The reason was none other than¡­ ¡°What the hell is this!¡± ¡°To the right! Turn right!¡± There were no less than two Strongest Swords, each running with numerous mutants and monsters trailing behind. ¡°Damn it! Where is this bastard?¡± Dongdaemun¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jang Jeongho 01. And¡­ ¡°This isn¡¯t what we agreed on. What happened¡­?¡± Seongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword, Lee Yoobin 16. Both were assigned to the same team due to their adjacent areas, but ironically, both immediately rushed to Gwangjin-gu without trusting each other¡¯s back. Of course, the n was to leave the dangerous task to Jeong Yeongwoo, which had been mutually agreed upon beforehand. However, the problem was¡­ ¡°Jeong Yeongwoo! We¡¯ve arrived¡­!¡± The resolver who was supposed to wait for them in Gwangjin-gu hadn¡¯t shown up for work yet. ¡°This idiot, did he die in Gangnam?¡± Starting to feel scared, Jang Jeongho cursed while ncing southward. In response, Lee Yoobin leaped over the monsters blocking her path and eximed something close to a scream. ¡°Don¡¯t say such terrifying things! Then what about those over there?¡± Jang Jeongho and Lee Yoobin. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Both Strongest Swords were facing numerous mutants and monsters from their respective areas, as well as mutant originally in Gwangjin-gu, and even hundreds of monsters. Therefore, the moment they stopped running, they would be in a situation where they had to face all those mutants and monsters. ¡°What should we do? Should we try circling around for now?¡± Lee Yoobin made a puzzled expression. The only reason they weren¡¯t crossing over to other areas with such arge army of monsters attached was that they still had some sense of responsibility as Strongest Swords. Gwangjin-gu was originally a deserted area where they didn¡¯t need to worry about building destruction, but it wasn¡¯t the same for other areas. Thud! Thud! Moreover, the two Strongest Swords, who were in the midst of a marathon of death, were also receiving mental attacks. ¨CThey¡¯re running away like cockroaches. ¨CStrongest Swords¡­? Who gave them that name anyway? ¨CHey, you idiots, aren¡¯t you embarrassed? The three mutants continuously mocked the two, their voices echoing ominously. Although mutants had their own grudges and returned to this world seeking revenge, it was annoying to see those who came out as Strongest Swords running away instead of facing them. Furthermore, they were exceptionally skilled at fleeing, making it impossible to catch them in one go, which was the biggest problem. So, they were tempted to abandon the two Strongest Swords and move to other areas early on. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ he¡¯sing soon! We agreed to wait here!¡± ¡°If that guyes, all of you are dead, you bastards¡­!¡± Whether it was a bluff or something else, the fact that the two cowards kept saying someone wasing made them anxious and kept them going. ¨CWhere the hell is someoneing from? Well, even if hees, isn¡¯t he also a Strongest Sword? Han Seonggyu, a mutant who had been chasing Lee Yoobin from Seongbuk-gu, turned his head, feeling his patience wearing thin. He felt that there was no point in staying here any longer. [Athlete ¨C Han Seonggyu] Han Seonggyu, a yer in the Korean professional baseball league¡¯s second team. As it happens, two weeks before the reset, he assaulted a citizen in the middle of the road due to a driving dispute, and now he has be a minotaur with a height of 4 meters. With a bulldozer-like temperament, he even received tworge horns as a fitting gift. ¨CI¡¯m done here. I¡¯m going somewhere else. As he dered the abandonment of the marathon, he stopped in his tracks with his heavy legs. Boom! As a fierce wind blew near his hooves, his skin began to tingle. ¨CHuh? What¡¯s this? Seonggyu wasn¡¯t the only one who felt something strange; the two Strongest Swords, who had been fleeing in a panic, and the other mutant and monster chasing them instinctively stopped as well. Because¡­ Shoooooo! The gentle breeze that had only been blowing from the hooves suddenly turned into a strong wind, causing even the mutants to stagger. Moreover, unidentified green pellets began floating in the air. ¨C¡­What¡¯s going on? ¨CSuddenly, what¡¯s happening? ¨CUh, does the weather suddenly change like this? At a time when the wind was abnormal enough for one of the mutants to question the ¡°locals¡±, the Strongest Swords, the crimson sky of Gwangjin-gu suddenly turned green and shed. Crash! It was lightning and thunder. And at that moment, everyone saw it. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± ¨CWhat¡¯s that? ¨CA dragon¡­? A silhouette that could only be described as a dragon floated beyond the green-tinted clouds. ¡°We¡¯re¡­ we¡¯re doomed.¡± Dongdaemun¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jang Jeongho, eximed. Having encountered a dragon while trying to avoid three mutants, it was only natural to feel doomed. ¡°We need to escape now. If we stay here, we¡¯ll die.¡± He said this to Lee Yoobin, who was standing nearby, and then panicked when he saw that the sweat on her forehead was green. ¡°What¡­?¡± And right on cue. ¡¸An [Abnormal Climate] toxic typhoon has formed in Gwangjin-gu.¡¹ Suddenly, a warning of abnormal weather appeared, and then a voice emanated from within the clouds where the shadow of the dragon had been seen earlier, giving off a sensation of danger. ¨CDo you still have courage? If so,e into my territory. Upon hearing this, Jang Jeongho and Lee Yoobin thought it was directed at them and leaped madly out of the poisonous typhoon. They may havecked courage from the start, but the pain all over their bodies from the poison was worse. And then. nk, nk. They happened to meet a man who wasing from the opposite direction. He was none other than¡­ ¡ºJoseon¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» Jeong Yeongwoo, who was casually strolling through the toxic typhoon without even wearing a top. ¡°Yeongwoo, this guy¡­!¡± Jang Jeongho tried to confront Yeongwoo fiercely but ended up spitting out a mouthful of blood instead. ¡°Guhhh!¡± In response, Yeongwoo swiftly dodged the debris with lightning-like movements and asked them both. ¡°Low toxin resistance and no immune equipment, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°In that case, just standing still will kill you, so hurry up and get out. Don¡¯t forget to prepare ten million each.¡± Pointing behind him, Yeongwoo indicated for Lee Yoobin, who vigorously nodded her head, to grab Jang Jeongho¡¯s arm and drag him away. Satisfied, the mutant who had been observing from above the clouds spoke with a smug tone ¨CImpressive courage. Are you ready to face me now? Perhaps because he was a dragon, his voice exuded immense pride and confidence, as if he had already be the master of this world. So, deliberately lowering himself, Yeongwoo adopted a respectful attitude as he spoke. ¡°Sir, before we engage in battle, may I make one request?¡± ¨CWhat is it? Speak. ¡°Could you please say ¡®Dogo¡¯ once? It¡¯s the wish of this humble servant.¡± ¨CDogo? What is Dogo? As if waiting for this moment, Yeongwoo immediately raised the bowstring he was holding in his left hand and forcefully pulled the arrow with his right hand. Twang! ¡°Yes, so please listen carefully as I exin now!¡± ¨CWhat is it? ¡°This battle is supported by the intergctic brand Dogo¡­!¡± The arrow of Dogo was released. [TL/N: LMAOOO] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 188 Chapter 188 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 188: Everyone¡¯s Strongest Sword (8) Pe! Seeing Dogo¡¯s special arrow leaving the bow, Yeongwoo immediately dashed forward and drew the bowstring again. Thududududuk! He didn¡¯t think the guy would juste down with one arrow. And sure enough. ¨CBold move. Such shallow attacks don¡¯t work on me. A voice beyond the clouds chuckled softly and said with a tone that the arrow was visible. However. Swoosh, pew! When the arrow intruded into the green cloud, causing a phenomenon, the guy showed signs of hesitation. ¨C¡­! It wasn¡¯t a fatal blow, but it was enough to surprise the opponent. ¡®It seems that the damage caused by this ability is quite effective even against dragons.¡¯ Kurung! As if the dragon was annoyed, lightning and thunder struck again, allowing Yeongwoo to confirm the opponent¡¯s position reflected beyond the clouds. ¡®That bastard must have been surprised.¡¯ Yeongwoo frowned, gazing into the sky. Unlike earlier, it was confirmed that the problem dragon was flying to the west. He was adjusting his position to guard against Yeongwoo¡¯s next attack. ¡°Stay right there! You still don¡¯t properly understand what Dogo is!¡± Pe! As Yeongwoo shot arrows into the air like hunting birds, a thunderous voice resounded from the air. ¨CWhat the hell is Dogo? While asking, an unusual sensation came from inside the green cloud. Kwaaaat! Meteors poisoned with potent venom poured down like rain. This was Poison Meteor. ¡°No, this is insane!¡± This attack, of a scale even Yeongwoo hadn¡¯t anticipated, rendered his ¡°Joseon Swordsmanship¡± ineffective, as the hologram guide couldn¡¯t provide evasion analysis for such all-epassing magical attacks. ¡®Oh my god, are you telling me to avoid itpletely physically?¡¯ Boosting sensory metrics just before the battle was a godsend. Yeongwoo narrowly avoided the third meteor. ¡®It seems he¡¯s received special training as a mutant.¡¯ The battle was entirely different from before, with overwhelming force pressing down on the mutant. However, as much as the sponsor, ¡°Dogo,¡± supported him even in this situation. Ping! [Dogo] ¡°Dragon yer¡± [Mission] Teach what Dogo is to the chaebol, Im Kwangho. [Reward] 5 million karma. [Special] Must pierce the heart of the dragon with Bastard or White Fire. Through the new Dogo quest. ¡°Ah, Chairman¡­!¡± With eyes full of emotion, Yeongwoo looked at the green sky, or rather, beyond it. As expected, the chairman and shareholders were also watching this battle. Even. [Special] Must pierce the heart of the dragon with Bastard or White Fire. In Yeongwoo¡¯s mind, this was the way to kill the dragon. In other words, Dogo gave a hint through the quest. ¡®Just cutting off the head won¡¯t kill it.¡¯ Also. ¡®Bastard or White Fire¡­¡¯ This seemed to imply equipment associated with Dogo for killing. ¡°Mission received.¡± As money was at stake, Yeongwoo¡¯s mind suddenly started working overtime. Huff! He took out a small cat from his pocket to locate the dragon. ¡¸Fearful Cat¡¹ ¨C Epic Compass ¡¾Indicates a threatening target.¡¿ ¡¾Strength increases by 25% when bleeding.¡¿ As expected, the ¡°Fearful Cat¡± had wide-open eyes, slowly moving its pupils in the southwest direction. ¡®Found it.¡¯ The direction the cat was looking at was where the dragon was flying. Of course, there were still deadly meteors falling from above, so he couldn¡¯t shoot several times. Could he manage to shoot once by creating an opening? So Yeongwoo. ¨CThis crazy bastard! ¨CWhy is he attacking us¡­? ¨CNo sense of solidarity among colleagues? Turned his gaze to the mutants of Gangbuk, who were also busy avoiding meteors on their side. If they started to attack, he could gather arge amount of senses, and by doing so, increase the power of the arrows with the increased senses. ¡¸White Fire¡¹ ¨C Epic Bow ¡¾Sensory perception applies to arrow power.¡¿ ¡¾Power increases with arrow distance.¡¿ ¡®If we add bleeding effects to that¡­¡¯ That should be enough to knock that guy to the ground, Yeongwoo was sure. If even with that firepower there was no response, then there was no choice but to lose this fight. Kwaaat! So Yeongwoo acted immediately. Thunk! This time, instead of the dragon, he shot arrows towards the three mutants on the other side. Pe! Unlike the dragon in the sky, the three mutants failed to detect the ambush arrow, and so. Pweeerrr! Only after the explosion did they realize that Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword was targeting them as well. ¨CNo, is he insane? ¨CWhy rush death? ¨CDon¡¯t they understand not to expand the front lines? When the three mutants simultaneously shot at Yeongwoo, as expected, a golden sh brought with it a tremendous amount of sensation. ¡¸Sensory values temporarily increased from the previous 3,300 to 5,246.¡¹ ¡¸Sensory values temporarily increased from 5,246 to 7,334.¡¹ ¡¸Sensory values temporarily increased from 7,334 to 9,443.¡¹ In an instant, the sensory metrics surpassed 9,000. Moreover, this was before capturing the dragon¡¯s senses. Shwaaat! Even amidst the falling poisonous meteors. Thanks to this, there was a dy before the mutants rushed in, but likewise, Yeongwoo found it difficult to aim precisely at the dragon above the clouds. ¨C Meow. Then finally, the ¡°Fearful Cat¡± let out a tiny cry and looked southeast. The dragon was finally turning back towards this direction, having circled the outskirts of Gwangjin-gu. ¡®Now¡¯s the time.¡¯ So Yeongwoo slit his thigh to draw blood and immediately aimed the bow at the direction the dragon was flying. Even if meteors fell on his head, he was prepared to endure it and shoot. Thunk! The bowstring was so tight it couldn¡¯t be drawn anymore. And soon. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Thud! When Yeongwoo released the string, a silver-white arrow with tremendous energy shot out from the front of the bow. Kwiaaaaaat! Numerous Dogo patterns fluttered along its trajectory like feathers. ¡°Ah¡­ no, this isn¡¯t an ambush arrow.¡± As Yeongwoo uttered a perplexed sound, the arrow that pierced through the air pierced through the clouds and exploded. Pweeeeerrr! Then. Baaaang¡­! With a sound resembling a huge musical instrument, the poisonous meteors falling from the sky evaporated in an instant. Swaat. ¨C Huh? ¨C What¡¯s happening suddenly? The spell the dragon was casting was interrupted. Then. Whoosh! From the other side, a loud wind sound, and then, an emerald-scaled dragon fell to the ground. ¡°¡­!¡± Enveloped in purple smoke. However, as they was still entwined in the poisonous storm, it seemed the dragon was not dead. ¡®Could it be a ground battle now?¡¯ In gaming terms, it¡¯s phase 2. Kuuuuung! Then from the dragon¡¯s crash site, a tremendous roar erupted, and it was immediately seen rising to its feet. Quaaaaa¡­! The identity of the 5th-day high-risk mutant was as it was written in the Dogo quest. [Chaebol ¨C Im Kwangho] He was none other than Im Kwangho, the chairman of Hanbo Group, ranking 8th in the domestic corporate hierarchy. Although notorious for his temperament and the rumor that his office was stocked with baseball bats for unknown reasons, there hadn¡¯t been any notable issues before the reset, but perhaps due to his unfavorable image, he seemed to have faced public judgment without appearing in the news. ¡®As far as I know, even his sons aren¡¯t ordinary troublemakers¡­ Aren¡¯t those guys bad enough to be dragons?¡¯ As the first dragon in Seoul was quite high-level, Yeongwoo looked at Im Kwangho¡¯s name tag with a somber expression. Then, from the other side, Im Kwangho, who had been observing the ¡®General¡¯ mark above Yeongwoo¡¯s head, unexpectedly let out a sigh. ¨C¡­Seoul seems to have prepared more than expected. It means that the figure they presented as their adversary in Seoul was much stronger than anticipated. Upon this, Yeongwoo hung the bow over his body and shifted the Bastard to his right hand. ck! Then he took a big step towards the dragon that hade down to the ground. Thud! ¡°Why aren¡¯t you flying back up?¡± When Yeongwoo asked this, Im Kwangho stared at him with yellow pupils. ¨CBecause you broke my wings. Now that you¡¯re marked, I have to kill you to fly again. True to his reputation for having a fiery temperament, Chairman Im Kwangho didn¡¯t bother with lies. Thanks to him, Yeongwoo could properly learn how the battle with the dragonkin progressed. ¡®I need to umte some damage during flight to bring a dragon down to the ground. From the dragon¡¯s perspective, defeating the marked adversary they¡¯ve taken will restore their flight capabilities. Such gimmicks are something new even for a mutant.¡¯ This wouldn¡¯t be thest battle against dragons. Yeongwoo himself was expecting his mother and uncles to return as dragons eventually. Therefore, this battle was like a practice run to meet his rtives. ¡°Since you¡¯ve already set foot on the ground, you won¡¯t be pulling off any strange tricks like before, right?¡± As Yeongwoo pointed out the green sky that was raining meteors until just a moment ago, Im Kwangho slowly waved his thick tail. ¨CHeh, do you think you have a chance of winning? Along with Im Kwangho¡¯s remark, fierce presences gathered behind Yeongwoo. When Yeongwoo turned around silently, he saw the mutants from the Gangbuk District 3 standing side by side, ready to rush forward at any moment. In any case, from their perspective, they had no choice but to stand with Im Kwangho, a fellow mutant, rather than the residents of this world who had targeted them. Of course, Im Kwangho didn¡¯t solely rely on just those three mutants. ¨CDo you have any other tricks up your sleeve? If what you¡¯ve shown so far is all you¡¯ve got, you will die here today. Although it was unclear if there was something more, Im Kwangho began to radiate aura from both front paws. Though not knowing what exactly, it seemed like he could cast another spell like the meteor shower from earlier. Then, this time from Yeongwoo¡¯s side, Tch, tch! ¡°Huh?¡± ¨C¡­? Poofu Tenta, who had been quietly hiding his presence until now, stepped forward with determination. ¨CBabat! ¡°What¡­ what is it, all of a sudden?¡± Wasn¡¯t this a showdown with a dragon? So, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t have high expectations for Pofu Tenta¡¯s aggressive trumpet ying. However, perhaps Pofu thought he could do something, as he reached into his bulging stomach and pulled out a golden trumpet. Then. ¨CPaaarrrrrk! It emitted a horrible noise that didn¡¯t resemble any melody. ¡°Ugh!¡± Noise. This was not a performance but noise. It was such a terrible noise that even Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword felt shivers all over. Therefore, as soon as Pofu Tenta¡¯s performance began, the aura emanating from Im Kwangho¡¯s forelegs disappeared without a trace. ¡°Huh?¡± ¨C Huh? ¨C What¡¯s this? ¨C Huh¡­? Even the mutants waiting to charge from behind were equally surprised. Im Kwangho alternated between staring at his forelegs, then pointed at Pofu Tenta with his long ws and spoke sharply. ¨CKill that bastard first! He¡¯s the one preventing me from using magic¡­! [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 189 Chapter 189 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 189: Everyone¡¯s Strongest Sword (9) Even if it wasn¡¯t Im Kwangho¡¯s extermination decree, the mutants of Gangbuk District 3 were determined to kill the mad frog with the trumpet. ¨CSquaaaak! The noise was horrendous enough to provoke such thoughts. ¨CPlease, stop it! ¨CCease¡­! Im Kwangho, being a dragonkin, only felt slightly annoyed by the blockade of magic, but ordinary mutants not only suffered from piercing noise upon hearing Pofu¡¯s performance, but also experienced dizziness. ¨CSquaawk! ¨CKill it quickly! Soon, three mutants rushed forward, and Im Kwangho also directed a venomous breath towards Yeongwoo and Pofu. ¨CYou¡¯re dead¡­!¡± Kwaaaah! A formidable energy emanated from Im Kwangho¡¯s eyes, devoid of his usualposure. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo while running away looked back at Pofu, who was still fleeing in the opposite direction while blowing his trumpet. ¨CSquaaaaak! ¡°That can¡¯t block the breath?¡± As Yeongwoo asked, Pofu, rolling his eyes, blew the trumpet again and resumed his escape. ¨CSquaak! It probably meant it couldn¡¯t block it because it wasn¡¯t magic. Meanwhile, the automaticbat greatsword, ¡°Golden Trail,¡± charged towards Im Kwangho confidently, but¡­ *Kwak!* It was subdued with a single swipe of its foreleg. No matter how legendary the weapon was, it couldn¡¯t face a dragon alone. ¡®Damn it, this won¡¯t work¡­¡¯ ming himself, Yeongwoo grabbed the whistle around his neck. Although it was a trick to be used when more mutants gathered, the situation left him no choice. ¡®But there are only four mutants here. If I call my friends, we¡¯ll be seven in total¡­¡¯ Thus, one of the conditions for ¡°Golden Storm¡± could be fulfilled. As soon as his decision was made, Yeongwoo blew the whistle immediately. *Beep!* Upon hearing the sound, the three startled mutants and the venomous dragon, Im Kwangho, looked at Yeongwoo with terrified faces. ¨CWhat did you just¡­? ¨CThe whistle¡­? What now? The answer to this question came immediately. *Crack!* A sound as if something were breaking in the sky. ¨CHuh¡­? ¨CWhat¡­? At this time, when all mutants should have appeared already, what else could appear in the sky? As all mutants in the audience looked up in awe, newly emerged mutants descended in the order of Gnoll, Golem, and White Tiger. *Thud! Thud! Thud!* ¨COh. ¨CWhat¡­ what¡¯s going on? While the clueless mutants of Gangbuk District 3 instinctively reacted, the venomous dragon, Im Kwangho, immediately sensed that something was wrong. ¨CWow! Dragons this time, dragons! The first to appear in the sky pointed towards this direction with its mouth wide open. Then, the solid-faced granite golem showed a surprised expression. ¨CWhere are you calling us to¡­? Finally, the White Tiger appeared. ¨CWhy are there so many? Did you deliberately gather them to buy a generator? Im Kwangho heard strange words that he couldn¡¯t understand even in his dreams. ¡°First, deal with that dragon, then those three over there.¡± Pointing here and there with his finger, Yeongwoo gave murder orders. In response, the three friends rushed towards Im Kwangho, and during this gap, Yeongwoo signaled to another servant, a Golden Goblin. ¡°Now, let¡¯s summon the rain.¡± ¨CKeet! Understanding the Goblin¡¯smand, it opened a dimensional pouch and pulled out a golden sphere. ¨CKeekit! Lifting the sphere high, Im Kwangho, seeing this, pushed Yeongtae with his foreleg and Kim Taejoon with his tail. ¨CStop! What are you doing¡­! He was too preupied with restraining Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword. ¨CYou¡¯re dead! He then attempted to breathe at the goblin, but¡­ *Phwoooosh!* Before he could, he was struck by General Kim Younghyeom¡¯s body blow, propelled like a rugby ball. *Thunk!* ¨CDamn it! I¡¯ll have to fight a dragon now. ¨CHey, sir, let me fight the dragon. And at that moment, Yeongwoo¡­ *Tap!* ¡­was already touching the golden sphere. *Wheeeeee!* As soon as he made contact with Yeongwoo, the golden sphere began to spin rapidly. And then¡­ *Paaaaat!* Immediately soaring into the sky, the golden sphere drew a long golden arc in the air. ¨CAh¡­! ¨CNo, this can¡¯t be! The mutants sighed, not knowing exactly what it was. Then¡­ *Whooosh!* As the golden sphere exploded high in the sky, everyone widened their eyes, their pupils turning golden. The scene where the sky, which had been covered in an unpleasant green color, was once again colored gold was a breathtaking sight even for mutants. ¨COh, my goodness. ¨CThe sky¡­ turned gold? But the show that Yeongwoo prepared was just beginning. Soon, the golden raindrops that filled the sky of Gwangjin District began to fall to the ground. *Suaaaaaa¡­!* ¨CUh¡­! ¨CBe careful! The mutants instinctively flinched as they saw the golden rain spreading, but soon blinked in realization. ¨C¡­? They quickly realized that the rain wasn¡¯t harming them. And just like that, the poisonous storm came to an end. The phenomenon of golden rain was even more extraordinary than the abnormal weather brought by the dragonkin. ¡®Oh, the storm stopped?¡¯ Yeongwoo also realized this btedly and reached out through the golden rain. Then¡­ ¡¶Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo07,¡¯ has given up exclusive control of 3 million karma and gifted 30,000 karma to all residents of Gwangjin District.¡· ¡¶30,000 karma will soon be distributed in the form ofmemorative coins. Prepare yourselves..¡· As the results of the quantum choice appeared, threememorative coins appeared from the sky. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] *Pop!* Although the coins were distributed in uninhabited areas, there was still ie. Thanks to this, as the poisonous storm subsided, the path was cleared for other Strongest Swords approaching from this direction. ¡°Hey, Yeongwoo!¡± In the distance, Jeonggu was riding on the back of Negwig, rushing towards the monsters and mutant, while shortly after, Yang Wootaek, Mapo¡¯s Strongest Sword and Kim Doha, Yongsan¡¯s Strongest Sword approached with two mutants. In other words, besides Yeongwoo¡¯s friends, there were now seven mutants gathered here. And thus, one of thepletion conditions for the ¡°Golden Storm¡± was fulfilled. *Ping!* [Golden Storm] |Summon golden rain in the following four ways. (1/4) ¡°Ah, finally got one done.¡± Now, what remained was¡­ [Dogo] ¡°Dragon yer¡± [Mission] Teach what Dogo is to the chaebol, Im Kwangho. Just follow the advertiser¡¯s will. *nk.* As Yeongwoo squeezed Bastard and looked at the venomous dragon on the other side, Im Kwangho, who had been struggling with the three friends and the automaticbat greatsword, turned his head and met his gaze. ¨C¡­What is it? To this, Yeongwoo, with Bastard lying on the ground, rushed towards Im Kwangho at high speed and said, Kwaaaah! ¡°Sir! Please help me pay taxes¡­!¡± Jeong Yeongwoo began his journey as a sincere taxpayer. * * * Meanwhile, at the same time, in front of the Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea. Pyongyang Strongest Sword Lim Yeongpyo01 knelt, or rather, in contemtion. Both of his legs were broken. And in front of the kneeling Yeongpyo¡­ *Taaaang!* Two yakshas, each standing at a height of 5 meters with giant clubs, stood upright as if they were executioners. They were the subordinates of Kim Jong-un, the Chairman of the Workers¡¯ Party of Korea and the Supreme Leader of North Korea. Or precisely, they were a kind of gatekeepers that had to be ovee to fight against him. However¡­ ¡®¡­I¡¯m¡­ frustrated.¡¯ Lim Yeongpyo, the acknowledged strongest in Pyongyang, couldn¡¯t even see Kim Jong-un¡¯s face, let alone his feet. Because he had failed to break the two yakshas Kim Jong-un brought. Goooo¡­ As a chilling aura was felt from above, Yeongpyo raised his head, and he saw a giant furnace hovering in the air, slightly closer than before. ¡°¡­..¡± Now, probably the only thing Yeongpyo could face was that furnace, which was likely to contain the being he was about to confront. ¨CIf you have anyst words, speak them. It¡¯spensation for daring to challenge me. After a moment, the being inside the furnace spoke. ¡°Phew¡­!¡± At this, Yeongpyo finally realized. He was truly facing that being. When he first challenged him, he had thought confidently of smashing the yakshas and insulting him. But reality turned out to be much different from his imagination. Lim Yeongpyo01, Pyongyang¡¯s Strongest Sword. Although he boasted of being the strongest in Pyongyang, or even in all of Joseon, some things just weren¡¯t meant to be. ¡®Was it impossible from the beginning?¡¯ Deep disillusionment set in. Just like the being who had been destined to sit on the throne from the moment of existence, their fate was predetermined from the beginning. To be defeated after using every trick and to end up being trampled upon. ¡®¡­Ah.¡¯ A swirling vortex seemed to slowly engulf his mind. For some time now, the sensation in his two legs had been vague, giving him the feeling that only his upper body was barely alive. Yet¡­ ¡°¡­?¡± His hand, holding the sword as a faint sign of resistance, was trembling uncontrobly. When he deeply acknowledged his defeat, a bted terror crept in. And his lips, turning pale blue, whispered faintly. ¡°P¡­ please spare me.¡± He weakly uttered the words befitting his status. Perhaps all of this was predetermined. ¨CRidiculous. If you have no words to leave behind, I shall now take your life. As the voice from the furnace spoke, one of the yakshas slowly raised its brutal club. *Swoosh¡­* At that moment, arge shadow stretched over Yeongpyo¡¯s face. It¡¯s over. Everything is over now. ¨CStarting with your blood, thisnd will turn red ag¡­ At the moment when the heavy voice was about to bid farewell to Yeongpyo¡¯s final moments. ¡°W¡­ wait!¡± Yeongpyo, who had been tightly closing his eyes, suddenly raised his left arm. ¨C¡­? ¡°I had one thing I wanted to tell you, but I forgot for a moment.¡± At this, the voice from the furnace remained silent for a moment, but eventually allowed the inquiry out of curiosity. ¨CWhat is it? Speak. ¡°That, that is¡­¡± Sweating profusely, with a face that seemed to doubt if it was really true, Yeongpyo rolled his eyes. Then, clenching his mrs tightly, he uttered the words. ¡°A great thief entered our country.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 190 Chapter 190 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 190: Everyone¡¯s Strongest Sword (10) Dragons. They were undoubtedly treated specially in the reset world. They could designate their adversaries before their arrival, and even bring abnormal weather to the area they appeared in. But still. ¨COh, don¡¯t¡­! There were even more special and powerful beings. Like Jeong Yeongwoo, the Strongest Sword of Joseon who had just started rushing towards Im Kwangho. ¡°Leader!¡± Yeongwoo, running with a gleaming gaze and a sword in hand, even made Im Kwangho, who had ruled over countless people when he was human, feel fear. ¨CThis¡­! Im Kwangho¡¯s breath was about to be released from his mouth again, but Yeongwoo gave an unprecedentedly authoritative order to his friends. ¡°Shut his mouth!¡± Among the three friends who were initially startled, Yeongtae moved first. ¨CIik! He leaped high into the air and thrust his fist under Im Kwangho¡¯s chin. Bwooosh! As Im Kwangho¡¯s mouth, where venom had started to gather, closed shut, green steam spewed out of his nostrils. Kkaaah! And then. ¨CHe¡¯s going to shoot again! Turn his head! General Kim Younghyeom, clinging to Im Kwangho¡¯s neck, said. ¨CThese bastards¡­! In the end, Im Kwangho, furious to the extreme, reached out to tear Yeongtae and General Kim Younghyeom away. Meanwhile, the Golden Trail lying on the ground shot back into the air. And on top of that, Kim Taejoon, the CEO, began to pull on his hind legs. ¨C¡­! Although there were no significant injuries yet, Im Kwangho couldn¡¯t help but be concerned about these punks. Because. Tatat! Because of these guys, the so-called Strongest Sword of Joseon was now really close. ¡°Die!¡± Finally, the weirdly shaped sword held by the guy swung. Sssheeeee! A wedge-shaped pattern was drawn along the red trajectory, and suddenly, heat could be felt from the lower abdomen. ¨CHuh¡­! For the first time here, the outer shell was torn. Kkaaaah! As Im Kwangho¡¯s lower abdomen was torn open about two meters diagonally, venom flowed out like a waterfall, which was a lethal weapon in itself. Just by holding Im Kwangho¡¯s leg and seeing CEO Kim Taejoon, whose body was exposed to the venom, start to dissolve rapidly, it was clear. ¨CAh¡­! CEO Kim Taejoon, whose body began to crumble in an instant, looked at Yeongwoo with a bewildered expression, and Yeongwoo also felt something strange. ¡°¡­?¡± Because the CEO¡¯s gaze wasn¡¯t toward his eyes but toward his torso. Tsuaaat! Realizing that it wasn¡¯t only the CEO who was drenched in venom, the realization came next. ¡°¡­Ah!¡± The pain-nullifying effect of the warrior¡¯s agony was blocking the pain, but Yeongwoo¡¯s body, soaked in venom, was also corroding. ¨CWha¡­? ¨COh! Your body is¡­ While fighting against Im Kwangho¡¯s mouth, Yeongtae and General Kim Younghyeom, who were just realizing Yeongwoo¡¯s condition, widened their eyes btedly. And at that moment, Yeongwoo, the person in question. ¡®¡­The heart! I have to stab the heart quickly.¡¯ Flickering his eyes, he stepped on Im Kwangho¡¯s gaping belly and jumped up. Tataaat! Although his right foot, which was practically soaked in venom, quickly dissolved and the Illusion was stripped away, it didn¡¯t matter much to Yeongwoo because his foot would regenerate as soon as time passed. The problem was that while his body was dissolving on this side, if Im Kwangho survived andunched a second attack. ¡°Hold him tight so he can¡¯t move! If not now we might not be able to kill him!¡± As Yeongwoo, whose lower body was half-dissolved, crawled towards Im Kwangho¡¯s chest, General Kim Younghyeom, with a shocked expression, said. ¨CHurry up! This guy¡¯s strength is tremendous! And, sure enough. Crack! When Yeongwoo, who had reached the center of Im Kwangho¡¯s chest, inserted Bastard into what was presumed to be his heart, the guy started to thrash with widened eyes. ¨CThis¡­! The dragon realized that his own heart was being sought. Kudududuk! Soon, Im Kwangho¡¯s green scales trembled as his body writhed, and in the meantime, Kim Taejoon, the CEO, whose lower body hadpletely dissolved, still clinging to the dragon¡¯s leg, said. ¨COh, this feels like leaving work early. Then his eyes dimmed, and his head drooped suddenly. ¨CHuh? CEO? ¨CWhat, are you dead? As the two friends, who were still breathing, widened their eyes, the venomous dragon Im Kwangho vigorously shook his body, spinning around like a whale on the surface of the water. Sash! He was trying to shake off both opponents and Yeongwoo. ¡°Where the hell is his heart attached?¡± Crack, crack! Feeling that things were going downhill, Yeongwoo poked around Im Kwangho¡¯s chest, but Im Kwangho was still thrashing energetically. By now, it was dawning on Yeongwoo. ¡®Could it be¡­¡¯ The thought crossed his mind that the location of a dragon¡¯s heart might vary from individual to individual. ¡®No, then how do I find it¡­¡¯ As Yeongwoo¡¯s vision was about to plunge into panic, he noticed a snake flickering its tongue near his wrist. ¨CShiit. ¡¸Serpent of Greed¡¹ ¨C Epic Compass ¡¾Always seeks rarity.¡¿ And for some reason, the snake was looking under Im Kwangho¡¯s chin. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Following the snake¡¯s gaze towards the dragon¡¯s neck, Yeongwoo tried to crawl towards that direction before it was toote. However. Thunk! Im Kwangho, realizing this, caught him with both hands, and Yeongwoo found himself gripped tightly. ¨CYou¡¯re quite the bastard. But this is it. Crunch! Im Kwangho gave a final push, but Yeongwoo¡¯s remaining body didn¡¯t crumple easily. With durability higher than most Strongest Swords and an armorpendium providing absurd defensive abilities, Yeongwoo¡¯s body remained intact. [Collection Effect: 20] |50% Increase in designated equipment effects ¡¾Enemy attack power reduced by 75%.¡¿ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Feeling something amiss, while Im Kwangho contorted his expression, Yeongwoo instructed his two friends. ¡°The neck! He probably has the heart inside there. Quickly, check that area!¡± ¨CWhat? ¨CThe heart? While the two friends looked puzzled, they followed Yeongwoo¡¯s request and struck Im Kwangho¡¯s neck. Thunk! ¨CArgh! These damn bastards. But it only aggravated him further, falling short of breaking through his thick skin. Then, it was Im Kwangho¡¯s turn. Uwiing! The Golden Trail flew and stopped behind Yeongwoo, clinging to Im Kwangho, at his nk. ¡°¡­?¡± At the moment when Yeongwoo was puzzled by the inexplicable movement, the hologram of the Joseon Sword Law marked the center of Im Kwangho¡¯s neck on the other side. ¨CKill And Yeongwoo¡¯s own holographic copy, which appeared before him, was¡­ ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Dropping Bastard he held in his right hand to the ground. ¡®Oh, heavens.¡¯ In a brief moment of realization, Yeongwoo promptly let go of Bastard from his hand. Swoosh. The mythical-grade sword was pulled down to the ground by gravity, and beneath it, waiting was a legendary-grade two-handed sword. Sash! Like ying baseball, it swung diagonally, hitting Bastard. Kaaang! ¨CWhoa? ¨CUgh! Both friends, as well as Im Kwangho himself, were taken aback by the unexpected attack. And at that moment, Bastard, enveloped in shimmering magic¡­ Thunk! ¡­prated through Im Kwangho¡¯s green scales and into his chest, where the heart was hidden. ¨CYou son of a¡­ Seeing the sword deeply embedded in his neck, Im Kwangho looked at Yeongwoo again. Then¡­ Swoosh. Just like Kim Taejoon, his eyes lost strength, and he slowly copsed to the ground. Kuuung! ¡¸The first dragon was defeated by Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo07¡¯!¡¹ * * * ¡°Oh, Yeongwoo¡­!¡± For a while, who had been circling around on Negwig with his mutant attached for a while, ran to Yeongwoo only after seeing the dragon fall on the other side. He finally felt a bit safer now. But. ¡°Huh?¡± The scene upon arrival was much different than expected. Yeongwoo¡¯s ¡®friends¡¯ had already vanished as their summoning time had expired, and Yeongwoo¡¯s condition revealed after the disappearance of the giant dragon¡¯s corpse was far from normal. ¡°Why¡­ What happened to you?¡± As Jeonggu spoke from atop the Negwig, Yeongwoo lifted his head to look at his father. ¡°I took a shower with some poison and this is what happened.¡± Yeongwoo shrugged his shoulders as he looked down at his lower body on the ground. Then, it was visible that most of his knees had melted away, almost disappearingpletely. The front of his body, including his upper body, had also corroded, making his appearance quite unpleasant, to say the least. ¡°S-So, does that mean you¡¯re¡­ dying now?¡± Jeonggu asked hesitantly. Because, at the moment, Yeongwoo¡¯s external appearance seemed like death wouldn¡¯t be surprising. Moreover, in the background¡­ Raaah! Dobong¡¯s mutant, transformed back into a griffin, was flying back with fierce momentum. That meant if Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t walk properly, not only his life was in danger but also the situation of all the Strongest Swords here could be precarious. ¡°Hey, that¡¯s almost here!¡± Sensing the presence of the griffin, Jeonggu quickly turned around, sweating profusely. Leaving Jeong Yeongwoo, who had turned into a sitting duck, here would obviously make him the griffin¡¯s prey, but he couldn¡¯t muster the courage to fight either. Then. ¡°Oh!¡± Spotting Bastard lying on the other side, he lit up. ¡°Hey, let me borrow your sword.¡± Swish! As Jeonggu was about to pick up the sword, Han Sangmo, the 5th day mutant of Dobong-gu, discovered Yeongwoo. ¨CWhat¡¯s this? [Actor ¨C Han Sangmo] Movie actor, Han Sangmo. He was known for his vicious personality, even receiving allegations of assaulting staff on the set. And whether much of those rumors were true or not, Sangmo immediately bared his ws upon seeing Yeongwoo lying on the ground. Thunk! Without hesitation, he approached to strike and kill him. Swoosh! Sangmo, descending diagonally from about 7 meters in the air, aimed to attack Yeongwoo. ¡°No, that guy!¡± As Jeonggu was about to pick up Bastard from the ground¡­ Swish! Bastard, responding to Yeongwoo¡¯s call, streaked through the air like an arrow. ¡°Huh?¡± Thanks to that, Jeonggu, who was only left stirring up the empty ground, immediately turned his head to look at Yeongwoo. And then. Click! It was Yeongwoo who was holding one of the griffin¡¯s forelegs about to strike him. ¨CWhy¡­ Why does this kid have such strength? Fear seeped into Sangmo¡¯s voice. The pressure on his foot was unbelievably intense, to the point where it was hard to believe it wasing from someone who seemed to be dying. And then, finally. Crack! Han Sangmo¡¯s foreleg, held by Yeongwoo, broke unceremoniously. ¨CAaargh! Truly overwhelming strength. ¡°Pofu, let¡¯s resume the performance. We still need to summon the others.¡± As Yeongwoo held onto the trembling Han Sangmo, Pofu Tenta, who had been staring nkly, snapped out of it. ¨CB-Bugle! Hurriedly putting the trumpet to his lips, he began to y. ¨CBrraaaargh! At that moment, Han Sangmo, who had been pping his wings until then, plummeted down onto Yeongwoo, and soon the de of Bastard sliced through his back. Thunk! He killed the 5th day mutant lying on the ground with a single blow. ¡°Whew.¡± This was possible due to the continuously bleeding condition, as well as the activation of ¡®Physical Deficiency,¡¯ which increased strength by 25%. ¡¸Body Deficiency¡¹ ¨C Epic Chestte ¡¾The effect increases power by up to 80% depending on the extent of limb deficiency.¡¿ Having received a judgment of losing both legs, he was benefiting from the maximum effect of Physical Deficiency. Thwack! Then, Yeongwoo raised his upper body, still only having recovered up to his knees, and twisted his torso with his remaining two legs. Next. ¨CKeet! He instructed the Golden Goblin to bring back the White Fire that had bounced far away. ¡°What¡­ What are you nning?¡± Seeing Jeonggu¡¯s frightened expression, Yeongwoo raised his bow and aimed at the mutant beings on the other side. ¡°We need to clear them out quickly when the output is at its maximum. Each shot is worth ten million.¡± Eventually, the Strongest cripple of Joseon, Jeong Yeongwoo, began to draw the bowstring. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 191 Chapter 191 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 191: Everyone¡¯s Strongest Sword (11) ¡°What¡­ what do you think?¡± At Gangdong Strongest Sword Kim Juwoo¡¯s question, Oh Yeonhee nced back for a moment. They were currently on the Olympic Bridge connecting Songpa and Gwangjin-gu. She was in the process of transitioning from her current district, Songpa, to Gwangjin-gu after dealing with the mutant in Songpa and the border with Gangdong-gu. She wanted to know if Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s n to sweep away all the mutants to Gwangjin-gu had really seeded. ¡°Well¡­ What else can we do? If the situation isn¡¯t good, we have to fight together.¡± ¡°Even though there¡¯s a high chance there¡¯s a dragon there¡­?¡± ¡°Were you nning to just sit still until that dragon crawled into Gangdong-gu?¡± Yeonhee, who was speeding away at Kim Juwoo¡¯s weak voice, nced back again. Of course, Kim Juwoo, who had recently joined the Strongest Sword assembly, didn¡¯t know much about Gangnam¡­ no, about the importance of Jeong Yeongwoo, the Strongest Sword of Joseon. He hadn¡¯t seen Jeong Yeongwoo swing his elbow to cut off the head of his predecessor, nor had he seen him fight the swords from the north. ¡®¡­Jeong Yeongwoo is an irreceable madman. It¡¯s fortunate he¡¯s not our enemy.¡¯ Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword, Yeonhee¡¯s gaze was now back to the front. Probably heading towards Gwangjin-gu, where Jeong Yeongwoo and numerous mutants were locked in a power struggle. ¡°It¡¯s only natural for Strongest Swords in the same Seoul area to do their best to help each other.¡± This time she spoke without looking back. ¡°And especially, Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword must stay alive no matter what.¡± As Yeonhee said this, Kim Juwoo replied with a look that seemed to understand but also seemed uncertain. ¡°Why? Of course, I know he¡¯s strong, but¡­¡± Why does everyone treat Jeong Yeongwoo specially? ording to Kim Juwoo, the Strongest Swords of Seoul seemed to respect him while also fearing him. Yeonhee immediately responded. ¡°Because he¡¯s too strong.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°He¡¯s too strong, and nobody else can match that strength. Literally irreceable.¡± This wasn¡¯t just a matter of hierarchy. It was a character issue. Could anyone else change body parts into alien ones, enve mutants, and secretly prepareser bombardment? This wasn¡¯t something that just a strong person could do. There had to be something more than just strength, but Yeonhee, who had lived rtively withinmon sense, didn¡¯t know what that was. So she could only hope that Jeong Yeongwoo would hold his position. ¡®But if by any chance Jeong Yeongwoo dies, someone will have to take his ce.¡¯ And if possible. ¡®It would be most desirable for that to be me.¡¯ That was the real reason Yeonhee was heading to Gwangjin-gu. [PR/N: Can¡¯t trust em bishes ever smh smh] The equipment that would be left behind if Jeong Yeongwoo were to be defeated for some reason. She was heading to Gwangjin-gu to collect that equipment in case of emergencies. But as the distance to Gwangjin-gu shortened, Yeonhee¡¯s unexpected expectations began to shatter little by little. ¡®Oh my god.¡¯ Although mutants were still moving in Gwangjin-gu. The fact that their numbers were decreasing in real time was also clearly visible. ¡°What¡­ What¡¯s going on?¡± At the rming explosion, Kim Juwoo eximed in surprise, and Yeonhee pointed with her hand to somewhere in front. ¡°Probably that person.¡± Inside Gwangjin-gu she pointed to, there were Strongest Swords gathered from various ces in Seoul, and there was a person sitting among them, pulling a bow surrounded by them. ¡°¡­?¡± Seeing the unmistakable figure of Jeong Yeongwoo, Yeonhee made a puzzled expression as if she couldn¡¯t understand. Then the problematic person shot another arrow and the Strongest Swords on the other side cheered at the moment the mutants were brought down. ¡°What¡­ what¡¯s happening?¡± * * * ¡°Wow¡­!¡± ¡°One shot?¡± ¡°He¡¯s insane, really.¡± From Yongsan, Mapo, Dongdaemun, Seongbuk, Dobong, and finally to Eunpyeong, the Strongest Swords. When six people shouted, Yeongwoo¡¯s ears hurt more than his melting legs. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s noisy. Are you guys that excited?¡± ck ck. As Yeongwoo muttered again while pulling the bowstring, Yongsan¡¯s Strongest Sword Kim Dohaughed annoyingly. ¡°Well, wouldn¡¯t it be obvious? How can those guys fall down with one shot? It¡¯s unbelievable. But it¡¯s so good! Why? Because Yeongwoo is on our side!¡± As expected of Yongsan¡¯s Strongest Sword, he seemed genuinely delighted. He was confident that there would be no need to die at the hands of mutants in Seoul in the future. Moreover, most of the other Strongest Swords here had fought at least once against mutants from their own districts. It was a story of bringing mutants here because they realized they couldn¡¯t win. So naturally. ¡®Can he really kill them with one shot¡­?¡¯ ¡®This crazy bastard, just how strong is he?¡¯ ¡®So far, he hasn¡¯t even shown about 30% of his strength.¡¯ Everyone in this ce felt exhration and fear at the same time as they watched Yeongwoo ravage the mutants. They felt exhration at the sight of mutants, each stronger than most Strongest Swords, falling like ¡°trash¡±, and fear towards Jeong Yeongwoo, who effortlessly achieved it. Moreover, isn¡¯t this guy currently unable to even walk properly? Phew! Finally, as Yeongwoo¡¯s bowstring found its ce again, thest mutant took its final breath. And just as it had been all along. ¨C Thud! The golden goblin rushed to where the mutant had died and retrieved the golden sphere. With this, the urgent matter was resolved. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± With tension released all at once, Yeongwoo found himself inadvertently lying on the ground, looking up at the sky. Although the sky over Gwangjin-gu, which had pushed back the venomous typhoon with golden rain, was clear, it soon became obscured by ominous shadows. ¡°¡­.¡± As the Strongest Swords surrounding him all looked down at him, blocking the sky with their heads. ¡°Is it all over?¡± ¡°What should we do now?¡± ¡°Protection fee¡­ Are you really going to take it?¡± At the mention of the word ¡°protection fee¡± by someone nearby, Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened and he sat up. Swish! ¡°Ah, money. Of course, we should take it.¡± As if waiting for this moment, a quest that had been hanging over him waspleted. Ping! [Quest Complete ¨C ¡°Dragon yer¡±] [Reward Granted] | 5 million Karma Then, from the end of the sky, a sharp sound of a rift was heard. Sshh-aaah! It was none other than the sound of a metal card containing 5 million Karma descending. ¡°Hey? Everyone, watch out! Before your heads get chopped off¡­!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] As Yeongwoo sensed a sharp presence and screamed, the problematic card shot narrowly between the foreheads of the Strongest Swords. Pew! Incredibly, it stopped right in front of Yeongwoo, Dogo¡¯s reward. [5,000,000] The number written on the metal card was seen not only by Yeongwoo but also by all the Strongest Swords present. 5 million karma suddenly descending from the sky. Isn¡¯t this scene implying that Jeong Yeongwoo has a connection with something outside theary atmosphere? ¡°What is this¡­?¡± ¡°¡­Money falling from the sky?¡± As the Strongest Swords began to shoot suspicious nces, just like when they found out about theser bombardment, Yeongwoo looked around to divert their attention. ¡°You all should start preparing to pay up, too. Did the Minister note here?¡± As Yeongwoo looked for Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jo Sangik, who had agreed to help with the ¡°collection¡±, Oh Yeonhee and Kim Juwoo appeared from the other side. ¡°If they didn¡¯t show up here today, it would be one of the two. They either passed away or handled it themselves.¡± Then, Oh Yeonhee continued proudly. ¡°Handling it themselves isn¡¯t entirely impossible.¡± ¡°¡­.!¡± As the Strongest Swords turned their attention to the two neers who had just arrived, they found not a single mutant behind them. Songpa and Gangdong had dealt with their assigned mutants on their own. ¡°Huh¡­.¡± ¡°Impressive.¡± Of course, as Gangdong¡¯s Strongest Sword, Kim Juwoo, was someone who had fallen so far as to bring mutants to the Strongest Sword assembly that had opened just the other day, it was right to say that Oh Yeonhee alone had dealt with the two. ¡°I¡¯m relieved that it¡¯s resolved.¡± Yeongwoo, who lost 20 million Karma in front of his eyes, weed the two. But he couldn¡¯t go out to greet them properly due to his legs. ¡°Gwanak, Seocho¡­ and Dongjak are missing.¡± As Yeonhee, who had been counting the numbers, btedly looked under Yeongwoo¡¯s knees, she flinched. ¡°Yeongwoo, your legs¡­?¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s okay. They¡¯ll regenerate after some time.¡± ¡°Not even a lizard, and your legs will regenerate?¡± Ah, realizing she misspoke, Oh Yeonhee covered her mouth with her hand. But since everyone in this ce had made the same mistake at least once, no one thought poorly of her. ¡®I thought it would heal minor injuries? Even if your legs are at that point, they¡¯ll grow back?¡¯ So far, the only regenerative power of Yeongwoo that Oh Yeonhee had seen in person was theplete recovery of her burnt skin during the confrontation with Jeong Hyunsik. ¡®So, he¡¯s no longer human at this point¡­?¡¯ As Oh Yeonhee looked at where Yeongwoo¡¯s legs used to be with a horrified expression, Jeonggu slowly withdrew his luck. ¡°Uh¡­ Then do I have to give you money too?¡± It¡¯s his father, who even filled out the rtionship certificate, wondering if he¡¯ll really tear off 10 million Karma. To this, Yeongwoo nodded as if it were obvious. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be fair if I didn¡¯t take money just because you¡¯re my father.¡± With these words, as if about to get up, Yeongwoo touched the ground with his arms, and the Strongest Swords around reflexively tried to support him. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Sh-should I help you up¡­?¡± However, how could they lift Yeongwoo, whose knees were empty? In fact, it would be more urate to say, ¡°Should I put you in?¡± But Yeongwoo¡¯s next move exceeded everyone¡¯s expectations. Thud! He suddenly pushed the ground hard and soared into the air. ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°N-no, you¡­!¡± The scene of Yeongwoo, without legs, bouncing high among the Strongest Swords, was bizarre to anyone who saw it. What¡¯s more, Thump! Yeongwoo¡¯snding point was on the back of the iron horse Negwig, which Kim Jeonggu had ridden. Even now, when his legs were not healed, he was trying to do something else. ¡°Wh-where are you trying to go riding a horse?¡± Jeonggu looked up at Yeongwoo. Just a moment ago, this guy was on the ground, but now he was higher than anyone else here. ¡°When do you think my legs will grow back? I need to hurry and call the merchants.¡± As Yeongwoo said this, he habitually pointed to the Strongest Swords in the audience with his remaining left hand. Swish. ¡°There are two main things you all need to do from now on.¡± Then, he raised his index finger with his remaining left hand. ¡°First, each of you should raise 10 million Karma. And secondly¡­¡± Yeongwoo paused for a moment at this point, slowly looking around the deste scenery of Gwangjin-gu. Then he issued the second order. ¡°The second is a wanted list.¡± ¡°A wanted list¡­?¡± ¡°Yes. When merchants appear in each region, check the list of goods each one has and purchase what you want. However,¡± As Yeongwoo tried to add a condition at the end, everyone perked up their ears. ¡°However¡­ as I mentionedst time, if a device called a coordinate locatores up, please let me know. And if there are any high-value martial arts or simr things that you cannot purchase, please report them to me as well.¡± This was a request that Yeongwoo, who had gained a new spine and an additional martial arts slot, could make. ¡°That coordinate locator¡­ is it rted to theser cannon you were secretly working onst time?¡± Finally, Oh Yeonhee mentioned the problematic weapon discoveredst night on behalf of everyone present. At that, Yeongwoo let out a breath as if he had expected those words. ¡°Yes. What I¡¯m looking for is a device that can find the coordinates forser bombardment.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°¡­Unbelievable.¡± Sure enough, the Strongest Swords all eximed in shock once again. But now that this was brought up, Yeongwoo was nning to properly suppress the opponents. ¡°And once the coordinate locator is secured, I n to conduct a testunch today. Here in Gwangjin-gu. Any objections?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 192 Chapter 192 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 192: The Strong Man Who ys the Flute in Seoul (1) Laser test firing. As expected of someone who shattered the Strongest Swords of the North, his cruelty and audacity pierced the sky. ¡°So¡­ You¡¯re going to test fire aser in the heart of Seoul?¡± When Oh Yeonhee spoke in disbelief, Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze shifted to the sky. ¡°It¡¯s better than doing it randomly in the downtown area. There are no people here, and no buildings left.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Random downtown area. Yeongwoo¡¯s words sounded quite intimidating to the rest of the Strongest Swords. Whether intentional or not, it sounded like a threat. ¡°Anyway, we have to shoot in advance. We need to know howser bombardment works so we can use it properly in battle.¡± As Yeongwoo spoke calmly, Oh Yeonhee eventually retreated as if there was nothing she could do. ¡°Well, theser that falls in Gwangjin-gu won¡¯t reach Songpa anyway.¡± Even if they didn¡¯t like it, what could they do? As everyone had seen, the Strongest Sword in front of them was powerful even without both legs. Of course, if everyone in this ce were to raise their swords and attack at the same moment¡­ even then victory couldn¡¯t be guaranteed. ¡°Oh, and there¡¯s one more thing I want to mention.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± As Yeongwoo paused for a moment, the Strongest Swords in the audience looked grim. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Another¡­ what¡­¡± Then Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze turned northward. ¡°Last time in Paju, you all remember, right? We had a big fight with those who came from the north.¡± ¡°That¡­ Yeongwoo started it and brought them here, right? It was certainly a big fight, but to put it so simply¡­¡± Although Oh Yeonhee, representing the other Strongest Swords, threw a word ofint, Yeongwoo redirected the conversation with even greater shock. ¡°Yes. So we decided to kill Kim Jong-un this time. Some of you probably already know.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°What, what did you say?¡± Because Yeongwoo cut to the chase, even the Strongest Swords who participated in the inter-Korean war felt a chill in their hearts. ¡°Of course, if the Pyongyang Strongest Sword seeds in defense, we won¡¯t have the chance to meet Kim Jong-un.¡± Shrugging, Yeongwoo pointed to the sky again. ¡°But if the Pyongyang Strongest Sword fails to stop Kim Jong-un, there is a high probability that he wille down to Seoul.¡± If that man appears in Seoul, is his purpose to aplish what he couldn¡¯t achieve during human warfare? Who knows. ¡°¡­¡± Ironically, at this moment, all the Strongest Swords¡¯ gazes were fixed on the title above Yeongwoo¡¯s head. ¡ºStrongest Sword of Joseon¡» Their secret technique, taken from the north, or rather stolen from the north. Wasn¡¯t the inter-Korean war because Jeong Yeongwoo went to North Korea alone and killed and stole the title? ¡®So in the end, isn¡¯t it because of you that Kim Jong-un mighte?¡¯ ¡®Did you think you could rob North Korean martial arts and get away with it?¡¯ ¡®Is he crazy, seriously?¡¯ Although everyone thought so inwardly while looking at the problematic title, they didn¡¯t express it out loud. And neither did Yeongwoo. ¡°Since North Korea¡¯s affairs are ultimately my business, I have no intention of sharing responsibility with you. However.¡± Swiftly. Yeongwoo pointed to the sky again. ¡°If I happen to fight and lose to Kim Jong-un, you will be in danger too, right? So please sincerely cooperate with the distribution of karma points and bounty rewards.¡± ¡°¡­¡± In conclusion, it was a request, no, another threat. ¡°Okay, then which region should we start from? ¡°Let¡¯s go sprinkle some golden rain!¡± * * * Currently, Yeongwoo possesses a total of 8 spheres. And the origin of each sphere is. ¡®Yongsan, Mapo, Dongdaemun, Seongbuk, Dobong, Eunpyeong, Gwangjin-gu. Thest one fell when Im Kwangho died.¡¯ Chaebol Im Kwangho. It was impossible to know from which area he flew back as a Dragon. Therefore, it was possible that special types of variants like dragons could appear regardless of their affiliation to specific regions. ¡®It¡¯s still just a hypothesis¡­ but it¡¯s the only one for now.¡¯ So at the moment, Yeongwoo could autonomously use only two spheres. The remaining six had to be used to sprinkle the golden rain in each region. ¡®But since I fought Im Kwangho today and used the sphere that came out in Gangnam¡­ I should use the sphere obtained from him in Gangnam.¡¯ In that case, only one sphere remained. ¡®The best scenario would be to use the sphere when Kim Jong-un dies to break the record and use the sphere he left behind to enter the night dungeon¡­¡¯ Actually, this was a very bad idea. There were only two ways for Yeongwoo to meet Kim Jong-un. One, to attack Pyongyang every day until Kim Jong-un appears. Two, for the Pyongyang Strongest Sword to lose to Kim Jong-un. Whatever the case, it wasn¡¯t a particrly desirable scenario ethically. ¡®Anyway, I have quite a bit to do right now, so I need to focus on building my foundation.¡¯ With this thought in mind, Yeongwoo reached out to a goblin opening an extradimensional pouch attached to Negwig¡¯s leg. Swiftly. The creature pulled out a golden sphere from the pouch and handed it to Yeongwoo. ¨C Keet! Current time: 2:13 PM. The area Yeongwoo was looking at while riding Negwig was Dongdaemun, under the jurisdiction of Jang Jeongho. Being adjacent to Gwangjin-gu, it was chosen as the starting point for sprinkling the golden rain. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] The order was Dongdaemun, Yongsan, Mapo, Eunpyeong, Seongbuk, Dobong. Then, if time permitted, Yeongwoo nned to investigate the situation in Yangju, the former jurisdiction of Choi Jongseon, and the ownerless city of Uijeongbu. And then. ¡®Then return to Gangnam and scatter the golden rain.¡¯ As Yeongwoo reviewed his ambitious n and touched the sphere lifted by the goblin, the sphere shot up into the sky as usual. Whoosh! Then. Boom¡­! Exploding like fireworks at the edge of the sky, it pushed out waves of golden light in all directions. ¡°It¡¯s always amazing to see.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± The Strongest Swords lined up behind Yeongwoo eximed in admiration, their pupils filled with golden light. These were the Strongest Swords from the areas Yeongwoo had chosen to sprinkle the golden rain, from Dongdaemun to Eunpyeong. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough. Next is Yongsan.¡± As Yeongwoo said this amidst the falling rain, Jang Jeongho, the Strongest Sword of Dongdaemun, asked with his palm covered in gold. ¡°When and where should we send the money?¡± It was a statement that inevitably hurt the pride of a Strongest Sword, so Jang Jeongho¡¯s expression was deeply creased. To this, Yeongwoo, after checking the time, replied in a gentle tone. ¡°You can bring it to my amodation before 10 p.m. You don¡¯t necessarily have toe in person.¡± But since it was a considerable amount of money, it was usually the Strongest Sword who woulde to deliver it. That¡¯s why Yeongwoo gave them ample time. ¡°¡­Alright. I¡¯ll send someone to Gwanakter to request personnel.¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s good.¡± As Yeongwoo nodded, Jang Jeongho disappeared amidst the golden rain, mumbling. From now on, he would essentially be going around asking for bribes from his own regional residents. And the remaining five Strongest Swords watching him didn¡¯t feel particrlyfortable. Soon, it would be their turn to do the same. ¡°Where did I say was next?¡± After watching Jang Jeongho¡¯s back for a while, Yeongwoo looked around the audience and asked, and Kim Doha, the Strongest Sword of Yongsan, quietly raised his hand. ¡°¡­Yongsan.¡± ¡°Ah, Yongsan. Since there are government employees there, it should be much easier.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ I suppose.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go right away.¡± * * * The peculiar journey of Jeong Yeongwoo and the five Strongest Swords. The procedure was the same for each area. When Yeongwoo moved to the next area with two ves riding Negwig, the Strongest Swords followed closely behind. Sometimes, after dealing with monsters, monster handlers or ordinary citizens who were adept at cleanup would follow behind as well. Upon arrival in the area, Yeongwoo would shoot the sphere into the air to create the golden rain. As they repeated this golden rain operation three more times, what remained behind Yeongwoo was only one strong candidate, Kim Jeonggu, who was also the Strongest Sword of Dobong. ¡°Hey, haven¡¯t your legs grown a lot in the meantime?¡± Jeonggu from behind suddenly spoke, prompting Yeongwoo to bow his head and examine his legs. Indeed, the two legs hanging from Negwig¡¯s sides had grown considerably, as Jeonggu had observed. Now, the shape of the shinbone was somewhat visible. However, the most important part for walking, the feet, had not yet formed their skeletal structurepletely, so it would take quite some time for full recovery. ¡®It doesn¡¯t take long for the severed parts to reattach, but it takes quite a while for the melted-away parts to grow back.¡¯ As Yeongwoo thought of this obvious fact while looking at his legs, Jeonggu spoke again. ¡°But, there¡¯s something I want to talk about.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Actually, there¡¯s something I need to confess.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± At this unexpected conversation, Yeongwoo turned his upper body around to look back, and there he saw Jeonggu taking out a handful of coins from his pocket. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Monsters. You know there were monsters in Gwangjin-gu.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Since you seemed preupied, I took care of it too.¡± Here, ¡°I took care of it too¡± meant not only Jeonggu but also the other Strongest Swords present there had picked up the coins. So, he chose the expression ¡°confessing¡± to refer to this. ¡°¡­It¡¯s really a confession.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a small amount of money when you add it all up¡­ I didn¡¯t think you would know. That¡¯s why I¡¯m confessing.¡± At Jeonggu¡¯s words, Yeongwoo chuckled. Of course, he knew that the monsters also gave coins. So, when everything was settled, and there were no coins left in the area, he could guess that someone had collected them. ¡°Did everyone pick them up? The coins on the ground.¡± ¡°Uh, what¡¯s her name¡­ Oh Yeonhee from Songpa probably didn¡¯t pick them up?¡± This refers to Songpa Strongest Sword Oh Yeonhee. In other words, except for her, the others were hastily picking up the coins scattered on the ground while Yeongwoo was busy fighting the dragon. ¡°It seems the protection money of ten million was quite a concern.¡± ¡°Yesterday, you said it wasn¡¯t protection money, right?¡± ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s done. As long as everyone shares it, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Seeing Yeongwoo unexpectedly showing mercy, Jeonggu even chuckled. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s going on all of a sudden? You said you¡¯d collect money regardless of the means and methods from now on?¡± In response, Yeongwoo formed a gun shape with his index finger and thumb and smiled. ¡°It gives them some breathing room before I start taking money in earnest.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Once the Laser Canon ispleted, I n to ask for defence funds. I think I can get it today.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 193 Chapter 193 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 193: The Strong Man Who ys the Flute in Seoul (2) ¡¶Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo 07¡¯ gave up exclusive rights to 3 million karma and gifted 30,000 karma to all residents of Dobong.¡· 3:14 PM. Finally, the golden rain fell in Dobong. Shooosh! Staring nkly at the golden drops falling from the sky, Jeonggu quickly shifted his gaze to Yeongwoo. ¡°Is the schedule in Seoul over now?¡± ¡°Father needs to stay here and collect money.¡± ¡°¡­What about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to stop by Yangju and Uijeongbu.¡± It was to deal with any remaining mutants. And if mutants were caught early on, couldn¡¯t they meet with merchants instead? It was a n that wouldn¡¯t lose out in any way. ¡°Then can I just collect money and go straight to Gangnam?¡± ¡°Yes. Be careful not to get robbed on the way.¡± After leaving an ambiguous remark, Yeongwoo took hold of Negwig¡¯s reins. Then Jeonggu silently looked at his son¡¯s legs. Yeongwoo¡¯s legs were still without feet. He knew better than anyone else that even without feet, the guy would fly around like a monster, but for some reason, his heart felt bitter. ¡®Idiot.¡¯ Jeonggu sniffed for no reason. [PR/N: getting attached?] And meanwhile, Yeongwoo had already turned Negwig¡¯s head towards Uijeongbu. ¡°I¡¯m leaving. See youter.¡± ¡°Oh, yeah. Then Gangnam¡­.¡± Kwack! Before Jeonggu could finish his sentence, Negwig kicked the ground and flew Yeongwoo northward. Kwaaaah! Of course, Yeongwoo also heard what Jeonggu was going to say next, but he knew it wasn¡¯t important enough to stop Negwig in the middle of the road. Most importantly, what mattered to him right now was. * Avable karma: 5,214,500 Current bnce, 5.21 million karma. ¡®If I only collect half of today¡¯s revenue in the afternoon, it will be 30 million.¡¯ So if he met a merchant in Uijeongbu or Yangju, he could spend all of his 5 million now. Kwack, kwack! As they quickly passed through the center of Dobong, Dobongsan Mountain began to appear on the left. And shortly after. | The current area of residence is ¡®Uijeongbu¡¯. | There are no Strongest Swords in this area. The status of Uijeongbu¡¯s region appeared. In the meantime, he left Dobong and set foot on Uijeongbu. ¡®Since there are no Strongest Swords here, there is a considerable chance that mutants are still here.¡¯ Unfortunately, Yeongwoo also made the Strongest Sword in this area disappear. Former Uijeongbu¡¯s Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, Kwak Sungwon04. A man who split in two and died from Bastard Yeongwoo. But he was also the mastermind behind the Uijeongbu Penitentiary incident, so he felt no guilt. ¡®If only he had been a little more famous, he might have met as a mutant.¡¯ Kwack! As they continued up north along the road, they finally began to see bodies. Judging by the fact that the blood hadn¡¯t fully dried, it was estimated that they had fought and died on the 5th day of mutation. ¡®Even though the Strongest Sword died, they continued to stay here¡­ Their courage was remarkable.¡¯ Of course, it could also have been people from the Gangbuk alliance rather than the prison people who controlled Uijeongbu. Weren¡¯t they together when the Uijeongbu¡¯s Strongest Sword died? So it wasn¡¯t surprising that they also came up here to Uijeongbu to hunt mutants¡­¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± As Yeongwoo slowed down Negwig¡¯s speed and looked around at the bodies, he suddenly noticed something and pulled the reins. ¡°This is a stab wound¡­.?¡± What Yeongwoo discovered was nothing other than a stab wound deeply ingrained in a corpse. Clearly a wound inflicted by a human wielding a sword. Mutants were generallyrger in size, so even if they were holding a sword, there would inevitably be differences from humans. ¡®Could they havee down from Yeoncheon to here?¡¯ There is a temporary army headquarters in Yeoncheon. They might havee down to Uijeongbu for karma. If not, it could be a Strongest Sword from apletely different area. Anyway, there were too many possibilities, so Yeongwoo had no choice but to keep going. Kwack! Then. ¡®Wow, this is unexpected.¡¯ Not long after, he saw a ck pir of light descending on the other side. The 5th-day merchant of Uijeongbu. Someone had already killed mutants here. Moreover, it was in apetitive situation with other hunters or Strongest Swords from other areas. ¡®Whoever killed the mutants and even cut their throats while they were lurking around when the mutants appeared, must be very aggressive.¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­¡± Uncertain whether the opponent might be nearby, Yeongwoo scanned the surroundings with his ¡®Fearful Cat¡¯ activated. However, the cat was calmly closing its eyes with a rxed expression. ¡®It seems like they¡¯ve already left. Perhaps they¡¯ve moved to the next area.¡¯ If it¡¯s the next area, it would probably be Yangju. The opposite area, Dobong, had mutants drawn to Gwangjin-gu from early on. So even if they set foot in Seoul, they probably wouldn¡¯t have gained any significant ie. ¡®Let¡¯s meet the merchant here first.¡¯ Thud! As Yeongwoo urged Negwig towards the direction of the merchant again, more bodies and ruined buildings came into view than before. And finally. Shooahh¡­¡­! A ck pir emitting an ominous energy descended in the middle of the intersection ahead. Kwack! Unable to walk yet, Yeongwoo approached the pir while riding Negwig. A space in the air opened, and Kubu appeared. Srrlut. ¨CGreetings, Master of the Bastard, the one who yed the dragon, Jeong Yeongwoo07, it¡¯s an honor to see you again! ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Kubu¡¯s salutation for Yeongwoo had changed since thest time. The phrase about being the human of Earth, the strongest in Gyeongbuk and the northern part of the Korean Penins, waspletely gone. It seemed that from a cosmic perspective, possessing Bastard and defeating a dragon was a more outstanding achievement than being the strongest in the northern part of the Korean Penins. ¡°Are you not calling me ¡®the human of Earth¡¯ anymore?¡± Yeongwoo blinked as Kubu, as usual, started his self-introduction. ¨CI am the owner of the Tenta Tribe and Daro¡­ ¨CYes! That¡¯s right. ¡°I¡¯m not called ¡®the human of Earth¡¯ anymore?¡± ¨CJeong Yeongwoo 07, are still a human of Earth. However¡­ Kubu blinked once again. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Then continued. ¨CAs most of the assets you have umted so far are outside Earth, it is now meaningless to mention your of origin. ¡°Oh.¡± Yeongwoo only understood half of what Kubu said, but he nodded anyway. ¡°Is that introduction applicable beyond Earth? Like, is it my official business card?¡± Kubu nced somewhere in the air and immediately replied. ¨CYes, ever since you defeated the first dragon in Seoul, the personal profile of Jeong Yeongwoo07 listed in the registry has been updated. ¡°Registry? What¡¯s registry?¡± ¨CRegistry is the life record of all beings governed by cosmicw. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Although he didn¡¯t fully understand this time, Yeongwoo roughly grasped the concept. ¡°It¡¯s like a kind of log¡­ No, it¡¯s more like a universal fate record, recorded in real-time.¡± The difference is that this registry is announced somewhere in the universe. It¡¯s like apany¡¯s financial statement. ¡®It records the past and present of all beings, and based on that, the introduction is determined¡­? Amazing.¡¯ That meant that the process also affected determining the value of a being. At least in the cosmic sense. ¡°Then I hope ¡®the human of Earth¡¯ keeps appearing in my profile. Is there no way? After all, it¡¯s important to know which someonees from.¡± If he had to use that introduction whenever he met someone in the universe, Yeongwoo wanted to include information about his of origin and race in that phrase. If you think about space, wouldn¡¯t a be like a country on Earth? So, if he had to introduce himself as ¡®the one who defeated the dragon,¡¯ he wanted to be recognized as the one who defeated the dragon as a human of Earth. However, he didn¡¯t receive a positive response. ¨COfficial personal details follow the contents of the registry, so it is currently impossible to modify them. What he had achieved so far was much more valuable than an introduction like ¡®the human of Earth,¡¯ so it meant that the introduction could not be changed arbitrarily. ¡°I can¡¯t decide my introduction on my own.¡± But there¡¯s always a way. There¡¯s no such thing as impossible in this world. Especially in a universe where transcendent beings y the game. ¡°So, if I do something great that can¡¯t be introduced without mentioning the Earth, does that mean I can put the Earth back in the introduction? Right?¡± Yeongwoo asked with a determined look in his eyes, and Kubu blinked hesitantly. ¨CIn theory, it¡¯s possible. Of course, neither Kubu nor Yeongwoo knew what the ¡®remarkable thing¡¯ would be. ¨CHave you prepared the acquisition tax? If you¡¯re arrested, it¡¯ll be difficult to avoid death. As they continued to talk about the registry, Kubu suddenly shifted the topic to taxes. In response, Yeongwoo shrugged and nced to the south. ¡°I¡¯m making that money right now. It¡¯ll be ready by evening. But anyway, the acquisition tax is paid tomorrow, right? Today, I¡¯ll just pay taxes on business ie.¡± ¨CThat¡¯s correct. ¡°Then, tens of millions karma would have to sit idle for 24 hours.¡± ¨C¡­¡­ For some reason, Kubu didn¡¯t respond to his words. So Yeongwoo continued with his next line. ¡°So, what I¡¯m asking is, can I also engage in loan sharking like the Ohsaek Credit?¡± At this, Kubu¡¯s eyes widened even more. Having met countless customers from variouss as a cosmic transaction intermediary, he had never seen anyone¡¯s mind grow so quickly. ¨CThe first issue you need to resolve before starting loan sharking is loan collection. ¡°That makes sense¡­? You have to collect the money you lent, and if someone tries to run away with the money, you have to find a way to recover it.¡± ¨CCorrect. Therefore, generally, we rely on the enforcement power of cosmicw, but the conditions and procedures¡­ Kubu, about to continue his exnation, blinked rapidly as if suddenly feeling frustrated, then skipped the intermediate process. ¨CLegal loan sharking is currently impossible, and illegal loan sharking is the same. ¡°So, there are illegal loan sharks in the universe.¡± Since Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t interested in digging deeper into this matter, he concluded the conversation at this point. For now, getting a coordinate scanner is the top priority. ¡°Then let¡¯s start with the merchant transaction.¡± Yeongwoo nced again at the ck pir on the other side while double-checking his karma bnce. The intermediary Kubu then delivered the most wee news of the day. ¨CBut before that, there¡¯s one reward you should receive. ¡°Oh, a reward? What¡­?¡± Excitement painted Yeongwoo¡¯s face. In response, Kubu¡¯s pupils shed, summoning a green-tintedser guidance beam from the sky. Pew! ¨CA reward for defeating the dragon has been delivered from the reset system. As your tax representative, I am conveying it on your behalf. ¡°Oh, right. You mentioned something about the first dragon, but only the phrase appeared and nothing else.¡± Yeongwoo wiggled his foot without a shoe, feeling like it was Christmas. ¡°What¡¯s the reward?¡± As Joseon Yeongwoo struggled to see the tip of the green guidance beam, Kubu borated. ¨CGet ready, the ¡®Heart of the Dragon¡¯ will be awarded to you shortly. Then he had to tell a story that Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but feel excited about. ¨CThe Heart of the Dragon is tax-free. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 194 Chapter 194 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 194: The Strong Man Who ys the Flute in Seoul (3) ¡°Tax-free¡­!¡± Upon hearing the wee words, Yeongwoo spread his eyes and arms wide, and the green guiding line shed in sync. Snatch! Then. Shwaaah! From the sky, the heart in question quickly shot down. A reward from the reset system for defeating Seoul¡¯s first dragon, Chaebol Im Kwangho. ¡®A dragon¡¯s heart¡­ It can¡¯t be a real heart, right? It¡¯s probably an amulet or something.¡¯ As Yeongwoo thought this, he was suddenly engulfed in an ominous premonition. Swhaa! Finally, the dragon¡¯s heart appeared before him, literally looking like a heart. Kwung, kwung! The new heart, standing at Yeongwoo¡¯s eye level along the green guiding line, was emitting an incredibly powerful pulse, dispersing the surrounding air. Moreover, its size was enormous, as if it had just been pulled from a real dragon¡¯s body. Kwung¡­! ¡°W-What is this? Did you really bring the actual heart?¡± As Yeongwoo asked Kubu, staring at the heartrger than himself, the extraterrestrial tax ountant rolled his eyes. ¨DYes. Currently, the dragon¡¯s heart is preserved in its original form, and it can be processed into an amulet if desired. An amulet. As Yeongwoo expected. But¡­ ¡°¡­What if I don¡¯t process it?¡± Unable to contain his curiosity, Yeongwoo asked, and Kubu blinked in response. ¨DThe unprocessed dragon¡¯s heart can be bodily equipment and can be installed through transntation surgery. ¡°Uh¡­¡± In other words, like the spine imnted in the horrific processst time, the dragon¡¯s heart could also be inserted into a human body. Kwung, kwung! ¡°¡­¡± Yeongwoo continued to stare silently at the pulsating heart. The outeryer of the heart muscle, crackling from within, was covered in a greenish metal, making it look somewhat like a car engine at first nce. ¡®¡­Putting that into my body?¡¯ Fundamentally human though he may be, Yeongwoo felt a vague fear rising, but at the same time, he became equally curious. What would happen if he put it into his body? ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the equipment effect¡­ be stronger without processing?¡± ¨DYes. The unprocessed form of the dragon¡¯s heart is the most powerful, and if processed into an amulet, its unique functions cannot be used. ¡°Unique functions? What are those?¡± As Yeongwoo asked, Kubu raised his eyes towards the sky. ¨DFunctions that generate special climates depending on the heart type. ¡°What did you say?¡± After hearing the answer, Yeongwoo¡¯s mouth fell open. In short, by inserting that green heart into his chest, he could create a venomous typhoon. ¡°No, then it¡¯s better to receive it in its original form. Let¡¯s go without processing.¡± Pointing to the giant heart, Yeongwoo spoke, and Kubu requested confirmation once again. ¨DIt can only be installed through surgery. Will you receive it without processing? ¡°Yes. Pain can be endured, but if the heart is processed, it cannot be undone, right?¡± ¨DUnderstood. Then I will process it as received in its original form. At Yeongwoo¡¯s final consent, Kubu¡¯s pupils flickered. Snatch! Immediately, a new tooltip appeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s vision, and the enormous heart began to shrink to fit the size of the wearer¡¯s body. ¡¸Heart of the Venomous Dragon¡¹ ¨C Legendary Heart ¡¾Venomous Fang¡¿ ¡¾Corrosive Blood¡¿ ¡¾Heart Fusion¡¿ ¡°¡­Theposition itself is extraordinary.¡± A tooltip for the heart already seemed ominous. As Yeongwoo focused on the unique effects listed in the tooltip, detailed information appeared below. Snatch! ¡¾Venomous Fang¡¿ |Adds 10% of total attack power as poison attribute damage. ¡¾Corrosive Blood¡¿ |Blood bes corrupted, gaining corrosiveness. ¡¾Heart Fusion¡¿ |Fuses with hearts of other dragons. ¡°Whoa¡­¡± Yeongwoo carefully examined the impressive effects of the new heart. ¡®At this rate, isn¡¯t it almost like an alien¡­?¡¯ Adding 10% of total attack power as poison attribute damage. And blood bes corrosive. In itself, it was a remarkable effect, but Yeongwoo was already looking beyond that. ¡®If I were to defeat and extract the hearts of other dragons and fuse them, would the attribute damage increase by another 10%?¡¯ Of course, the effect obtained from the fire dragon would likely be fire attribute damage, and the lightning dragon would be lightning attribute damage. Anyway, if it really worked that way, it meant a 10% increase in damage for each type of dragon defeated. Simply put, if he defeated ten different types of dragons and seized their hearts, his attack power would double. And above all, this meant¡­ ¡®10% of total attack power¡­ It means whether doping or getting conditional buffs, they all apply.¡¯ With various attributes, he would also encounter fewer situations where he¡¯d be countered due to specific resistances of opponents. ¡®In the end, it¡¯s telling me to keep hunting dragons to upgrade the hearts.¡¯ Since he had no choice but to specialize in dragons, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but feel satisfied with the situation. However, if there were any downsides¡­ ¡®¡­The surgery takes a bit of time. It would be safer to do it during lodging.¡¯ Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but think of Kim Jeonggu¡¯s distorted expression. What else would he say if he said he would do heart recement surgery in addition to spinal surgery? ¡°Now, can I just take this?¡± As Yeongwoo pointed to the still-floating ¡°heart,¡± before Kubu could answer, the Golden Goblin reached out. -Kit! Then, he grabbed the heart with both hands and threw it into a pocket of space. ¡°¡­¡± Seeing the heart that would be transnted tonight being thrown around, Yeongwoo felt strange, but he decided to let it go for now. ¡®It¡¯s called a dragon¡¯s heart, so it won¡¯t get squished just because it¡¯s tossed a bit.¡¯ With the heart issue resolved, the next step was to obtain today¡¯s main mission, the coordinates locator. ¡°Is the merchant ready? Please open the trades.¡± As Yeongwoo ordered, Kubu rolled his eyes once again. ¨DThe mediation fee for this transaction is 10% and is included in the item price. A total of six merchants have bid for this trade. ¨DWould you like to see the list of bidding merchants and their proposals? ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Surprised by Kubu¡¯s words, Yeongwoo inadvertently widened his eyes, and Kubu did the same. ¨D¡­Is there a problem? ¡°No, it¡¯s not a problem, but¡­ Wasn¡¯t this merchant not ready yet?¡± ¨DThat¡¯s correct. Since there are no transaction records, merchant selection is possible. ¡®What? Does that mean the one who went here first didn¡¯t deal with the merchant?¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Of course, it could be that they moved on to the next area before the merchant appeared. Defeating a mutant doesn¡¯t immediately summon a merchant, after all. Anyway, as Yeongwoo had two wanted items, he couldn¡¯t help but be pleased. ¡°Are there really six merchants? There are so many strange things happening today.¡± ¨DAs Yeongwoo¡¯s universal rating has rapidly increased, the range of essible merchant types has also expanded. ¡°Ah¡­¡± In other words, those six merchants came to meet Yeongwoo, not to trade with other Earthlings. ¡°Then, during the merchant selection process, can you amodate my convenience? I won¡¯t ask you to reduce the fee.¡± As Yeongwoo subtly threatened, Kubu blinked his eyes. ¨DIf you let us know your preferences, we will do our best to amodate them within the limits possible. ¡°Okay. It¡¯s nothing special.¡± After saying this, Yeongwoo probably looked beyond the sky, where the merchants were waiting. ¡°Please leave only the ones who brought the coordinates locator or martial arts.¡± In short, it was amand for Kubu to personally select and bring the merchants. ¨D¡­ After looking at Yeongwoo for a moment, Kubu¡¯s eyes flickered. ¨DUnderstood your orders. As Yeongwoo was recognized as a tax client, Kubu couldn¡¯t refuse his request. This was the price of the courtesy request. As Kubu blinked his eyes rapidly for a while under Yeongwoo¡¯s orders, he finally called someone to the ck pir behind him. Kwaaaah! From the sky, pink beams began to fall, quickly dyeing the ck pir with the merchant¡¯s emblem. ¡°Wh¡­ Who¡¯s appearing so mboyantly?¡± As Yeongwoo unconsciously took a step back and asked, Kubu proudly replied. ¨DAs you requested, we couldn¡¯t find the coordinate locator, but we were able to bring merchants dealing with martial arts. ¨DThe trading partner this time is the Sadun Pilgrimage Team. ¡°Pilgrimage¡­? So they¡¯re religious people?¡± But they sell martial arts¡­ While Yeongwoo made a puzzled expression, three merchants appeared, each covered in a long hood. Although their heights seemed to be about five to six meters, their entire bodies were covered in clothing, but they couldn¡¯t hide the contours of the muscles hidden underneath. ¡®Are they really¡­ a pilgrimage team? Is it right for them to go on a pilgrimage for religious purposes?¡¯ ¨DWill you agree to the deal? The product list is ready. ¡°Yes¡­ Let¡¯s take a look for now.¡± As Yeongwoo nodded with a bewildered expression, Kubu blinked his eyes widely and disyed the product list. Swoosh! As usual, the product list, starting from the blue blotch, quickly took on the form of humannguage. 1 ¨C ¡¸Severe Punishment¡¹ ¨C Artifact Spear Technique ¡¾Do not spare the sinner.¡¿ ¡ó 310,500 Karma 2 ¨C ¡¸Distrust and Hatred¡¹ ¨C Unique Swordsmanship ¡¾Boldly wield the whip to awaken faith.¡¿ ¡ó 776,000 Karma 3 ¨C ¡¸Call of God¡¹ ¨C Epic Archery ¡¾With sufficient faith, you can even reach the gods with your arrows.¡¿ ¡ó 3,940,000 Karma ¡°¡­.?¡± Product descriptions that seemed to be missing a screw or two, much like those of the prisoners of Rohm. ¡®Is this right? Are they asking for 3.94 million for such tooltips?¡¯ Of course, whenpared to what the prisoners sold under ¡°Rohm¡¯s Bottom,¡± martial arts generally fetched that price. And most of all¡­ ¡®I could probably make good use of the archery. When fighting a dragon, the first task is to drop the opponent from the sky.¡¯ * Avable Karma: 5,214,500 Current bnce, 5.21 million Karma. Eventually, just as Yeongwoo was contemting, in the moment he decided to purchase ¡®Call of God¡¯¡­ ck! Metallic footsteps sounded from behind Yeongwoo, and then the voice of a young man flew over. ¡°Stop moving! Don¡¯t touch the merchandise. That merchant is mine.¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± As Yeongwoo turned around at the unexpected confrontation, a title he had never seen before came into view. ¡ºGyeonggi¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» The Strongest Sword of Gyeonggi. ¡°Ah.¡± Upon seeing the opponent¡¯s title, Yeongwoo realized a lot. The one whopletely swept away Uijeongbu and passed through must have been this guy. ¡®What, he¡¯s not an ordinary guy, is he?¡¯ Yeongwoo inwardly admired as he saw that the opponent was about two meters tall. Encountering the Strongest Swords, who had invested in appearance as well, was notmon. But that was one thing, and another was¡­ ¡°Why are you speaking informally?¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± ¡°Why are you speaking informally to someone you¡¯ve just met?¡± As Yeongwoo said this, he instinctively jumped off the Negwig. *Gasp!* Then¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± As his ankle, which hadn¡¯t fully healed yet, hit the ground, he fell over. Thud! Seeing this sight, the Strongest Sword of Gyeonggi finally drew his sword with a triumphant voice. Shwaah! ¡°It said ¡®The Strongest Sword of Joseon¡¯¡­ I knew something was off¡­ you idiot.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 195 Chapter 195 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 195: ck Rain (1) Idiot. Strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t an incorrect expression. Because both of Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s legs had yet to regenerate. Unable to even walk properly, let alone stand up, he was clearly an idiot. Moreover. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Gently touching his face that had been mmed onto the asphalt ground made for a ridiculous sight. What kind of person worthy of the title ¡°Strongest Sword¡± would be so dramatic about such injuries? ¡°What the hell are you doing¡­?¡± The Gyeonggi Strongest Sword, with an incredulous expression, looked at the Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword in front of him. Of course, this attitude stemmed from not knowing anything about the opponent¡¯s background. For Yeongwoo, injuries usually started with limbs being cut off. So, in fact, rather than touching his face because it hurt, Yeongwoo was closer to pondering the vague pain he rarely felt. ¡°Oh, I forgot I don¡¯t have feet.¡± As Yeongwoo, who had been lying on the ground, lifted his upper body and sat down, the pattern of a Dogo¡¯s wedge wrapped around his right forearm in the tattoo ¡°White Space¡± came and then disappeared. This was also one of the signals that Jeong Yeongwoo was a dangerous individual, but the sword of Gyeonggi,cking insight, did not notice. His gaze was simply on¡­ ¡°¡­.¡± The golden sword floating in the air, the sturdy ck iron horse, and the two alien creatures rushing back and forth between them were all chaotic. ¨C Keii¡­! ¨C Babat! The Golden Goblin Artifact ve and the Artifact ve, Pofu Tenta and Negwig the Iron Horse. ¡°What are those?¡± The Strongest Sword of Gyeonggi dared to point his sword alternately at Yeongwoo¡¯s two ves. Swiftly. In response, Yeongwoo also pointed to the opponent with the mythical weapon ¡°Bastard¡±. ¡°Do you have equipment that bes stronger the shorter you speak? Why do you keep doing that?¡± At this, the Strongest Sword of Gyeonggi hesitated for a moment, unable to find a counterargument, and wrinkled his nose. ¡°Well¡­ since we¡¯re going to fight anyway, is there a need to be polite?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need not to be polite on purpose. I didn¡¯t ask you to greet me properly.¡± As Yeongwoo spoke like this, he nced briefly at the ¡°Golden Trail¡± still lying dormant. ¡°I know what you mean. Just a few days ago, I killed quite a few people collecting titles.¡± Of course, there had been no unteral attacks, but¡­ he had never avoided a fight either. It was unintentional and deliberate murder. ¡°But now it¡¯s different¡­ now I know how precious people are.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re the Gyeonggi¡¯s Strongest Sword, you¡¯ve unified at least three regions, right? So, if you die, won¡¯t there be a gap in security?¡± ¡°¡­Well, if I die, that might happen.¡± ¡°So what¡¯s your point? I¡¯ll let the informality slide, so while I¡¯m still speaking kindly, keep your voice in check and leave.¡± For a moment, the veteran Strongest Sword¡¯s aura emanated from Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes. ¡°¡­.!¡± In response, the Strongest Sword of Gyeonggi twitched involuntarily, but soon regained hisposure and chuckled. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure it must have been easy at one time, but isn¡¯t that why you¡¯re a cripple now?¡± He had known from the beginning that the opponent¡¯s title and equipment were impressive. However, he never thought he would lose to someone who couldn¡¯t even walk. Confidence in oneself. And pride. That was the characteristic of the Strongest Sword of arge region. Yeongwoo hadn¡¯t even attended Seoul¡¯s Strongest Sword gathering during his time as the Strongest Sword of Gyeongbuk. It was to challenge the reputed Strongest Sword of Gangnam in Seoul. Therefore, Yeongwoo knew well that you could only find out who was truly stronger by fighting. But. ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Today, you¡¯ve chosen the wrong opponent. I¡¯m not just a cripple.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Before Yeongwoo¡¯s words, the Strongest Sword of Gyeonggi tried tough again, but¡­ Hwa-ah-at! Due to Yeongwoo¡¯s disy of power, he could no longerugh. ¡°Kugh¡­!¡± It was because his heart suddenly felt as if it were being squeezed tightly. ¡°I have one obsession because I was born a lowly human. That¡¯s¡­ whoever tries to kill me¡­¡± While using his authority, as Yeongwoo uttered his lines with glowing eyes, something incredible happened. ¡°Absolutely nothing, you bastard!¡± Faaah! The problematic Strongest Sword of Gyeonggi had released Yeongwoo¡¯s authority. ¡°What¡­?¡± In the face of the unexpected development, Yeongwoo widened his eyes. The opponent was indeed a rascal, daring to attack despite seeing both his title and equipment. With a thud! Thanks to withstanding the authority of the Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, the Strongest Sword of Gyeonggi¡¯s momentum increased even more as he turned and rushed towards Yeongwoo. ¡°This stupid bastard.¡± Yeongwoo also realized that things could not be undone and was about to extend Bastard, but then changed his mind and plucked out his Dragon¡¯s Legacy like lightning. Shhwat, kaang! In the blink of an eye, the des of the two strongest swords shed in mid-air. ¡¸Sensory values have temporarily increased from the original 3,300 to 4,376.¡¹ Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze could clearly see the rtively mediocre sensory values of the Gyeonggi¡¯s Strongest Sword, and conversely, the Gyeonggi¡¯s Strongest Sword¡­ ¡°Insane.¡± As befitting a Strongest Sword of arge region, he realized the opponent¡¯s true strength during their first exchange, and his expression crumbled. ¡°How did this happen¡­?¡± [PR/N: He¡¯s the strongest cripple of joseon bro ??] Even the strength to withstand the opponent¡¯s force pushing the sword away was faltering in the right hand of the Gyeonggi¡¯s Strongest Sword. In the meantime, the Dragon¡¯s Legacy, which came into contact with his de, was glowing red. The challenger¡¯s innate grade wasn¡¯t particrly high either. And Yeongwoo, seeing this, asked through the crossed des. ¡°Where is your jurisdiction?¡± ¡°What?¡± The Gyeonggi¡¯s Strongest Sword, who was unknowingly making a foolish expression, btedly recalled¡­ ¨DI have one obsession because I was born a lowly human. That¡¯s¡­ whoever tries to kill me¡­ What the man in front of him couldn¡¯t finish saying a moment ago. ¡°Ah.¡± Absolutely, he wouldn¡¯t spare anyone. This Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword never let his opponents live once a fight began. And¡­ ¡®I¡¯m fucked.¡¯ Finally understanding the situation properly, the Gyeonggi¡¯s Strongest Sword opened his mouth wide. Then¡­ ¡°I, I made a mistake¡­¡± Instinctively, he started begging for mercy. It was as if he couldn¡¯t even attempt a second round. But it was already after Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze had turned icy. ¡°That¡¯s already in the past. More importantly, where is your jurisdiction? I should atleast save the people of that area.¡± Yeongwoo pronounced a diplomatic death sentence. Upon hearing this, the Gyeonggi¡¯s Strongest Sword, who was facing Yeongwoo, let go of his sword and hastily stepped back. While a direct confrontation was impossible, he still thought he could escape. However¡­ Thwong. As he tried to retreat, his body was abruptly blocked by a solid metal object. ¡°¡­?¡± Surprised, the Gyeonggi¡¯s Strongest Sword turned around, only to see a golden sword, nearly two meters long, blocking his path. -Weeeeing¡­ If just moments ago it seemed like a mere interesting weapon, now the golden sword felt eerily ominous. ¡°Sa¡­ Save¡­¡± At that moment, as the Gyeonggi¡¯s Strongest Sword began to beg for his life again, the silhouette of the Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword was reflected on the surface of the golden sword he was looking at. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± It was clear to anyone. Ssuaeaeeaet! While kneeling, the figure was swinging the sword. * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] At the same time, in Imjingak Peace Nuri Park in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. Jo Seongsik, Yeoncheon¡¯s Strongest Sword, was smoking a cigarette while watching the windmills lined up on the hill spinning around. ¡°Sigh.¡± Despite his rxed expression after finally feeling some leisure, there were swordsmen with big and small wounds scattered throughout the park, lying exhausted. ¡°¡­.¡± They were soldiers under the Yeoncheon Army¡¯s temporary headquarters. Having just dealt with the monsters and mutants in Paju, they were all exhausted. But today¡¯s hard work was over. Having cleared Paju, Yeoncheon, and Cheorwon, all three northern border regions of South Korea, the only thing left was to maintain border surveince. ¡°Report on casualties?¡± As Jo Seongsik brushed off the tobo on his palm, Sergeant Kim Hansoo, who was standing next to him, reported. ¡°Two dead, one critically injured.¡± In other words, they lost threebatants. ¡°We¡¯ve lost about 10% of ourbat strength in just one day.¡± As Jo Seongsik made a bitter expression, another man sitting behind him opened his mouth. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we start heading to Seoul soon?¡± Cheorwon¡¯s Strongest Sword, Private Kim Kwangyong. Until now, he had essentially acted independently, except for asional shes with the Yeoncheon Army headquarters, but now he was moving together with Jo Seongsik as a practical ally. And the reason for this was none other than the encounter with Jeong Yeongwoo, the Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, in Cheorwon yesterday. It was only after meeting him that they finally realized something. That there were many strong individuals still supporting this world. Though not necessarily hopeful, the fact that there was something to rely on was quite reassuring. The Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, who boasted an unreasonable strength, and the Seoul¡¯s Strongest Sword Union and provisional government organized around him. ¡°Yes. Since we¡¯ve solved all urgent matters, it would be a good idea to stop by Seoul before it gets dark.¡± Jo Seongsik also agreed with Kim Gwangyong. And even if it wasn¡¯t his exact words, he had been thinking about visiting Seoul soon anyway. The strange Strongest Sword, who fought while sprinkling dirt in the eyes of the mutants, kepting to his mind for some reason. He seemed to be the only one among all the people he had seen who wasn¡¯t living a tough life. In any case, there was a strange addictive quality to the aura emitted by the so-called Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword. ¡®If we meet again next time, I should ask him exactly how the situation in the North is unfolding.¡¯ Since he was the representative of the Army Headquarters who imed to monitor the North, his greatest concern could not but be the situation in North Korea. ¡°Sigh.¡± After flicking off the remaining cigarette ash, he noticed that the windmills on the hill in the distance suddenly started spinning rapidly. Whoooosh¡­! It was also from this moment that a strong wind blew, almost folding his ears. ¡°What¡¯s happening all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Why is the wind blowing like this?¡± The swordsmen scattered around the military headquarters also began to rise one by one at the suspicious weather, and by this time. Kwaling! With a sudden thunderp, the sky darkened in an instant. ¡°W-what is this¡­?¡± Kim Kwangyong cautiously drew his sword while looking at Lieutenant Jo Seongsik. He judged it wasn¡¯t just a simple weather change. The sky, which had been sunny just a while ago, was now filled with dark clouds as if it had always been like this. And then. Kwrrrung! After thundering much closer than before, the incident began. Shwaaa¡­! ¡°¡­Rain?¡± Rain poured suddenly from the dark sky. ¡°I-It¡¯s pouring suddenly!¡± ¡°Should we withdraw to Yeoncheon for now?¡± The soldiers, who had started feeling extreme fatigue and difort for some reason, expressed their desire to withdraw towards Lieutenant Jo Seongsik. On the other hand, Yeoncheon¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jo Seongsik, instead¡­ Shwaaaat! He raised his sword and shouted through the downpour. ¡°All units, prepare forbat¡­!¡± Although it was purely an intuition-basedmand, his instincts were not wrong. Kwrrrung! Then, another thunderp rang out, and lightning shed from inside the clouds in the sky. Paaat! At that moment, a huge furnace appeared in the sky above the Peace Nuri Park. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Ahh!¡± It was only then that the soldiers of Yeoncheon realized that something serious was happening and drew their swords in panic, and by this time, Kim Kwangyong, the Cheorwon¡¯s Strongest Sword, also realized something was wrong. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s rain.¡± Feeling something sticky, he wiped his cheek, only to find that thick rain was oozing out. ¡°This, it¡¯s not just rain¡­!¡± As he was about to urgently report to Lieutenant Jo Seongsik¡­ Ssuaeaeeaet! Two ominous creatures leapt down from the dark sky. Kwack! ¡®Damn it, it was a mutant after all.¡¯ Jo Seongsik cursed. Although there was no sign of the mutant¡¯s emblematic pir of light, the fact that they had appeared in front of him could not be denied. Especially with this damn rain apanying them. ¡®I don¡¯t know who they are, but they¡¯re not your average assholes.¡¯ He could already feel this fact in his skin. ¡°Squads 1 and 4, behind me! Squads 2 and 3, stick with Kim Kwangyong behind me! Everyone, stay alert!¡± As Jo Seongsik began to wave off the rain pouring down in front of him, the creatures raised their heads to look at the furnace in the sky, as if waiting for battle approval. ¡°¡­!¡± And seeing this, Jo Seongsik said, ¡°Private Kim Kwangyong, lift me up.¡± Unlike before, he gave the order to Cheorwon¡¯s Strongest Sword, Kim Kwangyong. But Kim Kwangyong was not unaware. ¡°Yes, step on me.¡± Immediately, he bent his knees and made a foothold with both arms. Then, Tap! Jo Seongsik promptly stepped on Kim Kwangyong¡¯s arm, and Kim Kwangyong threw Lieutenant Jeong into the sky with all his might. Hwaeaeaeeaak! ¡°Who are you! Reveal your identity!¡± Jo Seongsik, soaring into the sky, swung his sword and headed straight for the furnace. And a momentter. ¡°¡­!¡± As Jo Seongsik, who had approached right in front of the furnace, looked, a single name tag came into his sight. It was none other than. ¡°What? How dare this bastard¡­?¡± [Dictator ¨C Kim Jong-un] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 196 Chapter 196 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 196: ck Rain (2) Shyatt! Yeongwoo brushed off the blood from the Dragon¡¯s Legacy on the floor and looked around. ¡®Fortunately, there are no witnesses.¡¯ It felt awkward, as it had been a while since he had killed someone. ¡®But still haven¡¯t properly used the Bastard.¡¯ Yeongwoo had chosen to confront the Gyeonggi Strongest Sword with the Dragon¡¯s Legacy not for his own sake, but purely to withstand the opponent¡¯s attacks. Nevertheless, he wanted to have a brief conversation after exchanging blows. Since Bastard¡¯s de could only be blocked by mythical-grade equipment, if Yeongwoo had extended Bastard, the Gyeonggi Strongest Sword would not have been able to withstand the sword and would have died. ¡®Of course, I made an effort to exchange blows, but there was no profit.¡¯ He didn¡¯t hear who would inherit the jurisdiction of the deceased Gyeonggi Strongest Sword. However, Yeongwoo was someone who had long opened the list of martial arts. ¡¸You have acquired the Gyeonggi Strongest Sword!¡¹ By inheriting the title, along with it came the martial arts the opponent possessed, giving a clue to the jurisdiction of the deceased. ¡®I should be able to figure out the newly added regional techniques.¡¯ As Yeongwoo unfolded his martial arts list, the techniques stolen by the Gyeonggi Strongest Sword from other Strongest Swords appeared one after another. | Gyeonggi Technique ¨C Unique Grade | Pocheon Technique ¨C Relic Grade | Gapyeong Technique ¨C Relic Grade | Hwacheon Technique ¨C Relic Grade A total of four. Moreover, among these, Hwacheon was from Gangwon Province. ¡®Was he from Hwacheon? If he traveled from Hwacheon to Gapyeong and Pocheon, the route seems consistent.¡¯ In the case of Yeongwoo himself, if he listed the regional titles he currently possessed, he could clearly see the route he had taken from Gumi. ¡®It¡¯s quite a distance to manage Hwacheon¡­ I¡¯ll have to hope someone is in Gangwon Province.¡¯ Day 5 of the reset. He used to be someone who seemed temporarily hostile to all the Strongest Swords, but ironically, now he found himself hoping there were still many powerful Strongest Swords left. If it wasn¡¯t to wish for Seoul to be the only surviving city on the penins, it was necessary. ¡°Ah, you¡¯ve certainly collected your equipment meticulously.¡± Despite Yeongwoo¡¯s apologetic gaze, he rummaged through the corpse with rather business like hands. -Kiiit! It was with the golden goblin who was curious about the identity of the former Gyeonggi Strongest Sword. ¡®It seems there are no hidden equipment.¡¯ After confirming that the Serpent of Greed didn¡¯t respond, Yeongwoo registered the equipment he had removed from the corpse in the encyclopaedia. A total of three items could be put into the encyclopaedia immediately. ¡®Two pieces of armor, one essory.¡¯ And the rest were two weapons. ¡¸Contingency¡¹ ¨C Mutant One-handed Sword ¡¾Increases durability by 15% when defending¡¿ ¡®Not bad. Perfect for the encyclopaedia.¡¯ On the other hand, the second weapon was a bit unusual. ¡¸Preemptive Strike¡¹ ¨C Mutant One-handed Sword ¡¾Increases the power of the first attack by 20%. Reactivates on sessful hit¡¿ ¡®Oh-ho.¡¯ This was probably the weapon the Gyeonggi Strongest Sword had been holding. The power of the first attack increased after the sword was drawn from the scabbard. ¡®And it reactivates on sessful hit, so repeating draw and sheath attacks should do.¡¯ While this effect alone didn¡¯t seem superior to other weapons, once it was registered in the weapon encyclopaedia, the story would change. ¡®Anyway, just enhancing the first strike is quite significant, and if it¡¯s not during a melee, it¡¯s not that difficult to sheathe the sword during battle¡­¡¯ And surely, there must be equipment that gives reinforcement effects when sheathing somewhere. ¡®The chairman should hurry up and get the encyclopaedia.¡¯ After ncing at the sky briefly, Yeongwoo turned his gaze back to Kubu. ¡°Are you both still there?¡± He referred to Kubu, the intermediary, and the merchant. Then Kubu, who had left only a thin thread in the air, blinked his eyes. Sshrrrrt. ¨DYes. We¡¯re waiting. ¡°Then let¡¯s conclude the transaction. Let¡¯s learn archery.¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Kubu blinked. ¨DWe will process the purchase of the Epic Archery, ¡®Call of God.¡¯ With that, 3,940,000 karma was withdrawn from Yeongwoo¡¯s bnce, and the Sagye-grade bow became Yeongwoo¡¯s property. ¡¸Call of God¡¹ ¨C Epic Archery ¡¾If you have enough faith, you can even reach the gods with your arrows.¡¿ And at the same time. * Avable karma: 1,274,500 The bnce decreased to 1.27 million karma. ¡®I hope the coordinate locator isn¡¯t more expensive than 1.2 million.¡¯ Anxiety grew as the bnce decreased. Anyway, since all the business here today was finished, Yeongwoo bid farewell to Kubu. ¡°Thank you for your hard work. See you in Yangju shortly.¡± ¨DUntil next time. Thank you for the transaction! Poof! Kubu, the intermediary, vanished somewhere beyond the empty space. ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo nced briefly at the spot where he disappeared before turning his head to his next destination, Yangju. ¡®I¡¯ll buy a locator or resistance equipment if they have any, and if not, I¡¯ll head straight back to Gangnam.¡¯ Time was gradually bing pressing. He needed to return to his original jurisdiction before sunset, scatter the Golden Rain, and wait for the Strongest Swords to visit with bundles of money from all directions. ¡®And if conditions allow, it would be good to equip the Heart quickly.¡¯ As Yeongwoo rose to his feet, Negwig approached him first and wrapped Yeongwoo¡¯s body with its reins. Swoosh! ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Although Yeongwoo was momentarily surprised by the sudden move, he decided to quietly observe what the creature was doing. He didn¡¯t think the means of transportation given by Dogo would harm him. And indeed. Phew! All Negwig did was lift Yeongwoo onto its back. ¡°Oh dear!¡± Still seated, Yeongwoo expressed his gratitude to Negwig while stroking the steel mane of the alien¡¯s iron horse. In the meantime, the two ves climbed onto Negwig¡¯s back following their master. -Keet! -Babat! Moreover, since the golden goblin had indicated the direction northward to Yangju, Yeongwoo immediately took the reins and urged Negwig forward. * * * 4:16 PM. Yangju, once a refuge for the Final Line, yielded little ie. Although there was a merchant present, the avable trading partner seemed fixed, possibly due to the former Gyeonggi Strongest Sword¡¯s prior visit. Moreover, all the goods sold by the merchant in Yangju werebat weapons. ¡®Of course, if I had plenty of cash left, I might have bought one or two¡­¡¯ He needed to save money to purchase a locator whose price he didn¡¯t know yet, and even if not, he needed to save for the acquisition tax that would be imposed tomorrow. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Also, if the chairman were to obtain the weapon encyclopaedia, wouldn¡¯t there be an acquisition tax for that? ¡®This crazy world. How did taxes be more threatening than dragons?¡¯ Of course, this was a limited view for Yeongwoo. Most people were not even paying acquisition tax, just the basic tax as simple taxpayers. tter, tter! Anyway, after a rare adventure, Yeongwoo hurriedly turned Negwig¡¯s head toward Gangnam, and now he was passing through Seongbuk-gu via Dobong-gu. There stood Seongbuk Strongest Sword Lee Yoobin with a bright title. ¡°Oh.¡± Yeongwoo, who recognized his opponent first, made a surprised sound, prompting Lee Yoobin, who sensed Negwig¡¯s approach in time, to turn around. ¡ºSeongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» She had a gloomy expression, and her shoulders and back were filled with bags that were obviously full of coins. She crossed paths with Yeongwoo just as she were about to depart for the so-called ¡®protection fee.¡¯ ¡°What, were you up there all this time?¡± Yoobin looked north, the direction Yeongwoo hade from. Then she unceremoniously dropped the backpacks hanging all over her body onto the ground. Thud! ¡°It was supposed to be on my way to meet you anyway, so it worked out. Take this. It¡¯s the promised ten million karma.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Yeongwoo nced briefly at the money bags on Negwig while pondering for a moment. ¡°¡­There¡¯s no need to count, right?¡± ¡°Wow, are you really insane.¡± For a moment, annoyance surged, and then Yoobin burst intoughter. ¡°No, how did we end up giving money to such a person?¡± ¡°But still, it¡¯s better than dying.¡± As Yeongwoo pointed to the money bags with his finger, the golden goblin swept the bags into a pocket of the void. -Kiki! For some reason, the creatureughed greedily. At this, Yoobin, with a disgusted expression, looked at the golden ve and then asked Yeongwoo with a tone that something suddenly came to mind. ¡°Are you going back to Gangnam now?¡± ¡°Yes, do you have other business?¡± ¡°Not really, but I¡¯d like you to give me a ride.¡± ¡°To Gangnam¡­?¡± Of course, he had no intention of refusing a customer who had paid ten million karma, but Yeongwoo was curious about the reason. ¡°Are you going for something specific in Gangnam?¡± ¡°I just want to take a look around.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°People carrying money bags are going toe to find you, I want to see that.¡± * * * The first paying customer, Seongbuk Strongest Sword Lee Yoobin. Yeongwoo continued south with her on board. Soon, they reached Dongdaemun, under the jurisdiction of Jang Jeongho, but unfortunately, Jang Jeongho was nowhere to be seen. ¡°I don¡¯t see Jeongho. Did he take a different route?¡± As Yeongwoo murmured while looking around, Yoobin in the backseat chuckled and said. ¡°That guy might not appear normally because he¡¯s not an ordinary bastard.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± It wasn¡¯t what Yeongwoo expected when the opponent actually showed up like that. ¡°Yeongwoo knows roughly, right? What kind of person Jang Jeongho is.¡± ¡°No matter what, would he exchange his life for just ten million?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± This time, Yoobin was surprised by Yeongwoo¡¯s indifferent remark. ¡°What did you say? Was it to die if you didn¡¯t pay ten million?¡± Lee Yoobin spoke as if she hadn¡¯t even dreamed of it. When paying the golden rain in each area, Jeong Yeongwoo gave the mutant equipment he received as payment to the Strongest Swords of each area. Although he received ten million under the pretext of protection fee, the golden orbs were essentially owned by the regional managers, so he wouldn¡¯t take away fixedpensation unless necessary. So Yoobin was quite grateful for that sentiment, and more than anything, she didn¡¯t want to get involved with Jeong Yeongwoo, so she provided the protection fee without any fuss. But. ¡®No, did he really intend to kill me if I didn¡¯t pay ten million? He¡¯s totally crazy, isn¡¯t he?¡¯ Of course, this proved that her judgment was correct. If she hadn¡¯t prepared the protection fee in Seongbuk, wouldn¡¯t that lunatic havee to her and swung his sword himself? ¡°¡­.¡± As Yoobin was having horrifying thoughts in her mind, Yeongwoo nced back and said reassuringly. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not suddenly going to approach him like some loan shark.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s right?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t Yoobin know better? How conflicts are resolved at the Strongest Sword meeting.¡± ¡°Well¡­.¡± Yoobin¡¯s pupils looked up to the sky. One of the basic rules of the Strongest Sword meeting. If there is no consensus on a matter, the representatives engage in a duel to follow the winner¡¯s opinion. ¡°A duel¡­? So that means officially saying you¡¯ll kill each other.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t pay the money you owe, that¡¯s how it goes.¡± ¡°No, but that¡¯s¡­.¡± Yoobin¡¯s mutterings about it being worse than loan sharks didn¡¯te out. Because Negwig had already passed through Gwangjin-gu and was jumping over the edge of the Cheongdam Bridge. Thud! The hole was a trace of yesterday, when Yeongwoo killed Kim Seokshin, a mutant and a Seoul Metropolitan Council member, with an arrow as he returned as a Wyvern. ¡°We¡¯re already in Gangnam.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s voice sounded excited for some reason. Yoobin also had some expectations for different reasons, so she leaned her head out next to Yeongwoo¡¯s and looked ahead. But what she needed to see was approaching from behind. Thud thud! The sound of someone running at an incredibly fast speed. Both Yoobin and Jeong Yeongwoo turned their heads back and saw it immediately. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°What, have you two be friends? Anyway, let¡¯s meet in front of the hotel!¡± Dongdaemun¡¯s Strongest Sword Jang Jeongho passed by them at a speed close to a full sprint. Jang Jeongho seemed to be heading to Gangnam just like the two of them. He was probablying to deliver the ¡®protection fee¡¯ Yeongwoo had ordered. But the problem was. Thud thud¡­ In the meantime, Jang Jeongho, who had run far away, seemed incredibly light. Not only was he fast, but there was actually nothing hanging on his body. Ten million karma. Shouldn¡¯t he be hanging backpacks all over his body like Yoobin did in Seongbuk-gu if he was going to bring it all in coin form? Yeongwoo instinctively pointed to Jang Jeongho as if he were a bastard. Shoo. ¡°Why does that bastard look like he has no money?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 197 Chapter 197 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 197: ck Rain (3) Why on earth? Why didn¡¯t Jang Jeongho from Dongdaemun bring the money? To this question, Lee Yoobin, who lives in the neighborhood right next to him, attributed it to Jang Jeongho¡¯s intelligence. ¡°I told you earlier, didn¡¯t I? That he¡¯s a stupid guy? I doubted he¡¯d go as far as killing.¡± ¡°Well, that could be true.¡± Upon hearing this, Yeongwoo partly agreed but soon changed his mind. ¡®But no matter what, he wouldn¡¯t have chosen to confront me.¡¯ Although Jang Jeongho was somewhat hot-tempered and not particrly kind-hearted, he wasn¡¯t reckless enough to pick a fight with a well-known strongman. Didn¡¯t he immediately back off when he realized the difference in strength during their first meeting at the Strongest Swords assembly? ¡®What then? Did he manage to get arge sum of money?¡¯ If not that, then¡­ ¡®¡­A coordinate locator.¡¯ There was also a chance that Jang Jeongho had personally purchased a coordinate locator, one of the items Yeongwoo was wanted for. Regardless of whether Jang Jeongho disyed such proactive behavior, it was uncertain. Anyway, what mattered was¡­ ¡°Oh¡­¡± It was a fact that the Strongest Swords were indeed bringing in ten million Karma. Because there was a procession of ck sedans driving in the same direction as us on the road ahead. Among the Strongest Swords in Seoul, the only one who would bother to attend with such a big protocol was Kim Doha, Yongsan¡¯s Strongest Sword. ¡°Ha, there¡¯s such a method.¡± Watching the line of vehicles from Yongsan, Lee Yoobin pped his forehead. ¡°It seems they brought the money properly, seeing that there are so many cars.¡± ¡°Yes, it seems so.¡± Yeongwoo agreed with Yoobin and increased the speed of the Negwig a little. Vroom! As they entered the city, they could see more and more residents gathering along the roadside. ¡°Oh¡­ Strongest Sword!¡± ¡°Jeong Yeongwoo¡­!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on today?¡± They too noticed that the Strongest Sword from various regions were gathering in Gangnam. ¡°If only I had brought along some backpacks to sell, I would have made a fortune.¡± Seeing the crowd on the street, Yoobin waved awkwardly at the people. And in the midst of that¡­ ¡°Everyone, please step back! It can be dangerous!¡± Employees of Taewon Corporation, holding megaphones, began pushing people aside at the hotel entrance. Taewon was also caught off guard by the sudden visit of the Strongest Swords. ¡°Yeongwoo!¡± Soon, as the Negwig reached in front of the Parnas Hotel, Lim Suna, who was waiting in front of the lobby, rushed over. ¡°The Strongest Swords have alr- already¡­¡± As Suna said this, behind her, Songpa Strongest Sword Oh Yeonhee and Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword Jo Sangik, who had arrived early and were chatting in the lobby, could be seen. They had alsoe deliberately to observe the scene, just like Lee Yoobin. ¡°Since everyone is gathering on their own, it¡¯s good.¡± As Yeongwoo exchanged nces with Sangik in front of the lobby, Yoobin asked. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean? Are there things other than those who came to pay money?¡± To this, Yeongwoo pointed his finger towards the sky. ¡°As I mentioned around lunchtime, if we secure the coordinate locator, we n to test fire it. So the more spectators, the better.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Yoobin couldn¡¯t readily understand Yeongwoo¡¯s words and tilted her head in confusion. ¡°You might not understand yet. You¡¯ll seeter.¡± Since Yeongwoo had not yet confirmed the power ofser bombardment, he kept his words. If the power of the bombardment was sufficient, he would start receiving defense fees, and if the performance of theser cannon was lower than expected, he would have to step back. ¡®Tomara, was it? It seems to be a ce that sellsary-scale weapons¡­ If the bombardment provided by such apany is used, it would be extraordinary.¡¯ ck, ck. As the Negwig reached its destination and started to slow down, all the Strongest Swords gathered in front of the lobby turned to look at Yeongwoo. ¡°Yeongwoo.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ You finally came.¡± Quite a few Strongest Swords had gathered in front of the main gate of the Parnas Hotel. Among them, there were three who were not obligated to pay protection fees: Oh Yeonhee from Songpa, Jo Sangik from Gwanak, and Yangju Strongest Sword Choi Jongseon. On the other hand, there were six who had to pay protection fees. ¡®And four of them have arrived.¡¯ Dongdaemun, Seongbuk, Yongsan, and finally, Dobong Strongest Sword Kim Jeonggu. ¡°Hey, are you really that greedy? You called all these people together just to collect money. Isn¡¯t it?¡± Jeonggu looked intimidatingly at the strongmen gathered from various parts of Seoul as he walked out. Then, to support Yeongwoo, who was getting off the Negwig, he reached out his arm. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? You can¡¯t even walk properly.¡± Seeing Jeong-Yeongwoo¡¯s ankle as he stuck out his tongue, Jeonggu widened his eyes for a moment. ¡°Huh? This kid.¡± Because Yeongwoo¡¯s foot had grown quite a bit in the meantime. ¡°With this speed, I should be able to walk in an hour or two.¡± Anyway, it was a fact that he needed someone¡¯s support right now to avoid looking awkward. ¡°¡­?¡± So, at the moment when Yeongwoo was about to lean on his father involuntarily¡­ ¨CBabbat! The ve, Pofu Tenta, quickly rushed over and stood behind Negwig, supporting his back on the right side. It seemed as if he was about to lift Yeongwoo up. ¡°¡­What?¡± Jeonggu looked at the alien ve with a displeased expression. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo, with a questioning gaze as if to say ¡®really?¡¯, lifted his right thigh and part of his buttocks onto Pofu Tenta¡¯s adorable shoulders. *Swish.* At that moment, Pofu¡¯s body trembled as if trying to support Yeongwoo. ¨CBabbat! He was willing to carry his master who had ufortable legs around. ¡°Are you really okay¡­?¡± Although the conversation didn¡¯t happen, Yeongwoo, understanding the intention, transferred the rest of his body that was leaning on Negwig to Pofu. *Swish.* As a result, Yeongwoo ended up resembling a rider, with his thighs resting on Pofu Tenta¡¯s shoulders. Of course, Pofu Tenta¡¯s height was only 70 centimeters. In contrast, Yeongwoo was two meters tall. Therefore, he had to stretch out both legs to keep his ankles from dragging on the ground, which made Yeongwoo look quite ridiculous. Moreover¡­ ¨CBabbat! Babbat¡­! Because Pofu Tenta kept chanting ¡®Babbat¡¯ as if putting in effort with each step. ¡°Uh¡­¡± ¡°Is that right¡­?¡± ¡°It looks so pitiful.¡± ¡°Uh, what should we do? Should we leave it like this?¡± Both the citizens surrounding them and even the Strongest Sword looked at the diminutive alien frog with pity. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Because, on the surface, it seemed as if Jeong Yeongwoo was abusing Pofu. ¡°¡­I¡¯d rather crawl on the ground. Please let me down now.¡± When Yeongwoo requested to be let down, Pofu, after looking around with hisrge eyes, almost at a right angle, turned his head to look at his master. ¨CBaaat! ¡°What?¡± At the moment when Yeongwoo felt confused by the slightly angry voice, unlike usual. ¨CBaa¡­! Pofu took a deep breath and suddenly inted his body. ¨CBaeaatt! His height, which was only 70 centimeters, increased to a whopping 2 meters. As a result, Pofu, who had seemed cute and pitiful, instantly transformed into a formidable frog monster exuding an intimidating presence. ¡°Wow?¡± ¡°It¡¯s, it¡¯s a monster!¡± ¡°Aaah!¡± As a result, there was no one left to re at Yeongwoo, and the area around the hotel became chaotic. Most people, except for the Strongest Sword, panicked and fled. ¡°¡­Now it¡¯s a bit calmer.¡± As Yeongwoo said with a troubled expression, Oh Yeonhee, who had been holding the spear without realizing it, sighed. ¡°You seem to have nothing but troublesome things.¡± This was what Yeongwoo¡¯s friends were saying, as well as a reminder about theser cannon they were secretly assembling. ¡°This is something I really didn¡¯t know about.¡± While Yeongwoo was making excuses with apuse, Pofu Tenta moved his steps towards the inside of the hotel. *Kuwung, thunk!* At that moment, Yongsan¡¯s Strongest Sword Kim Doha, who had been hiding in the car and observing the situation, opened the rear door and appeared. ¡°Yeongwoo, sir! It seems you haven¡¯t fully recovered yet. I wish you a speedy recovery.¡± Then, he instructed the government officials to lower the money bags in front of Yeongwoo. *ck, ck!* ¡°This is the promised ten million Karma. The New Seoul government remembers what you have done, Yeongwoo!¡± Kim Doha seemed to have be a politician by now. Since he couldn¡¯t withstand the strongman, Joseon Strongest Sword without paying money anyway, he hade up with a grand n to pay protection fees in the name of the New Seoul government. ¡°Yes. Thank you. I will use this money in a very meaningful way.¡± As Kim Doha extended both hands, Yeongwoo also shook hands with him. Anyway, it wasn¡¯t usual to hand over ten million, so willingly. ¡®Then, who on earth is that gentleman¡­?¡¯ *Swish.* Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze finally fell on Jang Jeongho from Dongdaemun, who was standing awkwardly in his light attire. ¡°Mr. Jeongho¡­ Are you also¡­ prepared?¡± Then, with a confident smile for some reason, Jang Jeongho walked briskly towards Yeongwoo, who was riding his horse. ¡°I¡¯m here. When I was in the military, I heard this kind of saying.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°B-grade soldiers do well only after being told what to do, but A-grade soldiers finish the task even before being told.¡± ¡°So, are you saying that Mr. Jeongho is an A-grade soldier?¡± When Yeongwoo asked this, Jang Jeongho shrugged and pointed to his chest with his right thumb. ¡°Well¡­ If I have to say so myself.¡± Then he took something out of his pocket with his left hand. *Swish.* ¡°I¡¯m S-grade. Not only do I find andplete tasks in advance, but I also have good luck.¡± Jang Jeongho proudly revealed what Yeongwoo had been looking for so desperately¡ªthe coordinate locator. ¡¸Coordinate Locator¡¹ ¨C Artifact tool ¡¾It shows the coordinates of visible points.¡¿ ¡°Anyway, didn¡¯t you issue a search order because you needed the locator? So, instead of wasting time, I personally bought it for you.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Yeongwoo nodded as if he understood. ¡°So, how much did you pay for it? Since it¡¯s an artifact grade, it couldn¡¯t have been very expensive¡­ I¡¯ll subtract five times the price of the locator from the money I promised to give you.¡± Yeongwoo had seen the prices of numerous equipment so far. Therefore, his remark implied that the price of artifact equipment was unlikely to exceed 400,000. However, Jang Jeongho¡¯s following dialogue¡­ ¡°Well¡­ That¡¯s because this item has some special functions, so the price¡­¡± Just as Jang Jeongho was about to lie with his eyes half-closed, indicating that he was bluffing, Lee Yoobin, who was standing behind Yeongwoo, gestured as if to slit his own throat with his palm. It meant that if he said something wrong now, his throat would be slit. ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­ So, the price¡­¡± When Jang Jeongho stammered, Yeongwoo pointed to the locator with Bastard, which he had pulled out at some point. *Swish.* ¡°Surely the price was a bit over ten million? So, should I return some of the difference to you¡­?¡± ¡°Ah, sir¡­ That wouldn¡¯t be possible.¡± Jang Jeongho barely managed to escape from the underworld. However, he had done his best until the end. ¡°Oh¡­ It was Five hundred thousand Karma.¡± Even though Bastard was only about 40 centimeters away from his throat, he had increased the price to about 20% of the original cost. But fortunately, this level of lying was within Yeongwoo¡¯s tolerance. Jang Jeongho had indeed done a good job. Moreover, it was a stroke of luck that the locator appeared in his jurisdiction. ¡°Phew, it¡¯s much cheaper than I thought. It¡¯s a very valuable item to me, at least.¡± By now, everyone in the audience must have realized that Yeongwoo had seen through Jang Jeongho¡¯s lie. So, instead of wielding a whip, Yeongwoo decided to offer a carrot. There might be a day when he would need the help of the Strongest Swords again. And since he was nning to receive defense fees in the future, there was no need to spoil the atmosphere by demanding a few million more Karma right now. ¡°As you said, you¡¯re really lucky.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You could have hidden or not brought me this item¡­ After all, we¡¯re members of the same alliance, right?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. Of course. That goes without saying.¡± Finally, Jang Jeongho realized where the Bastard was pointing. But unlike a sharp de, Yeongwoo¡¯s words flowed softly and gently. ¡°Thank you so much. In that sense, I won¡¯t take any money from you today, Mr. Jeongho.¡± Then, Gwanak Strongest Sword Jo Sangik, who had been quietly watching the whole series of events, secretly opened his mouth. ¡®This¡­ This guy, is he trying to get into politics now?¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 198 Chapter 198 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 198: ck Rain (4) Coordinate Locator. From Yeongwoo¡¯s perspective, it was almost as if he had bought it for a whopping ten million karma, but the effect of this transaction may have been worth much more than ten million. Because through this, everyone in the audience knew. Still, it meant that Jeong Yeongwoo was not stingy to those who helped him. ¡°T-Thank you.¡± Jang Jeongho of Dongdaemun Strongest Sword bowed to Yeongwoo, showing the top of his head. Then he politely handed over the locator with both hands. Swoosh. ¡°This is now yours, Mr. Yeongwoo.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± As Yeongwoo reached out to receive the locator, Pofu Tenta carrying him took a step forward. Kwoong! ¡°¡­!¡± While Jang Jeongho flinched, thanks to him, Yeongwoo could receive the locator by just slightly bending his upper body. Thud. It was cold. The coordinate locator was a thin square metal like a card. About the size of a palm, maybe a little smaller. That¡¯s why Jang Jeongho was able to put it in his pocket. ¡°But¡­ do you know how to use it?¡± Jang Jeongho, who handed over the locator, asked Yeongwoo. After buying this item from the merchant, he tried various attempts to use it himself but couldn¡¯t make it work at all. On the other hand. ¡°Oh, the instructions?¡± As Yeongwoo took the locator, he could immediately understand how to operate this metal. The way to activate this thing was simply. ¡®I guess I just need to hold it. Does it only activate when coordinate usage is possible?¡¯ Pah-ah-ah-ah! Right now, in Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes, the coordinates were already visible along with the aiming point. ¡²|l||I-Earth-482-183-4239-06¡³ The coordinates were disyed above the aiming point in the center of his vision, and when Yeongwoo turned his eyes to another direction, the coordinates were updated to match the position of the aiming point. ¡®I wonder if it¡¯spatible with irvoyance.¡¯ ¡¸irvoyance¡¹ ¨C Mutant Earrings ¡¾Amplifies vision up to 5 times¡¿ As Yeongwoo turned his head outside the lobby to amplify his vision, the small aiming point turned into thin crosshairs, showing a new set of coordinates. ¡®Good heavens.¡¯ Coordinate searching was a function that waspatible even with irvoyance, which amplifies vision. ¡®With this, it should be possible to bombard quite far.¡¯ And most importantly. ¡°¡­.¡± The fact that coordinates were disyed in his sight itself implied thepletion of theser gun. No, even if notpleted, it would be possible to input coordinates and shoot. Since the locator, which didn¡¯t work at all in Jang Jeongho¡¯s possession, was activated here immediately. Swoosh. As Yeongwoo looked up at the sky, Jeonggu approached quietly and asked in a low voice. ¡°Why? What¡¯s up this time?¡± ¡°It seems like theser gun has been assembled quite a lot.¡± ¡°What? How do you know that?¡± In response, Yeongwoo handed the coordinate locator to Jeonggu. ¡°It only works for me.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Of course, Jeonggu couldn¡¯t see the coordinates either, and Yeongwoo retrieved the locator. ¡°Whether it¡¯s aser gun or anything else, it seems like you need equipment that requires coordinates to activate.¡± ¡°Then isn¡¯t it trash for the majority? Selling this for money.¡± ¡°But for me, it¡¯s an indispensable piece of equipment.¡± After saying this, Yeongwoo nced up and down at Kim Jeonggu, who had nothing to carry, just like Jang Jeongho. ¡°What about you, father?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Why are you here without collecting funds?¡± Swoosh. Now Yeongwoo moved the Bastard habitually. He even mounted on Pofu Tenta, making it quite intimidating. ¡°W-What are you talking about? We¡¯re still in progress.¡± Jeonggu said this while looking at Jo Sangik on the other side. Thanks to the people sent by Seoul National University in Gwanak, the fundraising is still ongoing even at this hour. ¡°But the fact that it¡¯s ten million, when I think about paying it myself, it¡¯s a huge amount of money. If they keep asking for money in the future, those people won¡¯t just sit still.¡± This time, due to the ¡®Dragon Shock,¡¯ everyone donated without much resistance, but it was a story about whether it would continue like that in the future. They are supposed to be the Strongest Swords in each region, but wouldn¡¯t they rather gather money for protection and start a coup? ¡°We need to be careful. There¡¯s no eternal leader in this world.¡± As Jeonggu cautioned with concern, Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze turned towards the Strongest Sword in the audience. More precisely, he was looking at the coordinates above their heads. ¡°So, instead of settling, we should keep moving forward. Stronger firepower, stronger bodies.¡± ¡°¡­Is it right to use the phrase ¡®not settling¡¯ like that?¡± As the two exchanged meaningless words, a man with a backpack full of bags appeared from across the hotel. It was none other than. ¡ºMapo¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» Yang Wootaek. ¡°Hey there.¡± Wootaek looked at the Strongest Swords gathered in the hotel lobby and waved to Yeongwoo with a cool smile. He brought the promised money. With this, 30 million karma has been collected. -Kikkit! Before Yeongwoo could give instructions, golden goblin popped out and swept the backpacks Wootaek brought into pocket dimension pouch. Thus, Yeongwoo¡¯s cash reserve, which had just exceeded one million karma not long ago, skyrocketed with tremendous momentum. * Avable Karma: 31,274,500 ¡®Now, only Eunpyeong is left.¡¯ If Eunpyeong Strongest Sword brings the money as promised and the fundraising in his father¡¯s constituency, Dobong, is sessfullypleted, he will secure about 50 million karma by the end of today. ¡®Then there shouldn¡¯t be a big problem with acquiring the encyclopaedia.¡¯ Basically, it¡¯s the value of Yeongwoo¡¯s life. Do they really understand these circumstances? ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo nced briefly at the Strongest Swords discussing the coordinate locator, then felt a vibration outside his thigh. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± As he reached into his pocket, he saw the Epic Compass ¡®Fearful-Cat¡¯ awake and whimpering. It meant a threatening presence was approaching nearby. ¡°¡­?¡± For Yeongwoo, it was a phenomenon he couldn¡¯t help but find strange. The dragon that appeared in Seoul today had already been dealt with, and even if there were any unprocessed mutants somewhere, they shouldn¡¯t be strong enough for the cat to react like this. And it¡¯s not like thepass malfunctioned¡­ Whatever it was, there was a problem. ¡°Something¡¯sing.¡± ¡°What? What are you talking about?¡± Ignoring Jeonggu¡¯s raised eyebrows, Yeongwoo ordered Pofu to move him outside the lobby. -Bath! As Pofu, at Yeongwoo¡¯smand, stepped out of the hotel gate with him on his back, the rest of the Strongest Swords followed suit. ¡°Yeongwoo, what¡¯s going on all of a sudden?¡± ¡°What¡­ could it be a test fire?¡± Various regional champions walked out of the lobby with puzzled expressions. Then immediately. ¡°Gasp.¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± ¡°What, what¡¯s¡­?¡± They all brought their hands near the scabbard with widened eyes. This was because they could clearly see it from in front of the hotel. Quarrrrrr¡­! The sight of the sky over Gwangjin-gu on the other side of the Han River turning ominously dark. Moreover, not only the sky but all the spaces above the ground in Gwangjin-gu were dark. And the reason was. Quaaaa! It was because of the ck rain pouring crazily from the cloudy sky. ¡°The rain¡­ is ck?¡± Seongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword, Lee Yoobin made a grim expression. She had directly witnessed abnormal weather urring in specific areas when the dragon appeared today. ¡°Um, Yeongwoo, maybe¡­¡± As Yoobin instinctively tried to ask for the opinion of Joseon Strongest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo, Yongsan Strongest Sword, Kim Doha, was already standing behind him. ¡°Were there another dragon¡­? Mr. Yeongwoo can handle that too, right?¡± Kim Doha, trying to hide under the shadow of Joseon Strongest Sword with confidence. Yeongwoo smiled more kindly than ever at Doha¡¯s behavior. ¡°Of course. ording to your expression, what I received today is protection money, isn¡¯t it? If I receive money, I should deliver its value.¡± As Yeongwoo said this, Jang Jeongho widened his eyes and pointed towards the direction of Gwangjin-gu. ¡°No? Isn¡¯t that feeling of something approaching?¡± As he said, the clouds and ck rain covering the sky of Gwangjin-gu were gradually expanding their area. ¡®Whatever it is, it seems to being this way.¡¯ Swoosh. As Yeongwoo signaled for Negwig to approach, Jeonggu, who had drawn his sword, asked with a tense voice. ¡°Wha¡­ what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Somehow, it doesn¡¯t seem to be a dragon¡­ Anyway, we should see what¡¯sing.¡± If the opponent had been a dragon, they would have found someone who received the mark of an adversary like Lim Kwangho. But this guy who appeared this time showed up on thisnd without any warning. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Click. Soon, as Yeongwoo mounted Negwig again, Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword Oh Yeonhee approached with her Scimitar drawn. ¡°Let¡¯s go together. Mr. Yeongwoo, you¡¯re not the only Strongest Sword.¡± ¡°Yes. It¡¯s better if there are many people to fight together.¡± Yeongwoo didn¡¯t oppose the participation of others. If theser cannon wasn¡¯t fullypleted yet, they needed to supplement the firepower even if it meant they were short in numbers. ¡®I don¡¯t even know if there¡¯s a generator up there. First, let¡¯s request artillery fire, and if there¡¯s no response, I¡¯ll have to blow the whistle.¡¯ After Yeongwoo made his own n, he directed Negwig towards the direction of Gwangjin-gu. Taat! Then, Oh Yeonhee followed closely behind, and the rest of the Strongest Swords followed one after another in order of bravery. Of course, thest one was Yongsan¡¯s Strongest Sword Kim Doha. Tatat! Nine Strongest Swords, including Yeongwoo, went out. However, most of them were moving together with the belief that Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword Jeong Yeongwoo would somehow resolve it. ¡°Does Seoul usually get crowded like this?¡± Yangju¡¯s Strongest Sword Choi Jongseon asked Lee Yoobin, who was running right next to him. To which, Yoobin chuckled and replied. ¡°After that person appeared, things like this often happen.¡± The person she mentioned, of course, meant Yeongwoo. And right at that moment. Quaaa! Yeongwoo, who was leading from the front, stopped Negwig. Finally, because they could see the Cheongdam Bridge connecting Gangnam and Gwangjin, the problem was. Quaaaaa¡­¡­! About seventy percent of the Cheongdam Bridge was already engulfed by the ck rain. ¡®No matter how you look at it, it¡¯s abnormal weather. Can I take these people inside?¡¯ Since Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t immune to all abnormal weather, he couldn¡¯t move recklessly. So, what he thought was. ¡®Since I had to make it rain golden rain in Gangnam anyway, if ites this far, I¡¯ll use the orb.¡¯ The hidden effect of the golden rain, which is to release abnormal weather. ¡°I should prepare to sprinkle some rain.¡± As Yeongwoo said this, the golden goblin rummaged through its pouch and took out a golden orb. -Kik! And at that moment. Kurrrrng¡­¡­! The sound of thunder from the pitch-ck clouds seemed to being from directly above them. Taat, tatat! Then, irregr footsteps began to be heard from inside the darkness-shrouded Cheongdam Bridge. ¡°Huh¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Huh.¡± Naturally, all eyes in the audience turned to the Cheongdam Bridge. While most thought it was the footsteps of a mutant, Yeongwoo¡¯s opinion differed. -Gyaaaong. The Fearful-cat, still with its eyes wide open, was looking beyond the dark clouds above the Cheongdam Bridge. And above all. Taat¡­ Tatat! The rhythm of the problem footsteps was familiar for some reason. ¡°It¡­ It seems to be a person?¡± As Yeongwoo, who realized something, alone guided Negwig towards the direction of the bridge, Jeonggu¡¯s voice was heard from behind. ¡°Be, be careful! Yeongwoo¡­!¡± And almost at the same moment. ¡­Taat! Now, from within the ck rain that had swallowed nearly ny percent of the Cheongdam Bridge, a person of a small build staggered out. Tatat. The person in question was none other than. ¡°Oh¡­ oh¡­!¡± It was Kim Hyeonggyu, the Eunpyeong Strongest Sword, who looked almost like he was about to cry with joy when he saw Jeong Yeongwoo. He was a rookie who joined the Seoul Alliance after the Strongest Sword gathering in Paju. ¡°Yeongwoo!¡± Hyeonggyu came towards Yeongwoo with his arms outstretched, looking almost like he was melting into the mud. Upon seeing the broken sword in his right hand, Yeongwoo asked. ¡°What happened to this?¡± And as Hyeonggyu passed by Negwig tremblingly, as if he needed to escape from something. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s so strong¡­ All my money was taken away.¡± ¡°What, what happened? Did someone rob you? My ten million?¡± At the dreadful news, Yeongwoo perked up his ears, and just then, the rain that hadpletely engulfed the Cheongdam Bridge began to pour over Yeongwoo and Negwig. Quaaaaa¡­¡­! At that moment, a feeling of exhaustion swept over him, and his stomach turned queasy. ¡°What¡¯s this? It seems like there¡¯s a debuff attached to the rainwater.¡± And then. Thud! ¡°¡­?¡± Boom! A heavy footstep echoed from inside the dark Cheongdam Bridge. This was unmistakably a sound of something inhuman. Upon this, Yeongwoo slowly withdrew the sidearm from his hip and gradually retreated Negwig backwards. He didn¡¯t want to fight on top of the Cheongdam Bridge, for fear of copsing it. ¡®It looks like the fight is going to happen in Gangnam this time.¡¯ Fortunately in the midst of misfortune, this area was a park, so as long as the battle didn¡¯t drag on too long, nearby residences wouldn¡¯t be destroyed. Thud! Soon, the footsteps sounded much closer than before. And then suddenly. Bang! With a weighty metallic sound, a massive iron club was mmed into the end point of the Cheongdam Bridge. ¡°What¡­?¡± Seeing the size of the club, Yeongwoo sensed that the opponent¡¯s stature must be enormous. And indeed. Kwoong! The owners of the iron club that appeared next revealed gigantic figures. -Kruuk. In front of Yeongwoo were two Yakshas, each standing at a towering height of 5 meters. ¡°Huh? Yakshas?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened as he confirmed the monsters¡¯ appearance. As far as he remembered, North Korea¡¯s dictator Kim Jong-un was supposed to return as the Golden Yaksha. So naturally, the mutants he brought along should be. ¡®¡­Yakshas.¡¯ Just as Yeongwoo reached this conclusion, the object held in the left hand of the second Yaksha caught his attention. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that my money pouch?¡± Pointing with his hand while pushing aside the rain, Yeongwoo used the problem object, causing the Yaksha to re at him with malicious intent. -Kruuk. ¡°Not this, this one, you bastard.¡± Bang! Yeongwoo threatened with the Bastard menacingly as he activated the golden orb held aloft by the golden goblin with the other hand. Although his heart was racing with the prospect of losing tens of millions of karma right before his eyes, he couldn¡¯t afford to lose the fight. Shuaaaaat! The orb soon made contact with Yeongwoo and exploded into a golden trajectory, pushing back the ck rain from the sky. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 199 Chapter 199 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 199: Mr. Kim (1) ¡°Ah¡­.¡± Thanks to Jeong Yeongwoo, they had already seen this scene several times, but the members of Strongest Swords could not help but have a mesmerized expression as always. Whoa¡­! As golden waves began to spread in the midst of dark clouds, the area around Cheongdam Bridge, which had been dark, began to brighten again. It was as if morning wasing. ¡°¡­I-It¡¯s amazing.¡± Just as Jeonggu opened his mouth in awe, the ck rain that had been approaching Strongest Sword¡¯s feet beyond Cheongdam Bridge disappeared without a trace. Pop! And then. Shooo¡­! Golden figures falling from the sky filled the space. It was the beginning of golden rain falling across Gangnam District. ¡¶Strongest Sword¡¯s ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo 07¡¯ has given up exclusive control of 3 million karma and gifted 30,000 karma to all Gangnam residents.¡· Soon after, as usual, Yeongwoo¡¯s golden rain distribution notification appeared. ¡¶30,000 karma will soon be distributed inmemorative coin form. Get ready.¡· Even instructions on how to receive the money appeared. ¡°Huh¡­.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± The members of Strongest Sword on the left were still staring at a spot in the air, unable to look away. The reason being. Goooo¡­! Another presence hidden in the darkness above Cheongdam Bridge was revealed. It was a metal furnace floating above the bridge, the size of a typical detached house. ¡°W-What is that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like that before.¡± ¡°Is it a mutant¡­ or something?¡± As Strongest Swords blinked in surprise, the ¡®furnace¡¯ that had been showered in golden rain along with everyone else spoke for the first time. ¨DWhere¡­ is this ce? Unlike the sinister aura that brought the ck rain, the ¡®furnace¡¯ seemed equally impressed by the golden rain as the Strongest Swords. Especially against the backdrop of the sky in Gangnam, where high-rise buildings were well preserved and bathed in golden light, how astonishing must it have appeared to the furnace, or rather, to Kim Jong-un¡¯s eyes. Pop, pop! Following that, in front of everyone, coins suddenly appeared in threes. Strongest Swords reached out btedly for thememorative coins, and the furnace spoke again. ¨DDistribution¡­? Seeing that he didn¡¯t continue, it seemed he secretly hoped for coins to fall to him as well. ¡°You won¡¯t get any money from me, you bastard.¡± Yeongwoo immediately provoked him, cutting off his expectations. ck! He aimed his bow at the furnace in the sky. Of course, this was the Cheongdam Bridge, which should be preserved as much as possible. However, since the furnace showed no signs of movement, Yeongwoo judged that he needed to provoke the guy first. And above all. ¡®He¡¯s a fifth-day mutant. And a top figure in North Korea at that. So he won¡¯t crash immediately from this.¡¯ Having already shed with high-risk mutants in Seoul once, he didn¡¯t think the attack would cause the bridge to copse. And indeed. Phew! As soon as an arrow of mercy flew out from the forefront of the white saturation. Whoa! A huge explosion urred right in front of Yeongwoo. Boom! Surprisingly, one of the two yakshas who had been confronting him blocked the arrow with his body. -Thwack! Startled by the sudden explosion, Negwig quickly withdrew his leg. It was to protect Yeongwoo, whom he was carrying. But Yeongwoo was busy watching the yakshas who were walking out amidst the purple smoke. ¡®They reacted in that brief moment? How¡­?¡¯ He had imagined the arrow would hit the furnace and bounce off, never imagining it would be blocked by just some small fries. These yakshas probably won¡¯t use local swordsmanship or unique martial arts. Therefore, their immediate reaction was unexpected, meaning they had only responded with their basic abilities. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°They¡¯reing over!¡± As the yakshas finally stepped out of Cheongdam Bridge and onto the park grounds, the Strongest Swords, who had been in spectator mode until then, all drew their weapons at once. Shoo! Jeong Yeongwoo would have to fight against a formidable opponent. With this kind of mutant, turning Seoul into ruins was just a matter of time. However, Yeongwoo actually rushed to restrain them. ¡°Everyone, step back¡­! These are not opponents you can handle!¡± What does it mean that these guys havee down to Gwangjin-gu? ¡®As expected, it seems like Pyongyang¡¯s Strongest Sword couldn¡¯t defeat Kim Jong-un. No, it¡¯s probably more urate to say they couldn¡¯t even break his subordinates.¡¯ These monsters even sensed and blocked covert arrows. So, the Strongest Swords of Seoul, who had built up their martial arts in a logical manner, couldn¡¯t possibly deal with them. ¡°Spear¡­!¡± As Yeongwoo raised his voice and increased Negwig¡¯s speed, the golden goblin running alongside him pulled out a long spear from a spatial pocket. -Kit! ¡¸Armor Cutter¡¹ ¨C Mutant Spear ¡¾50% reduction in physical damage resistance ignored.¡¿ He chose this because he had seen the yaksha not even flinch when hit by an arrow. While the purple explosion was a special attribute, the arrow¡¯s attack itself was physical damage. Thud! Finally holding the steel armor cutter in his hand, Yeongwoo charged forward, holding the spear horizontally like ance. Swoosh, swoosh! As the yaksha sensed the threat and aimed at him, they gripped the iron clubs they hadid on the ground with both hands. Thump. And simultaneously. ¡¸Sensory values temporarily increased from the previous 3,300 to 5,426.¡¹ ¡¸Sensory values temporarily increased from the previous 5,426 to 7,570.¡¹ Yeongwoo¡¯s sensory values skyrocketed rapidly. Each of the yakshas basic sensory values exceeded 4,000. ¡°This is insane.¡± Since he had already anticipated this, Yeongwoo gripped the spear even tighter. Swoosh, swoosh! And then. -Kruk. -Kraa¡­! The Yakshas swung their clubs furiously, and Yeongwoo, along with Negwig, flew into their trajectory like bullets. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± ¡°Oh my god.¡± It was like a sh of spears. The Strongest Swords, who had btedly rushed towards the Yakshas, stopped in their tracks as they witnessed the giant clubs swinging down. When those guys moved their heavy arms, an extraordinary st of air emanated from the monstrous clubs. ¡°What the¡­?¡± ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± It was a moment that allowed one to understand why Yongsan¡¯s Strongest Sword Kim Doha had surrendered to Jeong Hyunsik in just one exchange. [PR/N: Am I the only one confused? Why is this mentioned here?] Unable to advance any further when that absurd st of air reached their skin, they just couldn¡¯t muster the courage to go on. And in the midst of that. -Baaah! With the war horn of the Pofu Tenta, Yeongwoo shed with the Yakshas. However, the reality was far from what everyone had expected. Squeak! The ¡®Steel Armor Cutter¡¯ he had thrust forward into the fray didn¡¯t pierce through the club swung by the first Yaksha and bounced off into the sky. Meanwhile, the second Yaksha kicked Negwig¡¯s chest, knocking him off bnce. Pwooock! -Thwack! Negwig, experiencing his first attack sinceing to Earth, let out a startled cry as he crashed to the ground, and Yeongwoo, riding on top of him, also fell to the ground. And then the second Yaksha, as if waiting, raised his club to smash Negwig¡¯s head to pieces. Boooom! [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] A terrifying sound that tore through the air. ¡°¡­!¡± As the ominous trajectory descended vertically above Negwig¡¯s head, a golden trajectory flew in and barely blocked the club. Krrraaaang! -Weeeeeng! The automaticbat greatsword with Prisoner¡¯s Martial Arts entered, as it knew very well how important a resource Negwig was. ¨DThe supposed elite of the Strongest Swords couldn¡¯t even stand properly¡­! All they have are just tricks, aren¡¯t they? Thinking he had finally grasped the situation, the voice inside the furnace chuckled softly without any response from Yeongwoo, who was now crawling out from under Negwig. Seeing this unexpected sight, Jeonggu, who had not run to the furnace until now, yelled at the furnace. ¡°Hey, you! What¡¯s the point of hiding in there and babbling? If you¡¯re so confident,e down right now! I, Dobong¡¯s Strongest Sword Kim Jeonggu, will take you on!¡± Then Jeonggu reached out to the golden goblin and gave a clumsy order. ¡°Wea-weapons¡­!¡± Whatever it was, it was an order to present a usable weapon from the pouch¡­ No, it was actually a request. -Kit. However, the golden goblin clearly refused by retracting its muzzle. ¡°That guy?¡± From the goblin¡¯s perspective, Kim Jeonggu wasn¡¯t its master, and¡­ ¨C Ki¡­! At least, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t seem to be in a disadvantageous position in its eyes. ¡°Huh?¡± As everyone watched the golden goblin and Jeonggu, Oh Yeonhee, who had been keeping an eye on Yeongwoo, suddenly widened her eyes. Yeongwoo, who had crawled out from under Negwig, was deftly swinging a spear towards the first Yaksha. ¡°Haah!¡± And that, too, while firmly nted on both feet. ¨C Grk¡­! Surprised by this sudden attack, the first Yaksha attempted to block the assault with his club, but: ¡¾Contempt for the weak¡¿ |This weapon¡¯s attack can only be blocked by equipment surpassing myth-grade. The de of Bastard easily sliced through the piece of metal the Yaksha was holding, as if cutting tofu, and into the Yaksha¡¯s abdomen. Pwooook! Even the thick-looking skin of the Yaksha seemed to soften greatly in front of Bastard, and soon, brownish organs spilled out, dirtying the ground. Shwaaat! An absurdly asymmetrical disy of power. ¨C Ugh, ugh¡­! With one sh from Yeongwoo, the abdomen split open, and the first Yaksha desperately tried to shield his belly with his hands. His grotesque head naturally drooped, and before the second Yaksha could intervene, the first one¡¯s head rolled off. Sscheaaat! It was Bastard that struck again. Peeoook! Showing how heavy a head could be, the Yaksha¡¯s head didn¡¯t even rotate once as it hit the ground. And to the surprise of the second Yaksha: ¨C Ugh¡­ With his thick lips pursed, he opted to retreat. Ku-kung! He began to dart towards the side street, avoiding Yeongwoo who stood in his way, realizing that there was no fighting against an unstoppable attack. Kung, kung! Of course, the most unsettled by the scene of the fleeing Yaksha was undoubtedly the furnace in the sky. ¨DHalt! For those who flee the battlefield, death awaits¡­! Ssss¡­ As the enraged ¡®furnace¡¯ made a growl and moved forward, its position finally moved beyond the Cheongdam Bridge. Now they could shoot arrows at the furnace or bombard it withsers to their heart¡¯s content. ¡®Of course, thetter is a story for when the cannon ispleted.¡¯ Kung, kukuung! Amidst all this, the second Yaksha was still running towards the city center, and seeing this, Yeongwoo muttered to himself, unheard by others: ¡°Sir¡­ General, can you hear me? Did you get the generator?¡± But naturally, there was no reply. Even if he had bought a generator and was watching this moment on television, there was no way to send a message. The only means ofmunication, if any, was¡­ ¡°Um.¡± Yeongwoo silently activated the ¡®irvoyance¡¯ and saw the fleeing second Yaksha¡¯s buttocks, already quite far away, with a 5x magnification. Then, roughly 5 secondster, he looked at the anticipated point where the guy would be located. Yeongwoo, who had practiced mounted archery before, found it not difficult to anticipate the movement of the target running at a certain speed. Didn¡¯t he shoot Wyverns flying around with arrows before? ¡²|l||I-Earth-482-182-4051-72¡³ This was the coordinate of the anticipated point where the guy would arrive. Yeongwoo looked at the number and pronounced it aloud. ¡°Earth, 482, 182, 4051, 72. Can you confirm?¡± He cautiously ryed the coordinates in a small voice. But theser cannon didn¡¯t fire, and Yeongwoo shouted loudly. ¡°Earth! 482! 182! 4051! 72!¡± However, even after 3 seconds, 4 seconds, and eventually 5 seconds passed, theser cannon still didn¡¯t fire. ¡®Could it be that they haven¡¯t bought the generator yet? Or maybe theser cannon is not fullypleted?¡¯ Both scenarios were possible. So, Yeongwoo hurriedly picked up the whistle. Anyway, he could catch that guy if he chased him now, but it would be a different story if Kim Jong-un was inside that furnace. And already, he was emitting something¡­ strange. So, eventually¡­ Swish. The moment Yeongwoo raised the whistle near his mouth. Phew-yeet! A very alien sound came from beyond the sky. ¡°Huh?¡± Yeongwoo looked up, wondering if he misheard. Pwaaah! An incredibly thickser beam shot through the clouds. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°No¡­!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± The Strongest Swords in the audience instinctively recoiled in surprise, and Oh Yeonhee saw even the furnace in the sky momentarily stagger. And at that moment, Yeongwoo witnessed it. Kwaaaaah! Just the slight grazing of theser beam¡¯s periphery was enough to annihte the second Yaksha who had already left the arrival point. ¡°¡­!¡± Due to his friends firing aser with an output too high, not only the requested bombardment point but also its surroundings werepletely devastated. Upon this, Yeongwoo¡­ Swoosh. He turned around and looked at the spot between the furnace and the Strongest Sword. Then he shouted loudly. ¡°Earth! 482! 182! 3265! 08!¡± Upon hearing this, all the Strongest Sword in the audience began to flee. [TL/N: ?? bro] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 200 Chapter 200 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 200: Mr. Kim (2) ¡°482, 182¡­¡­¡± Tap, tap. General Kim Younghyeom, who was tapping the keypad, suddenly stopped. Then he turned around and shouted. ¡°What, what was next? 3 what?¡± At that moment, CEO Kim Taejoon, who was watching the television on the other side, stretched out his arms and expressed the numbers. ¡°Three-two-six-five-zero-eight!¡± It was apletion signal he had learned during his youth as an 81mm mortar soldier. Despite the considerable time that had passed, he thought he wouldn¡¯t remember, but it was such an intuitive movement that he could somewhat reproduce it. 3265, 08. These numbers were coordinates ryed by Jeong Yeongwoo on television for the second shelling. And judging by Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze now, the target this time was¡­ ¡°General, this time it¡¯s falling onto the airship that Kim Jong-un is aboard.¡± ¡°Mm¡­ Is that true?¡± General Kim Younghyeom, a colonel in the army. Former director of the Army Headquarters Policy Office. He belonged to the hardline faction to the extent that he openly stated in a national defense speech, ¡®If North Korea fires one missile, we should fire two.¡¯ But now he had actuallye to the point of firing missiles¡­ No, firingser cannons at Kim Jong-un. However. ¡°Three-two-six¡­ Five, zero¡­ Eight.¡± The only w in his role as a warrior against the North was that he tapped the keypad slowly like an eagle. The reason the first shelling was dyed by two beats was also because of this. Of course, in return. ¡°Coordinates inputplete. Fire!¡± His demeanor did not allow imitations. Perhaps it was because he had fallen for Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s trick that he was now trapped here wearing white pajamas instead of a military uniform, where he could have a showdown with Kim Jong-un. But now that the brat had actually kept his promise, there was no moreint. -Weeiiiiing. Eventually, theser cannon with the input coordinates tilted its long barrel about 3 degrees to the right. And then. Kugugugugugu¡­! It gathered enough energy to shake the entire room of the returnee. Pfuwaaaaaaaaaack! It fired high-concentration energy into the empty space. And at this moment, General Kim Younghyeom¡­ Tap! He was making a dignified salute toward the end of the barrel. He was sending his regards to those who were directly fighting Kim Jong-un, including Yeongwoo. Then, Kim Taejoon, who was watching the television intently, reported the situation urgently with a desperate voice. ¡°It¡¯s falling now!¡± At this, not only General Kim Younghyeom but also Yeongtae, who was umting energy by stepping on the ¡°pedal¡± on the other side, rushed to the television. The reason these three couldn¡¯t input the coordinates while watching the television simultaneously was purely due to the physical distance problem. In order to operate the television constantly, it had to be connected to the generator installed automatically in the middle of the returnee¡¯s room, which inevitably created a distance from theser cannon¡¯s coordinate input device. Perhaps this was why there was a separaterge television on the menu board. Moreover, theser cannon was structured to rotate the pedal connected to the energy charging module to prepare for the next shot. So Yeongtae, the youngest, operated the pedal, and General Kim, in the position ofmander, took charge of inputting the coordinates. ¡°Wow.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯sing¡­!¡± Gradually, the battlefield on the television turned white, and theser beam covering the furnace was visible. ¡°Whoa¡­ Isn¡¯t the firepower too strong? If it¡¯s that powerful, wouldn¡¯t even Yeongwoo be overwhelmed?¡± Since theser cannon was not fully assembled yet and some modules were missing, it seemed that one of them was an output control module. Although there was an output control lever on the input side, it didn¡¯t actually work even though all the power was in. ¡°Is that brat gonna die just because he¡¯s hit by aser? It¡¯ll be fine.¡± General Kim, who didn¡¯t know how powerful a weapon he was firing, said so. Then finally. Swooosh! As theser bombardment that covered the screen in white ended, the situation at the entrance to Cheongdam Park began to reveal. Swoooosh¡­ Due to the high-energy, the entire park area was now reduced to ashes, with not a single de of grass left. And the problem furnace that Yeongwoo and his friends had targeted was no longer floating in the air. Instead. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°¡­What¡¯s that?¡± Even on the low-resolution ck-and-white screen, a huge presence sitting on the ground with a rxed pose seemed concerning. ¡°That¡¯s Kim Jong-un¡¯s main body. No wonder he didn¡¯t die even after taking that hit.¡± General Kim Younghyeom pointed at Kim Jong-un on the television with his finger. Then, CEO Kim Taejoon, who had been staring at the screen, furrowed his brow and examined Kim Jong-un¡¯s head more closely. ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°General, take a closer look. Doesn¡¯t this face look familiar to you?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± General Kim Younghyeom finally realized that Kim Jong-un had three heads. He looked at the left head pointed out by Taejoon and his mouth fell open. ¡°Kim Jong-il¡­!¡± Though his eyes were closed as if he were sleeping, he was certain. That was Kim Jong-il¡¯s face. Then, Yeongtae tilted his head and flicked the right head with his finger. ¡°And who¡¯s this?¡± Kim Jong-il, and Kim Jong-un. But on the right side, there was another head asleep. Of course, Younghyeom and Taejoon instantly recognized whose face it was. ¡°Kim Il-sung¡­ That¡¯s Kim Il-sung.¡± ¡°¡­Could it really be Kim Il-sung?¡± ¡°The first of the North. It seems the three of them were dragged out of hell together.¡± General Kim Younghyeom said this with gritted teeth. But at the same time, his face was filled with undeniable delight. ¡°How many rounds of ammunition are left?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve used them all. We need to step on the pedal again to recharge the energy.¡± As Yeongtae said this, General Kim Younghyeom suddenly rushed towards the pedal without hesitation. ¡°General?¡± ¡°What are you doing? Quickly, turn the pedal! Yeongwoo will call us soon! Hurry!¡± * * * Geumgang Yaksha. One of the five great kings of Buddhism, a guardian deity of the North with three faces, six arms, and weapons. Of course, it was ironic that this being, said to exterminate demons, was given to Kim Jong-un¡¯s mutant body, which could be considered a demon itself¡­ ¡®Having three heads does seem fitting in a way.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Standing tall with both feet nted firmly, Yeongwoo looked at the Geumgang Yaksha sitting far away. [Dictator ¨C Kim Jong-un] As expected, Kim Jong-un, transformed into Geumgang Yaksha, appeared within the shattered furnace due to theser bombardment. He had the three heads and six arms as widely known, each arm holding the weapons unique to Geumgang Yaksha. The thunderbolt-wielding god, Vajra. The dharma staff producing the sound of a bell, Ghanta. The wheel of dharma symbolizing Buddhist teachings, Dharma Wheel. And the other three hands held a bow and arrow and a sword to vanquish demons. Even the weapons of the materialized Geumgang Yaksha were ¡°original.¡± ¡®Then each one probably has different functions. It won¡¯t be an easy opponent, considering thebat power of the two Geumgang Yakshas he brought with him.¡¯ Especially since he brought his father and grandfather. Wouldn¡¯t that make him three times as powerful as usual? Yeongwoo alternated his gaze between the remaining two heads that Kim Jong-un was wearing, unable to believe even after seeing them directly. Although the skin was close to blue and elongated incisors were visible, the shape of the face was clearly that of North Korea¡¯s former dictators, Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il. For some reason, all three generations of the Kim family were embodied in one body. ¡®Why is that? Is it rted to Karma?¡¯ Everything that happened in this universe was recorded in detail as ¡°ledger,¡± and based on this, the cosmic value and status of all beings were determined. So it was inevitable that the appearance of the three dictators in this ce was somehow rted to the records engraved in the ledger. Swish. As Yeongwoo checked the coordinates to request the third bombardment, Kim Jong-un, who had been closing his eyes, lifted his eyelids. ¡¸You¡­!¡¹ Although he had been pretending to be calm, he was also afraid of theser beam. Mocking his opponent openly, Yeongwoo shouted the coordinates. ¡°Earth! 482! 182! 3264! 11!¡± Then, Kim Jong-un, much to Yeongwoo¡¯s surprise, looked up at the sky in panic. His legs, which had been crossed to turn the body, were already touching the ground as he was about to run away. ¡¸Eeek..!¡¹ Contrary to Yeongwoo¡¯s expectations, Kim Jong-un leaves looking very cowardly. ¡°¡­.?¡± Yeongwoo realized after staring at him nkly for a moment that despite the time that had passed, theser cannon had not fired. ¡®Oh, could it be that the number of bombardments is predetermined?¡¯ Thud, thud, thud! Meanwhile, Kim Jong-un, towering at 7 meters tall, had already fled far away, slicing through the airspace of Gangnam-gu. ¡®That bastard?¡¯ Yeongwoo immediately saw through the fact that he was intentionally running towards the city center to avoid theser bombardment. Knowing well that he wouldn¡¯t be subjected to the absurd bombardment he saw earlier if he caught residents. But. Thunk, thunk, thud! Just when it seemed like Kim Jong-un was escaping sessfully, he suddenly stumbled and fell forward beforepletely leaving the park premises. ¡°Whoa, what¡¯s wrong with that idiot?¡± With Bastard drawn, Yeongwoo quickly ran towards him. At this moment, it seemed like he could grab his chin even without a bombardment. Tap, tap! Yeongwoo quickly closed the distance between him and Kim Jong-un to within 10 meters, allowing him to notice that the front face of the fallen Geumgang Yaksha was someone other than Kim Jong-un. That person was none other than¡­ ¡¸Is that¡­ Jong-un?¡¹ Finally, the awakened former dictator, Kim Jong-il, appeared. With consciousness returning to his head, control over the body was taken away from his son. Of course, there seemed to be no intention at the moment. Because¡­ Swoosh. In an instant, Kim Jong-il¡¯s head turned back to the left, reiming the front, instead of Kim Jong-un. ¡¸Yes, Father. I¡¯m back!¡¹ And with that, the figure lying on the ground started fleeing again. Thunk, thunk! ¡¸What¡¯s going on now? Jong-un, where are we?¡¹ This time, Kim Jong-il¡¯s voice came from the side without taking over the front, observing the situation while watching what his son was doing. ¡¸Here, in South Korea.¡¹ ¡¸What¡­ South Korea?¡¹ Only then did Kim Jong-il open his eyes wide and look around. And then he saw the Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, who was chasing them from behind. The golden glint in his eyes, the sharp sword already drawn from its sheath. Even Kim Jong-il, who was still unfamiliar with this world, could see that he was an enemy. ¡¸Why¡­ why are you running away? Fight! The enemy is right in front of you¡­!¡¹ As Kim Jong-il, watching Yeongwoo from the side, felt something, his lips trembled. And then¡­ Crack! The Geumgang Yaksha, which was desperately fleeing, convulsed once again. ¡¸Gah¡­!¡¹ This time, both Dictators groaned, and Yeongwoo looked closely. ¡®No way.¡¯ Both Kim Jong-un and Kim Jong-il, their heads were pushed to the side. And that meant¡­ ¡¸Oh¡­¡¹ It meant that the third head, Kim Il-sung, had awakened. Crash! As soon as Kim Il-sung gained control of the body, he stopped the body that was about to crash into the ground, just like earlier. And then¡­ Thud, thud, thud. Raising the majestic figure upright, he adjusted the weapons held in his six hands one by one. Then, the two Dictators, who had not dared to return from the side to the front, cautiously opened their mouths. ¡¸¡­Father! This¡­ foolish son is finally paying his respects¡­¡¹ ¡¸Ha¡­ grandfather?¡¹ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 201 Chapter 201 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 201: Three Generations (1) ¡°What is all this?¡± Kim Il-sung, the first dictator of North Korea. As he alternated between examining his own body and six weapons, Yeongwoo, who approached from behind his opponent, swung his sword with all his might. Ssshaaaat! It was because he instinctively felt that Kim Il-sung was apletely different entity from the previous two dictators. It was not only because he immediately regained control of his body upon consciousness, or because he recognized the weapon in his hand. The moment Yeongwoo felt ominous was none other than¡­ [Archery, Call of God has been activated.] The epic-grade archery ¡°Call of God¡± was activated simultaneously with Kim Il-sung¡¯s appearance. ¡®¡­So archery hadn¡¯t been applied until now?¡¯ Of course, that wasn¡¯t an immediate problem. ¡¸Call of God¡¹ ¨C Epic Archery ¡¾If you have enough faith, you can even reach the gods with your arrows.¡¿ An epic archery that allows arrows to reach the gods. What does it mean that this archery, which had been dormant against Kim Jong-un and Kim Jong-il, began to work only after Kim Il-sung appeared? ¡®This guy was the real deal¡­!¡¯ The dictator of North Korea. The greatest adversary of North Korea. It was none other than Kim Il-sung, the first dictator of the North, who could be called the epitome of hereditary dictatorship. ¡®But this bastard¡¯s bloodline ends here!¡¯ As Yeongwoo thought that, de of the Bastard was already heading towards Kim Il-sung¡¯s neck, he felt he had ovee a major crisis. It meant he could strike his neck before Kim Il-sung adapted to this world. ¡¸Ah, Father!¡¹ Of course, as Kim Jong-il, who had to look back due to Kim Il-sung¡¯s presence in the forefront, watched the scene where Yeongwoo¡¯s sword was about to strike, he realized. ¡®But it¡¯s toote¡­!¡¯ Yeongwoo, who anticipated victory, swung the de to the end. Sshhhaat! And at the same moment. ¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹ Kim Il-sung wriggled his eyebrows. ¡¸Sensory values have temporarily increased from the original 3,300 to 6,824.¡¹ ¡®What¡­?¡¯ Sensory values increased by 3,525 due to the Golden sh. This meant that the opponent¡¯s basic senses exceeded 7,000. ¡®Unbelievable.¡¯ And at the same time as this unbelievable notification. Ka-ahng! ¡°¡­¡­!¡± It was something Yeongwoo thought was impossible. ¡¸I don¡¯t know what it is, but it seems we¡¯ve be a joke.¡¹ Kim Il-sung struck Yeongwoo with the golden club. ¡¾Contempt for the weak¡¿ |This weapon¡¯s attacks can only be blocked by equipment beyond mythological grade. This meant that either the golden club or the body of the Yaksha itself was equivalent to a mythological grade. And unsurprisingly. Ping! [Achievement Unlocked: ck Legend] |Achievement Grade: Epic |Achievement Rank: #2 ¡¸Face the legendary evil.¡¹ Achievements are automatically achieved ording to conditions, and all stats have increased by 100 due to the epic ring Idealist. Of course, Yeongwoo, who was greatly shocked, didn¡¯t pay attention to the increase in stats notification. ¡®Blocking¡­ blocking the Bastard? Then originally, wasn¡¯t it a certain destruction when he appeared here?¡¯ Estimated average stat value, minimum 7,000. Plus the existential status that can physically block mythical weapons. Yeongwoo finally felt the ¡°destruction¡±. No, this monster was indeed the embodiment of destruction. Because generally, no one could possess the power to confront it. ¡®¡­Why? Why can such an existence appear? Then what was the point of people struggling to be stronger all this time?¡¯ While Yeongwoo showed signs of distress at his first encounter with his opponent, the golden club that was in contact with his de began to glow yellow. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± At the same time, a hologram appeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s field of vision as if space was being split apart. ¡°Insane!¡¯ Yeongwoo hurriedly moved his body. Then, by a hair¡¯s breadth, a huge lightning bolt struck the spot where he had been. Kwajik! ¡®You¡¯re really wielding lightning¡­?¡¯ Golden club, a divine tool that controls lightning. As soon as Yeongwoo saw the lightning strike, he immediately rushed towards his opponent again. Taat! ¡¸Father! He¡¯sing again!¡¹ Kim Jong-il screamed in terror, while on the opposite side, Kim Jong-un had seen something of his own and shouted a scream-like line. ¡¸T-The sword ising again¡­!¡¹ What Kim Jong-un saw was the automatedbat greatsword ¡®Golden Trail¡¯, which had made arge turn and was attempting a surprise attack from the right side. -Weeiiing! ¡¸Aaaah! He¡¯sing! Help¡­!¡¹ Grandson Kim Jong-un. And son Kim Jong-il. Although it had been a long time, or rather, even beyond death, when the two bloodlines met again, Kim Il-sung couldn¡¯t help feeling annoyed. With the two guys sticking close to each other¡¯s heads and screaming like cowards, how could it look pretty? ¡¸Shut up, you brats!¡¹ With a pathetic expression, Kim Il-sung, holding a longsword in one hand, blocked Yeongwoo¡¯s Bastard with that hand, and with the other hand holding a bow, he blocked the Golden Trail. Taaaang! Or rather, he only partially blocked it. ¡¸Hmm?¡¹ This time, the Bastard bypassed the longsword Kim Il-sung was holding, cutting across his side, or in other words, halfway shing Kim Jong-il¡¯s neck. ¡¸Ah, Father¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Uh? Dad!¡¹ Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong-un eximed, each calling out to their father. And Kim Il-sung was also surprised by this attack. It was just now that he learned that the Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¯s attack could sometimes not be blocked. And Yeongwoo also began to learn about his opponent¡¯s characteristics. ¡®At least the longsword isn¡¯t of mythical grade.¡¯ Instead, the Golden Club is definitely of mythical grade. Then what about the other equipment? ¡®I¡¯ll figure it out as we continue to fight.¡¯ As Yeongwoo was about to push forward with the momentum for the next attack, Kim Il-sung stepped back and shouted. ¡¸Jong-il¡­!¡¹ Then, with the hand on the leftmost top, he rotated his Dharma Wheel. Ssruk. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] As the Dharma Wheel emitted a golden light and ignited, surprisingly¡­ Shiriiing! Kim Jong-il¡¯s neck, which was almost cut off, was sealed back. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Seeing this, Yeongwoo sensed that the Dharma Wheel was also a mythical grade weapon. So probably. ¡®That golden club is probably also of mythical grade. Then, the longsword, bow, and arrows are not mythical.¡¯ Among the six weapons, exactly half are mythical grade. ¡¸Father!¡¹ In the meantime, Kim Jong-il, who had returned from the brink of death, shed tears over his father¡¯s pale cheek and called out to him continuously. When he was alive, he was so afraid of being assassinated that he never rode a ne and was extremely reluctant to go outside North Korea. And now, he was suddenly brought to South Korea and faced a sword attack, so it was no wonder he was surprised. ¡¸¡­You ugly bastard. You¡¯re still so afraid.¡¹ Kim Il-sung scolded his son with a slightly more angry voice than before. ¡¸What did you do to end up like this? Who is he?¡¹ Swooosh. Eventually, Kim Il-sung pointed to the Joseon Strongest Sword with the Golden Club and asked. Then Kim Jong-il rolled his eyes back, struggling to answer. This meant that Kim Jong-un, who had lived in this world until recently, would know about it. So Kim Jong-un said. ¡¸Th¡­ There was a rebellion.¡¹ With the convenient term ¡®rebellion¡¯, he summed up theplicated event of the reset. So Yeongwoo said, ¡°What? Your annihtion vote had almost all the citizens of your country voting. Can you call that a rebellion?¡± Hwaaat! Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes began to emit golden shes again. ¡°That¡¯s not a rebellion¡­¡± Taaat! ¡°It¡¯s judgmental!¡± As Yeongwoo released the authority of the Strongest Sword and rushed forward, a golden wave spread out from him. ¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹ At this, instead of hastily retaliating, Kim Il-sung stepped back and inserted an arrow into his bow. ¡¸The one who is ruled is always hostile to the ruler. Therefore, to prevent the execution of hostility, you must always keep the reins tight. My grandson seems to have failed in that.¡¹ ¡°¡­Crazy bastard.¡± Kim Il-sung. The protagonist of the North Korean dictatorship system and the perpetrator of the June 25 incident. And even more than theter dictators, he was the one who added more, there was no less. ¡¸Now, lie down again. I think I know why I¡¯ve returned here now.¡¹ Taat! When Kim Il-sung released the strong bowstring he had pulled, an enormous amount of energy gathered in front of the bowstring in an instant. Sssiiiaaaa! Although it was the right move for him to put everything aside and dodge first, the judgment of the Joseon Swordsmanship was different. ¡®What¡­ Block that?¡¯ Moreover, the Joseon Swordsmanship even disyed a ¡®break¡¯ mark on the ¡®Dharma wheel¡¯ held in Kim Il-sung¡¯s left arm. Shuuaaaat! In the meantime, the arrow Kim Il-sung had shot was already tearing through the air, and for a moment, the shape of the arrow was clearly visible to Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes. ¡®Ah¡­!¡¯ This was due to the synergy of the explosively increased sensory value due to sensory deprivation and the collection effect of the defense encyclopaedia. [Collection effect: 20] |Effects of designated equipment increased by 50% ¡¾Enemy attack ability reduced by 75%.¡¿ Even though his sensory value had surpassed 6,800, a weakened arrow flew toward him, making it look like slow motion. Taat! In the end, when Yeongwoo lightly brushed aside the arrow, including Kim Il-sung, the three generations of dictators opened their eyes wide. ¡¸Father! That¡¯s no ordinary guy either!¡¹ ¡¸Grandfather! Th-that guy with the arrow¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Shut up, you bastards!¡¹ While the three dictators spat out lines simultaneously, Yeongwoo immediately fired an arrow from the White Fire. Kkudddeudduk! The target was the Dharma Wheel, which had an unreasonable effect. ¨DBreak The Dharma wheel in question still had the ¡®break¡¯ mark of the Joseon Swordsmanship, and Yeongwoo immediately released his hand from the bowstring. Taat! Then. Puuushuuuuut! As usual, the specially crafted arrows of the Dogo, with the covert function attached, split into three and shot out on different trajectories. ¡®This¡­ is this God Calling?¡¯ The person who shot the arrows was surprised, so what about the opponent? ¡¸Aaaargh!¡¹ Kim Jong-il, who still vividly remembered the moment the sword slit his throat, suddenly screamed. And his son, Kim Jong-un, was equally terrified. ¡¸H-Hurry! Grandfather!¡¹ On the other hand, Kim Il-sung¡­ ¡¸Ugh¡­!¡¹ Opened his eyes wide and swung all six arms to deflect all three arrows that Yeongwoo had shot. Tatatang! ¡¸Huh¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Y-Yes!¡¹ The second and third dictators stopped screaming and looked at the first dictator as if he was different. However, even Kim Il-sung had momentarily forgotten the presence that had been left behind, and that was none other than¡­ -Weeiiing! It was the ¡®Golden Trail¡¯ that had tried to make a nk attack earlier but was repelled. Just as Yeongwoo shot the split arrows, it was attempting a rear attack again. Hwaeaaeaeaeak! And this time. Taeaaeang! It seeded in knocking the Dharma out of Kim Il-sung¡¯s hand. ¡¸Damn it!¡¹ ¡¸This brat¡­!¡¹ Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong-un gritted their teeth so hard that their fangs were fully exposed when they saw the Dharma Wheel, which had served as a kind of insurance, stuck in the ground. Even though he had allowed his throat to be cut once before, who could guarantee there wouldn¡¯t be a second time? And even then¡­ ¡¸I-It¡¯s real¡­ death¡­!¡¹ Kim Jong-un spat out a distorted voice, then suddenly flipped his eyeballs and moved his head position to the front. He had dared to snatch away Kim Il-sung¡¯s control over his body. ¡¸¡­What? Wh-What are you doing, Jong-un!¡¹ While Kim Jong-il scolded his mad son, the body of Kim Il-sung was already staggering away, showing his back to them. He turned his back on an opponent who possessed a mythical weapon. ¡¸This idiot must have messed up the country like this.¡¹ Kim Il-sung, in extreme anger, quickly rolled his eyes and looked backward. Then. ¡¸What¡¯s that bastard up to¡­?¡¹ The sight of Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, holding a whistle in his mouth, was visible. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 202 Chapter 202 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 202: Three Generations (2) ¡°You¡¯re watching everything, aren¡¯t you?¡± With a whistle in his mouth, Yeongwoo nced at the sky. It was probably a message to friends watching television in the returnee¡¯s room. ¡°When Kim Jong-un took over, he was a coward. When it was Kim Il-sung, it was battle mode. As for Kim Jong-il¡­ I¡¯m not sure.¡± After talking up to this point, Yeongwoo stared intently at Kim Il-sung, who was ring from the other side. Then, ¡°Phew.¡± He blew into the whistle as it was. Beep! The clear sound of the whistle echoed through the air. And from this point on. Saaa! The overall saturation suddenly decreased, causing even Kim Jong-un, who was running in the distance, to stop in his tracks. ¡¸What, what¡¯s happening now¡­?¡¹ Kim Jong-un looked up at the sky. He knew very well that for the crazyser bombardment to ur, the Joseon Strongest Sword had to call out coordinates. But just now, wasn¡¯t there no one reciting coordinates? All that the Joseon Strongest Sword did was just¡­ ¡¸You stupid bastard, it¡¯s a reinforcement!¡¹ Finally grasping the situation, Kim Il-sung moved his head to the front and regained control of his body. Swoosh. And then, Kim Jong-un, pushed aside again, opened his eyes wide. ¡¸Re, reinforcement?¡¹ As Kim Jong-un¡¯s question ended, a spot in the sky seemed to split open. Boom! Then, the voices familiar to Yeongwoo, and now even to Seoul¡¯s Strongest Sword, who were observing the battle from afar, began to echo one by one. ¡¸Yaaah!¡¹ ¡¸Aaah!¡¹ Inte broadcaster Hong Yeongtae, entrepreneur Kim Taejoon. They descended towards thending point with threatening gestures befitting former mutants. And finally. ¡¸I am themander of the Republic of Korea Army! I am Kim Younghyeom¡­!¡¹ Hardline armymander Kim Younghyeom. Zzzeet! With his white mane and beard ttened as he tore through the sky, he was the only one among the ¡®reinforcement forces¡¯ descending diagonally. Because he was heading straight for Kim Jong-un, not Kim Il-sung. ¡¸General! It¡¯s Kim Il-sung now¡­!¡¹ Seeing Yeongwoo noticing that Kim Jong-un¡¯s head was pushed aside and rushing out to warn him, General Kim with the face of a white tiger showed a pleased expression. ¡¸Kim Il-sung? Today is the greatest day of my life.¡¹ Hraaawr! He was already flying towards Kim Il-sung¡¯s head, so instead of backing off, he swung his foreleg forward. Swoosh! With a roar like thunder characteristic of a tiger, the white foreleg swung. In response, Kim Il-sung hurriedly blocked the tiger¡¯s w with a bow. Kriiing! It was because he was aware of the Joseon Strongest Sword who was already approaching. Just as Yeongwoo was concerned about Geumgang Yaksha¡¯s mythical equipment, the three generations of the Kim family were also concerned about the attacks of the Joseon Strongest Sword that ignored regr weapons. Of course, if Kim Jong-un had upied the front of his head now, he would have simply extended the bow without further thought. -Creek! As a result, when the first attack was easily blocked by the bow, enraged Kim Younghyeom spat at Kim Il-sung, baring his teeth. ¡¸Spit! You bastard!¡¹ ¡¸Why are these crazy bastards bothering me?¡¹ Since Kim Il-sung had never been spat at by a tiger in his life, he looked puzzled. And then. Tap-tap-tap! Sure enough, hearing the unmistakable footsteps of the Joseon Strongest Sword, Kim Il-sung turned his head to the side. ¡¸¡­Persistent.¡¹ Unintentionally, Kim Il-sung¡¯s gaze turned towards Yeongwoo¡¯s Bastard. Unlike Yeongwoo, he was unaware of the unique effect of Bastard, so he didn¡¯t know exactly when the sword would ignore the target. He just remembered that he could block it with the bowst time. So. Hraawr! He swung the bow again to meet Bastard. Kaaang! The third encounter between Yeongwoo and Kim Il-sung. And then, followed by the sound of a trumpet, Pofu Tenta fiercely distracted his mind, and next to him, a golden goblin was seen running with a Dharma wheel. ¡¸Hey? Father, that brat over there¡­!¡¹ Although Kim Jong-il, who happened to be looking in that direction, was frightened to see the approaching Dharma wheel, Kim Il-sung had no time to pay attention to such things. Boom, ng! In the meantime, he was too preupied dealing with the attacks of the Joseon Strongest Sword, which flew again like shes of lightning. Moreover. Thump, thump, thump! Behind this annoying Strongest Sword, two more mutants were rushing forward. None other than Youngtae and Taejun. ¡¸General!¡¹ ¡¸Hurry! This brat has too many arms!¡¹ As Kim Younghyeom said, the six arms of the Golden Yaksha moved simultaneously as if each were independent organisms. Although the longsword had been cut off by Yeongwoo¡¯s previous attack, there were still sword shafts under the hilt, which were ying the role of a dagger. Moreover, the sharp arrowhead at the end was itself a melee weapon. And most importantly. ¡®The Geumgang Ray has not been used yet. What¡¯s its effect?¡¯ Yeongwoo nced at the Geumgang Ray, which was not even being used as a weapon. It looked like a small bell with a handle attached. Whether the usage count was deducted when it shook, Kim Il-sung did not consciously swing it. ¡°General, is the bombardment over now? Was there a limit on the number of shots fired?¡± When Yeongwoo asked this question across Kim Il-sung¡¯s forearm, Kim Younghyeom on the other side growled in response. ¡¸It¡¯s rechargeable. If you turn it, you can fire one more shot within 10 seconds.¡¹ Of course, Kim Il-sung and the other two Kims also heard this conversation in between. ¡¸Huh¡­ there¡¯s another shot?¡¹ Kim Jong-un and Kim Jong-il both looked frightened, and immediately Kim Il-sung¡¯s displeasure rained down upon them. ¡¸How dare you make such faces in front of me?¡¹ ¡¸Yikes!¡¹ ¡¸Father, no¡­!¡¹ However, Kim Il-sung, who scolded the two rich men, realized subtly that this three-way system was an intended penalty. If any of the three wanted, they could seize control of the body at any moment. As a result, his grandson tried to flee at the slightest sign of danger, and his timid son, unable to even dare to take over the body, only made feeble noises, making a mockery of all three. ¡¸¡­..¡¹ However, it was impossible to me others. What did these pitiful two individuals mean to someone¡¯s lineage? [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡¸My kingdom has already crumbled. It is clear that heaven is punishing me, to let me witness such a sight.¡¹ As Kim Il-sung uttered these self-pitying lines, Joseon Strongest Sword Jeong Yeongwoo swung Bastard, hitting another target, making the situation even more chaotic. ¡°Ugh! What kingdom? This crazy bastard still hasn¡¯te to his senses.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s advertising fee, which amounted to a whopping 30.8 million karma, drew a bizarre trajectory. Kaaang! Already the seventh encounter. And right on cue, Youngtae and Taejun, who had arrived at the scene, pounced on Kim Il-sung from behind. Quack! Being mutants who both walked upright, they had exceptional talent for sticking to their opponents. ¡¸Brother! Quickly, slit his throat¡­!¡¹ As Youngtae grabbed one of Kim Il-sung¡¯s forearms and hung onto it, Kim Taejoon wrapped one of Kim Il-sung¡¯s lower arms and waist at the same time with a menacing gesture. ¡¸What¡­?¡¹ Surprised by the unexpected onught, Kim Il-sung seemed slightly confused. But even with three mutants clinging to him, he managed to withstand Yeongwoo¡¯s and the golden track¡¯sbined assault. ¡¸What, what¡¯s this? How did this bastard show up already?¡¹ As the battle between Yeongwoo and Kim Il-sung progressed to the twelfth round, Kim Younghyeom, sensing that the situation was dire, made a move of his own. ¡¸Ptooey¡­!¡¹ This time, he spat at Kim Jong-un¡¯s face, whom he had been facing. ¡¸Turn around! ¡¸¡­What?¡¹ ¡¸Hurry up and turn your head!¡¹ As Kim Younghyeom, the general, roared, a frightened Kim Jong-un turned his head momentarily. And then. ¡¸Don¡¯t freak out and stay still! If control switches now, we¡¯ll all die!¡¹ For the first time since returning to this world, Kim Il-sung showed a fearful expression. What he feared most here was not the Joseon Strongest Sword or the White Tiger, who hailed from South Korea, but his own grandson. ¡¸Jo¡­ Jong-un! Listen to your grandfather! If you¡¯re not careful, it¡¯ll be irreparable!¡¹ Kim Jong-il, distrusting his son¡¯s courage, shouted desperately, and Kim Il-sung rotated his body widely, detaching the tiger from Kim Jong-un. Hraaaawr! Then the Geumgang Bow glowed yellow. ¡°Whoa¡­!¡± A holographic lightning bolt appeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s field of vision. As the Geumgang Bow aimed, it was undoubtedly targeting General Kim Younghyeom. ¡¸He¡¯s doomed¡­!¡¹ ¡°General, move back¡­!¡± As Yeongwoo ordered Kim Younghyeom to evade, the golden track, aware of this, was flying to push away General Kim. Yeongwoo ordered Kim Younghyeom to dodge, and the Golden Trail, which noticed this, was flying to push General Kim away. But¡­ Sizzle! The activation of the Geumgang Bow was faster than the rebuttal. ¡¸Aaargh!¡¹ Before Younghyeom could evade, the yellow lightning bolt pierced through his white fur and jolted his body. ¡¸D¡­ Dammit¡­10 seconds!¡¹ General Kim Younghyeom left ast will, mentioning the time it takes for theser gun to recharge, and vanished into thin air. ¡¸General!¡¹ ¡¸Oh¡­!¡¹ Youngtae and Taejun sighed as they saw General Kim Younghyeom disappear without a trace, while Kim Jong-un scolded his grandfather. ¡¸In ten seconds! Another bombardment in ten seconds!¡¹ Of course, Kim Il-sung was well aware of this fact more than anyone else. ¡¸Damn, they keep cornering me.¡¹ A somewhat ominous line from Kim Il-sung. At that moment, as Yeongwoo sensed something ominous¡­ Chime. For the first time, the Geumgang Ray shook noticeably in the air. Kim Il-sung had used the final weapon in question. And then¡­ Whoosh¡­! Suddenly, the winds in the area intensified, and the sky turned pitch ck once again. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± As Yeongwoo asked this, he gestured towards the goblin. It was an instruction for him to summon the golden orb in case it was another anomaly. However, the bell sound of the Geumgang Ray did not herald another anomaly. ¡¶The Geumgang Ray manifests the owner¡¯s dreams into reality.¡· ¡®Dreams¡­ into reality?¡¯ As Yeongwoo followed the instructions of the special message in front of him, a bright redser beam shot down between Kim Il-sung and Yeongwoo. Pew! Then the next message revealed the purpose of this red beam. ¡¶Time until nuclear missileunch: 10 seconds.¡· [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 203 Chapter 203 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 203: Dreaming Dictator (1) ¡°¡­ Nuclear?¡± ¡°Nuclear¡­?¡± ¡°You mean nuclear?¡± Seoul¡¯s Strongest Swords, upon seeing the operationalmand of Geumgang ray, wore bewildered expressions. ¡¶Time until nuclear missileunch: 9 seconds¡· This incident was beyond the capacity of the human brain toprehend. To think that the three generations of the Kim family would appear in the heart of Seoul and lead to the dropping of nuclear missiles¡­ Is this really happening? ¡°What¡­ What will happen if this¡­?¡± Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword, Oh Yeonhee, stared at the hovering guidance line with a trance-like gaze. ¡°This is¡­ Gangnam, isn¡¯t it¡­?¡± Gangnam. The jurisdiction of the invincible Joseon Strongest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo, and a region synonymous with wealth just by its name alone. The area that everyone thought could never be destroyed, now reduced to ruins by the return of Kim Il-sung from hell. But is that all? ¡°Wait, if this happens¡­!¡± Yeonhee¡¯s thoughts reached the residents of Songpa-gu, adjacent to Gangnam, btedly. If a nuclear bomb falls here, Songpa-gu will also be annihted, as if it were obvious. And what about the radiation that will spread in all directions? In essence, this is it. ¡°Destr¡­ Destruction. It¡¯s the end now. We¡¯re finished.¡± Kim Doha, the Strongest Sword of Yongsan, was already seated, overwhelmed. ¡¶Time until nuclear missileunch: 7 seconds¡· Meanwhile, among the spectators, the only administrative official, Jo Sangik, yelled towards Jeong Yeongwoo. ¡°Yeongwoo! Somehow stop it! If a nuclear bomb drops, Seoul is finished!¡± With eyes that seemed almost gone, he screamed at Jeong Yeongwoo. He had always thought that guy would cause a major ident someday, but he never dared to imagine it would involve a nuclear bomb in Seoul. Of course, Yeongwoo knew very well the extent of the disaster this time. ¡°Nuclear? Are you insane? It¡¯s not just us who will die! Are you nning to wipe out all of Seoul?¡± As Yeongwoo swung Bastard, Kim Il-sung countered with a terrible line. ¡¸I always wanted to see Seoul be a sea of mes.¡¹ Truly a dream. ¡°This lunatic!¡± Is that line for real? Yeongwoo was stunned by Kim Il-sung¡¯s malicious intent, as he swung Bastard for the twenty-second time. Crash! Yeongwoo¡¯s attack was unmistakably blocked by Geumgangjo. ¡®Damn!¡¯ Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword. It seemed that the legend of North Korea¡¯s evil could not be hunted down with North Korea¡¯s martial arts alone. Despite attacking following the mark left by the Joseon Sword Technique, the defense urred at an astonishing timing, as if the opponent anticipated the same mark. Moreover. ¡¶Time until nuclear missileunch: 5 seconds¡· Suddenly, there were only 5 seconds left. A decision had to be made now. ¡®How do I stop the nuclear¡­?¡¯ Requestser bombardment at the point where the nuclear missile will fall? In this case, if luck favored, the missile could be wiped out by theser before the warhead exploded. But it¡¯s not just any missile, it¡¯s a nuclear missile. ¡®There¡¯s no way to prevent the radiation from spreading. Laser might even act as a detonator.¡¯ An unpredictable crisis. Who on earth has ever stopped a nuclear missile? ¡®Maybe it¡¯s better to quickly kill Kim Il-sung? There¡¯s a way to request bombardment while I¡¯m attached to him.¡¯ It was practically a suicide mission, but it was better than a nuclear bomb falling on Seoul. But even in this case. ¡®No, the missile guidance line has already appeared due to the dream reflection. Even if Kim Il-sung dies, will the missileunch be canceled?¡¯ But is that the only problem? ¡¶Time until nuclear missileunch: 3 seconds¡· Now there were only 3 seconds left, and Kim Il-sung was still skillfully blocking Yeongwoo¡¯s attacks. At this rate, neither Kim Il-sung would die nor the nuclear missile would be intercepted. ¡°This bastard¡­!¡± As he was pushed to the brink, Yeongwoo¡¯s mind began to race rapidly. ¡®Martial arts! Let¡¯s change martial arts first!¡¯ After handing over the Chosun Sword Technique he was equipped with to the golden trajectory, Yeongwoo directly used ¡®Rohm¡¯s Bottom¡¯, registered in the Great Sword. ¡¸Rohm¡¯s Bottom¡¹- Legendary Sword Technique ¡¾Fights like a prisoner.¡¿ Pheeng! At that moment, a purple hologram appeared, but Yeongwoo didn¡¯t even bother to confirm it. ¡¶Time until nuclear missileunch: 2 seconds¡· Checking the guide and taking the time to execute it would have been a waste in this critical situation. Swish! He solely relied on his own judgment and threw Bastard. And then. Crash! He reached a state of ¡®physical deficiency¡¯ by tearing off his own right arm with his left arm. ¡®40%¡­!¡¯ The ¡®physical deficiency¡¯ assessed by Yeongwoo as losing one arm granted a 40% increase in power, and at the same time, the blood gushing from the torn surface of his right arm added a 25% increase in strength due to bleeding. Sssaaa! His whole body felt like it was boiling. There was another doping agent, but there was no time to take it out and consume it. ¡¶Time until nuclear missileunch: 1 second¡· The task at hand right now was¡­ Thud! To dig deep, avoiding the opponent¡¯s Geumgangjo and reaching under the chin. ¡¸It¡¯s already toote. Whatever you do¡­¡¹ Kim Il-sung, who realized that the Joseon Strongest Sword was making a final effort, wore a triumphant expression, but then lifted his head upon hearing a sharp sound above. Swish. ¡¸You¡¯re still ying tricks.¡¹ Ssaaeeeeeck! It was none other than Bastard, that Yeongwoo had remotely summoned. The myth-grade sword was descending vertically towards Kim Il-sung¡¯s forehead. However¡­ Hwaack! Kim Il-sung deliberately wielded his previously unrevealed Geumgangjo to deflect Bastard. Crash! As a result, with his arm already extended and without a weapon in his hand, Yeongwoo plunged his fist under Kim Il-sung¡¯s chin. Thud! ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ Kim Il-sung looked back at Yeongwoo. It was because he knew that Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t threaten him without Bastard. Moreover. ¡¶Time until nuclear missileunch: 0 seconds¡· [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] The countdown for the nuclear missile had ended. Kwaaaah¡­! The distinctive high-speed missile movement sound began to be heard without fail. And at that moment¡­ ¡®Fuck, Di¡­ Did I miss the timing?¡¯ With a perplexed expression, Yeongwoo extended his fist diagonally towards Kim Il-sung¡¯s chin. This time, it was exactly as Rohm¡¯s Bottom had guided him. Yeongwoo had demanded only one thing from these prisoner¡¯s martial arts. ¡®A single punch that can forcibly turn Kim Il-sung¡¯s head¡­!¡¯ Just like the opponent, Yeongwoo¡¯s absurd wish also came true in reality. Indeed, his left fist was driven into Kim Il-sung¡¯s right chin. Peeeooook! As a result, Kim Il-sung¡¯s head was pushed to the left, forcibly moving Kim Jong-un¡¯s head attached to the side to the front. ¡¸Huh¡­?¡¹ In an instant, Kim Jong-un, who had once again be the owner of Geumgang Yaksha, wore a startled expression, and Yeongwoo embraced his head and exerted all his strength. ¡°What¡­ What is your dream?¡± ¡¸¡­My dream?¡¹ As Kim Jong-un responded like this, Yeongwoo¡¯s body wrapped around his face trembled violently. Hwaack! Kim Il-sung, who had been pushed aside, was actually trying to use his strength to bring himself back to the front. And at the same moment¡­ Shwaaaaa! A very realistic missile propulsion sound was heard from above. ¡¸¡­Hah!¡¹ Kim Il-sung, who was fighting for control of his body to regain control, eximed as he saw the missile entering the visible range. And Yeongwoo¡­ ¡®Ah¡­ Is it a failure after all?¡¯ Gazing deeply with a sinking feeling as the nuclear missile entered 200 meters into the air. Utter despair. Indeed, it was impossible to change the content of the ¡®dream¡¯ just by changing Kim Jong-un to the front of Geumgang Yaksha. ¡¶Geumgang ray brings the dreams of the owner into reality.¡· ording to the inscription of Geumgang ray, since the realization of the problem was based on the ¡®dreams of the owner¡¯, Yeongwoo had thought that even ifte, changing the owner of Geumgangryeong to another person would reflect this. After all, the method he had been using to exploit the system had been like that. However¡­ ¡®The luck doesn¡¯t seem to continue. Was the dream already realized and couldn¡¯t be changed? Or was I wrong from the beginning?¡¯ Whatever it was, this battle was a defeat. Yeongwoo checked the coordinates under his feet, even at thiste hour, to request a bombardment. Seoul was finished now, but it wasn¡¯t the end for the entire Republic of Korea. Here, even if it meant annihting Kim Il-sung, other cities could survive. ¡°Earth! 482! 182¡­!¡± Eventually, the moment Yeongwoo attempted hisst resort, the self-destruct sequence. Boom! Suddenly, a loud sound resembling something breaking apart echoed from the sky. ¡°¡­?¡± As Yeongwoo hastily looked up, he saw the bottom part of the nuclear missile descending straight down along the guidance wire, spreading out in all directions like a blossoming flower. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s pupils expanded to their maximum. And the widened eyes were the same for Kim Jong-un, Kim Jong-il, and Kim Il-sung. Because the missile, which had been descending smoothly, suddenly came to a sudden stop. ¡¸What, what¡¯s happening? Why did it stop?¡¹ Kim Il-sung, unable to hide his unease. Then soon after, Crackle, boom, crack! The entire nuclear missile spread out in all directions, transforming into small fragments, then spat out one of the fragments. Thunk! The identity of the fragment descending in a gentle arc from the sky was¡­ Shwaaaaaat, Kwaaaah! ¡°What¡­ What is that?¡± It was an unexpected limousine. Of course, Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t asking because he truly didn¡¯t know the identity of the fragment. He had also seen the Maybach emblem on the rear side of the limousine. So, that was, Maybach, the luxury brand of Mercedes-Benz. However, the problem was why a Benz vehicle suddenly popped out of the sky at this moment. ¡°That¡¯s a Benz¡­ right? Why did a Benz suddenlye out?¡± As Yeongwoo muttered in confusion, even feeling fear, Kim Jong-un, buried in his embrace, cautiously opened his mouth. ¡¸¡­No.¡¹ ¡°What?¡± ¡¸It¡¯s not just a Benz. That¡¯s¡­¡¹ Unconsciously, Yeongwoo used his only hand to cover his mouth. ¡°No way, you¡­¡± With an incredulous look, Yeongwoo stared at Kim Jong-un. It was a well-known fact through the media that he, as the dictator of North Korea, had a great fondness for foreign cars. Especially since luxury vehicles like Benz were not imported into North Korea as part of UN sanctions, Kim Jong-un had once smuggled foreign cars through six countries to avoid this. And the smuggled vehicle was the Benz Maybach S600 Pullman Guard. He even managed to acquire the next version, the S650, showing just how sincere he was about the car. ¡¸¡­..¡¹ Eventually, he seemed resigned, as he closed his eyes tightly. ¡¸¡­That¡¯s the new model Maybach, my dream car.¡¹ Dream car. The moment Kim Jong-un¡¯s words were spoken, the nuclear missile in the sky disintegrated into hundreds of Benzes and began to rain down like showers. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 204 Chapter 204 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 204: Dreaming Dictator (2) ¡°Dream Car¡­? Can Kim Jong-un really use such words?¡± As Seongbuk¡¯s Strongest Sword, Lee Yoobin, muttered from afar while observing the situation, Songpa¡¯s Oh Yeonhee, standing right beside her, replied with a click of her tongue. ¡°Get a grip and look at the sky.¡± With that, she swung her sword above her head, slicing a Mercedes-Benz in half. Crash! The ¡®Benz Rain¡¯ summoned by Kim Jong-un began pouring down to where Seoul¡¯s Strongest Swords were standing. Whoosh! The scene of vehicles weighing over 2 tons falling from the sky¡­ no, pouring down like artillery fire, was not only astonishing but also terrifying. ¡°Hey, this seems dangerous.¡± Gwanak¡¯s Jo Sangik panicked as he watched Benz cars flying three at a time above his head. ¡°W-What on earth is happening?¡± ¡°Watch out!¡± Crash, bang! As the Benz cars crashed mercilessly into the ground, shattering into pieces, the Strongest Swords realized this was not something they could justugh off and stiffened their expressions. ¡°Split them before they fall!¡± Someone from the audience shouted, drawing their swords, and from then on, the Strongest Swords began showcasing their extraordinary skills by splitting the rapidly flying Benzes with their swords. ¡°Darn, was bing a Strongest Sword all for surviving Benz baptisms?¡± Dongdaemun¡¯s Jang Jeongho, with a bitterugh, shed his sword against a Benz that came to chop off his head. Crash! Fortunately, it was a relief that outside Cheongdam Park, Benzes weren¡¯t falling down elsewhere. Of course, to the dictators visiting South Korea, this was an incredibly unpleasant situation. ¡¸This crazy bastard is going to rece something like this with a nuclear weapon?¡¹ Kim Il-sung frowned deeply. Meanwhile, Kim Jong-il, with an expression of disbelief, stared nkly at his son¡¯s ¡®dream¡¯. ¡¸Is this really all your dream amounts to?¡¹ At that, although Kim Jong-un wore a face of embarrassment, he didn¡¯t just passively ept it. ¡¸¡­Father, when you think about it, aren¡¯t you not much different?¡¹ He pointed out his father¡¯s history of indulging in pleasure despite knowing that the people were starving to death. ¡¸What? You little¡­¡¹ Kim Jong-il and Kim Jong-un. As the two shed fiercely, Kim Il-sung, who was between them, erupted in anger and once again took control of the situation. ¡¸Shut up, you bastards!¡¹ ¡¸¡­!¡¹ ¡¸Oh, Father.¡¹ Then, Kim Il-sung turned his head to the south. ¡¸¡­¡¹ It was clear he was looking towards the rows of apartmentplexes in Gangnam. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t act up.¡± Understanding Kim Il-sung¡¯s intentions, Yeongwoo quickly pushed himself into his line of sight. It meant not even attempting to enter the city center before breaking his own will. But Kim Il-sung just chuckled lowly at Yeongwoo, who was now left alone. ¡¸I still remember when you couldn¡¯t do anything even with two arms.¡± At this, Yeongwoo silently reached out his left hand and retrieved the Bastard lying on the other side. Swish, thud! As he did so, Kim Jong-il, still haunted by the trauma of the Bastard, trembled his eyelids. Wasn¡¯t it a sword that once almost slit his throat? But Kim Il-sung no longer cared about the safety of these two ugly offspring. ¡¸I will turn thisnd into a battlefield today.¡¹ With that, he confidently took his first step towards the south. Crash! Under his feet, there was a loud noise, and chunks of metal shattered. ¡¸¡­?¡¹ Kim Il-sung lowered his head to look at the debris, and soon he saw it. His grandson¡¯s dream cars had already turned the area into a sea of Benzes. ¡¸Oh, damn it.¡¹ Finally losing hisposure, Kim Il-sung unintentionally cursed, and in that moment, Yeongwoo, holding the Bastard in his left hand, sprang into action. ng! The Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword rushed towards Kim Il-sung, leaping over the heaps of Benzes piled up all around. This surreal scene was witnessed not only by the surrounding Strongest Swords but also by hundreds of Gangnam residents. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°What, what¡¯s happening?¡± When Kim Jong-un¡¯s dream cars poured down, some Gangnam residents who witnessed it rushed over from the downtown area. Of course, from the perspective of Yeongwoo and the Strongest Swords, the residents¡¯ approach was a significant penalty, but for now, no one paid any attention. Because. ng, ng! Just as Yeongwoo had used two Benzes as springboards to leap high into the air, everyone was too busy watching him rush towards Kim Il-sung. ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°Whoa¡­!¡± Everyone was too focused on Yeongwoo, who had jumped towards Kim Il-sung, to pay attention to anything else, including Yeongwoo himself. ¡°This, this battle! Sponsored by the universal weapon brand, Dogo¡­!¡± The sudden advertisement came out rushed and btedly. [Level 2 Advertisement Space Utilization] ¨C Before major battles, it must be announced aloud that the fight is supported by Dogo. This is a business promise. Moreover, since the chairman is currently searching the universe for a weapon encyclopaedia, we must also keep our promises. ¡°I am Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo 07! I am the advertising model for ¡®Dogo¡¯¡­!¡± As Yeongwoo soared, even transcendingnguages, a pattern of Dogo¡¯s symbol spread out like a rainbow from the tear in his right sleeve, following the blood flowing out. ¡¸¡­¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Dogo?¡¹ ¡¸What?¡¹ At this, the three generations of North Korea¡¯s dictators collectively widened their six eyes and looked at the approaching Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword with a red trajectory. It was indeed innovative for an outsider to fly around, spewing blood and strange lines, but above all. ¡¸Dogo¡­!¡¹ ¡¸No wonder, there was indeed a backing!¡¹ The shock came from understanding the meaning of ¡°Dogo¡±pletely through Yeongwoo¡¯s pronunciation of a transcendentnguage. Dogo, the universal weapon brand led by Chairman Dogo. At the same time, he was the advertiser for Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword Jeong Yeongwoo and the perpetrator who handed over the problematic forbidden weapon, the ¡®Bastard¡¯. Because they understood all of this at once, their brains, totaling three, were overloaded one after another. And in the meantime. Crash! Yeongwoo had reached right in front of Kim Il-sung¡¯s head. ¡¸This damned¡­!¡¹ As usual, Kim Il-sung blocked Yeongwoo¡¯s face-strike with his golden Geumgangjeo. ng! However, the martial art Yeongwoo was currently wielding was not Joseon¡¯s swordsmanship but Rohm¡¯s Bottom technique. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] And since the martial arts of these alien prisoners were centered aroundbat rather than swords in the first ce. Swish! As soon as Yeongwoo¡¯s sword was blocked, he struck Kim Il-sung¡¯s finger joint holding the golden Geumgangjeo. Crack! ¡¸Ah¡­!¡¹ With a single blow, Kim Il-sung, whose index and middle fingers were broken, grimaced, and at that moment. ng! The golden Geumgangjeo rolled off from Kim Il-sung¡¯s right hand. ¡¸You, you bastard! Grandfather!¡¹ ¡¸Father! We have to stop him!¡¹ The two remaining dictators screamed as they watched the golden Geumgangjeo fall. But Kim Il-sung, experiencing excruciating pain he had never felt before in his life, just closed his eyes tightly. ¡¸Ah, really!¡¹ In the end, Kim Jong-un made another ¡®coup d¡¯¨¦tat¡¯. Swoosh. He pushed aside his grandfather¡¯s head and took over the forefront. Then. ¡¸Argh¡­¡­!¡¹ This time, Kim Jong-un also felt unbearable pain in his fingers. ¡¸Ugh¡­¡­!¡¹ Feeling pain beyond imagination, Kim Jong-un tightly closed his eyes along with his grandfather. And seeing this, Kim Jong-il, instead of moving to the forefront, took a deep breath and closed his eyes firmly. There was always something to learn from the past. ¡¸Haa¡­¡­¡¹ Sensing that he too could be such a spectacle, he had already dered his surrender. Although it was a choice that seemed cowardly, it was a great relief for Yeongwoo and everyone in Gangnam. Crash! In the meantime, Yeongwoo, who had fallen to the ground, not with his feet but with both knees and chin, was because his left foot had shattered into pieces while breaking Kim Il-sung¡¯s finger just before. ¡°Ughh!¡± Now, all that remained for Yeongwoo were his left arm and right foot. But thanks to that. ¡¾Depending on the degree of limb loss, power increases up to a maximum of 80%.¡¿ The effect of ¡®body loss¡¯ had increased to the maximum of 80%. ¡®Now, if I just cut his throat, it¡¯s over.¡¯ As Yeongwoo prepared to sh Kim Il-sung¡¯s Achilles tendon, a hologram of violet color swinging a sword in that direction was visible. Seeing this, Yeongwoo pushed forward with his only functioning right foot and slid forward as if slipping. Crash! Then. Swoosh! In an instant, he shed the right Achilles tendon of the golden Geumgangjeo, which had approached right in front of him. Crash! As the de of the Bastard cut the blue Achilles tendon, the pattern of Dogo was embroidered gorgeously along its trajectory, firmly identifying who Yeongwoo¡¯s ¡®backer¡¯ was. And next. ¡¸Ah¡­!¡¹ Kim Jong-un, who was upying the body, screamed as he tilted his body, unable to stand up anymore with one ankle severed. Crash! Finally, Kim Jong-un buried himself in the ground covered with his own ¡®dream cars¡¯. Kwa-aang! As he copsed with his body sprawled out, the Benzes wedged on the outskirts of the area jumped into the air, sparkling with their silver marks. ¡¸Aah¡­¡¹ Amidst the pain from his broken finger joints, Kim Jong-un struggled to lift one eyelid. Then, amidst the ¡®dreams¡¯ he had invoked himself. ¡¸Huh!¡¹ A streak of something soaring through the air caught his attention. ¡°Diiieee!¡± In an instant, his vision was engulfed by an enraged face. As Kim Jong-un locked eyes with Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, the Bastard impaled him on the neck. Kwaak! ¡¸No!!¡¹ Startled, Kim Jong-il hastily changed the position of his head, but Yeongwoo, who had already drawn the sword, seemed to be waiting for it. ¡°You too, follow your son.¡± ¡¸This¡­!¡¹ Unable to walk properly anymore, but still able to move his other arms. Kim Jong-il tried to grab Yeongwoo clinging to his chest, but as he did, the Bastard descended vertically once again. Kwa-aak! Piercing through Kim Jong-il¡¯s neck. ¡°Next.¡± Yeongwoo drew the sword again and called out to Kim Il-sung, who was trembling below. Practically a death sentence. However, as before, he closed his eyes tightly and showed no reaction. ¡°Surely he¡¯s not pretending to be dead¡­?¡± Yeongwoo leaned over to look at Kim Il-sung¡¯s face attached to the side. Then, disengaging from the three dictators¡¯ grandiose bodies, he nced around. Perhaps it was to confirm whether his ¡®friends¡¯ were still present in this world. ¡®They must have all left.¡¯ Confirming that Yeong-tae and Tae-jun had returned to the returnee¡¯s room, Yeongwoo looked up at the sky. ¡°Earth, 482-182-3273-92. Requesting artillery fire, General.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 205 Chapter 205 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 205: Defense Specialist (1) ¡¸What¡­?¡¹ At Yeongwoo¡¯s artillery request, Kim Il-Sung¡¯s eyes, which had been tightly shut, suddenly opened. But already, in the sky. Kwa-a-a-aang¡­! Perhaps General Kim Younghyeom had inputted the coordinates, as theser cannon was descending. Not only Kim Il-Sung¡¯s head but an area tens of meters in diameter was targeted. It was still in a state where the output module assembly was iplete. ¡¸You¡¯ll find it hard to survive like this.¡¹ Kim Il-Sung, astonished by the enormous range of theser cannon¡¯s impact, chuckled bitterly. Then he lifted his head to find his opponent. ¨C Babat¡­! The guy was already being carried away by a frog, swiftly leaving the scene. ¡¸Hey, wait!¡¹ Realizing he was left alone to face death in the Benz field, Kim Il-Sung raised his upper body with a bewildered look. Then he noticed the figure of Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, who had been carried by the frog, turning back. And his pupils were reflecting a white gleam. ¡¸¡­.!¡¹ Then Kim Il-Sung¡¯s field of vision began to turn white from above. Theser cannon was descending right above his head. ¡¸Ah.¡¹ Sensing the end, Kim Il-Sung spat out hisst words, and Yeongwoo gestured to the Golden Goblin. It was to bring the golden sphere. ¨C Keyt! The goblin came running, supporting the sphere with his left hand, and soon after, theser artilleryunched from the returnee¡¯s room engulfed Kim Il-Sung. Kwa-a-a-a-aang¡­! ¡°Goodbye, Kim Il-Sung.¡± Yeongwoo bid farewell to Kim Il-Sung. And then. me. Yeongwoo touched the golden sphere the goblin had offered. Then the sphere soared upwards towards the sky, drawing a golden arc opposite to theser artillery. Peeeeeng! With the momentum to pierce through the clouds, the golden sphere shot up rapidly. And finally. Puff, puff! Arriving at the edge of the sky, it exploded the golden cannon. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± ¡°Incredible.¡± Watching from afar, Gangnam residents and Seoul¡¯s Strongest Swords saw the golden waves spreading in the sky with their mouths agape. While the sight of golden rain was now quite familiar, it was the first time it fell over hundreds of Benzes. Suaaaaa¡­! As the golden lights thatpletely filled the sky finally began to fall to the ground, the spectacle was achieved. ¡¶Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo 07¡¯ has given up 3 million karma monopoly and gifted 30,000 karma to all Gangnam residents.¡· ¡¶Soon, 30,000 karma will be provided in the form ofmemorative coins. Prepare yourselves.¡· Karma distribution messages appearing in the golden rain. And then. Pop, pop! In front of everyone staying in Gangnam,memorative coins appeared three at a time. ¡°Is this really the end?¡± Yeongwoo quickly grabbed his allocated coins, but his gaze was fixed on the achievement message appearing in the air. Ping! [Golden Storm] |Please call the golden rain in four ways. (2/4) = When there are seven or more mutants nearby. = When a national leader dies. Finally, because the second condition of ¡®Golden Storm¡¯ was achieved. ¡®Now only two remain.¡¯ ¨C In North America. ¨C When two beings with attributes of conglomerate and dragon n are fighting each other. ¨C When a second-grade or higher dimensional being visits. Achieving two out of the three conditions wouldplete the achievement of the Golden Storm. ¡®Meeting conglomerate and dragon n attributes could be achieved within a day or two¡­ The problem is the other one.¡¯ Either summon a second-grade or higher dimensional being to Earth, or go to North America and spread the golden rain. ¡®Thetter seems more realistic. The chances ofnd connection are very high soon.¡¯ Reset Stage 3, Pangea. Yeongwoo already had relevant achievements, and it was also revealed earlier through the Council¡¯s warning that Stage 3 was approaching. That meant that within a few days, and route to North America would open up, and borders of various countries would meet. Of course, there was a high likelihood that this event would generally turn into yet another disaster. ¡°¡­.¡± As Yeongwoo envisioned the future that would soon unfold, the Golden Goblin approached and pointed ahead with its tiny finger. ¨C Kikit! Kikit! ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Yeongwoo naturally looked to where the goblin was pointing. ¡°Ah.¡± There, the spheres left behind by Kim Il-Sung and the two dictators were hovering unexpectedly. ¡°Right. Those guys were mutants too.¡± Yeongwoo tapped the forehead of the Podu Tenta who was carrying him, instructing it to move the spheres forward. ¨C Babat¡­! The creature began to move to the spot where Kim Il-Sung had vanished, crossing over the Benz field. Since Kim Il-Sung stood at a towering 6 meters, the silhouette of the ´ó character remained where he had vanished after being hit by theser cannon. [TL/N: This is probably like those remains after a bomb attack or something, im imagining the dictator lying down like this ´ó??] It was as if a kind of relic had been created following therge hole in the Cheongdam Bridge. ¡°Wow¡­ Shouldn¡¯t we put up a sign here saying ¡®Kim Il-Sung¡¯s Death ce¡¯ or something?¡± Meanwhile, Jeonggu, who had approached Yeongwoo, examined the traces of the dictators curiously. On the other hand, Yeongwoo was slightly disappointed to find that the spheres of the Kim lineage seemed no different from regr mutants. ¡®Are mutants only mutants to a certain extent?¡¯ After all, even the dragon tyrant Lim Kwangho had no special features except for the spheres. There were only separate notifications and rewards upon death. ¡®So, are these guys the same? In terms of existential status, the Kim lineage seems much higher than Lim Kwangho, the dragon tyrant.¡¯ Just as Yeongwoo thought this, ¡¸The legendary evil has been defeated by Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo07¡¯!¡¹ Just like when he defeated the dragon, a notification appeared, and then the mutation equipment contained within the spheres Yeongwoo detonated was processed for acquisition. Paat! ¡¸Gambler Stone¡¹ ¨C Mutation Gem ¡¾Slot: 10% resistance against dragon race¡¿ ¡¾Special Gem #4¡¿ ¡°Oh¡­ what¡¯s this?¡± It was equipment in the form of gems that Yeongwoo hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. Moreover, it had a resistance attribute, ¡®dragon race¡¯, which was new, and below that, there seemed to be additional tooltips whose purpose he couldn¡¯t discern. ¡®A special gem number 4¡­ What could this be? Does it have some sort of collection effect?¡¯ From the circumstances, this was presumably the basic loot from the dragon tyrant. This meant that the sphere used at the moment of Kim Il-Sung¡¯s death belonged to the dragon tyrant Lim Kwangho. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡®So, does this mean that the spheres left by the Kims can¡¯t be used anymore?¡¯ Originally, this sphere should have been used as entry for the dungeon tonight. However, if the sphere is used at night, the golden rain doesn¡¯t fall, and therefore, no fixed reward, the mutation equipment, is given. Therefore, ¡®I need to get another sphere for the dungeon.¡¯ After quickly reaching a conclusion, Yeongwoo instructed the goblin to retrieve the spheres. ¡°That¡¯s a special sphere. So, don¡¯t take it out when entering the dungeon, understood?¡± ¨C Kii¡­! As if understanding, the goblin nodded its head with a long whine. Then, it swiftly approached and ced the dictator¡¯s sphere into the spatial pocket. With this, the North Korean conflict came to an end. ¡°¡­Whew.¡± Finally catching his breath as if he¡¯d been holding it, Yeongwoo sighed, Jeonggu, who had been fidgeting beside him, asked, ¡°Is it really all over now?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s right. Since we¡¯ve put out the urgent fires.¡± Of course, there were still some minor matters left to deal with. First, he needed to install the dragon¡¯s heart, and he probably needed to receive the reward for defeating the ¡°legendary evil¡± that mighte through ountant Kubu. Plus, there was also the reward for the achievement ¡°ck Legend.¡± ¡®But the chairman didn¡¯t give any advertisements this time. Is he extremely busy?¡¯ ncing at the sky, Yeongwoo¡¯s attention was diverted by Jeonggu, who was crouching on the ground and nudged him in the ribs. ¡°What are you doing all of a sudden?¡± ¡°If the urgent matters are all settled, take a look at this.¡± ¡°What in the world¡­¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s pupils dted suddenly as Jeonggu extended a crimson coin towards him. This was probably¡­ ¡°Ah, Eunpyeong.¡± The money that was taken from Eunpyeong¡¯s Strongest Sword, Kim Hyeonggyu. The money that had been in the bag was now spread out under the Benz field. ¡°What are we going to do with this money? Where did you even pick it up?¡± Although Jeonggu seemed worried, Yeongwoo¡¯s focus was elsewhere entirely. ¡°We fired several shots ofser artillery nearby¡­ And there are still so many coins left?¡± The fact that the yakshas dropped the bag of coins would likely coincide with the moment when Yeongwoo retaliated against them. In other words, it was around the time when the ¡°furnace¡± concealing Kim Jong-un in the sky was floating. ¡®If so, the bag of money would have been hit directly by theser artillery.¡¯ This was almost certain because it was General Kim¡¯sser artillery that shot down the furnace. So, to sum it up again. ¡®The coins didn¡¯t vanish even after being hit by theser artillery. But theser artillery is a weapon that even the Yakshas couldn¡¯t withstand¡­ That means¡­¡¯ The durability of the coins themselves must be tremendous. ¡®Is it because it is a universally epted currency? Something that can withstandser artillery?¡¯ Just as Yeongwoo¡¯s mind began to race again, Jeonggu nudged his leg once more. ¡°Hey, the guys areing.¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± Turning his head at Jeonggu¡¯s prompt, Yeongwoo saw the Seoul¡¯s Strongest Swords walking towards them one by one from the other side. Finally, they seemed to being to offer their gratitude now that the battle was over. Wasn¡¯t it Yeongwoo, who even managed to kill Kim Il-Sung, whom they thought would never be defeated? Now, there was no reason for Seoul¡¯s Strongest Swords not to respect him. ¡°Th¡­ Thank you for your hard work.¡± ¡°¡­In the end, he was defeated.¡± The Strongest Swords, who thanked Yeongwoo in turn, took on a much stiffer demeanor than before. Although they hadn¡¯t felt particrly close to Jeong Yeongwoo before, now they felt like they weren¡¯t even the same species. There was nothing ordinary about his power, equipment, or way of thinking. It was as if an alien had put on a human disguise and was protecting the human world. Of course, this ¡°protection¡± came with a price tag attached. ¡°Well, did everyone enjoy the show?¡± As Yeongwoo pped while still being carried by Pofu Tenta, the Strongest Swords in the audience looked at him with fearful eyes. ¡°¡­.¡± At this, Yeongwoo took a single karma coin from the pile that Jeonggu was holding. ¡°Now, shall we discuss defense expenses?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 206 Chapter 206 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 206: Defense Specialist (2) ¡®Defense funds¡­¡¯ ¡®So¡­ you really were nning on asking for money.¡¯ ¡®Here ites.¡¯ The expressions on the Strongest Swords¡¯ faces were varied. However, it was apletely different reaction from when Yeongwoo had demanded ¡°protection fees¡± before. ¡°If you¡¯re talking about defense funds¡­ how much do you n to receive?¡± ¡°What is the specific definition of defense? Does that mean Yeongwoo will be responsible for all mutants in Seoul?¡± This time, the majority of the Strongest Swords asked back on the assumption that they would be ¡°paying defense funds¡±. ¡°¡­The reaction isn¡¯t that bad, is it?¡± Jeonggu whispered this with a trembling expression, and Yeongwoo just nodded silently. After all, everyone here had seen thebat power of the Kim family¡¯s three generations who had descended from the North firsthand. Thanks to that, they too realized. The fact that now, if a threatening mutant appears, it is not just the Strongest Swords of a single area that are in danger, but the whole country could be shattered. And fortunately, they were able to safely withstand this threat this time. As much as a mutant outside the norm had descended from the North, there was also a Strongest Sword outside the norm prepared in the South. ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo¡­ It¡¯s fortunate that a monster like that is on our side.¡¯ ¡®If we had fought Kim Il-sung ourselves, would we have been able to win even if webined all our strength?¡¯ ¡®I wonder if today would have been Seoul¡¯sst day.¡¯ The Strongest Swords each let out a sigh of relief. And then they looked at Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s right arm, which was the very proof that he was a ¡°monster¡±. Swish. The arm that had been ripped off while fighting Kim Il-sung was almostpletely recovered. Unlike the ankle, this loss was not a part of the body melting away, so as soon as the two torn surfaces were joined, they quickly began to adhere. ¡°Ah, the amount of defense funds I¡¯m proposing is.¡± Finally, as Yeongwoo brought up the topic of money, the chattering ce fell silent at once. ¡°The amount is¡­?¡± ¡°Uh, how much is it?¡± Seeing everyone making pitiful expressions, Yeongwoo raised his left hand and spread his fingers straight. Pop. ¡°Five. Five million karma every day.¡± ¡°Five?¡± ¡°Oh¡­?¡± ¡°Are you serious?¡± This time, the room was in an uproar for a different reason than before. It was because the amount Yeongwoo called was much lower than everyone¡¯s expectations. ¡°Is it really five?¡± ¡°I thought you would at least call for 10 million or more.¡± ¡°Five million? There won¡¯t be any changester, right?¡± In fact, five million was a huge amount that far exceeded the 3 million they would get if they monopolized the mutantpensation. However, since they had just paid a ¡°protection fee¡± of 10 million karma, everyone was under the illusion that this defense expenses was cheap. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Anyway, since the Strongest Swords of Seoul were still half-hearted, Yeongwoo turned his head and looked at the ce where Kim Il-sung had died. ¡°Of course, I would like to collect more defense funds. As you saw today, my actual value is much higher than five million karma per region.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s right¡­¡± At this, the Strongest Swords were unable to make any rebuttal. Wasn¡¯t that true? Swish. After a while, Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword Jo Sangik slowly raised his hand and opened his mouth. ¡°As you said, even if you had asked for more defense funds, we would have had no other choice.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then even though you know that, why did you lower the defense expenses and call it¡­?¡± As Jo Sangik raised the question on behalf of everyone, Yeongwoo looked around the room as if he had been waiting. ¡°Strictly speaking, the defense funds are for the survival of Seoul. If I receive more money, the self-sufficiency of each region will only decrease, won¡¯t it?¡± Yeongwoo said this and then added. ¡°However, there is one condition for the defense expenses of 5 million karma.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°¡­condition?¡± The Strongest Swords looked uneasy again. Because of what Yeongwoo had shown them so far, they didn¡¯t think this monster would easily lower his price. However, Yeongwoo¡¯s condition was different from everyone¡¯s expectations. ¡°Golden Rain.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°At least, from tomorrow, all Strongest Swords belonging to Seoul must distribute golden rain. If Seoul is to continue to survive, we need to improve its constitution.¡± ¡°Even for mutants that you personally disposed of?¡± As expected, someone among the Strongest Swords asked quietly, and Yeongwoo nodded. ¡°Yes. Without exception, every single area must distribute golden rain. Otherwise, they won¡¯t be able to pay the defense expenses every day.¡± In other words, it meant that defense expensess would be collected even from areas that had cleared mutants by themselves. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Some of the Strongest swords, who had confidence in their own defense, showed perplexed reactions. And among them, the most representative figure was Yeonhee of Songpa. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to just pay you amission and leave it to you to deal with mutants we can¡¯t handle ourselves, like before? In return, you¡¯d get a fair 10 million karma.¡± Commission. From the very choice of words, she drew a clear line. Just like today, she was saying that she could protect her own district on her own. But Yeongwoo¡¯s thoughts were different. ¡°That might be possible in normal times, but what if an existence like Kim Il-sung falls into Songpa?¡± ¡°Then, of course, 10 million karma¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°Why do you think I used the term ¡®defense expenses¡¯? It means that I will take on the responsibility of dealing with beings that could pose a national threat in exchange for a certain amount of military funding on a regr basis.¡± In fact, the price for mobilizing the asymmetrical power ofser bombardment and the Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword was 5 million every day. In the absence of alternatives, this was not a very expensive price. ¡°To be precise, you guys in the Seoul Alliance are going to split the cost of my tens of millions of karma payroll. It¡¯s like a tax, in a way. It¡¯s not just about giving me money, it¡¯s also a sign of your goodwill and trust.¡± ¡°¡­¡± When Yeongwoo brought up goodwill and trust, Yeonhee had nothing to say. She knew that the other person was using a strange sophistry, but she couldn¡¯t refute it because of the atmosphere. After all, most of the people here had already paid Yeongwoo ¡®protection money¡¯ once. The majority actually needed Yeongwoo¡¯s help, and even the person who was going to help them had cut his price in half. ¡®If I argue about this any more, I¡¯ll be the only one who looks bad.¡¯ In the end, Yeonhee let out a sigh. ¡°Alright then, what about the golden rain? Does it mean that all districts will have to choose the 300,000 karma distribution from now on?¡± At her question, Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°That¡¯s right. From now on, we will return the cores left by each mutant to each district.¡± And Yeongwoo¡¯s advice was to use those returned cores to directly sprinkle golden rain and creatememorative coins, and to use those to gain the support of the local residents. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°There will be differences between districts, but when you sprinkle golden rain, at least 300 million karma will be generated in the district. So, please take 5 million out of that as a defense contribution and distribute the rest in consultation with the local residents.¡± Even if only 10,000 residents are alive in the area, at least 300 million karma will be generated. In fact, the poption of each district before the reset was at least 120,000 and as many as 650,000. This means that if golden rain falls in each district tomorrow, the actual amount of karma generated will be muchrger. ¡°Since we will continue to rotate Seoul as it is now, it will be like the residents get 30,000 karma for free. So, there shouldn¡¯t be any big problem with getting some of it back.¡± And then Yeongwoo said this. ¡°It¡¯s like the local residents are paying you defense expenses.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± At this, the Strongest Swords looked as if they had been hit on the back of the head. Come to think of it, that¡¯s true. The only difference was the way the money was exchanged, but in essence it was the same act. The residents paid ¡®protection money¡¯ to the Strongest Swords, the local guardians, and the Strongest Swords paid ¡®defense expensess¡¯ to Yeongwoo in preparation for problems they couldn¡¯t handle themselves. To put it simply, from now on Yeongwoo was going to be the Strongest Sword of the Strongest Swords. ¡°If all districts are really able to generate golden rain every day, it will be a much more stable system than it is now. At least some karma will be left over.¡± Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword Jo Sangik came forward and defended Yeongwoo¡¯s proposal. ¡°We¡¯ll continue to support you with manpower until the fundraising system is in ce, just like we did today.¡± Oh Yeonhee nodded in agreement after he said this. ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try for now. If everything goes as well as you say, I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to lose any money.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great. You won¡¯t regret it. And I think it¡¯s essential, especially since the mutants are getting stronger and stronger.¡± Yeongwoo thought that simply having the Strongest Swords monopolize 3 million was not enough to sustain the regions. This was because not only mutants but also monsters were getting stronger as time went on. ¡®It has to rain gold all over Seoul every day. Otherwise, Seoul will eventually be in ruins.¡¯ Of course, Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t proposing this n just for everyone¡¯s survival. The reason was money. More precisely, he needed a stable cash flow. ¡®The currency generated by the golden rain is proportional to the number of people. Not only in the long term but also in the medium term, it¡¯s beneficial to keep more people alive.¡¯ Currently, there are a total of 12 areas under the Seoul Federation where ¡°collection¡± is possible. ¡®Except for my area, Gangnam, there are 11 areas.¡¯ Therefore, if each area receives a defense expenses of 5 million, Yeongwoo¡¯s fixed ie per day will be a whopping 55 million karma. Once this defense expenses system is well established, there won¡¯t be a situation where taxes go unpaid, at least for a while. ¡°Now, has the exnation been sufficient? If there are any other questions orints, please speak up now.¡± As Yeongwoo said this, an unexpected figure raised his hand. Whoosh. It was none other than Kim Doha of Yongsan¡¯s Strongest sword. ¡°Yes, Mr. Doha. Please go ahead.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ it¡¯s nothing else but¡­ that defense expenses, until when do we have to pay it?¡± ¡°The mutation won¡¯t be infinite, will it? Kim Jong-un has already appeared in the north, so it¡¯s obvious that others will follow suit, right?¡± Kim Doha¡¯s intention with the question was clear. At some point soon, all mutants will disappear, so wouldn¡¯t defense spending be meaningless by then? Even this question had considerable persuasiveness. As he said, for some reason, in the north, the dictator, who might have been the strongest mutant, had already appeared as the third generation. So, what about Seoul? Since a dragon has already appeared here, won¡¯t simr beings soon emerge one after another? ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°It makes sense. No matter how many conglomerates or celebrities there are, there must be limits.¡± The atmosphere among the Strongest Swords became one of gradual agreement, and Yeongwoo, too, did not deny it. ¡°You¡¯re right. If there are no more threats, there would be no reason to increase defense expenses.¡± But will such a day reallye? Yeongwoo found it difficult to be certain. If merely disposing of all mutants was enough to end the reset, there would be no achievements like ¡®Ending Maker¡¯. [Ending Maker] | Discover the protagonist after the reset. Furthermore. ¡®It¡¯s not over yet. Judging by the rted achievements, the age of Pangaea will surelye.¡¯ There is something more. However, until now, it was just a suspicion, so Yeongwoo could only say this much. ¡°I hope all threats disappear soon, as you said. However, since the reset, our has already connected with the universe. So maybe¡­ ¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s follow-up about preparing for something beyond mutants was left unfinished. Gooooong¡­! Suddenly, the sky above Gangnam changed ominously. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What, what is it?¡± ¡°Oh, no way!¡± Everyone was startled by the phenomenon reminiscent of when ¡®Furnace¡¯ first appeared, but Yeongwoo and Yangju¡¯s Strongest Sword Choi Jongseon were thinking of apletely different entity. Because that thing¡­ Shuaaak! Suddenly, a deep rumble resounded from the sky, and the space in the area seemed to ripple. Something with tremendous mass was approaching. ¡°Oh, it¡¯sing!¡± ¡°Run¡­!¡± With the thought that something on the level of the three generations of the North wasing again, the Strongest Swords of Seoul looked at Yeongwoo with wide eyes. Now he was a defense specialist who would receive a sry regrly from tomorrow. But Yeongwoo, who should have been ready forbat, instead raised both arms andughed brightly, emitting a strange sound, no, meaning. ¡°¡¸Dogooooo¡¹¡­¡­!¡± As if in response, a huge anchor was suddenly shot down from the sky. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 207 Chapter 207 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 207: Defense Specialist (3) In a world where mutants fall from the sky every day and merchants from all corners of the universee to trade, the Strongest Swords had adapted rtively quickly. However, even so. Shwaaaaaat, kwaaaaang! They couldn¡¯t help but be surprised by the oversized anchor that fell from the sky out of nowhere. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­ an anchor?¡± ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± The Strongest Swords of Seoul reflexively drew their swords, but didn¡¯t dare to raise their des towards the anchor. This was because they had learned a lot of meaning through the word ¡°Dogo¡± that Jeong Yeongwoo had just shouted. Dogo. A brand of pan-universal war weapons and a joint-stockpany made up of numerous shareholders. And a militarypany with Dogo, the Destroyer, the owner of the Ten Thousand Sword Mountain, as its chairman. The transcendentnguage that Yeongwoo had shouted contained the scene of the first meeting with Dogo¡¯s shareholders and the atmosphere at the time, so some of the Strongest Swords were so shocked that they staggered. ¡°What on earth are you doing¡­?¡± Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword Oh Yeonhee looked at Yeongwoo with her mouth covered. No matter how strange the world had be, it felt like a very dangerous attempt for a single human to directly contact an ¡®alien¡¯. On the other hand, the reaction of Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword Jo Sangik, who had early on seen Yeongwoo¡¯s extraordinary nature, was quite different. ¡°Oh¡­ my God, Mr. Yeongwoo was a pioneer.¡± After learning about Yeongwoo¡¯s incredible history, he admired him even more. Just as those who first contacted the alien exchange office on the first day of the reset were given early birds, so it must be the same this time. In this world, you have to ovee your fear and take risks faster than others in order to move forward. In other words, Jeong Yeongwoo was an ¡®early bird¡¯ even among the Strongest Swords. Of course, Yeongwoo himself didn¡¯t care about what the Strongest Swords thought. All that mattered to him now was. ¡°Chairman¡­!¡± Perhaps it was just because he was going to meet the chairman who might have brought the weapon catalog. [TL/N: After discussing with the PR, we¡¯re changing encyclopedia to catalog as it makes more sense contextually.] Chup, chup! As Yeongwoo ran towards the anchor piggybacked on Pofu Tenta, the ck iron horse Negwig followed him behind, letting out a long cry. -Kyuuiii! Then, the wedge pattern of Dogo appeared in a row along the ck trail he left. This was a kind of ceremonial function for his own chairman. And at the same time. Zzuuung! A quest that had been stuck in the corner of Yeongwoo¡¯s field of vision started flickering. [Dogo] ¡°The Will of the Deceased¡± [Mission] Assassinate Kim Jong-un. [Reward] Dogo special equipment [Special] The fact that Dogo is supporting this mission must be disclosed. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± After being surprised for a moment, Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes filled with anticipation. Hadn¡¯t he alreadypleted the mission listed in that quest? On top of that, the fact that the quest text was reacting at the moment the chairman arrived was a coincidence. ¡®The chairman came to deliver the reward in person!¡¯ The moment Yeongwoo thought this, ¡°The Will of the Deceased¡± was actuallypleted. Ping! [Quest Completed ¨C ¡°The Will of the Deceased¡±] [Reward Paid] | Dogo Special Equipment ¡°Oh, Chairman!¡± As Yeongwoo spread his arms wide open, a huge iron lump slowly descended from beyond the sky. It was the spaceship shaped like the tomb of the chairman of Dogo. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Oh my God.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± When the Strongest Swords saw the iron te the size of a skyscraper appear in the sky above Gangnam, they reflexively shuddered and stepped back, sharpening their swords. It was so powerful that the Geumgang Yaksha they saw earlier felt like a joke. After all, the Kim family is only the most wicked existence on this, and they are nothing more thanmon thugs in the universe. On the other hand, the being that appeared now was the founder of a pan-universal militarypany. So, it was natural that his majesty far surpassed that of a mutant on a single. Kugugugugug¡­ As the endlessly tall iron tomb continued to lower its altitude, the huge chain connecting the anchor and the tomb rattled and twisted. And finally. ¡°Oh, that person over there¡­¡­?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Look over there!¡± The Strongest Swords found something on top of the tombstone and their eyes widened. That¡¯s because there stood a hulking knight, d in armor from head to toe. His figure, looking down at the ground with arge greatsword resting on it, was like a character out of aic book, and everyone stood there with their mouths open, unable to say a word for a while. Thanks to that. ¡°Chairman! I¡¯m here!¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s location, the only one making a loud noise, was clearly revealed. ¨DJeong Yeongwoo07. After a while, the chairman looked towards where Yeongwoo was and jumped off the top of the tomb without a moment¡¯s hesitation. Taat! [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°What?¡± ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°Jo, be careful!¡± The Strongest Swords were actually shocked by the chairman¡¯s free fall. They knew that their opponent was no ordinary person, but from the Strongest Swords¡¯ point of view, it was a free fall from such a high altitude that it would send shivers down their spines just to watch. Moreover. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°Wow, he¡¯s much bigger than I thought he would be?¡± His body, which had looked so small when he was on top of the tomb, started to swell up at an incredible speed as he got closer to the ground. Fwoosh! Chairman Dogo finallynded right above Yeongwoo¡¯s head. Descending at high speed, fully absorbing Earth¡¯s gravity, he came to a gentle stop about 3 meters above the ground. Shuaaat! ¡°Chairman! I¡¯ve been looking forward to seeing you again.¡± As Yeongwoo tilted his head on Pofu Tenta, the chairman moved his gaze inside the helmet and looked at Pofu and Yeongwoo¡¯s right arm, which was in the middle of recovery. ¨DYou seem to be doing well. He was still wearing the same armor as before. A helmet thatpletely covered the front and full-body armor that was dented all over the ce. The only thing different, though. ¡®A cape¡­?¡¯ This time, a cape made of some kind of metal was draped over the chairman¡¯s back and shoulders. Unlike the armor that bore the clear marks of battle, the cape was strangely clean, so Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Are you¡­ on your way somewhere?¡± He asked because he thought it might be rted to the weapon catalog that the chairman had personally gone to get in order to fulfill the contract. However, the answer he got waspletely different from what he had expected. ¨DI was called by the council. ¡°The council¡­?¡± ¨DThey¡¯re going to review the contract process for the transfer of the Bastard. It¡¯s true that the order of Earth has been distorted by ¡®Myth¡¯. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Yeongwoo, who was still a lowly beingpared to the chairman, had a hard time understanding even half of what he had just heard. ¡®So¡­ does that mean he was summoned somewhere because the council took issue with the transfer of the Mythic weapon?¡¯ In other words, he was being scolded by the council for daring to carry a Myth weapon on Earth while the reset process was still underway. ¡°Chairman, are you okay? What¡¯s going to happen next?¡± As Yeongwoo rolled his eyes to check if the chairman¡¯s limbs were intact, a deep voice came from inside the chairman¡¯s helmet. ¨DThe problem has been resolved, as the councillor who raised the issue has been eliminated. ¡°Huh?¡± The moment the chairman said that, he put his greatsword back in his scabbard, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but think this: ¡®No way, even those guys on the council or whatever must be no ordinary beings, but they¡¯re¡­ dead? No, he killed them?¡¯ It was like a businessman who had been called in for a parliamentary inspection had beaten up the National Assembly member who had questioned him. ¡°Um, Chairman¡­ are you really okay? Isn¡¯t the council that summoned you a pretty high-ranking one?¡± As Yeongwoo dared to express his concern about the chairman¡¯s judgment, Dogo tilted his head once and spoke again clearly. ¨DThe problem has been resolved. ¡°Ah¡­ I guess that¡¯s true since the source of the problem is gone. I was too short-sighted.¡± Yeongwoo nodded again. And he muttered to himself, ¡®Crazy bastard Destroyer.¡¯ ¡°So, Chairman, is the Bastard still mine? I¡¯m supposed to pay the acquisition tax by tomorrow.¡± If he had to give the Bastard back, the acquisition tax should be canceled as well, right? To this, Chairman Dogo, instead of giving a precise answer, turned the conversation in an odd direction. ¨DAre you afraid? To be the master of Myth. It was clear that even he didn¡¯t know for sure, so he was just beating around the bush. ¡°No, Chairman, it¡¯s not that.¡± It was the moment when Jeong Yeongwoo, the blockhead recognized by the achievement system, broke his stubbornness for the first time. What kind of conversation could he have with someone who swung his sword around the moment the council officially called him to raise a problem? ¡°So, the reason you came to Earth today is¡­.¡± Yeongwoo lowered his head slightly and stared at the chairman¡¯s empty hands. Then Dogoughed softly, as if he knew it all too well. ¨DThe contract will be fulfilled. (Special use) [Expensive Sweat] -¡¸Dogo¡¹ will procure one of the catalogs of your choice within two days. -If the deadline is not met, the head office will pay 100 million karma as a penalty. The weapon catalog that Yeongwoo had set as a special use condition. He was telling him that he had brought it within two days as promised. ¡°Oh, really?¡± As Yeongwoo looked around like a child looking for a Christmas present, the chairman raised his head and looked at the sky. And then. Piiiiiiing! A beam of light shot down from the edge of the sky and ced a holographic book right in front of Yeongwoo. ¡°Ah¡­ this is it.¡± The weapon catalog he had been waiting for so long. Yeongwoo instinctively tried to reach for the catalog, but first looked at the chairman. ¨D¡­¡­. The chairman nodded his head slightly as if to allow contact, and Yeongwoo reached for the weapon catalog. Poof. ¡®It¡¯s already the third catalog.¡¯ essories, armor, and weapons. Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine how strong he would be now. ¡¸¡¯Weapon Catalog¡¯ has been added to Jeong Yeongwoo07¡¯s data.¡¹ The catalog acquisition message appeared, followed by a special notification that had never appeared before. ¡¸A mythical item has been detected from the catalog list.¡¹ ¡¸A mythical catalog will be added.¡¹ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 208 Chapter 208 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 208: Defense Specialist (4) ¡°Myth¡­ a mythical catalog?¡± As Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened, chairman Dogo, as if he had known all along, crossed his arms and said. ¨DThe true value of the Bastard lies there. It was a kind of Dogo-style bluffing, as Yeongwoo, who had been insignificant because he had handed over the Bastard, could open the myth catalog. ¡°Th-The Myth Catalog¡­ So, it¡¯s a catalog that only registers mythological equipment that you¡¯ll acquire in the future? Will I really get a second myth?¡± Yeongwoo said with a humble gesture. Of course, having obtained a mythical weapon in just a few days after the reset, he had never thought that this would be his first andst myth. Yeongwoo was born insignificant, but he was a very ambitious and mischievous being for an insignificant person. And above all. ¡®If the chairman considered handing over the Bastard even considering the myth catalog¡­ there must be a reason, right? Like another way to obtain a myth.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s humble demeanor in front of the chairman was precisely because of this. Myth Catalog. Isn¡¯t the reason why the chairman gave this to Dogo¡¯s advertising model because there is room for a second, and even a third, myth? ¡®Chairman, please give me some answers.¡¯ When Yeongwoo looked at Dogo¡¯s beast-shaped helmet with anticipation, the chairman responded after a while, not in the form Yeongwoo had expected. ¨DJeong Yeongwoo07. You already have the second myth in front of you. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Yeongwoo tilted his head at the unexpected answer. ¡°What do you mean? Ah, of course, Chairman, your military ss is indeed a mythic existence¡­¡­¡± Yeongwoo was about to say this, but then he suddenly closed his mouth as something crossed his mind. And then, at the right moment. Ha. The chairman spread his arms in a posture that seemed arrogant. ¨DThis body is the myth itself. ¡®¡­Did he make a mistake today?¡¯ But Yeongwoo felt like he knew what the chairman was talking about. ¨DEven the name of Dogo is written in that catalog. ¡®¡­As expected.¡¯ In other words, the Myth Catalog was not just about equipment, but a conceptual catalog that dealt with everything ¡®mythical¡¯. ¡®So ultimately, the chairman was just showing off his own achievements. It means being included in the catalog.¡¯ But at the same time. ¡°Then someone with the Myth Catalog might go hunting for mythical beings like you, Chairman. They could kill myths to fill the catalog¡­?¡± Yeongwoo asked a question that could seem quite absurd, but the chairman, who exuded strength, straightened his shoulders as if proud. ¨DIndeed. There have been quite a few challengers. And then, he muttered quietly while adjusting the greatsword at his waist. ¨DI am also the owner of the Myth Catalog. And today, I filled one slot in the catalog. Finally, that Bastard has found a use as well. ¡®¡­Unbelievable.¡¯ He was referring to the member of council who raised questions about the Bastard¡¯s transfer. ¡®With such scoundrels everywhere, how on earth is the order of the universe being maintained?¡¯ As Yeongwoo was thinking this, the current status of the Myth Catalog appeared before his eyes. ¡²1¡³ The ¡®myth¡¯ Yeongwoo had collected so far was only one. From now on, if he acquires another mythical equipment or defeats a mythical being, he can increase that number one by one. ¡®How many myths has the chairman, the crazy king of destruction, collected?¡¯ Without realizing it, Yeongwoo stared nkly at the distorted Dogo full-body armor, then his attention was drawn to the notification messages that appeared one after another. Swish! ¡°Huh?¡± It was none other than. ¡¾The sword body length is proportional to the user¡¯s height.¡¿ ¡¾25% increase in power against targetsrger than the user.¡¿ ¡¾Ignore 50% of physical damage reduction rate.¡¿ . . . ¡¾15% increase in power when using both hands.¡¿ ¡¾20% increase in power for the first attack. Reactivated when switching weapons¡¿ It was a special effect application message from the weapon catalog. All the options of the collected weapon equipment were applied collectively. And finally. [There are 2 unapplied effects.] |Subject: Golden Trait, ¡°Bastard¡± |Reason: Ownership effect A notice appeared stating that the automaticbat of the two-handed sword ¡®Golden Trail¡¯ and the unique effects of the Bastard would not be activated by the catalog. ¡®Ah¡­ That¡¯s a shame. Not all effects are applied indiscriminately.¡¯ In other words, to see the effects of the Bastard and the Golden Trail, they must be worn directly. ¡®I thought I could see the flying Bastard.¡¯ One fortunate point was that since the Golden Trail automatically followed its owner, there was no need to take it up and waste a slot. Now that ¡°Preemptive Strike¡± was registered in the catalog, would he not frequently use sh attacks and thrusts? ¡¸Preemptive Strike¡¹ ¨C Variant One-Handed Sword ¡¾20% increase in power for the first attack. Reactivated when switching weapons¡¿ ¡®Still, the Duhan¡¯s Sword effect is applied in the catalog. Hunting dragons will be much easier.¡¯ Imagine the Bastard¡¯s sword extending up to 6 meters. Yeongwoo had confidence that he could even scare off dragons. Also, due to the Weapon Catalog, even though his firepower might not be great, his versatility had significantly increased. ¡®My preparations to meet my mother and uncles are all done.¡¯ Swish! Next, the status of the Weapon Catalog appeared. [Weapon Catalog] ¡²13¡³ [Collection Effect: 10] |Damage increase per registered weapon: 1% ¡°Oh.¡± Indeed, it could be called a Weapon Catalog. The collection effect from level 1 was extraordinary. ¡®So if 100 weapons are registered, the damage increase would be 100%, right?¡¯ Of course, judging by the operation of the previous catalog, it wouldn¡¯t be easy to fill the catalog in a short time since only equipment with special effects could be registered in the catalog. ¡®But ultimately, it¡¯s a matter of time. As long as there¡¯s enough karma, I can buy equipment as theye.¡¯ In the end, it¡¯s another karma issue. However, the negotiations for defense expenses had been settled to some extent, and there was still plenty of advertising fees from Dogo that had not been received. ¡°Chairman¡­ Thank you for all your hard work. I will work hard to spread the name of Dogo far and wide.¡± As Yeongwoo bowed his head, Pofu, who was carrying him, also tilted his upper body and bowed to the chairman. ¨C Babat! ¡°However¡­¡­¡± After a while, Yeongwoo spoke up again. ¨DWhat is it? Tell me. ¡°There¡¯s still one unpaid reward.¡± Yeongwoo gestured with his right thumb, index finger, and middle finger crossed, and the Dogo inside the helmet chuckled knowingly. ¨DYou¡¯re right. Business deals must be clear. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Then he gave some kind of signal to the sky again. And then. Boom! This time, instead of a pir of light, a rough noise of physical force was heard as the problem ¡®reward¡¯ broke through the sky and crashed into the middle of Yeongwoo and Dogo. Boom! ¡°Whoa!¡± The volume of the ¡®reward¡¯ wasrger than expected, so Yeongwoo instinctively stepped back but barely managed to hold his ground. ¡°What is this, Chairman?¡± Yeongwoo asked while looking at the ck lump of metal. The equipment summoned by the chairman was stuck in the ground in an oval shape, like the egg that contained Negwig. However, its size was about 1 meter in diameter, much smaller than Negwig. ¡®He probably didn¡¯t give me another mount.¡¯ As Yeongwoo cautiously examined the ck metal, Dogo pointed at the reward with his finger. ¨DAfter reaching an agreement with the shareholders, it was decided to provide a newly developed product for demonstration. This is the reward for killing Kim Jong-un. ¡°¡­A new product?¡± Of course, from Yeongwoo¡¯s perspective, it was even more surprising to hear the name ¡®Kim Jong-un¡¯ pronounced by the chairman. ¨DLook. Dogo descended slowly for the product demonstration. Yeongwoo watched as he gradually approached the earth¡¯s surface and the chairman¡¯s toes. He had never actually nded¡¯ on the earth because he always floated in the air. Swoosh. Finally, he descended to a ce just 1 meter above the ground, then slowly drew out his sword and lightly scratched the ¡®new product¡¯ with its tip. Sssht! At that moment. Crack! With a fierce friction sound, the metal object, which had been in an oval shape, unfolded widely. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Yeongwoo finally realized what this reward was and widened his eyes. ¡°A cloak¡­ This is a cloak, right?¡± Moreover, this cloak was the same product as the one the chairman was currently wearing. ¨DWhen you receive a summons someday, you too must wear the ¡°Phase Armor.¡± Phase Armor. The ¡®Phase Armor¡¯ given by Dogo using transcendentalnguage was a type of robe. It was an equipment term that indicated the affiliation, status, and cosmic aspect of the wearer. Generally, it was made in the form of a cloak, but depending on one¡¯s preference, it could also be a ritual sword, shield, or helmet. ¡®Especially when engaging in external activities, wearing Phase Armor is considered a cosmic etiquette. It¡¯s almost essential when entering public institutions¡­¡¯ For a while, Yeongwoo was unraveling theplex meaning of ¡°Phase Armor,¡± but he once again paid attention to the chairman¡¯s recent words. ¡°Chairman, but when they say ¡®summoned¡¯ in space¡­ it¡¯s usually not for good, right?¡± For example, like when the chairman was summoned by themittee. ¡®Even if you haven¡¯t paid taxes, you¡¯ll probably be ordered to appear at the relevant agency¡­¡¯ Dogo didn¡¯t deny this. ¨DThat¡¯s right. So you should pay even more attention to cosmic etiquette and prepare for unavoidable choices. ¡°Unavoidable choices¡­?¡± As Yeongwoo echoed the chairman¡¯s words like a parrot, Dogo looked up at the sky again. But this time. Poof! It was to ascend into the sky. As usual, it was about to leave as soon as it finished its business here. ¡°Ch-chairman! What do you mean by unavoidable choices you just mentioned? Chairman!¡± As Yeongwoo shouted while looking at Dogo, hismanding voice echoed from the sky. ¡ªRemember Dogo¡¯s business philosophy. I am Dogo, the King of Destruction, the one born on the battlefield, the master of the Hundred Thousand Swords Mountain,¡¸Dogo¡¹¡­! ¡®What the heck¡­ What is he saying?¡¯ While Yeongwoo was frowning, the giant chain connecting the chairman¡¯s tombstone to the anchor began to be sucked up into the sky. Swish, swish, swish, swish! Dogo began its voyage back into the vast universe. ¡°Chairman! Stay healthy¡­!¡± Since he had to see them off anyway, Yeongwoo waved his arms into the air. Then, the Seoul Strongest Swords, who had been listening to their conversation nkly, also waved their hands awkwardly. Especially Gwanak Strongest Sword Jo Sangik. ¡°¡­Yeongwoo seems to have a tough life as well.¡± Watching the gigantic tombstone of the ¡°New Humanity,¡± disappear beyond the sky, he licked his lips in admiration. Poof! And in the ce where the chairman had left. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Dogo¡¯s special cloak, the reward for killing Kim Jong-un, remained. ¡°A cloak that allows you to prepare for unavoidable choices¡­?¡± Now that the chairman had left, it was time to open the gift. Yeongwoo immediately reached out and touched the ck cloak. Tap. ¡¸Cosmic Etiquette¡¹ ¨C ¡ó Dogo Phase Armor ¡¾20% increase in damage to government officials.¡¿ ¡¾20% resistance to abilities¡¿ ¡¾Dogo¡¿ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 209 Chapter 209 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 209: Up (1) ¡°Targeting government officials¡­?¡± As soon as Yeongwoo saw the main effect of the cloak, he immediately realized what the chairman meant by ¡°unavoidable choices.¡± ¡®So, even when he beat that councillor to death, he was wearing this.¡¯ In a way, the incident itself could have been excellent publicity. It¡¯s like saying, with this product, you can solve any ¡®problem.¡¯ ¡®But then, who exactly are Dogo¡¯s main customers?¡¯ While Dogo manufacturing such dubious equipment seemed usible, Yeongwoo wondered who would actually buy such gear. Finally, he started to take an interest in the customers of thepany he was promoting. ¡°Government officials as targets? What kind of trouble are you getting into?¡± As Jeonggu approached, he was astonished by the tooltip of ¡®Cosmic Etiquette,¡¯ and Yeongwoo, picking up the cloak, turned his head sideways. ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything yet.¡± ¡°Yet?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know about other people¡¯s affairs.¡± Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t grasp the chairman¡¯s true intentions behind giving him this insane cloak. It could be a suggestion to resist uing tax bombs, or it might imply an entirely different event. ¡®Well, ¡®government officials¡¯ is quite a broad term.¡¯ Anyway, the chairman seemed to think that their advertising model, just like himself, would sh with government officials. ¡®I hope it¡¯s just a bluff. I have no intention of bing a full-fledged criminal already.¡¯ Of course, as long as he wore this cloak, it would be difficult to win the favor of government officials. ¡®Does this just automatically wear when draped over the shoulders?¡¯ Since there were no obvious loops or belts to attach the cloak to the body, Yeongwoo draped therge hunk of metal over his shoulders like wearing a coat. Then, ¡®Cosmic Etiquette¡¯nded sharply on Yeongwoo¡¯s back with a metallic sound. Clink! ¡¸Cosmic Etiquette¡¹- ¡ó Dogo Phase Armor ¡¾20% increase in damage to government officials.¡¿ ¡¾20% resistance to abilities¡¿ ¡¾Dogo¡¿ An astonishing cloak that can threaten government officials just by wearing it. Next, Yeongwoo¡¯s resistance abilities soared, confirming that Cosmic Etiquette had been properly applied. |me Resistance: 35% |Cold Resistance: 35% |Lightning Resistance: 30% |Toxin Resistance: 15% ¡¾50% Osmosis¡¿ |Ability Resistance: 50% ¡°Wow¡­ My toxin resistance has increased too.¡± This was thanks to the effect of the Osmosis of the Story Ring. ¡¾The lowest basic resistance value bes equal to the highest resistance value.¡¿ He inadvertently made full use of the Osmosis. ¡®Taking advantage of the 35% toxin resistance.¡¯ As Yeongwoo thought this, his mind spun once more. ¡®Wait¡­ Right now, my toxin resistance alone is 15%, so it receives the Osmosis effect, right?¡¯ Then if the toxin resistance was not 15% but 30%, what would happen? ¡®In this case, there will be two basic resistances with the lowest values. Then wouldn¡¯t they both receive the Osmosis effect?¡¯ Having reached this point in his thoughts, Yeongwoo nced quickly through the equipment catalog. While there was no way to increase toxin resistance to 30% right now, he could temporarily lower lightning resistance to 15% to test it. ¡®If I find equipment with 15% lightning resistance and deactivate it for a moment, I can experiment right away.¡¯ And finally. ¡®I found it.¡¯ He discovered it in the essory catalog. ¡¸Instion¡¹- Mutation Bracelet ¡¾15% Lightning Resistance¡¿ Instion, 15% lightning resistance. If he deactivates this in the catalog now, he could record both the lowest values of toxin and lightning resistance. Pop! As soon as Yeongwoo deactivated Instion, his lightning resistance immediately dropped to 15%. Then. Boom! |me Resistance: 35% |Cold Resistance: 35% |Lightning Resistance: 15% ¡¾50% Osmosis¡¿ |Toxin Resistance: 15% ¡¾50% Osmosis¡¿ |Ability Resistance: 50% The lightning resistance also increased by 50% due to the Osmosis. ¡®Hey¡­ This is a total scam, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ As Yeongwoo unintentionally marveled at the sessful experimental results, Jeonggu tilted his head. ¡°Why, what are you up to now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just boosting resistance.¡± ¡°What?¡± Though Jeonggu asked, Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze had already returned to the catalog. Thanks to the second-tier collection effect of the essory catalog, by deactivating all effects rted to basic resistance, he could apply Osmosis to all four resistances. [Collection Effect: 20] | All basic resistances +15% ¡®This is like winning a Nobel Prize.¡¯ Excitedly, Yeongwoo found and deactivated each basic resistance effect one by one. As a result, | me Resistance: 15% ¡¾50% Osmosis¡¿ | Cold Resistance: 15% ¡¾50% Osmosis¡¿ | Lightning Resistance: 15% ¡¾50% Osmosis¡¿ | Toxin Resistance: 15% ¡¾50% Osmosis¡¿ | Ability Resistance: 50% Ironically, after removing resistance equipment, his resistance actually skyrocketed. ¡®Wow, not only did the chairman give me the power to target government officials, but he also gifted me resistance.¡¯ This meant there was no need to deliberately purchase resistance equipment, saving even more on equipment costs. However, the point to be careful of in this setup was, ¡®Now, resistance can only be increased through ability resistance, and basic resistance should not be identally increased.¡¯ Of course, there might be a way to bring inrge quantities of special resistances like the one obtained today, but for now, ability resistance was the only method. ¡®Let¡¯s set up Gems in advance. The probability of encountering a dragon again tomorrow is quite high.¡¯ Thanks to having three catalogs, now all gem slots could be utilized. For example, ¡¸Ghost Armor¡¹- Mutated Breastte ¡¾15% Projectile Damage Reduction¡¿ ¡¾¨CEmpty Slot¨C¡¿ Since Ghost Armor was listed in the armor catalog, he could receive all the effects of the equipped gems without directly wearing it. Furthermore, there were still two Void Stones left to create new gem slots. Ping! Next, when Yeongwoo inserted a Gem into the Ghost Armor, a new entry appeared at the bottom of his resistance status. | Dragonkin Resistance: 10% ¡®Farming knows no bounds. But there probably isn¡¯t something like government official resistance, right?¡¯ It was half a joke, but probably not. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] There was likely an ability resistance attached to something like ¡®Cosmic Etiquette,¡¯ which could be considered a kind of obstruction to government duties. This meant that government officials in the universe generally used ability damage. ¡°What¡¯s next? If someone else ising, tell me in advance.¡± After watching Yeongwoo for a while, Jeonggu shook his head as if fed up. Meanwhile, the golden goblin gathered 10 million karma scattered around the Benz field. -Keet! Finally, he retrieved the ¡®protection fee¡¯ promised by Eunpyeong. At this point, Yeongwoo btedly realized that the Dharma Wheel carried by the goblin had disappeared. As expected, when the Yaksha disappeared, the equipment the goblin carried also disappeared. ¡®You can¡¯t just eat up mythological equipment.¡¯ What were the collection effects of mythological catalogs? And how much had the chairman filled in the catalog? ¡°Well, for now, there won¡¯t be any more guests.¡± Yeongwoo detached his luck while groping for the Bastard at his waist. Since he probably wouldn¡¯t meet any more mythical equipment or equivalent beings today, the only remaining task was the nighttime dungeon. ¡®Since I can blow the whistle once more, my friends can meet me in the dungeon.¡¯ However, to avoid using up Kim Il-sung¡¯s sphere for a dungeon entry ticket, he needed to obtain one more golden sphere. ¡°Maybe the next destination is North Korea again¡­?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Today, to enter the dungeon, I need one more sphere.¡± ¡°¡­So you¡¯re going to North Korea to get it?¡± ¡°There¡¯s probably still a high chance of mutants being there.¡± And after visiting there, the protection fee collected in Dobong would probably have arrived at the lodging. In essence, only moneying in remained. ¡°Now that the difficult tasks are almost done, you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± After offering such unhelpfulfort, Yeongwoo finally checked the achievement rewards. [Achievement Completed: ck Legend] | Achievement Grade: Epic | Achievement Rank: #2 ¡¸Face legendary evil.¡¹ Since encountering the Kims fulfilled the achievement, the reward notification had been flickering in the corner of his vision since earlier. ¡®ck Legend¡­ Let¡¯s see what it is.¡¯ As Yeongwoo approved the reward collection, a new item with a very peculiar tooltip appeared. Paat! ¡¸Evil Meter¡¹- Mythological Tool ¡¾You can see the target¡¯s evil meter.¡¿ ¡¾Increase in post-achievement evil reduction rate by 20%¡¿ ¡®Evil meter¡­?¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened. This was a device rted to the structure of this world, or rather, the universe. The device, shaped like a revolver, had its entire barrel shimmering brightly like a prism exposed to light. ¡°W-What¡¯s that? Is it a gun?¡± Jeonggu approached, mesmerized by the shimmering barrel of the measuring device, and Yeongwoo, with a slightly tense expression, opened his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s an Evil Meter.¡± ¡°What? Evil?¡± ¡°Yes. It seems like when you shoot someone with this, you can see their Evil Meter.¡± Swish- When Yeongwoo aimed the gun¡­ no, the measuring device at Jeonggu, the Strongest Swords standing in the distance started murmuring. To them, who didn¡¯t understand the situation well, it seemed like Yeongwoo suddenly pulling out a gun and threatening his father. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo was watching a spectrum of iridescent light gathering above Jeonggu¡¯s head. Probably a sign that he had be the measurement target. ¡°It seems thatmitting virtuous acts reduces the evil meter. It says so in the tooltip.¡± ¡°Why are you talking to me while pointing a gun at me?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just¡­ fascinating, isn¡¯t it?¡± As Yeongwoo chattered while tapping the barrel, Jeonggu wiped the cold sweat flowing from his forehead for some reason. ¡°So, how much virtue do you have tomit to reduce the evil meter? It won¡¯t be a one-to-one ratio, right?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. But now that we have this measuring device, we should be able to figure it out roughly.¡± And for that, they would need to know what the universe specifically defined as ¡®evil deeds¡¯ and what constituted ¡®virtuous acts.¡¯ In fact, concepts like evil or virtue themselves were quite abstract and subjective depending on the circumstances. ¡°So, can you only see other people¡¯s evil meters with that device?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. If you shoot, you should be able to see mine too.¡± However, Yeongwoo¡¯s gun was still pointed at his father. ¡°Really? How about shooting yourself first?¡± Jeonggu made a gun shape with his hand and pointed it at his own temple. Yeongwoo nodded. ¡°Yes. I must know my own evil meter. But before that.¡± As Yeongwoo ced his finger on the trigger of the measuring device, a clicking sound echoed. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Whether the universe considers the involuntary creation of orphans due to unintentional malicious intent as evil deeds or not.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see the universe¡¯s judgment together. Father!¡± Swiftly, Yeongwoo grasped the Evil Meter with both hands. ¡°¡­!¡± Then, without hesitation, he pulled the trigger. Bang! [TL/N: Bat-shit insane guy.] [PR/N: Bro shot his father in the fucking forehead [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 210 Chapter 210 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 209: Up (2) He thought he wouldn¡¯t die with a high probability. Even if he were to fire the evil meter at his father. Of course, it looked just like a real gun. ¡®Something like a bullet could be shot.¡¯ Even if that were the case, as long as his heart wasn¡¯t pierced, he thought he could survive with effort. In a hurry, he could lend the ¡°Slime¡¯s Core¡± to regenerate his body. But the ce Yeongwoo inadvertently aimed at was. ¡°Huh?¡± It was right in the middle of his father¡¯s forehead. It was instinctively aiming at a ce where it could cause fatal injury at the thought of firing a gun. So naturally. Bang! As the trigger was pulled, the gun fired a bullet towards Jeonggu¡¯s forehead. ¡°¡­ A bullet came out?¡± ¡°No, this crazy bastard!¡± The two Strongest Sword, sensing something was wrong for a moment, were startled. And almost simultaneously, the multicolored bullet fired from the detector pierced Jeonggu¡¯s forehead. Bang! ¡°Whoa! Father!¡± ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Jeonggu squeezed his forehead with a grim face. But. ¡°¡­.?¡± Instead of a hole appearing in his forehead, not a single drop of blood wasing out. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What, what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It looks like it was just a holographic bullet.¡± When Yeongwoo finished firing and lowered the detector, system messages appeared in the air at the right moment. ¡ºKim Jeonggu-49522-IIII_III¡» | Evilness level: 1,079,806 ¡°1.7 million¡­? Is that¡­ high?¡± As it was the first measurement target, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t tell whether Jeonggu¡¯s evilness level was high or low. ¡°1.7 million? Is my evilness level really 1.7 million¡± When Jeonggu asked like that, Yeongwoo finally realized. The fact that only the owner of the detector could check the evilness level. ¡°You can¡¯t see it from there, can you?¡± When Yeongwoo pointed to the system message in front of him, Jeonggu shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Then it meant that Jeonggu couldn¡¯t see the evilness level change history extending below the evilness level. ¡°¡­.¡± So Yeongwoo read the remaining messages as if stealing the other¡¯s diary. [Recent increase in evilness level] | Increase of 13 due to the murder of Im Gyeonghan06. [Recent decrease in evilness level] | Decrease of 134,801 due to the assassination of dictator Kim Jong-un by Jeong Yeongwoo07. Surprisingly, the person who reduced Jeonggu¡¯s evilness level the most was none other than Yeongwoo himself. ¡®How did this happen?¡¯ Yeongwoo had a shocked expression, but he was secretly guessing the reason. The reason why Jeonggu¡¯s evilness level decreased due to the actions of Jeong Yeongwoo07. ¡®Kim Jeonggu¡­ is really my father.¡¯ Of course, tonight the truth of the ¡®Direct Descendant Universal Certificate¡¯ writtenst night would be confirmed, but before that, it was as if it had been cross-verified through the evilness system. And above all. [Maximum increase and decrease in evilness level] | Unintentional modification by Jeong Yeongwoo07, +1,362,447. | Decrease of 134,801 due to the assassination of dictator Kim Jong-un by Jeong Yeongwoo07. At the bottom, there was a separate note, simr to what was written in Yeongwoo¡¯s destiny book. Because of unintentional intentions, the evilness level increased by a whopping 1.36 million. In other words, Kim Jeonggu¡¯s maximum evilness was none other than the illegitimate child, Jeong Yeongwoo. ¡®It doesn¡¯t feel good to be the reason for my father¡¯s maximum evilness.¡¯ Moreover, the evilness level was 1.36 million. Considering that Jeonggu gained 13 evilness by killing Im Gyeonghan06, 1.36 million was a very high number. ¡®And the reason why my father¡¯s evilness level is high¡­ is probably because of my age.¡¯ Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo07. The strongest orphan born, giving his father a whopping 1.36 million evilness. ¡®But am I really that wicked? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve umted many virtues, but¡­.¡¯ Even so, is it saying that right after birth, he umtes evilness so great for his father? Yeongwoo felt a little sad. But the somewhatforting part was. | Decrease of 134,801 due to the assassination of dictator Kim Jong-un by Jeong Yeongwoo07. Killing Kim Jong-un significantly reduced his father¡¯s evilness level. ¡®Kim Jong-un must havemitted heinous acts to have such arge evilness level. If I had let him live, he would have continued tomit sins¡­.¡¯ In other words, if you want to lower your evilness level, you just need to find and kill someone who hasmitted greater evil than yourself. ¡®It¡¯s quite inexplicable. The principles of the universe.¡¯ Yeongwoo sighed deeply, then suddenly thought of another existence and blinked. ¡ªI am Dogo, the King of Destruction, the one born on the battlefield, the master of the Hundred Thousand Swords Mountain,¡¸Dogo¡¹ It was Dogo, the founder and current chairman of the intergctic weapon brand ¡¸Dogo¡¹. ¡®The chairman is a nobleman who kills even councillors, how much evilness level would he have?¡¯ Surprisingly, his evilness level might not be high. If Dogo has overwhelmingly contributed to public welfare or good deeds more than the harm caused to the universe, couldn¡¯t he offset arge amount of evilness level? ¡®¡­ But that¡¯s probably not the case.¡¯ Swish. Yeongwoo tightened his grip on the evil meter. Now that he roughly understood the structure of the evilness system, it was time to examine his own evilness level. ¡°You¡¯re doing it to yourself now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As Yeongwoo nodded, Jeonggu¡¯s expression seemed to be expectant. Except for the mistake of having a son, he hadn¡¯t done anything terribly wrong, yet his current evilness level was 1.07 million. And even that was reduced by Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s ¡°good deeds.¡± Then, what would be the evilness level of Jeong Yeongwoo07, who is evilness incarnate? ¡°Alright, here we go.¡± As Yeongwoo aimed the muzzle at his own forearm, Jeonggu¡¯s expression twisted strangely. He had just aimed at the head earlier, so why was he now shooting himself in the arm? ¡°Hey, you! Fairness dictates that you should also¡­¡± Before Jeonggu¡¯s words urging him to shoot himself in the forehead could continue. Bang! Yeongwoo¡¯s evil meter fired once again. And soon. Bang! Yeongwoo¡¯s evilness level was revealed inly. ¡ºJeong Yeongwoo-49523-IIII_II¡» | Evilness level: 46,023,840 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Huh?¡± Yeongwoo, who aimed the detector at his own forehead, blinked, wondering if he had misread something. However. ¡°46¡­ million?¡± The evilness system was still reporting Yeongwoo¡¯s current evilness level as 46 million. ¡°What? 46 million¡­?¡± Jeonggu, who wasughing, also stiffened his expression upon hearing Yeongwoo¡¯s evilness level. He sensed that it wasn¡¯t just a matter tough off. ¡°Does that make sense? What kind of evilness level is in the tens of millions?¡± Since Jeonggu had just heard his own evilness level, his expression was moreplex than ever before. Despite Yeongwoo¡¯s ws, he didn¡¯t think he was such a wicked person to umte an evilness level of 46 million. ¡°What did you do before meeting me? You might be a bastard, but you¡¯re not a freaking son of a bitch, are you?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± When Jeonggu sent him a troubled look and asked, Yeongwoo squeezed his lips and extended his hand. ¡°Ah, just stay still for a moment.¡± Then he shifted his gaze to the changes in the evilness level. By examining the history, one could understand why such an outrageous figure had appeared. [Recent increase in evilness level] | Increase of 4,264 due to the murder of Cho Seonghu01. [Recent decrease in evilness level] | Assassination of dictator Kim Jong-un: -2,746,511. First of all, there was nothing special in the recent history. ¡®A decrease of 2.7 million in evilness level due to the disposal of Kim Jong-un. Is it because I¡¯m the main instigator? It¡¯s about 20 times lower than my father¡¯s decrease?¡¯ And in the recent increase in evilness level history, the name Cho Seonghu01 was written. The evilness gained by killing him was over 4,000. ¡®Cho Seonghu¡­ He¡¯s that Strongest Sword, right?¡¯ During the North-South confrontation in Paju, he was the one who asked for the disposal of Kim Jong-un until thest moment. He was considered quite impressive at the time, but he turned out to be a person who umted evilness when killed. ¡®Didn¡¯t my father kill someone named Im Gyeonghan and get 13 evilness? The difference in evilness gained from the same murder is enormous.¡¯ Yeongwoo then asked Jeonggu. ¡°Father.¡± ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± ¡°Who is Im Gyeonghan?¡± ¡°¡­.?¡± Jeonggu, who showed a momentary surprise at the unexpected name, soon answered. ¡°He¡¯s a friend I knew and hung out with in Dobong.¡± ¡°A friend? But it says that he was killed by my father?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ does it show that too?¡± Jeonggu scratched his neck awkwardly. Then he nonchntly reminisced about the memory of murder. ¡°We decided to take turns taking naps, and when I seemed to be asleep, he swung his sword. He probably wanted to take my title.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± This was the story corresponding to the 13 evilness. In other words, even though he killed a despicable person, instead of his evilness level decreasing, it increased by 13. This meant that the intergctic business system considered ¡°murder¡± as a significant crime. ¡®Then, how great a person was Cho Seonghu¡­?¡¯ Yeongwoo looked down at his own hand. But something like the murder of Cho Seonghu was almost negligiblepared to his total evilness level. ¡¯46 million¡­ Even if I killed Cho Seonghu ten times, it wouldn¡¯t be enough to fill my evilness level.¡¯ Was he really such a viin? Yeongwoo unintentionally looked back on his past. Then. ¡®Wait a minute. The most recent increase in evilness level is due to the murder of Cho Seonghu?¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes gleamed with madness again. ¡®Then, receiving protection fees or defense fees wasn¡¯t considered evilness?¡¯ A business allowed by the universe. Anyway, in this universe, even if you umte a lot of evilness, as long as you have enough power, you can live on. Chairman Dogo was a good example of this. ¡®Yeah, maybe evilness level is just an indicator to distinguish tendencies. Having a high evilness level doesn¡¯t suddenly make you die or anything like that. Maybe¡­?¡¯ An evilness level of 46 million was a number that couldn¡¯t be epted without thinking like this. ¡®Where did all this evilness levele from in the first ce? Was it originally a cursed fate?¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze finally turned to thest item, the maximum increase and decrease in evilness level. And he soon saw it. Where did this ridiculous amount of evilness levele from. [Maximum increase and decrease in evilness level] | Advertisement activities as the model for Dogo: +51,449,319. | Cumtive summoning of Golden Ratio: -2,935,106. ¡°Ah¡­ fuck you, Chairman¡­!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 211 Chapter 211 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 211: Up (3) Thus it became certain. The universal weapon brand ¡¸Dogo¡¹ led by Chairman Dogo, is evil incarnate. ¡®Ah¡­ I should have realized as soon as I saw that insane advertisement.¡¯ In Yeongwoo¡¯s mind, the image of Gepi, a Mon-o boy living on the Jarugal, shed by. Well, it¡¯s not like apany that produces advertisement videos with such stories would be in a good state. ¡®But why would they badmouth Lemu while they themselves are stacking up evil deeds?¡¯ Although he didn¡¯t have any thoughts of betraying the chairman and thepany at this moment. Because without them, it would have been difficult for him to survive until this moment. However, it was a big problem that an unbearable level of evil deeds was unknowingly umting. Unless this evil deed was merely a simple indicator for distinguishing tendencies. ¡®They say if you dy paying your taxes for just one day, you¡¯ll be thrown in a prison cell with a fatality rate of 84%. Would a world like that just leave those who have stacked up a lot of evil deeds alone?¡¯ By bing a model for Dogo¡¯s advertisement, he acquired a whopping 51 million evil deeds. In contrast, the evil deeds he managed to reduce by showering with golden ratio was only 2.9 million. ¡®It¡¯s like peeing on your own foot. And if I keep going with Dogo, my evil deeds will only increase.¡¯ This is whyrgepanies donate a lot and support public campaigns. ¡®The chairman should do some good deeds too, right? This brand image is a mess¡­..¡¯ Thinking like this, Yeongwoo realized that the most recent product Dogo released was ¡®increase in damage to government officials.¡¯ Now that he thought about it, Dogo had never hidden their true identity even for a moment. So, of course. ¡®Our customers¡¯ evil deeds must be extraordinary too.¡¯ Shock, despair, fear. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Yeongwoo screamed silently. To be born as a resident of a remote and umte tens of millions of evil deeds. Even if this is a destiny, it¡¯s still too much. ¡®But this is too much. I never intended to be a universal viin.¡¯ And there¡¯s even the achievement of discovering the ¡°main character¡± on this side. [Ending Maker] |Find the main character after the reset. ¡®What¡¯s with this flow¡­ Meeting the main character with so many evil deeds, I doubt anything good will happen.¡¯ If he meets the chairman again someday, he should discuss this evil deed a bit. ¡°¡­¡­¡± With an expression of disbelief, Yeongwoo repeatedly checked his evil deed history. Then Jeonggu cautiously approached and spoke. ¡°¡­Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not okay. It feels like I¡¯ve met a sponsor who¡¯s too much for me.¡± * * * 6:03 PM. When the battle with the Kim Three Generations was slowly being cleaned up, Taewon¡¯s Lim Suna came to the scene with her employees. Or rather, it should be seen as hering to find Yeongwoo, who is also Gangnam¡¯s Strongest Sword. ¡°Yeongwoo!¡± Eventually, she spotted Yeongwoo, but couldn¡¯t approach him towards the Strongest Sword. The whole area was blocked with Benzes, making the road practically impassable. So Yeongwoo himself got out of the Benz jungle and headed towards her. ¡°Is everything okay? On Taewon¡¯s side.¡± When Yeongwoo asked like this, Suna, with a bewildered expression, looked around at the Benz forest and btedly replied. ¡°Ah, yes. You¡¯re okay too, Yeongwoo¡­?¡± At this moment, her gaze fell on what looked exactly like a gun, ¡®Evil Meter,¡¯ and Yeongwoo quickly handed it to Goblin. ¡°Yes. Today¡¯s mutant incident has been all resolved, and starting tomorrow, we will collect defense expenses from each region.¡± ¡°Defense expenses¡­?¡± Suna asked again with a face that seemed to ask what mischief he had done this time. So Yeongwoo briefly conveyed the ¡®discussion¡¯ with the Seoul Federation that he had. Starting tomorrow, golden ratios will be distributed from each region of Seoul, and arge-scale collection will take ce. ¡°Are all the Strongest Swords going to distribute golden ratios from now on?¡± Suna still had a skeptical expression as she looked alternately at Yeongwoo and the Strongest Swords gathered on the other side. The sight of Seoul being showered with gold was hard to imagine. ¡°Then should we prepare for collection starting tomorrow?¡± When Suna switched back to work mode and asked, Yeongwoo nodded. ¡°Yes. We should collect 5 million karma from the residents of Gangnam as defense expenses.¡± Since Taewon had been managing Gangnam for a long time, collecting defense expenses shouldn¡¯t be too difficult. However, in Gangnam¡¯s case, the beneficiaries of defense expenses were slightly different. ¡°However, that money should be divided equally between Kwon Taeyoung and Kim Jongsu.¡± ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡± Suna¡¯s expression was as if she was asking if she had heard correctly. ¡°Are you saying that the defense fees collected in Gangnam will be divided between the two of them?¡± ¡°Yes. You understood correctly.¡± After nodding his head, Yeongwoo looked vaguely eastward. ¡°If by any chance, I am absent from Gangnam for a long time, the two of them will take charge.¡± This was a contingency n for a possible visit to North America or other variables. And also out of respect for the colleagues who had been with him since the beginning of the reset. Moreover, leaving everything aside, shouldn¡¯t there be reliable allies in Seoul? Right now, even though Taewon is serving as Yeongwoo¡¯s subordinate and he has a fairly friendly rtionship with the Strongest Sword from Gwanak, it¡¯s hard to see those two groups as firm allies. ¡®The only ones I can trust and rely on right now are Chief Kwon and Jongsu¡­ and¡­¡¯ Swiftly. Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze turned towards Kim Jeonggu, apany man with 1.07 million evil deeds. ¡°What, again?¡± Feeling his son¡¯s strange gaze, Jeonggu furrowed his eyebrows, and Yeongwoo scratched his chin. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. I just wanted to remind you to bring back the moneyter. You haven¡¯t paid the 5 million yet.¡± * * * At the current time, 6:33 PM. As the sun began to set gradually, Yeongwoo was once again riding on Negwig and heading north. ck, ck! He needed to acquire one more golden sphere to use in tonight¡¯s dungeon. ¡®No matter what, there should be at least one mutant left in the north.¡¯ It¡¯s a really bad thought, but aren¡¯t there very few Strongest Swords left in North Korea now? Just by the fact that Kim Jong-un came down to South Korea, and even if it¡¯s not that event, it¡¯s a well-known fact that North Korea suffered a great blow from the inter-Korean war in Paju. In other words, if you look closely at thend of the north without Pyongyang¡¯s Strongest Swords and Kim Jong-un, you can probably find at least one mutant that hasn¡¯t died yet. ck! Negwig, sprinting at full speed, was already passing through Goyang and heading towards Paju. ¡®If we assume that most of North Korea¡¯s Strongest Swords are dead¡­ what will happen next?¡¯ In any case, won¡¯t there continue to be mutants appearing in North Korea for a while? ¡®There will either be only a few Strongest Swords monopolizing those mutants, or North Korea will copse as a whole.¡¯ Whichever it is, it¡¯s clear that there will be significant repercussions for South Korea, so Yeongwoo needed to examine the situation in North Korea as well. ck! As Yeongwoo and Negwig eventually reached the vicinity of Imjin River in northern Paju, they saw a stretch of greenery at Peace Nuri Park to the right. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] And along with it were the devastated military facilities. ¡°Hmm?¡± m! As Yeongwoo reflexively pulled the reins, Negwig stopped walking, and Goblin and Pofu, who were riding along behind, also felt something strange and turned their heads towards the park. ¡°What, was there a fight here too?¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Negwig automatically turned his head towards the park and started walking. ck, ck. Negwig began to slow down as he walked on the grassy field in the park. Then, after a while, someone familiar to Yeongwoo appeared. ¡°Huh?¡± It was none other than Sergeant Jo Seongsik from Yeoncheon. ¡°Sergeant Jo!¡± m! Surprised, Yeongwoo jumped off Negwig and ran towards him. At the moment he arrived in front of him, Jo Seongsik was still blinking his eyes without responding, lying on the ground. ¡°Oh¡­!¡± Yeongwoo realized very quickly that the opponent was already dead. Because Sergeant Jo didn¡¯t even blink when he heard Yeongwoo¡¯s call. ¡®Oh, Kim Jong-un passed through here.¡¯ Yeongwoo sighed softly and looked around. In this area, not only Sergeant Jo but also soldiers from the Yeoncheon Army Headquarters were lying down. Moreover, all of them had their equipment smashed into pieces. This was evidence that they had encountered opponents different from ordinary mutants. ¡®This is serious. If Sergeant Jo isn¡¯t here, then practically the northern part of our country¡­¡¯ If there¡¯s a Guardian of the North in North Korea named Sinuiju¡¯s Strongest Sword, then there¡¯s Sergeant Jo Seongsik in South Korea. But now that both figures have disappeared, it¡¯s as if the border has copsed. ¡®For now, I need to check the situation around Yeoncheon and evacuate the residents to Seoul.¡¯ Yeongwoo requested manpower from Jo Sangik using ¡°Wave.¡± He also told Taewon to send people to Paju. After all, wouldn¡¯t he have to hold funerals for those who died in battle? Thanks to the former Strongest Sword of Gangnam, Jeong Hyunsik, Taewon still had a funeral system. ¡®I should find the families first and offer to hand over the bodies. And if they want, I¡¯ll offer to hold the funerals as well.¡¯ This was the first time since the reset that Yeongwoo had thought about holding a funeral upon seeing the dead. ¡®This means that the situation in North Korea is beyond critical.¡¯ ck! Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze shifted back north again. And then, a reddish light, clearer than before, was seen shimmering in the sky, which had turned closer to indigo. ¡°Huh?¡± As Yeongwoo blinked, the reddish light, which hade much closer in the meantime, took on a clearer form than before. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± It was none other than a red light pir indicating the location of a mutant. A mutant from somewhere in the north was now descending towards Paju. ¡°Hmm.¡± With a swift motion, Yeongwoo stood up and quickly headed towards the outskirts of the park. m! Then, on the other side, the Imjin River came into view, and beyond it, you could see a scene where a bear the size of a typical single-family home was charging. [Soldier ¨C Kim Daeryong] Soldier, Kim Daeryong. ¡°Kim Daeryong? Never heard of him before.¡± Well, if he¡¯s a soldier from North Korea, it was natural for Yeongwoo not to know unless he was pretty famous. Because of the opponent¡¯s identity. ¡¸I am guardian Kim Daeryong! Help me!¡¹ It was none other than Kim Daeryong, themander of the North Korean Army and the former Guardian of the Nation until just before the reset. ¡°What? Are you asking me for help? What the heck for?¡± While Yeongwoo was muttering like this, Kim Daeryong hurriedly jumped into the river. Ssh! He was trying to cross the river to get to where Yeongwoo was. It was only now that Yeongwoo realized that the opponent was being chased by someone. m, m! While Kim Daeryong was swimming, two very agile silhouettes appeared behind him. And the titles each of the two figures had above their heads were: ¡ºDandong¡¯s Three Swords¡» ¡°Dandong¡­ Three Swords?¡± Just as Yeongwoo was captivated by a foreboding feeling, Kim Daeryong, who had just crossed the river, opened his mouth with a grim expression. ¡¸Do you n to just stand there and watch? Help me first!¡¹ The guy had been confidently asking for help from the beginning, so Yeongwoo wondered what the heck was going on, but then he realized. ¡°Oh.¡± Wasn¡¯t there the title ¡®Strongest Sword of Joseon¡¯ above his own head now? So, Yeongwoo¡­ Swish! ¡ºStrongest Sword of Gangnam¡» After changing the title above his head, he swiftly swung his sword and beheaded Kim Daeryong in one stroke. St! Then, just as the Dandong Three Swords were about to cross the bridge, they hesitated in their steps. They had only expected to fight 2 against 2 after Kim Daeryong¡¯s words, and they hadn¡¯t expected their opponent to kill a mutant. Upon seeing this, Yeongwoo directed his voice towards the still hesitating Dandong Three Swords. ¡°If you turn back without crossing that bridge, I¡¯ll let you go. Go back now.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s words were sincere. He had already secured the sphere, and soon he would have to recover the bodies of the soldiers from the north, including Sergeant Jo Seongsik. He didn¡¯t want to see any more bloodshed. Especially since he had only recently confirmed the existence of the evil deeds, he didn¡¯t want to wield his sword again without knowing the opponent¡¯s identity properly. And above all¡­ ¡®If I kill them, it¡¯ll only add to the stigma of betrayal. It¡¯s better not to cause unnecessary trouble as the situation could be chaotic soon when thend is redistributed.¡¯ However, the response from the Dandong Three Swords side was not very desirable. ¡°¡­?¡± After a brief discussion among themselves, they looked back at Yeongwoo again. They were probably trying to gauge whether they could win or not. Upon seeing this, Yeongwoo looked up at the sky and shouted suddenly. ¡°Earth! 482! 184! 3041! 27!¡± Of course, the Chinese who didn¡¯t understand the meaning of these numbers didn¡¯t run away. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 212 Chapter 212 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 212: Up (4) ¡°Oops!¡± It was only after Yeongwoo had made the coordinate call that he remembered. The range of theser beam shot from the returnee¡¯s room was quite wide. ¡®Huh? At this rate, they¡¯ll be killed right away¡­?¡¯ Yeongwoo had initially called the coordinates behind the opponent with the intention of scaring them away. But at this rate, those two Chinese men would disappear in the blink of an eye. ¡°General¡­!¡± Yeongwoo, who was about to hastily request a ceasefire, then closed his mouth as he saw the two swordsmen attempting to cross the bridge. ¡®Well, considering they came down here as soon as the border was breached¡­¡¯ They probably wouldn¡¯t change their minds just because they were scared. Even if they retreated now, there was a high chance they woulde back properly preparedter. So how could this problem be solved? In fact, Yeongwoo already knew the answer. ¡®¡­If you destroy the problem, there won¡¯t be a problem anymore.¡¯ That was the Chairman¡¯s teaching. So Yeongwoo, after receiving the evil business detector back from the goblin, aimed his gun at the opposite side of the bridge. Bang! ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± As a result, the two people who had just set foot on the bridge quickly retreated, and the sky tore apart right on cue. Fwaaaaaah! Finally, General¡¯sser bombardment arrived on Earth. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°D-Danger¡­!¡± Both of them sensed the danger as they saw theser beam tearing through the air, but it was far toote to dodge. Paaah! The person who had been looking into the distance at the sky vanished without a trace, and the other person, who had managed to fly sideways just in time, lost everything except his head. ¡°¡­Huh.¡± As Yeongwoo watched the Chinese man¡¯s head fall to the ground, he finally realized how terrifying theser bombardment must look to others. And one more thing. ¡°Wait a minute!¡± As Yeongwoo stared nkly at the location where the bombardment hadnded, he quickly ran across the bridge. Because¡­ ¡®The equipment haspletely vaporized?¡¯ Not only the bodies of the two swordsmen but also the equipment they had were cleanly gone. ¡®It seems like bombardment not only destroys the enemy but also their equipment.¡¯ It was probably the firepower that killed Kim, who wielded mythical equipment, in a single blow. It was natural that most equipment couldn¡¯t withstand the output of theser cannon. ¡®If you want to take the loot, you have to be careful with bombardments.¡¯ Of course, amidst all this, there was one item that remained intact. Tap. The crimson coin Yeongwoo picked up from the ground. Just likest time, this currency survived a direct hit from theser. ¡®I wonder if the Chairman will ever make guns? It would be nice to use this as ammunition for firearms.¡¯ Yeongwoo first ordered the goblin to collect the scattered coins from all around. -Kiit! Then, 14,000 karma, the ¡°change,¡± poured into Yeongwoo¡¯s bnce. * Avable karma: 41,348,500 With this, today¡¯s tax issue was perfectly resolved. But another problem arose immediately. Paaat! ¡¸Since you have acquired the title of a region not belonging to your country, the stamp ¡®Territorialism¡¯ will be created.¡¹ Yeongwoo received another stamp while taking away two titles from the swordsmen. ¡®So it¡¯s finally here.¡¯ Yeongwoo calmly waited, like someone experienced in stealing titles. Soon, a shiny de mark appeared before his eyes, informing him that from now on, he would be pursued by countless Chinese people. ¡ºTerritorialism: China¡» |To atone for this crime, all strongholds in China will be informed of your location. ¡°Strongholds in China¡± likely referred to the highest-ranked individuals. How many would that be, altogether? Before the reset, China¡¯s poption was roughly 1.42 billion. In contrast, South Korea had around 50 million people. A simpleparison of poptions showed about a 28-fold difference. ¡®So, the number of leaders of strongholds would be at least 20 times higher.¡¯ Then would the number of pursuers also be 20 times higher? ¡®Wait a minute¡­ is this okay?¡¯ Just North Korea, with a poption half that of South Korea, had about eleven members who didn¡¯t participate in the Paju Battle during the inter-Korean war. Then, for China¡­ ¡®It¡¯s 40 times that of North Korea¡­ so 440 peoplee every time there¡¯s a full-scale war?¡¯ It was aughable number¡¯ Of course, the probability of such an event actually happening was extremely low. With the majority ofmunication equipment disabled, how could the scattered strongholds across Chinamunicate and coordinate without means? At most, there might exist alliances based on geographical proximity. ¡®But even so, we can¡¯tpletely ignore it. Even if the regions are divided into quarters, each has a poption five times that of ours.¡¯ And that was a conservative estimate. ¡°¡­¡± Yeongwoo imagined himself standing before a hundred Chinese strongholds gathered from various regions of China. And soon, the scene ofser beams raining down on them. ¡®A hundred against one? Even with aser cannon, it wouldn¡¯t be easy.¡¯ And on top of that, if there were those in China who received sponsorship from space corporations? It became moreplicated. Whoosh. Yeongwoo reached out to the ground and grabbed the head of the unnamed Chinese man. He checked if there was any hidden loot in the head of the deceased, but as expected, there was none, so Yeongwoo sighed with disappointment andid the head on the ground. ¡®But where¡¯s Dandong? Is it one of the areas near the North Korean border?¡¯ The only Chinese region Yeongwoo vaguely knew was Shandong Province, under the jurisdiction of Sandong¡¯s Twin Evil Jang Jaham. It was the aggressive middle-aged Chinese man they met in the dungeonst night. ¡®He said he¡¯de find me tonight, but only the tough ones came crawling in.¡¯ Whoosh. Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze shifted northward. He wanted to go up to the Chinese border with North Korea, but it was already getting dark, so he had to return. He couldn¡¯t predict the route of tonight¡¯s dungeon, so he needed to rest in advance. And he also needed to meet the people from Gwanak and Taewon who were rushing to Paju. ¡®Angry Chinese could approach Seoul through other regions. It¡¯s best to return around here.¡¯ Whoosh! When Yeongwoo made up his mind and raised his hand to call for Negwig, a fierce extraterrestrial iron horse came galloping from the other side. * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] 7:46 PM. As Yeongwoo left Paju and headed back to Seoul, there were now over thirty swordsmen and four transport carts following him in line. They were personnel from Seoul National University brought by Jo Sangik of Gwanak and monster hunters from Taewon who were urgently dispatched. Responding to Yeongwoo¡¯s call to recover the bodies of the soldiers, people were sent from both Gwanak and Taewon. Originally, the n was to first find the families of the deceased and then proceed with the recovery of the bodies, but when Jo Sangik arrived at the scene, he had a different opinion. If they couldn¡¯t find the families quickly, the bodies would be damaged by tonight¡¯s abnormal weather, so for now, they should move the bodies to Seoul and proceed with the rest of the workter. Given that Yeongwoo hadn¡¯t even considered the possibility of the bodies being damaged, he had no choice but to ept Jo Sangik¡¯s opinion. ¡®As expected, adults are adults.¡¯ As Yeongwoo looked at Jo Sangik, who was leading the way, he noticed him staring back through the window. ¡°Everything¡¯s been wrapped up nicely, so you can go ahead. You must be much busier than me.¡± Jo Sangik said with a kind expression. With the recovery of the bodiespleted and with Seoul National University swordsmen present, not to mention himself, the Strongest Sword of Gwanak, there was no reason for Yeongwoo to stay here. But Yeongwoo¡¯s circumstances were somewhat different. ¡°¡­Haha, it¡¯s okay. You never know what might happen.¡± You never know what might happen. It meant the possibility of arge-scale night attack by angry Chinese. And sure enough. ¡°You never know what might happen? Are you talking as if you¡¯ve just been through a big ident again, haha!¡± Jo Sangik, who was quick-witted, seemed to sense something and nced at Yeongwoo. Then he continued. ¡°Did you cause an ident?¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°I mean, the ident. What happened this time?¡± As Jo Sangik said this, he nced back. He was probably looking at both the north, where the ident urred, and the Seoul National University and Taewon Group swordsmen who were present here. ¡°Whatever it is, even though I know Yeongwoo has the ability to handle it, shouldn¡¯t I know? My people are here too.¡± ¡°¡­¡± With Jo Sangik saying so, Yeongwoo could no longer remain silent. And anyway, even if they didn¡¯t realize it now, they would all figure it out by tomorrow at thetest. ¡°This time, it¡¯s China.¡± Finally, Yeongwoo confessed. Then Jo Sangik¡¯s expression changed from confusion to disbelief. ¡°What¡­?¡± Then, soon after, his face stiffened. ¡°What, really? Are you crazy?¡± At this point, it was the highest expression of anger for Jo Sangik. ¡°Really? China?¡± Due to Jo Sangik¡¯s incredulous exmation, the swordsmen behind them began to murmur. In response, Jo Sangik lowered his voice and shouted again. ¡°China? Do you know how many people live there? It¡¯s almost twenty-eight times our poption¡­!¡± As expected of someone well-educated, Jo Sangik quickly calcted the poption ratio. Then, he looked back north with a shocked face. ¡°Now, there¡¯s probably nothing left on the North Korean side. It¡¯s practically an open border.¡± ¡°I suppose so.¡± ¡°The remaining people in North Korea will face various difficulties as well.¡± Jo Sangik¡¯s vision was clearly broad. Before the reset, North Korea and China had friendly rtions, but was it still the case after the reset? ¡®Unlikely. If China¡¯s leadership was all judged because of the reset, it¡¯s unlikely there would be another ce as hellish as China. It would be awless wastnd.¡¯ Corrupt bureaucrats, immense wealth disparity. China was the country where the results of the reset would be most vividly disyed. In addition, with such arge poption, thepetitivendscape during the early stages of the reset would have been much fiercerpared to other countries. ¡°It¡¯s a country I would never have considered an enemy.¡± Jo Sangik sighed and looked at Yeongwoo again. Although the future seemed bleak, there was nothing they could do. He could only hope that the man who had now truly started his defense and even started to pay for it would seed. ¡°So, what¡¯s your n now?¡± When Jo Sangik asked, Yeongwoo scratched his chin. ¡°What else can we do? We have to acquire stronger firepower.¡± That¡¯s why he had gone all the way north to obtain another sphere. The golden sphere. The admission ticket to the night dungeon. ¡®Tonight, if there¡¯s a Chinese party member among our group, things might getplicated.¡¯ He was confident he could handle whatever number of Chinese attacked, but if the dungeon¡¯s unique rules were added to the mix, the situation might change. ¡®I wonder how awful tonight¡¯s dungeon will be.¡¯ As Yeongwoo thought this, he looked at the Seoul skyline appearing on the other side. Right on cue, an alert sounded, signaling 8 PM. ¡¸The night is approaching.¡¹ ¡¸Therefore, to ensure your right to rest, the dormitory will be open in one hour.¡¹ ¡°Ah¡­ the night is already starting.¡± Jo Sangik muttered, looking at the increasingly darkening sky. However, the system announcement for today was not over yet. ¡¸The third stage of the reset, ¡®Pangea,¡¯ will soon begin.¡¹ ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Pangea?¡± With the appearance of the new announcement, everyone in the area stopped in their tracks, and soon a giant timer appeared in the sky. [11:59:48] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 213 Chapter 213 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 213: In the Name of Darkness (1) Pangea. A word referring to the supercontinent formed by the merging of all continents. There was only one reason why this word was being used as the name for Reset Level 3. ¡°Pangea? Does that mean the ground will¡­ tomorrow?¡± As Jo Sangik muttered in disbelief, Yeongwoo continued his sentence on his behalf. ¡°Yes. The ground will merge tomorrow. Starting at 8 a.m. sharp.¡± At least Yeongwoo had been mentally preparing early. It was because ¡°Pangea¡± had been on his list of achievements all along. [Pangea] |Witness the movement of continents at the point of a time shift. ¡®At any rate, I should be able to achieve one aplishment tomorrow.¡¯ This meant that the importance of the nighttime dungeon they would enter tonight would inevitably rise even more. With Pangea marking the beginning of significant changes where nations would begin their confrontations in earnest, it was evident that dungeons gathering the world¡¯s strongest would also be chaotic. ¡®Tonight might be thest chance toplete a dungeon unscathed.¡¯ Despite the worries brought about by the imminent upheaval of Pangea, there was also anticipation. What would happen next? And what awaited humanity after all the anomalies returned to this world? ¡°¡­¡± As Yeongwoo stared at the timer in the air with excited eyes, Jo Sangik spoke in a subdued voice. ¡°I¡¯m a little afraid.¡± ¡°Yes? What are you afraid of?¡± ¡°History.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid history will repeat itself. That¡¯s why.¡± ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Though it was a brief conversation, Yeongwoo could immediately understand what Jo Sangik was apprehensive about. To summarize the history of South Korea briefly, it could be described as a history of foreign invasions and plunder. Being bordered by China to the north and Japan to the south, it had been constantly gued by invasions, especially by Japan, which had colonized and plundered it for decades. Then came liberation, only to be followed shortly by the outbreak of the Korean War in 1950. ¡°Can we call it peace? It¡¯s only been seventy years since our country emerged from war.¡± After saying this, Jo Sangik nced down at the sword sheathed at his waist. ¡°But it seems like it¡¯s starting again, the era of war.¡± Due to the Reset, the logic of power had already been strongly established within each country. Therefore, if all continents merged into one due to ¡®Pangea¡¯, Jo Sangik knew very well thatrge-scale wars for any reason would inevitably break out from then on. Especially in the case of South Korea, would it not end up facing China and Japan? ¡°It¡¯s fortunate that there¡¯s no one like you, Yeongwoo, in North Korea.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°But would it be the same for China or Japan? They have poptions twenty times, two and a half timesrger than ours.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Yeongwoo possesses exceptionalbat abilities, but they are limited to the Korean Penins.¡± Perhaps only Jo Sangik could speak such words to Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword so openly. So, Yeongwoo listened quietly. ¡°With the whole worlding together on onend, it means that the monsters from each country will face each other. Extraordinary beings chosen by the universe like you, Yeongwoo.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± For some reason, the nuance was peculiar. At this, Yeongwoo was about to say something, but Jo Sangik interjected, spitting out passionate lines, blocking Yeongwoo¡¯s mouth. ¡°So never support them when you go out! I mean the monsters from foreign countries! Whatever anyone says, I¡¯ll support Mr. Yeongwoo.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Th-thank you.¡± It was difficult to discern whether this was truly an encouraging word or if he was tantly cursing, but Yeongwoo nodded his head anyway. After all, it seemed like he wanted to say that it was better to have a native monster like Jeong Yeongwoo than to be dominated by foreign monsters. ¡°Surely there are extraordinary beings in other countries as well. But¡­¡± Yeongwoo cautiously held the Bastard strapped to his belt. ¡°I won¡¯t lose. Please don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Of course, it wasn¡¯t just a word based solely on belief in ¡®myth¡¯. The followers here were none other than the intergctic arms manufacturer and the top viinous corporation,¡¸Dogo¡¹. Would there be apany more powerful than Dogo on this? ¡®Apany more powerful than Dogo¡­¡¯ Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t even imagine the scene of the Chairman of Dogo being beaten somewhere. Above all, wasn¡¯t it an incredibly viinous corporation? The fact that it had survived despite umting such viiny meant that it was a powerful corporation, right? ¡®Well, I should at least reduce my viiny a bit.¡¯ * * * ¡¸The rental service has begun.¡¹ ¡¸All buildings ssified as ¡®residences¡¯ are now under the influence of the rental system and are in an unbreakable state.¡¹ 9 p.m. on the dot. As Yeongwoo had just entered the outskirts of Gangnam, a notice for the rental service appeared before his eyes. ¡®It¡¯s already nighttime.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s heart raced again. The fact that the rental service had started meant that paying taxes and the nighttime dungeon event were now even closer. ¡®I¡¯ve prepared plenty of money for taxes, you little rascals!¡¯ Yeongwoo inwardly chuckled to himself. And in the meantime, today¡¯s weather was revealed. ¡¸By the way, today¡¯s nighttime weather is metallic dust.¡¹ ¡¸Be cautious of excessive bleeding.¡¹ ¡°Metallic dust?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] It was a weather type they were seeing for the first time, and this time, their existing climate-rted immunity equipment couldn¡¯t intercept it. ¡®I thought today¡¯s climate would be rted to cold.¡¯ Yeongwoo had been waiting for the cold type because of the ¡°Heated Stone¡± he obtained during the inter-Korean confrontation in Paju. ¡¸Heated Stone¡¹ ¨C Heroic Ne ¡¾Ignores extreme cold.¡¿ However, with today¡¯s climate determined to be metallic dust, the utility of the Hot Stone became uncertain once again. ¡®So how will I endure today¡¯s climate?¡¯ Frowning in distress, Yeongwoo scanned through his equipment guide and found one piece of equipment he had somewhat forgotten about. ¡¸Rotten Flesh¡¹ ¨C Unique Bracelet ¡¾Bleeding Immunity¡¿ ¡®As expected, everything is here when you look for it.¡¯ This was an equipment he had deactivated to see the increased damage effect when bleeding. So if he reactivated it only when going out tonight, he could nullify the effects of metallic dust. ¡®Maybe¡­ it¡¯ll work? They did warn to be cautious of excessive bleeding.¡¯ Instead, his father is not allowed to go out tonight. ¡®So practically, I¡¯ll have to enter the dungeon alone¡­¡¯ As Yeongwoo finally arrived in front of the Parnas Hotel, Lim Suna, who was waiting outside the lobby, rushed over upon seeing him. ¡°Yeongwoo!¡± ¡°Ah, Miss Suna.¡± Yeongwoo greeted Suna and unconsciously looked around, searching for the Sandong¡¯s Twin Evil. ¡°Did any Chinese visitorse to see you?¡± ¡°Chinese visitors¡­? No, there haven¡¯t been any separate reports.¡± ¡°I see.¡± In fact, wouldn¡¯t Jang Jaham also have seen the alert of territorialism? Even if he had actually nned toe to Korea crossing the continent, his mind could have changed after seeing the asset seizure notice. ¡®So today, I¡¯m truly alone.¡¯ With about 50 minutes left until tax collection and 1 hour and 50 minutes until the dungeon appearance, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t know the length of today¡¯s dungeon, so he wanted to hurry up and rest for a while. ¡°Is the room ready?¡± As Yeongwoo looked up at the top of the hotel, he asked, and Suna nodded. ¡°Yes. Everyone is already gathered in their rooms.¡± It probably meant the family of Kim Taejoon and Jeonggu. ¡°Okay. Thank you for your hard work.¡± Yeongwoo immediately jumped off Negwig and headed towards the lobby. Then he instructed the Golden Goblin, who was busy following him. ¡°Take out the heart in advance. We need to perform a transnt when we go up.¡± * * * Room 3233 of the Parnas Hotel. Jeonggu, who opened the door upon hearing the bell, had a hunch that something wasing again. ¡°¡­Here we go again.¡± He saw the goblin standing with Yeongwoo holding a green metallic heart. ¡°Please step aside quickly. I need to rest for a while before the surgery.¡± ¡°Is this lunatic now going to rece his heart?¡± Jeonggu sighed deeply but stepped back behind the door, allowing his son to enter. He knew well that there was no convincing the stubborn bastard. ¡°So, is it going to poke and prod your body again like when you changed your spine?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure. This is the first time for a heart surgery.¡± ¡°Of course it is.¡± With a grunt, Jeonggu pointed to the backpacks lined up under the sofa. ¡°These are the protection fees from Dobong.¡± ¡°Oh¡­!¡± Today¡¯s final ie, ten million karma. As Yeongwoo rushed towards the money bag with a gleeful face, Jeonggu sank down onto the living room floor. ¡°It¡¯s almost time to pay taxes. Is all the money ready?¡± ¡°Yes. In fact, there¡¯s some left over.¡± ¡°¡­Misfortune within fortune.¡± After nodding once, Jeonggu nced at the clock on the wall of the room. While Yeongwoo eagerly awaited the dungeon entry, Jeonggu was waiting for the tax collection¡ªor more precisely, the verification of the authenticity of the direct descendant universal proof document that would be confirmed simultaneously with the tax collection. Of course, given various circumstances, it was almost certain that Jeong Yeongwoo was his son, but confirming it with a universal official document was a different matter altogether. ¡®In 40 minutes¡­ that bastard¡¯s true identity will be revealed.¡¯ Jeonggu gazed nkly at Jeong Yeongwoo, who was happily celebrating, with his hands full of coins. Essentially, there were 40 minutes left until the son chosen by the universe would appear. ¡®How did my life end up like this¡­? Did Imit some grave sin in a past life?¡¯ As Jeonggu deeply sighed, Yeongwoo, who had handed the coins to the goblin, turned back and looked down at his father. ¡°Thank you for today.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± An unexpected warm word. Startled, Jeonggu widened his eyes. ¡°Uh? Uh, yeah. Thanks.¡± Was his personality temporarily softened by thest-minute influx of money? Jeonggu wondered, but still, he felt good. ¡®He knows how to say such things. I never knew that.¡¯ But that feeling was short-lived. Soon, Yeongwoo pointed to the boundary between the living room and the bedroom where the backpacks were, instructing Jeonggu. ¡°Now, go over there and keep an eye out.¡± ¡°What? Keep an eye out¡­?¡± ¡°We have to perform heart surgery now, don¡¯t we? So, make sure the kids don¡¯te in.¡± After saying this, Yeongwoo touched the green heart held by the goblin in both hands. As he did so, just like when attaching the spine, a warning message appeared, but this time, the content was slightly different. ¡¸Do you want to equip the legendary-grade heart ¡®Toxic Dragon¡¯s Heart¡¯?¡¹ |Warning: Major surgery with a medical ident risk will be performed. (ident rate: 8%) |Rmendation: If desired, you can raise the medical fee and call a specialist. ¡ù Call number: 024 0909# [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 214 Chapter 214 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 214: In the Name of Darkness (2) ¡°What, 8%? Why can¡¯t these lunatics just kill people properly and be done with it?¡± With an arrest rate of 84% and an ident rate of 8% if he opens his chest to rece his heart. Yeongwoo shook his head as if exasperated. ¡°Ugh.¡± With that, he marched straight towards the bedroom. ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I need to summon the expert. Even if the ident rate is only 1%, they must have hesitated, but at 8%¡­¡± It¡¯s a probability that¡¯s hard to ignore. Especially in a situation where there¡¯s quite a lot to lose. Damn it! As Yeongwoo entered the bedroom to use the phone, the Kim Taejoon family, who had been watching the returnee¡¯s room through the television, all turned their heads at once. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t mind me. Just have something to do¡­¡± As Yeongwoo was about to say that they could continue watching the television, he turned his head towards the screen following the children¡¯s gaze, and his mouth fell open. ¡°Oh, no.¡± Because his own image was already appearing on the television in the returnee¡¯s room. ¡°Oh, right. Am I appearing on that screen over there?¡± In other words, the uing scene of the heart surgery will also be broadcasted directly through that television without any filtering. ¡°I¡¯ll be performing heart surgery in the living room soon, so it would be better for the children to rest in another room for a while.¡± As Yeongwoo said this, Seok and even the ¡®friends¡¯ on the screen were taken aback. ¡°What, what are you talking about?¡± ¡ª-What kind of crazy thing is that all of a sudden? ¡ªSurgery¡­? However, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t have time to exin in detail. Since he didn¡¯t know how long the surgery would take, he needed to open the chest as soon as possible if possible. ¡®I have to pay taxes and take an hour off as soon as it¡¯s 10 o¡¯clock. There¡¯s no time to dy any longer.¡¯ With this thought in mind, Yeongwoo was already picking up the phone next to the bed. Beep. Then he immediately entered the call number written in the surgery warning message. ¡ù Call number: 024 0909# ¡®Is this correct? Why do I have to pay for a new doctor when I¡¯m the one who found and will be wearing the heart myself?¡¯ *Beep, beep, beep.* As Yeongwoo entered all the calling numbers, a kind of dial tone came from the phone soon after. ¨C Chiiiiing. At first, it sounded like just electronic noise, but Yeongwoo remembered hearing a simr sound through the television in the room, so he waited patiently. Then¡­ Click. After a while, the sound of someone answering the phone came from the other end of the line, with a very husky voice. ¨C This is Heartful Dispatch. How may I assist you? ¡°¡­?¡± After hearing the other person¡¯sment, Yeongwoo experienced a momentary brain freeze. For some reason, it felt simr to when he contacted Osaek Credit. This ce was definitely not a government agency or a certified government agency, a keen intuition. ¡°Do you¡­ have a name?¡± When Yeongwoo asked this, the voice on the other end of the receiver suddenly spoke in a much friendlier tone than before. ¨C Ah, you¡¯re looking for a name. Then they threw an unexpected question. ¨C Who is the caller? If you know the name, full name, and identification number, please tell us, and we will send you a home doctor. ¡®You don¡¯t even know who called?¡¯ Yeongwoo felt something was off. From the fact that thepany name is ¡®Heartfelt Dispatch¡¯¡­ in terms of tone, isn¡¯t it more like a human resources office on Earth? ¡°Excuse me, but is this a medicalpany? I¡¯m looking for a doctor to perform a heart transnt surgery right now.¡± Then the other person answered briefly with a low chuckle. ¨C If you received this number as guidance, it should be that we are the right medicalpany for you. ¡°Ah.¡± It was a response with a lot implied in it. Since Yeongwoo wasn¡¯tpletely clueless, he vaguely realized what was going on. First, Heartful Dispatch was not strictly speaking a medicalpany. However, they did have doctors avable for dispatch. Second, if the Heartful Dispatch¡¯s calling number was received through the system, it meant that this was the only option. But surely there must be proper medicalpanies in this universe, so why could a doctor only be hired through Heartful Dispatch? ¡°¡­.¡± It was chilling. A shiver ran down his spine. ¡°¡­Is it because my evil score is too high?¡± Yeongwoo finally asked the meaningful question, and the other person responded as if caught off guard. ¨C In a way, it¡¯s actually a good thing, isn¡¯t it? Generally, our doctors are more skilled. It¡¯s a simr situation, so they will be more dedicated to the surgery. ¡®A simr situation¡­¡¯ This meant that the ¡®name¡¯ being sent over for the heart surgery was also someone with an immensely high evil score. What kind of actions must a doctor take to umte such a high evil score? ¡®I should have known. When the evil score is high, even the surrounding infrastructure changes.¡¯ Even now, he has only glimpsed at the disparity in medical services. It¡¯s a wonder if it¡¯s the same in other fields, although he may not know. ¡®This is essentially the back alley of the universe.¡¯ As Yeongwoo looked perplexed, the Heartful Dispatch reached out again. ¨C How about I send you some candidates? You can also see the list of candidates currently on standby if you wish. ¡°Candidates on standby? What kind of candidates are avable?¡± Yeongwoo absentmindedly touched his forehead. Would he entrust his heart surgery to a doctor shrouded in the darkness of evil scores, or would he open his chest in front of the public doctor assigned by the surgical system? For reference, the medical ident rate for thetter is 8%. ¡°Well, can I take a look at that list first? Are the prices also listed?¡± ¨C Of course, please provide the name, name, and identification number if avable. Now there was no turning back. After Yeongwoo checked his karma bnce once, he recited his personal information into the receiver. ¡°Earth, Jeong Yeongwoo 07.¡± ¨C What are thest digits of the calling number you used to contact us? ¡°0909#¡­? Is that it?¡± ¨C Yes, it¡¯s been received. I¡¯ll send it right away. Before the other party finished speaking, a list of ¡°candidates¡± appeared before Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes. ¨C Please review them, and if you find a candidate you like, they will be dispatched immediately. Have a safe surgery! With that, the connection with Heartful Dispatch was severed, leaving only the list sent by the other party. [Heartful Dispatch Cooperation Candidates] ¡ù Pseudonyms are used to protect the identities of the candidates. ¡ù In case of a sessful surgery, the requester¡¯s evil score increases by 1% of the attending doctor¡¯s evil score. ¡¸The Massacre Master¡¹ ¨C Evil score: 80 million | Medical ident rate of 4% or less, surgery fee negotiable. ¡ñ 4 million karma. ¡¸The Circr Saw¡¹- Evil score: 140 million | Medical ident rate of 3% or less, specialized in body modifications. Additional negotiation for cosmetic procedures. ¡ñ 6 million karma. ¡°¡­¡± It¡¯s suspicious from the top. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡®Even the basic unit of evil score is in the tens of millions.¡¯ But Yeongwoo was somewhat confident in Heartful Dispatch. In fact, the medical ident rates of the ¡°candidates¡± were overwhelmingly lowerpared to the public medical staff he had seen before. For example, even ¡°The Massacre Master¡± with a medical ident rate of 4% or less had a ident rate twice as low as the public medical staff. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t just think of this as a 1% or 2% difference. Medical idents are disasters the moment they happen, so it¡¯s correct to think of them as multiples.¡¯ The list of candidates continued downwards, bing more absurd as it went. ¡¸The Flesh Eater¡¹ ¨C Evil score: 210 million | Medical ident rate of 3% or less, prescription of painkillers avable. ¡ñ 7 million karma. ¡¸The Mind Piercer¡¹ ¨C Evil score: 280 million | Medical ident rate of 3% or less, psychiatrist. Healing of physical injuries, peace of mind. ¡ñ 10 million karma. ¡®A medical ident rate in the 3% range seems like the boundary for high-quality candidates.¡¯ Yeongwoo began to feel uneasy. Of course, the current financial burden was not too heavy. But is Dragon¡¯s heart surgery really worth risking his life for? ¡®Considering the fusion of the hearts, it seems like it¡¯ll eventually transform into something amazing.¡¯ But if luck turns bad during the surgery and he dies, what good would that be? ¡®I might as well just use an amulet.¡¯ Just as Yeongwoo was considering opting for the alternative, the profile of thest candidate caught his eye. ¡¸The Unbeliever¡¹ ¨C Evil score: 450 million | Medical ident rate of 3% or less, revival within 3 seconds of death during surgery. Additional fees apply from the second revival onwards. ¡ñ 14 million karma. ¡°What¡­? That¡¯s absurd.¡± Revival within 3 seconds of death during surgery. Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the statement that imed the impossible. Could this be real? ¡®Is it a scam? Do they pretend you¡¯re dead, then keep reviving you to charge more fees?¡¯ With a Unbelieveral gaze, Yeongwoo scrutinized the profile of ¡°The Unbeliever.¡± Furthermore, the surgical fee was not just the mentioned 14 million karma. ¡ù In case of a sessful surgery, the requester¡¯s evil score increases by 1% of the attending doctor¡¯s evil score. ¡®If 1% of 450 million is¡­ 4.5 million.¡¯ From Yeongwoo¡¯s perspective, with a remaining evil score of about 46 million, this meant an increase of a whopping 10% in evil score. Just trying to reduce the evil score a bit, and end up gaining more notoriety. ¡®This is insane, really.¡¯ Amidst this, the time for taxation was steadily approaching. ¡°¡­¡± So in the end, Yeongwoo decided. ¡®Let¡¯s¡­ let¡¯s trust the Unbeliever.¡¯ Snap. Reaching out, he chose the miraculous doctor who could even reverse death, The Unbeliever. Suddenly! As Yeongwoo finalized his choice of his attending doctor from the list, all the profiles disappeared. And all the lights inside the room went out, except for the television connected to the patient¡¯s room. ¡ªWhat¡­ what¡¯s going on there? ¡ªWhat¡¯s happening? ¡ªShould¡­ Should we prepare for an attack? With their television screens suddenly darkened, both the ¡°friends¡± and Yeongwoo himself tensed up, with Yeongwoo cautiously drawing out a sword with his father. ¡°Let¡¯s¡­ let¡¯s move to the living room slowly.¡± Since the doctor would likely appear in the space where the requester is, Yeongwoo turned his head toward the living room, signaling to leave the bedroom. Then¡­ ¡¸Did you call the doctor? Since the situation might get a bit messy, pleasee to a ce without kids.¡¹ In the dimly lit living room, a doctor who had been sharpening a sickle gestured. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 215 Chapter 215 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 215: In the Name of Darkness (3) It was huge. The figure that appeared in the living room without a sound was enormous. It seemed to reach a height of at least 4 meters, touching the ceiling of the living room. ¡®A¡­ a crow?¡¯ At first nce, it looked like a giant crow, but upon closer inspection, it was holding a sickle with its gnarled hands under its wings. So, the entity that the name referred to was a giant crow with arms attached to its torso. It wasn¡¯t something wearing a crow costume; its posture, standing on the ground with bird legs, was unmistakable. ¡¸Please, have a seat and wait a moment.¡¹ Every time these words were spoken, therge beak opened wide, and the eyeballs moved. Swoosh. The ¡°there¡± the entity referred to was none other than the sofa in the living room. ¡°Wait? For how long? I have to pay taxes in about 30 minutes.¡± Even in this situation, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t forget that the time for tax payment was approaching. Upon hearing this, the skeptical ¡°unbeliever¡± raised its head from sharpening the sickle and looked at Yeongwoo. ¡¸¡­¡­¡¹ ¡®Ugh.¡¯ A crow. A real crow. But the crow¡¯s head was about the size of ten sacks of rice packed together, giving a creepy feeling just by making eye contact. ¡¸You¡¯re only changing the heart, right?¡¹ ¡°Yes? Oh, yes. Just the heart.¡± As Yeongwoo quickly regained his focus and responded, the entity lowered its head again and began sharpening the sickle. ¡¸It won¡¯t take long. Please wait.¡¹ ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Seemingly facing an impossible negotiator, Yeongwoo closed his mouth and obediently sat on the sofa. Then, the scene of the entity sharpening the sickle became clear. Screech, screech! Its jet-ck arms were incredibly muscr. Although the silhouette resembled that of a human, the thick veins bulging from its forearms showed an impossible thickness for a human. ¡®What species is this? A crow with muscr arms¡­¡¯ And then. Screech! Is that sickle a surgical tool? Screech! ¡°¡­?¡± Yeongwoo looked at the massive sickle in disbelief. The handle was about 3 meters long, and the curved de seemed to be at least 2 meters long. ¡®How can they perform heart surgery with that? Even if they slice open the chest, they might identally slit the throat and consider it normal.¡¯ While Yeongwoo was troubled by the surgical tool, Jeonggu, who hade to the living room following his son, was shocked to see the doctor. ¡°Son of a bitch¡­ what the fuck is this?¡± ¡°This is my heart surgery surgeon.¡± ¡°What? That crow-colored¡­¡± Seeing the sickle in the crow¡¯s hands btedly, Jeonggu cautiously covered his mouth and stepped back. ¡°¡­Is that the doctor?¡± Upon which the entity calmly spoke without turning its head. ¡¸Please have a seat, guardian. The surgery will begin shortly.¡¹ ¡°Ah¡­ Yes.¡± Following the doctor¡¯s instructions, Jeonggu sat beside his son. Then, the entity gestured that everything was ready, shining the sickle de into the sunless void. ¡¸Please lie down now. Remove any items covering your upper body.¡¹ Swoosh. The entity pointed to its own chest with muscr fingers. There was a stone surgical table waiting for the patient, ced there at some point. ¡°¡­¡± Upon this, Yeongwoo briefly stared at the surgical table, then removed his cape from his shoulders and threw it on the floor. Thunk! The metallic cape made a heavy sound as it settled in the living room, revealing the advertisement tattooed on Yeongwoo¡¯s forearm. ¡¸Dogo¡­¡­?¡¹ Sure enough, the entity recognized Yeongwoo¡¯s tattoo. ¡°Do you know Dogo?¡± As Yeongwoo climbed onto the surgical table and asked, the entity, still skeptical, blinked itsrge eyes. ¡¸The chairman is quite famous.¡¹ ¡®As expected of the chairman.¡¯ To think even a shady doctor from the back alleys of the universe knew about him. Yeongwoo intended to ask specifically why he was famous, but due to the ominous question posed by the doctor, he missed the timing. ¡¸Do you bear pain well?¡¹ ¡°Yes?¡± As Yeongwoo inadvertently widened his eyes, his body floated about 30 centimeters above the altar. It was akin to when he underwent spinal surgery. ¡°Um, how much does it hurt?¡± Now that Yeongwoo was starting to feel a little scared, he looked at his doctor, and the entity¡¯srge beak opened wide. ¡¸If you¡¯re a powerful viin, you should be able to withstand a level of pain.¡¹ ¡°No, Doctor¡­ Actually, I¡­¡± As Yeongwoo¡¯s follow-up, denying that he was a viin, was about to continue, the doctor swung the sickle it was holding vigorously. ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Confirming that the tip of the sickle was aimed directly at his chest, Yeongwoo screamed in terror. And at that moment. Swoosh! Countless crimson spirits gushed out from around Yeongwoo¡¯s heart, pierced by the sickle. ¨C Krrrrr! ¨C Huuuuu¡­ ¨C Aaaaah! ¡°What¡­?¡± As Yeongwoo watched the spirits escaping from his chest into the air, he recognized a few familiar faces among them. ¡°Oh! Kim, President Kim!¡± Among the spirits fleeing into the sky with resentment, there was one with the face of Kim Il-sung. But soon. Whack! As the doctor swung the sickle again, catching the spirits, including the Kim family, the attempts of all the souls, including the Kim family, to escape were in vain. ¨C Ahhhhhh! ¨C Kyaaaa! Spirits wailed, trapped on the edge of the sickle. Watching this numbly, Yeongwoo asked the doctor, without realizing that his chest had opened about a handspan. ¡°Wh¡­ Doctor, what¡¯s happening?¡± However, instead of exining, the doctor asked, pointing to Yeongwoo¡¯s chest with his left hand. ¡¸It seems you are quite the viin, bearing the tattoo of Dogo. You don¡¯t even seem to show signs of pain.¡¹ ¡°No, Doctor, that¡¯s¡­ ¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s reason for not feeling pain right now was purely because of his Talisman. ¡¸Berserker¡¹ ¨C Mutation Amulet ¡¾Ignore a certain level of pain.¡¿ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] The surgery currently being performed was terribly painful, after all. The Berserker talisman had activated automatically. ¡¸Now, we will extract the original heart.¡¹ The entity uttered the horrific line and extended its left hand. It intended to tear out the heart from inside Yeongwoo¡¯s partially opened chest. ¡°No, this is insane.¡± At this moment, Jeonggu also stood up from his seat, and there was nothing he or Yeongwoo could do but watch as sinister fingers dug into his son¡¯s chest. What kind of barbaric heart extraction was this? However. Swoosh. Contrary to everyone¡¯s expectations, Yeongwoo¡¯s heart was smoothly pulled out. All major blood vessels connected to the body had been seamlessly sutured. ¡°This¡­ this can¡¯t be.¡± Seeing his son¡¯s extracted heart still beating, Jeonggu instinctively covered his mouth, and Yeongwoo¡­ ¡°What¡­?¡± He looked at his own heart, taken by the giant crow. Of course, the connection to the heart hadn¡¯t beenpletely severed. The bluish threads that flowed from the heart were still connected to the inside of Yeongwoo¡¯s chest. And Yeongwoo had a hunch that it was the same substance thatposed the spirits he had seen earlier. ¡¸Now, bring the new heart.¡¹ Eventually, the family doctor pped his hands, and the cautious golden goblin holding the metal heart of a venomous dragon approached from a corner of the living room. ¨C Kiiiiit¡­ Thump. Finally, the metal heart of the venomous dragon was handed to the doctor¡¯s left hand, and it was soon transferred into Yeongwoo¡¯s chest. ¡¸This will hurt a little more.¡¹ The entity warned as it ced the new heart into Yeongwoo¡¯s chest. Upon this, Yeongwoo nodded as if it were okay, then¡­ ¡°Ughhh?¡± He groaned suddenly as his chest grew cold inside. It was as if the feeling of dread had stirred inside his body, like starting the descent from the peak of a roller coaster. ¡¸This might be a bit hard for you to endure.¡¹ As Yeongwoo trembled, the doctor was transferring the ¡°threads¡± that had originally been attached to his heart to the new heart. As a result, the pain was inflicted on his soul, not his body. ¡¸It¡¯s almost over. Hang in there.¡¹ Then, the doctor swung the sickle toward the new heart in Yeongwoo¡¯s chest. St! At the moment the end of the sickle collided with the surface of the heart. ¨C Kyaaaa! ¨C Hiyaah! The spirits entwined in the sickle¡¯s de were sucked back into Yeongwoo¡¯s heart. ¡¸Phew.¡¹ Now, as if finally letting go, the doctor exhaled. Without further ado, the doctor nced at Yeongwoo¡¯s chest, which was already starting to heal, then turned to Jeonggu and said a word. ¡¸You have a sturdy son.¡¹ ¡°Yes? Uh, yes¡­ He¡¯s a bit like that.¡± Jeonggu unconsciously nodded while still looking at the heart held by the doctor¡¯s hand. Thump, thump! The human Jung Yeongwoo¡¯s heart continued to beat vigorously. Perhaps it was being transferred somewhere in the universe, just like when his spine was reced? ¡¸The heart transnt is done. The surgery fee is 14 million karma. We only ept full payment.¡¹ With the procedurepleted, the entity unterally demanded the surgery fee from Yeongwoo, who still hadn¡¯t fully healed. Then, with his left hand, he touched Yeongwoo¡¯s forearm. Tap! And with that, the surgery fee was automatically deducted, and Yeongwoo¡¯s bnce sharply decreased. * Avable Karma: 37,348,500 Current bnce: 37 million Karma. ¡®Fortunately, there should be quite a bit left even after paying taxes. I should raise my abilities a bit more.¡¯ Even amidst his distress, Yeongwoo immediately thought of the uing tax payment and nighttime dungeons. After all, wasn¡¯t the heart surgery also an endeavor to continue surviving? ¡°Thank you, Doctor.¡± As Yeongwoo lightly bowed towards the crow-headed figure, the entity spread itsrge beak. ¡¸It¡¯s a legendary heart with fusion capabilities. It shouldst a long time.¡¹ Then, while holding Yeongwoo¡¯s original heart, which was still alive, the entity continued. ¡¸I¡¯ll provide enchantment processing for this heart at no cost. Please convey my story to the chairman.¡¹ ¡°Yes? What story¡­?¡± ¡¸Please retrieve the Execution order¡­¡¹ ¡°Ah.¡± Even without hearing the detailed exnation, Yeongwoo could roughly understand. Though he didn¡¯t know the specifics, this entity had undoubtedly been severely dealt with by the chairman. ¡®That¡¯s why he keeps calling me a viin.¡¯ Could it be that the chairman, who even kills government officials, would sympathise with a single doctor¡¯s circumstances? ¡®No, wait. Even with the Executioner order, surviving until now is quite remarkable.¡¯ The miraculous entity that could reverse even a fatal ident during surgery. Though he didn¡¯t know, it seemed like he had some ability to spare his own life. ¡°Yes, understood. Well then¡­¡± Just as Yeongwoo was about to ask more questions, the entity nced at the sky, let out a croak, and then melted into the dim void. ¡°Is he leaving work just like that?¡± Jeonggu muttered as he looked around the now-empty living room. And soon, the reason was revealed through a system announcement. ¨CIn a moment, taxes will be collected starting from 10 p.m. ¨CUnpaid taxes will be extinguished immediately upon collection. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 216 Chapter 216 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 216: Unexpectedness (1) ¡®It¡¯s finally here.¡¯ The most feared entity in the universe at this moment, taxes. There was no room for negotiation as the consequence of unpaid taxes was nothing but death. ¡®Forgery of official documents mightnd you in jail at first, but at least there¡¯s a chance of survival.¡¯ But when ites to taxes, it¡¯s instant obliteration. ¡®I had to work hard toe up with the money for acquisition tax¡­ How much and how are those on the Chairman¡¯s level paying?¡¯ Yeongwoo imagined the Chairman, who must be sweating bullets trying toe up with the money to pay taxes. However, instead of a clear image forming in his mind, something fist-sized was seen falling to the ground where the Doctor had been standing just a moment ago. It was none other than¡­ ¡¸Jeong Yeongwoo07¡¯s Heart¡¹ ¨C Epic Charm ¡¾Fate Maniption¡¿ ¡¾Stubbornness¡¿ ¡¾Phased Material Ingredient¡¿ It was Yeongwoo¡¯s own heart that he had before. As promised, Doctor had processed his heart into a charm and brought it to him. ¡°Huh? My heart!¡± Yeongwoo was surprised as he picked up his own heart, and tooltips appeared in his field of vision. ¡¾Fate Maniption¡¿ |When reaching a fate branching point, the activation probability of the lowest oue is tripled. ¡¾Stubbornness¡¿ |Increases the difficulty of all problems. Increases all unexpectedness. ¡¾Phased Material Ingredient¡¿ |When processed into a phased material, the effect greatly increases. ¡°What is this?¡± He was already feeling dizzy again. It was shocking enough that his own heart had been turned into an item, but the tooltips were incredibly confusing. ¡®Tripled activation probability of the lowest oue at fate branching points¡­ What nonsense is this?¡¯ As a human who hade into contact with the universe due to the reset, he couldn¡¯t help but feel uneasy. This was because one of the major changes caused by the reset was the reset of fate. ¡®But were there fate branching points? Wasn¡¯t it like that since the reset?¡¯ Of course, judging by the lowest oue thing, it seemed that it wasn¡¯t a structure where everything ran towards a predetermined conclusion before the reset. But nevertheless, it meant that there was equipment that influenced fate. And that meant¡­ *Swoosh.* Yeongwoo unconsciously looked up at the sky. And strangely enough¡­ *Zap!* Two streaks of bright white light suddenly shot down from the sky, each piercing Yeongwoo and Jeonggu¡¯s heads. *Thud!* ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± While Yeongwoo reflexively jerked his body, Jeonggu was already hiding behind the couch. ¡°¡­¡± Truly amazing survival skills. But what just happened to the two of them wasn¡¯t some kind of attack. ¡°¡­Huh? Father, take a look.¡± ¡°What?¡± As he raised his head in response to Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Jeonggu couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes greatly. ¡°What¡¯s that on your head?¡± Because there was a symbol shining brightly above Yeongwoo¡¯s head. The circr symbols ced side by side in a partially ovepping shape not only adorned Yeongwoo¡¯s head but also Jeonggu¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s also on Father¡¯s head.¡± As Yeongwoo pointed to the top of Jeonggu¡¯s head, a system message appeared in their field of vision. ¨D¡¶General purpose certificate of lineal ascendancy¡· authentication has beenpleted. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°What?¡± So, the symbol just now indicated that the two of them were rted by blood. ¡°I told you, I¡¯m your son.¡± ¡°Wait, does that make sense?¡± Jeonggu unintentionally lost strength in his legs and sat down on the floor. He had somewhat anticipated it, but now that it had been confirmed, the shock was great. To think that there was a son he didn¡¯t even know existed. And to make matters worse, he appeared as a creepy guy in his 30s. ¡°Ugh¡­ damn it.¡± As Jeonggu made a face as if he was having a nightmare, his son¡¯s shadow was cast over him. ¡°Now you have to admit it. I¡¯m your biological son and heir.¡± Strictly speaking, Kim Jeonggu¡¯s bad offspring. ¡°Well, then, myst name was ¡®Kim¡¯ originally. I have no idea about my name.¡± As Yeongwoo muttered like this, Jeonggu looked up at his son and said, ¡°Maybe your mother named you.¡± It was quite a usible inference. Since Jeonggu had no idea about the existence of his son in the first ce, he couldn¡¯t have named him, but it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if the birth mother who directly carried Yeongwoo had a different idea. ¡®My original name¡­¡¯ His mind seemed to drift away. However, before Yeongwoo could immerse himself in his thoughts, the next event brought him back to consciousness. -Taxes will be collected as of the current time. It was already 10 PM, and the tax collection was starting. ¡®Ah, that exins it. I wondered why the paternity confirmation happened suddenly.¡¯ Tap, tap! Gradually, sounds of tax collection could be heard from the bedroom on the other side, and it eventually reached Yeongwoo¡¯s turn. Swish. The space in front of Yeongwoo opened up, revealing Kubu, his tax ountant and intermediary in transactions. ¨C It is an honor to see you again, the owner of the myth, the one who killed the dragon, Mr. Jeong Yeongwoo07! ¡°Ah, Mr. Kubu.¡± As Yeongwoo greeted the tax ountant and showed his hand, Kubu blinked hisrge eyes and proceeded with the tax notification. ¨C The decided tax amount for today is 1.87 million, including acquisition tax, the total tax amount is 18.81 million karma. Then he disyed detailed information in front of Yeongwoo. | Calcted tax amount: 3.4 million ¨C Acquisition tax: 30.8 million | Deduction items: Single-parent family, dependent family members | Decided tax amount: 1.87 million ¨C Acquisition tax: 16.94 million * Acquisition tax payment deadline: 23 hours 59 minutes ¡°Single-parent family deduction has been applied. Is the official document verified?¡± ¨C Yes. Verification of the Direct Bloodline Universal Certificate has beenpleted, applying a deduction rate of 30% due to confirmation of direct bloodline and an additional 15% deduction due to recognition of dependent family members, resulting in a total deduction rate of 45%. 45%. Indeed, it was an immense deduction rate, but it also meant that the tax Yeongwoo had to pay was significant. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] If he had to pay the calcted tax amount in full, he would have had to cough up a whopping 34 million karma. ¨C Since the payment deadline for the ¡°Bastard¡± acquisition tax is until tomorrow, no further actions will be taken if only the basic tax amount is paid today. No further actions. It meant the extinction of existence. ¡°Then, is it possible to pay in advance? Tomorrow, there will be another acquisition tax for the encyclopedia of arms, right?¡± ¨C That¡¯s correct. ¡°Then it¡¯s better to pay everything today just to be safe.¡± ¨C Understood. Shall I proceed with the full payment of 18.81 million karma, including the acquisition tax? Kubu asked Yeongwoo again about his intention to pay in full. To this, Yeongwoo nodded. ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s pay it all this time.¡± Immediately, Yeongwoo¡¯s karma bnce rapidly decreased. Zap! * Avable karma: 18,538,500 A whopping 18.81 million was paid in a lump sum. ¨C Payment has been processed. Well then, I¡¯ll¡­ Kubu blinked as if he were preparing to leave, so Yeongwoo hurriedly handed him his heart charm. ¡°Do you happen to know what this tooltip means? Since you have also been involved in transactions, you might know more than I do.¡± Upon hearing this, Kubu stared intently at ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo07¡¯s Heart¡¯. And Yeongwoo received an unexpected reaction. ¨C What is this¡­? ¡°Yes¡­?¡± ¨C You¡¯ve created a device that interferes with fate maniption. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen such a debt equipment directly. Kubu¡¯s eyelids trembled. So Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°¡­What does ¡®debt equipment¡¯ mean?¡± ¨C It means unique equipment reflecting the value of existence. A prime example would be ¡®Myth.¡¯ ¡°Ah.¡± Myth. A very good example. Yeongwoo could understand it immediately. ¡®So does my current existential value mean something like epic grade?¡¯ Given that the heart-shaped talisman crafted from the heart was of epic quality, it wouldn¡¯t be far off to think so. Pop! [Catalog] ¡²28¡³ Meanwhile, Yeongwoo¡¯s catalog collection progress had increased. Yeongwoo¡¯s heart charm was also judged as jewelry and added to the catalog. ¡®It¡¯s a good sign in many ways. Anyway, I wonder if that charm effect will be helpful to me? Or maybe not¡­?¡¯ Since the heart charm he pulled out was considered as equipment and included in the catalog of essories, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t readily determine whether this tooltip was a good or bad thing due to its various interpretations. ¡¾Fate Maniption¡¿ |When reaching a fate branching point, the activation probability of the lowest oue is tripled. ¡¾Stubbornness¡¿ |Increases the difficulty of all problems. Increases all unexpectedness. These two factors don¡¯t necessarily guarantee good oues, do they? For instance, ¡®In a situation where the lowest oue probability is tripled, it¡¯s likely that a medical ident will ur instead of the expected heart surgery.¡¯ On the other hand, thinking positively, there could be events like surviving with an 84% mortality rate in prison, or unexpectedly meeting a significant sponsor. ¡®I should probably keep the charm effect on for a while.¡¯ After Yeongwoo finished his own analysis, he bid farewell to Kubu, who was still waiting. ¡°Thank you for your hard work. Now, go home and rest.¡± In response, Kubu closed hisrge eyes and returned the farewell. ¨C Thank you. I hope to bring you good news next time! With Kubu gone, Yeongwoo¡¯s heart surgery scars were also cleanly erased right on cue. ¡°Crossed a big mountain.¡± ¡°What mountain did you cross? I don¡¯t recall you evering down from the mountain top.¡± Jeonggu grumbled with a wrinkled expression, then suddenly looked out the window as if he remembered something. ¡°Is the next thing the dungeon?¡± But as the lights came back on after the departure of the Doctor, the window showed not the outside scenery but the reflection of the two wealthy men. ¡°Yes. But Father, you¡¯re not allowed to go out today.¡± ¡°¡­What? Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have the climate equipment to lend you this time.¡± Today¡¯s abnormal weather, metallic dust. Yeongwoo intended to use the Bleeding immunity equipment, but he had nothing to give to Jeonggu. ¡°So are you going to the dungeon alone?¡± ¡°Tomorrow, thend will be attached. It¡¯s better to go at least once before the atmosphere between nations bes more hostile.¡± As Yeongwoo said this, he gripped the hanging whistle around his neck. It was to check the remaining summoning count left deliberately for this moment. ¡®Remaining summoning count is one.¡¯ The current time was 10:11 PM. He had about 49 minutes left before he had to go out into the night. ¡°So now, let¡¯s rest for about 40 minutes¡­¡± Just as Yeongwoo was about to bury himself on the sofa, ¡°Mr. Yeongwoo?¡± Seok¡¯s voice came from the bedroom area. And as soon as Yeongwoo heard it, he had a premonition that something must have happened in the room where the returnee had been seen so far. Because, ¡ªKwaaaagh! Before Sook¡¯s call even ended, a noisy friction sound erupted from the television. And soon after, ¡ªJeong Yeongwoo! The excited voice of the general calling for Yeongwoo echoed. In response, Yeongwoo quickly snapped to attention and got up. ¡°There¡¯s a new weapon!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 217 Chapter 217 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 217: Unexpectedness (2) For the first time, Yeongwoo had this thought: Where and by whom is the returnee¡¯s room managed? Certainly, the military contractor, ¡®Toma,¡¯ supplies items likeser cannons, but isn¡¯t this more like sponsored goods? ¡®After paying taxes, it seems that new weapons are being stocked, so maybe they¡¯re managed directly by a cosmic government or something.¡¯ Anyway, with a mixture of anticipation and worry, Yeongwoo rushed towards the bedroom with the television. Tap! Then, the nk expression on the faces of Kim Taejoon¡¯s family, who had been watching the screen, came into view first. ¡®I wonder what¡¯s going on?¡¯ As Yeongwoo entered the bedroom with growing anxiety, Seok quickly pointed her finger at the television screen. ¡°Please take a look at that.¡± Following where she pointed, Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened, just like the rest of the room. ¡°What¡­ what is that?¡± This time, there was a pile of rocks in the returnee¡¯s room. ¡°Huh.¡± With an expression of disbelief, Yeongwoo approached the television, and what was seen on therge screen were the ¡®Three Friends,¡¯ gathered around arge screen. There was also arge television set, probably funded by the substantial public points earned throughser bombardment. ¨D So, can you see it clearly? That thing. Finally, General Kim Younghyeom looked at the pile of rocks in the distance with a rubbery expression. ¡°Yes, I see it clearly. But what is it? It doesn¡¯t look like a weapon this time.¡± When Yeongwoo expressed his disappointment, General Kim tilted his head. Then he pointed the transparent camera towards the menu on the screen. ¨D Can you see it? It says ¡®Figurehead.¡¯ As Yeongwoo peered at the menu on the screen, indeed, under the category ofser bombardment, there was an item called ¡®Figurehead¡¯ written. And above that, as before, there was a nk space, indicating that it was locked. However, even after confirming this much, Yeongwoo still looked puzzled. ¡°Yes¡­ Figurehead. It¡¯s definitely an unusual item, but why is this?¡± Figurehead. Usually, it refers to an ornament attached to the bow of a ship. However, in the returnee¡¯s room, there was not even a small pond to float a ship, and more importantly¡­ ¡®It¡¯s called a figurehead, but in reality, it could just be a decoration like a statue erected in a park. Given how empty the returnee¡¯s room is.¡¯ Of course, as the next generation product of theser cannon, it was assumed that it would have some functionality. But General Kim Younghyeom¡¯s thoughts werepletely different. ¨D Take a closer look at this. As General Kim rushed towards the pile of rocks on the other side where the television had fallen, the size of the rock pile, which had been roughly the size of a small hill just a moment ago, began to grow muchrger than expected. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Not only were there more parts for the ¡®Figurehead¡¯ called up by the general through the menu than expected. ¨D Can you see clearly now? Why do you think this space exists? The location where the Figurehead parts were pouring down was far away from the generator, about 200 meters away to the naked eye. ¡°Well¡­ something seems odd.¡± Yeongwoo could finally admit it. The location of the Figurehead was indeed mysterious. It seemed as if the space from the generator to the Figurehead had been secured in advance. Moreover, ¡ª Do you see theser cannon position we firstpleted? General Kim pointed outside the screen with his finger. ¡°Well¡­ I can¡¯t see it on my screen right now, but I have a rough idea of where it is.¡± As Yeongwoo said this, General Kim walked back towards the direction of theser cannon. Then, the image of theser cannon¡¯s firing base, located tens of meters away from the generator, began to appear on Yeongwoo¡¯s screen. ¡ª Do you know what that is? General Kim spoke with even more excitement than before. Upon hearing this, Yeongwoo felt like he might know vaguely, but he wasn¡¯tpletely sure, so he asked back, ¡°What do you think it is, General?¡± To this, General Kim, standing upright in the spacious area between the Figurehead and theser firing base, replied, ¡ª I think that¡¯s where the aft gun of a battleship will go. Whether it¡¯s a main gun or a secondary gun, I can¡¯t say for sure yet. ¡°Are you serious? Are we really building a battleship?¡± Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t the only one surprised by General Kim¡¯s radical im. ¡°A battleship¡­?¡± ¡°Are you saying that¡¯s where a battleship will go?¡± Even Seok and Jeonggu couldn¡¯t close their mouths in surprise, especially Seok, who was currently trapped in the surreal situation of her husband being a returnee. ¡°Uh, if we¡¯re really building a battleship, could we even sail it out?¡± At this somewhat risky statement, General Kim quickly corrected himself. ¡ª Madam, I sincerely believe that it¡¯s the ce for the battleship¡¯s stern gun. But whether we can sail out of this space on that ship is uncertain. General Kim¡¯s inference was purely based on the possibility that it might be a simple battleship for artillery support. Of course, his gaze told apletely different story. And even so, would you want to be trapped in this space forever? The reason he thought of a battleship as soon as he saw the space between the figurehead and theser gun might have stemmed from a desperate desire to leave someday. So Yeongwoo nodded as well. ¡°I also hope that it¡¯s the ce for a battleship. It would be great if you could gain freedom by making it move.¡± Then he added, ¡°But to really find out if it¡¯s a battleship position, there¡¯s only one way.¡± Yeongwoo pointed at the figurehead parts on the screen. ¡°If we quickly assemble those, won¡¯t we be able to see the next item?¡± In other words, it was a message to stop fooling around and get to work quickly. At this, Seok asked General Kim, ¡°Is there no product manual this time?¡± ¡ª There¡¯s a design document¡­ but there¡¯s no product manual likest time. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Huff. As General Kim unfolded a holographic book, a series of part numbers that made up the figurehead were disyed. ¡ª Probably, assembling them in this order willplete it. If it¡¯s really a figurehead, there won¡¯t be separate modules for functions. In other words, it was going to be a job of assembling a giant statue from scratch. ¡°It might take some time this time.¡± As Yeongwoo looked at the pile of figurehead parts, General Kim shrugged. ¡ª We¡¯ll see. Since it¡¯s just assembly without mechanical parts, once the sorting is done, the work speed should be quite fast. ¡°But can you still do artillery support? I¡¯ll be going into the dungeon shortly.¡± Yeongwoo checked the time as he said this. Current time: 10:21 PM. It¡¯s almost time to enter the dungeon when you momentarily close your eyes. Then General Kim Younghyeom raised a question. ¡ª Artillery support? Always wee. But can we even shootser cannons into that dungeon? It¡¯s apletely different area from Earth, isn¡¯t it? General Kim Younghyeom was now an experienced ¡®space traveler¡¯ as well. Didn¡¯t he fight a fierce battle with the resurrected Gameta in the dungeonst night? As such, he had a considerable understanding of the world after the reset, allowing him to have such doubts. ¡ª I¡¯m not sure if the cannon has the authority for that. Authority. It meant the authority to bombard not only Earth but also other areas. Especially, the dungeon was more like a testing ground that appeared along with the reset system than a different, wasn¡¯t it? ¡°Well, there¡¯s no precedent yet, so we have no choice but to try. But Dogo was able to interfere.¡± In the first dungeon where they had to pull the ship, Yeongwoo had received equipment sponsorship from Dogo. So likewise, Toma, a military contractor. ¡®It seems possible. Of course, there might be some restrictions on artillery support, which is a much more aggressive act.¡¯ Maybe tonight, we¡¯ll see whichpany, Dogo or Toma, has stronger authority. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s look into itter.¡± After saying this, Yeongwoo told his father and Seok, ¡°I¡¯m going to take a short nap in the other room now. If I can¡¯t wake up even after 11 o¡¯clock, please wake me up.¡± Then Jeonggu hesitated and asked, ¡°If you can¡¯t wake up, you want us to wake you up by force?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Yeongwoo himself might have thought waking up from sleep was trivial, but at least Jeonggu didn¡¯t share the same sentiment. To him, his crazy son, Jeong Yeongwoo, was a giant who could engage in physical fights even against dragons. Imagine, someone waking up from unconsciousness due to interference from someone else. ¡°If you swing your arm in your sleep, the person standing in front of you might get a broken waist, even if it¡¯s the Strongest Sword. So, it¡¯s better if you wake up on your own if possible.¡± As Jeonggu spoke seriously, Yeongwoo initially thought his father was joking and tried tough, but soon his expression stiffened. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s not entirely wrong.¡± With that, he entrusted his weapons to the goblin and started walking towards the star room. ¡°Then wake me up from afar.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Tell him to blow a horn or throw a sword or something.¡± ¡°Y-you crazy.¡± But Jeonggu found himself unconsciously fiddling with the sword at his waist. And so did Yeongwoo. ¡°As long as you doesn¡¯t throw with full force, I won¡¯t die. I¡¯ll wake up and stop it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It wasn¡¯t an unfounded statement. Besides the two ves, Yeongwoo had another backup. ¡¸One-eyed Sentry¡¹ ¨C Mutant Cornea ¡¾Stands guard when you fall asleep.¡¿ The One-eyed Sentry gathered messages that the wearer missed while sleeping and woke them up if there were any signs of danger nearby. So if his crazy father really threw a sword, the One-eyed Sentry would detect it and wake Yeongwoo up. ¡°But if you aim for the neck and end up killing me, Dad will have to wield the title of Strongest Sword, you know?¡± ¡°¡­ ¡± Yeongwoo buried himself in the bed in the other room, leaving behind his father¡¯s horrified expression. ¡°Ugh.¡± Such warmth that made him groan involuntarily. Yeongwoo drifted off to sleep just like that. And upon seeing his son like this, Jeonggu¡­ ¡°¡­!¡± As soon as he confirmed Yeongwoo¡¯s breathing had calmed down, he took out a dagger from his embrace and threw it. Hwaaah! Toward Yeongwoo¡¯s forearm, who was already asleep. And then¡­ Swoosh! Just before the de touched his skin, Yeongwoo¡¯s body twitched for a moment, and in the blink of an eye, he deflected the dagger. Thud! ¡°Good Lord, are you really insane?¡± ¡°Uh, aren¡¯t you sleeping yet?¡± ¡°I was awake because of your nonsense.¡± However, Yeongwoo¡¯s words were a lie. On his left eye, there was a red eyeball mark, the activation sign of the One-eyed Sentry. ¡°Don¡¯t annoy me. Wake me up at 11.¡± Yeongwoo squeezed his temples andy back on the bed. And this time, he truly fell into a deep sleep. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 218 Chapter 218 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 218: Unexpectedness (3) Typesetting. Something that records everything happening in the universe in real-time. Whether it¡¯s literally a gigantic typesetting te or apletely different form, there was no way to know. The important thing was, ¡®There is equipment interfering with typesetting.¡¯ Even as a resident of a remote, didn¡¯t he create equipment that could alter the course of destiny? Then what about the valuable beings somewhere in this universe? ¡®Could there be beings who directly weave their own destiny?¡¯ In his dream, Yeongwoo had vague questions. And soon. ¨C Bam! With Pofu Tenta¡¯s vigorous trumpet ying as a cue, he was pulled out of his dream. ¡°Huh?¡± When Yeongwoo opened his eyes, a mark in the shape of a red eyeball appeared immediately. Then he saw his father, who was hesitating whether to throw a dagger in his hand. ¡°I¡¯m awake.¡± ¡°¡­Really?¡± Swoosh. Yeongwoo sat up. Then the system message that had appeared while he was sleeping appeared again in his sight. ¡¸As of now, [Abnormal Weather] Metal Dust is generated.¡¹ Current time, 11:01 PM. ¡®I woke up on time.¡¯ Yeongwoo checked the clock, got out of bed, and put on his ¡°Cosmic Etiquette¡±, receiving the ¡°Bastard¡± from the goblin. At this, the Golden Trail that had been standing quietly in the corner of the star room moved with a humming sound, following Yeongwoo. Now everything was ready for deployment. ¡°Are you okay? You should have slept a little more.¡± Jeonggu, who followed Yeongwoo out to the living room, expressed his concern. Although he looked like a viin to anyone, in the face of chronic sleep deprivation, there was no room for business. ¡°I can only hope the dungeon ends early.¡± If you were the Strongest Sword, who entered the night dungeon every day, you would inevitably suffer from chronic sleep deprivation. ¡°Last night¡¯s dungeon was short, so today might not be that long.¡¯ Yeongwoo tried to predict today¡¯s dungeonposition, but it wasn¡¯t easy. If there was anymonality among them, it was that. ¡®At least thest two were cooperative assignments.¡¯ ¡°Iria¡¯s Pain¡± required one of the three to take on the role of an oarsman, while the other two acted as killers toplement each other for survival. And the second dungeon, ¡°Sanctuary of Valor,¡± divided up to six participants into teams of two to light the fires in the furnace. Then what about the third one? Yeongwoo opened the door to the guest room with a subtly tense heart. ck. Then Jeonggu¡¯s voice from behind was heard as he waved his hand to see Yeongwoo off. ¡°Come back alive! I can¡¯t afford to pay for your funeral!¡± * * * 11:04 PM. Yeongwoo, who descended to the hotel lobby by elevator, saw Negwig waiting in front of the main gate. *Squeak* Already transformed into the shape of a horse and waiting for his master, Negwig wagged his head as soon as he saw Yeongwoo. As if urging him to hurry. ¡¸Negwig¡¹ ¨C Unknown Grade ¡¾Adapts to any.¡¿ An alien iron horse that adapts to any. He was also enduring the metal dust, today¡¯s abnormal weather, quite well. On the other hand, Yeongwoo¡­ ¡°Cough!¡± As soon as he exposed himself to the outside world, his lungs felt like they were burning, twisting his expression. Today, instead of ignoring the abnormal weather, he only activated the bleeding immunity equipment, so he received all the pain from the ¡°metal dust¡±. ¡°No, am I really crazy? Keuk!¡± Hastily, Yeongwoo climbed onto Negwig and headed to Gwangjin-gu, the ce to summon the dungeon. ¡°Hurry up. I might die from coughing.¡± Not only Yeongwoo but also the golden goblin and Pofu Tenta riding behind him were covering their mouths and noses with their small hands. *Squeak!* Finally, following Yeongwoo¡¯smand, Negwig began to run north at high speed, leaving behind the ash-coveredndscape of Gangnam-gu due to the abnormal weather. Shoo! In an instant, Negwig, who had passed through Samsung-dong, crossed Cheongdam Bridge and entered Gwangjin-gu. Gooooo¡­¡­! Most of the buildings in Gwangjin-gu were destroyed, making it a literal gray ruin, and there was even a huge whirlwind of metal dust swirling in the distance, as there were no tall buildings. ¡®This is a truly destroyed world.¡¯ Yeongwoo, after cing Negwig far enough from Cheongdam Bridge, stepped down onto the ground, coughing harshly. ¡°Cough!¡± Then he instructed the goblin to put the sphere on the ground. ¨C Kit! As the goblin held its breath and reached into its pocket, the golden sphere, previously radiating with light, gradually turned ck and was pulled out of the pocket. Upon this, Yeongwoo wordlessly reached out his hand to the sphere and summoned the night dungeon. ¡°Hurry up! Cough!¡± As Yeongwoo lifted his hand off the sphere, a gray wave burst out, coloring the surroundings in ash. Pah-aah! Of course, the area had already been entirely ash-colored due to the dust, but there was definitely something different this time. ¡°Ha.¡± Finally, the horrible lung pain subsided. This meant that Yeongwoo had crossed over to the space where the dungeon would be summoned. ¡¸The dungeon does not allow mounts and ves to apany.¡¹ Then a restriction notification appeared, and arge tombstone rose up about twenty meters ahead. Quad-deuk! ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± The shape reminiscent of Chairman¡¯s gship made Yeongwoo involuntarily flinch. ¡°Could that be the entrance?¡± This time, there were no giant pyramids or tall towers. After touching the sphere, only therge tombstone appeared on the other side. So Yeongwoo started walking towards the tombstone. Clunk, clunk. Silence. The nking sound from the soles of his feet was the only sound in the air, enveloped by Illusion. Click! Suddenly, an interface appeared in front of Yeongwoo as he approached the tombstone. Pow! It was the information window of this dungeon. [Batum¡¯s Casino] | Dungeon Grade: Rare | Difficulty: C | Rmended Participants: 20 ¡°Batum¡¯s¡­ Casino?¡± [PR/N: Feels like the universe is mocking me atp for gambling.] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Generally, the name of the dungeon had a significant corrtion with the actual gamey. So, the fact that this dungeon was named ¡®Casino¡¯ meant that the task would involve some form of gambling element. ¡®A tombstone and a casino¡­ What are they nning to make us do?¡¯ Even the rmended number of participants was a whopping twenty. It seemed like it would be thergest dungeon since the reset. ¡®Anyway, since I¡¯ve already used the sphere, I can¡¯t just back out. But where¡¯s the entrance?¡¯ As Yeongwoo fiddled with the dungeon information window, a whirlpool appeared in front of the tombstone, and a portal opened. [17/20] The number of participants disyed inside the portal was a whopping 17 out of 20. Already, 17 people had entered the dungeon. And then, after a moment. Pop! [18/20] The number of participants inside the dungeon changed to 18. ¡®If I hesitate any longer, the slots might all be filled, and I won¡¯t be able to enter.¡¯ There was no time to waste. Yeongwoo promptly stepped into the portal. Whoosh. In an instant, the surrounding air changed, and a spacious lobby with marble flooring spread out before him. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s this?¡± Just as Yeongwoo was surprised by the much cleaner interior than expected, a number te was attached above his head. Pow! ¡¶19¡· Number 19. They were assigning numbers ording to the order of entry. Then, as Yeongwoo stepped into the lobby, 18 experts from various parts of the world who had arrived earlier turned their attention to him. ¡°You seem experienced?¡± ¡°What¡¯s with that cloak?¡± ¡°An Asian with quite a presence.¡± Everyone was busy scrutinizing the appearance of the new participant. Upon this, Yeongwoo wrinkled his brow for a moment and then realized what was going on when he saw the guidance message floating in the air. ¡¸When the number of participants reaches 20 or time limit expires, the voting will begin.¡¹ ¡¸One person expected to be the strongest among the participants, and one expected to be the weakest, will be selected.¡¹ ¡¸This will directly affect future ¡®bets¡¯, so please choose carefully.¡¹ ¡®They¡¯re up to their despicable tricks again.¡¯ Because of such rules, everyone had been busy trying to gauge who was the strongest and weakest among them. Of course, Yeongwoo himself had to participate in the vote. ¡®So, I need to keep an eye out in advance. Who seems the strongest and weakest.¡¯ Clunk, clunk. As Yeongwoo made his way slowly to the center of the lobby, the other participants around him looked at him carefully and cautiously cleared the way. Because his equipment looked so bizarre, he didn¡¯t give off a particrly friendly vibe. However, that didn¡¯t mean they looked very powerful either. ¡°What¡¯s with not wearing armor?¡± ¡°Maybe they couldn¡¯t put it on.¡± ¡°And not even wearing a helmet¡­?¡± Since it was the fifth day since the reset, most of the people here were in an excellent state of equipment farming. Furthermore, their courage far exceeded the average, making them true strong individuals. So it was only natural that there was a bewildered reaction to Yeongwoo¡¯s less-equipped appearance. Of course, Yeongwoo himself realized, ¡®Ah, I forgot to wear my helmet.¡¯ While deliberately taking off the top was intentional, not wearing the helmet was purely a mistake. It was because wearing it was too obstructive for sleeping, and it didn¡¯t help with visibility either, so he had left it in the catalog. ¡°¡­..¡± Yeongwoo stood in the center of the lobby, slowly surveying his surroundings. About 30% of the participants were Caucasian, while another 30% were ck or Hispanic. The remaining 40% consisted of Asians and Middle Easterners. If it wasn¡¯t an illusion, even the space in the lobby seemed to be subtly divided by race. ¡®I have no idea how this is going to y out.¡¯ As Yeongwoo shook his head with a smirk and nced back, a portal opened from the other side, and the next participant entered. ¡¶20¡· Thest participant, holding the number 20, was a middle-aged European man with half his head shaved. ¡°Huh?¡± His appearance reminded Yeongwoo of Ottavio from Sicily whom he met in the first dungeon, so he unconsciously smiled at the familiar face before widening his eyes. ¡°Huh, huh!¡± As the 20th participant emerged from the portal, he stumbled forward, apparently surprised by the sudden change of space beyond the portal. Though he didn¡¯t fall over dramatically, the 19 other experts in the room realized in that moment. ¡®That person is a beginner in dungeons.¡¯ And soon after, ¡¸The number of participants has reached 20.¡¹ ¡¸Now, we will select the two people who will be the targets of your bets.¡¹ With that, the dungeon system officially announced the start of the game. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 219 Chapter 219 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 219: Unexpectedness (4) Beep! With a long beep, a series of simple personal profiles and face photos numbered 1 to 20 appeared on the ceiling of the waiting room. It signaled the beginning of the voting process. ¡®When was that photo taken?¡¯ Yeongwoo tilted his head as he saw his own face in the frontal photo attached under number 19. The same went for the number 20 participant, who still seemed bewildered. ¡°What, what is that?¡± Looking up at the ceiling, he asked this question. Yeongwoo, who had been staring intently at his photo, realized btedly that the ¡®number 20¡¯ was addressing him. ¡°¡­Were you asking me?¡± When Yeongwoo asked to confirm, number 20 stepped back half a step with a terrified expression. ¡°If I offended you, I apologize.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that it¡¯s offensive¡­¡± It was more bewildering than anything else. Out of all these participants, why did he specifically ask number 19? ¡°I don¡¯t know either. I was the one who entered right before you.¡± Yeongwoo kindly pointed to his face next to the number 20 participant with his finger, making number 20 scratch his empty scalp andugh awkwardly. ¡°Ah¡­ Now that you mention it, you¡¯re right. I just asked because our numbers are close¡­¡± Number 20 exined that he felt a sense of internal familiarity purely because their numbers were adjacent. ¡®Not much of a thinker, is he?¡¯ Yeongwoo wondered how he had survived in this harsh world with such judgment. Ironically, the person number 20 had chosen for his first conversation was Jeong Yeongwoo, a strong candidate for the title of East Asia¡¯s strongest. ¡°You¡¯re supposed to pick the person you think is the strongest and the person you think is the weakest among those here.¡± While Yeongwoo exined this, an interface for voting appeared in everyone¡¯s view, including his own. ¡¸Please enter the numbers in the nks below.¡¹ |Strongest: |Weakest: Then a warning message appeared. ¡¸Abstentions and invalid votes are not allowed. Both nks must be filled in, and the time limit is 10 minutes.¡¹ ¡®Oh, 10 minutes? That¡¯s more time than I expected.¡¯ Compared to the first dungeon, Pain of Iria, where only 10 seconds were given to choose a boatman, this was quite a courteous game. ¡°What happens after we pick the strongest and the weakest?¡± The problematic number 20 asked another question. Yeongwoo sighed inwardly and replied as kindly as possible. ¡°I¡¯m not exactly sure. It seems like some sort of betting.¡± Then he checked number 20¡¯s name through the photo on the ceiling. ¡¸Dragos Korban24¡¹ |Romania, Transylvania, Bra?ov. |49 years old. ¡®Dragos Korban? Sounds like a game character¡¯s name.¡¯ Although Yeongwoo had seen quite a few foreign ¡®notable names¡¯, this was his first time encountering a Romanian. ¡ºBra?ov¡¯s Second Sword¡» ¡®So, in Romania, they go by titles like First Sword, Second Sword.¡¯ After confirming the other¡¯s title, Yeongwoo slowly looked around. He, too, had to choose the strongest and weakest. Following Yeongwoo¡¯s lead, Dragos also looked around the waiting room, then said uncertainly, ¡°How do you judge who¡¯s strong or weak?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± You have to judge by looking at the state of their equipment or their aura. Just as Yeongwoo was about to say this, a sharp beep sounded, and a system message appeared in the air. Beep! ¡¸A vote for the weakest has been cast.¡¹ Then, arge number ¡®1¡¯ was marked on the photo of participant number 20, Dragos, disyed on the ceiling. Someone had voted for him as the weakest. ¡°Huh?¡± Dragos Korban could not hide his dismay. This reaction made him appear even weaker, and three more votes for the weakest quickly umted. Beep, beep, beep! ¡¸A vote for the weakest has been cast.¡¹ ¡¸A vote for the weakest has been cast.¡¹ ¡¸A vote for the weakest has been cast.¡¹ ¡®The tide has already turned. It¡¯s like stocks.¡¯ Yeongwoo stared nkly at Dragos¡¯ photo, which had quickly garnered four votes. Unless there was a significant shift, Dragos would likely end up as the ¡®weakest¡¯. It wasn¡¯t entirely an unfounded vote. The Romanian was very likely a dungeon novice, and judging by his height in thete 170s, he probably hadn¡¯t earned enough money to invest in physical modifications. ¡®Still, he isn¡¯t that short, so if he hadn¡¯t stood near me, he might have gone unnoticed.¡¯ In this room, Yeongwoo could see at least three people who seemed weaker than Dragos. They were shorter than Dragos and didn¡¯t have any particrly noticeable equipment. Perhaps they were the ones who immediately cast their votes for Dragos as the weakest. ¡®Well, psychological warfare is also a skill in these kinds of rules.¡¯ Beep! ¡¸A vote for the weakest has been cast.¡¹ As another vote for the weakest was thrown, the number 5 appeared above Dragos¡¯s picture. Now, with just six more votes, he would have a majority. It was almost certain. ¡°Are you sure this person is the weakest? Once more votes pile up, we can¡¯t change it.¡± As Yeongwoo said this, ncing around, martial artists from around the world muttered in response. ¡°He might not be the absolute weakest, but he seems rtively weak.¡± ¡°His ID number is 24. He¡¯s bound to be weak.¡± ¡°So who are you going to vote for? Are we going to fight each other in the next eight minutes?¡± They didn¡¯t seem very serious about selecting the weakest. After all, it was still unclear what exactly they would be betting on. Most of the people here had been proving their strength from the early stages of the reset. Hence, they didn¡¯t care much who was designated the weakest as long as it wasn¡¯t themselves. So eventually, Beep, beep, beep! ¡¸A vote for the weakest has been cast.¡¹ ¡¸A vote for the weakest has been cast.¡¹ ¡¸A vote for the weakest has been cast.¡¹ Following Yeongwoo¡¯s remark, more votes poured in for Dragos, who had attracted further attention. ¡°Oh¡­ no!¡± Seeing the numbers continue to rise next to his picture, Dragos was clearly not an exceptional figure. Even he thought he wouldn¡¯t rank among the top in this waiting room of 20 people. Beep! ¡¸A vote for the weakest has been cast.¡¹ Ultimately, Dragos was elected as the weakest with a total of 12 votes. Now the remaining issue for the 20 people in the room was. ¡°No one has voted for the strongest yet.¡± ¡°Right. Who¡¯s the strongest here?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Isn¡¯t it more likely that taller people are stronger?¡± Due to someone¡¯sment, those with their natural height stepped back a few paces. Then, those who had modified their height to 2 meters drew attention. Out of the 20 people in the waiting room, there were about 9 who were 2 meters tall. ¡°There are more than I thought¡­¡± ¡°Just because they¡¯re tall doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re strong. We need to consider other factors.¡± Overall build, muscle mass, and the equipment they were wearing were also taken into ount. Unlike the selection of the weakest, no vote for the strongest was cast lightly. As these individuals prided themselves on their strength, they took the task of predicting the strongest very seriously. Inevitably, the one who stood out the most among the 9 candidates was. ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t that Asian guy suspicious?¡± ¡°Why isn¡¯t he wearing armor?¡± ¡°His ID number is 07, which isn¡¯t bad. He seems quite strong.¡± Unsurprisingly, Yeongwoo07 was the most mentioned. Despite arrivingte, he had fearlessly spoken to everyone, and above all. -Whirrr¡­ Even though it was currently just floating in the air, the 2-meter-long golden greatsword, which looked like a crazy killing machine, captured everyone¡¯s attention. Then someone leaning against the corner of the waiting room sealed the deal with one line. ¡°That guy is definitely strong. He¡¯s wanted all over China.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Looking at his opponent after this unexpected ¡®sniper¡¯ment, Yeongwoo immediately understood. ¡ºThe Double Immortal of China¡» ¡®Ah, he¡¯s Chinese.¡¯ The Chinese master, who would have been in an uproar over Yeongwoo stealing his title, was present in this ce. And from this point. Beep! ¡¸A vote for the strongest has been cast.¡¹ A long-unused vote for the strongest was cast for Yeongwoo. ¡°Are we going to pick number 19 and 20 together?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that too much of a coincidence? Could it be a trap?¡± Even as some remained uncertain, votes for the strongest continued to be cast for the Asian07. Beep, beep! ¡¸A vote for the strongest has been cast.¡¹ ¡¸A vote for the strongest has been cast.¡¹ ¡¸A vote for the strongest has been cast.¡¹ Despite his suspicious appearance, people¡¯s gambling instincts led them to believe he was strong. In a way, the theme of ¡®gambling¡¯ in this dungeon had already begun. ¡°Mr. Yeongwoo, at this rate¡­¡± Already confirmed as the weakest, Dragos watched in awe as Yeongwoo¡¯s votes for the strongest increased. If the main game of this dungeon involved a battle between the strongest and the weakest, he did not want to fight this gigantic Asian. However, the votes for Yeongwoo continued, and as he approached a majority with 8 votes. Beep! ng! Suddenly, a sword shot up towards the ceiling of the waiting room and pierced Yeongwoo¡¯s picture, which disyed 8 votes. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Who did that?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The unexpected show of force caused a temporary halt in the voting, and soon after, arge ck man shoved aside the other martial artists around him and walked up to Yeongwoo. Thunk! ¡°Why are all the votes going to him? Do you really think this guy should represent us?¡± ¡ºNightmare of Limpopo¡» The one who stepped forward to challenge the Asian07 was none other than Tuende Musa01, the martial artist from Limpopo in northern South Africa, known as ¡®Nightmare of Limpopo.¡¯ ¡®Damn, I¡¯ve really made a name for myself, getting challenged by some ck guy now.¡¯ Moreover, Tuende¡¯s identification number was 01. However, Tuende¡¯s and Yeongwoo¡¯s eye level were almost the same. This was a prime example of transcending innate ranks, something exined on the first day of the reset. ¡°I can¡¯t ept that you¡¯re the strongest among us. You don¡¯t seem like the top fighter at all. Right?¡± As Tuende pointed at Yeongwoo and looked around, the other participants began nodding one by one. ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t fought each other, so we can¡¯t really tell who¡¯s the strongest.¡± ¡°The person we elect might represent us in something. It makes sense to choose the ¡®actually¡¯ strong person.¡± The atmosphere in the room was significantly more focusedpared to when they were selecting the weakest. Finally, ¡°So how about you two fight each other? We¡¯ll judge.¡± The Chinese participant who had nominated Yeongwoo as a strong candidate eagerly proposed a duel. Then, ¡°Oh? That¡¯s a good idea.¡± ¡°Yeah. A duel! Let¡¯s decide with a fight.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the most reliable method.¡± The waiting room quickly heated up with everyone chanting for a duel. ¡°Duel! Duel!¡± ¡°Fight! There are only 4 minutes left!¡± They even stepped back to create space for the two to fight. In response, Yeongwoo looked at the voting interface on the ceiling, seeming troubled. ¡°Is it wise to fight in the waiting room when we don¡¯t even know the main game rules yet?¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Tuende twisted his dark face into a wicked grin. ¡°Getting scared when ites to an actual fight?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it¡­¡± ¡°Cowards always have long tongues!¡± Swish! Tuende Musa01 tried to draw another sword from his waist. However, to Yeongwoo, the movement seemed incredibly slow. ¡®What¡¯s this? Why is he so slow?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t just because of the effects of the three types of catalogs and all the equipment he was decked out in. Having just faced a dragon and Kim Il-Sung returned from hell, the movements of a mere human seemed slow inparison. So, Yeongwoo, Grab! He seized Tuende¡¯s arm before the sword could be drawn. Then, with a rather serious expression, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s stop here. I don¡¯t want to be Africa¡¯s enemy.¡± Considering that all the continents were supposed to be connected tomorrow¡­ ¡®It¡¯s bad enough I¡¯m going to be fighting against China and Japan. I don¡¯t want to provoke the whole African legion.¡¯ As Yeongwoo was thinking this, something unexpected happened. It was¡­ Beeep! ¡°Oh¡­!¡± At the ominous sound, Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened. It was the sound that urred whenever the source of countless evils, Dogo, issued a quest. And sure enough, sh! One side of Yeongwoo¡¯s vision lit up as a new quest from the Dogor appeared. [Dogo] ¡°Hierarchy Establishment¡± [Mission] Win the duel against Tuende Musa01. [Reward] 5 million Karma. [Special Condition] Obtain more than 11 votes as the strongest. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 220 Chapter 220 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 220: Unexpectedness (5) ¡®Settle the hierarchy?¡¯ Yeongwoo reflexively looked up at the ceiling as he confirmed the quest details, imagining the Chairman or the shareholders of Dogo who probably approved this quest. ¡®Win the duel and obtain over 11 votes as the strongest¡­ It means to win overwhelmingly.¡¯ To achieve this, he could make his opponent draw their sword again and then cut both the person and the sword in half with a single blow. However¡­ ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t recognize a true master.¡± Tuende Musa realized many things in a short moment. He acknowledged that the Asian man before him possessed something beyond the ordinary, a monster with unparalleled strength and reflexes. ¡°I apologize for my great disrespect. Africa does not want to be your enemy.¡± Tuende cautiously stepped back, echoing the words the Asian man had uttered when he blocked his sword earlier. -Let¡¯s stop here. I don¡¯t want to be Africa¡¯s enemy. So, he decided to heed the warning. But Yeongwoo¡¯s stance had changedpletely in that short time. ¡°¡­Sorry, but draw your sword, Tuende Musa.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, draw your sword¡­!¡± With a fierce warning, Yeongwoo¡¯s massive body tensed. He was aiming tond a left body blow to his opponent¡¯s abdomen. ¡®Is this guypletely insane?¡¯ Tuende Musa widened his eyes and hastily drew the sword from his belt, realizing that his opponent was truly throwing a punch with murderous intent. ¡®No matter how strong he is, his skin can¡¯t be harder than a de.¡¯ Tuende intended to cut off his opponent¡¯s arm, swinging his sword diagonally. Swish! ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°Aah¡­!¡± The spectators, having witnessed the trajectory of Tuende¡¯s sword, let out a sound that was a mix of groans and cheers. Twenty experts from the East and West, who were unfamiliar with each other, were gathered here. What would happen if the arm of the Eastern expert flew off in such a situation? ¡®This¡­ this is dangerous.¡¯ ¡®Is there any need to provoke the Easterners?¡¯ ¡®If this goes wrong¡­¡¯ Most of the audience watched the sh between the two experts with bated breath. Tuende¡¯s sword indeed shed Yeongwoo¡¯s forearm. sh! The skill, befitting someone with the identification number ¡®01¡¯. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Oh my God.¡± ¡°These maniacs!¡± The spectators reacted differently as they saw the Asian man¡¯s right arm spin twice in the air. Fellow Easterners instinctively put their hands on their sword hilts in tension, while the Africans looked around triumphantly. The Westerners had ambiguous reactions, as a hostile atmosphere at this early stage would not benefit anyone. But the truly gruesome event followed. ¡°Musa!¡± With a roar, the Asian man with a severed right arm attempted a left hook. His movement was so fast that no one in the hall could tell whether it was a hook or a straight punch. Instead¡­ Thud! The punchnded squarely. ¡°Ugh¡­?¡± Tuende Musa, who had been standing confidently, suddenly crumpled to the ground. The noisy hall fell silent in an instant as the tide of the battle shifted. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°What just happened?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Then someone pointed at the stump of Yeongwoo¡¯s severed right arm. ¡°Do you see that? It¡¯s not just me, right?¡± Everyone looked at the spot where Yeongwoo¡¯s arm used to be. Blood was dripping from the exposed red flesh of his right shoulder, but the problem was¡­ Sizzle¡­! Smoke was rising from where his blood hit the floor, corroding the marble. ¡¾Corrosive Blood¡¿ | His blood had transformed to be corrosive. This was one of the effects of the ¡®Heart of the Poison Dragon¡¯ that Yeongwoo had recently equipped. Unaware of this fact, the onlookers could only feel an instinctive fear. ¡°What¡­ what is with this guy?¡± ¡°It looks like his blood is dissolving the floor¡­?¡± Meanwhile, Yeongwoo, dripping corrosive blood onto the floor, picked up his severed forearm. Shh. Then he reattached it to his right shoulder. Thud! Thanks to the regeneration from the core of the slime, ¡¸Unfair Trade¡¹ ¨C The only one-handed sword ¡¾Injuring an enemy increases the wearer¡¯s recovery.¡¿ The effect of Unfair Trade quickly healed the severed arm. Shhhh! ¡°Huh.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Dozens of mouths in the hall gaped open simultaneously. None of them had ever encountered an expert of this type before. Then, Beep! A signal sounded, and a notification from the dungeon system appeared. ¡¸Time left until the end of voting: 1 minute.¡¹ With his right hand, which had just been on the ground, Yeongwoo pointed to the ceiling and spoke. ¡°What are you doing? Quickly vote for your Strongest.¡± * * * Votes: 17. After waking the unconscious Tuende and encouraging him to vote, Yeongwoo seeded in securing the majority of votes in the hall. ¡°Why¡­ why did you hit me? I surrendered at the beginning.¡± Tuende lodged a legitimateint, but Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t exin it to him. How could he make him understand that it was a task given by the high officials above in the universe? So Yeongwoo chose to act insane. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. I couldn¡¯t control my anger in the moment.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Anyway, everything went smoothly for Yeongwoo. Ping! [Quest Completed ¨C ¡°Hierarchy Establishment¡±] [Reward Granted] |5 million Karma Not only did he earn 5 million Karma with a single punch, but he also didn¡¯t earn much resentment from the ck Corps as he had feared. Swoosh! Soon, a card containing 5 million Karma descended from the ceiling of the waiting room, but just in time, the dungeon moved to the next stage, preventing anyone from demanding an exnation from Yeongwoo. ¡¸Voting isplete.¡¹ |Strongest: [19] Jeong Yeongwoo07 |Weakest: [20] Dragos Korban24 Numbers 19 and 20 were elected. It was a remarkably coincidental result. But because the process was so shocking, everyone focused on what would happen next instead of feeling strange. ¡°Is it betting time now?¡± ¡°By the way, how is the ranking determined?¡± Ranking. This was also important to Yeongwoo. He didn¡¯te here just to get equipment. ¡®To get the catalog, I need a score exceeding the maximum contribution of 100 points.¡¯ But wasn¡¯t this dungeon a progression where you clear stages together? ¡®They said we would be betting¡­ Does this mean the person who continues betting and doesn¡¯t get eliminated until the end is judged to be in first ce?¡¯ It was unclear. This was something he could only guess once the rules were revealed. And before long, ¡¸Since voting isplete, gambling will now begin.¡¹ With the phrase announcing the start of the dungeon in earnest, one wall of the waiting room slid aside, revealing a massive ss window. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Whoa, what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°An arena?¡± ¡°What? An arena?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] At the word ¡°arena,¡± everyone rushed to the ss wall. Indeed, below, there were two circr arenas set up. From the waiting room, they could look down at the arenas. ¡°Why¡­ why are there two arenas?¡± ¡°It looks like one strong and one weak person will enter.¡± ¡°Huh? Then who are they facing?¡± Everyone had assumed they would be betting on the strong and weak fighting each other, so they couldn¡¯t hide their confusion. Having two arenas meant the strong and the weak would each face different opponents. ¡°Are monstersing out?¡± ¡°Seems like it. Maybe the stages are divided, and increasingly stronger monsters appear.¡± Since the ratio of dungeon experience was quite high, everyone made usible guesses. ¡¸Now, we will exin how the gambling will proceed.¡¹ Bang! The arena that everyone was looking at now had the numbers 1 and 2 assigned to it. The left arena was number 1, and the right arena was number 2. ¡¸In a moment, the ¡®Strongest¡¯ will move to Arena 1, and ¡®Weakest¡¯ will move to Arena 2.¡¹ ¡°They really are being separated.¡± ¡°So, do we bet on the Strongest and the underdog separately?¡± So far, everything was as expected. ¡¸Once the arena transfer isplete, betting on the following items will proceed for 5 minutes.¡¹ ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The betting details were finally revealed. Everyone widened their eyes and focused on the ss wall. Soon, arge holographic text appeared beyond the ss. [1] Strongest survives, underdog survives. [2] Strongest dies, underdog survives. [3] Strongest survives, underdog dies. [4] Strongest dies, underdog dies. ¡°Just as I thought.¡± ¡°Is survival or death the only option?¡± As the betting items were revealed, all eyes turned to Yeongwoo and Dragos, who had been elected through the vote. This was because it was highly likely that one of them would die today. ¡¸This gambling will proceed through five stages, and based on the end of thest stage, the betting points of each participant will be tallied to determine the rankings.¡¹ Here it was, the problem of ranking. As exined, the person who sessfully bets the most in the five consecutive gambling rounds would receive the first-ce reward. In other words, you had to keep making correct predictions to win. ¡°So, what do we base our predictions on?¡± ¡°Right. We need to know what the Strongest and the underdog will be fighting.¡± As the participants, who had somewhat grasped the rules, asked for further exnation, new text appeared above the arenas. ¡¸In each stage, the two representatives will fight against replicants of mutants.¡¹ ¡°Replicants of mutants?¡± ¡°What is that¡­?¡± ¡¸Replicants of the mutants that participants have previously defeated will be ced in the arena. The number of replicants will increase significantly with each stage.¡¹ ¡°What?¡± ¡°This is crazy.¡± ¡°So, we have to fight several mutants?¡± The hall quickly became noisy. Moreover, the mutants would be randomly selected from those the 20 participants had defeated. Since a mutant they had personally killed could appear in the arena, everyone quickly became engrossed in the betting. ¡°This won¡¯t be easy¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re unlucky, you could die in the first stage.¡± They were all recalling the mutants that had given them the most trouble. And in Yeongwoo¡¯s case, ¡®Could Kim Il-sung appear again¡­?¡¯ As he thought of the ¡°legendary evil,¡± the dungeon system revealed the difficulty of the first stage. ¡¸The first stage will begin shortly. Each representative will face two mutants, and there are no special rules.¡¹ A 2-on-1 battle with random mutants. For Yeongwoo, it was a piece of cake, but for Dragos, who was scheduled to enter Arena 2, it seemed to be different. ¡°Damn it¡­¡± He was already sweating profusely, his fingers trembling slightly. Yeongwoo approached him and asked in a low voice. ¡°How many mutants have you fought at most?¡± Dragos, with a pale face, looked up at Yeongwoo. ¡°I¡¯ve fought up to two.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Dragos¡¯s estimated capability was crucial to Yeongwoo. He had to ce bets as well. ¡®He should be able to pass the first stage. I¡¯ll bet on both surviving for now.¡¯ But the real problem would start from the second stage. ¡ªThe number of replicants will increase significantly with each stage. Considering the nuance of the earlier exnation, this ¡°significant increase¡± likely meant, ¡®Doubling.¡¯ Logically, the sequence would be 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, but in Yeongwoo¡¯s experience, the logic of the universe differed greatly from that of Earth. ¡®Could it be 2, 4, 8, 16, 32¡­? No, they wouldn¡¯t want the representatives to die for sure, would they?¡¯ If it were thetter, not only Dragos but even Yeongwoo¡¯s survival couldn¡¯t be guaranteed. ¡®This is a freaking crazy dungeon. Only the regr participants must be excited.¡¯ Yeongwoo looked at the Arena 1 he would soon enter. Then, ¡°¡­¡­!¡± An idea shed through his mind. He took out his coordinate tracker from his pocket. Shh. ¡¸Coordinate Locator¡¹ ¨C Artifact tool ¡¾It shows the coordinates of visible points.¡¿ Would this coordinate tracker work outside Earth? ¡¸In 10 seconds, the representatives will move to the arenas.¡¹ As the notification for moving to the arenas appeared, Yeongwoo immediately gripped the tracker tightly and looked at a point in Arena 1. Then, ¡°Ah¡­!¡± With a crosshair, the coordinates indeed appeared. *¡²II|l||-Lupo-917-005-3102-89¡³* [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 221 Chapter 221 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 221: Unexpectedness (6) ¡®Wow, what is this? Does this mean bombardment is possible even inside the dungeon?¡¯ Yeongwoo stared at the coordinates that appeared before him in disbelief. ¡®Toma is no ordinarypany, that¡¯s for sure. Well, not just anyone can be in the defense industry.¡¯ Anyway, he had learned at least two things from this. First, Toma¡¯s cosmic stature is on par with that of Dogo. ¡®Of course, it¡¯s still unclear which one is higher.¡¯ This would require finding a situation where Dogo can intervene and Toma cannot exert its power. ¡®And second, this is indeed an alien, and its name is¡­¡¯ ¡²II|l||-Lupo-917-005-3102-89¡³ ¡®¡­Lupo.¡¯ This was likely the location of the casino. Somewhere in the universe, there was an alien. ¡®This won¡¯t be the first alien I¡¯ve been to. Probably, each dungeon is located in a different ce.¡¯ Lupo. What kind of was it, and where was it located? Yeongwoo felt a Strongest curiosity, but he had more pressing issues to address for now. That was to check the coordinates of the 2nd arena where the ¡®Weakest¡¯ contestant would be sent before they were transported to the arena. ¡®To rank first in the betting points, I not only have to predict the game results throughout all five stages correctly, but also secure an unrivaled first ce without any ties.¡¯ This was because Yeongwoo was aiming for the catalog, the overachievement reward, not just a simple first ce. Of course, he couldn¡¯t be sure this method would grant him the catalog. However, he knew from experience that overwhelming y was necessary for an overachievement reward. ¡®There are 19 other betting participants besides me. It¡¯s a game that¡¯s hard to win with just ordinary predictions.¡¯ So, to achieve an overwhelming first ce in this game¡­ ¡®¡­I have to rig the results.¡¯ With 3 seconds left before the arena transfer, Yeongwoo hurriedly checked the two ends and the center points of the 2nd arena. ¡²II|l||-Lupo-917-005-3104-81¡³ ¡²II|l||-Lupo-917-005-3108-23¡³ ¡²II|l||-Lupo-917-005-3113-45¡³ At some point, most participants would undoubtedly bet on the ¡®weak¡¯ contestant¡¯s death, so Yeongwoo needed to keep the ¡®weak¡¯ Dragos alive as long as possible. That¡¯s why he checked these three points in the 2nd arena to ensure that the European wouldn¡¯t get caught in theser bombardment range. ¡°If you want to stay alive longer, don¡¯t fight in the center of the arena.¡± When Yeongwoo gave thisst piece of advice to Dragos, thetter¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°What? What does that¡­?¡± ¡°Try to fight at the 6 o¡¯clock direction. If I can¡¯t determine Dragos¡¯s position, I¡¯ll bombard the 12 o¡¯clock direction.¡± Yeongwoo pointed to a decoration in the 2nd arena while saying this. Fortunately, the decorations at 12 o¡¯clock and 6 o¡¯clock were different, so he gave a tip to use them for orientation. Whether Dragos understood this clearly was uncertain. Swoosh! Before he could answer, both of them were transported to the arena. ¡®¡­It¡¯s starting.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s vision turned pure white. Simultaneously, he felt his body be extremely light for a moment before returning to normal. When he opened his eyes, Whoom! He saw the enormous stone walls of the arena filling his vision. ¡®Quite a few doors, huh?¡¯ The first thing Yeongwoo noticed after confirming he had arrived in the arena was therge doors ced two per direction. ¡®Eight doors in total¡­ It doesn¡¯t seem like there will be only ten mutants in the final stage.¡¯ As Yeongwoo shuddered at the thought of a dreadful scenario, the dungeon system disyed a new message. ¡¸The representatives have been transported to the arena.¡¹ ¡¸All participants mustplete their bets within 5 minutes from now.¡¹ This meant the participants had only 5 minutes to gauge each other¡¯s intentions and make their decisions. ¡®Well, the first-stage betting will close quickly. The answer is almost certain.¡¯ sh! [1] Strongest survives, Weakest survives. [2] Strongest dies, Weakest survives. [3] Strongest survives, Weakest dies. [4] Strongest dies, Weakest dies. The betting options appeared before Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes. ¡®It¡¯ll practically be andslide for option 1.¡¯ Of course, there would still be some gamblers who would choose option 3 to go against the odds. ¡®I do love a good twist, but¡­ going with option 1 is the right move.¡¯ Swipe. Yeongwoo turned his head to look toward the 2nd arena. Once inside, the arena walls were much higher than expected, making it impossible to directly see the situation on the other side. Instead, sh! With the betting initiated, tworge screens appeared in the arena¡¯s air. ¡°Oh¡­¡± The screens disyed the waiting room and the interior of Arena 2. Representatives could now monitor the current situationprehensively while proceeding with the game. ¡®I thought they wouldn¡¯t give us any information at all, but this is unexpected.¡¯ However, it seemed that only visual information could be obtained through the screens, as no sound came from the other side. ¡®Anyway, I¡¯ll go with option 1 for now. I just have to hope Dragos can handle up to a 2v1.¡¯ Then, he would need to observe the difficulty of the second stage. As soon as he started bombarding the Weakest side, the waiting room would realize that some variable had urred and continue betting on the survival of the weak. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡®It would have been easier if it was something I could just force through. This is actually more difficult.¡¯ After choosing option 1 for the first stage betting, Yeongwoo took a deep breath and waited. [1] Strongest survives, Weakest survives. On the screen in the air, he saw Dragos Corban from Bra?ov, Romania, sitting cross-legged, waiting. ¡®What¡¯s that? Is that his way of rxing?¡¯ Well, being a named figure who survived up to this point and made it to the dungeon, he couldn¡¯t be an ordinary¡­ no, he couldn¡¯t be a normal person. ¡®For the first stage, there are two mutants¡­ let¡¯s see how this guy fights.¡¯ While Yeongwoo observed the situation in Arena 2 and nned his future betting strategy, the first stage betting closed early. ¡¸First stage betting has beenpleted.¡¹ [First Stage] |Option 1 ¨C 17 votes |Option 3 ¨C 3 votes ¡®Three votes for option 3? Are they gambling right from the start?¡¯ It was somewhat expected, but still surprising. After all, three participants had ced ¡®gambling¡¯ votes. [3] Strongest survives, Weakest dies. Choosing option 3 meant they were betting that Dragos wouldn¡¯t be able to handle even two mutants. And the result would soon be revealed. ¡¸All bets are in. The first stage will now begin.¡¹ As the system announced the start of the match, the two doors at the 12 o¡¯clock direction in Arena 1, where Yeongwoo was, swung open with force. Thud! Pushing through the massive iron doors, each appearing at least 2 meters thick, emerged a giant fire golem and a heavily armored troll wielding a long spear. ¡®These aren¡¯t first-day mutants, clearly.¡¯ They seemed to be at least from the third day orter. Still, it was better for those formidable creatures toe here than to be sent to the Weakest side. Grabbing the handle of ¡°Bastard,¡± attached to his belt, Yeongwoo looked up to check Arena 2¡¯s situation. There, two mutants were also rushing out ferociously. ¡®Huh? One of them looks like it¡¯s from the first or second day, doesn¡¯t it?¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened as he watched the screen of Arena 2. One of the mutants charging at Dragos was an orc with bare fists. The other was a beastman armed with arge shield andnce. Its physique was simr to Yeongtae¡¯s, who had a gnoll¡¯s body, but this one had the head of a jaguar. ¡®With much better equipment than Yeongtae, it¡¯s probably a third or fourth-day mutant.¡¯ In any case, the difficulty level didn¡¯t seem too high. ¡°Surely he can handle this.¡± Feeling relieved that they could pass the first stage safely, Yeongwoo exhaled deeply. Then, He nted his front foot firmly on the ground, preparing to draw his sword. The two mutants had already approached within ten meters. ¡¸Kyaaaah!¡¹ ¡¸Grrrr¡­¡¹ As expected, the arena mutants didn¡¯t seem to have the intelligence tomunicate with their opponents, probably due to being replicas. They alsocked name tags above their heads. ¡®This makes it easier without any psychological warfare.¡¯ Yeongwoo thought about causing bleeding to increase his firepower but decided against it as it seemed unnecessary. Instead, When he could clearly hear the breathing of the two mutants, Swoosh! He drew ¡°Bastard¡± with force and made a horizontal sh forward. sh! ¡¸Preemptive Strike¡¹ ¨C Mutant One-handed Sword ¡¾Increases the power of the first attack by 20%. Reactivates on sessful hit¡¿ ¡¸Duhan¡¯s Sword¡¹- Mutant One-Handed Sword ¡¾The length of the sword is proportional to the user¡¯s height.¡¿ As ¡°Bastard,¡± its de extending up to 6 meters, drew a crimson arc, the bodies of the two mutants charging at Yeongwoo were sliced cleanly in half, as easily as cutting tofu. Thud! Even the armor and weapons of the troll were cut through. ¡¸First stage: Strongest survives, Weakest in progress.¡¹ As soon as the notification that the match in Arena 1 had ended appeared, the participants in the waiting room started murmuring, which was visible through the broadcast screen. Naturally, no one had expected the fight to end with just a single sword sh. On the other hand¡­ ¡°What the¡­?¡± Expecting that the match in Arena 2 would be wrapping up as well, Yeongwoo looked at the screen and gaped. Dragos was struggling considerably against the bare-fisted orc and the heavily armored beastman. ¡°Is that even possible? He¡¯s supposed to be a regional named character.¡± Yeongwoo watched Dragos fight with a disbelieving expression for a different reason. Thebination he was facing was indeed tough. While the beastman pressed with arge shield andnce, the orc was cleverly targeting his nks. They couldn¡¯tmunicate with participants, but they had enough tactics to break their opponents. ¡®But no matter how tough they are, he can¡¯t break through that? How did he even think of entering the dungeon with such skills?¡¯ The only way to handle multiple opponents easily was to have overwhelming firepower. And Yeongwoo believed that a master at the level of entering a five-day dungeon at night wouldn¡¯t struggle against such low-risk mutants. In other words¡­ ¡®Could he be pretending to be the Weakest one?¡¯ Just as Yeongwoo was considering using bombardment in the first stage, he changed his mind and observed Dragos more closely on the screen. Then, he finally noticed. Perfect defense that seemed barely holding yet allowed no effective hits. The high strength level shown when deflecting thence with his de. ¡°¡­This bastard.¡± Goosebumps rose on his arms. Yeongwoo realized that he wasn¡¯t the only one attempting to rig the match in this arena. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 222 Chapter 222 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 222: Unexpectedness (7) Match-fixing by pretending to be weak. Yeongwoo clicked his tongue at Dragos¡¯ deception tactics and sat down to take a break. It seemed that Dragos would continue his cunning act until enough public opinion was swayed to perceive him as the underdog. ¡®This makes things a bitplicated.¡¯ How many levels of deception could Dragos sustain? Judging by his performance so far, handling the second stage seemed to be no problem. ¡®The number of mutants appearing in stage 3 is the key. No matter how skilled he is at ying the weakling, it would be hard to deal with eight mutants alone.¡¯ This was assuming that the number of mutants doubled with each stage: 2, 4, 8, 16, 32. ¡®But they could also increase sequentially by two each time. This would make predictions even more difficult.¡¯ In thetter case, it would be 2, 4, 6, 8, 10. Even if it reached stage 3, there would only be six mutants, making it hard for Yeongwoo, who knew about the act, to make a decisive move. ¡®Six mutants? Too ambiguous. With some skill, one could barely manage to break through.¡¯ Moreover, Dragos was aiming for first ce, so he would definitely continue his act until he reached his limit. In fact, it was a prime opportunity to push outpetitors who were betting on the survival of the weak. ¡®No matter what he does, I should consider that he¡¯s not at his limit until he suffers a substantial injury.¡¯ For instance, losing an arm or a severe thigh wound. ¡®How long does he n to keep up this act? Even just holding on like that must be quite exhausting.¡¯ As Yeongwoo thought this while looking at the screen, Dragos finally attempted a counterattack. Just as an orc charged at him with bare hands, Dragos grabbed and tackled it. ¡®Looks like he¡¯s nning to finish it soon.¡¯ Even knowing it was an act, the battle was intense enough to make Yeongwoo¡¯s heart race. Just as Dragos plunged his sword into the orc lying on the ground, a beastman closed in from behind and thrust ance. Hwayaang! Sensing it at thest moment, Dragos instinctively twisted his body to dodge thence, an act of genuine desperation. ¡°¡­¡­¡± At this point, even his misstep when entering the dungeon seemed calcted. ¡®Maybe he¡¯s not a beginner but a seasoned veteran.¡¯ Why was someone like him only the second best swordsman in Brasov? Realizing his naivety, Yeongwoo corrected his thought. ¡®No, titles can be changed at will. He might have been the second best at some point in the past.¡¯ Just as Yeongwoo had this epiphany, the European on the screen kicked the beastman¡¯s shield, creating an opening to stab through. Finally, his first-stage battle ended. ¡¸Stage 1, Strong Survives. Weak Survives.¡¹ ¡¸Stage 1 Complete.¡¹ As thepletion message appeared, the betting results were announced. ¡¸17 participants gained 1 betting point.¡¹ Then, Yeongwoo¡¯s personal scoreboard appeared. [Jeong Yeongwoo07] |Betting Points: 1 |Current Rank: Tied 17th (17 people) *Rewards are given from 5th ce. *If there are many ties, ranks do not rise. ¡®So the rankings start from the bottom.¡¯ Merely predicting the first stage correctly wasn¡¯t enough to receive rewards. This was likely due to the high number of ties. ¡®To get rewards, there must be many who fail their bets.¡¯ Yeongwoo finally understood the strategy for this dungeon. The dungeon was designed for yers to rise through match-fixing. ¡®And this control is essentially given to the two representatives.¡¯ This rified why the quest forced Dogo to stand out as a strong yer. However. ¡¸Stage 2 will begin shortly.¡¹ ¡¸Due to the presence of many ties, special rules will be applied from Stage 2.¡¹ ¡®¡­Special rules?¡¯ This dungeon was far more malicious than Yeongwoo had anticipated. Because. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡¸From now on, all participants except the representatives can enter the arena.¡¹ The dungeon system had rules in ce to ensure that no one could easily im rewards. ¡®Allowing participants into the arena means¡­ they can create the desired oue directly if needed.¡¯ For instance, if all 18 participants in the waiting room rushed into Arena 1, a previously impossible scenario like the ¡®strong dying¡¯ could happen. However, since uniting the 18 participants of different nationalities and races was difficult, they would likely consider changing the oue in favor of the weak first. But the problem was. ¡®For one¡¯s rank to rise, there need to be fewer ties, so not everyone will bet on the weak dying or surviving. Some will inevitably bet on the opposite oue.¡¯ This meant that even among the participants who entered the arena for the weak, there could be conflicts. Those betting on the weak surviving and those betting on the weak dying could each use force to achieve their desired oue. ¡®This is going to be aplete mess.¡¯ Foreseeing the chaos, not only Yeongwoo but also other participants in the waiting room hadplicated expressions. Then, the dungeon system introduced another special rule to alleviate their concerns a little. ¡¸Additionally, at the end of Stage 5, the participant with the lowest betting points will be killed.¡¹ ¡¸If there are multiple participants with the lowest points, up to three will be randomly selected and killed.¡¹ This meant that up to three participants with the lowest points just before the final tally would be randomly killed. Thus, participants were encouraged to bet their best throughout the five stages and, if necessary, enter the arena to change the oue directly. ¡®Of course.¡¯ It was the same as always in the dungeon. Yeongwoo closed his eyes, as if he had expected this. However, participants in the waiting room, who could end up in the lowest point group at any time, were shouting in horror. Although Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t hear them, it was a scene where you could almost hear the screams just by watching. The situation in the waiting room, as seen on the broadcast screen, was just like that. ¡¸In the uing Stage 2, the number of mutants each representative will face is four.¡¹ ¡®So, it¡¯s still four mutants up to Stage 2.¡¯ But the number of mutants was no longer of great significance. Now, the critical factor was the psychology of the remaining 18 participants. Would they bet on the strong surviving and the weak surviving as in the previous stage? Or would they bet on the weak dying to try and turn the tables? What choice would the three participants who failed in the first stage, now at the bottom, make? Would they rush into the arena to alter the oue to their liking once the match began? With the countless possibilities and the tension from the new rule allowing participants to enter the arena, the atmosphere in the waiting room was now more intense than in Arenas 1 and 2. ¡¸All participants mustplete their betting within 5 minutes.¡¹ Finally, the betting for Stage 2 began, and as before, the four betting options appeared. [1] Strong survives, weak survives. [2] Strong dies, weak survives. [3] Strong survives, weak dies. [4] Strong dies, weak dies. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The options were the same as in Stage 1, but they felt much weightier now. Of course, Yeongwoo immediately bet on option 1 again. ¡®Even with the lowest points death rule, would anyone risk their life to create variables this early? For now, everyone will have to act conservatively.¡¯ Thus, those who were truly anxious were likely the three at the bottom who had taken a gamble in the first stage. ¡®Even if the current lowest scorers seed in their Stage 2 bets, they will still be in danger of being the lowest since most participants who scored in Stage 1 will likely seed in Stage 2 as well.¡¯ Therefore, the only way for the lowest scorers to survive was to make others fail in their bets. ¡®Otherwise, they would need to seed in all their bets from Stage 3 onwards while hoping that others fail in their predictions¡­ which is no easy task.¡¯ A dilemma. In any case, if the three lowest scorers did nothing, they would likely die due to the rule targeting the lowest scorers. ¡®But there¡¯s still some hope. Dragos is acting really well.¡¯ After cing his bet, Yeongwoo sat back down and waited for time to pass. This time, the full five minutes were used without earlypletion of betting. The 18 participants in the waiting room were likely contemting their life-or-death decisions. ¡¸All bets for Stage 2 are nowplete.¡¹ After five minutes, the betting results for the 20 participants were announced. [Stage 2] |Option 1 ¨C 8 votes |Option 3 ¨C 12 votes ¡°Whoa¡­!¡± A surprising result. This time, significantly more people bet on option 3, indicating the weak would die. ¡®It seems most of them still don¡¯t know Dragos is acting.¡¯ Regardless, this oue was advantageous for Yeongwoo. This would greatly reduce the number of tied ranks. Now, Yeongwoo¡¯s remaining task was to ensure that Dragos did not die during Stage 2. ¡®Twelve people bet on the weak dying¡­.¡¯ What if they decided to interfere in the arena to prevent Dragos from passing Stage 2? ¡®If I use aser strike¡­ my infamy would skyrocket, right?¡¯ Yeongwoo imagined it. Aser cannon firing from the Returnee¡¯s Room, striking down on the heads of the 12 participants who entered Arena 2. ¡°Kwaaah¡­!¡± Making the sound of theser cannon with his mouth, Yeongwoo ced his hand on the artifact as he saw the iron gate ttering again. ¡¸With all betspleted, Stage 2 will now begin.¡¹ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 223 Chapter 223 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 223: Match Fixing (1) Second stage, four mutant clones. This too was not a difficulty for Yeongwoo. But what about Dragos? ¡®No matter how cunning you are, your acting ends here.¡¯ Dragos had already shown signs of struggle in the first stage. If he managed to survive the second stage as well, everyone would undoubtedly notice, regardless of how hard he fought. They would realize that Dragos had been pretending to be weak all along. ¡®Four mutants mean it¡¯s twice as difficult as the first stage. This isn¡¯t something you can ovee just by fighting hard.¡¯ Of course, Dragos might have achieved his goal just by the fact that twelve votes were cast predicting his death. BOOM! Soon, a door opened in each of the four directions of the arena where Yeongwoo stood, and mutants burst out. ¡¸Graaaah!¡¹ ¡¸Wooooooo¡­!¡¹ ¡®Whoa, their momentum is incredible.¡¯ Yeongwoo felt a chill as he watched the mutants charging at him from all directions. Even though he no longer had a human heart, his mind still thought like a human. He realized that this situation would be a nightmare for an ordinary person. Especially since this was an arena on an alien. Dying here meant he couldn¡¯t even return to the soil of his homnd. ¡®I¡¯m not particrly attached to Earth, but if I have to die, I¡¯d prefer to die on my.¡¯ Of course, he had no intention of dying here. Tap! As Yeongwoo assumed his drawing stance again and firmly nted his foot, the participants in the waiting room all focused their attention. They wanted to see if this ¡®Strongest one¡¯ could deal with the mutants in a single strike this time as well. If he started to show signs of struggling, they might consider betting on his death in the fourth or fifth stage. And Yeongwoo himself¡­ ¡®Oh, wait.¡¯ He hesitated just as he was about to sh the mutants that had gotten close. ¡®Shouldn¡¯t I at least pretend a little? The more confused mypetitors are, the more advantageous it is for me, right?¡¯ So Yeongwoo decided to¡­ Swoosh! Instead of shing through all the mutants like he did in the first stage, he decided to barely miss the ones on his sides and rear. He wanted to imply that in situations where enemies approached from all directions, he couldn¡¯t help but have some openings. ¡®But everyone knows I have strong firepower, so I should allow the first hit and then quickly deal with the rest.¡¯ While Yeongwoo was thinking this through, his sword, already shed through two of the second-stage mutants cleanly. Then¡­ Thud! A powerful impact hit Yeongwoo¡¯s waist. ¡°¡­Ugh!¡± While he was shing forward, an ogre that had approached from behind swung its hammer. ¡¸¡­¡­?¡¹ Even as a mutant clone, the ogre seemed to show a ¡®puzzled¡¯ expression as it looked at its hammer. It found it strange that its target didn¡¯t flinch even after a direct hit. And that was thest expression the ogre made. Swoosh! From bottom to top. Yeongwoo vertically shed with his sword, which extended to 6 meters, splitting the 4-meter-tall ogre in half. Then¡­ ¡¸Kyaaa!¡¹ A lizardman charged from the side, swinging its round shield at Yeongwoo¡¯s left shoulder. BOOM! A powerful shockwave urred, pushing one of Yeongwoo¡¯s feet a few inches back. ¡°You¡¯re quite strong too.¡± This lizardman must be at least a fourth-day mutant. Thump! As Yeongwoo grabbed the bottom of the shield touching his shoulder with his left hand, the lizardman¡¯s eyes widened. ¡¸¡­¡­!¡¹ Because¡­ Crack! From where Yeongwoo gripped the bottom of the shield, purple cracks spread like spider webs. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened too, as this was unexpected. ¡®No way.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s brain quickly recalled the effects of his equipment. Then he identified the likely cause. ¡¸Heresy¡¹ ¨C Unique Gauntlet ¡¾15% of attack power is converted to energy damage.¡¿ ¡®Just 15% converted to energy damage can have this kind of effect¡­?¡¯ As Yeongwoo finished this thought and mmed the shield in his hand onto the ground, the half with the cracks shattered into tiny pieces like candy. Crash! ¡®¡­This isn¡¯t good.¡¯ Realizing things had gone wrong, Yeongwoo looked up at the screen in the air. As expected, he saw the bewildered faces of the participants in the waiting room. They had realized that the ¡®Strongest one¡¯ possessed far more overwhelming power than they had thought. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yeongwoo quickly shed the shieldless lizardman and then turned his gaze to the broadcast screen of the second arena. As expected, Dragos, who was pretending to be weak, came into view. ¡®That¡¯s some really convincing acting.¡¯ It was hard to tell if he was genuinely fighting for his life or just putting on a show. The clones in the second arena included a Ratman, a ck Goblin, a Steel Golem, and a beast-type Manticore. This meant Dragos had to withstand a variety of attack types. Especially the Manticore, which looked like a fifth-day mutant, with its front ws and scorpion tail attacks, seemed impossible for anyone in the waiting room tost more than three rounds against. ¡®Yet he¡¯s handling all of that.¡¯ Someone who had struggled against just two lower-level mutants in the first stage was now fighting on equal footing with four mutants, including a Manticore¡­? It was obvious to anyone that he had been hiding his strength. But the issue was, ¡®Is the skill he¡¯s showing now really just an act? I can¡¯t be sure.¡¯ Yeongwoo watched Dragos, who was already covered in wounds. Some of the injuries were deep enough to make one wonder if he really got them on purpose for the sake of acting. ¡®If he inflicted those wounds on himself just to look weak¡­ he¡¯s not an ordinary person.¡¯ But if these injuries were not an act and Dragos was reaching his limit¡­ ¡®Then I should use my bombardment now. Otherwise, he might die from a major attack or from excessive bleeding.¡¯ Yeongwoo looked around the waiting room again. He saw that, like him, the 18 other participants were also watching the second arena with confused expressions. It meant that everyone was caught up in Dragos¡¯s deception and couldn¡¯t figure things out. ¡®Damn. It¡¯s a bit wasteful to use bombardment now.¡¯ Once he started using bombardment, the game¡¯s control would immediately shift to Yeongwoo. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] However, ¡®It will be much harder to push out the bettingpetitors. Everyone will bet all-in on number one.¡¯ There was also the option of using bombardment to kill the weakling around the fourth or fifth stage¡­ but there were still 18 people in the waiting room. ¡®Some of them will see through my move and bet on number three at thest minute. Then today¡¯s extra reward is out of the question.¡¯ This was entirely possible. There had already been three people who took gambles in the first stage. It was important not to forget that everyone in the waiting room was a strong person in their own country. There was no one to underestimate in today¡¯s dungeon. [Stage 2] | Number 1 ¨C 8 votes | Number 3 ¨C 12 votes Currently, 8 people had bet on the survival of the Weakest, while 12 had bet on their death. ¡®¡­Let¡¯s wait a bit longer. Maybe the people who bet on the Weakest¡¯s survival will intervene in the arena.¡¯ This was another gamble, but Yeongwoo¡¯s bet soon paid off. sh! Suddenly, a bright light shed in the waiting room, and two human-sized figures appeared in the second arena. Unable to watch any longer, two people who bet on number one chose to enter the arena. ¡°Oh¡­!¡± As Yeongwoo eximed, the two warriors who had moved into the arena drew their swords side by side. ¡ºSwordmaster, Bristol¡» ¡ºNashville Protector¡» ¡®Ennd and the United States.¡¯ Seeing the strong reinforcements, Yeongwoo quickly turned to read Dragos¡¯s expression. And then. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± For a moment, he saw a look of relief pass across Dragos¡¯s face. ¡®Was that guy¡­ not acting this time?¡¯ Of course, it could still be a highly calcted expression, but could he really perform such a delicate act while dealing with the attacks of four mutants? In any case, the Swordmaster Bristol and the Nashville Protector, who had entered the arena to save their bets, were rushing towards the mutants. And with that, ¡®What¡¯s that now.¡¯ The atmosphere in the waiting room¡¯s broadcast screen changed ominously. Some of the participants started discussing amongst themselves, then drew their swords and held them up into the air. It was as if they were voting by majority. Seeing this, Yeongwoo immediately realized. ¡®¡­Crazy. They¡¯re voting on whether to intervene.¡¯ However, it wasn¡¯t the people who bet on number one, but the people who bet on number three who were voting to intervene. ¡®Well, there are a lot more people who bet on the weakling¡¯s death.¡¯ [Stage 2] | Number 1 ¨C 8 votes | Number 3 ¨C 12 votes At a nce, the difference in the number of people who bet on one and three was four, but that wasn¡¯t actually the case. That count included the votes of the Strongest and weak representatives who were directly in the arena. So, if you excluded the two fixed votes in the arena, the actual betting situation was: | Number 1 ¨C 6 votes | Number 3 ¨C 12 votes ¡®Twice as many people voted for the weakling¡¯s death.¡¯ In other words, there were twice as many people wanting Dragos to die as there were people wanting to save him. ¡®This¡­ is bad.¡¯ As Yeongwoo reached this conclusion, the waiting room broadcast screen brightened again. The number three bettors who had voted to intervene really proceeded with the arena transfer. The number of people who newly entered the second arena was: sh, sh, sh! ¡®¡­Four.¡¯ So, would it be a four-on-three battle soon? Strictly speaking, no. All the mutants in the second arena were still alive. Though one mutant was on the brink of death thanks to Bristol and Nashville¡¯s entry, there were still three mutants remaining. So now, what the Weakest side had to deal with was: ¡®Three mutants and four named humans. Seven to three.¡¯ Swoosh. Yeongwoo, who had been sitting and watching the screen, stood up without realizing it. He felt like he had to use the bombardment. ¡®If I shoot at the center, I can clear most of them.¡¯ ¡²II|l||-Lupo-917-005-3113-45¡³ Yeongwoo quickly recalled the coordinates for the bombardment point. If he dyed the decision too long, it would be useless, so he needed to hurry. If he fired after the fight began, both the new interveners and Dragos would die. ¡®Things are already gettingplicated.¡¯ But it was unavoidable. Yeongwoo closed his eyes tightly, then opened them and shouted loudly while looking at the second arena¡¯s broadcast screen. ¡°General! Transmitting coordinates! Lupo! 917! 005! 31¡­!¡± Then. ¡°¡­What?¡± He stopped, seeing something on the screen. ¡°What, what is this?¡± In the second arena. Dragos, who had been bleeding profusely and watching the four new interveners, suddenly fell to his knees. Then. ¡°What¡¯s this guy doing?¡± Everyone in the dungeon, including Yeongwoo, saw him sp his hands and start praying to the sky. Seeing this, the Swordmaster Bristol, who hade to help him, shouted with a red face. Apparently, Bristol thought Dragos had lost his mind. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo. ¡°To our Lord in the universe, please have mercy on me¡­¡± Yeongwoo read Dragos¡¯s lips through the screen and realized something. ¡®Why can I read that?¡¯ No matter how unifiednguages had be, reading lips was a different story altogether. But Yeongwoo didn¡¯t have time to delve into this mystery. Ting! A clear sound rang out from somewhere above the arena. Swoosh! A beam of white light shot down towards the second arena. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Yeongwoo quickly turned his gaze back to the broadcast screen. Then he saw Dragos, arms spread wide, looking up at the sky. ¡ª¡¸Mara¡¹¡­¡­! This time, an otherworldlynguage clearly transcended the screen. ¡®What has this guy summoned?¡¯ Regardless, Yeongwoo had to admit it. Dragos¡¯s prayer had been answered. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 224 Chapter 224 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 224: Match Fixing (2) Transcendentalnguage. Higher beings of the universe use thisnguage freely, but beings of humble origin, like Yeongwoo or Dragos, could not. A mereary inhabitant who had just started learning the transcendentalnguage could only manage a single word at best. And the only information that word could contain was purely what the speaker knew. Thus, the word ¡°Mara¡± that Dragos had just pronounced was fragmented information. Even so, the description was unsettling, causing Yeongwoo to be extremely tense. ¨DMaster of the Void, one who walks in the shadow of universalws, King of Ten Thousand Demons. ¡®Wait a minute. Walks in the shadow of universalws?¡¯ As Yeongwoo was deciphering the meanings contained in ¡°Mara,¡± he paused at the part about walking in the shadow of universalws. This wasn¡¯t just a metaphorical expression; it literally meant that many universalws bypassed ¡°Mara.¡± At least, ording to the transcendentalnguage spoken by Dragos. So, this meant. ¡®No way, does this guy Mara not pay taxes?¡¯ Yeongwoo muttered to himself in frustration and covered his mouth softly. The titles were Master of the Void and King of Ten Thousand Demons. Also, considering Dragos was reciting a prayer towards the sky, the true identity of ¡°Mara¡± was likely. ¡®¡­Could it be a god? But are there gods in the universe?¡¯ A god of the universe. Yeongwoo found it hard to imagine. Especially since he had glimpsed some of the reality of the universe. ¡®If there really is a god in the universe, what level would their stature be?¡¯ One must not forget what kind of beings filled the universe. The Chairman who traveled on a giant tombstone beating up officials was part of the universe, as were Toma who madeary bombardment weapons, and Lemu, a producer of interster pornography. ¡®¡­¡­.¡¯ Thus, Yeongwoo tried to imagine the Chairman bowing before a god, but it was difficult. If anything, the Chairman would likely aim his sword at the god and demand they kneel. ¡®But if Mara really avoids taxes, he must be extraordinary. Even the Chairman wasn¡¯t free from taxes.¡¯ Yeongwoo knew well that the Chairman had paid the inheritance tax for his Bastard. So, perhaps for the first time, he might see someone of higher rank than the Chairman today. ¡®Oh¡­! Then there¡¯s a high probability Mara is at least a second-ss being.¡¯ Yeongwoo instinctively tried to find a goblin to prepare the golden sphere, only to recall it hadn¡¯t followed him into the dungeon. ¡®If that Mara guy is a second-ss being, this is a golden opportunity to achieve my goal.¡¯ [Golden Storm] | Summon the golden ratio in four ways. (2/4) -When a second-ss otherworldly being visits. Of course, having confirmed Mara¡¯s existence, he could meet him again even if not here. For instance, after the dungeon ends and thend is restored, he could visit Romania where Dragos lives. ¡®If Dragos dies today¡­ no, if I inevitably have to kill him, Mara mighte find me himself.¡¯ Though it might be an enraged Mara. In any case, the important thing was. aash! A bright and massive beam of light struck down on Arena 2, visible even from Arena 1. And soon. Boooom! With a loud roar, something appeared in Arena 2, where three mutants and seven humans had been mingling. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Yeongwoo widened his eyes as he watched the broadcast of Arena 2. Two knights in silver-white armor were standing on either side of Dragos. ¡®What is that? Are those Mara¡¯s guards?¡¯ Yeongwoo swallowed heavily, scrutinizing the two mysterious knights. Though their features were obscured by radiant light within their armor, he could tell they were five meters tall. Each held a weapon so broad and massive it was hard to distinguish if it was a sword or a shield, and the sight of these weapons made the mutant replicas lose their will to fight and retreat. Even beings created solely for the gambling match felt fear in the presence of these knights. ¡®Is this for real? Is Mara truly the King of Ten Thousand Demons?¡¯ If ¡°Mara¡± meant demonic, then the den of vice, Dogo, couldn¡¯t be overlooked. But from the current situation, it seemed that even the Chairman of Dogo would have to bow his head to Mara. ¡®Damn¡­ there was a better connection in Europe all along.¡¯ As Yeongwoo clenched his fists in frustration, Mara¡¯s knights began to move, leaving white traces behind. Swish! Their movements were like floating jellyfish in the sea, but the speed and power were unbelievable. sh! With each swing of their swords, the mutants fell apart like tofu. ¡°¡­My God.¡± Before Yeongwoo could even exhale in surprise, all the monsters in Arena 2 were eliminated. Naturally, this drew everyone¡¯s attention to the four betting participants from Group 3 who had entered the arena to kill Dragos. This included the remaining participants in the waiting room and the knights sent by Mara. ¡®Those four are as good as dead. And the survival of the Weakest participant in the second round is confirmed.¡¯ For Yeongwoo, this wasn¡¯t bad news. With fewer participants, there would be lesspetition in the betting. Of course, there were still eight more participants from Group 3 who hadn¡¯t entered the arena, but they weren¡¯t likely to dive into this suicidal pit now. ¡®Even if all 12 of them entered, they wouldn¡¯t be able to defeat those two knights. I¡¯m certain of it.¡¯ Indeed, no more participants requested to move to Arena 2. In the end, only the brave four who had rushed in first ended up meeting a futile death. ¡®Choices have consequences.¡¯ As Yeongwoo bid farewell to the four doomed souls on the broadcast screen, Mara¡¯s knights moved simultaneously. Sshhhaa¡­ Their unique, jellyfish-like gliding movements began again. ¡®Here we go.¡¯ Yeongwoo saw this as an opportunity to observe the skills of these minions sent by a being of Mara¡¯s level. However, ¡®¡­What?¡¯ Contrary to his expectations, it was difficult to gather any meaningful information. Though the four initial participants considered themselves top fighters from around the world, none of themsted even a single round against the knights. ng, ng! The distinct sounds of the knights¡¯ weapons reached Yeongwoo in Arena 1, and those struck were silently split in half on the broadcast screen. It wasn¡¯t even a fair fight. ¡®¡­What is this? This is too overpowered.¡¯ Having quickly massacred the four intruders, Mara¡¯s knights nted their massive weapons into the ground and stood still, as if their task wasplete. Then, ¡¸Stage 2, Survival of the Strongest. Survival of the Weakest.¡¹ ¡¸Stage 2plete.¡¹ Thepletion message for the second match appeared, followed by the betting results. ¡¸Eight participants have each earned 1 betting point.¡¹ Next, Yeongwoo¡¯s personal scorecard appeared before him. [Jeong Yeongwoo07] | Betting Points: 2 | Current Rank: Tied for 6th (6 people) *Rewards are given starting from 5th ce. *If there are many participants with the same score, the rank will not increase. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡®Tied for 6th? This isn¡¯t easy. But I did reduce the number quite a bit.¡¯ The fact that there were 8 sessful bettors in the second stage and his current rank was 6th meant two participants had only one point. In other words, two out of the three who took risks in the first stage but failed had bet on the survival of the Strongest and Weakest in the second stage. ¡®Good. With four fewerpetitors, I might aim for first ce¡­¡¯ While envisioning a rosy future and fidgeting with his hands, Yeongwoo nced at the screen of Arena 2 again and widened his eyes. ¡°What? Why aren¡¯t they leaving?¡± The two knights Mara had sent to rescue Dragos were still in the arena. ¡°Hey! This isn¡¯t fair, is it?¡± Yeongwoo shouted into the air of the arena, but the only response was. ¡¸Stage 3 will begin shortly.¡¹ Just the usual notification for the next match. ¡®No, if this goes on¡­¡¯ Seeing that the knights were still present, everyone would continue betting on the survival of the Weakest. This would mean ending the game tied for 6th ce. A disaster. ¡®That¡¯s uneptable.¡¯ Yeongwoo vowed as he looked at Mara¡¯s knights. Given their martial prowess, it seemed impossible to kill Dragos through ordinary means. He even began to doubt if an artillery strike could kill him. ¡®Those knights might even block an artillery strike.¡¯ So how could he create a variable? While Yeongwoo pondered deeply, the content for the third stage was finally revealed. ¡¸In Stage 3, each representative must face ten mutants.¡¹ ¡®Ten? It doesn¡¯t double each time?¡¯ The surprises continued. Instead of doubling like 2, 4, 8, it was 2, 4, 10. ¡®Then how many wille in Stage 4?¡¯ At this point, trying to predict the difficulty of each stage seemed meaningless. There appeared to be no pattern. The only certainty was¡­ in Stage 3, they would face ten mutants, and Dragos would survive again. ¡®This damn dungeon.¡¯ ¡¸All participants, pleaseplete your bets within 5 minutes.¡¹ [1] Strongest survives, Weakest survives. [2] Strongest dies, Weakest survives. [3] Strongest survives, Weakest dies. [4] Strongest dies, Weakest dies. As the betting time returned, all eyes in the waiting room were now on Arena 1. The variable in this gamble was no longer on the side of the Weakest but rather the Strongest, represented by the East Asian Participant 07. How far could this formidable warrior, who had demonstrated inhuman prowess, go? ¡®From the looks of it, everyone seems to think I can handle at least ten of them somehow.¡¯ Yeongwoo smiled bitterly. It was his own doing. Hadn¡¯t he shown overwhelming power in the previous two matches? ¡¸All bets for Stage 3 have been ced.¡¹ As expected, the betting for Stage 3 concluded early, and the results were soon announced. | Option 1 ¨C 16 votes ¡°Damn.¡± As expected, everyone had unanimously bet on Option 1. This meant that even if he survived this round, his rank would remain tied for 6th ce. ¡¸With all bets ced, Stage 3 will now begin.¡¹ Soon, the doors around the arena opened noisily, and a heavy presence began to pour out from within. Ten mutants were rushing out. In response, Yeongwoo nted his feet firmly on the ground, muttering to himself. ¡°Let¡¯s just survive. Just enough not to die¡­ just enough not to die¡­¡± He recalled the items that would pull him back from the brink of death. Loss of Limbs, Revival, Slime Core, Unfair Trade. ¡¾Power increases up to 80% based on the extent of limb loss.¡¿ ¡¾All stats increase by 25% when near death.¡¿ ¡¾Regeneration ability dramatically increases.¡¿ ¡¾Healing rate increases when injuring an enemy.¡¿ Yeongwoo thought of each item in turn, as he would now have to perform a desperate act as the weak. ¡¸Kyaaaak!¡¹ ¡¸Haaah!¡¹ Mutants poured in from all four directions of the arena, and as they closed in, Yeongwoo drew and swung his sword. ¡°Here I go¡­!¡± Swaaah! A bright red arc from his mythical sword cut through the air in front of him. Three mutants charging at him disappeared in an instant. Then, Thump! Thump! Thump! The remaining seven mutants surged forward like a wave, engulfing Yeongwoo. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 225 Chapter 225 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 225: Match Fixing (3) It felt like being hit by a car. ¡°Uwaaaaaah!¡± Caught by the seven mutants, Yeongwoo was shoved all the way to the west wall of the arena with an unsightly sound. This was no mere performance; it was the real deal. Among the seven opponents, one was particrly strong and had lifted Yeongwoo with its head, ramming him into the wall. Because of this, those in the waiting room assumed Yeongwoo was dead and wore dreadful expressions. But of course, the person in question, Yeongwoo¡­ ¡¸Kyaaaah!¡¹ ¡¸Wuooooo!¡¹ ¡¸Kwiiik!¡¹ In the midst of the ear-splitting howls of the seven mutants, he was busy swinging his fists. If he had used Bastard Sword, he would have ughtered them in an instant, so he had pretended to drop his weapon on the ground. ¡°Damn it, what a pain in the ass.¡± Normally, he inflicted wounds on himself to create a bleeding effect, so the moderate pain that the berserker talisman couldn¡¯t block didn¡¯t bother him much. However¡­ Crunch! The moment his bravely outstretched fist got caught in the jaws of a wolf mutant and was torn off, he felt genuinely afraid. ¡®I¡­ I should start fighting seriously now?¡¯ Even a single blow from each of the surrounding mutants would mean seven hits at once. Because of this, Yeongwoo¡¯s body was quickly bing tattered. With so many opponents, even his flying sword, the Golden Trail, couldn¡¯t exert its full power. -Vrrrrrrrr! Two fifth-day level mutants could pin Golden Trail to the ground, rendering it almost immobile. Of course, this meant that Golden Trail alone could restrain two high-level mutants. So, in reality, only five could genuinely threaten Yeongwoo. ¡®¡­Should I stop here? If I hold out any longer, my eyeballs might get gouged out.¡¯ When his left arm waspletely torn off and his body was covered in cuts, oozing blood like sweat, Yeongwoo decided to use all his strength to charge forward. Booom! In a crisis, Yeongwoo¡¯s physical abilities amplified tremendously, enough to push away the seven mutants¡­ no, even more. ¡¸Kyak¡­?¡¹ ¡¸Geuak!¡¹ Not only did he push them away, but he also flung them in all directions. ¡®¡­Oops! I got too desperate!¡¯ But at this point, if he looked around, it would seem even more suspicious. ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Yeongwoo limped toward the clear escape route and grabbed Bastard that had fallen to the ground. Through the broadcast screen, he could see the people in the waiting room widening their eyes. It was surprising enough that the ¡°Strongest one¡± they thought was dead hade out alive, but what shocked them even more was Yeongwoo¡¯s body, which looked like a corpse. ¡°Damn, that¡¯s practically an auto-hunt over there.¡± Despite bleeding profusely, Yeongwoo lifted his eyelids to survey Arena 2. As expected, Mara¡¯s knights were cleanly dealing with the mutants there. If those guys stayed until the next stage, it wouldn¡¯t matter how many mutants showed up in Stage 4. ¡®In that case, everyone will vote for the survival of the Weakest¡­ The variables are now either the Strongest surviving or dying in Stage 4.¡¯ While Yeongwoo took a short rest, looking at the broadcast screen, the mutants, having regrouped, charged at him again with a furious aura. ¡¸Kraaaa!¡¹ ¡¸Kieeek!¡¹ In response, Yeongwoo extended the de of Bastard to six meters, deliberately cutting down only one mutant at a time. ¡®I don¡¯t know how effective this will be.¡¯ This was purely a ¡°show¡± for the other contestants in the waiting room. With one arm missing and having lost a lot of blood, he subtly conveyed that it was difficult to deal with two or three mutants at a time as before. Thus, it would be much harder to fight in Stage 4, where more mutants were sure to appear. [2] Strongest dies, Weakest survives. Therefore, increasing the number of bets on option 2 was the best Yeongwoo could do. Crunch! When Yeongwoo finally brought down thest mutant in the arena, a message appeared, signaling the end of the match. ¡¸Stage 3, Strongest survive. Weakest survive.¡¹ ¡¸Stage 3plete.¡¹ But this time, everyone had bet on option 1. ¡¸Sixteen participants have earned 1 betting point.¡¹ So, in terms of ranking, it was effectively a stalemate. Despite finishing the Stage 3 match, Yeongwoo was still tied for sixth ce. [Jeong Yeongwoo 07] |Betting Points: 3 |Current Rank: Tied for 6th (6 people) ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Only two matches remained. None of the other contestants wanted to finish the dungeon tied for 6th ce, so things were bound to change now. ¡®The survival of the Weakest is a given¡­ Now the bets will split on whether I survive or not.¡¯ ¡¸Stage 4 will begin shortly.¡¹ ¡¸In Stage 4, each representative will face twenty-six mutants.¡¹ ¡°¡­What?¡± Stage 4, twenty-six mutants. Yeongwoo had expected at most twenty mutants, so his mouth gaped open involuntarily. The participants in the waiting room seemed equally shocked. ¡¸All participants mustplete their bets within the next 5 minutes.¡¹ [1] Strongest survives, Weakest survives. [2] Strongest dies, Weakest survives. [3] Strongest survives, Weakest dies. [4] Strongest dies, Weakest dies. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] While the dungeon system opened the next round of betting, Yeongwoo, with no other choice, bet on option 1. ;Twenty-six mutants¡­ This time, I can¡¯t afford to hold back. I must do my best to survive.¡¯ This time, he would likely need to use theser strike. And once everyone saw theser bombardment¡­ ¡®Then everyone will be confused again. They¡¯ll have to decide whether to bet on option 1 or 2 for Stage 5.¡¯ But options 1 and 2 never existed for Yeongwoo in Stage 5. Anything other than the top prize was practically ¡°junk¡± to him. ¡®I need to eliminate everyone else. There can¡¯t be any ties.¡¯ To achieve this, he needed to bet on an oue no one else would choose and seed. And that oue was¡­ [3] Strongest survives, Weakest dies. The Weakest die. In other words, Dragos must die. Despite being guarded by Mara¡¯s knights, he had to create a situation where Dragos would die. But how? ¡®The only card I can y right now is theser bombardment. I can call my friends once, but I should save that for Stage 5.¡¯ Trying to hit Mara¡¯s knights with Toma¡¯sser cannon¡­ he instinctively knew it was a crazy idea, but he couldn¡¯t stop now. ¡®By the way, what about the chairman? Or can¡¯t thepany help with this? There¡¯s still a lot of ad money pending.¡¯ As Yeongwoo looked up at the sky, the 5 minutes allotted for Stage 4 betting expired. ¡¸Stage 4 betting isplete.¡¹ And the results were: |Option 1 ¨C 4 votes |Option 2 ¨C 12 votes ¡®Four votes for the Strongest surviving¡­? Are they out of their minds?¡¯ Yeongwoo was stunned. Even excluding his own vote, three others had predicted the Strongest would survive. However, this also meant that the 12 who voted for option 2 would fall far behind in the rankings, which wasn¡¯t entirely bad. ¡¸With the bettingplete, Stage 4 will begin.¡¹ The doors of the arena, which had been tightly shut, began to open once more. ¡°Here we go again.¡± Bang! With a sound like gunfire, eight doors opened, and twenty-six mutants poured in like a wave. ¡¸Graaaaa!¡¹ ¡¸Kyaaaah!¡¹ Though his body was regenerating quickly thanks to the synergy of the Slime Core and Unfair Trade, his left arm hadn¡¯t fully grown back yet. For now, he had to face those twenty-six mutants with one arm. ¡®Twenty-six mutants¡­ It feels like way too many when you see them in person.¡¯ Yeongwoo prepared to draw his sword, but then changed his mind and immediately requested an artillery strike. He felt that if those creatures got close, his body would be torn apart before he could try any other tactic. ¡°Laser cannon! 917! 005! 3091! 10!¡± As Yeongwoo urgently called for an artillery strike in Arena 1, the surroundings darkened by the mutants¡¯ shadows suddenly lit up. Piiiiiing! Aser cannon really fired from the returnees¡¯ room. ¡®Were they prepared in advance? Why is it firing so quickly?¡¯ Seeing theser beam piercing through the dungeon ceiling, Yeongwoo quickly retreated. He feared that he might get caught in the st radius. Booooom! The military contractor Toma¡¯sser bombardment finally struck the center of the arena. Any mutants that were grazed by this concentrated energy vanished without a trace, and Yeongwoo, who barely escaped the bombardment¡¯s radius, felt immense pressure on his body. ¡®If I do well, I might be able to kill those knights with this.¡¯ It was his first time seeing the bombardment up close, and Yeongwoo seriously considered that this weapon might be able to take out Mara¡¯sckeys. After all, those knights didn¡¯t have the same divine stature. Swoosh! The bombardment that had brightly lit the surroundings ceased, and Yeongwoo started clearing the monsters that had luckily escaped the strike while watching the broadcast screen. Swoosh. On the screen, he saw the participants in the waiting room, all with expressions of disbelief, and Dragos¡¯s face in particr stood out. Especially Dragos¡­ ¡ª¡­! His reaction was more than just surprise; it was clear that he was terrified. ¡®He¡¯s scared. Did he realize that the bombardment could be used for sniping?¡¯ Dragos, with his vast cosmic knowledge, must have figured that out too. ¡®But whether sniping him would seed or not, we¡¯ll find outter.¡¯ As Yeongwoo watched the broadcast screen of Arena 2 with a meaningful expression, Dragos made a horrified face, as if he could read Yeongwoo¡¯s thoughts. ¡¸Stage 4, Strongest survive. Weakest survive.¡¹ ¡¸Stage 4plete.¡¹ Finally, Stage 4 was over. ¡¸Four participants have earned 1 betting point.¡¹ This time, four participants, who had bet on the Strongest surviving despite Yeongwoo¡¯s struggles, gained points. The results were: sh! [Jeong Yeongwoo 07] |Betting Points: 4 |Current Rank: Tied for 3rd (3 people) ¡®Finally, 3rd ce.¡¯ Although Yeongwoo hadn¡¯t expected to have three tied contestants before the final stage, he still had onest trick up his sleeve. ¡®If I can kill Dragos, I can jump straight to 1st ce.¡¯ As Yeongwoo steeled his resolve and looked up at the ceiling, the announcement for the final match appeared. ¡¸Stage 5 will begin shortly.¡¹ ¡¸In Stage 5, each representative will face sixty-eight mutants.¡¹ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 226 Chapter 226 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 226: Match Fixing (4) ¡°68 of them? Are these bastards really insane?¡± As Yeongwoo raged, blood gushed from all the wounds on his body. Ssh! His skyrocketing blood pressure momentarily squeezed the blood out of him. ¡®This dungeon was impossible toplete from the start. What kind of gamble is this?¡¯ Yeongwoo was seething at the absurd difficulty, but ironically, the ¡®gamble¡¯ of this dungeon was properly established. It was coincidentally represented by two chosen individuals: one was a promotional model for the universal weapon manufacturingpany ¡®Dogo,¡¯ and the other served the so-called ¡®Mara,¡¯ king of the ten thousand demons. Considering the prowess shown by Mara¡¯s knights so far, the ¡®underdog¡¯ Dragos had a very high chance of surviving even the fifth stage. On the other hand, Yeongwoo thought, ¡®With 68 of them, there would hardly be any empty space in the arena. Can we handle this with bombardment?¡¯ Moreover, theser cannons currently installed in the returnees¡¯ room couldn¡¯t fire indefinitely. The prisoners¡­ no, Yeongwoo¡¯s friends had to pedal to recharge the energy. ¡®At this rate, not only will it be hard to target Dragos, but even surviving will be tough.¡¯ 68 mutants. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yeongwoo swallowed hard as he looked around the vast arena. ¡®Damn, no wonder it was so spacious.¡¯ No matter how you look at it, this difficulty level was absurd. ¡®I had a feeling there was something off when it wasbeled as a rare grade in the dungeon information.¡¯ [Batum¡¯s Casino] | Dungeon Grade: Rare | Difficulty: C | Rmended Number: 20 This dungeon, ¡®Batum¡¯s Casino,¡¯ was the first rare grade he¡¯d seen since the reset. ¡®A rare grade with a C difficulty¡­ Even this level is practically impossible to clear without being an irregr.¡¯ As Yeongwoo reflected on what might be a bted realization, the final betting began. ¡¸All participants, pleaseplete your bets within the next 5 minutes.¡¹ [1] Strongest survives, Weakest survives. [2] Strongest dies, Weakest survives. [3] Strongest survives, Weakest dies. [4] Strongest dies, Weakest dies. The final choice. ¡®Most would probably choose option 2. Some gamblers might bet on 1 or 4.¡¯ But Yeongwoo boldly predicted that no one would choose option 3. With only one betting chance per person, no one would gamble on the option that seemed the least likely. ¡®Even if I were a high-stakes gambler, I¡¯d bet on 4 rather than pick 3.¡¯ However, since Yeongwoo himself was the ¡®Strongest¡¯ one mentioned in the betting options, choosing 4 was not possible. ¡®Damn it, let¡¯s fight this out.¡¯ This would probably be his boldest decision since choosing the golden ratio for the first time. Yeongwoo decided to kill Mara¡¯s servant. ¡®Option 3. Bet on 3¡­¡­!¡¯ [3] Strongest survives, Weakest dies. A scenario where he lives, and the other dies. Yeongwoopleted his bet on option 3, but the results didn¡¯te out immediately as the other participants were still deliberating. So, he looked at Dragos in Arena 2 through the broadcast screen. ¡®That guy has probably never fought against 68 mutants either.¡¯ As Yeongwoo watched the screen, Dragos also lifted his head. He, too, was looking at Arena 1 through the broadcast screen. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¨D¡­¡­. The two locked eyes indirectly through the broadcast screens. Then, two of Mara¡¯s knights escorting Dragos also looked at Yeongwoo through the screen. One of them raised his left hand, extended his thumb, and made a gesture as if cutting his throat. It was a threatening gesture, learned from Earth somehow. ¡°That bastard, really?¡± Yeongwoo got angry again, but since most of his wounds had healed, no blood gushed out this time. Those knights were, after all, minions sent by the king of ten thousand demons. They couldn¡¯t be expected to be courteous. ¡®Well, I¡¯m in no position to talk, having bet on 3 myself.¡¯ If they were the followers of a great demon, Yeongwoo was the incarnation of malicious deedsmitted with indirect intention. ¡¸All bets for the 5th stage have beenpleted.¡¹ While Yeongwoo was having a stare-down with the knights through the screen, the 5 minutes given for betting passed, and the results were announced. | Option 1 ¨C 3 votes | Option 2 ¨C 10 votes | Option 3 ¨C 1 vote | Option 4 ¨C 2 votes ¡°Ah¡­¡­!¡± Five gamblers had bet on options 1 and 4. And the single person who bet on 3 was, as anyone could guess, the ¡®Strongest¡¯ one himself. ¡®Those who bet on option 2 are probably trying to at least secure the basic rewards.¡¯ In any case, it was a favorable situation for Yeongwoo. If he managed to make option 3 a reality, there wouldn¡¯t be a tie this time. ¡¸With all betspleted, we will now begin the 5th stage match.¡¹ Finally, as the system disyed the message signaling the start of the 5th stage, the doors on all sides of the arena swung open wide. Thud, thud, thud! Soon, mutants began pouring out from inside the doors. ¡¸Kraaaah!¡¹ ¡¸Grrrooo!¡¹ ¡®My god.¡¯ A scene straight out of hell. The sight of 68 mutants rushing in all at once was truly a depiction of hell. Among them, there was even: Whooosh! a copy of the venomous dragon Im Kwangho, whom Yeongwoo had encountered in Seoul. ¡®Im Kwangho¡­¡­!¡¯ True to its dragon nature, it soared in from beyond the dark outer space, not through a door, gliding in like a massive airne. ¡®This is dangerous.¡¯ 68 mutants, including a dragon. In haste, Yeongwoo drew his sword and shed wide in front of him, cutting three mutants in half. sh! Then, dozens of mutants on the left, right, and from behind lunged ravenously at him, so Yeongwoo quickly leapt into the air before getting buried under them. Leap! ¡¸Climber¡¹ ¨C Mutant Pants ¡¾Jump distance increases by three times.¡¿ In an instant, Yeongwoo reached tens of meters above ground, and from below, he saw Golden Trail fighting a lonely battle. Then, Bang! Unable to withstand the sheer numbers, the Golden Trail was finally sucked under the mutants. Yeongwoo immediately called for an artillery strike. ¡°Lupo! 917, 005, 3090, 08!¡± Instantly, Whoosh! Instead of the bright light of theser cannon, a heavy shadow covered Yeongwoo in midair. ¡°Ugh!¡± The venomous dragon, circling the arena¡¯s sky, had rammed into him. ¡°You bastard!¡± As he plummeted towards the ground, head-butted by the dragon, Yeongwoo felt his heart pounding unusually hard in the extreme danger. ¡®W-why is my heart racing like this?¡¯ His heart was pounding strangely enough that he clutched his chest and realized, ¡°Ah.¡± he saw a green hurricane-shaped icon shing in the corner of his vision. ¡®Right. My heart now is.¡¯ ¡¸Dragon¡¯s Heart¡¹ ¨C Legendary Heart He shared the same heart as this venomous dragon that was about to m him into the ground. And the effect of not processing this heart into an amulet was¡­ Crash! ¡°Ugh!¡± Falling to the ground with the furious dragon, Yeongwoo barely managed to regain his grip on Bastard and started stabbing the dragon¡¯s forehead repeatedly. Stab, stab! Then he saw the green scales of the dragon writhing in pain suddenly turn white. Finally, theser beam shot from the returnees¡¯ room had arrived. Boom! [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Brightly illuminating the surroundings, theser struck the center of the arena, wiping out about 20 mutants in the area, including part of the dragon¡¯s long tail lying on the ground. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Seeing this, Yeongwoo stabbed the seemingly dead dragon¡¯s head once more and then raised his hand into the air. Swoosh. Then, ¡°Ritual¡­¡­?¡± He called forth the green hurricane icon still shing in the corner of his vision. It was the special ritual of the dragon, the Venomous Hurricane. Then, Wooooosh! The air flow around the arena started changing peculiarly, and the surroundings slowly began to turn green. ¡®It, it really works?¡¯ Not only was it a visual effect, but it also appeared to be actual venom, as the expressions of the mutants filling the arena began to twist in pain. And just as pained as the mutants, ¨D¡­¡­. was Dragos, who was being shown on the broadcast screen of Arena 2. At this point, the only threat to him, Jeong Yeongwoo, kept pulling out strange techniques, making Dragos increasingly anxious. While Mara¡¯s knights were dealing with the mutants, Dragos watched the screen showing Arena 1, where the ¡®Strongest¡¯ was. Suddenly, he saw the Asian man, No. 07, pointing and saying something towards him. ¡°What¡¯s he saying?¡± Of course, the broadcast screen didn¡¯t transmit sound. So, Dragos could only guess it was some sort of threat, and his guess was soon confirmed. Wooooooosh! The sky above Arena 2 turned white. ¡°Kn¡­ Knights?¡± Realizing that the terrifyingser, which had only been striking Arena 1, was nowing to this side, Dragos hastily called for his guards. The knights, who were ughtering mutants, stopped and looked up. ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ They were usually silent, but this time the situation seemed different. ¡°We¡¯ll be fine, right? This time too?¡± Seeing theser cannon descending from above, Dragos asked again, and the knights raised their weapons high. Swoosh. Then, sh! A huge golden dome formed around the tips of their raised weapons. ¡°¡­Oh.¡± In other words, they created a sort of shield. And almost at the same moment, Boom! Theary bombardmentser from the intergctic armspany Toma struck down on Dragos and the two knights. * * * It¡¯s over. It¡¯s the end. Theser bombardment from Toma couldn¡¯t prate the shield of the knights sent by Mara or whoever. ¡°Toma, you pathetic Weakest lings¡­¡­!¡± Yeongwoo raged as he saw Dragos and his party still alive and well on the broadcast screen. ¡°You idiots!¡± Though he cursed Toma, he knew better. Mara was supposed to be a god-like entity. The Master of the Void, the one who walks in the shadow of universalw, the King of Ten Thousand Demons¡­ There was no way a mere armspany could do anything against such a being. In other words, he had been demanding the impossible from the start. ¡®So, after all this hard work, I won¡¯t even get the first-ce reward?¡¯ Grinding his teeth in frustration, Yeongwoo swung his Bastard Sword. Swish! Two mutants clinging to him were cut in half, and more mutants swarmed in. The number of mutants left in Arena 1 was about 30. Thanks to the poison of the Venomous Hurricane, the Weakest er mutants were already half-melted. Additionally, Yeongwoo¡¯s venomous blood corroded the attackers¡¯ skin, so unless they were mutants from the fourth or fifth day, they weren¡¯t a significant threat to him. But that wasn¡¯t the issue. ¡®At this rate, the three who bet on option 1 will take the points.¡¯ Yeongwoo had bet on option 3, the Strongest survives¡ªthe Weakest dies. Therefore, before all the mutants in this arena were annihted, he had to find a way to kill Dragos somehow. ¡®Is there no way? What cards have I not yed yet?¡¯ A critical emergency. Yeongwoo¡¯s mind raced. ¡®I haven¡¯t called my friends yet. But how can my friends handle those knights who even block bombardments¡­?¡¯ If there¡¯s no need for further bombardment, he could call them in to rack up some contribution points. For now, it was a card that wouldn¡¯t be much help. ¡®Then what do I have left?¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes naturally drifted to the sky. Thepany, Dogo, which pushed him into the role of the ¡®Strongest¡¯ by giving him quests, had been silent for a while now. ¡°Chairman?¡± Yeongwoo called out to the chairman towards the sky. There was no response, so he looked at the advertisement tattoo on his right upper arm. ¡°You¡¯re watching, right? Please sponsor me with a weapon or something that can kill that guy. There¡¯s still a lot of advertising fee left, isn¡¯t there?¡± The chairman must be watching. After all, wasn¡¯t this the moment when the weapon from the rivalpany, Toma, had just been humiliated in front of the entire universe? A chairman with a Strongpetitive spirit wouldn¡¯t miss such a rare scene. But no matter how much he looked up at the sky, there was no sponsorship of weapons or even the quests that thepany used to provide at its convenience. They insisted he y the role of the Strongest, but when the opponent turned out to be Mara, they mmed up. ¡°Seriously, do you only act tough based on who you¡¯re up against?¡± Fuming with sudden anger, Yeongwoo shouted, ¡°Chairman, are you scared? Is Dogo just a patheticpany after all¡­?¡± The moment he simultaneously criticized the chairman and thepany, Crack! The sky over the alien Lupo opened, caused by¡¸Dogo¡¹. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 227 Chapter 227 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 227: Match Fixing (5) ¡°Oh¡­?¡± A noise as if the sky were splitting. Yeongwoo quickly looked up at the dungeon ceiling and realized his mistake. ¡®Did I go too far with my words?¡¯ He hadn¡¯t expected Dogo to react so immediately. But on second thought, wasn¡¯t it thanks to his bold provocation that they got timely help? ¡®Anyway, it¡¯s true that you were hesitating in such a situation.¡¯ Of course, now he had to grumble to himself. CRACK! The ominous sound that had beening from far away finally started resonating right above the dungeon. ¡®What¡¯s making such a racket? Are they drilling through the ceiling or something?¡¯ Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but tilt his head in confusion. He didn¡¯t know exactly what was being sponsored, but wasn¡¯t it supposed to be teleported into the arena? Like when they had provided the subspace bomb before. Even the knights of Mara had entered through beams of light, and Tomar¡¯sser bombardment had prated the dungeon ceiling neatly, only exerting physical force inside the arena. In other words, everypany present today had the technology to enter the arena without damaging the dungeon. But only Dogo. RUMBLE! The noise grew so loud it was ear-splitting as it approached. ¡®No way, are they really¡­?¡¯ The air around the arena started to vibrate. Something was physically affecting the dungeon from the outside. ¡°Chairman, could this be¡­?¡± Just as Yeongwoo had a horrifying realization. CRASH! A different kind of shattering sound erupted as the dungeon ceiling above the arena and waiting room broke apart. ¡°¡­!¡± Yeongwoo, along with the other 14 participants in the waiting room and even Dragos across the arena, looked up. Because. WHOOOOOSH! A rough transport machine, like a mining elevator, dropped down from the hole in the ceiling. FWOOOOSH! It fell freely, and Yeongwoo could see clearly in that brief moment. ¡°Huh?¡± A face he recognized from somewhere was inside the elevator. Dry-looking reddish-brown skin. Small but very solid-looking ck eyes. An alien in thick armor with a determined expression. ¡°G-Guppy?¡± It was none other than the Mon-O tribe boy from Jargal, Guppy. [TL/N: Going with guppy and Mon-O tribe, sounds better.] The star of the ad for Dogo, who had be a space pirate, was here. CRASH! The elevator crashed into the center of Arena 2, and heavily armed Mon-O tribe members withrge clubs jumped out. ¡®Why are they so much bigger?¡¯ Watching the situation in Arena 2 on the broadcast screen, Yeongwoo noticed that Guppy and the Mon-O tribe members were much taller than in the ad. Considering the knights sent by Mara were 5 meters tall, the Mon-O tribe members seemed about. ¡®¡­3 meters? Around that. But how did six of them fit into that small elevator?¡¯ A truly harsh working environment. However, the Mon-O tribe¡¯sbat abilities were formidable. As soon as they exited the elevator, they swiftly smashed the surrounding mutants and lined up in the center of the arena. Even the less intelligent mutant replicas dared not approach and began to retreat to the edges of the arena. ¡®What is this? Are they Dogo¡¯s demolition crew?¡¯ There was no other way to think about it. Each of the six Mon-O tribe members, including Guppy, held their clubs threateningly, ring at Mara¡¯s knights. Guppy stepped forward and said something to the knights. ¡®Probably something like, ¡°Get lost or face the consequences.¡±¡¯ Guppy. Or rather, the final warning from Dogo, the intergctic weapon brand. But the silver-armored knights, backed by the master of the void ¡°Mara,¡± did not yield to the threat. Just as they had done to Yeongwoo earlier, they raised a thumb with one hand and drew it across their throat. Sssss¡­ ¡®So negotiations have broken down.¡¯ Watching the knight¡¯s thumb move horizontally, Yeongwoo closed his eyes. This might be the start of a grudge between Dogo and Mara. How dare a mere weapons dealer threaten a servant of a god? ¡®Even though I provoked them toe¡­ is this really okay?¡¯ When Yeongwoo opened his eyes again. ¡°¡­!¡± The six Mon-O tribe members were charging at Mara¡¯s knights. It was a 6-on-2 fight. The knights were muchrger, making it look like a fight between adults and children, but the actual battle unfolded very differently. Once they shed, it became clear that Dogo¡¯s firepower was overwhelming. Beating with clubs. That expression fit perfectly. The Mon-O tribe members surrounded the two knights and mercilessly swung their clubs, with Dogo¡¯s wedge emblem repeatedly ring up and fading at the impact points. So, those clubs were also¡­ ¡®pany products.¡¯ It was part of an advertisement, in a way. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Even though no sound could be transmitted through the broadcast, Yeongwoo felt as if he could hear the thudding sounds, so severe was the beating Dogo¡¯s enforcers were giving the knights. Of course, the knights tried to retaliate with their weapons, but every attempt failed. Each knight had three Mon-O tribe members on them, and one of them would just hold the club still, only to strike the knight¡¯s wrist whenever they tried to fight back. ¡®They have their roles thoroughly divided. This isn¡¯t their first time doing this¡­?¡¯ Watching the knights being driven into a corner without being able tounch a proper counterattack, Yeongwoo realized Dogo was a more formidablepany than he had anticipated. ¡®Won¡¯t there be repercussions if they go around beating everyone like this? Especially since Mara is said to be the king of ten thousand demons¡­ they won¡¯t just take this lying down.¡¯ While Yeongwoo was thinking this, the six Mon-O tribe members continued beating the knights, and eventually, Thud! One of the knights dropped their weapon. Seeing this, the other knight hastily looked up at the sky and stretched out their hand. ¡®Are they retreating? Or calling for reinforcements?¡¯ If it was a call for reinforcements, an uncontroble esction might begin. ¡°¡­¡± As Yeongwoo watched the broadcast with a tense expression, Arena 2 lit up. Just like when they had sent the knights, Mara¡¯s side sent down a beam of light. Then, Swish! The knights, who had been holding their clubs with both hands, vanished amidst the Mon-O tribe thugs. Mara had decided to withdraw the guards. However, the operation didn¡¯t seem to include their followers, as Dragos was still left in Arena 2. ¨D¡­¡­ Dragos¡¯s face was pale as expected. But Guppy and the Mon-O tribe enforcers didn¡¯t even nce at this pitiful European. After confirming there were no more knights around, they got back into the elevator. ¡°What? They¡¯re just going to leave like that?¡± Yeongwoo realized at this point. The order given to the Mon-O space pirate Guppy by Dogo was not to kill Dragos but to deal with Mara¡¯s knights. ¡®After all, Dragos is also part of this dungeon¡­ they were keeping to some kind of boundary?¡¯ Thews of the universe were truly elusive. Trrrring! Chains descended from the hole in the dungeon ceiling, connecting with the elevator that the enforcers were in. Guppy extended his hand to the top of the elevator frame and tapped the chain twice. It was probably a signal to return. Then, ¡°Oh¡­!¡± Guppy looked at Yeongwoo through the broadcast screen. It was unmistakable. Because he gave a thumbs-up to the screen. ¡°Was he greeting me¡­?¡± While Yeongwoo was staring in a daze, the elevator carrying Guppy and the Mon-O tribe enforcers shot up rapidly. SHWOOSH! It disappeared so quickly that everyone wondered if they had dreamed it, but the conspicuously broken ceiling hole immediately reminded them that it was all real. The knights, who were supposed to save the ¡°Weakest¡± in the stage 5 match, were beaten up and driven out by thugs who suddenly broke through the ceiling. So now Dragos was¡­ ¡®Practically a dead man. There are still plenty of mutants left in the arena.¡¯ Sure enough, the participants in the waiting room started shouting and screaming at the broadcast screen. At this rate, option 3, where the Strongest survive and the Weakest die, which only had one bet, was going toe true. ¨D%^%&#@## ¨D¡­! Moreover, most of the audience had voted for option 2, where the Strongest die, so they didn¡¯t dare to enter the arena and create a variable. ¡®So this ends in my victory. No matter how desperate they are for points, they won¡¯t walk into this themselves.¡¯ The deadly toxic storm was still raging in Arena 1, where Yeongwoo was, and about ten mutants remained. As long as they were human, entering meant certain death. Meanwhile, in Arena 2, the ¡°Weakest¡± side. ¨D¡­. There were Dragos, who seemed to have lost his will to fight, and over 20 mutants. Although Dragos was indeed a skilled fighter, he wasn¡¯t capable of taking down 20 mutants alone. ¡°Mara¡± was a formidable backer, but they hadn¡¯t enhanced Dragos¡¯s abilities. ¡®That¡¯s why self-learning is the best education.¡¯ As Yeongwoo cut down a mutant that had braved the toxic storm, he summoned the final guest to decorate the end of this dungeon. Shh. It was none other than. BEEP BEEP BEEP! ¡¸Pumpkin-Colored Whistle¡¹ ¨C Legendary Ne ¡¾Summons a friend.¡¿ | Yeongtae, Taejoon, Younghyeom These were his three friends, probably pedaling to charge theser cannon at this very moment. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 228 Chapter 228 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 228: Match Fixing (6) Great Powers. What does it mean to be a great power in the post-Reset world? In truth, no one had seriously pondered this concept until now. This was because the entire human race had been thrown into a fierce survival test during the initial stages of the ¡®Reset.¡¯ On the first day of the Reset, the vast majority of people moved solely for their own survival or at most for their families, and this was not much different on the second day. Then came the third day of the Reset. Although there were slight differences from country to country, a sense of regional consciousness began to emerge. Just as people in Korea rallied around the Strongest Sword and obeyed him, simr things were happening worldwide. Then on the fourth day. From this point, strong individuals representing each region started to form alliances. The reason was simple: there was too much to lose by fighting recklessly. The fact that someone had survived until the fourth day suggested a lot about their capabilities, so even those confident in their skills hesitated to pick fights. Especially in regions like Europe, surrounded by other countries, such alliances were formed as early as the second or third day. With ¡°outsiders¡± so close by, regional and national consciousness arose almost simultaneously. The definition of ¡°allies¡± expanded from family and local residents to include fellow countrymen. However, even then, the concept of a ¡°great power¡± could not exist. No strong individual truly knew the situation in countries on the other side of the world. Until the fourth day, only a handful of people ventured into the night dungeons, and even those who did rarely encountered foreigners. Then finally, on the fifth day. Twenty of the world¡¯s top warriors, who had maintained their ¡°named¡± status and gained dungeon experience, gathered. This was in the Batum¡¯s Casino, the night dungeon of the fifth day. ¡®¡­20 entrants. By some coincidence, people of all races are gathered here. This ce is practically a world expo.¡¯ In that sense. ¡®Damn.¡¯ Tuende Mussa01, the nightmare of Limpopo, kept rubbing his throbbing jaw after being hit by the Oriental07 earlier. Perhaps this was the first time he had encountered the firepower of a great power since the Reset. And if that were truly the case. ¡®It¡¯s humiliating, but at least I got a taste of it at a cheap price.¡¯ Tuende felt a reluctant sense of relief. In the post-Reset world, mistakes usually led to death. Normally, Tuende should already be dead. After all, he had challenged that monster who was clearing the fifth stage match. ¡°¡­Unbelievable.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°Is that¡­all real?¡± Everyone in the waiting room was mesmerized by the bizarre scene unfolding in Arena 1. A guy named Jeong Yeongwoo07 from South Korea was now summoning mutants and destroying copies of the arena. ¡°Is summoning reinforcements a top-tier trend?¡± ¡°Shit¡­ How many more of these guys are there?¡± ¡°Among the twenty gathered here, at least two¡­ so, no less than 10%.¡± ¡°That¡¯s insane. Are there really that many?¡± They were all discussing ¡®how many more of these guys there might be¡¯ as they watched the arena. The shock came firstly from realizing that despite each of them thinking they were top-ranked, they were actually far from it. And secondly. ¡°We¡¯ll be on the ground with these guys tomorrow¡­ Mixing with them¡­ really?¡± ¡°At least we¡¯re learning not to fight against Korea and Romania.¡± There was an instinctive sense of threat from realizing that countries with ¡®these kinds of people¡¯ would be great powers. Previously, the ¡®world¡¯ for most was merely the tense rtionships with a few neighboring countries, but today, they were experiencing the world level for the first time. The one saving grace. ¡°Romania? Well. I don¡¯t think Dragos will survive in there today.¡± As someone pointed out, it was likely that Dragos from Romania wouldn¡¯te out of Arena 2 alive. He was struggling against the remaining copies in the arena. ¡°Isn¡¯t he the one who bet on the weak to die?¡± ¡°Come to think of it, yeah. He seems like he¡¯ll try to kill him no matter what.¡± Everyone knew that the Asian who had caught their attention was the only one who had bet on the weak to die. Wouldn¡¯t the guy who even beat up Mara¡¯s knights to chase them out be able to kill a lone human left in the arena? While everyone was betting on Dragos¡¯s death, thest mutant in Arena 1 finally fell to the ground. * * * Boom! As the giant bull running around the arena copsed, Yeongtae punched its head and shouted. ¡¸It¡¯s over! This one¡¯s thest!¡¹ General Kim Younghyeom, who was on guard for any more iing mutants, grimaced. ¡¸Really? That¡¯s good to hear.¡¹ With that, he let out a rough cough and bristled all over. Due to the effects of the poisonous storm Yeongwoo had unleashed, Kim Younghyeom and the other three friends were having their skin and even their bronchial tubes worn away. ¡°I apologize. I didn¡¯t realize it would affect allies as well¡­¡± Yeongwoo bowed his head in apology. He had deactivated the poisonous storm as soon as his friends screamed upon entering the arena, but it was a bted move. ¡¸At least we scored a lot of points with this.¡¹ Kim Taejoon, always the optimist, managed to say this while leaning against the arena wall, panting heavily. ¡¸This is all good, but there¡¯s no early exit button.¡¹ General Kim looked up at the sky and grumbled. Then, noticing the broadcast of the ongoing battle in Arena 2, he asked Yeongwoo. ¡¸What are you going to do about that guy?¡¹ ¡°Ah.¡± Yeongwoo looked up at the broadcast. There was Dragos, looking like he had crossed the line between life and death several times. While his prowess shown in the first and second stages was impressive, it was not enough to handle twenty mutants. ¡®At this rate, he¡¯ll die on his own.¡¯ Yeongwoo pondered for a moment. The first-ce monopoly for this dungeon was already secured. The remaining issue was whether to kill Dragos with aser or let the dungeon kill him. If he chose the former, he would gain a lot of evil karma points and a few Romanian titles. However, he would also acquire the stigma of territorialism, spreading the infamous name of Jeong Yeongwoo07 in Romania. On the other hand, if he chose thetter, there would be no special gains but noplications either. A clean finish. But the choice was not really his to make. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡¸Oh?¡¹ ¡¸Hey, Yeongwoo! That guy¡¯s dying!¡¹ Before Yeongwoo could make a decision, and before his friends could return to fire theser, Dragos had died. ¡°Damn, he died in the meantime.¡± Yeongwoo watched Dragos¡¯s body being swept away by the mutants, aplex expression on his face. ¡®Well, maybe he wasn¡¯t destined to die by my hand anyway.¡¯ In a way, this was a relief. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] With the continents set to sh today, it wasn¡¯t beneficial to add another stigma. Moreover, if a major world war broke out after the Pangaea incident, he would acquire foreign titles abundantly anyway. ¡¸Stage 5, survival of the strong. Death of the weak.¡¹ ¡¸Stage 5plete.¡¹ As the final match in the casino was deredplete, the ground beneath Yeongwoo¡¯s feet began to glow brightly. ¡°Oh? Are we finally returning?¡± And with this. ¡¸Huh?¡¹ ¡¸Huh, Yeongwoo?¡¹ ¡¸Hey, is this for real?¡¹ The ground under the feet of his three friends also turned bright white. Since the arena was expelling all outsiders, the three who hade from the returnee¡¯s room were also being teleported. ¡¸Is this okay?¡¹ General Kim asked, seeing the now blindingly white ground beneath his feet. And then. sh! The four from Arena 1 were all transported to the waiting room. Pop, pop, pop! They appeared with the massive silhouettes of the mutants they had just fought. ¡¸One participant has gained one betting point.¡¹ Though the results of the fifth-stage betting were announced, no one in the waiting room paid any attention. ¡°Huh¡­ what?¡± ¡°What the heck is this?¡± Everyone was busy retreating in shock at the sudden appearance of three mutants in the waiting room. Especially since they all knew these mutants were the reinforcements of Jeong Yeongwoo07, who survived the fifth stage, no one dared to draw their swords. This was, in essence, a show of force. Although it was not Yeongwoo¡¯s intention. ¡°Haha, one swipe of my paw, and half of you will be dead, so stay calm.¡± Yeongtae, thrilled to be the center of attention for once, shed an evil grin. ¡°¡­¡­¡± In any case, the fourteen strong individuals present had gained valuable experience. They had seen firsthand what they would be up against if they ever faced Jeong Yeongwoo07. ¡¸Grr¡­¡¹ General Kim also made an even scarier face, thinking that some of these people might pose a threat to national defense in the future. And finally¡­ Swoosh¡­ The bodies of Yeongwoo¡¯s three summoned friends began to fade as their summoning time expired, dissolving into the air. It was time for them to leave. ¡°Thank you for your hard work. See you again.¡± Yeongwoo waved them off, and General Kim Younghyeom twitched his silver mustache as he looked at Yeongwoo. ¡¸See you again. I look forward to seeing what kind of bizarre sight I witness next time.¡¹ And then. Pop! He disappeared without a trace. ¡°Are¡­ they gone?¡± ¡°How on earth do you summon mutants like that?¡± With the uninvited guests gone, the participants finally started to speak. Instead of answering the questions disguised as self-talk, Yeongwoo looked at the system message that appeared in his view. [Jeong Yeongwoo07] |Betting Points: 5 |Current Rank: 1st ¡®Finally.¡¯ He had achieved the long-desired first ce. ¡®Now all that¡¯s left is the settlement. The key is whether there will be any bonus rewards.¡¯ As Yeongwoo stared into the air with expectant eyes, thepletion message, along with the dungeon information, appeared as usual. Ping! [Batum¡¯s Casino] |Dungeon Grade: Rare |Difficulty: C |Rmended Participants: 20 ¡¸The dungeon has beenpleted.¡¹ ¡¸Survivors: 15.¡¹ ¡®Out of 20, only 15 made it out.¡¯ A total of five deaths. This would correspond to the entire participant count for an average dungeon. The other participants in the waiting room, aware of this, let out long breaths and patted their chests in relief. ¡¸Calcting individual scores for rewards.¡¹ ¡°Now it¡¯s really over.¡± ¡°The worst dungeon ever.¡± ¡°From now on, I should avoid dungeons with a high rmended participant count.¡± As the tension began to ease, the participants started to talk more. Those who managed to rank within the top five would soon receive their rewards, and even those who didn¡¯t make the top ranks had at least survived this crazy dungeon, which was a reward in itself. Of course, everyone was curious about one thing in particr. ¡°The first ce is probably¡­ that guy.¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t all his bets valid?¡± ¡°How many points does he have?¡± The total score of the likely first-ce finisher, Jeong Yeongwoo07. Most of the people here had never seen anyone reach the maximum score of 100 points. However, the score revealed for Yeongwoo gave everyone present another new experience. [1st ce] Yeongwoo ¨C Total Score: 147/100 -Group Assault -Gambling Fraud -Property Damage [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 229 Chapter 229 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 229: The Imjin War (1) ¡®Ovepensation¡­!¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened. Following this, the scores from 2nd to 5th ce were announced below the 1st ce scorecard, but none of the names stood out. Most of the scores were below 50 points. [2nd ce] Louis ¨C Total Score 47/100 ¨C Game Analyst. ¨C Safety First. ¨C Keen Observation. [3rd ce] Tuende ¨C Total Score 38/100 ¨C Bold. ¨C Challenger. ¨C High uracy. [4th ce] Wooheon ¨C Total Score 33/100 ¨C Fast Betting. ¨C Intuition. ¨C Homogeneity Preference. [5th ce] Stefan ¨C Total Score 29/100 ¨C Lucky. ¨C Lacks Confidence. ¨C Coin Flip. ¡°What, what¡¯s this¡­ 2nd ce has 47 points?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the score for 1st ce? Isn¡¯t it over 100?¡± ¡°5th ce only has 29 points.¡± Most in the waiting room were surprised at the low scores of the ranked participants, but Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t that surprised. ¡®You can¡¯t get a high score just by sitting and betting in the dungeon.¡¯ In Yeongwoo¡¯s mind, there were only two ways to get a high score here. One, participate directly as a representative. Two, intervene in the arena and adjust the match oues. Thus, Yeongwoo, the only survivor who had actually entered the arena, ended up with a high score. ¡¸Rewards will be distributed differently ording to the confirmed rankings.¡¹ Soon, the highlight of this dungeon, the rewards for each rank, was revealed. sh! [1st ce] Yeongwoo ¨C Physical Catalog [2nd ce] Louis ¨C Random Epic Equipment [3rd ce] Twende ¨C Random Epic Equipment [4th ce] Wooheon ¨C Random Unique Equipment [5th ce] Stefan ¨C Random Unique Equipment ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Physical Catalog?¡± ¡°What¡¯s a Catalog?¡± Everyone¡¯s eyes widened at the 1st ce reward, which none had seen before. Besides Yeongwoo, there were 14 other survivors, but none had ever even glimpsed a Catalog reward. ¡®Well, it¡¯s notmon to exceed the score limit.¡¯ Yeongwoo received his reward for this dungeon with a calm expression. Swipe. Along with this, a silver or orange box appeared in the arms of those ranked from 2nd to 5th. Of course, for Yeongwoo: ¡¸The ¡®Physical Catalog¡¯ has been added to your data, Jeong Yeongwoo07.¡¹ Instead of a box, a single system message appeared. Realizing that the 1st ce reward wasn¡¯t a tangible item, the other participants began to gather around him. ¡°Hey, you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this Catalog? Can we take a look?¡± ¡°What is a Physical Catalog, anyway?¡± ¡°Come on, we¡¯re from the same dungeon. Share some information.¡± Some even used the ridiculous excuse of being from the ¡®same dungeon¡¯ to justify their request. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yeongwoo felt that this dungeon was indeed nearing its end. Soon, a portal would open, and the dungeon would bepletely closed. That¡¯s why everyone had the courage to approach the 1st ce winner and ask questions. However, the dungeon system hadn¡¯t forgotten the final rule of this gamble. ¡¸The participant with the lowest betting score will now be identified.¡¹ ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°W-What does that mean?¡± The noisy waiting room fell silent all at once. Then someone cautiously reminded them of the rule. ¡°Didn¡¯t it say during stage 2? If you record the lowest score¡­ you die.¡± This was true, and those close to the lowest score remembered the rule clearly. ¨DAdditionally, at the end of the 5th stage, the participant with the lowest betting score will die. ¨DIf there are multiple participants with the lowest score, up to three will be randomly selected to die. The participant with the lowest score must die. If there are many, up to three will be selected randomly. ¡°No, that¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°People have already died in the arena. Are they really going to select more to die?¡± Only two people in the room uttered such despair-filled lines. And just then, a separate system message appeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s vision. [The dungeon system has essed some of your data.] ¡®Huh? Is it because they are in the process of identifying the lowest scores?¡¯ Although it was a preliminary measure followed by a report, it was still the first time something like this had happened. It meant Yeongwoo was being separately informed about the internal activities of the dungeon system. After a brief moment: ¡¸Identificationplete.¡¹ ¡¸Two lowest scorers will take the penalty.¡¹ ¡°Pe-penalty?¡± ¡°You bastards! They call it a penalty, but it¡¯s practically¡­.¡± While people murmured, the ceiling of the waiting room shed momentarily, and an X mark appeared above the heads of two out of the fifteen people present. ¡°What?¡± ¡°No, no!¡± As expected, it was the very two people who had sighed in despair right after the message about identifying the lowest scorers. ¡°Please, save me!¡± One of the two people, effectively marked for death, ran towards Yeongwoo and pleaded. Instinctively, he clung to the strongest person in the room, the one who the dungeon system had highly rated. Cling! As the man approached and grabbed Yeongwoo¡¯s leg, Yeongwoo, unable to shake him off, looked flustered. ¡°I-I can¡¯t persuade the dungeon. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Though the apology was partly insincere, the fact that he couldn¡¯t change the dungeon¡¯s rules was 100% true. There likely weren¡¯t many beings in this universe who could alter or ignore the dungeon¡¯s rules. ¡°¡­Ah!¡± The man clinging to Yeongwoo¡¯s leg seemed to have seen something, his face contorting in terror. And then: Shwish! He disappeared like steam from beneath Yeongwoo¡¯s feet. ¡°What?¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°How, how did that happen?¡± Nosers were fired; the man, marked with an X, suddenly vanished into smoke. Everyone was stunned, realizing they had implicitly agreed to the possibility of such a unteral death by simply entering the dungeon. ¡°I want to get out. When does this end?¡± ¡°Right, isn¡¯t it over now? Let us out already!¡± Shock quickly turned to fear, and everyone in the waiting room clung to the walls, shouting to be let out. Soon after: [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡¸The dungeon will close in 10 seconds.¡¹ ¡¸Each participant, please exit through the portal.¡¹ The notification of the dungeon closing, which everyone had been waiting for, appeared. ¡°Hurry¡­!¡± Usually, the end of a dungeon involved survivors making peace or forming alliances for the future, but this time, there was only shock and fear. Everyone was panicked, rushing to their assigned portals to escape. Pop, pop! Meanwhile, Yeongwoo thought: ¡®I made it through safely again today.¡¯ He was grateful he didn¡¯t have to exin the Catalog, scratching his chin. ¡®In the end, only 13 out of 20 survived.¡¯ A mortality rate of 35%. Truly a fearsome dungeon. ¡¸6¡¹ ¡¸5¡¹ As the countdown to the dungeon¡¯s closure continued, Yeongwoo quickly stepped towards his portal. * * * 3:42 AM. Having escaped the crazy gambling den, Yeongwoo headed straight for Gangnam on his Negwig. The reason was simple: sleep. ¡®I need to hurry. If I¡¯m lucky, I can get about three hours of sleep.¡¯ Having barely slept in the past two days, Yeongwoo¡¯s top priority was now, ironically, securing sleep time. But with Pangaea starting at 8 AM, he could only afford about three hours of rest. ¡®Chased by sleep, chased by taxes¡­ what kind of life is this?¡¯ Would people know? That Jeong Yeongwoo07, not only the strongest in South Korea but a potential top contender in East Asia, lived his life carving out sleep time like this? Thud, thud! Listening to the sound of Negwig¡¯s footsteps, Yeongwoo opened the Physical Catalog he had acquired from today¡¯s dungeon. sh! ¡¸The Physical Catalog can store all types of physiques, and once registered, you can utilize their functions without directly wearing them.¡¹ [TL/N: This is kind of a body catalogue, like yeongwoo can buy diff bodies/physiques from the store.] ¡®Crazy¡­ a Physical Catalog. It still feels surreal no matter how many times I read it.¡¯ Previously, reading the tooltip for a Catalog didn¡¯t feel horrifying at all, but seeing it as a ¡®physical¡¯ version struck differently. ¡®So, in the future, I could get multiple arms, attach two to my body, and register the other two in the Catalog?¡¯ With this bizarre thought, Yeongwoo moved his gaze to the next tooltip. ¡¸Each Catalog has unique collection effects, and once the Catalogpleteness exceeds a certain threshold, you can acquire blessings or skills with amazing performance.¡¹ ¡®Hmm.¡¯ He wondered what the collection effects of the Physical Catalog would be. Being a ¡®physical¡¯ collection, it was hard to imagine. Nheless, there was a positive aspect. *¡®1 point¡¯ remains until the 1st level collection effect unlocks. ¡®Huh?¡¯ The collection unit for the Physical Catalog was five. Unlike other Cataloges, where collection effects were unlocked every 10 items, the Physical Catalog provided special effects at 5, 10, and 15 items. And currently, Yeongwoo¡¯s physical collection status was: [Physical Catalog] ¡²4¡³ ¡®Four. Only one more to go.¡¯ Of course, the system didn¡¯t reduce the collection unit for the Physical Catalog just for the user¡¯s convenience. ¡®This means physical equipment is that rare.¡¯ Indeed, judging by the ratio of equipment he had acquired so far, physical-type equipment was much rarer. ¡®So, the Mythical Catalog might not follow the 10-item rule either?¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s mind raced again. ¡®But it won¡¯t be a 2-item rule either. If that were the case, there would have been a preliminary notification like with the Physical Catalog.¡¯ He doubted it would be 5 items either. No matter how rare physical equipment was, it couldn¡¯tpare to mythical items. So, the most likely unit was: ¡®¡­Three?¡¯ That seemed like a reasonable number. ¡®The Mythical Catalog includes not just mythical equipment but also mythical beings¡­.¡¯ For example, like the Chairman. It was a dangerous thought, but killing the Chairman could fill one slot in the Mythical Catalog. ¡®Anyway, I¡¯ll know for sure once I take down one more mythical being, and see at what intervals the collection effects unlock.¡¯ While Yeongwoo was contemting the Catalog, the golden goblin in the back seat pointed forward with its tiny finger. -Squeak! Finally, the silhouette of the Parnas Hotel came into view for Yeongwoo and his alienpanions. ¡°Ah, I can finally get some proper sleep.¡± Sweet home. Yeongwoo pushed Negwig to go even faster towards a long-awaited good night¡¯s sleep. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 230 Chapter 230 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 230: The Imjin War (2) Sleep. Even Yeongwoo, with all his superhuman abilities, couldn¡¯t stay awake indefinitely. Whether it was a remnant habit from his ¡°pure human¡± days or a necessity for recovery despite his high capabilities, he couldn¡¯t say. After all, Yeongwoo was already free from the need for nutrition thanks to his alien stomach. So it wouldn¡¯t have been surprising if he were immune to the need for sleep as well. ¡®Surely, there aren¡¯t any devices rted to sleep, are there?¡¯ Even if such a device existed, he didn¡¯t want to be free from sleep. In this insane world, sleep was the only way to escape, even briefly. ¡°Ugh.¡± As soon as Yeongwoo arrived at his quarters, he was overwhelmed by sleepiness and headed straight for his private room. He was so sleepy that he forgot to acknowledge his father who had opened the door for him. Consequently, Jeonggu followed his son, who had just returned from the dungeon, without saying a word. ¡°You survived again, I see.¡± ¡°Yes. Today¡¯s dungeon was quite dangerous.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Jeonggu flinched at Yeongwoo¡¯s unexpected response. ¡°What was it like?¡± ¡°It was no joke.¡± ¡°No, I mean¡­¡­.¡± While Jeonggu was asking for more details, Yeongwoo was already scattering his equipment on the floor of his private room. ¡°I don¡¯t have the energy to exin right now. I really need to sleep.¡± Thump! Yeongwoo copsed onto the bed as if he was sucked in. Jeonggu wanted to say more, but instead, he said something else. ¡°You know it¡¯s Pangaea today, right?¡± ording to the system announcement, the third phase of the reset procedure, ¡°Pangaea,¡± would start at exactly 8 AM today. It meant that all continents and inds would merge into one. Jeonggu thought Yeongwoo might have a n for this situation and wanted to check before he fell asleep. Then, just as Yeongwoo was about to fall into a deep sleep, he bolted upright. ¡°Oh, right! Pangaea!¡± ¡°You absent-minded fool. You must be really tired.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, I might have missed an achievement. You really saved the day this time.¡± For the first time, Yeongwoo sincerely praised his father. If he had fallen asleep just now, he would have slept through the morning call announcing the end of the event. Naturally, he wouldn¡¯t have witnessed the moment when thends merged at 8 o¡¯clock. ¡®The Pangaea achievement would have been useless.¡¯ [Pangaea] |Witness the movement of continents at the time of tectonic shifts. Yeongwoo shuddered at the thought. Then he spoke to his father, who was leaning against the door of the private room. ¡°Wake me up at 7:30.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Give me a morning call.¡± ¡°7:30? That¡¯s roughly three hours from now. When am I supposed to sleep?¡± ¡°You¡¯re sacrificing a day for your son. Isn¡¯t my little bit of sleep more valuable than your rest?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Jeonggu looked exasperated, but Yeongwoo had already fallen asleep. He needed to get as much sleep as he could in the limited time, but more importantly, he was genuinely exhausted. ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo fell asleep immediately, with his father watching over him for three straight hours. And Jeonggu, ¡°Damn brat.¡± muttered curses under his breath, staying awake with his eyes wide open. After all, the value of his three hours of sleep was different from that of Korea¡¯s greatest Strongest Sword¡¯s three hours, so the request for a morning call was somewhat understandable. Moreover, he didn¡¯t want to disappoint Yeongwoo. Even though he was a crazy son, he was still his son, a rtionship bestowed by the universe. ¡®Parent-child rtionships are heavenly bonds. If that¡¯s true, the heavens are truly harsh. Such a brat¡­ my son.¡¯ Jeonggu¡¯s gaze fell on Yeongwoo¡¯s sleeping face. From the first time he met him, Yeongwoo was so strong it seemed like the entire universe was helping him. Even an ambush while he slept was impossible. So it was somewhat reassuring. No matter what heinous acts hemitted, he wouldn¡¯t vite the natural order of parents dying before their children. ¡°¡­.¡± Jeonggu checked the clock on the wall of the private room and pulled a crimson coin from his pocket, throwing it towards Yeongwoo¡¯s chest. Swish! ¡°Hey, it¡¯s time.¡± Creepily enough, Tap! Yeongwoo, still with his eyes closed, reached out and caught the coin, then slowly opened his eyes. ¡°Is it 7:30 already?¡± ¡°Feels like a dream, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± This time, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t respond and started putting on his equipment. Scratching his chin, Jeonggu looked out the window and asked. ¡°So, what¡¯s the n? What happens when thend merges?¡± ¡°Well, first I need toplete the achievement, so I guess I should head to the nearest coast.¡± ¡°Where would that be?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s Incheon.¡± Incheon. A port city with a high probability of connecting with a part of the Chinese maind across the way. And it was the closest coast to Seoul in a straight line. ¡°Incheon¡­ Are you sure about that?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°They say it¡¯s pretty rough over there.¡± ¡°Really? Then that¡¯s even better.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Incheon is now the western border. And with China right across, only the toughest people can hold their ground.¡± ¡°Really? That makes sense, now that you mention it.¡± True, Yeongwoo wouldn¡¯t have to worry about getting beaten by Incheon¡¯s best fighters. Considering the power struggle with China, it might be better if there were strong people in Incheon. ¡°So, are you nning to say hello to Incheon¡¯s Strongest Sword?¡± ¡°Yes, if possible. The Chinese might try to get to me through Incheon.¡± One must not forget the territorial mark that came with China. Even now, Chinese martial artists were probably receiving real-time updates on Yeongwoo¡¯s location. ck. Having finished putting on his equipment, Yeongwoo exited the private room and walked across the living room. Jeonggu, with a slightly worried tone, asked his son¡¯s back. ¡°So, should we stay in Gangnam for now?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be back before any mutants appear. I¡¯m only going to Incheon for the achievement.¡± Of course, China wasn¡¯t the only country that would border Korea after Pangaea. Japan, with which Korea had the worst rtions, was also a concern. However, letting mutants run rampant in Seoul was not an option, so it was best to just check out Incheon¡¯s situation for now. ¡®If it¡¯s Japan¡­ Busan will be the first to face them. I hope it¡¯ll be okay.¡¯ Busan. Thergest city in the southern part of the Korean Penins. At this point, Yeongwoo could only hope that there would be someone as strong as him there. Having a strongpetitor within the country could be problematic, but it was still better than being overwhelmed by Japan. ¡°Well, I¡¯m off. See you around lunchtime.¡± As Yeongwoo waved his hand and left the room, Jeonggu gave half-joking advice. ¡°Don¡¯t kill too many people, you¡¯ll get divine punishment¡­!¡± * * * 7:52 AM. Eight minutes left until the end of the abnormal weather and the official start of day 6. Yeongwoo had already arrived near Incheon after running west from the hotel without stopping. Thanks to the abnormal weather, there were no people outside, allowing him to run freely. ¡®Well¡­ It doesn¡¯t look any different. The city is clean.¡¯ Looking around the metal-dust-covered, destendscape of Incheon, Yeongwoo headed towards the port. The deserted city of Incheon looked no different from Seoul, making Yeongwoo think his father¡¯s words were unfounded. Most of the buildings in sight were intact, without any signs of destruction. This meant that not only had no monsters rampaged here, but there also hadn¡¯t been many mutants. ¡®So¡­ in some ways, it is rough?¡¯ Yeongwoo thought that Incheon might be a harsh city for monsters and mutants to survive in. Anyway, Yeongwoo, visiting Incheon for the first time, found it a strange city where, despite the reset, the buildings remainedpletely intact. ¡®What¡¯s this ce? Is it really okay¡­?¡¯ Just as he began recalling his father¡¯s worries, he finally saw the towering silhouettes of cranes beyond the grayndscape. They were the cranes scattered throughout Incheon Port. He had finally arrived at the port. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Thud, thud! Current time: 7:57 AM. Despite the loud ttering of Negwig¡¯s hooves, there was no sign of life nearby, and Yeongwoo entered Incheon Port. Soon, he saw arge cargo ship docked at the end of the pier. ¡®To witness the movement of the continents¡­ I guess I should stay near the pier.¡¯ Yeongwoo steered Negwig in the opposite direction of the cargo ship, towards another empty pier stretching out towards the sea. ¡®So I just wait here? This feels weird.¡¯ But there was no other option. Besides, ¡°Pangaea¡± was unprecedented in human history, so it was natural not to feel it even when standing at the pier. Would thends really merge? If the continents were to connect as predicted, wouldn¡¯t there be massive tsunamis and earthquakes apanying the event? ¡°¡­¡­¡± Although Yeongwoo had signed an interster document, he still found himself thinking like an Earthling at moments like this. After all, he was still more of an Earthling than an interster being. And then, finally. Beep-beep. His wristwatch beeped, signaling that it was 8 AM. ¡°Oh.¡± As soon as Yeongwoo looked at the watch, the metallic dust that had been surrounding the area disappeared without a trace, and soon after: ¡¸Your strength has permanently increased by 100 due to the Furious Goblin.¡¹ ¡¸The usage count of the Amber Whistle has been replenished.¡¹ The notifications for the refreshable items appeared. The sixth day of the reset had officially begun. ¡®So, are thends really going to merge now?¡¯ Yeongwoo saw arge dotted line drawn along the outer edge of the pier. And then immediately. ¡¸Hello, this is a notification from the Council.¡¹ The Council¡¯s announcement, which he had seen the previous morning, reappeared. But this time, with a slightly different message. ¡¸As of 8 AM on June 16, 2025, Phase 3 of the reset begins.¡¹ Then, the ground started to shake. Rumble, rumble¡­! ¡°These crazy bastards, they¡¯re really going to merge thends.¡± And just as Yeongwoo finished his statement: Swoosh! The waters around the pier surged violently, and an incredible event began to unfold. Yeongjongdo Ind, visible across the sea from the pier, started to move closer. ¡°¡­What?¡± Then, the Yeongjong Bridge, which connected Incheon¡¯s western district to Yeongjongdo, snapped entirely, making a deafening noise. Crash! ¡°No way.¡± Not expecting such a brute-force method ofnd merging, Yeongwoo took a few steps back from the pier. In the meantime, Yeongjongdo hade much closer than before. ¡®It feels like a ship is charging at me, notnd.¡¯ There was no tsunami as Yeongwoo had anticipated, but instead: ¡°Slow¡­ slow down! Yeongjongdo¡­!¡± Yeongjongdo showed no signs of slowing down as it rushed towards Incheon Port. The distance between the two was now only 200 meters. ¡®At this rate, there¡¯ll be a disaster.¡¯ Even though ¡°Pangaea¡± was defying most of Earth¡¯s physicalws, there was no way the pier could withstand the impact of such andmass charging at it at that speed. ¡°Retreat. Retreat, Negwig!¡± Seeing Yeongjongdo pass the 100-meter mark from the pier in an instant, Yeongwoo mounted Negwig and ordered a quick retreat from the pier. The goblin and Pofu, who had been watching Yeongjongdo with covered mouths, quickly clung to Yeongwoo¡¯s legs and climbed onto Negwig. And at that moment. Crash! The eastern edge of Yeongjongdo collided with the pier Yeongwoo had just been standing on. Crash! ¡°Holy shit, don¡¯t they understand the concept of tectonic tes?¡± Yeongwoo watched as an entire pier behind him got sucked under Yeongjongdo into the seawater. It was such an unbelievable sight that he couldn¡¯t tell if it was a dream or reality. Then, the part of the harbor that had been crushed beneath the sea suddenly surfaced, stopping Yeongjongdo¡¯s ind advance. Boom! ¡°Huff, huff.¡± Yeongwoo, who had been fleeing on Negwig to avoid the crazy Yeongjongdo, felt the vibrations behind him cease and came to a halt. He saw Yeongjongdo, looking as if it had been in a car ident, and the half-crushed Incheon pier. ¡°Is this¡­ connected?¡± It felt more like they had crashed into each other rather than merged, but it seemed that the charging Yeongjongdo had finally stopped. However, ¡®The achievement isn¡¯tplete yet?¡¯ [Pangaea] |Witness the movement of the continents at the moment of tectonic shifts. The Pangaea achievement still appeared in his achievement list. Apparently, he had witnessed the movement of an ind, not a continent, so it didn¡¯t count. ¡®Wait, hold on. If that¡¯s the case¡­¡¯ As Yeongwoo, with a troubled expression, looked towards Yeongjongdo, the ground shook violently again. Boom! ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Then, Rumble, rumble! This time, the ground beneath Yeongwoo in Incheon began to move. It was moving together with Yeongjongdo, which was now right in front of it. ¡°What the¡­ where are we going?¡± Sensing that something even stranger was happening, Yeongwoo quickly turned Negwig¡¯s head and crossed the boundary where Incheon Harbor¡¯s pier had transformed into a low mountain range along with the eastern part of Yeongjongdo. He saw the current along Yeongjongdo¡¯s coast moving towards Incheon. In other words, Incheon¡ªno, possibly the entire Korean Penins¡ªwas moving. ¡®Are we¡­ heading towards China?¡¯ That seemed to be the case. Instead of Chinaing to connect with this ce, the Korean Penins was moving towards the adjacent Chinese continent. Just like how Yeongjongdo had crashed into Incheon Harbor. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 231 Chapter 231 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 231: The Imjin War (3) Roaaaar! The Korean Penins surged westward, slicing through the water. ¡°No way, is this even possible?¡± Yeongwoo stood tall at the border between Yeongjongdo and Incheon Port, still unable to believe his eyes. But it was clearly happening in real-time. He could see the water continuously parting. Like a giant ship, the entirendmass was sailing. Therefore, somewhere north of the Korean Penins, it must be tearing away from the Chinese maind. Otherwise, there was no way Incheon could be moving toward China. ¡®Then Japan must be rushing toward us, too?¡¯ If this tectonic shift was happening simultaneously, that must be the case. The Korean Penins would join China across the Yellow Sea, and Japan would cross the East Sea to join the Korean Penins¡­ ¡®Then what about ces like Taiwan or the Philippines? And right below is Indonesia.¡¯ Indonesia is a country made up of countless inds. And that¡¯s not all. Below Indonesia lies another continent: Australia. Australia could logically push Indonesia out of the way and end up right below the Korean Penins, or move west to join Africa or India. ¡®The map is going to be a total mess. It¡¯d be nice if we could see a world map to get a rough idea.¡¯ Anyway, what was certain right now was that the west coast of the Korean Penins was heading toward the Chinese maind. And ording to the conversation he had with his father earlier, the most likely region to border the western part of the Korean Penins was Shandong Province. ¡®That¡¯s where Jaham lives.¡¯ Coincidentally, Shandong Province was also the territory of Jang Jaham, the only Chinese person Yeongwoo had a close rtionship with. Of course, given the current state of Sino-Korean rtions, it was uncertain whether Jaham would wee him. Rooooar! Yeongjongdo, now part of Incheon Port, continued to move westward, and it was only then that Yeongwoo realized. ¡®Oh, it won¡¯t connect immediately.¡¯ Even the visible approach of Yeongjongdo took some time, so naturally, it would take a while to reach Shandong Province across the Yellow Sea. ¡®How long will it take? 30 minutes? An hour?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t know the exact speed of the Korean Penins, but it seemed like it would take quite some time to reach Shandong Province. ¡°Hmm.¡± So what should he do in the meantime? ¡®Should I move to the edge of Yeongjongdo? It will be the first to make contact with Shandong Province.¡¯ Just as Yeongwoo was about to move Negwig inward on Yeongjongdo with this thought. Tat-tat, tat! From behind Yeongwoo, in the direction of Incheon Port, several swift presences approached. ¡®They¡¯reing.¡¯ It was likely Incheon¡¯s Strongest Swords. Not wanting to start an internal conflict before meeting the Chinese, Yeongwoo deliberately did not draw his sword and turned around. Just in time, he saw three men and women running toward him. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Is someone already here?¡± As expected, the three were the Strongest swords from different parts of Incheon. ¡ºBupyeong¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» ¡ºYeonsu¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» ¡ºMichuhol¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» ¡®How are they already gathered here? Were they preparing for this situation from the beginning?¡¯ Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t very familiar with Incheon¡¯s geography, but even he knew it was almost impossible for the Strongest Sword from three different districts to meet in such a short time by coincidence. Even if they had rushed over upon hearing the sh between Yeongjongdo and Incheon Port, there was a regional distance to consider. This meant that the three must have been staying nearby from the start. ¡®They must have been preparing for this situation, too.¡¯ After all, the Pangaea incident had been predicted since yesterday, and for a port city like Incheon, this phenomenon was practically another catastrophe. It was only natural that they quickly gathered. ¡°You all¡­ were preparing for the Chinese invasion?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s chest swelled with a sense of camaraderie as he looked at the three Strongest Sword with eyes full of brotherhood. The Bupyeong swordsman, who had been staring at Yeongwoo, tilted his head. ¡°Mister.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°Are you the Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword? Joseon means¡­ our country¡¯s best¡­?¡± His tone was full of curiosity. Apparently, the Bupyeong swordsman¡¯s image of the nation¡¯s strongest swordsman was quite different from Yeongwoo¡¯s current appearance. Well, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t look particrly battle-hardened, and his manner of speaking was quite refined. Of course, he was two meters tall and his body was well-developed with muscles. ¡°If it¡¯s the Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, isn¡¯t that right? Our country is Joseon.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? I figured it out as soon as I saw him on the horse. Finally, the king has arrived.¡± ¡°Oh, really? I never thought I¡¯d see the Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword in my life.¡± The three Strongest Swords chuckled. They seemedpletely unconcerned about the Chinese invasion Yeongwoo had mentioned. ¡®What¡¯s with these guys?¡¯ Yeongwoo finally realized the situation he was in. The people in front of him were just brats with brute strength. In fact, Bupyeong looked to be in his early twenties at most, and Yeonsu and Michuhol appeared to be in theirte teens or just twenty. ¡®Of course, being young doesn¡¯t mean theyck sense, but when you add tattoos, the story can change.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Yeongwoo noticed the intricate tattoos on Bupyeong¡¯s ankles and calves a bitte, realizing that while preconceptions aren¡¯t always correct, they often are. ¡°There¡¯s a coalition in Incheon, right? I assume there¡¯s a reason you were all gathered here¡­ When will the coalition leader arrive?¡± Yeongwoo asked this to find someone he could reasonably talk to, and Bupyeong, as if reading his mind, asked back. ¡°Why? You think you can¡¯t talk to kids?¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± This guy had an uncanny sense. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s part of it, but talking to the decision-maker would speed things up.¡± When Yeongwoo said this, Bupyeong grinned and looked around. ¡°Honestly, I have no idea. Does Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword really mean the best in the whole country?¡± ¡°Um¡­ well.¡± How should he exin that it¡¯s actually a title from North Korea without causing any misunderstandings? After thinking for a moment, Yeongwoo simply nodded. ¡°Yes, it means something simr. It means I¡¯m very strong.¡± ¡°Oh¡­?¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s affirmation, Bupyeong¡¯s gaze changed noticeably. Then, with a sly look, he narrowed his eyes again. ¡°But how do you know? That you¡¯re really the best in the country.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve never seen you before. So you¡¯re not really the best in the ¡®whole¡¯ country, right?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Understanding his point, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. He meant that Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t im to be the best in the country without having fought anyone from Incheon. ¡®Seriously, even after seeing Negwig and the Golden Trail, they¡¯re not intimidated?¡¯ It was an attitude Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t understand, but it was still a form of courage. ¡°Yes¡­ correction. I¡¯m not the best in the country yet.¡± ¡°Yet?¡± Predictably, Bupyeong seized on that word immediately. It seemed he was eager to fight right away. Yeongwoo, who might have drawn his sword in his younger days, restrained himself. ¡°We might have to fight the Chinese soon, so why are you trying to pick a fight with someone from the same country?¡± He managed to pull off a mature remark, restraining his hotheaded nature. Bupyeong gave an irrefutable reason. ¡°Damn it, look at yourself. You look like you¡¯re begging for a fight.¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Yeongwoo followed his gaze and looked at himself. Shirtless, tattoos on his shoulders, a spiral me tattoo on his chest. And the new Dogo product, ¡®Cosmic Etiquette,¡¯ resting on his bare shoulder. Not to mention the flying golden sword and the iron horse from another world adding the final touch. ¡®Oh, I¡¯m the real Incheon guy here!¡¯ Tattoos, check. Yeongwoo07. In fact, even more tattoos, rougher and densely packed, were hidden under his pants. In terms of tattoo quantity, Yeongwoo might outdo Bupyeong by a couple of levels. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I tend to draw attention.¡± Yeongwoo sincerely apologized and bowed his head, prompting Michuhol, who had been ring at him sharply, to nod and add. ¡°It¡¯s not that we don¡¯t like you, mister. It¡¯s just that around here, if a weakling has a title, they don¡¯t get any respect.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± With that, Yeongwoo¡¯s apologetic demeanor disappeared. ¡°How do you know I¡¯m a weakling?¡± From the very first day of the reset, Yeongwoo had been surrounded and pped by people. For him, being called a ¡®weakling¡¯ was practically a trigger. ¡°Well¡­ you¡¯ve been acting like one this whole time¡­.¡± Just as Michuhol shrugged with a nonchnt expression, the shirtless tattooed man suddenly pulled a gun from his waist. Swoosh! ¡°Whoa?¡± ¡°This damn lunatic!¡± The atmosphere heated up instantly. And in that moment, Yeongwoo was pointing the ¡®gun¡¯ at the three Strongest Sword in turn. ¡¸Evil Meter¡¹- Mythological Tool ¡¾You can see the target¡¯s level of evil deeds.¡¿ ¡¾20% increased reduction of evil deeds due to good deeds¡¿ But the problem was¡­ ¡®What the¡­ they¡¯re actually pretty good guys.¡¯ The evil deed levels of the three Strongest Sword were only around 200 to 300. Michuhol¡¯s level was even as low as 12. ¡°Hey, mister? Calm down, we get it.¡± Bupyeong waved his arms slowly, his face pale. Although he was known for his aggressiveness in Incheon, faced with a madman who had appeared out of nowhere on a horse wielding a gun, he couldn¡¯t help but be the most reasonable person. ¡°We¡¯re sorry, we apologize.¡± Michuhol, who had provoked Yeongwoo with problematic words, also bowed his head in a very careful apology, and even Yeonsu, who had the lowest evil deed level, was wiping cold sweat while trying to cate him. ¡°If we offended you, we apologize. We just talk tough¡­ we¡¯re not actually that bad.¡± Of course, Yeongwoo believed Yeonsu¡¯s words. The evil deed levels were indirect evidence. So just as Yeongwoo was about to lower the gun. -Bzzzz! Suddenly, the Evil Deeds Meter vibrated faintly, and a harsh voice boomed from a distance. ¡°You damn weakling, using a gun like a coward?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Yeongwoo, with his eyes full of whites, demanded an exnation from Bupyeong, who responded in a trembling voice. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s the Incheon coalition leader. He¡¯s a bit of a bad guy.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 232 Chapter 232 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 232: The Imjin War (4) Incheon Metropolitan City. Located in the western part of South Korea, Incheon is not only home to Incheon Port but also to Incheon International Airport, making it effectively a major gateway to South Korea. With a poption of 3 million, it is the thirdrgest city after Seoul and Busan, underscoring its significant importance. This is especially true in times when it directly borders China. ¡°Sa¡­ You shouldn¡¯t just kill people! These are all our national defense forces!¡± Even though Yeongwoo was half-crazed, he remembered that his country needed to secure as much power as possible. So. ck! Even after confirming through the evil meter that his opponent¡¯s evil score was a whopping 1,200, he didn¡¯t draw his sword. Of course, the practical reason was¡­ ¡°Kind of¡­ ambiguous? Still, it¡¯s on the higher side, right?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s current evil score was a whopping 50 million. So, it was natural for him to see 300 or 1,200 as equally small numbers. ¡®Killing him wouldn¡¯t even register on my evil score.¡¯ He had hoped to meet the worst viin in Incheon, but reality was not so amodating. ¡°¡­¡± As Yeongwoo lowered his gun in disappointment, the so-called leader of the Incheon coalition rushed at him at high speed. ¡°Stop right there!¡± ¡°Stop¡­?¡± Perched atop theher creature, Yeongwoo found themand baffling. Whish! When Yeongwoonded on the ground to meet his opponent, Bupyeong, who was terrified, shouted at him. ¡°M-Mister! You can¡¯t use weapons here! Not even guns!¡± ¡°What? Then what am I supposed to fight with¡­?¡± As Yeongwoo turned to Bupyeong with a look of incredulity, a sensory alert appeared in his vision. ¡¸Your sensory score has temporarily increased from 3,400 to 5,532.¡¹ Finally, the Incheon leader hadunched an attack on the outsider. ¡®Wow, what the hell?¡¯ Yeongwoo blinked as he saw his sensory score surpass 5,000 in an instant. The opponent was indeed a formidable master. Moreover, impressively enough. Whizzzz! The Incheon leader was swinging his fist, not a sword. ¡®What the¡­ is this bastard for real?¡¯ Bupyeong Strongest Sword¡¯s im that weapons were not used here was true. ¡°So, Incheon fights with fists, not swords?¡± Since the hologram warning of the opponent¡¯s attack was right in front of him, Yeongwoo twisted his upper body to avoid the Incheon leader¡¯s punch. Swish. The opponent¡¯s right forearm, heavily tattooed, narrowly grazed Yeongwoo¡¯s chin. ¡°You bastard¡­!¡± The Incheon leader gritted his teeth in frustration. Only then did Yeongwoo confirm the opponent¡¯s title. ¡ºNamdong¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» ¡®So, even though he¡¯s the leader of Incheon, he¡¯s not Incheon¡¯s Strongest Sword?¡¯ This meant that the best swordsmen in Incheon had never fought each other. To be Incheon¡¯s Strongest Sword, one needed titles from at least three districts. ¡®What kind of people are they? Incheon?¡¯ Culture shock. Yeongwoo was so astonished that instead of countering with an elbow as the hologram suggested, he stepped back. The Incheon leader interpreted this as a sign of being intimidated. ¡°Stop right there, you bastard¡­!¡± Gaining confidence, he charged at Yeongwoo again. Whoosh! This time, a bold middle kick. The martial art ¡°Rohm¡¯s Bottom¡± that Yeongwoo was currently using advised him to swing his sword and cut the opponent¡¯s shin. However. ¡®No, you crazy bastards. The opponent is unarmed. Isn¡¯t that too vicious?¡¯ Though Yeongwoo had a evil score of 50 million, he wasn¡¯t evil enough to swing a sword at an unarmed opponent. So instead of drawing his sword. ck! He grabbed the Incheon leader¡¯s leg aiming for his side. Then. Shwish! He delivered a fast punch to the opponent¡¯s cheek, making a sound of the air splitting. Bam! ¡°Argh!¡± The Incheon leader made a pitiful noise as he was knocked back. But he quickly got up again and assumed a fighting stance. ¡°Ugh¡­?¡± But even that didn¡¯tst long. The effect of the Golden Retribution¡¯s pain induction had immediately activated. ¡°Wha-what did you do?¡± The Incheon leader, who had only been pped once, was trembling so much he couldn¡¯t stand properly. Seeing something was off, the three from Incheon panicked. ¡°Mister! What did you do? Did you use poison or something?¡± ¡°P-Poison?¡± Yeongwoo repeated this, scratching his chin. ¡°Poison¡­ Are you not supposed to use that?¡± At this, Bupyeong¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°I told you, you can¡¯t use weapons! Poison is a kind of weapon too! It¡¯s even more despicable than a sword¡­!¡± Despicable. Only after hearing this did Yeongwoo clearly understand Incheon¡¯s duel rules. Those kids had only said ¡°no weapons,¡± but it essentially meant no use of any equipment, including weapons. ¡°No swords, no poison or hidden weapons¡­ Basically, no underhanded tactics.¡± Of course, the outsider currently at Incheon Port was Jeong Yeongwoo07, considered the worst viin in Korean history. He was a major advertising model for Dogo, a notoriouspany known for its universal weapon brands and for beating public officials to death. ¡°How are you supposed to duel without using swords or any equipment?¡± When Yeongwoo protested, Yeonsu¡¯s Strongest Sword rebuked him. ¡°Do you kill someone every time you fight?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s conscience was sharply pricked. Even more so because the person who said this had an evil score of only 12. From Yeongwoo¡¯s perspective, that was practically saintly. And to be precise. ¡®Couldn¡¯t you kill someone with just your fists?¡¯ While Yeongwoo was grumbling internally, Michuhol added. ¡°You have to fight with bare fists to see who is truly strong. Honestly, if you have good equipment, who wouldn¡¯t be strong¡­?¡± ¡°Uh¡­ It¡¯s not wrong, but.¡± From a romantic point of view, it wasn¡¯t wrong, but in these times, it was a philosophy that could easily get you killed. ¡°But you would use weapons against the Chinese, right? If they invade?¡± When Yeongwoo asked this, the three from Incheon, including Michuhol, nodded in unison. ¡°Yes. War ispletely different from fighting.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Notplete idiots, I see.¡± At this, Yeongwoo finally nodded in agreement. He could agree with this level of romanticism. And as a western border region, it met the criteria. There were enough top fighters alive, and their fighting spirit wasmendable. So the remaining task was. ¡®If even outsiders with strong fists are recognized, it means they¡¯ve adopted a romantic duel style, right?¡¯ Yeongwoo dramatically began throwing his gear onto the ground. First, he let the ¡°Cosmic Etiquette¡± hanging over his shoulder fall to the ground. Boom! Then, he dropped all the bracelets, including the Serpent of Greed and Golden Retribution, from his wrists. Next. ¡°Hey, I¡¯ll even kick with bare feet. Nointster.¡± He took off his only footwear, ¡°Illusion,¡± and tossed it far away. Bupyeong pointed cautiously at Yeongwoo¡¯s waist. ¡°That¡­ gun too.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± Yeongwoo readily agreed and unfastened his entire belt, throwing it away. Everyone¡¯s eyes changed. ¡°Aplete lunatic hase.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t he crazy¡­?¡± While the saying goes, ¡°When in Rome, do as the Romans do,¡± they couldn¡¯t help but admire the boldness of the outsider who voluntarily disarmed himself in a situation surrounded by four people. Of course, in reality. ¡®Hehe, idiots.¡¯ Although he had only discarded his equipment, Yeongwoo, who was fully equipped with various catalog effects, still retained the benefits of dozens of equipment. ¡®Still, it¡¯s right to deactivate the toxic effects, ethically speaking.¡¯ Yeongwoo deactivated the lethal poison and Golden Retribution¡¯s pain effects, then clenched his fists. ck! ¡°Let¡¯s go at it properly this time. I won¡¯t use poison or anything.¡± By then, the pain effect had somewhat subsided, and the Incheon leader, gritting his teeth, firmly guarded with his arms. ¡°Come on, you bastard. I¡¯ll show you why I¡¯m the coalition leader!¡± Swoosh! The sound of water being cut behind Incheon¡¯s leader¡¯s words came from Yeongjongdo. The boundary between Yeongjongdo, where the five were standing, and Incheon Port was still sailing westward toward Shandong Province in China. So, in a way, they were dueling on a moving ship. Swoosh. Yeongwoo slowly took a fighting stance and spoke to the man representing Incheon. ¡°This time, you¡¯ll find out what¡¯s been happening outside Incheon.¡± * * * At the same time, at Cheongsapo in Haeundae District, Busan. Near the pier where a holographic dotted line was blinking, a dozen masters from Gyeongnam Province were standing, each holding their weapons. They were known as the ¡°Southern Union,¡± an alliance of swordsmen from Gimhae City in Gyeongnam, Ulsan, and Busan. They hade to fight the anticipated Korean-Japanese war today. But for the moment, Japan was the least of their concerns. ¡°Is this really happening?¡± ¡°How long will this continue?¡± They were focused on the rapidly receding seawater in front of the pier. Due to the western part of the Korean Penins moving to meet Shandong Province in China, the speed of the southernmost part of Korea, including Busan, had increased dramatically. In effect, the Southern Union gathered at Cheongsapo were now on what felt like a massive speedboat. ¡°At this rate, the pier might break.¡± Someone expressed a realistic concern, to which Busan¡¯s Strongest Sword, Kang Gyowon, responded. ¡°Let¡¯s step back for now. We don¡¯t see any Japanese yet anyway.¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s do that just in case.¡± ¡°Even a seal wouldn¡¯t survive being swept away there.¡± Indeed, the current in front of Cheongsapo was visibly strong. Just as everyone was about to move their formation ind. Crack! A disturbing sound came from the edge of the pier. Bang! The concrete forming the pier¡¯s surface began to crack. The pier was indeed breaking apart. ¡°Bad luck.¡± Park Seongjun, the Strongest Sword of Gijang and an actual fisherman, wore a frustrated expression as he sheathed his sword. And at that moment. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± As he shifted his gaze to the distant sea, Park Seongjun¡¯s eyebrows twitched. The horizon looked unusually thick. Soon, others noticed the same thing and started murmuring. ¡°Is that¡­¡± ¡°Looks like it, doesn¡¯t it?¡± At this, Ulsan¡¯s Strongest Sword, Kim Chaena, pushed through herrades and approached the half-broken pier. Then. She peered through the binocrs in her hand at the suspicious horizon. ¡¸Binocrs¡¹ ¨C Epic Compass ¡¾Once a day, you can look into a desired region.¡¿ Even with its special function exhausted, her binocrs retained their basic 10x magnification. And what she saw with that 10x magnification was. ¡°Those bastards¡­ they¡¯re really prepared for an invasion.¡± She saw at least dozens of Japanese swordsmen standing in a line along the coastline, moving toward Busan as if riding on a moving piece of Japan like a battleship. ¡°Everyone, prepare for battle! At that speed, they¡¯ll be here within an hour!¡± As Chaena shouted almost in a scream, Busan¡¯s Strongest Sword issued orders from behind the port. ¡°Send people to Seoul, Suwon, Changwon, Incheon¡­ Let¡¯s inform the major cities that a war with Japan is likely.¡± Then Kim Chaena added to Kang Gyowon¡¯smand. ¡°Seoul! Send the fastest person to Seoul! The most useful people are likely to be there.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 233 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 233: The Imjin War (5) Swiish! A greenish-brown trajectory once again narrowly missed Yeongwoo¡¯s chin. ¡®Not bad at all. You would¡¯ve definitely been the strongest in Incheon with your fists.¡¯ As Yeongwoo admired this, the Incheon leader from Namdong-gu gritted his teeth and spat out his lines. ¡°Stop messing around ande at me seriously!¡± Namdong¡¯s Strongest Sword, Kim Yongkwan04. He was feeling both anger and fear simultaneously. It was because he knew that the outsider in front of him was deliberately maintaining a defensive stance. Every time Yongkwan charged aggressively, his opponent would backstep precisely that distance, and this unbelievable sense of distance was the source of Yongkwan¡¯s fear. ¡®Woah, did this guy originally do boxing or something? Local swordsmanship doesn¡¯t guide you on stepping like this.¡¯ Especially since Yongkwan¡¯s specialty was the check hook. This is a type of counter that can only be used when the opponent actively attempts to attack, and the constant maintenance of a subtle distance was frustrating for Yongkwan. ¡°Hmph!¡± Yongkwan then threw a bold middle kick to provoke an attack from his opponent. Whoosh! Kim Yongkwan¡¯s left leg swung like a whip. In response, Yeongwoo slightly hunched his upper body while firmly guarding, extending his left palm to the predicted strike point on his right side. Then, Thud! As a result, he blocked the middle kick with both his right arm guard and his left hand, dispersing the impact. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Yongkwan couldn¡¯t help but be surprised. It was clearly a kickboxing defense technique. And then, like lightning, Whoosh! Yeongwoo¡¯s right low kick countered. Thwack! The counternded precisely on Yongkwan¡¯s right leg, the one holding him up, and he realized at that moment. ¡®This guy¡­ he¡¯s been going easy on me this whole time¡­?¡¯ After taking the low kick and copsing to the ground, Yongkwan quickly rolled backward and stood up. Whoosh! Then, he saw the outsider¡ªno, the Strongest Sword of Joseon¡ªcasually taking abat stance again, not even bothering to chase him. ¡®Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword¡¯ Finally, the opponent¡¯s title hit him. ¡®Could he really be from that Joseon?¡¯ His mind understood it, but it was hard to ept the title of Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, which he had never encountered before. However, after taking a single low kick, his blood started pumping quickly, and his heart began to race. Yongkwan¡¯s heart also started to acknowledge his opponent¡¯s presence. The serious thought that he might be in a duel with the strongest in the Korean Penins. ¡°Damn it¡­ He¡¯s really something else.¡± As Namdong¡¯s Strongest Sword, Kim Yongkwan, said this and reignited his fighting spirit, Yeongwoo turned his head slightly to look behind his opponent. New faces were appearing there. ¡ºGyeyang¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» ¡ºSeogu¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» ¡°Gyeyang, Seogu¡­ counting the ones who came earlier, almost all of Incheon¡¯s Strongest Swords are here, right?¡± As Yeongwoo asked this, Yongkwan¡¯s face momentarily showed fear. ¡°Why, what is it now?¡± ¡°Now that all the witnesses are here, it¡¯s time to settle this. We can¡¯t keep fighting until we reach China.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Yongkwan frowned and asked back, but he actually understood the situation clearly. The reason Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword had been holding back was purely because there weren¡¯t enough spectators yet. ¡°How do you determine the winner in a duel in Incheon?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°You¡¯re fighting with fists because you don¡¯t want to kill each other, right? Then how do you decide the winner? Knockout? Surrender?¡± As Yeongwoo said this and finally lowered his guard halfway, Yongkwan flinched unconsciously. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s simr to a street fight. It ends when one side stops wanting to fight.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then shout ¡®surrender¡¯ when you want to stop. The sooner you do, the better. Honestly, I¡¯ve already killed people with my bare hands before.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± An utterly menacing line. Thud! Yeongwoo extended his right foot forward. It was the first forward step he had taken in this fight. Seeing this, Yongkwan¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡®What, what is this?¡¯ A peculiar energy he had never felt before emanated from his opponent. No matter how strong an opponent was, they still exuded a certain animalistic aura, but the man before him felt like a dense fog. A massive fog that stealthily enveloped his ankles and neck without him realizing. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± And in reality, he was astonished to see that the Strongest Sword of Joseon had already approached right in front of him. ¡°Speak before it¡¯s toote, got it?¡± The Strongest Sword of Joseon, who had silently closed in within striking range, made a sudden move. Smack! Suddenly, Yongkwan¡¯s upper body was lifted momentarily as a sh exploded before his eyes. ¡°Ugh!¡± A right straight. Yeongwoo had struck Yongkwan¡¯s face like a sh of light. Then, Thud! He kicked the guy¡¯s sr plexus with his left foot, sending him flying backward. Whoosh! This time, he fired a middle kick with his right foot. ¡°Watch your ribs¡­¡± Yeongwoo kindly warned of the target point, and Kim Yongkwan barely managed to lower his guard in time to block the kick from Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword. Smack! Of course, it was quite different from when Yeongwoo had blocked a kick earlier. ¡°Gah!¡± As soon as he blocked the kick, Yongkwan¡¯s mouth spewed bile, and his body was thrown sideways. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°This is insane¡­!¡± ¡°How is that even possible?¡± The five other Strongest Swords of Incheon, watching the fight, could instinctively tell that the results were different even though both had exchanged middle kicks. ¡®He¡¯s getting destroyed.¡¯ ¡®Who is this guy? Is he really Joseon¡¯s strongest?¡¯ ¡®Why is a nationwide champion here?¡¯ In effect, Kim Yongkwan was taking a beating on behalf of the other Strongest Swords of Incheon. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo¡¯s shadow moved swiftly once more. Tap tap! [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Following the opponent, who had been pushed back by the kick, Yeongwoounched a rapid one-two punch. Thud! ¡°Guh!¡± An overwhelming attack that pierced through his guard with sheer force made Yongkwan¡¯s upper body sway. Despite that, ¡°You bastard!¡± Yongkwan¡¯s voice, full of unyielding determination, spat out as he threw a punch at Yeongwoo. Whoosh! Of course, Yeongwoo easily dodged by slightly turning his head. ¡®He¡¯s truly remarkable.¡¯ Yeongwoo admired Yongkwan¡¯s swollen eye as he thought. If he fought this well with bare hands, how strong would he be with a sword? But given the situation, this duel needed to end quickly. Even while fighting Incheon¡¯s leader, Yeongwoo kept an eye on the horizon beyond Yeongjong Ind, noticing that the horizon was bing increasingly distinct. ¡°Let¡¯s stop here. It looks like we¡¯re almost to China.¡± After announcing this, Yeongwoo dodged his opponent¡¯s straight punch. Swoosh! Then he grabbed the arm aimed at his head and wrapped it around his body. Like fastening a seatbelt to himself. Next, he flowed seamlessly into a throw, rotating his upper body. Thwack, boom! An enormous sound echoed as Kim Yongkwan¡¯s back hit the concrete floor, and this sound made Incheon¡¯s Strongest Swords reflexively reach for their swords before stopping. It was humiliating to have an outsider take Incheon¡¯s title, but if the opponent was indeed Joseon¡¯s undefeated swordsman, it was a natural order of things. Incheon, known for insisting on bare-knuckle fighting to determine true strength, had a profound respect for true strengthpared to other regions. In other words, if you fought fairly and won, you became Incheon¡¯s leader regardless of your origin. ¡°Damn it.¡± When Yongkwan, nted on the ground, found himself staring at the sky, he stopped struggling. ¡°Is that a surrender? If we continue, you¡¯ll get seriously hurt. Since you didn¡¯t draw your sword, I don¡¯t want to see blood either.¡± Yeongwoo asked softly, looking down at Yongkwan, who finally spoke respectfully. ¡°Yes, I surrender. I surrender, sir.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± With his title immediately changing to ¡®sir,¡¯ Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Then he extended a hand to help Yongkwan up. ¡°Sorry for hitting you. And for everything else.¡± ¡°What do you mean by everything else?¡± In response, Yeongwoo scratched his chin. A gesture he usually made when he was contemting or in trouble. Then, as if deciding something, he pointed to his head with his index finger. ¡®Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword.¡¯ ¡°This, actually means North Joseon.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± * * * Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword. The highest title, signifying the supreme warrior north of the Korean Penins. More precisely, it should be the highest title in North Korea. In any case, Yeongwoo gathered the Strongest Swords of Incheon, who had a notably high proportion of tattoo bearers, and briefly exined the events that had transpired. How he became Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword and why he hade to Incheon. ¡°Mister, then who is the strongest in our country?¡± Upon hearing the story, the Strongest Sword of Bupyeong raised his hand and asked. Kim Yongkwan, still with a swollen face, rebuked him. ¡°What were you listening to? Our brother here is practically the strongest in our country.¡± Of course, he had to add the qualifier ¡°practically.¡± It was true that he was the strongest in practice, but his title was still ¡°Joseon¡¯s¡± Strongest Sword. ¡°Then what is the highest title in our country? Daehan¡¯s Strongest Sword?¡± This was the opinion of the Strongest Sword from Michuhol. Then the Strongest Sword of Yeonsu, two steps ahead, raised an intriguing question. ¡°Then is there possibly an integrated title for the Korean Penins? If there really is, there might be a next level too¡­?¡± ¡°Ho.¡± A usible inference. Since there were titles for each region within a country, there might also be an integrated national title. Perhaps something like the Strongest Sword of Korea-China or the Strongest Sword of East Asia. ¡°Or maybe the Strongest Sword of the East¡­ I don¡¯t know.¡± Yeongwoo scratched his chin again. But that wasn¡¯t the immediate concern. ¡°You all know we¡¯re about to reach the Chinese border, right? So I also came to see the situation in Incheon, but it¡¯s very different from what I expected.¡± ¡°Why? Do we look too weak?¡± The Strongest Sword of Bupyeong immediately bristled. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± Yeongwoo looked around at Incheon¡¯s Strongest Swords, whose average age seemed to be in their early twenties, with a troubled expression. He knew theirbat strength wasn¡¯t ordinary, but they were still just barely adults. To someone in their mid-thirties like Yeongwoo, they looked like kids. ¡®Well, the fact that I¡¯m a candidate for the strongest in our country is more of a problem.¡¯ Yeongwoo carefully observed those who would now be the guardians of the western border of Korea. Then the Strongest Sword of Michuhol pointed with a slightly displeased expression at Yeongwoo¡¯s belt, which was lying far away. ¡°Um, mister.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Can you put your clothes on now?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Come to think of it, he had thrown off all his clothes for the duel. ¡°But I can¡¯t wear a top anyway, so it doesn¡¯t make much difference.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you wear a top¡­?¡± Michuhol looked shocked. But they couldn¡¯t hear the answer. Rumble¡­! Yeongjong Ind, which had been cutting through the Yellow Sea, suddenly shook violently. ¡°What, what¡¯s this?¡± ¡°What is it? Is there a problem?¡± While everyone was startled and looking around for something to grab onto, Yeongwoo, sensing something, turned his head towards the sea. ¡®It seems like we¡¯re slowing down.¡¯ And sure enough. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The horizon looked much thicker than thest time he checked. ¡®We really are almost there. That must be Chinesend.¡¯ To the naked eye, it was still just a thick horizon, but at five times magnification, the story would be different. Yeongwoo immediately activated his ¡°irvoyance¡± to examine the horizon again. sh! Then he saw countless Chinese people gathered along the coastline, presumably the southern tip of Shandong Province. ¡®¡­My God, are they preparing for war?¡¯ As someone from the Korean Penins, frequently invaded by foreign powers, Yeongwoo assumed the worst. But what happened nextpletely overturned his pessimistic imagination. Momentster, a banner written in Korean was raised among the Chinese crowd, and it read, ¡°Shandong Province wees your arrival¡­ Shandong¡¯s Twin Evil, Zhang Jaham.¡± [TL/N: Contextually correct name would be zhang since that¡¯s more of a real chinese name than jang which is kinda korean, so that¡¯s the name we¡¯ll use in future.] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 234 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 234: The Invincible Sword (1) Blood ties, regional ties, academic ties. There are countless connections in the world, but this was a first for Yeongwoo. ¡®Should I call this a different kind of bond¡­?¡¯ Yeongwoo double-checked the banner held by the Chinese, unable to believe his eyes. ¡¶Shandong Province wees your entry.¡· ¨C Shandong Twin Evils, Zhang Jaham The peculiar wording of ¡°your entry¡± was almost certainly referring to Yeongwoo himself. The banner¡¯s direction, towards the southeast coast of Shandong Province¡ªessentially facing the Korean Penins across the Yellow Sea¡ªmade it clear. Zhang Jaham, having identified Yeongwoo¡¯s passage across the Yellow Sea through territorial markings, hastily prepared these banners. Shandong Province needed to quickly convey that they had no intention of fighting against Korea¡¯s Strongest Sword to avoid disaster. ¡®Wow, this guy wasn¡¯t just any Strongest Sword but a regional magnate, it seems?¡¯ There were at least several hundred Shandong residents mobilized just to hold these banners along the coast. Numerous banners were erected at regr intervals along the shoreline. This was an unprecedented show of hospitality. ¡®He really meant it when he said we should go to the next dungeon together.¡¯ Yeongwoo reproached himself for not acknowledging Zhang Jaham¡¯s sincerity. And once again, he learned a valuable lesson. Diplomacy indeed stems from military strength. ¡°What¡¯s that? A banner?¡± ¡°What does it say?¡± Eventually, the Strongest Swords of Incheon, seeing the banners lined up along the Shandong coast, widened their eyes in astonishment. At first, they thought it was a battle g, but as time passed, they realized the writing on the banner was in Korean. ¡°Wee to¡­ entry?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Zhang Jaham?¡± ¡°How did they know we wereing and write that in advance?¡± Suspicious of the unexpected hospitality from the Chinese side, the Strongest Swords began murmuring, prompting Yeongwoo to speak in a calm tone. ¡°He¡¯s an acquaintance of mine. But just in case, don¡¯t let your guard downpletely.¡± Although Zhang Jaham was weing them with open arms, one could never be too sure of the world¡¯s unpredictability. ¡®Of course, seeing how they¡¯ve deployed residents at the forefront, it seems like they truly are weing us.¡¯ Rumble¡­! Meanwhile, the tremors around Yeongjong Ind grew stronger than before. They were significantly reducing their cruising speed. In fact, the distance to Shandong had decreased so much that they could now distinguish not only the banners but also the faces of the people holding them. ¡°There¡¯s a huge crowd gathering¡­?¡± ¡°Is that all a weing party?¡± It became clear that the people on the Shandong coast were waving small gs as well as holding banners. The fact that they were holding such harmless items instead of weapons unequivocally indicated Shandong¡¯s unconditional wee or even surrender. Naturally, all eyes turned to the ¡°Strongest Sword of Korea.¡± Who was this outsider whose reputation had spread across the Yellow Sea to China? ¡°How do the Chinese know you, sir?¡± ¡°¡­Exining it all now would be tooplicated. Just know that there¡¯s an Olympics-like event where representatives from each country showcase their strength.¡± Yeongwoo was referring to night dungeons, but for the Strongest Swords of Incheon who had no dungeon experience, this was difficult to grasp. ¡°Showcase strength¡­?¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Does that mean our country won that Olympics?¡± Yeongwoo pointed to the Shandong coast, now only about a hundred meters away. ¡°Well¡­ something like that. To be precise, Zhang Jaham saw me winning.¡± Rumble rumble rumble! Atst, Yeongjong Ind made a violent tremor akin to an earthquake as it rapidly decelerated, causing the Chinese waving gs on the opposite shore to begin retreating. And then. Boom! With an earth-splitting roar, Yeongjong Ind connected with the southeastern part of Shandong Province. ¡°Wow, damn¡­.¡± ¡°Thend actually connected.¡± ¡°Is this really okay?¡± The Strongest Swords of Incheon stared in disbelief at the junction between Yeongjong Ind and Shandong. It was surreal enough when Yeongjong Ind connected to Incheon Port, but now, it had even connected to China, creating and route. ¡°Uh¡­ sir, what happens now?¡± The Strongest Sword of Bupyeong instinctively called for Yeongwoo, who then pushed through the dazed Strongest Swords of Incheon. Step, step. Right up to the boundary between Yeongjong Ind and Shandong. There, the hundreds of Chinese holding the ¡°Wee to Our Country¡± banners hesitated and stepped back. Though they were following Zhang Jaham¡¯s orders to offer a warm wee, they were meeting Yeongwoo for the first time. Consequently, they couldn¡¯t help but feel vague fear and reluctance. After all, in terms of poption andndmass, China was the rtively rge country,¡¯ and the implementation of Pangaea had taken the form of the Korean Penins being attached to Chinesend. In the eyes of the Chinese, it was only natural that Korea could be seen as refugees or invaders. ¡®It seems they are all dumbfounded.¡¯ Yeongwoo scanned the eyes of the Shandong residents, which were not particrly friendly, as expected. Then, suddenly, a dark figure sprang up from within the crowd andnded right in front of Yeongwoo. Swoosh! Anyone could see that this was the movement of a Strongest Sword, and sure enough, the person¡¯s identity was. ¡°Long time no see, Master Jeong¡­!¡± It was Zhang Jaham of the Shandong Twin Evils. Though somewhat hot-tempered and dismissive of Taiwan, he was undoubtedly a master of diplomacy, more skilled than any other Chinese person. Thump! Zhang Jaham initiated a martial salute, forcing Yeongwoo to awkwardly reciprocate. Then, ncing at the banner still held high, he asked cautiously. ¡°What is all this¡­?¡± ¡°As you can see, it¡¯s a weing greeting. How could we note out to greet you when you¡¯reing directly?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Zhang Jaham¡¯s speech was overly polite, as if drenched in honorifics. For some reason, he was putting excessive effort into weing Yeongwoo. Yeongwoo bowed slightly, pretending to greet him, and whispered in a low voice. ¡°Why are you overreacting like this? It¡¯s making me ufortable.¡± Zhang Jaham also bent down and whispered in Yeongwoo¡¯s ear. ¡°You¡¯re not here to wage war, are you? I have no intention of fighting with you.¡± In Zhang Jaham¡¯s memory, Jeong Yeongwoo07 was the absolute demon who had summoned a mutant army to gang up on the giant Gameta. While thinking of how to utilize this demon to effortlessly conquer dungeons, he suddenly saw an alert yesterday that two of the Dandong¡¯s Three Swords had been stripped of their titles by Jeong Yeongwoo07. Then, the very next day, he saw the territorial mark attached to Jeong Yeongwoo, or rather Master Jeong, crossing the Yellow Sea. In this situation, Zhang Jaham could only think that this demon had marked China as his first target. On the other hand, Yeongwoo was inwardly celebrating. ¡®What¡¯s this, I¡¯m going to get the western border without shedding a drop of blood.¡¯ This was a good thing for both Shandong and Incheon. If the border areas were on bad terms, the damage would directly affect ordinary citizens. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Of course, this didn¡¯t mean he should act overly submissive. ¡°Well¡­ China has frequently invaded the Korean Penins in the past, and with thends connecting, I dide prepared for a fight.¡± Yeongwoo said this while subtly indicating the Strongest Swords of Incheon behind him. ¡°Internally, there was also a dominant opinion that we should prepare for war.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ is that so.¡± Zhang Jaham¡¯s gaze reached the young Strongest Swords covered in borate tattoos, and he made a face that said, ¡®I see.¡¯ ¡°But since you have weed us like this today, I will discuss it internally. There¡¯s no need to fight with friendly people.¡± Thest line of Yeongwoo¡¯s speech was sincere. There was no reason to torment those who came out friendly. Moreover, having a potential ally on the western border was extremely important. Currently, only Zhang Jaham, who had directly witnessed his prowess, was favorable to him, not the entirety of China. ¡°By the way, is the whole of Shandong really weing my ¡®entry¡¯?¡± When Yeongwoo asked this, a troubled look appeared on Zhang Jaham¡¯s face, as expected. ¡°Actually, I have something urgent to tell you regarding that.¡± ¡°¡­¡± I knew it. Yeongwoo nodded as if he had fully anticipated this. However. Swish! He didn¡¯t expect another master to ambush him from within the crowd at this moment. ¡°I am Wu Qingjin of Shandong Twin Evils! I will test if you truly deserve to set foot in Shandong!¡± Swoosh! A middle-aged man charged forward, thrusting his sword while shouting confidently. ¡°What is this now?¡± An ordinary Strongest Sword might have been enraged at Zhang Jaham for not informing him of this ambush, but Yeongwoo was different. ¡ºShandong¡¯s Twin Evils¡» He noticed that the title ¡®Shandong Twin Evils¡¯ was also attached to the man who introduced himself as Wu Chengjin and immediately understood the situation. It wasn¡¯t the whole of Shandong that was weing his entry. ¡®Of course, since there are two Twin Evils, it makes sense.¡¯ The two great evils representing Shandong. One, Zhang Jaham, knew exactly who Jeong Yeongwoo was, but the other didn¡¯t. So, it was only natural for the other to send a very different kind of greeting. ¡®That means this ambush must have been discussed with Zhang Jaham in advance.¡¯ In the moment when Wu Chengjin¡¯s sword was flying at him, Yeongwoo confirmed that Zhang Jaham was retreating. Indeed, this ambush was a sort of verification process approved by Zhang Jaham. It was an unavoidable discourtesy meant to demonstrate the strength of the demon Jeong Yeongwoo to everyone. sh! In that moment, the tip of Wu Chengjin¡¯s sword reached Yeongwoo¡¯s bare chest, right at the position of his heart. ¡°¡­¡­¡± So, Yeongwoo¡­ Swoosh! He reached out like lightning and caught Wu Chengjin¡¯s sword between his index and middle fingers. He was mimicking a scene he had seen in martial arts novels before. Disying a level of skill that could catch a sword with his fingers would ensure obedience without question in the future. ¡®Judging by the senses I¡¯ve gained, he¡¯s a total amateur. At best, he¡¯s only average among Seoul¡¯s Strongest Swords.¡¯ Yeongwoo had calcted this performance attempt and seeded in it. The de that was about to pierce his chest came to a halt. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Zhang Jaham, the residents of the Shandong coast, Incheon¡¯s Strongest Swords, and even the attacker Wu Chengjin gaped in astonishment. Catching a named swordsman¡¯s ambush with bare fingers was an unimaginable feat. However, shortly thereafter¡­ Creak! The seemingly halted de in Wu Chengjin¡¯s hand twitched. ¡°What the¡­?¡± ¡°Oh¡­!¡± There was a variable Yeongwoo hadn¡¯t ounted for in his desire to put on a performance that would captivate everyone present. It was the fact that¡­ Creak! Some masters prioritize other attributes over sensory skills. ¡®What? This isn¡¯t right.¡¯ The de caught between his fingers began to move again, and before Yeongwoo could respond, it pierced his chest. Swoosh! NG. It was a catastrophic mistake that should never have happened. ¡°Mister?¡± ¡°No, that idiot!¡± ¡°Damn, I knew this would happen.¡± As the Strongest Swords of Incheon, witnessing the fall of their pir, simultaneously drew their weapons, and even Zhang Jaham was reaching for his sword in the face of this unexpected disaster. ng! At that moment, a clear metallic sound echoed from inside Yeongwoo¡¯s chest. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± The source of the metallic sound was so obvious that everyone¡¯s eyes were fixed on Jeong Yeongwoo07¡¯s chest, where the de was embedded. Even Yeongwoo, who was as surprised as anyone, quickly looked down at his chest and realized. The sword hadn¡¯t prated the ¡®Heart of the Poison Dragon.¡¯ ¡®Wow, what¡¯s this?¡¯ So, what should he do next? Smoothly, with a now calm expression, Yeongwoo raised his head, pulled out the sword with his bare hands, and shouted. ¡°Did you see that? I am the invincible sword, Jeong Yeongwoo!¡± [PR/N: Dugu Qiubai?] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 235 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 235: The Invincible Sword (2) Shouting ¡°The Invincible Sword¡± in the birthce of martial arts was an absurd act, but its effect was truly extraordinary. ¡°Oh, my goodness.¡± ¡°What the¡­?¡± ¡°I definitely saw it pierce his chest.¡± Perhaps it would have been less surprising if the de had not prated the skin at all. Everyone has imagined skin so tough that a de couldn¡¯t cut through it. But¡­ ¡°Didn¡¯t that sound juste from inside his chest?¡± ¡°Could it be that his heart is made of steel?¡± ¡°Is that the issue here? The de definitely went through his heart. So why is he still alive?¡± Can this truly be called martial prowess? Regardless, at least hundreds of people witnessed the abilities of the Strongest Sword of Joseon and had no choice but to acknowledge it. If they didn¡¯t want to lose their heads, they had to wee this demon¡¯s entry. No one understood this better than Zhang Jaham. He wasn¡¯t the only one, though. ¡°That¡­ that sword¡­¡± Wu Qingjin, one of the Two Evils of Shandong, mumbled while trembling slightly, prompting Yeongwoo to ask. ¡°What did you say?¡± Suddenly, Wu Qingjin knelt on the ground and cupped his fists. Thud! ¡°I, Wu Qingjin of the Two Evils of Shandong, greet the invincible swordmaster Jeong Yeongwoo¡­!¡± ¡°¡­Ugh!¡± Yeongwoo had to bite his lip hard enough to draw blood to suppress theughter that threatened to escape. Although blood trickled out, the wound healed quickly, thanks to his insane regenerative abilities. The gash in his chest from Wu Qingjin¡¯s de also healedpletely. ¡°Please stand. You seem much older than me, calling me a master is too much.¡± As Yeongwoo helped Wu Qingjin to his feet and returned his sword, Zhang Jaham knelt and cupped his fists as well. ¡°Imitted a grave offense! Please forgive me! Have mercy!¡± Seeing this, hundreds of Chinese people on the beach, who had been holding their banners, also knelt and shouted in unison. ¡°Have mercy!¡± Where do they even learn this kind of thing? ¡®One after another, they¡¯re causing a scene.¡¯ Yeongwoo nced around before gesturing for everyone to stand. ¡°There¡¯s no need for mercy. Who could fault Shandong people for trying to protect Shandong?¡± ¡°¡­Is that truly your stance?¡± Wu Qingjin looked incredulous, but Zhang Jaham, who had spent a few hours with Yeongwoo in the dungeon, sensed something was off. However, he couldn¡¯t interrupt as Yeongwoo continued. ¡°But your efforts are no longer needed. You don¡¯t have to try to protect Shandong yourselves anymore.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Wu Qingjin¡¯s expression changed subtly. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°What I mean is, from now on, I will protect Shandong.¡± As Yeongwoo said this, he ced his hand on the scabbard at his waist, causing Wu Qingjin¡¯s mouth to drop open. He finally realized that the Korean in front of him was not a hero but a demon. ¡°All you need to do to maintain a good rtionship with me is.¡± Pa! This time, Yeongwoo held up two fingers. ¡°Twenty million.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± When Yeongwoo uttered ¡°twenty million,¡± some Chinese people whispered among themselves, wondering if he was talking about twenty million karma. A few sharp individuals knelt down again, realizing they were still being threatened. ¡°Jeong¡­ master¡­ if you still hold a grudge, we can¡­¡± Wu Qingjin began to negotiate, but Yeongwoo cut him off by spreading his chest wide. ¡°A grudge? Look, my wounds have already healed, as if I never had any grudge to begin with.¡± Pa! As Yeongwoo boldly bared his chest, the Chinese people stepped back, examining where the wound had been. ¡°It¡¯s true, he¡¯s healed?¡± ¡°How did it heal so quickly?¡± ¡°Is he immortal¡­?¡± A heart that couldn¡¯t be pierced by a sword, and a level of physical regeneration that seemed beyond human. Everyone reconfirmed that there was no way to expel this man through martial prowess alone. ¡°Mr. Jaham.¡± ¡°Yes, what is it?¡± ¡°Before the reset, what was the poption of Shandong?¡± Yeongwoo asked, making Zhang Jaham sweat nervously and roll his eyes. ¡°Uh¡­ it was just over a hundred million.¡± ¡°Then a daily defense expense fee of twenty million karma is not excessive at all, is it?¡± ¡°Daily¡­ you say?¡± ¡°Of course. Each district in Seoul, with a poption of at most 500,000, pays 5 million karma as defense costs every day.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I see.¡± Zhang Jaham nodded in understanding but muttered inwardly. ¡®Damn it. I¡¯ve brought in a thief.¡¯ Strictly speaking, they had avoided the worst-case scenario. If they hadn¡¯t known the true nature of this marauder in advance, all of Shandong would have been drenched in blood today. Though it hurt his pride, it was better to pay tribute than to die. ¡°You should be able toe up with the money quite easily if you opt for the 30,000 karma provision. Just send the money to Incheon by 6 PM every day.¡± After conveying this to the Shandong side, Yeongwoo added a supplementary exnation to the leader in Incheon. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°At 6 PM, someone from Seoul wille to collect the money. You keep 5 million of the 20 million, and give the rest to my person.¡± ¡°Y-You¡¯re giving us 5 million?¡± Incheon leader Kim Yongkwan¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected bonus. The other Strongest Sword of Incheon were equally astonished. Yeongwoo spoke calmly. ¡°After all, you have to meet with the Chinese and receive the money. Consider it your fee. And since it¡¯s a border area, it makes sense to strengthen you more than other regions.¡± ¡°T-Thank you, brother!¡± The Incheon Strongest Sword were thrilled at the prospect of handling the huge suming from China, as if it were a scene from a movie involving secret transactions. ¡®Since 5 million is 25% of the total amount, they shouldn¡¯t have any other thoughts. And it¡¯s also prudent to strengthen the border swordsmen in case the Chinese side changes their minds.¡¯ Yeongwoo had started to see things in a broader perspective. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was because the sums he dealt with had grown sorge, or if it was due to the dragon heart he possessed, but he had be bolder. ¡®Now the remaining issue is¡­¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze returned to the two strongmen of Shandong. Even if it was a ¡®defense expense fee,¡¯ the tribute couldn¡¯t continue indefinitely. Sooner orter, discontent would arise within Shandong, and when the shock of ¡®The Invincible Sword¡¯ wore off, there would be a coup. ¡®Well¡­ even if that happens, I can suppress them again with force, but that would mean losing a buffer zone.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t afford to forget. Before the reset, China¡¯s poption was a staggering 1.42 billion, and Shandong, with its 100 million people, was the only friendly region. Failing to maintain a cooperative rtionship with Shandong would mean that all the selected strongmen from the 1.42 billion people would head straight for Korea. ¡®With North Korea almost destroyed, the northern border is virtually open. So I must at least secure this area well.¡¯ After some consideration, Yeongwoo asked the two Shandong strongmen. ¡°Suddenly paying the defense expense fee might feel like a loss, right? Is there anything I can do to help in return?¡± The ¡®Two Evils¡¯ exchanged nces before carefully speaking up. ¡°Well¡­ could we ask for one favor?¡± ¡°Of course. Anything.¡± When Yeongwoo nodded readily, the Two Evils made a bold request. ¡°Could you turn Beijing into a sea of blood?¡± ¡°What? What kind of sea?¡± * * * Beijing. Also known as Peking. The capital of China and a well-known wealthy area, it was once a city only essible to the upper ss. It was akin to Pyongyang in North Korea. And more importantly, it was home to the Great Hall of the People, a symbol of power. Yet they were asking to turn such a city into a sea of blood¡­ ¡®Is it anger towards the upper ss or the party?¡¯ When he was tasked with assassinating Kim Jong-un, it made sense for various reasons, but this request was somewhat puzzling. ¡°What¡¯s in Beijing?¡± When Yeongwoo asked for rification, Wu Qingjin lowered his voice and replied. ¡°That person is in Beijing.¡± ¡°That person¡­?¡± Yeongwoo still seemed confused. Zhang Jaham, appearing to have made a decision, approached Yeongwoo. ¡°It¡¯s Im Dupyeong.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Im Dupyeong. [PR/N: Talked with the tl, searched on google for hours, and this is a fucking euphenism for that one president of china who removed term from constitution of china in 2018.] He was the President of China right before the reset, essentially a dictator. By removing the term limit use from the Chinese constitution, he had maintained his position as the top leader for over a decade. ¡°Im Dupyeong is in Beijing? In what capacity?¡± The dictator of 1.42 billion people, Im Dupyeong. There was no way he survived the extinction vote during the reset. ¡®Then is he staying in Beijing as a mutant? Is that even possible?¡¯ Considering the case of Kim Jong-un, it wasn¡¯t entirely impossible. But for a former dictator to upy a city alive, he would have had to overpower all the local martial artists. Yet Shandong Province was intact, and he had even encountered the Dandong Three Swords who had crossed the border from North Korea. ¡®So, not all the experts in China were wiped out¡­ Is Im Dupyeong just too strong for anyone to deal with?¡¯ As Yeongwoo pondered various hypotheses to make sense of the situation, Zhang Jaham provided an answer. ¡°You don¡¯t quite understand, do you?¡± ¡°No. If Im Dupyeong is really upying Beijing, how are you all still alive? If he were a mutant, he would have¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s not a mutant.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Im Dupyeong is not a mutant; he¡¯s human.¡± ¡°That¡­ what do you mean?¡± It was rare for Yeongwoo to look puzzled, but an even rarer event was unfolding in the Chinese capital. ¡°President Im Dupyeong survived the extinction vote.¡± ¡°How is that possible? So, he was a candidate but didn¡¯t get enough votes to be eliminated? That doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°Well, none of us have ever been candidates. But if it happened, it must be possible.¡± ¡°Good grief.¡± Yeongwoo covered his mouth in shock. It was beyond his imagination. Even assuming he somehow passed the extinction vote, what about the subsequent individual filter stage? He would have faced at least tens of millions of killing attempts. ¡®No, maybe even hundreds of millions.¡¯ And Im Dupyeong had survived all those attempts. How many karma points did he have? ¡®The world really is vast.¡¯ As Yeongwoo marveled inwardly, Zhang Jaham cleared his throat and continued. ¡°And there is a crucial reason why you must conquer Beijing.¡± ¡°¡­What is it?¡± ¡°We are already paying tribute to Beijing.¡± ¡°What, you¡¯ve been sending my money to Beijing?¡± [PR/N: Yeah buddy, YOUR money.] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 236 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 236: The Invincible Sword (3) The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. The highest practical authority in China before the reset, and thisrgely remained unchanged after the reset. Surprisingly, Im Dupyeong, the President and General Secretary of the Central Committee, had survived. Of course, a President is only meaningful as long as the ¡®state¡¯ exists. Due to the reset, the entire country had turned into awless zone, and dozens ofrge regions had escaped the Party¡¯s control, rendering the title of President Im Dupyeong effectively meaningless. So Im Dupyeong¡¯s policy of regaining power from his base in Beijing was ¡®One China.¡¯ ¡°One China? Isn¡¯t that something they advocated before?¡± Yeongwoo tilted his head as he made a remark, to which Zhang Jaham agreed. ¡°Yes. But now it means something different. Because China is no longer one.¡± It¡¯s not even a federal state. Even in Shandong Province, rtively close to Beijing, they were trying to kill the President using an expert from Korea. In a way, the reset had given the people their freedom. Before the reset, the idea of killing the nation¡¯s leader was unthinkable. ¡°Is Im Dupyeong that strong? So strong that multiple regions can¡¯t do anything?¡± ¡°That we don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­?¡± ¡°We only know that he exists; we¡¯ve never met him directly.¡± ¡°What? So, you¡¯re paying tribute to someone you¡¯ve never even met?¡± Yeongwoo asked incredulously, and this time Wu Qingjin spoke while looking south. ¡°The ones who notified us of the collection are the members of the Central Politburo. They are Im Dupyeong¡¯s hands and feet.¡± And ording to Wu Qingjin, they couldn¡¯tst even three rounds against them. Thus, it was clear that Im Dupyeong, whomanded them, was the strongest expert in Chinese history. ¡®If nothing else, that much is certain.¡¯ Yeongwoo also agreed with Wu Qingjin to arge extent. Even without considering the martial skills of those so-called Politburo members, it was clear that Im Dupyeong was strong. [PR/N: Politburo is the principal policymakingmittee of amunist party.] ¡®It¡¯s a mystery why he wasn¡¯t filtered out in the first phase of the vote, and even more so in the second phase. How did he survive all those assassinations? Did he really have hundreds of millions of karma points?¡¯ If that were the case, then as Wu Qingjin said, Im Dupyeong would be the strongest expert in history. Imagine blocking countless assassinations and taking the remaining karma points to the exchange. Im Dupyeong might have started with hundreds of millions of karma from day one of the reset. ¡®None of this makes any sense.¡¯ Even Yeongwoo, who had visited dungeons on aliens multiple times, couldn¡¯t fathom the background of Im Dupyeong. ¡°So, how much tribute have you been paying to Beijing?¡± Yeongwoo asked about the tribute amount, and Wu Qingjin suddenly hesitated, looking at Yeongwoo nervously. ¡°That is¡­¡± ¡°How much is it?¡± When Yeongwoo slightly raised his voice, Zhang Jaham kneeled again as if to share the damage. ¡°Thirty million per day, Master Jeong!¡± ¡°Man, these guys have such cheap knees.¡± Thirty million per day. That¡¯s ten million more than the defense expense fee Yeongwoo had demanded. ¡®No wonder they were willing to pay up so easily.¡¯ There was indeed a reason. From Shandong¡¯s perspective, it was a ten million gain to make a pact with Yeongwoo. ¡°So, you asked me to do something about Beijing just because of money.¡± Yeongwoo said this with a somewhat disappointed look, and Zhang Jaham, still kneeling, made a fist and spoke. ¡°That¡¯s not it! Im Dupyeong is a dictator¡­ We would have had to rebel against him someday.¡± ¡°But you said you couldn¡¯tst even three rounds against the Politburo members, right? How can you be sure I can defeat someone whomands such monsters?¡± It¡¯s a hard question to counter. But the two masters of Shandong overcame this conundrum with a touch of romanticism. ¡°Invincible Sword¡­!¡± ¡°We believe that Master Jeong can surely do it!¡± Their gazes were fixed on the ¡®Golden Trail¡¯ shining behind Yeongwoo. Not only was Yeongwoo himself at an invincible level, but even the automatic hunting greatsword he wielded appeared to be a marvel to the Chinese. Without understanding its mechanism, it seemed no different from swordsmanship performed with telekinesis. In other words, Yeongwoo was now a superhuman who had reached the realms of invincible swordsmanship, automatic healing, and an immortal body. Therefore, the two masters of Shandong had no choice but to bet that Yeongwoo could take Im Dupyeong¡¯s head. ¡®What started as just wanting to pull some foreign currency has blown up into something huge.¡¯ Yeongwoo scratched his chin. Of course, if Im Dupyeong was really alive and still enforcing ¡®One China,¡¯ he would eventually be an opponent Yeongwoo had to face. He was, after all, a thief who had dared to plunder China¡¯s assets. Thanks to the doctrine of territoriality, his presence was already significant enough that Im Dupyeong wouldn¡¯t just sit back and watch. ¡°First, let¡¯s cut off that tribute. When do theye to collect it?¡± When Yeongwoo asked this, Zhang Jaham bowed his head. ¡°There¡¯s no fixed time, but¡­ they usuallye between five and six in the afternoon.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± It seemed that they started collecting after solving all the mutant problems. ¡®Thisplicates the routes a bit.¡¯ Yeongwoo blinked as he quickly spun his thoughts. Today¡¯s essential task was to return to Gangnam before 1 PM to deal with the mutants. And if possible, he had to inform about the defense expense fee issue of Shandong Province beforehand. He needed to get the money through a trustworthy person. ¡®Then I¡¯ll have to return to Shandong Province around 5 PM to meet the collection team. Looks like I¡¯ll have to collect today¡¯s defense expense fee myself.¡¯ However, this was contingent upon being able to subdue the collection team without any issues. Coincidentally, it seemed he would have his skills tested from the very day the agreement was made. ¡°¡­¡­¡± As Yeongwoo calmly scanned the hundreds of people with fearful faces by the seaside, Wu Qingjin cautiously opened his mouth. ¡°Master, what are your thoughts? We can¡¯t pay tribute to both sides. 50 million is far toorge an amount.¡± His implication was clear: if Yeongwoo did not intend to fight Im Dupyeong, it would be difficult to pay the defense expense fee. And this was, of course, a reasonable statement. If peace could not be maintained, why should they pay the defense expense fee? So Yeongwoo said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. From today onwards, you only need to pay me 20 million karma.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Arge thief instead of a colossal one. Nevertheless, the two masters of Shandong couldn¡¯t hide their relief. Politically and financially, it was better to make an agreement with Korea¡¯s Strongest Sword to deal with their own dictator. ¡°Then, when will the decisive battle with Im Dupyeong be¡­¡­?¡± Wu Qingjin, already eager for the oue of the agreement, asked, and Yeongwoo shook his head. ¡°If Im Dupyeong truly survived the vote, his martial prowess must be immense. So, I need to meet him at my full strength.¡± First, he needed to handle the mutants in Seoul and then think carefully. Could he surely win against Im Dupyeong? ¡®I only have one life, so I must be cautious.¡¯ As Yeongwoo was steeling his resolve and taking a deep breath, an unexpected notification shed across his vision. *sh!* ¡¸Our national title, Strongest Sword of Gimhae, has been stolen!¡¹ ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Having only ever stolen others¡¯ assets, this was Yeongwoo¡¯s first time seeing a notification about being stolen from. ¡°What? Wait, Gimhae means¡­¡± Gimhae. In Korea, the name ¡°Gimhae¡± refers to Gimhae County in Busan Metropolitan City. It happened to be the time when ¡®Pangaea¡¯ was active as well. Something major had urred in Busan. And soon. *Taang!* A loud warning sound rang, and for the first time since the reset, an rm of territoriality for South Korea was triggered. ¡ºTerritorialism: South Korea¡» | The assets of South Korea have been stolen! The location of the invader is now revealed. Track them down and punish them. * * * At the same time, in Cheongsapo, Haeundae-gu, Busan. The Strongest Sword of Busan, Kang Gyowon, sensed that something was seriously wrong. Not just because the head of the Strongest Sword of Gimhae, Park Seongjoon, had been cut off in one blow. ¡°Waaah!¡± ¡°Kyahhh!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] The difference in individualbat power wasn¡¯t that significant, but the sheer number of enemies was overwhelming. ¡°How did they gather so many?¡± Even the mere sight of nearly thirty swordmasters and Strongest Swords from various regions of Japan was staggering. In contrast, the total number of the Southern Alliance gathered today was only eleven. The Southern Alliance thought they were well-prepared, but Japan hade ready for a full-scale war. Especially, the giant who had just beheaded Gimhae¡¯s head was imposing. ¡°Haaaah!¡± This man, standing at least 2 meters tall, easily beheaded Donggu¡¯s Strongest Sword who rushed in for revenge and locked eyes with Gyowon. ¡ºYamaguchi Swordmaster¡» ¡®A swordmaster. So that¡¯s a higher title. The swordsmen are rtively weaker.¡¯ It was evident just by seeing Ulsan¡¯s Strongest Sword, Kim Chaena, battling three swordsmen nearby. Of course, Ulsan was known to be stronger than Gimhae or Donggu¡¯s Strongest Sword, but could the difference be that vast? ¡®If she fights that swordmaster, Ulsan won¡¯tst long. And more importantly¡­.¡¯ Gyowon nced around the darkened Cheongsapo, filled with the shadows of Japanese swordsmen. Swordmaster aside, they were vastly outnumbered. Staying here would be suicide. So Gyowon ultimately decided. ¡°Retreat! Withdraw from the battlefield immediately!¡± He made the call for retreat, even though he was still staring down the Yamaguchi Swordmaster. It felt like his pride was being crushed under a cigarette, but it was unavoidable. ¡°What? Retreat? Do you even know what that means?¡± As expected, Kim Chaena, who was entangled with the swordsmen, gritted her teeth and asked. Retreating from Cheongsapo meant immediately falling back to Haeundae. Essentially, retreating from here meant giving up Haeundae. However, Gyowon did not reverse his decision. Because¡ª *sh!* The troublesome swordmaster suddenly shifted his gaze towards Kim Chaena and grasped his sword tightly. ¡®He¡¯s moving again¡­!¡¯ Seeing this, Gyowon dashed in and pulled Kim Chaena out of the battlefield. ¡°Meaning? Staying here will only mean dying meaninglessly!¡± Gyowon nearly crushed Chaena¡¯s forearm as he dragged her, attempting to get out of Cheongsapo. But¡ª *Snap!* Kim Chaena shook off Gyowon¡¯s hand with incredible strength and pierced an approaching swordsman with the tip of her spear. *Thud!* ¡°Can¡¯t you see? We have no escape route. Where do you think we¡¯re going?¡± Indeed, the rear of Cheongsapo was already upied by Japanese swordsmen. Given their numbers, forming a siege wasn¡¯t difficult. ¡°Just be prepared to kill as many as possible. Someone wille to reim this ce eventually.¡± She suggested reducing the number of Japanese forces for any possible reinforcements. ¡°Damn it.¡± Unlike Chaena, who had resolved herself, Gyowon had been nning for future battles. He looked around with a grim expression. The messengers dispatched before thend masses connected would have barely reached major cities by now. Even if they seeded in persuading the Strongest Swords of those cities, by the time they arrived here¡­ ¡°You¡¯re right. Reducing their numbers is the best we can do.¡± Finally, when Gyowon¡¯s voice lost its will to survive, Chaena smirked bitterly. At that moment¡ª *ng!* The powerful swordmaster, who had been slicing through the Strongest Swords of the Southern Alliance, stood before them, looking back and forth between them. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you gather more forces? It should have been well-known that today thends would connect. Fairly speaking.¡± This was not just a matter ofbat strength but also a taunt about their preparedness. Kim Chaena furrowed her brow, pointing her spear at the man¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re an ind, but we¡¯re a penins, you idiot. We¡¯re surrounded by enemies.¡± Japan¡¯s poption was also more than twice that of Korea. Even taking that into ount, it was clear the enemy had meticulously prepared for this invasion. In the world after the reset, where asymmetrical forces were rare, the side with more swordsmen would inevitably win the war. ¡®Damn, we really lost this. We should have requested nationwide help earlier.¡¯ Just as Gyowon clenched his teeth, his pride stung by the swordmaster¡¯s provocation, a strong wind blew from behind him. *Whoosh!* Kim Chaena, who had been ring at the Yamaguchi swordmaster, saw his pupils suddenly dte in surprise. ¡°What, what¡¯s happening?¡± Unable to turn around due to keeping the swordmaster in check, Chaena asked, and soon a corpse flew in from behind. *Thud, st!* The body, as heavy as a sack of rice, crashed to the ground with arge hole in its forehead. It was a Japanese swordsman. ¡°Oh¡­!¡± Whoever it was, they were an ally from within the Korean Penins. Even if they weren¡¯t an ally, it didn¡¯t matter. As long as they were an enemy of Japan, it was enough. ¡°Who, who is it¡­?¡± Gripping her spear tightly, Kim Chaena nced sideways. She saw another spear de glimmer in her peripheral vision, apanied by a voice that sounded like it had just passed through puberty. ¡°Ah, not here either.¡± Unable to contain her curiosity, Chaena turned her head. ¡°Who, who are you looking for?¡± A towering high school student, at least two meters tall, filled her vision. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Chaena¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. The massive spear wielder surveyed the battlefield with a troubled expression. ¡°Well, if he¡¯s still alive, maybe the Seoul¡¯s Strongest Sword¡­? But he¡¯s not here, so¡­¡± Sighing, the spear wielder continued. ¡°He¡¯s either dead or neglecting his duty.¡± At this, Gyowon, who had been staring at the corpse on the ground, asked the spear wielder. ¡°Excuse me, but may I ask who you are and where youe from?¡± He asked this because he saw no title above the spear wielder¡¯s head. The unknown spearman looked around at the Japanese swordsmen surrounding them, then violently thrust his red spear into the ground. *Thud!* ¡°The Japanese invaders have attacked, and many towns have fallen. The people, unustomed to fighting, could not withstand their des.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°1592-1598, the Imjin War. I still remember the passage because it was a question onst week¡¯s exam.¡± Then, leaving the members of the Southern Alliance behind, he took a step forward alone. ¡°Allow me to introduce myself. I am Kang Yechan, the Strongest Spear of Gyeongbuk. And I am an anti-Japanese advocate.¡± [PR/N: OFFICIAL RACISM?] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 237 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 237: The Invincible Sword (4) ¡°The Strongest Spear of North Gyeongsang¡­?¡± ¡°Is there such a thing as the Strongest Spear?¡± ¡°No way. Titles are fixed.¡± The Strongest Sword of the Southern Union murmured among themselves. Not only was this the first time they had heard of the title ¡®Strongest Spear,¡¯ but also the fact that the person before them didn¡¯t have anything indicating his title above his head was odd. Of course, they couldn¡¯t question the person who hade to save them. And this was also the position of Ulsan¡¯s Strongest Sword, Kim Chaena, who prided herself as a master of the spear. ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re saying you¡¯re from North Gyeongsang?¡± She asked cautiously. The self-proimed Strongest Spear of North Gyeongsang, Kang Yechan, grinned widely and replied. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a direct disciple of the Strongest Sword of Gumi, Jeong Yeongwoo.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ I see.¡± Chaena forced an awkward smile. She had responded out of politeness since he proudly mentioned his master, but she had never heard of the name before. ¡®And Gumi¡­ isn¡¯t that a rather small city?¡¯ A seemingly unremarkable spearman who followed someone called the Strongest Sword of Gumi. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Chaena looked at the tall high school student skeptically. He seemed to have enhanced his physique with karma, but theck of any title continued to bother her. ¡®From what I saw earlier, he doesn¡¯t seem tock skill.¡¯ He had killed a Japanese swordsman with a single strike, indicating he wasn¡¯t ordinary. Even if that strike had been purely ¡®luck.¡¯ However, there were still nearly thirty Japanese swordsmen present, and particrly¡­ ¡ºYamaguchi Sword Emperor¡» Among them was the Yamaguchi Sword Emperor, who had already cut down two of the Union¡¯s Strongest Sword. ¡®It¡¯s really great that he came to risk his life for us¡­ but can he actually win this fight?¡¯ No matter how high his abilities were, a nameless person with no title couldn¡¯t possibly defeat someone as skilled as the Sword Emperor. Nameless warriors couldn¡¯t receive thebat guides from regional swordsmanship. As dozens of swordsmen surrounding them exuded killing intent and readied their weapons, Chaena asked with a desperate tone. ¡°Are more peopleing?¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s just me. There aren¡¯t many people left in North Gyeongsang.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Chaena¡¯s expression twisted in dismay. ¡°What about your master, the Strongest Sword of Gumi?¡± ¡°If he¡¯s not here, I don¡¯t know. He might still be in Seoul, or¡­¡± Dead. Chaena recalled what this spearman had said when he first appeared. He mentioned that the person he was looking for was either the Strongest Sword of Seoul by now or had died. ¡®Then he must be dead. I haven¡¯t heard of a Strongest Sword of Seoul or even a Strongest Sword of Gumi.¡¯ Despair clouded her vision. Meanwhile, the Yamaguchi Sword Emperor pointed his sword at Yechan with a sneering smile. ¡°You people are truly pathetic. The Strongest Sword of Busan hiding behind a child.¡± He was referring to Kang Gyowon, the most prominent figure among them, the Strongest Sword of Busan. ¡°You bastard.¡± Gyowon growled and charged forward, but he was stopped before he could get far. Yechan grabbed his shoulder. ¡°Stay put, old man.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± The immense strength he felt on his shoulder was shocking. Gyowon, who like Chaena didn¡¯t expect much from the self-proimed Strongest Spear, was taken aback. ¡®What the¡­ why is this high schooler so strong?¡¯ He didn¡¯t stop because Yechan restrained him; he was forcibly held back by the overwhelming strength. Watching this, the Yamaguchi Sword Emperor rushed forward, swinging his sword. ¡°Fools. I¡¯ll take on both of you!¡± Tatat! True to his reputation as someone who had cut down the Strongest Sword of Ulsan and Dong-gu in a single strike, his movements were formidable. And most importantly¡­ ¡ºTerritorial Sovereignty: Republic of Korea¡» | Assets of the Republic of Korea have been stolen! The intruder¡¯s location is now revealed. Pursue and punish them. The red sword-shaped mark of territorial sovereignty above his head was infuriating. Especially for 19-year-old Kang Yechan, who harbored the strongest anti-Japanese sentiment. ¡°I, Kang Yechan, the Strongest Spear of North Gyeongsang, will judge your sins today!¡± Swoosh! As Yechan raised his spear and took abat stance, the Yamaguchi Sword Emperor momentarilyughed. But only for a moment. Whooosh! ck energy surged from Yechan¡¯s entire body, his hair ring up like mes, leaving no one in the crowd able tough. ¡°What¡­ what is that?¡± ¡°Is he transforming?¡± The Southern Union was terrified by the sight of their ¡®ally¡¯ turning into a ck demon, while the Japanese swordsmen reacted differently. ¡°A yokai¡­?¡± ¡°A¡­ a yokai!¡± They called Yechan a yokai and began to back away. But amidst this, the leader of the invading force, the Yamaguchi Sword Emperor, showed a different reaction. ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by appearances! He¡¯s still human!¡± True to his role as the vanguard, he plunged his sword towards Yechan, whose body was now ckened. Swiish! The sword that had easily torn apart the Strongest Sword of southern Korea now aimed at the nameless spearman. ¡®Hmm, quite fast.¡¯ Yechan quickly lowered his body and swung his spear from below upwards. Swish! The Sword Emperor, who was thrusting his sword at Yechan, was lifted off the ground by the spear. ¡°You¡­!¡± Contrary to the Sword Emperor¡¯s expectation of a direct sh of des, Yechan used his long reach to lift him into the air. Like a rhinoceros beetle. Whoosh! The Yamaguchi Sword Emperor, momentarily airborne, tried to regain his posture. However. Swish! Yechan, as if waiting for this moment, thrust his spear, giving the Sword Emperor no chance to recover. Thud! In an instant, the spearhead pierced the Sword Emperor¡¯s chest. Ssh! Blood spurted from the Sword Emperor¡¯s back, sttering the surrounding swordsmen with red dots. Drip! At this, the remaining Japanese swordsmen, already intimidated by the bizarre appearance of the spearman, saw their will shrink to the size of a pea. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] The moment their leader was killed in one strike, they turned from invaders into fleeing enemies. Moreover. ¡°Take my spear, you Japanese bastards¡­!¡± With newfound confidence after killing the Sword Emperor in one blow, Yechan began to rampage. Swish! Charging at the remaining swordsmen, still with the Sword Emperor¡¯s body impaled on his spear. ¡°The¡­ the Emperor¡­!¡± ¡°You insolent bastard!¡± This was a great provocation for the Japanese, who held the honor of their leaders in high regard, but the problem was. Smash! The martial prowess of the spearman, who was desecrating their leader, was extraordinarily high. About a dozen swordsmen attacked to retrieve the Emperor¡¯s body, but all became corpses in less than five exchanges. Thanks to this, what remained in Cheongsapo was now¡­ ¡®Half the numberpared to the beginning. This means¡­ there¡¯s a chance of victory!¡¯ Kang Gyowon, seeing the noticeably reduced number of Japanese swordsmen surrounding them, gripped his sword tightly. Honestly, the monstrous spearman seemed capable of sweeping up the rest by himself, but Gyowon had a gut feeling that letting him do so would be a mistake. No matter how much of an enemy they were, someone who could desecrate a corpse without a second thought couldn¡¯t be in their right mind. If the spearman resolved this battle alone, who knew what he might demand afterward. ¡°Let¡¯s fight too! After all, this is our territory!¡± Gyowon shouted courageously, lifting his sword, and Yechan, still hunting swordsmen with the Emperor¡¯s body on his spear, turned to look at him. Then, in a bandit-like tone, he warned. ¡°Don¡¯t try to join in and get hurt. If you¡¯re bored, prepare your ransom in advance.¡± ¡°R¡­ ransom? What do you mean by that?¡± Gyowon asked, bewildered, and Yechan¡¯s fearsome face, shrouded in ck mes, turned cold. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for me, Busan would have fallen, right? So you owe me your lives.¡± ¡°Wh¡­ what kind of logic is that? Even among fellow Koreans¡­!¡± Gyowon protested, emphasizing nationalism, and Yechan pointed his finger to the sky. ¡°My master would have done the same. I¡¯m just doing what I was taught. If you don¡¯t like it, beat me in a fight or bring my master here.¡± ¡°Who is this master of yours¡­!¡± * * * At the same time, on the outskirts of Yongin. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s this?¡± Startled by the Territorialism Mark, Yeongwoo hurriedly stopped Negwig on its tracks. -Screech! The mark that had been clearly visible in his sight just moments ago had suddenly disappeared. ¡°Where did the mark go?¡± Yeongwoo turned around and asked, but neither the Golden Goblin nor Pofu Tenta could provide any useful answers. ¡°Is it dead?¡± Yeongwoo began to specte on his own. ¡°How many rms went off earlier? I think there were two.¡± Gijang and Dong-gu. Yeongwoo remembered correctly; there had indeed been two rms. ¡°So, there were some strong opponents on the Japanese side, but they must have been killed by someone.¡± Since the Territorialism hadn¡¯t reactivated, it meant there had been no additional casualties on their side. ¡®It¡¯s frustrating not having amunicationwork. If there aren¡¯t any major issues in Busan, it¡¯s better for me to head back to Seoul.¡¯ Busan was a concern, but by 1 PM, mutants were expected to appear all over Seoul. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ The current time was around 10 AM. With about three hours left before the mutants appeared, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t be sure he¡¯d make it back to Seoul on time if he rushed to Busan now. Negwig couldn¡¯t maintain a full sprint indefinitely, after all. ¡®Busan seems to be either in a stalemate or in a winnable situation, so leaving it alone could be an option.¡¯ But the fact that the opponent was Japan made Yeongwoo uneasy. Imagine if Japan upied the southern tip of the Korean Penins because he left Busan unattended and then started advancing north. ¡®¡­That can¡¯t be allowed.¡¯ So, what should he do? Yeongwoo naturally looked up at the sky. This time, it had nothing to do with Dogo¡¯s advertisement; it was purely personal. But what if he sincerely prayed for a solution? Maybe the advertisers would offer some help. ¡®It feels like I¡¯m asking for too much to make the impossible happen.¡¯ Despite thinking this, Yeongwoo had already spread his arms towards the sky. He was ready to pronounce ¡®Dogo¡¯ in a transcendentnguage if necessary. Just as Dogo, the universal weapon brand, was on the verge of being reduced to a mere errand service in this cosmic scale¡­ sh! A signal came from the sky first. ¡°Oh?¡± A small token shot down in front of Yeongwoo¡¯s chest along with a streak of light. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± When Yeongwoo picked up the mysterious token, a tooltip appeared before his eyes. ¡¸Zargal Cross-section Token¡¹ ¨C One-way ticket ¡¾You can board the Guppy Express.¡¿ |Fee: 13 million Karma ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Upon seeing this, Yeongwoo immediately understood. Dogo, for the sake of its corporate image, couldn¡¯t intervene directly, so they were providing indirect assistance. ¡®If I really want to go to Busan, they¡¯re saying to use my own money, not thepany¡¯s.¡¯ And the price was¡­ ¡®13 million for a one-way trip.¡¯ Not a round trip, just a one-way ride on the Guppy Express cost a whopping 13 million Karma. * Avable Karma: 23,538,500 Yeongwoo currently had 23.5 million Karma. ¡®Are they crazy? If I take this, I¡¯ll only have 10 million left.¡¯ But to save the citizens of Busan from the Japanese des¡­ what did money matter? Pop! Ultimately, Yeongwoo held the token high in the air and shouted. ¡°Is it okay if I pay once I arrive in Busan? I¡¯ll make the money quickly and pay you back!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 238 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 238: The Twin Evils of Joseon (1) [TL/N: The title actually says ¡®Twin Peaks¡¯ but i took the creative liberty to name it ¡®Twin Evils¡¯ so don¡¯t hate me hehe.] The price of a life. How can anyone dare to put a price on a human life? But in this world, it was entirely possible. ¡®If you¡¯re really about to die, you¡¯d pay anything to stay alive¡­¡¯ For Yechan, this was a valuable lesson and experience. ¡®Other people must feel the same way. If you¡¯ve saved someone¡¯s life, you deserve somepensation.¡¯ And the person who taught him this was: ¡°How much of your 170,000 karma are you willing to give me for your life?¡± Jeong Yeongwoo07. The first adult Yechan met in this reset world, and the man who first demanded a life price from him. In hindsight, it wasn¡¯t normal for Jeong Yeongwoo to be extorting money from a high school student on the first day of the reset. But when it mattered most, he made a remarkably magnanimous choice. He chose the ¡°30,000 karma supply,¡± an option no one had selected before, over the mutation eradication reward. ¡®Giving up 3 million karma on the first day of the reset¡­ Could I have done that?¡¯ Yechan had only spent a day with Jeong Yeongwoo, the Strongest Sword of Gumi. A day is far too short to truly know someone. Yet, Yechan considered Jeong Yeongwoo his teacher because of the Golden Ratio incident. Whether intentional or not, Jeong Yeongwoo always seeded in achieving good results. ¡®I want to be like him. He seems weak but isn¡¯t actually weak, and though he appears impulsive, he sees farther ahead than anyone.¡¯ Maybe he was idolizing him too much. But it didn¡¯t matter. To Yechan, Jeong Yeongwoo was now an ideal figure. A textbook on how to survive in this world, the epitome of a survivor. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Thinking of the now distant figure of Jeong Yeongwoo, Yechan stabbed his spear into the back of the Japanese swordsman crawling on the ground. Thud! The man let out a groan and copsed, his face buried in the dirt. ¡®My first kill is a Japanese. It feels somewhat significant.¡¯ Yechan looked around at the now quiet surroundings, having just finished off thest of his enemies. A battle against thirty opponents. Normally, it would be an impossible feat, but not for Yechan. He had monopolized the mutants in most of North Gyeongsang and parts of Chungcheongbuk-do and Chungcheongnam-do, making his overall stats immense. And the number of merchants he had encountered was iparable to other Strongest Swords. ¡®Just five days of intense training made such a difference? There don¡¯t seem to be many strong people around.¡¯ He had been facing ten mutants a day, almost never encountering another person. So he had an unrealistic view of other Strongest Swords, but today, that illusion shattered. sh, stab! Yechan silently went around stabbing the corpses of the Japanese with his spear, causing Kim Chaena, who had been watching in a daze, to ask cautiously. ¡°What¡­ what are you doing?¡± ¡°Confirming they¡¯re dead. What are we going to do with these bodies? We can¡¯t bury them on ournd, so we should burn them or something, right?¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± Chaena was taken aback by the unexpected suggestion. ¡°We can¡¯t just leave the invaders¡¯ bodies here.¡± It was unthinkable to bury the invaders¡¯ bodies in their preciousnd, so Yechan suggested burning them or disposing of them in the sea. ¡°Well, that¡¯s true, but¡­¡± ¡°Burning all these bodies?¡± The Strongest Swords of the Southern Alliance looked troubled. Wham! Suddenly, a loud noise came from the sky. ¡°What is it now?¡± ¡°Could it be reinforcements?¡± ¡°The sound ising from the sky.¡± As someone pointed out, the mysterious noise was indeeding from the sky. Given the current situation, it couldn¡¯t be an airne, so logically, it was either a mutant appearance or something extraterrestrial. ¡®But it¡¯s not time for mutants to appear, and it¡¯s even less likely for a merchant to show up now.¡¯ Even Yechan, now self-proimed the Strongest Spear in North Gyeongsang, looked up at the sky with a tense expression. He could handle any enemy on the ground, but an unknown presence descending from the sky was unpredictable. ¡®What¡¯sing? Did Japan have something more?¡¯ Given the circumstances, he could only assume it was a follow-up unit from Japan. So Yechan, Thud! He gripped his spear firmly and took a throwing stance, ready to intercept whatever it was. And shortly after, Boom! A massive cloud in the sky burst open, and from within, Wham! A clunky machine, resembling a mine elevator, fell. ¡°Wha¡ª?¡± ¡°What, what is that?¡± ¡°Japan! Isn¡¯t it the Japanese military?¡± Although they still didn¡¯t know exactly what it was, everyone could see that the elevator was filled with something, so naturally, all eyes turned to Yechan. He was the one who had decided to collect a price for their lives. Now was the time for him to earn that money. ¡°Quickly, do something!¡± ¡°Hurry up! The Strongest Spear of Gyeongbuk!¡± The people of the Southern Alliance urged Yechan, calling out a title that didn¡¯t even exist. At this moment, Yechan: ¡°Hoo.¡± He held his breath and aimed the tip of his spear at the problematic elevator. And finally, Whoosh! He swung his right arm strongly, sending the spear flying. Swoosh! The red spear flew with a sound like a fighter jet taking off. Having seen Yechan single-handedly ughter thirty Japanese soldiers, no one in the Southern Alliance doubted the power of the spear. Even Yechan didn¡¯t think his attack would fail. However, Swoosh¡­! Yechan¡¯s spear, which made a fierce sound as it pierced the air, suddenly vanished as soon as it touched the inside of the elevator. It neither pierced through the elevator nor bounced off. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°What? Where did the spear go?¡± While everyone was looking around for the suddenly disappeared spear, Yechan alone broke out in a cold sweat. ¡®¡­No way. This can¡¯t be happening.¡¯ People thought the spear had disappeared, but it only looked that way because the elevator was falling rapidly. In reality¡­ ¡®Did someone actually catch my spear? From inside?¡¯ As Yechan stared in disbelief, the mysterious elevator crashed into the middle of Cheongsapo. Boom! And from inside, enormous aliens with reddish skin began to pour out. Rumble¡­ The sight of them rolling out like boulders made the Strongest Swords of the Southern Alliance instinctively step back, including Yechan. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± He had to struggle to keep his right foot, which was unconsciously trying to retreat, nted in ce. But still, his primary weapon, the spear, was inside that elevator. ¡®I¡¯m confident I can fight better than anyone without a weapon¡­¡¯ But that was only against other humans. Especially since inside that elevator was an expert who had easily caught the spear he threw. Was it just luck? No. It couldn¡¯t be. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Just as Yechan was about to ask Kim Chaena, the Strongest Swordswoman of Ulsan, to lend him her spear, Step! He heard a different kind of footstep from inside the elevator. A sound like someone walking barefoot on the floor. ¡°Uh¡­?¡± Yechan, sensing a familiar sound, turned his head back toward the elevator, and soon an unexpected voice came from within. ¡°Is this the only weapon you have?¡± A human voice. No, it was a voice that couldn¡¯t be described simply as human. ¡°¡­Huh? Huh?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] As Yechan, almost in a daze, took one hesitant step after another toward the elevator, the figure inside finally emerged. Holding the red spear that Yechan had thrown in his left hand. Step! A man, half-naked except for the pants he was wearing. However, the title above his head overwhelmed everyone present. ¡ºStrongest Sword of Joseon¡» ¡°Joseon¡­?¡± ¡°What kind of title is that?¡± The Strongest Swords of the Southern Alliance widened their eyes. Some of them were already cautiously putting away their drawn weapons. Having confirmed that the Strongest Sword of Joseon was holding the weapon thrown by the self-proimed Strongest Spear of Gyeongbuk, Kang Yechan, they quickly realized that someone far more skilled had appeared. Even bringing along aliens who were clearly not ordinary beings. Meanwhile, Yechan: ¡°Ah, Uncle? Is it really you?¡± Still in disbelief, he continued to approach the elevator. And then, -Kwaah! The reddish aliens, the Mon-O Warriors, who had previously jumped out of the elevator, blocked his way. ¡°¡­?¡± Yechan red at them momentarily, but the Mon-O Warriors responded with unyielding, rock-like gazes. They really felt like literal rocks, or more urately, immense walls. It felt like not only would he not be able to defeat these guys in a fight, but he wouldn¡¯t even be able to scratch them with his spear. ¡®Are these guys the uncle¡¯s bodyguards?¡¯ If so, what kind of being had ¡°uncle¡± be tomand such monsters? ¡°Let him through. He¡¯s a very close colleague of mine.¡± When Yeongwoo, standing in front of the elevator, said this, the Mon-O Warriors, who had exuded a paralyzing sense of intimidation just moments before, stepped back and made way. Rumble. At this moment, Yechan realized. In just five days, Uncle had ascended to a level that ordinary Strongest Swords couldn¡¯t even dream of reaching. ¡®I knew he wasn¡¯t an ordinary person¡­!¡¯ Indeed, he was someone worthy of being a mentor and role model. ¡°Uncle!¡± Finally, Yechan ran down the wide path opened by the Mon-O Warriors to his mentor in this insane world, Jeong Yeongwoo. Tap tap! Yeongwoo also spread his arms to wee the boy who had been his firstpanion. ¡°Oh, yeah¡­!¡± p! With his arms wide open, Yeongwoo rolled his eyes in thought. Exhausted from the journey, he couldn¡¯t exactly remember the boy¡¯s name who was approaching with such a happy face. ¡®Chan? What was it? Ohchan?¡¯ But the boy was already right in front of him, so Yeongwoo decided to go with it. Hug! He tightly embraced Yechan, letting half of the name drift away in the air. ¡°¡­Chan! You¡¯re alive!¡± ¡°Uncle¡­!¡± It was an emotional reunion between mentor and student. ¡°What have you been up to all this time? What is all this?¡± Yechan asked, looking around at the elevator and the Mon-O Warriors, and Yeongwoo scratched his chin. ¡°Well¡­ A lot of things happened.¡± Then, as if he had just remembered, he handed the spear he was holding in his left hand back to Yechan. ¡°What about you? What have you been doing? You¡¯ve gotten incredibly strong.¡± Yeongwoo was equally surprised by Yechan¡¯s state. When he had caught the spear earlier, he had sensed that Yechan¡¯s total ability level was a staggering 7,000 through his sensory deprivation technique. Judging by the power of the flying spear, it was clear that his strength was abnormally high. This meant Yechan¡¯s average ability level far exceeded Yeongwoo¡¯s. ¡°Well, I¡­¡± Yechan couldn¡¯t hide his smile after being praised by his mentor. However, their conversation couldn¡¯t continue. -Kwaah! One of the Mon-O Warriors approached Yeongwoo and tapped his shoulder with a blunt finger. Yechan immediately furrowed his brows and red at the Mon-O Warrior. ¡°What is this, rude fellow?¡± Even though they were aliens unaware of Earth¡¯s customs, how dare they touch his revered mentor¡¯s body without permission? ¡°What are these guys?¡± Yechan, showing his displeasure, asked his mentor, the Strongest Sword of Joseon, Jeong Yeongwoo, who covered his mouth and whispered to Yechan. ¡°Be quiet!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to get beaten up by them, stay quiet.¡± ¡°What? Aren¡¯t they your subordinates?¡± ¡°No. I hitched a ride on credit.¡± ¡°On credit?¡± Yechan, startled, inadvertently raised his voice, and Yeongwoo grabbed his shoulder tightly. Then he nced at the people of the Southern Alliance, who were staring at them with frightened faces. ¡°We need to collect some money from those people to pay for the fare.¡± ¡°Fare¡­?¡± Yechan looked at the Mon-O Warriors and then at the elevator that had fallen from the sky. Then he sighed deeply. ¡°How much is the fare?¡± ¡°13¡­ no, 15.¡± ¡°150000 Karma? What¡¯s the problem¡­?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s in the tens of millions.¡± ¡°What? So, 15 million?¡± At the unimaginable fare, Yechan eximed loudly. In contrast, Yeongwoo responded with a puzzled expression. ¡°Why? There are so many Strongest Swords here. If you collect 1.5 million per person¡­¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± Yechan scratched his chin and whispered to Yeongwoo. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to collect some money too. Isn¡¯t double-charging a bit too much?¡± ¡°What? What money are you collecting? What did you do?¡± Yeongwoo jumped at the mention of money, and Yechan pointed to the corpses of the Japanese soldiers scattered around with his finger. ¡°Oh.¡± Yeongwoo immediately understood the situation. Then he asked in a businesslike tone. ¡°How much were you nning to collect?¡± ¡°Well, 3 million¡­?¡± ¡°30? That¡¯s too much for a public service. Just collect 15 million today. Add my fare, and the total will be 30 million.¡± Yeongwoo cautiously showed three fingers near his belly button, indicating ¡®30¡¯, and this time, Yechan furrowed his brows. ¡°What are you talking about? I fought 30-to-1 and came all the way here. How can I take only 15 million?¡± ¡°How much do you make a day? No, how much tax do you pay?¡± ¡°Tax?¡± At the word ¡®tax,¡¯ Yechan faltered, and Yeongwoo, sensing an advantage, grinned wickedly. ¡°If you¡¯re unsure, take half today. In return, I¡¯ll show you the world of an interster entrepreneur.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 239 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 239: The Twin Evils of Joseon (2) The cost that the Southern Union had to pay for calling upon the two masters to defeat the Wokou was 30 million karma. [PR/N: Wokou/Wako means Japanese pirates, it sounds cooler this way.] Of course, the people of the Southern Union had never agreed to this cost. It was a figure arbitrarily set by the two scoundrels who would take the money. In fact, strictly speaking, Yeongwoo hadn¡¯t even fought the Wokou. ¡°That man didn¡¯t even fight¡­ So why should we pay?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this basically robbery? Thirty million is no joke!¡± The Strongest Swords of the Southern Union whispered among themselves, expressing their dissatisfaction. Hearing their murmurs, Yeongwoo stepped forward and shouted, ¡°Thirty million!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s arge sum. But is itrger than the lives of the citizens of Busan?¡± ¡°Well, even so, that¡¯s just too much¡­¡± When some still seemed unable to ept this, Yeongwoo changed his strategy. ¡°The thirty million you will spend is not just a one-time survival cost.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Everyone tilted their heads at his unexpected im. Wasn¡¯t this money the reward for Yechan stopping the thirty or so Wokou? But Yeongwoo¡¯s argument was entirely different. ¡°This money ensures that you survive twice.¡± ¡°Twice?¡± ¡°How does it be twice?¡± Some wondered if he meant they would be killed if they didn¡¯t pay, but Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t that much of a viin. Though he was certainly cunning enough. ¡°Half of the thirty million you will pay is for them.¡± When Yeongwoo said ¡°them,¡± pointing to the Mon-O warriors, all eyes turned to them. -Growl. Standing three meters tall, these red-skinned rock-like aliens were heavily armored and wieldingrge clubs, looking like space thugs. ¡°While stopping the enraged Chinese in Incheon, we realized the Japanese were invading. But as you know, the distance between Incheon and Busan is enormous.¡± Thus, Yeongwoo exined, they had no choice but to borrow external, or rather extraterrestrial, help to fly over. ¡°Anyway, the important thing is this.¡± Bam! Yeongwoo pointed to the lift lying on the ground. ¡°If you don¡¯t quickly pay and send them away, you¡¯ll be fighting these aliens instead of the Wokou.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± At that moment, the Mon-O warriors made threatening gestures, striking their clubs against their palms, making everyone flinch. ¡°Are you saying they¡¯ll attack us?¡± ¡°Of course. Don¡¯t you know how violent workers can get when they don¡¯t receive their pay?¡± Yeongwoo added, ¡°Hurry and gather at least fifteen million first. Let¡¯s deal with them safely.¡± In other words, he was asking for his share of the money. Yechan, realizing Yeongwoo¡¯s true intention, looked at his mentor with wide eyes. ¡°Ah, sir¡­?¡± He was astonished by the seamless flow of deceit. But even Yechan didn¡¯t know one more fact. Which was. ¡¸Zargal Cross-section Token¡¹ ¨C One-way ticket ¡¾You can board the Guppy Express.¡¿ |Fee: 13 million Karma Double deceit. Yeongwoo had even tricked Yechan. The fare for the Guppy Express wasn¡¯t 15 million but 13 million. Therefore, the remaining 2 million would go straight into Yeongwoo¡¯s pocket. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s hurry. Everyone, open your wallets. Let¡¯s gather at least fifteen million first.¡± Yeongwoo then walked among the Strongest Swords, actively collecting money. ¡°Uh, I only have this much right now¡­¡± ¡°Really? What¡¯s in your coat pocket? Move your hand.¡± While Yeongwoo, holding ¡®Bastard¡¯ in one hand, was intimidating the Strongest Swords, Yechan realized there was still something inside the lift. ¡°What is this?¡± As Yechan approached the lift, a fairlyrge figure walked out from inside. nk, nk. It was none other than. -Squeak! A metal four-legged animal with two ves on its back. -Snicker! -Cough¡­! ¡°What on earth is this?¡± ¡°What on earth is this?¡± Yechan, startled, barely managed to steady himself before falling on his backside. Just then, Yeongwoo, who had been pouring the coins he collected from the Strongest Swords onto the ground, nced at Yechan and the four-legged creature. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a gift.¡± ¡°From whom?¡± ¡°From the sponsor.¡± ¡°Sponsor¡­?¡± Another new concept for Yechan. However, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t exin in detail because collecting money was more important at the moment. ¡°Is this all? This is a problem.¡± The money collected from all the Strongest Swords amounted to only 6.4 million karma. This was thanks to Busan¡¯s Strongest Sword, Kang Gyowon, who had a few high-value coins on him. ¡°It looks like you¡¯ll have to collect some money from your jurisdictions.¡± When Yeongwoo said this, Kang Gyowon asked cautiously, ¡°It will take quite some time to raise the funds. What about those guys?¡± He was referring to the Mon-O warriors. Yeongwoo shrugged as if he couldn¡¯t help it. ¡°We¡¯ll manage the remaining amount somehow. Just hurry up and collect the funds.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± The faces of the Southern Union, including Busan¡¯s Strongest Sword, brightened. They realized that although they would ultimately lose their money, at least they could immediately get rid of those alien thugs. ¡°Do you have any money?¡± Next, Yeongwoo began checking Yechan¡¯s bnce. But Yechan wasn¡¯t a businessman, so he didn¡¯t carryrge sums of cash. ¡°No¡­ Usually, I don¡¯t have money in the morning.¡± This was the typical case. After all, mutants and monsters dropped karma after 1 PM, so there was no need to carry money in the morning. ¡°Ah¡­ So, I¡¯m ending up doing charity work again.¡± Although he intended to get the money back somehow, it was inconvenient for Yeongwoo to see his bnce decrease because he had taxes to pay and equipment to collect. ¡°What will you do? The fare is 15 million, right? So, you still need¡­¡± 8.6 million karma. Although it was actually 6.6 million, it was still arge amount. ¡°I¡¯ll cover the shortfall for now, so get the money from them ande up to Seoul.¡± ¡°Seoul? Where should I go?¡± Called to Seoul, his master Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s base, Yechan felt his heart race without realizing it. Having lived a natural life fighting mutants in Gyeongbuk, he was finally heading to Seoul. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Come to Gangnam in Seoul. There¡¯s a hotel called the Parnas Hotel near Samseong Station. Bring the money bag there, and the staff will guide you.¡± ¡°You live in a hotel in Gangnam, giving orders to the staff?¡± ¡°Uh¡­?¡± Yeongwoo scratched his chin at this unexpectedment. Now that he thought about it, it wasn¡¯t wrong. Moreover, by the time Yechan arrived in Gangnam, Strongest Swords from all over Seoul would also be bringing their money bags to the hotel. ¡°If you time your visit right, you¡¯ll see something interesting.¡± After saying this, Yeongwoo had the golden goblin take out 6.6 million karma. The goblin opened a spatial pouch and poured out countless crimson coins. -Squeak! Clink! With the 6.4 million karma collected from the Southern Union¡¯s Strongest Swords and Yeongwoo¡¯s personal contribution of 6.6 million karma, a total of 13 million karma was handed over to the Mon-O warriors running the Guppy Express. ¡°Please give my regards to the owner of the Guppy Express.¡± When Yeongwoo greeted the Mon-O warriors collecting the coins, one of therge aliens nodded. -Growl. And at the same time, Pop! * Avable Karma: 16,938,500 Yeongwoo¡¯s bnce dropped sharply. ¡°Don¡¯t forget. Bring back 8.6 million karma.¡± Yeongwoo reiterated, and Yechan, looking toward the Japanesend connected to Cheongsapo, said, ¡°It won¡¯t take long to collect the money, but do you have somewhere else to go in the meantime?¡± After all, Yeongwoo had mentioned earlier that he was in Incheon and had hurriedly flown here. But now he said his base was in Seoul¡­ Yechan couldn¡¯t figure out his master¡¯s routine. ¡°Me? I have to go to Seoul now. The mutants there are quite formidable. So I need to be there.¡± And more importantly, with dragons starting to appear, he needed to be in Seoul at 1 PM to await his mother and uncle¡¯s appearance. ¡°Then I¡­¡± ¡°You must have your jurisdiction too, right? Sort things out there ande to Busan to get the money, then head to Seoul.¡± With these words, Yeongwoo looked above Yechan¡¯s head. ¡°Huh, there¡¯s no title?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ve never directly killed a Strongest Sword.¡± The only titles he held were those of Japanese sword emperors and masters, and those they had killed, including Gijang and Dong-gu Strongest Swords. In other words, Yechan was a pure figure who had never killed a fellow countryman. ¡°Even now, I keep getting notifications to choose a title.¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing. So, what about swordsmanship? You¡¯ve never used regional sword techniques, right?¡± ¡°Right. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been buying martial arts from merchants to use.¡± ¡°My goodness, what an incredible world this is.¡± Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but be impressed. Although it was an incredibly unlikely scenario, Yechan was living proof that one could be strong even with the title of ¡°Unknown.¡± This exemplified the initial guidance that one could transcend their innate rank. -Growl! The Mon-O warriors, having confirmed that the fare was properly paid, lined up and extended their fists toward Yeongwoo. ¡°¡­?¡± Yeongwoo, puzzled, instinctively extended his fist. Then, Tap. He bumped his fist against therge fists of the Mon-O warriors as a greeting. One by one, the Mon-O warriors who bumped fists with Yeongwoo began boarding the elevator. The fist bump was a form of farewell gesture. -Growl! Once all the Mon-O warriors had boarded the elevator, a huge chain descended from the sky, much like what Yeongwoo had seen in the dungeon the previous night, and grasped the elevator. nk, nk! Yeongwoo waved to the Guppy Express employees. ¡°See you again, Guppy Express!¡± -Growl! The Mon-O warriors responded to Yeongwoo¡¯s farewell with a thumbs-up, just like Guppy would. Then, Whoosh! Following the rapidly retracting chain, they disappeared beyond the sky. ¡°This is unbelievable.¡± Standing in the middle of the now-deserted Cheongsapo, Yechan stared nkly at the spot in the sky where the Guppy Express had disappeared. Just then, Yeongwoo quickly mounted Negwig and looked around Cheongsapo. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s all over now, right? I¡¯m heading to Seoul first. I barely have enough time if I hurry.¡± Though he hade with the Guppy Express and hadn¡¯t even had a proper sword fight with the Japanese raiders, he had unexpectedly met Yechan and connected with the Strongest Swords of the South, so it wasn¡¯t a loss. ¡®And I¡¯ll get my money back anyway.¡¯ While Yeongwoo checked his bnce again, Yechan nced at the spot where the elevator had been. The bodies of the Japanese raiders were so mangled that they were unrecognizable. ¡°Mister, do you happen to have any ability to burn things?¡± ¡°Huh? What are you talking about?¡± Yechan pointed to the scattered corpses. ¡°I was wondering if I should burn these or drag them into the sea.¡± ¡°Oh, really? When will you ever move all these bodies? Just erase them.¡± ¡°Erase them?¡± ¡°Wait and see.¡± From atop Negwig, Yeongwoo looked up at the sky again. Then he shouted loudly, ¡°General, are you ready?¡± ¡°General¡­?¡± The eyes of everyone, including Yechan, filled with fear again. And soon, ¡°Earth! 063, 152¡­!¡± Yeongwoo began to recite the coordinates of Busan. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 240 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 240: The Twin Evils of Joseon (3) ¡°Hey, mister! W-wait a minute!¡± As Yeongwoo was almost done calling out the coordinates, Yechan hurriedly grabbed him. Taa! ¡°Why? What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Just what do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Yechan¡¯s gaze was already directed towards the sky as he asked this. Though he didn¡¯t know exactly what, he instinctively felt that his master was about to summon something terrifying from the sky once again. ¡°You said we need to get rid of the bodies. So, I was going to erase them.¡± ¡°So, what exactly do you mean by ¡®erase¡¯¡­?¡± Yeongwoo was about to talk about theser cannon while casually looking at the corpses, thinking it was obvious. He meant that if they used theser bombardment here, the troublesome corpses would instantly evaporate, and it would also convey to the Southern Alliance people why they must prepare funds. But before that. ¡°Oh!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Hey, Chan, you did well to stop me. That was almost a big mistake.¡± ¡°W-what do you mean? By yourself.¡± ¡°The bodies. If I¡¯d requested the bombardment immediately, we would¡¯ve been in trouble. We need to collect the loot, don¡¯t we? If they get hit by the bombardment, the equipment and everything will disappear.¡± ¡°Uh¡­?¡± Only then did Yechan realize. The insane bombardment his master was about to request had the power to not only erase bodies but also equipment. ¡°You¡¯re saying the equipment would disappear?¡± ¡°Yeah, since it¡¯s not mine, I was just going to erase it.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Yechan found it hard to believe. In this world, wasn¡¯t equipment considered nearly indestructible material? That¡¯s why there was a special equipment effect specifically for destroying equipment below a certain grade. ¡°How exactly are you going to destroy the equipment?¡± ¡°With aser.¡± Swish. As Yeongwoo nonchntly pointed a finger at the air, Yechan¡¯s jaw dropped. So, when he was talking about requesting bombardment from the general or whatever, he was referring toser bombardment. ¡°Quickly gather the equipment. I won¡¯t take that away out of conscience.¡± When Yeongwoo said this, Yechan, who had been standing in a daze, btedly started scavenging the corpses of the Japanese soldiers. He realized that his master¡¯s talk about erasing equipment withser bombardment was not a joke. ¡°That¡¯s really absurd. You can destroy equipment with bombardment¡­?¡± As Yechan stripped anything that looked like equipment off the Japanese soldiers¡¯ bodies, Yeongwoo mumbled while looking at the ¡®Serpent of Greed¡¯ coiled around his wrist. ¡°If you knew who was firing that bombardment, you¡¯d find it even harder to believe.¡± Right now, Yeongwoo was using the Serpent of Greed to check if there was any loot Yechan might have missed. Though he was a bandit and a delinquent master, he genuinely cared for Yechan, who had chosen to be his disciple. That¡¯s why he was even doing something he normally wouldn¡¯t, like leaving some loot behind. ¡°Got everything? I don¡¯t have much time.¡± ¡°Y-yes. I think I got almost everything.¡± ¡°Then move back. The impact range is quite wide.¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s words, not only Yechan but also the Strongest Swords of the Southern Alliance, who were standing in line behind him, hurriedly stepped back. Then. ¡°Earth! 063, 152, 4675 17!¡± Yeongwoo finished calling out the coordinates he had started earlier, and soon. KABOOM! With a roar that seemed to tear the sky apart, aser beam really shot down from somewhere in space. Fwoosh! ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What, what is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s aser¡­!¡± The Strongest Swords instinctively took a step back as they watched the massiveser beam piercing through the sky. Even the battle-hardened Yechan stared with his mouth agape at the Japanese soldiers¡¯ corpses, which began to turn white. ¡®Is this for real? How can a person do this in just five days?¡¯ What were the limits of his master, Jeong Yeongwoo07? KABOOM! Everyone was left speechless as they watched theser beam obliterate the corpses, leaving no trace behind. At the same time. ¡®If that were to fall on our heads¡­¡¯ ¡®Its original purpose must¡¯ve been to kill people, right?¡¯ ¡®Did he say he was from Seoul? What kind of ce is Seoul?¡¯ Everyone became fearful of Jeong Yeongwoo and Seoul. It was clear to anyone that the bombardment was not just for erasing corpses but was a lethal weapon. Whoosh! Finally, theser beam that had enveloped the battlefield ceased, and as expected, nothing was left where the corpses had been scattered. ¡°Is it done now? Wrap things up ande up to Seoul.¡± Yeongwoo said this to Yechan and then added something as if he had almost forgotten. ¡°And if you have any unused equipment,e to Seoul and sell it to me.¡± ¡°Unused equipment¡­?¡± ¡°Yeah. Whatever it is, sell it to me. The more equipment I have, the stronger I get.¡± He was talking about his collection, but there was really not much time left. Taa! Yeongwoo immediately pulled the reins to move Negwig¡¯s head north and said, ¡°Since this is an important border area, I won¡¯t collect defense fees. But you must send the promised travel expenses today.¡± Although it was practically a one-sided promise, there was no reason for the Southern Alliance to not prepare the travel expenses. Hadn¡¯t everyone just seen it? The scene of theser cannon shooting down from the sky. What on earth was up there? While everyone was looking at the sky, Yeongwoo started to ride north again. * * * Day 6 of the Reset. So much had happened in that time that Yeongwoo felt like he had lived not six days but sixty. It was probably because he had lived each day divided into minutes. That was one of the few ways to survive in this crazy world. ¡®I never knew a day could be this long before.¡¯ As he watched the scenery quickly recede, Yeongwoo checked the time. Swish. Current time: 12:38 PM. In about 20 minutes, the sky would open again, and all sorts of monsters and mutants would pour down. And right now, Yeongwoo was passing through Seongnam City, the southern gateway into Gangnam. Smash, smash! Because he had been running non-stop from Busan, Negwig¡¯s speed had noticeably slowed. But Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t afford to let the creature rest. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Finally, the sky over Seoul, which was starting to be visible, was dyed red. ¡°Ah.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] That must be¡­ ¡°¡­Dragon ceremony.¡± Before the first dragon, ¡®Poison Dragon Im Kwangho,¡¯ appeared in Seoul, the sky had turned red like that. And the reason for this phenomenon was none other than to find an opponent. ¡®So, marking wasn¡¯t exclusive to the Poison Dragon. Any dragon woulde seeking an opponent.¡¯ As Yeongwoo exited Seongnam and entered the outskirts of Gangnam, he saw thunder and lightning in the blood-red sky. ¡ªHahaha! Along with a heartyugh. Theughter reverberating from the sky was undoubtedly from a high-risk mutant in Seoul on the sixth day. ¡®Another dragon ising today.¡¯ As Yeongwoo was running, looking at the blood-red sky, the voice echoed again. ¡ªNo one is stepping up? Disappointing. Hearing this, Yeongwoo could roughly guess what had been happening in Seoul. The high-risk mutant of the sixth day had been seeking an opponent long before he arrived in Seoul. But with the strongest being absent, there was no one in Seoul willing to stand against the dragon¡­ ¡®So, how long has this been going on?¡¯ Rumble! Another round of thunder and lightning struck. And a voice that seemed genuinely disappointed resounded from the sky. ¡ªIf no one steps up¡­ At this, Yeongwoo immediately raised his bastard sword high and shouted, ¡°I will!¡± ¡ª¡­? ¡°I will fight! Send the mark!¡± When Yeongwoo mentioned the ¡®mark¡¯ first, the opponent was so taken aback that they paused for a moment. After a while. ¡ª¡­Who are you? The once arrogant voice now asked cautiously. Seoul had been cowering with its head down in fear all this time. Now, suddenly, someone with a formidable aura had appeared, surprising the dragon. So, Yeongwoo pondered how to introduce himself and then borrowed the phrase from Broker Kubu. ¡°I am the master of the Bastard, the dragon yer, Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo07!¡± The reaction was immediate. ¡ªWhat? yed a dragon¡­? This indicated that the opponent, who was only projecting their voice, was also a dragon. However, having already defeated a dragon once and having broken through dungeons in space every night, dragons didn¡¯t seem that formidable to Yeongwoo. To him, a dragon was just a big lizard that would provide his next heart. Of course, there was no denying that dragons were quite strong. ¡°If you have nothing more to say, send down the mark quickly. I¡¯m busy.¡± When Yeongwoo, in a disinterested tone, demanded the next sequence of events, a voice, clearly insulted, shouted from the sky. ¡ªWhat the hell, you punk? ¡°¡­?¡± Surprised by the suddenly low-ssnguage, Yeongwoo hesitated. ¡ªDo you even know who I am to act like that? Are you not scared? Though the dragon¡¯s growl was intimidating, Yeongwoo was equally fiery. ¡°What are you saying? Aren¡¯t you just another spoiled rich kid?¡± ¡ªWhat? Stunned by the urate jab, the opponent paused momentarily before shouting in an enraged voice that shook the sky. ¡ªI am Song Taeho, the rightful heir of Jinhyeon! ¡°What?¡± Jinhyeon. The secondrgest conglomerate in the country. While the opponent mentioned it purely to refute being called a ¡°spoiled rich kid,¡± it struck Yeongwoo differently. ¡°Jinhyeon? The one where Song Jiseon is the chairwoman?¡± Jinhyeon was the family of Yeongwoo¡¯s biological mother, Song Jiseon. And as expected¡­ ¡ªSo-Song Jiseon¡­! The voice from the sky practically had a seizure at the mention of Song Jiseon¡¯s name. While the opponent imed to be the rightful heir of Jinhyeon, the actual history was entirely different. Nicknamed the ¡°Iron-Blooded Empress,¡± Song Jiseon had been the youngest of the candidates for Jinhyeon¡¯s session but had defeated her two older brothers in the battle for management rights. Yeongwoo had read articles about this. So the opponent was¡­ ¡®The eldest son of Jinhyeon Group is named Song Taeho.¡¯ The only name Yeongwoo knew from Jinhyeon Group was the famously renowned Song Jiseon. It was only after the world turned upside down that he learned the name of the family¡¯s eldest son. And in about ten minutes, he might even meet him in person. ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re saying you¡¯re the eldest son of Jinhyeon, Song Taeho?¡± When Yeongwoo asked for confirmation, the opponent marked Yeongwoo¡¯s head with the character for ¡°General.¡± Fwoosh! ¡¸General¡¹ ¡ªNow do you understand who you¡¯re daring to challenge? Still sounding quite angry, Song Taeho was met with a shocking piece of news from Yeongwoo that would immediately cool his anger. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± ¡ªWhat? You, you¡¯re obviously¡­ The master of the Bastard, the dragon yer, Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo07. But naturally, Song Taeho couldn¡¯t recall that introduction precisely. It was as absurd and surreal as his own transformation into a dragon. But Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t asking to remind him of that sentence. Snap! Yeongwoo halted Negwig and interjected his voice amidst the opponent¡¯s bewildered breathing. ¡°It¡¯ste, but let me introduce myself. I am the illegitimate child of Jinhyeon Group Chairwoman Song Jiseon.¡± ¡ª¡­¡­? ¡°And I am also the son of Kim Jeonggu. My name is Jeong Yeongwoo.¡± ¡ªSong¡­ Kim¡­ Jeong? What kind of nonsense are you talking about? Not a single surname matched among the three names. ¡ªAnd who the hell is Kim Jeonggu? Now, Song Taeho¡¯s voice wasced with displeasure. Yeongwoo could only say: ¡°He¡¯s the man who had a one-night stand with the chairwoman in her youth.¡± ¡ªWhat? Had a what? ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll see you soon, uncle.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 241 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 241: Powdered Bean (1) Uncle. From Song Taeho¡¯s perspective, if he looked at it in reverse, Yeongwoo was his nephew. A nephew born from the misdeeds of his estranged younger sister. And that nephew was coincidentally the Strongest Sword in Joseon, and had already killed a dragon once. ¡ªI¡­ I have a nephew? And not just any nephew. Jeong Yeongwoo was a powerful nephew who survived the reset world. ¡ª¡­.. Song Taeho, shocked, couldn¡¯t find the words to speak. Then, Whish! The red sky returned to its normal state, and the presence he felt beyond the clouds disappeared. ¡®He¡¯s gone?¡¯ It was probably because he used the General mark earlier, and the allowed time had run out. But soon, the mutant appearance time woulde, and they would meet again quickly. Boom, crack! Yeongwoo quickly drove the Negwig into Gangnam. Soon, Lim Suna, Kim Jeonggu, and the top swordsman of Yangju, Choi Jongseon, waiting in front of the Parnas Hotel, came into view. As it approached 1 PM and Yeongwoo had not returned, they decided toe out, heavily armed. ¡°Oh, Suna!¡± Yeongwoo waved to Suna, as he had some information to ry to Taewon. Jeonggu and Jongseon, standing on either side of Suna, sheepishly put the weapons they had been holding back into their belts. Seeing Yeongwoo, riding an iron horse from another world, made their attempts to fight in his ce seem ridiculous. Of course, Yeongwoo himself had no such thoughts. ¡°Nothing happened during that time, right?¡± ¡°No¡­ Are you alright, Yeongwoo? Nothing happened to you?¡± Suna looked Yeongwoo up and down, noticing he was only wearing pants and no shoes. Yeongwoo nced at the still-clear sky and spoke in a nonchnt tone. ¡°Something did happen to me.¡± ¡°Pardon¡­?¡± ¡°This afternoon, someone wille near Busan. He¡¯s an acquaintance of mine¡­ make sure he gets to the lodging without any interference.¡± ¡°Oh, understood. Can I ask his name?¡± Suna hurriedly took out a notepad to write, and Yeongwoo realized something. ¡°¡­Oh.¡± He should have asked for the name before parting, but he forgot due to the time constraints. ¡°¡­Chan?¡± He still only remembered one syble of his student¡¯s name. Then, ¡°Oh, Yechan?¡± Finally, he remembered the name of the firstpanion he met after the reset. ¡°I think it¡¯s Yechan.¡± Suna nodded and asked a question Yeongwoo didn¡¯t expect. ¡°Then what is hisst name?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Knowing the first name should suffice, why ask thest name? ¡°Not sure. It¡¯s been a while since we met¡­ if he gets stopped at a checkpoint, ask him for me. I¡¯m curious too.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ okay.¡± Suna wrote down the name ¡®Yechan¡¯ with a reluctant expression. ¡°Next.¡± ¡°Is there something else?¡± ¡°Yes. But this isn¡¯t something Suna can handle.¡± Swoosh. Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze shifted to Jongseon and Jeonggu, whose faces darkened. ¡°What, what is it?¡± Jeonggu reflexively responded bluntly. Jongseon also looked uneasily at Yeongwoo. Yeongwoo pointed west and spoke meaningfully. ¡°Someone needs to go to Incheon and collect money. Every day.¡± ¡°Every day? From Incheon? Are you extorting nationwide now?¡± Jeonggu, worried that Incheon was a rough ce, didn¡¯t understand Yeongwoo¡¯s request. It seemed unlikely that those in Incheon, who were not ordinary, would easily give up money. However, Yeongwoo¡¯s next words were beyond Jeonggu¡¯s imagination. ¡°It¡¯s not Incheon¡¯s money.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Chinese money. Shandong Province will send us 20 million Karma every day.¡± ¡°What? This crazy guy.¡± ¡°Wait a minute. So, the money to be collected¡­?¡± Choi Jongseon¡¯s eyes blinked twice in astonishment. ¡°You mean to go to Incheon and collect Chinese money? So, do we meet Chinese people too?¡± ¡°Yes, that could happen. When they bring the bag of money from Shandong Province to Incheon, the people there will hold onto it. Then, our person will go and collect the money.¡± Yeongwoo added that if the Chinese stayed around to rest, they might even have tea together. At this, Choi Jongseon took a step back. ¡°This¡­ isn¡¯t smuggling, is it?¡± ¡°Why would this be smuggling? It¡¯s foreign currency importation.¡± Strictly speaking, Yeongwoo was correct. Though the transaction seemed suspicious, in a world without customs, the concept of smuggling didn¡¯t exist. ¡°We¡¯ve arranged to receive a kind of defense fee from Shandong Province. It¡¯s an informal deal, but it¡¯s still an international transaction and the amount is significant, so we need to send someone trustworthy.¡± Yeongwoo added an exnation. ¡°Of course, if either Shandong Province or Incheon has a change of heart, it could be a disaster, so we need someone capable of handling the worst-case scenario.¡± This implied that the candidates for this ¡®capable person¡¯ were the two people standing there now. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s ttering words, the two men unconsciously puffed out their chests. ¡°20 million in cash¡­ That¡¯s certainly a lot of money. Going into Incheon to collect it isn¡¯t a job just anyone can do.¡± As Jeonggu said this, Yeongwoo added more. ¡°Of the 20 million, 5 million has to be given to Incheon. It¡¯s a kind of brokerage fee.¡± ¡°Really? So they¡¯ll probably deduct 5 million right from the start.¡± ¡°Most likely.¡± ¡°What time should we collect the money?¡± ¡°Both we and they have to deal with the mutants first, so visiting in the afternoon is best. Around six o¡¯clock should be suitable.¡± In other words, whoever took on this collection job would have a busy day every day. They¡¯d have to bring the mutants from their jurisdiction to Gwangjin-gu for Yeongwoo at 1 PM, then head to Incheon to collect the money once that was done. ¡°So¡­ no extra pay for our effort?¡± Jeonggu finally started negotiating seriously. ¡°Extra pay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just pay; it¡¯s really for maintaining our dignity. We can¡¯t look weak to the people in Incheon or the Chinese.¡± Jeonggu¡¯s point was simple. Since they¡¯d be dealing with top fighters from at least two regions, they needed to enhance the collector¡¯s strength in advance to prepare for the worst-case scenario. ¡°If you try to save on this minor expense, you could end up losing the whole 15 million.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not wrong.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Surprisingly, Yeongwoo nodded easily. The reason for giving 5 million to Incheon was simr. In thiswless world, having enough power meant you could do anything. For example, Incheon agreed to hold such arge sum because theycked the strength to refuse. ¡°How much do you want for extra pay?¡± When Yeongwoo asked directly, Jeonggu scratched his chin and cautiously spoke. ¡°1.5 million¡­?¡± He wanted 10% of the funds he was transporting. Yeongwoo turned to Jongseon. ¡°What about you, mother?¡± ¡°¡­Just call me Jongseon.¡± ¡°Okay, Jongseon, then.¡± ¡°I think 1.5 million will be enough for me too.¡± ¡°Alright, that¡¯s fine.¡± Yeongwoo pped his hands. ¡°How about this: I¡¯ll give you 5 million. But you two have to go together and split it, 2.5 million each.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes. But if the worst happens, you must never abandon each other.¡± As he said this, Yeongwoo exuded a momentary air of menace, silently warning that he would personally deal with any betrayal. ¡°Are you sure this is okay? We like it, but¡­ if you give 5 million to Incheon and 5 million to us, what¡¯s left for you?¡± ¡°What¡¯s left? 10 million.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°One side is my father, and the other is mother, after all. Think of it as a family business.¡± With Yeongwoo saying this, Jeonggu, and even Jongseon, who wasn¡¯t actually part of the family, had nothing to say. ¡°The collection starts today. Refrain from killing civilians during the collection process, but it¡¯s eptable to kill those at the top level. Just report afterward.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± The two nodded, finalizing the collection job agreement. And right on cue. Ding! As the notification sound, which felt like he hadn¡¯t heard in a long time, rang, Yeongwoo saw that a quest he had been holding onto for three days had beenpleted. [Quest Complete ¨C ¡°Paternal Confirmation¡±] [Reward Granted] | 20,000,000 Karma ¡°Oh, it¡¯s already been three days.¡± Dogo¡¯s will, wanting the biological father to stay alive for three days, had finally been realized through the quest. Then. *Whaaaaaaaam!* A ck debit card shot down from the sky. ¡°W-what are you getting paid for again?¡± Not realizing the money was rted to him, Jeonggu blinked, while Yeongwoo picked up the card that held 20 million. *Tap.* With that, Yeongwoo¡¯s wealth quickly surpassed the 30 million mark again. * Avable Karma: 36,938,500 ¡®I have more money for taxes now.¡¯ Moreover, today¡¯s expected ie was at least 70 million Karma. The two people in front of him would bring 10 million from China, and the total defense fee from various parts of Seoul would be 55 million. ¡®If there are no major incidents, Yechan will bring in 8.6 millionter¡­ Today might be a bit of a financial celebration.¡¯ Indeed, good thingse from a well-stocked granary. With a much softer expression than before, Yeongwoo looked at the two Strongest Swords. ¡°It¡¯s time to head out. The mutants will appear soon.¡± Jeonggu was the first to step forward at Yeongwoo¡¯s words. ¡°Right. Do we bring them to Gwangjin-gu again today?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll lend you the Negwig. Drop Jongseon off in Yangju first.¡± *Tap!* As Yeongwoo got off the Negwig and handed the reins to his father, Jeonggu swallowed heavily. ¡°Why? You¡¯ve ridden it before.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that¡­¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Your mom isn¡¯ting today, is she?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Yeongwoo finally realized that his father might have overheard parts of his conversation with his uncle earlier. While he wouldn¡¯t have heard Yeongwoo¡¯s words, he would have heard what the uncle said to him. For example: ¨D Who the hell is this Kim Jeonggu? ¡°Mother? Well, if she was scheduled to appear today, she would have shown up to ce a mark like Uncle did.¡± Jeonggu flinched at Yeongwoo¡¯s mention of his uncle. Yeongwoo¡¯s uncle, who would be Jeonggu¡¯s brother-inw, was someone he had to call ¡®brother¡¯ due to Confucian traditions. ¡°What did you tell your uncle¡­ I mean, brother, about me?¡± There was a hint of fear in Jeonggu¡¯s voice. Having a son who was the Strongest Sword in Joseon was terrifying, but even more terrifying was the brother-inw who had returned as a dragon. This fear was rooted in Confucian traditions. ¡°What did you say? You didn¡¯t say anything weird, right?¡± Jeonggu pressed his son for an answer. Yeongwoo rolled his eyes upwards. ¡°Dad? What did I say?¡± Then he recalled and recited the conversation. ¡°The man who had a one-night stand with President Song¡­?¡± ¡°What the hell!¡± At the unbelievable reality, Jeonggu¡¯s jaw dropped. *Paaaah!* At that moment, countless beams of light began to descend from the sky. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 242 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 242: Powdered Bean (2) ¡°Hey, what are you doing? Hurry up and go!¡± As soon as Yeongwoo saw the pirs of light descending, he pped Negwig¡¯s rear. Snap! Immediately, the creature lifted its head and dashed forward. -Squeeeal! Holding the reins, Jeonggu was dragged along the ground. ¡°Oh, oh no!¡± Meanwhile, Jongseon swiftly ran forward and jumped onto Negwig¡¯s back. As expected of the Strongest Sword, she could execute improvised actions that ordinary people could only dream of. ¡°Aaargh!¡± With Jeonggu dangling and Jongseon on its back, Negwig vanished northward, and Yeongwoo turned his gaze to Suna. ¡°You know I¡¯m not collecting defense fees in Gangnam, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m well aware.¡± ¡°Does Representative Baek Dohwan know as well?¡± Suna looked towards the COEX building, used as Taewon¡¯s headquarters. ¡°He should be aware. Everyone in Taewon knows the Strongest Sword of each region brings the defense fees to Gangnam.¡± ¡°But whether I forgot to collect from Gangnam or intentionally didn¡¯t collect is still unclear, right?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s correct.¡± At Suna¡¯s response, Yeongwoo also looked towards COEX. ¡°Then let me make it clear now. Gangnam is my jurisdiction, and I want it to function as thest refuge in the worst-case scenario, which is why I don¡¯t take money from it.¡± ¡°¡­Yes. Should I document this and deliver it to Representative Baek Dohwan?¡± Suna used honorifguage, clearly recognizing that Yeongwoo held a higher position than Baek Dohwan, the current leader of Taewon Group. ¡°Yes, that would be good. Also, from today, investigate and document how the 5 million defense fee I haven¡¯t collected is being used.¡± Yeongwoo added, ¡°The report must include confirmation signatures from both you and Representative Baek Dohwan and should be on my desk by 8 p.m. daily.¡± ¡°I will make sure of that. Is there anything else you¡¯d like to instruct?¡± Suna checked the time, aware that the appearance of mutants and monsters was imminent. The current time was 12:56 p.m. Yeongwoo checked the time and gestured for Suna to hurry inside. ¡°No, that¡¯s all. You can go now.¡± Suna bowed to Yeongwoo and hurriedly moved towards the hotel. ¡®It¡¯s going to be chaotic for a while again.¡¯ Soon, monsters and mutants would appear at the locations marked by the pirs of light. Near Parnas Hotel, which Yeongwoo used as his residence, there were two monster markers, attracting Gangnam¡¯s monster hunters. ¡®So today¡¯s mutant is¡­¡¯ As always, Yeongwoo moved towards Cheongdam Bridge, his sniping spot, looking for the red light pir in Gangnam. This time, he saw a mutant marker near Dosan Park in Apgujeong. ¡®It¡¯s quite far today. The arrows will barely reach.¡¯ Sniping from the middle of Cheongdam Bridge wouldn¡¯t give him a clear line of sight. So, he prepared to snipe from the park road right in front of the bridge. Coincidentally, it was the spot where the Kim family had been struck bysers, leaving a ´ó-shaped mark. ¡®It¡¯s still not cleaned up.¡¯ The Benz, once Kim Jong-un¡¯s ¡®dream,¡¯ was still scattered everywhere, so Yeongwoo stepped on it and climbed up. Creak. The current time was 12:59 p.m. Less than a minute remained until the mutant appeared. Yeongwoo held the ¡®White Fire¡¯ bow in his hand, waiting for the top of the red pir of light to open. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Then finally. Crack! A sound like the sky splitting was heard. Boom! An ominous presence erupted from the top of the light pir. ¡®It¡¯sing!¡¯ The mutant for Gangnam¡¯s sixth day was descending. Crunch! Yeongwoo immediately drew his bow and activated ¡®irvoyance.¡¯ With his enhanced sight, he scanned the area for the returning individual. ¡®Where is it? Still up there?¡¯ Someone who was human until just six days ago. A person banished from this world due to the hatred of many. One of those individuals was returning. Rumble! Eventually, a dark figure appeared at the top of the red light pir, and Yeongwoo, seeing it, released the taut bowstring. Thwap! From the front of the White Fire¡¯s bow, a massive amount of energy condensed, transforming into multiple arrows that shot out. Phew! This was the effect of the narrative archery skill ¡®Divine Summoning.¡¯ Combined with the inherent attributes of White Fire, it was practically impossible for an ordinary mutant to dodge Yeongwoo¡¯s arrows. ¡¸White Fire¡¹ ¨C Epic Bow ¡¾Sensory perception applies to arrow power.¡¿ ¡¾Power increases with arrow distance.¡¿ ¡ó Special Attribute: Stealth Arrow ¡ó Special Attribute: Supernatural Damage ¡®Can I kill it in one shot? This is the first time encountering a sixth-day mutant.¡¯ Yeongwoo watched the arrows intertwine and fly like twisted ropes. And soon. Boom! Boom! Boom! A series of violet supernatural explosions erupted midway up the red pir of light. ¡°Argh!¡± The arrows had hit their target. Swoosh¡­! The mutant, enveloped in violet smoke, began to plummet. ¡®Got it.¡¯ Confirming the mutant¡¯s off-course fall, Yeongwoo immediately sprinted towards the expectednding site. Like a hunter pursuing its prey. Tap-tap! ¡®Today¡¯s monsters are Ratmen.¡¯ On his way from the park road to Dosan Park, Yeongwoo spotted the Ratmen scattered throughout downtown Gangnam. Standing at 2 meters tall, Ratmen were numerouspared to other monsters and extremely fast. Even Taewon¡¯s monster hunters, who had been protecting Gangnam since Day 1 of the reset, couldn¡¯t immediately subdue them and were in a standoff. ¡°What, you¡¯re not losing, right?¡± As Yeongwoo cut through the Ratmen with Golden Trail, the monster hunters, who had been pushed back, ran after him, offering excuses. ¡°We¡¯re not losing strength-wise, but they move so fast¡­.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t follow me. Go help the others. I¡¯m heading to the mutant.¡± With this order, Yeongwoo increased his speed. Soon, he saw monster hunters from the Gangnam Police Station entangled with the Ratmen. The bnce of power here was also tight, neither side¡¯s numbers decreasing easily. ¡®The difficulty has definitely risen. If this keeps up, we won¡¯t be able to handle the monsterster on.¡¯ Gangnam, especially after Jeong Hyunsik¡¯s death, had been showered with golden rain. Thus, both the residents and monster hunters had higher average iespared to other regions. If even Gangnam struggled against monsters¡­. ¡®Tomorrow might be even harder. Should I invest more in monster hunters? Or should I handle the monsters myself and then move on?¡¯ Thinking this, Yeongwoo shouted to the surrounding police. ¡°Everyone, get back! You¡¯ll get hurt!¡± He sent the Golden Trail to sweep through the right side of the battlefield and extended Sa-sang-a to 6 meters, cutting broadly on the left. sh! -Screech! -Squeal! The Ratmen caught in Yeongwoo¡¯s de were mercilessly cut into pieces, but those out of his reach quickly scurried into nearby alleys, their behavior exactly like that of rats. ¡°There are only a few left here, so go chase them. Once you¡¯re done, move to another area.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The officers, receiving their orders, scattered into the alleys. At this point, the red pir of light, which had been stationary for a while, began to move slowly. The mutant, who had been struck by the arrows and was falling, was still alive. ¡®Damn, this is annoying.¡¯ The good news was that the mutant was moving north, not far from Gwangjin-gu. It seemed to be nning to cross the bridge and leave Gangnam, likely startled by the unexpected arrows. ¡®I need to hurry. By now, the Gwangjin-gu mutant might also be nning to move to another region.¡¯ * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡ªDamn it¡­ What is this? Right after arriving¡­ The sixth-day mutant of Gangnam-gu, Choi Seungwon, ran between the buildings of Gangnam, bleeding dark green blood. His right hind leg hurt terribly, likely due to a badnding, but that wasn¡¯t the main issue. An unusual, burning pain throughout his body was making his mind foggy. Additionally, the Ratmen¡¯s unique detection ability asionally buzzed, warning him of a terrifying presence somewhere behind him. And the identity of that presence was obvious. ¡ªBastard. It must have been the guy who shot an arrow at him while he was descending. ¡ªUgh¡­ Despite being furious to the point that his long whiskers trembled, Choi Seungwon didn¡¯t want to fight him. He had a strong, instinctual urge to hide somewhere and recover. This was likely the essence of a Ratman. [Drug Offender ¨C Choi Seungwon] ¡ªI may be a pretty bad guy, but that bastard is worse. Damn, cowardly scum. Choi Seungwon, a social menace with two prior drug convictions, kept muttering to himself as he raced towards the outskirts of Gangnam. During the seemingly eternal waiting period, he had vowed millions of times to be Gangnam¡¯s nightmare. But the world he returned to was far different from what he had anticipated. He had expected everyone, not just in Gangnam but across the country, to look up at the giant monster he had be in terror. However, the reality was¡­ ¡ªUgh! Blood gushed from his left side, where he had been hit by an arrow. Seungwon, on the verge of tears, clutched his side with his wrinkled front paw. Suddenly. ¡ª¡­! He spotted the Han River gleaming brilliantly in the sunlight and widened his beady eyes. He had finally exited Gangnam. Where should he go now? Cross the bridge to Seongdong-gu? With his height of 4 meters, hiding in the sewers was impossible, making this his only option. Panting heavily, Seungwon looked around, seeing red mutant markers in Seongdong-gu and nearby Gwangjin-gu, giving him hope. There was a good chance he couldmunicate with fellow mutants. Besides, his whiskers had been tingling with a warning, urging him to leave this area quickly. ¡ªI¡¯lle back to get my revenge on this crazy ce. Just as Seungwon vowed, biting his lower lip with sharp front teeth, someone spoke from behind. ¡°Where are you nning to go? Let¡¯s head to Gwangjin-gu while we¡¯re at it.¡± ¡ªWhat¡­? Startled, Seungwon spun around to see a half-naked man pointing a gun at him. ¡ªWh-who are you¡­? Despite asking, Seungwon already knew. His whiskers, acting like radar, were now stinging with certainty. The guy in front of him was the sniper. And above his head floated the bizarre string of characters: ¡®Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword.¡¯ ¡ªWhat the hell has happened to the world? The 4-meter-tall Ratman stared at Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword with a human-like expression of disbelief. To him, the man wearing only pants and a metal cape looked stranger than his monstrous self. But the real event was just beginning. Whoosh¡­! Suddenly, a strong wind began to blow, causing even the calm waters of the Han River to ripple and churn. Rumble! Thunder sounded from afar as the sky turned ashen. ¡ªWhat¡­? Feeling his whiskers trembling uncontrobly and even curling down, Seungwon took a step back. This time, the warning from his ¡°Rat Sense¡± wasing from above his head, from the other side of the sky. ¡ªW-what, what¡¯s up there now? As Seungwon asked, forgetting even the pain that was coursing through his body, Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo, spread out his Bastard and said, ¡°Uncle¡¯s here.¡± ¡ªW-what? ¡°My uncle¡¯s here.¡± At that moment. Sizzle! Instantly, the sky shed, and sharp steel fragments descended through the clouds. Swoosh! Yeongwoo had sensed it early enough to step back, but Seungwon, puzzled by why his whiskers suddenly stiffened, just stood there. Then. Crack! His body was split by the falling steel fragment aimed at his forehead. Cleanly, from left to right. ¡ªUncle¡­? It was the first time he had seen one mutant killing another. As Yeongwoo looked up at the sky, a golden goblin rushed in and retrieved Seungwon¡¯s remains. And soon, Song Taeho¡¯s voice echoed from within the sky. ¡ªWhat¡¯s with all these rat bastards in my city? The stench is nauseating. My city. Yeongwoo¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°My city? What nonsense is that¡­?¡± But Yeongwoo¡¯s words were cut short. Song Taeho immediately demonstrated his power. ¡¸A [Strange Climate] Steel Rain has been created in Gangnam-gu.¡¹ Then, steel fragments began to rain down conspicuously on specific points. Shooaah! ¡°Oh¡­ could it be?¡± Yeongwoo looked up at the sky with a gaze quite different from before. If his guess was correct, the steel rain pouring down right now was the location of the Ratmen in Gangnam-gu. But the moment of awe was short-lived. Crack! Soon, a crackling sound came from above Yeongwoo¡¯s head, and a single stream of steel rain descended. Kwaaaah! ¡°Ah, so I was a rat bastard too.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 243 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 243: Powdered Bean (3) Bang! Bang! Bang! It was literally a rain of steel bullets shooting down. However, the martial prowess of Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword was not ordinary, and he swiftly dodged the steel fragments aiming for his head. ¡°Uh-oh? Uncle, this is a bit much.¡± As Yeongwoo frowned at the steel fragment deeply embedded in the ground, a rough burst of noise echoed from the sky, almost as if responding to his reaction. Crack! And then. Boom! This time, a broader range of steel rain poured down towards Yeongwoo¡¯s head. ¡°No, you bastard.¡± As his nephew kept evading the attacks, the steel rain¡¯s range was increased to make it harder to dodge. Of course, it was an absurd attack to snipe an unrivaled demon. Leap! Yeongwoo leisurely evaded the attack again and looked up at the sky. He was annoyed that his uncle hadunched a sudden attack, but it didn¡¯t seem like he was an entirely unreasonable opponent. Because. Boom! As evident from the rain pouring down again, his uncle¡­ Song Taeho, wasn¡¯t using his full strength. ¡®Making sure the rain hits me is actually simple.¡¯ That would be to make it rain over the entire area where Yeongwoo was staying. However, Song Taeho only poured down a shower with a diameter of about three meters, so Yeongwoo could avoid the rain without a scratch. Leap! ¡®Why? Could it be that he really doesn¡¯t want to damage the city?¡¯ Yeongwoo had some grounds for this spection. ¡ªWhy are there so many rats in my city? The stench is overwhelming. When his uncle started the steel rain, he had uttered such a line. My city. This indicated that Song Taeho still had some sense of this world despite bing a mutant. Crack! A burst of noise echoed from the sky again. It meant that Song Taeho was preparing for another shot. ¡°Wait.¡± In response, Yeongwoo hurriedly looked up to the sky and shouted. ¡°Uncle! Wait! Just a moment!¡± And the rain really stopped. It was as if he was being told to finish his words. So, after confirming that there was still a mutant mark in Gwangjin-gu, Yeongwoo addressed his uncle in the sky. ¡°You don¡¯t want the buildings here to get damaged, do you? Neither do I.¡± Yeongwoo spread his arms as if he had no intention of fighting now, and finally, Song Taeho spoke from beyond the clouds. ¡ªSo? Song Taeho. The eldest son of Jinhyeon Group, the second-ranked conglomerate in the country, and a high-risk mutant in Seoul on the sixth day of the reset. A dragon manipting steel and the eldest uncle of Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo. He was definitely different from the mutants Yeongwoo had seen before. Despite gaining the powerful status of a dragon, he wasn¡¯t massacring people indiscriminately but was only trying to kill monsters and his weird nephew. ¡°You can¡¯t kill me with the rain you¡¯re sending now. So you¡¯ll have toe down yourself¡­ and I bet you¡¯re enormous, right?¡± ¡ª¡­¡­ Song Taeho didn¡¯t give a clear answer to Yeongwoo¡¯s words. However, the withheld steel rain didn¡¯t pour down again, so Yeongwoo continued. ¡°But if youe down to the middle of Gangnam, the buildings will get destroyed while we fight¡­ and I don¡¯t want that either.¡± Finally, Song Taeho spoke again. ¡ªSo what¡¯s your point? Get to the point. Crack! A burst of noise echoed from the sky again. In response, Yeongwoo pointed to Gwangjin-gu across the river. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, let¡¯s fight somewhere quiet.¡± ¡ªWhat? Fight? ¡°Let¡¯s settle this by fighting. The winner gets Gangnam. Though it is technically already my city.¡± As Yeongwoo said this and scratched his chin with the tip of his Bastard, Song Taeho¡¯s furious voice pierced through. ¡ªYou bastard with no name in the family registry, what did you say? Nevertheless, he didn¡¯t pour down steel rain on Yeongwoo. Perhaps Song Taeho¡¯s love for Gangnam was several levels above Yeongwoo¡¯s. ¡°What family registry? Even if my name were in it, it would be on my father¡¯s side. Anyway,e to Gwangjin-gu. Let¡¯s settle this there.¡± After finally submitting a duel request, Yeongwoo started running towards Gwangjin-gu. And while doing so, he unconsciously mulled over what his uncle had just said. ¡®Wait,e to think of it, that¡¯s true. Since I¡¯m an illegitimate child, my name wouldn¡¯t be in the family registry on my father¡¯s side either.¡¯ An unrecorded child in the family, Jeong Yeongwoo. In a way, Song Taeho had easily pointed out that he was a child without a real lineage. ¡®As expected, a chaebol is different.¡¯ With a sense of extreme rejection, Yeongwoo looked up at the sky. Then. Boom¡­! He felt a colossal presence moving above the gray clouds. Indeed, Song Taeho was moving towards Gwangjin-gu ording to Yeongwoo¡¯s suggestion. ¡®You¡¯re dead.¡¯ As Yeongwoo moved towards Gwangjin-gu, he calcted his currently avable power. ¡¸Blue Blood¡¹ ¨C Mutant drug ¡¾Increased strength by 30% for 10 minutes.¡¿ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] He had two doses of the strength-enhancing drug, and he could summon friends three times with his whistle. Of course, since there would be a nighttime dungeon today, it was best to save at least one friend summon. ¡®This might be over with aser bombardment anyway. Can Uncle withstand theser that even Kim Il-sung couldn¡¯t?¡¯ Having fought with the Poison Dragon Im Kwangho earlier, Yeongwoo knew that dragons, at least to him, were not much different from other mutants. They were creatures that could be sufficiently repelled. The only difference from regr mutants was the shy reception and a bit of extra trickery. Leap! Soon, the road park and Cheongdam Bridge reappeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s view. The relic where Kim Jong-un died from aser cannon in the middle of the Mercedes field remained intact. And as he quickly passed the park and started running on Cheongdam Bridge, arge hole in the middle of the bridge appeared. It was the ce where Seoul City Councilor Kim Seokshin, who turned into a wyvern, died on the fourth day. It was the spot where the White Fire arrow had pierced through his head. ¡®How can a city be historic in just a few days.¡¯ Admiring the umting ¡®history,¡¯ Yeongwoo entered Gwangjin-gu. Bang! Bang! Bang! Countless sharply cut steel fragments rained down over Yeongwoo¡¯s head. ¡°Uh-oh? Attacking sneakily right away?¡± This time, steel rain was falling over the entire Gwangjin-gu, and there was no way to avoid the rain unless he retreated back to Cheongdam Bridge. Unless he used a golden sphere here. So, Yeongwoo instinctively tried to back away. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± He suddenly realized that the tattoo on his right upper arm was glowing with the Dogo pattern. He had forgotten for a moment, but even now, he was being used for Dogo¡¯s brand advertisement. ¡®I can¡¯t back down shamefully.¡¯ Thus, Yeongwoo finally stepped into Gwangjin-gu, where steel fragments were raining down. The steel fragments, tinged with gray, swarmed in like angry bees, and the ¡®Golden Trail¡¯ flew over Yeongwoo¡¯s head, blocking the bullet-like rain. Ting! Ting! Ting! A tremendous noise emanated from the surface of the Golden Trail. But it was only momentary. -Whirring¡­! Despite the powerful engine sound of the Golden Trail, its altitude began to drop slightly. The torrential rain was so intense that the output of the Golden Trail began to be overwhelmed. ¡°Wow, Uncle really isn¡¯t ordinary.¡± While Yeongwoo was impressed by the absurdly powerful steel rain, he also realized he couldn¡¯t just keep avoiding the rain. Using the Golden Trail as an umbre was the second issue; the most important first issue was. ¡®This isn¡¯t ourpany¡¯s product.¡¯ As soon as he thought this, Yeongwoo immediately pushed the Golden Trail away. Bang! In that brief moment when therge sword was pushed away, he took out the ¡®Scared Cat¡¯ from his pocket. ¡¸Fearful Cat¡¹ ¨C Epic Compass ¡¾Indicates a threatening target.¡¿ ¡¾Strength increases by 25% when bleeding.¡¿ -Meow! The cat was already raising its head towards the northwest sky, letting out a sharp cry. His uncle was flying over there. ¡®He¡¯s close.¡¯ After confirming his uncle¡¯s position, Yeongwoo immediately grabbed the White Fire with both hands. Bang. Then, as he gripped the bow tightly, red scratches appeared on his arm, and blood began to flow. The steel rain that the Golden Trail had been blocking now started to hit Yeongwoo. Bang! Bang! Bang! Even though Yeongwoo was wrapped in various defense equipment effects, including the ¡®attack ability reduction¡¯ of the Golden Oath, it was never easy to fully endure the pouring steel rain. The speed at which his flesh was torn off by the steel rain was faster than his body¡¯s recovery speed, turning Yeongwoo into a moving piece of meat in an instant. If it weren¡¯t for the berserker talisman blocking the pain, he would have gone mad long ago. ¡°Ugh, is this right?¡± A disy of human anatomy. Yeongwoo, with his skin almostpletely peeled off, aimed the bow at his uncle. Though his muscles were beginning to be damaged, he still had enough strength to draw the bowstring fully. Crack! ¡°Uncle! Your nephew formally greets you!¡± Yeongwoo greeted his uncle, who was attacking him cowardly by only sending down rain, and then immediately released the bowstring. Thwack! A highly dense energy gathered in front of the bow, then shot out an arrow with enough power to down even a god. Phew! The special arrow from Dogo flew across the sky, concealed from detection. Since there was no chance this arrow would miss, Yeongwoo sprinted towards his uncle¡¯s expected crash site. St, st! Blood oozed from the peeled skin of his feet, making his footsteps sound sticky. Meanwhile. Boom! A powerful explosion echoed from beyond the clouds, and arge shadow flickered. The arrow had hit Song Taeho. ¡°Uncle!¡± Although his uncle didn¡¯t groan, Yeongwoo, boasting a 100% mutant kill rate, was certain. He was sure he would soon see his uncle¡¯s grand physique. And indeed. Whoosh! A colossal presence emerged, sending shivers down his spine as Song Taeho appeared, upying a whole section of the sky. Whoosh! ¡°Wow¡­!¡± At the sight of Song Taeho breaking through the clouds, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but gape in awe. It looked less like a dragon and more like an aircraft carrier falling from the sky. Song Taeho was much bigger than the Poison Dragon Im Kwangho who had appeared yesterday. Song Taeho, whose entire body was made of steel, measured roughly 40 meters in length. This meant that if such a monster had fallen in Gangnam, much of the precious residential area would have been lost. In a way, Song Taeho, cherishing the city while iming to be its ruler, had preserved Seoul¡¯s assets. ¡®I want him¡­!¡¯ How wonderful it would be to summon this giant from an alien and let him rampage freely. Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes sparkled as he looked at his uncle¡¯s body, too massive to be contained in Gangnam-gu. And then. Boom! Song Taeho crashed in the middle of Gwangjin-gu. ¡ªUgh! His first groan finally came out. The impact of the crash was significant, causing the steel rain to momentarily stop, and the sky cleared up. Yeongwoo, with his blood-red feet, ran towards his uncle, shouting. ¡°Uncle, uncle! Are you okay? You¡¯re still alive, right?¡± Song Taeho slowly lifted his head from where it was buried in the ground. ¡ªYou crazy bastard, what are you suddenly saying now? However, Yeongwoo¡¯s concern wasn¡¯t precisely about Song Taeho¡¯s survival. ¡°Oh! It¡¯s not that, this is a major battle!¡± ¡ª¡­What? Feeling an inexplicable sense of fear from his nephew¡¯s out-of-ce remark, Song Taeho was stunned. Soon, from the other side, Yeongwoo, leaving red footprints, spoke even more terrifying words. ¡°This battle is brought to you with the support¡­!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 244 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 244: Powdered Bean (4) Fear. There are countless fears in the world, but perhaps the greatest is the fear of the unknown. It¡¯s something that cannot be predicted because it has never been seen before, yet it can be instinctively recognized as threatening. In fact, the ¡°reset¡± itself falls within the broad category of the fear of the unknown, and its byproduct, the mutants, should have been a massive fear for humanity. Goblins, orcs, trolls, dragons¡­ These are all beings humans have imagined for a long time, but they¡¯ve never actually existed in the world. And now, Song Taeho, who appeared in Seoul today, is a 40-meter-long steel dragon. Thergest mammal known to exist on Earth, the blue whale, can reach up to 33 meters in length. So it was natural for Song Taeho, with his 40-meter body that could fly and rain steel, to be a subject of fear. Song Taeho himself thought so too. At least, until he met a man iming to be his nephew, Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword. Chop, chop, chop! ¡°This battle is brought to you with the support of the intergctic weapon brand, Dogo!¡± A self-proimed bastard of the Jinhyeon family, drenched in blood, spouted strange lines. Of course, he was only a human being, just 2 meters tall, a mere bugpared to Taeho, who had a height of 20 meters. But¡­ ¨DWhat the hell is he saying? Imagine that bug doesn¡¯t die even when stepped on and quickly crawls up, leaving ominous bloodstains on the ground. You wouldn¡¯t want it toe any closer. You wouldn¡¯t want to get bitten by it. Taeho felt a clear fear of this small creature that was only a tenth of his size. ¨DGet away! Just as the steel dragon Song Taeho was about to open his mouth and breathe fire. ¡°¡¸Dogooooooo¡¹¡­¡­!¡± An otherworldlynguage shot out from the mouth of Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo, trailing a long tail. Only a being that has sparkled for even a moment among the countless creatures in this vast universe can possess the power of an otherworldlynguage. ¨DGah! Learning the concept of an ¡°intergctic weaponpany¡± through the word ¡°Dogo¡± spoken by his opponent, Song Taeho was so shocked that he breathed fire into the air. Puaaah! It was like a martial artist spitting blood after suffering from inner demons. Crash! Song Taeho¡¯s breath,posed of fine steel fragments, turned into rice-sized steel rain that fell to the ground. ¡°Seriously, how troublesome.¡± Grumbling, Yeongwoo evaded to the side while thinking he wanted to lock his uncle in the returnee¡¯s room. With a monster of this caliber, the power when summoned as a ¡°friend¡± would be tremendous. Also, there wouldn¡¯t be a shortage of hands in the returnee¡¯s room. They wouldn¡¯t manage with just three people assembling the yer¡¯s statue and stepping on the pedal forser bombardment. ¡°Uncle! Are you going to keep fighting? Why don¡¯t you make peace with me?¡± Yeongwoo shouted, looking at Song Taeho¡¯s head hanging 20 meters high in the air, and another urately aimed breath came flying. Kuahhh! It was probably a sign of rejection. ¨DWhy should I be an uncle to a monster like you? Isn¡¯t it just your im? Song Taeho, who had regained hisposure, raised a valid question. To be honest, the only connection between Yeongwoo and Song Taeho was Yeongwoo¡¯s one-sided im that he was the illegitimate child of Jinhyeon family. So, aside from that im, Yeongwoo was just a monster wielding excessive power with the sponsorship of an intergcticpany. And above all¡­ ¨DIt¡¯s really surprising that Gangnam was in the hands of aliens. But that¡¯s only until today. ¡°What¡­?¡± Yeongwoo realized that his uncle¡¯s constant reference to Gangnam as ¡°my city¡± was heartfelt. ¨DI will liberate Gangnam, no, Seoul! Song Taeho shouted solemnly, as if he were a freedom fighter. ¡°Why are you saying it like that?¡± Yeongwoo tried to correct his uncle¡¯s misunderstanding, but it was no use. Thud! Suddenly, a disturbing presence was felt from beneath the ground. Thud, thud, thud! Huge steel spikes the size of houses shot up. ¡°What the hell!¡± It turned out Song Taeho could not only rain steel but also tear up the earth. ¡°Are you really going to do this?¡± As Yeongwoo leaped high into the air to avoid the spikes, he met Song Taeho¡¯s eyes for the first time. Song Taeho, displeased, opened his mouth wide. ¨DDie! You alienckey! ¡°What¡­?¡± ¨DSeoul belongs to humans¡­! An enormous explosive sound erupted from inside Song Taeho¡¯s mouth. It was the breath of judgment. Kuaaaa! This time, the breath struck directly from the air, leaving Yeongwoo with no way to avoid it. ¡®What does he know about calling someone ackey?¡¯ The ck steel breath engulfed Yeongwoo, who swung his Bastard to deflect part of the breath but ended up crashing into the ground. Thud! The first crash of Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo. Seeing this, Song Taeho straightened his long neck, feeling triumphant. ¨DYou im to be the bastard of our family? It¡¯s possible, maybe. Thud! Song Taeho took a massive step toward the embedded Yeongwoo. ¨DBut do you know what they call a bastard? Crunch. As Song Taeho raised his massive upper body, a long, dark shadow extended endlessly. ¨DIt¡¯s called a ¡®mistake.¡¯ The mistake of the Jinhyeon family. Defining Yeongwoo this way, the pureblood supremacist Song Taeho gathered his strength to erase this family mistake. Gooooo! He was about to deliver the final blow to the bastard of Jinhyeon, who was still embedded in the ground, seemingly lifeless. Then. ¡°¡­Safari.¡± Yeongwoo, buried in the ground as if dead, muttered something. This caused Song Taeho, who was gathering his steel breath, to pause and tilt his head. ¨DWhat? ¡°I said safari.¡± ¨DWhat nonsense is this? What safari? ¡°Number 48183¡­!¡± ¨DHuh¡­? Realizing this was a kind of serial number, Song Taeho quickly opened his mouth again, sensing something ominous. Tchuck! He thought he must kill the enemy before he finished reciting that number. However. ¡°4437-02!¡± The serial number was not long, and it had already been fully pronounced by Yeongwoo. And this number was none other than: [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡²Earth-482-183-4437-02¡³ The coordinates of a point in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. Of course, Song Taeho couldn¡¯t even imagine it might be bombardment coordinates. Goooo! Only when he heard a sound breaking through the sky above his head did he realize something was wrong. ¨DWhat have you done? Looking up in panic at the sky, Song Taeho asked, and Yeongwoo, who had raised his upper body from the ground, replied. ¡°Double advertising.¡± And immediately. Paaaaat! Aser cannon provided by another intergctic military contractor, ¡®Toma,¡¯ pierced through Earth¡¯s atmosphere and struck Gwangjin-gu. ¨DThese damn bastards! Terrified by the unimaginable scale of the sniper attack, Song Taeho hurriedly turned around, only to see the mad bastard had already dashed away to safety. ¨DHey, you dog bastard! ¡°Yes? My mother is not a dog, but a dragon.¡± Yeongwoo, who had reached a safe zone, calmly looked back. He then saw his uncle running on all fours. And soon, a whiteser beam shot down upon him. Kuaaaaa! ¨DAaaaah! As could be easily inferred from Song Taeho¡¯s pitiful scream, the bombardment hit¡­ well, partially hit. While his head wasn¡¯t obliterated by theser cannon, about a third of his right wing was blown off. ¡®At least now he won¡¯t be able to escape to the sky.¡¯ Yeongwoo, standing far from the bombardment site, saw his uncle staggering with his damaged wing and took a step forward again. Tchuck! In the meantime, about 40% of his skin had regenerated, so blood was no longer flowing from his feet, and his face was gradually returning to its original form. Of course, with parts of his skin still missing, his overall appearance was even more grotesque than when his outer skin waspletely gone. For instance, since the skin on his left jaw hadn¡¯t regenerated yet, the muscles holding his mandible and the teeth attached to it were fully exposed. He was truly the embodiment of the undead. ¡°Stop right there. You didn¡¯t think there was only one shell, did you?¡± As Yeongwoo, holding the ¡®Bastard¡¯ in his right hand, stepped towards his uncle, Song Taeho trembled the tip of his wing and red at his nephew. ¨DAre you really¡­ the son of Song Jiseon? Finally beginning to genuinely believe Yeongwoo¡¯s lineage, Song Taeho realized that sufficient power was indeed the key to everything. ¡°If you want, I can even get you a family rtionship certificate. Intergctically.¡± Of course, whether such a certificate existed with his uncle was uncertain. But the important thing was that due to the ¡¸Dogo¡¹ Yeongwoo had shouted earlier, Song Taeho now had some understanding of the universe. So he could instinctively sense that Yeongwoo¡¯s ¡°intergctically¡± wasn¡¯t just empty words. ¨DThen where is your mother now? I mean Song Jiseon. ¡°Uh, that¡­.¡± Yeongwoo naturally looked up at the sky. ¡°She doesn¡¯t seem to have arrived yet. I heard you have a very close rtionship with her. You really want to see her, right?¡± Song Taeho. The eldest son of the Jinhyeon family, who lost a management rights dispute with his youngest sister, Song Jiseon. Yeongwoo knew well that such a man would still harbor resentment towards his mother, Song Jiseon. So he suggested making peace and waiting for his mother together. ¨DJiseon? Yes, I must see her. I must. Song Taeho also lifted his head to the sky, following Yeongwoo. Swoosh. However, it was unclear whether he was looking at his youngest sister somewhere out in space or at theser cannon that had given him a hot taste earlier. ¨DIf I reconcile with you, then what happens? Do I stay here? Song Taeho looked around the deste Gwangjin-gu. Yeongwoo shook his head. ¡°No. There¡¯s a ce where those who have made peace with me live. You¡¯ll be moving there.¡± ¨DA ce? ¡°Yes. It¡¯s an alternate space somewhat distant from Earth¡­ You¡¯ll find it livable. There are many famous people there, and there¡¯s plenty to enjoy.¡± There wasn¡¯t a single lie in his statement. And perhaps because of that, Song Taeho saw the truth. ¨DAm I mistaken? Why does it sound like prison? ¡°I can summon you to this world three times a day. Then you can meet my mother.¡± ¨DThe way you say it, it definitely sounds like prison. Is that it? The ¡®peace¡¯ you talked about is a form of imprisonment. At some point, Song Taeho¡¯s tone had changed significantly. It was natural; he realized that his nephew wouldn¡¯t just leave someone who dered Gangnam as ¡°my city¡± alone. There can¡¯t be two suns in the sky. In fact, the reason Taeho tried to create a reconciliatory mood was to temporarily halt the battle and n for the future. ¨DThis isn¡¯t right. What kind of nephew puts his uncle in prison? ¡°Isn¡¯t that the life of the rich?¡± ¨DWhat? ¡°Whatever it is, I can¡¯t leave you in a transformed state. The moment I turn my back, it feels like you¡¯ll try to devour the city.¡± ¨D¡­¡­ Song Taeho didn¡¯t bother to refute this. So Yeongwoo extended his right hand towards his uncle and said, ¡°Shake hands with me. If you don¡¯t ept this handshake now, the next bombardment will fall on your head.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 245 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 245: Powdered Bean (5) A handshake. It is said that it originated from the practice of showing one¡¯s right hand to prove that they had no weapons. This gesture, which actively expresses that one has no intention of fighting, hase to signify cooperation, requests, greetings, and other amicable rtionships in modern times. And it was clear that this was still the case even in the world after the reset. Otherwise, there would be no reason for a mutant to stop his mission as an avenger by shaking hands with a human. ¡ª¡­¡­ Song Taeho looked down at the hand his nephew extended. ¡ªIf I shake this hand, I¡¯ll end up in prison¡­? Yeongwoo slightly furrowed his brow as he answered. ¡°No, you¡¯ll be my friend. However, since you can¡¯t stay in this world in your mutant form, you¡¯ll be sent to another space.¡± When Yeongwoo added that in the ¡®other space,¡¯ one could live in human form, Song Taeho twitched his steel upper lip. ¡ªI prefer my current state. In a world like this, living as a human seems more disadvantageous. Humans are weak. He was a case in stark contrast to someone like CEO Kim Taejoon, who eagerly wished to regain his human form as soon as possible. CEO Kim Taejoon¡¯s sole purpose for returning was ¡®family,¡¯ but Song Taeho¡¯s purpose was to live again as a privileged person. Even if that meant ruling through fear with the body of a dragon. ¡°¡­It¡¯s still better than dying. You probably learned about the return function beforeing here.¡± Yeongwoo said this to teach him the way to shake hands, but Song Taeho said something entirely different. ¡ªYou don¡¯t understand at all. ¡°¡­What?¡± Yeongwoo responded, sensing that the negotiation with his uncle had broken down. After negotiating with countless mutants, he could now guess their intentions just by their tone. ¡ªSimply staying alive means nothing to someone like me. ¡°Then what does have meaning?¡± ¡ªBeing the protagonist. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡ªI have lived my whole life as the protagonist of this world, leading everything. Everyone bowed to me, and I had everything under my control. Do you think I can exist as a ¡®friend¡¯ under you? ¡°Oh.¡± Yeongwoo seemed to understand what his uncle was saying, but precisely because of that, he found it difficult to agree. ¡°But you weren¡¯t always the protagonist in the previous world, were you?¡± ¡ªWhat? ¡°If living as the so-called well-off protagonist is what you desire, you weren¡¯t living that life even in the previous world.¡± Yeongwoo looked up at the sky again. He felt he might need to request bombardment soon, but he also vaguely looked up, thinking about his mother somewhere. ¡°My image of you, uncle, is that of an unfortunate eldest son of a conglomerate family who lost his management rights to the youngest. Of course, you weren¡¯tcking materially as a second-generation chaebol, but¡­ you didn¡¯t seem satisfied with that.¡± When Yeongwoo said this, Song Taeho widened his eyes and raged. ¡ªYou bastard¡­! ¡°See, it hit the mark, didn¡¯t it? What did you say as soon as you saw me earlier? Didn¡¯t you ask where Song Jiseon was?¡± The world had turned upside down, Song Taeho had lost his human body and be a dragon. Even in such a state, the fact that he had deep feelings for his youngest sibling indicated that he was still suffering from a sense of defeat. ¡°Seeing you appear today means my mother will show up soon. So if you really want to see your sibling, shake hands with me. You need to be alive to either fight or reconcile with your enemy.¡± To function properly as Yeongwoo¡¯s ¡®friend,¡¯ one had to have a favorable sentiment towards the owner of the whistle, Jeong Yeongwoo. A prime example was CEO Kim Taejoon. To him, Jeong Yeongwoo was more than just a bridge to meet his family; he had a deep bond with him. Now, Kim Taejoon needed Jeong Yeongwoo to stay alive to continue seeing his family. ¡®But I¡¯m not sure about this man. With such a strong sense of privilege¡­ will he work properly in the returnee¡¯s room?¡¯ Yeongwoo continued to look at his right hand extended towards his uncle. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Perhaps such traits weremon among dragons, or rather, among those who could transform into dragons. People with inted egos, arrogance, and a life steeped in privilege. Would his mother and second uncle be the same? ¡®Well¡­ and even if we don¡¯t be friends, we can still be together.¡¯ This time, Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze shifted to his left chest. Killing a dragon directly grants one a unique heart as a reward. So perhaps killing his uncle and burying him in his heart was the true way to do right by him. ¡®Looks like I¡¯ll have to wait until next time to make a dragon friend.¡¯ Thinking this, Yeongwoo looked up at his uncle, who had begun to emit a threatening aura. ¡°Have you made your decision?¡± ¡ªHah, crawling under you was never an option. ¡°Then you¡¯ll disappear without seeing my mother.¡± ¡ªShut up! With Song Taeho¡¯smand, a steel breath spewed from his mouth, and Yeongwoo hurriedly dodged it while calling out the coordinates. ¡°482! 183! 4405! 36!¡± These were the coordinates aimed directly at Song Taeho¡¯s head. He truly intended to kill him with a single strike. However¡­ Swoosh! Just as Yeongwoo recited the coordinates, the entire body of the dragon, Song Taeho, turned a dazzling white, emitting a blinding light. ¡°What, what¡¯s happening all of a sudden?¡± Momentarily panicked, Yeongwoo stepped back and drew his sword. And soon¡­ Whoosh! Theser cannon, fired on Yeongwoo¡¯smand, pierced through the clouds and descended. To the exact spot where his uncle, who had been emitting an immense amount of light, had been just moments before. Boom! The orbital bombardment from Tomah struck the center of Gwangjin-gu. However, Yeongwoo knew that Song Taeho was no longer there. ¡°Uncle? Where did you go?¡± Yeongwoo shouted, ready to stab his uncle with his sword, when a purple hologram appeared before him. ¡°¡­!¡± A sh from the left side. ¡°What the¡­!¡± Yeongwoo reflexively raised his sword to block the attack, then turned his head towards the direction of the strike. There, he saw a knight d in armor shaped like a dragon. ¡°Oh?¡± The texture of the armor was identical to Song Taeho¡¯s dragon hide¡­ ¡°Uncle¡­? You can polymorph too?¡± Polymorph. Also known as transformation magic. Typically used by wizards to transform an enemy into a weaker creature or to enhance a summoned creature. However, there are cases where this transformation magic is used on oneself, with the most notable example being the polymorphing of dragons. Dragons often choose to transform into humans when they want to intervene in human society or explore the world out of curiosity. This is why, from ancient times to the present, dragons transformed into humans frequently appear in literature across various cultures. ¡®Of course, all of this was only found in fantasy novels. But to see it firsthand¡­¡¯ By now, it seemed that every creature humans had imagined might actually exist somewhere in this universe. Anyway, the immediate concern was¡­ ¡ªPerhaps you are the trial set for me. The test I must pass to return to my rightful ce! His uncle, transformed into a three-meter-tall ck knight, was still deluded. Squeak! Judging by the strength transmitted through the de of the sword, his uncle¡¯s delusion was somewhat understandable. ¡®As expected of a dragon, his strength is insanely high.¡¯ However, this was the world after the reset. As had been dered early on, one¡¯s previous status and fate held no significance here. Even for someone who had returned with the high status of a dragon in this reset world. ¡°Sorry, but if you were truly the protagonist of this world, I would have known it first!¡± ¡ªWhat? What does that mean? While Song Taeho questioned this, he continued to press down with his de, trying to pin Yeongwoo to the ground. And indeed. Crack! Yeongwoo¡¯s ankles were gradually being pushed into the earth. Despite this¡­ [Ending Maker] | Discover the main character of the world after the reset. The achievement ¡°Ending Maker¡± that Yeongwoo was looking at showed no sign of being achieved. Contrary to Song Taeho¡¯s desires, he was far from being the protagonist of this world. ¡°I will not forget you, uncle! Live forever in my heart¡­!¡± ¡ª¡­? ¡°Die!¡± With murderous intent, Yeongwoo, who had been merely defending, finally drew upon the demonic energy of the legendary sword. Whoosh! As he gripped the handle tightly and swung, the de of his sword prated through Song Taeho¡¯s sword and pushed inward. Crack! Into the armor made of Song Taeho¡¯s dragon hide. The unique effect of the mythic sword, ¡®Contempt for the weak¡¯, had been activated. ¡ªWhat? Oh no¡­ Seeing the unbelievable sight, Song Taeho made a vague sound, neither a scream nor a shout, from within his pitch-ck helmet. It wasn¡¯t just surprising that his nephew¡¯s sword had disregarded his own and pierced through; it was also because, thanks to this, his own sword had deeply cut through the other¡¯s torso. It was truly a mutual destruction. ¡ªYou fool! What¡¯s the point if we both die? Song Taeho spat out in disbelief, as white steam began to pour from within his armor, likely signalling the approaching time of his demise. Yeongwoo seemed to be in the same near-death state. With his chest shed diagonally by the massive sword, his upper body was severed and slid down, slumping onto the ground. Thud! ¡ªYou idiot. Seeing his nephew¡¯s body split in two, Song Taeho staggered backward, constantly spewing steam. Then he copsed. Hiss! He could see his life force dispersing into the air in real-time. ¡ª¡­ As he awaited death, he heard his nephew¡¯s voice from the ground. ¡°Uncle.¡± ¡ª¡­ ¡°Before you leave this world, give your nephew onest tip. What is the personality of my second uncle?¡± ¡ªWhat? Though Song Taeho hadn¡¯t been living in this reset world for long, he was quite perceptive. He immediately realized that, unlike his own near-death state, his insane nephew wasn¡¯t about to die. ¡ªWhat¡­ are you? When Song Taeho asked this, he saw his nephew, who had lost everything below the sr plexus, using his arms to prop himself up. ¡°You can¡¯t even imagine what I¡¯ve been through, uncle. Simply being reborn as a dragon doesn¡¯tpare to my life story.¡± Step, step. Song Taeho watched in a daze as Jeong Yeongwoo, the son of Song Jiseon, walked with his arms. He then saw the scene where Yeongwoo reattached his lower half that had been lying on the ground. Schlock! When the flesh below his sr plexus and around his navel made contact, it made a sound like a freshly cooked sticky rice cake being pped. ¡°Would you like to shake hands now?¡± Yeongwooy on the ground and lifted his right hand slightly. At this, Song Taeho flinched involuntarily and then let out a hollowugh. ¡ªScrew you. You really are an insolent brat. ¡°¡­Then you¡¯ll have to die. Either way, it¡¯s no loss for me.¡± The paradoxically genuine tone in Yeongwoo¡¯s indifferent words made Song Taeho feel a sudden ck fear. It was a deep emptiness from realizing he had not inflicted any harm on his opponent despite dying. A meaningless death. Even in this situation, Song Taeho did not attempt to shake hands with Yeongwoo. Instead, he put all his remaining strength into a final outburst. ¡ªYou won¡¯t be able to handle that guy. My brother, he¡¯s a real lunatic. He was referring to Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s second uncle, the second son of the Jinhyeon family. ¡°Really?¡± ¡ªBut scarier than him¡­ ¡°¡­Scarier?¡± ¡ªIs your mother. ¡°What? You¡¯re cursing my mother even now?¡± Yeongwoo strained to lift his upper body in anger, reopening the cut, but it was in vain. Hiss¡­ For his uncle had already passed away. ¡¸Dragon Song Taeho has been defeated by ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo07¡¯, the Strongest Sword in Joseon!¡¹ An announcement appeared, notifying that Yeongwoo had defeated the dragon, and shortly after¡­ Rumble¡­! A vibration was transmitted to Yeongwoo¡¯s back. It must have been the footsteps of another mutant from a different area. ¡°Can¡¯t even get a moment¡¯s rest.¡± Feeling the tremors, Yeongwoo slightly lifted his head and looked around. From the north, he saw a dark trail being drawn. It was none other than Negwig, with Kim Jeonggu riding on it. He had brought a mutant from Dobong. ¡°Oh my, Yeongwoo!¡± Seeing his son lying on the ground with his body split in half, Jeonggu forced himself to feign concern. Then. ¡°Huh?¡± He widened his eyes when he saw the giant ck knight fallen not far from Yeongwoo. Then he genuinely eximed in surprise. ¡°Oh my! Brother! What on earth happened here¡­!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 246 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 246: The Great Migration (1) The Butterfly Effect The term ¡°butterfly effect¡± describes a phenomenon where a small incident, like a butterfly¡¯s flutter, can eventually lead to an enormous result, akin to a typhoon. This is akin to how Jeonggu¡¯s ¡°one-night stand¡± resulted in ¡°Jeong Yeongwoo 07.¡± Of course, it was predictable that an unprotected one-night stand could result in an unnned child. But who could have foreseen it? Could anyone have predicted that a child, born from such a negligent act, would survive until the worst event in human history, the ¡°Reset,¡± and would eventually be the Strongest in Joseon? Perhaps if there were a god in this universe, he might have known, but Jeonggu certainly didn¡¯t. He was unaware of his son¡¯s existence until the Reset, and he certainly didn¡¯t know that his son would soon grow up to be Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword ande after him with a sword. So. ¡®It¡¯s unfair. So unfair!¡¯ Jeonggu felt it was unjust. He was confident that he hadn¡¯t lived a life bad enough to deserve such a severe punishment. Thus, the Reset that wiped out everyone¡¯s fate didn¡¯t apply to him. He was living a life where the karma he unknowingly umted was returning as a terrifying retribution every day. His life after the Reset was the butterfly effect itself. And now, in front of his eyes, one of the consequences of his past karmay d in ck armor. ¡°Brother! Are you okay?¡± As Jeonggu ran towards the huge ck knight, internally chanting, ¡°Please be dead!¡± his son, who looked more like a corpse than a living person, greeted him. ¡°That guy is already dead. Didn¡¯t you see the notification earlier?¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Jeonggu awkwardly lifted his knees off the ground and looked down at his biggest problem¡ªhis biological son. ¡ºJoseon¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» The title burning brightly above his son¡¯s head exined a lot. Why the dragon died again, but his son survived, and why he ended up back near this kid once more. Jeonggu thought of his son as a ck hole. ¡¸Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!¡¹ And soon enough, the sixth-day mutant of Dobong-gu, who had been fiercely chasing Jeonggu and Negwig, was breathing heavily in their ears. The mutant had gotten very close. ¡°What is that?¡± As Yeongwoo, lying on the ground, lifted his head to look up, he saw a huge jackal charging at them aggressively. [Businessman ¨C Lee Jinyoung] The sixth-day mutant of Dobong-gu, businessman Lee Jinyoung. Yeongwoo had never seen this name before, which meant that he probably caused an incident in the area or was a criminal who briefly made headlines when Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t paying attention. ¡°Do you know this person? This Lee Jinyoung?¡± ¡°What? Oh, of course not.¡± As Jeonggu nodded in response to Yeongwoo¡¯s question, Golden Trail sliced through the air. Whoosh! It was to counter the mutant who had lowered its stance to snatch Yeongwoo from the ground, like a bat hitting an iing baseball. However, the opponent was a sixth-day mutant. Although it looked like just arge beast, its strength and agility were beyond imagination. ¡¸A strange trick.¡¹ Lee Jinyoung, swiftly rolling to the side to dodge the attack, sessfully grabbed Yeongwoo from the ground with its jaws. ¡¸Ha!¡¹ It was like a wild dog snatching meat from the street. Lee Jinyoung, with Yeongwoo in its mouth, mocked Jeonggu, who was just standing there staring. ¡¸What? Is this all you¡¯ve got after running so far?¡¹ Then suddenly, ¡¸What the¡­?¡¹ Lee Jinyoung wrinkled its nose and opened its mouth wide. Naturally, Yeongwoo, who was in its mouth, rolled to the ground, and soon smoke began to rise. Sizzle! The inside of Lee Jinyoung¡¯s mouth started corroding. Lee Jinyoung, panicking with its eyes wide open, was startled. ¡°He¡¯s like a pufferfish. You¡¯d better not even sniff him.¡± Meanwhile, Lee Jinyoung, with arge hole in its jaw, was writhing on the ground, almost crawling. ¡¸Please, spare me!¡¹ ¡¾Corrosive Blood¡¿ | The blood has mutated to have corrosive properties. This was due to the corrosive blood effect, one of the effects of the dragon¡¯s heart, and the pain-inducing effect of the Golden Punishment. From now on, unless it was an exceptionally strong mutant, any attempt to injure Yeongwoo would be akin to a suicide attempt. ¡°I have a lot to do today. Dealing with both Chinese and Japanese,¡± Yeongwoo muttered as he struggled to get up, but Lee Jinyoung, who was rolling on the ground, couldn¡¯t hear him properly. ¡¸Ugh¡­¡¹ ¡°Oh, my bad. It hurts a lot, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Leaving someone like this, whether intentional or not, is a form of torture. Feeling like he was umting bad karma in real-time, Yeongwoo quickly reached for the hilt of his sword. Thunk. Then, sh! In one swift motion, he drew his sword and beheaded Lee Jinyoung. Snick! A very clean decapitation. ¡¸Grrk¡­¡¹ Lee Jinyoung, whose head was severed by the sword, let out a short groan and copsed, his head and body soon separating, and blood pouring out. ¡°There aren¡¯t any mutants from other regionsing over today. Are they all being handled well on their own?¡± Yeongwoo said, looking around the now empty area, to which Jeonggu responded. ¡°There can be days like that. After two consecutive days of dragon appearances, maybe only weak ones are appearing in other regions.¡± ¡°Well¡­ if that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s a relief.¡± Yeongwoo hoped for nothing more than that the mutants allocated to each region were being dealt with right there. Because of the ever-expanding borders due to Pangaea, there wasn¡¯t much time left to handle the issues within Seoul. ¡®If there¡¯s any additional trouble from Japan, Yechan will take care of it. So today, I¡¯ll head back to China.¡¯ Today, he would likely meet the so-called collection group from Beijing. Squish! As Yeongwoo stepped on Lee Jinyoung¡¯s head on the ground, his body melted into the air, leaving a golden orb. And seeing this, Yeongwoo finally realized. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s from Gwangjin-gu! A mutant from Gwangjin-gu.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Where did this guy go?¡± * * * [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] At the same time that the Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword realized the existence of a fugitive, the mutant from Gwangjin-gu in question was flying hurriedly west along the Han River. ¡¸This is insane, impossible.¡¹ Heo Geumhwa, 41 years old, a Korean-Chinese woman. She was still pping her wings cautiously, with a bewildered look on her face. sh! She had been staring nkly at the ruins of Gwangjin-gu when she suddenly fled from a fight between someone called the Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword and a dragon made entirely of steel. [Inte Broadcaster ¨C Heo Geumhwa (Friendly Geumhwa)] Also known as ¡°Friendly Geumhwa,¡± she was a Korean-Chinese YouTuber with a staggering 2 million subscribers. Her main content included daily vlogs and interviews with Korean-Chinese people living in Korea. But earlier this year, a problem arose. One of the many Korean-Chinese she had interviewed was arrested as a suspect in a stabbing incident in a certain region of the country. Due to this incident, Geumhwa¡¯s YouTube channel instantly became a target, and the slogan she had always advocated, ¡°Integration into Korean society,¡± shattered. Then, on June 10th, during the Reset, she received enough votes to be ced on the annihtion list. ¡¸¡­¡­.¡¹ During the real-time destruction of her channel, Geumhwa was extremely angry. She was frustrated with this absurd situation and couldn¡¯t understand why the arrows of criticism were directed more at her than at the actual suspect. Of course, it was inevitable that the attention would be focused on her, whose face and name were well-known, and who made a huge profit from her 2 million subscribers, rather than on the suspect whose face and name were not even properly known. But Geumhwa was essentially an ¡°individual¡± and had no way of predicting that a guest on her channel wouldmit such a crime, so she felt a burning sense of injustice. About two weeks after the stabbing incident, she posted a letter of protest in the form of an apology on her channel. As a prominent Korean-Chinese channel, it was right to make a moral apology, but she questioned if she was really at fault. And that choice yed a decisive role in driving Geumhwa to her current situation. Regardless of her involvement in the incident, she had earned the public¡¯s hatred. As soon as she posted the apology, various media outlets began to twist her public image with sensational headlines and edits, and inte trolls blew the issue out of proportion with entirely false stories. Thus ended Geumhwa¡¯s life before the Reset. Maybe even this was written in her fate record? It was such an uncanny coincidence that it must have been. But she, now a mutant, did not yet know of the fate record¡¯s existence. So she continued to fly west, simply to survive. ¡¸At least I can fly, so that¡¯s fortunate.¡¹ Whoosh! With another mighty sweep of herrge wings, she swiftly shifted her body mid-flight, catching an air current to propel herself even faster. As a sixth-day mutant from Gwangjin-gu, she had transformed into a harpy. This mythical creature, with the body of a raptor and the head of a woman, allowed Geumhwa to experience the exhrating ability of high-altitude flight firsthand. The only reason she had evaded capture by the Strongest Swords of other regions was thanks to her flight capabilities. Swoosh! Finally, Wonhyo Bridge and Yeouido came into view. ¡¸Ah¡­!¡¹ It was at this moment that Geumhwa¡¯s head started to tilt southwest, towards Yeongdeungpo and Guro-gu. The reason she had been continuously moving west to avoid Joseon¡¯s Strongest Sword and Kangryong was to seek refuge in the densely popted Joseonjok areas. Two of Seoul¡¯s three major Joseonjok districts, Garibong-dong and Daerim-dong, were located in Yeongdeungpo and Guro. Whoosh! As she half-folded her wings and rapidly descended, the southernndscape of Yeongdeungpo greeted her. But since Daerim-dong was at the southernmost tip of Yeongdeungpo, she still had a bit further to go. With no more river beneath her, she could be attacked at any moment. Growing anxious, she turned her body southward and sped up. Swoosh! The fierce wind pressed tightly against her feathers, bringing Daerim-dong and beyond, Garibong-dong, closer into view. ¡¸Help me!¡¹ As she neared Daerim-dong from the sky, she desperately called for assistance. Seeing her approach, the people of Daerim-dong rushed out of their buildings. ¡¸Oh, everyone survived!¡¹ To her relief, Daerim-dong was still full of Joseonjok people. Then, suddenly. Shluk! A particrly tall man among them looked up towards the sky, towards the direction Geumhwa was flying in. He was none other than the, ¡ºStrongest Sword of Guro¡» Being a mutant, Geumhwa had no idea why the Strongest Sword of Guro was all the way in southern Yeongdeungpo. ¡¸I¡¯m one of you! Please, help me¡­¡¹ As she lowered her altitude to about 20 meters and prepared tond in the middle of Daerim-dong, something unexpected flew at her from Daerim-dong. ¡¸¡­!¡¹ It was a slew of sharp axes being hurled at her. The Joseonjok upying Daerim-dong were collectively throwing axes at her, likely aiming to shoot down the mutant Geumhwa. ¡¸Wait, wait! Let me tell you who I am!¡¹ As Geumhwa tried to exin her identity in a panic, a strange cry, unlike anything she had ever heard, echoed from somewhere in the north. Squeeeak! Following a faint hint of movement, a volley of purple arrows came flying towards her. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 247 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 247: The Great Migration (2) Boom! The arrow shot by Yeongwoo hit Geumhwa precisely, and soon he saw her plummeting with a puff of purple smoke. Of course, she wasn¡¯t killed in one blow. He had deliberately aimed at one wing because he wanted to talk to her. ¡®At least now I can somewhat understand the reason.¡¯ In fact, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t know that Heo Geumhwa was a Korean-Chinese YouTuber. Although he had heard about the infamous stabbing incident through the news, he wasn¡¯t particrly interested in the surrounding details. So, even as he saw Geumhwa continuously moving westward along the river, he didn¡¯t clearly understand the reason. It was only when the number of Chinese signs around him suddenly increased that he could make an educated guess. He realized that Heo Geumhwa¡¯s destination was Daerim-dong, known for its dense Korean-Chinese poption. |You are currently in Yeongdeungpo. |There is no Strongest Sword in this area. Yeongwoo confirmed the current status of Yeongdeungpo, where he was staying, rather btedly. ¡®There¡¯s no Strongest Sword here. Should I see it as a title being taken?¡¯ It wasmon for the Strongest Sword of a region to disappear due to a duel for the title. However, the situation in Yeongdeungpo didn¡¯t seem like the usual case. The reason was: ¡°¡­¡­¡± As he got closer to Daerim-dong, the number of bodies abandoned along the main road exponentially increased. ¡®These weren¡¯t killed by monsters?¡¯ Having traveled through numerous regions from Gumi, Yeongwoo could distinguish between bodies killed by monsters and those that were not. Crucially, the bodies in Yeongdeungpo were: ¡®They were deliberately gathered in one ce and burned. Not long ago, either.¡¯ One might think it was the work of a fire-breathing monster, but Yeongwoo found it hard to agree. ¡®If it were monsters, they would have scorched all over the ce. But this¡­.¡¯ Even while riding the rapidly running Negwig, he could see countless piles of bodies processed in this manner. In other words, arge-scale massacre had urred in Yeongdeungpo, and as the excessive number of bodies began to decay, someone had tried to incinerate them. ¡®No matter how intense the civil war was, civilians shouldn¡¯t die like this¡­?¡¯ Even in North Korea, notorious for its brutality, the Strongest Sword¡¯s kill count didn¡¯t exceed a hundred. However, the ¡®processed¡¯ bodies Yeongwoo saw in Yeongdeungpo alone numbered at least in the thousands. ¡®There¡¯s not just one road where bodies are gathered like this.¡¯ This implied that the number of people killed by the same person in Yeongdeungpo could be in the tens of thousands. In other words, there was a huge problem in this area that caused more casualties than monsters and mutants. And that problem was likely: ¡®¡­the Korean-Chinese.¡¯ Of course, concluding that all Korean-Chinese were atrocious based on this alone would be a narrow-minded view. But looking at the current state of Yeongdeungpo, one thing seemed almost certain: ¡®Korean-Chinese are more dangerous after the reset.¡¯ Whether it was because heinous individuals had gained power after the reset, or due to some other reason, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t be sure. What mattered was that the circumstances suggested the Korean-Chinese hadmitted an ethnic cleansing in Yeongdeungpo. ¡®While we were dealing with North Korea, the Korean-Chinese were building their strength inside.¡¯ Yeongwoo had to think this way. He also had a reasonable suspicion that if left unchecked, these individuals would soon start encroaching on other areas. Crash! Finally, Negwig carried Yeongwoo deep into Daerim-dong, marked with the mutant insignia. Although there were still asional piles of bodies in Daerim-dong like other parts of Yeongdeungpo, their numbers were significantly fewer. As he feared, the bodies he had seen were not merely the aftermath of battles but evidence of an internal conflict among the Korean-Chinese. ¡°¡­These bastards.¡± Yeongwoo felt a deep anger surge within him for the first time in a long while. Of course, he knew that the reset was aplex and violent event, and that it couldn¡¯t be interpreted in a simplistic manner. It was an era where everyone was armed and had to earn a certain amount of karma each day to survive. In such times, it was difficult for the Korean-Chinese, who were essentially a minority in South Korea, to act morally. After all, even the native Koreans were busy hurting each other. However, ¡®But wiping out an entire area crossed a serious line. Especially when the poption, already fragmented by the reset, was further reduced.¡¯ Just like the limited resource of livablend, the post-reset poption was also a limited resource. This is because childbirth and childcare are incredibly challenging and daunting in this world. Therefore, the best immediate course of action is to preserve the poption as much as possible. It¡¯s only the sixth day since the reset, so we need to save as many people as we can until this disaster ends somehow. ¡®And if the poption decreases, the production of karma will also drop. The GDP will fall!¡¯ From a macroeconomic perspective, GDP, or Gross Domestic Product, was critically important. Currently, 1,000 karma points equate to 1 point of ability, so each country¡¯s GDP was almost synonymous with itsbat power. But that¡¯s not all. ¡®Karma is a currency that¡¯s epted not just on Earth but across the entire universe.¡¯ Therefore, a GDP based on karma also signifiedpetitive power on a universal scale. In this regard, it was wise to preserve the GWP, or Gross World Product, as much as possible. ¡®Of course, this is all just my own thinking¡­ it might sound like a delusion to someone else.¡¯ However, Yeongwoo was quite serious. Even now, numerous alien merchants wereing and going on Earth, and beings like Guppy, who had no prior agreement with Earth, could pass through the atmosphere with just the lone approval of the Strongest Sword. ¡®With the in this state, there¡¯s no guarantee that worse entities won¡¯t appear in the future.¡¯ Right now, even space pirates like Guppy could easily conquer Earth if they had malicious intentions. If things had gone slightly wrong, every human on Earth might have been taken to the Jargal to extract resin from rocks. ¡®Preparation is crucial¡­ especially for external invasions.¡¯ History had always proven this for humanity and the Korean Penins. ¡®Maybe now is not the time for Earthlings to be fighting each other.¡¯ Just as Yeongwoo thought this and turned his head forward, ¡®it¡¯ finally appeared before his eyes. [Inte Broadcaster ¨C Heo Geumhwa (Friendly Geumhwa)] It was Heo Geumhwa, a mutant on the sixth day in Gwangjin-gu. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s this?¡± As Yeongwoo expressed surprise upon seeing his opponent in the form of a harpy, Geumhwa, who was lying face down, turned her head with difficulty towards him. ¡¸Jo, Joseon Strongest Sword¡­¡­!¡¹ Although this was a line often muttered by those surprised by Yeongwoo¡¯s title, Geumhwa¡¯s case was a bit different. ¡¸Help me!¡¹ It was a plea for rescue from aplete stranger and a mad murderer. ¡°What¡­ what?¡± Hearing the mutant¡¯s plea for help, Yeongwoo finally looked around. Ssss¡­¡­ Before he knew it, Korean-Chinese had blocked all directions, including the retreat route. Especially near the windows of nearby buildings, there were people holding long spears in reverse grips. They were probably throwers. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡®Oh dear, I¡¯ve walked right into a mutant trap.¡¯ Yeongwoo admired the tight formation of the fire, sensing that these were the culprits behind the destruction of Yeongdeungpo. Crucially, there was someone here who seemed to have taken the title of Yeongdeungpo¡¯s Strongest Sword. ¡°What¡¯s this? Why do you need help?¡± The person stepping on Heo Geumhwa¡¯s neck with a foot and shouting angrily was none other than: ¡ºGuro¡¯s Strongest Sword¡» Hwang Gilhwi, 44 years old, a Korean-Chinese man. He was the only one among the crowd standing nearly 2 meters tall, unmistakably the leader of the Korean-Chinese in the Guro and Yeongdeungpo areas. Yeongwoo pointed at Geumhwa lying at his feet and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit too much? If you¡¯re going to kill her, just do it.¡± He said this upon seeing that both her wings had beenpletely cut off. Yeongwoo had only injured her right wing with an arrow, but now Geumhwa¡¯s wings were cut off right above her shoulders. In other words, these people had attacked her collectively after she fell into Daerim-dong due to the arrow. ¡®Wait, did I end up helping these guys?¡¯ If Geumhwa hadn¡¯t been injured in her wings, she wouldn¡¯t have been overpowered so easily. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yeongwoo, who had learned ¡®romance¡¯ from the Incheonites, even felt a bit sorry for the mutant Geumhwa. So when Geumhwa sent another pitiful plea for help, ¡¸Don¡¯t just stand there, help me!¡¹ Yeongwoo, though having a heart of steel, felt a pang of sorrow. He still didn¡¯t know much about her, but she didn¡¯t seem like a particrly vicious mutant. Step. Yeongwoo took a big step towards Geumhwa. Then, Guro¡¯s Strongest Sword Hwang Gilhwi pointed his sword at Yeongwoo threateningly and said, ¡°What? What are you trying to do? This one¡¯s already ours.¡± He spoke, assuming that the other Strongest Sword would naturally kill the mutant. What he meant was, why pick a fight over someone who was already dead. However, Yeongwoo had an option that Guro¡¯s Strongest Sword couldn¡¯t have imagined. That was¡­¡­ ¡®Since she¡¯s a harpy, she doesn¡¯t have arms, so how can we shake hands?¡¯ As Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze naturally turned to Geumhwa¡¯s two legs, Guro Strongest Sword took the opportunity to thrust his sword downward. Swoosh! Realizing that he had to deal with the mutant before this eerie fellow could do anything strange, Hwang Gilhwi struck. ¡¸Aaaaah!¡¹ Screaming loudly enough to tear everyone¡¯s eardrums, Heo Geumhwa noticed what was happening just in time, and almost simultaneously, Yeongwoo¡¯s body moved like lightning. Thwack! ¡°¡­What.¡± ¡¸Ack!¡¹ Aside from Geumhwa, Gilhwi, and Yeongwoo, no one in the room knew what had just happened. To their eyes, it seemed as if: ¡°What, what was that?¡± ¡°Teleportation¡­?¡± ¡°What just happened? I didn¡¯t see anything.¡± It appeared as if the Joseon Strongest Sword had teleported. Just moments ago, he had been standing several meters away, but in the blink of an eye, he was gripping Hwang Gilhwi¡¯s sword. Creak¡­ Of course, Gilhwi¡¯s sword had already slightly pierced Geumhwa¡¯s neck. No matter how skilled the Joseon Strongest Sword was, he couldn¡¯t perfectly block a sword swing from several meters away. But thanks to the step he had taken earlier, he was able to save Geumhwa. ¡°I told you, if you were going to kill her, you should have done it quickly without torturing her.¡± As Yeongwoo said this, he pulled the sword out of Geumhwa¡¯s neck with his hand, making Hwang Gilhwi look incredulous. ¡°You¡­ what are you?¡± Yeongwoo pondered for a moment, then looked up at the sky. ¡°I am Jeong Yeongwoo, the Joseon Strongest Sword. I¡¯m someone who might take charge of this country¡¯s defense.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Usually, I show my strength and receive defense fees, but you¡¯ve reduced the poption so much that it¡¯s meaningless.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve caused a significant loss to our country¡¯s GDP. As a punishment, I¡¯ll take your title. Enjoy your dinner in hell.¡± ¡°What nonsense are you spouting¡­!¡± Finally, golden light began to shine from Hwang Gilhwi¡¯s eyes. He was exuding the might of the Strongest Sword. But his opponent was someone who could maintain hisposure even in the presence of transcendent beings, a ¡®Master of Myth.¡¯ Yeongwoo stared straight at him with bare eyes, then swung his elbow. Whoosh! And then. sh! With a chilling sound, Hwang Gilhwi¡¯s head fell in front of hundreds of Korean-Chinese onlookers. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Thud, thump. Even as the Strongest Sword¡¯s head rolled on the ground a couple of times, the Korean-Chinese crowd could only blink in disbelief. They couldn¡¯t fathom that the master who had single-handedly subdued all the experts in Yeongdeungpo had just been decapitated by a strange intruder with a single elbow strike. ¡°Gilhwi?¡± ¡°Could he really be dead¡­?¡± But his death wasn¡¯t in vain. Though he had caused a loss to the GDP, his demise led to the emergence of a new powerful figure. ¡¸The Strongest Sword of Seoul has been elected!¡¹ ¡°Oh?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s pupils dted for the first time in a while. It made sense. By killing the Guro Strongest Sword, he also inherited the Yeongdeungpo title. Currently, Yeongwoo held three titles in the Seoul area: Guro, Yeongdeungpo, and Gangnam. ¡°Does this mean I finally be the Seoul Strongest Sword?¡± However, his prediction wasn¡¯t entirely urate. ¡¸A person who has acquired three major regional titles has emerged!¡¹ ¡°What¡­?¡± Gyeongbuk, Gyeonggi, and now Seoul. With the acquisition of the Seoul Strongest Sword title, he now held three major regional titles. ¡°This is like Tetris, what¡¯s going on?¡± The butterfly effect caused by the death of the Guro Strongest Sword. ¡¸The First Great Korean Strongest Sword has been elected!¡¹ ¡°¡­¡­!¡± With this madly rapid promotion, the Korean-Chinese onlookers forgot their leader¡¯s death and stared nkly at Yeongwoo¡¯s head. His title had already changed twice. But there was one more surprise in store. ¡¸Two divided nation titles have gathered in one ce!¡¹ ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡¸Yeongwoo07 is the sole candidate for the title of the strongest in the Korean Penins. A vote for approval or disapproval will begin shortly, so please prepare.¡¹ Prepare? This time, instead of feeling tense, Yeongwoo felt as if he¡¯d been hit on the back of the head. ¡°A vote?¡± Why should a title he earned by his own power be subject to a national vote? ¡°Is this how it¡¯s supposed to be? Or is it a special condition for a divided nation?¡± As Yeongwoo still wore a bewildered expression, the most unprecedented ceremony in Reset history began. ¡¸Before the vote, let¡¯s review the candidate¡¯s profile.¡¹ Then a gigantic screen appeared in the sky. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 248 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 248: The Great Migration (3) Everyone in South Korea, from Seoul, Incheon, Busan, and beyond, and even those scattered across the northern regions of North Korea, witnessed it. sh! The scene of a massive holographic screen unfolding in the sky over each region. And the message disyed on those screens was only one. ¡°Jeong Yeongwoo07¡± An iconic figure, Jeong Yeongwoo07, had emerged as the sole candidate for the title of the most powerful person in a unified Korean Penins. Of course, there were still many people in the country who had never heard of Yeongwoo¡¯s name. Although the regions where Yeongwoo had been active were not few, he hadn¡¯t even visited half of the cities nationwide. But things were different now. Starting from today, the story of Jeong Yeongwoo would spread across the entire penins¡­ no, the entire Korean Penins. So, at the very least, everyone in the nation would know the name Jeong Yeongwoo¡­ ¡°Ah!¡± Yeongwoo, who was looking up at the screen in the sky with about a hundred ethnic Koreans from China, let out a scream involuntarily. Because¡­ sh! In an instant, the screen shed and Yeongwoo¡¯s own face appeared on it. It wasn¡¯t even archived footage; it was a real-time broadcast of Yeongwoo, who was currently in Daerim-dong. Like a kiss cam at a baseball game. ¡°Uh?¡± The Yeongwoo on the screen couldn¡¯t hide his bewildered expression. Meanwhile, the ethnic Koreans who were exposed on the screen with Yeongwoo ran out of the frame to avoid being filmed. As a result, Yeongwoo was left alone on the problematic screen being broadcasted across the entire Korean Penins. ¡®Is¡­ is this not a dream but real? This scene is being broadcasted live nationwide?¡¯ As Yeongwoo stared nkly at his face filling the sky, a very polished voice resonated from beyond the screen. [Hello, Mr. Jeong Yeongwoo.] ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Yeongwoo, who hadn¡¯t expected anyone to speak to him, gaped. ¡°Who¡­ are you?¡± The voice answered smoothly. [We are the Council. As the administrators of the reset Earth, we are here to conduct the approval vote.] The Council. They were the ones who had informed all of humanity about the beginning of this disaster on the first day of the reset and had warned about high-risk mutants starting on the fifth day. And just now¡­ ¡®Administrators of the reset Earth¡­¡¯ They had indirectly revealed their role. ¡®So, they¡¯re government officials?¡¯ Instinctively, Yeongwoo tried to ascertain the status of his opponent. To determine whether they were someone he could kill. Then, as if reading Yeongwoo¡¯s mind, the Council reminded him that his opponent was not them but the entire poption of the Korean Penins. Using an absurd request to do so. [Mr. Jeong Yeongwoo, please remove all your clothes.] ¡°What? You basta¡­¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s innate temper red immediately. However, he barely managed to shut his mouth before he finished his harsh words. Wasn¡¯t this conversation, including his appearance, being broadcasted live to the entire Korean Penins? Anyway, this was a kind of verification procedure to decide the most powerful person in a unified Korea. Especially since soon, the people watching this broadcast would decide whether Yeongwoo would ascend to the position of the most powerful person in Korea. So he couldn¡¯t show himself losing hisposure due to such a simple provocation. ¡®This is essentially a hearing.¡¯ He was in big trouble. This was almost at the level of a setup crime. ¡°I¡¯m already quite undressed, but surely you don¡¯t mean to remove my underwear as well?¡± [Please remove all your clothes.] ¡®¡­No way, these bastards.¡¯ They were literally asking him to stand before the people without a single thread on. ¡°Do I really have to take off all my clothes? I don¡¯t think everyone watching this broadcast would want that. Surely there are children among the viewers.¡± Although he was caught off guard by the unexpected hearing, Yeongwoo tried his best to defend himself. Of course, being the most powerful person in Korea wasn¡¯t an ordinary position, but standing before the entire nation in his underwear was a different matter. It was a matter of human dignity. But the Council¡¯s will was firm. [Then we will conduct a public opinion survey of the Korean Penins¡¯s citizens for the next 15 seconds.] ¡°¡­¡­?¡± [For those who think the candidate should present himself fully to the public for the selection of the most powerful person, please think ¡®approve.¡¯ Those who disagree, please think ¡®disapprove.¡¯] It was the same method used on the first day of the reset to nominate candidates for elimination. The Council was abusing its power. ¡®You crazy bastards, if you do it like that, even I would approve.¡¯ When else would people get to see the underwear of a candidate for the most powerful person in Korea? Setting aside the idea of standing fully before the public, most people would dly vote ¡®approve¡¯ just to mess with the candidate. And, unsurprisingly: [The public opinion survey has concluded.] ¡°¡­¡­¡± [The results are 84.2% in favor, 15.8% against. The approval has won by a majority.] [The candidate is requested toply with the public¡¯s request.] This is how a power struggle is conducted. Grit. Yeongwoo ground his teeth in frustration. ¡®The Council bastards, I¡¯ll kill them someday.¡¯ But what could he do right now? If all the voters wanted it, he had no choice but toply with their wishes. ¡®¡­Sigh.¡¯ Eventually, Yeongwoo began to take off the ¡®Cosmic Etiquette¡¯ cape mounted on his shoulders with a detached expression. Clunk, thud! Once he threw off the Cosmic Etiquette cape, the next steps became much easier. The bracelets on his wrists fell to the ground with light, cheerful sounds matching their weight. Clink, tap! Of course, even then, Yeongwoo carefully ced the items on the ground. They were precious things to him, not something to toss aside with his belt. nk! Soon the belt also fell to the ground in Daerim-dong, leaving him only with his pants and the underwear underneath. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m taking off my pants.¡± As Yeongwoo slowly pulled down his pants while looking at the screen in the sky, the ethnic Koreans surrounding him started murmuring. The buff tattoos he had on his groin were exposed in all their glory. ¡°Now then.¡± Yeongwoo spoke in a dry tone. The time hade to remove the finalyer. ¡®Damn it, what¡¯s the big deal about taking off some clothes?¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Just as Yeongwoo resolved himself and began pulling down his underwear. sh! [¡­¡­!] A beam of white light, about a span wide, pierced through the Earth¡¯s atmosphere and the hologram screen, shooting down to Yeongwoo¡¯s feet. Right between his bare feet. ¡°Uh?¡± Yeongwoo, startled, instinctively took a step back, but then he noticed the familiar pattern inside the mysterious beam of light and widened his eyes. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± It was the insignia of Dogo. Tiny insignias filled the inside of the beam of light like a mosaic effect. ¡°Chairman?¡± Yeongwoo whispered very softly, looking up at the sky, and saw his image on the screen. Yeongwoo stood proudly without a thread on, just as the voters had requested. Only the beam of light from the sky had conveniently covered his lower body, obscuring some of his parts from the broadcast screen. ¡®The chairman has provided a mosaic!¡¯ Protecting their own advertising model. Yeongwoo felt a stirring in his iron-d heart from the chairman¡¯s grace. And the particrly interesting thing in this situation was: [¡­¡­.] The reaction of the Council, who imed to be the administrators of the reset Earth. In fact, the beam of light covering Yeongwoo¡¯s groin was only about a span wide. In other words, with a slight adjustment of the camera angle, Yeongwoo¡¯s naked body could be fully captured despite the beam of light. However: [We apologize for the uneven broadcast due to a transmission error.] The Council tacitly allowed Dogo¡¯s intervention. ¡®This is how real power struggles are conducted.¡¯ Cosmic-level power struggles. Of course, the majority of the Korean Penins¡¯s viewers would have no idea what had just happened. On the other hand, for those in the know, this scene itself was a tremendous reveal. Following this, Dogo even handed out a kind of promotion bonus. Ping! [Dogo] ¡°Recognition and Fame¡± [Mission] Get elected as the strongest person on the Korean Penins. [Reward] 30 million Karma A whopping 30 million Karma. Considering the reward for the ¡®Parental Verification¡¯ quest, which took three days toplete, was 20 million Karma, this showed how much Dogo cared about this election. ¡®They are telling me to make sure I get elected as the strongest.¡¯ Yeongwoo quietly nodded while looking at the white beam of light still protecting his groin. At that moment, the Council proceeded with the main approval vote. [Finally, the candidate stands proudly before the entire nation.] [The person elected through this vote will represent the Korean Penins in future global matters.] ¡®Global matters?¡¯ It meant there would be something on a national level in the future. And the person representing the Korean Penins in that context would be today¡¯s candidate, Jeong Yeongwoo07. [Therefore, please refer to the candidate¡¯s profile and cast your valuable vote with care.] A piece of advice that seemed to hold many implications. [We will now review the candidate¡¯s main achievements.] ¡®Ah, it¡¯s finally starting in earnest.¡¯ Half excited, half worried. As Yeongwoo took a deep breath and awaited the next development, arge interface suddenly appeared before his eyes. sh! ¡°Huh?¡± It was four holographic buttons. They were maderge enough for voters watching the broadcast to see clearly as well. Each button was inscribed withrge text, which upon a nce, were the key aspects of Yeongwoo¡¯s profile to be introduced from now on. [Personality] [Martial Skills] [Patriotism] [Diplomacy] ¡®These bastards are really trying to bring me down.¡¯ But at the same time, it made sense. If the person elected through this vote wasn¡¯t just a ¡®strongman¡¯ but also held a political role representing the people of the Korean Penins¡­ ¡®Then it¡¯s natural for everyone to be curious about the traits of the person representing them.¡¯ In essence, it was a process of selecting a kind of diplomat. However, given the reset state of international society, only those with outstanding martial skills could qualify. ¡®Well, you need to be strong enough to be seen as a conversation partner.¡¯ Yeongwoo tried to rationalize the situation as he scanned the four buttons with his eyes. Suddenly, a series of videos shed before his eyes at an incredible speed. ¡®Huh? What was that?¡¯ Thinking he might have imagined it, he scanned the buttons again, and once more, dozens of videos yed briefly. Though he couldn¡¯t be sure exactly what was being shown due to the speed, he had a sense of it. ¡®There are video clips included in those buttons.¡¯ It was likely that videos corresponding to each keyword would be yed on the giant screen. A video album of all the things Yeongwoo had done, to be viewed by all the citizens of the Korean Penins. ¡®Is this¡­ alright?¡¯ As Yeongwoo pondered what kind of disaster might be contained in each button, the Council made an intriguing statement. [The candidate will now choose the first profile to be revealed.] ¡°Oh¡­ So I can choose what to show first?¡± But if all four were going to be revealed anyway, what difference did it make? Just as Yeongwoo was thinking this: sh! At the bottom of the screen in the sky, graphsbeled ¡°approve¡± and ¡°disapprove¡± appeared. ¡°Huh¡­¡­?¡± [Voting will be conducted in real-time, and voting will be possible starting from the moment the first profile is revealed.] In other words, voters could cast their votes even before seeing all four items. [The criteria for election in this vote is a 70% approval rate.] ¡°What? What did you say?¡± A 70 percent approval rate. An absurd standard. Assuming there were 100 people currently residing on the Korean Penins, it meant that 70 of them had to support him to be elected. This meant that regardless of age, birthce, political orientation, race, etc., a significant majority of people had to want Yeongwoo. ¡®Damn, just the fathers of thisnd alone would probably take up 20 percent of the total votes¡­¡¯ And didn¡¯t he just recently decapitate Hwang Gilhwi, the head of the ethnic Koreans in Seoul? Therefore, he could consider all the votes of the ethnic Koreans in the country lost. ¡®Damn it¡­ I¡¯ve already taken off my underwear.¡¯ The naked candidate¡¯s expression darkened. Then the Council started a five-second countdown, urging the candidate to make a decision. [Which profile will you reveal first?] [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 249 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 249: The Great Migration (4) Among the four keywords: ¨C [Personality] ¨C [Martial Skills] ¨C [Patriotism] ¨C [Diplomacy] One had to be revealed first. Simultaneously, the profile and voting would open. Thus, the first keyword needed to appeal to as many people as possible. In that sense: ¡®Though I hate to admit it, personality is probably the most problematic.¡¯ While the exact content was unknown, one thing was certain: There wouldn¡¯t be much positive to reveal. However, conversely: ¡®But isn¡¯t the candidate¡¯s personality what everyone is most curious about right now?¡¯ Abilities? Undoubtedly important. But this was a situation where he was the sole candidate for the title of the strongest in the Korean Penins. Everyone could guess that the candidate possessed immense martial skills without any need for further exnation. The only remaining question was whether he could show something beyond what the public expected through his profile. On the other hand, the expectation for personality wasn¡¯t high. All the voters watching this broadcast had survived in the post-reset world for six days. This meant they understood that one couldn¡¯t be a strong person in this world without getting blood on their hands. Especially if they were a candidate for the strongest in the Korean Penins¡­ ¡®Of course, they would think he¡¯s a tremendous viin.¡¯ Although not far from the truth, Yeongwoo¡¯s evil deeds were slightly different from what was typically considered ¡®evil.¡¯ ¡®Shall I gamble? Let¡¯s break through head-on.¡¯ With a glint in his eye, Yeongwoo, officially recognized by the system as Stubborn, started to think. ¡®Since this is a vote to choose someone to represent them, they won¡¯t cast their vote recklessly. They¡¯ll at least verify the martial skills before voting.¡¯ But if he revealed his martial skills first: ¡®Revealing the martial skills would certainly leave a strong impression, but that would be it. With three more keywords left, people would start focusing on those.¡¯ And as the remaining three profiles were revealed, the strong impression left by the martial skills would gradually fade away. ¡®Moreover, if I keep dying the personality reveal, people will think, ¡®How bad is his personality that he¡¯s hiding it?¡¯ This would make people wait until the personality reveal before casting their votes, as they hate being deceived. Yeongwoo himself felt this way when he was part of the public. He detested politicians and celebrities who dared deceive the public, the very source of their power. If one made a mistake, they should honestly admit it and seek forgiveness. While not necessarily the best approach, Yeongwoo was convinced it wasn¡¯t the worst either. ¡®Alright, fuck it. I¡¯m already exposed, so let¡¯sy it all out there.¡¯ Yeongwoo knew he couldn¡¯t win this election without creating a miracle of getting 70% of the votes. Hence, he decided to surprise everyone by revealing his weakness, the ¡®personality,¡¯ first. ¡®This vote is essentially about choosing a strong person. A slightly bad personality won¡¯t immediately flood me with negative votes.¡¯ Even if the disapproval rate soared to 29% instantly, he just needed to ensure no more disapproval in the remaining three keywords. ¡®Let¡¯s go, Jeong Yeongwoo! Let¡¯s go¡­!¡¯ With an inner cheer, Yeongwoo immediately spoke up. ¡°Everyone! My personality! I¡¯ll reveal my personality first!¡± * * * Yeongwoo¡¯s bold move to reveal his personality first. [¡­¡­] Even the council, who didn¡¯t expect personality to be the first profile revealed, asked Yeongwoo again. [¡­You chose ¡®Personality¡¯ as the first keyword. Are you sure?] ¡°Yes! You all heard it, right? I¡¯ll start with my personality!¡± As Yeongwoo addressed the voters through the broadcast screen, the council quickly proceeded with the next lines and began revealing the profile. [As requested by the candidate, we will now reveal the first profile: ¡®Personality.¡¯] With the council¡¯s announcement, the sky, or rather the holographic screen covering the sky, darkened. It was like a movie screen turning ck before the movie started. Then: Shaa¡­ A serene and sentimental sound began to resonate from somewhere. It felt like listening to the wind blowing through a vast field of reeds. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Yeongwoo closed his eyes involuntarily at the unexpected emotional opening. Then: Swish. A familiar color flickered through his closed eyelids. ¡®Huh? This is¡­¡¯ It was a warm golden light. When Yeongwoo, sensing something, hurriedly opened his eyes, he saw golden rain pouring down from the entire screen that filled the sky. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Naked, Yeongwoo raised his arms to the sky. Soon, transparent bubbles began to gather on the screen filled with gold, forming a series of strings of text. ¡¸Jeong Yeongwoo07, first in the country to summon golden rain.¡¹ Then a new sound was heard. ¨CSir, that¡¯s not really it. If you do that, the situation will only get worse. It was the conversation from when Yeongwoo first summoned the golden rain. ¨C¡­Yechan. ¨CYes. Please, go ahead. ¨CLet¡¯s close our eyes and try once, throwing 3 million. ¨CAh! Really, sir! Please! It was a recording of the conversation between Yechan and Yeongwoo, who were arguing over whether to distribute the 3 million monopoly and 30,000 karma supplies to everyone. ¡¸From this day on, Jeong Yeongwoo07 called golden rain to every ce he stepped on and fed everyone.¡¹ ¡¸To this day, about 1.71 million people have survived thanks to his sharing, and of those, 360,000 have directly or indirectly saved another 860,000 lives.¡¹ In other words, among the 1.71 million who survived because of Yeongwoo¡¯s golden rain, 360,000 helped others, saving another 860,000 people. It highlighted the positive karmic effect of the golden rain. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡®Wow¡­ I didn¡¯t know that either. That¡¯s why I umted a lot of good karma with the golden rain.¡¯ Yeongwoo stared at the screen in a daze. And it seemed that the voters across the country felt the same way, as the approval graph at the bottom of the screen immediately began to rise. | Approval: 14.3% | | Disapproval: 0.2% | ¡®Wow, 14.3% approval right away? People care about personality more than I thought.¡¯ But he still had a long way to go to reach the final goal of 70% approval, and his ¡®personality¡¯ profile was not yet finished. The screen turned ck again. ¡®What else is there? We could move on to the next one already.¡¯ As Yeongwoo looked at the sky with a puzzled expression, he heard a very awkward voice from beyond the ck screen. ¨CIt¡¯s a relief that you think that way. In fact, I had an achievement to find and kill my biological father. ¡®Ah¡­¡¯ As soon as he heard the first line, Yeongwoo realized what wasing next. ¨CW-What? ¨CSoon, you will know when I cut off my father¡¯s head. If we are really father and son, the achievement will bepleted. ¨CW-Wait! ¨CEven if not, you must have some sin, so ept it calmly, Father! Shwa! The recording contained the sound of Yeongwoo swinging his sword. ¡®Why didn¡¯t they include the part where my father rolled aside!¡¯ Despite Yeongwoo¡¯s frustration, the screen was already filled with a brilliant light. Then: Shwa! With unnecessarily splendid effects, Yeongwoo¡¯s second personality profile appeared. ¡¸Jeong Yeongwoo07, first in the country to attempt patricide.¡¹ ¡®I was the first?¡¯ As Yeongwoo gaped, the screen brightened and a video began to y. It was aption of the humiliations Jeonggu suffered after meeting Yeongwoo, a kind of¡­ mad movie. ¡ª¡­What happens if you fail? ¡ªThen I will finally be aplete orphan. Yeongwoo and Jeonggu¡¯s ¡®three-day contract.¡¯ ¡ªUh¡­ but I don¡¯t have a ride. ¡ªYes. Father, you have no ride¡­ so you¡¯ll probably have to run. Yeongwoo had Negwig ride with him, while his father had to run to follow. ¡ªWhy the hell are you doing this? ¡ª40%. When his son Yeongwoo suddenly cut off his arm in front of him to check the effects of physical muttion. ¡ªYou have to endure this to survive in this world without inheriting anything. ¡ªTell me, Father! Haven¡¯t you ever met a woman who was difficult to be with? Even once¡­! A medley of criticisms from his son, Jeong Yeongwoo. ¡ªAre you serious? ¡ªStop talking and put it on quickly. Jeonggu, braving a firestorm to go out at night following his son. Followed by scenes of Jeonggu being his son¡¯s weapon shuttle, always with a dazed expression, stepping back. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Seeing it allpiled together, Yeongwoo felt a bit sorry, realizing his father¡¯s life wasn¡¯t smooth. ¡®He did have a hard time for a few days.¡¯ However, contrary to his expectations, the disapproval votes didn¡¯t surge. | Approval: 16.4% | | Disapproval: 7.1% | | Approval: 16.4% | | Disapproval: 7.1% | Despite the harsh treatment towards his biological father being tantly exposed, the disapproval votes were only 7.1%, and in the meantime, the approval votes had slightly increased. It seemed that the fact Jeonggu was still alive was viewed positively. ¡®¡­Father, are you okay?¡¯ Yeongwoo thought about Jeonggu, who was probably watching this screen right now. Perhaps, Jeonggu¡¯s vote was mixed in that 7.1% disapproval. Swish! Finally, the horrific video involving his father ended, and the screen darkened again. ¡®Is the personality part¡­ over?¡¯ If so, it was quite sessful. The first move had been yed well. [The profile reveal rted to the candidate¡¯s personality is nowplete.] ¡®So that¡¯s it.¡¯ Yeongwoo sighed in relief. [The candidate will soon choose the next profile to reveal.] ¡®Now, everything left is rted to abilities. This, I am confident about.¡¯ Having passed the biggest hurdle, the remaining issue was how many approval votes he could draw in. [Martial Skills] [Patriotism] [Diplomacy] ¡®I¡¯ve given a shock with personality, so now I need something strong enough to overshadow the existing image.¡¯ In that case, martial skills or diplomacy would be good choices. ¡®Since people have already started voting, let¡¯s go big. I¡¯ll reveal martial skills first, then follow up with a diplomacybo.¡¯ He needed to draw over 40% approval votes from the martial skills part to have a chance of winning. Having devised his strategy, Yeongwoo immediately pressed the profile button. ¡°I will reveal my martial skills!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 250 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 250: The Great Migration (5) [As requested by the candidate, the second biography, ¡®Martial Skills,¡¯ will be revealed.] Martial Skills. In the reset world, it is the most universal means ofmunication and a necessary skill for anyone representing the Korean Penins. Perhaps that¡¯s why. Pop! |Support: 17.3% |Oppose: 7.1% ¡®What¡¯s this, it hasn¡¯t even been revealed yet?¡¯ As Yeongwoo confidently chose ¡®Martial Skills¡¯ as his second biography, the approval rating increased by 0.9% even before the main content was shown. And soon after. Swoosh. The screen darkened again, and the sound of an electric guitar came from somewhere. Bzziiiing¡­! ¡®Huh?¡¯ Yeongwoo looked around, wondering if he had heard wrong. The heavy kick of a drum sounded repeatedly, and then Yeongwoo¡¯s voice echoed loudly from inside the screen. ¡ªDid you see? I am the invincible Jeong Yeongwoo! ¡®¡­My God.¡¯ Starting with his arrogant line, what Yeongwoo saw was a true ¡®mad movie.¡¯ It began with the scene where he dered his invincibility in front of hundreds of Chinese people, followed by scenes of his body being dismembered and reassembled. Boom! All of this yed to the background of a very fast-tempo music. Even the scene where he was doused in the venom of the poisonous dragon, Im Kwangho, was shown without any mosaic, graphically intense enough to resemble a horror movie. ¡®This is beyond just being strong.¡¯ Yeongwoo watched the scenes of himself fighting with half of his lower body¡¯s skin, internal organs, and even his skeleton dissolved with a horrified expression. However, despite his reaction, the approval ratings were skyrocketing. |Support: 27.3% |Oppose: 7.4% The people of the Korean Penins apparently wanted such a monster to fight on their behalf in the internationalmunity. ¡®Fine. As long as I get enough votes, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡¯ At this rate, achieving a 60% approval rating might not be impossible. But the goal was 70%. ¡®Simply fighting well isn¡¯t enough. Isn¡¯t there more to show for Martial Skills? There should be more to reveal, right?¡¯ As Yeongwoo was contemting this, the screen¡¯s color tone changed. Pop! The grayish image typical of a stone building. ¡°¡­!¡± As soon as Yeongwoo saw it, he knew what woulde next, and soon white letters appeared contrasting with the background. ¡¸Jeong Yeongwoo07, World¡¯s First Mutant Unit Operator.¡¹ And then,rge silhouettes passed through the middle of those letters. ¡ªAhhhhhhh! ¡ªUwaaaaaaah! These were Yeongwoo¡¯s ¡®friends¡¯ summoned by his whistle. It was the scene of fighting the giant deity Gameta, one of the bosses in the recent night dungeon. ¡°What, what is that?¡± ¡°Why are mutants there?¡± The ethnic Koreans watching the screen with Yeongwoo were murmuring. They were more shocked by the fact that the Strongest Sword controlled mutants as his subordinates than by the presence of Gameta. On top of that, they were even seen ganging up on one target. If one had to choose the viin between the two sides, the majority would pick the candidate and his mutant unit. The reactions of other voters weren¡¯t much different. Pop! |Support: 36.5% |Oppose: 11.2% Both support and opposition increased significantly. Everyone was gradually realizing it. The candidate running to represent the Korean Penins had walked the path of an outsider. And finally, the climax of the Martial Skills biography was reached. ¡¸Jeong Yeongwoo07, The Only Domestic Asymmetric Power.¡¹ ¡®Oh¡­ finally showing something?¡¯ Theary-scale bombardment supported by the interster militarypany ¡®Toma¡¯ was essentially Yeongwoo¡¯s trump card. Pop! The screen turned bright white, zooming in on a rapidly spinning pedal. Creak, creak, creak. The one pedaling hard was none other than Yeongtae. Fortunately, he appeared human, so most voters wouldn¡¯t know that mutants directly conducted theser bombardment. ¡®If everyone knew, this election would be andslide loss.¡¯ Soon, the inside of the pedal began to glow bluish, and the massive steel pipe extending diagonally from the pedal started turning blue from the bottom. Theser cannon was charging. Creak, creak! And finally. ng! With a sound like something locking into ce, the pedal that Yeongtae had been turning stopped, and the camera made a dynamic move to show General Kim Younghyeom waiting on the opposite side. He had already entered the coordinates and was cing his hand over theunch button. Then. ¨DFire the bombardment! With a thunderousmand, General Kim¡¯s broad hand mmed down on theunch button. Bang! At that moment, a tremendous amount of energy shot up from the tip of theseruncher that was piercing the sky above the Returner¡¯s Room. Boom! And for the first time, Yeongwoo saw it. He saw the scene after theser fired from the Returner¡¯s Room pierced through the white space. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Surprisingly, the screen was showing the perspective of theser. The high-concentration energy that left theseruncher and pierced the white sky at ultra-high speed soon entered a pitch-ck space devoid of any sense of space. ¡®Is that surrounding the outside of the Returner¡¯s Room?¡¯ Yeongwoo, who was seriously looking for a way to free his ¡®friends,¡¯ focused on this scene that probably no one else was paying attention to. This was a hint about ¡®where the Returner¡¯s Room exists.¡¯ ¡®Where is that? It doesn¡¯t seem like a normal outer space.¡¯ A perfect ck. The space continued without a single point of light except for theser beam fired by his friends, and then finally. Pop! Suddenly, the surroundings brightened, revealing the familiar ¡®universe.¡¯ A small Earth appeared ahead, with the massive Sun behind it, standing in the sr system. Boom! Theser fired from the Returner¡¯s Room pierced the Earth¡¯s atmosphere and dashed towards the southern part of the Korean Penins. Specifically, towards the fallen Kim Il-sung on the outskirts of Gangnam-gu, Seoul. ¡°¡­!¡± From somewhere outside of space, down to the small spot on our familiar Earth. This vast scale of angle change left a significant impression on the voters, especially the residents of North Korea. |Support: 49.7% |Oppose: 12.3% The support rate increased by a whopping 13.2% with one shot of the bombardment. Probably the North Korean residents who confirmed the death of the Kim family on the screen gave their support. ¡®Never in my life did I expect to get support from the North.¡¯ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] That meant 20.3% of South Koreans hadn¡¯t used their votes yet. ¡®What do they want more? Is it because there are still categories like diplomacy left?¡¯ After all, each voter could only cast one vote. Since the only choices were to support or oppose, it was wise to make a decision after acquiring enough information. In other words, only the cautious voters were left. [The biography rted to the candidate¡¯s ¡®Martial Skills¡¯ has been fully disclosed.] The current support rate was 49.7%. Yeongwoo looked nervously at the remaining two buttons alternately. [Patriotism] [Diplomacy] There were only two things left to show the people. [Please select the third biography to be disclosed.] After a brief thought, Yeongwoo chose ¡®Diplomacy.¡¯ ¡°Diplomacy, I will show you.¡± Then the screen in the sky calmed down again, and the voice of the council was heard. [As requested by the candidate, the third biography, ¡®Diplomacy,¡¯ will be disclosed.] Diplomacy¡­ but what exactly does diplomacy mean in this world? ¡®To be honest, it¡¯s only been six days since the reset, so there¡¯s not much diplomacy to speak of. All I¡¯ve done is threaten some Chinese people and then take a special coffee trip to Busan.¡¯ As he thought this, Yeongwoo realized that the meaning of ¡®diplomacy¡¯ was broader than he had imagined upon seeing the video on the screen. Boom! Suddenly, the screen split into three, and each showed the three dungeons Yeongwoo had visited so far. On the far left, a giant pyramid rising from the ground, ¡®Iria¡¯s Pain.¡¯ In the center, the Sanctuary of Valor where he had been with his father. The dungeon that started when the ground they stood on suddenly rose hundreds of meters into the air. And finally, the dungeon on the far right was the ¡®Batum¡¯s Casino¡¯ located on the alien Rupo. ¡¸Jeong Yeongwoo07, World¡¯s First Dungeon Ranking Earth #1.¡¹ ¡°¡­!¡± Not world #1 but Earth #1. With this incredible title, the screen, divided into three, showed Yeongwoo suffering. Yeongwoo was seen pulling a chained boat as a rower in Iria¡¯s Pain. And wading through a thousand gray ghouls to light a brazier. ¡®I¡¯ve really been through a lot in just a few days.¡¯ Especially on the right screen, dozens of mutants were seen rushing at Yeongwoo in the arena of the ¡®Strongest¡¯ tournament, and at this point, the approval ratings began to rise gradually. |Support: 54.9% |Oppose: 12.8% Meanwhile, the voters¡¯ threshold for strength had risen, so they were not easily stimted by mere feats of valor. However, the following content was a different form of stimulus from mere superior martial prowess. It was: ¡¶Shandong Province wees your arrival.¡· ¨C Regards, Zhang Jaham, Twin Evil of Shandong. National prestige. The screen showed hundreds of Chinese people on the coast of Shandong Province waving small gs to wee Yeongwoo. Following that: ¨DThe Twin Evil of Shandong, Wu Qingjin, greets the great hero Jeong Yeongwoo, invincible against swords¡­! The sight of China¡¯s martial artists kneeling before Yeongwoo unfolded on the screen, and in an instant, the leading digit of the approval rating changed. |Support: 60.2% |Oppose: 13.1% ¡¸Jeong Yeongwoo07, the first in the nation to implement colonial rule over China!¡¹ ¡°Huh¡­? Wait, no! What do you mean, colonial rule?¡± An rmed Yeongwoo waved his hand at the screen, denying the biography content. However, the screen did not show the current Yeongwoo. The Yeongwoo currently on screen was: Swish! Yeongwoo was instructing the golden goblin to fill it with coins piled up at his feet. For some reason, he looked extremely greedy. ¡°When was that?¡± The scene was not entirely unfamiliar to Yeongwoo. Judging by the huge pile of coins, it was likely when he was calcting the defense expenses collected in Seoul. ¡°But what does that have to do with the Shandong agreement!¡± Of course, the screen did not exin that this ¡®pile of money¡¯ was rted to the colonial rule over China. However, it did not rify that it was unrted to China either. It was an edit with malicious intent. ¡°Hey, man! Sure, I nned to collect money in the future, but¡­!¡± In the end, as the furious Yeongwoo tried to pull the Bastard Sword out of the ground. Beep! An alert sounded from the bottom of the screen, and the voting graph shed. The approval votes suddenly began to increase rapidly. |Support: 66.4% |Oppose: 13.6% ¡°66 percent¡­?¡± Yeongwoo blinked. A significant number of the ¡®cautious voters¡¯ were reacting to the idea of colonial rule over China. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 251 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 251: The Great Migration (6) ¡®Wow, these people¡­ they¡¯re more extreme than I thought!¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s mouth dropped open as he saw the approval rating quickly reach its target. He only meant to squeeze some money out of them, calling it colonial rule, but he hadn¡¯t expected such a passionate response. |Approval: 66.8%| |Disapproval: 13.7%| Yeongwoo¡¯s approval rating had slightly risen to 66.8%. Meanwhile, the disapproval rating was only 13.7%. The voters were at least tolerating extreme responses when it came to foreign powers. So what if he pushed things even further? Vrrroooom¡­ Suddenly, the screen darkened again, and an ominous presence was felt. ¡®No way.¡¯ Yeongwoo instinctively looked up at the sky. An all-too-familiar metallic sound echoed across the sky. ng, ng! ¡®¡­This sound.¡¯ It was the sound of the alien metal horse, Negwig, a long-timerade and a gift from the Dogo. ¨DScreeeech! Negwig¡¯s footsteps, belonging to an unidentified alien origin. ng, ng! Soon, the previously dark screen lit up again, showing Negwig charging down Gangnam Boulevard. Scattering Dogo¡¯s wedge symbol along its path. ¡®This is the reception mode?¡¯ Realizing a lot from this, Yeongwoo saw a massive anchor dropping on the other side of the screen. Swoosh, crash! This was the signature of the universal weapons manufacturer Dogo¡¯s founder, the Destroyer King, Dogo. Soon, a tombstone-shaped ship of Chairman Dogo appeared above. It was reying the moment he visited Gangnam to deliver a weapon manual to Yeongwoo. ¨DChairmaaaan! Next, the screen showed Yeongwoo riding on the back of the giantized Pofu Tenta to greet the chairman. Yeongwoo, raising both arms and chanting ¡®Chairman,¡¯ looked like a sycophant. ¡¸Jeong Yeongwoo07, adopts servile diplomacy!¡¹ What a brilliant caption. ¡°¡­¡­¡± But Yeongwoo had no way to refute it. It was true that he was fawning over Dogo. Just by greeting him well, money and manuals came pouring in; how could he not serve Dogo? ¡°Hey! On Earth, we might be a developed country, but in the universe, we¡¯re paupers! Sometimes you have to beg to survive!¡± Yeongwoo protested, but this wasn¡¯t broadcasted on the screen. On the screen, Jeong Yeongwoo was still there. ¨DChairman! Stay healthy¡­¡­! Waving off the chairman in a melodious voice. Of course, in a broader perspective, this could be seen as a reception for the interests of South Korea, or rather Earth¡­¡­ |Approval: 66.8%| |Disapproval: 20.3%| The public opinion wasn¡¯t so good. The disapproval rating surged quickly, tightening the noose around Yeongwoo¡¯s neck. ¡®Damn. 20 percent?¡¯ To win this election, Yeongwoo needed an approval rating of 70%. But this was only possible if the disapproval rating stayed below 30%. If the disapproval rating hit 30.1%, even a 0.1% shortfall in approval would mean a confirmed loss. ¡®How many votes are left?¡¯ Yeongwoo quickly calcted while looking at the graph on the screen. With the total approval and disapprovalbined at 87.1%, the percentage of voters yet to cast their votes was 12.9%. So, the election¡¯s oue would now hinge on where the remaining 12.9% of the voters¡¯ sentimentsy. [The disclosure of the candidate¡¯s diplomatic history has concluded.] Finally, the council wrapped up the disclosure of Yeongwoo¡¯s diplomatic history, and the screen returned to standby mode. ¡®Phew, I almost got screwed at thest minute.¡¯ If the council had shown just one more scene of him greeting the chairman, the disapproval rating might have shot past 30%. But the worst-case scenario did not ur. [The final history to be disclosed is the candidate¡¯s view of the nation.] ¡®It¡¯s thest one. This time, there are no choices at all.¡¯ Yeongwoo waited for the screen to light up, contemting his views on the nation. Patriotism. In its purely dictionary definition, it means ¡®the view on the purpose, meaning, establishment, and form of the nation.¡¯ It¡¯s a fairlyprehensive concept. So, what part of this concept would the council focus on? The answer was revealed soon enough. Whoooosh¡­ ¡®Oh, it¡¯s starting.¡¯ Finally, the rough sound of something breaking through the air was heard on the screen, revealing a view of the southern tip of the Korean Penins from a dizzying height. ¡®Ah.¡¯ It was Cheongsapo in Busan, where there had been a skirmish with Japan not long ago. The perspective was from when Yeongwoo had urgently dispatched himself to Busan, paying a hefty sum to use the Guppy Express. Craaaash! Soon, the distant Cheongsapo rapidly zoomed closer, and the angle changed to show the elevator of the Guppy Express descending to the ground. Whoooosh, boom! The elevator almost crashnded, and the screen showed Yeongwoo and the Mon-O tribe warriors disembarking. After a brief pause, apanied by the sound of a cash register, a caption appeared. Chirick, ding! ¡¸Jeong Yeongwoo07 used 13 million Karma for transportation to protect Busan.¡¹ This was crucial evidence showing that the candidate had made considerable efforts to protect national territory. However, for Busan, it was also an opportunity to learn about Yeongwoo¡¯s corruption. Yeongwoo had demanded 15 million Karma from Busan for the transportation at that time. Although those who knew this fact had already cast their votes, the disapproval rating did not increase. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] sh! Next, the scene of Yeongwoo confronting two Chinese at the Imjin River reyed. ¨DIf you turn back without crossing that bridge, I will let you go. Turn back now. A preemptive warning reflecting Yeongwoo¡¯s value for life, despite being a demon. However, the video¡¯s would-be victims ignored the warning, as if following the cosmic script. They extended a bridge over the Imjin River, indicating their intent to invade South Korea. Thus, eventually. ¨DEarth! 482! 184! 3041! 27! Yeongwoo uttered twelve death-bringing numbers, and soon his asymmetric weaponry,ary-scale bombardment weapons, sentser beams down on the heads of the two warriors. Kraaaack! ¡¸Jeong Yeongwoo07, adopts action-oriented defense!¡¹ ¡®These guys¡­ Their captions are spot on.¡¯ Despite bing a servile diplomat, the votes garnered through ¡®action-oriented defense¡¯ were significant. |Approval: 68.6%| |Disapproval: 21.4%| ¡®Theser bombardment effect is solid. Not only is it powerful, but it also has great publicity.¡¯ Now, only 1.4% of the votes remained to reach the target approval rating of 70%. On the other hand, there was still a margin of 8.6% before hitting the 30% disapproval threshold that would spell failure. As long as nothing major happened, Yeongwoo¡¯s election seemed promising. [Next, we will examine the candidate¡¯s view of the nation, automatically calcted based on their activities.] ¡°What? What do you mean, automatically calcted my view of the nation?¡± In other words, they would evaluate the candidate based on AI-provided data. ¡°Hey!¡± While Yeongwoo waved his hand toward the sky, the screen turned white and a series of questions followed. [In the current world, what is the reason for a nation¡¯s existence?] A critical question to probe the ideological foundation of a candidate representing the Korean Penins. So, Yeongwoo hurriedly opened his mouth, wide-eyed. ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­!¡± However, he wasn¡¯t given a chance to speak in the first ce. On the screen, the AI answered instead. |Because we need to divide into sides, after all? ¡°What¡­¡­?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s mouth gaped even wider. Then, the AI, having learned from Yeongwoo, continued. |If we don¡¯t divide into sides, we¡¯ll kill each other to thest, so it¡¯s the minimum safety measure to prevent mutual destruction. ¡°¡­Oh my God.¡± To release such an answer officially, were they insane? Yeongwoo covered his mouth. But the AI¡¯s extreme remarks didn¡¯t stop there. |If 100 people fight, up to 99 might die, but if they split into 10 teams of 10, at least two or three, maybe even up to ten people might survive. |However, even in chaotic times, there is a way for 50, no, even all 100 people to survive. ¡°¡­?¡± The AI made a sudden turn. Yeongwoo perked up his ears. ¡°What is that method¡­?¡± Then, as if waiting, the AI answered. |Overwhelming power! One team should subdue the other nine teams! This world doesn¡¯t grant any decision-making power to weaklings. Only strong power can determine peace. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Yeongwoo felt as if he had been struck on the back of his head by the AI¡¯s lecture. It spoke of something he had vaguely sensed during an early encounter when, despite being the early bird, he was attacked by multiple bandits. To achieveplete peace, one must be so strong that no one dares to disrupt it. Being half-strong would only provoke challenges, that is, war. Thus, perfect peace means. ¡®¡­It can only be realized through overwhelmingly dominant power.¡¯ While Yeongwoo wore a dazed expression, the AI concluded. |The reason for a nation¡¯s existence is to bring peace to the world. But paradoxically, to achieve peace, we must prepare for war. |Ranked first in the Earth¡¯s integrated dungeon ranking! Vote for Jeong Yeongwoo07. |I will be your asymmetric power. As soon as the AI finished itsst line, the approval graph for Yeongwoo shot up rapidly. sh! |Approval: 73.6%| |Disapproval: 21.9% ¡®Seventy-three percent?¡¯ A sudden leap from 68% to 73%. A figure well above the target approval rating of 70%. While Yeongwoo stared nkly at the sky, the screen switched to show the candidate in real time. sh! [Finally, let¡¯s hear the candidate¡¯s closing remarks.] [Voters, please finish voting promptly.] A signal beeped from above. -Beep¡­! It meant the candidate should now make their final statement. So, Yeongwoo. Gulp. Swallowed a heavy gulp, pointed at the screen, and shouted. ¡°For a rich and strong nation, we must achieve peace in the world¡­¡­!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 252 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 252: The Great Migration (7) Prosperous country and strong military for inevitable unification. Yeongwoo¡¯s deration to cultivate overwhelming power to dominate every nation on Earth and achieve a peaceful golden age brought shock and euphoria to all Koreans. This was because, since the founding of Joseon by Taejo Yi Seong-gye, there had never been a conqueror-type leader on thisnd. But now, things are different. The Reset, considered the worst catastrophe in human history. In this era where power has be everything, Korea has coincidentally gained tremendous power. It was about Jeong Yeongwoo, the cosmic being whomanded mutants as subordinates and firedser beams from outer space. An asymmetrical power that might be stronger than nuclear weapons in this world! The public¡¯s yearning for this power was clearly reflected in the voting results. sh! | For: 76.8% | Against: 23.2% Yeongwoo¡¯s approval rating soared to a staggering 76.8%. And soon after. Swoosh¡­! Like soda bubbles rising in a ss, tiny letters filled the sky screen. ¡°What, what is this¡­?¡± Yeongwoo, with wide eyes, saw the ¡®words¡¯ of the voters. As the voting ended, the thoughts cast by the voters were visualized and appeared on the screen. ¨DCould our country finally be a great power? ¨DThe beginning of Joseon-style imperialism! ¨DTime for conquest¡­! ¨DIf someone has to hold the sword, it¡¯s better that we do. Of course, not all phrases were supportive or advocating for Yeongwoo. ¨DDoes beingpetent mean a reprobate can represent the nation? ¨DTo deal with foreign monsters, we have no choice but to send out our monster. ¨DIs this really okay? Aren¡¯t we bing a major belligerent in a world war? ¨DWe should be grateful if we don¡¯t be the Axis Powers. Some phrases were from those who voted against Yeongwoo or chose him reluctantly as the lesser evil, reflecting sharp criticism. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t entirely disagree with the dissenting opinions either. After all, the radical idea of crushing all nine other teams was the AI¡¯s im. But looking at it another way, that AI¡­ ¡®Ultimately, it¡¯s the result of learning from me, isn¡¯t it? So, maybe it¡¯s very honestly representing my true feelings.¡¯ Still, he didn¡¯t believe war and conquest were the only answers. However, he agreed that if inevitable, they must be fought and won. And it had been somewhat confirmed through past records that he was the only one in Korea capable of achieving that ¡®victory.¡¯ ¡®If it has to be done, I will do it! Peaceful unification¡­!¡¯ As one anonymous voter said, if someone has to hold the sword, it¡¯s better that we grab it quickly. So Yeongwoo willingly epted the will of the people. ¡°I will not forget your support!¡± sh! As Yeongwoo raised the sword high and looked at the screen, the council¡¯s announcement echoed in the sky. [Jeong Yeongwoo07 has been officially elected as the strongest in Korea.] [The final approval rating is 76.8%, and the excess over the minimum required 70% for election will be set as the tax rate.] ¡°Huh¡­? Tax rate?¡± It was indeed the tax rate. ¡®This is going to cause somemotion¡­¡¯ People elected someone to represent them in international conflicts, not to collect taxes. Moreover, if the excess over the 70% approval rating directly trantes to the tax rate¡­ ¡®Simple calction would make it 6.8%.¡¯ It would be a tax imposed on all Koreans, and if collected daily¡­ ¡®Roughly speaking, that would generate billions every day. And if that happens, I won¡¯t be able to keep my head for long.¡¯ Voters, like Yeongwoo, were curious about the nature of the tax. Yeongwoo would receive the money, but the people would have to pay it. Soon, the awaited council¡¯s boration followed. [The tax levied by the elected strongest in Korea is called the ¡®Defense Tax.¡¯] [The Defense Tax is ssified as an indirect tax, automatically collected from any ie exceeding the minimum cost of living necessary for survival.] In simple terms, it meant that the taxpayer couldn¡¯t decide whether to pay at the point of collection; it would be automatically deducted from any earnings above the system-defined minimum living cost. Thus, anyone earning above a certain amount would see their post-tax ie reduced by the Defense Tax. ¡®So those barely making a living would be exempt from the Defense Tax. That¡¯s some constion.¡¯ As Yeongwoo anxiously awaited the next exnation, the council finally specified the rate of the Defense Tax. [The current Defense Tax rate in Korea is 6.8% annually, collected daily.] ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s expression brightened with relief. Excluding those at the minimum subsistence level, and with an annual tax rate of 6.8%, it wasn¡¯t excessively harsh. Of course, this didn¡¯t mean the public opinion on the defense tax would be favorable. After all, being forced to pay money is still being forced to pay money. ¡®Collecting 6.8% of the annual GDP daily¡­ It should still amount to a substantial sum.¡¯ Strictly speaking, it meant collecting 6.8% of Korea¡¯s GDP over 365 days. For Yeongwoo, it would be like receiving a sry. ¡®So, if our country¡¯s GDP increases, my sry increases as well.¡¯ Viewed this way, it seemed like a reasonable system. However, if he showed no results, he might be beheaded by an uprising. ¡®Can I use the money collected from the defense tax however I want?¡¯ As Yeongwoo scratched his chin and thought about this, the council¡¯s exnation continued. [Since the defense tax is also a national tax, the representative must record the usage and purpose of the defense tax.] In other words, he would have to create a ledger. A new interface would probably be added for this purpose. Since he was elected as the strongest in Korea, a crown-shaped icon had been attached to the upper left of his field of vision. [We announce that all official procedures for Jeong Yeongwoo07 have beenpleted.] [The only way to change Korea¡¯s strongest, ¡®Strongest Sword,¡¯ is through assassination.] The method to change Strongest Sword was always chilling. With this, the screen in the sky disappeared, and the council¡¯s presence vanished entirely. ¡°What? Those bastards!¡± Yeongwoo looked around the sky as if ready to kill them, but there was no trace of the council. Instead. Swoosh! From somewhere in the sky, a white beam of light curved down andnded on Yeongwoo¡¯s head, emitting a radiant glow. ¡ºStrongest Sword¡» This was when Yeongwoo¡¯s title changed to the in ¡®Strongest Sword.¡¯ ¡°What¡­ what is this?¡± Yeongwoo blinked in confusion and then realized. It wasn¡¯t that the title had no embellishment, but rather that no embellishment was needed. What additional description would be necessary for the strongest in Korea, holding the title Strongest Sword? For the one who had reached the pinnacle of the Strongest Sword system, it was simply: ¡®¡­Strongest Sword itself.¡¯ As Yeongwoo stared nkly at his in title, a tooltip for the new title appeared in his vision. sh! [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡¸Strongest Sword¡¹ ¨C Legendary Title ¡¾Majesty of Strongest Sword¡¿ ¡¾Voter¡¿ ¡¾Collector¡¿ ¡¾Strongest Sword Law¡¿ ¡®Quite grandiose.¡¯ After checking the tooltip, Yeongwoo turned his head to look west. Having obtained the highest title in Korea, it was as if he had aplished all possible feats on thisnd. Thus, his next destination was. ¡®Did they say a collection team woulde from Beijing today? I should meet those guys first.¡¯ To consistently extract 20 million Karma daily from Shandong Province, he had to conquer Beijing, the capital of China. And to do that. ¡®It¡¯s best to reduce their forces as much as possible. Who knows how strong Im Doopyeong is.¡¯ How did he manage to withstand so much killing intent? For Yeongwoo, the most mysterious figure at this point was China¡¯s president, Im Doopyeong. Of course, before meeting the masters dispatched from Beijing, there was one more thing to take care of here. And that was. ¡°Con¡­ congrattions, Strongest Sword.¡± The issue of handling the Korean Chinese people cautiously offering their congrattions and the mutant Heo Geumhwa still cowering in the distance. ¡°Thank you.¡± Yeongwoo nodded in acknowledgment while scanning the surroundings sharply. Although the leader had been decapitated, making them less of a threat for now, they were still potential rebels. He felt like beheading all those with a certain level of martial prowess to cut off any threats. ¡®But if I keep handling things that way, I¡¯ll end up with a mountain of corpses and a massive umtion of bad karma.¡¯ Yet, he couldn¡¯t just let those who ravaged Yeongdeungpo walk away. So, Yeongwoo ordered the goblin to bring the Evil meter. -Kikik! Then, he spread the majesty of Strongest Sword, binding all the Korean Chinese in the area. Whoosh! ¡°It might be a bit ufortable, but bear with it. It¡¯s better than dying.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°What, what?¡± Some Korean Chinese masters bristled at Yeongwoo¡¯s unteral disy of power but quickly fell silent. They were soon confronted with Yeongwoo¡¯s title, ¡°Strongest Sword,¡± in their ring eyes. A title so peculiar itcked any descriptive modifiers. ¡°I¡¯m going to investigate your bad karma. If recent bad karma includes the murder of a Korean, I can consider you one of the main culprits of the Yeongdeungpo massacre.¡± Click. Yeongwoo loaded the Evil meter, which looked unmistakably like a gun, and without any hesitation, he pulled the trigger aimed at a Korean Chinese man right in front of him. Bang! Immediately, the man¡¯s basic information and details of recent bad karma were disyed. [Recent Increase in Bad Karma] | Murder of Kim Juhan131: +39. Kim Juhan131. A person recently killed by this man. Judging by the identification number, they likely weren¡¯t a Strongest Sword-level survivor¡­ ¡®Probably a resident of Yeongdeungpo. It seems all Korean Chinese with somebat power participated in the massacre.¡¯ While Yeongwoo, still holding the gun to the man, pondered, the man whose bad karma was exposed began sweating profusely and barely managed to speak. ¡°Pl-please spare me!¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Instead of answering the man, Yeongwoo surveyed the rtivelyrge number of Korean Chinese, as it would be too tedious to point the gun at each one individually. So, he decided to lower his sword and made the following announcement. ¡°This gun can disy the names of people you¡¯ve killed recently.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°From now on, I will check everyone¡¯s recent murder records with this gun.¡± ¡°What is this¡­?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± As expected, everyone in the room gaped, but Yeongwoo continued without care. ¡°If it shows that you¡¯ve recently killed a Korean, I will execute you here today.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°However, if you have no murder records, I will spare you and repatriate you to China. So, everyone stay in your ce. If anyone tries to escape before the verification process ispleted, I will assume they are Korean murderers and execute them immediately.¡± In other words, if you had nothing to hide, stay put and wait for verification. Finally, Whoosh! Yeongwoo released the restraint imposed by the majesty of Strongest Sword. And then. ¡°Run for it!¡± ¡°If we all run in different directions, half of us can survive!¡± Those who believed they couldn¡¯t survive the verification process attempted to flee all at once. Just as someone shouted, they ran in all directions. Thud thud thud! ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yeongwoo calmly watched the fleeing people, then turned to Heo Geumhwa, still crouching on the ground with a bewildered expression. ¡°Geumhwa, think carefully about whether you can handle what¡¯s about to happen.¡± ¡¸Huh? What do you mean¡­?¡¹ As Geumhwa looked up and nced around, Yeongwoo picked up an amber-colored whistle from the equipment scattered on the ground. Then, Beep! He blew the whistle, summoning those who might soon be Geumhwa¡¯s colleagues. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 253 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 253: The Great Migration (8) CRACK! A sound like the sky tearing apart echoed from somewhere above. Then. ¡ªYaaaah! ¡ªAaaaah! ¡ªUuuuuh! Yeongwoo¡¯s fellow mutants, Yeongtae, Taejoon, and Younghyeom, plummeted down in quick session. From the very heights of the sky, no less. And the one who was most shocked by this sight was, undoubtedly, ¡¸Wh-What is that¡­¡­?¡¹ Heo Geumhwa, a 6-day-old mutant of Gwangjin District. ording to Strongest Sword Jeong Yeongwoo, she too would soon have to do that ¡®thing.¡¯ BOOM! Yeongwoo¡¯s three friendsnded on the ground, kicking up clouds of dust. Amidst the thick dust, General Kim Younghyeom¡¯s cold blue eyes glowed as he spoke. ¡ªThere are quite a few enemies today. Just follow those guys? ¡°Yes. Just take care of the people who are fleeing now. It shouldn¡¯t be too difficult.¡± The ¡®friends¡¯ who entered the Returnees¡¯ Room experienced a boost in their stats ording to their reset date, making them formidable opponents that even the Strongest swords found challenging. So, these escapees, who were likely just monster hunters at best, wouldn¡¯t pose a threat to the three friends. ¡ªToday¡¯s opponents are a bit nd. Hearing Yeongwoo¡¯s words, General Kim Younghyeom released a massive aura and burst through the dust cloud. SWOOSH! His appearance was so terrifying that it made the ethnic Koreans standing still to im innocence instinctively step back, as if witnessing a tiger from his youth. ¡ªGrr! With a thunderous roar, General Kim chased after the ethnic koreans suspects. Soon, Yeongtae also excitedly started running in the opposite direction of the General. ¡ªStop right there, you bastards¡­¡­! Meanwhile, the most mild-mannered of the three friends, CEO Kim Taejoon, set offst with a slightly uneasy expression. Even though he knew they were murderers, the thought of chasing down and killing fellow humans weighed heavily on him. And this was likely the case for Heo Geumhwa, whom Yeongwoo was considering as the next ¡®friend¡¯ candidate. ¡¸Could it be a¡­ a death squad?¡¹ ¡°Sometimes we do that kind of work. But don¡¯t worry too much, we never harm good people.¡± Yeongwoo reassured her while putting back on the equipment he had tossed aside earlier, but Geumhwa¡¯s expression remained dark. Because the people those fierce mutants were chasing were her own kin. Although she knew they tried to harm her, a fellow ethnic korean mutant and not just Koreans, it still didn¡¯t feel right. ¡°Mostly, we fight mutants or alien monsters, but there are times like this when we have to fight people. If you can¡¯t do it, you¡¯ll have to die today.¡± As Yeongwoo coldly stared at her while strapping on the ¡®Cosmic Etiquette¡¯ equipment, Geumhwa trembled, her damaged wings shaking as she shrank back. Then, Yeongwoo softened his gaze and suggested in a more lenient tone. ¡°If you find it hard to attack people, you can just fly around and keep watch. But you must participate when fighting mutants.¡± After all, when facing foreign experts, the other three friends, seasonedbat veterans, would suffice. ¡®And even if it¡¯s not a battle, there¡¯s plenty to do. Pedalling and assembling statues, for example.¡¯ As Yeongwoo gazed at her, waiting for an answer, Geumhwa looked at her shattered wing and murmured. ¡¸Th-That¡¯s better than dying¡­¡­right?¡¹ In truth, she had no other choice unless she was ready to ept death stoically. ¡°Far better.¡± The thought of potentially gaining anotherborer brightened Yeongwoo¡¯s expression. ¡°If you make a contract with me, you¡¯ll be transferred to another space immediately. Even your current injuries will heal as if they were washed away.¡± He was referring to the Returnees¡¯ Room. However, instead of being relieved, Geumhwa looked fearful. ¡¸Transferred? To where exactly¡­¡­.¡¹ Then, she realized something and her eyes widened. She recalled the moment when those terrifying mutants appeared out of nowhere. Where would they have been before being summoned? ¡¸Will I go to the same ce as those people?¡¹ ¡°Yes. Once you get there, you¡¯ll find plenty to pass the time, and you¡¯ll see that yourpanions are actually good people.¡± Saying this, Yeongwoo shifted Bastard to his left hand. TUP! Then, he extended his right hand toward Heo Geumhwa. It was a handshake to seal the friendship. However, ¡°Umm¡­¡­.¡± As a Harpy, Heo Geumhwa had no hand to shake. ¡°You were informed about the return method beforeing here, right?¡± ¡¸Yes? Ah, that¡­¡­¡¹ As expected, Heo Geumhwa knew about it. A function designed to be executed when one regretted returning to this world as a mutant or when they deemed their missionplete. That was precisely it. ¡¸Is¡­ is this it?¡¹ As Geumhwa stared into the air, a hand-sized door-shaped mark appeared near the nape of her neck. Whoosh! In the case of Harpies, the return button was located at the back of the neck. ¡°Well¡­ it seems I need to grab your nape for a moment. Is that alright?¡± ¡¸¡­¡­?¡¹ At Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Geumhwa looked surprised but then lowered her neck. ¡°¡­Then, excuse me for a moment.¡± As Yeongwoo slowly approached the unarmed Geumhwa, General Kim Younghyeom, who had taken care of all the escapees, was seen running from afar. His mouth and forelegs were stained with human blood. ¡ªOh¡­¡­? Being the youngest in terms of the order of entering the Returnees¡¯ Room, General Kim couldn¡¯t help but be excited at the moment of weing a new ¡®friend.¡¯ ¡ªWhat¡¯s this, is another oneing? Whoosh! Excited, Kim Younghyeom approached at high speed, his silver-white fur fluttering. Soon after, Yeongtae and Taejoon, who had finished their tasks, also began to return from different directions. ¡ªHuh? ¡ªWhoa¡­¡­. Sure enough, upon seeing the return mark glowing on Geumhwa¡¯s nape, the two men¡¯s eyes widened. Yeongwoo then introduced his friends who were approaching from three sides. ¡°This is General Kim Younghyeom, who was with the Army Headquarters. And that¡¯s CEO Kim Taejoon of VCSoft¡­¡­.¡± This time, Geumhwa¡¯s mouth fell open. She was surprised to learn that the people she thought wereplete thugs were actually quite decent before the reset. ¡°Oh, and this is Hong Yeongtae. He might be a bit different in style, but¡­ anyway, Yeongtae was also an inte broadcaster.¡± When Yeongwoo finally pointed to Yeongtae, he bowed his head and greeted her. ¡ªHehe, we¡¯re practically in the same business. Nice to meet you! As Yeongtae smiled brightly, Geumhwa seemed a bit more relieved. Of course, she had no idea that the moment she contracted with this demon, she would be spatially and temporally separated from this world, forced to pedal and assemble products without knowing what time it was. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s do something like a handshake.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] As Yeongwoo took another step forward and extended his hand toward Geumhwa¡¯s nape, his three friends surrounding them watched expectantly as the fourth friend was born. Tap. Yeongwoo¡¯s palm touched the return mark on Geumhwa¡¯s nape. Then, Geumhwa¡¯s body was soon enveloped in white light. Whoosh! ¡¸Oh?¡¹ Startled by the sudden change, Geumhwa looked at Yeongwoo, who quickly informed her. ¡°When you go to the Returnees¡¯ Room, there might be somebor involved. Is that alright?¡± ¡¸¡­What?¡¹ And with that brief question, Whoosh! Her body, transformed into a mass of light, soared into the sky. Bang! She was likely transferred to the Returnees¡¯ Room somewhere outside our gxy. ¡ªWe¡¯ve gained another team member. General Kim briefly expressed his thoughts. Meanwhile, CEO Kim Taejoon seemed a bit worried. ¡ªShe didn¡¯t seem verybative¡­ Depending on her disposition, she might have found dying easier. ¡°¡­You¡¯re not talking about yourself, right?¡± Yeongwoo asked yfully, but CEO Kim replied seriously. ¡ªThough I work hard due to personal motivations, even I sometimes get scared. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He was probably referring to being summoned to an alien. If even CEO Kim Taejoon sometimes got scared, it might be truly unbearable for Geumhwa, who had been scared stiff the moment she arrived in Gwangjin District. ¡°Well¡­ if things really don¡¯t work out, she can stay out of battles.¡± This was a loss that Yeongwoo, who wasn¡¯t heartless enough, had to bear for choosing her as a friend. ¡®I don¡¯t want to fill all my friends with viins. Besidesbat, they need to get along well in the Returnees¡¯ Room, right?¡¯ This concern for the well-being of his friends was also for Yeongwoo¡¯s benefit. Tasks like theser bombardment supported by Toma and the assembly of yer statues could only be done if the friends got along well. ¡ªOh, seems like our time is up. Noticing his toes starting to fade, Yeongtae looked up at the sky and muttered. CEO Kim Taejoon also looked up at the sky. ¡ªI¡¯ll have to go and greet Geumhwa. And finally, ¡ªWell then, see you! I wonder who will be enlisted next time? General Kim Younghyeom used the term ¡®enlist¡¯ as he disappeared into thin air. Then what remained was. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Only the ethnic koreans waiting grimly for Yeongwoo¡¯s decision. Yeongwoo thought for a moment and then took out the ring ¡®Wave¡¯ to summon the Strongest Sword of Gwanak, Jo Sangik. ¡¶Deputy Minister Jo, pleasee to Daerim-dong immediately. Bring as many people as you can.¡· * * * 2:48 PM. Although Yeongwoo had only summoned Jo Sangik and the Swordmasters of Seoul National University, the ones who actually arrived in Daerim-dong were the Strongest Swords from eight different regions. Using Yeongwoo¡¯s request for as many people as possible as an excuse, they came to see the highest title in the Korean Penins. ¡°Wow, what¡¯s this?¡± ¡°¡­There¡¯s no regional name?¡± Even Oh Yeonhee from Songpa, who still prided herself as a strong figure in Seoul, and Jang Jeongho from Dongdaemun, who had a past rivalry with Yeongwoo, couldn¡¯t hide their astonishment. ¡ºStrongest Sword¡» They immediately recognized the value of this title as soon as they saw it. A title that didn¡¯t need a regional name to disy its grandeur, the ultimate title of the Korean Penins. At a certain level, there¡¯s no need to embellish its grandeur. However, unlike the dignified title, its owner was still Jeong Yeongwoo07. He was the same peculiar person who had unterally started a war with North Korea and reported it afterward. ¡°Ah, why did you go through all the trouble toe here?¡± As Yeongwoo came out barefoot to greet them, Jo Sangik represented everyone by greeting him. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. So, what did you call us for?¡± Yeongwoo pointed to the ethnic koreans lined up behind him. ¡°I¡¯m going to send these people back to China. If we take them to Shandong Province, they will handle the rest.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡­? Is that so?¡± Jo Sangik, momentarily taken aback, quickly regained hisposure. Compared to Yeongwoo¡¯s previous actions, this was nothing. ¡°Then¡­ shouldn¡¯t you go home and rest?¡± Jo Sangik looked at Yeongwoo, hoping he would say yes. But Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze was already fixed somewhere to the northwest. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Where are you looking at?¡± ¡°Beijing.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°They were extorting our money from Beijing. Are we just going to let them?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 254 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 254: Beijing¡¯s Great Evil (1) ¡°What¡­ what do you mean by that? We haven¡¯t been exploited by China yet.¡± Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jo Sangik, looked at Yeongwoo with a face that screamed, ¡®Stop talking nonsense.¡¯ He had already sensed it. This crazy Strongest Sword was just spouting nonsense with the intent of striking the capital of China. ¡®Why is he acting like this? Is he really thinking of targeting the Chinese capital already¡­?¡¯ To Jo Sangik, who was rtively moderatepared to Yeongwoo, this was terrifying. Of course, he had watched the entire vote for the strongest person on the Korean Penins, so he had expected this maniac to actively engage in national defense to win votes. But strengthening one¡¯s power to prepare for foreign invasions and outright attacking the enemy¡¯s capital were entirely different matters. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of Beijing taking away our assets. On the contrary, the ones receiving money right now are¡­¡± Jo Sangik trailed off, quietly looking at Yeongwoo. Yeongwoo, not even bothering to clear his throat, shamelessly continued. ¡°At present, mybat power is practically the nation¡¯s power, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­That could be said.¡± ¡°So, the expenses used to enhance mybat power could be considered defense taxes, defense expenses, right?¡± Yeongwoo subtly lumped defense expenses with the defense tax. The defense tax was an official tax guaranteed by the system, but defense expenses were essentially tributes that Yeongwoo had extorted forcefully. But, unable to point this out here, Jo Sangik had no choice but to nod. ¡°Yes¡­ that¡¯s not entirely incorrect.¡± ¡°Right? Then the money I could¡¯ve collected is effectively part of our national power.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Feeling something off at this point, Jo Sangik looked at Yeongwoo again instead of answering, but the Strongest Sword¡¯s absurd reasoning was already in full swing. ¡°Shandong Province, bordering our country¡¯s west, is practically an ally. I know the person in charge there.¡± ¡°You must have met them in a dungeon.¡± Indeed, the astute Jo Sangik quickly understood Yeongwoo¡¯s rambling exnation. ¡°Yes. We¡¯ve already formed an alliance and signed an agreement.¡± ¡°By agreement, you mean¡­¡± ¡°They agreed to pay us defense expenses in Shandong Province as well.¡± ¡°Aha¡­¡± So he had gone and wreaked havoc even in China. Jo Sangik rested his chin in his hand, deep in thought. Of course, he had to admit this man¡¯s business acumen was impressive. ¡°But as you said, isn¡¯t Yeongwoo the one exploiting China? Why do you think our money is going to China¡­¡± ¡°Shandong wants to pay us, but they don¡¯t have the money.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°They said Beijing is already extorting 30 million daily.¡± ¡°Ah, I see. So, the money that should have been our defense tax is now flowing into Beijing, and that¡¯s the problem.¡± ¡°Exactly. You¡¯re quick to understand.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s bright response made Jo Sangik feel his mind spinning. This must be the thinking circuit of a new human who adapted quickly to the world after the reset. ¡®This guy¡¯s assumptions are out of this world.¡¯ But perhaps it was this kind of thinking that allowed him to unify the chaotic Korean Penins in just six days and achieve a 76.8% approval rating. After all, there¡¯s a fine line between a brilliant leader and a madman. ¡°So¡­ are you nning to go to war with China this time?¡± As Jo Sangik asked this, arge map was already forming in his mind. If they went to war with China, they would need to maintain at least two fronts. The western front towards Shandong Province, as Yeongwoo mentioned, and the northern front extending above North Korean territory. Therefore, unless they could clone Jeong Yeongwoo, a war with China would be overwhelmingly disadvantageous for the Korean side. ¡®And there¡¯s Japan. Their poption is more than twice ours, so the average skill level or number of experts must be much higher.¡¯ So, considering Japan as well, there would be at least three expected fronts. ¡°Considering all this¡­¡± Just as Jo Sangik, having finished his calctions, was about to dissuade Yeongwoo from his reckless challenge, the strongest man on the Korean Penins said something unexpected. ¡°Who said I was going to fight China?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°What exactly did I say earlier?¡± ¡°You said you couldn¡¯t stand by while Beijing was taking our money¡­¡± Retracing Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Jo Sangik realized what he had missed. ¡°Ah, you meant not the whole of China.¡± ¡°Right. Beijing is taking our money.¡± Then, as if exasperated, Yeongwoo added. ¡°Do you think Shandong is the only ce paying that much money daily?¡± ¡°No way¡­ Yeongwoo.¡± Jo Sangik¡¯s gazepletely changed. Even knowing the aplishments of this man, he had unknowingly underestimated him again. While Jeong Yeongwoo was undoubtedly reckless, he wasn¡¯t stupid. ¡°If we fight all of China, we obviously have no chance of winning. But if we only fight Beijing?¡± Yeongwoo probably turned his head in the direction of Beijing. ¡°If we cut off the money supply to Beijing and use that money to enhance mybat power, don¡¯t you think we have a good chance?¡± ¡°If we can instill confidence that they don¡¯t need to pay tributes to Beijing, it seems entirely possible.¡± ¡°Yes. Shandong has already bet on me. So there¡¯s no reason we can¡¯t persuade other cities.¡± Of course, in Shandong¡¯s case, it helped that Shandong¡¯s Twin Evil, Zhang Jaham, was well aware of Yeongwoo¡¯s prowess, making the negotiations smooth. But even Shandong¡¯s Twin Evil, Wu Qingjin, who initially tried to stab Yeongwoo, was eventually persuaded. ¡®If I effectively demonstrate my power and offer to take less tribute than Beijing, they have no reason to refuse.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s strategy was to iste Im Dupyeong by rallying all the surrounding cities except Beijing and then confront him one-on-one. ¡°Impressive. I didn¡¯t fully grasp Yeongwoo¡¯s profound thinking.¡± Half-genuinely impressed, Jo Sangik bowed his head, and Yeongwoo nced at the Seoul University swordsmen Jo Sangik had brought. ¡°Then let¡¯s get to work quickly.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡± ¡°Take the ethnic Koreans here to Shandong. We can discuss the attack on Beijing after we¡¯ve repatriated the ethnic koreans.¡± As Yeongwoo summoned Negwig, Jo Sangik asked with a puzzled look. ¡°If you¡¯re not going to Beijing immediately¡­ where are you heading?¡± Yeongwoo answered as he climbed onto Negwig¡¯s back. ¡°I¡¯m going to cut the first supply line. By now, Shandong is probably being extorted.¡± * * * Heading west. Yeongwoo, who had left Daerim-dong and shot through Bucheon City, had already entered Incheon by a little past 3 p.m. Kwa-jat, kwa-jat! Since the mutants had already been dealt with, many citizens were out on the streets, and they all drew their swords, ready to fight as Yeongwoo appeared on his ck iron horse. ¡®Impressive.¡¯ Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but feel satisfied. However, there was no confrontation with the warlike citizens of Incheon. ¨C Kwee-i-i-ik! In urgent need, Negwig soared above the heads of the citizens blocking the road. Hwaa-at! As Negwig, carrying Yeongwoo, leaped into the sky, the citizens clutching their weapons began to swarm, following Negwig¡¯s trajectory. ¡®Hasn¡¯t anyone heard that they¡¯ve formed an alliance with Seoul?¡¯ Yeongwoo made a weary face as he watched the angry citizens rapidly recede behind him. In any case, with citizens thatbative, there would be little worry if Chinese troops ever pressed against the western borders of the Korean Penins. Kwa-jat, kwa-jat! Soon, the distinctive salty smell of the sea tickled his nose, and the boundary between Yeongjongdo and Incheon Port appeared ahead. This was the point where the aftereffects of ¡®Pangaea¡¯ had created a small mountain range. And at the top of that mountain range. ¡°Huh? Brother¡­!¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Recognizing Yeongwoo immediately, Incheon Leader Kim Yongkwan04 waved his arms. ¡°Yongkwan, what are you doing here?¡± As Yeongwoo rapidly slowed Negwig and looked at Yongkwan, he turned his head west. ¡°This is the most noticeable spot. I was waiting for the Chinese.¡± He had been standing watch, waiting to see when Shandong would deliver the money. Which meant. ¡°So, you haven¡¯t received the money yet?¡± ¡°No. Could it be that they tricked us?¡± ¡°That¡¯s unlikely. Unless a coup urred within Shandong.¡± Even as he said this, Yeongwoo was confident that the possibility of a coup was nearly zero. He had firmly allied with Zhang Jaham and Wu Qingjin. After showing them how he remained unfazed even with a sword in his heart, there couldn¡¯t be a more convincing argument. ¡®It¡¯s more likely that I arrived a bitte than that Shandong changed its mind.¡¯ Current time, 3:29 p.m. China must have also finished dealing with the mutants by now, so the tax collectors sent from Beijing were probably already in Shandong. In other words. ¡®Those bastards must have already taken the money. My money¡­!¡¯ Thinking about how those guys were happily returning to Beijing with 30 million karma from Shandong made his blood boil. ¡°We need to cross over to Shandong immediately. We have to find out where the money went.¡± Just as Yeongwoo said this, adjusting Negwig¡¯s reins. Pee-ing! With a clear signal tone, a system message appeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s view. It was: [Quest Complete ¨C ¡°Recognition and Fame¡±] [Reward Issued] |30 million karma It was the quest condition given by Dogo to select the strongest person. For some reason, the reward was given just as he was about to chase down the Beijing tax collectors. Swae-ae-ae-at! Soon, a wee sound of something cutting through the air was heard. ¡°Huh?¡± Startled by the sharp aura, Yongkwan quickly stepped aside. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo caught the ck metal card descending from the sky. Ta-at! [30,000,000] As expected, the card contained 30 million karma, and Yeongwoo¡¯s avable cash bnce surged upward. * Avable Karma: 66,938,500 A staggering 60 million karma. ¡®I was saving up to buy some equipmentter¡­ but it looks like I need to boost my stats immediately.¡¯ Given the circumstances, it made sense. There must be a reason why Dogo issued the reward now. Im Dupyeong, who survived the first day of the reset by fending off countless threats. It was clear that the people he entrusted with tax collection were not just ordinary top-level fighters. ¡®Then I¡¯ll have to fund my equipment purchases with what I take from the tax collectors.¡¯ Just as Yeongwoo was thinking that it was going to be another busy day. Swaa-at. This time, the air in front of Yeongwoo split open, revealing Kubu, his transaction broker and tax ountant. ¡°Huh? Kubu, what brings you here?¡± Because Yeongwoo was always so busy, he unintentionally sounded less than pleased. Kubu blinked his eyes twice and, looking at the reins already in Yeongwoo¡¯s hand, said: ¡ªYou seem busy, so I¡¯ll get straight to the important point. ¡°Yes. Let¡¯s skip the pleasantries today.¡± Kubu blinked once more and looked up at the sky. Srrk. Things descending from the sky were usually rewards or disasters. ¡°Why¡­ why?¡± Feeling a sense of foreboding, Yeongwoo urged Kubu to get to the point, and Kubu, rolling his eyes, got to the heart of the matter. ¡ªThe reward for defeating the second dragon species, the heart of the steel dragon, is ready for collection. ¡°Oh¡­!¡± The heart of his formidable uncle had arrived. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 255 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 255: Beijing¡¯s Great Evil (2) ¡°Heart? Of course, I¡¯ll take it. Give it to me quickly!¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes gleamed at the news that his uncle¡¯s heart had arrived. He was in a situation where he had to grab anything that could help increase hisbat power. Wasn¡¯t he nning to persuade the masters of the Chinese region with strength to cut off all supplies to Im Dupyeong? Therefore, the dragon heart, whiches with various effects, was a very wee gift at this point. However, ¡°Uh, wait a minute.¡± Yeongwoo, who was looking up at the sky waiting for the heart to drop, suddenly recalled something and stopped. ¡°Do I¡­ have to undergo surgery again?¡± Yeongwoo asked this because he currently had a physical Catalog. Hadn¡¯t the heart of the poison dragon he had obtained earlier already been ssified as ¡®physical¡¯ and registered in the Catalog? So if the heart of the steel dragon was the same, then¡­ ¡®Then I might not need surgery and can directly activate it by putting it in the Catalog, right?¡¯ [Physical Catalog] ¡²4¡³ The number of pieces of equipment currently registered in the physical Catalog is 4. So if he registered the heart of the steel dragon this time, the first collection effect of the physical Catalog would be unlocked. Thanks to his uncle, he was on the verge of double enhancement. ¡®Indeed, blood is thicker than water.¡¯ When Yeongwoo ced his hand over his heart, feeling a warm sensation inside his chest for some reason, Kubu blinked. ¨D Since you have the physical Catalog, you can use the effects of the new heart without having to wear it directly. ¡°Oh¡­ as expected, right?¡± The Catalog had amazing effects that allowed the use of two hearts simultaneously. ¨D However. ¡°¡­?¡± ¨D The heart of the steel dragon you are about to receive is also a ¡®dragon heart,¡¯ just like the heart of the poison dragon. ¡°¡­Right?¡± There seemed to be something more. When Yeongwoo gestured for Kubu to continue speaking, Kubu blinked again. ¨D Dragon hearts have a unique function called ¡®fusion.¡¯ ¡°Oh, I know what that is.¡± This was a function that was also attached to the tooltip at the bottom of the poison dragon¡¯s heart. ¡¾Heart Fusion¡¿ | It will be fused if you obtain another dragon heart. ¡°I thought it would automaticallybine because it said it would fuse. Is that not the case?¡± ¨D If the heart is processed as a talisman, automatic fusion urs, but in the case of someone like you who wears it directly, physical surgery is required. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Apparently, it seemed necessary to remove the existing heart andbine it with the new one. And if that was the case¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll have to see that crow guy again.¡± But the surgery cost a hefty amount of money and significantly increased evil karma. ¡°Is the heart fusion effect that good? Is it worth paying the surgery fee every time?¡± Yeongwoo asked, hoping it wasn¡¯t, and after a moment of thought, Kubu answered. ¨D Generally, from the point of obtaining the third heart, it is rmended to proceed with fusion if possible. ¡°So it¡¯s not essential right now, right? Since I only have two hearts.¡± ¨D¡­You could see it that way. ¡°Alright then.¡± Yeongwoo looked at the clock. The current time was 3:34 PM. If Shandong Province had already paid tribute to Beijing, he had to quickly chase the collection team, so time was of the essence. He didn¡¯t have time to leisurely open his chest in Yeongjongdo. ¡°Let¡¯s quickly receive the new heart. I¡¯m quite busy right now.¡± ¨D Understood. At Yeongwoo¡¯s order, Kubu rolled its eyes. And soon, Boom! A sound like a cannon being fired echoed from beyond the sky, and a heavy presence descended from the air. Woosh! With a loud breaking sound, something appeared between Yeongwoo and Kubu. Thud¡­ It was the heart of the steel dragon, a gigantic heart made entirely of steel tes and metal pipes. ¡°Why, why is it so big?¡± Yeongwoo stared nkly at his uncle¡¯s heart, which was muchrger than the heart of the poison dragon. Soon, the tooltip of the new heart filled Yeongwoo¡¯s field of vision. sh! ¡¸Heart of the Steel Dragon¡¹ ¨C Legendary Heart ¡¾Steel Dragon Emergence¡¿ ¡¾Iron Armor¡¿ ¡¾Heart Fusion¡¿ ¡¾Steel Dragon Emergence¡¿ | Increases the effects of all physical attributes by 10%. ¡¾Iron Armor¡¿ | Reduces all physical damage, except for crushing attacks, by 15%. ¡¾Heart Fusion¡¿ | Fuses with other dragon hearts when obtained. ¡®This is amazing.¡¯ The heart has an unexpectedly well-bnced offense and defense. Especially ¡®Steel Dragon Emergence,¡¯ which increases the effects of all physical attributes, was an option that applied to both offensive and defensive capabilities as understood from the tooltip. ¡®Physical attribute effects¡¯ included not only increased physical damage but also reduced received physical damage and special effects like ignoring 50% of the opponent¡¯s physical damage reduction. ¨D Would you like to use it in its original form without processing it into a talisman? As Kubu asked about processing, just likest time, Yeongwoo immediately nodded. ¡°Yes. I will put it in the Catalog as is.¡± As Yeongwoo approved the receipt, the gigantic heart of the Steel Dragon, which cast arge shadow on the ground, began to turn white. Ssssh! Then, in an instant, Paang! It became a thick beam of light and permeated above Yeongwoo¡¯s head. The heart of the Steel Dragon was truly registered in the physical Catalog. ¡®Thanks to this, you will live forever, uncle.¡¯ Although only the heart remained, Song Taeho, the eldest son of Jinhyeon, would be with Yeongwoo in all sorts of adventures from now on. As Yeongwoo stood proudly to wee his uncle¡¯s heart, the physical Catalog reacted soon. ¡¸1st stage collection effect unlocked!¡¹ Unlike other equipment Catalogs, the physical Catalog unlocked collection effects every 5 pieces. So, as soon as he obtained the heart of the Steel Dragon, the first effect was triggered. Piiing! [Physical Catalog] ¡²5¡³ [Collection Effect: 5] | Increases the optimization limit of the body by 10%. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡®What does this mean?¡¯ The collection effect was somewhat unfamiliar, fitting the physical Catalog. It increased the optimization limit of the body. ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo stared at the tooltip for a while, then he understood it. ¡®Oh, I see.¡¯ Optimization of the body. In other words, it referred to the form of the body that could be enhanced through karma. The length of limbs, thickness of the torso, total muscle mass, skeletal ratio, and even height. The first collection effect of the physical Catalog meant that the optimization level of these bodyponents was increased by 10%. ¡®Does that mean I can grow up to 2.2 meters tall?¡¯ While it was currently possible to increase height, it was not efficient due to the human body¡¯s functional limits, making the system discourage it. But now, that rmended limit was increased by 10%. ¡®10% doesn¡¯t sound like much, but applied to height, it means I can grow 20 centimeters taller.¡¯ If his height increased, his stride length, reach, and maximum jump height would change significantly. It was another way to get ahead of others beyond equipment. ¡®Won¡¯t I be aplete giant at this rate?¡¯ Despite thinking this, Yeongwoo was already biting a karma coin to alter his appearance. ¡®The preset has really changed.¡¯ As expected, the optimized height for his body, as rmended by the system, was now 2.2 meters. And the cost required to readjust his skeletal muscles and body ratio was a whopping: [8,406,000] ¡®Huh? It¡¯s not that much? It¡¯s much cheaper than heart surgery.¡¯ The cost to transform into a bigger being was 8.4 million. It would have been an enormous amount a few days ago, but as the acknowledged strongest person in the Korean Penins, now even receiving tributes from China, this amount didn¡¯t seem thatrge to Yeongwoo. ¡®This is an immediate payment.¡¯ As Yeongwoo was about to approve the 8.4 million payment, a severe warning message appeared. Pop! ¡¸All physical alterations are permanent, and some elements may be inherited by the next generation.¡¹ ¡¸Do you wish to proceed?¡¹ Yeongwoo nodded again, and almost instantly, his karma bnce dropped to 58 million. * Avable Karma: 58,532,500 He still had a lot of money left, but Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t even check that bnce. Because, ¡°Huff!¡± A peculiar pain that apanied the change in his muscles and bones tingled from his toes to the crown of his head. ¡®Right! This is something the Berserker Talisman can¡¯t block.¡¯ With the pain enhanced fromst time, Yeongwoo unconsciously almost fell to his knees but managed to endure it. He thought this scene might be broadcasted somewhere in the universe or used in some future materials for voters on the Korean Penins. ¡°Grr¡­!¡± Yeongwoo swallowed the pain, making a strange noise. Then, his entire body was enveloped in white light, and his body began to grow slowly. His line of sight gradually elevated in real-time as he grew taller. ¡®This world is really crazy.¡¯ While Yeongwoo marveled anew, his clothes fell off his body as his growth process nearedpletion. Shaa! As the light that covered his entire body slowly receded, his newly formed skin was revealed, and the sea breeze of Yeongjongdo wrapped around his longer arms and legs. ¡°Is it over?¡± As Yeongwoo inspected his new body, he saw Kim Yongkwan, the Incheon Strongest Sword, who had fallen on his butt. Kubu, who had delivered the heart of the Steel Dragon, had disappeared without a trace. ¡®No way, did he leave without even saying goodbye just because I said I was busy?¡¯ Yeongwoo considered calling Kubu back, then reminded himself he was indeed very busy. Quite a bit of time had passed while he was erging his body. ¡°Are¡­ are you alright?¡± Kim Yongkwan cautiously asked about Yeongwoo¡¯s well-being as he slowly stood up. Typical Earthling courtesy. In response, Yeongwoo picked up his equipment from the ground and put it back on before mounting Negwig again. Hop! ¡°I¡¯m fine, but are you really okay, Mr. Yongkwan?¡± ¡°Pardon? What do you mean?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t receive yourmission because the money from China didn¡¯te in today.¡± ¡°¡­Oh? Is that how it works?¡± Yongkwan¡¯s eyes briefly shed with anger at the mention of money but quickly softened. ¡°Not working means nomission, that¡¯s fair.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, isn¡¯t it?¡± Yeongwoo nodded at Yongkwan and then took the reins of Negwig, looking beyond Yeongjongdo to the Chinese maind. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll probably get yourmission starting tomorrow. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± * * * Yeongwoo had agreed to pay amission of 5 million won per day to Incheon as a brokerage fee. Although they agreed not to pay today, he would have to start paying again from tomorrow. Therefore, Yeongwoo nned to use Incheon as the main brokerage point for dealings with China. He intended to receive tributes from regions near Beijing mainly through Incheon. ¡®Receiving money through various ces means paying amission to each brokerage point. It¡¯s a daily expense, and it can add up to a significant loss over time.¡¯ Of course, for Yeongwoo¡¯s ambitious n to receive tributes from various regions of China to be a reality, he had to first resolve the issue with Shandong Province. Clop, clop! As Negwig carrying Yeongwoo passed through Yeongjongdo and reached the coast of Shandong Province, there was not a single weing crowd in sight. The ce was utterly barren. ¡®Did they all go to wee the collection team?¡¯ Even if the locals greeted the Beijing collection team with gs just as they had for him, it wouldn¡¯t matter at all. Shandong Province was caught between Beijing and Seoul, so it was an inevitable situation. However, what Yeongwoo worried about was, ¡®Or maybe Zhang Jaham¡­ that guy didn¡¯t defy the collection team, did he?¡¯ Zhang Jaham was hot-tempered and loyal, so he might have refused to pay tribute to Beijing, thinking he was now on Yeongwoo¡¯s side. And if that really happened, the furious collection team might have made an example out of Shandong Province, turning it into a wastnd. Otherwise, there would be no reason for the ce to be so deserted. Clop, clop! Negwig continued westward, running into Shandong Province. Soon, a familiar sight of residents carrying gs entered Yeongwoo¡¯s view. ¡°¡­!¡± They were the same hand gs that had weed him at the Shandong coast that morning. They were returning after finishing some event somewhere. ¡°Hey! Over here!¡± When Yeongwoo pointed to the g-bearing people and gestured to stop, the residents, who had recognized him, showed fearful expressions. However, they couldn¡¯t dare to run away and instead subtly lowered the gs they were holding. ¡°Uh, Mr. Yeongwoo.¡± One person who managed to remember Yeongwoo¡¯s name stepped forward, representing the group. Yeongwoo tried to maintain a gentle expression and asked, ¡°Where is it? The ce the Beijing people visited.¡± Sensing that Yeongwoo had already guessed a lot, the representative resident pointed with a trembling finger to somewhere in the north. ¡°Yes, Yantai.¡± Yantai, also known as Yantai City, is one of the port cities in Shandong Province and wasn¡¯t far from where Yeongwoo was now. However, since Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t very familiar with Chinese geography, he had to rely on the direction indicated by the resident. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± Yeongwoo handed a 10,000 Karma coin engraved with his face to the person who had bravely stepped forward. Then, Clop! He immediately urged Negwig northward, quickly distancing himself from the line of residents. ¡®I¡¯m alreadyte. But if I chase them with Negwig, I can catch up before they reach Beijing.¡¯ And above all, ¡®So they¡¯re carrying 30 million now? Originally, I was supposed to receive 20 million¡­ so I¡¯ll be earning an extra 10 million?¡¯ As he unconsciously thought about making an extra 10 million today, Yeongwoo corrected himself. ¡®No, Yeongwoo. Think big.¡¯ The tribute agreed upon with Shandong Province was 20 million. Although the collection team was taking 30 million today, taking it all wouldn¡¯t be any different from Beijing. ¡®Returning 10 million to Shandong Province is the right thing to do. That¡¯s what chivalry is about, right?¡¯ To repay those who believed in and helped him¡ªthis was what Yeongwoo considered to be chivalry. So, today on Chinese soil, that chivalry¡­ ¡°Ah!¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened suddenly. He saw the city that seemed to be Yantai in the distance, and Zhang Jaham and Wu Qingjin, the Shandong Twin Evils wereing out to greet him. ¡®Oh, fortunately, both are safe!¡¯ While feeling relieved inside, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but blurt out, ¡°My money! Where is my money going right now?¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 256 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 256: Beijing¡¯s Great Evil (3) Shandong¡¯s First Evil: Zhang Jaham. Shandong¡¯s Second Evil: Wu Qingjin. Together, they were known as the Shandong Twin Evils. These two individuals were exceptionally tyrannical andbative, living up to their notorious title. They never avoided a fight, regardless of the challenger, and if there were stakes involved, they wouldn¡¯t hesitate to challenge even the strongest opponents. However, there were exceptions for these notorious figures. There were opponents they wouldn¡¯t even dare to challenge because the mere thought of fighting them didn¡¯t arise. One such person was the enigmatic Im Dupyeong of Beijing. And the other was: ¡°Where is it? Where did the tribute money go!¡± Charging fiercely from afar on a ck iron horse was the great evil of the Korean Penins, Jeong Yeongwoo07. ¡ºStrongest Sword¡» ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°What¡¯s this? A new title already?¡± Zhang Jaham and Wu Qingjin, who hade out to greet Yeongwoo following the territorial rule, widened their eyes in surprise at the new title beneath the mark. Common sense dictates that all titles, regardless of the affiliated country, should include a regional name. Yet, no matter how they looked at it, this strange being¡¯s title had none of that¡­ ¡°Great warrior!¡± Zhang Jaham quickly dismissed his random thoughts and ran towards Yeongwoo. What had that monster said first? ¨DMy money! Where is my money going now? In other words, this guy was here to find his money. Moreover, he seemed to know that the money had already left Shandong province. Thus, he must be quite furious right now. ¡°What brings you all the way here?¡± Zhang Jaham asked, sweating nervously as he tried to host Yeongwoo. Wu Qingjin added, trying to soothe the Korean evil. ¡°We were just about to prepare the money to send to you, great warrior.¡± This was an attempt to prevent the dreadful Strongest Sword from drawing his sword in Shandong province. They had quickly learned that if they had enough money, they could divert this monster¡¯s attention. However, Yeongwoo was too busy scanning somewhere beyond Yantai with anxious eyes. ¡°I won¡¯t ask three times. Which direction did my money go?¡± This time, Yeongwoo¡¯s voice was filled with considerable irritation and killing intent. It meant that the Twin Evils holding him back right now was a huge nuisance. Understanding the situation quickly, Zhang Jaham pointed northwest and then due north. ¡°Normally, it would have gone to Tianjin, but today it might have headed towards Dalian.¡± Tianjin acted as the port city of Beijing, and Dalian was a port city in Liaoning province. Originally, Dalian could only be reached by crossing the sea from Yantai, but with the Pangaea incident, thend had connected, making Dalian the closest city to Yantai. In other words, the changing geography could have altered the money collection routes. ¡°Hmm.¡± After hearing Zhang Jaham¡¯s exnation, Yeongwoo quickly deliberated. ¡®Normally, Tianjin would be the returning route. But thanks to Pangaea, we can walk to Dalian, which was previously across the sea.¡¯ ording to the Twin Evils, the Politburo Standing Committee members assigned to each collection team were immensely skilled. [PR/N: The Politburo Standing Committee members are the center of political power in China. Organizationally below them are the Politburo, and then the Central Committee.] So much so that the Twin Evils couldn¡¯t withstand even three moves from them. ¡®Then they would have enough strength to handle the situation¡­ There¡¯s no reason not to visit a suddenly appeared collection point, right? If it were me, I would definitely check it out.¡¯ The heart of a viin is best understood by another viin. Though he hated to admit it, Yeongwoo had amon ground with those Standing Committee members: they were all collectors. The only difference was the amount they collected: 30 million, 20 million respectively. ¡°I think they went to Dalian. I¡¯ll go meet them, get my money, and also cut off some heads.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± As Yeongwoo really turned his horse towards the north, Zhang Jaham and Wu Qingjin quickly moved to his side and asked. ¡°Is there anything we can help you with?¡± Yeongwoo thought for a moment and then looked around the vastnd. ¡°Make a simple map of the cities that pay tribute to Beijing.¡± It was a request to create a kind of business map. What Yeongwoo needed to do from now on was visit the cities paying tribute to Beijing and convince them to pay tribute to him instead. So he needed to know the exact collection areas of Beijing to n his route efficiently. ¡°Ah¡­ understood. We will make the map as detailed as possible.¡± ¡°Yes. Please take care of it. See youter.¡± As Yeongwoo waved his left arm to indicate he was leaving, the two Shandong evils sped their fists and saluted. * * * Leaving behind the excessively polite Shandong Twin Evils, Yeongwoo sped towards Dalian, which was no longer a port city. Swoosh, swoosh! ¡®Wait, but aren¡¯t all Politburo Standing Committee members quite old?¡¯ Although Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t well-versed in Chinese politics, he at least knew that there were no young people among China¡¯s top leaders. In other words, if the Politburo Standing Committee members serving Im Dupyeong were the same old members, that would also be a strange thing. ¡®Of course, it¡¯s not that there are no middle-aged masters, but considering the chaos on the first day of the reset¡­ it¡¯s definitely disadvantageous.¡¯ The more Yeongwoo learned about Beijing, the more mysterious it seemed. And while he was thinking this, swoosh, swoosh! Wide green fields and low mountains appeared to the left of the galloping Negwig, followed by houses and low-rise buildings graduallying into view. ¡°Is this the outskirts of Dalian?¡± Though Yeongwoo had a few Chinese titles, he still seemed to be judged as an outsider. Unlike in the Korean Penins, the regional status interface wasn¡¯t supported here in maind China. ¡®It seems that the affiliation is fixed ording to the initial profile.¡¯ Of course, it could also be because he was considered an intruder due to the territorial mark of China. ¡®I still don¡¯t know much about this world.¡¯ It was a familiar situation. But now, with the world¡¯snguages unified, the true ¡®global vige¡¯ era had dawned. ¡°Hey!¡± Yeongwoo called out to a man who had poked his head out from a house nearby and then started running away like a squirrel. Tatat! However, the man did not respond to the call to stop, so Yeongwoo ultimately¡­ ¡°Just want to ask for directions!¡± Chasing the man on Negwig like a Mongolian cavalryman pursuing a fugitive. Screech! And within seconds, Thump! He seeded in catching the fleeing man trying to hide between buildings. Yeongwoo grabbed the man¡¯s nape with one hand and lifted him. ¡°Aaah!¡± The Chinese man, who hade outside and then got caught by a monstrous cavalryman, turned pale and screamed as if he were about to die. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± This scene strangely reminded Yeongwoo of the insects he used to catch and y with as a child. Like a grasshopper caught in his hand, foaming white orying eggs. The sight of the man writhing in midair with his legs hanging reminded him of those insects he had caught long ago. ¡®What¡­ what is this feeling?¡¯ An indescribable strange emotion lingered somewhere inside the back of his mind. Yeongwoo stared nkly at the man who was desperately but powerlessly struggling, then regained his senses. ¡°Ah¡­! If you answer this one question, I¡¯ll let you go immediately. Is this Dalian? Which direction should I go to get to the center of Dalian?¡± The man, whose face was smeared with tears and snot, pointed northeast while struggling in the air. ¡°Dalian! Da-Dalian¡­!¡± As promised, Yeongwoo gently ced the man back on the ground. Then, ¡°Eek!¡± The man made a strange noise and ran madly between the buildings. Today would probably be the most terrifying day of the man¡¯s life. ¡®Looks like I gained some bad karma.¡¯ The man soon disappeared from Yeongwoo¡¯s sightpletely. So, without any more guidance, Yeongwoo resumed his journey in the direction the man had pointed¡ªnortheast. Swoosh, swoosh! ¡®The cat isn¡¯t reacting yet¡­ Is it still quite far? Or.¡¯ He might have chosen the wrong destination from the start. Contrary to his expectations, the collection team might have chosen to quickly return to Tianjin after their stop. ¡®If that¡¯s really the case, it¡¯s a bit disappointing.¡¯ It could be his second fruitless trip of the day, following his journey to Busan. As Yeongwoo continued northeast, finally, [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] -growl. The ¡°fearful cat¡± in his pocket started to shiver and let out a low growl. ¡°Oh¡­!¡± He still didn¡¯t know what the target was, but at least it meant that there was a fairly strong presence nearby. And the direction was, Swoosh. ¡®Northeast. Dalian city center.¡¯ -growl! The fearful cat Yeongwoo pulled out was indeed looking northeast. This indicated that there was a high probability that Beijing¡¯s collection team was in Dalian. ¡®Perfect. Showing strength by taking down this so-called Standing Committee member will be ideal. Seeing a collector killed right in front of them, the representatives in Dalian would have no choice but to align with me.¡¯ Yeongwoo knew from experience that the most effective persuasion in this world was a disy of power. Especially when persuading in a foreign country withpletely different history and culture. ¡®In the first meeting, fists speak louder than words.¡¯ While Yeongwoo was having such fearsome thoughts, the fearful cat¡¯s ears folded even tter, and its head slowly tilted more to the east. This meant that the target was quite close now. ¡®Wait for me, Dalian! I¡¯ming¡­!¡¯ As Yeongwoo gripped the reins tightly, Negwig, understanding his intent, increased its speed even more. Swoosh! And at almost the same moment, ¡°¡­¡­!¡± He saw Dalian citizens moving busily in the opposite direction. They were relocating to avoid something inside the city. ¡®Oh¡­ is the named one in Dalian rebelling?¡¯ After all, hadn¡¯t Shandong Province also started paying tribute only after a skirmish with a Politburo Standing Committee member? It made sense that Dalian, which had been surviving independently until now, wouldn¡¯t easily pay the 30 million karma tribute every day, even if it was to Beijing. ¡®Today, right here, I¡¯ll cut off one of Im Dupyeong¡¯s limbs!¡¯ As the battlefield seemed to be getting closer, Yeongwoo moved the ¡°White Fire¡± he was wearing to his hand. And at that moment, he saw people gathering in the city square ahead. There were far more people than he had expected. Dozens of highly skilled warriors surrounded the square, and in the center of the square, ¡°Ha, the Politburo? How can you still use the name Politburo when the Party no longer exists?¡± ¡°You insolent wench! How dare you deny the existence of the Party!¡± Sharp, biting words were exchanged. ¡®Dalian¡­? Is that the pronunciation of Dalian?¡¯ Yeongwoo looked at the middle-aged woman standing defiantly in front of a middle-aged man who appeared to be part of Beijing¡¯s collection team. ¡ºDalian Sword Guild¡» Dalian Sword Guild. It seemed Dalian had only one named one. Would this mean their martial prowess was greater than regions with multiple named ones? ¡®I¡¯ll have to see about that.¡¯ As Yeongwoo thought this and moved straight toward the square, the Dalian Sword Guild leader shifted her gaze to him. She had sensed the territorial mark he was carrying. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± As the Sword Guild leader squinted at the strange shape of the intruder, the middle-aged man facing her btedly turned to look at Yeongwoo. It was then that Yeongwoo realized, ¡®What¡¯s this? He doesn¡¯t have a title?¡¯ The middle-aged man, who was surely one of the Politburo Standing Committee members, had no title. It was possible he was hiding his title like Yeongwoo, but¡­ ¡®He doesn¡¯t seem to see my mark at all? That means he¡¯s not a named one.¡¯ Territorial marks could only be seen by regional powerhouses, the named ones. In other words, no matter how strong he was, an unnamed master wouldn¡¯t be able to see Yeongwoo¡¯s position. ¡®How did someone without a title overpower the Shandong guys in three moves?¡¯ As Yeongwoo, puzzled, closed the distance to the square to about 100 meters, the collector¡¯s face twisted. ¡°Strongest Sword¡­?¡± He was mulling over the unfamiliar title. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes caught sight of the bags of money piled up behind the middle-aged man. ¡°My money! You bastard, leave my money and your head behind!¡± ¡°What?¡± The middle-aged man¡¯s expression turned vicious at the phrase ¡°my money.¡± ¡°How dare some nobody¡­.¡± As he reflexively started to curse, he saw the ¡°Strongest Sword¡± suddenly drawing his bow, and his eyes widened. ¡°Die¡­!¡± The coins wouldn¡¯t be destroyed even by aser bombardment. So Yeongwoo shot his arrows at the middle-aged man without hesitation. Whiz! At a distance of less than 50 meters, it was virtually impossible to dodge Yeongwoo¡¯s stealth arrows. ¡®Even I couldn¡¯t dodge at this range. Let¡¯s see how tough a Standing Committee member is!¡¯ Yeongwoo watched the multiple arrows cutting through the air. Then, soon enough, Boom! A violet explosion of supernatural energy urred right in front of the middle-aged man. He was hit without any chance to evade. ¡®Got him!¡¯ Certain that all his arrows had hit, Yeongwoo leapt off Negwig to decapitate his opponent. Leap! However, Hiss¡­ Contrary to his expectations, a powerful presence remained where the supernatural explosion had urred. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The middle-aged man was still standing there, unharmed. ¡®Danger!¡¯ Instinctively sensing an impending counterattack, Yeongwoo tried to draw his sword quickly. But having just leapt off his horse, his feet hadn¡¯t yet touched the ground, and his opponent¡¯s attack exploited this brief moment of vulnerability. ¡°Kiyaaaah!¡± The middle-aged man¡¯s right arm, wrapped in a violet glow, extended with a sound like crashing waves. ¡®¡­What?¡¯ An overwhelming amount of supernatural energy emanated from it. Yeongwoo recognized it instantly upon seeing the attack. ¡°You, you bastard, you¡¯re an alienckey¡­!¡± And as he spoke these words, Thud! The middle-aged man¡¯s monstrous arm pierced through Yeongwoo¡¯s chest. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 257 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 257: Beijing¡¯s Great Evil (4) ¡°Ugh?¡± Seeing his own chest being pierced in real-time, Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened as he quickly pulled himself back. Taaat! It was the first time his body had been pierced by a human bare hand instead of a de. ¡®What kind of guy doesn¡¯t use weapons?¡¯ Indeed, the continent was different. Yeongwoo felt a sense of tension he hadn¡¯t felt in a long time. He no longer thought of himself as invincible. ¡®¡­That was close.¡¯ Although the Berserker talisman was blocking the pain, the foreign sensation he felt was enough to realize it. The attack had narrowly missed his heart. And the reason was surprisingly¡­ ¡¸Combat Assistance from the Strongest Sword Technique has been activated.¡¹ ¡®¡­Combat Assistance?¡¯ The Strongest Sword Technique, acquired in exchange for the unification of the Korean Penins, had a new feature called ¡®Combat Assistance¡¯ included. The tooltip for Combat Assistance filled Yeongwoo¡¯s vision. [Combat Assistance] | If the user fails to perfectly executebat instructions, forced correction within a margin of error of 15% will be carried out. ¡®¡­Ah.¡¯ In other words, even if Yeongwoo did not perfectly follow the hologram guide¡¯s instructions, it would adjust up to 15% for him. It would forcefully move his body, increasing not only the precision of his attacks but also his defense¡­ ¡®Since Combat Assistance was activated just now, it means my heart would have been pierced otherwise?¡¯ A crazy feature that might have saved Yeongwoo¡¯s life. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Finally understanding the situation, Yeongwoo¡¯s mouth fell open. Of course, whether the purple hand of that middle-aged man could have pierced the heart of the indomitable dragon was unknown. ¡®But at the very least, he could have ripped out my heart.¡¯ As Yeongwoo stood with aplex expression and a hole in his chest, the middle-aged man with a simrly confused look nced at his own right hand. Chuuuaaaak¡­! As a punishment for damaging the Strongest Sword¡¯s body, his right hand was being rapidly corroded by the toxic blood. ¡°That arm¡­ It won¡¯t heal, will it?¡± As Yeongwoo looked at his opponent¡¯s half-melted arm, he asked. The middle-aged man frowned deeply. ¡°I am Zhang Jinshan, the 6th Standing Committee member of the Central Political Bureau.¡± ¡°6th¡­ what?¡± Yeongwoo tilted his head at the somewhat grand title. However, everyone except Yeongwoo knew who the middle-aged man was. Zhang Jinshan, 61 years old. One of the highest-ranking officials in China, and the youngest member of the Standing Committee, known to all Chinese people. ¡°¡­Who exactly are you?¡± As he said this, Zhang Jinshan¡¯s gaze was fixed on the hole in Yeongwoo¡¯s chest. Unless it was a hallucination, the hole seemed smaller than before. The wound on his chest had begun to heal. With this realization, Yeongwoo looked at the piles of money bags behind Zhang Jinshan and spoke. ¡°I am the Strongest Sword of the Korean Penins, Jeong Yeongwoo.¡± ¡°Korean Penins¡­?¡± Zhang Jinshan made a subtle expression. Although somewhat expected, hearing it directly from his opponent¡¯s mouth confused him a bit. ¡°The Korean Penins is still divided into two, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Not anymore. I just told you, I¡¯m the Strongest Sword of the Korean Penins.¡± ¡°Are you saying the Korean Penins has been unified?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s statement caused not only Zhang Jinshan but also all the Chinese experts around them to buzz with excitement. Then Zhang Jinshan revealed the reason for themotion. ¡°¡­But there¡¯s Kim Jong-un in the north.¡± That infamous Kim Jong-un. ¡®Indeed, he is well-known.¡¯ But Yeongwoo knew better than anyone what had happened to him. ¡°Kim Jong-un is dead. Seems like your news is a bit slow.¡± ¡°What? Kim Jong-un is dead?¡± Finally, Zhang Jinshan showed genuine shock. Then he looked at the hole in Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s chest with a slightly different gaze than before. ¡°So, you¡¯re not just some wandering oddity, but something bizarre from Joseon.¡± However, the one facing the 6th Standing Committee member Zhang Jinshan was not just someone who could be described as bizarre. ¡°That money was collected from Shandong Province, right? Hand it over first.¡± Jeong Yeongwoo was a nationwide robber who hade to China. * * * When Yeongwoo pointed at the money bags with the tip of his sword, Zhang Jinshan, who had beenposed until now, exuded a very cold aura. ¡°You crazy bastard, you must be dying to get killed.¡± A muscr body that did not match his gray-haired age of sixty. Standing at a towering 2 meters, Zhang Jinshan wrapped his entire body in a purple energy, making him look like a demon. When Yeongwoo coveted the money meant for Beijing, in other words, the national treasury, Zhang Jinshan decided to demonstrate his true power. Of course, even in this situation, Yeongwoo was analyzing his opponent¡¯s traits. ¡®Ah, but at least his severed arm isn¡¯t regenerating. So, he¡¯s not invincible either.¡¯ Moreover, hadn¡¯t his skin melted from the toxic blood? That meant the de of Bastard would prate his body quite well too. ¡®It seems he usually doesn¡¯t use weapons and employs some kind of martial arts.¡¯ That meant the reach difference was at least 6 meters. With the Duhan Sword¡¯s traits registered in the weapon catalog, Bastard¡¯s de could now extend up to 6.6 meters. Swoosh. With a certainty of victory, Yeongwoo slowly extended the Bastard¡¯s de to the ground and spoke. ¡°If you can kill me, go ahead. Let¡¯s see what tricks you have up your sleeve.¡± ¡°You¡­!¡± Finally provoked by Yeongwoo, Zhang Jinshan bent his left hand fiercely and charged. Crash! ¡¸Sensory stats have temporarily increased from 3,400 to 7,042.¡¹ And with an incredible amount of sensory stats unleashed. ¡®What¡­ what is this?¡¯ Yeongwoo could be certain at this point. As expected, the Standing Committee members, including Im Dupyeong, were undoubtedly agents of an alien force. ¡®Whichpany are these bastards sponsored by?¡¯ Despite being flustered by Zhang Jinshan¡¯s unexpectedly high stats, Yeongwoo stuck to his initial n and instructed the golden goblin. ¡°Grab the money! Hurry! Now¡¯s the time!¡± Yeongwoo shouted thismand loudly not only to ensure the golden goblin obeyed promptly but also to distract Zhang Jinshan, whose primary mission was obviously guarding the tribute money. -Kiiik! The goblin dashed towards the money bags with its characteristic swift movement, causing Zhang Jinshan to momentarily turn his head. Whish! In that instant¡­ [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] -Swaaack! With the horrific trumpet sound of Pofu Tenta, Yeongwoo swung Bastard with unbelievable speed. Ssssh! Even Tian Zhulin of the Dalian Sword Guild, who was watching the battle closely, could hardly perceive the speed. Swish! In the blink of an eye, a red line shed across Zhang Jinshan¡¯s left arm. And then¡­ ¡°Huh?¡± With a short cry, Zhang Jinshan¡¯s left forearm fell to the ground. In just three exchanges, he had lost both arms. ¡°What¡­ what was that?¡± ¡°Did you see that? Just now?¡± The other spectators, surrounding the area, only realized what happened after Zhang Jinshan¡¯s arm hit the ground. While Tian Zhulin at least sensed the movement of the sword, the other regr swordsmen couldn¡¯t follow the sword¡¯s movement at all. ¡®Where did this crazy guye from?¡¯ Tian Zhulin couldn¡¯t close her gaping mouth, staring at the title of the outsider consisting of three simple characters. ¡ºStrongest Sword¡» In this world, a master was not made overnight. Especially a master of such a high level. ¡®Literally the Strongest Sword.¡¯ While Tian Zhulin cautiously sheathed her own sword, the golden-skinned goblin picked up the money bags. -Kikiki! At the same moment, Zhang Jinshan¡­ ¡°Kraaaah!¡± ¡­lost all theposure he had maintained until now and screamed in agony. But this wasn¡¯t because of his severed arms. It was purely due to the pain. He was finally experiencing the effect of the golden punishment¡¯s pain-inflicting effect. ¡®What¡¯s this, why now?¡¯ Did he have some equipment to dy the pain? Yeongwoo tilted his head in confusion but kept a safe distance from his opponent. If Im Dupyeong and his subordinates indeed had alien sponsors, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if they possessed some desperate final technique. ¡°Hey, Jinshan.¡± ¡°Grrrr¡­!¡± ¡°You¡¯re an alien henchman, right? Whichpany?¡± An outer-space conversation iprehensible to an ordinary person. However, Zhang Jinshan¡¯s answer was unexpectedly ¡®I don¡¯t know.¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t know! That kind of thing!¡± ¡°That kind of thing¡­?¡± And oddly, from Zhang Jinshan¡¯s phrase ¡®that kind of thing,¡¯ Yeongwoo glimpsed his sincerity. If this man really had alien sponsors, he would have kept his mouth shut rather than calling it ¡®that kind of thing.¡¯ ¡°Then where did all this powere from? I don¡¯t see any equipment on you.¡± As Yeongwoo tapped near Zhang Jinshan¡¯s groin with the t of his sword, thetter managed to speak through gritted teeth. ¡°This¡­ power was directly bestowed by Chairman Im Dupyeong! It¡¯s not some alien thing!¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Yeongwoo nodded at Zhang Jinshan¡¯s statement. ¡°So, Im Dupyeong is the henchman. Or maybe¡­¡± Yeongwoo started to say more but stopped himself. ¡®Isn¡¯t Im Dupyeong just an alien?¡¯ No matter how high-level a master, he¡¯d never heard of someone being able to share their power. Of course, pre-reset China had a poption of 1.42 billion, 28 times that of South Korea. So, it would be arrogant to im he knew everything about the world with his limited experience in the Korean Penins. But still, there should be a limit. ¡®It¡¯s not like he¡¯s creating zombies; how could he produce so many masters of this level?¡¯ In Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes, Zhang Jinshan¡¯s prowess was such that even six or seven of Seoul¡¯s Strongest Swords would struggle to ensure victory. So, if Im Dupyeong had reached a level where he could create such masters, wouldn¡¯t it be more realistic to view him as an alien rather than a human? Considering this was the world after the reset. ¡®What¡¯s going to happen to Earth with these scoundrels running rampant?¡¯ Although he had nned to kill him anyway, if Im Dupyeong really was an alien, there was even more reason to do so. As his deceased uncle had said, Seoul¡­ no, this Earth belonged to humans. For the greater good, Yeongwoo pointed his sword at the Dalian Sword Guild and the experts of Dalian City. ¡°Alright, everyone, put down your weapons and hand over all your money.¡± Thus, Yeongwoo began his first official duty as the elected ¡®Strongest Sword¡¯ of the Korean Penins. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 258 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 258: Beijing¡¯s Great Evil (5) ¡°Who the hell are you? Demanding money out of nowhere?¡± This was Tian Zhulin, a renowned swordswoman and the guardian of Dalian. She looked at Yeongwoo with genuine confusion. She wasn¡¯t asking about his title, of course. She had already heard it before and could see it written on him. ¡ºStrongest Sword¡» The infamous figure who killed Kim Jong-un and unified the Korean Penins, the monster Strongest Sword Jeong Yeongwoo. Judging by his martial prowess just now, it didn¡¯t seem like an exaggeration. ¡®But why is he heremitting robbery instead of stabilizing his power?¡¯ She had heard rumors a few days ago. The thugs of Dandong City had crossed into Sinuiju, North Korea, intending to loot but were all killed except for one. ¡®Could it be because of that incident?¡¯ They say a gentleman¡¯s revenge is never toote, even if it takes ten years, but this Korean monster seemed to be back for revenge within days. However, Yeongwoo was saying something entirely different from what Tian Zhulin had expected. ¡°To strengthen the country.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°And to bring peace to the world!¡± ¡°What¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, we are in a time of chaos.¡± As Yeongwoo stepped forward, the swordsmen surrounding him backed away in fear. ¡°The Reset has destroyed thew and the borders of our continent. In this chaos, extraterrestrial forces are invading our world.¡± As he said this, Yeongwoo approached Zhang Jinshan, who was groaning with his arms cut off. He ced his hand on Zhang Jinshan¡¯s head. Thud. Immediately. ¡°You bastard, how dare you!¡± Zhang Jinshan¡¯s body glowed purple with rage. Whoosh! His body was instantly enveloped in a strange power, and his right leg twisted at an impossible angle, kicking upwards. Bang! Attempting to strike Yeongwoo¡¯s chin. ¡°Hmph¡­¡­!¡± Yeongwoo, seemingly prepared, dodged the attack by tilting his body and then swung his giant sword at Zhang Jinshan¡¯s leg. Whoosh! The Golden Trail was a massive sword, 2 meters long. However, Zhang Jinshan¡¯s leg, instead of being cut, deflected the golden sword. Though not unscathed, it was evident that Zhang Jinshan had reached a state where swords couldn¡¯t harm him. ¡°What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± As Tian Zhulin and the dozens of swordsmen watched in shock, Yeongwoo finally drew his Bastard. ¡°Eeek!¡± As expected, Zhang Jinshan flinched and drooled in fear at the sight of the Bastard. He had learned firsthand that this weapon was not something he could withstand. Thanks to that, he had lost both of his arms. Zhang Jinshan then decided to. Dash! Flee. He decided to return to Beijing while his legs were still intact. Yeongwoo pointed at the fleeing Zhang Jinshan. ¡°Look at that! That purple energy is the power of the extraterrestrials!¡± Thud! As Yeongwoo pointed out the power wrapping around Zhang Jinshan¡¯s legs, everyone watched in a daze as he fled. ¡°That, that¡¯s the power of aliens?¡± ¡°Is that so¡­¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like it, though.¡± But hadn¡¯t the arrow shot by the Strongest Sword caused a purple explosion as well? Some who remembered this fact had their doubts, but they kept them to themselves. They instinctively knew that speaking up would mean ending up like Zhang Jinshan. ¡°Traitor to humanity, Zhang Jinshan! Take my de!¡± With a determined shout, Yeongwoo threw his Bastard at Zhang Jinshan. Whoosh! As the Bastard traced its path, it drew the seal of the peach blossom and soon pierced Zhang Jinshan¡¯s back. Thud! ¡°Aargh!¡± As the giant Zhang Jinshan, a two-meter-tall behemoth with white hair, crashed to the ground, Yeongwoo extended his hand again to remotely retrieve his weapon, the ¡®Bastard.¡¯ Shhh! For the first time, appreciative murmurs arose from the experts. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°Is that¡­?¡± It seemed like a technique that every Chinese person aspired to, resembling the art of wielding a sword with the mind. However, Zhang Jinshan, the person who had been attacked, was gnashing his teeth and raging furiously. ¡°You crazy bastard! If you kill me, you¡¯ll be making an enemy of the entire regime. Do you think you can escape unscathed after meddling with state funds?¡± At this, Yeongwoo tilted his head. ¡°Who decided it was state funds? Until the people support it, it¡¯s just plunder.¡± But in a world where strength dictated everything, there wasn¡¯t much to argue if Im Dupyeong called the tribute taxes. Just as Yeongwoo had collected ¡®defense fees¡¯ from the Strongest Swords in Seoul. Of course, Yeongwoo had progressed beyond that now. ¡°The reason I came here today is to bring down Im Dupyeong. He not only collects tributes but also colludes with alien forces? That makes my blood boil.¡± ¡°What? What does that have to do with you? You¡¯re not even¡­ Chinese¡­¡± As Zhang Jinshan protested with a look of iprehension, Yeongwoo¡¯s figure rapidly closed the distance and overwhelmed him. Wham! ¡°Ugh!¡± Zhang Jinshan¡¯s body mmed into the ground again. Then, Yeongwoo whispered softly into his ear. ¡°Having two guys lining their pockets with tributes while serving aliens is a bit much, don¡¯t you think? If you truly care about China, you should sacrifice yourself.¡± ¡°What? What do you mean by th-¡­¡± Just as the terrified Zhang Jinshan tried to say more. Wham! The ¡®Bastard¡¯ in Yeongwoo¡¯s hand pierced through Zhang Jinshan¡¯s head. Finally, one of Im Dupyeong¡¯s minions was dealt with. ¡®Now the wealth of Shandong Province is mine.¡¯ As Yeongwoo straightened up with a sense of satisfaction, something unexpected happened. Wham! A pir of light suddenly erupted from Zhang Jinshan¡¯s lifeless body. ¡°What?¡± Yeongwoo, startled, took a step back and watched along with everyone else. Wham! The purple light beam that burst from Zhang Jinshan¡¯s corpse shot towards Beijing. ¡°Was it true?¡± ¡°What was that?¡± It was a scene reminiscent of a demon lord¡¯s minion retrieving their power, and everyone in Dalian City stared at Yeongwoo with their mouths agape. The words of the Strongest Sword from the Korean Penins, which had seemed like nonsense, now appeared to have a high probability of being true. ¡°Ah¡­ what did you say again? That Chairman Im and his subordinates are alien coborators?¡± Dalian Sword Guild¡¯s Tian Zhulin, now speaking much more respectfully, asked Yeongwoo. Yeongwoo quickly erased his puzzled expression and looked in the direction the light beam had flown. [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] ¡°Yes. There is a very high probability.¡± The special abilities one could gain from equipment usually converted physical or elemental damage into special powers. It was rare to see someone like Zhang Jinshan, whose power itself was a special ability. Except for an arrow made by the Dogo, that is. ¡®But Zhang Jinshan was almost saturated with special abilities. It looked like his power was being reimed upon his death¡­ Im Dupyeong¡¯s identity is bing increasingly suspicious.¡¯ Moreover, Zhang Jinshan referred to himself as the 6th member of the Standing Committee. If that ¡®6th¡¯ was rted tobat power ranking¡­ ¡®Then there are at least five more above him?¡¯ Imagine at least five monsters of Zhang Jinshan¡¯s level spread across China, collecting money. ¡°¡­.¡± An uncontroble anger welled up within him. However, if the process did not result in casualties, it might actually benefit Yeongwoo. While it would take considerable effort to persuade regions that hadn¡¯t yet started paying tribute, regions that had already been visited by the collection teams would be different. ¡®I only collect about 60% of what Im Dupyeong does. It¡¯s like a debt refinancing, so persuading them would be easier.¡¯ If they could bear paying tribute to the Korean Penins instead of within China, Yeongwoo could gain a million karma daily. He saw a good chance of sess. By sheer luck, the ¡®alien coborator theory¡¯ had gained traction in Dalian City, inadvertently clearing a path for him. ¡°As you just saw, Im Dupyeong in Beijing is oppressing all of China with power he brought from aliens. If no one stops him, everyone will eventually have to pay daily tributes to aliens.¡± As Yeongwoo added that Im Dupyeong would grow stronger with the money they paid, Tian Zhulin naturally voiced a doubt. ¡°But why does it have to be you? Isn¡¯t this a matter for China to handle¡­?¡± ¡°Because there¡¯s no one else.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°You people can¡¯t even handle a minion sent to collect tribute; how are you going to capture Im Dupyeong?¡± ¡°You¡­!¡± Tian Zhulin instinctively tried to retort with ¡°Then why you,¡± but she quickly shut her mouth. The man before her had already sufficiently proven his skills. ¡°To be honest, I could extort money from you all without using Im Dupyeong as an excuse. But I genuinely have a just cause, so I¡¯m mentioning it as well.¡± Then, Yeongwoo thrust the ¡®Bastard¡¯ into the ground and spoke in a grave tone. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t killed Zhang Jinshan, you would have been extorted for at least 30 million.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°But I¡¯ll only take 20 million. Just 20 million karma. If everyone here can pool together and raise it, that would be ideal.¡± Yeongwoo then put on a sorrowful expression. ¡°If you do your best but still can¡¯t raise enough money, I¡¯ll have no choice but to squeeze it from the citizens¡¯ blood.¡± ¡°That¡­ that crazy¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling us to raise 20 million right here and now?¡± The reactions were fiery, but Tian Zhulin, who had practically been defending this city, responded with a cool head. ¡°It¡¯s impossible to produce 20 million in cash right here. Your demand is unreasonable. Even if we ransacked the entire city, it would still take quite some time to gather the money.¡± At this, Yeongwoo asked as if he¡¯d been waiting for this response. ¡°How much time would you need?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°How much time would you need to gather the missing money?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure.¡± Tian Zhulin looked around and then cautiously offered an opinion. ¡°At least two hours¡­?¡± Yeongwoo checked his wristwatch and then informed Tian Zhulin. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go extort money from another city and return in two hours. Make sure you have the money ready by then.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to another city?¡± ¡°My goal is to prevent Im Dupyeong from receiving any tribute. That means every city should already be paying their tribute.¡± ¡°To you¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Tian Zhulin no longer had the energy to be surprised. Only one thought kept swirling in her mind. ¡®This guy is pure evil.¡¯ Im Dupyeong, the alleged alien coborator, couldn¡¯t possibly be this bad. But Yeongwoo¡¯s next words caught her attention. ¡°Of course, I could meet with an unexpected ident in another city. Themissioner I encounter there might be too strong.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°If something like that happens, I won¡¯t be able to return here in two hours, and you won¡¯t need to prepare the money.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± It was a logical statement, but to the cornered Tian Zhulin, it sounded strangely usible. After all, it wasn¡¯t an entirely hopeless option. She could at least hope that this crazy Korean would die somewhere. ¡°Is that good? Do we have a deal?¡± ¡°¡­We don¡¯t really have any other choice, do we? Let¡¯s do it.¡± ¡°Good. Then from now on¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s more?¡± Seeing Tian Zhulin furrow her brow in apprehension, Yeongwoo pulled out the ¡®Bastard¡¯ and said. ¡°I¡¯ll take rmendations for the next city I should visit.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 259 [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 259: The Greatest Worry (1) Rmending the next city to be extorted¡­ It was indeed a devilish idea. Considering Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s martial prowess and objectives, his visit would be disastrous. ¡®It¡¯s like ying hot potato with a bomb. Where should I send this guy?¡¯ Tian Zhulin pondered seriously. Which city could take down this madman? ¡®It must be arge city with many powerful fighters.¡¯ To the north of this ce was Shenyang, the capital of Liaoning Province, with a poption of nearly 9 million. There would undoubtedly be many masters there, but¡­ ¡®To keep him in check, ordinary masters won¡¯t do. It has to be a monster-level expert.¡¯ Thus, Zhulin thought it had to be an unusual city. So, which city in the area was the most peculiar? ¡®Hmm.¡±¡¯ As Tian Zhulin fell deep into thought¡­ ¡°Tongliao¡­?¡± One of the swordsmen in the group mentioned the city of Tongliao. It was a city in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region that could be reached by traveling north past Shenyang. The distance from Dalian was also several hundred kilometers, making sending the Strongest Sword far away advantageous. Additionally, Tongliao was where Han Chinese and Mongolians lived in equal numbers, and there had been recent anti-government protests. The atmosphere had been agitated since the Reset, and crucially¡­ ¡®Given its history of being a problematic city, Im Dupyeong would be aware of it.¡¯ Therefore, the senior official dispatched there would not be an ordinary person. Among the nearby major cities, if there were one most likely to advance on Beijing, it would undoubtedly be Tongliao. ¡°Tongliao? Is it alright there?¡± Yeongwoo, catching the swordsman¡¯s suggestion, asked, and Tian Zhulin nodded. ¡°Yes¡­ If we have to pick one ce, I would rmend Tongliao.¡± ¡°It seems to be a rather fierce ce.¡± Knowing the intent behind the question, Yeongwoo subtly probed, and Tian Zhulin¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°¡­¡± However, Yeongwoo was hoping for a strong area to be rmended. Since new variables appeared daily, he thought it best to weaken the enemy¡¯s forces from the start significantly. ¡®If they¡¯re rmending it as a strong ce, then Im Dupyeong wouldn¡¯t have sent just anyone there. I might even meet a high-ranking official sooner than expected.¡¯ It was time to leave Dalian. Yeongwoo sheathed his sword and bowed slightly to Tian Zhulin. ¡°I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t feel good about this, but I have no personal grudge.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But since the times are chaotic, someone needs to hold power and establish at least minimal order.¡± Tian Zhulin¡¯s expression darkened in a sh of anger. ¡°Order? Extorting money from city to city is establishing order?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a process to establish order. In any case, someone needs to be stronger than Im Dupyeong to defeat him.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Tian Zhulin fell silent again. She partially agreed but also found it challenging to agree entirely. She consistently believed that Im Dupyeong, who aimed to be a dictator before and after the Reset, should not seize control of China again. However, the idea that the person to rece him might be the madman in front of her, someone from the Korean Penins, was distasteful. It wasn¡¯t just about agreeing or disagreeing; it evoked an emotional repulsion. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m being unreasonable. Most cities probably think the same way. As a Chinese, being ruled by a foreigner is unpleasant.¡± ¡°That would be the same for any country. But¡­¡± Yeongwoo thought of Zhang Jaham of Shandong Province, who had warmly weed him. ording to Tian Zhulin, Zhang Jaham, who willingly epted a foreigner, was an unusual minority. But thinking in reverse, didn¡¯t it also mean that someone like Zhang Jaham was the fittest for survival? ¡°As I said earlier, it¡¯s an era of survival of the fittest. The outdated ones will soon perish.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Seeing many martial artists, I¡¯ve be quite good at judging people. In my opinion, Tian Sword Master is not a bad person. So, I hope you live long. Please prepare the money.¡± Yeongwoo left with a promise to return in two hours and mounted his four-legged steed. Thump! The ck iron horse emitted a strange sound and glowed with a menacing light, clearly not of this world. No one dared to challenge this proof that Jeong Yeongwoo allied with extraterrestrial forces. Tian Zhulin also raised her hand slightly in a gesture of farewell. Unlike the two martial artists from Shandong, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to salute fully but made a farewell gesture nheless. ¡°See youter. Take care¡­¡± Finally, Yeongwoo turnedpletely northward. Then. Boom! At a tremendous speed, he sped away from Dalian City. * * * Current time: 4:43 PM. As Yeongwoo headed north toward Tongliao, the next destination rmended by Dalian City, he realized something was off. ¡®Wait¡­ the distance?¡¯ ording to the map provided by Dalian City, the distance to Tongliao was a whopping 600 kilometers. Even if Yeongwoo was riding a steed from another world, he couldn¡¯t possibly make a round trip in just two hours. In other words, it was highly likely that¡­ ¡®They pointed out a city that¡¯s not just tough but as far away as possible. I¡¯ve been tricked.¡¯ However, the other cities weren¡¯t exactly close either. They were all at least 230 kilometers away. So, in a way¡­ ¡®Maybe they did pick a faraway ce on purpose, but all the cities worth going to are pretty far.¡¯ Such was the scale of the continent. When he operated in Seoul, the travel distance was at most 20 kilometers. But in China, the basic distance unit had be 100 kilometers. ¡®At least I¡¯m riding Negwig. Others probably can¡¯t travel around because of the distances.¡¯ Yeongwoo finally understood why the collection team had only arrived in Dalian today. ¡®There wasn¡¯t some grand reason; it was too far.¡¯ It might seemughable initially, but for Yeongwoo, who dreamt of ¡®world peace,¡¯ it was troublesome. ¡®This makes it physically impossible to collect money from all over China.¡¯ He thought Im Dupyeong was using collection teams to save face, but it turned out there were practical reasons. ¡®Dupyeong hyung must have a lot of worries.¡¯ And those worries would soon increase. He would soon learn that apetitor had appeared in the same line of work. ¡®From now on, my dream is to be ¡®Im Dupyeong¡¯s greatest worry.¡¯¡¯ As Yeongwoo resolved to this new dream and continued northward, he soon encountered a group of swordsmen traveling south along the road. Yeongwoo slowed Negwig down and blocked their path. Thud! ¡°Excuse me, can I ask for directions?¡± The man at the front of the ten swordsmen scrutinized Yeongwoo from head to toe. ¡°¡­Who are you?¡± Assessing the opponent¡¯s equipment and martial prowess quickly was an essential survival skill in this world. ¡°¡­¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] The man at the front made his judgment in about one second. He naturally lowered the arm that had been resting on the hilt of his sword. ¡°You¡¯re asking for directions¡­?¡± His tone became much more cautious, indicating his understanding of the situation. ¡°Where is thergest city around here?¡± Yeongwoo asked, showing the map provided by Dalian City. The man¡¯s expression grew even more tense. Though, Yeongwoo, who mainly operated in Seoul, didn¡¯t know maps in this world were very expensive. Especially in a vast country like China. A detailed map that included small towns could cost over ten million Karma. Of course, the map given to Yeongwoo by Dalian City was a more straightforward form that only showed significant cities and nearby terrain, but still, at least¡­ ¡°That¡¯s a good map. It must be worth at least two hundred thousand.¡± ¡°Are maps that expensive?¡± ¡°Yes, indeed.¡± The man epted Yeongwoo¡¯s map respectfully and then nced around. ¡°If I may ask, why are you looking for arge city? It seems this is your first time in the area.¡± It was clear to anyone that this outsider didn¡¯t fit in here. Asking about thergest city while carrying a map worth at least two hundred thousand Karma¡­? ¡°Hmm.¡± As Yeongwoo pondered what to say, the man bowed his head slightly and softly waved his right hand, which should have been holding a weapon. ¡°We¡¯re wanderers with no fixed abode. We roam near cities and hunt stray monsters to make a living.¡± ¡°I see.¡± When Yeongwoo nodded without furtherment, the man continued. ¡°As you can see, we travel on foot. If we pick the wrong city to visit¡­¡± The man exined that they might not find food or a ce to stay. So if he was going to attack a city, please be honest so they could avoid it. ¡°You¡¯re quite straightforward. Don¡¯t you mind that I¡¯m a foreigner?¡± When Yeongwoo asked this, the man wiped his nose once. ¡°For people like us, being overly honest is a way to live longer.¡± And this was true. His words made Yeongwoo feel like telling them his true intentions. ¡°Strictly speaking, I¡¯m not going to conquer a city. I¡¯m going to collect some money.¡± ¡°A businessman, I see.¡± ¡°Yes. The city won¡¯t be destroyed so that you can visit it by tomorrow. So, where should I go?¡± When Yeongwoo finished speaking, the man looked northwest and shielded his eyes from the sun with his hand. ¡°If you travel for about two hours in that direction, you¡¯ll reach Ansan.¡± ¡°Ansan?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Coincidentally, the city had the same name as Ansan in Korea. ¡®If he thinks it takes two hours¡­ with Negwig, it could be done in thirty to forty minutes.¡¯ This meant visiting Tongliaote tonight or tomorrow. The few words from this wanderer had changed the fate of two cities. ¡°Thergest city here is Shenyang, but you won¡¯t reach it before sunset.¡± ¡°I see. Thank you.¡± Yeongwoo was about to head straight to Ansan but stopped Negwig again. Thud! The swordsmen, who were about to leave quickly, turned back in surprise. ¡°What is it?¡± Yeongwoo took out three goldmemorative coins from his pocket and threw them. ¡°For guiding me.¡± ¡°This, this is¡­¡± The man was shocked to see Yeongwoo¡¯s face engraved on the coins. He blinked at the name ¡®Jeong Yeongwoo 07¡¯ written under the portrait. Since the characters on the coins didn¡¯t trante, the man couldn¡¯t read what was written. Even though the man didn¡¯t ask, Yeongwoo read it aloud for him. ¡°Jeong Yeongwoo 07, the Strongest Sword of the Korean Penins.¡± [Trantor ¨C Night] [Proofreader ¨C Gun] Chapter 260 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 260: The Greatest Worry (2) Parting ways with the wandering swordsmen, Yeongwoo ran towards the northwest, aiming for a city with a familiar name¡ªAnshan. [PR/N: After checking, Anshan is a city in China, while the Korean counterpart is called Ansan prev chap I did both as Ansan, which was wrong, my bad guys.] Boom! Boom! Even though it wasn¡¯t far in the grand scheme of things, he still had to run at least a hundred kilometers, with only low-rise buildings and fields to greet him along the way. ¡®China¡¯s poption exceeds 1.4 billion, so even if the Reset happened, at least 400 million should remain, right? Where have all these people gone?¡¯ Yeongwoo nced at a farmhouse devoid of any sign of life. Though China¡¯s poption wasrge, thend was evenrger, causing such issues. Even before the Reset, the poption density outside the major cities wasn¡¯t exceptionally high, and with the advent of monsters, encountering people became even rarer. ¡®And thisnd is remarkably vast. Unless someone¡¯s significantly boosted their abilities, they could die of dehydration on the road.¡¯ As Yeongwoo looked back, an endless stretch of roady before him. ¡®This won¡¯t do. I¡¯ll waste an entire day just collecting money.¡¯ Yeongwoo finally realized how challenging it would be to achieve ¡®world domination.¡¯ Historically, evenrge empires struggled to continue conquests due to physical distance issues. The further they got from their homnd, the harder it was to supply resources and manage conquered cities. If even empires faced such challenges, how could an individual like Yeongwoo seed? Currently, the best he could muster was a small team to collect funds. Conquering the entire world, let alone China, might be a pipe dream. ¡®How can I collect tributes on a national scale?¡¯ It was aplex problem. Even Im Dupyeong, who attempted to conquer China before him, hadn¡¯t solved this issue yet. ¡°¡­¡­¡± While Yeongwoo contemted different methods of collecting funds, the road to Anshan continued endlessly. ¡®At best, I can visit three cities in a day.¡¯ Boom! Boom! ¡®Managing this vastnd is realistically impossible unless I can use the Guppy Express regrly.¡¯ Thinking of the Guppy Express, Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze naturally drifted to the sky. The King of Destruction, Dogo, who roamed the universe, may know the solution. ¡®Something that allows high-speed movement on a regional scale. If not, at least card payment machines or ATMs should be installed in each city. After all, tributes can be transferred electronically.¡¯ Receiving daily tributes via transfer and only visiting cities that miss their deadlines for problem-solving. This was Yeongwoo¡¯s ideal collection structure. The technology for this already existed. ¡®Aren¡¯t our taxes essentially paid through transfers? Why can¡¯t I use such technology?¡¯ While Yeongwoo¡¯s mind raced, he finally saw the rough skyline of a city in the distance. ¡°Oh.¡± He had arrived in Anshan, Liaoning Province, China. With a total poption of 3.64 million and an active urban poption close to 1.5 million, it was a significant steel industry city. Though not a megacity by Chinese standards, it looked enormous to Yeongwoo from the Korean Penins. In fact, while Seoul¡¯s area was 605 square kilometers, Anshan¡¯s was 9,252 square kilometers. The central part alone was asrge as the entire city of Seoul. ¡°How do I find anyone in this vast ce¡­?¡± No merchant markers were in sight, either because the transactions were already done or simply because the area was sorge. There was nothing to use as a guide. ¡®Do I have to capture someone and ask?¡¯ Surely there must be someone akin to the Strongest Sword of the Korean Penins in this region as well. And if that person was in the city, they should know his presence. ¡®Are they hoping I¡¯ll just pass by¡­?¡¯ That was a possibility. Just as there were fearless people like Dalian Sword Guild¡¯s Tian Zhulin, there were also those like Yongsan¡¯s Strongest Sword Kim Doha, who prioritized self-preservation above all. ¡°Hmmm.¡± Yeongwoo, riding on Negwig, stared at the city for a while before deciding to take the quickest route. ¡°General¡­!¡± He unleashed the most impressive attack he could manage to call out the city¡¯s person in charge. ¡°Earth, 084! 362! 1041! 443!¡± The coordinates Yeongwoo called out marked the location of a construction site near the city entrance. Likely an abandonedrge building project due to the Reset, it soon found a new purpose. Boom! Using the construction site as a makeshift call button, Yeongwoo unleashed aser beam. Boom! The anonymous construction site was instantly ttened, and soon enough¡­ ¡°Ah, ahh!¡± ¡°Help us!¡± ¡°Invasion!¡± Swarms of Anshan citizens began to pour out, sensing danger as theser beam struck from the sky. Those who directly witnessed theser were outside, while most people, unaware of what had happened, rushed outside. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know either. We heard a huge noise.¡± ¡°Could it be war¡­?¡± War. Essentially, it wasn¡¯t far off. Hearing the noise, the Five Masters of Anshan immediately dashed toward the impact site, following the mark of the sovereign g embedded with theser. Thump, thump, thump! As the five masters of Anshan dashed through the city, the citizens followed them. Meanwhile, the instigator, Yeongwoo, had jumped off Negwig and strolled towards Anshan. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡®They should have understood by now.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s message was clear. If no one came to greet him, he would continue usingser strikes to destroy the city. Though he valued settlements as rare resources and wasn¡¯t serious about the destruction, the message waspelling. ¡®Heh, it worked.¡¯ He sensed several fast-approaching presences ahead. Five individuals were rapidly closing in on him. ¡ºFive masters of Anshan¡» ¡®There are five of them here? Is it because the region is sorge?¡¯ As Yeongwoo stood watching the Five Masters of Anshan approach without drawing his sword, the long-haired man in the lead stopped about 15 meters away from Yeongwoo. Tap! The other four also stopped, aligning themselves based on the long-haired man¡¯s position. This was the minimum safety distance the Five Masters of Anshan considered necessary. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but tilt his head slightly. ¡®It seems the level of the Five Masters of Anshan isn¡¯t very high.¡¯ Generally, during such a standoff, the distance is determined by one¡¯s psychological safety margin. In other words, it¡¯s the distance at which they feel they can react to an attack in time or believe they are outside the expected range of the opponent¡¯s attack. Given that, the current level of the Five Masters of Anshan was¡­ ¡¯15 meters? They¡¯re all within my striking range¡­?¡¯ Yeongwoo blinked. It had to be one of two things. Either the Five Swordsmen were underestimating him, or they were so inexperienced that they had never encountered a master who could kill them in the blink of an eye from more than 20 meters away. Which was it? He would soon find out. Thump! The long-haired man suddenly gave a fist salute to Yeongwoo and spoke. ¡°What brings you to Anshan? We hesitated to greet you directly, fearing we might hinder your journey.¡± Considering they knew well about Yeongwoo¡¯s background, this was quite a problematic disy of courtesy. They even knew that the man before them was the one who had seized the title of China. ¡®Did they originally intend to be this peaceful, or did theser strike change their minds?¡¯ Yeongwoo pondered how to broach the subject of tributes while observing the other four, excluding the long-haired man. As expected, the bald, muscr man standing to the immediate right of the long-haired man wore a very hostile expression. The Five Masters of Anshan. Having five people in one city with the same title implied that there were five different personalities and wills behind that title. It was clear that while the long-haired leader preferred peaceful negotiations, the consensus among the Five Swordsmen was not unanimous. ¡®This might not be resolved through dialogue alone.¡¯ The current time was 5:14 PM. Yeongwoo checked the time and then spoke to the long-haired man. ¡°I am Jeong Yeongwoo, the Strongest Sword of the Korean Penins, visiting China as a representative.¡± The long-haired man¡¯s eyes widened momentarily, and he nced at the other four ¡®swordsmen.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ve heard of your reputation¡­ but I didn¡¯t realize you were a representative of the Korean Penins. I am Jeong Taeryong of the Five Masters of Anshan.¡± Jeong Taeryong. He quickly introduced himself and made another fist salute, but unlike before, he couldn¡¯t maintain a bright expression. There was a world of difference between a mere troublemaker from the Korean Penins and that troublemaker representing the entire penins. The former could be dismissed as an individual rogue, but thetter implied that the entire Korean Penins was dering war. And predictably¡­ ¡°You¡¯re the representative of the Korean Penins? Are you saying that the penins''s residents have united intending to advance into the Central ins?¡± The bald, muscr man, shouted angrily at Yeongwoo. Jeong Taeryong quickly reprimanded him in a low voice. ¡°Hwigwang, if you wish to keep your head on your shoulders today, hold your tongue.¡± At least Jeong Taeryong seemed to grasp that the Strongest Sword¡¯s skills were extraordinary. ¡°My brothers can be a bit rash. Please forgive their rudeness.¡± Swoosh. Jeong Taeryong bowed his head slightly in apology to Yeongwoo. Yeongwoo, in turn, epted the apology with a slight bow of his own. He could tell that, despite Jeong Taeryong¡¯s courteous demeanor, his pride as a Chinese remained intact. This was evident from his refusal to refer to Yeongwoo with the title ¡®Strongest sword.¡¯ If this were Shandong Province, as soon as Hwigwang made his mistake, Zhang Jaham would have hailed Yeongwoo as the ¡®Strongest sword¡¯ while bowing his head to the ground. ¡®Shandong¡¯s Twin Evils are truly impressive. We can definitely move forward together.¡¯ If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together. The more Chinese people Yeongwoo met, the more he realized Shandong was his best partner. ¡°Since our time is valuable, let¡¯s get straight to the point.¡± Yeongwoo began to broach the ufortable subject. ¡°Have you met the standingmittee members dispatched from the Politburo in Beijing? They¡¯re typically older and wield unusual powers.¡± Jeong Taeryong and the other swordsmen looked puzzled. ¡°Standingmittee members?¡± ¡°Do you mean politicians?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± They seemed clueless. ¡®Damn it. Thisplicates things.¡¯ Apparently, the collection team from Beijing hadn¡¯t reached this eastern region yet. Even Dalian to the south wasn¡¯t initially a target area for collections until thends merged into Pangaea. ¡®Should I exin about Im Dupyeong first¡­ or just start fighting?¡¯ It might be quicker to demand money under the threat of death rather than to exin that the President of China had be a legendary demon collecting money across the continent. Just as Yeongwoo slowly began to reach for the sheath at his waist... Boom! A loud, unsettling crashing sound came from the west. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°That¡­ that¡¯s!¡± Shock therapy indeed worked best for grabbing attention. Following the Five master¡¯s gaze to the west, Yeongwoo broke into a bright smile. An old man wrapped in a purple aura of demonic energy was charging towards them. Boom! Boom! Boom! With each step he took, the ground upheaved, indicating his formidable martial prowess. In other words, that must be¡­ ¡°Standingmittee member!¡± Yeongwoo shouted the person¡¯s status with glee, causing Jeong Taeryong to stare at him with wide eyes. ¡°What¡­ what did you say?¡± ¡°Standingmittee member! That man will exin everything! Why you need to pay me 20 million!¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 261 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 261: The Greatest Worry (3) ¡°What... what?¡± Jeong Taeryong, the eldest of the Five Masters of Anshan, could sense it. He realized that everyone in Anshan, including himself, had be embroiled in something huge. ¡°Twenty million, you say? What does that mean?¡± The sudden mention of a huge sum of money made Jeong Taeryong''s face pale with fear. He was scared of this mad Strongest Sword suddenly talking about money and the purple demon rushing towards them from the other side. In the midst of all this, the bald swordsman, Sung Hwigwang, the third of the Five Brothers, unsheathed his sword without hesitation. ¡°Hyung! I think we need to kill that thing first!¡± What Hwigwang pointed at with his sword was none other than the old monster approaching from the west. Unlike the Strongest Sword, with whom they were at least conversing, the monster was already in battle mode and rushing towards them. Then one of the Five Masters of Anshan recognized the monster''s face. ¡°Huh? Baek Gangryang?¡± He was too famous to be mistaken. Baek Gangryang, 68 years old. He had previously served as the mayor of Beijing and the representative of the Communist Party. Until just before the reset, he held a seat on the Politburo Standing Committee. In other words, he was one of the top ten figures in the vast Chinese political sphere. It was akin to the current prime minister or the ruling party leader returning as a monster in Korea. And soon, ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Baek Gangryang!¡± The citizens of Anshan who had gathered nearby also recognized him and started murmuring. The reason was... Thud, thud! Baek Gangryang''s body was somewhat unusual. Before the reset, he had a severely obese body, and even now, as a monster, it was the same. Crash! His body, strong enough to tear up the ground as he moved, looked like a huge jar. The bizarre part was that most of this jar-shaped body wasposed of muscles. ¡®What, what is that? How is that even possible?¡¯ Even Yeongwoo, who had seen all kinds of monsters, was bewildered by the structure of his body. It was a body one couldn''t have without over-investing in karma for physical transformation. Moreover, this current Standing Committee member held a weapon, unlike the previously deceased Zhang Jinshan. ¡®Oh!¡¯ To Yeongwoo, the weapon seemed purely like loot. Whirr! It was a very heavy-looking crescent moon de. The de part was about twice asrge as a regr crescent moon de, making it more like a kitchen knife with a long handle. ¡°I am Baek Gangryang, the 4th Standing Committee member of the Politburo!¡± The Standing Committee member introduced himself without fail. Then, ¡°Chairman Im Dupyeong wants military contributions! Anshan city mustply...!¡± He demanded money while throwing the crescent moon de he was holding. sh! Right in the middle of the standoff between the Five Masters of Anshan and Yeongwoo. Boom! ¡®...Why is he throwing a weapon here? Is he crazy?¡¯ Yeongwoo found Baek Gangryang''s actions puzzling, but the Five Masters of Anshan seemed to have a different take. ¡°Wh-what kind of sword is that big?¡± ¡°Is he really Baek Gangryang...?¡± ¡°Is Chairman Im alive?¡± When a person appearing as Baek Gangryang showed up as a demon, they naturally believed in the survival of Chairman Im as well. At this point, the cities'' tendencies diverged. Earlier, Dalian City''s Tian Zhulin had a dispute with the Standing Committee member Zhang Jinshan. - Ha, the Politburo? The party no longer exists, so how can you use the name of the Politburo? - You insolent wench! How dare you deny the existence of the party! Tian Zhulin of Dalian Sword Guild¡¯s stance was that she could not acknowledge the existing party since all systems andws had copsed due to the reset. On the other hand, for the Five Masters of Anshan, ¡°Chairman Im...!¡± ¡°Oh my god.¡± Two of the five brothers had knelt before the sword Baek Gangryang threw. ¡®What, these idiots.¡¯ Yeongwoo couldn''t understand it, but the name Im Dupyeong had a tremendous impact on those who had been under the government''s control for a long time. His name signified not just a single national chairman but the entire solid system centered around the party. Additionally, Baek Gangryang, who appeared as Chairman Im''s proxy, knew how to dominate the masses. Swoosh. ¡°I will give the right to speak only to those who can lift this sword.¡± Baek Gangryang pointed at the crescent moon de he had thrown with his thick fingers. Consequently, everyone in the hall, including the Five Masters of Anshan, looked at the sword in question. ¡°...Ugh.¡± ¡°Can we even hold that properly?¡± ¡°It looks incredibly heavy...¡± The crescent moon de that Baek Gangryang had brought was so massive that even wrapping one¡¯s hand around its handle seemed difficult. The sheer weight of the de was evident from the shockwave and thunderous sound it created when it hit the ground. Therefore, everyone could easily imagine how strong Baek Gangryang must be to wield it as if it were part of his own body. ¡°...Hyung, it seems that...¡± Even the third brother, Sung Hwigwang, who wasn¡¯t scared of the Strongest Sword who had shotser cannons at the city, trembled at the mere mention of Im Dupyeong¡¯s name. He urged their eldest brother, Jeong Taeryong, to surrender. However, Jeong Taeryong was a consistent man. Just as he did not bestow the title of ¡°cooperation¡± on the Great Demon Jeong Yeongwoo, he did not bend before the Standing Committee member Baek Gangryang, who came with Im Dupyeong''s name. ¡°It is an honor to have you visit Anshan. We have the privilege of meeting many esteemed guests today.¡± As Jeong Taeryong spoke without even making a polite gesture, Baek Gangryang approached until his shadow fell at Jeong Taeryong¡¯s feet. Thud, thud! Then, revealing his gray, dry teeth, he again pointed at the crescent moon de. ¡°Stop talking nonsense and lift that. If you open your mouth without lifting it again, I¡¯ll crush your skull.¡± This was clearly not an idle threat. To take control of the city, he needed an example to make a point, and that example had be Jeong Taeryong, who had dared to stand out. ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°...Hyung.¡± Everyone expected something unfortunate to happen when someone grabbed that crescent moon de. Indeed, purple demonic energy continued to seep out of the de. So, inevitably, Tap. While everyone focused on Jeong Taeryong, Yeongwoo touched the crescent moon de. ¡°If I lift this, I can speak, right?¡± Then, suddenly, everyone in the hall looked at Yeongwoo. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Huh!¡± ¡°What...¡± At that moment, Yeongwoo had already grasped the crescent moon de with one hand. Although the handle was designed for Baek Gangryang¡¯s overlyrge hands, making it impossible for Yeongwoo to grip it properly, Crunch! He could lift it purely with his strength. Because just a moment ago, Yeongwoo had ¡ºCharacter: Jeong Yeongwoo07¡» [Strength] 7,500 (19+7,481) [Endurance] 6,248 (21+6,227) [Durability] 7,398 (13+7,385) [Sensory] 3,400 (24+3,376) |Fire Resistance: 15% ¡¾Osmosis 50%¡¿ |Ice Resistance: 15% ¡¾Osmosis 50%¡¿ |Lightning Resistance: 15% ¡¾Osmosis 50%¡¿ |Poison Resistance: 15% ¡¾Osmosis 50%¡¿ |Ability Resistance: 50% |Dragon Resistance: 10% spent a whopping 40 million karma on his stats. He had invested 20 million in strength and 10 million each in endurance and durability. Knowing that the opponent was the 4th Standing Committee member, potentially stronger than the 6th Standing Committee member Zhang Jinshan, he had preemptively boosted his stats. And that judgment seemed to have hit the mark. ¡®Wow, it really is heavy. This guy is a total strength character.¡¯ As Yeongwoo awkwardly held the crescent moon de with his left hand, the Five Masters of Anshan all looked at Baek Gangryang. They needed to see his reaction to decide which side to take. The expression on Baek Gangryang''s face, as everyone¡¯s gaze shifted to him, was ¡°Huh...?¡± Utterly bewildered. But he wasn¡¯t just surprised that the opponent had lifted that heavy crescent moon de. ¡°How, how on earth...¡± That de was a weapon imbued with demonic power, personally bestowed by Chairman Im. It was a weapon that only those who walked the path of demons could hold. Because, ¡°What is this? A self-harming weapon?¡± As Yeongwoo was observing now, this weapon had the trait of inflicting Ability damage on its wielder. ¡¸Dark sh¡¹ - Transformed Crescent Moon de ¡¾While using this weapon, you will continuously take Ability damage.¡¿ ¡¾Adds 25% of the Ability damage taken in thest 2 seconds to your attack power.¡¿ ¡¾Increases Ability attribute damage by 10%.¡¿ However, since Yeongwoo had 50% Ability resistance and his recovery ability had long surpassed human levels, his body wasn¡¯t falling apart. ¡®What¡¯s with this bizarre option?¡¯ Clearly, a weapon designed for viins. And only Yeongwoo could fully understand the potential of the second option. Even the potential of the second option was something only Yeongwoo could grasp. ¡¾Adds 25% of the Ability damage taken in thest 2 seconds to your attack power.¡¿ ¡®Isn''t this a weapon for fighting extraterrestrial beings?¡¯ Based on his past experiences, the source of Ability attributes was somewhere beyond outer space. Hence, if he were to fight otherworldly beings in the future, a significant portion of the damage he would receive from them would be Ability. ¡°You¡¯ve been using an extremely good weapon, haven¡¯t you?¡± When Yeongwoo swung the "Dark sh" twice in the air, Baek Gangryang, who had maintained a stern demeanor, instinctively reached out his hand but then retracted it. Swoosh. It was as if he wanted Yeongwoo to return the weapon now. However, instead of handing it back, Yeongwoo smiled wickedly and opened his weapon catalog. sh! In a way, this was also a form of asymmetric warfare unique to Yeongwoo. Only he could make the weapon disappear like magic right there and then. ¡®Register weapon.¡¯ As soon as Yeongwoo registered the "Dark sh" in his weapon catalog, the massive crescent moon de in his hand suddenly vanished without a trace. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± And, of course, the most surprised person was, ¡°You son of a bitch!¡± Baek Gangryang, who had just lost the weapon bestowed upon him by Im Dupyeong right in front of his eyes. Grind. He was so furious that his gray teeth ground together, making a terrifying noise. However, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to crush Yeongwoo¡¯s head. Because, ¡°Where did you send my weapon? What kind of sorcery is this?¡± He suddenly realized that if he killed this mysterious intruder, he might never recover the weapon. After all, it hadn¡¯t been put in a pocket; it had disappeared into thin air. ¡°Do you want to know? Where did the Dark sh go?¡± When Yeongwoo asked this and stared at him, Baek Gangryang had no choice. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He quietly nodded. So, Yeongwoo turned to the citizens of Anshan, who had filled the area by now, and said, ¡°Alright, then, Commissioner! Let¡¯s reveal it publicly to the citizens! How much did you n to extort from Anshan every day?¡± ¡°What?¡± Baek Gangryang swelled his muscles all over in rage, but Yeongwoo¡¯s next words held him back. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it money you were going to collect anyway? If you speak the truth, I will return the weapon immediately. I seek a fair duel.¡± Yeongwoo had not drawn his sword yet, so his words matched his actions for now. However, Baek Gangryang did not trust him. He also sensed that he had fallen into quite a deep pit. But what could he do? No one but this guy knew where the missing weapon was. ¡®If the worstes to worst, I¡¯ll just kill him. I¡¯ll find it even if I have to rip his stomach open.¡¯ Baek Gangryang, having resolved himself internally, finally revealed the amount Im Dupyeong had ordered to be extorted from Anshan in front of the public. ¡°Forty million. Starting today, we n to collect forty million karma every day.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Forty million?¡± ¡°Is that even possible?¡± The citizens of Anshan were shocked, their mouths agape at the enormous extortion amount, and Yeongwoo was no different. ¡®These guys are total extortionists, aren''t they? Are they nning to take forty million every day? Even other ces are only being asked for thirty million.¡¯ For some reason, Im Dupyeong had decided to squeeze the lifeblood out of Anshan. ¡®This is truly insane.¡¯ This couldn¡¯t go on. Yeongwoo took a step forward toward the public with a seemingly outraged expression. ¡°Ha, forty million every day? Isn¡¯t that too harsh? Has the moral righteousness of the martial world fallen to such a low level?¡± Then, he raised three fingers toward the Five Masters of Anshan, who were swallowing dryly. ¡°I¡¯ll take thirty million! If you give me thirty million karma daily, I¡¯ll ensure you don¡¯t have to pay that exorbitant sum.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 262 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 262: The Greatest Worry (4) ¡°What, what did you say?¡± ¡°30 million¡­?¡± With Yeongwoo¡¯s shocking statement, not only were the members of the Five Masters of Anshan and the residents stunned, but even Standing Committee member Baek Gangryang was left speechless. ¡°What, you little punk?¡± The money he was supposed to collect was 40 million, yet someone right next to him was calling for 30 million¡ªwasn¡¯t this breaking the code of conduct? ¡°You, you... who exactly are you?¡± Baek Gangryang was so flustered that he started to stutter, realizing for the first time that this young, green boy was a rival to President Im Dupyeong. And it wasn¡¯t just the Five Masters of Anshan¡¯s side that was bbergasted. ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t you just say...¡± Jeong Taeryong, the eldest of the Five Masters of Anshan, trailed off. He had clearly heard it earlier. That he was supposed to get 20 million¡ªthat¡¯s what the Strongest Sword had told him. ¡°The Standing Committee member will exin everything! Why I should receive 20 million!¡± ¡®But why is it 30 million now?¡¯ As the focus faded from Jeong Taeryong¡¯s eyes, the Strongest Sword raised his sword towards the sky and shouted. ¡°Will you just stand by and watch Im Dupyeong try to be a dictator again? Protests or coups can¡¯t change the regime anymore. The more money you pay, Im Dupyeong¡¯s invincibility will be stronger! He¡¯s already probably bulletproof!¡± ¡°...!¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s terrifying warning struck the hearts of many people forcefully. In fact, China¡¯s situation wasn¡¯t much different before the reset either. Im Dupyeong, who hadpleted a solid dictatorship long ago, was already virtually bulletproof before the reset. No one dared to aim a gun at him. But at least today, in this moment, there was an opportunity. Someone had appeared who dared to point a sword at Im Dupyeong. ¡°Im Dupyeong...! He¡¯s not invincible yet! He can still be killed now!¡± As Yeongwoo wildly swung his sword in the air, inciting the people, Baek Gangryang, realizing something was very wrong, growled with a menacing expression. ¡°Are you all out of your minds? Remember, the price of treason is a brutal death!¡± ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Some people flinched at this, but Yeongwoo immediately seized the atmosphere again by shouting a new slogan. ¡°Only 30 million to overthrow the dictatorship!¡± As Yeongwoo red at Baek Gangryang with this cry, Baek Gangryang smirked. ¡°Aren¡¯t you also just after the people¡¯s taxes, yet you talk about overthrowing dictatorship...?¡± Baek Gangryang, a veteran who had been through countless battles in Chinese politics, saw the young man before him as nothing more than a particrly noisy insect. The only problem was. ¡°Haha, you know the term ¡®taxes¡¯. At least you understand what it means?¡± Jeong Yeongwoo was an enormous and powerful insect. Swish! Finally, Yeongwoo turned confidently towards the citizens of Anshan. ¡°Everyone, isn¡¯t the lesser evil better than the worst? I¡¯ll show you right now! The value of 30 million for one day...!¡± With these words, Yeongwoo once again pulled out ¡®Dark sh¡¯ from his weapon collection, causing Baek Gangryang¡¯s eyes to widen. ¡°You brat!¡± Baek Gangryang¡¯s heart began to race. He thought it was finally time to tear apart this eyesore of a kid. Now that the weapon had reappeared, he had to kill this madman quickly and everything would be solved. But he didn¡¯t know. That this madman would suddenly throw the Dark sh into the air. ¡°I¡¯m returning the weapon as promised!¡± ¡°What?¡± Before Baek Gangryang could even shout out in surprise, the Dark sh soared into the air with a heavy sound. Swish! As a result, Baek Gangryang had no choice but to look up reflexively. He had to roll his eyes to follow the movement of the Dark sh. And in that moment, Yeongwoo. Tap! Ran towards his opponent at lightning speed, changing his martial arts technique. He removed ¡®Call of God¡¯ and reced it with ¡®Rohm¡¯s Bottom¡¯. Immediately, a purple hologram appeared in front of him, and at the same time, the mark of ¡®Strongest Sword Technique¡¯ was disyed. Two martial arts skills equipped in two separate slots were operating simultaneously. ¡®What, this works?¡¯ Currently, Yeongwoo¡¯s highest-level sword technique, the Strongest Sword Technique, and thebat technique from another world, Rohm¡¯s Bottom. Yeongwoo was in a state with no openings. Maybe that was why. Thwack! As soon as Baek Gangryang looked up at the Dark sh, Yeongwoo¡¯s fist mmed unerringly into his Adam¡¯s apple. ¡°Ugh!¡± In that moment, Yeongwoo realized. ¡®I might actually be able to beat him to death!¡¯ He could feel the texture of the opponent¡¯s flesh with the punch he had justnded. His strength was sufficient to prate deep into the enemy¡¯s muscles. ¡®Although my fist hurts a bit.¡¯ It was encouraging to know that closebat was possible even against such a powerful opponent. Showing that he could engage in close quarters with such a ¡®power character¡¯ would appeal to the clients. They would think that paying 30 million was not a waste. ¡®It¡¯s not a small amount, so I must prove it¡¯s worth it.¡¯ Although he was extorting money for the prosperity of his country, he didn¡¯t want to deceive the people giving the money, his employers. After all, this money represented the Chinese people¡¯s desire to prevent Im Dupyeong¡¯s second dictatorship. Therefore, it was only right to fulfill that desire and, if possible, show them hope. The hope and expectation that the person they hired could indeed defeat Im Dupyeong. And the satisfaction of spending their money well. ¡°Baek Gangryang! For the crime of aiding Im Dupyeong¡¯s dictatorship, I sentence you to death in the name of the people...!¡± ¡°What, what?¡± Still clutching his throat, Baek Gangryang stepped back, seeing the Strongest Sword¡¯s eyes half-crazed as he dashed forward like lightning. ¡°Why... why are you going to such lengths? You¡¯re not even Chinese!¡± While Baek Gangryang, flustered, assumed abat stance, Yeongwoo suddenly lowered himself andunched a super-speed tackle. ¡°If you¡¯re going to take money from someone else¡¯s pocket, you need to go this far!¡± Crash! An extreme business tactic tackle. But Baek Gangryang, being the 4th Standing Committee member, had incredible reaction speed. As Yeongwoo lowered his upper body and lunged at his lower body, Baek Gangryang pressed down on Yeongwoo¡¯s shoulder with his right hand while pulling his lower body back. This was the textbook tackle defense called a sprawl. ¡®Does this old man know wrestling?¡¯ Yeongwoo realized that his opponent also had martial arts skills simr to Rohm¡¯s Bottom. These movements weren¡¯t part of swordsmanship. And then. sh! A purple sh appeared in front of Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes. It was a warning of Baek Gangryang¡¯s impending knee strike. ¡®Yikes!¡¯ If he took that hit, his skull might hold, but his cervical spine would break. With his shoulder already pinned, Yeongwoo had no choice but to survive the round with ¡®temporal items.¡¯ Boom! ¡¸Self-Destruct¡¹ - Mutated Bracelet ¡¾Causes a powerful explosion.¡¿ ¡¾Increases durability by 300.¡¿ Using the self-destruct feature of the bracelet, he created distance from his opponent. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Ugh, this bug is full of strange tricks...¡± As Baek Gangryang made a disgusted face at Yeongwoo¡¯s surprising explosion show, swift movements emanated from within the dust cloud. Swish! It was none other than Yeongwoo¡¯s left jab. Thwack! ¡°Ugh!¡± Thanks to the dust cloud obscuring his vision, the first jabnded squarely on Baek Gangryang¡¯s face. But the second jab that followed. Swish! ¡°You think I¡¯m a fool?¡± Was immediately blocked by Baek Gangryang. Whack! He swung his arm and grabbed Yeongwoo¡¯s left elbow. He caught the opponent''s forearm instead of dodging or blocking the punch¡ªa very clever move. This way, he couldpletely block the third and fourth jabs. ¡°Hehe, I¡¯ll make sure you can never use this arm again.¡± Thinking he had finally gained the upper hand, Baek Gangryang smirked evilly. Then he immediately applied pressure with his grip. Crunch! Yeongwoo¡¯s left elbow shattered like a twig, with bone fragments piercing through the flesh. ¡°Oh?¡± Seeing his own elbow smashed pitifully, Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened. The shattered joint caused the broken ends of the upper and lower arm bones to protrude through the skin and cross each other, resembling... "...¡¸Dogo¡¹?" The marks of the Dogo wedge. ¡°What did you say?¡± While Baek Gangryang¡¯s pupils dted at the sudden, transcendent word lodged in his brain, venomous blood flowed from Yeongwoo¡¯s forearm. Sizzle! At the same moment, icons indicating bleeding and bodily damage appeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s view. Finally, Yeongwoo¡¯sbat power approached its maximum output. He then proimed the start of the advertisement. ¡°This battle is brought to you by the pan-gctic weapon brand, Dogo!¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°I am Jeong Yeongwoo07, elected representative of the Korean Penins and master of the Bastard!¡± At the same time, Baek Gangryang let out a thunderous scream. ¡°Aaaargh!¡± His fingers, which were gripping the Strongest Sword¡¯s elbow, began to melt. Because it wasn¡¯t supernatural damage, the venom effect manifested fully. ¡°That hurts, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You...!¡± Reacting to Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Baek Gangryang instinctively nced at the weapon that had flown away, the Dark sh. There, he saw therge crescent de embedded in the ground in the distance. However, his relief was short-lived. Riiip! A momentter, a tremendous pain surged through his abdomen. The problem was that the Strongest Sword had used his shattered left elbow... no, the bone shards to stab Baek Gangryang¡¯s stomach. ¡°Aaaagh!¡± As his intestines spilled out, Baek Gangryang screamed in agony, and the onlooking Anshan Five Masters and over a thousand citizens also screamed and recoiled. The problem-solving method of the supposed demon from the Korean Penins was quite different from what they had imagined. Could it be that he intended to kill Im Dupyeong simrly? Judging by what he was doing now, it seemed entirely possible. Thud! Next, Jeong Yeongwoo delivered a right uppercut to Baek Gangryang¡¯s chin and then stabbed his now sharper left elbow bone into Baek Gangryang¡¯s throat. Thrust! ¡°Baek Gangryang, I sentence you to death!¡± Even in this chaos, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t forget that his battle was a 30 million-a-day contract job. ¡°...Grrrk.¡± The 4th Standing Committee member, with his throat pierced by the venom-coated bone shards, rolled his eyes and copsed backward. Thud! And then, soon. Ssshhh! Just like the previously deceased Zhang Jinshan, a purple miasma shot toward Beijing. It was still unclear whether this meant their power was being reimed or merely signaling their death. What mattered was. ¡®That¡¯s the second one.¡¯ Two of Im Dupyeong¡¯s lieutenants, the Standing Committee members, were now gone. So, Im Dupyeong must have started to feel it by now. The strength of the suddenpetitor disrupting his supply lines was quite formidable. ¡®So, what now? Are you going to make a move yourself?¡¯ Yeongwoo nced in the direction of Beijing and then tried to check the time, but he couldn¡¯t. His left wrist was lying over there where he wore his watch. ¡°...Darn.¡± As Yeongwoo made a face, showing his predicament, and started walking toward his severed wrist, someone quickly approached. Tap, tap! When Yeongwoo turned his head towards the source of the sound, he was surprised to see Jeong Taeryong of the Anshan Five Brotherhood handing him a watch. ¡°Please use my watch.¡± ¡°Ah, thank you, but I can use mine.¡± After saying this, Yeongwoo tried to retrieve his own wrist. However, Jeong Taeryong insisted, offering his watch again. ¡°You don¡¯t need to bow before us, Great Hero!¡± ¡°Oh.¡± He had finally called him a Great Hero. Yeongwoo blinked, wondering if he had heard it wrong, then sighed softly and gestured for Jeong Taeryong to step aside. ¡°No, I still need to bend down to pick up my wrist.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 263 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 263: The Greatest Worry (5) Everyone in the hall was shocked three times. First, when Jeong Yeongwoo calmly picked up his severed wrist from the floor. And then again... Poof! ...when he forcibly reattached that wrist to his shattered forearm. ¡°What, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Does he think just sticking it back will work?¡± Even though this was a world where demons roamed freely after the reset, somemon sense remained. For instance, severed body parts wouldn¡¯t reattach properly without special measures, and being impaled through the chest usually meant death. However, Yeongwoo was far beyond themon sense of this world. Sssrrp. ¡°Oh, oh?¡± ¡°No way... is that...¡± The crowd, watching the absolute demon from the Korean Penins, stood with their mouths agape. It was unbelievable, but it was happening right before their eyes. The lower arm, which Yeongwoo had seemingly just stuck on, started to meld with the elbow. The bone fragments sticking out of the torn skin gradually began to find their ces. Crunch, crack! A gruesome sound echoed through the hall as the shattered bone pushed aside ligaments and muscle tissue to return to its original position. ¡°Master...?¡± Jeong Taeryong of the Five Masters of Anshan, who had stepped forward to wee ¡®Master Jeong,¡¯ hesitated and then stopped in his tracks. That¡¯s how shocking Yeongwoo¡¯s'' recovery show¡¯ was. ¡°My god.¡± ¡°...Unbelievable.¡± As everyone was in shock, Yeongwoo calmly lifted his left wrist with his right hand to check the time. ¡°I should get going.¡± ¡°Where are you going so suddenly? How about a meal with us...¡± Jeong Taeryong,ing to his senses, hurried to invite the guest into the city, but it was already nearing six in the evening. ¡®Even if I leave for Seoul right now, I¡¯ll only arrive at midnight.¡¯ But that wasn¡¯t all for today. Before returning to Seoul, he had to stop by Dalian to collect the promised money. Once in Seoul, he would receive defense funds brought by the Strongest Swords from various ces... ¡®Then I have to enter the night dungeon.¡¯ Therefore, if possible, he needed to make time for some rest. ¡°Let¡¯s leave the meal for another time. Today, the whole city is likely to be quite busy.¡± ¡°Huh? What do you mean by that...¡± As Jeong Taeryong looked puzzled, Yeongwoo quietly showed three fingers. ¡°...Oh, right.¡± Thirty million. That was the cost for Anshan City not to turn this demon into their enemy. But as everyone had just seen, this man had tremendous power. He might even have the strength to defeat Im Dupyeong. ¡°Preparing the mentioned amount shouldn¡¯t be a big problem. But...¡± Jeong Taeryong added that gathering thirty million in cash would take some time. Yeongwoo nodded as if he had expected this. ¡°I¡¯d love to wait and have tea while you collect it, but it can¡¯t be helped.¡± Yeongwoo waved his hand, calling Negwig. The horse, waiting with two alien ves on its back, ttered its metal hooves and approached. ¡°I will return tomorrow afternoon. You can give me sixty million in a lump sum then.¡± Sixty million. This was the agreed pay for two days of the highest rank service but gathered in this way; it seemed muchrger. ¡°Oh... You mean you¡¯ll take today¡¯s money and tomorrow¡¯s together?¡± ¡°Yes. If it¡¯s too much to pay all at once, you¡¯d have to bring the money to Seoul directly, which might be difficult in terms of time.¡± This was because unusual weather would arrive at night. ¡°Understood. Then, we¡¯ll deliver sixty million tomorrow.¡± As Jeong Taeryong made a promise with a bow, Yeongwoo returned the gesture with his still awkward stance. ¡°Stay healthy until tomorrow... and take good care of the tribute.¡± Saying this, Yeongwoo leaped onto Negwig, who had approached. Leap! Then, waving his left arm, which had mostly healed, he bid farewell to the citizens of Anshan. ¡°See you again!¡± In turn, the citizens, still looking stunned, waved back at Yeongwoo. * * * Heading south again. Yeongwoo drove Negwig at full speed toward Dalian. The city where Dalian Swordmaster Tian Zhulin was likely waiting with twenty million in cash. ¡°Kept your promise, I hope?¡± When Yeongwoo muttered worriedly, the golden goblin in the back seat made an unintelligible noise. - Kitt! It was unclear whether it implied that humans couldn¡¯t be trusted or if it was excited about sweeping up arge amount of coins again. In any case, if Dalian City hadn¡¯t prepared the money... ¡®Then what should I do? Fight Tian Zhulin?¡¯ Although Yeongwoo had threatened that he woulde for the money, he hadn¡¯t thought through what he would do if they hadn¡¯t prepared it. If he were indeed a demon to the core, he might have caused a massacre in Dalian as a warning. But Yeongwoo was just a particrly notorious¡¯ freak,¡¯ not a tremendous demon or a viin. ¡®Of course, my umted evil deeds are superhuman.¡¯ Thus, he wanted to avoid anything significantly increasing his tally of evil deeds. After all, reducing his evil deeds to near zero was one of his long-term goals. Quaaaat, quaaaat! Soon, the sight of Dalian City began to appear in the distance. ¡®Almost there.¡¯ For Tian Zhulin, Yeongwoo¡¯s return might not be very wee. Especially since he hadn¡¯t stopped by Tongliao City, which Dalian had rmended. There must have been a reason for rmending that faraway city. ¡°Swordmaster Tian! Is the money ready?¡± When Yeongwoo shouted from the city¡¯s outskirts, a swift presence emerged from the front at the right time. ¡®Dalian Swordmaster.¡¯ It was none other than Tian Zhulin, the guardian of Dalian City. ¡°Keep it down. Everyone can hear you.¡± Sure enough, Swordmaster Tian did not look pleased. In contrast, Yeongwoo looked troubled when he saw her empty-handed. ¡°Where¡¯s the money?¡± ¡°It¡¯s being brought. Did you think I would carry that much money myself?¡± Tian Zhulin pointed somewhere inside the city. It probably meant that those designated as the transport team were bringing the money bags. Yeongwoo tilted his head. ¡°That won¡¯t do.¡± ¡°Why... why not?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Starting tomorrow, you must bring the money to the Korean Penins. Specifically, we¡¯ve set up a brokerage in Incheon.¡± Yeongwoo exined that it would be safest if the strongest person in Dalian, Tian Zhulin, personally transported the money. As expected, she exploded in anger. ¡°This crazy bastard! It¡¯s not enough that you¡¯re extorting money; now you want me to deliver it personally?¡± Tian Zhulin¡¯s knuckles cracked as she clenched and unclenched her fists. Her pride as a Chinese citizen and her responsibility as the city¡¯s protector were in conflict. Normally, she would have challenged this demon to a duel on the spot, but Dalian City was effectively held hostage. Beijing¡¯s Im Dupyeong problem would be one step closer if she drove him away. Thus, from her perspective, making a pact with either side meant the same thing¡ªsumbing to evil. ¡°Sigh...¡± Tian Zhulin took a deep breath and closed her eyes briefly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the harsh words. I went too far.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m used to it. If I get the money, you can curse me all you want.¡± ¡°...Damn it.¡± Tian Zhulin let out a dryugh, just as two swordsmen carryingrge backpacks appeared from inside the city. They were the transport team Tian Zhulin had mentioned. ¡°This is the promised twenty million.¡± ¡°Great.¡± Yeongwoo jumped down from Negwig in delight, and Tian Zhulin finally noticed his left arm¡¯s condition. ¡°What happened to your arm? Did Tongliao give you trouble?¡± ¡°No, it was too far, so I couldn¡¯t go.¡± ¡°What? Then where did you go?¡± Tian Zhulin was shocked. Yeongwoo pointed northeast. ¡°The only ce I could get to on time was Anshan.¡± ¡°Did you extort money there too?¡± ¡°Extort money? I won their hearts, even losing my arm in the process.¡± Yeongwoo lifted his left arm slightly. Then he had the goblin pack the money bags onto the transport team¡¯s backpacks. -Kikit! As a result, Yeongwoo¡¯s total karma holdings shot up to a staggering 68 million. Avable Karma: 68,492,500 Of course, ten million of this needed to be returned to Shandong Province. ¡®So that leaves about 58 million... still a lot. The money never seems to run out.¡¯ However, due to the rapid increase in ie, the likelihood of increased taxes was significant, so he couldn¡¯t afford to be careless. Normally, collecting money spread across the shouldn¡¯t incur additional taxes, but the amount was substantial enough to raise potential issues. ¡®In a way, this is mercenary work... depending on the viewpoint, it could be considered business ie.¡¯ Yeongwoo watched as the goblin finished packing the money into the interdimensional bag. ¡°All set? Is the amount correct? twenty million?¡± -Kiit! The goblin gave a thumbs up with its small hand in affirmation. ¡°...¡± It was unclear whether this gesture was learned from top-tier warriors or if it was a universal gesture in the universe, but it indicated the amount was correct. ¡°Let¡¯s go. We don¡¯t have time.¡± As Yeongwoo mounted Negwig again and took the reins, Tian Zhulin asked urgently. ¡°What about tomorrow? Do we send the money to Incheon?¡± ¡°Yes. Whether youe personally or send someone else, it should be someone with significant martial prowess. You¡¯ll have to gather the money again if the tribute gets stolen.¡± With this brief advice, Yeongwoo sped south. It was time to return ten million karma to Shandong Province and return to Seoul. * * * At 6:14 PM, as Yeongwoo approached Yantai in Shandong Province, the Shandong Twin Evils, who had confirmed his territorial mark, greeted him early. ¡°Master...¡± It was the voice of Shandong''s First Evil, Zhang Jaham. Yeongwoo assumed they were preparing for their usual excessive wee, but... ¡°Master Jeong! Please hurry!¡± Upon hearing Shandong Second Evil Wu Qingjin¡¯s voice, Yeongwoo grew cautious. He sensed the urgency and significant fear in Wu Qingjin¡¯s shout. ¡®What¡¯s going on? Has Beijing already started retaliation?¡¯ It was quite possible. If true, it was a miracle both Shandong Twin Evils were still alive. ¡®Fortunately, I¡¯m not toote.¡¯ If so, who among the State Council members is in Shandong now? Since the Fourth Member was dead, it was likely someone ranked third or higher. With these thoughts, Yeongwoo asked Zhang Jaham and Wu Qingjin. ¡°Why are you so tense? Is someone here in Shandong?¡± The two middle-aged men nodded with relieved expressions. ¡°You knew, as expected?¡± ¡°Indeed... you¡¯re no ordinary person!¡± Yeongwoo cleared his throat and asked nonchntly. ¡°Who exactly is here?¡± Zhang Jaham cautiously answered with a bow. ¡°Well... I don¡¯t know his name.¡± ¡°...Name?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s expression hardened slightly. Zhang Jaham, who had bet on Yeongwoo¡¯s side, would never refer to a State Council member as ¡®name,¡¯ nor would he be unaware of their name. Themon practice when these officials visited was to announce their rank and name. In other words, the guest in Shandong wasn¡¯t a State Council member but... ¡°Could it be...¡± ¡°Yes. He¡¯s from the National Tax Service. He said you¡¯d understand.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s greatest concern had arrived in Shandong. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 264 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 264: Honest Tax Payment (1) National Tax Service. Here, the ¡®national¡¯ refers to the nation. In other words, it means the organization that manages the nation¡¯s taxes. So, if the person here in Shandong Province really was an employee of the National Tax Service¡­ ¡®Does that mean there are nations in space too? Isn¡¯t that a bit nonsensical?¡¯ Of course, it wasn¡¯t strange since there was a tax-collecting authority, official documents, and a world where forgery couldnd you in prison. However, the idea that Earth is part of some nation in space? That was hard to grasp. As far as Yeongwoo knew, Earth had existed as an independent until now. ¡®Is everything messed up because of that reset? Why do things keeping in from outside?¡¯ Yeongwoo took out the ¡®Fearful Cat¡¯ to determine the entity¡¯s position. But the cat remained calm, eyes closed, pointing nowhere. It meant there were no threats nearby. ¡°Where is this so-called National Tax Service employee?¡± So, when Yeongwoo asked directly, Zhang Jaham led the way. ¡°This way, please. We¡¯ve brought him to the office building.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hurry. I need to wrap this up quickly and head back.¡± He really wanted to ignore any intergctic official business and just rest. But it was about taxes, after all. If you valued your life, tax payment was one thing you couldn¡¯t dy in this universe. ¡®These crazy people,ing all the way here when I¡¯m busy. They could¡¯ve just sent a notice.¡¯ Grumbling to himself, Yeongwoo followed Zhang Jaham to Yantai City Hall. As they walked, he instructed Wu Qingjin to bring the money. ¡°Ten million karma.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Bring the money. I was supposed to receive twenty million in Shandong, right? So I¡¯ll return the remaining ten million.¡± ¡°What?¡± Wu Qingjin¡¯s jaw dropped at Yeongwoo¡¯s words. Then, Whack! As always, he fell to his knees and fist saluted on the ground. ¡°Great Hero¡­!¡± Seeing this, Yeongwoo quickly stopped Zhang Jaham from kneeling too. ¡°We don¡¯t have time, so just guide us.¡± Then he told the Golden Goblin to fetch the bag with ten million karma. ¡°Take it to him and ensure it¡¯s exactly ten million.¡± -Kikit! Following Yeongwoo¡¯s order, the Golden Goblin opened the pocket of its interdimensional pouch. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo and Zhang Jaham arrived at the front of Yantai City Hall. ¡°Is it in here?¡± ¡°Yes, a special room on the first floor of the office building. He should be waiting there.¡± Even in this situation, Zhang Jaham couldn¡¯t figure out who was more formidable, the National Tax Service employee or Yeongwoo. In truth, Yeongwoo himself wasn¡¯t sure either. ¡®I haven¡¯t defaulted on my taxes, so what do I have to fear?¡¯ In a ce like this universe, where a chairman who killed a high-ranking official could roam freely, Yeongwoo saw no need to bow to an official. He thought it would be enough to show a basic level of courtesy that didn¡¯t interfere with official duties. ¡°Here we are.¡± Finally, Zhang Jaham stopped before arge door with gold trim. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s meet them.¡± Yeongwoo checked that the half-mask on his waist was secure, then pushed open the door to the private room. Whaaack! The first thing that came into view was a wall adorned with a red five-star g, and in front of it, threerge leather sofas arranged in a U-shape around arge table. And the National Tax Service employee in question was¡­ -Uhm. Sitting on the sofa directly facing the entrance, examining a teacup with unnervingly long fingers. ¡®¡­An alien.¡¯ As expected, the so-called National Tax Service employee who hade to meet Jeong Yeongwoo07 was not human. Though about the same height as Yeongwoo at around 2 meters, each arm was at least 1.5 meters long. Because his arms were so long, he had to bend his elbows excessively to hold the teacup, making his awkward posture even more bizarre, emphasizing his alien nature. -You¡¯ve arrived. I haven¡¯t been waiting long. The alien spoke quite humanly. Not only the tone but also the face somewhat resembled a human¡¯s. The long, pale face had eyes, nose, and mouth in familiar positions. However, there was no bridge of the nose, just two nostrils in t skin, and the eyescked whites, filled with ck pupils. His legs, wrapped in ck cloth, looked too thin to have muscles, and the same went for his arms, but his torso was an oddly thick inverted triangle. Of course, this was obscured by what looked like a ck suit, so whaty beneath was unknown. Although he looked more like a Grim Reaper than a tax officer, the difference between the two in this universe wasn¡¯t significant. ¡°I heard you were looking for me?¡± Yeongwoo said as he crossed the threshold of the private room. Meanwhile, Zhang Jaham couldn¡¯t bring himself to step inside and stood at the door, curious about the interaction but only peeking in. Finally, Thump. Yeongwoo sat on the sofa. As he did, the ¡°Cosmic Etiquette¡± draped over his shoulder nked loudly, asserting its presence. Squeak! ¡¸Cosmic Etiquette¡¹ - ¡ó Dogo Dimensional Weapon ¡¾20% increased damage against government officials¡¿ ¡¾20% resistance to special abilities¡¿ ¡¾Dogo¡¿ Cosmic Etiquette. A new product from the universal weapon brand Dogo, and a sort of status symbol. ¡®Oh, right. This is our new product.¡¯ Yeongwoo realized he had ¡°Cosmic Etiquette¡± on his shoulder. Unintentionally, he was now meeting a tax officer with equipment designed for assaulting officials. ¡®¡­Well, this turned into an advertisement.¡¯ As Yeongwoo subtly nced up at the ceiling, or somewhat beyond, the official ced the teacup down on the table. Clink. Then, inserting two long fingers into his pocket, he pulled out a ck metal card, the size of a business card. ¡°To rify, I haven¡¯te here today due to any unfortunate circumstances.¡± The alien official preemptively reassured him. It seemed he knew well about ¡°Cosmic Etiquette¡¯s¡± notorious reputation. After all, the cloak itself was a dimensional weapon, deeply engraved with the Dogopany¡¯s signature. Therefore, it was evident to anyone that the Earthling in front of them was associated with Dogo. ¡°Aha¡­ So, what brings you here? I¡¯ve been paying my taxes diligently.¡± Given how hard he worked to secure the acquisition tax for the Bastard sword just a few hours ago, Yeongwoo was tempted to draw it immediately. Wasn¡¯t it time to feel the satisfaction of paying a hefty tax? But. - Ah, well¡­. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Seeing the intimidating official shrink before ¡°Cosmic Etiquette,¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s rough resolve softened. After all, it was not usually the field workers¡¯ fault. Thud. The official finally ced his ck business card in front of Yeongwoo. - I am Jiazol, an 86th-level official in charge of registry work at the Temporary Bureau of the National Tax Service. ¡°¡­Excuse me? What did you say?¡± Yeongwoo was surprised, not because of anything else, but because the tragic official in front of him was 86th-level. How could there be an 86th level in the universe¡¯s bureaucratic system? - For details, please refer to this. As Jiazol pointed to his business card, Yeongwoo looked at it. Though nothing was written on the card, as soon as he saw it, a series of meanings unfolded in Yeongwoo¡¯s mind. ash! [Jiazol1182] - 86th Level | Temporary Bureau 060II42 | National Tax Service Registry Officer ¡°We always appreciate your valuable taxes.¡± *Verbal and physical abuse of officials is immediately prosecutable. Please refrain from such actions. ¡°¡­Oh, this is.¡± When Yeongwoo saw the card, he realized the official was genuine. The ck metal contained transcendent letters certifying an official public institution. Moreover, the ¡°National¡± in Jiazol¡¯s National Tax Service wasn¡¯t the ¡°nation,¡± but ¡°bureau,¡± used to denote specific departments withinrge organizations. ¡®So, the taxes don¡¯t go directly to a central agency; there¡¯s another intermediary institution?¡¯ The entity collecting Earth¡¯s taxes wasn¡¯t the central government but a subordinate agency. ¡®Goodness.¡¯ Yeongwoo was awed by the scale of the bureaucratic structure he couldn¡¯t even fathom. At the same time, he had one question. ording to Jiazol¡¯s card, the Temporary Bureau 060II42 overseeing him managed a temporary administrative district. In other words, Earth¡¯s jurisdiction was not yet determined. ¡®So when will the jurisdiction be decided? Can we choose where we belong?¡¯ Since the card didn¡¯t provide an answer, Yeongwoo had to ask Jiazol. ¡°What¡¯s all this? Why are you collecting taxes from a without an assigned jurisdiction? You haven¡¯t done anything for us.¡± At this, Jiazol¡¯s alreadyrge eyes widened further, and he spread his long, spider-like fingers in a calming gesture. - Refrain from verbal and physical abuse of officials¡­! ¡°Dammit, I¡¯m not going to hit you!¡± It seemed that Jiazol had misunderstood because the Earthling in front of him was wearing thetest Dogo dimensional weapon. ¡°Look! It¡¯s already a headache with just the reset, why do you keep collecting taxes and stuff? We¡¯re still in the middle of a civil war!¡± Woosh! Yeongwoo unconsciously stood up, towering over Jiazol. Zhang Jaham, who was watching the conversation from outside the door, frantically waved his hands. ¡°S-sir! Calm down!¡± He didn¡¯t want Shandong Province to be the site of the first alien official murder. Likewise, Jiazol, an 86th-level official, didn¡¯t want to die in this remote ce, so he shouted with all his might. - The reason I came here is...! ¡°¡­!¡± Yeongwoo, startled by the near-scream, backed off a bit, and Zhang Jaham, his heart pounding, waited for the alien official¡¯s next words. Then, Swoosh. Jiazol straightened his clothes and spoke in a more serious tone. - I deliver this message on behalf of the Director of the Temporary Bureau 060II42 of the National Tax Service. - You, ¡®49523¡¯ Jeong Yeongwoo07, are now obligated to be a diligent taxpayer. ¡°¡­What?¡± What was a ¡°diligent taxpayer obligation,¡± if not just a diligent taxpayer? Fortunately, this mystery was soon resolved. - This means you have be a major inspection target for the National Tax Service due to a recent excessive increase in ie, and your cumtive tax payments within your have significantly increased. ¡®Of course, the acquisition tax for the Bastard sword and the catalog...¡¯ As Yeongwoo nodded to himself, Jiazol continued gauging his reaction. - Our recent inspection of your sources of ie revealed numerous non-standard, non-universal earnings. This likely referred to the tributes he received in China. That¡¯s why Jiazol waited in Shandong Province instead ofing to Seoul. ¡°¡­So?¡± Yeongwoo began to realize. The Director of the National Tax Service had sent Jiazol as a proxy to protect his own neck. Although verbal and physical abuse of officials is immediately prosecutable, it¡¯s not impossible if one has the capability. Just as the Chairman had done. ¡®That cowardly bastard.¡¯ While Yeongwoo cursed the Director he had never met, the unfortunate Jiazol continued the rest of his superior¡¯s message. - Therefore, the head office intends to ssify your non-standard ie as business ie and impose additional taxes ording to regtions. In other words, he was making a lot of money on Earth, so he had to pay more taxes. ¡®How strong is the Director? Even if he¡¯s a frontier institution head, he probably isn¡¯t a top-level entity.¡¯ Yeongwoo stared at the ceiling of the private room, which had a different meaning this time. Meanwhile, Jiazol delivered the final piece of the message. - Your is currently in an unssified, neutral state. Cumtive tax payments will determine futureary shares. ¡°What?¡± The content made his eyes and ears perk up. Even Zhang Jaham, standing outside the door, was shocked and doubted his ears. ¡°Mr. Jeong? Did you hear that?¡± ¡°I heard it! Wait a minute. Mr. Jiazol, what exactly do you mean?ary shares will be allocated based on tax payments?¡± When Yeongwoo asked for confirmation, Jiazol sped his hands together politely. - That is correct. However, only those obligated to be diligent taxpayers are eligible for shares under internal regtions. ¡°Aha.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s mind raced. This was why the Director had bothered to send a proxy to stress the importance of proper tax payment. They needed to urately identify who would be the shareholders of this in the future, ensuring no tax evasion and diligent reporting. ¡°So, how many diligent taxpayer obligors are there? I mean, the candidates for shareholders.¡± When Yeongwoo asked, Jiazol closed his eyes. - ording to internal regtions, I cannot disclose that information. This meant he couldn¡¯t even know how many people would share Earth¡¯s ownership. So, Yeongwoo changed his question slightly. ¡°Then, if only one diligent taxpayer obligor remains when the shares are distributed? Does that person get all the shares?¡± Realizing Yeongwoo¡¯s intent, Jiazol¡¯s mouth gaped open. - Theoretically, yes. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 265 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 265: Honest Tax Payment (2) ¡°Hyuh¡­.¡± Zhang Jaham¡¯s voice faltered as he tried to call out to Jung Dae-hyeop. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to say the word ¡®hyeop.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing¡ªkilling everyone else to be the sole stakeholder of the Earth. Was this something a sane person would say? ¡°You¡¯re not serious, are you?¡± Zhang Jaham asked, turning to Yeongwoo, who had been staring at Jiazol. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°¡­I mean the monopolizing the stakes of the Earth. What you just said¡­.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Yeongwoo responded as if it was nothing, causing Zhang Jaham¡¯s eyes to widen even more. ¡°Well, the stakes of the Earth are indeed iparable in value, but¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± ¡°If someone is designated as a faithful taxpayer, they¡¯re probably not as good as you think.¡± It was essentially a self-introduction. ¡°Just think of it as monsters fighting each other. Thest one standing gets to own the Earth.¡± ¡°But surely among them, there must be!¡± ¡°If there are good people among them, it¡¯ll show. If I meet someone truly good, I¡¯ll reconsider.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Although he didn¡¯t believe it would happen, if the situation Zhang Jaham was worried about did arise, Yeongwoo meant he would consider it then. Zhang Jaham had no more words to say. ¡®A¡­ a devil. Truly walking the path of a heretic.¡¯ Zhang Jaham of Shandong Twin Evils didn¡¯t consider himself good, but standing before this true evil sent chills down his spine. This guy was even a cosmic evil. He was already coveting China and wanted to swallow up the entire. ¡°So, there¡¯s a high chance that Im Dupyeong is also a faithful taxpayer. That¡¯s one more reason to kill him.¡± While Yeongwoo muttered this, Jiazol slowly rose. -If it¡¯s alright, I¡¯ll take my leave now. Yeongwoo shoved Jiazol¡¯s business card into his pocket and blocked his path. Swoosh! -¡­¡­! Jiazol¡¯srge pupils shook pitifully. Yeongwoo, on the other hand, calmly said, ¡°Since you¡¯re leaving, let me ask you one more thing.¡± -¡­Please, go ahead. ¡°Is the faithful tax payment required only until theary stake is acquired?¡± Jiazol¡¯s face showed he didn¡¯t immediately understand Yeongwoo¡¯s question. -Pardon? Then, he regained hisposure and recited his official line in a bureaucratic tone. -Paying taxes is a duty as a member of this universe¡­ ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. But after acquiring the stake, there¡¯s no rtion between the tax amount and the acquisition, right?¡± Yeongwoo asked if the secured stake would remain unaffected even if the tax amount decreased afterward. And to this, Jiazol reluctantly admitted, -¡­That is correct. He had no choice but to tell the truth since, theoretically, there was no issue with that. ¡°I see. Thank you for your hard work.¡± Only after hearing Jiazol¡¯s answer did Yeongwoo step aside. He had gotten the answer he wanted. ¡®From the moment I acquire the stake, I can start looking for¡­ no, devising tax-saving strategies.¡¯ The price of tax evasion is death. Therefore, it cannot be avoided. But he could minimize the tax amount. Just like he was already benefiting from special deductions for single-parent families and dependents. However, those unaware of cosmic paperwork were likely paying enormous taxes even now. ¡®Sorry, but the faithful taxpayers need to die.¡¯ As Yeongwoo, harboring vague murderous intent, was about to leave the private room, Jiazol raised his hand towards the sky. -The one who faithfully pays taxes is the master of this. It seemed to be the slogan of the temporary jurisdiction 060II42 National Tax Service. Then, a beam of light descended from the sky, sucking Jiazol up. Swoosh! ¡®Traveling on beams of light. He truly is a cosmic bureaucrat.¡¯ Yeongwoo looked up at the ceiling where Jiazol had disappeared, his eyes filled with envy. Then, Zhang Jaham cautiously approached. ¡°Dae-hyeop¡­ what are you going to do now?¡± ¡°What do you think? First, save China from the dictator who became an alien puppet¡­.¡± Then, collect tribute from as many Chinese cities as possible. ¡°And use that money as a base to enter North America.¡± ¡°¡­Ah, so you have a n, Dae-hyeop.¡± A crazy n, that was. Zhang Jaham broke out in a cold sweat. But paradoxically, he also felt that they were on the correct ship for this insane world. ¡°But¡­ why North America? Is it because of theary stake?¡± Theary stake. It was still a concept he didn¡¯t fully grasp, but Zhang Jaham knew he had to master the art of conversation with Jeong Yeongwoo to survive. ¡°Yes. The stake issue is part of it, but there¡¯s also an achievement I need to aplish there.¡± This referred to the legendary achievement ¡°Golden Typhoon.¡± [Golden Typhoon] |Summon the golden rain by any of the following four methods. (2/4) - In the North American continent. - When two entities with #chaebol and #dragon attributes are fighting. - When a level 2 or higher extra-dimensional being visits. There were two conditions left to fulfill for the achievement. And thanks to Pangaea, summoning the golden rain on the North American continent became possible. ¡®But first, I need to settle things in China. As long as Im Dupyeong is alive, I can¡¯t predict when he might push into the Korean Penins.¡¯ As Yeongwoo set these short- to mid-term goals, he noticed something shing at the bottom of his achievement window. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Yeongwoo scrolled down to the very bottom of the achievement window. sh! He saw the Pangaea achievement blinking in and out. [Pangaea] |Witness the movement of a continent during tectonic shifts. ¡°What, what is this?¡± The achievement ¡°Pangaea,¡± which he failed toplete even after witnessing the Korean Penins attaching to China, was suddenly reacting. ¡®China isn¡¯t moving right now, is it?¡¯ As Yeongwoo looked around, Zhang Jaham stared at him frightenedly. ¡°Dae-hyeop, is there another problem? If there¡¯s anything more, please tell me in advance.¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t seem to be a China issue.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes blinked rapidly. His mind, already quickly adapting to this bizarre world, was racing again. ¡®What could it be? This achievement requires witnessing a continent moving. But is there anotherndmass around here that could be considered a continent¡­?¡¯ Then Yeongwoo¡¯s mouth dropped open. There was only one conclusion. ¡®Could it be, Australia? Is Australiaing?¡¯ Australia. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The youngest of Earth¡¯s four major continents, known as Meganesia or the Australian continent. And Meganesia, while unlikely, was a continent that could potentially attach to the Korean Penins. Of course, this would require pushing aside Indonesia and the Philippines and a long journey north. ¡®Unbelievable. Is that vastndmass sailing all day?¡¯ What kind of world was this? But Yeongwoo knew well. There was no such thing as ¡°unbelievable¡± in this world. So, what was the next step? ¡°If the Australian continent is approaching, where should I go?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Seeing Zhang Jaham¡¯s puzzled face, Yeongwoo immediately left the private room. He decided there was no need to stay here any longer. ¡°You know the money, right? Send it to Incheon tomorrow!¡± ¡°A-ah, Dae-hyeop!¡± ¡°Take care of your throat, and see you next time!¡± Tat-tat! Yeongwoo jumped on the Negwig waiting outside City Hall. Just then, Wu Qingjin, who was returning with the golden goblin, greeted him. ¡°Dae-hyeop! Leaving already?¡± ¡°Yes, something urgent came up. If the executivemittee retaliates, don¡¯t intervene. Send someone to Seoul.¡± With those words, Yeongwoo sped off southwards with the goblin riding behind him. * * * If the Australian continent were to move north, where would it attach? Simply put, it seemed likely it would attach to the vast southern part of China, but Yeongwoo¡¯s guess was different. ¡®Above Australia are Indonesia, the Philippines, and Taiwan. To the right is Papua New Guinea.¡¯ So, if these countries don¡¯t all break apart at sea, they¡¯d definitely attach to a nearby continent. Just like Yeongjongdo between Incheon and Shandong Province. The scale was different, but Yeongwoo had seen a simr case directly. So he could create a tectonic shift sample with some justification. ¡®If the Australian continent doesn¡¯t split in half and moves up while maintaining its shape¡­.¡¯ In that case, naturally, half of Indonesia would attach to Vietnam, and the rest would push up with the Philippines and attach to southern China. ...In the process, Papua New Guinea might get pushed up and wrap around the southern coast of China or even detach entirely and connect to the southeastern part of Japan. Anyway, the most important thing in this situation was where to go to see the Australian continent approaching, and Yeongwoo¡¯s answer to this was: ¡®¡­Jeju Ind?¡¯ As expected, Jeju Ind should be connected to Wando due to the Pangaea event. In other words, if he reached Wando by passing through Mokpo and Haenam, he would naturally be able to see Jeju Ind, now essible bynd. ¡®I don¡¯t even know what I¡¯m talking about.¡¯ Nevertheless, that was the situation. To see the Australian continent sailing at high speed, he had to go to Jeju Ind. ¡®If I keep running straight to Wando... I might arrive around 9 o¡¯clock.¡¯ Due to the Pangaea event connecting parts of the Korean Penins and China, the straight-line distance was shortened, making it possible. However, he wouldn¡¯t be able to return to Seoul in time, so he would have to sleep near Wando or Jeju Ind. ¡®Of course, I could theoretically sleep in Australia too.¡¯ Thinking this, Yeongwoo was already heading southeast. * * * 8:14 PM. Yeongwoo, who had left Yantai, Shandong Province, and crossed the Chinesend, encountered strange terrain before 9 PM. He reached a ce where ambiguousnd stretched out, neither fully ins nor mountains. Moreover, drynd suddenly alternated with mudts. ¡°What is this ce?¡± Was this a side effect of the Pangaea event? Tilting his head in confusion, Yeongwoo soon understood by looking at the region status window that appeared. sh! | You are currently in the ¡®Shinan¡¯ region. | The Strongest Sword of this region is ¡®Park Cheongwon01¡¯. 1st, Defense 188. This was the infamous Shinan. An archipgo made up of over a thousand inds. The reason Yeongwoo felt a sense of discord in the geography of the area was because of this. ¡®188 defenses? That¡¯s no ordinary feat.¡¯ Although curious about what Shinan was like post-reset, Yeongwoo had a more urgent matter at hand. He needed toplete the Pangaea achievement. This achievement required him to witness Australia moving towards the Korean Penins. Arriving after the twonds had already connected would be meaningless. ¡°Move!¡± Seeing a group of swordsmen who seemed to be Shinan residents, Yeongwoo made a threatening sound. Meanwhile, ¡°Who is that guy?¡± ¡°A talking horse...?¡± ¡°Huh? That face looks familiar...?¡± The swordsmen looked bewildered, recalling the fleeting ck figure that had just passed by. ¡°Everyone, get out of my way!¡± Yeongwoo kept shouting at those blocking his path as he passed through Shinan County. Eventually, sh! | You are currently in the ¡®Haenam¡¯ region. | The Strongest Sword of this region is ¡®Kim Hyungbeom06¡¯. 2nd generation, defended 41 times. Yeongwoo had reached Haenam, where Kim Hyungbeom reigned supreme. ¡®Who would have thought I¡¯de to the southernmost vige?¡¯ As Yeongwoo wore an incredulous expression, the ground began to shake slightly beneath him, or rather, it really started shaking. Rumble... ¡®I¡¯m an expert at this. I¡¯m not toote.¡¯ As he had expected, the Australian continent was indeed rushing toward the Korean Penins. And just as if waiting for this moment, Ping! With a clear signal sound, a new urgent quest appeared. [Urgent] ¡°Finally, Global Vige¡± [Mission] Select Dogo as a cooperative partner for the Pangaea rewards. [Reward] 5 million Karma ¡°What?¡± Yeongwoo re-read the quest. Although it was called a quest, strictly speaking, this was... ¡®Isn¡¯t this a sole-source contract request?¡¯ [Mission] Select Dogo as a cooperative partner for the Pangaea rewards. What kind of Pangaea rewards were they that he needed to select a ¡®cooperative partner¡¯? Whatever it was, it seemed clear that some kind of business rights were at stake. So, Yeongwoo, ¡°Whew.¡± After taking a deep breath, looked up at the sky and spoke clearly. ¡°Do you still see me as the Yeongwoo who was happy with small change? I will be the owner of the Earth. Bring more money.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 266 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 266: Highway (1) ¡°Bring more money...!¡± There was no immediate reaction from the Dogo side to Yeongwoo¡¯s audacious demand. [Dogo] ¡°Finally, Global Vige¡± [Mission] Select Dogo as a cooperative partner in the Pangaea rewards. [Reward] 5 million Karma The quest Dogo gave was still visible in Yeongwoo¡¯s view, and Negwig was continuously rushing south. ¡®¡­Was I too arrogant? But trying to secure a sole-source contract for just 5 million is too much, right?¡¯ Yeongwoo had grown wise enough to understand now. If the Strongest Sword on a single could earn tens of millions daily, then Dogo, operating on a universal scale, would make hundreds or even thousands of times more. So, handing over a potential new ie source for Dogo for a mere 5 million was absurd. At least, that¡¯s what Yeongwoo thought. ¡°Chairman, if this partnership selection has nothing to do withpany profits, I apologize sincerely. But...!¡± Yeongwoo raised his head toward the sky. sh! ¡°If this is profitable, you should be doing business with me too!¡± Thud, thud! Negwig¡¯s iron hoofbeats resonated powerfully after Yeongwoo¡¯s deration. And then suddenly, Bang! With a loud boom, the Dogo quest was updated. [Dogo] ¡°Finally, Global Vige¡± [Mission] Select Dogo as a cooperative partner in the Pangaea rewards. [Reward] 50 million Karma The quest reward had increased tenfold from 5 million. ¡®These guys, seriously.¡¯ It was clear that thepletion of the Pangaea achievement was indeed rted to the rights of the cooperative partner. ¡®Were they trying to swindle me, or rather my?¡¯ Feeling indignant, Yeongwoo raised his child to the sky and shouted, ¡°Dogo!¡± His words and actions matched perfectly. Yeongwoo was also doing business with all his might at this moment. ¡®Now, if I just see the Australian continent move, I¡¯ll easily earn 50 million!¡¯ As Yeongwoo thought this and turned Negwig¡¯s head further south, the tremors in the ground grew even stronger. The Australian continent... Meganesia was getting quite close. ¡°Just a little more! We¡¯re almost there!¡± Yeongwoo encouraged Negwig, stroking its steel mane, and the creature emitted a ck light from its eyes and let out a strange cry. -Squeal! Then, it elerated so fast that the surrounding scenery seemed to blur. Bang! ¡°Whoa!¡± As Yeongwoo leaned forward due to Negwig¡¯s sudden eleration, he saw a crowd of people through the ck mane. He intuitively knew, ¡®It¡¯s the coast.¡¯ And indeed, ¡°What, what is this?¡± ¡°There are so many people...¡± ¡°Is there a war or something?¡± The residents of Haenam, each holding a weapon, were murmuring as they looked at something across the sea. Seeing Yeongwoo and Negwig approaching from behind, they btedly pointed their weapons at them. ¡°Scream!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a monster!¡± ¡°A mutant...?¡± Anyone could see that Yeongwoo¡¯s appearance was that of a mutant, so most of the crowd screamed and scattered in all directions. However, there was one person who remained calm and recognized Yeongwoo. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the Strongest Sword?¡± That person was Kim Hyungbeom, the Strongest Sword of Haenam. Knowing that there was no being in this area that could harm him, he was not startled by the stranger''s sudden appearance. Of course, he wasn¡¯t startled, but he was tense, seeing the publicly selected strongest person in Korea up close. He instinctively moved his right hand to the sword at his waist. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± As Yeongwoo stared at his right hand, Hyungbeom quickly withdrew it, surprised. ¡°It¡¯ste, what brings you here?¡± As expected, the strongest people from various regions didn¡¯t wee the visit of someone stronger than themselves. So, to reassure him, Yeongwoo pointed towards the sea. ¡°I don¡¯t have any business in Haenam. I just came to see thend connect.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Kim Hyungbeom made a reluctant face. Then he scratched his neck and said, ¡°You¡¯ve already been to China, so seeing Jeju Ind approach wouldn¡¯t be that impressive.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s face momentarily flushed before returning to its original color. Hyungbeom¡¯s recent remark implied that he, too, had watched the pros and cons vote conducted on Jeong Yeongwoo. However, there was another problem with that remark. ¡°Jeju Ind?¡± ¡°Yes. Weren¡¯t you here to see Jeju Ind?¡± Kim Hyungbeom, the Strongest Sword of Haenam, raised his hand and pointed toward the coastline. From there, a massivendmass was approaching at considerable speed. The shore was crowded with people, making it easy to mistake the scene for an invasion on an ind if seen from a distance. With his telescopic vision, Yeongwoo quickly realized that the people of Jeju were fleeing to the coast of the Korean Penins to escape something. Undoubtedly, the Australian continent, closely pursuing Jeju Ind, had scared them. ¡°Oh, you thought I came to see Jeju Ind.¡± As Yeongwoo muttered this while checking his equipment, Hyungbeom raised his eyebrows and asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t? Then why are you here...?¡± Then, voices of distress started toe from the direction of Jeju Ind. ¡°Save us!¡± ¡°Help us...!¡± The sounds were now close enough to be heard clearly. ¡°Save them...?¡± Hyungbeom, not knowing what was happening, could only tilt his head in confusion. In contrast, Yeongwoo, sensing the timing was right, spoke up. ¡°Bring any other Strongest Swords nearby.¡± ¡°What? I¡¯m the only Strongest Sword around here.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll have to go greet them ourselves.¡± ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°Australia.¡± While the two Strongest Swords were having this bewildering conversation, the distance between Jeju Ind and Haenam rapidly decreased. ¡°Hold my hand. We¡¯re going over there now.¡± ¡°W-what do you mean by that...?¡± Yeongwoo didn¡¯t bother exining further. He could handle a local Strongest Sword like a mouse. Bang! Yeongwoo grabbed Hyungbeom¡¯s shoulder andmanded Negwig to leap towards Jeju Ind. Negwig¡¯s ck eyes gleamed as they jumped over the sea. -Squeal! ¡°Arghhh!¡± Hyungbeom¡¯s scream echoed over the South Sea as they crossed. Seeing the iron beast flying towards them, the people on Jeju Ind¡¯s shore also panicked and fled. ¡°Strongest Sword! Why are you doing this to me?¡± Despite the situation, Hyungbeom was rtively brave. He managed to stayposed even while Yeongwoo held his shoulder and crossed the sea. ¡°Once Jeju and Australia connect, Australia¡¯s problems will be Haenam¡¯s problems, too.¡± ¡°W-what do you mean by connect?¡± ¡°We also need to find the Strongest Sword of Jeju. That person is in real trouble.¡± However, witnessing the movement of the Australian continent was Yeongwoo¡¯s top priority. Bang! Landing on the beach of Jeju Ind, Yeongwoo immediately ced Hyungbeom in Negwig''s back seat. ¡°Argh!¡± Thrown onto Negwig like luggage, Hyungbeom soon noticed, ¡°Someone¡¯s already riding this.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s two ves, the golden goblin and Pofu Tenta were ring at Hyungbeom, clearly displeased. ¡°There¡¯s no choice. Bear with it.¡± Unless he forced himself onto the back seat, Hyungbeom would have to run alongside, and Yeongwoo had never seen a human who could run as fast as Negwig. They needed to travel to the far end of Jeju Ind. -Squeal! Finally, Negwig released its distinctive cry and started running again, prompting another scream from Hyungbeom. ¡°Arghhhh...!¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] * * * Strongest Sword. No matter how much one might dominate a region, they were essentially just humans, as Yeongwoo realized once more. ¡°Please, slow down a bit!¡± Through the constant shrill screams of the Strongest Sword of Haenam. From Hyungbeom¡¯s perspective, there was no need to disy the dignity of a strong person in front of the elected Strongest Sword of the Korean Penins, nor could he. Thus, his true nature was unintentionally revealed under the title of the Strongest Sword of Haenam. So, it was under the title of the Strongest Sword in Haenam that the true nature was inadvertently revealed. ¡°We¡¯re almost there. Just a little more.¡± Yeongwoo touched his gradually aching ears and looked ahead. "¡­¡­." Like the coastline they had seen earlier, people lined up along the coastline ahead. However, ¡®These are realbat forces.¡¯ Unlike before, these were not people fleeing the Australian continent but those who hade to guard the borders in preparation for possiblebat situations. ¡°Ah, ah¡­¡­.¡± Seeing the people looking out to sea with their backs to the interior of Jeju Ind, Yeongwoo spread his arms in emotional gratitude. ¡°Ah! You are the true national protectors!¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Startled, the protectors of Jeju Ind quickly turned around, and at the same time, Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened. Boom! The entire horizon was covered by the Australian continent, Meganesia. ¡°What, what the hell.¡± Even Kim Hyungbeom, the Strongest Sword in Haenam, opened his eyes wide upon seeing the massive continent chasing Jeju Ind. ¡°How is that even possible?¡± It was an event that defied Hyungbeom¡¯smon sense, but Yeongwoo dismissed his question with a single remark. ¡°What good is it to ask how it¡¯s possible when it¡¯s already happened? We need to think about how to respond.¡± ¡°But, but¡­¡­!¡± Was this the judgment of an elected official of the Korean Penins? To Hyungbeom, Jeong Yeongwoo seemed to not even cringe at the sight before them. ¡®He¡¯s not shaken at all by seeing that? How is that possible?¡¯ While Hyungbeom wiped the cold sweat from his temples, a nimble presence approached from the far end of the coastline. ¡°Oh dear¡­¡­!¡± It was none other than the Strongest Sword of Jeju, Choi Moonsoon02. A sturdy woman in herte forties, with a presence so solid that her short stature was hardly noticeable. Carrying a massive greatsword on her shoulder despite her gentle appearance, she approached, making Yeongwoo flinch momentarily. ¡°You¡¯re here to help, right? But how did you know about this?¡± As the continent split the water approaching, Moonsoon didn¡¯t seem surprised to see Yeongwoo and his party. ¡°Ah, Haenam¡­¡­!¡± Then she approached the still-pale Strongest Sword in Haenam, grabbed his hand, and forced a handshake. ¡°Come on, everyone. We¡¯re notpletely uncouth, you know. You see that over there?¡± Moonsoon pointed with a blunt finger to the closer Meganesia. Implying that they couldn¡¯t properly host guests due to the approaching Australian continent. Yeongwoo nodded to indicate it was fine. ¡°They haven¡¯t attacked or anything, have they?¡± ¡°How could they attack from so far away? They must be in a frenzy over there, too.¡± Indeed, Moonsoon¡¯s words were generally true. Unless Australia had something likeser cannons. ¡°But we still need to be cautious. From their perspective, they¡¯ve been geographically isted and are now connected to Eurasia.¡± Meaning they might be tense and could act aggressively. Moonsoon then scanned Yeongwoo¡¯s appearance and murmured. ¡°Then it¡¯s war, huh.¡± Despite her friendly demeanor, she was still the Strongest Sword of Jeju Ind. She subtly assessed Yeongwoo¡¯s capabilitiespared to hers. However, Yeongwoo was preupied. sh! [Achievement Unlocked: Pangaea] | Achievement Rank: Epic | Achievement Rank: #3 He was distracted by the newly achieved Pangaea achievement. ¡®What, the rank is 3?¡¯ This meant that two others had alreadypleted the Pangaea achievement. And soon, a universal weapon brand began the selection process for coborative partners, offering a whopping 50 million Karma. ¡¸Basic terrain modification of II42-Earth has been implemented.¡¹ ¡¸You can now select coborative partners forary development.¡¹ ary, development¡­¡­?¡¯ While Yeongwoo¡¯s eyebrows twitched at the ominous words, the system continued its guidance. ¡¸This has a total of 3 coborative partner slots, and 2 slots have already been filled.¡¹ Meaning Yeongwoo had just managed to catch thest slot afterpleting the Pangaea achievement. And the same applied to Dogo. ¡¸Conflicts between coborative partners are frequent duringary development, so please check the list of selected partners and reference charts.¡¹ ¡®Reference chart?¡¯ Curious about what to reference, Yeongwoo looked at the bottom of the interface and immediately understood the content. [Selected Partner List] 1- Lemu 2- Mara ¡®Damn, those guys.¡¯ Two names Yeongwoo knew well were on the list of coborative partners. Familiar names were also listed below the chart. [Dangerous Partner List] *These arepanies deemed unsuitable forary development. 1- Dogo 2- Hammer of Kwaya 3- Toma 4- Hexagon 5- Cerium [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 267 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 267: Highway (2) ¡®Ha.¡¯ Yeongwooughed, almost as if he had lost his mind. Of course, he had expected that if a ¡°List of Dangerous Companies¡± existed, Dogo would be on it. But... ¡®No, with only three slots avable, it¡¯s too much that two are already filled with a pornpany and the King of Demons.¡¯ And now, Dogo would soon be added to this list,pleting the trifecta. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yeongwoo, feeling his vision darken, closed his eyes tightly without realizing it. As someone who intended to be the sole diligent taxpayer and monopolize the shares of this, this was quite a troublesome situation. Among thepanies set to develop Earth, there wasn¡¯t a single decent one. ¡®An indefinite development, right? Since there¡¯s no specified term, that¡¯s what it seems like, right?¡¯ Of course, he could betray his loyalty to the chairman and find the most decentpany to fill thest slot. But... ¡®With the state of thepanies that are already in, can a righteouspany survive?¡¯ Lemu might be unexpectedly decent, but from the term itself, Mara was the very essence of a demon. ¨DMaster of the Void, one who walks in the shadow of universalws, King of Ten Thousand Demons. In Yeongwoo¡¯s limited experience, the only entity capable of contending with Mara among the alienpanies was... ¡®¡­the chairman and his underlings.¡¯ Didn¡¯t he witness it himselfst night at the dungeon gambling house in Batum? Dogo¡¯s employees, not even their regr army but ¡°Guppy Special Grade¡± staff, beat up and drove away Mara¡¯s minions. Thus, if Dogo seriously entered theary rights battle, they might be able to pressure Mara. ¡®It¡¯s the lesser evil. I¡¯d rather bet on the chairman than leave Earth to Lemu and Mara.¡¯ The chairman and Dogo¡¯s shareholders despise Lemu as lowly. Therefore, putting Dogo in the developer slot would naturally drive Lemu out. The only remaining problem was Mara, the king of all demons. ¡®If they couldn¡¯t handle Mara, they wouldn¡¯t have dared to act like that at the gambling house.¡¯ Trusting in the myth-like chairman, Yeongwoo made his decision. ¡®Thepany I select is Dogo.¡¯ He decided to pour fuel onto an already burning. ¡¸Thepany you have selected, ¡®Dogo,¡¯ is the most dangerouspany. Do you wish to confirm the selection?¡¹ The selection system questioned Yeongwoo¡¯s choice as expected. He nodded slightly and finalized Dogo as thest developmentpany. ¡®Yes. The third developmentpany for Earth is Dogo.¡¯ This moment might be the turning point of Earth¡¯s destiny. Fwoosh! As soon as Yeongwoo confirmed thestpany, a wave emanated from the sky, sweeping through it as if tidying up Earth¡¯s atmosphere. ¡®What was that?¡¯ Though he couldn¡¯t see it, Yeongwoo sensed something significant had urred and looked up at the sky. ¡®Could it be that a protective shield has been lifted?¡¯ It seemed like a preliminary step for the selectedpanies to officially enter the. And then... ¡¸The developmentpanies for II42-Earth have all been selected.¡¹ A message appeared indicating that the basic procedure rted topany selection wasplete. The finalpany list,pleted by Yeongwoo¡¯sst strike, was as follows: [Selected Companies List] 1- Lemu 2- Mara 3- Dogo ¡®Goodness. What have I done¡­?¡¯ It was a dazzling lineup that left him speechless. But it was already done, and he had no other alternatives anyway. ¡®There¡¯s no turning back. At this point, the only option is to destroy the other twopanies with the chairman.¡¯ Lemu, suspiciously flush with cash, and Mara, whose true nature was still not fully revealed. How exactly would these entities develop Earth? And Dogo¡¯sary development¡ªwhat kind of approach would that be? ¡®The world is going increasingly mad.¡¯ As Yeongwoo was deep inary concerns, someone boldly tapped him on the arm. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± When Yeongwoo turned his head, he saw Choi Moonsoon, the Strongest Sword of Jeju, looking at him sternly. ¡°What are you doing at this point? They¡¯re already right in front of us.¡± She gestured with her chin towards the sea, where the Australian continent, Meganesia, was approaching. ¡°Ah.¡± Only then did Yeongwoo realize he had been the only one witnessing thepany selection process. It was a semi-confidential business only visible to the three people with the selection authority. However, once the actualary development began, everyone on Earth would inevitably know whether they wanted to or not. It would be clear that something monumental was happening to the. Rumble, rumble, rumble...! Of course, the immediate concern wasn¡¯tary development but the rapid geographical change as the Australian continent approached at high speed. ¡°What do we do now? Should we draw our swords first?¡± Moonsoon spoke with the momentum of someone ready to fight immediately, but Yeongwoo gestured for her to wait. ¡°We need to be prepared, but there¡¯s no need to take an aggressive stance immediately. We don¡¯t know how they¡¯ll react yet.¡± From Yeongwoo¡¯s perspective, Australia wasn¡¯t a continent with the best geographical conditions for human habitation. It was about 35 times the size of the Korean Penins but had a poption of around 26 million before the reset. That meant half the poption of South Korea lived on that vastnd. ¡®In reality, outside the cities, Australia feels like an apocalypse.¡¯ The reason was its harsh soil. A significant portion of Australia was desert, unsuitable for farming and even for habitation. Consequently, most of its major cities were located in the southeast and some in the southwest of the continent. The central and northern parts were almost uninhabited. For example, Darwin, a major city in northern Australia, had a poption of about 120,000, much smaller than a district in Seoul. And crucially... ¡®The part that will border us is the northern part of Australia.¡¯ And even that was just a portion of the north. The critical fact was the poption. ¡°Even if we go to war with Australia right now, it won¡¯t be very threatening. Unless they have some bizarre weapons.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because almost no one lives in the part that borders us.¡± ¡°Still, aren¡¯t there cities like Sydney...?¡± ¡°To get from Sydney to the northern part of the continent, they¡¯d have to travel thousands of kilometers. Even if they started moving as soon as Pangaea was announced, they wouldn¡¯t have arrived yet.¡± Even for Yeongwoo, moving on Negwig wouldn¡¯t be easy. Thus, the chances of another such entity existing in Australia were almost zero. ¡°Uh... then this isn¡¯t a big deal, is it?¡± Moonsoon looked somewhat disappointed at the notion of no grand war, then nced at the swordsmen of Jeju Ind, who were staring intently at the coastline. ¡°But we still don¡¯t know, right?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Yes. We can¡¯t becent. They must be highly vignt on their side, too.¡± However, unnecessary bloodshed should be avoided if possible. In the broader sense, they, too, were Earth¡¯s taxpayers. Contributing to the Global World Product (GWP), they were a valuable workforce. ¡°We¡¯ll soon be able to see with our own eyes.¡± Yeongwoo activated his ¡®irvoyance¡¯ to expand his view as the horizon grew darker. sh! What appeared as thick lines to the naked eye now became clear outlines of the northern Australian coast. And then... ¡°Huh...?¡± Yeongwoo let out a surprised exmation. ¡°What? What do you see?¡± Choi Moonsoon¡¯s eyes widened as she urged Yeongwoo to answer, and Yeongwoo cautiously replied, still unsure. ¡°Something... is a bit strange.¡± Because... ¡®What is that...?¡¯ An array of unfamiliar weapons lined up along the northern Australian coastline. They appeared to be a type of spear. Seeing so many of them indicated they were standard equipment, but Yeongwoo had never seen such weapons before, even in the ¡®Mountain of Swords¡¯ he encountered on the first day of the reset. Moreover... ¡®Could those be war machines?¡¯ Amidst the neatly lined-up spears, there were banners fluttering high, giving off an ominous atmosphere. The red, tattered banners had something white stamped on them, and no matter how he looked at it, it resembled... ¡®Foot... prints?¡¯ Yes. Those banners bore footprints. The problem was... ¡®Footprints...? If those are stamped with ink, how can I see them from here?¡¯ The footprints were enormous. While someone might have drawn them by hand... ¡®No... you can tell. That kind of roughnesses from direct stamping.¡¯ Thus, the conclusion was clear. Something in Australia had feet at least ten times the size of an average human¡¯s. ¡®Then... it¡¯s not human, is it?¡¯ The moment Yeongwoo realized this... ¡°...!¡± Arge silhouette appeared on the northern coast of Australia, which he was viewing at five times magnification. ¡°Oh, my...?¡± ¡°What, what is it? What¡¯s happening? Hey, Strongest Sword!¡± Even with Choi Moonsoon shaking his shoulder violently beside him, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t tear his eyes away. Right now, he was staring at a giant orc, at least 5 or 6 meters tall. ¡°No way, what happened to Australia?¡± As Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened at the unbelievable sight, the orc in question pulled a spear from the ground. ¡°Ah.¡± At that moment, Yeongwoo realized many things. Hadn¡¯t he already encountered them in Mungyeong, North Gyeongsang Province? The orc army that had a clear understanding of the concept of ¡®tactics.¡¯ One of their favored strategies was none other than... ¡®A rain of spears.¡¯ It seemed that a preference for spears wasmon among orc species. The massive orc Yeongwoo was looking at had red skin. And then, finally... ¡°They¡¯reing...!¡± ¡°What? What is?¡± Within Yeongwoo¡¯s enhanced vision, the massive red orc hurled its hefty spear. Straight towards them. Swooosh! A tremendous sound of breaking air echoed across the South Sea, and even Choi Moonsoon realized that an enormous spear was flying their way. ¡°Oh, damn!¡± She quickly readied her sword in surprise. Creak! The sound of a bowstring being drawn came from right beside her. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± In that short time, the ¡®Strongest Sword¡¯ had pulled out arge bow and was drawing the string. ¡°Looks like you¡¯ll need to prepare for war.¡± As Yeongwoo said this and released the bowstring, a special arrow from Dogo flew through the air. Whoosh! Then, it intercepted the orc¡¯s spear aimed at Jeju Ind¡¯s coast. Boom! ¡°What the¡­ is that a THAAD?¡± [PR/N: Terminal High Altitude Area Defense or THAAD is an anti-ballistic missile system of the US army that can shoot down short, intermediate and medium-range ballistic missiles in their terminal phase.] The spear had been so fast it was difficult to track with the naked eye. Yet, when the Strongest Sword shot it down with an arrow, Choi Moonsoon¡¯s gaze changed. She realized that this man, who seemed like a rookie, was the Korean people''s representative for a reason. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo turned his gaze back across the sea to observe Australia¡¯s reaction. Swoosh. As the distance between the two sides had closed even further, he could see whaty behind the giant orc that had thrown the spear. It was... ¡°No way...¡± An army of red-skinned orcs marching in ck and red masses. These orcs, each averaging about 3 meters in height, numbered in the thousands, and each unit seemed to be assigned one of the giant orcs like the one he had seen earlier. In other words, they were truly here for war. ¡°Where did all of thesee from?¡± While Yeongwoo was still reacting in disbelief, he soon realized their background. One orc, in particrly mboyant attire, emerged from among the well-organized ranks of orcs. On top of that orc¡¯s head was... ¡ºRed-foot Orc Lord¡» ¡ÔInvaders of Northern Australia¡Ô It was a title Yeongwoo had never seen before. However, the basic format was the same as the one for the Strongest Sword. This meant that this orc¡¯s identity was likely... ¡°Oh my...¡± Before Yeongwoo could even say anything, the orc lord in question brought a horn to its mouth with its left hand. Then, a resonant sound echoed across the sea. ¨DI am Bantubangtong, Strongest Swordtain of the ''Red Foot''! As of yesterday, Australia has been dered an orc-autonomous territory! ¨DHumans must guarantee the orcs¡¯ right to survive! If not, there will only be war! The monster had be Australia¡¯s Strongest Sword. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 268 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 268: Highway (3) ¡°What the¡ª¡± Choi Moonsoon, the Strongest Sword of Jeju, was left speechless, her mouth hanging open. It was simply too absurd. Not only had the orcs taken over Australia, but they were now demanding their right to survival. ¡°How, how did this happen? I mean, how did they even...¡± While she wanted to personally smash the heads of those crazy creatures, she had seen the prowess of the orc army earlier. Thus, Moonsoon had no choice but to plead with Jeong Yeongwoo, the top problem solver of the Korean Penins and the ¡°Strongest Sword.¡± ¡°Do something about them, Strongest Sword!¡± Yeongwoo, who had been thinking with a blink of his eyes, stepped forward. ¡°¡­Shall I?¡± However, Yeongwoo''s actions as the elected ¡°Strongest Sword¡± by the people of the Korean Penins far surpassed Moonsoon¡¯s expectations. The first thing he did in front of the ¡°Red Foot¡± orc legion was¡ª ¡°Oh, Bantubangtong!¡± ¡ªto call the orc leader¡¯s name with a tone of admiration. ¡°What...?¡± Moonsoon widened her eyes and stared at Yeongwoo, but the strongest man of the penins took another step toward the coast without concern. ¡°The principle of this, Earth, is survival of the fittest! The strong survive, and those who standst are the owners of thend!¡± ¡°Strongest Sword... What are you talking about right now!¡± This was a statement that had been discussed with no one, not even Moonsoon. But Yeongwoo had no intention of consulting anyone at this gathering. Wasn¡¯t Jeong Yeongwoo elected as the ¡°Strongest Sword¡± to make bold decisions for the Korean Penins withoutplicated decision-making processes? Moreover, through past disclosures, voters had enough information. They knew very well that Jeong Yeongwoo was not someone who acted conventionally. ¡®But they probably expected that his unconventional actions would ultimately benefit the nation when they elected me.¡¯ Therefore, the only duty Yeongwoo had to uphold as the Strongest Sword was one. To ensure that all his actions eventually led to national interest. As long as he did that, he believed he could maintain his position as the Strongest Sword, no matter what decisions he made. Such were the tough times of survival. A time desperately in need of strong leaders and representatives. As proof of this, a staggering 76.8% of the penins''s people had bet on Yeongwoo¡¯s ¡°unconventionality.¡± Hence, Yeongwoo dered, ¡°Orc survival rights? As the representative of the Korean Penins and the future master of Earth, I, Jeong Yeongwoo07, will guarantee them!¡± He decided to guarantee the orcs¡¯ right to survive. And this was virtually tantamount to granting the orcs the right to rule Earth. ¡°Are you crazy? What are you going to do!¡± As expected, Moonsoon grabbed Yeongwoo¡¯s shoulders and shook them furiously. Even Kim Hyungbeom, the Strongest Sword of Haenam, who had been holding his breath until now, cautiously expressed his concern. ¡°Orc survival rights... I also voted for you in the approval poll, but this seems like a different issue.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°Uh... They¡¯re not human?¡± ¡°If they¡¯re not human, do we have to go to war?¡± ¡°Well, uh... of course not, but...¡± ¡°They¡¯re originally monsters, so it¡¯s different. But if their ims are true, it means they have been dealing with Australia¡¯s mutants for at least two days. That shows they have significant power.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Hyungbeom made a subtle expression, as if he hadn¡¯t thought that far. ¡°Imagine how much effort those monsters, not even mutants, must have put in to deal with the human named ones in the Australian region and conquer the continent. I think we need to hear their side of the story.¡± ¡°...?¡± Feeling that something was slightly off, Hyungbeom opened his mouth again, but Yeongwoo continued. ¡°They have already proven their survival ability, and most importantly, they are the de facto rulers of Australia. If we fight the orcs, we might gain Australiannd... but how will we manage that vast and barren continent?¡± ¡°So, are you going to just leave the ones who killed people and took over Australia alone?¡± ¡°Who are those people? Are they your family, Hyungbeom? They have no rtion to us, and for the already dead people, resetting the Australian continent again is pointless.¡± ¡°No, but still...!¡± Hyungbeom seemed unable to agree emotionally. Of course, as a human being before anything else, Yeongwoo could understand his feelings. ¡°They are the ones who killed people and took away human territories. But on the other hand, they are also beings who came to an unfamiliar and became the prey of humans. Was Australia an unconditional victim?¡± ¡°...¡± From a human standpoint, it was pure sophistry, but the argument itself wasn¡¯t entirely without merit. Monsters were generally considered prey. However, due to geographical characteristics, humans couldn¡¯t dominate Australia, and thus were pushed back by the tactically skilled orcs. ¡°This is changing much more and faster than you think. Compared to what will happen in the future, the fact that a single, smallest continent has fallen to a different race is not that surprising.¡± In fact, Yeongwoo thought this might actually be a good thing. At this point, where humanity is moving beyond globalization to bing interster, he thought it might not be bad if theposition of ¡®Earth citizens¡¯ became a little more diverse. Of course, this was such a radical idea that he never voiced it aloud for fear it might be recorded somewhere. ¡°They said that if humans don''t guarantee the orcs'' right to survival, there will be nothing but war. That means, if we guarantee their right to survival, there will be options other than war. Right?¡± At Yeongwoo''s words, both the Strongest Swords of Haenam and Jeju nodded nkly. Yeongwoo''s thoughts were so unrealistic and extreme that their thought processes were overloaded. ¡°What... What other option is there? What do they want?¡± Eventually, Choi Moonsoon, the Strongest Sword of Jeju, asked the crucial question, and Yeongwoo replied as if he had been waiting for it. ¡°Taxes. I want the orcs to be affiliated citizens of the Korean Penins before they be residents of Earth.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°To do that, they need to fulfill their civic duty, starting with paying taxes.¡± ¡°You want to collect taxes from the orcs?¡± ¡°We''ve collected taxes from humans so far, is there any reason we can''t collect from orcs?¡± ¡°My goodness.¡± ¡°What we guarantee in return for these harsh taxes is not just the orcs'' lives.¡± The term "harsh taxes" sent a chill down Moonsoon''s spine, but she was more curious about Yeongwoo''s next words, so she didn''t point it out. ¡°...So, what do we guarantee the orcs?¡± ¡°We guarantee the future of their race.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°If the orcs pay their taxes properly, they will thrive in Australia.¡± * * * Kwaaang! Finally, as Jeju Ind and Meganesia touched, a tremendous shock wave swept through the area, reminiscent of an earthquake. Fwoosh! ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°Oh my goodness.¡± Even the brave swordsmen of Jeju, who had held their ground until this moment, hesitated, and both the Strongest Swords of Haenam and Jeju looked ahead, brushing their hair aside. Because¡ª ¡°Graaah!¡± ¡°Guwooor!¡± The furious orcs on the other side were shouting, iming their right to survival. Thanks to Yeongwoo''s intervention, they didn''t immediately cross the continental border. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Are youing with me?¡± When Yeongwoo asked this, turning to the two Strongest Swords, Hyungbeom asked back hesitantly. ¡°W-where are you talking about?¡± ¡°Where else?¡± Yeongwoo pointed towards the Australian continent, where thousands of heavily armed orcs were in battle formation. ¡°You don''t have toe, but when else will you get a chance to sit at a negotiation table with orcs?¡± As Yeongwoo said this, one side of the orc line really parted, and from within,rge orcs emerged, carrying arge iron table and chairs like a coffin. A literal ¡°negotiation table¡± appeared. Boom! The iron table was ced on the barrennd of Australia. Then, the orc lord Bantubangtong spread his palm and pointed to the table. ¡°If you have courage, sit across from me.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Without a word, Yeongwoo left Jeju Ind and set foot in Australia. Thud. Then, after a moment of hesitation, Choi Moonsoon slung her greatsword over her shoulder and followed Yeongwoo. On the other hand, Kim Hyungbeom said, ¡°I... I''ll stay here just in case.¡± Unlike the other two Strongest Swords, he chose psychological stability. No matter how strong Jeong Yeongwoo was, he couldn''t muster the courage to enter the midst of thousands of orcs with him. Even if this scene was recorded and used as footage in a future election, it didn''t matter. Hyungbeom had no intention of running for the ¡°Strongest Sword¡± election anyway. ¡°Yes. It''s good to have someone covering our backs.¡± Yeongwoo encouraged Hyungbeom, then walked up to the iron table surrounded by orcs. Arge shadow with "Golden Trail" loomed over him. ¡°Woooo...¡± Seeing this, the orcs slowly pointed their swords at Yeongwoo with tense expressions. ¡°What is that?¡± Bantubangtong asked on behalf of everyone, and Yeongwoo nced back and replied, ¡°As you can see, it''s a sword. It won''t attack without mymand, so don''t worry.¡± Then, looking at the chair in front of him, Yeongwoo spoke again. ¡°On Earth, it''s polite for the superior to sit first. So I''ll sit first.¡± ¡°What?¡± While Bantubangtong frowned, Yeongwoo had already pulled out the chair and sat down. He gestured for Choi Moonsoon to sit as well. ¡°Ah.¡± As Choi Moonsoon looked at the orc lord and tried to pull out his chair, Bantubangtong quickly sat down first. ''Simple-minded, just as he looks.'' Yeongwoo was confident the negotiation would end sessfully. ¡°As I mentioned earlier, I will guarantee your right to survival.¡± Bantubangtong rested his arms on the table and inteced his fingers. ¡°How?¡± ¡°Simply by not attacking you immediately, I have already kept my promise.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Bantubangtongughed, opening his mouth wide enough to show his uv. ¡°Look, human. You¡¯re bigger than the Australians, and you shoot well with your bow.¡± As he said this, therge orcs, each positioned by unit, all turned towards the table. They were the exceptionallyrge orcs who had thrown spears across the sea earlier. ¡°But you can''t threaten us alone. Without an army, it might be us who need to demand the right to survive.¡± ¡°...¡± Yeongwoo realized why the orcs were so tactically skilled. Theycked the concept of overwhelmingly powerful asymmetric forces like powerful mages or nuclear missiles, so they had to develop tactics that maximized small forces to create significant effects. After a moment''s thought, Yeongwoo spoke slowly. ¡°You still don''t understand Earth, Bantubangtong.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The Australia you invaded is the weakest of Earth''s four continents.¡± ¡°...!¡± ¡°If the Swordtain knew Earth well, you would have been more anxious seeing mee here alone.¡± ¡°What... Are you saying you can face the legion alone?¡± Bantubangtong looked incredulous, his inteced fingers now separated. Then Yeongwoo suddenly stood up and drew his sword, Bastard. ¡°Not just the legion. I will fight againsts in the future!¡± With that, he swung his sword, slicing through the negotiation table as if it were tofu. ¡°This... this madman!¡± As the startled Bantubangtong stood up and drew his sword, thousands of orcs aimed their weapons at Yeongwoo and Moonsoon. ¡°Strongest Sword! You crazy bastard! Why did you ask me to follow if this was your n? Is this a negotiation?¡± The pale-faced Choi Moonsoon shouted, but Yeongwoo stood firmly, staring at the orc lord. ¡°From now on, I''ll kill about a hundred and drink the blood of the rest.¡± ¡°You fool, before you swing your sword a hundred times, you¡¯ll...!¡± While Bantubangtong retorted with his outdated thinking, Yeongwoo looked up and shouted. ¡°Earth, 006! 491! 8832! 017!¡± Amazingly, the orcs also looked up. It was one of theirmon tactics, a shower of spears. Though they didn''t understand the coordinates, they recognized it as a call for support. ¡°No, it can''t be...¡± As Bantubangtong looked at the sky with disbelief, a giganticser beam, Earth''s proud asymmetric force, shot down from the sky. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 269 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 269: Highway (4) On the day when a massive light descended from the sky, all the orcs in Australia remembered. ¡ªAfter roughly killing a hundred people, I¡¯ll drain the blood of the rest. That line was spoken by a human from the Korean Penins. Roughly a hundred... Kwaaaaaa! However, no matter how they looked at it, theser beam piercing through the sky didn¡¯t seem like it would stop after killing just 100 people. Even the orcs, who were ignorant of asymmetric warfare, could tell that the area covered by that light... - We¡¯re all gonna die! - It¡¯sing...! - Run away! The red-footed orcs, who started at the bottom of Australia¡¯s food chain and climbed to the top by their own efforts, were probably the greatest ¡°monsters¡± on Earth. Yet, they lost theirposure in front of the asymmetric power they faced for the first time. - Aaaah! - Eeeek! - Save me...! The red-footed orcs, standing at least 3 meters tall, with some reaching up to 6 meters, fled in all directions in panic, causing a huge cloud of dust and shaking the ground. And amidst this chaos... Kwaaaat! Theser bombardment urately targetted the spot designated by Yeongwoo... Boooom! As expected, it swept across thend with a tremendous roar. ¡°Eeeek!¡± Even Choi Moonsoon, the Strongest Sword of Jeju, who was with Yeongwoo, screamed pathetically. However, Moonsoon soon realized... ¡°¡­Huh? What?¡± Though there was an enormous impact sound just now, it came from quite a distance away. And indeed... Woooooo... The immense bombardment urred in an open area about a hundred meters from the negotiation table. Some orcs nearly got caught in the bombardment range because they ran too quickly, but in the end... ¡°No casualties yet. This was just a warning.¡± As Yeongwoo said, there were no casualties yet. From Yeongwoo¡¯s perspective, these orcs were valuable manpower who would pay heavy taxes while managing Australia in the future, so he didn¡¯t want to reduce their numbers if possible. ¡°Now, shall we resume our negotiations?¡± Yeongwoo sat down first again. With a thud. Then, Orc Swordtain Bantubangtong, who had barely held his ground, bit his lip tightly. And then... - This is hopeless. With a disheartened expression, he sat down on the chair. With a thud. Yeongwoo tilted his head and asked, ¡°Why is it hopeless? You haven¡¯t suffered any damage yet.¡± But Bantubangtong was more emotional than he appeared. - Can we even call this a negotiation? This is just a formality, like this table; it¡¯s not a real negotiation. Bantubangtong pointed to the negotiation table that Yeongwoo had just broken. - We¡¯re being threatened now. And by this time, the thousands of orc troops, noticing that Bantubangtong had sat back down, began to return. Rumble... ¡°¡­Huh.¡± Seeing the red-footed orcs returning, raising dust, Yeongwoo expressed his admiration. As expected, their cohesion was impressive. ¡®Humans could never achieve this. They have too many thoughts.¡¯ But orcs could. And perhaps it was because of this trait that, despite being monsters, they could upy the Australian continent. If they had started life on the Korean Penins or in China, they would have already be beings of the afterlife. ¡®Their arrival in Australia was fate, in a way.¡¯ With a more generous look, Yeongwoo gazed at Bantubangtong. Watching theser bombardment fall and not moving an inch was indeed impressive. Truly befitting the leader of such arge group. So Yeongwoo paid his respects sincerely. ¡°Lord.¡± - ¡­¡­? ¡°Usually, I¡¯ve smashed the heads of those who speak informally to me. I have some inferiorityplexes because of my humble origins.¡± - Ah... is that so? ¡°But as a sign of my respect for you, I¡¯ll let you speakfortably. This is the level of respect I give to my father.¡± - ¡­¡­. Bantubangtong couldn¡¯t hide his confused expression after hearing Yeongwoo¡¯s words. Since no orc had ever spoken to him like that, he didn¡¯t know how to respond. So, did he mean to speakfortably or not? -So... what will happen to Australia...? Bantubangtong timidly asked again, but Yeongwoo didn¡¯t care about such things at all. ¡°Australia remains as it is, under the rule of you and the Red Foot Orcs.¡± -What? Are you serious? Bantubangtong¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. In response, Yeongwoo nodded. ¡°Yes. However,¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze shifted to Bantubangtong¡¯s grand title. ¡ºRed Foot Orc Lord¡» ¡ÔConqueror of Northern Australia¡Ô ¡°You mentioned that Australia is an autonomous region of the orcs, but to be precise, you¡¯ve upied the northern part of Australia, right?¡± -That¡¯s right. ¡°Then there must be people in southern Australia, right? This part hasn¡¯t been confirmed yet?¡± Yeongwoo was confident that it hadn¡¯t been confirmed. If the Red Foot Orcs had taken over the entire continent, the special title would say ¡°Conqueror of Australia¡± instead of ¡°Conqueror of Northern Australia.¡± And most importantly, ¡®Thisnd is too vast. There¡¯s no way orcs, who move by running, could have swept across all of Meganesia in just a few days.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s reasoning was spot on. Soon after, Bantubangtong stated, -We have only upied the areas where our feet have reached. We do not know what is in the ces we haven¡¯t reached yet. ¡°Then there must be more people left in Australia. In fact, there will be far more than you expect. The tworgest cities are located in the southeast of the continent.¡± At this point, Yeongwoo could properly understand the situation in Australia. Of course, it was impressive that the Red Foot Orcs, who originated as monsters, had taken over the vast northern part of Australia. However, they hadn¡¯t encountered Australia''s ¡®real power¡¯ yet. ¡®Someday, when the big cities of Australia advance north, that will be the time when a great war breaks out.¡¯ However, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t want to ughter the orc army for their sake. He had already recruited Lord Bantubangtong and believed that the orcs would manage the north better than humans. ¡®They¡¯ve already proven it in practice, haven¡¯t they?¡¯ Therefore, the strategy Yeongwoo could take was, [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡®To strengthen the Red Foot Orcs so they won¡¯t be overwhelmed by the big cities in Australia.¡¯ At least until Yeongwoo himselfes down to mediate. -There are bigger cities in the southeast? Bantubangtong¡¯s eyes twitched menacingly at once. Even though he and the Red Foot Orcs were being threatened by Yeongwoo, they prided themselves on being the strongest within the Australian continent. Hence, the fact that anotherpetitor still remained sparked their inherent belligerent nature. ¡°You must not.¡± -...? ¡°No more killings. The survival guarantee I propose includes a prohibition on killing.¡± After saying this, Yeongwoo looked around to see if there was anything to write with. Then, ¡°Goldie, do you have a pen and paper in that pouch?¡± He asked the Golden Goblin, the alien who had been by his side the longest. He wondered if there were pen and paper in his dimensional pouch. Although he asked without much expectation, surprisingly, -Kiit! The Golden Goblin indeed took out a pen and a notepad from the dimensional pouch. It was because when the goblin took over Yeongwoo''s bag, it included items taken from a convenience store. Yeongwoo had gathered pens and paper from the store, thinking they might be useful someday. ¡°Oh.¡± Receiving the pen from the goblin, Yeongwoo tore off a sheet from the notepad. Then, he instructed the trumpet yer, Pofu Tenta, to support one side of the broken table. -With a grunt¡­ Seeing the alien ve Pofu lifting the table with his shoulder, Bantubangtong felt a sense of camaraderie and stretched out his left arm to help lift the table. -What is he trying to do? Yeongwoo ced the notepad sheet on the table and wrote something on it. ¡°Can you read this?¡± When Yeongwoo showed the note saying, ¡®Orc, illiterate,¡¯ Bantubangtong¡¯s face immediately contorted in anger. -Do not insult us. You will learn that orcs have things more important than life. ¡°¡­So you can read.¡± After a brief verification, Yeongwoo tore off another sheet from the notepad, ced it on the table, and asked the Orc Lord, ¡°How many mutants appear daily in the territory you¡¯ve taken?¡± -Six each day. And countless monsters. ¡°Oh, six daily. Got it.¡± That meant there were only six locations in northern Australia that the reset system considered as ¡°valid areas.¡± It seemed that originally uninhabited areas were broadly integrated, sending down mutants. ¡°You must send me 120 million karma daily.¡± -...What? ¡°It might be shocking since it¡¯s the first time you¡¯re being exploited, but other regions are paying too. And they are even the indigenous people of Earth.¡± -What? That¡¯s... Are you telling me you are extorting your own kind too? The concept of exploiting their own kind seemed foreign to the Red Foot Orcs. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s how Earth operates.¡± Yeongwoo replied nonchntly, then continued, ¡°You all aren¡¯t humans anyway... In fact, you¡¯re parasites on this, aren¡¯t you? So I initially intended to really squeeze you, but I changed my mind.¡± Of course, demanding 120 million karma daily from orcs who only had six mutants for ie was essentially squeezing them dry. However, Bantubangtong and the Red Foot Orcs, who were still unfamiliar with Earth¡¯s situation, didn¡¯t know this. -Then what are you nning? ¡°I¡¯ll only take a moderate amount of money and help you be a prosperous and strong nation. From now on, the Red Foot Orcs will guard the southern border of the Korean Penins. Think of it as a kind of wall.¡± This time, Choi Moonsoon, who had been standing behind, was so shocked that she shouted, ¡°What? What are you talking about? Are you really out of your mind?¡± But Yeongwoo waved his hand, signaling that it was fine. ¡°How many Red Foot Orcs are currently in Australia?¡± -Approximately 5,000 brothers. ¡°Five thousand...?¡± Yeongwoo was also a bit surprised by this number since it was more than he expected. Usually, the number of monsters appearing in one area varied from a few dozen to about a thousand, depending on the species. But 5,000... ¡°Is it really that many? Did all 5,000 brothersnd in Australia together?¡± When Yeongwoo asked, Bantubangtong shook his head. -No. Initially, we were only 307 brothers. 307 brothers. He was referring to 307 Red Foot Orcs. So, only 307 Red Foot Orcs had appeared in this country initially. And one of the vanguard was none other than Orc Lord Bantubangtong. ¡®So far, everything seems normal.¡¯ Then what happened in a few days for the number of Red Orcs to increase to 5,000? ¡°So? What did the 307 brothers do?¡± -Eradication. We first eradicated the fake brothers. ¡°Fake brothers?¡± Yeongwoo blinked for a moment before quickly understanding. ¡°You mean mutants?¡± -Yes. So, in reality, there were 306 brothers. After eradicating the fake brother, we were left with 230 brothers. ¡°...Oh.¡± It was a dry statement, but it was indeed a sad story. The 307 Red Foot Orcs had fallen into another world together, but it turned out that one among them was a mutant, forcing them into a fierce battle. A fierce fight in the wilderness. In the process, Bantubangtong lost 76 brothers. But Bantubangtong was a more sentimental orc than Yeongwoo expected. -If one has Red Feet, they are a brother. The fake brother was also brave like a Red Foot. So I decided to bury 77 brothers in my heart that day. In the unfamiliar wastnd. Though the number of orcs who died that day was 76, he was also counting the brave mutant as a brother. ¡°Oh... Lord, if you had shared that story in Shandong Province, you would have been called a hero.¡± Yeongwoo wiped away nonexistent tears, then asked the Red Foot Orc Lord, Bantubangtong, ¡°Then how did the 230 brothers who survived in the wilderness be thisrge army?¡± They couldn¡¯t have grown at an extremely fast pace. Even Yeongwoo, who had encountered all sorts of bizarre things on Earth, found this particr matter mysterious. Then Bantubangtong, emerging from his recollection, pointed his thick finger towards the distant wastnd. -In our city, Darwin, there is a portal. ¡°A portal?¡± A portal. If the orc wasn¡¯t using the wrong word... ¡°Lord, do brotherse out of that portal?¡± In response to Yeongwoo¡¯s question, Bantubangtong nodded. -Every time money is inserted, we can rescue our brothers. ¡°Unbelievable.¡± With that one line, Yeongwoo realized a lot. The monsters who yed the lowest role in the reset world. When such a monster earned the title of Strongest Sword, they could open a dimensional portal connected to their homnd. ¡°Lord...? Why do you rescue your brothers? Is something happening where you originally came from?¡± Then the orc uttered a word that Yeongwoo never expected. -Mara. ¡°Pardon?¡± -Mara took over our. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 270 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 270: Highway (5) Mara. Among the things that Yeongwoo knew as ¡°Mara,¡± there was only one entity capable of seizing an alien. Master of the Void, one who walks in the shadow of universalws. The King of Ten Thousand Demons. The troublesome figure he kept getting entangled with. ¡°Mara was also in your world?¡± When Yeongwoo reflexively asked this, Bantubangtong¡¯s eyes twitched this time. - What do you mean? Could it be that Mara is on this as well? The Lord of the Red Foot, Bantubangtong, looked in disbelief. - Ah. Fear and anger alternated in his fierce gaze. Mara, who had already trampled on their home once before. That¡¯s why he was so terrified, yet simultaneously, the overwhelming desire for revenge made his chest feel like it would burst. - Where is Mara now? ¡°I¡¯m not exactly sure yet. I¡¯m searching.¡± Yeongwoo said this and cautiously added, ¡°However...¡± - However? ¡°There is a ce I suspect. A country called China, which is about to go to war with us.¡± - China? Bantubangtong tilted his head. He didn¡¯t know howrge a country China was. - About to go to war? Aren¡¯t you the master of this? ¡°Not yet. But I will be soon. And I¡¯ll keep my promise to guarantee your survival.¡± Yeongwoo pointed to the sky with his index finger, referring to theser bombardment they had seen a moment ago. - ...... At this, Bantubangtong began to understand what kind of ce this was. - This ce is... a world of swindlers. ¡°I apologize. But I am a swindler with loyalty. I always keep my promises.¡± This was Yeongwoo¡¯s idea of ¡°loyalty.¡± He always kept his promises and repaid any grace shown to him. Even if the recipient of his gratitude was a demon or an orc. ¡°On Earth, this is called ¡®loyalty.¡¯¡± - Loyalty... does that mean swindler? ¡°...No. It¡¯s more like a sense of duty and trust. It¡¯s simr to how the lord doesn¡¯t betray his ¡®brothers.¡¯¡± - Ah. ¡°And those who act with such loyalty are called, if young, ¡®little hero,¡¯ and if older or more respected, ¡®great hero.¡¯¡± - Great hero? ¡°Yes. For example, you would be called Lord Bang, the Great Hero.¡± - Aha. ording to social norms, Bantubangtong should have asked Yeongwoo¡¯s name next and called him ¡®Great Hero Jeong,¡¯ but... - Hmm. Bantubangtong did not call Yeongwoo a great hero. ¡®This crazy orc bastard?¡¯ Of course, this wasn¡¯t enough to ruin the major deal they were negotiating. It was a business worth 1.2 billion a day. And there was a chance they would ally with at least 5,000, potentially growing, orc troops. ¡°Lord.¡± Yeongwoo picked up his pen and called Bantubangtong. ¡°If you fully cooperate with me, I will approve an orc autonomous territory in northern Australia and ensure that no one on this threatens the orcs¡¯ right to survive.¡± In essence, Yeongwoo was selling something he didn¡¯t yet have, but Bantubangtong didn¡¯t have a better alternative. - Fine. But we have one condition. ¡°Condition? What is it...?¡± An unexpected counter. But the red-footed orc¡¯s condition was much simpler than Yeongwoo anticipated. - We will also participate in the fight against Mara. They wanted to take revenge for their homnd here on Earth. And for Yeongwoo, ¡°Of course, Lord Bang. You have that right.¡± there was no reason to refuse. Scribble. Yeongwoo picked up his pen again. Then he started writing down the guarantee of orc survival on a notepad. ¡°First, I, Jeong Yeongwoo, will jointly defend the orc autonomous territory in northern Australia.¡± - Good. ¡°However, second, the orc autonomous territory cannotunch a preemptive attack on other regions or countries, and if they must attack for unavoidable reasons, they must notify me.¡± This use considered the major cities in southern Australia, Jeju Ind, and even Japan. Since the reset, Korea-Japan rtions had not been properly established. But unexpectedly, Bantubangtong objected at this point. - How can it be an autonomous territory if we cannotunch preemptive attacks? We are about to pay you arge sum of money. I think that is enough respect. ¡°I understand what you mean, but it bes troublesome if you have attack rights. This has billions of humans other than me, and we must consider public opinion.¡± He wanted to exin in more detail, but it was getting dark. This meant that the time for abnormal weather and nighttime dungeons was approaching. So Yeongwoo needed to rest as soon as possible. ¡°If you want full autonomy, help me conquer this as soon as possible. To do that, we must first defeat a country called China, which is thousands of kilometers away.¡± Yeongwoo said this, feeling a lump in his chest. He could not move the orc troops stationed in Australia to China. If the entity behind China¡¯s Im Dupyeong was Mara, Yeongwoo sincerely wanted the Red Foot Orcs to join the battle. But how? ¡®I can¡¯t transport 5,000 orcs and their weapons by express shipping. The cost would be astronomical.¡¯ - So what do we do? Is there anything other than paying money? As Bantubangtong asked this, an emblem of Dogo appeared in the center of Yeongwoo¡¯s vision. Like aputer booting up and showing the OS logo. sh! ¡°Oh...!¡± Then a new type of interface appeared. ¡¸Theary development process will begin now.¡¹ ¡®Ah, is thepany officially intervening now?¡¯ As Yeongwoo blinked rapidly, the next stage proceeded. ¡¸Is the power on the unified?¡¹ ¡®Unified? No.¡¯ Currently, at least two forces could oppose the Korean Penins. There were forces backed by Lemu and Mara, each with their own influence. ¡®And there¡¯s no guarantee that one of them isn¡¯t Im Dupyeong. There could be more than threepetitors.¡¯ Never forget that Earth was quite vast. Just this morning, he hadn¡¯t considered that an orc army might be stationed in Australia. ¡¸To unify the, what is the top priority that must be addressed?¡¹ ¡®Top priority?¡¯ As Yeongwoo questioned, the development system disyed a series of items. [Equip with Anti-Air Defense Capabilities] [Construct High-Speed Transit Routes] [Low-Interest Refinancing Loans] [Equipment Upgrades] [Deploy Special Defense Forces] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] It seemed these were the initial business items that Dogo could pursue. ¡®Why is anti-air defense a priority forary unification¡­?¡¯ Of course, on somes, this might be crucial enough to be a representative task. But what caught Yeongwoo¡¯s eye was neither anti-air defense nor equipment upgrades. ¡®High-speed transit routes¡­?¡¯ This phrase seemed to directly target his needs. Hadn¡¯t he been looking for a very fast means of transportation for himself and something to transport the orc army in emergencies? ¡®What exactly are high-speed transit routes?¡¯ As Yeongwoo wondered, a detailed exnation appeared. [Construction of High-Speed Transit Routes] |Dogo-style highways will be installed across the. They can transport most armaments, including living creatures, but construction requires manpower and time. |These roads are designed to be environmentally friendly and cause no physical damage to the¡¯s existing ecosystem. However, idental casualties may ur during construction. ¡®Casualties?¡¯ However, the most important detail was thest part. |The construction of these roads is simple! Anyone with eyes and a sense of direction can be a constructor. |But since idents are likely, we rmend purchasing thepany¡¯s constructor pack. *Constructor Pack: 80 million karma per day. =2,000 diligent constructors are supplied daily, focusing solely on construction, day and night! ¡°......¡± Yeongwoo finally understood why Dogo¡¯s karma score was so high. ¡®Isn¡¯t this essentially a ve market¡­?¡¯ He wondered how vicious the details of the remaining items would be. After shivering without realizing it, he carefully reread the introduction of the ¡®Construction of High-Speed Transit Routes.¡¯ ¡®A very fast road that can also serve as a supply route¡­ but workers may die during construction.¡¯ In other words, if you value the lives of the¡¯s residents, you should buy Dogo¡¯s constructor pack. ¡®80 million karma per day for 2,000 constructors?¡¯ This meant each constructor¡¯s danger pay was 40,000 karma per day, which wasn¡¯t an exorbitant price. But. ¡®I already have 5,000¡­ no, 5,000 brothers who are constructors?¡¯ Yeongwoo nced at the Red Foot Orcs lined up behind Bantubangtong. Seeing this, Bantubangtong also looked at his brothers. - What is it? ¡°Lord Bang.¡± - Are you nning to swindle again? ¡°How could I? I just need your help.¡± - Speak. If you truly intend to guarantee our survival, you, too, are a Red Foot. With this, Bantubangtong signaled somewhere within the ranks. Whoosh. Soon, some orcs emerged from the ranks carrying a steel inkstone filled with red ink. It seemed they had some kind of oath-taking ceremony. So Yeongwoo quickly wrote a new number on his notepad and showed it to Lord Bang. ¡¸8,000¡¹ - 8,000? What does that mean? ¡°From now on, we¡¯ll only collect 80 million karma daily from the orc autonomous territory in Australia. Instead, use the difference from the original amount to bring more brothers.¡± In other words, he meant to increase their numbers by reducing the original amount of 120 million to 40 million. - Really? Then what¡¯s the catch? ¡°The road.¡± - The road? ¡°Yes. Please build the road leading to Mara.¡± - Mara¡­! At the mention of the two sybles that struck the hearts of the exiles, all the orcs, including Bantubangtong, let out fierce roars. - Mara! - The road to Mara¡­! - The road of revenge! Of course, they had no idea what they were shouting. Meanwhile, a design n and construction process for the ¡®High-Speed Transit Routes¡¯ appeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s vision, and it was anything but ordinary. ¡®Huh¡­? An elevated highway?¡¯ Judging by the surroundings shown in the short video of the construction process, this construction would take ce hundreds of meters above ground. However, the bigger issue was the method of connecting the highways. High-speed constructors would beunched in the direction the road would beid, and the road would form along their trajectory. ¡®Ha, well, without this method, it would take too long.¡¯ Then what would happen to the constructorsunched at high speed toy the roads? At least, the sample video didn¡¯t reveal what happened afterward. ¡°......¡± The Absolute Demon of the Korean Penins, Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes grew a bit misty. Then his arm shot high into the air. ¡°Revenge road! We¡¯re going to Mara¡­!¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 271 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 271: Starry Night (1) ¡°Mara!¡± ¡°Revenge!¡± ¡°Maraaa...!¡± While Yeongwoo and the orcs chanted Mara¡¯s name with voices filled with madness, Choi Moonsoon, the only one maintaining her sanity, sensed a swift presence in the sky. Swooosh! ¡°What is that¡­?¡± As she tried to call out to Yeongwoo, the Strongest Sword, upon sensing the sudden threat, Yeongwoo, who had seemed half out of his mind until now, suddenly reached up into the sky. Swish! With his fingers, he grabbed a pitch-ck metal card that had appeared out of nowhere. Snap! ¡®This bastard? He was in his right mind all along?¡¯ Choi Moonsoon gaped in shock. Yeongwoo had returned to his dry, emotionless gaze in an instant. She finally realized that the Strongest Sword had been ying along with the orcs all this time. ¡°We¡¯re in the middle of a very important ceremony, so y along, will you?¡± Yeongwoo whispered quietly to Moonsoon, then raised his arms back into the air as if nothing had happened. ¡°Marrraaaa...!¡± Moonsoon had no choice but to join in, raising her weapon to the sky along with the surrounding orcs. ¡°Mar, Mara!¡± In her 47 years of life, Moonsoon had never experienced anything like this before. After all, when else would she ever swear a bloody vengeance mingling with orcs on the Australian continent? Meanwhile, ¡®It¡¯s been properly deposited.¡¯ Yeongwoo checked the metal card that hade down from the sky. [50,000,000] A metal object containing a whopping 50 million in cash. This was the reward Dogo promised for thepleted quest. [Quest Complete - ¡°Finally, Global Vige¡±] [Reward Granted] | 50,000,000 Karma Thanks to this, Yeongwoo¡¯s bnce was nearing the billion mark. * Avable Karma: 98,492,500 ¡®The money isn¡¯t decreasing at all?¡¯ 98 million Karma. Although he had to pay taxes tonight, it was still more than enough money. ¡®It¡¯s perfect timing since I have to clear the night dungeon tonight...¡¯ Feeling generous due to his ample funds, Yeongwoo decided not to collect the wee tribute for the first time. ¡°Chief Bang, I won¡¯t be collecting today¡¯s tax. For now, bringing in more brothers is more important.¡± - What? Of course, for today... Bantubangtong started to argue but closed his mouth to avoid causing any trouble. Especially since the Strongest Sword of Jeju had gestured for him to be quiet. - Then... how do we break through that path? As Bantubangtong got to the main point, Yeongwoo handed him something as if he had been waiting. Thump. It was a hologram cube. Since the ¡®super-high-speed transit route¡¯ was constructed using multiple spacers, the design and construction video could be shared with others. ¡°Seeing it yourself will be quicker, Chief Bang.¡± Yeongwoo was quite nervous at this moment. If Chief Bang decided to nullify all agreements after watching the insane road construction video, there would be nothing Yeongwoo could do. - Huh. Eventually, as Bantubangtong reached the ¡®spacerunch¡¯ scene, he opened his mouth wide in astonishment and took a deep breath. Then, he gave feedback that was beyond Yeongwoo¡¯s expectations. - Indeed... the path of revenge, which will witness countless bloodsheds, must also be opened with blood. ¡°Ah, Chief Bang...!¡± - Mara! Is Mara really beyond that darkness? Bantubangtong asked, pointing to the considerably darkened northern sky, and Yeongwoo nodded vigorously. ¡°Yes! With high probability...!¡± This also meant there was low probability, but Bantubangtong, the lord of the Red-footed Orcs, was already rallying his brothers, pointing north. - Finally, it¡¯s time to open the path of revenge! Brothers! Open the path to be the stars in that sky! We will extract a thousand times the blood we shed from Mara! Amazingly, thousands of orcs in the area responded by thrusting their weapons into the air. - Stars! - Let¡¯s be stars! - Open the path of revenge! Then something even more astonishing happened. Swoooosh! As if on cue, a pir of white light shot down from the sky''s edge. ¡°Dogo...?¡± Seeing countless Dogo symbols mixed in the light pir, Yeongwoo immediately understood. It meant that Dogo had been observing all the scenes so far, and seeing that the ¡®spacers¡¯ were ready, thepany had begun the actual construction. Shhhh! Swoosh! In the blink of an eye, the pir of light that struck down on the Australiannd left behind a massive tower before it disappeared. The tower, resembling a very tall lighthouse, had intricate engravings of Dogo¡¯s wedge symbols on its metallic surface. - What is that? Soon, Bantubangtong approached the tower''s base, touching the surface with his hand and ring his nostrils. ¡°This is probably the first step to the highway¡­ no, the path of revenge.¡± - First step? ¡°Yes. To be a star¡­ you have to climb very high first.¡± As Yeongwoo said this and looked up to see the top of the tower, the orcs around him followed suit and lifted their heads. - What is that¡­ - It¡¯s really high. - It might really reach the stars. The orcs spoke poetically about stars, but to Yeongwoo, the tower seemed only about 700 to 800 meters tall. Still, it was excessively high for an elevated road. ¡®Orcs are supposed to build the road up there? What on earth¡­¡¯ Even though it was his doing, Yeongwoo found it absurd. Creeeak. The side of the tower slowly opened, forming an archway. Entering it would likely lead to the top of the tower. Yeongwoo wanted to proceed before the excitement died down. ¡°Who wants to be a star first?¡± But this wasn¡¯t the way orcsmunicated. Unlike with Bantubangtong earlier, there was no response this time. - Hmph. As expected, Bantubangtong snorted and grabbed his chest with his right hand. - You still can¡¯t speak with your heart. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± When Yeongwoo expressed confusion, Bantubangtong looked up at the sky, still clutching his chest. - The bravest one, the first brother to be a star, will shine the brightest even in the heavens. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Then he swung his hand that was holding his chest and struck the alien tower. Boom! - Who will light up the sky first? Who will be the first milestone on the path of revenge? The bravest one, step forward and proim your shining name! ¡®Indeed, a lord.¡¯ Yeongwoo felt a surge of emotion, clutching his own chest. And at that moment, Thump! Every orc stepped forward, casting heavy shadows on the tower. - Today, we all be stars! - There will be no night. Countless stars will light up the sky. - The brave ones, step forward! - Forward! As the orcs, each shouting a word, rushed towards the tower entrance, the tower shed white and shot white beams to the top each time. That was probably it. ¡°Are the orcs¡­ ascending?¡± As Choi Moonsoon, her mouth covered, spoke in a dazed voice, Yeongwoo shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t call them orcs. They are brothers. And now¡­ they are bing stars and shining.¡± Yeongwoo pointed somewhere far up in the sky. Then, Piaat! With a faint popping sound, a barely visible light beam shot out from the top of the tower, towards somewhere in the northern sky. It wasn¡¯t the brightest star in the sky, as the orcs had imed, but it still looked like a star. ¡°Wait, just now?¡± Seeing this faintly, Choi Moonsoon looked at Yeongwoo with a puzzled expression, and at this moment, Yeongwoo, ¡°¡­¡­¡± Trembled slightly at the fingertips and bit his lips tightly. ¡°Strongest Sword¡­?¡± Moonsoon closely examined Yeongwoo¡¯s contorted face. ¡°¡­ Are you crying?¡± Then the Strongest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo, shook his head again. ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. I was just thinking about how I must kill Mara.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Moonsoon didn¡¯t press the Strongest Sword further. She had already seen enough. The faint twinkle in the corner of this madman¡¯s eyes, like the starlight she just saw. * * * ¡¸The lodging service has begun.¡¹ ¡¸From now on, all buildings ssified as ¡®residences¡¯ will be under the invible state influenced by the lodging system.¡¹ ¡¸By the way, tonight¡¯s weather is ck fog.¡¹ ¡¸Be cautious of physical loss.¡¹ By 9 PM, despite the start of the lodging period, not a single orc who had gone up the tower had returned. Indeed, they were all bing stars in the night sky, paving the way. And still, countless orcs, or brothers, were lined up at the tower''s entrance. ¡°How many more brothers must we send before the path is fully opened?¡± To his surprise, Bantubangtong responded, ¡°Isn¡¯t that something I should be asking? You¡¯ve grown soft, human.¡± ¡°I have no honor. I realized that after seeing those starlights.¡± Bantubangtongughed heartily, his throat fully visible. ¡°Ha ha! Honor is not something one can im for oneself. If you want to reim your honor from us, ensure those stars shine forever.¡± Though thest statement was somewhat ambiguous, Yeongwoo soon understood its meaning. ¡°I will definitely kill Mara.¡± ¡°If that timees, you will be our true leader.¡± ¡°Hah.¡± Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t sure if this red-skinned otherworldly being truly understood the implications, but he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Bring the red!¡± Bantubangtong ordered his brothers to bring arge inkstone. ¡°If you wish to take revenge with us, first be a Red Foot.¡± He pointed to the red liquid in the inkstone, instructing Yeongwoo to step into it. The message was clear: they couldn¡¯t allow someone with white feet on the road they had paved with their stars. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Without hesitation, Yeongwoo submerged both feet in the inkstone. Bantubangtong approached roughly, grabbing Yeongwoo¡¯s neck and shaking his body in the inkstone, making sure his feet were thoroughly stained red. ¡°It is done! Now you are our brother, and we are yours.¡± Bantubangtong struck Yeongwoo¡¯s chest hard. Thud! And at that moment, Piaaaat! Unlike before, the tower glowed with multicolored lights, drawing bright lines on its lower surface. Swaaah, shiaaaah! It looked as if lines were connecting constetions. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± It was a kind of route map. A high-speed transportation route map. Beneath the brightly shining lines, the outline of New Pangea was engraved. ording to the map, ¡°Th-the path to Seoul is already open?¡± The high-speed transportation route that the brothers had opened stretched from Australia to Seoul. Judging by the intermittently flickering dots, ¡®¡­Those are towers. They¡¯re like stations.¡¯ By looking at the map, Yeongwoo could tell how the high-speed transportation route would function. The travel between towers would be almost at the speed of light. The way the brothers opened the path was likely to move rapidly to the tower left by the previous stargazer and thenunch themselves from there. Then, a tower would remain where they disappeared as stars. ¡°Is this your city?¡± As Yeongwoo stared intently at the engraved Seoul, Bantubangtong pointed it out with his stubby finger. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then what are you hesitating for?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Time is up. Go.¡± It was then that Yeongwoo noticed the night had grown much darker. The time for tax collection was approaching, and soon, the night dungeon woulde with abnormal weather. Swish. Bantubangtong was already pointing to the entrance of the tower. ¡°Master Bang¡­!¡± As Yeongwoo bowed deeply in gratitude, Negwig quickly ran up from a distance, realizing it was time to leave Australia. Thump! Once Yeongwoo mounted Negwig, Bantubangtong traced the white route extending from northern Australia to Seoul with his finger. ¡°Go up and follow our brothers. I hope the brightness isn¡¯t too blinding.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 272 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 272: Starry Night (2) 9:48 PM. Parnas Hotel in Gangnam, Seoul. At this moment, most of Seoul¡¯s prominent ¡°Strongest Swords¡± had gathered here. From Oh Yeonhee of Songpa to Jo Sangik of Gwanak, and even Kim Doha, the Yongsan Strongest Sword. These individuals, who were still the strongest in their respective districts, were wasting their precious time in front of a hotel room for one reason only. ¡°No matter what, I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°You never know.¡± ¡°True... if he couldn¡¯t make it by now, wouldn¡¯t he have contacted us?¡± Rumors that Jeong Yeongwoo, who was supposed to collect their money, had still not arrived had spread throughout Seoul. This was why the Strongest Swords had started gathering one by one in front of Yeongwoo¡¯s room, leading to this situation. ¡°Oh, right. At the very least, Yeongwoo could have contacted us, right?¡± Lee Yoobin, the Seongbuk Strongest Sword, widened her eyes and spread her hands, signifying the unique ring ¡®Wave,¡¯ Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s signature as the Gangnam Strongest Sword before bing a Strongest Sword of the Korean Penins. If something hade up, couldn¡¯t he have used the Wave to contact Seoul? The Strongest Swords of Seoul had gathered urgently because of this dy in Yeongwoo¡¯s return. What could have happened if Yeongwoo hadn¡¯t returned to Seoul without a word? ¡°He had a way to contact us but didn¡¯t... what could it be?¡± Kim Doha, the Yongsan Strongest Sword, rubbed his chin and asked meaningfully. This essentially implied that something might have happened to Yeongwoo. In response, Kim Jeonggu shouted loudly in front of the room door. ¡°What nonsense is that? Our Yeongwoo didn¡¯t fail to contact us; he just chose not to!¡± ¡°Yes, Father. Of course. I didn¡¯t mean anything else.¡± Jo Sangik, the Gwanak Strongest Sword, smiled bitterly and tried to soothe Jeonggu. But Sangik also considered the possibility of Yeongwoo¡¯s unexpected death. Otherwise, it didn¡¯t make sense. ¡®If he couldn¡¯t return by this time, there was no reason not to use the Wave.¡¯ Of course, it could be because he was too impressed by something to even think of using the Wave. But what could be more surprising than killing Kim Jong-un of the North with aser? ¡°What was Yeongwoo¡¯sst known destination?¡± At Sangik¡¯s question, Jeonggu thought momentarily and then looked west. ¡°I believe it was China.¡± ¡°China...¡± They had seen some of Yeongwoo¡¯s rtionship with China through the Strongest Sword selection vote, but that was just a part of China as a country. ¡®It¡¯s such a big country; he could have encountered a much stronger opponent than expected.¡¯ If that were the case, it was unfortunate. They had been supporting Yeongwoo, thinking it wouldn¡¯t hurt to have a crazy genius from the Korean Penins in this insane world. But... ¡®Did Yeongwoo dive into the big leagues too soon?¡¯ The sea might have swallowed the frog that should have stayed in the well. ¡°...¡± Sangik inwardly sighed but outwardly said something different. ¡°China is such a vastnd, he might just be too busy returning to contact us.¡± However, most of the Strongest Swords seemed to have different thoughts. ¡°No, no matter what, he could have said a word into the ring. How could he forget that?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a limit to beingte. It¡¯s almost time to pay taxes, and he still isn¡¯t here?¡± ¡°Exactly. He used toe back punctually at sunset because of the dungeon.¡± With the situationpletely different from Yeongwoo¡¯s usual pattern, they all secretly predicted something had happened to the Strongest Sword. Logically speaking, their words made sense. The Strongest Sword, who left Seoul for China, had not returned by almost 10 PM. Negative interpretations were inevitable. ¡°Then what if...¡± Finally, Lee Hanwook, the Dongjak Strongest Sword, uttered the words ¡°what if.¡± What if the Strongest Sword Jeong Yeongwoo had indeed died in an unexpected ident? Who would be his sessor? Who would manage the enormous defense funds he had collected from Seoul and parts of China? Could it even be managed? ¡°...¡± As everyone waited tensely for Hanwook¡¯s next words, suddenly¡ª BOOM! An enormous explosion was heard from somewhere outside the hotel, possibly beyond Gangnam. ¡°What, what was that?¡± ¡°It sounded like something fell!¡± ¡°Where did that sounde from? Wasn¡¯t it quite far away?¡± While the Strongest Swords in the hotel corridor looked around out the windows, Kim Jeonggu, the Dobong Strongest Sword and also Yeongwoo¡¯s biological father, raised his head abruptly. Then¡ª ¡°Move aside!¡± He began pushing aside the Strongest Swords in the corridor and moved forward. ¡°Wh-where are you going, Father?¡± Jo Sangik hastily followed him and asked, and Jeonggu, sweeping his finger across the Strongest Swords present, said, ¡°Can¡¯t you tell? That¡¯s the sound of Yeongwoo returning. Now, everyone, grab your money and follow me.¡± ¡°...?¡± Some of the Strongest Swords still wore skeptical expressions, but others had already ced their bets. Thud! They slung their bags of money over their shoulders and started running after Jeonggu. ¡°F-Father! Please slow down!¡± ¡°Father...!¡± Seeing this, the remaining Strongest Swords, who had been standing idly, also picked up their money bags. * * * 9:54 PM. Six minutes left until tax payment time. Jeonggu and about a dozen Strongest Swords hurriedly ran south of the city. This was because the explosion had undoubtedlye from the south. Soon¡ª ¡°Ah...!¡± Someone gasped and pointed towards the southern sky between the buildings, causing them to stop. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°...My God.¡± They saw some sort of structure descending from the sky, splitting it in half. It looked like a tower but was so tall they couldn¡¯t see its top with the naked eye. ¡°What is that, Father?¡± Everyone looked at Jeonggu and asked. ¡®Didn¡¯t that old man say so?¡¯ He had said just a while ago that the loud noise signalled that Jeong Yeongwoo was returning. But now, the true cause of that noise, seen with their own eyes, was¡­ ¡°Isn¡¯t that¡­ an alien?¡± When Lee Yoobin from Seongbuk proposed the alien theory, some of the Strongest Swords agreed and looked back at Jeonggu. Of course, Jeonggu was equally bewildered by the unexpected situation. ¡°What the hell is that?¡± Did Moses, who led the people in the Exodus, feel like this when he stood in front of the Red Sea? Even Jeonggu could see that it wasn¡¯t his son, Jeong Yeongwoo. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] No, it wasn¡¯t human at all. The scale of the structure was beyond imagination. ¡°¡­¡± While everyone stood there with their mouths agape, Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword, Oh Yeonhee, spoke up. ¡°Prepare for battle. Whatever it is, it¡¯s clearly not human.¡± Swish! With those words, her crescent de cast a long shadow on the ground, and some of the Strongest Swords thought: ¡®As expected of Oh Yeonhee.¡¯ ¡®If Jeong Yeongwoo is really dead, Oh Yeonhee will be the next Strongest Sword.¡¯ Oh Yeonhee, the Strongest Sword of Songpa. Before and after Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s appearance, she held the second-inmand position in Seoul. Although Jo Sangik of Gwanak had recently been rising in prominence, she was still undoubtedly the second-inmand. ¡°What are you all doing?¡± Seeing that many hadn¡¯t yet drawn their weapons, Oh Yeonhee frowned. ¡°It might already be toote, that¡¯s definitely¡­!¡± An alien invader. Before she could finish her sentence, it happened. Fshhhh! A thin beam of light descended from the sky, and arge pir of light enveloped it. Boom! ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an attack!¡± Finally realizing that the structure had reached Gangnam, the Strongest Swords drew their weapons. Swish, swish! And simultaneously. ¡°Instead of the Strongest Sword, monsters havee! But you''re gravely mistaken if you think Seoul will fall easily!¡± Oh Yeonhee, pointing her crescent de at the massive light pir, solidified her position as not just the second-inmand, but the future Strongest Sword. She dered that she was still the representative of the Seoul Alliance. Then, suddenly. Whoosh! The unidentified light pir, which had been just a mass of light until now, began to take shape. The light pir descended right opposite COEX, in arge construction site. Rumble! The pressure from the light pir suddenly intensified. Swoosh! In an instant, all the light dissipated, revealing a huge tower in its ce. ¡°¡­What.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really a tower?¡± Current time: 9:58 PM. Two minutes left until tax collection. Because of this coincidental timing, some present thought it might be another stage of the reset. The sudden appearance of this foreign structure was that astonishing. ¡°I can¡¯t see the top.¡± ¡°How tall is it¡­?¡± As the Strongest Swords cautiously approached the tower with their weapons, Oh Yeonhee warned in a sharp voice. ¡°Be careful, everyone. Inside there, most likely.¡± Something non-human would be in there, no need to finish the sentence. Swoosh! Suddenly, one side of the tower opened, forming an archway, andrge orcs with red skin poured from it. -Seoul! -It¡¯s Seoul! Standing 3 meters tall, these orcs chanted ¡°Seoul¡± as they lined up beside the tower¡¯s entrance. As if preparing for someone to emerge from the tower. And soon after. nk, nk. Someone with metallic hooves leisurely emerged from within the tower between the orcs. ¡°¡­?¡± As expected, the dazzling light from inside the tower caused the pupils of the Strongest Swords to dte again. Because. nk! ¡°The Strongest Sword?¡± ¡°Jeong Yeongwoo¡­?¡± The person emerging, guarded by orcs, was none other than Jeong Yeongwoo, the only elected Strongest Sword of the Korean Penins. ¡°Ah, you all came out to greet me?¡± Amidst the strange bright light, Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s characteristic nonchnt voice rang out. And right on cue. ¨DTaxes will now be collected. At exactly 10 PM, nationwide, no,-wide tax collection began. And specifically for the Korean Penins, there was an additional tax. ¨DDefense tax will be collected shortly. Prepare for payment. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 273 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 273: Starry Night (3) Defense Tax. It was a tax collected by the only elected Strongest Sword on the Korean Penins, and its rate was 6.8%, identical to the excess support rate at the time of the Strongest Sword¡¯s election. A characteristic of the defence tax was that it was automatically levied only on additional ie that exceeded the ¡°minimum expense amount¡± set by the tax system. And it was collected daily in installments. Therefore. ¡°What, what is this?¡± ¡°Do they start collecting taxes as soon as they arrive?¡± The Strongest Swords were understandably astonished. They were already paying tribute for defence, and now they had to pay the defence tax as well. Especially since the Strongest Swords, having significantly higher ies than ordinary citizens, would pay a substantial amount in defense taxes. Being individuals overseeing entire regions, their basic ie far exceeded the ¡°minimum expense amount.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this essentially double taxation?¡± ¡°We already pay defense fees, and now defense taxes too?¡± As the Strongest Swords in Seoul voiced their anger while wielding their weapons, the orcs surrounding the tower bared their teeth. ¡°Silence!¡± ¡°Is it so begrudging to pay your brothers?¡± ¡°Greedy beings.¡± The Strongest Swords did not back down and raised their swords more threateningly, instantly turning the situation into chaos. ¡°What, you bastards?¡± ¡°Unbelievable.¡± ¡°Yeongwoo, what is all this? Where did these guyse from?¡± In response, Yeongwoo calmed the situation with a single statement. ¡°Australia.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± -¡­! The Strongest Swords of Seoul hesitated, taken aback by the unexpected ce name, while the orcs, whose new home on Earth was Australia, looked sentimental. ¡°From now on, Northern Australia is an Orc Autonomous Region. Everything has already been discussed. No objections will be epted.¡± ¡°Wh-what do you mean?¡± ¡°An Orc Autonomous Region¡­?¡± Simply, it sounded like they had sold Australia to the orcs. At least to those unaware of the full context, it could only be interpreted that way. ¡°Yeongwoo, what are you talking about? Why is Australia an Orc Autonomous Region?¡± Unable to bear it any longer, Jeonggu asked, and Yeongwoo pointed to the top of the towering structure. ¡°We will soon engage in arge-scale war with China. And for that, we need very fast transport routes¡­ which these brothers have provided.¡± ¡°¡­Brothers?¡± Jeonggu¡¯s gaze turned to the giant red-footed orcs. Given how Yeongwoo acted, it seemed he had already made all the arrangements with the orcs. He had formed an extraordinary bond with the previously unknown orcs in just one day. ¡°You must have had your reasons, but do you think people will ept this?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± At his father Jeonggu¡¯s words, Yeongwoo looked up at the sky again. ¡°As I said before, no objections will be epted.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Without the brothers, we couldn¡¯t have built this road so cheaply. They did what no human could do.¡± ¡°What exactly did they do?¡± At his father¡¯s question, Yeongwoo touched the surface of the towering structure with his palm. ¡°Life.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Each tower contains the life of a brother. Nearly a hundred brothers have already died¡­.¡± As Yeongwoo spoke, a faint beam of starlight shot out from near the top of the tower. ¡°Even at this moment, the brothers are sacrificing themselves. So, no one can object to the rights to this road and the northern Australian autonomy.¡± This was Yeongwoo¡¯s way of stating that he, the Strongest Sword of Korea, would personally handle any objections. ¡°That¡¯s absurd.¡± ¡°No matter what, you just gave Australia to the orcs?¡± Even so, some Strongest Swords couldn¡¯t easily ept this, prompting Yeongwoo to take drastic measures. ¡°In exchange, I will immediately suspend the collection of defense fees in Seoul.¡± ¡°Oh¡­?¡± ¡°Really?¡± The mood shifted instantly. In a world where karma was directly linked to survival, eliminating a fixed expense was a wee change. ¡°Yes. Thanks to the roadid by the brothers, my operational range will expand significantly from tomorrow. So, I can collect the defense fees overseas instead of in Seoul.¡± In fact, he was already extorting considerable money from China. ¡°Oh¡­.¡± ¡°Great idea.¡± ¡°As expected¡­ globalization is the way.¡± The Strongest Swords in Seoul unanimously supported this decision. In contrast, Gwanak Strongest Sword Jo Sangik, with his background in public affairs, was focused on something entirely different. ¡°Um¡­ Yeongwoo?¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± ¡°These towers that your brothers built, do they serve as the pirs of a high bridge?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°If one of these pirs copses, the entire road might be unusable.¡± ¡°That¡¯s uncertain, but it would definitely make using the road very inconvenient if one of the mid-passages were broken.¡± As Yeongwoo said this, Jo Sangik nodded and suddenly started walking towards the tower. The orcs blocked his path with threatening looks. -This is our sacred ground. -No one but a brother may enter. Jo Sangik looked up at the orcs and smiled faintly. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to enter the tower. I just want to demonstrate something that might happen someday. If you allow me.¡± He then looked at Yeongwoo, realizing that the Strongest Sword hadmand over the orcs. So Yeongwoo said, ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t know what it is, but go ahead and demonstrate.¡± Trusting Jo Sangik¡¯s wisdom, he permitted him to proceed. The orcs red at Jo Sangik but stepped aside, and soon he stood right in front of the tower. ¡°How many of these towers are going to be built worldwide?¡± ¡°At least several hundred, maybe over a thousand.¡± ¡°As I thought. You won¡¯t be able to guard all those towers.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± At this point, Yeongwoo seemed to understand what Jo Sangik intended to do. ¡°Then, excuse me for a moment.¡± As expected, Jo Sangik rolled up his sleeves and suddenly grabbed his weapon with both hands, looking as if he was about to strike the tower. -What, what is he doing! -Human! The orcs were startled and widened their eyes, but Yeongwoo¡¯smand froze them in their tracks. ¡°If it truly is sacred ground, the de of one who doesn¡¯t shine will not be lifted.¡± -Ah¡­! A line from the heart. The red-footed orcs, moved by the words from their human brother Jeong Yeongwoo, stepped back in admiration. And in that moment. Whooosh! Jo Sangik swiftly swung his curved sword. Towards the pir of the high-speed transport route, which was the sacred ground of the red-footed orcs. Thud! A resounding impact echoed through Gangnam. Both the orcs and the Strongest Swords watched with wide eyes. Because. ''Was Jo Sangik always this strong?'' ¡®What¡¯s this¡­ I can feel the shockwave.¡¯ This act was not just a test of the tower¡¯s durability but also a disy of Jo Sangik¡¯s own martial prowess. A kind of announcement, or a warning, that there was someone potentially stronger than Oh Yeonhee within the Seoul Alliance. ¡®¡­This guy.¡¯ Sure enough, Oh Yeonhee, who had briefly dreamed of filling Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s void, clenched her teeth. Jo Sangik¡¯s ¡®full swing¡¯ was an undeniable provocation towards her. Of course, it also served as a thorough durability test. ¡°My goodness, this is incredible.¡± As Jo Sangik withdrew his sword, the tower¡¯s surface remained unscathed. Despite all the training and strengthening Jo Sangik had undergone since Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s appearance, he couldn¡¯t leave a mark on this tower, or rather, the ¡®sacred ground.¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°With this level of durability, it seems other strong figures from abroad won¡¯t be able to topple the towers either.¡± Yeongwoo summarized the demonstration, and Jo Sangik nodded. ¡°I expected as much, but it appears the towers are built to be indestructible.¡± In reality, his arms were now trembling from the exertion. However. ¡°There is no such thing as ¡®indestructible¡¯ in this world.¡± Then, as Yeongwoo drew his sword, everyone in the hall took a step back. Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s disy of power was rare and highly anticipated. At the same time, everyone hoped that even Yeongwoo wouldn¡¯t be able to scratch the tower. If the tower remained intact, they could still regard Yeongwoo as someone just within reach. However. Swish! With a light swing. sh! Yeongwoo left a visible scratch on the tower¡¯s surface. ¡°What?¡± ¡°What is this?¡± "¡­¡­!" ¡°......!¡± The scene was enough to embarrass Jo Sangik, who had swung his weapon with all his might. ¡°If there¡¯s someone out there at a simr level to me, it would be possible to destroy this bridge,¡± Yeongwoo remarked briefly. Then he added, ¡°So, we need to find that person quickly and kill them. We can¡¯t let the sacrifices of my brothers be in vain.¡± As usual, Yeongwoo¡¯s words were crazy. ¡°......!¡± Hearing such a demonic line from Yeongwoo for the first time in a while, the people of Seoul were left speechless. But their surprise didn¡¯tst long, as the moment for tax payment, which had swept the entire, also finally arrived here. Whoosh! ¨DCommencing tax collection. With a brief notification, a tax bill appeared in everyone¡¯s view, and for Yeongwoo: ¨DIt is an honor to see you again, Master of the Bastard, Dragon yer, Jeong Yeongwoo07! Tax Officer Kubu appeared, slicing through the air. ¨DToday¡¯s final tax amount is 7,380,000, including the acquisition tax, and the total is 13,280,000 Karma. |Calcted Tax Amount: 16,420,000 -Acquisition Tax: 13,110,000 |Deductions: Single Parent Household, Dependents |Final Tax Amount: 7,380,000 -Acquisition Tax: 5,900,000 *Acquisition Tax Payment Deadline: 23 hours 56 minutes This included the acquisition tax for the weapon encyclopedia he obtained through the chairman. A total of 13,280,000 Karma. He would have had to pay a hefty amount close to 30 million without the deductions. ¡®It¡¯s not yet an enormous amount of tax.¡¯ However, not all business activities were immediately reflected, so today¡¯s tax might just be the tip of the iceberg. ¡°Let¡¯s pay it all today. The more taxes we pay, the closer we get to owning shares.¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Kubu blinked hisrge eyes rapidly. ¨DYes, I will process it as you instructed. Shortly after, a slight chill ran through Yeongwoo¡¯s body. Whoosh! *Avable Karma: 85,212,500 His Karma bnce decreased to 85 million. ¡®I¡¯ve practically bought 13.28 million Karma worth of Earth.¡¯ But today¡¯s asset change didn¡¯t end there. ¨DDefense funds for the Korean Penins amounting to 78,967,105 Karma are awaiting receipt for today. ¡°What, that¡¯s for just one day?¡± 78.96 million Karma. It was more than enough to cover today¡¯s taxes, including the acquisition tax. ¡®Am I really making 78.9 million just by sitting around?¡¯ Of course, this was national funds, requiring a separate ledger, making it somewhat cumbersome. However, considering the national sentiment seen in the Strongest Sword election, any reasonable oue would likely be epted, no matter how bizarre the investment. ¡®I¡¯ll definitely show the value of our hard-earned money.¡¯ While Yeongwoo made this vow internally, he also had a clever thought. ¡®Wait a minute. If the national ie rises, there¡¯ll be more tax revenue, right?¡¯ Especially since the defense tax is collected from excess beyond the minimum necessary living expenses. In other words, higher living standards would mean more defense taxes from citizens. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Having this deep realization, Yeongwoo quickly turned around. Two figures immediately caught his eye. Songpa¡¯s Oh Yeonhee, the traditional strong figure of Seoul. And Gwanak¡¯s Jo Sangik, who had ties with him since his early days in Seoul. ¡®This task would be better suited for the former deputy minister who handled national affairs.¡¯ Their expressions revealed mixed feelings as Yeongwoo alternated his gaze between the two. ¡°Do you have something to say?¡± Jo Sangik asked, sensing something. In response, the only elected Strongest Sword of the Korean Penins, Jeong Yeongwoo, announced his first domestic project. ¡°Starting tomorrow, we will survey the entire Korean Penins. Deputy Minister, you will take full charge.¡± ¡°A survey of the Korean Penins... what do you mean exactly?¡± Jo Sangik cautiously inquired about the Strongest Sword¡¯s intentions. However, as the only elected official, Yeongwoo saw no need to hide his motives. He didn¡¯t even bother to sugarcoat his words. ¡°If there are still those across the eight provinces who haven¡¯t distributed the Golden Ratio, severely discipline them to contribute to the public good.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Improving the lives of our people! That is the first task of our Seoul... no, Korean Penins Alliance.¡± Unbeknownst to everyone, the Korean Penins Alliance had been inaugurated for the people. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 274 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 274: Starry Night (4) 10:21 PM. Having dismissed the Strongest Swords, Yeongwoo hurried to his room. He had little time to rest, as the night dungeon would soon appear along with the abnormal weather. ¡°Phew.¡± As Yeongwoo groaned and sank into the sofa, Jeonggu, who had followed him, sat down on the living room floor and looked at him. ¡°What have you been doing? What about those orcs from earlier?¡± ¡°What do you mean? I told you already. They were the ones who conquered northern Australia with their own strength. But now we¡¯re allies, so you¡¯ll be seeing them more often.¡± ¡°You mean we¡¯ll have to deal with them again?¡± ¡°Yes. The brothers will also handle the bridge maintenance, and we¡¯re nning to invade China together.¡± Thetter was especially part of the official agreement. And in the case of the former. ¡®The deputy minister couldn¡¯t even scratch it, so the bridge won¡¯t copse easily. But¡­¡¯ Yeongwoo recalled the moment the Bastard easily damaged the tower¡¯s surface. That definitely wasn¡¯t because of Yeongwoo¡¯s own strength. At that time, it was. ¡®A mythical weapon. The tower can¡¯t withstand attacks from a mythical weapon.¡¯ This meant that the high bridge could copse at any time. If there was another owner of myth on this. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m a bit worried.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°This country, no, this world. Anything too radical is never good.¡± Jeonggu felt that the was changing too rapidly and expressed his concern. But Yeongwoo¡¯s concerns were a bit different. ¡°I don¡¯t think adding one more species to the¡¯s inhabitants is a radical change. It won¡¯t drastically alter our way of life because of them.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± ¡°A much bigger change is already happening. For instance, a cosmic pornography productionpany is getting involved in the¡¯s development rights.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jeonggu¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. It was something he couldn¡¯t even imagine. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°Just be aware of it. Right now, we¡¯re choosing the lesser of evils to avoid the worst situation.¡± There wasn¡¯t enough time, nor did he have the energy to exin in detail. Yeongwoo closed his eyes again, hoping to recover even a little. Then he suddenly remembered and asked Jeonggu. ¡°What¡¯s today¡¯s abnormal weather?¡± Each country had different abnormal weather. So, since they moved from Australia to Korea, the expected weather must have changed, too. Jeonggu quickly responded. ¡°They say it¡¯s extreme cold.¡± ¡¸Just so you know, tonight¡¯s weather is extreme cold.¡¹ ¡¸Beware of freezing and ruptures.¡¹ Korea¡¯s sixth abnormal weather event, extreme cold. ¡°Extreme cold? Why does that sound familiar?¡± Lying on the sofa trying to sleep, Yeongwoo reopened his equipment codex. Swish! Soon, he found a ne rted to extreme cold in the essories codex. ¡¸Heated Stone¡¹ - Heroic Ne ¡¾Ignores extreme cold.¡¿ Fortunately, he had the entrance ticket to tonight¡¯s dungeon. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t need to procure any equipment separately to enter the dungeon today.¡± Yeongwoo said this and closed his eyes again. Thinking about the ¡°radical¡± events that might happen starting tomorrow. ¡®The brothers will also find it hard to endure the abnormal weather, so they won¡¯t work at night. Then they¡¯ll resume construction in the morning.¡¯ And since this side started construction, the other two forces might also be up to something. Lemu and Mara. ¡®We¡¯re building a road¡­ I wonder what the other two are doing? Which one of them is behind Im Dupyeong?¡¯ As Yeongwoo pondered over the weight of the ¡°Strongest Sword¡±, his consciousness slowly sank. Then. ¡°¡­¡± He fellpletely asleep in front of Jeonggu. Snore. As Yeongwoo began to snore loudly, Jeonggu left the living room and headed to the bedroom. There, Seok and her children, who had been watching television, turned to Jeonggu. ¡°Madam, is everything alright?¡± Jeonggu nced at the television and asked, and Seok nodded. ¡°I¡¯m watching them work.¡± ¡°Work? Oh.¡± At Seok¡¯s words, Jeonggu properly rechecked the television and saw the now four returnees working. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°They say it¡¯s a statue of a yer. It must be really big.¡± Although Seok kindly exined, Jeonggu tilted his head not because the four people were assembling a statue of a yer. ¡°That¡¯s... my son¡¯s face?¡± Although only part of the forehead, the right eye, and 30% of the lips were assembled and scattered around the room, Jeonggu could recognize it. He could tell that if it was put together well, it would form Yeongwoo¡¯s face. ¡°What? Are you saying that¡¯s Yeongwoo¡¯s face?¡± ¡°Yes. Look closely. If you attach here and here, and fill in the gaps properly...¡± ¡°Oh my, it does look like him?¡± Although Seok still seemed half-convinced, Jeonggu was sure. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡®What on earth are these people making...?¡¯ Even though only the face was fragmented, the statue''s body was almostplete. The body of a man drawing a sword and pointing forward. The armor he wore was very different from Yeongwoo¡¯s current appearance, but Jeonggu was convinced. ¡®That¡¯s Yeongwoo. But why are they using a model of Yeongwoo as a statue of a yer?¡¯ While Jeonggu had a questioning look in his eyes, the four people on the screen were diligently carrying the pieces of the statue. Then finally. ¡°Oh.¡± A short sound came from behind Jeonggu. ¡°Huh...?¡± When Jeonggu turned around, he saw Yeongwoo staring at the television with half-open eyes. He had taken a short nap and woken up. ¡°When did you wake up?¡± ¡°Just now. We need to get to the dungeon in time, right?¡± Come to think of it, quite a bit of time had passed, and the wall clock in the room already showed 10:54 PM. Six minutes until the abnormal weather and the start of the night dungeon. ¡°Well, look at that. Isn¡¯t that your face?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not sure.¡± Yeongwoo scratched his chin with an indifferent expression. Then, tilting his head again, he said. ¡°No matter how I look at it, that¡¯s our chairman¡¯s armour.¡± * * * 11:00 PM. ¡¸From this moment on, [Abnormal Weather] Extreme Cold is generated.¡¹ A snowstorm began to rage outside the room¡¯s window, and Yeongwoo prepared to leave. Of course, the mystery of the ¡°statue of a yer¡± remained unsolved. ¡°Why is that statue wearing your chairman¡¯s armor?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Since most of my assets came from thepany, it might meanmemorating the chairman...¡± ¡°But why is your face on it?¡± ¡°That armour is the chairman¡¯s signature, and the chairman is thepany itself, so they might have dressed it like a uniform.¡± Yeongwoo had nothing more to say about it. Ultimately, that statue was provided not by Dogo but by another militarypany, Toma. A pan-gctic militarypany ranked third in hazardouspanies forary development. [List of Hazardous Companies] *Ranking ofpanies unsuitable forary development. 1- Dogo 2- Hammer of Kwaya 3- Toma 4- Hexagon 5- Cerium And the fact that Yeongwoo was directly associated with two of the fivepanies listed as hazardouspanies indicated that he himself might not be living rightly. ¡®But what other choice is there? Can a mere human walk the straight path and protect a?¡¯ Yeongwoo sheathed the ¡®Bastard¡¯ and stood up. ¡°I¡¯m leaving now. Father, keep an eye on how the statue turns out.¡± As Yeongwoo opened the room¡¯s door to leave, Jeonggu asked, looking at the snowstorm outside. ¡°Where will youe back from tonight? Are youing back here?¡± He said this knowing that the orcs had built a suspicious road for his son. Now, if the kid wanted, he could leave thisnd in the blink of an eye. That¡¯s why Jeonggu felt a bit scared for some reason. Everything was happening, changing, way too fast. ¡°Man, even demons are fundamentally human. Got it?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Behave like a human wherever you go and whatever you do.¡± ¡°Why are you cursing at me all of a sudden?¡± Yeongwoo frowned. Still, he waved his hand lightly while walking away, bidding farewell to Jeonggu. ¡°I¡¯ll try toe back here. The bridge isn¡¯t finished yet.¡± * * * 11:11 PM. Having left Gangnam, Yeongwoo, as always, headed towards Gwangjin-gu over Cheongdam Bridge. Pushing through a snowstorm so severe that visibility was almost zero. ¡°Why not just make it cold? Did they really have to make it snow so hard?¡± When Yeongwoo grumbled like this, the golden goblin hiding under his cloak to avoid the snow also made an agreement sound. -Kit! On the other hand, Pofu Tenta, curious about the falling snow, sat at the edge of the back seat, waving his arms through the snowkes. - Bat...! ¡°What, doesn¡¯t it snow on your?¡± Well, the climate differed vastly from to. And unlike the goblin, Pofu Tenta didn¡¯t seem to feel the cold much. Yet, he was seeing snow for the first time. Crack, crack! Meanwhile, Negwig passed through Cheongdam Bridge and reached Gwangjin District. A region, once a ruin, that Yeongwoo used as a battleground with the Dragon race. Also, every night. ¡°It¡¯s time to bring it out.¡± It was used as a summoning area for the night dungeon where warriors from all over the world gathered. - Kikik! Soon, the golden goblin opened the subspace pouch and took out a golden sphere. Swish. The sphere immediately turned pitch ck, losing its radiant glow. ¡°......¡± It was always a bizarre phenomenon to witness. sh! Yeongwoo then stopped Negwig andnded on the ground, confirming that no people were around. Then. Thud. He ced his hand on the ck sphereid down by the goblin. Paahhh! As usual, an ashen wave spread out from the sphere. Then, the surroundings turned grey as the abnormal weather suddenly ceased. - Kiii... - ...Bat. The goblin ttened his pointy ears, and Pofu Tenta narrowed hisrge eyes, showing signs of tension. But after that, nothing happened. Only the asional sound of Negwig stomping its feet in ce broke the ashen silence. So, as Yeongwoo looked around again. ¡°What, where¡¯s the dungeon...?¡± Whoooosh! A sharp sound of something breaking through the air came from above, through the grey mist. Something was descending. ¡°Is it falling from above this time?¡± Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t too surprised, having seen various dungeon entrances before. However. Boom! His jaw dropped in astonishment when he saw the dungeon entrance fall nearby. Because. ¡°What...?¡± The object that fell from the sky was in the shape of a gigantic anchor. ¡°No way, it couldn¡¯t be...¡± Yeongwoo muttered incoherently, walking quickly to the anchor. When he got within about five meters, a holographic text finally appeared. Paaat! ¡ó Dogo awoke to find his bedroom filled with assassins. To which Dogo said. ¡¾Do you not understand morality? Your numbers are too few, bring more.¡¿ However, the immoral did not listen, and the next day, their heads were disyed by the bed. It was inevitable. ¡°What... What is this...?¡± As Yeongwoo stared nkly at the unfamiliar message, the dungeon interface appeared. [Moral Lecture] | Dungeon Grade: Ancient | Difficulty: B | Required Personnel: 8 | Rmended Personnel: 16 The first ancient-grade dungeon since the reset. But the issue was. ¡®Is this... a dungeon created by the chairman?¡¯ While Yeongwoo was still in a daze, another unfamiliar message appeared. ¡¸In this dungeon, no equipment can be used.¡¹ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 275 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 275: The Strong and the Weak (1) The equipment was unusable. And it was a B-grade difficulty in an ancient level he had never seen before. "......" Every indicator was signalling ''danger''. But. "How could I not experience the dungeon the Chairman created!" Yeongwoo eximed loudly, looking up at the sky, then bravely touched the ''anchor''. Thunk. Immediately, the problem anchor started vibrating lowly. Drdrdrdr¡­¡­ Like Golden Trail starting to move. ''I have to ride this up.'' Intuiting that this anchor would soon be pulled up, Yeongwoo quickly clung onto the anchor. "See youter! Take care of yourselves!" Waving at the two ves and Negwig on the other side, Yeongwoo saw Pofu Tenta putting both hands on his bulging belly and bowing. At that moment. Chrrrr! The chain connected to the anchor began to wind upwards into the sky. ''The time hase.'' And shortly after. Whoosh! Therge anchor Yeongwoo was on shot up into the sky quickly. "Ugh¡­!" It felt like riding a high-altitude amusement ride without any safety measures, so Yeongwoo clung tightly to the anchor''s shaft. ''This already feels ominous.'' Other participants ascending on anchors must have felt the same. Thinking they had chosen the wrong dungeon this time. Swoosh! Piercing through the grey mist, a gigantic portal opened in the sky. "......!" The scene was very simr to when he dragged his father into the Temple of Valor. ''Seriously, the Chairman has the authority to create something like this?'' Yeongwoo gaped at the endlessly vast portal. The Chairman''s universalw level is 3rd grade. That meant that those who created other dungeons were also close to 3rd-grade beings. ''What kind of things exist in the universe?'' While feeling a renewed awe for the vast world beyond Earth, Yeongwoo was pulled into the portal with the anchor. Chrrrt! Thest sound of the chain''s noisy friction stimted Yeongwoo''s hearing, and then. Thud. "......?" All senses were cut off. Sight, hearing, smell, and even touch. Perhaps the mutants who had imed they were in indefinite stasis in a dark space were in a ce like this. With only his consciousness awake, Yeongwoo stared into apletely dark space. No, he thought he was in such a space since he couldn''t perceive it at all. ¡®Is this the void? The one that Mara governs?¡¯ Without any external informationing in, all sorts of random thoughts urred. Then finally. sh! The dungeon system appeared in Yeongwoo''s consciousness. ¡¸Wee to the ancient level dungeon ¡®Moral Lecture¡¯.¡¹ ''Oh¡­ this is the first dungeon with a wee message.'' Whatever it was, seeing something was better than being immersed in darkness, so Yeongwoo read the next line with a sense of relief. ¡®Before the full start of the dungeon¡­ all equipment¡­ does it include the body? What?¡¯ ¡¸Before the full start of the dungeon, all equipment will be removed to cleanse the body and mind. Note that the term ¡®equipment¡¯ also includes the body.¡¹ A shocking announcement. When it said all equipment, he naturally thought it referred to the tools he was wearing, including the Bastard, but here, equipment also included his body. In other words, for Yeongwoo, it meant the mutated cornea and the mutated stomach and¡­¡­ ¡®Spine, heart? If these are included, that''s truly insane, right?¡¯ Yeongwoo was appalled, but the dungeon system in Dogo didn''t care about individual circumstances. ¡¸Commencing equipment removal.¡¹ With a brief directive, warning rms immediately began to appear in session. ¨DEssential bodilyponent ¡®stomach¡¯ is absent. A rubber stomach is temporarily inserted. ¨DEssential bodilyponent ¡®spine¡¯ is absent. A spinal model is temporarily inserted. ¡®What the, what?¡¯ But it didn¡¯t end there. ¨DEssential bodilyponent ¡®heart¡¯ is absent. ¡®You¡­¡­!¡¯ ¨DA wooden heart is temporarily inserted. ¨DAll stats are reduced by 50% due to the iplete state. ¡®These bastards are turning me into a cripple?¡¯ Yeongwoo was screaming in the pitch-ck consciousness, when the final pre-notification appeared. ¡¸Entering the dungeon in 5 seconds.¡¹ ¡®Is this really starting like this?¡¯ Yeongwoo questioned, but of course, there was no answer. Instead. ¡¸4¡¹ ¡¸3¡¹ Only the mechanical countdown filled his vision. ¡¸2¡¹ ¡¸1¡¹ Finally, the countdown ended. Then immediately. sh! Yeongwoo''s vision returned to normal. ¡°Hah¡­¡­!¡± Also, the fact that he could hear the sound of his own exhtion meant. ¡®Hearing is back too. Has it already started?¡¯ Regaining all his senses, Yeongwoo blinked a few times. Although his vision was back, everything around was still shrouded in darkness. However, seeing that the view in front felt like a ceiling. ¡®I¡¯m in a dark room.¡¯ He was lying somewhere in what seemed to be a fairlyrge room. ¡®It¡¯s hard. Is it marble?¡¯ He felt something cold and smooth against his back and palms. So Yeongwoo tried to get up to examine the space more closely. ¡°Hup.¡± But then. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± His upper body wouldn''t move. To be precise, his waist and entire back wouldn¡¯t respond. ¡®No way.¡¯ ¨DEssential bodilyponent ¡®spine¡¯ is absent. A spinal model is temporarily inserted. ¡®No, are you seriously crazy?¡¯ Yeongwoo finally realized. The ¡®spinal model¡¯ the dungeon system had inserted instead of his original spine was literally just a model. Something with no operational function was essentially just a support. ¡®So I have toplete the dungeon with a crippled waist?¡¯ As Yeongwoo sensed impending doom, he noticed a presence near his feet. Sss. ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Yeongwoo tried to use his arms to lift his upper body. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ But his arms wouldn¡¯t move either. Of course, with the entire spine essentially gone, it made sense that his limbs wouldn¡¯t function properly. ¡®I¡¯m screwed.¡¯ Meanwhile, the number of presences near his feet quickly increased, and Yeongwoo finally understood. ¡ó Upon waking, Dogo saw his bedroom filled with assassins. That strange message he saw just before entering the dungeon. The scenario described in that message was the opening of this dungeon. ¡®No, the Chairman still had his spine intact at that time, right?¡¯ In other words, the ce where Yeongwoo was now lying was somewhere that replicated Dogo¡¯s bedroom. Naturally, the identity of those presences. ¡®Assassins!¡¯ As Yeongwoo widened his eyes, someone approached his side. ¡®He¡­help.¡¯ Yeongwoo rolled his eyes to look at the figure in the darkness. He could vaguely make out their form. -¡­¡­. The assassin prepared by Dogo''s dungeon system was a tall figure in a ck hood. The person seemed to be at least 4 meters tall, implying that the room was equallyrge. ¡®How big is this ce?¡¯ Just as Yeongwoo was starting to reimagine theyout of the room in his mind, the assassin raised a knife. ¡°Huh? Wait, wait!¡± Clearly an attempt to assassinate. ¡°Wait! I am a disabled person who cannot use my limbs! Don¡¯t you know morality?¡± Yeongwoo desperately appealed his vulnerable state, but the assassin paid no mind and swung the knife. Whoosh! The de headed straight for Yeongwoo¡¯s chest. And without hesitation. Thud! ¡°Ugh!¡± With an ugly groan, the de pierced the centre of Yeongwoo¡¯s chest. ¡°Aaah!¡± Yeongwoo desperately lowered his eyes to look at the knife prating his chest and suddenly realized. ¡°What?¡± It didn¡¯t actually hurt. ¡°Huh?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] As Yeongwoo blinked, starting to understand something. Thud! The assassin pulled the knife out of Yeongwoo''s body. They probably intended to stab again since Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t dead. Simultaneously, rough presences emerged from all directions of the bed. The bedroom was indeed filled with assassins. ¡°Damn it!¡± Yeongwoo cursed at the air, and immediately, a fountain of blood spurted from the hole in his chest. Whoosh! ¡®Excessive bleeding¡­!¡¯ At the absurd amount of blood loss, Yeongwoo opened his mouth wide, and the assassin, who was preparing a second attack, suddenly staggered and fell backwards. Sizzle! As soon as the assassin was drenched in Yeongwoo¡¯s blood, their body melted away. ¡¾Corrosive Blood¡¿ |The blood has be corrosive. The effect of Yeongwoo''s ''Poison Dragon''s Heart'' was still active. ¡®No way.¡¯ Only then did Yeongwoo notice the icon in his vision indicating excessive bleeding and maximum physical damage. ¡¸Body Deficiency¡¹ - Epic Chestte ¡¾Power increases up to 80% depending on the degree of limb damage.¡¿ ¡®The saga! The epic still works!¡¯ However, his body still wouldn¡¯t move, and other assassins in the room rushed toward the bed. Swoosh, swoosh! Yeongwoo reflexively shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t you know morality? There are too few of you; bring more...!¡± For some reason, the Chairman''s line popped into his head the moment he sensed numerous assassins presence. As soon as Yeongwoo finished saying this. Whoosh! Suddenly, a tremendous chill swept through the room, and all the assassins turned to smoke and disappeared. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Of course, Yeongwoo was still lying on the bed, unable to move. ¡°Chair¡­ Chairman?¡± Yeongwoo called out, hoping the Chairman might be watching, but instead, the system message appeared. ¡¸Problem solved.¡¹ ¡®Huh?¡¯ ¡¸You solved the problem faster than anyone else, so you receive an additional 1 morality point.¡¹ Then Yeongwoo saw the status of the score in his vision. [Morality Points: 2] So, he received 1 point for basicpletion and an additional 1 point for solving the problem quickly. ¡¸From now on, participants must form teams of up to 2 and escape from Vesedel Fortress.¡¹ ¡®Vesedel¡­.?¡¯ A very familiar word, but attention shifted due to the crucial rule reveal. ¡¸There are two main rules.¡¹ ¡¸First, find the fortress exit and escape within 4 hours.¡¹ ¡¸Second, secure as many morality points as possible for final settlement upon escape.¡¹ ¡®Well, at least this is straightforward.¡¯ Yeongwoo mentally nodded his head that wouldn¡¯t physically nod. In other words, they needed to gather as many morality points as possible and escape the dungeon within 4 hours. ¡¸Ways to earn morality points include killing other participants, defeating elite monsters, and concealing the fortress exit.¡¹ ¡°¡­?¡± ¡¸Participants who fail to escape within the time limit will die, so please be aware.¡¹ With this somewhat ominous final warning, the door to the bedroom where Yeongwoo was lying opened. Sssss, thud! The thick stone door that upied one side of the room slid open entirely. ¡®Uh-oh, this is bad.¡¯ One way to earn morality points was to kill other participants. In other words, participants were bound to encounter each other within the dungeon. Before earning points, the system mentioned that teams of up to two were allowed. It implied that forming a duo would be beneficial since they were starting without any equipment. ¡®It¡¯s advantageous to team up, considering everyone¡¯s starting without their gear.¡¯ So, everyone would likely be cautious and try to meet other participants first. ¡®¡­Which means I¡¯ll obviously be a target for points.¡¯ Yeongwoo tried again to move his body but to no avail. At this rate, he¡¯d be found and killed by another participant or die without moving an inch within the time limit. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Yeongwoo clenched his teeth, and a blue light appeared near the doorway, showing a system message in his field of vision. ¡¸The shop has opened. Touch the emblem to purchase items.¡¹ ¡®Of course, there had to be more.¡¯ Yeongwoo strained his eyes to the side to see the Dogo emblem appearing near the door. That must be the ¡®shop.¡¯ And the currency used for purchases would be. ¡®Morality points.¡¯ Considering they might sell a proper spine there, Yeongwoo¡¯s mind raced to devise a n. It wasn¡¯t the best n but better than the worst scenario. The n was. ¡¸Self-Destruct¡¹ - Mutation Bracelet ¡¾Causes a powerful explosion.¡¿ ¡¾Durability +300.¡¿ ¡®Cause an explosion tounch my body!¡¯ This might alert all nearby participants to his location, but it was better than lying there helplessly waiting to die. ¡°Anyone with morality! Come to me! I¡¯ll take on everyone!¡± Half-mad, Yeongwoo activated the self-destruct function. Boom! As expected, the explosion from the self-destruct function bounced Yeongwoo off the sturdy bed. ¡°Whoa¡­!¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s cheer was as loud as the explosion. Although he rolled in the opposite direction of the door, it was still encouraging. Boom! Boom! Yeongwoo caused an explosion every time the self-destruct¡¯s cooldown was up, and meanwhile. Pop. [Morality Lecture] |Participants: 16 |Deaths: 1 The dungeon status was disyed. One death. One person had already died in the bedroom phase. ¡®Well,ing in without any gear, facing all those assassins wouldn¡¯t have been easy.¡¯ They had to fight barehanded. So, they must have allowed participants to buy weapons with morality points at that shop. However, the reason the dungeon system showed the participant status was different. ¡¸Four participants have entered the hallway.¡¹ ¡®The hallway?¡¯ No further exnation was needed. There must be a hallway connected to each of the assigned bedrooms. ¡®Oh, please.¡¯ Cold sweat formed on his forehead. As Yeongwoo looked at the open door, he activated self-destruct again. Boom! Then. Whoosh! ¡°Whoa¡­!¡± Miraculously, Yeongwoo¡¯s body was propelled into the air, hit the wall, and rolled to the opposite side. Right in front of the doorway. ¡®I made it!¡¯ Now, only 30 centimetres separated him from the Dogo emblem. One more explosion, and he could touch it. ¡®Most start with just 1 point, but I have 2, so I can buy quite a bit.¡¯ And what he wanted most now was a new spine. ¡®Just a little more time.¡¯ As Yeongwoo waited for the next explosion¡¯s activation, keeping an eye on the door, he heard footsteps from somewhere outside. Step, step. ¡®Yikes.¡¯ One of the participants who entered the hallway was heading his way. ¡®Time? How much time until the next explosion?¡¯ Desperately trying to use self-destruct, Yeongwoo saw the message indicating 16 seconds remained. But Yeongwoo didn¡¯t have that much time. Thud! Two blunt feet and the tip of a sword entered his field of vision. Another participant had discovered Yeongwoo¡¯s room. ¡°Uh.¡± The person seemed surprised, and Yeongwoo twisted his eyes to look up at them, also startled. ¡°Ottavio¡­?¡± Ottavio Simorelli. The Sicilian man who manned the harpoon on the boat Yeongwoo pulled in the first dungeon. All titles were confiscated in this dungeon, so the title ¡®Guardian Sword of Sicily¡¯ that should have been above his head was not visible. ¡°Oh¡­ Jeong Yeongwoo?¡± Ottavio remembered Yeongwoo¡¯s name. ¡°What are you doing there?¡± Ottavio looked puzzled at Yeongwoo lying on the floor like a corpse. Yeongwoo rolled his eyes to point at the Dogo emblem. ¡°You haven¡¯t found a partner yet, have you?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 276 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 276: The Strong and the Weak (2) ¡°Ah, a team member?¡± Ottavio¡¯s eyes wavered. It was true that the memory of Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s virtually one-man show in ¡°Iria¡¯s Pain¡± was as vivid as if it had happened just yesterday. But... ¡°Why are you still lying down? Don¡¯t tell me...¡± Ottavio stepped into the room. Step. Despite this, his eyes widened immediately when his counterpart didn¡¯t respond. ¡°¡­Yeongwoo?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯mpletely paralyzed.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ottavio let out a scream-like exmation and quickly covered his mouth. Because... ¡¸Seven participants have entered the hallway.¡¹ In the meantime, the number of people who had passed through the bedroom area and entered the hallway had increased. They werepetitors who could ambush and potential team member candidates at any moment. Additionally, since only a team of up to two could be formed, it had to be now if he were to recruit a member. Coming out into the hallway meant they had somehow dealt with the assassins in the bedrooms, implying strength. ¡°Y-Yeongwoo. If your body is in that condition, in this dungeon...¡± ¡°I know, the best team member candidates are in the hallway right now.¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°But do you know this?¡± ¡°Know what?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one who first dealt with the assassins.¡± ¡°......?¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Ottavio chuckled but soon changed his expression. Come to think of it, the doors to each bedroom only opened after dealing with the assassins. So the fact that this room¡¯s door was open meant that this Asian man had dealt with all those assassins. Even in a paralyzed state. ¡°¡­How is that possible?¡± ¡¸Nine participants have entered the hallway.¡¹ ¡°There¡¯s no time, so help me up first.¡± As Yeongwoo rolled his eyes urgingly, Ottavio reversed his grip on his sword and approached Yeongwoo. ¡°Should I just lift you up?¡± ¡°Yes. I need to use the store too.¡± This meant Yeongwoo had also earned moral points, and Ottavio began to take Yeongwoo seriously. ¡°I¡¯m always amazed whenever I see you.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to end up like this either.¡± ¡°But if you can¡¯t walk, how will you find and exit...¡± Of course, Ottavio could carry Yeongwoo, but then how would they fight? It was an unfavorable team formation in many ways. However, Yeongwoo remained calm. ¡°Wait, there must be a way.¡± No matter how harsh it was, Yeongwoo thought they wouldn¡¯t leave a participant in such an absurd situation. ¡®There must be a new spine or something.¡¯ Finally, with Ottavio¡¯s help, Yeongwoo touched the store emblem, and soon he saw the store interface appear in his vision. sh! [Random Weapon] =One melee weapon will be given. |Moral Points: 1 [Random Armor ¡Á2] =Two pieces of armor, excluding shields, will be given. |Moral Points: 1 *Participants with lost body parts, please refer to the ¡®Aid¡¯ section below. One weapon for 1 point and armour had the same price, but you got 2 pieces. It was a fairly reasonable setup. ¡®And I can steal someone else¡¯s weapon, right? If you¡¯re confident in your strength, you could buy armor first and then go looking for someone with a weapon.¡¯ But no method could apply to Yeongwoo. He couldn¡¯t move properly in the first ce. So, following the separate guide, Yeongwoo moved his gaze to the ¡®Aid¡¯ section at the very bottom of the store interface. ¡°......¡± Then additional items, not normally visible, appeared. [Crutches] =They won¡¯t break and can be used as weapons. |Moral Points: 2 [Wheelchair] =With 5 moral points, you can use a miracle to restore your body. |Moral Points: 2 ¡®They¡¯ve lost their minds.¡¯ Although Yeongwoo clicked his tongue, he instinctively knew he would soon rely on a wheelchair. Since he couldn¡¯t move his body properly, buying crutches would be useless unless he handed them over to Ottavio. ¡°Mr. Ottavio.¡± ¡°Yes. Did you find something in the store?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll need to push a wheelchair for me.¡± ¡°......?¡± Ottavio made a peculiar expression again. It was hard to tell if this crazy Asian man was joking or being serious. ¡°...Are you serious?¡± To confirm, Ottavio asked, and Yeongwoo answered by purchasing the wheelchair. Swoosh. When the wheelchair appeared next to the sprawled Yeongwoo, Ottavio¡¯s face twisted as if he were about to cry. ¡°Stop joking. This is a very unreasonable request.¡± Even though they had a connection, it was hard to ept pushing someone else¡¯s wheelchair in this deadly dungeon. ¡°So, are you just going to leave me here to be stabbed by anyone passing by?¡± ¡°......¡± Ottavio, the Guardian Sword of Sicily from the Mediterranean. He not only thought his actions in this dungeon represented his country but also inherently wasn¡¯t a mean-spirited person. That¡¯s why, seeing Yeongwoo with his limbs not fully functional, he couldn¡¯t just leave. ¡°You can only take one team member.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really lucky then, because you¡¯ve got the chance to be my only team member.¡± ¡°......¡± Ottavio was at a loss for words again. Then he nced around. It seemed he heard the sound of des shing at the end of the hallway. ¡°Can¡¯t you push the wheelchair yourself?¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t. But.¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°I can stand on my own when the timees.¡± ¡°When?¡± ¡°When I gather 5 points.¡± ¡°¡­Damn.¡± The sound of shing des had gotten a bit closer. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Ottavio bit his lip, resigned, and slipped his arms under Yeongwoo¡¯s armpits. ¡°I¡¯ll help you. But I have a condition.¡± ¡°Anything, just say it.¡± ¡°No team formation. I¡¯ll find my own team member. At least someone with all their limbs intact.¡± He would push the wheelchair, but that meant that Yeongwoo had to gather the 5 points needed for the miracle on his own. ¡°You won¡¯t regret itter? If that¡¯s what you want, fine.¡± Yeongwoo agreed to be a one-man team. Click! Finally, with Ottavio¡¯s help, Yeongwoo sat in the wheelchair. But he still felt more like an object than a participant. Even sitting in the wheelchair, he couldn¡¯t move unless someone pushed him from behind. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Let¡¯s avoid anybat zones as much as possible.¡± Ottavio quickly pushed Yeongwoo¡¯s wheelchair down the hallway outside the bedroom. Without any map or basic knowledge of the structure, running along the path seemed the best option for now. Meanwhile. ¡¸Thirteen participants have entered the hallway.¡¹ A notification announced that most participants had passed through the bedroom section and spilled into the hallway. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ottavio made a sound indicating his burden, and Yeongwoo encouraged him. ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯re alone.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think that. I thought you might be worse than alone.¡± From Ottavio¡¯s perspective, he now had to protect Yeongwoo while fighting, making it an additional burden. But Yeongwoo remained calm. ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be helpful. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°If you have any amazing skills, tell me quickly¡­¡± While Ottavio was speaking, someone appeared in the hallway ahead. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Ottavio hesitated and stopped the wheelchair, while the other participant turned his head at the distinct sound of the wheels. ¡°What?¡± ¡°...A wheelchair?¡± The two opponents were also in a pair. In other words, they had already formed a team. ¡°Entering here without being able to walk?¡± One of them said seriously, while the other stood threateningly with a sword, blocking the hallway. ¡°Let¡¯s take them down quickly before otherse. We might not get another chance like this.¡± They were thinking of one of the dungeon¡¯s main rules: earning moral points. ¡¸Ways to earn moral points include killing other participants, defeating elite monsters, and hiding exits from the fortress.¡¹ Since it was impossible to gauge how strong the elite monsters in this dungeon would be, the only thing that could give a sense of the difficulty was killing other participants. After all, without equipment, it would essentially be a battle of abilities. ¡°Let¡¯s go! It¡¯s basically two against one!¡± As the participant blocking the path shouted confidently, Yeongwoo quickly rolled his eyes and spoke to Ottavio. ¡°Stab me.¡± ¡°Huh? Who?¡± ¡°Me. My blood can melt people. So, stab me three times in the chest. Hurry!¡± Although Yeongwoo gave clear instructions, Ottavio only gaped and couldn¡¯t bring himself to stab him in the chest. Being particrly sensible and conservative, even among the strong ones of the world, Ottavio couldn¡¯t wrap his mind around Yeongwoo¡¯s strategy. ¡°What... what happens to your blood?¡± While Ottavio hesitated, the two participants upying the other end of the hallway approached. ¡°Kill the European first!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go...!¡± The two, who were lucky to get easy points early on, swung their swords enthusiastically. Swaaash! Of course, Ottavio, who had passed the bedroom section with a high rank, wasn¡¯t an easy target either. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?!¡± He skillfully used the narrow hallway, where at most three people could stand side by side, to establish a 2-on-1 battle. ng ng ng! With Yeongwoo in the wheelchair behind him, three des shed continuously in the air. ¡°Ottavio! Why are you taking the hard way...!¡± Yeongwoo eximed, rmed at the precarious situation, but, facing away from him, Ottavio only shouted back. ¡°I don¡¯t prefer such strange methods!¡± ¡°It¡¯s better than dying! And if you die, I¡¯ll be in trouble too!¡± If Ottavio died from being reckless, who would push the wheelchair? ¡®Damn it. If I had a coordinate tracker, I¡¯d wipe them all out.¡¯ Yeongwoo considered jumping into the battle using the explosion of his trap. As long as his head wasn¡¯t severed or his skull wasn¡¯t crushed, he thought he could somehow recover. ¡®There¡¯s no other way for now.¡¯ Just as Yeongwoo was about to attempt self-destruction, a swift presence emerged from behind the wheelchair. ¡°What...!¡± Another participant had appeared from the rear. ¡®Right, there were over a dozen people in this hallway alone.¡¯ They must have run over after hearing the loud sounds of Ottavio¡¯s battle. ¡®What the hell kind of dungeon is designed like this?¡¯ Reaching the limits of his patience, Yeongwoo gritted his teeth and looked up at the ceiling. Just then, something shed brightly in his vision. sh! [Dogo] ¡°Beginnings¡± [Mission] Don¡¯t forget the support from Dogo. [Reward] 5 Morality Points It was a quest from Dogo, the dungeon master. Whether the quest issuer was the president or thepany itself was unclear, but the tant mission content made one thing certain: thepany was trying to tighten discipline. ¡®These bastards, this was all set up.¡¯ Enraged, Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes rolled wildly. Despite his anger, his mouth diligently continued its task. ¡°Dogooo!¡± At that moment, the wheelchair supporting him began to shine brightly. Whoooosh! ¨D Since morality points have reached 5, the miracle of the cripple is activated. It really started to restore Yeongwoo¡¯s body. ¡°Aah...!¡± Already feeling strength in his legs, Yeongwoo kicked off the wheelchair and stood up. Immediately, he sensed a de flying towards him from behind. Swaaash! The participant who had appeared from behind had alreadyunched an attack. ¡°These crazy bastards, I¡¯ll kill you all!¡± With that, Yeongwoo grabbed the opponent¡¯s de with his bare hand, broke it, and then threw the remaining shard at the ceiling. Crash! ¡°President, always take care of your health so you don¡¯t go insane...!¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 277 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 277: The Strong and the Weak (3) "...What the...?" "That guy, he stood up...?" Everyone in the audience gaped as the man, who had just moments ago been sitting motionless in a wheelchair, suddenly stood up. The fact that he broke a sword with his bare hands was surprising enough, but his physique was much more imposing than they had anticipated. Especially... "Y-Yeongwoo?" Ottavio, a conservative from Sicily, looked more shocked than anyone else. He knew better than anyone that this man had been genuinely paralyzed. "Why is he suddenly...?" If he was going to stand up now, why did he pretend to be weak earlier? As Ottavio wore a confused expression, Yeongwoo grabbed the participant who had attacked him and effortlessly mmed him into the wall with one hand. Thud! "No matter how desperate you are, isn''t it a bit cowardly to attack someone in a wheelchair first?" He then attempted to break his opponent''s neck with a knee strike. "Uh, ugh...!" But seeing his opponent, who had already lost the will to fight, made him reconsider. Although he now had the upper hand, there was another reason. ''Damn, now that I think about it.'' He realized that he wasn''t exactly in a position to demand fairness from his opponent either. [Moral Points: 5] The moral points ring in the corner of his vision were proof of that. ''Yeah, there''s no one more unfair in this dungeon than me.'' Wasn''t he receiving excessively biased treatment because he was associated with Dogo, the organization that designed this dungeon? Sure, his confinement to a wheelchair was due to Dogo''s schemes, but the fact that he was now able to move around so freely was also thanks to Dogo''s absurd quest rewards. In other words, this wasn''t a power Yeongwoo had earned fairly. The fact that he was tormenting other participants with it right away made him feel like he was ying right into Dogo''s hands, which annoyed him. ''I need to line up those bastards and give them a good beating someday.'' With that thought, Yeongwoo loosened his grip on his opponent''s head. ''Besides, this is a dungeon. It''s not like I can''t stab a few people.'' However, letting his opponent go without any consequences didn''t make sense. Shook. Yeongwoo took a step back and sized up his opponent. "Do you want to die here?" "...?" The opponent, who had been dazed for a moment, slowly extracted himself from the wall and looked at Yeongwoo nervously. "I-I''d rather live, if possible." "Right? Then let''s make a deal and walk out of here alive." "What kind of...?" Of course, the opponent responded positively, so Yeongwoo held up three fingers. "Thirty million. Next time we meet, you give me thirty million Karma." Hearing this, not only the opponent but also Ottavio and the other two participants who were facing off with swords were left speechless. "...What are you doing?" Ottavio now looked genuinely terrified. "What do you mean? There''s no one here who can kill me now. So instead of shedding pointless blood, I figured I might as well make some money." "...?" As Yeongwoo spoke seriously, the four participants were momentarily confused. But Ottavio, of all people, dared to speak frankly to him. "Y-You''re insane." "Choosing to die instead of epting my offer is what''s truly insane." Without a moment''s hesitation, Yeongwoo refuted and then turned back to his "business target." "Thirty million. Then you''re free." "H-How do you n to collect the money...?" "Just tell me your name and where you live. I''ll find a way to collect it at an appropriate time." At Yeongwoo''s words, his opponent blinked in confusion, speechless. Because... "I''m... in India." The opponent whose life Yeongwoo was nning to collectter was an Indian. While the world had been unified due to the Pangaea event, India was a huge country. And while thend was connected, the borders between nations hadn''t been opened yet. So the opponent was questioning whether Yeongwoo could reallye and find him. But Yeongwoo didn''t mind. "Yeah? Where in India?" "India... Assam State." "And your name?" "...Anubhav." "So, your name is Anubhav, and you live in Assam, India?" When Yeongwoo confirmed, Anubhav nodded. "That''s right." "Good. Now you''re thirty million in debt to me. I''m Jeong Yeongwoo from South Korea, your savior." "..." With a single stroke of the sword, a debt of thirty million was created. Anubhav, the man from India, was left in a daze. Then, he finally nodded. "...I understand." He had no choice but to agree. After all, it was far better than dying a meaningless death in this dungeon. He was also betting on the fact that this Korean wouldn''t be able to track him down to collect the money. In the meantime... "Oh no!" With a startled cry from Ottavio, the two participants who had been facing off against him suddenly bolted. Tat tat! They ran in the opposite direction down the corridor. "Yeongwoo! They''re getting away!" Ottavio quickly reported the escape attempt, and just as Yeongwoo was about to chase after them... Thud! The two fleeing participants were struck by something and fell t on the ground. "Huh?" "Wha...?" Yeongwoo, Ottavio, and even the stunned Anubhav all widened their eyes at the unexpected situation. Then, suddenly... ng! A knight d in full armor appeared from the side of the corridor where the escapees had just entered. "Chair...!" The knight''s armor bore a resemnce to that of the Dogo Chairman, causing Yeongwoo to instinctively begin to shout "Chairman!" before quickly closing his mouth. The knight had a different name disyed above his head. ¡¸Vesedel Royal Guard¡¹ "...Royal Guard?" Then, the knight swung his massive sword and beheaded the two escapees in one swift motion. Shhhk! At that moment, Yeongwoo realized something. Not only were the assassins who had infiltrated the Vesedel fortress, but also the knights defending it, all dungeon monsters. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "You might want to step back a bit." Ottavio took a few steps back, ncing at the heads rolling on the ground, but Yeongwoo instead took a step towards the knight. "No, that''s how you gain points in this dungeon." ¡¸You can gain moral points in this dungeon by killing other participants, defeating elite monsters, or concealing exits from the fortress.¡¹ ording to the dungeon rules, defeating elite monsters also earned moral points. In other words... ''If this knight can kill participants in one strike, he must be an elite monster.'' If Yeongwoo could defeat this knight, he wouldn''t have to kill innocent people to gain moral points. Step! With his mind made up, Yeongwoo took two more steps forward. The Royal Guard pulled his massive sword closer to his body and stared at Yeongwoo. - ¡­. The weight of the atmosphere emanating from the knight was no joke. It made Yeongwoo wonder if this was what the Chairman might have looked like in his prime, and his excitement grew even more. ''Could the Chairman have been a Royal Guard of the Vesedel royal family?'' It wasn''t an impossible idea. The strong resemnce between the knight''s armor and the Chairman''s, as well as the fact that the mythical weapon "Bastard" given to Yeongwoo by the Chairman was Vesedel''s ultimate weapon, supported this theory. ''It wouldn''t make sense for an ordinary guard to possess the royal family''s ultimate weapon... Maybe he was the captain of the guards.'' Whatever the case, it was clear that this dungeon was designed based on the Chairman''s memories or nightmares. ng! Finally, the Vesedel Royal Guard assumed a full battle stance. As Yeongwoo clenched his fist and prepared to charge, Ottavio, from behind, tossed him his weapon. "Do you have a death wish?" "Oh, thanks." Tat! Catching Ottavio''s sword, Yeongwoo charged straight at the Royal Guard. Tat tat! The Royal Guard then executed a wide swing, simr to the one that had just decapitated the two participants. Whooosh! The power behind the swing was enough to make anyone question if it could even be blocked. But Yeongwoo had no intention of foolishly trying to counter the attack directly. After all, his reach was much longer than his opponent''s. ¡¸Duhan''s Sword¡¹- Mutant One-Handed Sword ¡¾The length of the sword is proportional to the user''s height.¡¿ When Yeongwoo swung his sword, its length extended to six meters, allowing him to strike at the Royal Guard''s side from a distance. Bang! - ¡­! Though the knight''s face was hidden beneath his helmet, his startled reaction was evident. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo was alreadyunching his second attack. Bang! Yeongwoo''s strike hit the knight''s left shoulder, causing the armor to dent significantly. For the first time, the knight took a step back. "It seems you''re not invincible. Your durability is decreasing, right?" Yeongwoo taunted the knight with an excited voice. Anubhav, who had been contemting leaving, cautiously offered, "Should I lend you a broken sword or something? It might be better to have two weapons..." Anubhav had finally realized the safest way to survive in this dungeon. He instinctively knew that following this strange man might be his best chance of making it out alive. "No, I''m good now!" As Yeongwoo shouted this, the knight, now on the defensive, hastily swung his sword. Whoosh! Almost simultaneously, Crack! Yeongwoo''s lightning-fast thrust pierced through the front of the knight''s helmet. Since this was still a dungeon, it wasn''t designed to be unbeatable. Thud! The knight, with a hole in his helmet, fell backward, emitting a white smoke. Ssssss! ¡¸The problem has been resolved.¡¹ ¡¸As the fastest participant to solve the problem, you are awarded 1 additional moral point.¡¹ With this, Yeongwoo''s moral points increased by 2. Defeating an elite monster alone was worth 1 point. "Wait!" Yeongwoo quickly moved closer to the fallen knight to check his face, but it was toote. The armor and everything inside it had already disintegrated. Instead, "Huh?" A small blue orb was left where the knight had fallen. Whoosh. When Yeongwoo picked up the orb, somethingpletely unexpected happened. Fwoosh! A wide holographic map projected itself above the orb. "...This is..." "Isn''t this the fortress map?" Ottavio and Anubhav, who had approached from behind, pointed excitedly at the hologram. The map detailed their current location and the entire structure of the Vesedel fortress,plete with small notes. "It looks like we''re on the west side of the fortress, next to the moat," Said Ottavio, pointing to the west side of the hologram. A blinking blue dot indicated the orb''s current location, which Yeongwoo was holding. "And this might be... the exit?" Ottavio''s finger moved to the eastern edge of the map, where an icon of a door was marked on a section of the fortress wall. ording to the map, they would have to cross the moat and garden to reach the eastern exit. "It seems quite far, even on the map. We should hurry." This fortress was patrolled by knights capable of killing participants with a single strike. Regardless of the points, Ottavio and Anubhav were eager to escape as quickly as possible. But Yeongwoo, the one in control, wasn''t looking at the exit. "......" Instead, he was fixated on apletely different part of the map. "Y-Yeongwoo? What are you looking at?" Ottavio shook his head and followed Yeongwoo''s gaze. Soon, he noticed an icon with a wedge symbol, located in arge room further west from their current position. Small text was written next to it: ¨DCommander of the Royal Guard, First Prince Dogo Vesedel. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 278 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 278: The First Prince (1) ¡®The Chairman is... a prince?¡¯ Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t believe his eyes as he repeatedly read the text marked on the map. ¡®But now he''s a space gangster?¡¯ Dogo Vesedel, the First Prince andmander of the royal guard. The exact timeline of this dungeon¡¯s reconstruction was unclear, but one thing was certain: at one point, Chairman Dogo had been a figure of prestige. However, after some unknown event, he established a weapons manufacturingpany and became a notorious viin, infamous even among the gxy¡¯s government officials. ¡®Well, being a prince probably gave him the power to kill government officials without consequence.¡¯ Yeongwoo started to understand more about the situation. Dogo didn¡¯t just have immense strength; he had a powerful background, being of royal blood... ¡®Wait a minute.¡¯ As his thoughts progressed, Yeongwoo suddenly paused. ¡®But the weapons of the Vesedel royal family are called ¡°Bastard¡±...¡¯ Surprisingly, the Chairman had given him his family¡¯s ultimate weapon, but that wasn¡¯t what had caught Yeongwoo¡¯s attention. ¡®Why is the weapon called ¡°Bastard¡±?¡¯ ording to the testimony of the giant Gameta, whom Yeongwoo had encountered in the "Sanctuary of Valor" dungeon, a ¡°myth¡± was something that was created. ¡ª Only those who write their own myths can leave behind a tangible legacy. Vesedel killed a transcendent being and gave birth to Bastard. In other words, mythical equipment is created when a feat worthy of myth is achieved, and the Vesedel royal family became a myth by killing a transcendent being. And the manifestation of that myth was... ¡®...The cursed sword Bastard.¡¯ But why would the name of that myth be associated with the word "b\Bastard"? With few clues, Yeongwoo could only specte. The only Vesedel royal family member he knew who possessed the weapon Bastard was the Chairman. ¡®Could it be that the Chairman himself is a bastard? No, that doesn¡¯t make sense. He¡¯s the First Prince, after all.¡¯ In most cases, a royal bastard would find it difficult to be a prince, let alone the First Prince. Other legitimate princes would never allow a bastard to ascend to such a rank. However, if this particr bastard had been the only remaining option, an exception could have urred. ¡®For example, if all the other princes had died.¡¯ In any case, the truth was still out of reach. ¡°Hmmm.¡± As Yeongwoo finally tore his gaze away from the map, Ottavio and Anubhav, who had been watching him closely, hastily pointed to the corridor behind them. ¡°Let¡¯s go quickly. The exit is that way.¡± But Yeongwoo, looking in the opposite direction, said, ¡°No. I¡¯m heading west.¡± ¡°W-what?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a bit of a waste to just find the exit and leave? We don¡¯t know what else is in this fortress.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡± ¡®That¡¯s easy for someone as strong as you to say¡¯, Ottavio thought, but the words caught in his throat. ¡°¡­What exactly is in the west?¡± ¡°Probably the strongest entity in this fortress.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Ottavio and Anubhav were left speechless at Yeongwoo¡¯s words. If this madman was truly nning to go further into the west, they would have only two choices: First, to separate from Yeongwoo and try to escape the dungeon on their own. Second, to trust that Yeongwoo would somehow survive and follow him to face the dungeon''s strongest monster. ¡°¡­¡­¡± At least Ottavio had some reference points, having seen Yeongwoo¡¯s performance in the previous dungeon, but Anubhav, who was from India¡­ ¡°Are you seriously nning to go deeper in there?¡± It was truly a moment of agony. While he knew this man from the East could break swords with his bare hands, he was unsure if that level of prowess would be enough to solve all the problems in this dungeon. ¡°Yes. Now that you know the exit¡¯s location, feel free to leave first if you¡¯re really worried.¡± As Yeongwoo started walking alone down the corridor to the west, Ottavio reluctantly followed. Turning back to Anubhav, who was left standing, Ottavio warned, ¡°Remember, the obstacles to survival aren¡¯t just monsters. The other participants are basically enemies too.¡± Ottavio was implying that sticking together was safer than wandering alone. ¡°¡­¡­¡± After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Anubhav had no choice but to follow them into the west. * * * Just as the holographic map had indicated, the destination wasn¡¯t far away. After passing through the narrow corridor where the three had first met, they entered a wide central passage, where they encountered two more guards. However, since Yeongwoo had already defeated a guard once and knew that their durability decreased with each hit, these guards weren¡¯t much of an obstacle. Boom! Within nine moves, Yeongwoo had taken down both guards, and by now, he seemed almost like a local guide to the other two participants. ¡°Your adaptability is incredible,¡± Ottavio remarked as he watched the guards dissolve into smoke. Yeongwoo opened the map again and muttered, ¡°That¡¯s the reason I¡¯m still alive.¡± He then pointed to therge door ahead. ¡°There¡¯s probably something inside. If you want to preserve your life, you might want to stay out here.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The door Yeongwoo pointed to was marked as the First Prince''s room on the map. The map didn¡¯t indicate whether the First Prince was physically present in the room or if it was simply marked as his chamber. Regardless, the important thing was¡­ ¡®If I¡¯m lucky, I might get to see what the Chairman looked like in his younger days. And if I¡¯m even luckier¡­¡¯ Yeongwoo clenched his fist. ¡®I might even get to fight him.¡¯ The Chairman in the room was likely a replica, like the guards, but that was more than enough. Beating the real Chairman would only get him killed. ¡°I¡¯m going in.¡± Yeongwoo left the other two with a brief farewell and strode toward therge door ahead. Despite being the chamber of the First Prince, themander of the royal guard, there were no guards stationed at the entrance. Without the map, it would have been easy to overlook the door as just anotherrge entryway. Three low steps led up to the door, and as Yeongwoo ascended them one by one, the door slowly began to open. Rumble¡­ ¡°Oh.¡± Just as the map indicated, the First Prince¡¯s room was excessivelyrge¡ªabout fifteen times the size of the bedroom where Yeongwoo had started the dungeon. The wide room had a ck steel tile floor in the center, and countless weapons¡ªswords, spears, axes, and more¡ªwere stuck into it. In other words, this was a ¡®training ground¡¯. Strictly speaking, it was originally an office, but it seemed that the First Prince, Dogo Vesedel, had converted it into a training ground. Furniture like desks, bookshelves, and dining tables were piled up in the corners, shattered and broken. Moreover, the room was littered with massive arrows, up to four meters long, deeply embedded in the walls, hinting at some intense training or battle that had taken ce. ¡®Is this really a prince''s room?¡¯ Yeongwoo marveled at the unexpectedly harsh environment as he stepped further into the room. Creeeak. As Yeongwoo entered therge door, he noticed someone in the middle of the steel tiles, d in gray armor. "¡­Chairman?" There was no need to zoom in; Yeongwoo immediately recognized the figure as the chairman, or rather, the First Prince, Dogo Vesedel. The armor covering his entire body was almost identical to that of the chairman, with no dents or cracks, right down to the posture. Of course, to be precise... ¡®This is the chairman in his younger days, right?¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Just by looking at the pristine armor, it was clear that this was the chairman before he had been through countless battles across the universe. In other words, this was... ¡®...Aplete rookie.¡¯ And since this was one of the elite monsters of the dungeon, there would surely be loot to obtain. Gripping the standard sword Ottavio had given him, Yeongwoo confidently stepped forward. "Hey, Dogo!" The First Prince slowly turned to look at Yeongwoo. -...... It was as if he had been waiting. Immediately, a dungeon-wide announcement echoed. ¡¸One participant has encountered the First Prince.¡¹ "...Huh?" Then, a blood-red warning message appeared. ¡¾The boss battle has begun.¡¿ ¡°......!¡± Yeongwoo sensed a heavy presence above him at that moment. Whoosh! "What the hell...!" As Yeongwoo instinctively dodged to the side, the spot where he had been standing was smashed by a ck silhouette. Boom! ¡®Is there... a subordinate? Well, it is a boss monster, after all.¡¯ As Yeongwoo backed away a few more steps and looked up, he saw a massive knight, d in ck chainmail that covered his entire head, rising to his feet. The knight had been lurking on the ceiling above the room''s entrance. "ck Eyes... Desirak." As Yeongwoo read the name tag above the knight¡¯s head, the knight turned to stare down at him. ¡¸ck Eyes ¨C Desirak¡¹ The chainmail that covered the knight¡¯s face wasn''t ordinary; it was a tightly woven chain that covered the entire front of his face, giving it the appearance of an iron veil. As a result, it was impossible to discern his expression or even his gaze. ¡®Is covering their faces a Vesedel tradition?¡¯ The knight was enormous, at least twice as tall as Yeongwoo, who himself was 2.2 meters tall. The room was lit by a faint blue light from somewhere, casting long shadows that made Desirak¡¯s silhouette appear even more ominous. Ssss... A sharp, murderous aura flowed from the knight in the form of cold air. "Haha... is he the prince¡¯s personal bodyguard or something?" Yeongwoo chuckled awkwardly, ncing back and forth between Desirak and Dogo, but he was the only one smiling. And then, finally... "Interesting." The First Prince, Dogo, spoke. His voice was eerily simr to the current Chairman Dogo. "Wha-? The prince can talk?" Yeongwoo''s eyes widened in surprise as he asked, and Prince Dogo beckoned with a slight motion of his finger. Tut. A formless wave of energy radiated from Dogo, sweeping through the training ground and reaching Yeongwoo¡¯s feet. Whuaaam! "Ugh...!" Suddenly, Yeongwoo felt his entire body tremble and his legs give way. Looking down, he saw that his knees had already hit the floor. It was the sheer force of the wave that had passed through him. In other words... ¡®This must be something like the Aura of the Strongest Sword.¡¯ Though this Dogo was still a novice with an unscathed suit of armor, he had the aura to make Korea¡¯s Strongest Sword kneel with just a gesture. So, naturally, Yeongwoo thought... ¡®This cunning bastard! If only I had the Bastard...!¡¯ Instead of feeling intimidated by his opponent¡¯s power, he was only frustrated that the timing and ce weren''t in his favor. After all, the Bastard was supposed to allow him to fight on equal terms with such an opponent. However, it seemed that the prince Dogo was more generous than the current chairman. "A mere insect." Seeing Yeongwoo immediately kneel, Dogo retracted his aura and ced his hand on the hilt of his sword. nk. "Come. If I draw my sword even for a moment, you will no longer be a mere insect." "So, you''re saying if I make you draw your sword, I win the boss fight?" Yeongwoo dusted off his knees and stood up, and Dogo''s silence indicated his implicit agreement. Meanwhile... Ssiss... Another presence slowly stirred from the ceiling. "Seriously, these guys..." Desirak wasn¡¯t the only personal guard lurking up there. It seemed that the closer he got to the prince, the more guards would appear. This boss fight''s difficulty was absurd. "They''re basically telling me to just die." So Yeongwoo blinked rapidly, trying to think. Was there another way? A way to make that arrogant bastard draw his sword...? "Ah!" Suddenly, an idea shed through his mind, and Yeongwoo instinctively opened his eyes and mouth wide. Then, with a swift motion... Whip! He pointed a finger at the prince''s sword sheath. "That''s not the real Bastard, is it? Why don''t you take a look?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 279 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 279: The First Prince (2) - What did you say? When Yeongwoo suggested that the sword in the scabbard might not be the real Bastard, Dogo flinched. It was a ridiculous provocation, but surprisingly, the First Prince was momentarily shaken. Of course, despite this, he didn''t actually draw his sword to check if it was true. If Dogo had thoughtlessly drawn his sword to confirm, the battle would have ended immediately in Yeongwoo''s victory. ''Damn, it failed, didn''t it?'' Just as Yeongwoo regretted that his shallow trick had failed, a very angry voice emanated from within the helmet of the First Prince, Dogo. - Bastard? But the level of anger wasn''t normal. No matter how low the provocation, the prince, who had been rxed until a moment ago, shouldn''t have been this enraged. ''...Huh? What... what is this?'' Yeongwoo began to realize something was wrong. At the same time, Desirak, with ck eyes,y t on the ground as if he were bowing down. As if signaling that the prince was furious, and something terrible was about to happen. ¡®Hey, what¡¯s wrong?¡¯ Seeing Desirak bowing his head to the ground, Yeongwoo instinctively took a step back, then btedly realized something. "Oh...!" At this point, during the period that this dungeon had recreated¡ªthe time of ''Prince Dogo''¡ªthere were no Bastard in the Vesedel royal family. In other words, the sword in the scabbard had never been Bastard in the first ce, and Dogo didn''t even know such a sword existed. ''Th-then...'' Even so, why did the First Prince Dogo be so enraged at the mention of a "bastard"? ''Ah.'' The First Prince of the Vesedel royal family, Dogo Vesedel, was actually a bastard child. And this prince,ter on... ''Directly killed a transcendent being and used that legacy to create the mythical Bastard...'' It was in that moment that Yeongwoo understood why the chairman had once said, "I am the myth." "Wait! Then, Prince, you really are a bast...!" Just as Yeongwoo, having suddenly realized too much, was about to say "bastard child" again... BOOM! A dark blue aura suddenly enveloped Yeongwoo''s surroundings, and the furious Prince Dogo came flying at him like a tidal wave. - Feel the eternity in the void! "Gah!" In an instant, Yeongwoo, grabbed by the head by the prince, was helplessly mmed into the wall. CRASH! ording to the original design, the boss battle was supposed to end the moment the challenger defeated the bodyguards and faced the prince for the first time. But because Yeongwoo, who knew too much about the real Dogo, appeared as the challenger, everything got messed up. This was because the "Dogo" within this dungeon had been recreated with an almost perfect level of fidelity, and therefore... - Vanish! ...his power was also implemented to a level close to the original. That was why a strange symbol was already being drawn around the wall-pinned Yeongwoo. It was dimensional magic, opening a door leading to the void. Of course, Yeongwoo didn''t know this, but he could instinctively tell that something terrible was happening. ''I... I think I''m screwed? Chairman, isn''t this an NG?'' Yeongwoo looked at the ceiling with desperate eyes, but there was no response. It meant he had to solve this situation on his own. ''What... what should I do?'' Under Dogo''s overwhelming power, Yeongwoo''s hands and feet werepletely immobilized. This crazy prince was really determined to lock him, a mere creature, in the void. This was the price of calling a bastard child a bastard child. "Hey, ck Eyes! Stop the prince! This is against the rules!" Yeongwoo cried out for help from Desirak, who was lying t on the ground, but there was no response. "Come on, damn it!" In the meantime, the strange symbol had be semi-transparent inside, and the void beyond it began to reveal itself. HOOO... Though the void actually had no sound, to Yeongwoo, who was in close proximity to it, it felt like the sound of a massive airflow. He didn''t hear it with his ears; rather, he felt the vastness of the void in his mind. "Damn it!" Was he, after all, just an insignificant creature who had overstepped his bounds? Was all of this because Jeong Yeongwoo07 had challenged a life beyond what was meant for him? "Ahhhh!" As his mind began to be swallowed by the endless vastness, Yeongwoo desperately ran toward the still intact part of his consciousness, like a person running on a copsing bridge. And with all his might, he shouted. "You crazy bastard! I''m also a bast...!" Suddenly, his throat tightened. Could he have lost the ability to speak in the meantime? "No!" It was the opposite. "¡¸Bastard chiiiiiild¡¹...! I''m a bastard child too! You crazy bastard child!" sh! The moment Jeong Yeongwoo07 pronounced ¡¸Bastard¡¹ a faint but intangible wave spread out from him, and simultaneously, Dogo removed his hand from Yeongwoo''s head. - What...? It was because he had understood the transcendentnguage he had just heard: ¡¸Bastard¡¹. The second transcendentnguage that Yeongwoo had learned, ¡¸Bastard¡¹ was aplex mixture of Yeongwoo''s own history and information about the myth of the ¡¸Bastard¡¹. - ......? The past echo of the First Prince Dogo, recreated by Chairman Dogo, now had a shocked expression in his eyes. Hadn''t he indirectly glimpsed a part of his own future through the meanings embedded in ¡¸Bastard¡¹? The image of Chairman Dogo, who had forged the myth and created the Bastard himself. Thus, ording to that future, or rather that "present," Dogo himself, who existed here now... "Your Highness, it''s time to rest. My apologies for earlier." A voice was heard from Yeongwoo''s chest, causing Dogo to quickly tilt his head. Then... Thud! A creature was already in his field of vision, its hand on the hilt of his sword. - You... no, I... The prince''s voice wavered. He had understood too much in that brief moment, including the fact that the timelines of this creature and himself did not align. If this Dogo had been recreated precisely from the chairman''s past, wouldn''t his deductive abilities also be extraordinary? So Yeongwoo drew his sword before his opponent couldplete his deductions. sh! The prince, who had cast an imposing shadow just moments before, suddenly dispersed into a cloud of smoke. "Ah." Desirak, who had been bowing on the floor, and the other royal guards on the ceiling, all followed suit. Now, the only things left in the room were Yeongwoo and... Swish. ...the prince''s weapon, still in Yeongwoo''s hand. ¡¸Prince''s Command Sword¡¹ - Dungeon Item ¡¾You have obtained control over the Vesedel royal guards.¡¿ As expected, Prince Dogo''s weapon was a gray longsword, and it was indeed a dungeon-exclusive item. The fact that the First Prince was themander of the guards was no lie. ''Wait, does this mean...'' Could it be that he now had control over all the guards in the fortress? As Yeongwoo''s eyes widened with the realization, the system message appeared. ¡¸You have survived the boss battle.¡¹ ¡¸As you provoked the boss into a record-breaking rage, you have been awarded 5 additional moral points.¡¹ It was the confirmation that the boss battle had been sessfullypleted. Along with this, Yeongwoo''s moral points increased significantly. sh! [Moral Points: 14] ''Ah, I guess it''s time to leave.'' After checking his points, Yeongwoo nced around the prince''s chamber before turning to see the exit door opening right on cue. Rumble. He had defeated the dungeon boss without swinging his sword even once. "Ye... Yeongwoo?" Soon, a voice called out from the central corridor outside the door, and Yeongwoo tossed a sword to Ottavio. Whoosh! "Thank you, it was very useful." Yeongwoo said this as he now held the "Prince''s Command Sword" in his hand. "Huh? That''s..." Then, Anubhav, upon seeing Yeongwoo''s new sword, looked surprised. To which Yeongwoo finally pointed east and said, "This is the key that will get us out of here. You can all rx now." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] * * * Now, to the east. Just knowing that they were finally heading toward the exit made Ottavio and Anubhav''s expressions brighten. With Jeong Yeongwoo, who was undoubtedly the strongest among all the participants, leading the way, escape was only a matter of time. Especially... Clink, clink! The royal guards trailing in line behind the three of them, including Yeongwoo, were a sight to behold. "...Unbelievable." Anubhav muttered repeatedly in disbelief. This was something no one could have imagined. Who would have guessed that an item allowing you tomand elite monsters as your subordinates existed? "......" However, to Yeongwoo, who had beenmanding mutants as ves for a long time, this was nothing extraordinary. "Being able to recruit every guard we encounter does make things easier... but it means I won''t be able to gather more moral points." Yeongwoo scratched his chin with the tip of themand sword as he spoke with a tone of regret. Ottavio and Anubhav were left speechless. ''He''s... he''s insane...'' ''His whole premise is on apletely different level.'' Of course, the royal guards weren''t the only monsters in this dungeon. The assassins encountered in the bedrooms at the beginning were scattered throughout the fortress, but since they weren''t "elite" monsters, no matter how many assassins Yeongwoo killed, he couldn''t earn moral points from them. So, Yeongwoo had long since delegated the task of dealing with the assassins to the guards. Thanks to that... tter! Every time assassins leaped out of the rooms on either side of the corridor, the guards in the rear would dash out like lightning and swing their swords. It was like an automatic hunting system. sh! Once again, a guard''srge de effortlessly severed an assassin''s neck, and Ottavio, seeing this, moved aside and eximed in admiration. "It''s really incredible." Then, following his train of thought, he continued his line. "If a murderer had obtained this authority, by now, all the participants would have..." He stopped mid-sentence, realizing he had said something unnecessary. Hadn''t that monster of a person just said, ¡®It''s a shame I can''t gather more moral points¡¯? He could easily increase his score if he started using the guards to hunt down the remaining participants. "......" Sure enough, Yeongwoo, who was walking at the forefront, said nothing. He was deep in thought. Then suddenly... "Eh, forget it. After that boss fight, I''m pretty sure I''m locked in for first ce anyway." In other words, he had momentarily considered hunting humans. "R-right?" Ottavio forced a bitter smile and agreed as the ceiling and walls of the building disappeared. They had finally passed through the fortress and emerged outside. ''...The exit is really close now.'' As Ottavio stepped forward with a face full of anticipation, the sound of shing metal rang out from a considerable distance ahead. ng! ng! "Oh, what''s that?" Anubhav, who instinctively realized it was the sound of des shing, cautiously moved behind Yeongwoo, while Ottavio gripped his sword tightly and stared ahead. "Is it a lot of monsters gathered together?" Ottavio cautiously offered his opinion, but Yeongwoo, who had checked the map, thought differently. "The exit is just behind where that noise ising from. So I think..." Yeongwoo suspected that the remaining participants were fighting each other. If someone was trying to collect moral points by killing other participants, the best ce to do that would be right in front of the exit. After all, all the participants would be heading there within the time limit. And in reality... ng! Swoosh! When Yeongwoo''s group arrived at the dungeon exit, they found six participants already engaged in a chaotic battle. "What the...?! These bastards!" Seeing this, mes of anger ignited in Yeongwoo''s eyes. Ottavio assumed Yeongwoo was furious at the participants for blocking the exit, but the truth was far different. "Oh no! Don''t let anyone die!" "......?" Dash! Yeongwoo suddenly rushed into the battlefield, and the eight guards protecting him darted forward like arrows, mming the six participants to the ground. "What the¡ª?" "W-What''s going on?" "Guards...?" The participants, who had been taken by surprise by the guards'' sudden attack, barely managed to roll their eyes in confusion, only to see a gray longsword looming over them. "Why are you fighting on such a fine day?" "What?" "What nonsense is this...?" Hearing the unfamiliar voice, the six participants desperately lifted their heads to look at their opponent. As soon as Yeongwoo confirmed that he had their attention, he extended a single finger. "Only one early bird. The first person to bid will be released at the lowest price. Starting bid is ten million." "W-what are you talking about?" "What bid?" Amid the confusion, one participant quickly caught on. The guards seemed to be following themands of the mysterious man. There were even eight guards, and the two who had free hands were menacingly holdingrge swords, ready to strike at any moment. "......!" Once the "early bird" confirmed everything, he quickly raised his head and shouted. "T-ten million!" "Huh?" "What did you say?" "That idiot!" As the other participants wore expressions of disbelief, Yeongwoo gestured, and the early bird was released. The remaining five participants nearly lost their minds as they protested, and in the midst of this chaos, Yeongwoo asked again. "How much should the next person pay to be released?" This time, he directed his question at the early bird who had just gained freedom. "......!" The room fell silent for a moment, and then the early bird stared intently at one of the participants. The person he looked at was none other than the one who had called him an "idiot" earlier. "Uh... can I specify just one person instead of the next one?" "Sure, do as you like." Yeongwoo nodded in approval, and with a clumsy motion, the early bird slowly raised his hand and extended his fingers just like Yeongwoo had done earlier. Swipe. Five fingers. Was he really going to bid fifty million? As Yeongwoo''s eyes widened at the unexpected turn, the early bird began to extend the fingers of his other hand as well. "...One hundred million." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 280 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 280: Karma (1) "A hundred million?" "A hundred million... you want that much?" "What...?" One hundred million karma. This amount was quite significant even for Yeongwoo, who was already bleeding the continent dry. "Are you sure? A hundred million?" Yeongwoo asked in a concerned tone. It was fine to extort a lot of money in exchange for sparing someone''s life, but it had to be an amount that was actually collectible. If the amount was too absurd, the other party might not even try to gather the money, or worse, decide to die instead, and that would be a problem for Yeongwoo too. ¡®It¡¯s not like I can take back what I said and ask for a lower price now.¡¯ Yeongwoo looked at "Early Bird," who had blurted out the figure of a hundred million. ¡®This guy is really crazy.¡¯ Then, he carefully examined the facial expressions of the person who would be owing that hundred million. He wondered if they had a face that looked capable of gathering such a huge amount. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ The participant, who was in danger of being forced to pay a hundred million due to Early Bird¡¯s slip of the tongue, was a rather tough-looking Westerner. "Where are you from? Which country do you belong to?" Yeongwoo politely asked the man who was now his hundred-million-customer. The man furrowed his brow and scanned the rest of the participants. "...The United States." "The United States? Which part?" "Andrew Bolton, Guardian of Vermont." "......" Yeongwoo usually had a habit of smashing the heads of anyone who talked down to him, but this time, he held back for the sake of the hundred million. "Vermont...?" As Yeongwoo looked up, trying to recall the unfamiliar name, Ottavio chimed in. "Vermont is in the northeastern United States." "Oh? You know a lot about American geography." "No, it¡¯s just the hometown of Ted Bundy." Ted Bundy. The notorious American serial killer from the 1970s. Yeongwoo had heard of the name but didn¡¯t know the guy¡¯s hometown, so he tilted his head in curiosity. In any case, if Vermont was in the northeastern United States... ¡®If the American continent is attached to Europe and Africa, it¡¯ll take some time to visit.¡¯ This was because the highway being constructed by his brothers was heading toward China, not the Pacific. So, the road would likely traverse Eurasia first. ¡®Which means I''ll be passing through Europe and the Middle East before reaching the U.S. That¡¯s quite a distance.¡¯ As Yeongwoo was lost in these strange thoughts, Andrew, the Guardian of Vermont, asked him, "How exactly do you n to collect this money?" Yeongwoo answered as if he was grateful for the question. "When the time is right, I n to visit wherever you are and collect it personally." "Oh, then..." This time, another participant spoke up. "So, it''s on credit?" "Yes. Believe it or not, it''s on credit. You survive and payter." "......!" The participants'' eyes widened at Yeongwoo''s words. If that were the case, they had no reason to refuse. ¡®Is he really an idiot?¡¯ ¡®How is he going to find us with so many countries represented here?¡¯ ¡®Once we¡¯re out, I just won¡¯t pay. Same as getting my gear back.¡¯ The participants sighed in relief, unable to believe the seemingly foolish proposal. But Yeongwoo, who was well aware of their thoughts, warned them as he memorized each of their faces. "Let me make this clear. You will see me again. And I will collect everyst cent." "......" It was a chilling warning for some reason, but despite that, the participants prioritised survival. "Okay." "Paying is a hundred times better than dying." "So, this American has to pay a hundred million, and we¡¯ll renegotiate our amounts?" When someone in the group said this, Yeongwoo smiled and raised his hand again. Swish. Then he spread out two fingers. "But I¡¯m a reasonable man, so I¡¯ll only double the price each time." "What, what did you say?" This meant the second person would pay 20 million, the third 40 million, and the fourth 80 million. "The rule is the same as before. Firste, first served, one person per round." As Yeongwoo waved his two fingers, the participants hurriedly shouted out. "Twenty million!" "Me! Me!" "Then I¡¯ll pay 30 million!" Even a person offering to pay more came forward, but Yeongwoo stuck to his principles. "No, those who werete will pay 40 million next time." "Goddamn it..." And watching this crazy scene from a distance, Anubhav reconsidered the 30 million he had to pay for his life. ¡®What... what is this? That guy... he must have something up his sleeve.¡¯ Even if he hadmand over the guards in the dungeon, that power would disappear once they left this ce, wouldn¡¯t it? Yet, here he was, mocking the strongest fighters from countries around the world... ¡®Either he¡¯s a madman living for today, or he really does have something up his sleeve.¡¯ South Korea. A small penins somewhere in the Far East. That was all Anubhav knew about the country the man belonged to. So, strangely enough... "......" It made him even more terrified. The line between mystery and fear was thin. And no matter how you looked at it, this crazy Oriental belonged to the "fear" side. "Now, who''s next for 40 million!" As Yeongwoo¡¯s auction for lives reached the 40 million mark, Anubhav began to think that he had gotten off lightly. If things had gone differently, he might have ended up t on the ground, being extorted for 40 million... or perhaps even 80 million. ¡®What on earth is happening in the East?¡¯ * * * "I¡¯m really d to have made a connection with all of you." After collecting all his debts, Yeongwoo said with deep emotion, but most of the people in the room still looked like they had swallowed something bitter. And for a good reason. Many of them now owed tens of millions, or in the worst case, even a hundred million. "Now, you''ll all be able to leave soon. But first, let¡¯s go through the list." Yeongwoo cleared his throat and began to read out the list of survivors who would have to pay him. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡ºWhite Deer of Lubelskie¡» |Burza Janowski, Pnd. *10 million Karma. ¡ºSwordmaster of Hampshire¡» |Ricky Brown, United Kingdom. *20 million Karma. ¡ºStone Wall of Huancayo¡» |Lerana Castillo, Peru. *40 million Karma. ¡ºMedina Mahdi¡» |Bin Ali, Saudi Arabia. *80 million Karma. ¡ºGuardian of Vermont¡» |Andrew Bolton, United States. *100 million Karma. Andstly, Anubhav from Assam, India: 30 million Karma. "Any objections? If your location is incorrect, I''ll allow one correction, so speak up now." Yeongwoo asked to confirm, but no one raised any objections, and the debt collection process was finalized. "Thank you, everyone." From Peru to Pnd. Could this man really travel the world and collect all that money? Some of those present were certain of one thing: by tomorrow, Yeongwoo would forget most of the names on the list he had just read. However, as if reading their minds, Yeongwoo continued, "I trust no one here thinks they''ll be forgotten, that with so many people involved, I won''t remember them, right?" ¡°¡­¡­¡± Feeling a sharp sting of guilt, the participants kept their mouths shut, and Yeongwoo issued a firm warning. "I never forget the money I''m owed." Swish. Yeongwoo pointed hismand sword at Andrew, the Guardian of Vermont, who owed the 100 million. "So, make sure to have the money ready. Otherwise, you''ll realize that escaping death today was only a dy, not a reprieve." With that, Yeongwoo gestured to the guards, who released the participants they had been holding. "Go ahead! You¡¯re all free!" ¡°¡­¡­¡± Before Yeongwoo even finished speaking, the participants were already sprinting toward the exit, heading for the blue portal that had opened on one side of the fortress wall. Anubhav from India nervously shuffled his feet and looked at Yeongwoo. "Um... Can I go too?" "Yes, go ahead." Yeongwoo nodded, and Anubhav dashed toward the portal with unprecedented speed. Tap tap! And with that... ¡°¡­¡­¡± Only Yeongwoo and Ottavio from Sicily were left standing in front of the exit. "I had hoped we¡¯d meet in a dungeon again someday, but not like this." "I don''t know what you were expecting, but it might exceed that next time." As Yeongwoo said this, Ottavio shuddered slightly. "Are you really going to collect from those people?" "Of course." "...How exactly?" "There¡¯s a shortcut being built just for me. I might even stop by Sicily someday." "There¡¯s no need toe by." Leaving ament that could be either a joke or a warning, Ottavio also began to run toward the exit. "Anyway, see you alive next time!" With that, the man from Sicily disappeared into the portal. Yeongwoo watched him go, then began to walk toward the exit himself. Swoosh. ''Looks like I can finally get some sleep tonight.'' All that was left now was a good night''s sleep at the hotel and then checking in the morning to see how much work his brothers had done. Atst, he had nearlypleted what had been a long, long week. ''Tomorrow will be exactly the seventh day since the reset. Feels like I¡¯ve lived through seven years.'' With a morality score of 14 points¡ªlikely the highest among the participants¡ªYeongwoo threw himself into the portal. sh! Then, as the brief, peculiar sensation of the portal surrounded him, he didn¡¯t immediately return to Earth but entered a sort of waiting state. ''Ah, the settlement!'' Yeongwoo instinctively knew that the dungeon settlement was about to begin, and right on cue, system messages started to appear in his field of vision. [Moral Lecture] |Dungeon Rank: Ancient |Difficulty: B |Required Participants: 8 |Rmended Participants: 16 ¡¸The dungeon is nowplete.¡¹ ¡¸The instructors will now begin grading for the rewards.¡¹ "What...?" And then, a name he hadn¡¯t expected to see again appeared on the screen. ¡¸Desirak, Head of Military Affairs, ispleting the grading sheet.¡¹ ¡¸Talgia, Head of Development, ispleting the grading sheet.¡¹ ¡¸The Thousand Eyes, the Dogo Shareholders'' Association, arepleting the grading sheet.¡¹ ¡¸The King of Destruction, Chairman of Dogo, ispleting the grading sheet.¡¹ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 281 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 281: Karma (2) ¡®Huh? The head of the Military Affairs...?¡¯ Yeongwoo blinked his eyes wide open. ¡¸Desirak, Head of Military Affairs, ispleting the grading sheet.¡¹ The head of Military Affairs, who was filling out the grading sheet, was undeniably the same ¡®Desirak¡¯ that Yeongwoo had encountered in the dungeon. ¡®No way, he''s still alive?¡¯ From being the personal guard of the first prince to the head of Military Affairs at an intergctic armspany. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± What kind of life had Desirak lived? It also hinted at something significant¡ªthat a royal guard from the royal family was now employed at apany. This could imply that the Vesedel royal family no longer existed. ¡®Of course, it could just be that he followed the prince he served out into the secr world¡­ But Desirak served the chairman, who was the first prince, right?¡¯ That would mean he was the destined heir to the throne. In other words, if nothing else had happened, the chairman would have be the king of Vesedel by now. But at least as far as Yeongwoo knew... ¡®Isn¡¯t the chairman not the king? He¡¯s known as the ¡°King of Destruction,¡± but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s that king.¡¯ His thoughts became moreplicated. One thing was certain, though: thepany ¡®Dogo¡¯ was founded by the chairman, who was once the first prince of the Vesedel royal family, along with his followers. They had established thepany with none other than the royal family. ¡¸The grading isplete.¡¹ Finally, the four instructors had finished grading, and the grading sheet of Desirak, the head of Military Affairs, whom Yeongwoo knew, if only from a distant memory, was revealed first. [Head of Military Affairs, Desirak] "An overwhelming sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, as if witnessing the chairman¡¯s youth." |Total score: 113/100 "Oh, department head." Head of Military Affairs Desirak gave a score of 113 out of 100, exceeding the maximum score. His briefment also seemed to be sentimental, as if recalling something from the past. On the other hand, the evaluation from the head of development, which was revealed next, was: [Head of Development, Talgia] "The second step toward transcendence." |Total score: 101/100 ¡®101? That''s a bit subtle...?¡¯ He awarded 101 points, just one point over the maximum score. It was a good performance, but perhaps he didn¡¯t want to be too generous with the points. The briefment also seemed to have a double meaning. - The second step toward transcendence. This referred to both the name of the second transcendencenguage Yeongwoo had learned, as well as implying that Yeongwoo, who was once insignificant, was gradually transcending his origins. ¡®But if it¡¯s the second step, shouldn¡¯t it be 102 points? That¡¯s pretty strict.¡¯ Still, the score spoke for itself. The head of development was quite satisfied too. The fact that he intentionally gave a score over 100 was enough to show his approval. ¡®Well, then.¡¯ As Yeongwoo looked for the next evaluation, the grading sheet from the shareholders'' alliance was revealed. sh! [Dogo Shareholders'' Alliance] "Judged as a favorable sign for the stock market. However, non-killing is somewhat disappointing." |Total score: 92/100 ¡®Damn, what do these guys want me to do?¡¯ 92 points. Although this was also a sufficiently high score, seeing it after the two prior scores that exceeded 100 made Yeongwoo feel frustrated. Perhaps because the shareholders'' alliance consisted of many members, they seemed to want Yeongwoo to follow thepany¡¯s existing policies as thepany¡¯s promotional model. ¡®Still, the average score is over 100 so far.¡¯ Currently, the total average score was 102 points. Thus, the score from the final grader, the chairman, was extremely important. If the chairman awarded a score that brought the average below 100, Yeongwoo might not be able to receive the hidden reward from the dungeon. In other words, a minimum score of 98 was needed. ¡®Aren''t we business partners in developing Earth now? Please keep that in mind.¡¯ As Yeongwoo mumbled this to himself while waiting for the result, a brilliant light spread before his eyes. Swaaa! Then, the title ¡®Chairman Dogo¡¯ was engraved in the air as the grading sheet he left behind appeared. [Chairman Dogo] "Surpassing the limits of violent business." |Total score: 120/100 ¡°Oh, oh¡­!¡± A score of 120 points. Yeongwoo, without realizing it, stretched his arms wide into the air and shouted. ¡°Chairmaaannn!¡± And almost at the same moment. Fwaaaa! As the portal that had been holding Yeongwoo in ce released its grip, his body was sent back to Earth. Whoosh! ¡°Huh?¡± Due to the sudden reactivation of the portal, Yeongwoo, who had his arms raised to the sky, stumbled forward and fell face-first to the ground. Thud! Immediately, Seoul''s severe weather, with its intense cold and a massive snowstorm, engulfed him, but it didn¡¯t matter. ¡¸A reward forpleting the dungeon will soon be delivered. Please prepare.¡¹ Because he had earned an extra reward from the crazy dungeon that Dogo had created. ¡®A reward delivery? Is it going to fall from the sky again?¡¯ Lying on the ground, Yeongwoo looked up through the blizzard and noticed the two ves who had been waiting for him at the exit tilting their heads. - Kiit? - Bat...? And soon, their pupils reflected something. Shhh! A massive steel box, trailing a long tail like aet, was cutting through the snowstorm towards them. ¡°...Huh?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s expression became puzzled as he saw the reward being delivered in a box. ¡°It''s not a Catalog?¡± Until now, the extra rewards from dungeons had always been in the form of a Catalog, which was delivered instantly by the system instead ofing in a box. In other words, if it wasn¡¯t a Catalog, then what was it? As Yeongwoo slowly stood up, the steel box elerated and¡ª Boom! With an ear-splitting roar, itnded right in front of Yeongwoo. ¡°...?¡± The box was muchrger than expected, almost the size of a container. ¡°Is there a monster inside or something?¡± As Yeongwoo said this, the golden goblin dropped its ears to the sides and retreated. Meanwhile, Pofu Tenta was already pulling out a trumpet from its belly, preparing to support him in battle. This was the difference between a porter and abat musician. However, the situation didn¡¯t escte to the point where Pofu Tenta needed to y its dreadful music. nk! nk! Soon, a loud unlocking sound came from inside the steel box, and then¡ª Boom! The box''s lid was blown off into the distance with a powerful explosion. ¡°...?¡± Then, all four sides of the box unfolded simultaneously, revealing the true identity of the reward inside. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Bweee...! Seeing what was inside the box, Negwig groaned and raised its front paw. It was no wonder, as the extra reward delivered from the outer atmosphere was none other than a suit of armor, the same as the one worn by the chairman. The armor, standing upright on arge wedge-shaped stand as if it were alive, was immactely clean without a single scratch, as if it had been taken straight from the body of the first prince, Dogo. ¡¸Legitimacy¡¹ - Vesedel Royal Armor ¡¾Vesedel Royal Family¡¯s Protection¡¿ ¡¾Resilient Defense¡¿ ¡¾Adapts to any.¡¿ ¡¾Increases resistance to abnormal abilities by up to 5%.¡¿ ¡¾--Empty Slot¨C¡¿ ¡¾--Empty Slot--¡¿ ¡¾--Empty Slot--¡¿ ¡ó Dogo: Advertisement Space ¡®What the... How many lines of options does this have?¡¯ The armor had eight lines of options: two special options with separate tooltips, two regr options, three empty slots, and even a special Dogo option. ¡°...My God.¡± As Yeongwoo approached the armor with his mouth agape, the tooltip for the special options finally appeared. ¡¾Vesedel Royal Family¡¯s Protection¡¿ |This armor serves as a symbol of the royal family. ¡¾Resilient Defense¡¿ |30% of the damage taken is distributed over 3 seconds. ¡°Huh...?¡± While the royal family''s protection undoubtedly had some significant potential, what immediately caught Yeongwoo''s attention was the "Resilient Defense." Distributing 30% of the damage over 3 seconds essentially meant that only 70% of the initial impact would be applied. ¡®The grade is justbeled as Vesedel. Is royal family equipment treated specially or something?¡¯ ¡¸Legitimacy¡¹ - Vesedel Royal Armor The area where the grade of ¡°Legitimacy¡± should have been listed simply read ¡°Vesedel¡± without any other markings. While equipment made directly by Dogo also had ¡ó Dogo in the grade area, it usually came with additional indicators to show it was crafted gear. However, "Vesedel" was being treated like an official grade, on par with unique, epic, or legendary designations. It seemed to be a universally recognized grade, acknowledged across the entire universe. ¡®What exactly does a royal family represent in this universe? If it¡¯s recognized to this extent, there must be something truly special about it.¡¯ With a suddenly tense expression, Yeongwoo approached the full-body armor, ¡°Legitimacy.¡± The armor had been sized precisely to fit his height and was designed to cover his entire body, excluding his head. The helmet was missing, likely to ensure that he wouldn''t look exactly like the chairman. ¡°Oh?¡± It was at this moment that Yeongwoo recalled something. "The statue!" Wasn''t the statue his friends assembled in the returnee''s room the same as this? ''Wait, how did Toma know about this? And in advance, too?'' Just as a chill was about to creep down his spine, Negwig snorted behind him. Pshhh! -Kwii!! Was it urging him to try it on? Come to think of it, the third option of this armor was identical, word for word, to Negwig¡¯s option. ¡¸Negwig¡¹ - Unknown Grade ¡¾Adapts to any.¡¿ While Yeongwoo didn¡¯t fully understand Negwig¡¯s background, it seemed likely that it had some connection to the Vesedel royal family. "Alright, let''s try it on." Finally, as Yeongwoo ced his hand on the surface of "Legitimacy," the armor suddenly disassembled into hundreds of metal pieces that scattered in all directions before quickly enveloping him. Chachachak! ¡°Ugh, argh!¡± Pofu Tenta hastily blew its trumpet, but it had no effect on the armor. ¡°Why is it equipping like this¡­?!¡± Stumbling in shock, Yeongwoo watched as "Legitimacy," now wrapped around his entire body, began to reform into a suit of armor. Shrrk, nk! This armor was designed to be worn in such an intimidating manner from the start. Now fully encased in solid metal from head to toe, Yeongwoo¡¯s appearance was unmistakably simr to that of the chairman, Dogo. Yet, despite the striking resemnce, his humble origins were still evident. Fwaaash! As soon as the armor finished equipping, a holographic wedge symbol of Dogo appeared above Yeongwoo¡¯s right upper arm. ¡°Huh, this is¡­¡± The Dogo emblem was projected from the "nk" advertisement tattoo hidden beneath the armor. So the Dogo option attached to the bottom of the "Legitimacy" armor was actually a feature that projected ads even over the armor itself. ¡ó Dogo: Advertisement Space ''Seriously? They¡¯re so obsessed with advertising that they modified royal armor to include it?'' But then again, ¡¸Dogo¡¹ was fundamentally a for-profit organization. Based on the shareholder¡¯s assessment content, it seemed to be a cosmic mega-corporation listed somewhere. ¡®Why are they working so hard for something like this?¡¯ As Yeongwoo looked up at the sky in disbelief, he noticed a star twinkling at the tip of the tower lodged in Gangnam. ¡°...?¡± Yeongwoo blinked and focused on the tower. Then, a momentter¡­ Blink, blink! The top of the tower shed a couple more times. The "brothers" were using the path that the vanguard had cleared to continue constructing the elevated road. ¡°No way, really?¡± Yeongwoo quickly checked the time. Swipe.* Current time: 2:38 AM. It was the dead of night, in the middle of a brutal cold snap, and yet the tower in Gangnam shed once again. Seeing this, Yeongwoo became certain. ¡°My God.¡± While he had been struggling in the dungeon, the orcs... no, his "brothers," had been working through the night to build roads. The thought of these "brothers," enduring the bizarre weather of various countries with nothing but the will to pave the way for vengeance, made Yeongwoo¡¯s steel heart burn with emotion. ¡°They really work without any rights since they¡¯re not human¡­¡± Just then, another beam of light shot through the blizzard, heading toward China. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 282 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 282: Karma (3) 3:16 AM. When Yeongwoo returned to the room, Jeonggu, who had been sleeping in the living room, greeted him. ¡°What the... what time is it?¡± Jeonggu groggily half-opened his eyes and looked around, while Yeongwoo brought the Golden Goblin and Pofu Tenta inside and closed the door. Thud. ¡°It¡¯s a little past three. Is the bedroom empty?¡± ¡°Yeah. Madam and the kids were watching TV but moved to a separate room.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Yeongwoo nodded at Jeonggu¡¯s words, then took off his cloak, ¡®Cosmic Etiquette,¡¯ and ced it on the living room table. This revealed the new armor, ¡®Legitimacy,¡¯ that had been hidden underneath. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s this now?¡± Jeonggu¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. His son, who used to walk around without any clothes on, now appeared wrapped head to toe in armor, so it was only natural that Jeonggu was taken aback. ¡°What did you get yourself into this time?¡± ¡°¡­Dungeon reward.¡± ¡°A dungeon reward looks like this?¡± Jeonggu asked with a tone suggesting he wanted more exnation, but Yeongwoo didn¡¯t feel the need to borate. How could he possibly exin everything¡ªlike how he learned the backstory of their main sponsor, ¡¸Dogo¡¹ and how this armor was closely rted to that backstory¡ªall from a dungeon he had explored during the night? ¡°I need to get some sleep. Tomorrow will probably be another crazy day.¡± Yeongwoo ended the conversation and headed to the bedroom. nk, nk. Because ¡®Legitimacy¡¯ covered him from head to toe, his every step sounded like the nking of metal, almost like that of a creature in armor. ¡®Anyone who sees me might mistake me for a monster. Good thing I don¡¯t have a helmet.¡¯ Finally reaching the bedside, Yeongwoo drew his sword and stood it next to the bed, theny down on the sheets, still in his armor. Sigh. As the bed sank under his weight, Yeongwoo¡¯s consciousness began to fade. ¡®Tomorrow will be another busy day.¡¯ The oath with the Red-footed Orcs, the high-speed transport routes spreading like spider webs across Earth, and the uing battle over Earth¡¯s development rights... As Yeongwoo recalled the previous day''s events, his consciousness dimmed a little more with each thought. Until finally. As if a switch had been flipped, his consciousnesspletely turned off. ... ... Ring... Ring! ... Riiing! ... An irritating sound broke through. ¡®...Damn it.¡¯ Yeongwoo cursed in his mind. It was the morning call from the room, signaling that morning had alreadye. By now, he was experienced enough with resets that this doomed world¡¯s morning calls no longer felt strange to him. But instead. ¡®I seriously don¡¯t remember getting any sleep?¡¯ A sense of injustice washed over him. It was like the feeling of waking up on a Monday morning. Yeongwoo had no choice but to open his eyes. Pop! Instantly, updated notifications about his gear appeared in his vision. ¡¸Strength has permanently increased by 100 due to the Furious Goblin.¡¹ ¡¸The usage count of the Whistle has been recharged.¡¹ Then, as the irritating morning call threatened to assault his eardrums again, Yeongwoo quickly picked up the receiver. Click. Normally, what followed would be a chilling voice announcing the time remaining until checkout, but this time. sh! ¡¶Dogo informs you that you have 1 hour and 59 minutes remaining until checkout.¡· ¡°Huh?¡± A voice Yeongwoo had never heard before echoed in his ears. And it was a very clear voice at that. ¡°Dogo is informing me?¡± As far as Yeongwoo knew, morning calls were within the realm of the reset system. The morning call itself was part of the lodging system, and lodging in residences was one of the basic services introduced at the time of the reset. So the fact that ¡®Dogo¡¯ could now intervene in such morning calls... ¡®What is this? Does it have something to do with theary development rights?¡¯ Of course, it could be that this new feature applied only to him, their direct model. But regardless of who it applied to, the fact that Dogo could now alter morning calls in a world undergoing a reset hinted at something significant. ¡®Soary development isn¡¯t just aboutying down roads and such, huh?¡¯ Yeongwoo ced the receiver back down and then tried to check his wristwatch. Swish. But instead of the wristwatch that had definitely been there yesterday, holographic numbers floated above his armor. [08:02] The current time was 8:02 AM. Soon, a tooltip for the equipment also appeared. ¡¸Gauge¡¹ - Relic Tool ¡¾Disys the time on the where you are currently located.¡¿ ¡ó Dogo: Interacts with head office products ¡ó Dogo: Multi-disy ¡¶Congrattions on surviving the 7th day.¡· So, this was... ¡°A watch?¡± To be exact, it was a special watch that worked even outside of space and had been specially modified by thepany. Since he didn¡¯t have such equipment before going to sleep, it was clear that it had been provided along with the morning call. And judging by the additional note at the bottom of the tooltip: ¡¶Congrattions on surviving the 7th day.¡· ¡®So, it¡¯s amemorative watch for surviving seven days of reset.¡¯ Given the use of honorifguage, it felt less like a gift from the chairman and more like something from thepany staff. ¡®Is surviving for seven days really something worth celebrating...? Ah, I guess so.¡¯ Yeongwoo tilted his head in confusion for a moment but soon understood. He also realized something new: Even Dogo didn¡¯t know how long their contracted models would survive. They might not have thought much of the contract in the early stages, but at some point, thepany must have watched Earth¡¯s reset progress with growing anxiety. ¡¶Congrattions on surviving the 7th day.¡· Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have left a congrattory note celebrating survival. ¡®Well, anyway, I need to finish today¡¯s tasks.¡¯ After inspecting the watch for a while, Yeongwoo stood up abruptly and grabbed his sword. He then headed to the still-quiet living room. ¡°......¡± It seemed like Seok and the kids in the separate room were still lost in dreand, and Jeonggu had slipped off the living room sofa and was lying on the floor. Yeongwoo slowly walked over to the sofa and nudged his father with his foot. ¡°Father, wake up.¡± Jeonggu, who had been sleeping like the dead, slowly opened his eyes. ¡°...What did you say?¡± ¡°I said, wake up.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Seeing the sunlight streaming in through the curtains, Jeonggu frowned. He, too, had barely slept, just like Yeongwoo. ¡°What time is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a little past 8.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Then I can sleep a bit more. Checkout isn¡¯t until 10.¡± Jeonggu muttered this as he tried to go back to sleep on the living room floor, but Yeongwoo nudged his thigh again with his foot. ¡°Hey, how dare you kick your own father?¡± ¡°Someone mighteter. Since I¡¯ll likely be out of Seoul then, you¡¯ll have to greet them.¡± ¡°What?¡± At the mention that a guest of Yeongwoo, the Absolute Demon, mighte to Seoul, Jeonggu shot up from the floor. ¡°Is this guest even human?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Hearing that a human would be visiting, Jeonggu¡¯s expression rxed a bit, and Yeongwoo, standing at the door, added some final words. ¡°One of my former colleagues will be bringing money from Busan. It should be about 8.6 million.¡± ¡°A colleague? You have human colleagues?¡± ¡°......¡± As Jeonggu kept pestering him with questions, Yeongwoo squeezed Bastard in annoyance. Squeak. Seeing this, Jeonggu waved his hands, signaling he¡¯d stop. ¡°Okay, I get it. So, what should I do with the money?¡± ¡°Just keep it somewhere safe. You¡¯ll need to hand it to me when I get back. Also, don¡¯t forget to pick up money from Incheon this evening.¡± Yeongwoo meticulouslyid out his father¡¯s tasks for the day, prompting Jeonggu to ask onest crucial question. ¡°What¡¯s this guest¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Kang Yechan.¡± ¡°Kang Yechan?¡± ¡°Yes. He¡¯s pretty strong, so stay close to him if anything happens.¡± * * * 8:11 AM. After leaving the hotel, Yeongwoo headed straight for the ¡®Tower¡¯ that had been erected in Gangnam the night before. ¡®I need to hurry.¡¯ As Jeonggu had mentioned, he could safely rest in the room until the checkout time of 10 AM. However, there was only one reason why Yeongwoo was rushing to start his day. ¡®By now, the Standing Committee members from Beijing would have visited all the nearby cities.¡¯ Therefore, for Yeongwoo, whose business model involved offering "less tribute than usual," now was the time to start his operations. To borrow the chairman''s words, it was time tounch a massive campaign of "violence beyond limits." "Today, I¡¯m going to need you to work hard. We need to head to China via the overpass and return here before 1 o''clock." As Yeongwoo spoke encouragingly to Negwig, it lifted its head slightly and responded with a brief sound. -Squeeeak! Was it just his imagination, or did Negwig seem unusually excited? Crash, crash! Soon, the "Tower" built by the Red-footed Orcs filled Yeongwoo and Negwig''s field of vision. Already, a crowd of nearby residents had gathered around it, chattering excitedly. A few brave souls were even touching the surface of the tower. ¡®Everywhere the roads have beenid will probably look like this.¡¯ Yeongwoo didn''t know how far his brothers had extended the road construction, but whether it was China, Russia, or Mongolia, there was no way people would just stand by and watch the sudden appearance of the tower. Most likely, crowds were gathering to observe it everywhere, just like here, or they were already attempting to demolish it. "Don''t worry! This is ours!" As Yeongwoo shouted this and headed straight for the tower, its surface began to glow brightly, forming an arched entrance just for him. Sssss! "Huh?" "What... what''s going on?" "A door just appeared...?" The residents, still fearful of the mysterious tower, watched with their mouths agape as Yeongwoo entered it. Day 7 of the reset. No matter how adaptable humans were, it wasn''t easy to ept alien structures as their own in just a week. On the other hand, as Yeongwoo stepped into the tower¡ª Piiiii! His entire field of vision was suddenly filled with light, and he felt his body being lifted hundreds of meters into the air. ¡°......¡± His brothers, who had personally built the tower and the overpass, must have also risen into the sky like this. Swoosh! Soon, Yeongwoopleted his ascent and arrived in a circr space with a diameter of 20 meters. ''This is only my second visit, but every time Ie here, it stirs something in my heart.¡¯ This was the very top of the tower. The user could use the round table device in the center of this space to check the status of the high-speed transit routes or decide whether to expand the roads. It was a choice between following the already built roads or bing the road himself. "Let''s see how much work my brothers have done." As Yeongwoo ced his hand on the round table, a holographic globe of Earth appeared. sh! He marked the current location, Seoul, with a wedge-shaped icon. This indicated that the user was currently here. Then¡ª Whooosh! From Seoul, silver lines representing the high-speed transit routes began to spread out in all directions. "......?" The merciless employer, Jeong Yeongwoo07, widened his eyes in amazement. "Wha... did they do all this in just one night?" What Yeongwoo had originally ordered were roads leading to various parts of China. The very reason he had assigned this construction to his brothers was to pave the way for revenge against ¡®Mara.¡¯ Even Yeongwoo¡¯s only basis for this was his strong suspicion that Mara might be hiding behind China. Perhaps that was why his brothers seemed to have anticipated the possibility that Mara might not be behind China after all. The roads were already being built across Japan, Australia, and even toward the Philippines. ''Do they really n to cover the entire world with roads?'' While Yeongwoo did intend to make them build more roads somehow, he hadn''t expected his brothers to take the initiative and expand this crazily on their own. This was nothing short of... ''...madness.'' Well, how deep must the desire for revenge be against the one who killed countless kin and stole their homnd? Yeongwoo gazed at the routes already covering Eastern China with a newfound sense of reverence. He then pointed to the city of ¡®Tongliao,¡¯ a ce he couldn''t visit yesterday due to the physical distance. Even riding Negwig at full speed would have taken half a day to reach that city, but now he could invade it within a matter of minutes. After Yeongwoo pounded his fist on the round table, the interior lit up momentarily, and one of the walls opened up, revealing a high-speed road resembling the Milky Way. A path of light, built by migrant workers from beyond our gxy. Now, by setting foot on it, he could travel to the next tower at near-light speed. Swoosh. Yeongwoo mounted Negwig again, then pointed his sword into the vast void beyond and shouted: "Let''s go! My brothers have lit the way!" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 283 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 283: Karma (4) Tongliao. A city in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and the next destination rmended by Dalian Swordmaster, Tian Zhulin, the guardian of Dalian City, to Yeongwoo. The reason she advised him to visit Tongliao was simple¡ªit was an extremely dangerous area. Tongliao, where 50% of the poption was Mongolian, was a ce where anti-government protests demanding independence from China urred even right up to the Reset. This meant that the atmosphere was already tense before the Reset. Then, with the advent of the Reset and countless swords falling from the sky, one can only imagine what kind of chaos unfolded in Tongliao. At the very least, the Han Chinese didn''t even attempt to approach Tongliao, and as a result, only eerie rumors circted about the ce. Some said the Mongolians upying Tongliao were preparing to march on Beijing, while others imed that even the beggars lying by the roadside in Tongliao were at the level of elite swordsmen from other cities. "¡­¡­." Of course, Yeongwoo knew nothing of this background, and merely thought that Tongliao would be stronger than other cities. After all, from Dalian City''s perspective, they would have picked a city capable of adequately dealing with a troublesome guy from the Korean Penins. ¡®How strong could a ce like Tongliao be? If it''s such a troublesome city that Dalian City knows about it, Im Dupyeong must have considered it a potential threat as well.¡¯ If that was the case, wouldn¡¯t Im Dupyeong have sent an even stronger collection team to Tongliao? So far, Yeongwoo had dealt with two collection teams: one led by Zhang Jinshan, the 6th Standing Committee member, and another by Baek Gangryang, the 4th Standing Committee member. Assuming the Standing Committee was stillposed of six members like before the Reset, four members, including Im Dupyeong, the 1st Standing Committee member, remained. ¡®Well, if you look at it positively, I¡¯ve already dealt with a third of the Standing Committee, who were only six in number.¡¯ This would have severely disrupted Im Dupyeong''s collection operations. As Yeongwoo had felt yesterday, China was too vast and. Now, Im Dupyeong had only three collection teams left. Perhaps Im Dupyeong himself was directly involved in the collection operations. ¡®Where is he spending all that money? Whether he invests it in equipment or abilities, he¡¯s surely be an enormous monster by now.¡¯ While Yeongwoo pondered various things, Negwig carrying him was speeding down a path of light. On the ground, Yeongwoo and the creature would have appeared as a rapidly moving shooting star. However, Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t even aware that he was moving at such a high speed. He was calmly investing in his abilities in preparation for a battle with Im Dupyeong. * Avable Karma: 85,212,500 * Avable Defense Funds: 78,967,105 ¡®Hmm. My bnce is more than enough.¡¯ The top number represented his personal assets, while the bottom one was akin to a national treasury. Using national funds required keeping a separate ledger and disclosing the usage to the public. In contrast, personal assets could be freely used as before. So Yeongwoo decided to increase his abilities using his personal funds first. ¡®Anyway, when the mutants appear this afternoon, I¡¯ll need to visit the shop, so I¡¯ll spend a clean 60 million.¡¯ [Strength] 7,700 (19+7,681) [Endurance] 6,348 (21+6,327) [Durability] 7,498 (13+7,485) [Sensitivity] 3,500 (24+3,476) There were a total of four basic abilities. Yeongwoo evenly invested 10 million in each ability and hesitated momentarily before adding an extra 20 million to Sensitivity. This was to ensure the effect of the ring "Agility." ¡¸Agility¡¹ - Mutant Ring ¡¾When Sensitivity is the highest ability, gain 10% damage reduction.¡¿ Currently, Yeongwoo''s ability boosting mechanism consisted of two mainponents. The first was the "Masochism" effect from the epic jewel attached to the Fearful Cat. ¡¾When bleeding, Strength increases by 25%.¡¿ The second was the Sensitivity stealing from the Golden sh. However, with Strength now so high, the Agility effect was hard to trigger unless it was a one-against-many fight. ¡®Damage reduction is a rare and valuable effect. It¡¯s best to trigger all of them if possible.¡¯ This was a kind of big data Yeongwoo had gathered from handling far more equipment than others. As a result, his final abilities were: [Strength] 8,700 (19+8,681) [Endurance] 7,348 (21+7,327) [Durability] 8,498 (13+8,485) [Sensitivity] 6,500 (24+6,476) ¡®Even with this setup, I need a Sensitivity steal of about 4,400 for Agility to trigger. Not easy at all.¡¯ Of course, he was already a sufficient monster with a total ability score of 31,000. But would it be enough to face Im Dupyeong, who had been on an extraordinary path since the first day of the Reset? Shhhhooo! Meanwhile, Negwig continued to carry Yeongwoo at incredible speed, and soon an rm appeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s vision, indicating that they were about to reach their destination, Tongliao. Paht! The rm showed Yeongwoo his exact position on the route in real-time. ¡®What the heck? Did these guys build a tower right in the middle of Tongliao?¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s mouth fell open when he saw that the next tower, or stop, on the route was located right in the middle of Tongliao on the map. It seemed that the overly zealous brothers had built stations in every major city in China. This, of course, meant that. ¡®The tower must already be surrounded.¡¯ As soon as Yeongwoo came to this conclusion, Negwig¡¯s movement across the sky ceased. Swaat! This indicated that they had finally arrived at the station uwfully set up in Tongliao. However, they were still 800 meters above ground in a booth, so neither Yeongwoo nor the citizens of Tongliao could see each other yet. ¡®Have the experts in Tongliao alreadye out early?¡¯ Since China had different title systems in each city, it was hard to predict the next opponent''s title. Some cities had Swordmasters, others had Five Heroes, and some had Twin Evils... ¡®Is it because thend is so vast?¡¯ ng! Yeongwoo jumped down from the creature¡¯s back and stood in front of the round table in the center of the room. Then, an interface appeared, asking whether he wanted to resume his journey or descend. Without hesitation, Yeongwoo chose to descend. ¡®This is the first time I¡¯m using the path for its original purpose.¡¯ Of course, this "original purpose" was something Yeongwoo had decided on his own. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] But since it was Dogo who provided the design ns for this road, Yeongwoo figured that anyone in that crazypany would have used it just like he was about to. Thump! Shortly after, the entire room Yeongwoo was in briefly vibrated, and bright light filled the walls and floor. Swaaaah! Then... Paht! In an instant, Yeongwoo¡¯s body blurred, and in the blink of an eye, he was transported down to the ground floor. ¡®¡­This is incredible. But does this mean they¡¯ll soon use this technology to remodel the entire Earth¡­?¡¯ However, what Yeongwoo needed to focus on right now wasn''t the astonishing technology of Dogo. nk! The tower''s walls on the ground level suddenly opened, creating an entrance. Beyond it, just as expected, a throng of Tongliao¡¯s residents had gathered, ckening the area with their sheer numbers. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°They¡¯re walking out?¡± ¡°What is that?¡± Not a single one of them was without a weapon, and about 30% of the visible residents were heavily armed. There were a significant number of people wearing grade equipment, not just standard-issue gear. ¡°Oh dear, it¡¯s nice to meet you all.¡± As Yeongwoo slowly led his mount, Negwig, out of the tower, the citizens who had surrounded the strange structure took a few steps back. Even so, they didn¡¯t forget to shout threats, pointing their weapons at him bravely. ¡°St-stop!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± But it seemed they couldn¡¯t quite believe that the person emerging from the alien-looking ¡®tower¡¯ was one of their own, a fellow human from Earth. ¡°It really does look like a person.¡± ¡°Is that a person?¡± ¡°It¡­ looks simr to a person?¡± Although some in the crowd were uttering words like ¡®human¡¯ and ¡®person,¡¯ they were always apanied by qualifiers like ¡®almost¡¯ or ¡®simr.¡¯ And in the meantime¡ª ng, bang! From the opposite side of where Yeongwoo was facing off against the citizens, sounds of people striking the tower with their weapons could be heard. ¡®Good thing I tested it yesterday.¡¯ Hearing those sounds, Yeongwoo nodded in satisfaction. Then, thinking he should stir things up a bit more, he deliberately took a big step forward. Thump! The hundred or so citizens who had been watching him screamed as if they had just encountered a wild beast. ¡°D-don¡¯t move!¡± ¡°Are you crazy? Move again, and we¡¯ll consider it an invasion!¡± Despite their threatening words, their swords wavered weakly. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Knowing that he could handle everyone present without so much as a scratch, Yeongwoo silently waited for the next move. Finally¡ª ¡°H-hurry, get to City Hall!¡± ¡°Quickly!¡± The words Yeongwoo had been waiting for reached his ears. Atst, they were calling upon the real strongmen of this city. But the truth was, those strongmen were already¡ª Whoosh! Swoosh! ¡ªrapidly approaching the tower from different directions, each emanating a distinct aura. ¡®Two¡­ no, three?¡¯ The ominous presences closing in from three sides made Yeongwoo realize that these people were different from those in other cities. Because¡ª Screeeech! ¡ªtheir first response to this strange and suspicious visitor was none other than a preemptive strike. This could be seen as reckless, but on the other hand, it could also mean they were strong enough to be so reckless. And in most cases, their strength was indeed thetter. ¡¸Your sense stat has temporarily increased from 6,500 to 8,134.¡¹ ¡¸Your sense stat has temporarily increased from 8,134 to 10,511.¡¹ ¡¸Your sense stat has temporarily increased from 10,511 to 12,008.¡¹ ¡®What? Who are these guys?¡¯ Indeed, the abilities of the three swordsmen were overwhelming, and Yeongwoo, startled, quickly assumed a defensive stance. He directed the golden trail that had been waiting behind him to the left to handle one of them, while he himself drew a dagger from his coat. Then, he blocked the iing de from the front with his dagger. Ping! He had taken this action to avoid identally killing his opponent if he had used his full power. Only then did the opponent¡¯s face and the title attached to ite into view. ¡ºTongliao¡¯s Three Swords¡» ¡®Ah, this is the Three Swords system.¡¯ It was probably something like First Sword, Second Sword, and so on. And the opponent currently crossing des with Yeongwoo¡ª ¡°The First Sword¡­?¡± ¡ºFirst Sword¡» The title simply read ¡®First Sword,¡¯ and the opponent¡¯s eyes were filled with unease. But wasn¡¯t there supposed to be one more swordsman? Counting the man currently locked in a power struggle with the golden trail and the woman who had just crossed des with Yeongwoo, that made two. ¡®So, the oneing from behind now must be¡­¡¯ Sensing the reappearance of the aura that had disappeared earlier, Yeongwoo deliberately turned his body slightly. Just like in Shandong, he nned to let the third swordsman pierce his heart and leave asting impression on them. However¡ª Ping! The de of the surprise attacker from behind didn¡¯t even reach Yeongwoo¡¯s skin, let alone his heart. The armor he wore, ¡®Legitimacy,¡¯ effortlessly deflected the de that should have pierced his heart. ¡°Damn it. I was supposed to put on a heart-stopping show.¡± As his nned scenario fell apart from the start, Yeongwoo nced around, slightly flustered. What he saw were the frightened faces of the citizens of Tongliao. And no wonder¡ªthey had just witnessed someone emerge from an alien structure and simultaneously take on all three of Tongliao¡¯s Three Swords. So, Yeongwoo quickly changed his approach. Whoosh! He grabbed the arm of the female swordsman who had first crossed des with him and swiftly brought his dagger to her neck. Whoosh! ¡°Wha¡­?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s movement was so fast that it was unbelievable, leaving the opponent¡ªTongliao¡¯s Second Sword, Huang Shengli¡ªtoo shocked even to think of attempting anything. ¡°W-who the hell are you?¡± As Huang Shengli asked in a disbelieving voice, Yeongwoo pressed the dagger closer to her neck and spoke to the surrounding citizens. ¡°Bring me money right now. Or I¡¯ll kill all of Tongliao¡¯s Three Swords.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 284 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 284: Karma (5) "If the citizens don''te up with the money, I''ll kill all of Tongliao''s Three Swords..." The ones most shocked by this rather outrageous threat were the Three Swordsmen themselves, who only now realized they were being held hostage. "W-What? Are you a robber?" When the second sword of Tongliao, Huang Shengli, asked in a bewildered tone, Yeongwoo instinctively flinched for a moment. "......" Until now, he had never thought of himself as a robber, but hearing it now, he realized that what he just did was essentially robbery. He had abruptly taken them hostage and demanded money from the citizens. On Earth, someone like this would definitely be called a ''robber.'' ''Damn it, things have gotten really messy.'' Moreover, Huang Shengli, who was now a hostage, was looking at the "Tower" that Yeongwoo hade on. She was in shock that this mysterious structure, which seemed almost awe-inspiring, was just a means for a robbery. But was Yeongwoo just a mere robber? No. Jeong Yeongwoo07 was a powerful robber who could take the Three Swordsmen of Tongliao hostage instead of the citizens. And he was an angry robber who believed that trying to solve this situation with nice words was out of the question. "You attacked me first." "...What?" "You three attacked one person, and now what? Asking if I''m a robber? Demandingpensation for assault is robbery?" "Well, that¡¯s because..." "Just get the money ready, you bastards!" When Yeongwoo rolled his eyes and threatened the citizens of Tongliao, a loud voice came from behind him. "You thief! Let¡¯s settle this once and for all!" This was from Zheng Chosan, the first sword of Tongliao, who had failed in his previous attempt to stab Yeongwoo in the back. Shiiing! This time, a sharp attack aimed precisely at the back of Yeongwoo¡¯s neck came flying in, forcing him to disy a bit of his skill. ''I didn''t want to cause permanent damage if I could help it.'' He swung Bastard like lightning and sliced Zheng Chosan''s de in two. Swish! The unique-grade sword of Zheng Chosan was now broken, and Huang Shengli, who witnessed this up close, widened her eyes in shock. "......!" She realized that this robber who appeared with the Tower was not just unusual in personality but also in martial prowess. ''Who the hell is this guy?'' A monstrous stranger who arrived like a bolt out of the blue. "You bastard!" Next, the third sword, Guo Wangbo, who had finished his struggle with the Golden Trail, came charging in. Tat-tat-tat! Before he could even take three steps, the robber¡¯s form shot forward like a bullet. "S-Stop!" At that moment, Huang Shengli, who was still held by Yeongwoo, screamed, and almost simultaneously, there was a heavy thudding sound. Thud! "Ugh?" It was the groan of Guo Wangbo, who had tried to swing his sword at the robber. He looked down at his stomach, which was now in excruciating pain. "......" There, between his navel and sr plexus, was the hilt of a red sword. Jeong Yeongwoo had struck Guo Wangbo with the hilt of Bastard. Of course, he had controlled his strength, so Guo Wangbo didn''t sustain any external injuries. But instead... "Urgh!" The effect of the Golden Punishment began gnawing at his senses. As his entire body felt like it was burning, Guo Wangbo rolled on the ground in agony. Seeing this, the citizens finally began to move. "L-Let''s gather some money." "How much does everyone have right now?" "This is all I have..." Fearing that all of Tongliao''s Three Swords would actually be killed, they decided to try and collect the money the robber demanded. Seeing this, Huang Shengli gritted her teeth. Grinding them together, she barely managed to form a sentence in respectfulnguage. "What are you? Do you go around extorting money like this?" "......" Confronted with such an urate statement, Yeongwoo paused for a moment in thought. Then, unable to find another answer, he nodded. "Yes." "Yes?" "I do go around extorting money." A straightforward answer. With that, Yeongwoo released the arm of Huang Shengli, whom he had been holding until now. It seemed she wasn''t the type to abandon the citizens and flee. Then, Huang Shengli looked Yeongwoo up and down. "What will you do with the little money you get from us? You seem like someone who already has more than enough." "Isn''t it the case that many drops make a flood?" "......?" "Even specks of dust, when gathered, can form a mountain. I intend to collect every bit of small change in China to help buy this." "W-What do you mean... buy what...?" From specks of dust to purchasing a¡ªHuang Shengli''s mind seemed to freeze for a moment at this cosmic leap in conversation. The uninvited guest in front of her was not just a simple robber but an utterly insane one. However, Yeongwoo remained serious. "Please contribute some money so I can buy Earth. I''m asking you nicely." Then, he looked toward the southwest, where Beijing¡ªPeking¡ªwas likely located. "In return, I''ll conquer Beijing and erase Im Dupyeong for you." Beijing, and Im Dupyeong. The moment Yeongwoo uttered these two words, the previously noisy hall, bustling with people collecting money, fell silent. "......?" Surprised by this unexpected reaction, Yeongwoo widened his eyes. Then, Zheng Chosan, the first sword of Tongliao, who was still standing with his broken sword, pointed his half-de at Yeongwoo. "Conquer Beijing? That''s our long-cherished goal. Who do you think you are to interfere?" "You, who can''t even take me down, have your sights set on conquering Beijing?" "You...!" There was nothing wrong with what Yeongwoo said, so Zheng Chosan couldn''t find anything to refute. This conversation was openly happening in front of the citizens of Tongliao. There was no greater humiliation than this. Some random robber had shown up out of nowhere, spouting nonsense, and theycked the power to shut him up. It was enough to drive Zheng Chosan mad. "You crazy bastard!" "I''ve heard that too many times; it doesn''t affect me anymore. Just hand over the money. Then I won''t bother you any further." Yeongwoo spoke with a face that showed he was genuinely unaffected, and finally, Huang Shengli brought up the matter of ''price.'' "...How much do you need?" So Yeongwoo had to ask in return. "How much are you paying Im Dupyeong right now?" "Huh...?" "Huh?" "What are you talking about?" Huang Shengli lookedpletely bewildered. In response, Yeongwoo quickly turned to gauge the expressions of the other two swordsmen, Zheng Chosan and Guo Wangbo. "...Good grief." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] As expected, they also had no idea. They werepletely unaware of the existence of the "collection teams" of the Standing Committee members who traveled through various Chinese cities daily, collecting tens of millions of karma. "You''ve never met them? Im Dupyeong''s collection teams." "Collection teams?" "Im Dupyeong is collecting money?" Seeing the Three Swordsmen of Tongliao immediately be enraged confirmed it. The shadow of Beijing had not yet reached this city. ''Damn, is this because of me? Well, I did kill the East region officer.'' It was unmistakable. One of the two Standing Committee members he had killed in China must have been in charge of collecting from Tongliao. "Oh, I''m sorry. It seems I might have killed the person in charge of Tongliao. Otherwise, your blood would have already been sucked dry starting yesterday." Yeongwoo scratched his chin with the tip of Bastard. "So, how should I make you feel this grim reality...?" "W-What are you talking about now?" "You may not know this, but all other cities in China are paying Im Dupyeong 50 million karma every day." "Fifty million...?" Fifty million karma every day. This figure soundedpletely unrealistic to the citizens of Tongliao, who had not yet encountered a Standing Committee member. "Is that even possible?" "Not monthly, but daily? They''re paying 50 million every day?" "Why are they even paying that?" As the crowd began to buzz again, Zheng Chosan questioned the uninvited guest as if challenging him. "Don''t talk nonsense! You''re saying every city is giving that much money to Beijing? Why? That doesn''t make any sense." Yeongwoo immediately released a golden aura from his eyes, projecting the "Majesty of the Strongest Sword." Whoosh! This was the first proper disy of intimidation since he arrived in Tongliao. "Gasp!" "Ugh...!" "It hurts!" Although Yeongwoo directed his aura only at the Three Swordsmen of Tongliao, even the citizens surrounding them could sense how immense his internal energy was. "Why do they pay? Because if they don''t, they''ll die. What''s so hard to understand? Did I exin it too nicely?" Yeongwoo casually lifted his sword in front of the frozen Zheng Chosan. "I don''t want to be a viin. But if you keep wasting my precious time, I can''t help but lose patience." "......?" "What... what is he saying?" Despite being the strongest in Tongliao, the Swordsmen, who felt their hearts being crushed under his aura, couldn''t just ignore what Yeongwoo was saying. "So, you''re saying you want to collect the money before Im Dupyeong does?" Huang Shengli asked in a voice filled with indignation. ¡°Yes! But you forgot something important!" "What? And what''s that?" "I charge ten million less than Im Dupyeong!" "You crazy bastard!" It was Huang Shengli''s patience, not Yeongwoo''s, that cracked first. Just in time, the "Strongest Sword''s" aura that had been restraining the three masters began to fade. Swoosh... The aura''s duration had ended. Swish! As soon as the hold on the Three Swordsmen of Tongliao was released, they all rushed toward Yeongwoo simultaneously, as if they had nned it. "Haaa!" "Die!" "You shouldn''t be allowed to live!" This was a critical battle, where the fate of losing or keeping millions of karma daily hung in the bnce. Of course, Yeongwoo had expected such a reaction and swiftly retreated, shouting to the golden goblin, "ck Sword!" He was ordering the goblin to pull out and toss him the Duhan''s sword. However, the goblin merely tilted its head without even opening its subspace pouch. -Kee? Yeongwoo realised, ''That''s right, I put it in the Catalog.'' In a hurry, Yeongwoo grabbed the "Golden Trail" floating behind him with both hands. Thunk! He then swung the sword toward the three masters of Tongliao, who were already closing in on him. "Listen to me! Paying me is the safest and easiest way! Don''t make me turn into a real viin!" Whoosh! The sword drew a wide golden arc, and though the Three Swordsmen of Tongliao flinched at the sight, they didn''t suppress their fighting spirit. "We''ve never even met the collection teams, and we won''t lose to them either!" "Aren''t you one of those collectors? Aren''t you Im Dupyeong''s dog?" "It seems killing you is the true justice!" As the Three Swordsmen, each filled with righteous indignation, charged at him, anyone watching would see Yeongwoo as the viin. ''Damn, these guys really...'' ng, ng, ng! In an instant, they exchanged a dozen blows. This exchange onlysted because Yeongwoo was holding back against the three swordsmen. If he wanted, he could have beheaded all three within ten seconds. But as he had said earlier, Yeongwoo''s patience, like his time, was wearing thin. "You bastards, I''ll show you why the other cities are paying me from now on." So, as Yeongwoo reached for the Bastard once more... Boom! A strange explosion-like sound came from the rear of the battlefield, where the four had been fighting. "What." "What the...?" Yeongwoo and the Three Swordsmen of Tongliao all turned to look in the direction of the sound. What they saw was an elderly man approaching, his voice amplified with a strange, demonic resonance. ¡ªThe Chairman Im Dupyeong demands tribute! Tongliao, heed themand...! The old man, announcing his approach with an eerie tone filled with malice. ¡ªI am Hong Jingbai, the 2nd Standing Committee member of the Central Politburo! "...!" The 2nd Standing Committee member, second only to Im Dupyeong himself in Beijing, had arrived. He had been dispatched to investigate the situation in the Eastern region, where Standing Committee members kept disappearing. Yeongwoo quickly extricated himself from the battlefield and pointed to the Three Swordsmen of Tongliao, who were conveniently gathered together. "Master Hong! Over here! These men are plotting a rebellion!" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 285 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 285: The Student Surpasses the Master (1) "What?" "...Huh?" "Did you just say ''Master Hong''...?" The Tongliao''s Three Swords were left speechless at Yeongwoo''s usation of treason. After all, wasn¡¯t he the one who had been shouting about the fall of Beijing? "Is hepletely out of his mind?" The first sword of Tongliao, Zheng Chosan, erupted in anger but didn''t have the luxury to argue. By that time, the second member of the Standing Committee, Hong Jingbai, had already approached them. "Kneel before the Party! From now on, anyone who stands on their feet will be beheaded!" With a terrifying voice, Hong Jingbai demanded submission, and Yeongwoo was the first to kneel. Thud! Then, the second sword of Tongliao, Huang Seongli, gritted her teeth and red at Yeongwoo. "What are you doing right now?" "If you don¡¯t kneel, you¡¯ll be beheaded." "But aren¡¯t you supposed to be Im Dupyeong¡¯s adversary? Shouldn¡¯t you...?" "Oh, that was when I was getting paid. You¡¯re not nning on paying me yet, are you?" "...What?" Huang Seongli¡¯s eyes widened as he finally realized that this guy was staging a protest to demand his payment. "If you don¡¯t want to kneel with me, you¡¯ll have no choice but to fight Master Hong. Let¡¯s see if you really have the strength to defend this city." Already on his knees, Yeongwoo scratched his chin with a calm expression. Meanwhile, the third sword of Tongliao, Guo Wangbo, shouted at the citizens. "Don¡¯t kneel! Are you crazy?" That was because half of the citizens gathered in the area were hesitating and beginning to kneel. They had concluded that Tongliao''s Three Swords might not be able to defeat Hong Jingbai. The other half of the crowd was also confused, unsure of what to do. They wanted to trust the Tongliao''s Three Swords but instinctively felt that kneeling might be the safer option, given that Hong Jingbai¡¯s martial arts seemed formidable. "Ha, is there truly anyone here dreaming of rebellion?" Finally, Hong Jingbaiughed savagely, looking at the Tongliao''s Three Swords. Central Political Bureau¡¯s second member of the Standing Committee, Hong Jingbai. Age: 68, Height: 2 meters. Estimated to be the second most powerful person in Beijing at this moment. Unlike the fourth member, Baek Gangryang, whom he had met earlier, Hong Jingbai''s body wasn¡¯t grotesquely deformed. Instead, his overall appearance was tall and thin, making him look the most normal among the strange figures they had encountered so far. However... ''Huh? He doesn¡¯t have a weapon?'' Aside from the purple demonic energy covering his entire body, he wasn¡¯t carrying any weapon. And for someone who is the second most powerful person in Beijing to walk around without a weapon... ''Does that mean he has something that makes a weapon unnecessary?'' As Yeongwoo thought this, Zheng Chosan, the first sword of Tongliao, was the first to charge at Hong Jingbai. "You''vee to find your own grave!" He decided he had to turn the situation around before all the citizens kneeled. Following him, the third sword, Guo Wangbo, also rushed in, and finally, the second sword, Huang Seongli, reluctantly moved as well. Thud! Thud! "Everyone, be careful! Judging by what he¡¯s doing, there¡¯s definitely something going on!" The ¡®he¡¯ Huang Seongli referred to was obviously the brazen intruder kneeling over there. And atst... "Die!" Zheng Chosan, who was leading the charge, tried to stab Hong Jingbai with his broken sword¡ªthe one Yeongwoo had cut in half in an instant. When Hong Jingbai saw the sword, he furrowed his brow. "Who did this to your sword?" As expected from the second most powerful person in Beijing, he sensed something ominous from the severed edge of the sword. In this world, equipment, especially weapons, were generally made to be almost indestructible. However, Zheng Chosan didn¡¯t have time to answer Hong Jingbai¡¯s question. He had already used all his courage inunching the attack with his broken sword. "Graaaah!" Unaware of what he was being asked, he recklessly thrust his sword forward. Screeech! "Ha, you''re still a novice. I admire your courage, though." Meanwhile, Hong Jingbaiughed fiercely as he grabbed the sword de with his bare hand. Crunch! "What!" Zheng Chosan finally came to his senses, eyes widening, while the third sword, Guo Wangbo, swung his broad sword and intervened between them. "Step back! I¡¯ll handle this!" Although he was the third sword, Guo Wangbo was the oldest in terms of age. He was a carpenter from Kailu County, Tongliao. He wielded his massive sword with his well-developed forearms as if it were a piece of paper. "You Hong n scum! I¡¯ll chop off your head and disy it in the streets!" As Guo Wangbo charged in with a menacing line, the smile vanished from Hong Jingbai''s face. "Indeed, you¡¯re the kind that doesn¡¯t understand words." As he said this, both his left hand, which was holding Zheng Chosan''s de, and his still free right hand turned an intense, chilling shade of deep purple. Fsssssst! "Everyone, fall back!" Sensing something ominous, Huang Seongli urgently threw her sword at Hong Jingbai, hoping to bind his arms for even a moment to buy herrades time to retreat. And her judgment was... Ping! ...spot on. "Huh?" "What?" "My... my sword...?" As Huang Seongli''s sword flew toward him, Hong Jingbai''s right hand transformed into a massive de. Swoosh, thunk! Huang Seongli¡¯s sword was deflected by Hong Jingbai¡¯s de and embedded itself far away in the ground, leaving her unarmed. "Damn it." Seeing that two of the Tongliao Swordsmen were already disarmed, Guo Wangbo grimaced as he foresaw the grim oue. But they weren''t the only ones whose expressions darkened. "It''s over." "They can''t beat him even with all three of them?" "If that''s the case, then what hope do we have...?" The remaining half of the citizens, who were still standing, quickly began kneeling. Seeing this, Hong Jingbai burst intoughter. "How amusing. What an entertaining world." Then, pointing his monstrous de-covered arm at the Tongliao''s Three Swords, he dered: "To punish you for defying the Party, I will demand even more tribute." "...!" "From now on, the person in charge of Tongliao must deliver 40 million karma to Beijing every day!" "What?" "What?" At Hong Jingbai''s threat, the Tongliao''s Three Swords instinctively turned their heads¡ªtoward the uninvited ¡®Strongest Sword¡¯ who had descended from the sky, no less. If the increased tribute due to the crime of rebellion was 40 million, then how much had it originally been? It certainly wasn''t 50 million. ''Wait a second. Something''s off here.'' ''Huh? The tribute was increased by 40 million due to rebellion?'' ''Didn''t that guy just say earlier that all cities were paying 50 million?'' As the entire Tongliao''s Three Swords began to approach a chilling realization, Yeongwoo finally stood up. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Sshh. "Hah, this is interesting. Master Hong, you have a surprisingly delicate side. Is 40 million really the price for raising a sword against the Party?" "...?" With an outsider standing up alone, Hong Jingbai''s attention naturally shifted to him. "...Who are you?" "Sigh..." Yeongwoo swept his bangs back with his left hand as if he were pitying him and then spoke in a low voice. "I am a representative of the Korean Penins." "...?" "And Im Dupyeong''s greatest concern, Jeong Yeongwoo07!" "What?" Hong Jingbai realized many things in that instant when an outsider dared to mention Im Dupyeong¡¯s name so casually. The mystery of the Standing Committee members who had disappeared one after another while collecting tribute in the East. And the absurd severed edge of the sword he had seen earlier. "You... you can''t be..." As Hong Jingbai¡¯s expression suggested he had figured something out, Yeongwoo, who had been hiding his title all this time, finally revealed it again. Swoosh! ¡ºStrongest Sword¡» "The Strongest Sword...!" Hong Jingbai''s eyes widened as he saw the brilliant title of the Korean Penins. The First Standing Committee Member, Chairman Im Dupyeong, had once mentioned a likely suspect. Someone notorious for bearing the brand of Chinese colonialism and surviving unusually long in the East. And it seemed that this person was... "Hong Jingbai! Come to me and serve the national interest!" The elected official of the Korean Penins, ¡®Strongestt Sword¡¯ Jeong Yeongwoo, shed his greedy eyes. At the same time, he hurled his sword, already wrapped in fierce red energy. Swoosh! However, Hong Jingbai, being the second most powerful person in Beijing, maintained hisposure. "Ugh...!" Even in this situation, he twisted his upper body to dodge Yeongwoo¡¯s sword. The de, like Huang Seongli¡¯s earlier, merely pierced the distant ground. Thud! "So you''re nothing special either. Such a shallow trick with even shallower skills to match." Hong Jingbai confirmed the sword embedded in the ground andughed sinisterly. The ominous feeling he had sensed earlier vanished when he saw that his opponent¡¯s hand wasn¡¯t as strong as expected. However, Yeongwoo, on the other hand, seemed to be brimming with joy, a smile spread across his face. "Young Master Hong!" "...?" "Do you recognize this sword?" With these words, Yeongwoo reached out into the air, summoning a mutated crescent de called "Dark sh" from his weapon inventory. This weapon had once belonged to none other than Baek Gangryang, the 4th Standing Committee member. "You...!" As expected, Hong Jingbai ground his teeth in fury. "I¡¯ll tear your limbs apart with that sword!" Enraged by Yeongwoo''s taunting of the dead, Hong momentarily lost hisposure and began to storm forward, ready to unleash his power. At that moment, Yeongwoo flicked his right hand, recalling the ¡°Bastard¡± that had been embedded in the distance. ¡¸Gnoll''s Iron Belt¡¹ - Mutant Belt ¡¾Remotely retrieve weapons.¡¿ This technique was Yeongwoo''s signature move, a counterfeit swordsmanship technique. But with the automaticbat greatsword "Golden Trail" rushing in simultaneously, no one suspected that this so-called "Strongest Sword" was a fraud, at least not in terms of martial prowess. Swoosh! Wooooom... Bastard shot towards its master like an arrow, while the golden greatsword danced in front of him as if alive. The spectators could only gape in awe. "Amazing..." "Is that really the Legendary Sword Control technique?" Even Huang Seongli, who still had her sword stuck in the distant ground, couldn¡¯t help but gasp in admiration. She knew that he was a fraud, but witnessing his martial arts firsthand made it clear that his skills were no lie. "Damn you...!" Despite facing attacks from three directions, Hong Jingbai disyed remarkable martial prowess. He blocked the Dark sh that Yeongwoo had swung at him with the de on his right arm and pinned the Golden Trail to the ground with his foot, immobilizing it. "Hmph, you bastard!" Of course, he had never fought at full power like this before, so... Swoosh! ...he failed to block thest sword aimed at his shoulder. Crash! "Ugh!" As Yeongwoo''s Bastard Sword tore through Hong Jingbai''s left shoulder, the citizens of Tongliao, who had been kneeling, stood up in unison. They realized that the madman''s insane im of toppling Beijing and eliminating Im Dupyeong might actually be possible. Snap! After retrieving the Bastard Sword, Yeongwoo surveyed the now-standing citizens. Then, he stepped back, returning all his other weapons to his inventory, leaving only the Bastard. Even the Dark sh and the Golden Trail, which had been lying on the ground, were put away. Pop! As all the weapons that had dazzled their eyes vanished at once, the citizens of Tongliao looked around in bewilderment. "W-what? All of a sudden?" "Where did they all go?" Yeongwoo sheathed the Bastard at his waist and said in a businesslike tone, "The next part is paid. If you want me to kill Young Master Hong here and now, you''ll have to pay." The citizens, noticing that Hong Jingbai¡¯s shoulder was slowly regenerating, asked in shock, "What do you mean?" "H-how much do you need to finish the fight?" As the awaited question came, Yeongwoo spread his right hand wide open. "Five?" "Five...?" "Fifty million. Collect the money right now. Installments are also epted." "...!" Finally, Yeongwoo''s tribute demand had surpassed even Beijing''s. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 286 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 286: The Student Surpasses the Master (2) "Oh... fifty million?" "How are we supposed toe up with that money now...?" "They said installments are possible. Let''s just try to gather some money first." The citizens frantically searched their pockets with bewildered expressions. After all, they had stopped kneeling, assuming that Hong Jingbai was about to die soon. However, as Hong Jingbai began to stand up, nearly recovered, the atmosphere in the hall became tense. "Hurry, take out your money!" "If we don''t, we''re really all going to die!" The citizens of Tongliao started urgently collecting money, their voices almost screaming in fear. Huang Seongli, the second sword of the Tongliao''s Three Swords, red at Yeongwoo. "Isn''t Fifty million too much? Earlier, it seemed like the money collected by Beijing wasn''t even close to that..." She was implying that it wasn''t even forty million, let alone Fifty million, which was true. Yeongwoo quickly raised his finger to cut off Huang Seongli''s words. "That''s right. I lied." "What did you say?" "But wasn''t it too much for three of you to attack one person? Let''s call it even." "What... What kind of nonsense is that...?" "If my martial arts weren''t advanced, I would have already been killed by your swords before I even had the chance to lie." "..." "And isn''t it possible that I got angry and raised the price because you attacked me without any warning?" "But that''s not true, is it? You were nning to extort a huge sum from the start." "Hah." Yeongwoo chuckled wickedly at Huang Seongli''s rebuttal. "That''s something you''ll never know. But what is certain is that the price might have been different if you had tried talking first." "..." In any case, the fact remained that he had intended to extort millions from the beginning. But the powerless three swords of Tongliao couldn''t argue any further. Meanwhile, Hong Jingbai, now fully recovered, shook his neck from side to side, his expression filled with anger. "You lunatics are just spewing nonsense." Hong Jingbai''s words were full of rage. Yeongwoo pointed at him and spoke. "You''re the second executive, which means you''re the second in martial ranking, right? So how weak are the rest?" As Yeongwoo no longer used honorifics, Hong Jingbai''s face twisted in a menacing way. "This little pup thinks he can do whatever he wants just because he''s gained some power." Of course, Hong Jingbai was 68 years old. He was a veteran who had lived twice as long as the ¡®Strongest Sword'' in front of him. To be exact, he was a veteran of the previous world. So Yeongwoo made this clear. "Whether then or now, you''re just a dog doing Im Dupyeong''s bidding. And don''t forget, the world has been reset." Swish. As Yeongwoo said this and took up a fighting stance again, Hong Jingbai unsheathed his sword, his eyes gleaming. A second round between the second-ranked warrior of Beijing and the representative of the Korean Penins. Most of the people in the hall already had a good idea of how it would end. After all, they had all seen Hong Jingbai''s shoulder get shattered by Yeongwoo''s strike. "Is the money ready? How much have you gathered?" Still locking eyes with Hong Jingbai, Yeongwoo only opened his mouth to ask the question. The citizens of Tongliao, despite looking overwhelmed, dutifully responded. "Around ten million." "Hmm, ten million." Yeongwoo mulled over the amount. It was far short of the fifty million karma he initially demanded, but given the number of people present, it was clear they had put in a considerable effort. It meant each person had contributed at least ten thousand karma. "Very well. I''ll collect the remaining forty million tomorrow." As Yeongwoo nodded, the citizens finally breathed a sigh of relief. They had managed to move this killing machine with just ten million, when it should have required fifty million. At this point, it was unclear whether it was better to continue paying fifty million daily to the Korean national treasury or to hand over forty million daily to Im Dupyeong in Beijing. ''Hah, but since we''ve already stopped kneeling, Hong Jingbai won''t let us live.'' ''There''s no other choice. Hong Jingbai has to die for now.'' As the citizens alternated between looking at Yeongwoo and Hong Jingbai with conflicted eyes, Hong Jingbai, who had somehow read their thoughts, widened his eyes. "Independence for Tongliao!" "...?" "What?" "What did he just say...?" The words were so surreal that they wondered if they had misheard. Hong Jingbai, as if to confirm, repeated himself. "Beijing will guarantee Tongliao''s independence!" Then, he pointed at Yeongwoo with the heavy sword that had grown from his forearm. Whoosh! "But to do that, the three swords of Tongliao must cooperate with me to kill this man from the Korean Penins right here! Shouldn''t we handle our own affairs?" Hong Jingbai cleverly avoided using the words "our country" or "China." It was proof that he was indeed a veteran of nearly seventy years. Realizing that he was unlikely to win a solo battle against the ¡®Strongest Sword,'' he chose the lesser of two evils. But the representative of the Korean Penins, Jeong Yeongwoo, was a far more unpredictable character than Hong Jingbai had anticipated. "What nonsense. Just die now." Like a viin who doesn''t wait for the hero to finish transforming, Yeongwoo charged at Hong Jingbai before he could finalize his deal with Tongliao. Tat tat! In an instant, Yeongwoo''s form reached right in front of Hong Jingbai, causing some of the Tongliao swordsmen to flinch. Almost without realizing it, they had been about to strike Yeongwoo from behind, following Hong Jingbai''s proposal. But then, Yeongwoo stopped them with a firm voice. "Don''t do something you''ll regret! If I die here, Im Dupyeong''s monopoly will begin! There will be no morepetition for Beijing!" "...!" This argument was logically sound, and it shocked the Tongliao swordsmen deeply. The current "tribute market" in China was dominated by Jeong Yeongwoo from the Korean Penins and Im Dupyeong in Beijing. It was already a vile situation, but at least there was a minimal amount ofpetition, preventing it from bing the worst-case scenario. But if Jeong Yeongwoo were to die here, Im Dupyeong''s onlypetitor would disappear, leaving China entirely in the hands of a dictator. But what if Yeongwoo survived this encounter? ''We would still have to pay a fortune as nned.'' But instead of Im Dupyeong, it would be Hong Jingbai who died here, leaving the market in its current duopoly¡ªstill bad, but the lesser of two evils. "And will Beijing really keep its promise? Both sides are extorting money, but Im Dupyeong was a dictator even before!" Yeongwoo''s words were a clear self-assertion. Im Dupyeong was an enemy of Tongliao even before the Reset, but Jeong Yeongwoo, who was said to havee from the Korean Penins, was an unknown entity. At least, he had no history of oppressing Tongliao before the Reset. Swoosh! As Yeongwoo''s de shed like lightning, Hong Jingbai screamed and swung his sword. "Die!" A violet streak erupted from the tip of Hong Jingbai''s forearm. Whoosh! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] In contrast, Yeongwoo''s de, tracing a red arc, Bang! struck Hong Jingbai''s de diagonally and ruthlessly split it. "Huh?" Crack! Hong Jingbai''s de shattered in mid-air like a crumbling biscuit. The sight of an otherwise indestructible weapon being mercilessly destroyed was so unfamiliar to everyone that Hong Jingbai and everyone present was taken aback once more. And over the tremendous impact, Jeong Yeongwoo''s voice fell. "You don''t need to demand Tongliao''s independence from me. I''ve never ced Tongliao under my control, even once." "...!" "Just pay the agreed money. That''s all I need. If that money needs a name, it could be called ''independence assistance fee.'' After all, I''m going to kill Im Dupyeong." With these words, Yeongwoo kicked down with his left foot on Hong Jingbai''s knee. Bang! As a result, Hong Jingbai''s lower body tilted, causing him to half-kneel, and soon Yeongwoo was about to strike down with his sword again. Whoosh! But the opponent was still the second-inmand of Beijing. At thest moment, Hong Jingbai figured out how to counter this Korean swordsman. He mustered all his strength and grabbed Yeongwoo''s forearm with his left arm. Thud! He would have to control the arm holding the sword if he couldn''t block the sword. "What... What kind of weapon is that?" Hong Jingbai, holding onto Yeongwoo''s arm, asked, trembling. He was using all his strength to withstand Yeongwoo''s force. In response, Yeongwoo looked down at Hong Jingbai with a calm expression and said, "A match detector." "...What?" "If you can''t block this sword, it means you''re not my match." With these words, Yeongwoo added more strength to the arm holding the sword, causing Hong Jingbai''s eyes to widen. "Stop it!" This was because Hong Jingbai''s arm was being forcefully bent. It was a simple power struggle, but he was losingpletely. Crack. As the tip of the sword neared Hong Jingbai''s forehead, he spoke a problematic line. "You''re not just a human, are you...?" "Not ''just''? Then who else isn''t just a human?" Yeongwoo asked, and soon realized. This referred to Im Dupyeong, who had given power to the Standing Committee members. "Im Dupyeong? What about Im Dupyeong? Who''s behind him?" Yeongwoo asked, twisting the sword threateningly, but Hong Jingbai did not easily open his mouth. He knew that the battle was over and that his death was certain. "Hah... The world is being toyed with by demons." Hong Jingbai suddenly pretended to be indifferent. But Yeongwoo didn''t listen to any more unnecessary words. "If you have nothing to say, just die. I''ll find out who Im Dupyeong''s sponsor is myself." "...!" As Yeongwoo exerted all his strength, the sword, which had been barely hovering in the air, immediately pierced Hong Jingbai''s forehead. Crunch. The sound of the de piercing a watermelon was heard, and soon, the blood-red de protruded from the lower back of Hong Jingbai''s head. "Ugh..." Seeing this, Tongliao''s Three Swords realized anew. That strength is always rtive. Who would have imagined that Hong Jingbai, who was so mighty, would be so helplessly defeated? "Ugh." Hong Jingbai, with his head pierced by the sword, let out a brief groan and then his pupils stopped moving. "..." He was dead. "He''s already gone." Whether this departed soul would be absorbed into the void or go to Lemu''s Lustful Garden was still unknown. As Yeongwoo watched, he pulled the sword out, causing Hong Jingbai''s emaciated body to fall sideways. Thud! Then, a violet aura from his body began to rise into the sky. Swoosh! Beijing was probably reiming the power given to him. "..." Seeing this, Yeongwoo thought it might be a good time to deal with Im Dupyeong. The Standing Committee members, who had received power directly from him, were much weaker than expected. ¡®Im Dupyeong might not be that strong either.¡¯ Despising the weak. Yeongwoo looked in the direction of Beijing with the same cunning eyes as always, when suddenly, he sensed something above his head. Swoosh...! Something was falling at high speed. The presence was threatening enough that Yeongwoo instinctively swung his sword and cut the object in question. sh! The object that had been falling toward Yeongwoo''s crown split in half, and soon a piece of paper inside floated down as if dancing in the air. Flutter. "Huh? What''s this?" As Yeongwoo frowned and grabbed the paper with his hand, he saw ink-written characterse into view. ¡¸I wish to meet the Master of the Skyscraper, Mr. Jeong.¡¹ "...Suddenly wants to see me?" Many thoughts crossed his mind, but Yeongwoo first checked the seal at the bottom of the paper. And then, the name Yeongwoo most wanted to see appeared clearly. ¡ºNorthern Beijing Evil¡» Im Dupyeong. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 287 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 287: The Student Surpasses the Master (3) "Hoo, Mr. Jeong," Yeongwoo muttered, rereading the letter sent by Im Dupyeong with an intrigued expression. Although there wasn''t much content in it, the term "Skyscraper" caught his eye. ''If it¡¯s Skyscraper... could it mean the path that the brothers have paved to the sky?'' As Yeongwoo looked up at the sky while holding the letter, Huang Seongli approached and asked, "What''s that? What did you just read?" "Im Dupyeong wants to meet." "...What?" Huang Seongli, in disbelief, took the letter and soon opened her mouth. "Is this guy really shameless?" She was referring to the fact that Im Dupyeong had used honorifics in the letter. "It''s not that he''s shameless; he might just be very good at reading the trends of the times." Yeongwoo was as taken aback as Huang Seongli but was also somewhat impressed. After all, for a former head of state, a person who came from an ordinary background, and a foreigner at that, to request a meeting was no easy task. Whether it was a trap or not, it was clear that Im Dupyeong was no ordinary man. "You''re not seriously going to befriend that guy, right?" Huang Seongli, who had already grasped the temperament of the "Strongest Sword," red at Yeongwoo, who scratched his nose with his index finger. "Well, I¡¯m not sure. Im Dupyeong also needs China''s money, so I don''t know if coexistence is possible. We might be forced to cooperate, but..." "You said you could definitely beat Im Dupyeong, right? Then there''s no reason for an alliance." "Yes, that''s true, but..." But was there really anything absolute in this world? The world was unpredictable, especially in this post-reset world. "Anyway, Im Dupyeong will most likely die, and no matter what happens, Tongliao will never fall under the control of the Chinese government again," Yeongwoo left his promise at that and sent the Golden Goblin to retrieve the ten million karma prepared by the citizens. "Now, you all need to prepare the remaining forty million and the fifty million you''re supposed to give me daily, making it ny million karma by tomorrow." "Ny million...?" Upon hearing the amount directly, Tongliao''s First and Third Swords rushed over in a panic. "Hey! No, Master!" "Ny million? Isn¡¯t that too harsh?" Preparing ny million karma by tomorrow. Of course, if Tongliao''s Three Swords actively rained down gold coins, it wasn''t an unattainable amount. "Think of it as the price of sess..." Just as Yeongwoo was about to exin that it was the retribution for Tongliao''s Three Swords¡¯s karma, the citizens surrounding them suddenly fell to their knees and looked up at Yeongwoo. "Master!" "Master! Please have mercy..." "This is too harsh!" Yeongwoo looked at the citizens in surprise. ''Ah, I see. You don''t have to move people''s hearts to be called Master.'' As long as you move them somehow, they will call you that. "Ah... everyone." Yeongwoo put on an expression as if he was deeply moved. Then, facing the tearful citizens who were overwhelmed by the harshness, he spread his hands. "Well, it can''t be helped. The owner of the country is the people, after all. Although China isn''t my country, I can''t take your wishes lightly." Then, he held up four fingers and continued, "From tomorrow, Tongliao''s daily tribute will be forty million. However, you must still pay today''s original amount, so prepare eighty million by tomorrow." "T-that''s..." First Sword Zheng Chosan tried to protest, but Huang Seongli grabbed him, stopping him. She had a hunch that provoking this demon any further might lead to paying a hundred million instead of eighty million. "Alright, we''ll figure out how to raise forty million," Huang Seongli nodded, and Yeongwoo pointed upwards with his finger. "If a mutant appears, lure it to the most Popted area and choose the thirty thousand karma supply after dealing with it. That should help with raising the tribute." With that said, Yeongwoo called forth Negwig. Now that everything in Tongliao was settled, it was time to meet the person who had sent the letter, Im Dupyeong. -Screeech! Confirming Yeongwoo''s signal, Negwig pressed its iron hooves into the ground of Tongliao, and Huang Seongli hurriedly approached Yeongwoo to plead. "Im Dupyeong shouldn''t be left alive. He will be a huge problem for us in the future." "It depends on what kind of person Im Dupyeong is and his situation. For now, I can only say that I''ll try to kill him." Yeongwoo did not give a definite answer until the end. Everything seemed uncertain. Although the Standing Committee members were falling like straw, was that the only reason Im Dupyeong had requested a meeting first? ''Of course, there''s a good chance it''s not a conversation he wants. The letter didn''t say anything about chatting, after all.'' He wouldn''t know whatever it was until he met the man in person. Although the meeting was earlier than expected, it wasn¡¯t a bad situation for Yeongwoo. After all, there were other big events expected to happen today. In Seoul alone, there was a high possibility that another dragon might fall today. And among those possibilities was his mother, who would one day return as a dragon. ''It¡¯s always something new.'' In this world filled with mutants born from the karma of earthlings and bizarre events due to the being opened up by the reset, it was only natural that those who stood out were mostly akin to demons. ''Now, let''s take a look around Beijing.'' Finally, Yeongwoo mounted Negwig, and the citizens of Tongliao, still on their knees, rose in unison. They were genuinely thrilled to see the departure of this demon-like man. "Master Jeong!" "Take care on your journey..." "Goodbye!" Just as Yeongwoo had bid farewell to the Chairman of Dogo, the citizens of Tongliao waved their hands in the air, bidding farewell to the greatest sword of the Korean Penins. Yeongwoo raised his hand in response, then leaped into the tower of the brothers with Negwig. Whoosh! As before, a bright light enveloped the tower inside, and soon itunched Yeongwoo towards the ce where the path of light was. * * * Beijing. The capital of China and the problematic city where Im Dupyeong had made his base after the Reset. Before the Reset, the poption was around 21.4 million, making it the most Populous "capital" on Earth. This highlighted the sheer size of China''s Poption, which in turn indicated the enormous potential economic power of thisnd. Even without daily quests, the ie generated per person per day could easily exceed 30,000 Karma. ¡®But that requires each city to have at least one strong person capable of dealing with mutants.¡¯ This was why Yeongwoo tried not to kill the city''s warriors whenever possible. ¡®But that''s not enough.¡¯ From the top of the tower, Yeongwoo pondered as he disyed the routes of the high-speed transit paths. ¡®Is there no way I can legally monopolize the money of thisnd?¡¯ For example, like the defense tax he wa collecting under the elected authority of the Korean Penins. The defense tax had no delivery issues and no risk ofte payments. So if he could also extract defense taxes from China... "Hmm." Yeongwoo gazed at Beijing, prominently marked on the western part of the route. The city was about 640 kilometers away from his current location in Tongliao. In the past, he wouldn¡¯t have dared to visit Beijing at this point in time. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] If he had gone, he would have had to leave Seoul unguarded for an entire day, as no mutants had appeared in Seoul yet. But now, things were different. ¡®Once the roads are allid out, there will be no ce on this I can''t reach.¡¯ One of the reasons the Mongol cavalry was so notorious in the past was their mobility. During the early 1200s, under the reign of Genghis Khan, the Mongol cavalry swept through areas from the Jin dynasty to Eastern Europe. Their greatest weapons were their speed and supply lines. Their advance was faster than the enemy could mobilize forces, and they sustained themselves through looting, making it impossible for their targets to defend against them. Moreover, the Mongol army''sbat skills were honed to perfection through the Mongol unification wars, making the Mongol army itself a great cmity for humanity at that time. Much like the meticulously prepared and unpredictable actions of Jeong Yeongwoo, the demonic human of the Korean Penins. "Let''s go! To Beijing!" As Yeongwoo forcefully tapped on Beijing on the route map, the outer wall at the top of the tower opened, revealing the sky hundreds of meters above, and a shining path through that sky. - Screeeeech! Recognizing the significance of the path, Negwig raised its front paws high and let out a long howl. Gripping the reins of his iron steed, Yeongwoo shouted towards the sky. "We''ll have lunch in Beijing today...!" And then he leaped into the sky along with Negwig. Taaah! The high-speed transit path swiftly absorbed Yeongwoo, Negwig, the Golden Goblin, and even Pofu Tenta, and sent them hurtling toward the next station. Fwoooosh! Then, another high-speed leap to the next destination. It was a truly revolutionary form of mobility. ¡®Already near Beijing? This is unreal.¡¯ As they neared their destination, an alert appeared to even Yeongwoo, who was in a state of high-density energy. The route reappeared, emphasizing Yeongwoo''s current location and the final destination, Beijing. And soon after... Fwoooosh! The surroundings, which had appeared as a continuous blur, gradually began to regain their original shape. ¡®Almost there.¡¯ As they approached the destination, Yeongwoo''s speed gradually decreased. As a result, the entire area of Beijing was clearly visible below. Whoooosh... Looking down from about 800 meters in the air, Beijing resembled a massive electronic circuit board. "Uh... now where do I go?" Yeongwoo expanded his field of vision with irvoyance and scanned the cityscape of Beijing, turning his head in various directions. The first thing that caught his eye was a crowd gathered at the base of a tower over there. "...?" Upon closer inspection, he saw workers striking the tower''s surface with all sorts of metal tools. Despite the difficulty, they were persistently attempting to dismantle the tower. ¡®Actually, that''s a good thing. It means there''s no myths in Beijing yet.¡¯ So, where would Im Dupyeong, the self-proimed ruler of Beijing, be? Due to the territorial mark stuck in this area, the man must have known that a dangerous guest had already arrived in Beijing''s airspace. "I guess I¡¯ll just have to go down and find out." As Yeongwoo sighed and was about to enter the station built in Beijing... Bzzzz! A strange sound came from somewhere below. Whoosh! With a chilling noise, aser beam struck the overpass. To be precise, it hit Yeongwoo, who was halfway merged with the road during transit. Boom! "Huh?" Caught off guard by the unexpected attack, Yeongwoo''s eyes widened in surprise, but that wasn¡¯t the real problem. The real issue was that the impact had knocked him off the road. - Babat! - Keeek? From up above, where the road had already moved on, Yeongwoo heard the surprised cries of Pofu Tenta and the Golden Goblin. Then that sound rang out again. Bzzzz! "Im Dupyeong!" This time, Yeongwoo urately pinpointed the origin of the sound and, even as he was falling, turned his head to look at the problem area. And then... Whoooosh! A redser beam was shooting out from somewhere within the Forbidden City. ¡®Uh?¡¯ More precisely, it wasing from a structure that had been reinforced with some kind of metal. "...A metal Forbidden City?" As soon as Yeongwoo uttered those nonsensical words, the redser engulfed him. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 288 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 288: Metal Forbidden City (1) Boom! Aser shot straight from the Forbidden City hit its mark. The attack came so quickly that Yeongwoo had no time to defend himself with his Bastard, causing him to be sted backward once again. "Are you crazy, Im Dupyeong...!" Despite his exasperation, he quickly tried to anchor his sword into the surface of the tower. Whizz! However, the distance from the tower had already grown too far, and his attempt to halt his momentum ended in vain. "Damn it!" Yeongwoo began to fall rapidly, pulled by gravity. While his Vesedel armor was incredibly durable, leaving him without external or internal injuries, there was no guarantee that he would survive crashing into the ground from hundreds of meters high. His golden flying sword, which usually stayed by his side, would also plummet under these circumstances. "Damn it...!" Thus, Yeongwoo had two choices at this point. The first was to read the coordinates of the Forbidden City in his sight. Doing so would allow him to retaliate and exact some revenge by returning theser barrage. However, there was no guarantee that Im Dupyeong was still inside. ¡®In that case...¡¯ The second option was to call for help from a friend. ¡¸Amber Whistle¡¹ - Legendary Ne ¡¾Call a friend.¡¿ |Yeongtae, Taejoon, Younghyeom, Geumhwa| Among his four friends, Geumhwa was a flying mutant. If he summoned her quickly enough, he could request her rescue. And now was that "quick enough" moment. Tch! Yeongwoo immediately gripped the whistle and blew into it with all his might. Peeeeeeep! The clear sound echoed through the skies over Beijing, and the colors in the area seemed to fade. sh! Sensing that something was happening on the Forbidden City''s side, anotherser beam was fired. Zap! "What the hell, how many times can these bastards fire thosesers?!" As Yeongwoo muttered this, another redser shot toward him. This time, however, he wasn¡¯t just going to take it. sh! Despite his unstable position, Yeongwoo urately swung Bastard and split theser in two. "Huh? How did that work?" Yeongwoo widened his eyes in disbelief as he realised his sword could cut throughsers. This defied Earth¡¯sws of physics. And then, suddenly. ¡¸Yaaaaaah!¡¹ A cheer rang out, starting with his first friend, Hong Yeongtae, followed by Taejoon, Younghyeom, and Geumhwa, who appeared one after another. Since the summoner was hundreds of meters up in the air, they materialized at an even higher altitude than usual. ¡¸Huh? What the...?¡¹ ¡¸Why are we so high up?¡¹ Representative Kim Taejoon and General Kim Younghyeom gaped in shock as they realized they had been summoned much higher than normal. Meanwhile, Geumhwa, who had regained her harpy form, was more concerned with Yeongwoo¡¯s situation below. "Geumhwa! Over here! Hurry!¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s urgent request, she immediately dove toward him in a high-speed descent. ¡¸What... what is all this? Are you okay?¡¹ Despite her terrifying appearance, Geumhwa''s voice was surprisingly gentle. ¡°No, I¡¯m not okay. I was ambushed.¡± ¡¸Ambushed? You, Yeongwoo, got ambushed?¡¹ Geumhwa had seen Yeongwoo''s past rampages on television, so she couldn¡¯t easily believe it. The idea that someone had managed to ambush one of the most feared beings on Earth sessfully was hard to swallow. ¡°Yes. If I had been just a bit more underhanded, I could have anticipated this ambush.¡± ¡¸...?¡¹ Geumhwa tilted her head in confusion at his oddly twisted logic. She began to wonder if saving this man was the right decision. However, there was no time for deep contemtion, as they were already quite close to the ground. So, in the end. Tap! Like a parachute, Geumhwa caught hold of Yeongwoo¡¯s billowing cloak with both feet. ¡¸Where should I drop you off?¡¹ She asked while gliding, and Yeongwoo¡¯s sword pointed forward. He indicated the ce from which the earlierser beam had been fired¡ªthe Metal Forbidden City. "Let¡¯s take care of that first." ¡¸That thing...?¡¹ Following the direction of Yeongwoo''s sword, Geumhwa shuddered as she finally noticed the Metal Forbidden City for the first time. Although she had asionally watched Yeongwoo''s battles on the television in the returnee¡¯s room, she had been too busy assembling statues that morning to catch any broadcasts. "What? You didn¡¯t know?" ¡¸How would anyone know about that thing?¡¹ As the two conversed, the three friends who had been free-falling finallynded¡ªor rather, crashed¡ªinto Beijing below. Boom! With a tremendous crash, dust clouds billowed around the area, but fortunately, it seemed the friends'' bodies had not been crushed. Soon,rge silhouettes began to rise from within the dust cloud. ¡®Oh, so friends are invincible right after being summoned?¡¯ It made sense. Since they were always summoned in mid-air, it would be problematic if they broke their legs uponnding. "Drop me off in front of that." Yeongwoo pointed to a massive gate in the distance. It was Tiananmen, the southern gate of the Forbidden City. ¡¸You want me to drop you there? But there¡¯s already someone there¡­.¡¹ Geumhwa double-checked as she spotted a group of ck statues resembling soldiers gathered in the square before Tiananmen. Theirrge stature was apparent from tens of meters up in the air, and it was clear these weren¡¯t ordinary statues. "The person who turned the old men into demons is behind this. He probably has other tricks up his sleeve too." As Yeongwoo spoke, the statues guarding the Tiananmen Square began to turn their heads toward him individually. As expected, this was an army prepared by Im Dupyeong. ''Moving Terracotta Warriors, huh?'' It might be said that this is typical of China. In any case, on the surface, the ''Metal Forbidden City'' and those iron Terracotta Warriors seemed to be made of the same material, so Yeongwoo spected that this too was a power provided by Im Dupyeong''s sponsor. "Who on earth is behind Im Dupyeong? It''s too crude to be Lemu, and it''s not Mara either..." Yeongwoo was someone who had indirectly encountered both factions. However, in this bizarre city of Beijing, he could not sense the presence of any particr faction. A fortress reinforced with steel and living Terracotta Warriors. On top of that, firepower support usingser cannons. What kind of power was sponsoring something like this...? ¡®...Huh?¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] At the moment when Yeongwoo''s eyes widened as he finally realized something, a distinctive energy-emission sound came from the Metal Forbidden City, which had been quiet for a while. Then¡ª ¡¸Whoa!¡¹ Aser beam was fired toward the person holding Yeongwoo, Geumhwa. Yeongwoo blocked theser with Bastard, just as he had done earlier, but he couldn''t prevent Geumhwa from being shocked, as sheckedbat experience. ¡¸Gasp!¡¹ Startled, she inadvertently let go of Yeongwoo, and seeing this, the Terracotta Warriors began to rush toward the spot where they anticipated Yeongwoo wouldnd. Boom! The ground shook as if an earthquake had struck. The height of the Terracotta Warriors ranged from at least 7 meters to as much as 10 meters. Im Dupyeong had literally prepared giant soldiers. ¡®Was he nning to conquer all of China? When did he build these...?¡¯ As Yeongwoo was thrown to the ground, he saw arge shadow approaching him and gripped Bastard. Of course, to someone like Yeongwoo, who had been in and out of dungeons on aliens, Terracotta Warriors made of metal were not much of a threat. However, what gave him an ominous feeling was¡ª ¡®If the sponsor behind Im Dupyeong isn''t Lemu or Mara, isn''t that an even bigger problem?¡¯ This would mean that, even if it wasn''t a formal developmentpany, they could still significantly influence Earth''s civil war. While they might not be able to reshapes like with road construction, they could alter the power dynamics by sponsoring specific factions. ¡®Damn cockroach-like bastards, when am I going to kill them all?¡¯ There was so much to do to take over this. Swoosh! Yeongwoo rose, extending Bastard to a length of 6.6 meters, but the approaching Terracotta Warriors showed no hesitation as they swung their massive weapons at him. Whoosh! With the sound of air beingpressed, a dark trail cut through the air as if someone had swung an ink brush, and at the same time, Yeongwoo''s Bastard sliced through the air twice in rapid session. sh, crash! The first strike severed the weapons of the Terracotta Warriors, and the second strike cleaved the bodies of the Terracotta Warriors in half. Thud! "Is this how you greet guests? Im Dupyeong! Come face me directly!" As Yeongwoo swiftly dealt with a whole squad of Terracotta Warriors and charged fiercely toward the tightly closed Tiananmen, to his surprise, his name was pronounced from within the gate. ¡ªMaster Jeong. "What...?" An alien-sounding voice, characteristic of a machine. However, Yeongwoo immediately recognized it. The owner of this voice was none other than Im Dupyeong, President of China and First Standing Committee Member, the great evil of Beijing. ¡ªIt seems you''ve achieved quite an aplishment. I underestimated you. Then, the lock on the tightly closed Tiananmen gate was released, and the thick iron doors began to open sideways. ng! Im Dupyeong was opening the path to the Forbidden City. "What are you trying to do?" Not knowing where to look while speaking, Yeongwoo directed his question toward the roof of Tiananmen. The strange voice responded from within the now-open Tiananmen. ¡ªMy body is somewhat incapacitated, so I apologize for not being able to greet you in person. "Incapacitated...?" As Yeongwoo frowned, he saw another gate in the distance inside Tiananmen slowly opening. It was none other than the main gate of the Forbidden City, the Meridian Gate. Im Dupyeong was indeed opening the way into the Forbidden City. "..." Was this another trap, or was Im Dupyeong truly too incapacitated toe out and greet him? Yeongwoo scanned the suspicious exterior of the "Metal Forbidden City" and then asked Im Dupyeong again. "Is your sponsor Mara?" If Mara built this fortress, he needed to call his brothers immediately. He could not break their promise. But¡ª ¡ªNo, it is not. "...Not Mara?" ording to Im Dupyeong, the power behind Beijing was not Mara. "......" Because of this, Yeongwoo felt the blood vessels in his neck swell. If the power behind China was not Mara, where should his brothers go? Or, what should he tell them? He could almost see Bantubangtong''s disappointed face. "Then who remodeled the Forbidden City like this?" As Yeongwoo said this, he turned around. He saw the deste Tiananmen Square. Geumhwa and the other three friends had already returned, as their summon time had expired. "It can''t be Lemu, right? They''re not into this kind of style." At this moment, Yeongwoo was already pulling up the coordinates of the Forbidden City. Based on his deductions, the one backing Im Dupyeong was likely¡ª "Earth, 084! 360! 6251! 061! Fire now!" As Yeongwoo quickly recited the coordinates of the spot directly above the main gate of the Forbidden City, ''Meridian Gate,'' Im Dupyeong''s mechanical voice seemed startled. ¡ªWhat are you doing...? And simultaneously¡ª Boom! A massiveser beam pierced through the clouds and descended. Then, as soon as it touched the roof of the ''Meridian Gate,''¡ª Zap! Therge beam disappeared without a trace. "Damn bastards, I knew it!" Only after this did a system message appear before Yeongwoo''s eyes. ¡¸Physical conflict between our products is not permitted.¡¹ The intergctic arms dealer Toma. The master of firepower, who had turned his attention to China after losing the main sponsor spot to Dogo, Yeongwoo''s primary sponsor. ¡®Seriously, is there so much to gain on this? Why is everyone making a fuss?¡¯ As Yeongwoo lowered Bastard to the ground, intending to deal with them personally, a new advertisement request from Dogo arrived just in time. [Dogo] "Heavenly Capital" [Mission] Secure the remodeling core of the Forbidden City and establish the new capital of Earth. [Special] In this mission, you must disclose the support from Dogo. [Reward] 30 million Karma ¡®Huh? What is this? A new capital? Deciding Earth''s capital?¡¯ As Yeongwoo read the mission details with a bewildered expression, he soon realized something. "Um... is it possible? A Metal Seoul...?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 289 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 289: Metal Forbidden City (2) Metal Seoul. Dogo didn¡¯t provide an official response to Yeongwoo''s absurd suggestion. However, the quest''s objectives remained unchanged, which essentially meant: ¡°You tacitly agreed, didn¡¯t you? If I were to choose the capital of Earth, what other ce would there be besides Seoul? All myrades are there.¡± Even as he said this, Yeongwoo was already imagining what a metalized Seoul would look like. Giant guardian statues protecting the four gates of Seoul, and a metal Gyeongbokgung Pce, for example. And more importantly¡­ ¡®Could we equip Seoul withser cannons like the ones on the Forbidden City?¡¯ The reason Yeongwoo was focused on this particr idea was none other than because of the Mutants. If they could establish a perfect capital defense system through city modifications, wouldn¡¯t that naturally solve the Mutant problem as well? ¡®That would greatly expand my range of operations.¡¯ Today alone, he had to return to Seoul before 1 PM to deal with the Mutants. But what if those restrictions were lifted? If that happened, even managing Earth on a global scale wouldn¡¯t be impossible. This would allow him to realize the goal he dered during the Strongest Sword election: ¡°Enrich the nation and strengthen its military to unify the world.¡± And to achieve that, the key was the modification core of the Forbidden City. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, but the Forbidden City has to go down.¡¯ [Mission] Secure the modification core of the Forbidden City and choose a new capital for Earth. It was clear as day that if Yeongwoo were to secure¡ªor rather, steal¡ªthat core, the Metal Forbidden City would inevitably copse. Click! As Yeongwoo stepped inside Tiananmen, the voice of Im Dupyeong once again echoed from within the pce. ¡ªMaster Jeong. ¡°Oh, seriously, you talk too much. After striking first, why do you keep calling me ''Master''?¡± Of course, he didn¡¯t mind being called ''Master'' by someone who was once the President of China. After all, it was a unique experience. However, if this was meant as a strategic courtesy to gain favor, he was not interested. ¡ªI sense killing intent. I¡¯m not mistaken, am I? ¡°No, so you really opened the gate thinking we¡¯d have a conversation? After exchangingser beams, don¡¯t we have to see this through to the end?¡± While saying this, Yeongwoo carefully surveyed his surroundings. You never know when or where aser beam mighte shooting out. nk, nk. After taking a few more steps forward, he was soon greeted by the majestic sight of the Meridian Gate, which had approached surprisingly close. This was the official main gate of the Forbidden City, and the only structure immune to theser cannons fired from the Returnees¡¯ Room. ¡®They say it¡¯s a product of their own, so it can¡¯t be attacked¡­ Does that make any sense? And yet, the Forbidden City¡¯sser cannons attacked me.¡¯ Swish. As Yeongwoo adjusted his grip on his sword and stepped through the Meridian Gate, Im Dupyeong spoke again. ¡ªWe share the same benefactor. ¡°¡­So?¡± ¡ªAs you have seen, shouldn¡¯t we be cooperating rather than pointing swords at each other? He was referring to the fact that Yeongwoo¡¯s bombardment didn¡¯t touch the Meridian Gate. Since they were both using the power of Toma, Im Dupyeong suggested that instead of fighting, they should find another way. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± But strictly speaking, Im Dupyeong and Yeongwoo didn¡¯t share the same benefactor. For Im Dupyeong, his only reliance was Toma, but Yeongwoo¡¯s main sponsor was Dogo, who had instructed him to extract the Forbidden City¡¯s core. Moreover, the twopanies had different statuses on Earth. Dogo was a constructionpany that legally obtained the right to develop Earth, while Toma was merely an affiliate of the Earth Reset Project. And in the first ce¡­ [Mission] Secure the modification core of the Forbidden City and choose a new capital for Earth. ¡®Ourpany is on a different level. They even say we can choose the capital of Earth?¡¯ In other words, the city Yeongwoo chose would eventually be the new capital of Earth. Dogo¡¯s ambition to ce Yeongwoo in control of Earth was bing clear. ¡°Cooperation only works if our interests align. You and I are on different scales.¡± ¡ªWhat? Im Dupyeong was finally starting to get angry. After all, even he had his limits when it came to swallowing his pride. By this time, Yeongwoo had already passed through the open Meridian Gate and was heading toward the Taihe Gate. The Taihe Gate was the main entrance to the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the most important structure in the Forbidden City. Passing through here would allow ess to the core of the Forbidden City. The Hall of Supreme Harmony was also the location where emperors were crowned. ¡®What? It¡¯s closed?¡¯ Seeing that the Taihe Gate was locked, Yeongwoo instinctively knew that Im Dupyeong must be hiding behind it. And more importantly¡­ ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve arrived.¡± In front of the firmly closed Taihe Gate stood two elderly men. Politburo Standing Committee Member No. 5, Hyun Buwon, and Standing Committee Member No. 3, Sung Bangho. Both members were quite tall, around 2 meters, but despite their imposing physiques, their eyes trembled intensely. They knew very well that the person who had just arrived at the Taihe Gate was the one who had killed the other three Standing Committee members, except for Chairman Im. Among those three was Hong Jingbai, Beijing''s second most powerful man. Swoosh. Hyun Buwon, the 5th Standing Committee member, stepped away from the Taihe Gate and gestured for Yeongwoo to stop. ¡°Stop right there.¡± Yeongwoo took three or four more steps before finally stopping at the Committee member¡¯smand. nk! ¡°Your voice is trembling, Committee Member.¡± Yeongwoo spoke with a smile, causing the 3rd Standing Committee member, Sung Bangho, who had his arms crossed, to twitch his eyebrows. ¡°Normally, outsiders are not allowed to enter the Hall of Supreme Harmony, but the Chairman has granted special permission. However, you must leave all your weapons behind.¡± As Sung Bangho spoke, his gaze fell upon Yeongwoo¡¯s sword, Bastard. Even ayman could see that this sword was no ordinary weapon. ¡°What if I don¡¯t?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°What if I refuse to disarm? Are you going to fight me?¡± ¡°You¡­!¡± It was a provocation that greatly wounded their pride, but Sung Bangho did not immediately rush at him. While he was aware of Yeongwoo¡¯s formidable skills, Im Dupyeong was just behind him. ¡°I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re very arrogant. If you weren¡¯t the Chairman¡¯s guest, I would have personally ripped your heart out.¡± ¡°My heart is invincible to swords, old man.¡± With these words, Yeongwoo lifted his sword, causing both Standing Committee members to flinch reflexively. But what Yeongwoo did next was¡­ Thud! He nted the sword firmly into the ground in front of the Taihe Gate. ¡°Since I¡¯m at the Forbidden City, I suppose I should follow its rules.¡± With that, he slightly spread his arms to show that he had no other weapons. ¡°Now open the door. I¡¯m a busy man.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] At Yeongwoo¡¯smand, the castle guard reluctantly nodded, and soon, one of the five elders of the Hyun family ced his hand on the Taihe Gate. Thump. The tightly lockedtch automatically released, and the thick iron door began to open. Thududududuk! The Taihe Gate opened. Behind the massive entrance was the Taihe Hall square, where ancient Chinese officials used to bow and pay respects. And across this spacious square¡ª Roooaaar...! Stood the Taihe Hall, exuding an eerie aura, like a towering Mount Tai. Originally, the Taihe Hall was built on a stone staircase rising from the square, but now the entire staircase had been reced with metal. Even the wooden structure of the Taihe Hall waspletely covered in metal, making it look less like a fortress and more like a battleship. ¡®Impressive. So if I take that Core, I can turn Seoul into something like this?¡¯ As Yeongwoo strolled around the Taihe Hall square like a visitor at a model house, the gate behind him closed shut. Kuuung! They had trapped the unarmed Yeongwoo in front of the Taihe Hall. And then¡ª Shiiiiiing! The central decorative path of the staircase leading to the Taihe Hall began to glow brightly. This path, known as the ¡°Dragon Path,¡± was the route reserved for the emperor¡¯s pnquin and was characterized by carvings of dragons flying through clouds. Therefore, what Yeongwoo was seeing now was¡ª ¡°These Chinese guys really have a thing for dragons...¡± As Yeongwoo, staring at the brightly glowing dragon on the path, was about to step onto the staircase leading to the Taihe Hall¡ª Grrrr! The ¡°Fearful Cat¡± that Yeongwoo had tucked into his pocket let out a sharp cry. ¡®Im Dupyeong?¡¯ As Yeongwoo widened his eyes, he soon sensed a massive presence rising from within the Taihe Hall, just beyond the high staircase. It was as if a huge tidal wave was approaching silently. ¡®Oh,e to think of it.¡¯ Yeongwoo realized that the sky above the Taihe Hall square had grown ominously dark, and he quickly summoned a Golden Trail, Duhan¡¯s sword, and the White Fire from his weapon arsenal. Pa-pa-pat! Pa-pat! Then, from beyond the staircase, the voice of Im Dupyeong, which he had been hearing all along, flowed out. ¡ªYou have quite a few tricks up your sleeve. But his tone was much different from before. He no longer spoke respectfully, and his tone had be much more ferocious. ¡°Earlier, you wanted to talk, but now you¡¯ve changed your mind?¡± As Yeongwoo spoke, ncing alternately at the ckened sky and the tightly closed Taihe Gate, Im Dupyeong let out a low chuckle. ¡ªYour sword outside the gate was showing an unusually strong energy reaction. It was referring to the Scapegoat. ¡ªBut I no longer sense any ¡®danger¡¯ from you. ¡°Really? Then show yourself already.¡± As Yeongwoo finished speaking and was about to step onto the sacred Dragon Path, a tremendous wave of energy erupted from the Taihe Hall. ¡ªHow dare you! Rumble! A thunderous sound echoed, and a massive object rose from the front of the Taihe Hall, darkening the already ck sky even further. ¡°......!¡± It was none other than a dragon. The first oriental dragon Yeongwoo had seen since his reset. ¡°No way... what the hell did you do?¡± However, it wasn¡¯t just an ordinary dragon; the creature was a type of steel dragon, its entire body made of pitch-ck metal, much like this metal Forbidden City. It was simr to Yeongwoo¡¯s eldest uncle, Song Taeho. But hadn¡¯t Im Dupyeong said he narrowly avoided the annihtion vote and blocked all the attacks directed at him? ¡°What the... weren¡¯t you human?¡± As Yeongwoo, for the first time in a while, looked surprised at the sight of Im Dupyeong¡¯s head soaring high in the air, he noticed a title above his crown. ¡ºThe Great Viin of Beijing¡» ¡°Uh.¡± That format clearly signified the Strongest Sword, or rather, the strongest in each nation. In other words, Im Dupyeong was still considered human. ¡®Did this crazy guy abandon his body to gain power?¡¯ If that were the case, then Im Dupyeong was the epitome of a new human species optimized for the reset. And finally¡ª ¡ªHah, human? I¡¯ve long stopped being such a weak creature. ¡°What?¡± ¡ªI will be a god. With these words, Im Dupyeong descended the Dragon Path of the Taihe Hall, filling the front of the square where Yeongwoo stood. The sheer size of his body was overwhelming, twisting multiple times in midair, yet still blocking not only the Taihe Hall behind him but also the sky. ¡°Hm, you do look strong.¡± Though Yeongwoo wore a reluctant expression, he didn¡¯t miss the small number glowing under Im Dupyeong¡¯s chin. From earlier, something had been shining under the guy¡¯s chin, so he zoomed in with his ¡°irvoyance¡± and saw a series of numbers. 484,237,551 / 500,000,000 ¡®Ten hundred... billions? So that¡¯s 480 million`?¡¯ Then the number on the right must be 500 million. In other words, out of 500 million, 480 million. Yeongwoo blinked, his mind quickly racing. It didn¡¯t take long for him to reach a conclusion. ¡®This bastard isn¡¯t a dragon yet, but a mere Imoogi.¡¯ Yeongwoo immediately lifted his head to gaze at the sky. Sure enough, the dark sky hadn¡¯t actually changed due to the weather; it was merely arge canopy draped over the Forbidden City. In other words, the reason Im Dupyeong had deliberately invited Yeongwoo inside the Forbidden City was that fighting here gave him an advantage. And the reason for that was¡ª ¡°Aha... you need 16 million more. That¡¯s the condition of your contract with Toma, isn¡¯t it? To use your power outside this fortress.¡± In terms of cosmic contracts, Yeongwoo¡¯s experience far surpassed anyone else¡¯s. As Yeongwoo made this usible deduction, Im Dupyeong, who was blocking the sky, gritted his steel brows and furrowed his forehead. ¡ªHow presumptuous! But you are already in my grasp. You are thest offering on my path to bing a god. With that, he twisted part of his upper body and pulled out an arm holding a glowing Yeouiju. ¡°......!¡± At that exact moment, Yeongwoo¡¯s pupils also dted widely. ¡®The Core!¡¯ He instinctively knew. That was the very Yeouiju that would turn the Imoogi Im Dupyeong into a god... no, into a dragon, and would eventually be the heart of Metal Seoul. ¡®All that¡¯s left now is to crush him.¡¯ Having gathered all the information he needed, Yeongwoo licked his lips and reached his right hand backward. Paht! ¡ª......? At that moment, Im Dupyeong¡¯s steel brow furrowed as his eyes squinted tightly. Crash! One side of the Taihe Gate behind them shattered as the mythical cursed sword, Bastard, shot like a bullet into its master¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯re about to be a cripple.¡± Mocking Im Dupyeong¡¯s aspirations, Yeongwoo tightened his grip on Bastard, while the aspiring god, Chairman Im, raised the Yeouiju high and shouted. ¡ªForbidden City! Activate extermination mode! ¡°What?¡± Then, the four red watchtowers, each guarding the corners of the Forbidden City, rose simultaneously. Kugugugugu! In response, Yeongwoo, impressed, lunged at Im Dupyeong. ¡°Leave that behind too! Im Dupyeong...!¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 290 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 290: Metal Forbidden City (3) ¨DYour arrogance knows no bounds! Central Politburo First Standing Committee Member, Im Dupyeong, roared as his body grewrger. Crack! His body was already so enormous that it obscured the sky. Any ordinary Strongest Sword wouldn¡¯t have dared to take a step forward. Just standing alone in this space, under the dark canopy that covered the sky, facing this enormous dragon would have caused most to lose their fighting spirit. But. Ta-at! South Korea''s elected Strongest Sword Jeong Yeongwoo07, was different. "Im Dupyeong! Hand over the core first!" When everyone else retreated in front of the exchange office, his story began by moving forward instead. From the moment he first grasped the Early Bird, Yeongwoo understood that everything frightening and unfamiliar in this world wasn¡¯t something to avoid but something to ovee. He had learned that oveing something always brought some kind of reward in this world. Of course, at the beginning of his journey, he overcame obstacles solely for his own safety. But now, the driving force behind his challenges was something different. ¡°Contribute to the construction of Metal Seoul¡­!¡± As Yeongwoo, holding Bastard, charged like lightning, Im Dupyeong opened his jaws wide. Kwa-at! From deep inside Im Dupyeong''s throat came a sound that was all too familiar to Yeongwoo. Zing! ¡°This bastard?¡± The redser beam that had been targeting Yeongwoo all this time was actually a breath weapon fired from Im Dupyeong''s mouth. ¡°No doubt about it, he¡¯s a robot dragon.¡± But theser cannon, probably installed by a military contractor, posed little threat to Yeongwoo, who already held Bastard. Kwa-aak! Yeongwoo easily sliced through Im Dupyeong''sser breath and leaped into the air. Ta-at! His target was the orb in Im Dupyeong''s right arm, the core of this Metal Forbidden City. Then. Pew-pew-pew-pew! ¡°...?¡± Following Im Dupyeong''s ¡®Annihtion Mode¡¯mand, four turrets that had risen earlier simultaneously firedsers at Yeongwoo. Unlike Im Dupyeong''s breath, thesesers were much thinner, but they were much faster and more physically powerful. It was as if. ¡®It''s like des are flying at me?¡¯ Sizzle! The actual destructive power of thesers was impressive, as white sparks flew from where thesers intersected in mid-air when Yeongwoo swiftly dodged them. Yet, the ground of the Forbidden City remained unscathed. This was because the directive from the Toma Corporation, stating that their products wouldn¡¯t harm themselves, also applied to these turrets. ¡°No¡­ this is pretty amazing.¡± Lasers could be fired within the city without leaving a single scratch on the buildings. In other words, as long as the residents were evacuated, battles could take ce inside the city. ¡°Is that part of the Metal package too?¡± As Yeongwoo pointed at the turrets and asked Im Dupyeong a question. Crash! The turrets, which had failed to snipe Yeongwoo, rose even higher than before. ¡°Huh?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze naturally followed them upward, and he soon realized something. ¨D¡­¡­ ¨D¡­¡­ The four turrets guarding the corners of the Metal Forbidden City were, in fact, the heads of giants who had been hiding inside the city walls. ¡°¡­Oh my god.¡± Yeongwoo momentarily forgot about his fight with Im Dupyeong and stared at the giant guardians walking inward from the four corners of the Forbidden City. ¨D¡­¡­ They didn¡¯t seem to have any lines, but instead greeted Yeongwoo withser beams. Pew! Pew-pew! Once again, the crimsonser beams cut through the ck sky of the Forbidden City. As Yeongwoo watched this dazzlingser show, he understood why Im Dupyeong had been so confident. In this Forbidden City, there were very few who could defeat him. The only problem was that one of those few was standing right here, right now. Swoosh! Yeongwoo deflected the turrets¡¯ attacks with Bastard and immediately turned his gaze back to Im Dupyeong. ¡°Truly impressive.¡± At that moment, Im Dupyeong, who had been diving towards Yeongwoo from the sky, twitched his fiery eyebrows. ¨DWhat do you mean? ¡°I mean this fortress and those giant guardians. You too, Im Dupyeong. It¡¯s all very impressive. You might have met meter if you had only collected taxes in the West. It¡¯s a shame for you.¡± ¨DWhat? Realizing that the conversation had been a setup to mock him, Im Dupyeong swung his left front paw. Swa-aack! A dark trail shed through the air as Im Dupyeong''s ws cut viciously. Yeongwoo narrowly dodged the attack. Whoosh! Then, as if waiting for the moment. Swaa-aack! Yeongwoo swung Bastard from top to bottom, severing one of Im Dupyeong¡¯s front paws. Slice! As expected, Im Dupyeong''s dragon body was cut through like tofu the moment it touched Bastard. Even though Toma Corporation could create-level bombardment weapons, they couldn¡¯t create equipment that could withstand ''mythical'' attacks. ¨DAh¡­! Im Dupyeong, realizing a lot as he saw his limb severed so easily, hastily tried to soar into the sky. But by then, Yeongwoo had already driven Bastard into his body and mounted him. As a result, Im Dupyeong had no choice but to ascend into the sky above Taihe Hall with this mysterious outsider riding him. ¡°Chairman Im! This is the end!¡± As Yeongwoo began climbing up Im Dupyeong¡¯s arm, gripping the orb, Im Dupyeong cried out in anger, now emitting ck smoke from his nostrils. ¨DWho are you really? How could someone like you be more¡­! There was a tone of resentment in his voice so that Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°And you? Why are you going to such lengths? Was there something that made you give up being human? You weren¡¯t really trying to regain power for the sake of the people, were you?¡± From Yeongwoo¡¯s perspective, he couldn¡¯t understand Im Dupyeong¡¯s motivations at all. Yeongwoo couldn''t possibly understand Im Dupyeong''s motives. Despite sessfully remaining human in the reset world, he had chosen a body barely distinguishable from a mutant. Why would he make such a choice? Then Im Dupyeong turned the question on Yeongwoo. ¡ªHow can you even question that? You, too, are someone who has forsaken being human, aren''t you? "...!" ¡ªI can sense energy coursing through your body. He was referring to the equipment that had reced parts of Yeongwoo''s body. In truth, the difference was only a matter of degree¡ªYeongwoo, too, had forsaken parts of his humanity to gain power. "That¡¯s¡­" For the first time sinceing to the Forbidden City, Yeongwoo was at a loss for words, unable to find his next line. Im Dupyeong spun his body fiercely and shouted, ¡ªWhen all of this started, the people gave me 300 million arrows! I saw them flying straight at my heart! This meant that on the first day of the reset, 300 million people had directly shot arrows at Im Dupyeong. "..." Yeongwoo fell silent. Im Bonghee. He had once seen the final moments of his former roommate, who had trembled in fear at even a single arrow. And as he had predicted, Im Bonghee''s expression when struck by the arrow was one of sheer terror. So, what would it feel like to learn that a staggering 300 million arrows had been fired at you, not by anyone else, but by your own people? There was no need to ask¡ªYeongwoo knew Im Dupyeong must have felt overwhelming fear. Kwaaaang! As Im Dupyeong spun rapidly to shake Yeongwoo off, his body heated up until it burned red-hot. The intense heat pierced Yeongwoo''s palm and reached up to his elbow. "Ugh!" Yeongwoo was holding onto Im Dupyeong''s body purely by willpower, as the talisman of the berserker wasn¡¯t blocking the pain. "So, you n to grow power so immense that it can never be opposed?" Yeongwoo asked, barely holding on. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Im Dupyeong, with his eyes glowing red, looked back at him and said, ¡ªExactly. The kind of fearsome power that no one can oppose. That''s what I and China need. "...Not you and China, but just you. You just don¡¯t want to be beaten down ever again." ¡ªShut up! Enraged, Im Dupyeong fired a breath attack at his own body, where Yeongwoo was hanging on, but Yeongwoo was already gone. sh! Yeongwoo had quickly leapt up and clung to Im Dupyeong¡¯s back. "I, too, somehow ended up dreaming of ruling the Earth, so I¡¯ve got a lot on my mind." ¡ªWhat? "How the hell do you make 300 million people shoot arrows? Even using up the points they¡¯d need for self-defense. Have you ever thought about that?" ¡ªYou¡­! For a moment, Im Dupyeong was at a loss for words, and at the same time, Yeongwoo drove his sword deeper into Im Dupyeong''s back. sh! "Now, step down in ordance with the people¡¯s will! I¡¯ll help you with that!" As Yeongwoo pulled the sword down further, Im Dupyeong''s iron skin split open, revealing a path to the afterlife. Seeing this, the colossal soldiers of the Forbidden City rushed over, but it was toote. Thud! Yeongwoo was already descending toward the Yeouiju, riding the now tattered right shoulder of Im Dupyeong. Shaaak! The mysterious device, the core, which had been gifted to Im Dupyeong by Toma through some contract, was now on the verge of falling into the hands of a bandit from the Korean Penins. Crash! Yeongwoo, slicing through Im Dupyeong¡¯s arm with his sword, kicked therge core beneath him. Thud! As soon as the core was dislodged from Im Dupyeong¡¯s weakening right hand, at that exact moment¡ª ¡ªArgh¡­! With Im Dupyeong''s final cry, the dragon''s body lost power. "Huh?" With Yeongwoo''s surprised exmation, Im Dupyeong¡¯s massive body plummeted to the ground of the Taihe za. Whoooosh, Boom! A tremendous roar and shockwave assaulted Yeongwoo¡¯s ears, and the colossal soldiers who were rushing to the za all came to a halt simultaneously. It was as if someone had unplugged the power cord; everything in the metallic Forbidden City had stopped functioning. "No way¡­ The core was more important than I thought." Yeongwoo pushed Im Dupyeong''s body aside and stood up, his foot stepping on the steps leading to the Taihe Hall. Im Dupyeong''s massive size had covered the entire area from the steps leading to the Taihe Hall to the central part of the za. "Ah, the core. Where did the core go?" As Yeongwoo turned his head to look for the core he had kicked away earlier, he spotted the 4-meter-wide core vibrating at a low frequency in front of the Taihe Hall. And just in time¡ª Creak, creak, creak. The doors of the Taihe Hall, which had been firmly shut, began to open. It seemed that the core being dislodged from the dragon''s hand had also unlocked the door¡¯s mechanism. Simrly, the gate on the opposite side, the Taihe Gate, had reopened, where Yeongwoo saw the two members of the Standing Committee he had seen earlier, copsed in front of it. With Im Dupyeong''s death, they too had lost their lives. "What the hell were those guys? Did they make a pact to die on the same day and hour?" Chilled for some reason, Yeongwoo carefully touched his own neck as he walked toward the Taihe Hall. As he approached, he could see the six dragon-carved golden pirs that supported the center of the Taihe Hall, and at the very center¡ª "Huh." There was something that anyone would recognize as a throne. Moreover, someone was already sitting on it. "Im Dupyeong¡­?" Sensing that the person on the throne was Chairman Im, Yeongwoo gripped his sword tightly and rushed into the Taihe Hall. Thud, thud, thud! But after just a few steps, he came to a sudden stop. "Crazy¡­" He had btedly realized that steel hoses connected various parts of the Taihe Hall to the body of the person sitting on the throne. He had thought that Im had abandoned his human form and been reborn as a dragon made of steel, but his true body had been confined within the Taihe Hall all along. "What kind of madness is this?" This was a line directed at both thete Im Dupyeong and his sponsor, Toma. But naturally, there was no answer. "No, seriously, this guy is insane." Yeongwoo covered his mouth as he took in the deste scene of the Taihe Hall, where Im Dupyeong must have spent the entire reset period. "What on earth are you¡­ How could you be more¡­?" Im Dupyeong¡¯s earlier words, spoken in disbelief as the dragon''s body was effortlessly split open, now took on a slightly different meaning. What he meant by "even more than me" was not the dragon he had be, but rather himself, who had craved power while binding his true form to this throne. "Indeed, there''s no such thing as power without a price." Yeongwoo shuddered once again at the cruelty of the cosmic forces. After all, from their perspective, both Im Dupyeong and Jeong Yeongwoo were nothing more than small beings from a remote. The only difference, if any, was that Im Dupyeong desperately needed great power immediately, while Jeong Yeongwoo had at least followed the proper contractual process in line with minimal order. "That''s why there are standard contracts. He delved too deep into the dark arts." Clicking his tongue, Yeongwoo left Taihua Hall. Then, he saw the ''Core,'' the final thing he had to deal with in the Forbidden City today, waiting for him. "Now... Let''s see what exactly I can do with this." Just as Yeongwoo reached out for the Core, his heart pounding, Crackle! The sky, which had returned to its original state after Im Dupyeong''s death, rippled unnaturally. "...?" And then, Boom! A shockwave that had traveled from afar swept over the skies above the Forbidden City. "Wait, this is..." A sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu hit him. He had seen this phenomenon before, when ''Dogo'' was selected as thest developer of Earth. ''Those bastards!'' The other twopanies that had decided to develop Earth had finally started to take action. But that wasn''t the end. [Developer 1 ''Lemu'' has dered war on ''Dogo.''] [Developer 2 ''Mara'' has dered war on ''Dogo.''] As if they knew that Yeongwoo was in the process of taking over China, the twopanies consecutively dered war on ''Dogo.'' "What? Those bastards." As the enraged Yeongwoo red at the sky while gripping Bastard, a new system message appeared in his view. ¡¸A deration of war has been made! To officially record the development rights dispute, please set the office address within 8 hours.¡¹ "Office address?" This meant he had to enter the developer ''Dogo'' office address on Earth. And given that he was the one responsible for this setting, it seemed... ''I''m the agent of Dogo, huh?'' If so, where should he designate as the center of the uing Earth development war? Since it would be officially recorded, he couldn''t take this lightly. ''...Then it has to be Metal Seoul.'' Yeongwoo''s gaze shifted back to the Core. The system then disyed a follow-up message. ¡¸In 8 hours, allpanies'' office addresses will be disclosed. Non-involved parties should evacuate immediately.¡¹ "Ah." Only then did Yeongwoo realize that these announcements were being made to the entire Earth. This meant that the Korean Penins would have already been thrown into chaos by now. After all, due to the Supreme Sword vote, the entire Korean poption knew that Jeong Yeongwoo was backed by Dogo. "This is bad." Yeongwoo scratched his chin with the end of Bastard. Then, he took out the unique ring, ''Wave,'' and brought it to his mouth. ¡¶Ah, can you hear me? In one hour, we will hold a business briefing at COEX in Gangnam. The topic is the reconfiguration of Seoul''s infrastructure.¡· After saying this, Yeongwoo paused for a moment before adding a final word. ¡¶And also, the matter of consenting to the war. Please be sure to attend.¡· [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 291 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 291: New Capital, Seoul (1) ¡°This should be enough.¡± After delivering his one-sided announcement, Yeongwoo noticed a Negwig, carrying two ves, running towards him from a distance. - Screeech! It could only enter after the core was removed, and all the gates of the Forbidden City opened. ¡®Oh,e to think of it, the Negwig hadn¡¯t been able to enter until now.¡¯ This fact was frustrating when the Metal Forbidden City was under enemy control. But now that he had secured the "Core," it pleased him. ¡®The Metal Forbidden City''s barrier was strong enough to block the Negwig? Then wouldn¡¯t the same apply to Metal Seoul?¡¯ With two otherpanies simultaneously dering war on Dogo during this turbulent time, it was a great relief that Seoul¡¯s defenses would be improved. Especially since he nned to use Metal Seoul as the address for Dogo''s Earth branch. ¡®Of course, the citizens of Seoul won¡¯t like it... but I''ll have to convince them somehow.¡¯ As he had just announced, there was only one hour left until the start of the business presentation. So, Yeongwoo hurriedly reached out to touch the "Core" in front of him. Thump. Then, for the first time since the reset, a tooltip from Toma appeared. ¡¸Steel Core¡¹ - ¡ó Toma Power Source ¡¾C-ss Development Site Creation¡¿ ¡¾Guardian Dragon¡¿ ¡¾Annihtion Mode¡¿ ¡®A Toma power source, huh.¡¯ As Yeongwoo''s expression showed interest, a detailed description appeared below it. Pop! ¡¾C-ss Development Site Creation¡¿ |Transforms a designated area into a state where it can be reinforced. ¡¾Guardian Dragon¡¿ |Increases all #dragon-type abilities by 20% within the reinforced area. ¡¾Annihtion Mode¡¿ |This power source supports a special defense system. ¡®Ah, it¡¯s a kind of mode-switching item.¡¯ Yeongwoo thought he could roughly understand it just by looking at the tooltip, though he¡¯d have to use it in Seoul to be sure. Most likely, cing this core somewhere in Seoul would transform a specific area into a state where it could be modified. After some procedures, it would turn into a bizarre fortress, much like the Metal Forbidden City. However... ¡®But wasn¡¯t the order to set the new capital given by Dogo, not Toma?¡¯ [Dogo] "Heavenly Capital" [Mission] Secure the remodeling core of the Forbidden City and establish the new capital of Earth. [Special] In this mission, you must disclose the support from Dogo. [Reward] 30 million Karma So, who would be responsible for reinforcing the "new capital"¡ªDogo, or Toma, who made the core in the first ce? ¡®This is really hard to figure out.¡¯ He wouldn''t know until he used the core himself. The one thing that was clear was that just as he was tied to Dogo by an advertising contract, Toma must have had some sort of deal with Im Dupyeong. ¡®I saw the 500 million debt mark under Im Dupyeong''s chin. It was probably something like a debt.¡¯ But there was no tooltip rted to this on the core he had just obtained. In other words, the "bing a god" that Im Dupyeong mentioned must have been a separate contract with Toma. And it was likely what saved him from the 300 million arrows. ¡®Toma wouldn¡¯t have stopped 300 million arrows for just a 500 million debt. I bet he sold something really important.¡¯ Although he felt ominous, he didn''t notice any immediate losses. After all, he had obtained the core without paying any extra fees, which was already a significant gain. ¡°Negwig, let¡¯s hurry back to Seoul. Right now, public opinion is the most important.¡± Without the support of the people, Yeongwoo07 would just be a mere puppet of aliens, a piece of Earth¡¯s trash. So, gaining the support of the citizens, the voters, was absolutely essential. He had no desire to see the birth of a Second Strongest Sword, nor did he want to kill his sessor personally. That would only lead him down an irreversible path of viiny. Moreover, considering all he had done¡ªfrom the contract with Dogo to the approval of the Orc Autonomous Region and the invasion of China¡ªhe needed to ensure that no adversaries were left on the Korean Penins to wrap things up properly. After all, too many cooks spoil the broth. ¡®Fortunately, with the core, I can at least show some results.¡¯ Yeongwoo''s politics, which relied solely on destructive power, had to be based on achievements. Crunch. As Yeongwoo gripped the core tightly, it shrank to the size of his palm. With the core in hand, he climbed onto the Negwig and pointed east. Hyaaah! ¡°Let''s go! Today, I will present the future of the Korean Penins!¡± * * * At the same time, near COEX in Gangnam, Seoul. The ones most flustered by Yeongwoo¡¯s reckless announcement were none other than the Taewon Group. The sudden news from Jeonggu about Yeongwoo¡¯s "business presentation" meant they had to prepare for arge-scale event in just one hour. Of course, Yeongwoo himself only intended to chat with various Strongest Swords and citizens on the street, but Taewon had a different perspective. ¡°How did they gather so quickly? Rumors sure spread fast.¡± As Jeonggu muttered while looking at the crowd that had already formed a dark mass near the tower in Gangnam, Lim Suna, standing next to him, had a troubled expression. ¡°There will be even more people in an hour.¡± ¡°¡­You mean there will be far more people than this?¡± ¡°Yes. People will definitelye from Gangbuk and Gangseo as well. It¡¯s the Strongest Sword¡¯s business presentation... it¡¯s a huge event.¡± Everyone in Seoul, or rather the entire Korean Penins, knew that the elected representative was out of his mind. Yet, because of the harsh times, they had no choice but to choose such a harsh person, which led to giving power to the infamous Yeongwoo07. And within just a few dozen hours, this happened. [Development Company 1, "Lemu," has dered war on "Dogo."] [Development Company 2, "Mara," has dered war on "Dogo."] Was it a mistake after all? The choice they made together brought war to the Korean Penins. ¡°A cosmic war... it still doesn¡¯t feel real.¡± Lim Suna smiled bitterly. Jeonggu bowed his head with a face full of guilt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You must be very worried. Although he is my son, I can¡¯t control him... I¡¯m in a difficult position too.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t need to apologize, Father.¡± As Suna waved her hand, feeling it wasn¡¯t something Jeonggu should apologize for, he quickly lifted his head back up. Swoosh. Then, with a different expression, he began stroking his chin. ¡°Hmm, but¡­¡± "¡­¡­?" "He wouldn''t have started anything without a n. He''s too sneaky to fight a losing battle." "What do you mean...?" "It means that if he started the war, it must be because he believes he can win." "...What?" Suna, who had been wide-eyed with surprise, quickly regained herposure and whispered quietly to Jeonggu. "It would be better if you refrained from making such remarks in public, Father." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Regardless of whether they could win the war or not, any conflict with external forces was bound to be a burden for the general public. This included Suna, who was an employee of Taewon Group. ''At least Yeongwoo and Father aren''t at high risk of assassination, which is a relief.'' If there was one advantage to preparing for this "business presentation," it was the security. No matter how many people or experts gathered, she didn''t have to worry about the VIPs'' safety¡ªthat was one good thing. ''But everything else is just...'' Variables or headaches. Just as Suna was about to rub her throbbing forehead, she barely stopped herself when she noticed a group of Strongest Swords approaching at an inhuman speed from afar. "Didn''t I say this would happen? I told you they''d cause trouble eventually, and even sooner than I expected." "Being the strongest and being a representative are indeed different matters..." "What kind of stunt do you have to pull to get a war deration within a day of being elected?" The approaching figures were none other than Oh Yeonhee from Songpa, Choi Namhee, the Strongest Sword of Seocho, and Lee Hanwook from Dongjak. The three Strongest Swords from the Gangnam area were running side by side. Oh Yeonhee, who recognized Jeonggu first, started to slow down. "Father!" "Oh, Yeonhee." "Where''s Yeongwoo? Is he not here yet?" Yeonhee''s eyes were filled with hostility toward Yeongwoo. No matter how impressive Jeong Yeongwoo''s achievements were, she couldn''t justify him causing a war that involved two to one odds. And it wasn''t just her. The crowds near the tower and COEX area were all wearing expressions of dissatisfaction and fear. "The announcement about the war agreement¡ªwhat a ridiculous statement. They didn''t even put the decision to a vote, just asking for our consent." As Yeonhee questioned Jeonggu in ce of the absent Yeongwoo, Jeonggu bowed his head again. "Yes, I saw that statement too. It was indeed inappropriate." Yet he didn''t forget to add one more thing. "But wasn''t it us who got the war deration? With swords drawn, the enemy is alreadying at us; we can''t just sit around debating whether to fight." "Still, there''s a difference between saying things one way and another. At least the tone could have been... " As the two argued over the "war agreement," the crowd around the tower began to stir. "Oh?" "It''sing!" "Whoa, what is that?" Amidst themotion, people who had been watching the sky finally saw what they were waiting for. Like a shooting star, a streak of light was cutting across the sky from afar. "Is that... the Strongest Sword?" "The Strongest Sword!" "Is the Strongest Sword here?" Even though there were already several Strongest Swords present, everyone was calling out for just one "Strongest Sword." The one who rides starlight across the sky, the only elected Strongest Sword in Korea¡ªJeong Yeongwoo07. Shiiing! As the beam of light that had flown from afar was absorbed into the top of the tower in Gangnam, the crowd burst into cheers and flocked towards the entrance of the tower. Most hade to see the face of the ipetent Strongest Sword who had brought on this war, but upon seeing him move like aet, they forgot why they hade in the first ce. "The Strongest Sword!" "Yeongwoo!" Even more people continued to gather around the tower and COEX area in Gangnam. And finally. Pheeew! The tower shed white for a moment, and one side of the outer wall opened up in an arch, from which Jeong Yeongwoo emerged. "Oh, oh? He''s here!" "Yeongwoo! Jeong Yeongwoo...!" As people rushed forward to get closer to the Strongest Sword, Yeongwoo raised his voice from atop the Negwig. "Everyone! Please step back! If anyone gets hurt here today, the business presentation won''t happen. You''ll end up in a war without even knowing why it started." "What... What...?" The crowd, which had been buzzing with excitement, was suddenly stunned by his unexpectedment. Then they quickly rekindled their anger, directing it at the Strongest Sword. "That''s right! Because of you, we''re about to have a war!" "What''s going on here?" "Exin yourself! We trusted you enough to elect you, and now there''s a war after just one day?" At that moment, Korea''s representative, Jeong Yeongwoo07, took out a "core" from his pocket. Pop! He nced around at the crowd and asked. "Why do you think this war is because of me? Do you have any proof?" "...What?" "Uh...?" The people were momentarily confused again. Yeongwoo quickly followed up with another point. "The question you should be asking now isn''t why the war started, but how we''re going to win... You should be asking if I have a n to win." "..." The crowd fell silent for a moment at Yeongwoo''s words. Then someone from the back of the crowd asked. "So, do you have a n to win?" It was none other than Yeongwoo''s father, Jeonggu. So Yeongwoo... Swoosh. After briefly looking at his father, tossed the core into the air. The small, fist-sized core began to growrger as it ascended into the sky above Gangnam, and Yeongwoo grinned wickedly. "Do you think we¡¯ll just win the war? The entire world will kneel before us." Right on cue, the core in the sky grew to an enormous size, casting a massive shadow over the Gangnam area. "Oh...?" "Wait a minute." "Do they really need to kneel...? Why?" It was then that the citizens realized something important. Someone in the crowd asked in a very small voice. "Could it be... Are we ying the viin?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 292 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 292: New Capital, Seoul (2) When asked if their country was ying the role of the viin, Yeongwoo07 didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment before responding with a question of his own. "Viin? What exactly makes someone a viin? Is having strong power what makes one a viin?" At this, everyone present fell silent. ''Damn... we really are the viins, huh?'' ''So, I¡¯ve be one of the bad guys...?¡¯ ''I wanted a rich and powerful nation, but I never asked to be a viin!'' Meanwhile, the core hovering over Gangnam continued to growrger. Vroooom¡­! The core had already started to exceed a diameter of 20 meters, so much so that even Yeongwoo, who had activated it, nced at it out of the corner of his eye. ''Is that really okay? Just how big is it going to get?'' Contrary to Yeongwoo¡¯s inner thoughts, on the outside, at least, Korea was bing quite powerful. The mere presence of a giant metal sphere in the sky casting a dark shadow gave the impression of an evilir. ¡°So¡­ what kind of evil deeds are we supposed tomit, exactly?¡± ¡°Are we going to start engaging in invasions and plundering?¡± ¡°What about war? If we¡¯re the viins, does that mean the twopanies that dered war on us are the righteous ones?¡± "Oh, right. Did they dere war on us because we''re the viins?" The room became noisy again, descending into chaos. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Feeling a slight throbbing in his temples, Yeongwoo pressed his finger against his head and, as if resigned, spoke. ¡°Hah¡­ Well, since they¡¯ve dered war, we¡¯ll have to fight. We¡¯ll start by crushing whichever of Mara or Lemu is closer.¡± ¡°Oooh¡­?¡± The citizens got excited at Yeongwoo¡¯s somewhat aggressive wording, "crush." After all, if they were going to be viins, it was better to be a formidable viin who builds an empire rather than a low-level viin who gets wiped out. ¡°And in Australia, we have an army of¡­ oh, at least several thousand orcs.¡± As Yeongwoo said this, pointing south where Australiay, everyone in the room turned to look in that direction. ¡°When we attack Mara, the orcs will join us in the assault. To secure this alliance, the orcs in northern Australia have been giving us 80 million Karma daily.¡± ¡°Eighty million?¡± ¡°¡­An army of thousands of orcs?¡± ¡°We¡¯re earning 80 million in foreign currency every day?¡± The people were dumbfounded by the unbelievable briefing, but Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t done reporting his achievements. ¡°We¡¯ve also expanded into China. With the costs controlled, our pure profit from China is around 100 million Karma daily, and we¡¯re nning to take even more, depending on the situation.¡± ¡°One hundred million?¡± ¡°You¡¯re nning to take even more?¡± ¡°So we¡¯re already engaging in invasions and plundering?¡± As the citizens began to question whether this was all really okay, Yeongwoo proudly puffed out his chest. ¡°Fortunately, the former President of China, Im Dupyeong, was already bleeding the country dry long before we got involved. This has somewhat diluted our misdeeds, so we won¡¯t go down in history as the worst invaders.¡± At some point, Yeongwoo had started speaking rather bluntly, but the citizens nodded in agreement as if relieved, having lost their sense of reality. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°Anyway, didn¡¯t we take down a dictator? That¡¯s a good thing¡­ right?¡± There¡¯s a saying that anything taken to the extreme can break the opponent¡¯s spirit. ¡°Of course, we¡¯re not invincible yet. As long as we haven¡¯t identified the locations of the other twopanies involved inary development, there will always be threats, and our rtionship with Japan is still unresolved.¡± As soon as Yeongwoo mentioned "Japan," a fire lit in the eyes of some citizens. Given the national sentiment, Japan was naturally considered a potential adversary. After all, during the Pangaea era, hadn¡¯t Japan attempted tond in Busan? At the very least, southern Japan was indeed an enemy. ¡°Now that we can use the tower to travel around the Earth, we should also assess the situation in Japan. It¡¯s arge country, so they must have a lot of money.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Japan too?¡± ¡°Well, they are a dangerous country.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t they a former war criminal nation? There¡¯s no guarantee they won¡¯t start another war.¡± But even then, Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t finished with his aplishments. ¡°I¡¯ve been entering dungeons every night, saving people, and obtaining bonds.¡± ¡°Bonds?¡± ¡°You saved people, Mr. Yeongwoo?¡± Some responded with disbelief, but what was even harder to believe was the amount and the countries from which those bonds came. ¡°30 million from India, 100 million from the U.S., 10 million from Pnd, 20 million from the U.K., 40 million from Peru, and 80 million from Saudi Arabia.¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°Is that the total amount of bonds we hold?¡± ¡°It seems to add up to about 280 million?¡± Could such arge sum have been received purely as a reward for good deeds? ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m nning to collect that money soon.¡± As Yeongwoo folded one finger after another, recalling the bond amounts, the people began to look a bit weary. ¡°Crazy¡­ This is too much.¡± ¡°At this point, shouldn¡¯t we be the ones disappearing from the Earth?¡± ¡°We¡¯re just pure evil.¡± Yet, deep down, they felt it keenly. While the methods might have been rough, the Strongest Sword before them was indeed on track to fulfill his promise of "strengthening the nation and unifying the world." And, more than anything else... ''This is bad... I don¡¯t think anyone else can clean up this mess.'' It was bing increasingly clear that no one could rece Yeongwoo07. ''At this rate, he might really unify the world.'' ''¡­If we¡¯re willing to ept that we¡¯re the viins.'' ''What does he n to do with all this massive karma?'' While every citizen in the room was trapped in this dilemma, Oh Yeonhee from Songpa was the first to put a stop to it. ¡°So, if I understand correctly.¡± Tap! As she spoke, clearly somewhat angry, and took a couple of steps forward, the crowd naturally parted to make way for her. ¡°All that we¡¯ve done in the name of our country so far is collude with the orcs who¡¯ve illegally upied Australia and extorted money from countries around the world?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. As a result, our steady ie will soon reach 200 million a day. We¡¯re well on our way to achieving a rich and powerful nation.¡± ¡°No, how can that be¡­?¡± Oh Yeonhee tried to protest but couldn¡¯t. The only issue was that they were walking a brutal path; otherwise, everything else was exactly as promised during the election. And by that time, Yeongwoo had taken a few steps forward into the crowd, making way for Negwig to walk ahead. Click, click. ¡°Are we viins? In the old world, perhaps. But where are we now?¡± When Yeongwoo asked the question into the air, someone within the crowd mumbled to themselves,cking confidence. ¡°A¡­ a reset world?¡± Yeongwoo, who somehow overheard this, snapped his thumb and middle finger, making a sharp sound. Snap! "That''s right. This is a reset world. Everything has been reset¡ªour destiny, the social structure, and even the way we survive." Click. As Yeongwoo took another step forward, the citizens filled the space he left behind. "Therefore, I refuse to be defined by those outdated values of the past." "Huh? Then, what...?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] When the citizens tilted their heads in confusion and questioned him, Yeongwoo pointed his sword towards the core floating in the sky. "We are not viins; we are a great power." "...!" "If anyone dares to call the Korean Penins a den of evil, bring me their name. We must correct what''s wrong. If you have power, you can change even concepts." "Crazy..." "Has he lost his mind...?" Some citizens were so shocked that they covered their mouths in disbelief, while others were impressed by the ruthless ideology that burned through their mental circuits. That''s right. If you don''t want to be a viin, just eliminate everyone who calls you one. Whoosh! "Are we viins?" Yeongwoo asked, thrusting his blood-red cursed sword into the air. No one dared to answer ''yes.'' Just as Yeongwoo had dered, the very concept of ''viin'' had changed¡ªor rather, disappeared altogether. "Then what are we? What do you want to be?" He asked, rephrasing his question. A few citizens cautiously opened their mouths. "A... great power?" "A great power." As if waiting for this response, Yeongwoo shouted the phrase that had been his campaign slogan. "We shall rule the world with national prosperity and military strength!" At that moment, with a crashing sound, the core floating in the sky shattered into dozens of pieces and began to release a powerful energy field, causing the citizens to copse on the spot and scream. "Aaaaah!" "What''s happening?" "Is that thing going to explode?" But Yeongwoo stood tall atop the steel structure, staring straight at the core with an unyielding gaze. Because in Yeongwoo''s eyes, the regional reinforcement interface had appeared. ¡¸Steel Core is ready for activation.¡¹ ¡¸Steel Core¡¹ - ¡ó Toma Power Source ¡¾C-ss Development Site Creation¡¿ ¡¾Guardian Dragon¡¿ ¡¾Annihtion Mode¡¿ Activation ready. It likely meant that the region was now ready to be transformed into a C-ss development zone. ¡®The time hase to rewrite history.¡¯ ording to the "Capital Relocation" quest, the region that this core would transform would be the new capital of Earth in the future. [Mission] Secure the remodeling core of the Forbidden City and establish the new capital of Earth. This line also hinted at Yeongwoo''s determination to somehow drive out hispetitors, Lemu and Mara, fromary development. So, trusting in his backing by Dogo, Yeongwoo shouted: "Now, watch closely! See how we will be a great power!" "W-what...?" "Is there something more?" As the citizens, who had been cowering, began to raise their heads, Yeongwoo approved the core''s activation. sh! Then, an invisible wave spread out from within the opened core, disying a system message to Yeongwoo. ¡¸Current selected coordinates are |l||I-Earth-482-183-4361-83. Locally ssified as ''Gangnam District.'' Convert to a C-ss development zone?¡¹ ''Huh? Not Seoul, but Gangnam?'' Yeongwoo hesitated to give the approval. Since the quest mentioned the term "capital," he assumed it would apply to an entire city, but it turned out the maximum area that could be reinforced with this core was only at the district level. ''What¡¯s going on? Is the concept of a capital in the universe smaller than I thought?'' Although he felt slightly disappointed, he couldn''t back down now, with all eyes focused on him and the core. So, in the end, Yeongwoo decided. ''Approve.'' He approved Gangnam District as a C-ss development zone. ¡¸Gangnam District has been set as a C-ss development zone.¡¹ Shortly after, a brief notification message appeared, followed by a loud sonic boom from the sky. Whooosh! "What the...?" When Yeongwoo looked up at the sky, he saw arge metallic object, clearly a product of Toma, falling rapidly. ¡®Ah, so that''s what was used to create Metal Forbidden City¡­¡¯ Yeongwoo quickly understood. Activating the core to make a specific region development-ready would cause Toma to arrive from outer space to begin construction. ¡®So, it¡¯s not Metal Seoul, but¡­ starting with Metal Gangnam?¡¯ Well, no one became full from the first bite. Yeongwoo thought it wasn''t a bad start, either. After all, no myth was created in a single day. ¡®Anyway, this is the beginning. The sess story of mine!¡¯ As Yeongwoo watched the falling alien supplies with anticipation, he noticed another metal object falling from even higher up. "Huh?" "What¡¯s that?" "Something else...?" The object grewrger as it fell rapidly, quickly catching the attention of the general citizens as it struck down the Toma supply unit to the side and insteadnded on Gangnam soil. Boom! Itnded near the core, exuding an ominous atmosphere as if it were a dud. ¡¸Nowmencing the''s second development process.¡¹ "Second...?" It was none other than a module sent by Dogo. ¡¸The current module has arrived in C-ss development zone ''Gangnam District.'' Would you like to upgrade this area to B-ss development zone ''Seoul''?¡¹ "Ah...!" Yeongwoo''s pupils widened as he realized the significance. At the same time, his hand was already mming the activation button on the module. Bang! ¡¸This city will be upgraded with the support of the intergctic weapons brand, Dogo!¡¹ Then, another invisible wave emanated from the module, and this time, a dramatic change began immediately. tter-tter-tter! Starting from the ground beneath the core, ashen steel tiles began to spread rapidly. "Huh?" "What, what is this?" Before the citizens could even react, the ground beneath their feet turned into metal, and the COEX building, which was supposed to be used as a business presentation venue today, was transforming into a fortified structure. Then, like a mutation log from the first day of the reset, the upgrade log for B-ss development zone Seoul appeared in quick session. ¡ªDogo''s development module has discovered the key site ''Gyeongbokgung Pce'' in ''Seoul.'' ¡ªDogo''s development module has discovered the key site ''Jongmyo Shrine'' in ''Seoul.'' ¡ªDogo''s development module has discovered the key site ''Four Main Gates'' in ''Seoul.'' It was clear that Dogo was currently exploring Seoul. A Metal Seoul, where Gyeongbokgung Pce fires photon cannons and the Four Main Gates rise to defend the city in times of crisis, was no longer just a dream. "Aah!" Feeling the steel heart pounding in his chest, Yeongwoo shouted his final advertising line. "This is the new capital of Earth! Dogo Special City, Metal Seoul!" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 293 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 293: New Capital, Seoul (3) Metropolitan City, Metal Seoul. The deration of the establishment of "New Seoul" by Yeongwoo did not even reach the ears of the citizens. Cha-ja-ja-ja-jat! Everyone was too preupied with watching the city transform into "Metal Seoul" to pay any attention. "This... is Seoul...?" "Oh my God." "No way..." Already, the roads and sidewalks werepletely covered in steel, and now the ordinary buildings around COEX were being reinforced with metal. Even the trees lining the streets had turned into "metalized" versions with sharp, de-like branches. "Um... is this really okay?" Lim Suna, an assistant manager from Taewon Group, looked at Jeonggu with a worried expression. Jeonggu also seemed unsure of what was happening. "This crazy guy... I didn''t think he''d take things this far." When he looked toward his son, Yeongwoo, he saw him doing something in front of a module sent by Dogo. "Yeongwoo! You brat!" Jeonggu waved his hand and called out to Yeongwoo, but the repeated cheers of the crowd drowned out his voice. "I''d better go see him. Assistant Manager, please find a safe ce to stay before anything else weird happens." As Jeonggu started pushing through the crowd, Suna also looked around and began walking toward a group of Strongest Swords gathered nearby. In fact, the safest ce would have been by Jeong Yeongwoo''s side, but there were too many people there. Even Jeonggu, who was a Strongest Sword himself, was having a hard time getting through. "Excuse me, please make way." Despite holding the prestigious title of "The Strongest Sword of Dobong," Jeonggu found that the citizens, who were mesmerized by the "metalization" of Seoul, were not inclined to clear a path for him. As a result, it took him several minutes to cover a distance of less than twenty meters. "This is driving me crazy, seriously." Finally, after sweating profusely, Jeonggu reached Yeongwoo and the Dogo module. Only then did his son acknowledge him. "...Why are you here? It would be morefortable for you to stay with the other Strongest Swords over there." Jeong Yeongwoo07, the prodigal son of Korea. Since Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the module, Jeonggu asked, "I wanted to know how much further you''re nning to take this." "Take this further? Don¡¯t you want to live in a powerful nation?" Yeongwoo''s pupils reflected a bluish string of characters as he spoke, so Jeonggu, as if mesmerized, moved closer to him. There, he saw a guide about "Metal Seoul" being disyed on the module Yeongwoo was manipting. ¡ó We are pleased to introduce you to Earth''s new B-ss development site, ''Seoul''! ¡ó The current regional level of Seoul is ''1,'' and foundational adjustment work is in progress before full reinforcement can begin. "...What is all this?" Jeonggu blinked as he read the text, and Yeongwoo shrugged. "Looks like there¡¯s a specialized development protocol for this." Seoul was currently in the foundational adjustment phase, meaning the entire city was being covered in metal. This work would likely have to bepleted before the city could move on to the next stage of development. ¡®Still, it should be done within 8 hours. I need to set the business address.¡¯ As Yeongwoo stroked his chin while looking at the module, new text appeared on the screen. Paaaat! ¡ó While reinforcement work is underway, we will configure basic city functions. "City function settings?" "These bastards, what kind of nonsense are they nning now?!" Furious, Jeonggu pointed at the module, but Yeongwoo frowned. "Ah, please be quiet for a moment." No matter how powerful the Dogo organization might be, with a royal family-descended destroyer king as its chairman, the actual work on the field had to be done by Yeongwoo himself. "Didn¡¯t you see earlier? Mara and Lemu dered war on us simultaneously. It¡¯s going to be a 2-on-1 fight. So, whether it¡¯s nonsense or whatever, I''ll use any means to be stronger." As the effective representative of Dogo in this war, Yeongwoo couldn''t say he wasn¡¯t scared at all. But he had ovee greater obstacles before and was confident he could win this time too. Paaat! Soon, a sort of questionnaire appeared on the module. ¡ó Please select the option that best aligns with the purpose of this city''s development. [1] Build amercial city. [2] Expand trade routes. [3] Secure a refuge. But from the fourth option, things started to get strange. [4] A hub for treason. [5] Root out anti-royal factions. [6] Expand industrial facilities. "...What?" "What the hell? Why is rooting out anti-royal factions an option for city development?" "Seems like it reflects the chairman''s trauma." But the real kicker was the seventh option. [7] Weaponize the city. "Oh." As Yeongwoo finally found an option that he liked, Jeonggu swallowed hard. "Check out some of the other options, there might be something decent." However, Jeonggu''s wish was not fulfilled. [8] Iron-fisted rule. [9] Transition to a tyrant. "What¡¯s the difference between 8 and 9? Aren¡¯t they practically the same?" Jeonggu muttered with his mouth agape, but Yeongwoo shook his head. "You don¡¯t get it. 8 is about ruling with an iron fist from the start, while 9 is about transitioning into a tyrant after initially being something else." "...What? What does that have to do with the city?" "Who knows? Maybe the suppression functions they support are different." "......!" Suppression functions? It was the first time Jeonggu had ever heard such a bizarre expression, and he opened his mouth even wider. He could see a glimmer of tyrannical talent in his son. "Hey, you said you wanted to create a powerful nation, right? You¡¯re not going to oppress people, are you?" "That would be difficult. If I did that, my karmic burden would pile up enormously." As Yeongwoo answered, he turned his gaze to thest two options at the bottom. [10] Prepare for civil war. [11] Social Ascension. Seeing these final two options, Jeonggu quickly pointed to the tenth one. "Yeongwoo, this is it! Prepare for civil war!" Prepare for civil war¡ªperfectly suited for the current situation on Earth. It was, in every sense, a purpose perfectly suited to the current state of the Earth. Especially if this ce, New Seoul, was truly destined to be the official capital of the Earth in the future, then the ongoing three-way conflict could indeed be considered a civil war of the Earth. ¡°Let¡¯s go with option 10. There¡¯s nothing else to see,¡± Said Jeonggu as he looked at his son. But he noticed that this damned kid''s gaze was directed a bit lower than where option 10 was located. ¡°What the hell are you looking at¡­?¡± Jeonggu followed Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze back to the module. [11] Social Ascension. ¡°Why this one?¡± Jeonggu asked, genuinely perplexed. Yeongwoo blinked quickly. ¡°How can the purpose of city development be social ascension?¡± ¡°Right? So we should go with option 10¡­¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it make more sense to think about what kind of status could be elevated so much that it warrants reconstructing an entire city?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jeonggu was left speechless. He couldn¡¯t help but think that his son¡¯s way of thinking fundamentally differed from a normal person''s. ¡°So? What do you think they mean by ¡®elevating status¡¯?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure. But¡­¡± Yeongwoo looked up at the sky. No, to be precise, he was looking at the vast space beyond the atmosphere. ¡°This module came from space. So everything it says is likely based on a cosmic perspective.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes. So that ¡®social ascension¡¯ is, with high probability¡­¡± ¡°A status in the universe¡­?¡± When Jeonggu echoed the idea, Yeongwoo nodded. ¡°Yes. It must be a status recognized on a cosmic scale.¡± But that wasn¡¯t the only reason why Yeongwoo was interested in option 11. ¡°Then whose status is it?¡± ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t it your status?¡± ¡°Yes. It would be beneficial even if it¡¯s just my status that ascends. Especially if it¡¯s on a cosmic level.¡± ¡°So then? What else could it be if not your status?¡± Yeongwoo then looked at the crowd filling the streets of Gangnam. Jeonggu waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Oh,e on, no way.¡± What Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze suggested was the status of all the citizens living in this city. It might even mean the status of Earthlings, a level higher than just Seoul citizens. ¡°Father, do you know what the base status level of our¡¯s inhabitants is in the universe?¡± ¡°¡­I wouldn¡¯t know. Do you?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°What?¡± As someone who had experienced the unprecedented event of a human¡¯s status rising on a cosmic level, Yeongwoo knew it well. His status in cosmicw had risen from the original 12th grade to as high as the 7th grade. Thus, in reverse, it could be seen that: ¡°Our¡¯s inhabitants are ssified as 12th-grade beings in the cosmic hierarchy.¡± ¡°12th grade?¡± ¡°Yes. You might not feel it, but that¡¯s a very low grade.¡± This was based on the status of the tattoo vendor from Pegua, whom he had once met as a ¡®merchant.¡¯ The vendor¡¯s status in cosmicw was 11th grade, a being so low-born that he couldn¡¯t even have a unique name. Yet, the Earthlings, undergoing a reset, were ssified as 12th grade. Most of the people on this were of a status so low that they couldn¡¯t even have names recognized in the universe. ¡°No¡­ But even so, is it reasonable to change the city development direction for something like social ascension? Isn¡¯t that too vague an administrative decision?¡± Jeonggu, uncharacteristically rational, voiced his doubts. After all, the decision to set the ¡®development purpose¡¯ this time was crucial. The next phase of development, which would begin after the foundational adjustments, would also likely change ording to the purpose chosen now. So it seemed more prudent to focus on preparing for the civil war at this moment. ¡°Are you cursed with a disease that kills you if you y it safe? What¡¯s gotten into you? Let¡¯s just focus on preparing for the civil war.¡± Jeonggu grabbed Yeongwoo¡¯s shoulder, giving him fatherly advice, but this Korean demon¡¯s eyes were already half gone. ¡°No, something¡¯s bothering me.¡± ¡°What now?¡± ¡°The merchants we¡¯ve met so far mostly had low statuses in cosmicw. On the other hand, those who went around beating others and unting their power generally had high statuses.¡± ¡°Well, of course, they¡¯re living well because they have high status¡­ beating others¡­¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°In this universe, if you have high status, you can beat others! That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Jeonggu realized the conversation was taking another wrong turn, but it was already toote¡ªYeongwoo had touched the module again. ¡°Father! The d¨¦j¨¤ vu I¡¯m feeling right now isn¡¯t a coincidence! I¡¯ve been through something simr before!¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± It was only natural that Jeonggu didn¡¯t understand what Yeongwoo was saying. He hadn¡¯t been with Yeongwoo during his first binary choice. That time, despite Yechan¡¯s objections, he had chosen to distribute 30,000 Karma instead of monopolizing 3 million Karma. ¡°I¡¯ll look further into the future!¡± ¡°You fool, we need to win the civil war first if we want any future at all!¡± But Yeongwoo¡¯s way of thinking was indeed different. ¡°What kind of future are we talking about?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°A future where we live as a lower-ss species in the universe? I can¡¯t give up this opportunity for a future like that.¡± With these words, Yeongwoo chose option 11, Social Ascension. Fwoosh! ¡°People work harder when they have hope! Let¡¯s secure a better future first, and then we can think about the civil war!¡± ¡°Damn it, kid! This whole status thing is just your¡­¡± It¡¯s just a guess, he was about to say, but his words were drowned out by the thunderous roar that followed. Boom! As soon as Yeongwoo selected the development purpose, an enormous amount of energy surged from the module. Then, a system message was broadcasted across the entire Korean Penins. ¨DThe development purpose of ¡°Metropolitan City Metal Seoul¡± has been set to Social Ascension. ¡°Seriously, this kid!¡± Jeonggu was so furious that he wanted to charge at his son, but he stopped when he saw the next message that appeared. ¨DThe current level of this city is 1. Please raise the city level to undergo Earth¡¯s status elevation review. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 294 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 294: New Capital, Seoul (4) ¡°Huh...?¡± As soon as the words ¡°Earth''s upgrade evaluation¡± were mentioned, Jeonggu made a bewildered expression, and Yeongwoo, excited, continued speaking. ¡°See? I was right, wasn¡¯t I?¡± Of course, even Yeongwoo himself didn¡¯t know that aary status existed. Up until now, the only statuses he¡¯d encountered were the ranks assigned to different roles on the and the existence ranks ording to universalw. ¡®Well, I wouldn¡¯t have known about this since nothing has ever been done on aary scale before.¡¯ But things are different now. The purpose of developing Metal Seoul, the special city established on the Korean Penins, is to elevate Earth¡¯s status. And now that Earth has begun seriousary development, everything seemed to align perfectly. ¡®And since it will eventually be my, the higher its rank, the better.¡¯ Especially now, when connections with the ¡°universe¡± were increasing, it was clear that both the¡¯s and its residents¡¯ statuses must be as high as possible. The glimpse he¡¯d had of the universe so far revealed it to be a society of survival of the fittest, strictly governed by a rigid caste system. Even the universalw enforcers, who enforce thews of the universe, couldn¡¯t do anything about the tyranny of Chairman Dogo, who had a third-grade status under universalw. Lower-ss beings aren¡¯t even allowed to mention the names of those ranked second-ss or higher. So what would happen if Earth, a lower-ss where the basic resident rank is 12th ss, were to connect with that universe officially? ¡°Being invaded by other Earthlings is bad enough, but to be looked down upon by aliens...? That¡¯s something I won¡¯t allow to happen in my time.¡± Jeong Yeongwoo07, a prodigy born out of a reset, uttered words filled with a surprising sense of humanism, prompting Jeonggu to look at his son with an unexpected expression. ¡°Oh... I didn¡¯t know you could think like that. That¡¯s surprising. What rank did you say you were now?¡± ¡°Seventh ss, ording to universalw.¡± ¡°From twelfth to seventh...¡± Jeonggu nodded as if he finally understood. He figured his son might have developed some sense of duty, perhaps as the first Earthling to achieve the seventh ss. Maybe it was a sense of duty to ensure that humanity would no longer suffer universal hardships. ¡®Well, children from poor families tend to mature faster. Considering that he¡¯s risen quite high for someone from a lower-ss, it¡¯s possible his perspective has broadened...¡¯ But contrary to Jeonggu¡¯s thoughts, Yeongwoo had a very different, more ambitious n. ¡°One day, I want to beat up a government official.¡± ¡°What? Why would you beat up a government official? Those people work hard. You¡¯ll seriously be punished if you do that.¡± Of course, the government officials of the universe weren¡¯t human to begin with. ¡°To be exact, I want to reach a position where I can do that.¡± As he said this, Yeongwoo habitually looked up at the sky, and Jeonggu followed his gaze. ¡°Do you know what it means to beat up a government official in the universe?¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°It means you¡¯ve be someone who, in most situations, won¡¯t be in danger. At least, that¡¯s what I¡¯ve learned.¡± Beating a government official. It meant that you had be someone who could challenge thews of the universe and still survive. Though, of course, not even someone like that would dare to skip paying taxes. ¡°Who on earth taught you this?¡± Although Jeonggu asked this question, he had a pretty good idea of who the teacher was. ¡®That Dogo bastard haspletely messed up my son.¡¯ After all, in Yeongwoo¡¯s timeline, Dogo existed before his father did. ¡°But to be such a powerful being, I still have a long way to go. First of all, I¡¯ll need an enormous amount of money...¡± ¡°And what else?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. But I have a feeling that one¡¯s origins are important too.¡± This intuition stemmed from the life story of his actual role model, Chairman Dogo. Dogo¡¯s originsy in the royal family of Vesedel, where he was the first prince. In contrast, Yeongwoo himself was just an ordinary resident from the lower-ss Earth. The only simrity he shared with the chairman was that they were both illegitimate children. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that to fulfill your dream of beating up government officials, you want to raise Earth¡¯s rank?¡± Jeonggu couldn¡¯t help but feel absurd as he said this. There wasn¡¯t a single logical connection in that sentence. But Yeongwoo was serious. ¡°It¡¯s about raising my origin and the status of my people for my future.¡± There was a saying that all roads lead to Seoul. Since the conclusion was optimistic, Jeonggu decided to drop the matter. ¡°...Alright. But seriously, don¡¯t actually beat up any government officials.¡± As the two of them were having this cosmic conversation, the foundational work for Metal Seoul was finallypleted. ¡ó The foundational work for ¡°Dogo Special City Metal Seoul¡± has beenpleted. ¡°Oh? They say the work is finished.¡± Yeongwoo, with a delighted expression, stood before the module as the next message appeared. ¡ó The current settings of this city are as follows: [Dogo Special City Metal Seoul] | Level: 1 | Location: |l||I-Earth | Mayor: Jeong Yeongwoo07 | Purpose: Status elevation ¡°What?¡± ¡°Huh? You¡¯re the mayor?¡± Both Yeongwoo and Jeonggu stared at the city settings window with wide eyes. ¡°Well, if someone had to be listed as mayor, I guess it would be you.¡± Jeonggu scratched his cheek with a somewhat disapproving expression. ¡°But the city name is already confirmed as Dogo Special City Metal Seoul? These guys are hrious.¡± Jeonggu let out a chuckle, as if he couldn''t believe it. Just then, the city''s module in Dogo disyed a new notification. ¡ó Due to the internal function of the city¡¯s power source, the ''Steel Core,'' the city can initiate ''Guardian Dragon'' and ''Annihtion Mode'' settings. ¡ó Due to the city¡¯s development purpose of ''Social Ascension,'' the highest priority construction is rmended. *Victory Monument. The city''s development ns were grimly serious, despite theical name. ¡°They''re rmending the first construction to be a Victory Monument.¡± ¡°This ispletely insane. Where exactly is that supposed to be built?¡± At Jeonggu''s question, Yeongwoo tapped on the notification rmending the Victory Monument. Pop. Arge holographic box appeared on the module, and the construction interface spread out. Ping! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] [Victory Monument] | Register the legendary enemies who met their end before the city''s name and gain Glory Points. | Once the city''s Glory reaches a certain level, bonus points will be awarded duringary status reviews. *Within 48 hours of constructing the monument, enemies not defeated in the city''s name can also be registered. ¡°Wow.¡± After reading the description of the Victory Monument, Yeongwoo was speechless. It was exactly the construction he had wanted. If this was built, wouldn¡¯t it give more justification for his use of violence? ¡®This is an essential building for the violence business. I have to build this.¡¯ As Yeongwoo finished reading the description and looked down, the construction module disyed the rmended locations for the Victory Monument. ¡ó Two suitable sites for constructing the Victory Monument have been found. [Jongmyo] | 20% additional Glory Points if the registered enemies are affiliated with Earth. [Sajikdan] | 10% additional Glory Points if the registered enemies are not affiliated with Earth. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Yeongwoo hesitated for a moment as he looked at the construction site options. Both were cultural heritage sites of Korea, and the special effects were conflicting. ¡®If I forgo the special effects, I could build it anywhere, not necessarily on heritage sites, but the effects are too good to pass up.¡¯ The remaining issue was whether to build the monument at Jongmyo or Sajikdan. ¡°What do you think, Father?¡± ¡°¡­You''re going to choose whatever you want anyway, so why bother asking?¡± ¡°Well, I need to hear someone else''s opinion first so I can confirm that I''m right. It''s like a verification process.¡± ¡°You crazy kid.¡± Though Jeonggu shuddered, he pointed to ¡®Jongmyo¡¯ with his hand. ¡°Isn''t Jongmyo better? The additional score difference is double, and most of the enemies you can register now will likely be affiliated with Earth, right?¡± ¡°That''s true. Kim Jong-un can definitely be registered, and probably Im Dupyeong too¡­¡± ¡°Exactly. You already have two. Legendary enemies aren''t thatmon anyway.¡± Yeongwoo nodded at Jeonggu''s words. ¡°Right. I¡¯d get 40% more points as soon as it¡¯s built.¡± ¡°Exactly. And you''ll probably have to fight a civil war for a while, so there will be more enemies to put into the monument.¡± ¡°Then I could get around 60% to 100% additional points.¡± ¡°Y-yeah.¡± Jeonggu sensed something was wrong when his son readily agreed with him. And sure enough. ¡°But if I build the monument at Sajikdan, I could probably get several hundred percent more points, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If there are so many legendary enemies on Earth, imagine how many there must be in the universe.¡± As Yeongwoo looked up at the sky again, an angry Jeonggu exploded in frustration. ¡°You idiot! If you''re going to do that, just do whatever you want and stop asking me! And stop looking up at the sky all the time!¡± At that moment, the Strongest Swords, who had been watching from afar, started to approach, curious about what was happening. By then, Yeongwoo had already confirmed Sajikdan as the construction site for the monument. ¡°I¡¯m going with Sajikdan. We have to think about the future.¡± As Yeongwoo touched the holographic text on the module, a city-wide announcement was immediately issued. ¡ª The Mayor of Dogo Metropolitan City, Jeong Yeongwoo07, has approved the construction of [Victory Monument] at the key location ''Sajikdan.'' ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­Huh? Build what?¡± ¡°He¡¯s already the mayor¡­?¡± The residents of Metal Seoul and even the Strongest Swords were surprised by the first construction permit issued by the mayor. But what happened next was even more shocking. Fiiiaaaat! A sharp sound echoed from the far-off sky, and then metal chunks began to rain down from the northern sky. ¡°Ugh!¡± ¡°What the heck?¡± The sight reminded people of the first day of the Reset, when the ''Mountain of Swords'' appeared, and they were filled with fear. But Yeongwoo¡­ ¡®Wow, they''re building it insanely fast.¡¯ He instinctively knew that this was the construction scene for the Victory Monument. Unlike normal construction on Earth, construction in a B-grade development zone happened in the blink of an eye. Soon, a system message appeared in Yeongwoo''s view. ¡¸Victory Monument construction isplete.¡¹ ¡¸There are 3 execution records avable for registration on the Victory Monument.¡¹ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 295 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 295: New Capital, Seoul (5) "Three kill records?" Moreover, they were records that could be registered. This meant they were records of defeating "legendary enemies." Since no further text appeared afterward, Yeongwoo could only specte. "One must definitely be the Kim Jong-un family. Thanks to them, I even cleared an achievement." The achievement "ck Legend," which waspleted when he killed Kim Jong-un, was one that required facing legendary evil. "Then who are the other two?" There weren''t many opponents worthy of being called "legendary," so Yeongwoo quickly thought of another one: Beijing''s evil overlord, Im Dupyeong, who was once the President of China. Even before the reset, he was the ruler of China, and after the reset, he dreamt of conquering the continent again by blocking three hundred million arrows. How could he not be considered legendary? "Then who is thest one?" There were a few more candidates, but without certainty, Yeongwoo immediately mounted Negwig again. Click! Then he said to his father, "I''m going to Sajikdan. I need to see how much the glory score increases per kill record." "You''re going to Sajikdan, leaving all these people behind?" Jeonggu asked as he looked around at the people filling Gangnam District. The business briefing time Yeongwoo announced was soon, and not only the Strongest Swords from various regions came, but also residents from various ces poured in. "Yes. The monument is there, so I have no choice. Let''s hold the business briefing in front of the monument." "¡­!" At Yeongwoo''s words, not only Jeonggu but also the residents in the hall were surprised. "S-Sajikdan is in Jongno, isn''t it?" "And you want us to go all the way to Jongno now?" As the hall grew noisy again, Yeongwoo gestured for them to calm down. "The business briefing isn''t anything grand, most of what you heard earlier here covers it. We will start theary conquest, with Metal Seoul as the base." In fact, those who had arrived early were quite fortunate. They were there when Yeongwoo unfolded the core and established Metal Seoul. However, the residents didn''t seem satisfied with just that. "But isn''t Gangnam Yeongwoo''s district? Shouldn''t the business briefing be held in Gangnam?" "Yes, let''s do it in Gangnam!" As people mored, Yeongwoo''s brow furrowed slightly. Originally, the business briefing was intended to be conveyed to the Strongest Swords representing each region, so it was enough if only they followed. "But everyone came thinking the business briefing would be held at COEX... So it''s understandable they''d feel wronged after making the trip." Yeongwoo pondered for a moment. The people gathered here were citizens paying the defense tax and potential voters who could wield influence in a possible future re-election. He couldn''t ignore them. ¡®I can''t just pretend I didn''t take in millions in sry.¡¯ Yeongwoo shifted his gaze to the city development module of Dogo to solve this issue. Jeonggu tilted his head and approached Yeongwoo. "Why? What are you looking for again?" "I don''t know. Something that might be useful right now." If the Victory Monument was Metal Seoul''s first building, theoretically, there should also be a second or third construction option somewhere in the module. As Yeongwoo fiddled with the hologram interface of the module, he soon found a menu that caught his eye. [Basic Facilities] "Oh, what''s this? Basic facilities?" As soon as Yeongwoo pressed the button, new construction items appeared at the bottom of the menu. [Ry Screen] | Install ry screens throughout the city to allow the mayor to broadcast to the area. The screens only operate when the mayor is in the city. *Base cost: 20 million karma ¡°¡­Base cost?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a base price?¡± Both Yeongwoo and Jeonggu reacted sensitively to the "base cost" at the bottom of the tooltip. Because having a base cost meant¡­ [Angle adjustment: +10 million karma] [Sound system upgrade: +10 million karma] There were additional costs depending on the options chosen. "These crazy people are really greedy." Jeonggu immediately spat out a curse, and Yeongwoo shook his head at Dogo''s method of recouping advertising costs. Because... Ping! [Quest Complete - "Heavenly City"] [Reward Issued] |30 million karma The timing couldn''t have been better. The Dogo quest waspleted, and 30 million karma was credited to Yeongwoo, significantly increasing his wealth once again. *Avable Karma: 65,212,500 *Avable Defense Fund: 78,967,105 His current personal fortune stood at 65 million karma, with an additional 78 million in defense taxes. "Is it finally time to dip into the national treasury?" Although he didn''t like that the additional option prices were the same as the base price, the fact that it cost only 40 million karma to install screens throughout all of Seoul was practically a bargain. "If we install it now, it''ll be used almost permanently, right? I don''t think it''s an expensive price. They could have charged even more." Ultimately, Yeongwoo was the decision-maker, so for the first time, he used public funds to purchase the "ry screen." "Proceeding with the purchase, including both additional options." Although the national treasury decreased to about 38 million karma, Titan screens appeared in the sky across all of Seoul, including Gangnam. Zap! "Huh?" "What¡¯s this? In the sky...?" As people widened their eyes, Yeongwoo''s image appeared on the "ry screen." Some citizens who were captured on the screen with him quickly covered their faces, and Jeonggu looked up at the sky with a sour expression. "Doesn''t this vite privacy?" "I¡¯m the special mayor of Dogo, so I¡¯m practically a public figure. Just give up." In Yeongwoo''s gaze as he said this, there was a sense of the "weight that a mayor must bear." ¡¸The purchase of ry screens from thepany ''Dogo'' cost 40 million karma from the defense fund.¡¹ ¡¸This will be permanently recorded in the ledger and will be subject to voter evaluation.¡¹ Yeongwoo was informed that the use of public funds would be tracked and recorded. "Isn''t this getting to be too much? I should get Mr. Kubu to handle some of this work." Now that he had secured an announcement channel, the next step was to go to the Victory Monument and offer the legendary enemies as sacrifices. Zap! A small, palm-sized orb with a tiny lens appeared before him. "Ah." This was the angle adjustment device he paid an additional 10 million karma for¡ªa sort of camera. Swish. Yeongwoo cleared his throat as he looked at the camera. "Hello, citizens. I''m Jeong Yeongwoo, the special mayor of Dogo. It''s nice to greet you, even if it''s just through this screen." Although he had done game streaming before the reset, this was his first time broadcasting to the entire city of Seoul, so he couldn''t help but feel nervous. "Uh... The screen you''re seeing now is the first facility purchased with the defense tax you paid..." As Yeongwoo scrolled down the [Basic Facilities] list in the module, other facilities appeared beneath the "ry screen." [Surveince System] [Guillotine] [Prison] "¡­!" Even just reading the top few lines, he could tell they were ominous, but fortunately, the camera didn''t catch them. "Yes, there are many good facilities prepared for citizen welfare. Please look forward to them." Zap! Yeongwoo hurriedly closed the module screen and turned the camera toward the north. "Now, let¡¯s find out how close we are to elevating our status on this." * * * Sajikdan. In the past, this was a ce where people offered sacrifices to the gods ofnd and grain, praying for the nation''s prosperity. For a dynasty, it was as important as the Jongmyo Shrine. In an agrarian society, the nation''s wealth was directly tied to the harvest''s sess each year. Therefore... "This is quite ironic. This monstrous guy, who shouts about the prosperity of the nation, is going to Sajikdan to check his glory score." Jeonggu, riding behind Yeongwoo on Negwig, couldn''t help but feel a strange emotion. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Even in this situation, Yeongwoo was busy exining to other citizens of Seoul, who couldn''t attend the business report in Gangnam. "In the future, we must absolutely..." He exined how Seoul became "Metalized," how they would prepare for the uing war with the other twopanies involved inary development, and he didn''t forget to report the achievements made while running around the Earth and beyond. "As I briefly mentioned earlier, the bonds we currently hold amount to 280 million..." Finally, the Victory Monument, towering over the central part of Sajikdan, came into view. "Can you see it? That is the Victory Monument! It''s also the reason we must continue to face powerful enemies." Yeongwoo turned the camera to capture the Victory Monument in front of him. Swish. The Victory Monumentprised two steel towers nting towards each other, touching at the top. Each tower began at the opposite ends of Sajikdan. "Isn''t that a bit disrespectful? Building something directly over Sajikdan, of all ces." Jeonggu said worriedly, but Yeongwoo wasn''t bothered at all. "Isn''t it actually an honor?" "...What?" "The cosmic construction system recognized the significance of Sajikdan, so it chose this as the rmended construction site. It could have simply ignored it." "R-Really...?" Jeonggu scratched his cheek, finding Yeongwoo''s oddly convincing argument persuasive. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo stopped Negwig in front of Sajikdan and jumped off toward the Victory Monument. Thud! This was a chance to inform everyone that the enemies he had defeated so far could also contribute to the''s status elevation, so Yeongwoo had to show this scene to all of Seoul. After all, gaining support from voters for the violent business he nned to carry out in the future was essential. "So, this is why results are so crucial in politics." Snap! Finally, Jeong Yeongwoo, the first mayor of Seoul in this reset world¡ªno, the special mayor of Dogo¡ªstood before the Victory Monument. As soon as he did, a vortex began swirling between the two towers, and soon the system disyed a message. ¡¸There are 3 records eligible for inscription on the Victory Monument. Would you like to confirm them?¡¹ When Yeongwoo silently nodded, the next procedure automatically began. [Baekdu Bloodline] |Upon the reset, Kim Jong-un unexpectedly encountered his father and grandfather. The two predecessors, drawn from the void, fought desperately to preserve the bloodline, but they were not strong enough to block theser aimed at the¡­| "Why does the ending feel so mncholic¡­?" After Yeongwoo read all the elimination records, the glory points assigned to the Baekdu Bloodline were disyed below. [The Baekdu Bloodline is a legendary evil! You will earn 100 glory points if you inscribe it on this monument.] ¡®Ah¡­ The base score is 100 points.¡¯ Yeongwoo stroked his chin for a moment before moving on to the next item. Zap! The name of someone whose face and voice were still vivid in his memory appeared. [The Great Viin of Beijing] |The sinsmitted in the previous world became an enormous debt in the reset world. Faced with the rain of deadly attacks, Im Dupyeong decided to take on a massive debt in exchange for a second chance. However, he never imagined that a greater evil than himself woulde for him¡­| ¡®These bastards are subtly mocking me, aren¡¯t they?¡¯ [The Beijing Archfiend is a legendary evil! You will earn 100 glory points if you inscribe it on this monument.] By this point, it wasn''t hard for Yeongwoo to infer that he, too, might have some glory points allocated to him. ¡®But I haven''t been taken down yet.¡¯ With confidence, Yeongwoo opened the next record. Zap! [The Titan of Kromonius] |The rebel Gameta registered as a temple keeper to escape the pursuit of the Vesedel royal family. However, it seems he couldn¡¯t escape the cycle of karma. Found dead in the temple, his body bore clear marks of a brutal beating and the de of Vesedel¡­| ¡®Ah, poor Gameta.¡¯ Thest legendary enemy was the Titan Gameta. [The Titan of Kmonis is a legendary traitor! You will earn 165 glory points if you inscribe it on this monument.] "What? 165?" It was a strangely uneven score. The previous two enemies were exactly 100 points each, so why was this different? "Oh." Blinking, Yeongwoo soon figured it out. ¡®A base score of 150, plus a 10% bonus from Sajikdan.¡¯ [Sajikdan] |When an enemy not native to Earth is inscribed, you gain an additional 10% glory points.| This was why additional points were granted for beings not from Earth. ¡®Cosmic entities have different base scores to begin with.¡¯ If he inscribed all three elimination records on the monument¡­ "We''d have 365 points for Seoul¡¯s glory score." When Yeongwoo said this, alternating his gaze between the camera and his father, Jeonggu¡¯s eyes lit up. "Oh, really? Then how many more points do we need to undergo the upgrade evaluation?" Yeongwoo turned back to the Victory Monument and inscribed all three records. "Let¡¯s find out." Swoosh! The Victory Monument, now receiving the elimination records, began to burn white, shooting a pir of light into the sky. Boom¡­! And soon, an announcement was broadcasted across all of Seoul. ¨DMayor Jeong Yeongwoo07 has inscribed 3 legendary elimination records. ¨DThe current glory score for Dogo Special City, Metal Seoul, is 365 points. "And?" As Yeongwoo waited for the next message, the system soon provided the desired response. ¨DThe required glory score for this to undergo the upgrade evaluation is 635 points. "What?" "Huh? They want us to reach 1,000 points?" This time, both Yeongwoo and Jeonggu stood with their mouths agape in identical expressions. Despite all the havoc Yeongwoo had wreaked, he hadn¡¯t even gathered half the required points. Moreover¡­ "¡­¡­." The announcement had just been broadcasted across all of Metal Seoul. In other words, a significant portion of voters in the Korean Penins had just witnessed this oue. After choosing status elevation for the city¡¯s development instead of preparing for civil war, they had failed to achieve their goal. Of course, given enough time, they could eventually gather the remaining points, but it was obvious that public opinion would turn hostile immediately. "Th-This is bad, isn¡¯t it?" Even Jeonggu, not entirely oblivious, subtly pushed the camera beside Yeongwoo away and asked in a small voice. At that moment¡­ "¡­¡­." Yeongwoo, blinking rapidly in a way he never had before, quickly scanned the system messages in his field of vision. Then. You have 48 hours from the construction of the monument to inscribe enemies not eliminated in the name of the city. [Time remaining ¨C 47:51:37] His eyesnded on the time limit given for the retroactive application of elimination records. ¡®Enemies not eliminated in the name of the city can also be inscribed¡­.¡¯ As Yeongwoo silently blinked, unable to speak, Jeonggu finally broke the silence. "First, let¡¯s just turn off the broadcast for a while¡­" "No." "Huh?" "We haven¡¯t finished the business presentation yet." ¡°¡­What are you talking about? We¡¯re already in Metal¡­" As Jeonggu stared nkly at the Metalized Seoul, Yeongwoo picked up the camera in the meantime. Swish. He then turned the angle to point at the timer disyed on the Victory Monument. "I¡¯m now announcing our new business for Metal Seoul. The business is called ''The Legendary Invitation Exhibition!''" "¡­¡­?" Had he finally gone into a panic and decided to spout nonsense? Jeonggu thought he had to stop his son before things got worse, but unexpectedly, Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes were sharp and clear. "Over the next 47 hours, I¡¯ll invite the world¡¯s strongest to stand before the monument!" "What?" "At least some of them will have legendary elimination records. And I¡¯ll add one or two more during that time." In simple terms, he nned to receive elimination record offerings. The only problem was that the method was essentially¡­ "Y-Yeongwoo, isn¡¯t this practically kidnapping, threatening, and assaulting people? If you really go through with this¡­" There was no need to finish the sentence by saying he¡¯d be an irredeemable viin. Jeong Yeongwoo was already exuding an aura more fitting of a demon king than a mere viin. "Are we viins? We are¡­!" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 296 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 296: Den of Evil (1) ¡°Great power...!¡± ¡°We are a great power!¡± A few citizens shouted this among the crowd rushing toward the sacrificial altar, causing Jeonggu to look terrified. ¡°H-Hey, Yeongwoo. You¡¯re ruining our country. Look at what these people are saying!¡± Then, the demon Jeong Yeongwoo nced at the citizens before returning to his father. ¡°So what? It¡¯s not wrong to call a great power a great power.¡± He pointed to the top of the brightly shining Victory Monument. ¡°Do you think this will end with just aary civil war? Even if we fight and win amongst ourselves, it won¡¯t be the end.¡± ¡°...Then what?¡± When Jeonggu questioned him, Yeongwoo looked down at the armor of the royal family of Vesedel that he was wearing. ¡°Dogo, Mara, Lemu. At least three interster forces are currently positioned on our. And there are others, like Toma, who are trying to intervene unofficially.¡± Yeongwoo thought that the debtpany ''Osaek Credit,'' which he had encountered before, might be a simr case. ¡°But isn¡¯t Dogo your sponsor? If you win the civil war, doesn¡¯t that mean...?¡± If Yeongwoo won the civil war, his sponsor, Dogo, would also win. However, Yeongwoo was considering far more than Jeonggu could imagine. ¡°Yes, if we win the civil war, Dogo could be the only alien force on Earth.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°But why do you think that¡¯s a good thing?¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°Dogo is still an alien force, and they¡¯re businessmen.¡± Moreover, they were in the business of violence. Yeongwoo was walking a simr path, but he believed they needed to be cautious precisely because of that. ¡°Our chairman? I respect him. He¡¯s an incredible person. But if you think carefully about how he gained that great reputation... you¡¯ll realize there¡¯s a need for caution.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°We need at least some negotiating power. We¡¯re not fighting this civil war to be ves or refugees, right?¡± Yeongwoo looked back up at the sky. But this time, his gaze reached higher than the sky, towards space''s vast, unfathomable depths. ¡°One thing I¡¯ve learned for sure about the universe is that if youck power, things get difficult. Our brothers in Australia ended up here because they couldn¡¯t stand up to Mara.¡± Brothers. The Red Foot Orcs in Australia lost their entire to Mara. So there was no guarantee that such a future wouldn¡¯te to Earth. ¡°You... this kid...¡± Jeonggu''s eyes widened as he realized that his son had far greater ambitions than he had imagined. Soon, Yeongwoo clenched his fist. ¡°So, I will be someone who can beat anyone.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the only way to achieve true peace. No one will be able to stand in the way.¡± ¡°Please, just conquer the world. Don¡¯t start messing with things beyond that.¡± Jeonggu, born of the Earth, looked at his son worriedly. Why else would the ancient myth of Icarus, who flew too close to the sun and fell, exist? Humans have limits, and there are things they should never challenge. ¡°Don¡¯t confuse bravery with recklessness. Getting this far is already amazing. But I¡¯m not sure fighting with aliens even more is the right thing to do.¡± As Jeonggu spoke gently, Yeongwoo tilted his head. ¡°We are already aliens.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°From the perspective of others, we¡¯re just like them¡ªaliens.¡± Then Yeongwoo added a final remark. ¡°To be precise, we¡¯re ssified as 12th-grade aliens under universalw.¡± ¡°......¡± ¡°So now the only question left is: what grade of alien do we want to live as?¡± And the first solution to that problem had just arrived before their eyes. The Victory Monument and theary promotion evaluation. Thud! As Yeongwoo took a step forward, Jeonggu asked in shock. ¡°Where are you going this time?¡± ¡°To do business.¡± ¡°Business?¡± ¡°Time for my first Legendary Invitation Match.¡± A match that would likely be marked by kidnapping, threats, and violence¡ªJeong Yeongwoo¡¯s first Legendary Invitation Match. Stealing someone else¡¯s achievements... was that even possible? ¡°Who... who¡¯s the first?¡± Naturally, Jeonggu, being human, couldn¡¯t resist his curiosity, and soon his son gave him an answer. ¡°The Great Master Bang in Australia.¡± ¡°The Great Master Bang?¡± ¡°Yes. He himself is a legend, as he¡¯s the first orc to conquer Australia.¡± And he also survived the invasion of Mara, the master of the void. With such a legend, Yeongwoo expected an impressive track record. * * * 11:46 AM. Leaving Seoul and once again ascending onto the overpass, Yeongwoo began speeding southward along the path of light. sh! His destination was Darwin, a city in northern Australia, part of the Orc Autonomous Territory. ¡®I''ll finally get to see that portal he talked about,¡¯ he thought. ording to Orc Lord Bantubangtong, there was a massive portal in Darwin, the city of his brothers. He had mentioned that they could bring in more of their kin using Karma through this portal. For Yeongwoo, who had spent his entire life on Earth, it was a sight he couldn¡¯t quite imagine. Yet, Lord Bang hadn¡¯t seemed too surprised. ¡®Well, considering this is the man who once lost a to the Master of the Void¡­¡¯ Who knows what bizarre things he had seen in the process? Lord Bang was certainly the senior in terms of being invaded by aliens. ¡°Oh¡­!¡± After a while, as Yeongwoo sped along the path of light, the edge of the Australian continent finally came into view, and soon the problematic city of Darwin revealed itself. A city located at the northern tip of Australia, named after the famous British biologist Charles Darwin, known for his theory of evolution. The soil had a reddish-brown hue, which gave the city a deste feel despite its substantial greenery. ¡®It really looks like orcs would live here.¡¯ Since the orc city of Darwin had a ¡°tower¡± they had built, Yeongwoo headed straight for it. sh! From atop the tower, two heavily armored orc brothers with red feet stood guard. It was, after all, their territory, so they had stationed guards. ¡°Brothers¡­!¡± As Yeongwoo waved while approaching on the path of light, the orcs soon made way,pletely opening up the top of the tower in Darwin for him. ¨C Human! ¨C The one with the small feet has arrived. As the two brothers tucked their swords into their belts, they weed the only human allowed to use this road. Yeongwoo nced toward the base of the tower and asked, "Where is Master Bang? I¡¯vee this far, but..." One of the brothers pointed to the north of the tower. - The Lord is greeting the brothers. It seemed like the Lord was at the portal. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Ah, so he''s here. That''s all I needed to know." When Yeongwoo nodded from atop Negwig, the other brother pointed at Yeongwoo¡¯s feet. - Your feet aren¡¯t red. You must follow protocol before leaving the tower. "Oh." Only after hearing that did Yeongwoo look down at his feet. His feet had been dyed red thest time they met, but now they were hidden by the Vesedel armor. ¡®Well, the dye must have worn off by now.¡¯ As Yeongwoo scratched his chin, the brother who had pointed out Master Bang¡¯s location approached a nearby path. "...?" Curious, Yeongwoo watched him, wondering what he was up to. The brother pulled a reddish cloth pouch from his belt. It was slightlyrger than a fist, carefully tied up. "...What is that?" The brothers'' actions were so analog that they piqued Yeongwoo''s curiosity. Yet neither of the two brothers answered his question. Instead¡ª Whoosh! The brother near the path threw the pouch high into the sky, about 800 meters up. The other brother quickly picked up a bow that had been lying on the ground. Swoosh. Then¡ª Whoosh, thunk! With surprising speed for hisrge frame, he drew the bow and shot an arrow. "Oh...!" The moment Yeongwoo instinctively realized what was happening¡ª Swishhh! The thin arrow flew straight into the cloth pouch, piercing it cleanly. Bang! The pouch exploded, and its unknown contents spread through the air, forming a red cloud. It was a signal to Master Bang. - We have prepared red feet for you. The brother who had shot the arrow pointed at the red cloud in the sky. "...Oh! It looks just like a foot!" Of course, it didn¡¯t resemble a foot at all, but Yeongwoo made a polite lie. This was human etiquette¡ªhumans generally think with their heads, not their hearts. But the Red Foot Orcs¡ª - Red foot! - Go! The Lord awaits you! As always, they spoke with their hearts as they punched the transmission device at the top of the tower. Bang! As Yeongwoo saw his body enveloped in light, he hastily asked, "Brothers! If the weing signal is red, what color is the warning signal?" Through the now-whitewashed view, the brothers¡¯ rough voices answered, - ck hand! - The color of death! And at the same time¡ª Swoosh! Yeongwoo¡¯s body was transported to the lowest level of the tower. ¡°Hah!¡± In an instant, Yeongwoo found himself on the ground floor, where yet another brother stood, holding a steel inkwell full of red paint. - Small Foot. The brother pointed arge finger at Yeongwoo, then dipped it into the inkwell. He expected Yeongwoo to dip his foot in. So, Yeongwoo dismounted Negwig, still d in his Vesedel armor, and dipped his foot into the inkwell. Squelch. Atst, the gatekeeper bared a savage grin, something resembling a smile. - Go, Red Foot! The great city of Darwin awaits you. Even though most of the city¡¯s buildings were still human-made, it didn¡¯t stop the brothers from talking about the "great city." ¡®Their self-esteem is through the roof.¡¯ But as Yeongwoo stepped beyond the tower''s inner walls and entered the "great city of Darwin," "...!" He had no choice but to agree that Darwin was indeed a grand city of the Red Foot Orcs. As soon as he stepped out of the tower, a massive portal, about 100 meters in diameter, dominated the view to the north. "What the...? Why didn¡¯t I see that earlier?" The colossal portal of Darwin. It was a privilege earned by a species that had fallen to an alien as monsters and obtained a title on their own. "...!" Yeongwoo swallowed heavily without realizing it. Because soon, he would have to go up to that portal and request the legendary kill record from Master Bang, as well as deliver the bad news that Mara wasn¡¯t in China. ¡®They''ve been working so hard, preparing for war.¡¯ Yeongwoo saw some brothers passing by the tower, carrying raw metal ore. It seemed like the ore had alsoe from the portal. Not only could they rescue their brothers from their home through the portal, but they could also bring back materials left behind. Rumble! Suddenly, the ground shook violently, and the distant portal began to swirl. ¡®Wait, is it opening again?¡¯ Sensing something unusual, Yeongwoo quickly mounted Negwig, and then his belt vibrated. "What...?" When he reached into his pocket, he felt the Epic Compass, "Fearful Cat," trembling. - Graaa! It was warning him that a dangerous enemy was near the portal. ¡°What¡¯sing out of there that¡¯s making this thing shake?¡± With a grim sense of foreboding, Yeongwoo was about to dash toward the portal. Shwoosh! The swirling portal suddenly calmed, its surface bing transparent, revealing something beyond. ¡°This...!¡± Yeongwoo instantly realized that the portal had been activated and was now connected to Earth and the brothers¡¯ home. And if the brothers could cross over to Earth through the portal¡ª ¡®In theory, other things coulde through too.¡¯ As this thought urred to him, a long, eerie wail echoed from the 100-meter portal. ¡ª Screeee! ¡°Huh?¡± Something else wasing through the portal, along with the brothers. Whatever it was, it seemed to be chasing the brothers fleeing to Earth. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me!¡± With that, Yeongwoo hastily drew his Bastard and urged Negwig to charge toward the portal. "Master Bang! You can''t just smuggle in dangerous items! Close the portal!" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 297 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 297: Den of Evil (2) "Master Bang!" As Yeongwoo shouted the name of Orc Warlord Bantubangtong and ran toward the portal, the brothers who had been carrying unidentified metal also dropped their loads and began running. They too had heard the ominous wail just now. ¡®Damn, what are they bringing to my?¡¯ Since Yeongwoo dreamed of being the sole stakeholder of Earth, he had a strong sense of ownership over the. Therefore, he couldn''t sit idly by while something dangerous entered his world. Especially because it was Yeongwoo himself who had allowed the orcs autonomy in northern Australia, the responsibility for any harm that came from them essentially... ¡®It''s my responsibility.¡¯ Thud, thud! Though the sound of the iron hooves of the Negwig rang loudly beneath his feet, the only thing Yeongwoo could hear was the disturbing cry. ¨D Screeech! The chilling cry echoed again, and with it came a heavy footstep that hinted at the creature''s size. Boom! ¡®This is¡­.¡¯ The sound was so vivid. This proved that the creature had already passed through the portal and entered Earth. ¨D Screeaaach! The grotesque cry rang out once more, and just then, Yeongwoo¡¯s sight caught a glimpse of the Red Foot Orcs'' dimensional portal. Whoosh! "¡­¡­!" As he had seen from a distance, the brothers were holding a massive portal. It was an enormous oval-shaped portal, about 100 meters in diameter. And in front of the portal¡­ ¨D Screeech! A grotesque dragon-like figure was half-emerged from the portal, iling about. Its size was so immense that its head obscured the central part of the portal. "What¡­ what is that?" Yeongwoo frowned. Upon closer inspection, the dragon''s body wasposed entirely of ck tentacles. Strictly speaking, it wasn¡¯t a dragon at all but a mass of wriggling, unidentified tentacles. ¡°My God.¡± While Yeongwoo stood there with his mouth agape, the brothers lined up in front of the portal simultaneously hurled their spears at the ''dragon.'' Swish! Meanwhile, on the side of the portal, the brothers burst open the red pouches Yeongwoo had seen earlier on the overpass. Pop! Pop! Pop! Suddenly, the ''Red Foot'' insignia appeared in the air like a cloud, and at that moment, from inside the portal, under the dragon''s belly and legs¡ª - Waaaah! - Run! Don¡¯t stop! - Toward the Red Foot mark! Hundreds of Red Foot orcs charged out. "Ah." So, this was a rescue mission. ¡®It wasn¡¯t just about paying money and having a brother pop out individually. They had to rescue them live from an upied.¡¯ Meanwhile, the dragon that the spears had hit turned its head toward the spear-throwers. ¨D Scree! Then¡ª Whooosh! What had looked like a dragon¡¯s head unfurled like a sunflower and spewed out ck breath. Whoooosh! In an instant, dozens of orcs were wiped out, and in the chaos, hundreds of other orcs managed to escape safely toward the red cloud. The spear-throwers had been sacrificing themselves to distract the dragon. "This¡­!" Now fully understanding the meaning of the portal, Yeongwoo, furious, spurred his Negwig forward. "Everyone out! I¡¯ll handle this!" Thud, thud! As the Negwig¡¯s iron hooves nged with their distinct metallic sound, the monstrous dragon with its open head turned its gaze toward the new intruder. Then¡ª Whoooosh! It once again unleashed its ck breath. "You bastard!" Yeongwoo, who had even withstood theser cannons of the Metal Forbidden City, wasn¡¯t the least bit frightened. He quickly raised Bastard and blocked the stream of ck filth. Whooosh! Seeing this, the Red Foot orcs who had been watching were left ck-jawed. - That, human? - Small Foot! It was at this moment that a familiar voice reached Yeongwoo''s ears. - Riders! Riders to the front! It was none other than Red Foot Orc Warlord Bantubangtong. - Small Foot is clearing a path! Fill in the remaining numbers! ¡®Remaining numbers?¡¯ As Yeongwoo tilted his head in confusion, brothers holding yellow gs approached right in front of the dragon¡¯s belly. They were signaling to the brothers still inside the portal to advance. Swaaay! Another group of orc refugees came charging out when the yellow g waved vigorously. Thud! It was then that Yeongwoo noticed the number written above the portal. [1462/2500] ¡®Ah.¡¯ Having seen this sort of thing more than once, Yeongwoo quickly understood. This number represented the total brothers that could be rescued in this round. ¡®There are still a thousand more brothers to save.¡¯ With this thought, Yeongwoo looked beyond the dragon to the scenery visible through the portal. There, on a red, rocky mountain, stood countless Red Foot orcs. "Ah!" Though he didn¡¯t know the exact location on the home, there were still far too many brothers waiting to be rescued. Far more than the number that could be saved in this round. Then¡ª ¡°Watch out!¡± Just as Yeongwoo saw a foreboding shadow cast over the rocky mountain¡ª Whoooosh! Another dragon descended upon the rocky mountain where the brothers were standing, spraying tentacles everywhere. "That bastard!" Furious, Yeongwoo reached for the bow strapped to his body, but Bantubangtong shouted. - Small Foot! It¡¯s useless! ¡°¡­What?¡± - We cannot interfere with what happens beyond the portal! All we can do is¡­! With that, Bantubangtong leapt out from the ranks of the brothers and hurled a massive spear. Swish! It was aimed at the dragon that had just breathed ck breath at Yeongwoo. Thud! The spear struck the dead center of the dragon¡¯s head, which had been open like a sunflower. The blow must have been significant, as the creature quickly retracted its head and dissolved the spear. - We can only deal with what crawls out of the portal. Master Bang¡¯s voice was filled with sorrow. Meanwhile, the grotesque dragon let out another strange cry and shot out more tentacles. ¨D Screeaaach! Whoosh! Among the dozens of tentacles that sprouted from the creature¡¯s body, some shot toward Bantubangtong, who had just thrown the spear. But Master Bang, having been through such situations many times before, swiftly drew the sword at his waist and sliced through the tentacles headed his way. Swoosh! He then quickly cut down the tentacle that had wrapped around the brother next to him and looked at Yeongwoo. - Small Foot, why have youe here? Have you finally brought good news? "¡­¡­!" At this, Yeongwoo¡¯s pupils couldn¡¯t help but tremble. The reason he hade to this city was purely to seek understanding and a favor. Since Mara wasn¡¯t in China, he needed to ask for more time, and he had to request the transfer of a legendary kill record for the city''s development. ¡°Ba, Master Bang... I...¡± When Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t find the words, which was unlike him, Master Bang let out another loudugh with his mouth wide open. - Hahaha! If there¡¯s no good news, we¡¯ll just have to make some. Look behind you! That is the gift you will give us. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°¡­?¡± When Yeongwoo turned around, he saw a monstrous dragon grabbing his brothers with its tentacles. He wasn¡¯t here to bring good news, but rather to ask for help to save his brothers. After all, hadn¡¯t his brothers in Australia already seen the deration of war from Mara and Lemu? ¡°Oh, Master Bang!¡± Yeongwoo, deeply moved by Master Bang¡¯s broad, ocean-like heart, raised the Bastard again. Without hesitation, he sent a golden arc to sever the tentacles holding his brothers. Shwiiaaaat! ¡°I¡¯ll guard the entrance, so bring in more of the brothers!¡± Yeongwoo, who suggested increasing the rescue count beyond the set number of 2,500, was met with Master Bang shaking his head. - Once a number is set, it cannot be changed. You¡¯ll have to wait for the next opportunity. ¡°The next opportunity? What does that...?¡± Before Yeongwoo could ask, the monstrous dragonunched another attack. ¨DKeeeek! This time, dozens of tentacles were flying toward Yeongwoo. ¡°¡­!¡± Yeongwoo shed through the tentacles like lightning with his sword and leaped high into the air. Taat! In an instant, the brothers below him shrank into the distance, while the monstrous dragon¡¯s body, made up of intertwined tentacles, loomed closer. ¡®How is this thing so big?¡¯ Even after jumping tens of meters, the spot where Yeongwoonded was merely the dragon¡¯s chest. ¡®Seeing as there¡¯s more of these things beyond the portal, it¡¯s no wonder my brothers lost their.¡¯ Just as Yeongwoo started to understand why his brothers had lost their, tentacles shot up from under his feet, wrapping around his entire body. ¡°Damn these things, how disgusting!¡± In response to the tentacles reaching for him from all directions, Yeongwoo made a bold choice. Thud! He stabbed himself with his sword, causing his poisonous blood to spray out. Thanks to that, all the tentacles holding Yeongwoo, as well as those approaching him, melted away. Tsss! ¨DKieek? At this point, the dragon seemed to realize that it had picked the wrong target. It stopped thinking about breathing fire and began retreating. Thud! Thud! ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?!¡± But Yeongwoo had already leaped again,nding on the dragon''s back before it could retreat fully through the portal. Thud! Yeongwoo¡¯s Bastard shed the dragon¡¯s neck. aash! Despite its tough exterior, the dragon¡¯s skin tore like an old rag under the divine de, revealing countless writhing tentacles inside. ¡®What are these things?¡¯ Since Mara, the ruler of the Void, was said to have taken his brothers'', this dragon must also be some creature from Mara¡¯s domain. Even after shing from its neck to its chest, the dragon was still alive, so Yeongwoo resolved to finish it off with one more leap. Taaat! This time, he hurled his sword, piercing the dragon¡¯s head, while simultaneously shouting loudly. ¡°Earth, 006! 491! 8271! 390!¡± When facing such unpleasant creatures, the best course of action was to incinerate them with aser. Taat! After requesting the strike, Yeongwoo retrieved his sword and moved away from the dragon. Soon, an immense energy was detected from the sky above. Boooong! - Wait, this is¡­ - Uh¡­ A few of his brothers trembled, recognizing what wasing. They couldn¡¯t help but recall the overwhelming power of asymmetric warfare they had experienced at the border between Jeju Ind and Meganesia. Craaash! As the massiveser beam descended, splitting the sky, the red-footed orcs who had just escaped from their home fled in terror. - The sky! - The sky is falling! - Aaaargh! Though they were fierce warriors in battle, the red-footed orcs, like many others, were instinctively fearful when faced with advanced technology beyond theirprehension. Still, they were fundamentally ¡°red-footed.¡± - Everyone, halt! Reorganize the formation! At themand of Lord Bantubangtong, not a single one continued to flee, and they all returned to their ces. At the perfect moment, theser beam struck the monstrous dragon, erasing its hideous body cleanly. - Ooooh¡­! - The light! ¡®These Toma guys may be annoying with their cautiousness, but their weapons are something else.¡¯ Yeongwoo was inwardly impressed by the Tomaary bombardment weapon that had managed to kill even the dragon from another dimension. Just how far could this firepower go? Yet, Yeongwoo suddenly felt uneasy, as if someday they might face something that could withstand even this beam. ¡®I don¡¯t think Lemu or Mara¡¯s agents would die just from a bombardment.¡¯ But his worries were short-lived, as a system message suddenly appeared in his vision. ¡¸You have defeated the legendary dragon Moracus!¡¹ Then, something even more surprising happened. ¡¸You have gained a record of a legendary enemy defeat that can be registered on the monument.¡¹ ¡°Whaaat?¡± A new record eligible for the monument. This meant that the recent battle had qualified as a ¡°legendary enemy defeat.¡± ¡®No way... Is this a glory point jackpot?¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened in amazement as he stared at the portal, and Lord Bantubangtong approached, giving him a pat on the back. - Little Foot! That was an impressive fight! There¡¯s no need to fight dirty creatures with honor! Moved by the words, Yeongwoo firmly grabbed Master Bang¡¯s arm in return. Thud! ¡°Master Bang! Glory overflows in this city!¡± Just then, where the dragon Moracus had vanished, smoke began to rise. Shiiiiii. ¡°Huh?¡± Yeongwoo was the first to notice and quickly drew his sword again, but Master Bang gestured for him to calm down. - Little Foot, don¡¯t you see? ¡°¡­See what?¡± - Part of Mara is now here. With that, Master Bang pointed to where the smoke was rising, and there, a sword made of tentacles began to take form. Sssrrrip. The sword, looking as if it had been made by intertwining innards, was unmistakably... ¡®Wow¡­ it looks like something a viin would use.¡¯ Yeongwoo had just gained one more cursed sword. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 298 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 298: Den of Evil (3) ''Why do I keep getting things like this?'' Was there still something called fate? With the constant developments urging him toward the path of evil, Yeongwoo looked up at the sky. However, after ying a tentacle-formed dragon, it was only natural for a sword entwined with tentacles to appear. In truth, this was all karma. Strictly speaking, it was Yeongwoo himself who had willingly walked down the path of evil, to the point where he had now be a demon. After all, it was only a few minutes ago that he dered he would resort to kidnapping, threats, and violence just to register his hunting record. - Little one, grasp the sword. As Bantubangtong pointed to the sword left behind by the in dragon, Yeongwoo asked, "Master Bang, do you know what that sword is...?" To this, Master Bang gently closed his eyes. - It is certain that this item has been tainted by Mara''s filthy touch. Can''t you smell the stench even now? "...You can just say you don''t know." Feeling the tense gazes of his brothers, Yeongwoo walked towards the ominous sword. nk, nk. He was already d in the Vesedel armor, and with the mythical weapon Bastard glowing red in his right hand, he looked like a demon lord even without the cursed sword. ''Of all ces, among my brothers.'' Surrounded byrge, red-footed orcs, he felt strange as he picked up the obviously evil sword. Especially since this scene was being recorded, and who knows how it might affect future elections. ''Well, for now...'' Loot was always wee. Especially weapons. Tap! As Yeongwoo touched the tip of the cursed sword, gray waves spread out in all directions, revealing the weapon''s tooltip. ¡¸Void Flesh¡¹ - Void One-Handed Sword ¡¾Absorbs other Void Flesh.¡¿ ¡¾Phantom Dragon: 10% increased damage against living creatures.¡¿ "Hmm?" Yeongwoo''s eyes widened upon checking the sword''s tooltip. The word "Void" was inscribed where the grade of the equipment should have been, just like the Vesedel armor that had the royal family name stamped on it without a manufacturing symbol. ''If it''s Void... it might be...'' ¨DMaster of the Void, one who walks in the shadow of cosmicws, King of Ten Thousand Demons. A title attached to Mara. In other words, as Master Bang had suggested, this equipment indeed belonged to Mara. To be precise, it should be seen as equipment governed by Mara''s domain. ''So, Mara''s equipment doesn''t have manufacturing symbols either. It must be a very powerful piece.'' This fact implied a lot. After all, Mara was one of the three forces that had won the right to develop Earth. ''But only Mara doesn''t have a manufacturing symbol on their equipment. That must mean their status is incredibly high.'' On the other hand, Dogo had a ¡ó-shaped manufacturing symbol on their equipment. The same went for Toma, which was another force outside the development rights holders. Lemu was likely the same, with manufacturing symbols attached to their equipment since their cosmicw rank was lower than Dogo''s. Summing it all up, ''The official ranking of the cosmic forces currently on Earth is Mara, Dogo, and Lemu in that order. Toma was probably on the same level as Lemu.'' Now, only one question remained. ''So, is Mara a second-tier entity in cosmicw?'' At first nce, it should be the case, but circumstantially, it wasn¡¯t. As far as Yeongwoo knew, entities of the second tier or higher could not have their names casually spoken by mere mortals. Yet, Master Bang and his brothers, who were undoubtedly cosmic entities, frequently invoked "Mara." Therefore, judging by circumstantial evidence, Mara''s presumed rank was... ''Probably third-tier... on the same level as the Chairman.'' However, despite being of the same third tier, Mara''s external prestige was clearly higher than Dogo''s. ''So instead ofparing Mara to the Chairman, it makes more sense topare them to the Vesedel royal family.'' This made Chairman Dogo''s position rather ambiguous. Despite being from a family that could formally be included in the cosmic equipment ranking, he was still the head of a private corporation. Thinking about this, it made more sense why Guppy, a special-grade enforcer from the Mon-O tribe, had beaten up Mara''s subordinates while working for Dogo. Although attacking Mara was a kind of rebellion, it was more like a younger sibling hitting an older sibling, rather than a child striking a parent. ''But in any case, Mara does seem like the stronger force... Can we really win?'' Although the Chairman''s majesty, which wasparable to the Master of the Void and King of Ten Thousand Demons, was impressive, that wasn¡¯t important to Yeongwoo right now. ''Chairman? Did I board the right ship? Yes?'' While Yeongwoo was ring fiercely at the sky, a thousand red-footed orcspleted their evacuation through the portal. Thud! Thest orc leaped out of the portal, and the massive gate promptly closed behind it. Swoosh! With a chilling sound, the 100-meter diameter dimensional gate vanished in an instant, and Yeongwoo grabbed Master Bang in shock. Thud! "Wait, there were still brothers left behind! Is it really okay for the gate to close like that? If we had waited, more dragons might havee through!" To this, Bantubangtong wrinkled his blunt nose. - There''s nothing we can do. If you wanted to save more brothers, you could have... "Put in more money? And?" Eager to reopen the gate, Yeongwoo sent a desperate look, urging Master Bang to finish his sentence. Master Bang walked to the side of the portal. - It¡¯s faster if you see this. The grand city of the red-footed orcs, Darwin. Installed here was an enormous metal gate. It was built to securely house the 100-meter diameter dimensional portal. Yeongwoo only realized this after the portal had closed. "What... is this?" He stared nkly at the oval metal frame that stretched far into the sky. Just moments ago, this gate had shown another dimension¡¯s, but now it only reflected Earth''s sky. In some ways, Darwin was the most advanced city on Earth at this moment. Nowhere else had a dimensional gate connected to an alien world. Swish. Then, Bantubangtong stood in front of arge lever next to the gate. "Is this the gate''s control mechanism?" When Yeongwoo asked, Bantubangtong ced his hand on the lever and pulled it down forcefully. Rumble, nk! As the lever moved, a magical circle appeared above it, and a familiar system message popped up. ¡¸Please input the number of entities to pass through the gate. 10,000 Karma is required per entity.¡¹ "So, it costs 10,000 Karma per brother." - Yes. But... Master Bang gestured as if telling Yeongwoo to pay close attention, then pulled the lever down another notch. Rumble, nk! A new system message appeared. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡¸Set the gate''s danger level. The number of entities allowed to pass will increase based on the set level, but the risk of unexpected variables will also rise.¡¹ [Current Danger Level: 0%] [Maximum Danger Level: 100%] "Ah." Yeongwoo instantly understood. "If you take the risk, you can bring more brothers through. What was the danger level earlier?" - 25%. It was the first time. After I saw you arrive, I pulled the lever one more time. ''As expected of a great master, bold as ever.'' Indeed, the red-footed orcs had been able to steadily increase their numbers by always setting the gate¡¯s danger level to 0%. They hadn¡¯t taken any risks until now. But as soon as they confirmed that the demon from the Korean Penins had arrived in the city, they bet on 25%. "At 25%, dragons might intrude. What would happen if we set it to 50%?" Muttering to himself, Yeongwoo looked back at the cursed sword he had acquired in Darwin today. ¡¸Void Flesh¡¹ - Void One-Handed Sword ¡¾Absorbs other Void Flesh.¡¿ ¡¾Dragon: 10% increased damage against biological targets.¡¿ ''If my guess is correct, this weapon''s effect will continue to grow. If I acquire two Void Flesh swords, they''ll merge into one. If I get three, the effect will either triple or I¡¯ll gain three different options.'' So, theoretically, the Void Flesh was a weapon with ridiculous potential. And the way to obtain another Void Flesh was probably... ¡®...to kill something like that phantom dragon again. I¡¯ll have to open a portal and summon another being from the domain that Mara governs.¡¯ Anyway, since he was nning to use this portal as a glory points dispenser, there was nothing more to think about. "We don¡¯t have time. Let¡¯s open it before the mutators fall." - What do you mean? "What else? The portal. We need to rescue our brothers as soon as possible, don¡¯t we?" Sure, killing Master Bang in front of him would earn me another legendary kill record, but... Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t that much of a viin. Swish. So, Yeongwoo lifted the ''Void Flesh'' and pointed it at the inactive gate instead of Master Bang. "Shall we try it at 50% risk? I''ll deduct the rescue cost from today¡¯s tribute, so hurry up and deposit it." However, for some reason, Master Bang didn¡¯t budge. "...Why are you hesitating?" - A signal. "...What?" - "A signal from our brothers. Only then can we open the portal." "...What? You mean the brothers on that need to send a signal?" - Yes. Even if we open the path, if there are no brothers on the other side, no one can be rescued. "Hah." Yeongwoo blinked rapidly at the unexpected response. He had naturally assumed that the portal on the other, like the gate here, had a fixed location. ¡®So, in fact, the location of the portal is determined by the other, and all we can do is respond?¡¯ Well, their home has already been swallowed by Mara, hadn''t it? So the brothers left on the other side were likely fugitives or independent fighters, without any fixed ce of residence. ¡®So, the signal they sent earlier was probably while they were fleeing.¡¯ On the rocky mountain of the other that he saw through the portal behind the phantom dragon, there were at least thousands of brothers standing. And yet, the reason they didn¡¯t all rush towards the portal... ¡®They could see the number above the portal. They knew it wasn¡¯t their turn yet.¡¯ Thud. Without realizing it, Yeongwoo clutched his chest over the Vesedel armor. For some reason, every time he came to meet Master Bang and his brothers, his humanity seemed to return temporarily. "Master Bang, there can¡¯t be many brothers left on your home, can there?" The Orc Lord Bantubangtong''s eyes turned nostalgic, as if recalling the past. "The number of brothers is dwindling. And Mara¡¯s interference is getting worse by the day." He was talking about the increasing number of monsters that came through when they opened the portal. "......" Yeongwoo checked the cash he currently had. * Avable Karma: 65,212,500 * Avable Defense Funds: 38,967,105 Including both personal and state funds, his total assets were about 100 million Karma. And with that money, he could save a whopping 10,000 brothers on the other. He could bring in 10,000 more Red Foot Orc warriors to Earth. "Whew." Yeongwoo took a deep breath as if making a big decision, then grabbed the lever handle that Bantubangtong was holding. Thud! "Master Bang! I will lend you 100 million Karma right now." - What? 100 million...? "Yes! Take the 100 million from me, save 10,000 brothers, and when you get a golden sphere by defeating the mutators... choose the 30,000 Karma supply." - Small Foot, if that¡¯s really possible... "Yes, then with just the newly rescued brothers, you¡¯ll generate at least 300 million Karma, right?" When Yeongwoo raised his hand and formed the number three, Master Bang, sensing something suspicious, let go of the lever and stepped back. - We are not good with numbers. "It¡¯s 300 million! Master Bang!" Shouting at the leader of thousands of Orcs, Yeongwoo then calmed his voice and folded one of the three fingers he had raised. "You¡¯ll gain 300 million in an instant, and out of that, just give me 200 million." - 200 million? "Yes. Since I lent you 100 million, it¡¯s basically just giving me back 100 million. And you and the brothers will still have 100 million left. This is what we call a creative economy, Master Bang." - B-but ording to your words... 100% interest rate. Master Bang was speechless at the outrageous usury. But as Small Foot said, it was indeed a deal where both sides would gain an enormous profit. It was just that using the brothers'' rescue mission as a money-making scheme felt unsettling. "Master Bang, do you think I¡¯mfortable with this? I¡¯m using state funds, so if I spend the people''s taxes, I have to report the purpose and oue. There¡¯s no choice, I tell you." As Yeongwoo spoke, his face showed both vigor and excitement. This was, after all, a high-stakes game. "Master Bang! Think of your brothers! Is your pride really the issue right now?" As Yeongwoo once again sternly urged, pulling Master Bang''s hand towards the lever, a horn-like sound suddenly echoed long and loud from inside the inactive portal. "What''s that? Could it be...?" Yeongwoo''s eyes widened as he looked around, and the Orc Lord Bantubangtong sighed and closed his eyes. - It''s a signal. Somewhere, our brothers have reached a dead end. On the other hand, Yeongwoo, excited, drew both Bastard and the Void Flesh. "Then we must save them quickly! Master Bang! What are you doing? Hurry up and take my money." As Yeongwoo gave a nod, a golden goblin that had been waiting behind poured 100 million Karma in cash onto the ground. Rattle! The dark money brought by the demon of the Korean Penins. Clearly, it was money with an impure intent, but it could also save countless brothers. - Hmm. As Master Bang clenched his eyes tightly again, urging him to hurry, the horn sounded once more from inside the portal. Hooorn! "This is already the second signal. Isn''t it telling us to open the door quickly because they''re dying?" When Yeongwoo pushed for the portal to be opened, Master Bang, his patience worn thin, opened his eyes wide. - Human! I¡¯ll endure you tainting our honor with your money! But do not mock the sacrifices of our brothers! At this, Yeongwoo firmly grasped Master Ban''s hand that had moved away from the lever. "Do you think I¡¯m mocking your brothers? With this money, your brothers won¡¯t even need to sacrifice themselves. Wake up, Bantubangtong." - ......! Because Yeongwoo''s grip was so strong, Bantubangtong had no choice but to be pulled back to the lever. But the decision on the number of people to be rescued was entirely up to the city¡¯s lord, Bantubangtong. - This is disgraceful. But the preservation of our brotherses first. In the end, as Bantubangtong set the rescue cost at 100 million Karma and was about to pull the lever, Yeongwoo stopped him again by grabbing his arm. Clench! - What, what now? I¡¯ve agreed to everything you proposed. Then Yeongwoo lowered the lever handle another notch that Bantubangtong was holding. Click! "If you open it at 50% risk, you can save 15,000." - What...? "Then it seems even if you give me 300 million, there¡¯ll be plenty of money left. What do you think, should we save another 5,000 brothers?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 299 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 299: Den of Evil (4) - Oh, another five thousand brothers...? Orc Lord Bantubangtong''s eyes wavered. He had fled from Mara to this otherworld, only to encounter another demon. However, at least this demon offered a n to save his brothers. It was a level of evil iparable to Mara, who had taken over his homnd. - 50%... Is it possible? Even we don''t know what we might encounter as a result. As Bantubangtong anxiously gazed at the gate, Yeongwoo gripped his hand firmly, as if to reassure him. "Either way, we''ll have to go to war with Mara on this. We''re just dealing with enemies we''d have to face eventually, but earlier." Yeongwoo''s eyes were resolute. This was because, if this business seeded, the profit Yeongwoo stood to gain would be beyond imagination. If they could open the portal and survive at 50% risk, Yeongwoo would earn 300 million Karma in cash. ''And also acquire an elite force of 15,000.'' But that wasn''t all. Given the high risk, it was clear that a powerful being would emerge, allowing Yeongwoo to add at least one more legendary kill to his record. Moreover, ¡¸Void Flesh¡¹ - Void One-Handed Sword ¡¾Absorbs other void flesh.¡¿ ¡¾Phantom Dragon: 10% increased damage against living creatures.¡¿ ''I can strengthen the Void Flesh as well. High risk, very high return!'' Blinded by the enormous benefits, Yeongwoo looked at Bantubangtong... no, at Bang the Great Hero. "Master Bang! Make your decision. With one pull of the lever, you can gain 15,000 brothers and 450 million Karma. Of course, 300 million of that goes to me!" - ¡­¡­. In the face of the demon''s whisper, the Master Bang tightly closed his eyes. Then, Rumble! He set the danger level of the dimensional gate to 50%. - We follow the greater cause! The number disyed in the center of the gate changed from 10,000 to 15,000, then shot even higher. re! [0/15,000] Finally, the portal began to reopen. Rumble! The metal gate installed in Darwin, Northern Australia, began to activate. With the characteristic mechanical sound and a great vibration from within, the space inside the oval frame, just over 100 meters in diameter, started to ripple. ¡®A portal!¡¯ The city was being reconnected to the homnd of the Redfoot Orcs. Crash! Blue mes erupted from the edges of the frame, and the space inside was instantly filled with a blue substance. Sizzle! The sight was awe-inspiring, like a vertical sea surface, but given that it was 100 meters in diameter, it was also terrifying. Only then did Yeongwoo start to think differently. ''Isn''t this portal a bit toorge for just rescuing their kin?'' Redfoot Orcs were typically 3 meters tall, with giant orcs reaching around 5 meters. Even considering the possibility of bringing inrge weapons from their home, a 100-meter-diameter gate seemed excessive. ¡®30 meters would have been enough.¡¯ So what was the purpose of this massive gate? "¡­¡­." Yeongwoo''s gaze naturally fell on the deeper sections of the lever. The 75% and 100% danger zones. Then, Whoosh! The rippling surface of the portal calmed, revealing a darkndscape beyond. "¡­Where is that? A fortress?" As Yeongwoo squinted to see the other side more clearly, the Master Bang opened his eyes wide. - Aratubank! "¡­Pardon?" - The Tomb of the Fallen! The sacred ground of our brothers! In other words, Aratubank, the ce now visible through the portal, was a sort of memorial site. "So, you''re saying your brothers sent a distress signal from a memorial site?" For them to be driven into a memorial site¡ªhow desperate must their situation be? While Yeongwoo stood there with his mouth agape, the Master Bang urgently gestured to the g bearers. - Lead the way! The g bearers with yellow banners quickly rushed to the portal, while archers tossed red pouches into the air and shot arrows at them. Pop! The Redfoot emblem appeared in the sky. Then, within the dark portal, a light began to emerge. It was Redfoot Orcs holding torches. - ¡­! - ¡­. But for some reason, they neither shouted nor screamed, even stifling their breathing as they ran out. "¡­What the heck?" As Yeongwoo made a puzzled expression, the first brother finally crossed the portal and arrived on Earth. Squelch! [1/15,000] The first brother to arrive on the alien Earth looked around frantically, not even having time to be startled. Then, - Bantubangtong! Upon spotting Orc Lord Bantubangtong, he finally showed a relieved expression. ''What? Was the Master Bang quite famous on his home too?'' As Yeongwoo watched the reunion of the two orcs absentmindedly, the first escapee grabbed Bantubangtong''s forearm. - What''s going on? Why did you call for an escape route from the sacred ground? The Great Hero questioned him in a reproachful tone. The escapee, sweating profusely, replied. - The Devourer has found Aratubank. - What? At that moment, Yeongwoo saw it. For the first time, the Great Hero''s eyes filled with genuine fear. "What¡­ What is it? What is the Devourer?" Yeongwoo asked, his curiosity piqued, and the Great Hero answered with a despairing expression. - The Devourer consumes everything. Life, souls... "Wait, why does that...?" As Yeongwoo spoke, he suddenly realized something and fell silent. ''Right. Aratubank is a memorial site, isn''t it?'' That meant it was a ce where the souls of their nation''s heroes and protectors resided. But now, a monster that devoured souls had appeared in such a sacred ce. ''A terrible catastrophe is unfolding.'' Having grasped the situation to some extent, Yeongwoo looked back at the portal, where a group of brothers holding torches was running toward the dark chamber in the distance. They were even carrying a massive coffin together. And behind them, thousands more brothers followed without even holding torches. "What''s that? Are they carrying a corpse?" When Yeongwoo pointed to therge coffin the leading group was carrying, the Great Hero pulled his hand back down and said, - You have a tendency to reveal your ignorance too easily, Little Foot. That is our ancient will, our holy relic . "Holy relic ...?" Indeed, it wasn''t strange for a holy relic to exist in a ce that honored the guardian spirits of the orcs. But bringing that to Earth was another matter. "Uh¡­ Master Bang." - Speak. "What exactly is that relic your brothers are bringing? If it''s something dangerous or if there''s even a slight chance it could harm this¡­" - Little Foot! Do not insult us! "No, stop putting me in these situations. If it''s a dangerous object or if it poses a threat to this, I have a responsibility to prevent its entry." This was true. The events outside the universe were unpredictable, especially those that went far beyond Earth''smon sense. Even though the brothers called it a "holy relic ," it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if it turned out to be an ancient orc corpse that had rotted for a thousand years and be toxic. The brothers called it a "holy relic," but it wouldn¡¯t have been surprising if it were actually the thousand-year-old decayed corpse of an ancient orc, now toxic from rot. Of course, it could have been something far worse. "I only authorized your stay on Earth, Master Bang, and your brothers¡¯. I never agreed to smuggling otherworldly materials onto this." - Small Foot! That is our holy relic, our spirit! "No, Bang! For thest time, tell me exactly what that thing is!" The moment Yeongwoo lost his patience and forcibly removed Bantubangtong''s rank insignia. ¡ª Rumble! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] A disturbing noise came from beyond the portal. "...?" - Ah. Bantubangtong let out a small sound. Yeongwoo instantly realized what it was. "It''s the Devourer, isn''t it? That sound?" When Yeongwoo pointed again toward the portal, Bantubangtong nodded. - It must have caught the scent of the relic. The Devourer craves willpower and souls. And sure enough¡­ ¡ª Swoosh! A gust of wind blew through the stone chamber where the relic transport team was moving. Without any torches, the rearguard of the thousands of orcs began to copse quietly, one by one, from the very back. Dozens of brothers were dying every second. "What the¡­?" Shocked, Yeongwoo looked at Bantubangtong, who spoke with a solemn expression. - The Devourer has reached the vicinity of the chamber. "Wait, you''re saying it kills just by being nearby?" - It also drains life force. "That''s insane." Yeongwoo looked at the situation beyond the portal with disbelief. Even as their brothers behind them fell lifeless, none of the orcs in the relic transport team or the rest of the line lit a torch or broke formation. They must have known that making noise or creatingrge light sources would make them easy prey for the Devourer. ¡®They¡¯re orcs, all right. But still¡­¡¯ The scene clearly demonstrated the blind obedience and unity unique to orcs, but even that wouldn¡¯tst long. ¡ª Rumble! The same noise echoed once more, and a gigantic silhouette appeared in the distant darkness of the stone chamber, beyond the reach of the dim light. -...Ah! As soon as Bantubangtong saw it, a look of fear spread across his face. "Is that the Devourer? Have you encountered it before?" Bantubangtong could only nod, unable to speak. His expression was one of pure despair. Then he turned to look back at his brothers, assessing the numbers still on Earth. And then, unbelievably, he spoke. - Perhaps... it might be wise to close the gate. For the sake of my brothers and this. "What? What do you mean? What about our money?" Hundreds of millions in revenue depended on saving the 15,000 brothers beyond the portal. And more importantly, Yeongwoo had already invested 100 million won in activating the portal¡ªsome of it taxpayer money. "Are you saying that relic is truly as dangerous as poison? A threat to this entire?" As Yeongwoo, on the verge of grabbing Bantubangtong by the cor, demanded answers, the orc¡ªlikely the strongest on Earth¡ªshook his head. - Our holy relic embodies our long-standing will, the myth of the Red Foot itself. "What?" - But the Devourer has already detected the relic. By the time the relic reaches here, we won''t be able to stop the Devourer from crossing over. The idea was to abandon both the relic and the brothers to ensure everyone¡¯s survival, by closing the gate before the relic could cross over. For the Red Foot orcs, this would be an enormous sacrifice. But while all this was happening, Korea¡¯s absolute sorcerer, Jeong Yeongwoo, was fixated on a different issue. "What did you say earlier? The relic is what exactly?" - ¡­? "Didn''t you say something about it being a myth? I¡¯m sure you did." - Y-Yes, I did. Of course, the relic is our¡­ "Is it a mythical artifact?" Yeongwoo gripped Bantubangtong''s shoulders with bloodshot eyes, and the orcs in the room began to gather. Though Small Foot himself might be willing to endure the rudeness, they couldn¡¯t tolerate continued disrespect toward their lord. But they knew well that this insane human could erase them all with just a strange sequence of numbers. - Calm down. More importantly, we need to close the gate¡­ Seeing the relic and therge silhouette behind it approaching closer, Bantubangtong hurried to grab the lever. Pushing it upward would close the open portal. But. Thunk! Someone, far faster than the strongest orc on Earth, had already covered the lever with his palm. - Huh? It was none other than Jeong Yeongwoo07. "You haven¡¯t answered yet. Is that relic an artifact?" Cold sweat trickled down Bantubangtong''s forehead. - You could say that, but it¡¯s... Yeongwoo cut him off by waving his sword, Bastard. Shing! "Everyone freeze! Anyone who touches the lever dies on the spot." - W-What? The brutal act, unimaginable to orc minds, left Bantubangtong and all the brothers in the room with horrified expressions. Yeongwoo tightened his grip on the sword as he red at Bantubangtong. "Master Bang!" - Y-You... What are you nning now? "Sell me that relic." - What? "The price? Free." - ¡­! "Better to hand it over to me than let Mara take it. In return, I''ll kill the Devourer here and avenge your brothers." Master Bang was about to rush to the lever, prepared to face death, as he retorted. - That''s madness! Small Foot, the Devourer isn''t something you can defeat just with strength. Don¡¯t let your arrogance endanger this! But there was one fact that the outsider, Master Bang, had overlooked. And that was¡­ "Danger? Master Bang, don''t be mistaken. On this, I am more dangerous than the Devourer." With that, Yeongwoo swept his sword across the room, pointing to the thousands of brothers, and added a warm remark. "Now, go and evacuate your brothers. Isn¡¯t it 30,000 karma per living brother?" -...Ah. Master Bang finally realized. There is no paradise where one flees to. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 300 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 300: Den of Evil (5) Myth. A piece of cosmic, higher-tier equipment that could only be crafted by those who wrote their own myths with their own hands. Even from the unique effects of the only Myth equipment Yeongwoo has encountered so far, the "Bastard," it was clear how extraordinary Myth equipment was in the universe. The "Bastard" could weaken the power of a transcendent being and, when fighting against a higher-tier opponent, even granted the userbat power adjustments. Thus, the "Bastard" was not a weapon meant to be used in civil wars on smalls like Earth. ''It should originally be a sword that wreaks havoc among the higher beings in the universe.'' Myth equipment was just that. That was why it was given only to beings who proved their worth by bing myths themselves, and ordinary beings won''t even see the shadow of a Myth in their lifetime. However, Jeong Yeongwoo07, a provincial lord from the frontier of the developing universe, was different. ''If I seed in defeating the Devourer this time... I''ll get my second Myth.'' If he couldn''t write a Myth himself, he just had to take one that was already written. Moreover, the opportunity to encounter a Myth this time was essentially a series of events Yeongwoo himself had caused by breaking expectations. If he hadn''t unified the Korean Penins, if he hadn''t covetedary ownership, and if he hadn''t approved the autonomy of the orcs in Australia, this moment wouldn''t havee. ''The universe, no, my fate is pushing me forward...!'' His original heart, now transformed into a talisman, seemed to beat faster. And perhaps, it really was something like that. ¡¸Heart of Jeong Yeongwoo07¡¹ ¨C Epic Talisman ¡¾Destiny Roll¡¿ ¡¾Troublemaker¡¿ ¡¾Material for Ascension¡¿ ¡¾Destiny Roll¡¿ |Every time you reach a turning point in destiny, the probability of the lowest oue increases by a threefold multiplier. "Master Bang! Did you think I was joking? Hurry up and get your brothers to safety!" Whoosh! As Yeongwoo yelled whileying down the "Bastard," Bantubangtong, who had been staring at the lever, clenched his teeth. ''This is madness.'' The Devourer, the very being that had the most influence in driving his brothers out of their home, had now been encountered again after being chased to another. The fury welled up inside him as he realized this. But what could he do? - If you truly seed in appeasing the souls of our brothers, that will be fortunate, but if you fail, our cooperation ends here. Bantubangtong began evacuating the orc brothers as far away from the dimensional portal as possible while saying this. Yeongwoo shrugged. "If I fail, won''t everyone here die anyway? So it''s only natural that we''re done if I fail." Then he picked up a yellow g that had fallen on the ground and nted it 10 meters in front of the dimensional portal. Thud! ''Anyway, Mara''s forces have already infiltrated Earth. So, I was bound to meet them sooner orter.'' Moreover, if he couldn¡¯t even defeat one of Mara¡¯s minions despite being equipped with the "Bastard" and all sorts of legendary and epic equipment, it wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that this had no future. No matter who thepetitors were, the''s ultimate ruler would inevitably be Mara. "Master Bang, don''t worry too much. I''m essentially the strongest on this..." As Yeongwoo tried to reassure Bantubangtong, who was evacuating his brothers, his words were cut off by his opponent. - As I said before, the Devourer is not a foe you can defeat with sheer strength alone. "...What do you mean?" - The Devourer is a being of the void. It sucks away the life and will of everything. The equipment you''re wearing won''t be able to withstand that. Yeongwoo frowned as he interpreted this to mean that the Devourer¡¯s method of draining life ignored the damage reduction rates of any equipment. "Wait, does that even make sense? Shouldn''t the Devourer then be the strongest in the universe? How did you survive in front of it, Master Bang?" In response to Yeongwoo''s question, Bantubangtong, who had been looking at the dimensional portal, took a few steps back. - I am one of the four lords of the Redfoot tribe, Bantubangtong. The history of the Redfoot tribe, umted over countless ages, is engraved in my soul. But without a new sanctuary, if I die, then essentially... The entire history of the Redfoot orcs would be lost. Bantubangtong added that his bravery came from the tribe''s history, which was imprinted on his soul through the Lord''s Ascension Ceremony. For the Redfoot orcs, a Lord was like a living history book. That was why all Redfoots showed respect to their Lord, and the Lord also... ''If they carry the entire history of their race, then it''s only natural that their pride is tremendous.'' Perhaps this was the reason behind Bantubangtong''s unique rhetoric. "So, you¡¯re saying that because you are such an important figure, your will to live had to be strong, and that¡¯s why you were able to survive in front of the Devourer." "Indeed. Mere attachment to life is not enough to stand before the Devourer. Only those with a noble purpose, driven by a grand mission..." Just as Bantubangtong was about to start another speech from the heart, therge portal ahead rippled. "Huh." "Oh...!" Finally, the artifact carriers crossed dimensions and entered Earth. Boom! The massive Redfoot orcs, carrying huge coffins, set foot on Earth''s soil, and Bantubangtong hurriedly approached the lever. Then... nk! He tried to pull the lever all the way up, but... Click! As expected, the lever did not work. The Devourer had already entered within a certain distance, a variable anticipated by the 50% danger threshold of the dimensional portal. Shhh... Then, near the portal, a pale mist rose, and the Redfoot orcs, who had just stepped into Earth, copsed with half their bodies still stuck in the portal. Thud, thud. "My God." Seeing therge bodies of the orcs falling helplessly, Yeongwoo realized that Bantubangtong''s earlier words were not nonsense at all. Even the brave brothers who did not fear death couldn''t withstand the power of the Devourer. What in the world was this strength? - Prepare all for a spear-throwing attack! Smallfoot, support from the rear! In the meantime, Bantubangtong, who had distanced himself from the portal, saw the signs of the Devourer¡¯s arrival and ordered his brothers to prepare for a fire support attack. And finally... Thud! From the inside of the dimensional portal, connected to the home of the Redfoot orcs, a hand wrapped in dark scales emerged. "...Oh." Yeongwoo noticed that the hand alone was at least 3 meters long. Shhhh! At that moment, the Devourer''s mist surged all the way to Yeongwoo''s feet. "......!" It was at that moment that a strange pain, which even his Berserker Talisman couldn''t ward off, wrapped around his entire body. It felt like his insides were being tightlypressed, as if he had severe indigestion, and the sensation started digging into not only his body but also his mind. ¡®What the... What the hell is this?!¡¯ As Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened in shock at the pain he had never felt before, the rest of the Devourer''s body emerged from the portal. Crash! Another enormous hand crushed the bodies of fallenrades near the portal as itnded on the ground. From behind Yeongwoo, Master Bang''s voice, filled with anger, rang out. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] - Little Foot! Retreat! As long as you are still alive, there is hope! We must n for another day! Although Master Bang had faced a simr situation on his home, the best option he could think of was still retreat. He believed that if they could take the relic and Little Foot and leave Darwin, there might be another opportunity in the future. After all, Little Foot¡¯s prowess was far greater than any otherrade he had ever seen. "......!" However, Little Foot, Jeong Yeongwoo 07, didn¡¯t move even as the Devourer''s massive shadow loomed over him. "Is this... a Void being?" Instead of stepping towards Master Bang''s voice, he lifted his head and stared at the Devourer, which was rising just five meters in front of him. Rumble... The Devourer, emanating a terrifyingly dense aura, had a nightmarish appearance. Its massive body looked like a heap of flesh, supported by four arms covered in ck scales. The four hands, which reced its feet, had long, sturdy-looking fingers. And just like the lower part, the upper part of its body... ¨D...... ...had four arms raised toward the sky, forming a shape reminiscent of a crown. In total, it had eight arms, divided into upper and lower sets. The creature had no discernible face or head, just a body that appeared to be a mass of flesh. "You look like... a dog¡¯s di*k." Barely able to open his mouth, Yeongwoo muttered these words before gazing at the portal behind the Devourer. Swoosh. The numbers disyed at the top of the portal became clear. [79/15,000] Out of the 15,000rades that could be rescued, 79 had been saved. That meant... "Damn, I put in 100 million and only got 2.37 million back?" Out of the 97.63 million Karma, including the national treasury, only 2.37 million had been recovered. "Shit." As rage boiled inside him at this realization, the strange pain that had been constricting his body suddenly vanished. Swish! "Huh...?" It was just a brief moment, but there was no way the cunning Little Foot would miss such a detail. "What was that?" As the Devourer''s influence began to envelop him once again, Yeongwoo unconsciously shouted, "One hundred million...!" And surprisingly, Swish. His body returned to normal, and energy surged through him. "What... what is this?" Yeongwoo looked at the bastard sword in his hand with a puzzled expression. Swoosh. His arm, which hadn''t budged earlier, easily lifted the sword now. As Master Bang had said, it wasn''t just his attachment to life that had freed him from the Devourer''s grip. It was a higher sense of purpose, a noble mission. Even the Devourer, who had been spewing mist until now, was startled and moved swiftly for the first time since arriving on Earth. Swoosh! One of its four hands, which had been nted on the ground, swung out. Swoosh! The Devourer''s arm sliced through the mist like a whip, and the thousands of orcs watching from afar squeezed their eyes shut, bracing for the horrific scene that would follow. But what actually happened was... "Haah! Three hundred million!" Little Foot, Jeong Yeongwoo 07, shouted the figure "three hundred million" as he swung his sword. Swish! The sword, shing diagonally through the air, effortlessly severed the iing arm of the Devourer, causing its body to tilt as it lost one of its supports. ¡®Is this actually working?¡¯ Yeongwoo blinked rapidly as he looked at the Devourer. ¨D...... Although the Devourer had no face or mouth, everyone present could feel its surprise. Swoosh! Suddenly, the creature emitted an unprecedented surge of energy, surrounding the entire area in a thick mist. "...Kehh!" As the Devourer''s influence grew even stronger, Yeongwoo responded with an even stronger incantation. "Four hundred and fifty million!" This amount could be extracted daily from all 15,000 rescuedrades. 450 million Karma. However, it seemed insufficient to ovee the Devourer¡¯s maximum output, as his body remained frozen. Crunch! Meanwhile, the Devourer began to spread its four upper arms that had been clumped together. ¡®Uh, uh? Why isn''t it working this time?¡¯ Yeongwoo stared at the creature''s upper arms as they started to form a bizarre silhouette within the mist. If this continued, he would have to take the full brunt of the Devourer¡¯s attack while standing still. But no other incantations came to mind, so he thought of the relics of the Redfoot Orcs, which he had yet to open. "The... the myth! I haven¡¯t seen the new myth yet!" At that moment, the grip on his feet finally loosened. Swoosh. "Huh...!" In this miraculous moment that even shocked himself, Yeongwoo instinctively took a step forward. Thud! Then, like a shooting star, he dashed forward and thrust his sword. Swoosh! "Get this cursed body out of my way! I can¡¯t see my money because of you!" Hiset-like strike pierced through the Devourer''s body in an instant. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 301 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 301: Den of Evil (6) He overcame the Devourer''s ability by channeling his greed for money. It was a moment that proved that desire, when strong enough, could rival even a noble will. Pure, unfiltered desire. - ...You, little foot. It was a level of crudeness that was astonishing. Master Bang couldn''t help but be shocked. ¡®Is this what humans from Earth are truly like?¡¯ ¡°Get lost already!¡± But what was truly shocking wasn¡¯t just the crudeness of humans. BOOM! As the Devourer''s body tilted after Yeongwoo''s second strike, the orcs around them gasped in disbelief. - Wow! - Ah¡­! For the orcs, this was an inevitable reaction. The Devourer was like an enormous battleship on their home, impossible to sink. No matter how brave a warrior might be, none dared to stand before the Devourer, which meant that battle with it was never even a consideration. Its outer shell was so thick that traditional weapons couldn¡¯t even scratch it. If there were a single entity that had imed the most orc lives back home, it would undeniably be the Devourer. When they thought of the moment their home was taken, what came to mind first was the unstoppable advance of the Devourer. But now that same Devourer was¡­ SLASH! With Yeongwoo''s third strike, the enormous body of the Devourer split apart, and its tentacle-like limbs, which had been thrashing wildly, suddenly stilled. - ... So, perhaps... - Is... is it dead? - Is it really...? - The Devourer... dead? The Red Foot orcs, eyes wide with shock, looked at the fallen Devourer, unsure whether it was truly dead, yet too afraid to rush over to confirm it. Then, for the first time... SQUELCH! The orc lord, Bantubangtong, took a step forward. - Little Foot! Are you alright? Of course, he knew that this little monster was surely unharmed. But still, Master Bang examined Yeongwoo from head to toe with genuine concern. This was politics. The moment Little Foot had split the Devourer in two, this monster had essentially be the future of the Red Foot tribe. Sure, there were many powerful beings scattered throughout the universe, beings who could wipe out the orc tribe with a single gesture. But among those many strong ones, the only one willing to help them seek vengeance against Mara was none other than Little Foot, Jeong Yeongwoo07. - Are you hurt anywhere? If you feel unwell, speak up. I still have some of the red ointment left. As Master Bang spoke and approached, Yeongwoo lightly kicked one of the Devourer''s lifeless legs. "I''m fine. If possible, just give me a drink of water." Although Yeongwoo had a mutated digestive system and could survive without eating or drinking, he hadn¡¯t lost the desire for the sensations of it. Humans typically drink when they feel physical or mental thirst, and they also do so to acknowledge that a problem has been resolved. In a way, it was like a ceremony. Thus, Yeongwoo requested water to celebrate the end of the tense battle, and Master Bang dlyplied. - Bring water! When Master Bang ordered water from the back, the brothers, realizing it was a victory celebration, finally surged forward to get a closer look at the Devourer''s corpse, a sight they had never seen before. And around this time, a system message appeared before Yeongwoo. ¡¸You have in the Devourer, Daltio!¡¹ A record of the kill was added. ¡¸You now have 2 kill records eligible for the Victory Monument¡¹ ¡®It¡¯s dead for sure.¡¯ Only after checking the system message did Yeongwoo feel fully relieved. If the Devourer hadn¡¯t beenpletely dead and suddenly started spewing mist again, all the brothers running toward them would be wiped out. Each living brother could generate over 30,000 karma a day, so watching them perish in droves would have been a nightmare for Yeongwoo. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve taken down the Devourer¡­ do you think the remaining brothers will be able to cross over?¡± As Yeongwoo looked toward the portal and asked, Master Bang¡¯s expression showed uncertainty. - If any brothers are still alive over there, surely someone will show up. The number of brothers guarding the sacred site of Aratubank numbered in the tens of thousands. But with the confirmation that the Devourer had ravaged the sacred site, it was impossible to guess how many had survived. The sacred site¡¯s defenders were particrly brave, and even knowing they couldn¡¯t stand against the Devourer, they likely charged forward to meet their glorious end. Thus, the key question was the timing of the Devourer''s appearance. Since they could only see but not hear what was happening beyond the portal, the best they could do for now was to station signalers to wave gs. - Hmm... The grim outlook made Master Bang sigh, so Yeongwoo ced aforting hand on his arm. "Still, the fact that we now know we can defeat the Devourer is encouraging. We¡¯ve confirmed it¡¯s worth risking 50% danger, haven¡¯t we?" The unspoken implication was that the 1 billion spent on this attempt could be recovered in the next one, but Yeongwoo didn¡¯t feel the need to say that part out loud. ¡°We''ll be able to save more brothers thanks to this effort. We need to look at the bigger picture.¡± As Yeongwoo said this, the Devourer''s body, which had been lying in front of the portal, began to dissolve into the air. Whooosh¡­! Just like when Yeongwoo had defeated the phantom dragon Moracus, a sword appeared where the corpse had been. ¡°¡­A Void Fragment.¡± He could tell just by looking at it. Yeongwoo turned to Master Bang, who nodded in response. - Little Foot, you''ve kept your word. The souls of the brothers will be greatlyforted. Without another word, Yeongwoo walked toward the sword. nk, nk. Then he touched the second Void Fragment rising from the ground. Tap. It immediately turned into smoke and merged with the Void Fragment Yeongwoo already possessed. ¡¸Void Flesh¡¹ - Void One-Handed Sword ¡¾Absorbs other Void Flesh.¡¿ ¡¾Phantom Dragon: 10% increased damage against living creatures.¡¿ ¡¾Devourer: Damage to abilities increased by 15%.¡¿ ¡®Whoa, what? The stats are crazy.¡¯ The effect added to the Void Fragment from defeating the Devourer was a 15% increase in ability damage. Even as a single item, that was a significant boost, but the effect would continue stacking each time he obtained a new fragment. In other words, if he fought another Devourer, the ability damage would increase by 30%, and after another, it would rise to 45%. ¡®This is insane. I want to meet all the Devourers in the world.¡¯ Since Yeongwoo was human, he could only gain ability damage through equipment. ¡¸Heresy¡¹ - Unique Gauntlet ¡¾15% of attack power is converted into mental damage.¡¿ Currently, only 15% of his total attack power was converted into ability damage. If he wanted to continue growing his Void Fragment, he would need to secure more ability damage. ¡®With the mutated being eventing soon, I should look into acquiring some ability-based equipment today.¡¯ From his experience, ability-rted equipment wasn¡¯t verymon, and items that converted damage attributes were even rarer. ¡®Ironically, I now have something I can¡¯t buy, even if I have the money.¡¯ Looking at it from a different angle, it also meant he had reached a new level of power. ¡°...¡± Yeongwoo naturally shifted his gaze toward the stone chamber beyond the portal. ¡®Is there a way to enter that chamber directly? If I can, I could amplify my ability damage significantly.¡¯ Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t just obsessed with money; he was also obsessed with power. And right in front of him, he saw piles of cash. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± As he blinked while looking into the stone chamber, the view became even clearer. ¡°Wait, the brothers!¡± A new group of brothers had appeared from the previously quiet stone chamber. ¡°Signalman! Raise the g!¡± Yeongwoo, blinded by greed, began ordering his brothers around like he had been an orc since birth. Then, raising his sword, he prepared for any potential iing devourers. ¡°I wouldn''t mind if one more appeared. Ah, of course, saving my brothers is more important, though.¡± As Yeongwoo''s greedy gaze pierced through his brothers¡ªno, the space behind them¡ªa creature named Bantubangtong noticed his odd focus and grew fearful. - Little Foot, what are you waiting for? "...I¡¯m just concerned that something else might be chasing after my brothers." Yeongwoo said this as he sheathed his sword back at his waist. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ng! ¡°But it doesn¡¯t seem like anything else ising.¡± Meanwhile, his brothers crossed the stone chamber swiftly, passing through the portal. Whoosh! Then, Bantubangtong grabbed one of the brothers who had just set foot on Earth and asked, - Is everyone here? How many brothers are left at the sanctuary? The one caught by Bantubangtong grimaced and replied, - The barrier in the ceremonial chamber has also fallen, so all the guardians should be heading this way by now. - At least that¡¯s some relief. - But with so many filthy beings... I wonder... The young orc, who was speaking with a heavy heart, suddenly closed his mouth. Then, with an enraged expression, he drew his sword. - You... you wretched creature! He stammered several times, shaking off Bantubangtong¡¯s hand, and rushed towards the sarcophagus-like reliquary in the distance. Tap-tap-tap! Why? Because right now, an alien was brazenlyying hands on the sacred relic itself, the very symbol of the sanctuary of Aratubank. - Brother, stop! That is no longer our sacred relic! Bantubangtong''s voice, filled with shock, echoed from behind, but it didn''t reach the young orc who had devoted his life to protecting the relics and the sanctuary. What filled his eyes and ears now was... Crunch! The alien was tearing off the seal te of the reliquary. - Why are you all just standing there? Protect the relic! Wrapped in an inexplicable sense of dread, the young orc threw the sword he held in his hand. Whoosh! It was aimed at the vile interloper from another world who dared touch their sacred relic. But... Swish! Despite being only 15 meters away, his sword didn¡¯t reach its target. Ping! - Ugh...! The filthy alien didn¡¯t even bother to turn his head, blocking the thrown sword with just two fingers on his left hand. Meanwhile, his right hand... Crack! The seal te protecting the reliquary waspletely torn off. - Ah! With a groan of despair from the young orc, a tremendous surge of energy erupted from the reliquary. Booooom! The dense energy, so thick that it turned the entire chamber white, was... - Aratubank! - Aratubank...! - Ah, the heroes! Aratubank. In other words, the very souls of the ancestors who made the Red Foot n possible. ¡°What the... what is this?¡± Even Yeongwoo, who had just torn off the seal te, blinked in astonishment at the unexpectedly grand ¡°unboxing show.¡± Without any need for his brothers to exin, he could tell from the gigantic energy whirlpool surrounding them that these were souls. ¡°¡­Why didn¡¯t they move on and why are they all gathered here?¡± The density of energy enveloping his skin and soul made him feel just how deep the history of the Red Foot orcs was. And soon... Shhh...! Amidst the swirling energy, faint whispers began to emerge. These whispers didn¡¯t pass through Yeongwoo¡¯s senses but were instead imprinted directly into his consciousness, resembling the transcendentnguage used by higher beings of the universe. ¨DWho has awakened us? ¨DThe time hase. ¨DA tragic fate. ¨DIs it war? For the first time since bing spirits, they had been awakened. To humans, this relic was as sacred as a parent¡¯s urn. That¡¯s why Master Bang couldn¡¯t bring himself to think of the relic as mere ¡°equipment.¡± Even though they possessed a ¡°myth,¡± they had revered it so much that they kept it untouched, even while Mara invaded. But now... ¡®Well, it¡¯s still equipment, right?¡¯ Yeongwoo saw arge shield resembling a coffin inside the now-gleaming reliquary. When he touched it... Fizzle! A massive heat instantly generated, melting Yeongwoo¡¯s fingertips. ¡°What the... you fucking...!¡± Startled and furious, Yeongwoo reflexively swore, but it was understandable. If he didn¡¯t have regenerative abilities, that brief touch would¡¯ve permanently cost him the joints of his right index and middle fingers. ¡°It seems the ancestors are rejecting me.¡± When Yeongwoo nced at Master Bang, who stood nearby, Master Bang reluctantly rolled up his sleeves. - Awakening Aratubank is sinful enough, but we mustn¡¯tmit further transgressions. The implication was clear: Master Bang, a pure-blooded Red Foot orc, would take the responsibility of using the relic. After all, the Red Foot n was in such dire straits that they had allowed an outsider to break the seal of their relic. This signified just how weakened they had be. Apologizing to the ancestors was necessary, but so was borrowing the great power of the myth. Thud! As Red Foot leader Bantubangtong took his first step toward the ¡°myth,¡± Yeongwoo drew Bastard, and pointed it at Master Bang. ¡°Hey, stop.¡± - ...? ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? We agreed. This relic is mine now.¡± Little Foot¡¯s greed was so intense that it could overwhelm even the pressure of the Devourer. Even the battle-hardened Bantubangtong was momentarily taken aback by the aura Yeongwoo was exuding. - B-but... Aratubank is rejecting you. There is no other way. ¡°Why isn¡¯t there? Isn¡¯t it premature to say that without trying?¡± With that, Yeongwoo shifted the tip of Bastard toward the relic. Swoosh. ¡°Introduce yourselves. You¡¯re both myths; you should recognize each other.¡± Then he said something so sphemous that no orc in history had ever dared to utter: ¡°You¡¯re itching to show off your myth to your descendants, aren¡¯t you? Stop acting up and lower your guard. Here Ie again.¡± With that, Yeongwoo reached out his right hand toward the relic once more. His two fingers, which had been burned earlier, had already healed, and soon... Tap. Yeongwoo¡¯s fingertips touched the surface of the relic without any issue, and for the first time since the reset, an alert appeared: ?|l||I-A ¡¸Myth¡¹ has appeared on Earth.? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 302 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 302: The Sessor (1) ?|l||I- A ¡°Myth¡± has appeared on Earth.? The appearance of a myth on Earth. This phrase, appearing for the first time since the reset, carried significant meaning. ''What? There was no such announcement when I received Bastard.¡¯ Didn¡¯t that notification mean that the system overseeing this reset had recognized the influx of a myth onto this? But why wasn¡¯t there an announcement for the ¡°Bastard,¡± a myth that had arrived on Earth early on? ¡®Does that mean Bastard wasn¡¯t an official appearance?¡¯ Yeongwoo could only think of it this way. ¡®But I paid taxes, and even the president paid a transfer tax, as far as I know.¡¯ Of course, the circumstances of receiving Bastard and the holy relic of the Redfoot Orcs were different. The former had been provided as a piece of equipment through a formal service contract, while thetter was technically more of an ¡®incident.¡¯ ¡®That''s right. The holy relics were more coincidental, so why¡­?¡¯ Yeongwoo pondered this while stroking the surface of the relic that was within his reach. As he did, the whispers of the Redfoot ancestors residing in the relic gradually faded, and soon, a tooltip for the equipment appeared. sh! ¡¸Aratubank¡¹ - Mythical Shield ¡¾Immunity¡¿ ¡¾Coffin¡¿ ¡¾Shared Pain¡¿ ¡®Hooh. The shield itself is named Aratubank.¡¯ It was the first mythical equipment he''d obtained since Bastard, and his first mythical armor. In a way, it was also the first myth Yeongwoo had obtained on his own. Though the Redfoot Orcs had forged this myth, it was only through Yeongwoo¡¯s peculiar, fateful call that the myth had crossed dimensions to arrive on Earth. Whether it was thanks to Yeongwoo¡¯s heart effect or pure coincidence was uncertain. ¡¾Fate Roll¡¿ | Whenever you reach a pivotal moment in fate, the lowest possible probability is applied with a 3x multiplier. ¡¾Stubborn¡¿ | The difficulty of all problems increases. All surprises increase. What was certain, however, was that if someone like Jeong Yeongwoo didn¡¯t exist on Earth, Aratubank would never have appeared in this ce. ¡®Ah, is that why the system reacted? Because, from a cosmic perspective, this myth is the only natural urrence¡­?¡¯ It was still difficult for him toprehend things from a cosmic perspective, being just a mere creature in the grand scheme. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yeongwoo stopped pondering and turned his attention to the detailed tooltip of the new myth, Aratubank. ¡®Let¡¯s see how impressive the effects of a mythical shield are.¡¯ There were three unique effects in total, and the first effect already surpassed expectations in a ¡®mythical¡¯ manner. ¡¾Immunity¡¿ | This shield cannot be destroyed and can block most non-physical damage and mental attacks. ¡®What? Seriously, ancestors¡­!¡¯ Yeongwoo re-read the detailed tooltip for ¡®Immunity¡¯ with a look of awe. Generally, a shield was meant to block physical attacks, and with a bit of imagination, it might even block something like a dragon¡¯s breath. But this shield could block most non-physical damage and even mental attacks. ¡®The Devourer''s influence must also count as a mental attack.¡¯ Had his brothers used this relic, could they have avoided losing their homnd to Mara? ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yeongwoo didn¡¯t think so. Only one person at most could use the shield¡¯s effect, and his brotherscked the firepower to kill void creatures in the first ce. ¡®You shed far too much blood to reach me.¡¯ Yeongwoo wiped his dry eyes and shifted his gaze to the next tooltip. ¡¾Coffin¡¿ | You can ce blood rtives into the coffin. Special effects are granted depending on the phase and condition of the stored targets. (0/2) ¡®Huh¡­?¡¯ This was an effect he found hard to believe for different reasons. ¡®ce blood rtives¡­ in a coffin? This shield, really?¡¯ No matter how he interpreted it, that¡¯s what it seemed to mean. It implied that by storing his blood rtives in the shield, he could gain special effects. What¡¯s more... ¡®Depending on their phase and condition¡­ Phase I get, but what exactly does condition mean?¡¯ Various thoughts swirled in Yeongwoo¡¯s mind. The word ¡°condition,¡± in the context of the tooltip, left room for multiple interpretations. ¡®Does it mean whether they¡¯re alive or dead?¡¯ Yeongwoo scratched his chin. What else could it mean? ¡®It¡¯s not like it¡¯s talking about their health condition.¡¯ There was also a decent chance it referred to the type of race. After all, in this world, where the reset was ongoing, members of the same bloodline could belong to different races. Like his mother, who would return as a dragon one day, or his second uncle. ¡®Either way, it''s insane. Why on earth would you carry your blood rtives¡¯ corpses in your shield?¡¯ It was a dizzying thought, but one more effect remained. ¡¾Shared Pain¡¿ | The Redfoot ancestors will bear half of your pain. Your pain will be significantly reduced, and emotional suffering such as guilt and sorrow will also be alleviated. ¡®What kind of crazy equipment did these guys make¡­?¡¯ Yeongwoo, now baffled, nced back at Master Bang, who had been watching him closely and flinched. - How is it? Aratubank, our myth. Yeongwoo let out a long sigh in response. ¡°It seems like incredible equipment.¡± - ¡­But? Is there something wrong? ¡°It feels like it¡¯s turning me into a total psychopath.¡± The Shared Pain effect, which took away half the pain, was excellent. Thanks to his Berserker Amulet, he was already in a state where a certain level of pain waspletely ignored. So Aratubank¡¯s final effect would greatly mitigate the pain that the Berserker couldn¡¯t suppress¡ªpain that was either too intense or too insignificant. However¡­ ¡°They say the ancestors will take away feelings of guilt and sadness. Like some kind of worry doll.¡± - Worry doll¡­? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°¡­It¡¯s a thing.¡± Yeongwoo chose not to exin further. ¡°In any case, it¡¯ll help me draw blood without hesitation.¡± As he finished speaking and pulled Aratubank out of the relic case, the nearby orcs let out groans. - Ahhh¡­ - So, it ends like this. - The holy relic! - Aratubank! For them, wouldn''t it be as if their nation''s treasure had fallen into the hands of an alien? Of course, Yeongwoo was also recognized as a member of the Redfoot Orcs, but there was a clear difference. ¡®I can¡¯t stuff my brothers into this shield. I¡¯m not a real orc, and I don¡¯t share their blood.¡¯ So, while he could understand the feelings of the Redfoot Orcs, that didn¡¯t mean he had any intention of returning this sacred artifact. Because... sh! [Mythology Catalog] ¡²2¡³ Just now, the number of collections in the Mythology Codex had increased by one. ¡®I can¡¯t unlock the effects with just two. Do I need to gather three?¡¯ Then a warning appeared, just like with the Bastard Sword, stating that Aratubank wouldn''t activate its effects unless equipped directly. [There are 3 inactive effects.] |Subject: Golden Trail, ¡¸Bastard¡¹, ¡¸Aratubank¡¹ |Reason: Bound Effects ¡®Of course, since I need to carry the bloodline.¡¯ After some thought, Yeongwoo inserted a Void Flesh into the codex and then grabbed the shield directly with his left hand. ng. The mythical shield Aratubank was arge shield with a diameter of 1.5 meters, big enough to almost cover Yeongwoo¡¯s entire body. It was designed to have a special function called "coffin," and it actually resembled a massive iron coffin, a detail Yeongwoo found quite satisfying. ¡®It looks just like the chairman¡¯s ship.¡¯ Anyway, he had obtained his second mythological item and secured two legendary defeat records, so his business in Australia was essentially done. ¡°I guess it¡¯s time to head back.¡± When Yeongwoo said this, looking toward the Korean Penins, a previously gloomy Bantubangtong brightened and asked eagerly, - You''re finally leaving? ¡°Yes. Soon, mutants will fall upon Seoul.¡± It was time to collect the payments. Moreover, with his new shield, he could now confidently im to be invincible against the mutants. Even if his mother were to return today as a mighty dragon, he would be able to give her a good beating. ¡®If she sees how much her son has grown, Mother might not be too displeased.¡¯ Shh. Yeongwoo gestured towards Negwig, signaling that it was time to return. Then Master Bang cautiously approached and whispered, - What about the money¡­? ¡°You should start preparing. Once I¡¯m done dealing with the mutants, I¡¯ll be back to collect the 380 million.¡± - 3.8 billion¡­? ¡°Yes. The promised 3 billion, plus the 800 million you were supposed to pay today.¡± - ¡­¡­. ¡°Don¡¯t make that face.¡± Yeongwoo was about to say more, but he wondered if Aratubank¡¯s pain-sharing ability was already in effect, so he decided to be generous. ¡°I¡¯ll collect the 1.8 billion no matter what, but as for the remaining 2 billion, I¡¯ll take it when the number isplete.¡± Shh. Yeongwoo pointed to the rescue count disyed at the top of Darwin City¡¯s gate. [3,682/15,000] While Yeongwoo was coveting the sacred artifacts of his brothers, refugees continued to pour in from the sanctuary, and now 3,682 brothers had been saved. ¡°If no more brothers show up, keep the portal open until I give further instructions. We need to catch the gluttonous ones if they appear again.¡± - What? Then until you return, we¡­ ¡°Wouldn''t it be wise to keep the area around the portal clear? If something happens, send a dispatch to Seoul.¡± In a way, it was a blessing in disguise. Like Yeongwoo, the brothers could use the high-speed travel routes, meaning, in theory, they could call Yeongwoo in just a few minutes. At least, in theory. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll be able to reunite with as many brothers as possible. And don¡¯t forget to prepare the 1.8 billion. Now that I only feel half the guilt, who knows what I might do.¡± After scanning his brothers in Australia onest time, Yeongwoo climbed onto Negwig. Swoosh! The Redfoot Orcs'' eyes helplessly followed the sacred artifact held in the hands of the Littlefoot. - Littlefoot, will we ever be able to reim our sacred artifact? Master Bang pleaded on behalf of his brothers, and Yeongwoo thought for a moment. ¡°Hm¡­ By the time I return it, something might be inside the artifact.¡± Whether it would be his father, or perhaps his mother or uncle, he hadn¡¯t thought about it yet. What was clear was that from the brothers¡¯ perspective, they would feel their sacred artifact had been tainted when it was returned. But if they still wanted it. ¡°If the dayes when I no longer need even mythological items, I promise to return it.¡± Even though Yeongwoo¡¯s promise was vague, the Redfoot Orcs¡¯ faces lit up. - Is that¡­ truly possible? ¡°Of course. But you''ll have to grant me one more favor.¡± Yeongwoo raised a wicked finger, and Master Bang¡¯s expression hardened once more. -¡­What kind of favor? ¡°Come with me to Seoul now and submit some of your defeat records.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 303 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 303: The Sessor (2) Touring Seoul. With Master Bang seated in the back seat, Yeongwoo sped down the elevated highway, built by his brothers, like a beam of light. Whoosh! Their destination was Seoul... or rather, the Special City of Metal Seoul. "Is this your first time in Seoul?" Yeongwoo asked, ncing back. Master Bang, who had been watching the receding continent of Australia, replied: - This is the first time I¡¯ve left the Autonomous Territory. The red-footed orcs had been too preupied with upying northern Australia. After the Pangea Incident, when the continents merged, Master Bang had immediately encountered the demon Yeongwoo. Thus, the Australian wastnd was the only ce they''d seen on Earth. Of course, the brothers who had built the transport routes might have seen other parts of the from the sky, but... ¡®Since they¡¯ve already be stars, they can''t share their impressions of this world.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze dropped to thendscape below, revealing the southern part of the Korean Penins. As Master Bang followed his gaze, he asked cautiously: - Little Foot. ¡°Yes?¡± - How many humans are there? "¡­That''s a tough question," Yeongwoo said, rubbing his chin. "Before the Reset, the poption was around 8 billion..." - 8 billion? Master Bang¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief at the number. ¡°Yes, but that was before the Reset. The number has probably decreased significantly by now.¡± Many people had either been wiped out or mutated in the Extermination Vote, which judged the world''s ''imbnce,'' but Yeongwoo knew that, in reality, only a small fraction of the poption had been affected. The real decimation had likelye from the ''Individual Filtration''¡ªa process that had pitted the masses against each other in deadlybat. Half of Earth¡¯s poption must have perished during that phase. And with it, the¡¯s ability to resist the Reset had also been halved. Starting the Reset with only half the original poption meant that the karma intended for Earth had been cut in half as well. Fewer people also meant fewer chances for extraordinary heroes, viins, or demons to emerge. ¡°The poption probably dropped by half when the Reset began. And that diminished poption, unprepared, faced monsters and mutants¡­¡± As Yeongwoo exined how Earth¡¯s poption was halved again, Master Bang tilted his head. - I still don¡¯t quite understand the concept of ''mutants.'' ¡°¡­?¡± This implied that he understood other concepts, which made Yeongwoo curious. ¡°Does that mean you understand the Reset and the monsters?¡± - It''s hard to believe that humans would so recklessly judge their own kind. But... Master Bang trailed off, looking silently at Yeongwoo. - But I can see how it could be possible. He went on to exin that his home, where the red-footed orcs originated, had experienced something simr to the Reset, though the process had been slightly different. - One day, we were told that our¡¯s destiny had reached its final chapter. "The final chapter of destiny...?" Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but perk up his ears. This was the first time he was hearing about the history of Master Bang and his brothers. - We were told that to continue our existence, we had to prove our worth through battle. For us, battle is life itself, so epting it wasn¡¯t difficult. But Master Bang added that the challenges had been unimaginably tough. - We also had a vote. ¡°What kind of vote?¡± - We could choose our opponent for the trial. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Yeongwoo finally understood. It was a Reset tailored to the red-footed orcs. ''Does each or species have a different trial?'' Perhaps the Reset was just one of many tests, and it was Earth¡¯s humans who had summoned it. ¡°So, you chose Mara as your opponent?¡± - The words used to describe him were the most sinister. I cast my vote for Mara, confident that everyone else would do the same. ¡°¡­.¡± It was a way of thinking that was distinctly red-footed orc. If they had to fight someone, they would unite against the most evil-looking candidate. But the price they paid... ¡®They became cosmic refugees, forced to infiltrate another species'' as monsters.¡¯ Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the other monsters he had fought, like the red-footed orcs, had been the inhabitants of others. ¡®Probably.¡¯ The heavily armed goblins from the first day of the Reset, the wyverns¡ªall of them were likely refugees from their homes, seeking new homes. ¡°If a species sessfully passes its trial, what happens?¡± Yeongwoo asked vaguely. Master Bang shook his head. - We are those who have lost our home. How could we know? Then, gathering his blunt fingers, Master Bang ced his hand on Yeongwoo¡¯s shoulder. Thud. - But now Aratubank is in your hands. It¡¯s a holy relic we preserved through failure, so you won¡¯t fail. ¡°¡­Master Bang.¡± - Perhaps it was fate that brought us to and where there are still those who haven''t failed. Grip. With these words, Master Bang gripped Yeongwoo''s shoulder tightly. ¡°...¡± The emotions conveyed through his hand were overwhelming, so Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t turn back to look at him. - Protect this, Little Foot! If you don¡¯t fail, we can rebuild a new great city in Darwin. In other words, the red-footed orcs'' new home had to be Earth. If Earth failed, they would lose their future too. ¡°I guess I have no choice. I¡¯ll have to see for myself what happens if we pass the Reset.¡± As Yeongwoo spoke, thendscape beneath them became heavy and imposing. -...! They had entered the section of the journey that led to Metal Seoul, the proud iron city of the Korean Penins. - Little Foot! Turn around! I think we¡¯ve taken the wrong road! Seeing the steel-covered city, Master Bang shouted in rm. Yeongwoo responded with an evil grin. ¡°Hah! Master Bang, that¡¯s Seoul, the future capital of Earth.¡± - Wh-what? That demonic ce...? The sinister nest of Little Foot, Seoul. ¡°Don''t worry, theser cannons haven¡¯t been installed yet, so we won¡¯t get shot down.¡± As Yeongwoo sped towards the tower in Jongno District, where the Victory Monument stood, Master Bang, his pupils still wide with shock, muttered: - Are there really humans living in this ce? "Of course. They must be quite surprised too..." As Yeongwoo arrived at the station in Jongno-gu, the top of the tower, which had been open, closed again. ¡°There¡¯s a saying on Earth: If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together.¡± Then, as Yeongwoo operated the descent mechanism of the tower, he said to Master Bang: ¡°Let¡¯s go far together. Invest all the settlement records you have in this.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] * * * Sajik-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. In front of the victory monument built on Korea''s ancient cultural heritage, the Sajikdan, people continued to gather. So when Korea''s Strongest Sword, Jeong Yeongwoo, appeared with the Orc Lord, Bantubangtong, riding the Negwig, everyone gasped in disbelief. ¡°O-Orc!¡± ¡°He really brought an Orc¡­?¡± Though Yeongwoo had mentioned the Orc Autonomous Territory of Australia during a ¡®business presentation,¡¯ no one had ever expected him to bring one directly to Seoul. - There are so many humans here. In Australia, only a tiny fraction of the thousands of orcs were human, but here in Seoul, Bantubangtong was the only orc amidst a sea of humans. No matter how much of a warrior Master Bang was, he couldn¡¯t help but feel intimidated, and Yeongwoo, aware of this, deliberately dismounted from the Negwig first, extending his hand to hispanion. ¡°Take my hand. If they see that I respect you, they won¡¯t dare act carelessly.¡± Master Bang cleared his throat, grabbed Yeongwoo¡¯s outstretched hand, and leapt off the Negwig. ng! When his iron boots touched the ground of Seoul for the first time, the crowd surrounding them quickly stepped back. ¡°W-what¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s huge¡­¡± Now that Master Bang stood on his two feet, people could finallyprehend his size, which wasrger than Yeongwoo¡¯s. Yeongwoo then addressed the crowd. ¡°This is Lord Bantubangtong from the Red Foot Autonomous Territory of Australia. He will donate victory points to the monument in honor of Seoul''s and Earth¡¯s rise in status.¡± With that, Yeongwoo extended his left arm, gesturing toward the monument, and Master Bang reluctantly followed. - He seems to act properly here. ¡°It''s a kind of domestic mode. These people are not only my kin but also from the same country.¡± - Same country? Master Bang looked confused. For the Red Foot Orcs, who considered all their kin to be ¡®brothers,¡¯ the concept of being more attached to those from the same country didn¡¯t exist. So Yeongwoo gave another example. ¡°I''m a Red Foot too, but not a ¡®true¡¯ Red Foot, right? As the Aratubank incident revealed. It¡¯s the same here on Earth. Even among humans, there¡¯s a difference between who¡¯s really on your side and who¡¯s not.¡± - Complicated. ¡°If you don''t get it, just put the victory points in.¡± When Yeongwoo pointed to the monument they had now reached, Master Bang looked up at the two towering pirs. - How do you use this? As he touched the surface of the monument, his pupils immediately began to glow. He had connected to the interface of the victory monument. ¡°You¡¯ve figured out how to use it now. How many records can you register?¡± Although Yeongwoo asked, Master Bang remained silent. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ you don¡¯t have any?¡± It was possible. The legendary settlement records depended on the status of the defeated opponent. The system only recognized ¡®legendary beings,¡¯ meaning the enemy had to be historically significant on the or of a void-dwelling dragon level or higher. So it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if Master Bang, who had lost his homnd to Mara, didn¡¯t have any grand achievements to his name... - How many do you need? ¡°Huh?¡± The sudden question made Yeongwoo pause and stare at Master Bang. ¡°What did you say?¡± - The settlement records you mentioned. How many do you need in total? ¡°Oh, that.¡± The current number of victory points required for Earth¡¯s rank-up was 635. So they needed either seven settlement records from Earth or four from beyond Earth. ¡®I already have two off records, so I only need two more off-world records.¡¯ Just as Yeongwoo was about to say ¡®two,¡¯ he stopped himself at thest second. ¡®Wait.¡¯ The thought urred to him that Master Bang might have an unexpectedlyrge number of records. He blinked quickly and stared at Master Bang. ¡°Master Bang, I¡¯m not sure. You¡¯d have to try putting them in to know for sure... How many records do you have?¡± Then, with a serious expression, the Red Foot Orc Lord, Bantubangtong, spoke. - Small Foot, here you go again. ¡°¡­!¡± Then, just as Yeongwoo had done in front of the Negwig earlier, Bantubangtong extended his hand. Swoosh. - As you said, respect me. Respect us. Why do you insist on being a trickster? ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Yeongwoo felt embarrassed. - Speak the truth, from the heart. I have always spoken the truth. Yeongwoo sped Master Bang¡¯s outstretched hand with both of his and spoke: ¡°Master Bang! I was going to lie and say I only needed two! But the truth is, I need much more! Could you donate¡­ all the records you have?¡± [PR/N: This mf ??] - ¡­? This was not just a curveball but a magical pitch of sorts. Even Master Bang, who always spoke the truth, was momentarily taken aback, and Yeongwoo, sensing this, sped his hand even tighter. Squeeze! ¡°Master Bang, now you can speak. How many records do you have? Surely you¡¯ll speak the truth, right? As you always have!¡± - ¡­. Master Bang swallowed hard and looked up at the sky. Not at the monument towering above, but at his home, somewhere beyond. - Fourteen. ¡°¡­What?¡± - I have fourteen settlement records. These are the records of our great ancestors. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 304 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 304: The Sessor (3) ¡°14 records? Are you saying there are 14 records that can be inscribed on the monument right now?¡± Yeongwoo asked with wide eyes, and Master Bang nodded. - Yes, that¡¯s correct. One of the four lords of the Redfoot Orcs, Bantubangtong. His soul carried the entire history of the Redfoot n, and that "history" included not only the legacy of his ancestors but also their achievements. In other words, legendary battles fought by the Redfoot Orcs were preserved within Bantubangtong, and over time, these became 14 records that could be inscribed on Metal Seoul''s Monument of Victory. "Fourteen... my goodness." Yeongwoo''s mind began to race. He only needed two achievement records for Earth¡¯s status upgrade review. But was that really all? ''This monument can''t be a one-time thing. Once the minimum glory points are filled, there must be more benefits.'' Moreover, Earth¡¯s cosmic status couldn''t be that high. So, whether there was a higher-tier review or an additional scoring system, Yeongwoo naturally thought there must be something more to this process. ¡°Master Bang, please register two records first. Then I will add the two records I have to meet the review requirements.¡± - Review requirements? ¡°Yes, just registering these will allow us to begin Earth''s status upgrade review.¡± Earth. The new home for the Redfoot Orcs who had lost their homnd. Thus, Bantubangtong could not help but be generous regarding matters concerning this. - Very well. I will register two records immediately. Master Bang nodded and ced his hand on the monument''s surface again. Soon, a notification was broadcast across all of Seoul. ¡ª Lord Bantubangtong of the Redfoot Orcs has registered two legendary achievement records. This announced that the abduction project Yeongwoo hadunched earlier today was already yielding results. Then, Yeongwoo registered his two records of ying the Phantom Dragon and the Devourer. sh! ¡ª Mayor Jeong Yeongwoo07 has registered two legendary achievement records. Suddenly, the Monument of Victory emitted an invisible wave of energy, pushing back the surrounding air. Hooaaah! ¡ª The current glory score for Dogo City, Metal Seoul, is 1,025 points. "Ah, finally..." ¡ª Having reached the minimum required points for aary status upgrade review, this is now included in the upgrade queue. "...Queue for the status upgrade?" The unfamiliar term made Yeongwoo tilt his head, and a follow-up message continued. ¡ª Soon, status review inspectors will begin observing this. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡ª The''s official status will be determined based on the significance of events recorded over a set period. In simpler terms, the more significant the events that ur on the, the higher the likelihood of achieving a higher status. And this meant that Earth was now one step closer to being a part of the universe¡¯s mainstream. It had risen from being a backwater, still restricted by cosmic ''greenbelt'' regtions, to being included in the queue for official status evaluation. ''Considering that thepanies holdingary development rights include Dogo, Lemu, and Mara, there will definitely be major events in the future.'' Yeongwoo was confident about the uing review. Already, Dogo, a gctic thug with royal lineage, had extended his influence to this. Not to mention, one of Earth''s developers was none other than the king of ten thousand demons, Mara, and the Redfoot Orcs, who had lost their homnd, had sought refuge here as well. Since the universe tended to value karmic consequences and extraordinary events, Yeongwoo figured the inspectors would take great interest in what was happening on Earth. ''The path to vengeance shines brighter today than ever.'' As Yeongwoo gazed at the tower in Jongno District, the Monument of Victory gleamed once again. sh! ¡ª The level of the Monument of Victory has risen. The required glory score for the next phase is 3,000 points. ¡°As expected, there¡¯s a next phase. Are you seeing this, Master Bang?¡± Yeongwoo nodded as he read the system message, while Master Bang grimaced. - The greed of the universe knows no bounds. Just like you. ¡°Haha, I''ll take that as apliment that I¡¯m a universal talent.¡± Yeongwoo brushed off Master Bang¡¯s scolding and pointed at the monument. ¡°Now, as promised, please add the remaining records.¡± - What? ¡°Don¡¯t you still have 12 records left, Master?¡± Yeongwoo asked with a wicked grin, and Bantubangtong¡¯s eyes briefly widened. Then, in a moment of rity, he steadied his shaking pupils. - Yes, that''s true. We have 12 records left. Click. After finishing his sentence, Master Bang suddenly took a step back. ¡°Master...?¡± Yeongwoo looked at him in confusion, and Master Bang, the only Orc politician on Earth, twitched his lips. "Master Bang, are you alright?" Even the demon Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but be concerned by Master Bang¡¯s troubled expression. What happened next was astonishing. - Yes... but I never promised to give them to you. ¡°...What?¡± - It''s true we have 12 records left, but I don¡¯t want to give them away so easily. That¡¯s... my true feeling. ¡°Huh?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. For the first time, Master Bang mimicked Yeongwoo¡¯s style of speech. - So... how much will you pay for my true feelings? I¡¯m curious to see how much your affection for this is worth. ¡°What?! Master Bang?¡± Yeongwoo had to admit he was outyed. ¡®Damn it. As the saying goes, "You be like the people you surround yourself with." It turns out our ancestors weren''t wrong. He¡¯s be quite crafty.¡¯ But then again, he was dealing with an Orc who was honest to a fault. As the saying goes, "Even if you''re caught by a tiger, stay calm and you''ll survive." ¡®Get it together, Jeong Yeongwoo! Are you going to lose to a greenhorn who just arrived on Earth?¡¯ Unlike the straightforward Orc, Yeongwoo was a demon who had spent his entire life thriving in capitalism. ¡°Master Bang, if that¡¯s what you want...¡± Just as Yeongwoo was about to make a sly offer, Master Bang cut him off. - Little Foot, I understand this isn¡¯t easy. But how could I possibly put a price on such a noble cause? And just like Yeongwoo had once done, Master Bang raised three blunt fingers. ¡°Three? Three million...?¡± It was a number with many implications. If it was 3 million karma for all 12 records, that would be a bargain. But if it was 3 million per record, the total would be a staggering 36 million karma. Still, even that wasn¡¯t beyond Yeongwoo''s reach. It wasn¡¯t an unbearable situation. The price was no less than 12 records of ¡®legendary feats.¡¯ This wasn¡¯t a resource that could simply be bought with money. "Could it be... 300 million...?" When Yeongwoo tried to guess a realistic amount, Master Bang smirked bitterly. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] - These records are the prideful legacy our ancestors left for us. So, what you are trying to buy is the history of the Red Foot. With that, Master Bang nced for the first time at the citizens of Seoul surrounding the Sajikdan area. In fact, the words he was speaking weren¡¯t just directed at Yeongwoo; they were meant for everyone in Seoul. - If you want to take our history, then guarantee our future in return. I will demand three promises from you. ¡°...!¡± The three fingers Master Bang had shown earlier weren¡¯t indicating a price but the three promises he would demand on behalf of his n. ¡°Wow...¡± ¡°No way...¡± ¡°To take history in exchange for the future...¡± The citizens of Seoul who heard Master Bang¡¯s proposal alongside Yeongwoo gazed at the massive red orc with admiration. Master Bang¡¯s heartfelt words had melted even the cold, unfeeling hearts of Seoul. ¡®Damn, public sentiment...¡¯ Even though Yeongwoo had dominated the Korean Penins with his aim to strengthen the nation and bring peace to the world, it seemed like he had failed to win the people¡¯s hearts today. He had lost in a political battle against the orc from another world. Did true sincerity always prevail...? For the first time in a while, Yeongwoo, who had been walking a path far removed from righteousness, felt something in his heart. ¡°Alright, Master Bang. What would you have me promise?¡± Even as Yeongwoo said this, he was hoping Master Bang would make a mistake. After all, everyone present was human, citizens of Seoul. If Master Bang made a suggestion that would significantly harm Seoul, public opinion could shift in an instant. But Master Bang, who had led the Red Foot n for a long time, had political skills far beyond Yeongwoo¡¯s reach. - First. If you no longer need the Aratubank, return it to us. It is our sacred object and the spirit of our ancestors. ¡°Heh.¡± - I may be a foolish ruler who sold off history, but I hope I can still take back some small good news. ¡®¡­Shit.¡¯ This was a request that was impossible to refuse and would inevitably evoke sympathy for the Red Foot orcs among the citizens of Seoul. Essentially, Master Bang had just requested the support of the people¡¯s hearts. ¡°...Alright. So, what¡¯s the second?¡± - Second. Waive the harsh tribute for just two days. Just today and tomorrow. We need money too, to bring more of our brothers here. And only when we have more brothers can we contribute more to this¡¯s development, don¡¯t you think? ¡°You don¡¯t mean to include the gate usage fee in that ¡®harsh tribute,¡¯ do you?¡± - I do. ¡®This bastard, should I kill him?¡¯ For a moment, murderous intent shed in Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes, but there were too many onlookers, and he couldn¡¯t draw his sword. Essentially, Master Bang was saying he wouldn¡¯t pay the 300 million that Yeongwoo had demanded. Moreover, he was asking for the basic daily tribute of 80 million to be waived for today and tomorrow as well. ¡°......¡± After thinking deeply, Yeongwoo cautiously sought apromise. ¡°At least cover the cost price. The money I initially spent includes the taxes collected from the people present here. Return that to me.¡± He was referring to the 100 million that had been spent to activate the gate in the first ce. Swoosh. When Yeongwoo signaled his counterpart to take a broader view, Master Bang took a step back. - Fine. I¡¯ll manage it somehow. ¡°Alright. What¡¯s thest promise I must make?¡± At this point, it seemed like Yeongwoo had done remarkably well. In reality, he hadn¡¯t lost much at all. In return for this negotiation, he was gaining a whopping 12 records of legendary feats. - What we wantst is... Atst, Master Bang presented his final condition. - Make us a ce in Seoul. ¡°...What? What did you say?¡± - If this is truly to be the capital of this in the future, we want to live in Seoul too. In short, he was asking for an autonomous district in Seoul for orcs. It was an extraordinary insight. Honestly, when else could orcs expect to im even a single room in Seoul if not now? And they weren¡¯t even human. ¡°Ah, well, that¡¯s... for now...¡± As Yeongwoo was struggling to respond to this unexpected request, the sky over Seoul suddenly darkened. Ssss... The nearby citizens, as if on cue, began checking their watches. ¡°Oh, no way.¡± ¡°Is it that time already?¡± ¡°Gasp. The time.¡± Realizing why the sky had turned that way, Yeongwoo quickly checked the time. The current time was 12:36 PM. There were about 24 minutes left until the appearance of the mutant. And the creature that began showing signs of arrival at this time was typically of only one kind. ¡°...A dragon.¡± As Yeongwoo muttered this, Master Bang¡¯s eyebrows twitched. - Little Foot, what did you just say? Yeongwoo raised his hand and pointed directly at the sky. ¡°If you really want to live in Seoul, watch closely what¡¯s about to happen. You¡¯ll realize that living here isn¡¯t as easy as you think.¡± At that moment, a massive bolt of lightning struck within the clouds, and an enormous presence began approaching. Gwoooooooo...! The third dragon had appeared in Seoul. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 305 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 305: The Sessor (4) "It''s... it''s a dragon!" "Ahhh!" "Run!" It was heartbreaking that people recognized the shadow in the sky as a ''dragon'' just by looking at it, but in Seoul, this was the reality, a part of everyday life. -What... what''s going on? Where is everyone going? As Master Bang looked at the people scattering in all directions nkly, Yeongwoo pointed to the sky. "I can''t guarantee that I''ll defeat the dragon this time either. So, people are taking precautions and leaving early." Of course, no matter how powerful the dragon was, it couldn''t use physical force before its scheduled appearance at 1 PM. And the fleeing citizens knew this from their previous two experiences. But their primal fear of dragons was so overwhelming that they instinctively fled the scene first. -A dragon really appears over the city? For a Red Foot Orc who had gone through entirely different trials on a different world, this was nothing short of astonishing. "Yes. You may not understand, but on Earth, humans who died in the past return as monsters." -...Why is that? "We decided to kill them. So, theye back for revenge." Reset is, by its nature, a cycle of immense karmic retribution. And some karmas were more unusual than others, such as the one tied to Jeong Yeongwoo07, the Strongest Sword of Korea. Born as the child of Song Jiseon, the youngest daughter of Jinhyeon Group, the secondrgest conglomerate in Korea, and Kim Jeonggu, a low-level human. But before ''Jeong Yeongwoo07'' even existed, the reset had already taken ce, so Song Jiseon was likely the first to be ensnared by this strange cycle of karma. Her transformation into a dragon was predetermined, even before Yeongwoo or Jeonggu had be the Strongest Sword. In other words, it was fated that Song Jiseon would return as a dragon in this world, but whether her son, Jeong Yeongwoo, would survive in the reset world and represent Seoul in the battle against dragons was not guaranteed. Thetter was only possible due to a series of incredible coincidences. But in the end... ¡®That¡¯s what happened. Now, every day at 1 PM, I wait for my mother and uncle to return.¡¯ Could this be called fate? Rumble! The sky, which had darkenedpletely, rumbled with loud thunder, prompting Yeongwoo to summon Negwig. Master Bang, watching the ominous sky, asked: -Small Foot, where are you going all of a sudden? Your brothers are here. He referred to the few citizens who hadn¡¯t fled the scene. But Yeongwoo had already climbed onto Negwig. Click! "The dragon won''t descend immediately. It will just mark its territory and then appear at 1 o¡¯clock." He pointed to the east. "I have an arena over there where I fight the dragon." -Arena? For the first time, Master Bang''s face showed interest. It seemed that the concept of dueling wasn''t unfamiliar to the Red Foot Orcs. "Yes. If I fight the dragon in the city, everyone will die." With that exnation, Yeongwoo gestured for him to get on the back seat, and Master Bang also climbed onto Negwig. Golden Goblin and Pofu Tenta, already seated, grimaced and made remarks: -Kee! Keeek! -Babat! All three of them were aliens, so the first two were asserting their territory out of seniority. Yeongwoo nced back and, while steering Negwig toward Gwangjin District, said: "Be friendly with your fellow foreign workers. If you survive the civil war, you¡¯ll see each other often." Master Bang, after thinking for a moment, asked Yeongwoo: -Where is thend you promised us? "Sorry?" -Thest promise. Thend. "Oh, you mean the autonomous district." He was referring to the third promise Master Bang had proposed: allowing Orcs to reside in Seoul. "If you really n to live in Seoul... two cese to mind right away." -Where are they? "One is Guro District. There was some trouble, so we evacuated most people there. As a result, it¡¯s mostly empty now." It was an ideal ce for relocating the Orcs, as no one lived there anymore and the buildings were rtively well-preserved. Though it seemed that Red Foot Orcs didn''t requirevish amodations, if they were to maintain Guro¡¯s housing, someone would have to stay there. -Guro District? What about the other one? Master Bang asked, a bit hopeful, and Yeongwoo pointed ahead. Swoosh. "Gwangjin District. Where we''re headed now, to the arena." -¡­What? "It¡¯s perfect, aside from being in ruins. It¡¯s connected to Gangnam, my district, and you can meet a dragon daily." Yeongwoo, even as he said this, wasn¡¯t sure if it sounded right, but he couldn¡¯t think of a better way to describe it. "And the southern part of Gwangjin District has a view of the Han River." -Han River view? "Yes. You can see the river from your house, though right now there aren¡¯t any houses in Gwangjin District... never mind, forget it." Just as he concluded that Guro District would make a better home for the Orcs, a massive lightning bolt split the sky in two. Crack! Boom! Atst, the third dragon began its contact with Seoul. ¡®Ah, finally.¡¯ A dragon. So far, the pattern had been consistent: people from wealthy families returned as dragons. The first mutant, conglomerate head Hongtae, turned into a fire dragon, andter, Im Kwangho and Song Taeho also turned out to be from powerful families. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] So today¡¯s dragon was likely... ¡®It¡¯s highly probable that the dragon returning today is also from a wealthy family.¡¯ After all, Song Taeho, who had appeared just before, was the eldest son of the Jinhyeon family. And Song Taeho was also the older brother of Yeongwoo''s biological mother, Song Jiseon. In other words, there was a high chance that today¡¯s dragon was also someone from the Jinhyeon family. Crack! Boom! As Negwig sped toward Gwangjin District, Master Bang sensed something and reached out, resting his hand on Yeongwoo''s shoulder. -Small Foot, your body is tense. What''s wrong? "I''m just thinking... there¡¯s a good chance I¡¯ll see my mother today." Yeongwoo spoke his thoughts candidly, causing Master Bang to raise an eyebrow. -Your mother? Then he lifted his head to look at the sky again. Though it was still only approaching 1 PM, the sky was as dark as night. Could it be that Small Foot¡¯s mother was up there beyond that dark sky? -Small Foot, are you not truly a human child? "My mother is no longer human, that''s all. Please, mind your words." Yeongwoo muttered the line through his teeth while ncing backward. ¡ª Huuuaah...! A loud sound came from the sky, shaking the entire area¡¯s air. It felt as though something that had been in a deep sleep was finally stretching and letting out a shout. -What, what was that? Bantubangtong flinched in surprise, but Yeongwoo put his index finger to his lips. "Be quiet, they¡¯ll introduce themselves soon." Introducing oneself immediately upon arrival and seeking out an opponent was characteristic of dragons. Every dragon Yeongwoo had encountered was the same. Even though they were all from different prominent families, they shared this trait. However, the dragon that appeared this time seemed a little different. ¡ª What the hell? Instead of introducing itself, it spat out a curse. ¡ª What¡¯s going on here? Did Ie to the wrong ce? "Ah." Yeongwoo immediately understood what the dragon was talking about. It was referring to thepletely changed scenery of Metal Seoul. The city would look like a vast expanse of ash from the sky. And thanks to the characteristic texture of metal, the whole city probably resembled a circuit board from above. ¡ª Hey! I think there was a transport error! Dammit! The third dragon was shouting at something or someone in the distance. Judging by the sense of distance in its voicepared to before, it seemed to be yelling toward the sky, not the ground. In other words, the dragonined to some entity responsible for sending it here. ¡®What the¡­ Did a lunatic just show up?¡¯ As Yeongwoo was thinking this, Master Bang cautiously spoke from behind. -Little Foot. "Yes?" -That dragon... It¡¯s speaking exactly like you. "...What?" Frowning, Yeongwoo turned around, and only then did he understand what he meant. "You¡¯re saying it talks like me? No way." Yeongwoo denied the im and was about to look back toward the sky when¡ª Kwooooom! The sky shed again, and a colossal shadow appeared beyond the ck clouds. ¡ª Uh. "W-what?" Though dragons were generallyrge, what they saw just now was... "Was that¡­ a whale or something?" Even if you floated a real whale in the sky, it wouldn¡¯t match the silhouette they had just seen. The dragon¡¯s wings literally covered the entire sky. The body was easily over 100 meters long. -That kind of thing appears in Seoul regrly¡­? Master Bang, who now seemed to grasp the true nature of living in Seoul, looked at Yeongwoo with a tense expression. And at that moment¡ª ¡ª Is there no one here?! Whoever you are, take my mark! I won¡¯t kill you immediately! Failing to get a proper response from the universe, the dragon was now looking for a challenger. Yeongwoo, as if he had been waiting for this, drew Bastard and prepared to answer the call. Kwooooom! Once again, the sky shed, and the third dragon revealed its identity. ¡ª I am Song Jiseon, from Earth! "...What? Song¡­." Song Jiseon. Chairwoman of the Jinhyeon family, the second most powerful conglomerate in the country. And Jeong Yeongwoo07¡¯s... "...Mother?" As soon as Yeongwoo realized the dragon¡¯s identity, the Aratubank held in his left hand began to vibrate violently. The mythical shield¡¯s most peculiar effect, "Funeral Casket," had been triggered. ¡¾Coffin¡¿ | You can ce blood rtives into the coffin. Special effects are granted depending on the phase and condition of the stored targets. (0/2) In the meantime, Song Jiseon, mistaking the fear of the alien residents of the metal city as a sign of weakness,ughed loudly. ¡ª Hahaha, you pathetic weaklings! Is no one daring to stand before me? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 306 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 306: The Sessor (5) As he heard the roughughter of his mother resounding from above, Yeongwoo recalled something. ¡ª You won¡¯t be able to handle that guy. He¡¯s my brother, but he¡¯s a total maniac. It was a warning left by his eldest uncle, Song Taeho, who had returned as Steel-Dragon but had yet to see the second uncle return. However, the real warning Song Taeho had wanted to convey came after that. ¡ª But what''s scarier than him¡­ is your mother. Your mother. Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s biological mother, Song Jiseon. The entire country knew that Song Jiseon, the youngest daughter of the Jinhyeon Group, had defeated her two older brothers in the battle for control over thepany. Although Yeongwoo didn¡¯t know much about it, the two older brothers whopeted with Song Jiseon were notorious troublemakers in business circles and the public eye. The eldest son, Song Taeho, often made verbal gaffes due to his arrogance and sense of entitlement, while the second son, Song Jeongho, was known for his entric personality and frequent involvement in scandals, both big and small. Yet, it was said that the youngest daughter, Song Jiseon, was even scarier than these two problematic figures. What kind of person was she? ¡®What kind of person? Probably aplete tyrant.¡¯ Even though he had never met his mother in person, Yeongwoo instinctively understood. ¡ª Hah-hah! Is there truly no one here? Yeongwoo could sense that Song Jiseon must have been quite the force of nature during her human years as well. After all, even now, she believed she was on an alien, yet she showed no signs of being daunted. It was impossible to imagine just how intimidating she must have been in her youth. ¡®Of course, you¡¯d need to be like that to defeat your chaebol brothers and rise to the top.¡¯ As Yeongwoo gulped nervously, Master Bang, who was also looking up at the sky, muttered to himself. ¡ª Is that really¡­ your mother? ¡°¡­Yes. I¡¯m not sure whether that¡¯s a good or bad thing, but at least she seems healthy.¡± Even from the enormous shadow glimpsed through the clouds, it was evident how triumphant her return was. ¡®Maybe the original future of Seoul was meant to be reduced to ashes by Song Jiseon.¡¯ Yeongwoo scratched his chin while marveling at the silhouette of his mother, which impressed him every time he saw it. Just two days ago, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to muster the confidence to face that silhouette. But now things were different. Though he had been branded a "mistake of the Jinhyeon family" by his eldest uncle, Yeongwoo had never needed the "Jinhyeon" name in the first ce. ¡®This is Metal Seoul, the special city of Dogo. There¡¯s no ce for the ghosts of the old world!¡¯ Whoosh! Finally, Yeongwoo drew his de, Bastard, just as the iron hooves of Negwig smashed into the ground of Gwangjin-gu. Boom! Atst, they had arrived at the arena Yeongwoo had set up in the heart of Seoul. ¡ª So, this is the ce¡­? As Master Bang looked around at the ruins of Gwangjin-gu, Yeongwoo nodded. ¡°Yes. When strong opponents appear, I usually lure them here and beat them down. I even dealt with one of my uncles here.¡± As Yeongwoo said this, he touched the area near his heart, though Master Bang couldn¡¯t begin to guess the reason for that gesture. ¡ª So, you intend to meet your mother here¡­? Finally confronted with the grim nature of Mayor Jeong Yeongwoo, Master Bang recoiled. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo had already raised Bastard towards the sky. Swoosh! ¡°Mother¡­!¡± As the Bastard¡¯s powerful cry reverberated through the air, the massive shadow beyond the clouds flinched for a moment. ¡ª ¡­What? It was a reaction from Song Jiseon. However, she had no idea that the cry she heard referred to her as ¡°mother¡± and instead was surprised by something else entirely. ¡ª Who¡¯s there? Could it be a human? Song Jiseon was startled simply by hearing a familiarnguage in this city of steel. At that moment, Yeongwoo directed Negwig towards the center of Gwangjin-gu and swung the Bastard once again. Whoosh! ¡°Mother! Over here! Give me the sign!¡± And then Song Jiseon responded immediately. ¡ª What are you talking about? Who¡¯s your mother? A massive presence stirred above, and the shadow looming over the clouds grew evenrger. Song Jiseon was descending closer to the ground. ¡ª I-I can¡¯t believe it¡­ Her enormous shadow was so intimidating that even the fearsome red-wed Bantubangtong felt a sense of dread. But Yeongwoo¡­ ¡°Who else? You¡¯re my mother!¡± ¡­responded without a hint of fear, provoking her further. ¡°Aren¡¯t you Song Jiseon of the Jinhyeon Group?¡± ¡ª What¡­? Hearing the name "Jinhyeon" seemed to trigger something in Song Jiseon, as she fell silent for a moment before responding in a voice of shock. ¡ª No way¡­ this ce is¡­? Finally, she realized. She was looking at Seoul, South Korea. ¡ª What kind of mess has been made here? As soon as Song Jiseon expressed her frustration, Yeongwoo shouted back at her. ¡°Come on, we don¡¯t have time for this. Just give me the mark!¡± The reason Yeongwoo was so obsessed with the mark of the dragon¡¯s adversary was for the protection of the city. Although Seoul was reinforced with steel, Song Jiseon was no ordinary dragon either. ¡ª What? You bastard! What did you just call me? As expected, Song Jiseon¡¯s temper red, and a stream of curses came flying out of her mouth. Soon, a bright red mark descended toward Yeongwoo¡¯s head. Whoosh! Ping! Tracing a long arc in the air, itnded directly on Yeongwoo¡¯s head. It was none other than the adversary¡¯s mark. ¡¸General¡¹ The character for "general", given to the one who would face the dragon on behalf of the entire city. When the designated time arrived, the dragon would descend where the mark was ced. ¡®Finally!¡¯ Confirming the mark had been secured on his head, Yeongwoo, with apletely different attitude, addressed his mother with newfound respect. ¡°Mother! Pleasee down so we can talk!¡± Then, thunder echoed in the sky, and Song Jiseon¡¯s voice boomed down. ¡ª You moronic bastard, calling me your mother¡­ She seemed annoyed as she spoke, but suddenly, she fell silent. ¡°¡­!¡± Yeongwoo widened his eyes, watching the massive shadow soaring through the clouds. ¡°You remember, don¡¯t you? You know it¡¯s me, right?¡± Though Yeongwoo pressed for an answer, no response came. Instead, filled with certainty, he shouted toward the sky. ¡°You¡¯re my mother, aren¡¯t you? Even if you don¡¯t recognize me, you must remember giving birth to me!¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s desperate cry, Song Jiseon, who had been flying above, suddenly stopped all movement. Swoosh! ¡°Wha¡­?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] As the enormous shadow disappeared from view, a moment of intense fury overtook Yeongwoo, and he leapt off the precipice at Negwig, clutching Bastard in his arms. Taat! "Song Jiseon! Where did you go? Are you abandoning me again...!" But before Yeongwoo could finish his sentence, beams of light shot down from the skies all over Seoul. Paaaah! "...!" These were the marks of the mutants and monsters. The time had already reached 1 PM. At that exact moment, the ceremonial act unique to the dragon race began. ¡¸An [Abnormal Weather] ice storm has formed in Gwangjin-gu.¡¹ ¡®Ice storm?¡¯ Before Yeongwoo could even process the thought, the sky turned a deep blue and began to freeze. Crack! The ice storm had the terrifying ability to freeze an entire area solid. Even worse, Song Jiseon''s influence wasn¡¯t limited to Gwangjin-gu; it spread to the outskirts of neighboring regions, suspending the monsters that had just started to descend along the beams of light midair. ¡®Freezing an entire space? Is this even possible?¡¯ Crackle, crackle... Noticing the air itself beginning to crystallize over Gwangjin-gu, Yeongwoo quickly shouted out. "Are you nning to kill your husband too? You can¡¯t kill me with this! But Jeonggu, he¡¯s weak; he¡¯ll freeze to death!" He said this to save Master Bang, the Golden Goblin, and Pofu Tenta, who were also present. Since he couldn¡¯t make her understand the value of the Orc Lord, he instead sold out their only connection¡ªher father. This strategy proved quite effective. Crack! Suddenly, the ice ceiling over Gwangjin-gu shattered, and Song Jiseon, Yeongwoo¡¯s biological mother, appeared. ¡ªHusband? What aughable term. That means nothing to me. Roooar! With a chilling presence, Song Jiseon appeared, her entire body covered in translucent scales, revealing her as a massive ice dragon. Boom! As shended on the ground and pressed her front foot against the earth, the ground beneath her froze and turned a deathly blue. [Chaebol Leader¡ªSong Jiseon] ¡®...Are you kidding me?¡¯ Seeing the title "Chaebol Leader" for the first time since the reset, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t even keep his eyes open in her presence. In fact, her entire body was radiating so brightly. "Goddamn, she''s huge, and now she¡¯s got a blinding light attack too? That¡¯s not fair." While Yeongwoo muttered a sarcastic remark, Song Jiseon¡¯s blue eyebrows twitched, sensing something odd. ¡ªWhat exactly are you? Just as Yeongwoo guessed, Song Jiseon was an enormous dragon with a total length of about 250 meters. Due to her long neck, standing upright meant she was looking down at Yeongwoo from nearly 100 meters above. "Can you even see me from up there? How abouting down so we can talk? Can''t you polymorph or something?" Recalling his great-uncle who had charged at him as a knight, Yeongwoo made a suggestion, and Song Jiseon¡¯s anger red again. ¡ªStop spouting nonsense and answer my question. You can¡¯t even breathe without my permission. Don¡¯t test my patience, I¡¯ve spared you a thousand times already. Her words were chilling. Her translucent scales revealed blue blood coursing beneath, indicating her genuine rage. But Yeongwoo was also holding back to some extent. "Seriously, exaggerating much? You think I¡¯m not sparing you? You want me to put you in a coffin right now?" This wasn¡¯t entirely empty bravado¡ªhis left arm, holding ''Aratubank,'' was trembling with wild energy. ¡ªHmph, just die. As Song Jiseon¡¯s eyes turned cold and she prepared to freeze the entire area again... "Wait a moment...!" From a distance, a frantic voice called out. "...Huh?" Yeongwoo turned his head toward the source of the voice, and there, rushing toward them, was none other than Kim Jeonggu, Yeongwoo¡¯s biological father, certified by the universe. "Both of you, stop! Please stop!" Without even holding a weapon, Jeonggu iled his arms as he ran toward them, looking every bit the pitiful father. His eyes were filled with worry and fear. Tat-tat! Yet, courageously stepping into the icy storm, Jeonggu quickly checked Yeongwoo''s condition and then gazed up at the sky. He looked up at Song Jiseon, the ice dragon, with whom he once spent a passionate night. "Ji, Jiseon! No, Lady Jiseon!" Waving his arms toward the sky in a panic, Song Jiseon finally lowered her stiffly held head for the first time. Groooooan... She lowered her head to take a closer look at the tiny man beneath her, who seemed like an ant. ¡ªDo you know me? Panting heavily, Jeonggu began nervously wringing his hands together. "Do... do you remember? That one time..." Carefully choosing his words, Jeonggu finally managed to extract a historically significant name for the two of them. "Re..." ¡ª...! Song Jiseon¡¯s pupils began to widen. And almost simultaneously, Jeonggu finished his sentence. "Renaissance in Bulgwang-dong... Do you remember...?" ¡ª... What happened next, neither Yeongwoo, Jeonggu, nor even Song Jiseon herself could have predicted. After hearing Jeonggu¡¯s words, Song Jiseon opened her massive jaws and unleashed a breath attack. ¡ªDieeeeeeee! At that moment, Yeongwoo raised his Aratubank, as if he had been waiting for this. "Well, damn..." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 307 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 307: The Sessor (6) Crashhhhh! The breath of the Ice Dragon, Song Jiseon, descended like a massive waterfall. It was no wonder¡ªher upper body alone stretched over 100 meters long. Shatterrrrr! The force of the icy breath, which froze everything in its path and cascaded from 100 meters above, was beyond imagination. Of course, the fact that Yeongwoo was blocking this power shocked everyone present. ¡°Are you insane? Trying to kill everyone here?¡± As Yeongwoo raised his mythical shield, Aratubank, a protective barrier formed in a gentle arc around him. One of Aratubank''s unique effects, ¡°Immunity,¡± had been activated. ¡¾Immunity¡¿ | This shield cannot be destroyed and can block most non-physical damage and mental attacks. And above them... Crackkkkk! The enraged breath of the Ice Dragon poured down like andslide. ¡ªI will erase everything...! The fierce attack was as if she intended to grind all of Gwangjin-gu to dust. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo nced at Jeonggu, who had taken refuge under the shield. ¡°Seems like her memories of my father are pretty terrible, huh?¡± Surprisingly, Jeonggu nodded without much resistance. ¡°I guess so...¡± After all, Jeonggu had no real say in this. The only wrong Jeonggu had suffered was that someone iming to be his son hade at him with a sword, but Song Jiseon had given birth to Yeongwoo herself. Unlike Jeonggu, Song Jiseon had been tormented by ¡°that event¡± even before the reset. ¡°What now?¡± As Yeongwoo held the shield for a while, he asked, to which Jeonggu looked up and replied, ¡°Huh? What?¡± ¡°Mother. Isn¡¯t it your responsibility to handle this, since you''re the father?¡± Crasssshhhh! Even as they spoke, Song Jiseon¡¯s wrath poured down from the sky like divine punishment, and in the midst of the sound of shattering ice, Jeonggu squeezed in his line. ¡°What... what do you mean? She¡¯s your mother!¡± ¡°What the hell? Did she have me alone? You were her partner, too, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°......¡± Partner. Jeonggu was momentarily at a loss for words at Yeongwoo¡¯s perfectly fitting expression. Sure, they weren¡¯t married, nor had they made any promises about their future, so she wasn¡¯t his wife. But calling her a girlfriend didn¡¯t seem quite right either. Their connection was only that one night several decades ago. ¡°Well... yeah. Partner.¡± Jeonggu, now looking somber, repeated the word ¡°partner¡± quietly. Then, suddenly, his face hardened, and he red at Yeongwoo. ¡°Hey, listen. She might be my partner, but she¡¯s your mother, so technically, you¡¯re closer to her than I am!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I mean, go talk to Jiseon. Get her to calm down!¡± ¡°You cowardly bastard.¡± ¡°What?¡± As Yeongwoo and Jeonggu traded insults, the Master Bang who had crawled under the shield pointed outside. ¡ªBrother, that looks dangerous. ¡°Huh?¡± Yeongwoo peeked around the side of the shield and saw that Song Jiseon¡ªhis mother¡ªhad raised her forepaw for the first time. Crackkkkk. ¡°Huh?¡± At first, he thought she was about to strike with her paw, but then... Whoooshhh! A bright light began to gather in the sky. ¡°She¡¯s going tounch a barrage!¡± Yeongwoo realized his mother was about to make her move. Fweeeeeeeeeee! Indeed, from where Song Jiseon hovered high in the sky, beams of light were pointing straight down, followed by a massive surge of energy. ¡°Ugh! Y-Yeongwoo!¡± Gripping his son¡¯s shoulder desperately, Jeonggu clung to him with all his might. However, Cosmic Etiquette over Yeongwoo¡¯s shoulders, along with his full Vesedel armor, shrugged off Jeonggu¡¯s grasp. ¡°Argh...!¡± At that moment, Jeonggu had a realization. Even if he died here at Jiseon¡¯s hand, his son would surely survive. But his survival instincts still pushed him to ask desperately: ¡°C-can you block that? You can, right?¡± Even Yeongwoo himself... nce. ...turned to the Master Bang, who was standing beside him. ¡°Master Bang, can Aratubank withstand this?¡± But before the Martial Artist could respond, another massive spear of energy mmed into Aratubank''s protective barrier. BOOOOM! An ominous sound echoed from the other side of the barrier, but everyone, including Yeongwoo, was still alive. ¡ªO-of course. The ancestors left Aratubank to protect us. Master Bang wiped the sweat from his brow. Then Yeongwoo, gripping the illegitimate sword tightly, turned back toward his mother. ¡°I¡¯ll try to distract her. All of you, get out of here. You¡¯re just in the way.¡± But Jeonggu gently grabbed his son¡¯s right arm, the one holding the sword, and spoke seriously: ¡°What¡¯s your n? You¡¯re not thinking of doing something to your mother, are you? That¡¯s not right.¡± ¡°You still have feelings for her, I see.¡± ¡°I¡¯m doing this for you. She¡¯s still your mother, after all. Not my wife, but...¡± Jeonggu, for all it was worth, was still Yeongwoo¡¯s father. So he was trying to give his son some advice. ¡°But Mother¡¯s too strong. If she really tries to kill us, I won¡¯t have a choice.¡± If it weren¡¯t for Yeongwoo, Seoul would have already been destroyed the moment Song Jiseon appeared. Her power was beyond what a mere ¡°Strongest Sword¡± could handle. ¡®What kind of monster appears just one week after thest one? What¡¯s going to show up tomorrow?¡¯ As Yeongwoo frowned at the thought, another spear of energy formed in the sky. Fweeeeeeeeeee! ¡°Mother! Are you really going to kill both your son and your former partner? We¡¯re still family, aren¡¯t we?¡± Yeongwoo hid behind Aratubank, shouting up at the sky. Enraged, Song Jiseon bared her enormous fangs. ¡ªYou damn bastard! Without a moment''s hesitation, she plunged her spear down again. Kwaaaak! "It''sing again!" Despite Yeongwoo''s urgent cry, all he had to do was hold up his shield. Thunk! Once again, an enormous pressure fell on the protective barrier, but neither Yeongwoo nor the Aratubank budged. "Whew." Calling out to the Negwig who had been running around in the distance, Yeongwoo then spoke to his father, Master Bang, and the two ves. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Ride Negwig and escape. I''ll handle my mother somehow." Immediately, as another ominous presence surged from above, Jeonggu and Master Bang silently climbed onto the Negwig. "Yeongwoo! Take care of Jiseon!" From atop the swiftly fleeing Negwig, Jeonggu left behind an ultimately useless plea. Naturally, this drew attention. ¡ªWhere the hell does he think he''s going? Song Jiseon, the ice dragon, turned her massive head and couldn''t help but notice the high-speed escape of the Negwig. To her eyes, it looked like her son was being abandoned as they fled. ¡ªStop right there! In the end, Song Jiseon, having resolved to put her past to rest once and for all, opened her jaws wide and began preparing a breath attack. At that moment, Yeongwoounched his first-ever attack against his mother. "Forgive me, Mother! But abandoning your child is no small sin either!" Taak! As Yeongwoo swiftly moved forward, removing his guard, Song Jiseon detected his fast, albeit small, presence and rolled her eyes. ¡ªThis little brat... he''s quick... But before she could finish her thought, Yeongwoo''s sword aimed directly at one of Song Jiseon¡¯s arms, which was resting on the ground. Sssssssh! Especially notable was Yeongwoo''s sword, Bastard , a weapon meant for those of lower status. ¡¾challenger¡¿ |Combat abilities increase dramatically when fighting beings of higher rank. Thanks to the Challenger effect, Yeongwoo''s amplified attack power was something even the dragon Song Jiseon could clearly feel. ¡ª...! Suddenly aware of her son¡¯s enhanced presence, Song Jiseon¡¯s eyes widened as The Bastard''s de shed across her foot. Ssssssh! As expected, even his mother''s body wasn''t quite at the level of "myth." ¡®Her size makes it easy to hit no matter how I swing!¡¯ As Yeongwoo admired his mother''s enormous form and prepared to swing his sword again, Song Jiseon''s entire body, covered in semi-transparent scales, emitted a dazzling light. "...Ugh! Is she transforming?" The light was so blinding that Yeongwoo could barely keep his eyes open, but even then, he stabbed The Bastard into the spot where he''d swung earlier. Thwack! "Are you really going all out against your own son? Are you actually trying to kill me?" Finally, from within the brilliance, Song Jiseon''s voice echoed out. ¡ªIf you truly are my son, then you''re my biggest mistake... no, my w! Mistake. "......!" At that word, Yeongwoo could only grit his teeth. After all, he had heard the same words from his maternal uncle: "You are the Jinhyeon family''s mistake." "You guys are making a big mistake with me." With these words, Yeongwoo yanked the sword from where it was embedded. At the same time, Song Jiseon''s massive form began to shrink rapidly. ''She''s doing it.'' Swoooosh! Polymorph. His mother, like his maternal uncle Song Taeho, was capable of transformation. Swish! Now, standing before him was Song Jiseon, transformed into a swordsman standing at a towering height of 3 meters. d in grayish-white armor with long white hair flowing in the air, Song Jiseon reappeared in a form that made it clear she was an opponent no one should dare to face. Her helmet was adorned with a dragon head design resembling her form as an ice dragon, and in her right hand, she wielded a massive sword seemingly made of ice. Thud! Afterpleting her transformation, Song Jiseon thrust her sword into the ground, and an icy coldness shot up like a fountain. Sssshhhh! ;Phew, her aura is different from Uncle¡¯s.¡¯ Yeongwoo had encountered many powerful opponents before, but this was the first time an enemy had looked this overwhelmingly strong. It made sense, given that the power in her former massive form was now concentrated in this body. And then, suddenly¡ª Swoooosh! Two beams of light shot from the direction of Gangnam-gu and fell directly on both Yeongwoo and Song Jiseon. Bang! Bang! ¡ªWhat is that? "......?" For the first time, both of them were simultaneously shocked, and the source of the light soon revealed itself. ¡¸Due to the detection of a dragon in the area, the Guardian Dragon function has been activated.¡¹ "Huh?" ¡¾Guardian Dragon¡¿ This was a special function tied to the iron core of the Toma. ¡¾Guardian Dragon¡¿ |Increases all #dragon-type abilities by 20% within the reinforced area. ''Wait, why is this affecting me too?'' Looking up, Yeongwoo saw a dragon-shaped mark above his head. It signified that his stats had been boosted by 20% since he was currently ssified as a "dragon" in Metal Seoul. Song Jiseon was just as confused by this fact. ¡ªWhy are you ssified as a dragon? In other words, she was asking how he had inherited the privileges of a powerful family. In response, Yeongwoo carefully ced his hand over his heart. ''Uncle?'' The only exnation was that he carried the blood of his maternal uncle Song Taeho, who had left behind the heart of a great dragon. "Ah... so blood is thicker than water, after all?" As Yeongwoo looked up at the sky with eyes filled with madness, dark clouds began to gather within the icy heavens of Gwangjin-gu. ¡ª...? This caused Song Jiseon to look up as well, and soon she saw it too. Krazzzaaat! A storm of iron rain began pouring down, breaking through the cold sky. This was the dragon etiquette tied to the heart of a great dragon, Iron Rain ¡ªa strange weather phenomenon. "Mother! Uncle sends his regards!" ¡ªWhat? "He says, ''Don''t make your son too angry! I learned that the hard way!''" ¡ªWha... What is he talking about, this madman? As Song Jiseon gripped her sword tighter, taking a battle stance, her son, Jeong Yeongwoo, lunged at her like a demon. "Mother! It''s time to face your karma!" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 308 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 308: The Sessor (7) A Huge Karma. In the case of Jeonggu, Yeongwoo¡¯s biological father, it was natural that his son''s existence hadn¡¯t felt real for a long time. Though it was true that he had unwittingly created a person named Jeong Yeongwoo, he had never actually seen the result. Thus, while Jeong Yeongwoo¡¯s existence was undeniable, Jeonggu had no knowledge of it. However, Jiseon, Yeongwoo¡¯s biological mother, was different. As the one who physically gave birth to Jeong Yeongwoo, Jiseon knew well that her son existed in this world. Yet, she hadn¡¯t anticipated that her son, grown and strong, would one daye to find her. She had discarded both her past and the illegitimate child along with it. By doing so, Song Jiseon umted a significant karmic debt, and now that karma was returning to her in this new and more brutal world. ¡°Motherrrr!¡± As the Conqueror King, supported by 76.8% of the Korean Penins¡¯s poption, charged at her, even Song Jiseon, who didn¡¯t know the true extent of her opponent¡¯s power, felt a chill down her spine. ¡ªW-What¡¯s going on with this guy? The movement of the illegitimate son, wielding a zing red sword, was far from ordinary. Swiishhh! The red de came toward her faster than she couldprehend, and Song Jiseon hurriedly raised her great sword to block the attack. ng! Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at the impact. ¡°As expected¡­!¡± It was no wonder. His mother, once a conglomerate chairwoman, had been sent here equipped with the means to counter mythical powers. ¡°You still hold onto privileges, even in this world!¡± As Yeongwoo prepared for a second attack with his eyes glinting fiercely, Jiseon retorted in an extremely irritated tone. ¡ªWhat are you talking about? I haven¡¯t even regained half the power I lost. Before Yeongwoo couldunch his second attack, Jiseon swung her sword first. Swish! A massive diagonal sh from bottom to top. ¡°Ah!¡± Sensing the ominous energy, Yeongwoo pulled his Aratubank shield toward him before he could even check the holographic guide. And then¡ª Crash! His mother¡¯s blue great sword scraped roughly across the surface of Aratubank. ¡®Has she gone mad?¡¯ Yeongwoo realized that his mother¡¯s attack speed had been faster than the holographic guide¡¯s warning. Without Aratubank''s unreasonable defense, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to block the attack. ¡ªDamn it. Song Jiseon also felt frustration when she saw Yeongwoo¡¯s strange shield. Despite returning with the prestige of a conglomerate head, she couldn¡¯t even cut down her illegitimate son. ¡ªIf you really are my son, shouldn¡¯t you let your mother pass? Finally, instead of attacking, Song Jiseon began to talk. She had finally recognized Yeongwoo as someone she couldn¡¯t easily step over. Atst, she had a reason tomunicate with her son. ¡°And what exactly is your path? Isn''t it just turning Seoul into a sea of ice or fire?¡± As Yeongwoo asked, staring at his mother¡¯s cold blue sword, the former ¡°Iron-Blooded Empress¡± and Ice Dragon Song Jiseon sneered. ¡ªHa, Seoul? You really think I care about something as trivial as Seoul at this point? ¡°¡­What? Weren¡¯t you here to take revenge on the people?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected answer, and Jiseon continued. ¡ªWhat¡¯s the point of venting my anger on those worms now? It¡¯s only natural that they hate us, like breathing. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but be shocked by her words. Among all the dragon-blooded conglomerate heads he had met, Jiseon was the first who didn¡¯t harbor resentment toward the world. ¡°If you¡¯re not here for revenge, why did you return? You could have chosen not to mutate in the first ce.¡± Yeongwoo asked, and Jiseon raised her left hand as if to p him. ¡ªUgh, you brat. Who said I wasn¡¯t going to take revenge? Are you insane? ¡°¡­What nonsense? You just said taking it out on people was pointless.¡± ¡ªExactly. Why take revenge on the wrong people? ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡ªDo you me the water if a dam breaks and a flood happens? You should catch the one who broke the dam and beat them to death. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± It made sense. As someone who had fought through fierce sibling rivalry to rise to the top, her mindset was different from the dragons Yeongwoo had encountered so far. ¡®¡­Her perspective is out of this world.¡¯ To Jiseon, the public wasn¡¯t even worthy of any emotional consideration. Just as water flows from high to low, it was natural for hatred to rise from the masses to the elite in her view. Yet in the ¡°real world,¡± this hatred couldn¡¯t materialize on its own. But now, someone had caused a crack in the once-imprable dam, allowing the masses¡¯ hatred to take physical form. That¡¯s what Song Jiseon was pointing out. ¡®There really is a madwoman here. No wonder everyone else seemed like background noise to her.¡¯ It made sense now. That¡¯s why she could throw away even her own son, as if he were just part of the background. ¡®Did she see her son as background too? And just toss him somewhere far away?¡¯ ¡°¡­¡­¡± He felt like he couldn¡¯t breathe. Swish. In the meantime, Jiseon raised her sword, which had been pointed at Yeongwoo, toward the sky. Swiish! ¡ªSeoul is just a stepping stone. The ones I must take revenge on are the ones who caused this reset! Dering war on the heavens themselves. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Watching his mother ranting furiously, Yeongwoo sensed an opportunity for negotiation. ¡°But?¡± ¡ªWhat? ¡°How exactly are you going to take that revenge? You don¡¯t even know who your enemy is or how to meet them, do you?¡± ¡ªWell¡­ Hearing Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Jiseon finally took a look around at the unfamiliarndscape of Metal Seoul. It urred to her that she knew nothing about this strange world. Had her goal been simple revenge on the masses, it wouldn¡¯t have mattered¡ªafter all, it was a world she nned to destroy anyway. But everything changed if her goal was to find and kill the root cause of all this. ¡ªThen what about you? Do you know the way? Jiseon asked, and instead of lying, Yeongwoo responded honestly. ¡°No? Not yet.¡± ¡ªWhat? ¡°But I¡¯m the one with the highest chance of finding out. By an overwhelming margin.¡± And this choice was quite astute. Song Jiseon, a born businesswoman, felt a strange trust in Yeongwoo''s manner of expression. ¡ªOverwhelmingly likely? Why do you think that? Song Jiseon asked, giving Yeongwoo another opportunity, and this time, Yeongwoo, the ¡®mistake¡¯ of the Jin family and an illegitimate child, finally pulled out the name of Dogo. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Dogo." ¡ª...What? "I''m the only one bringing¡¸Dogo¡¹ to Seoul as a sponsor, aiming to elevate the status of our." ¡ªThe status of... the? From inside her solid helmet, Song Jiseon¡¯s look of bewilderment was clear. Without flinching, Yeongwoo raised his sword skyward, following his mother. Swoosh. "Yes. I''m the human closest to space. So who else but me could find the culprit of this?" This was mostly true, but it was a im Song Jiseon, who had just arrived in this world, found hard to ept all at once. Could that newborn she abandoned decades ago have grown into such a terrifying being? ¡ªHe''s... insane. Song Jiseon swallowed hard within her helmet. Yeongwoo''s im was absurd, but she couldn¡¯t ignore the vast meaning embedded in the name¡¸Dogo¡¹ he had just spoken. So she couldn¡¯t outright deny it. This madman, the existence of Dogo, Seoul¡¯s sponsor, and the strange structure of the universe. "Crazy? Of course. What did you expect from a child abandoned in this world without parents?" When Yeongwoo shouted like this with the title of orphan and son, even the formidable Song Jiseon hesitated. ¡ªWell... And wasn¡¯t he the human currently closest to space? She didn¡¯t fully grasp that this was her son, but if she had to have a child, better a special one than a normal one. Although this wasn¡¯t just special¡ªit was beyond that. And more importantly, this monster was not easy to kill. ¡ªPhew. Finally, Song Jiseon let out a long sigh and uttered something shocking. ¡ªYeah. You''ve grown well. Bing an astronaut without your mother¡¯s support. "...What?" Now it was Yeongwoo who was surprised. Such a quick change of attitude? "What are you talking about all of a sudden?" ¡ªWhat do you mean, what? Didn¡¯t you just say it? I¡¯m your mother. Song Jiseon¡¯s voice didn¡¯t waver, and instead, Yeongwoo¡¯s pupils trembled. "Right? It''s been cosmically confirmed that I''m Kim Jeonggu''s biological son, and so the Song Jiseon who met Kim Jeonggu in Bulgwang-dong is¡ª" ¡ªUgh, damn it! That¡¯s right, you brat! At the word ¡°Bulgwang-dong,¡± Song Jiseon momentarily lost herposure and waved her greatsword in frustration. ¡ªI am! Your mother! "Excuse me?" Yeongwoo blinked, thinking he must have misheard, but Song Jiseon repeated herself in a clear voice. ¡ªI¡¯ll give it a try! I¡¯m your mother! And from now on, you¡¯re my son! This was a huge decision for Song Jiseon, and she awkwardly spread her arms. ¡ªW-Wee! My son! In her gesture, offering a hug, Yeongwoo stood there, dumbfounded, before taking a step forward. nk. The boots of his Vesedel armor made a sharp metallic sound, and the red aura of the cursed sword, Bastard, moved closer to Song Jiseon. Since his mother was holding a sword while offering a hug, Yeongwoo still had his own sword in hand. "...Is this right? Hugging while both holding swords?" Yeongwoo nced sideways at his mother¡¯s icy greatsword and asked. Song Jiseon chuckled from inside her helmet. ¡ªWe aren¡¯t exactly on terms to meet unarmed, are we? "...True." For some reason, Yeongwoo quickly epted and nodded. And then. nk. He boldly took another step forward. Ssshhh. As he made arge step, the demonic energy of Bastard made Song Jiseon flinch momentarily, but she didn¡¯t retract her outstretched arms. In fact, she even¡ª ¡ªMy son, it seems you''ve grown strong. With a firm resolve, she gritted her teeth and took a step toward him. Now, the two were only about a handspan apart. Yeongwoo carefully slipped his arms under his mother¡¯s, attempting a hug. "Mother." ¡ªSon...! Perhaps for the first time in history, a fully armored hug. This strange hug felt oddly unique for Yeongwoo, who had only ever shaken hands with mutants. ng! And so, the mother and son of a fallen world seeded in their cold embrace, allowing each to see the other¡¯s back. Though fully armored, paradoxically, they were now more vulnerable to attack. "You¡¯ve acknowledged me as your son, though you probably have ulterior motives... What do you n to do now?" Yeongwoo asked, still holding his mother. Looking down at her son¡¯s back, Song Jiseon replied. ¡ªSo, what can you do for me, this mother of yours? "Me?" Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze naturally fell upon the Aratubank he held in his left hand. The myth-level casket for his kin. "And what about you, Mother? What can you do for your son?" ¡ªMe? Of course... While Song Jiseon¡¯s cold mind was spinning, Yeongwoo¡¯s achievement system, which had been dormant for a while, suddenly activated. ¡¸Achievement, ¡®Complete Orphan,¡¯ has weakened.¡¹ ¡¸You can now start a new family achievement.¡¹ ¡®Huh...?¡¯ Then, beneath ¡°Complete Orphan,¡± a new achievement appeared. [Complete Orphan] | Find and eliminate your parents. (0/2) [Noble Family: Restoration of the Roots] | Complete the following three tasks. (1/3) - Find a mother and a father. - Reunite your parents. - Be blessed by yourplete parents. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 309 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 309: Noble Family (1) ''Wha... what am I supposed to do?'' While in his mother''s cold embrace, Yeongwoo blinked in confusion. Instead of the "Complete Orphan" achievement resetting again, a new achievement rted to a family had appeared. [Noble Family: Restoration of the Roots] |Complete the following three tasks. (1/3) - Find both a mother and a father. - Reunite your parents. - Be blessed by yourplete parents. And the tasks for this achievement were clear to anyone: ''It''s about recreating a family.'' It was unbelievable. This mission directly contradicted his previous family-rted achievement, the "Complete Orphan." Instead of killing his parents, he now had to reunite them and seek their blessing¡­ At this point, what kind of absurd directive was this? ''No, seriously, how am I supposed to reunite them and get their blessing when the family is in this state?'' His mother, who had returned as a dragon and former head of a conglomerate, and his biological father, Kim Jeonggu, who was one of her worst nightmares. Could he really seed in "Restoration the Roots" with these two? "......" While some people were born into aplete family, Yeongwoo wasn''t so fortunate. What he had now were people who merely bore thebel of "family" but were little more than strangers to him. And Yeongwoo himself, who had to y the role of their son, wasn''t even aplete human. In other words, this achievement was not only a significant challenge for Yeongwoo, but also for the other two. "Mother." Feeling his biological mother''s cold body, Yeongwoo called to her softly, and Song Jiseon, who was holding him, responded with a trembling voice. ¡ªY-yes, speak. "If you really consider me your son, then give me a family." ¡ªWhat? Perhaps she hadn''t expected such a serious conversation, and Song Jiseon instinctively pulled him away from her embrace. ¡ªWhat exactly do you mean? You already have a family... "No." ¡ª¡­? "What did you just call me earlier?" At Yeongwoo''s question, Song Jiseon fell silent for a moment, unable to understand his intent. ¡ª...What? Yeongwoo let out a shallow breath, as if his chest felt tight. "You kept calling me your son." ¡ªWell, of course! You are my son, whose son could you be? When Song Jiseon raised her voice, feeling wronged, Yeongwoo shook his head. "I''m also Kim Jeonggu''s son." ¡ªYou son of a... Song Jiseon''s voice distorted instantly. But Yeongwoo was firm. "So call me ''our son.'' That''s where we need to start." ¡ªStart? Start what? Unaware of Yeongwoo''s "Noble Family" achievement, Song Jiseon sensed something ominous and asked, and Yeongwoo responded while holding up three fingers. "Bing a family. The first step to being a family. I know it makes you sick, but please acknowledge Mr. Jeonggu as my father. And..." ¡ªAnd? "Recognize him as your husband." As Yeongwoo added thatst part, a sharp energy rapidly surged within Song Jiseon''s icy armor. Her blue blood was boiling with rage. "...Damn it." As Yeongwoo closed his eyes tightly, sensing what was toe, Song Jiseon''s entire body turned blue as she gripped her greatsword with both hands. Crunch. ¡ªYou crazy fool, you''ve finally crossed the line! It was no surprise that suggesting she ept such a despicable man as her husband was a huge insult to her. ¡ªI¡¯d rather die than take that man as my husband! As Song Jiseon ground her teeth and swung her greatsword wildly, Yeongwoo, also losing his temper, countered her attack as Bastard and shouted back. ng! "Don''t say too much you''ll regretter! Kim Jeonggu can hear you from outside right now!" And it was true. As a dragon, her voice was reverberating not only throughout Gwangjin District but also to the outskirts of adjacent areas. ¡ªRegret? Damn it, I already regret ever calling you my son! Die! Swish! Song Jiseon swung her sword with the intent to erase her son from existence, and Yeongwoo, overwhelmed by the new achievement,shed back, heatedly. "Damn it! Can¡¯t you act like a mother, even just now?" Yeongwoo had been sensing it instinctively for a while now. The "Noble Family" achievement that appeared with his mother''s return was the beginning of something far bigger than what was immediately visible. And more than anything. ''The achievement¡¯s name is literally "Noble Family." I¡¯d bet my father that this has to do with establishing a cosmic family.'' Having seen how important status and background were in the universe many times before, Yeongwoo was determined toplete this achievement no matter what. He had alreadypleted one of the three tasks, after all. "Listen to me! This is the first request your abandoned son is making!" ¡ªDamn it, stop talking nonsense. You¡¯re not my son... Just as Song Jiseon, exhaling a cold breath, tried to deny her son again while locking swords with him... sh! For the first time, Yeongwoo unleashed the full might of the Ultimate Sword in front of his mother. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Twice is too much! I won¡¯t allow it again, ever!" ¡ªHuh¡­! Song Jiseon, seeing Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes gleam with a golden brilliance, couldn¡¯t help but let out a gasp. She saw an overwhelming presence in his gaze. Jeong Yeongwoo, the elected Strongest Sword of the Korean Penins and Mayor of Metal Seoul, Dogo Special City. It turned out his ridiculous titles carried tremendous weight. "You damn fools! You¡¯ve neglected your child for decades¡ªnow at least fulfill your basic duty as humans...!" As something beyond anger emanated from Yeongwoo, Song Jiseon couldn¡¯t move an inch. ¡ªI¡­! Yeongwoo¡¯s overwhelming presencepletely crushed her blue heart. "Let¡¯s just all die! I¡¯ll go back to being aplete orphan like I used to!" As golden lightning began shing from Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes and he prepared to strike his mother with his sword... "Y-Yeongwoo!" A faint, weak voice slipped through the immense sound of the golden waves and the sharp icy wind. It was a force far too frail to belong in this ce, and paradoxically, that was exactly why he couldn¡¯t help but listen. It was such an alien sound. ¡°No! Yeongwoo! You mustn¡¯t do it!¡± Tap, tap! Making a light tapping sound, someone dared to dash into the overwhelming presence of the strongest sword and the domain of the cial currents. It was none other than Kim Jeonggu. A man whose title seemedughablepared to the ones standing between the Sword of Korea and the Iron-Blood Empress, a man from Bulgwang-dong. ¡ºThe Strongest Sword of Dobong¡» ¡°Parent and child¡ªit''s a sacred bond! A sacred bond! You can¡¯t sever it like that! It will bring you terrible karma¡­!" Karma. At this word, something deep inside Yeongwoo¡¯s consciousness stung. Perhaps it hit him harder because the one who said it, Jeonggu, was himself the person tangled up in more karma than anyone here. ¡°What do you know¡­!¡± When Yeongwoo turned back with golden light gleaming from his eyes, he saw Jeonggu, skin frozen from the cial currents. His movements were slow, a weak ¡°Strongest Sword¡± who barely managed to make it past the outer edges of the currents. ¡°Yeongwoo, let me apologize in this ce. I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know about your existence and repeatedly denied you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°But even so, don¡¯t be the kind of person who kills their own parents. That, I cannot ept.¡± "...What?" It was the very same line Yeongwoo had said to Song Jiseon earlier. And it carried as much resolve as Yeongwoo had then. ¡°¡­Jeonggu.¡± For the first time, Yeongwoo felt like the man before him was truly his father, though ironically, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to utter the word ''father.'' Realizing that Kim Jeonggu had recklessly thrown himself into the cial currents with no way out, Song Jiseon also¡­ ¡ªDamn it. It¡¯s always the powerless ones who try to solve things with melodrama. She dissipated the cial currents just before the frost could reach the base of Jeonggu''s throat. Ssssshhh! After all, he hade to save her, so it was only fair to return the favor. Seeing this, Yeongwoo also withdrew the immense pressure of the strongest sword and rushed to his father. Tap, tap! ¡°Why the hell did youe here again? Even if you save that person, they¡¯re already coffin-bound.¡± Jeonggu, now tinged entirely blue from the cold, trembled as he spoke. ¡°What are you talking about? What son carries their mother in a coffin? That¡¯s not family.¡± In response, Yeongwoo wrapped ¡°Slime Core¡± around his father¡¯s arm, healing him. ¡°This is all your fault anyway. My son is fine, but apparently our son isn¡¯t.¡± Even as Yeongwoo said this, he rechecked his family¡¯s achievements. There were only two tasks left toplete the achievement: ¡ªReunite your parents. ¡ªReceive a blessing from both parents. He wasn¡¯t entirely sure what ¡°reunite¡± meant, but seeing as the first task was fulfilled when Song Jiseon had, however reluctantly, acknowledged Yeongwoo as her son, it seemed¡­ ¡ªObtain both a mother and a father. ¡°Once it¡¯s done, the achievement will beplete.¡± ¡°¡­What? What will?¡± ¡°The reunion.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Now that some vitality had returned to him, Jeonggu gave his usual fearful expression. ¡°What else is there? What is it?¡± Even a dog learns from staying in a vige for three years. Jeonggu, having acted as Yeongwoo¡¯s father for a few days, had learned this much¡ªwhenever his son spouted nonsense, there was always a reason behind it. There was always a reason, whether it was a quest from those Dogo freaks or an achievement system notification. And finally¡­ ¡°There¡¯s an achievement.¡± Yeongwoo confessed the truth to his father. ¡°An achievement? What kind of achievement all of a sudden?¡± ¡°It says I have to rebuild the family. A proper one. It feels like a chain achievement, like the Golden Ratio one.¡± ¡°A proper family¡­?¡± Hearing Yeongwoo''s words, Jeonggu tilted his head in confusion with aplicated expression. The achievements Yeongwoo had shared in the past were all a bunch of absurd nonsense. ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that a good thing? In the end, you¡¯ve found both your parents!¡± As Jeonggu looked at his son with a mixture of hope and dread, Yeongwoo, who had finally made a decision, nodded. ¡°Not everything¡¯s been resolved yet, but I¡¯ve found them, yes. The problem is¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Jeonggu urged for the next line, and Yeongwoo, ncing at the towering figure of his mother in the distance, whispered so she wouldn¡¯t hear. ¡°It seems you¡¯ll have to get married. Just think of it as a political marriage.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 310 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 310: Noble Family (2) "What... what the hell, man? What are you going to do?" When Jeonggu gaped, Yeongwoo raised a finger to his lips, signaling him to be quiet. "Shhh! She¡¯ll hear everything from over there. Keep it down." "What the hell, you lunatic! We''re facing her anyway, so what difference does it make if she hears us?" Jeonggu shouted,pletely baffled. Well, whether it was a political marriage or not, the ones involved were Song Jiseon and Kim Jeonggu after all. "Ah, that''s true." As Yeongwoo nodded in agreement, Song Jiseon, who had been exuding a cold aura from a distance, mmed her massive sword into the ground and spoke. Thud! ¡ª I heard everything from the beginning, you idiots. "Ji... Jiseon!" As Song Jiseon joined the conversation, Jeonggu instinctively hunched over in fear, like a shrimp. Seeing his father like this, Yeongwoo looked puzzled. ''How did this guy...'' What on earth had happened that night? Yeongwoo couldn''t even begin to imagine. Of course, it had been over 30 years, so their dynamics and characters might have been entirely different back then. In any case, Yeongwoo had to reunite the two to revive their family''s roots. Even if they didn''t want to. ''But why is the title of the achievement called "Noble Family"? Does it mean if Iplete this series of achievements, it will automatically be a noble family?'' [Noble Family: Restoration of the Roots] The name seemed puzzling, especially since the family didn''t even exist yet. ''Well, I¡¯ll probably figure out the reason once I deal with the current issue.'' Moreover, today was the day the locations of Mara and Lemu''s businesses were revealed, and the upgrade assessment was starting. He couldn''t waste too much time on this matter. "Since you both are mature adults, I won¡¯t waste time exining everything." Yeongwoo pointed his sword at his mother and father in turn, causing both of them to flinch. "W-what is it?" ¡ª What nonsense is it now? In response, Yeongwoo showed them his left ring finger and said, "I don''t care if it''s just a marriage of convenience. Either way, you two are getting formally married. Like it or not, the three of us here are now a ''family.'' Got it?" "You... you want us actually to get married?" Jeonggu stammered as he nced sideways at his ''partner,'' feeling her gaze. Song Jiseon pulled her giant sword from the ground. Thud! ¡ª And if I refuse? Why should I marry someone like him now? Yeongwoo had anticipated such resistance, so he pointed to the sky. Swoosh. "If you don''t marry my father, I won¡¯t be able to help you. You¡¯ll lose the chance to see what¡¯s up there in the sky." ¡ª ......! At Yeongwoo''s words, Song Jiseon''s helmet tilted upward toward the sky. The sky. To be precise, the world outside this, where the source of this disaster resided in space. What kind of ce was it? What monstrous entities lurked there? Although Song Jiseon had returned seeking revenge against those responsible for all of this, beneath her derationy an unquenchable curiosity. Like Yeongwoo, or perhaps more urately, Yeongwoo¡¯s insatiable curiosity hade from her. "Aren''t you curious? About who turned you into a dragon and who made our like this?" Clench. Yeongwoo clenched his right hand, which was wrapped in the Vesedel armor. "And why did they give us a chance after doing this to us? I''m dying to find out." ¡ª A chance? What do you mean?" "A chance to venture into space and challenge those who were once above us. Honestly, they could have just wiped us out. But instead, in that time, I¡¯ve grown to be able to kill a lower-level official from space." ¡ª ......? And that, in just one week. Sure, there had been some fortunate encounters and surprising achievements, but it had all happened because space had allowed it. In other words, the existence of Jeong Yeongwoo07 was the universe''s inadvertent creation. "Since we were given a chance, we have to seize it. I¡¯m going beyond that sky. So, Mother, make your choice. Will you join me in a bigger world, or will you get beaten up by your son and end up in a coffin?" However, to join this son who was preparing to integrate Earth into the cosmos, she had to be a married woman... ¡ª You''re seriously insane. After listening to her son''s speech, Song Jiseon gave a brief assessment, and Yeongwoo held up his birth certificate. "As I said, this situation is all because of my..." ¡ª Alright, fine! I get it, dammit! Stop talking! Why are you acting like being an orphan is some kind of badge of honor? What kind of person even does that? Whoosh! Song Jiseon cut him off by swinging her ice sword and then looked at Jeonggu through her helmet. ¡ª So, all I have to do is be married to him in name only, right? "Yes, for now. I¡¯ll figure out the formalities." ¡ª The formalities? "Yes, there must be some cosmic certification process. That''s how I confirmed my paternity." He could ask Kubu, the mediator and tax officer, for that. "Alright, then it''s settled? You two are getting married?" As Yeongwoo¡¯s pupils glowed gold again, both of his parents remained silent. "Alright, good." Yeongwoo sorted out the situation on his own. Then, he looked toward the outskirts of Gwangjin-gu, where his mother¡¯s icy aura had been raging until recently. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Did you kill something over there earlier?" ¡ª What? I don¡¯t remember. When Song Jiseon responded as if she truly didn¡¯t know, Yeongwoo summoned Negwig. Then he peeled the slime core off his father¡¯s forearm and hopped onto Negwig¡¯s back. Leap! "My mother isn''t a mutant from Gwangjin-gu. Someone else was supposed to show up." ¡ª What? Someone else was supposed to be here?" "Yes, but you already killed them." ¡ª What are you talking about? I was just breathing." "Exactly. You killed them with your breath." Yeongwoo shook his head in disbelief. Nheless, he steered Negwig toward the outskirts of Gwangjin-gu. * * * Crash, crash! There it was, just as Negwig had transported him to the northern outskirts of Gwangjin-gu. The golden orb left behind by the death of a mutant. ''It really is here! I wasn¡¯t imagining things earlier.'' Earlier, as he crossed swords with his mother, he thought he saw a sh of blue light far off in his peripheral vision. It turned out it wasn¡¯t just his imagination. While the cold reunion between mother and son was happening in Gwangjin-gu, a mutant assigned to the area had descended. And upon arrival, they were instantly swept away by a freezing current, strangling theirst breath... ¡®They probably froze to death before they even managed to get out of the danger zone.¡¯ Standing in front of the unknown mutant''s remains, Yeongwoo couldn''t help but feel a sense of guilt. They were destined to die anyway, but this was someone who had waited in the dark for so long, only to return here. And yet, as a mutant, they died without even voicing their aspirations, meeting a lonely end. ¡®Let''s take it.¡¯ When Yeongwoo pointed to the golden orb floating in midair, the Golden Goblin gathered the orb as if it were carefully collecting remains. Screeech! With that, the Gwangjin-gu problem for the day was solved. The dragon assigned to Seoul was dealt with, and the orb of the Gwangjin-gu mutant had been retrieved. Now, all that was left... ¡ªWhat? So you''re nothing more than a corpse cleaner now? As she approached, Song Jiseon¡¯s massive shadow loomed over the spot where the orb once was. "......" Yeongwoo was suddenly gripped by the urge to unsheathe the Aratubank, but barely managed to restrain himself. ''I have to keep her alive at least until the Root Restoration isplete. And I need to pit her against Uncle.'' Only two conditions remained for Yeongwoo toplete his golden-blooded achievement, Golden Tempest. -On the North American continent. -While two individuals, both with the attributes of chaebol and dragonkin, were engaged inbat. The condition that required two chaebol dragonkin to be fighting during the golden rain was something Yeongwoo couldn''t achieve on his own. "You should be grateful that I didn¡¯t have to clean up your corpse today, considering." Yeongwoo retorted as he stood up, and Song Jiseon shrugged her shoulders. ¡ªI¡¯m just stating the obvious. So when do I get to see this ¡®universe¡¯ you keep talking about? The very reason for Song Jiseon¡¯s existence was still to face the higher beings who had taken away the life of a chaebol head. ¡ªEverything I built up over the years vanished in an instant. Does that make any sense? Who the hell did this? "Nothing¡¯s been destroyed. It''s just been exchanged." As Yeongwoo nced at his mother''s towering body, Jiseon spat out her line, dissatisfied. ¡ªExchanged? Compared to what I had, this is nothing. "Maybe the exchange rate wasn''t in your favor. If you had seen the state of other mutants, you wouldn''t be saying that." Yeongwoo spoke in a calm tone. In truth, neither the other mutants nor even the other chaebols came close to matching Song Jiseon¡¯s prowess. Though he hadn¡¯t yet met all the chaebols, it was clear that Jiseon had returned with a level of power far beyond most. If anything, it was akin to a form of "executive privilege." "If I hadn¡¯t been here to protect this ce, you could have easily taken Seoul... or even the whole Korean Penins. Although, I doubt thatnd would have meant much to you." ¡ªWhat? At Yeongwoo''s words, Jiseon turned her head and gazed out over the other districts beyond Gwangjin-gu. ¡ªSo, you''re saying that if I take you out, I¡¯d have no real rivals in Korea? "......" Yeongwoo shook his head at his mother¡¯s oversimplified interpretation but acknowledged her words. "In other words, you''re both lucky and unlucky. You''re lucky because you gained a son you never had, but unlucky because that son stopped you from bing the top dog." ¡ªWho the hell is lucky? "Well, the second ce isn''t so bad. After all, Jinhyeon Group was second in the business world, wasn¡¯t it?" ¡ªYou little...! Just as Jiseon was about to fly into a rage again, an unsettling rumble came from beyond Gwangjin-gu. The Strongest Swords from across Seoul were racing toward Gwangjin-gu with the mutant in tow. Ruuummble...! "Huh, guess they had a tougher time today." Yeongwoo muttered knowingly as he nced toward the source of the noise. Jiseon, lifting her massive sword, asked, ¡ªWhat''s this now? Yeongwoo stabbed Bastard into the ground as he answered, "Go say hello. They''re your old colleagues, after all." ¡ª...My colleagues? "Yes. But don¡¯t use your freezing current. The ones they''re chasing are valuable benefactors who will fund our journey. They must survive." When Yeongwoo mentioned ¡®funding,¡¯ Jiseon tilted her head in confusion. "Yes, the funds. For our trip to the universe. In fact, we''re going with their money." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 311 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 311: Noble Family (3) ¡ª We¡¯re going to space with those people¡¯s money? Song Jiseon showed interest in her son¡¯s words for the first time since their reunion. She was starting to get curious about exactly what her son was doing in this unusual city. ¡°Yes. While we¡¯re collecting taxes legally now, we used to receive defense fees.¡± ¡ª Defense fees? You mean payment for using yourbat abilities? As expected from a former businesswoman, Song Jiseon grasped the situation quickly, making it easier for Yeongwoo to exin. ¡°Well... something like that. I actually prefer to call it a life fee. At one point, all of the city¡¯s Strongest Swords were inpetition with each other.¡± ¡ª Hmm. So even if it weren¡¯t for you, they¡¯d be too busy fighting amongst themselves to choose a leader. ¡°Yes. Through that process, they selected a person capable of handling abnormal beings like you.¡± When Yeongwoo subtly praised his mother by referring to her as an ¡°abnormal being,¡± she remained silent inside her helmet. ¡ª ¡­¡­. However, Yeongwoo was sure of one thing. His mother was likely feeling quite proud of herself at the moment. ¡ª So, are those over there... the normal kind of mutants? Jiseon pointed toward the Strongest Swords and the mutants behind them as she asked. Yeongwoo nodded. ¡°For the most part, yes. Those are your typical mutants.¡± Typical mutants. Even so, these were formidable beings¡ªpowerful enough that the renowned Strongest Swords of various regions couldn¡¯t handle them on their own and were forced to retreat. And among them was the exceptionally powerful Song Jiseon, the ¡°abnormal¡± being. ¡ª Hmm. Jiseon made a sound of satisfaction before quietly raising her massive sword. Sliiide. ¡ª You said I shouldn¡¯t kill any humans, right? ¡°Yes. Think of it as reducing our travel funds by 5% for each person you kill. You can¡¯t afford to make mistakes.¡± Thisment was partly due to the uing re-election vote that might take ce, but Yeongwoo kept that part to himself. ¡ª I have no reason to kill them anyway. But if they get caught in my attack by ident, that can¡¯t be helped. ¡°¡­What did you say?¡± As Yeongwoo¡¯s brow furrowed in frustration, Jiseon raised her ice greatsword high. Whoosh. Upon seeing this, Yeongwoo immediately shouted toward the Strongest Swords. ¡°Run! You¡¯re all going to die¡­!¡± He had momentarily forgotten that his mother used to be a corporate tycoon just a short while ago. Given that she was still upset from losing the power struggle with her son, she wasn¡¯t in the mood to care about such ¡°trivial¡± matters. ¡ª You¡¯re telling me those little guys hold a 5% stake each? Either your math is wrong, or we¡¯re riding in a total junker. ¡°What the hell?! I was just estimating!¡± As Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, Jiseon¡¯s body became enveloped in a glowing blue aura. Fwoooosh! She was beginning to transform back into a massive ice dragon. ¡°Ah,e on!¡± This time, even Yeongwoo had no choice but to retreat, and the Strongest Swords, realizing that a major catastrophe was about to hit Gwangjin District, hurriedly turned around. In fact, they even ran in the direction of the mutants who had been chasing them. ¡°What the hell is going on?!¡± ¡°What is that¡­?¡± The ball of light radiating from Jiseon had already risen over 100 meters into the sky. Unaware of the situation, the Strongest Swords instinctively realized that the mutants they had been running from were safer than whatever this massive thing was. ¡°Yeongwoo! What have you done this time?!¡± One of the Strongest Swords had astutely guessed that this was Yeongwoo¡¯s doing, but before he could hear a response, a deafening roar nketed Gwangjin District, drowning out everything else. ¡ª If you don¡¯t want to die, move aside! At the thunderous warning, the Strongest Swords, who had been facing off against the mutants blocking their escape, looked around in confusion. ¡°Move?¡± ¡°¡­Which way is ¡®aside¡¯?¡± Jiseon had told them to move ¡°aside¡± from her perspective, but her body was so enormous that the Strongest Swords couldn¡¯t tell which direction was considered ¡°aside.¡± Meanwhile, Jiseon, having re-formed her ice dragon body, opened her massive maw wide. ¡ª Mooove! As she unleashed a forward breath attack, the massive ice shards shot out, narrowly missing the Strongest Swords who had correctly guessed the direction to dodge. BOOM! However, some of the Strongest Swords who had moved in the wrong direction were not as lucky. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°W-wait!¡± They were immediately caught in the breath attack before they could react to the absurd scale of the assault. Of course, the mutants who had been chasing the Strongest Swords weren¡¯t spared either. ¡ª Huh? ¡ª Is that¡­ a dragon? ¡ª What the hell is that thing? Even the highly dangerous 7th-day mutants, who had been specifically sent to this world in their enhanced states, were bewildered by the sight of a dragon over 100 meters tall. And soon... BOOM! The mutants, who had been staring in disbelief, were also swept away by Jiseon¡¯s breath. ¡ª You¡¯re telling me these guys are my peers? How ridiculous. Jiseon, looking down proudly at the battlefield she had cleared with a single breath, noticed a ck streak running toward her. Thud! It was none other than Yeongwoo, rushing toward the scene while holding a slime core. ¡°Are you out of your mind?! I told you not to touch the humans!¡± Luckily, none of the Strongest Swords had died from the breath attack. They had managed to perform evasive maneuvers just in time, avoiding full exposure to the breath attack. Still, most of them had lost limbs or had their lower bodiespletely shattered, leaving Yeongwoo frantic with frustration. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± When Yeongwoo approached the Strongest Sword closest to death, Lee Hanwook, the man, terrified and barely clinging to life, let out a nonsensical scream. ¡°Ugh, ugh! Ughhhh!¡± ¡°Stay still! I¡¯m here to save you!¡± Since a single slime core wasn¡¯t enough for a quick recovery, Yeongwoo had no choice but to use his ¡°Unfair Trade.¡± Shiiing! ¡¸Unfair Trade¡¹ - Unique One-Handed Sword ¡¾Inflicting wounds on enemies, increasing wearer''s recovery rate.¡¿ ¡¸Slime Core¡¹ - Mutation Bracelet ¡¾Regenerative power increases dramatically.¡¿ After cing the Unfair Trade sword in Hanwook¡¯s one remaining hand, Yeongwoo had him stab his own shoulder. Thud! ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°This will heal you quickly.¡± Just as Yeongwoo had promised, Hanwook¡¯s body began to recover rapidly, and as soon as Yeongwoo was sure the man was out of danger, he moved on to the next person. ¡°Yeongwoo! You bastard!¡± The next swordsman in line was coincidentally Jang Jeongho, the Strongest Sword of Dongdaemun. ¡°Shut up, I¡¯m saving you. I never thought I¡¯d be the one saving lives.¡± Yeongwoo once again had Jang stab him with the Unfair Trade, allowing his recovery. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°This is what you call the Sword of Life.¡± As Yeongwoo watched the man¡¯s legs regrow quickly, Jang gritted his teeth and asked, ¡°What the hell is that thing? What did you bring this time?¡± Naturally, he was referring to the ice dragon, Song Jiseon, and though Yeongwoo knew this could hurt him in the next election, he couldn¡¯t help but answer. ¡°She¡¯s my mother.¡± Now, Yeongwoo, Jeonggu, and Jiseon were ¡°family.¡± ¡°Your mother? That¡¯s your mom?¡± Of course, Jang¡¯s jaw dropped, and he pointed toward Jiseon as if asking if Yeongwoo was serious. In response, Yeongwoo calmly lowered his hand and warned him. ¡°Don¡¯t provoke her. If you don¡¯t want to die.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± Song Jiseon was one of the very few people Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t subdue in an instant. At least, among those from Earth. If she ever decided to actually kill one of the Strongest Swords, Yeongwoo wouldn¡¯t be able to stop her in time. For the first time, Yeongwoo now had a serious problem to deal with. ¡°I''m sorry. But things will get better moving forward. As a gesture of apology, I''ll make sure the spheres here are returned to each region.¡± At that, Hanwook, who had been lying far away, screamed in shock. ¡°What do you mean, ''moving forward''? What does that imply? Don''t tell me that''s¡­!¡± Then he hurriedly mped his mouth shut with one arm, which had yet to fully heal. It was because he realized that Song Jiseon, the Ice Dragon, was staring down at him. ¡ªHow is he still alive? It seems they¡¯re notpletely ipetent, after all. She then raised her head and upper body, looking down at Metal Seoul from hundreds of meters in the air. She was enjoying this wide and high view. ¡ªIs one mutant dropping into each district? Then the areas we haven¡¯t heard from must have handled it on their own. Song Jiseon was learning this world at an astonishing speed. Suddenly, as if something urred to her, she turned her head far off to a distant ce outside Seoul. ¡ªWhat about the others? ¡°What? Who exactly?¡± ¡ªWhat¡¯s happening overseas? Do you even know? What''s the point of being a thug only in this country? ¡°Oh.¡± Of course, the head of Jinhyeon Group, a global corporation. Yeongwoo thought that even if his mother had been reset as a human instead of a mutant, she would have survived just fine. ¡°Overseas, it¡¯s a mess there too.¡± ¡ªReally? Song Jiseon made a sound of surprise. It seemed unexpected to her that her brute of a son was aware of the situation abroad. ¡ªHave you been overseas? Have you fought there? Have youpeted with the extraterrestrials? Song Jiseon narrowed herrge eyes and asked, to which Yeongwoo wiped his nose and shrugged. ¡°If someone aims to touch the universe, wouldn''t they have at least visited abroad?¡± Yeongwoo wanted to boast that he owned billions in foreign bonds, but exining all that would take too long, so he held back. Besides, he hadn¡¯t fully dominated the entire world yet. ¡°Of course, I haven¡¯t been to every single country, but I¡¯m pretty sure of this: I¡¯m the strongest on this.¡± When Yeongwoo made this bold im, Song Jiseon gave him a skeptical look. ¡ªThe world is bigger than you think. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I want to say.¡± Just as Yeongwoo and Jiseon were about to start another argument. Fiiiing! A sharp signal sound came from the distant sky. ¡ªWhat now? Is someone elseing? Song Jiseon opened her mouth again, preparing to unleash her breath into the sky, while in the meantime, Yeongwoo caught sight of a beam of light rising from the west. Something from the west had justmunicated with something beyond the sky. ¡°Oh, the west! That¡¯s where it is!¡± ¡ªWhat? What¡¯s there? ¡°The Victory Monument!¡± As Yeongwoo remembered the significant structure to the west, a system message appeared in everyone''s view within Seoul. ¡¸In one hour, Promotion Inspectors will arrive.¡¹ ¡¸Prepare a gift in return.¡¹ ¡°Huh? What the hell?¡± As Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened with a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu so strong it tingled his scalp, Song Jiseon closed her mouth, which had been aimed at the sky. ¡ªWhat¡¯s going on? It seemed she hadn¡¯t seen the system message. So Yeongwoo stomped his feet and shouted. ¡°Theary inspectors areing! In one hour!¡± ¡ªWhat? Inspectors? Song Jiseon would now be able to witness a part of the ''universe'' she had longed for. The problem, however, was¡ª ¡°We have to prepare a gift in one hour! The kind of people who receive these are incredibly high-ranking!¡± For instance, that had been the case with the shareholders of Dogo. When they first met, the system had kindly informed him to prepare a gift for these distinguished guests. ¡ªWhat the hell. You¡¯ve got such important visitorsing, and you¡¯re just now thinking about the gift? Song Jiseon snorted in disdain, her blue breath puffing out, but then Yeongwoo suddenly lifted his head as if struck by a brilliant idea. ¡°Mom!¡± ¡ª...? ¡°What would be a good gift?¡± ¡ªHow should I know, you reckless idiot? The sudden use of the term ''Mom'' caught her so off guard that Song Jiseon forgot to be angry and took a step back. Then, as Yeongwoo nced at the guest timer that had appeared in his view, he spoke again. ¡°You were the owner of Jinhyeon Group, right? A global hospitality genius! So, if you were me, what would you give to theary inspectors?¡± ¡ª...What is this kid even talking about? In reality, wasn¡¯t her son the real genius of hospitality? Song Jiseon felt a strange pressure closing in on her. After her son had just praised her as a hospitality genius, standing there saying nothing would make her look foolish. ¡ªWell, I don¡¯t know. What exactly did the system say? In the end, Song Jiseon reluctantly took on her son¡¯s assignment, and Yeongwoo grinned wickedly before climbing onto Negwig. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just make a quick trip to Gangnam while you think it over! I¡¯m a little busy today!¡± ¡ªWhat? By the time Song Jiseon realized she¡¯d been tricked, Metal Seoul''s mayor, Jeong Yeongwoo, had already left the outskirts of Gwangjin-gu. Crash, crash¡­ ¡ªThat little punk dares to subcontract the job to me? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 312 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 312: Noble Family (4) ¡®Hmm, having apetent subordinate is certainly convenient.¡¯ After entrusting his mother with the matter of the thank-you gifts, Yeongwoo, who had fled to Gangnam, was now looking at the COEX building that had started to appear in the distance. ¡®At least my house is still intact. But where is the mutant?¡¯ The reason Yeongwoo had outsourced the thank-you gift matter to the conglomerate leader and left the area was because of the mutant in Gangnam. If mutants had appeared in Gwangjin-gu, it was only natural to think that something simr might have also appeared in Gangnam. However, contrary to his expectations, there were no signs of mutants in Gangnam at all. Only a few blue pirs of light¡ªsymbols of monsters¡ªwere visible here and there, slowly disappearing one by one. In other words, the monster hunters had been active, and nothing major had happened in Gangnam so far. ¡®What¡¯s going on? This doesn¡¯t make sense.¡¯ As Yeongwoo tilted his head in confusion and headed toward the entrance of the Parnas Hotel to meet with Taewon¡¯s people, he was greeted by Lim Suna, who had been waiting for him there. ¡°Mayor¡­!¡± ¡°¡­¡± Seeing Lim Suna, who had taken it upon herself to start calling him "Mayor" without being asked, Yeongwoo wore a slightly displeased expression. ¡°My title has changed to ''Mayor'' already?¡± ¡°Well, you are the mayor, after all.¡± ¡°Anyway, what happened with the mutant? I might have been a bitte getting to Gangnam because I stopped to see my mother.¡± ¡°Your mother¡­?¡± Clearly caught off guard by the unexpected word, Lim Suna''s face briefly showed confusion before sheposed herself again. ¡°Your mother is here?¡± ¡°Yes, but isn¡¯t there something more urgent than that right now?¡± The mutant. What had happened to the mutant in Gangnam? There was no way it had simply disappeared on its own while the top fighter of the district was absent. Whip. As Yeongwoo continued to look around, searching for any sign of the mutant, Suna nced behind her and cautiously said, ¡°If you¡¯re looking for the orb, it¡¯s at the Kyunggi High School baseball field.¡± ¡°Kyunggi High School?¡± Kyunggi High School was located a bit to the north of Samsung-dong, not far from here. If the orb was there, it meant the mutant in Gangnam had already been dealt with. ¡°A golden orb is there? Are you sure?¡± As Yeongwoo asked in disbelief, a tall man emerged from the hotel lobby behind Suna. Thud, thud. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The person was none other than the self-proimed "Strongest Spear of Gyeongbuk," Kang Yechan. He was a 2-meter-tall high school student from a world that had already copsed. ¡°When did you get here?¡± Surprised, Yeongwoo asked as if he hadn¡¯t expected him, and Yechan dropped the bags he was holding to the ground. ng! It was the 8.6 million in gold coins that Yeongwoo had been promised from Busan. ¡°I¡¯ve been here for a while. What have you been doing, running around without even checking on your house?¡± Yechan, who now had a stronger presence befitting a warrior, asked usingly, making Yeongwoo flinch momentarily. ¡®Uh¡­ My mother¡¯s position as second-inmand might be in danger at this rate.¡¯ Come to think of it, Yechan¡¯s martial prowess was extraordinary too. After all, he had been able to fight off the Japanese masters who had invaded Busan by himself. ¡°So, you dealt with the mutant?¡± ¡°Yes. I saw the mark as soon as I arrived.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s a relief.¡± Since this whole Gangnam situation had been Yeongwoo''s fault, he had no excuse. Thankfully, Yechan had arrived in time, bringing good fortune to the residents of Gangnam. ¡°Anyway, take the money quickly and show me around Seoul.¡± Yechan nudged the bags of gold coins with his foot, but Yeongwoo looked troubled. ¡°You¡¯ve really done a great jobing here, but it¡¯s a bit difficult right now.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Yechan¡¯s expression, which had been full of excitement, turned cold at the unexpected rejection. ¡°Why? Do you have someone more important than me to attend to?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Yeongwoo immediately responded as if he had just realized something. ¡°I have a very important guest.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°My mother has arrived.¡± ¡°...Whose mother?¡± ¡°My mother.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Yechan¡¯s face twisted into a ridiculous expression. ¡°You¡¯re an orphan, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Unfortunately, not anymore.¡± ¡°What? So now I¡¯m the only orphan?¡± The orphan solidarity was broken. ¡°This can¡¯t be happening.¡± Yechan¡¯s world came crashing down at that moment. How could Yeongwoo, the top output of the orphan world, no longer be an orphan? It was unbelievable. ¡°Where is your mother now?¡± ¡°She¡¯s in the neighboring district. Probably catching up with my father.¡± ¡°You have a dad now too?¡± When Yechan shouted in disbelief, Yeongwoo raised his hand, gesturing for him to calm down. ¡°Honestly, being an orphan might be better. It all depends on the parents.¡± With that, Yeongwoo handed the bags of coins Yechan had brought to a goblin. -Kiieek! The amount of coins Yechan had brought totaled exactly 8.6 million Karma. sh! *Avable Karma: 12,779,605 *Avable Defense Funds: 0 Thanks to this, Yeongwoo¡¯s cash reserves returned to over 10 million, but it still didn¡¯t feel like enough. There was a time when he had more than 100 million, after all. ¡®I need to get the money from Master Bang soon. I also need to do some equipment farming today.¡¯ Now that the mutants had been dealt with, merchants would soon start appearing all over. To shop, Yeongwoo needed cash. He also had to prepare for all the taxes that would be due soon. ¡®Come to think of it, now that I have both parents, I won¡¯t be eligible for tax deductions.¡¯ The single-parent family tax deduction reduced taxes by a whopping 30%. But now, he had to give up this massive benefit. ¡®In this world, even parents are a luxury.¡¯ However, paying more taxes wasn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing when it came topeting forary shares, so it wasn¡¯t an immediate loss. ¡°Let¡¯s just move on for now.¡± ¡°Uh, to where?¡± ¡°Gwangjin District, and then we need to head to Sajikdan. A very important guest will be arriving there soon.¡± ¡°A guest even more important than your parents?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s how it is.¡± This is the weight that the mayor of Metal Seoul must carry. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ng! As Yeongwoo mounted the Negwig once again, Yechan looked at the otherworldly metal horse with an uneasy expression. ¡°Am I riding too?¡± ¡°Of course. Can you run faster than this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m probably three times faster than you think.¡± ¡°What?¡± Yeongwoo blinked, momentarily stunned, knowing that Yechan wasn¡¯t the type to make a casual joke. ¡®Wait a minute¡­ This guy came up from Busan, didn¡¯t he?¡¯ Only now did Yeongwoo realize the mystery behind Yechan. It was just past 1 PM, but Yechan hade all the way to Seoul, despite starting from Busan. ¡®The Road of Vengeance is only avable to me and my brothers.¡¯ No one else had been registered to use the high-speed travel route. In other words, Yechan had covered the vast distance by foot in just a few hours that morning. ¡°How are you so fast? Are you wearing like ten pairs of speed-boosting boots?¡± No matter how much he farmed, it was impossible for Yechan, who didn¡¯t even have a gear Catalog, to¡ª Yeongwoo¡¯s thoughts trailed off as he looked at Yechan¡¯s hands, then bit his lip. ¡°You¡¯re absolutely insane.¡± Indeed, all ten of Yechan¡¯s fingers were adorned with rings. He even wore several bracelets on each arm, making him look like a luxury carpet vendor from some foreignnd. ¡®Without a Catalog, that¡¯s what you end up looking like.¡¯ This meant a lot. No matter how much karma one umtes, without breaking through certain limits like a gear Catalog, there¡¯s a ceiling to how strong one can be. Sure, stats could be increased indefinitely, but raw stats alone wouldn¡¯tpare to the effects of hundreds of gear pieces a Catalog user could ess. ¡°Why don¡¯t you have any equipment, Mister?¡± Noticing Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze, Yechan blinked and asked. However, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t bring himself to reveal that he could store an infinite amount of certain types of equipment and benefit from all their effects simultaneously. How shocked would Yechan be if he learned the truth? ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll tell youter.¡± Swish. Yeongwoo¡¯s head tilted north. ¡°For now, let¡¯s focus on what we need to do. Our important guest will arrive soon.¡± * * * After retrieving the golden sphere from Gyeonggi, they moved on to Gwangjin District. The distance was short; at Yeongwoo¡¯s level, using the travel route seemed almost unnecessary. But the journey left a strong impression. Tat tat tat! It was painful to admit, but Yechan¡¯s mobility, while wearing ten rings, was beyond imagination. ¡®What the hell? He¡¯s turned into aplete monster.¡¯ Running alongside the Negwig the entire way to Gwangjin, Yechan disyed the peak of human capability within the ¡®normal range.¡¯ ¡®Why is it that there¡¯s not a single normal person around me?¡¯ Yeongwoo stared at Yechan in disbelief, only to see him grinning. ¡°How¡¯s that? Pretty amazing, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. I admit it. It¡¯s incredible.¡± Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit guilty again. What would Yechan think if he learned about the high-speed travel routes? ¡®But then again¡­ I could use this guy as my debt collector. For intercontinental travel, I¡¯d just let him use the routes, and with his speed, he could catch anyone owing me money in no time.¡¯ Unlike thete Im Dupyeong¡¯s debt collectors, who were slow and often had their stashes robbed by bandits on the Korean Penins, Yechan would be different. He was arguably the strongest human around, excluding the extraterrestrial proxies operating on Earth. So there¡¯d be no chance of someone overpowering him to escape paying, and his speed would be unmatched. ¡°Yechan, would you perhaps¡ª¡± Just as Yeongwoo was about to offer him a job after finishing his calctions¡ª ¡°Hey!¡± Yechan suddenly cried out in shock, his eyes wide. ¡°Mister! There¡¯s a huge dragon over there...!¡± Yechan had finally spotted the Ice Dragon, Song Jiseon. So Yeongwoo shrugged and pointed at his mother with his index finger. ¡°Oh, yeah. That¡¯s...¡± ¡°What are you doing? Get ready to fight! That thing must¡¯ve already seen us!¡± ¡°What?¡± Before Yeongwoo could say another word, Yechan dashed forward with his usual swift movements. Tat tat tat! ¡°Ye¡ªYechan! That person is...!¡± Yeongwoo hurriedly tried to exin the dragon¡¯s true identity, but he stopped short. He was curious. Right now, Yechan was the strongest human within the ¡®normal¡¯ limits. In other words, he was the true strongest in the reset world. And while his mother was an extraordinary mutant, she had returned to this world through legitimate means, a recognized threat. ¡®So, who would win if they fought?¡¯ In a way, this fight was supposed to be part of the ¡®true history.¡¯ So instead of revealing that Yechan was rushing toward his mother, Yeongwoo decided to say this instead: ¡°Yechan! Be careful! That thing looks incredibly strong! It¡¯s definitely not your average mutant!¡± Thus began the duel to decide the second strongest in Seoul, right in front of the mayor himself. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 313 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 313: Noble Family (5) ¡ª Oh, have you finallye to your senses? Jiseon, who had been pondering over the problem with the return gifts contracted out, brightened as she saw her son reappear from the south. Well, no matter how much of an orphan he might be, how could he treat his mother, whom he had barely gained, so cruelly? It was clear that after leaving, he felt uneasy and was now returning. ¡ª Right. Once could be a mistake. Just as Jiseon decided to forgive her son''s disrespect with a generous heart. Tat-tat! Suddenly, a swift presence burst out from behind her son. ¡ª Huh¡­? Someone who looked much younger than the problematic son had the audacity to point his finger and charge towards her. Tat-tat-tat! His movements were unusual. Jiseon''s head, still in the form of a dragon, was hundreds of meters above the ground. From her vantage point, the approaching figure appeared as a tiny dot, yet she could feel the incredible speed at which he was moving. An unexpectedly skilled opponent had suddenly appeared. ¡ª What is this¡­? Jiseon''s gaze naturally shifted to her son, running behind the intruder. She saw him nce over at her, saying something to the young man holding a spear. And then... ¡ª ¡­! Whirr! The extremely young man raised his spear threateningly and began to elerate. She could feel his intent to fight in his movements. He wasing to engage in battle. ¡ª This insolent brat! Realizing btedly that her son had sent an assassin, Jiseon''s body began to glow blue. It was due to the boiling blue blood within her. ¡ª You insolent fool! As the "Iron-Blooded Empress," the ice dragon Song Jiseon, opened her massive jaws and roared, Yechan, who had unwittingly gotten involved in a contest to determine the second strongest in Seoul, widened his eyes in shock. The power in her voice was anything but ordinary. ¡°What¡­ what is that? Is that really a mutated one?¡± It was understandable. The ice dragon in front of him was iparable in size to any other mutated ones he''d encountered. Until now, thergest mutated beings he''d seen were only about 10 meters tall at most, but this dragon was at least 100 meters tall. ¡ª Dieee! As Jiseon unleashed a long breath towards the south, sharp, blue ice shards poured down like a tidal wave. KWAHHHHH! In response, Yechan pushed his mobility output to the maximum, hurriedly dodging to the side. Whoosh! ¡°Is this for real? Is Seoul always like this?¡± He swallowed heavily as he watched the massive ice shards pierce the spot where he had just been standing. He was certain that taking even one of those shards would mean instant death. ¡®But if I can just get close¡­!¡¯ Yechan¡¯s eyes gleamed again. It was clear that he had encountered an opponent far more formidable than expected, but backing down now would hurt his pride. Besides, wasn¡¯t his hyung watching from behind? This was his first public battle in Seoul. iming to be the "Strongest Spear in Gyeongbuk" and failing to defeat even one mutated creature would be uneptable. Tat! Yechan gripped his spear, and ck mes erupted from his entire body. Whooosh! This was the effect of Yechan¡¯s most prized legendary spear, "Shadowless." ¡¸Shadowless¡¹ - Legendary Spear ¡¾Lumoa''s Incarnation¡¿ Transforms into a ck fire demon, gaining a powerful piercing attack, and allbat abilities increase by 15%. Unlike Yeongwoo, who had roamed the central and southern regions, Yechan had met various merchants and once even encountered someone who traded goods through a kind of card gambling. The trade involved guessing three consecutive numbers between 1 and 9 on an overturned stone tablet. If sessful, one could obtain the desired item; if not, 1 million karma would be forfeited. Yechan seeded in just 11 tries, obtaining the legendary spear "Shadowless." While extraordinary luck or immense capital was required, there were still ways to obtain legendary gear in this world. Moreover, Yechan had unlocked the "Monarch Without a Crown" achievement series, which is gained by defeating mutated beings consecutively without a Strongest Sword title. Currently, he owned three legendary items. In other words, as Yeongwoo predicted, Yechan was indeed one of the strongest within the ¡®standard,¡¯ and thanks to that... KA-KA-KA-BOOM! He dodged all of the ice dragon''s furious breath attacks and was now within reach of her front paw. Finally, he had drawn the gigantic beast into his range, just as he had hoped. ¡®Now it¡¯s over! I¡¯m confident in closebat!¡¯ Certain of victory, Yechan prepared to strike the ice dragon''s front paw, and Jiseon, who was about to cast an ice spell, momentarily hesitated. ¡ª Damn it. There were still injured humans in Gwangjin-gu who hadn''t recovered yet. They were the Strongest Swords, supposed to help fund her trip to space. And during that brief hesitation... SWISH! Yechan''s spear thrust towards her front paw. ¡°Take this!¡± It was a strike from a legendary spear. Though it couldn''tpare to Yeongwoo¡¯s mythical demon sword, it was still a sufficiently threatening attack. Crack! The spearhead managed to break through Jiseon¡¯s scales, digging slightly into her flesh. ¡ª You...! For Jiseon, it was only a slight sting, but the fact that her opponent¡¯s attack hadnded was infuriating. After all, another rtively threatening figure had appeared, following her insane son. ¡ª These crazy bastards, enough is enough! Finally fed up, Song Jiseon dispelled her dragon form. SWOOOSH! Her massive body, spanning hundreds of meters, transformed into a giant mass of light, forcing Yechan to retreat. In that instant, the light rapidlypressed and, in the blink of an eye, created a grayish-white swordsman standing 3 meters tall. This was Song Jiseon¡¯s polymorph ability. In less than an hour after her return to this world, she had already fully armed herself twice. ¡ª Do you even know who I am, you little brat? Wearing thick steel armor over her face and letting her long white hair billow in the air, Song Jiseon¡¯s presence was enough to make anyone think of the word ¡®strongest.¡¯ ¡°W-who are you¡­?¡± Feeling the overwhelming force of his opponent, the cocky Kang Yechan hesitantly pulled his spear back and asked. In response, Song Jiseon pointed at the name tag above her head as if she couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. ¡ªYou really don¡¯t know who I am? You¡¯ve never heard of Song Jiseon of the Jinhyeon Group? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°¡­I¡¯ve heard of Jinhyeon Group, but¡­¡± No matter how formidable Yechan had be in this reset world, he had just been an ordinary high school student in his previous world. So while he may have heard the name of Jinhyeon Group, it was understandable that he didn¡¯t know the name of its head. ¡ªIs that so? Well then, I suppose it¡¯s time you learned. ¡°Huh?¡± Suddenly finding himself in a swordfight with an offended business tycoon, Yechan turned around with a bewildered expression. Swoosh. That¡¯s when he spotted Jeong Yeongwoo, a former orphan, standing far away, just watching. ¡°Yechan! Look ahead! She¡¯sing in now!¡± Yeongwoo called out while casually gesturing with his fingers as if he were giving some rxed advice. ¡°Huh?¡± At the moment Yechan finally realized something was off. KRAAAASH! A massive greatsword sliced through the air, heading straight for him. ¡°Ugh!¡± Even without having to take the hit, Yechan could feel the immense strength behind the attack. The mere force of the sword swinging towards him was enough to make his hair flutter. ¡°Argh!¡± As Yechan instinctively gripped his spear tightly and raised it to guard, the merciless downward sh of the business tycoon¡¯s greatswordnded on top of it. ¡ªYou insolent brat! THU-UUUNG! With a loud ringing sound, like striking a giant bell, a blue me sparked from the center of Yechan''s spear shaft. Simultaneously, the ground beneath him cracked like a spider web. CRAAAACK! ¡°...!¡± It had been a long time since he had felt such overwhelming strength. But Yechan was no longer the boy who trembled in front of heavily armored goblins. Despite the overwhelming situation, he angled his spear shaft slightly, attempting a counterattack. SCREECH! As the greatsword pressed against his spear shaft, Song Jiseon¡¯s body naturally tilted, and Yechan, waiting for this moment, thrust the tip of his spear towards her neck. ¡°Just being strong isn¡¯t enough! Let me teach you a lesson!¡± Sensing victory, Yechan shouted boldly, but Song Jiseon merely scoffed from within her helmet. ¡ªYou¡¯re going to teach me? How amusing. With that, she quickly grabbed Yechan¡¯s spear shaft with her left hand, which she had already freed earlier. KRAK! Right before the tip of the spear could reach her neck. ¡°Huh?¡± Yechan was stunned. No mutants he had fought before were this skilled inbat. It made sense for Strongest Swords to be battle-hardened since they had to fight to earn their titles, but not mutants. This was essentially a duel, each wielding their own weapons. How could a corporate tycoon engage in such intricatebat, unless she had secretly trained in fencing or kendo as a hobby? ¡°How¡­ how did you block that?¡± Seeing Yechan''s bewildered expression, Song Jiseon, using only her raw strength, pushed his spear shaft away as she spoke. GRIND. ¡ªAlways assume your opponent has one more move than you. Crises alwayse from ces you can¡¯t anticipate, kid. This was not only Song Jiseon¡¯s management philosophy but had also be herbat principle now that she possessed extraordinary physical prowess. Even in moments when victory seemed certain, she focused on preparing for unexpected moves. ¡°Ha.¡± As Yechan, who truly felt like he had learned something, let out a sigh, a red sh suddenly appeared at the edge of his vision. ¡°¡­?¡± When Yechan turned to look in that direction, the red demonic energy of the cursed sword, Bastard, had already cut through the air. CLAAAANG! Yeongwoo, who had seemed like a passive observer until now, had suddenly thrown Bastard into the fray, crashing into the scene. ¡°When your opponent¡¯sst move has been exhausted, that¡¯s when you strike from behind. That¡¯s how you be the strongest.¡± Yeongwoo said confidently as he extended his empty hand, and the cursed sword that had lodged itself in Song Jiseon¡¯s shoulder swiftly returned to him. SWOOSH, THUNK! With the strength drained from her arm, Song Jiseon dropped Yechan¡¯s spear shaft, and Yechan didn¡¯t miss the chance to retreat quickly. ¡°Huh, what just happened?¡± Yechan looked back and forth between Song Jiseon and Yeongwoo, asking in confusion. Yeongwoo pointed his sword at his mother and said, ¡°Say hello. This is my mother.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Then he swung the red de to point at Yechan. ¡°Mother, this is my younger brother, Kang Yechan. He helped me out a while back. You¡¯re not strangers anymore, so feel free to get acquainted.¡± ¡ª What? Still trying to process the situation, Song Jiseon made a sound of disbelief from inside her helmet, and Yeongwoo continued. ¡°Now, Mother is the second strongest in Seoul, no, in the entire Korean penins.¡± ¡ª ¡­? Yeongwoo then turned his head back to Yechan. ¡°Yechan, since you lost to my mother, that makes you the third strongest. So you¡¯ll be responsible for debt collection now.¡± ¡°Mister, what are you talking about¡­? Why am I suddenly in charge of debt collection? And what does that even entail?¡± As expected, Yechan immediately expressed his refusal, and Yeongwoo pulled out a pre-prepared argument. ¡°Well then, how are you going to pay for trying to attack my mother¡­?¡± ¡°What?¡± Yechan¡¯s pupils widened to their maximum size. He was so shocked that his entire body became stiff, making breathing hard. He had walked right into a colossal trap. ¡®Th-this is Seoul¡­?¡¯ Yechan nced at Song Jiseon with fear in his eyes. The corporate tycoon d in steel armor was right. Crises indeed came from ces he couldn¡¯t imagine. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 314 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 314: Noble Family (6) ¡°What¡¯s a collection team? Why do you need that?¡± "Collection team." It was such a unique term that even Song Jiseon showed curiosity. Yeongwoo, staring off somewhere beyond Gwangjin-gu with a distant look in his eyes, replied, ¡°Since I¡¯m not yet the true ruler of this, I can''t automatically collect taxes from other countries. It¡¯s really unfortunate.¡± Jiseon tilted her head, puzzled, and asked, ¡ª What are you saying? So you''re saying that in other countries, taxes are collected manually? ¡°Something like that. Though, right now, it¡¯s closer to alliance fees than taxes.¡± When Yeongwoo exined that they had to send people to various Chinese cities that had been ¡®convinced¡¯ to collect money, Jiseon gestured in disbelief. ¡ª Are you kidding me? China is huge. How are you sending people everywhere to collect money? ¡°That¡¯s why I built highways.¡± ¡ª ¡­What? Roads? In China? ¡°No, across the world.¡± ¡ª W-what¡­ Jiseon hesitated, finding it hard to believe such a im. Yeongwoo pointed at one of the ¡®towers¡¯ nted even in Gwangjin-gu, lifting Bastard, that he was holding. ¡°That right there is our highway. My sworn brothers, the Red-footed Orcs, built it.¡± Most likely, the roads were still under construction even at that very moment. By now, his brothers were probably crossing Europe and building roads somewhere on the African continent. ¡ª Orcs are building highways across the world? And you¡¯re using those roads to extort foreign currency? ¡°It seems like you still don¡¯t understand the concept of alliance fees, but yes, on the surface, it¡¯s something like that.¡± As Yeongwoo nodded, Jiseon finally seemed to understand. She raised her greatsword with one hand, pointing it at her son. ¡ª Are you serious? You¡¯re aplete imperialist! You¡¯re crazier than I thought¡­ Jiseon, now realizing the ¡®foreign policy¡¯ of the Korea her son kept mentioning, was in utter shock. ¡ª- So, when you said you were the ¡®owner of this,¡¯ you meant that you''re in a position to extort money from the entire world? ¡°Extort? No, mother. Soon, it¡¯ll be a legitimate tax, and until then, it¡¯s revenue.¡± ¡ª ¡­What? ¡°What is the one thing in this world that everyone wants to have?¡± Yeongwoo asked seriously, leaving Jiseon speechless. Instead, it was Yechan, who had been silently watching, who cautiously raised his hand. ¡°Yechan, go ahead.¡± ncing nervously at both Jiseon and Yeongwoo, Yechan voiced his answer. ¡°Life¡­ isn¡¯t it?¡± Life. Indeed, Yechan was able to answer right away because he had purchased his life from Yeongwoo on the very first day of the reset. The price of life. Or to dress it up a bit, a protection fee. H e had hired Yeongwoo before, paying for his protection. As expected, Yeongwoo patted Yechan on the shoulder, looking pleased. ¡°That¡¯s right! Who in this world doesn¡¯t want to avoid death?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Even though Yechan had given the correct answer, he couldn¡¯t feel happy about it. Meanwhile, Jiseon, hearing the answer, was utterly incredulous. ¡ª Are you insane? How is that a product? Demanding money not to kill someone¡ªthat¡¯s robbery! In other words, her son had turned Korea into a giant den of thieves. But Yeongwoo was thinking far beyond what Jiseon could imagine. ¡°Robbery? Please, call it the violence business.¡± ¡ª ¡­What? ¡°The world has reset, so many concepts need to be redefined. In this world, even life can be a product.¡± Then, Yeongwoo grabbed the ground with his hand, d in his Vesedel armor. Crack. The asphalt beneath his hand crumbled like a cookie, and dirt clung to his fingers. ¡°This country was the same before and now¡ªwithout a single drop of oil to sell. So, what should we sell?¡± At this point, Jiseon could somewhat predict what her son was going to say next. ¡ª You crazy bastard. ¡°Exactly. We have to mortgage other people¡¯s lives and sell them.¡± It was nothing short of creative economics. If only the essence of this business wasn¡¯t outright robbery, it would have been an incredible business model. After all, wasn¡¯t it creating value out of nothing? Even Song Jiseon, a businesswoman to her core, couldn¡¯t overlook this point. However, to ept such radical ideas only an hour after arriving in this world was too much. ¡°Mother, this is like an insurance or investment product. It¡¯s creating intangible value based on the trustworthiness of thepany.¡± ¡ª Where''s the trustworthiness in what you¡¯re saying? Insurance and investment rely on trust in thepany¡¯s ability to pay out¡­ When Jiseon tried to argue based on the old world¡¯s concepts again, Yeongwoo raised his hand to stop her. ¡°Why isn¡¯t there trust? The belief that ¡®this guy can kill me anytime¡¯¡ªthat¡¯s trust. And I can guarantee that I¡¯ll instill that trust within three moves, no matter who it is.¡± Surprisingly, this also included Song Jiseon herself. The brief exchange between her and Yeongwoo had been settled in three moves. ¡°So, in this business, my sales power is equivalent to my strength. And with that in mind¡ª¡± Thud. Yeongwoo firmly gripped Yechan¡¯s shoulder once more. ¡°No one is better suited for the collection team than you, Yechan.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± The sudden shift in target left Yechan dazed. ¡°If I refuse to the very end¡­?¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll have no choice but to ¡®convince¡¯ you, too. To earn your trust.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Gulp. As Yechan swallowed nervously, Jiseon pointed to the view of Gwangjin-gu¡­ no, of Seoul, and asked, ¡ª Do people know that the country is being run like this? That you¡¯re collecting taxes? In response, Yeongwoo ced his right hand over his left chest and spoke in a solemn tone, ¡°Isn¡¯t there a reason taxes are collected automatically? I am the first-ever elected ¡®Strongest Sword¡¯ in Korean history.¡± ¡ª Elected? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°And my approval rating is 76.8%.¡± ¡ª What? Jiseon widened her eyes inside her helmet and scanned the distant sight of the metal Seoul skyline once more. 76.8%? That was an unheard-of approval rating. What had happened in Seoul? No, more importantly¡­ what had her son done in Seoul? ¡°But using that approval rating to bring peace to the world is justying the groundwork. My ultimate goal is to ensure that we don¡¯t back down even in space.¡± Swoosh. As Yeongwoo looked up at the sky, Jiseon¡¯s voice began to tremble. ¨DTo you, "global" basically means a space force. "Yes. I''ve seen a part of space after all. Just like my mother once led the Jinhyeon Group andpeted on the world stage, I will take this and head for space." With that, Yeongwoo scattered the earth he was holding back onto the ground. "So, the disputes on this are nothing more than a preliminary round. The real contest is about who will decide the direction we''ll take in space." And in thatpetition, the three significant space powers were already involved. So, ''space'' had effectively begun. ¨DBut you can''t keep doing your robbery... no, your violence business in space, can you? Aren''t you setting yourself up for global trouble? To this, Yeongwoo surprisingly nodded in agreement. "You make a valid point." Then, he quickly changed course. "But it''s not the right point." ¨DWhat? "My sponsors are people who even beat up public officials. The fact that they have both sufficient force and background... proves that you can run a violence business in space too." "......" Yechan, who had been quietly listening, realized at some point that the conversation had gonepletely off track, but he remained silent. After all, this was a cosmic-level conversation, and someone like him, who barely imed to be the ¡®Strongest Spear of North Gyeongbuk,'' couldn''t possibly interject. On the other hand, Jiseon, who had joined forces with her son to board a spaceship to space, couldn''t help but keep asking questions. ¨DLet''s assume sufficient force, but what do you mean by background? "The chairman of my sponsor is a royal before he is a space thug." ¨DWhat? At this point, the fact that her son was tantly calling his business partner a ''space thug'' didn¡¯t even register as a threat anymore. No, after all, he was backed by space royalty. ¨DRoyalty? "Yes, I think that¡¯s why he can kill public officials or invade others without facing any consequences." Of course, it was just a theory for now. But no other exnation seemed usible. ¨DAnd what about you? Compared to space royalty, you''re just... As Song Jiseon raised her finger, aiming to point at her son, Yeongwoo shouted back fiercely. "Hey, ''just'' what? If I kill my second uncle, I will be the sole heir to the Great Jinhyeon family and the only son of the Iron-Blooded Empress, Song Jiseon, won''t I?" ¨D...Is this kid really out of his mind? "Of course, right now I¡¯m just an illegitimate child, unacknowledged by my parents, with no background or even a proper family." For a moment, sadness flickered in Yeongwoo''s eyes. But only for a moment. "So, if I don''t have it, I¡¯ll have to create it. The background." ¨DWhat? At that moment, Yeongwoo was looking at the achievements bestowed upon his family. [Family: Root Restoration] "From now on, I will be the master of a violent business that even aliens tremble at the sound of. To do that, I first need to conquer Earth and solidify my foundation. I need a background, a family." And of course, a family must have members. Click! Yeongwoo suddenly grabbed his mother¡¯s arm, and a startled Song Jiseon tried to pull away. But Yeongwoo¡¯s grip was too strong, and she couldn¡¯t easily escape. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo turned his gaze to Yechan. "Now that I have my mother and father to form the basic family unit, I should have at least one retainer too. After all, that¡¯s what a great family is." "A retainer...?" As Yechan also tried to back away, Yeongwoo grabbed him too, not letting go. "Wee to the family of a cosmic dynasty." "......!" The goal of this family was to grow into something that could rival the royal families of space. ''And to do that, of course, the family¡¯s status on Earth, its origin, must rise too.'' As Yeongwoo thought this, he saw the VIP timer on his system disy drop to 10 minutes. [00:10:02] And then. Pop! As the timer dipped below 10 minutes, a system message appeared. "In 10 minutes, the promotion examiners will arrive." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 315 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 315: Noble Family (7) "Ten minutes? It''s almost here." As Yeongwoo mumbled while looking at the timer, Song Jiseon asked. ¡ªTen minutes? Is that how long we have until they arrive? "Yes. Did you take care of the thing I asked you about earlier?" The favor. He was referring to the matter of the gift, something Yeongwoo had practically subcontracted out to her. In response, Jiseon instantly snapped and drove her greatsword into the ground. Thud! ¡ªDamn it. I¡¯ve been busy fighting, so when would I have had time to do that? Despite her grumbling, she gazed up at the sky, preparing for her next words. Although her pride was hurt and she had said something, she actually had a gift prepared in her own way. No matter how annoying a business partner was, she couldn¡¯t afford to ruin the entire operation because of that. ¡ªBy the way, where are these examinersing from? The space government? Or maybe some specialized review agency? "I don¡¯t know either. But since the whole ''Reset'' system is within the space governance structure, there¡¯s a good chance they¡¯re civil servants." ¡ªWhat? Didn¡¯t you say that the gift is supposed to be given to people of high status? "It¡¯s all rtive. From the perspective of a remote like ours, whoeveres from the outside is considered a VIP." ¡ªThat¡¯s absurd. "It can¡¯t be helped. That¡¯s why it sucks not to have power." Yeongwoo, her son, dared to lecture his mother. A woman who once led a group thatpeted in the global market. ¡ªHmm. Jiseon rubbed her chin with one hand and then, still looking at the sky, asked another question. ¡ªWhat do you think? ¡°¡­Sorry?¡± ¡ªI¡¯m asking what you think about this gift. "It¡¯s just¡­ a gift, isn¡¯t it? A customary token given from those of lower status to those of higher status¡­ It¡¯s probably part of the space etiquette." The universe that Yeongwoo had learned about so far was one of strict hierarchy. Naturally, he understood gift-giving as an act of submission to the hierarchy. However, Jiseon, who had only recently been thrown into this universe and had no preconceived notions, saw it a little differently. ¡ªDo you really think so? That it¡¯s just about saving face? Even though they officially announce it to everyone? Yeongwoo tilted his head, puzzled by his mother¡¯s remark. "Then what do you think? Just get to the point; we don¡¯t have much time." [00:08:13] Only 8 minutes were left until the examiners would arrive. As Yeongwoo pressed her for an answer, Jiseon smirked and finally shared her thoughts. ¡ªHere¡¯s what I think... She made a circle with her thumb and index finger. It was the universal gesture for money. ¡ªThe gift is a legal bribe opportunity. ¡°¡­What?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected answer. Jiseon continued. ¡ªWhy do they give the gift in advance? Even if it¡¯s to show gratitude for visiting our, couldn¡¯t it be given when they leave? "Maybe you¡¯re reading too much into the timing. They could just be giving it first, you know?" ¡ªJust giving it first? Jiseon shot a frustrated look at her son. ¡ªThe word ''gift'' itself means you¡¯re repaying something you¡¯ve received. "Well, that¡¯s true, but¡­" Still not quite convinced, Yeongwoo frowned, and Jiseon made a gesture as if she might pull her greatsword out of the ground. ¡ªWhy are these examinersing here? "They¡¯reing to decide whether our can be upgraded." ¡ªBut the decision hasn¡¯t even been made yet, so why are we giving them gifts in advance? What are we so thankful for? "Uh¡­" Yeongwoo thought for a moment. Then, he finally said something that was somewhat close to what Jiseon had in mind. "We¡¯re¡­ going to be promoted?" ¡ªExactly. It''s like saying, ''Thanks to you, we¡¯ll be really grateful,'' putting pressure on them. And that pressure is directly proportional to the size of the gift. "So, you''re saying... this whole gift system was set up to encourage bribery?" ¡ªIsn¡¯t it? To me, it looks like a legitimate bribery system. Why else would they systematically make us express gratitude? ¡°¡­I guess that makes sense." Thinking about it that way, it didn¡¯t seem too far-fetched. If gifts were expected every time a higher-ranking individual visited a lower-tier, it could certainly be seen as a form of request or solicitation. When a notorious viin visits, the gift could mean, "Please spare us." When an examiner visits, it could mean, "We hope we pass the exam," with the gift being offered in advance. ¡ªAnd what is bribery, really? In a broader sense, even greeting someone you know is a form of lobbying. It''s like saying, "We¡¯re still doing okay, right? Let¡¯s keep things smooth between us." It¡¯s just a free form of lobbying. Jiseon was now fully stepping on the pedal of sophistry. ¡ªIt¡¯s just that if you put a little more effort into that ''greeting,'' you can get closer to the other person a little faster. And that¡¯s what society calls ''lobbying.'' So, bribery is¡­ ¡°¡­A paid greeting.¡± ¡ªExactly. Now you¡¯re getting it. "Yeah. I guess I¡¯ve learned that you casually handed out bribes, just like saying hello." ¡ªHey, in America, lobbying is legal. "It¡¯s illegal in most other ces." ¡ªBut just like in America, it¡¯s legal in space. That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. The folks in space know what¡¯s up. "¡­" With his mother concluding the matter like that, Yeongwoo had nothing more to say. In any case, they wouldn''t know for sure until they tried. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡ªCome on, is this even something to worry about? Bribery isn¡¯t a big deal. It¡¯s just a more impressive form of greeting. "No one gives money when they greet someone." ¡ªThat¡¯s why a greeting thates with money is more wee. Because it¡¯s rare. ¡°¡­Damn it." Her argument, no matter how twisted, had no obvious ws. And since they were dealing with beings from space, who often acted outside the norms of Earth, Yeongwoo had no choice but to take it seriously. If this gift really was a legal bribe system, he had to take full advantage of it. After all, it was a crucial exam that would determine the status of their. "But what if space officials are unexpectedly clean and see bribery as a sin? We could end up being penalized instead. Forget promotion, we might get punished." Yeongwoo made one final rebuttal, but Jiseon, disappointed, wagged her finger at him. ¡ªYou crazy idiot, why do you only go half-crazy? If you¡¯re going to do something, do it properly. You¡¯re nning to take over this, and you¡¯re scared of a little punishment? "¡­You might not know, but apparently, the mortality rate for people who are detained and prosecuted in space is 84%." ¡ª¡­What? It was true. ording to the tax officer Kubu, 84% of those waiting for trial in space detention centers die due to unforeseen idents. In other words, they end up dying before a verdict is even reached. "And by the way things are going, it seems like I¡¯ll be visiting one of those detention centers soon enough." Yeongwoo said this, scrunching his nose, while Jiseon crossed her arms. Click. ¡ªThe mortality rate in space detention centers is 84%? "Yes." ¡ªSo, that means 16%e out alive? "...?" Technically speaking, they emerge alive to face their trial, but it wasn¡¯t entirely wrong to say that. "That''s true, yes." ¡ªAnd you don¡¯t have the confidence to be in that 16%? Then just quit right now. This Earth and space stuff¡ªall of it. "What?" ¡ªYou idiot! How can I partner with someone who doesn¡¯t even have the guts to survive a mere detention center? Do you really think you can round up those who started this ''Reset'' business with that level of courage? "No, I mean¡­" Once again, Yeongwoo was at a loss for words. As crazy as it sounded, it wasn¡¯t entirely wrong either. "You''re being a bit harsh just because it¡¯s not your problem, don¡¯t you think?" ¡ªYou cowardly idiot! Do you really think you''d go to prison just because you gave out a few too many thank-you gifts? Song Jiseon curled her index finger and pointed it usingly at Yeongwoo. ¡ªEven if the people who received the gifts lodge aint, we can just say we prepared those thank-you gifts sincerely. The system clearly has exploitable loopholes, so why are you scared already? Song Jiseon was a veteran entrepreneur who had been through the wringer on the global stage. So, of course, she was adept at exploiting such systemic ws. On the other hand, Yeongwoo was a novice entrepreneur with barely seven days of experience, not even enough to call it a startup. He was no match for his mother in this field. ¡ªAt worst, we might lose some money over excessive thank-you gifts. But if it goes well, the bribe will work, and we''ll secure theary promotion. We might even get promoted higher than originally expected. ¡°So, you¡¯re really suggesting we bribe them?¡± ¡ªDo you have any other options left at this point? Time¡¯s running out, isn¡¯t it? Jiseon tapped her empty wrist, mimicking checking a watch. When Yeongwoo looked at the timer in his field of vision, just as his mother said, the remaining time had sharply dwindled. [00:01:33] 1 minute and 33 seconds until the inspector''s arrival. The problem was that they hadn¡¯t prepared anything because they had been busy arguing. "There''s 1 minute and 30 seconds left." When Yeongwoo informed his mother about the remaining time until the VIP¡¯s arrival, Jiseon pulled therge sword she had stuck into the ground back out. Wham! ¡ªIs that so? We''ll find out soon enough if space bureaucrats ept bribes. ¡°What about the money? Even if webed the country for cash, we couldn¡¯t get it here in 1 minute.¡± Not even using high-speed transport. Jiseon looked at her son again. ¡ªDo you have a coin or something? Something that feels like it could substitute for money. "A coin?" At his mother¡¯s request, Yeongwoo took something out from his armor. Swish. It was a gold-colored coin. Amemorative coin with Jeong Yeongwoo''s own face and name engraved on it, worth 10,000 Karma. ¡ª...... Seeing this, Jiseon flinched momentarily, but then continued her line. ¡ªMake a product with that thing you like so much. "A product?" ¡ªWrite a nk check. Tell them they can write down the thank-you amount they expect when they leave after the inspection. "Isn¡¯t that too risky? We don¡¯t know how much they¡¯ll write." ¡ªThey¡¯ll probably write a modest amount if they''re honest bureaucrats. But if they write down a considerable sum... ¡°Then that means bribery is possible even in space.¡± ¡ªExactly. And what¡¯s more, you¡¯ll find out the going rate. ¡°The going rate?¡± ¡ªThe going rate for bribes in space. ¡°¡­Mom, are you insane?¡± ¡ªBusiness is all about matching the tone and manner of your counterpart. If you¡¯re dealing with crazy people, you have no choice but to cross the line too. And this business market was nothing less than space. For the first time in a while, Song Jiseon felt her heart race. ¡ªBut if this all goes wrong, and I mean spectacrly wrong... ¡°Goes wrong?¡± ¡ªYou¡¯ll be the one going to prison, son. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 316 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 316: Cosmic Lobbying (1) Lobbying, a prison, and space. These disjointed keywords floated in Yeongwoo''s mind, but there was no time to dwell on them any longer. Rumble, rumble¡­! Already, high above Seoul¡¯s sky, something like the eye of a typhoon had started forming in the distance. ¡ª What? Are the examiners heading straight here? At the bizarre phenomenon of the swirling sky, Song Jiseon gripped her greatsword threateningly, while Yeongwoo, after a brief moment of thought, turned his gaze to the west. ¡°No, they¡¯re probably headed for where the Shrine of the Four Deities is. Right in front of the Victory Monument.¡± After all, that''s where they submitted the promotion evaluation request by umting enough glory points, so that was most likely where the examiners wouldnd. Then, Yeongwoo pointed far off toward Jeonggu and the orc lord, Bantubangtong. ¡°Mother, can you give mypanions a ride?¡± ¡ª What? ¡°I''ll take Yechan with me, so please give the others a ride.¡± ¡ª You want me to y chauffeur? ¡°If you''re not going to attack Seoul, there¡¯s no other use for your dragon form now.¡± As Yeongwoo gestured for Yechan to get on Negwig, Yechan shook his head. ¡°No, thanks. I¡¯d rather run like before¡­¡± Since Negwig wasn¡¯t any faster than he was, there didn¡¯t seem to be any need to ride together. But Yeongwoo never intended to take him all the way to Jongno in the first ce. ¡°What are you talking about? There''s no way you¡¯ll make it to Jongno on time by running now.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± Yechan tilted his head in confusion, prompting Yeongwoo to point at the "tower" in Gwangjin-gu. ¡°We¡¯ll take that today. It¡¯s the only way to get to Jongno in less than a minute.¡± * * * Screech! As Yeongwoo and Yechan approached the tower on the Negwig, the tower¡¯s tightly shut outer walls split open to reveal a path. ¡°What the¡ª? What is that?¡± Yechan, who had never used this transportation method before, was in utter shock, and Yeongwoo pointed to the top of the tower as if to emphasise its importance. ¡°Think of it as your future workce. This tower lets you move at near the speed of light to the next tower.¡± ¡°Near the speed of light¡­?¡± ¡°Each tower functions as a station. Towers like these have already been built across China. You¡¯ll use them to collect money from now on.¡± Yechan asked a perfectly reasonable question. ¡°Wait, did the Chinese just leave these towers alone? I bet they tried to destroy them as soon as they saw them.¡± ¡°Of course they did. But they failed.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°If you try to destroy it yourself, you¡¯ll see why. This tower isn¡¯t easily broken.¡± ¡°So who can destroy it?¡± ¡°Me.¡± ¡°...?¡± ¡°Even my mother would find it difficult to destroy this tower. So¡­¡± Whoosh! As the Negwig carrying the two of them shot up toward the top of the tower, Yeongwoo finished his thought. ¡°If you ever see someone managing to damage the tower, don¡¯t even think about fighting them. Run away and call me as fast as you can.¡± ¡°The durability of this tower is that high?¡± ¡°It¡¯s built with souls, after all.¡± Just as Yeongwoo said, they reached the top of the tower in the blink of an eye. Then a system message, seemingly embedded in the transportation system, appeared as a notification. ¡¸A new user has been detected. Would you like to register as a regr user?¡¹ Without hesitation, Yeongwoo ced his hand on the control device in the center of the tower¡¯s summit and authorized Yechan¡¯s user registration. sh! ¡¸Kang Yechan306 has been registered as a regr user.¡¹ The message disyed after the process was alreadyplete, and Yechan, seeing the same message in his vision, widened his eyes. ¡°What? Did something just happen?¡± ¡°Congrattions on your new job.¡± Yeongwoo, saying this, was already looking out beyond the tower¡¯s open outer walls. Even in broad daylight, a path of light was glowing brilliantly. ¡°There are only 30 seconds left. We need to hurry.¡± ¡°Thirty seconds? Then it¡¯s already toote, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Do you even know what ¡®near the speed of light¡¯ means?¡± ¡°Well, it''s not exactly the speed of light¡­¡± Just as Yechan was about to retort, his surroundings turned blindingly white. Shooo! In an instant, their location shifted to Seongdong-gu. ¡°...Huh?¡± Then again. sh! ¡°Wait, hold on!¡± Before Yechan could say anything, a strange sensation washed over him as they transitioned again. Boom! A blinding light filled Yechan¡¯s vision, and when he opened his eyes again... ¡°...?¡± The view from the top of the tower looked just the same, but they had arrived in apletely different area. ¡°We¡¯re here. This is Jongno.¡± As Yeongwoo mmed his palm down on the round control device, they rapidly descended. Whoosh! ¡°When did you even build something like this?¡± Yechan asked in awe, marveling at Seoul¡¯s incredible development. Yeongwoo replied calmly. ¡°We¡¯re on our way to meet theary examiners. Is this really that impressive to you?¡± ¡°Well, yeah, but still¡­¡± Yechan had adapted fairly quickly to this world, but what was happening in Seoul was beyond imagination. For one, the fact that Yeongwoo had taken the position of mayor was surprising, and then there was Metal Seoul, not to mention how orcs were now building bridges. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid?¡± ¡°Of what?¡± ¡°Of everything that¡¯s happening. You¡¯re the one who caused all of this, right? So doesn¡¯t that mean you¡¯ll be responsible for everything?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Yeongwoo answered briefly, then after a moment of thought, spoke with a serious tone. ¡°That¡¯s why I can¡¯t afford to fail. I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to seed.¡± Surviving in the vast universe as a small¡ªYeongwoo was learning how to do just that, step by step, starting from the bottom. ng! Negwig¡¯s iron hooves ttered as they sped toward the Shrine of the Four Deities and the Victory Monument in the distance. At the same time, from above, the ice dragon Song Jiseon descended, holding Jeonggu and Bantubangtong in each hand. Though there had been some bumps along the way, everyone had finally gathered. The founding members of the "noble family" that Yeongwoo had dreamed of. ¡°Is that orc part of your retinue too?¡± As the Negwig galloped, Yechan pointed at the orc lord, Bantubangtong. Yeongwoo shook his head. ¡°Retinue? No, Master Bang is my brother. He¡¯s more than just a retainer.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s family wasn¡¯t just multicultural¡ªit was multi-species. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°...That¡¯s definitely cosmic.¡± Yechan, now appearing moreposed, nced up at the sky, just in time to see a massive lightning strike. ¡°Huh? Sir!¡± As the sky flickered blue, Yeongwoo looked up, but what he saw wasn¡¯t lightning. ¡°Oh, what?¡± What Yechan had mistaken for lightning was actually the blue light emitted intermittently by a colossal ship. It had just shone through the clouds, making it look like lightning from below. ¡°They really arrived right on time.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s guest timer had also just hit zero. And then, from the sky¡ª Rrrrrrooooaaaar! A tremendous noise, like a machine growling, reverberated wide and deep. This bizarre sound came from the ship that carried the examiners. ¡°How big is that thing? I can¡¯t even tell what it looks like.¡± Yechan muttered as he gazed up at the ships of the inspectors, which filled the sky. Next to him, Yeongwoo, with a frustrated expression, spat out, "Damn it... Why don''t we have something like that?" He was genuinely upset. They were forced to admire ships like that, which were given even to mereary inspectors. It was in this moment that the vastness of the universe truly hit him. And as expected. Boom, boom! Song Jiseon, in the form of a giant dragon, approached with heavy footsteps. She set down Jeonggu and Bantubangtong with an extremely displeased look on her face. ¨D You don''t have anything like that? We really are small fry. At this point, she realized just how massive the "universe" her son wanted to enter truly was. "Which is why we need to be the ones bribing them, not the ones getting bribed." With these words, Yeongwoo pulled out amemorative coin from his pocket, and Song Jiseon bared her teeth. ¨D But those guys don''t seem like your average civil servants, do they? You can just tell by looking at them. Even if the bribe works, it''s going to cost us a lot. "......" Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but agree with his mother''s words. The only civil servant he¡¯d ever met in person was the registrar of the temporary district office of the National Tax Service, Jiazol, and even he didn¡¯t have a ship like that¡ªjust a simple portal for transportation. Sure, portals were more convenient in terms of practicality, but... ¡®That¡¯s a whole different level of protocol. They haven¡¯t even shown themselves yet, but they¡¯re already intimidating.¡¯ At this point, a question urred to Yeongwoo. ¡®Then... could the Chairman beat them?¡¯ The Dogo Chairman was known for beating up civil servants, but Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t sure about his limits. And he had no idea whether the missioner" the Chairman had supposedly killed outranked these inspectors. The civil servant he¡¯d met from the National Tax Service, Jiazol, was ranked an impressive 86th grade. So, just how many kinds of civil servants were out there in the universe? ¡®The one who took issue with the transfer of mythic weapons probably wasn¡¯t low-ranking either... But judging from these ships, the inspectors don¡¯t seem to be lower-level either.¡¯ While Yeongwoo¡¯s face contorted with confusion, a bright light turned on from the sky and shone in a circle near the Sajik altar. Thoom! For the first time, the inspectors spoke. ¡²Step forward, the one who has requested the promotion review.¡³ ¡°Ugh.¡± "......!" As the inspectors called for the applicant, Yechan and Jeonggu instinctively shrank back, covering their ears. The voice seemed to be broadcasted through the ship, a modified version of the mechanical cry they had heard earlier, forming into words. The pressure from the voice was immense, but there were at least three people in the area who stood tall. Those three were Jeong Yeongwoo, the mayor of Metal Seoul, Song Jiseon, the ice dragon, and Bantubangtong, the red-footed orc lord. Each had their own reasons for refusing to bend in front of such overwhelmingly superior beings. And among them, especially Yeongwoo. ¡®I¡¯ll beat you all down someday...!¡¯ Fueled by sheer willpower, he withstood the pressure from the inspectors. Click! Yeongwoo, d in the Vesedel armor, stepped forward into the spot designated by the inspectors, and the light that spotted him flickered, almost as if blinking. Then suddenly: ¡²Who the hell is that guy?¡³ An unintentional broadcasted voice rang out through the ship¡¯s loudspeakers. Then came the sound of someone calling another person urgently. ¡²Take a look at this.¡³ ¡²...What is it?¡³ ¡²It¡¯s Vesedel.¡³ ¡²What?¡³ There seemed to be several inspectors, as multiple voices with different tones ovepped. Song Jiseon, who was quietly listening to themotion, turned to her son and asked. ¨D What¡¯s Vesedel? "It¡¯s my backer. The royal family of the universe." ¨D Ah. But the royal family had long since fallen. What Yeongwoo was wearing was closer to a relic of past glory. Perhaps that¡¯s why. ¡²Ha, when was thest time we heard about Vesedel?¡³ One of the inspectors scoffed audibly, and Yeongwoo¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡®This could getplicated.¡¯ It meant that the inspectors knew enough about the universe to recognize the name "Vesedel," yet still had the nerve to scoff at it. Being "named" could be a great advantage against those who respected it, but it could backfire just as easily against those who didn¡¯t. It seemed like this was thetter case. Next, one of the inspectors shot a question as if interrogating a criminal. ¡²Are you some sort ofckey of Vesedel? Reveal your identity properly.¡³ Yeongwoo¡¯s brow furrowed deeply, and sensing her son''s anger rising, Song Jiseon quickly intervened. ¨D You idiot, don¡¯t do anything reckless! It¡¯s a strategy to bend temporarily when the storm hits. But Yeongwoo¡¯s hand was already on his sword, Bastard. "Do you really want to know who I am?" As Yeongwoo boldly lifted his head, Song Jiseon sighed, realizing they were doomed. ¨D No! It¡¯s not the time yet! However, what came out of Yeongwoo¡¯s mouth next was something no one had expected. "If you really want to know, it¡¯s an honor! Inspector sir...!" ¨D What...? "But this little thing here will exin who I am." Shhh. Yeongwoo raised the small piece of metal he had been holding in his palm. It was none other than amemorative coin with his own face engraved on it¡ªa "karma" type of object, known throughout the universe. In other words, money. As if waiting for this moment: ¡²Oh.¡³ The voice inside the ship let out a sound of interest. ¡²So the rumors were true.¡³ The light that had been shining on Yeongwoo flickered rapidly. ¡²Isn¡¯t Vesedel supposed to be the most skilled in etiquette in the entire universe!¡³ ¡®¡­Damn it.¡¯ Yeongwoo shed a bright smile toward the ship, holding up the coin. Then he whispered to his mother through clenched teeth. ¡°These bastards are taking bribes. You were right this time, Mother." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 317 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 317: Cosmic Lobbying (2) Vesedel. One of the royal families of the universe, which gave birth to the "King of Destruction," Dogo. There''s no way to know how mighty the Vesedel family was during their prime, but the fact that their name is embedded in equipment grades means they were undoubtedly a noble house recognized by the order of the universe. ¡®And yet, one of the examiners looked down on Vesedel, as if it were nothing.¡¯ Of course, Vesedel no longer existed as a royal family, so it wasn¡¯t too surprising for someone to make jokes about them. However, in the universe, lower beings couldn¡¯t even dare to utter the names of higher beings. For someone to ridicule a royal family in such a universe¡­ ¡®Wouldn''t you need to be at the same level as the Chairman? After all, the Chairman is still active.¡¯ In Yeongwoo''s mind, a sort of hierarchy was being drawn. The Chairman''s existence rank, ording to universalw, was 3rd-grade. That''s just below the 2nd-grade beings, whose names can''t even be mentioned without permission. So, was the Vesedel family also ranked as 2nd-grade? ¡®Probably not. They said this Bastard created myths by defeating transcendent beings, so Vesedel likely wasn¡¯t born as an elite family.¡¯ Then should Vesedel be considered 3rd-grade? It was possible, considering even among 3rd-grade beings, their prestige could vary. Moreover, since Vesedel was a royal family, they probably had significant renown within the 3rd-grade. ¡®Then what about the examiners?¡¯ This was a tricky question. On Earth, even among humans, it''s possible to insult others regardless of status, but the universe was different. ¡®There''s a limit. At best, they''d be 3rd-grade beings.¡¯ But when recalling one of the examiner''s lines: ¨D Hah, Vesedel? That''s ancient history. Ironically, this line contained a certain level of fear. The phrase "ancient history" implied that at least in the past, Vesedel had been extraordinary. In other words, had it been during the height of the Vesedel family, that examiner wouldn¡¯t have dared to mock the name. ¡®So, the examiner''s rank must be between 3rd-grade and somewhere around 4th or 5th-grade.¡¯ After organizing his thoughts, Yeongwoo felt a bit more at ease. He thought that as long as he didn''t make any huge mistakes, and as long as he wasn¡¯t executed on the spot, things could be managed somehow. After all, hadn¡¯t he already dealt with Chairman Dogo, a notorious 3rd-grade being? So, if his opponents were also below 3rd-grade, he was confident he could navigate the situation. ¡®This is why it¡¯s important to have diverse experiences.¡¯ Pop! As Yeongwoo raised the medallion higher, the light illuminating him expanded to nearly twenty times its size. Swoosh! ¡°¡­!¡± Yeongwoo opened his eyes wide, and Song Jiseon, who had been quietly observing from behind, whispered softly. ¨D Hey, it means you should step out of the spotlight now. You should probably back off. This was actually amon tactic in business or political arenas. It was often used to showcase the difference in stature between the two sides by deliberately leading one to change positions. However, this wasn¡¯t just a disy of power but a business strategy to psychologically undermine the other party¡¯s decision-making ability. But if the difference in rank was too great, the weaker party was forced toply, making it a political act. ¨D Seriously, just step out already. Jiseon urged him again, but Yeongwoo didn¡¯t budge. ¡°Why? There¡¯s plenty of space here. We can just share it.¡± He knew full well what he was doing. ¨D There¡¯s nothing to gain by being stubborn now. Just step back. Yeongwoo shook his head. ¡°No.¡± ¨D Why? ¡°I¡¯m curious. Aren¡¯t you? I want to see what happens if I don¡¯t move. Aren¡¯t you curious, Mother?¡± ¨D ¡­You crazy bastard. Ironically, the system that judged Yeongwoo07¡¯s achievements had already categorized him as a "stubborn." ¡°No matter how rude this may be, they can¡¯t really harm me. They know I¡¯ll offer a hefty gift in return.¡± ¨D ¡­ Jiseon was left speechless. Because he was mostly right. ¨D But that curiosity might increase the amount we have to bribe them. Don¡¯t forget, we pledged a nk check as a gift. ¡°It¡¯s fine. The Chairman will cover any shortfall.¡± ¨D What the hell do you mean? ¡°The Chairman is watching this scene right now.¡± As Yeongwoo spoke, he lifted his chin confidently, and the Dogo crest on his right shoulder glowed brightly. The advertisement tattoo Yeongwoo had on his upper right arm was being projected onto the Vesedel armor. ¡°What other reason would a small fry like me have to stand confidently in front ofary examiners of the universe? Right, Mother!¡± Jiseon''s pupils trembled momentarily before she cautiously opened her mouth. ¨D Because of¡­ Dogo? Is ¡®Dogo¡¯ really that significant¡­? She wasn¡¯t clueless. She realized that her son was engaging in some sort of product cement. And as if on cue¡ª Roaaaaaaar! That strange sound filled the air again, and from inside the ship in the sky, there was the noise of something being unlocked. nk! The examiners were finally descending to Earth. Roaaaaaar¡­! The mechanical wailing echoed again. As the huge light that had been illuminating Yeongwoo flickered, a strange presence descended from above. ¡°¡­What?¡± It wasn¡¯t just the feeling of arge being descending. There was a strange, smoky sensation, as if something¡­ ¨D Damn it, what is that? Sure enough, Song Jiseon, who had been floating a hundred meters in the air in her dragon form, trembled slightly. She had seen the examiner before Yeongwoo. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Yeongwoo tried to use his "irvoyance" to look into the sky, but it was unnecessary. Whooosh¡­ By now, the examiners had descended close enough to be seen with the naked eye. ¡®¡­Are those really government officials?¡¯ Yeongwoo''s pupils widened. The aura the beings exuded felt more like that of demon kings rather than civil servants. There were three examiners descending to Earth. Each was over 20 meters tall, but the one in the center stood out the most. ¡ö ¡­. That being wore a metal mask and had a thick, enormous cape covering its entire body. Its sheer size made even the swaying of the cape seem terrifying. And most importantly, they hade from the universe. There was no guarantee that what was under that mask and cape resembled a human. For all Yeongwoo knew, inside could be grotesque tentacles, like some kind of monstrous creature. ¡®That guy. He¡¯s the one who mocked Vesedel.¡¯ They hadn¡¯t introduced themselves yet, but Yeongwoo instantly knew. The one wearing the cape was the one. Sss¡­ The examiners descended to about 100 meters from the ground, and people around them began showing symptoms. It started with Jeonggu. ¡°Yeongwoo!¡± His father called urgently, and when Yeongwoo turned to look, he saw Jeonggu half-kneeling on the ground. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why all of a sudden?¡± ¡°I-I can¡¯t breathe¡­!¡± Realizing the situation, Yeongwoo immediately searched his essory catalog. He found a pair of earrings and tossed them to his father. ¡¸Bear Heart¡¹ - Mutant Earring ¡¾Bes braver.¡¿ ¡°Hang in there. When else will you have a chance to meet beings like that?¡± But Jeonggu wasn¡¯t the only one in trouble. ¡°¡­Gasp!¡± As the examiners descended closer to the ground, Yechan nted his spear into the earth. Thud! "Can''t you do it either?" As Yeongwoo saw Yechan''s hands trembling as he gripped the spear''s shaft, he asked. Yechan nodded in response. "We should probably step back. It''ll get much worse when the inspectors get closer." By "we," Yechan was referring to himself and Jeonggu, as the one wearing the Bear''s Heart, Jeonggu, was barely catching his breath but still trembling violently. "And what about Mom¡­?" When Yeongwoo turned around, he saw his mother relinquishing her dragon form and reverting to her normal appearance as a swordswoman. Ssshhhh! ¡ª It seems like it really is the inspector, huh? Song Jiseon''s voice was trembling too, but it was still impressive. Unlike Yechan and Jeonggu, she didn¡¯t have any equipment to resist the overwhelming pressure. And of course, neither did Yeongwoo, who had given the Bear''s Heart to his father. All he had left was the Invibility effect of the Aratubank shield. ¡¾Immunity¡¿ | This shield cannot be destroyed and can block most non-physical damage and mental attacks. But what was overwhelming everyone now wasn¡¯t a mental attack. It was the sheer presence the inspectors exuded. A kind of dominance. So, Yeongwoo also had to endure their presence purely with his umted courage. ¡®Damn, these guys could kill someone just by breathing.¡¯ It was an entirely different feeling from the chairman. Unlike the chairman¡¯s aura, which felt like solid steel, these guys exuded a sharp, threatening arrogance, like a de. It was also the moment Yeongwoo realized how much the chairman must restrain himself on a daily basis. ¡®Chairman¡­!¡¯ Yeongwoo called out to the chairman inwardly while looking up at the sky, but all he could see was the massive navy warship the inspectors had brought, blocking his view of the sky. And finally. Thud! The three inspectorsnded on Earth. On the left side of the one cloaked in a cape was a massive body of water, which was also one of the inspectors. Inside the water, a single giant eyeball, about 10 meters in diameter, was ring at Yeongwoo. The water itself, which surrounded the eye, was about 30 meters in diameter, making it feel like he was trapped deep underwater every time he looked at it. ¡®¡­The chairman is at the same level as these guys? Or even higher?¡¯ On the other hand, the one standing in the air to the right of the cloaked figure had a familiar appearance. It was skinny like a spider, but it had two legs, two arms, and a head that resembled a human¡¯s. Its entire body was wrapped in pitch-ck cloth, almost like it was dressed in a suit. ¡®Wait, that¡­¡¯ Yeongwoo blinked. The inspector on the right looked familiar. A tall, pale face, with familiar eyes, nose, and mouth. The nose had no bone and was just two hollow holes in smooth skin. And instead of white sclera, there were pitch-ck pupils. If you ignored the fact that it was 20 meters tall, it resembled Jiazol, the tax office registrar. ¡®It¡¯s the same race as Jiazol! Must be a big shot among them!¡¯ As Yeongwoo blinked, pleased to see something familiar, the cloaked figure finally spoke, noticing the contractor still standing in the same light as them. ¡ö This ce is not for you. Leave. Suddenly, an immense pressure swirled through the area like a storm, forcing Yechan, Jeonggu, and even Jiseon, who were standing nearby, to quickly retreat. - Move, little one! By now, the only ones still standing were Yeongwoo and Master Bang. Even though Yeongwoo felt like his heart was going to explode, he gritted his teeth and held his ground. ¡®I¡¯ve got too much money to make to let them scare me off.¡¯ Realizing that Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t backing down, the cloaked figure bent slightly at the waist and looked down at him. Rumble... The massive shadow cast by its huge form covered all of Yeongwoo, and the pressure intensified until Master Bang finally couldn¡¯t withstand it and stepped back. Tap. He retreated, unable to bear the overwhelming pressure. But at that moment, Yeongwoo¡¯s mind cleared. ¡®These guys cast shadows?¡¯ He realized it just now, seeing the shadow fall over him. Thews of Earth¡¯s physics still bound these inspectors. Their rank in the cosmic hierarchy might be much higher, but fundamentally, they were beings that could be cut, stabbed, and beaten. In other words... ¡®One day, I¡¯ll beat the hell out of them.¡¯ The moment Yeongwoo thought this, the pressure that had been suffocating him suddenly vanished. The cloaked figure, sensing this,ughed incredulously. ¡ö Do you know what you are doing right now? "Entertaining you, of course. I¡¯m honored to host such distinguished guests," Yeongwoo said as he raised thememorative coin once more. The cloaked figure responded. ¡ö Your audacity touches the board itself. Have you prepared a suitable offering to spare your life and this? It was a clear threat that if his offering wascking, they would wipe him out then and there. In response, Yeongwoo pointed to the sky, obscured by their warship, and said. "I wouldn¡¯t know." ¡ö Why not? Then, without warning, Yeongwoo drew his cursed sword and thrust it into the sky. sh! "Because this negotiation! Is sponsored by the intergctic weapons brand Dogo!" ¡ö Dogo! Yeongwoo was finally beginning to test the limits of his sponsor. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 318 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 318: Cosmic Lobbying (3) As Yeongwoo dered the lobby in a transcendentalnguage by shouting ¡°Dogo,¡± the inspector on the right, who resembled Jiazol, pointed a skinny finger at him. Swish. ¡ö Dogo! To be precise, the inspector was pointing at the Dogo wedge emblem that was being projected above Yeongwoo''s right shoulder. Only now had these inspectors, who were the representatives of this, started to show interest in the insignificant creature standing before them. And this made Yeongwoo somewhat angry. ¡®Wait, are these guys supposed to be inspectors and yet don¡¯t even know what exists on the they¡¯re inspecting?¡¯ Well, from the perspective of these beings who held some authority in the universe, the circumstances of a small requiring their ¡°inspection¡± wouldn¡¯t have been of much concern to them. ¡®They still have a long way to go. Even with Dogo backing me, there are still public officials out therepletely unaware of this fact.¡¯ The notoriety was clearlycking. With a frustrated expression, Yeongwoo red at the inspectors and the massive navy-blue spaceship visible above their heads. Right then, at just the right moment... Piiing! A strange sound came from above the sky. ¡°Huh?¡± Yeongwoo made a face as if he had realized something, and the cloaked inspector seemed to have understood something too. ¡ö It''sing! The cloaked inspector hurriedly tilted their head upward and their eyes sparkled with a sharp gleam. ¡®What¡­ what¡¯s happening?¡¯ As Yeongwoo observed the cloaked figure¡¯s behavior, he could only gasp in astonishment a momentter. Tszzzz! The moment the cloaked inspector tilted their head and sent some sort of signal to the spaceship, the massive ship, which had filled the sky, started flickering rapidly, transforming into an afterimage. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± It was only then that Yeongwoo realized what this all meant. Ssshhhh! Immediately afterward, something shot down from outer space, passing through the now illusory spaceship. In other words, sensing that something was approaching from outside, the cloaked figure had turned the massive spaceship into a temporary illusion so that it would not be affected by physical force. ¡®Are they¡­ insane? How is that even possible?¡¯ As Yeongwoo stared in shock at the cloaked figure, thetter let out a deep sound from behind their mask. ¡ö This hasplicated things. And almost at the same time... Boom! A ck object fell between Yeongwoo and the inspectors. It was none other than¡ª ¡ªI''ve brought a gift in return. ¡°Huh? ck Eyes¡­¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened as he recognized the new arrival. It was someone he had met before but was not exactly familiar with in real life. The military department head of Dogo Corporation, Desirak, stood before Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes. A massive knight d in chainmail armor, covering his entire body, including his face. ¡®He looks exactly the same as the one I saw in the dungeon.¡¯ Yeongwoo had first encountered ck Eyes Desirak in the dungeon, "Moral Lecture," which recreated the chairman''s past as a prince. That was the first andst time. And now, after what must have been a significant amount of time, Desirak was still guarding the old prince. ¡°De-Department Head?¡± As Yeongwoo tried to make himself known to Desirak, the 5-meter-tall knight looked down at Earth¡¯s boldest swordsman. ¡ªAttempting to bribe an 11th-level public official? Bold, but beyond your capabilities.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± At first nce, it seemed like Desirak was scolding Yeongwoo for causing trouble, but in reality, he was offering a valuable hint. From that one line, Yeongwoo had learned that the inspectors standing before him were 11th-level public officials. Given that Jiazol, who worked in the National Tax Service, had been 86th level, it made sense thatary inspectors would be rtively high-ranking officials. But more importantly¡ª ¡®Beyond my capabilities? Does that mean the bribe required to sway an 11th-level official is that high?¡¯ As Yeongwoo''s eyes filled with curiosity, darting between the cosmic beings, Desirak raised his index finger and made a quick sh in the air. sh! A sharp blue light followed the line he drew in the air, producing a long, narrow paper-like object, resembling a receipt. ¡°What is that?¡± Unable to contain his curiosity, Yeongwoo asked. However, Desirak didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he held up the paper and presented it to the inspectors. ¡ªWe¡¯ll offer money as a gift in return. Write down the amount.¡± Despite Desirak being an enormous 5-meter-tall figure by Earth standards, the inspectors standing before him were at least 20 meters tall. Yet, themanding presence with which Desirak handed over the nk check was undeniable, and the inspectors didn¡¯t question his bold stance. ¡®The Department Head¡­ He¡¯s of a simr status to the inspectors.¡¯ Yeongwoo learned yet another important lesson. And from this, he could deduce one more thing. Desirak, the military department head, and theary inspectors were likely 4th or 5th-level beings in the cosmic hierarchy. ¡ö Hmm. Eventually, the cloaked inspector, seemingly the leader of the group, let out a troubled sound from behind the mask. When dealing with the representative of a small, insignificant, they had exuded the aura of an absolute authority. But now that they were sitting at the negotiation table with someone of a simr rank, they showed their true colors as ¡°bribe-taking officials.¡± ¡®This is style! In the universe, strength is everything!¡¯ For Yeongwoo, this was nothing short of a revtion. The inspectors, who had appeared so intimidating just moments ago, now seemed like mere public servants. It was clear¡ªif you wanted to see someone¡¯s true nature, you had to stand on equal footing. ¡ö Is the payment going to be in karma? The bribe negotiations had begun. ¡ªThe entire amount will be in karma. We¡¯re not considering any other form of payment. ¡ö Had Dogo sent you directly, you would have factored in the inspection fee. ¡ªDo you ever say anything that isn¡¯t already obvious? Now shut up and write. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± It seemed like Desirak was crossing the line, but surprisingly, the inspectors said nothing. Despite being outnumbered three to one, Desirak stood his ground without issue. Whether this was due to Desirak¡¯s notorious reputation or the power of Dogo Corporation backing him, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t yet be sure. However, a hint soon presented itself. ¡ö 5 billion, in a lump sum. Pay in full, deliver it in person, and if this bribe is discovered, you take responsibility for the prosecution. ¡®5 billion?¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s ears perked up. The inspectors had just demanded a bribe of 5 billion karma, to be paid in a lump sum, with the added condition that if this deal were exposed, Desirak¡¯s side would be liable for the prosecution. ¡®That¡¯s why they said it was beyond my capability.¡¯ The amount, as well as the legal responsibilities, were far beyond what Yeongwoo¡ªor even Earth¡ªcould handle at this point. However, the truly surprising event happened next. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡ª5 billion karma as an evaluation fee? I can pay it, but that''s beyond my authority to execute. Would you like to meet the chairman directly?" At this, the three evaluators hesitated immediately, and the giant eye submerged in the water kept staring at Desirak while sending silent signals. ¡®They¡¯re scared of the chairman.¡¯ This is the difference between those who want to hit public officials and those who actually do. Even though he was wearing Vesedel armor, he was still looked down upon by the evaluators, while the chairman''s mere mention struck fear. Then, one of the evaluators pointed at Yeongwoo again. ¡ö Be cautious of Dogo. They test their products outside. The one who said this was a skinny guy resembling Jiazol. He pointed to the metal cloak draped over Yeongwoo''s shoulder, Dogo¡¯stest product, "Cosmic Etiquette." ¡¸Cosmic Etiquette¡¹ - ¡ó Dogo Visangche ¡¾20% increased damage to public officials¡¿ ¡¾20% resistance to special abilities¡¿ ¡¾Dogo¡¿ These evaluators were well aware that Dogo was apany that manufactured equipment specifically for assaulting public officials. So, what would happen if they dared ask such apany for more money? Especially if they had a direct meeting with that infamous chairman... ¡®They¡¯d surely be the target for testing new products.¡¯ The only regret was that Yeongwoo was too weak to test his ownpany¡¯s products personally. While Yeongwoo clenched his fists, the evaluators asked Desirak again. ¡ö How much can you execute right now? Desirak folded and unfolded his chain-wrapped fingers a few times before raising three fingers. ¡ª3 billion in one lump sum. But we won¡¯t stop any indictment. In simple terms, it was a risky 3 billion. At this, the cloaked one shook his head. ¡ö No indictment. In other words, they couldn''t afford to go to jail. Even the evaluators seemed to fear the universe''s discipline system, which had an 84% mortality rate while awaiting trial. ¡ªSo, will you forgo 1 billion out of fear of an indictment? If we take on the risk, the most we can pay right now is 2 billion. Desirak provoked the evaluators. Yeongwoo, hearing this, wanted to ask if Desirak had a criminal record, but there was no time for that. ¡ö There are plenty ofs to evaluate. We won¡¯t do anything foolish. ¡ªFine, coward, then just write down 2 billion. That¡¯s the maximum favor we can offer. Desirak waved the paper in his hand, and Desirak turned his head to nce at the skyline of Metal Seoul briefly. ¡ö ¡­¡­. What was he thinking right now? Yeongwoo had no way of knowing. ¡ö An intriguing ce, this. Then, the figure asked for the human''s name for the first time. ¡ö What¡¯s your name? Yeongwoo looked up at the figure, holding the "Bastard" in his hand. ¡°I am Mayor Jeong Yeongwoo07 of Dogo Special City, Metal Seoul.¡± In this brief introduction was contained the extraordinary events of Yeongwoo''sst seven days. ¡°If we meet again, I will prepare a gift with my strength in return.¡± Yeongwoo offered a more courteous greeting than usual, and Desirak let out a bigugh from behind his mask. ¡ö What a cunning. It was unclear whether it was praise or insult. Then, the one resembling Jiazol reached out his long fingers, took the nk check from Desirak¡¯s hand, and drew a long line with his fingertips. Swish! ¡ö I¡¯ve received enough of a return gift. We will now begin our basic investigation of this and will take into ount all events since we began our stay here. This referred to everything from the first encounter with the evaluation requester, Jeong Yeongwoo07, to Dogo¡¯s proxy return gift, and all the uing events on the. In essence, theary evaluation had begun even before Yeongwoo attempted lobbying. ¡°So, what should I do now?¡± Yeongwoo asked the evaluators, and Desirak left a brief piece of advice. ¡ö Prove that this ce is superior to others. Then, the skinny one smiled, splitting his long mouth. ¡ö Creatures like you shouldn¡¯t exist in the universe. But since it¡¯se to this, it must be written in the scripts. Though it sounded meaningful, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t fully grasp its significance. And finally, the one in the water spoke for the first time. ¡ö It''s been a while since I took on such a heavy karma. I¡¯ll watch to see what kind of reward it brings. ¡®So... even 11th-grade public officials will take on karma if enough money is involved?¡¯ Despite this thought, Yeongwoo waved the "Bastard" cheerfully at the evaluators, seeing them off with a bright smile. Their entire bodies were already being enveloped in light, sucked back into their spaceship. ¡°Your excellencies! Safe travels...!¡± Perhaps the promising viin bidding them farewell might be the source of the evaluators'' karma. In response, dozens of blue beams shot out from the ship as a form of farewell. ¡¸Theary promotion evaluation has begun.¡¹ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 319 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 319: Special (1) The bribe amount initially proposed by the inspectors: 5 billion. The amount actually settled on: 2 billion. This meant that the usual bribe rates for an 11th-grade civil servant fell somewhere between those numbers. If the head of Dogo Corporation wasn¡¯t the type of viin who could rough up even civil servants, wouldn¡¯t the actual bribe amount have been more than 3 billion? ¡®Moreover, from the inspectors'' perspective, this was just one among many they received money from¡­ The scale of the bribe amounts alone here is massive.¡¯ Yeongwoo marveled at the vast world he had just glimpsed, a world sorge that it was beyond hisprehension. But the most important point was this: ¡®In any case, thepany incurred a significant investment cost.¡¯ Of course, for thepany, 2 billion might be considered mere pocket change, but everything must be seen in rtive terms, right? Currently, under his contract, Yeongwoo¡¯s weekly wage was a conditional maximum of 400 million. But due to this lobbying issue, thepany had shelled out 2 billion all at once. This meant that the importance of Jeong Yeongwoo07, formerly just a simple advertising model, had now far surpassed what was stipted in his sry contract. ¡®I''m no longer just a mere ad model. Regarding theary development rights, I¡¯m also a business partner.¡¯ Still, there had to be a reason why thepany responded so readily to Yeongwoo''s unteral lobbying request. The profits from obtainingary development rights must be immense, or else... ¡®It could only mean that I have an extraordinary level of favor with the Chairman.¡¯ While Yeongwoo was grinning smugly to himself, Desirak, the "ck Eyes," who had just finished his task, looked down at the Earthling who had drained Dogo of 2 billion in one go. ¡ª Now is the time to prove your worth. You must seed in advancing the¡¯s rank. ¡°Uh... can it fail even after we¡¯ve paid such a bribe?¡± ¡ª It¡¯s impossible to make the impossible happen. This meant that even though lobbying was done, if the was below a certain level, it wouldn¡¯t seed in advancing. ¡®But since Dogo is already involved with this, and since I¡¯m the client wearing the Vesedel Armor, wouldn¡¯t that at least make us above average?¡¯ While Yeongwoo was thinking this, Desirak, sensing his thoughts, added anotherment. ¡ª Don¡¯t overlook the fact that the others being reviewed also initiated their applications on their own merits. ¡°Ah.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s mind sharpened at that. Come to think of it, that was true. Just as they had umted enough honor points to join the review queue, the others must have done something impressive to summon the inspectors too. The only difference was in the character of the representative leading the application, but any that made it to this stage must have something remarkable to show. ¡°You¡¯re right. Fors to go through a review that costs a minimum of 2 billion in bribes, they must all be extraordinary.¡± As Yeongwoo nodded in agreement, Desirak, having sessfully conveyed his point, began preparing to return. Swish. He raised hisrge head and looked up at the sky. Suddenly, the sky that had been hidden behind the inspectors¡¯ ships was now fully revealed. ¡°Huh? The ships.¡± ¡ª They¡¯ve begun their work. You should move as well. With that, Desirak¡¯s entire body was engulfed in light, and Yeongwoo hastily asked, ¡°Sir! Are you a criminal?¡± Desirak, still wrapped in light, slightly turned his head to look at Yeongwoo. ¡ª Show some respect! That may be a badge of honor for some, but not for me. ¡°Oh, so you are a criminal? How did you survive¡­?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened in curiosity as he asked reflexively, and Desirak¡¯s glowing aura began to dim. The military department head, clearly irritated, paused his return. At that moment, watching from a distance, Song Jiseon hurriedly rushed over. Swoosh! ¡ª You idiot! The moment she arrived, she smacked her son across the face with arge fist. Thud! Though Yeongwoo saw his mother¡¯s fisting, he took the hit quietly, knowing he had spoken out of turn in his excitement. ¡°Ugh!¡± His mother¡¯s fist packed quite a punch, and sensing her opportunity, Song Jiseon also kicked Yeongwoo in the shin while apologizing to Desirak. ¡ª Department Head, as his mother, I sincerely apologize. My son truly wasn¡¯t thinking. I assure you this won¡¯t happen again. She bowed deeply, expressing her apologies repeatedly. Desirak, in his chain armor, waved her off. ¡ª Oh, no, not at all, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll take my leave now. He gave Yeongwoo a quick nce before looking back up at the sky. Swoosh! Once again, Desirak was wrapped in glowing light and, in the blink of an eye, was sucked into the sky. ¡°¡­Is he gone?¡± Noticing the sudden absence of anyrge presence, Yeongwoo cautiously lifted his head. Jiseon, equally fascinated, was still gazing at the sky where Desirak had disappeared. ¡ª Do they have parents even in space? This actually worked? ¡°Well, the Chairman is a Vesedel bastard. Even aliens don¡¯t grow from trees, you know?¡± ¡ª So, does that mean that department head also has a mom and dad? ¡°Probably.¡± No matter how intergctic a being may be, one can¡¯t naturally exhibit perfect etiquette that they¡¯ve never been taught. The way Desirak had just addressed ¡°Mother¡± was almost wless, both in tone and usage. This meant that Desirak might also be a filial son who respected his parents in his own household. Though out here, he dealt withary inspectors by threatening them to ¡°shut up and take the bribes.¡± ¡®So, is the Chairman the only one in ourpany who¡¯s parentless and all alone?¡¯ Vesedel. A fallen royal family. Since Yeongwoo had never met anyone of Vesedel blood except for the Chairman, he couldn¡¯t help but think that way. Based on what the inspectors had mentioned earlier, it was clear that Vesedel was a former royal lineage. ¡®What a tragic fate.¡¯ Born as an illegitimate child of a gctic royal family, he had risen to be the first prince, but some event had caused him to lose his kingdom and live as a space bandit. Although Yeongwoo, now possessing a rather intergctic perspective, still found it difficult to understand the Chairman¡¯s life fully. What exactly had happened to the Chairman, and what was his goal in life now? ¡°Well, for now¡­¡± Yeongwoo turned to the others gathered around and began to speak. ¡°As you all saw, our is now officially under review for advancement. So, we should unite our efforts for a sessful promotion, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± No one responded, sensing the potential for more schemes. So Yeongwoo pointed at Bantubangtong and said, ¡°Now, Master Bang, you¡¯ll return to Australia and bring back the 100 million. We need to settle the ounts.¡± Without a word, Bantubangtong nodded. They had promised to reimburse Yeongwoo for the money he had spent opening Darwin¡¯s portal. ¡ª And after that? ¡°After you hand over the money to me, we¡¯llplete the donation of the battle records to the Victory Monument.¡± Yeongwoo had already received considerable help from the Red Foot Orcs through the hyperfast transit routes and the Aratubank, so he had no intention of asking for anything more punishing. ¡°And you.¡± Yeongwoo pointed at Yechan next. ¡°From now until sunset, you¡¯ll travel to various cities in China and collect money. I¡¯ll tell you which cities are already ¡®convinced¡¯.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Yechan tilted his head at this. ¡°What do you mean? If you¡¯re going to tell me the cities that are already convinced, does that mean I have to go to the ones that aren¡¯t convinced yet?¡± ¡°Of course. If there¡¯s an area where the Mutants haven¡¯t been dealt with, go and help out. Convince the local representatives there. A couple of duels should makemunication possible.¡± As Yeongwoo said this, he held up three fingers. ¡°In return, I¡¯ll give you a 30%mission on the money you collect.¡± ¡°...!¡± For the first time, Yechan¡¯s expression brightened at those words. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course, but...¡± Yeongwoo added, ¡°With that money, meet as many merchants as possible, whether in China or elsewhere.¡± ¡°...What?¡± ¡°And buy the equipment you want. Of course, it¡¯s for your own use.¡± ¡°And then what?¡± Yechan asked, once again with a wary expression. He had started to understand the uncle¡¯s tendencies by now. The uncle he met back in Gumi wasn¡¯t an ordinary person, but now, as the mayor of Metal Seoul, he was someone who never suffered a loss. And indeed, he continued. ¡°asionally, you¡¯lle across some unique equipment. Whenever you find such gear, make sure to buy it and bring it to me.¡± The reason Yeongwoo was offering such a highmission to Yechan was that he intended to use him to procure rare equipment. ¡°Unique equipment?¡± ¡°Increasing anomalous attribute damage, converting damage into anomalous types, that sort of thing. You¡¯ll know it when you see it.¡± ¡°That kind of stuff sounds really expensive though.¡± ¡°If you end up spending too much money, just send me the bill. Securing that equipment is what matters most.¡± No matter how fast the transport routes were, going around various cities across the continent to collect money would inevitably take a significant amount of time. However, with Yeongwoo busy handling mutants in major areas, dealing with alien forces during the day, and entering dungeons at night, he didn¡¯t have the luxury to go around collecting payments himself. That¡¯s why he decided to make full use of Yechan, with whom he had formed a deep connection in this reset world and whose martial abilities were outstanding. ¡°So, what will you be doing while I¡¯m running around with sweat on my feet?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be dealing with crazy aliens and tracking downary shareholders.¡± ¡°....¡± It was an answer that left Yechan speechless. After all, Yeongwoo was truly irreceable at the moment. ¡°As I mentioned earlier, if you arrive at a city you¡¯re visiting for the first time and find any damage to its tower, leave immediately. Then report to me right away.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying there¡¯s someone I won¡¯t be able to beat, right?¡± Since Yechan¡¯s question wasced with a sense of defiance, Yeongwoo repeated his warning with a worried expression. ¡°I¡¯m not joking¡ªyou absolutely won¡¯t be able to win. If the tower has been damaged, it means there¡¯s something at the level of a myth involved.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡°So please be careful. Especially when you¡¯re holding my money.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Reluctantly, Yechan nodded, and Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze finally turned to his father, crouching nearby, and his mother, exuding a chilling aura. ¡°Both of you,e over here.¡± Yeongwoo pointed to the ground in front of him, and Jeonggu awkwardly nced around as he approached his son. On the other hand, Jiseon... ¡ª What now? Sensing what wasing, she spoke in an extremely displeased tone. By now, there was only one thing her son could possibly be asking for. Finally, with a solemn expression, Yeongwoo spoke. ¡°I used to be an orphan, so I received enormous tax benefits. But now, because both of you are alive, I have to start paying a huge amount in taxes from today.¡± ¡°....¡± ¡ª So? ¡°What I mean is, I¡¯m already doing high-level filial duty just by paying these taxes. So both of you need to start showing some love for your child. And the best part is, this doesn¡¯t even cost you any money.¡± ¡ª ...Fuck. Realizing that the inevitable hade, Song Jiseon let out a bitter sigh, and Jeonggu closed his eyes tightly. ¡°Marriage, right?¡± Jeonggu asked, eyes still closed, and his son¡¯s voice cut through the darkness. ¡°Yes.¡± A single, but powerful syble. Had he ever heard anything so terrifying in his life? ¡°Sigh...¡± Jeonggu¡¯s fingers trembled slightly. Then, Song Jiseon grabbed his neck roughly and spoke. ¡ª Uou think you¡¯re the only one feeling miserable? Stop throwing a fit by yourself and stay still. ¡°J-Jiseon...¡± ¡ª Don¡¯t even say my name! As Song Jiseon¡¯s armor started to glow blue with anger once again, Yeongwoo quickly intervened and pulled Jeonggu out of her grasp. ¡°Whoa, hold on! Both of you, calm down!¡± Then he scolded his father. ¡°Dad, you were wrong. Why would you call Mom by her name?¡± ¡°Then...?¡± ¡ª What? Typically, when Yeongwoo spoke calmly, it was only because he was about to say something outrageous. And this time, his parents¡¯ intuition was correct once again. ¡°Don¡¯t you get it? ¡®We¡¯ are a family now. So.¡± With a meaningful expression, Yeongwoo alternated his gaze between his mother and father. ¡°From now on, start calling each other ¡®honey.¡¯ That¡¯s an order from your son.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 320 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 320: Special (2) "Dear," The effect of this single word was tremendous. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going a bit too far?¡± ¡ªDon¡¯t say something so crazy. No way that¡¯s happening. For the first time, both Jeonggu and Jiseon agreed on something. In response, Yeongwoo nodded as if he understood. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see the two of you finally on the same page. But¡­!¡± Swoosh! Finally, Yeongwoo drew bastard sword from his belt and pointed it at his parents. ¡°It¡¯s been over 30 years since you two created me, and you still haven¡¯t figured out how to address each other? Does that make sense?¡± In desperation, Jeonggu begged Yeongwoo to spare him. ¡°No, Yeongwoo, we¡¯ve only really known each other for less than two days!¡± That was true. One day at the Renaissance in Bulkwang-dong, and one day in the reset world. Evenbining their time across two worlds, the time they had spent together was barely two days. In essence, they were practically strangers. ¡ªCome on! Just because people are forced together doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯ll stay together. Jiseon also voiced her objection with a sharp tone, to which Yeongwoo twisted the sword threateningly and delivered a biting line. ¡°Then what about that day? You two already got together once, so why can¡¯t you do it again? Thanks to that, you even have a son now!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡ªWhat the hell is this brat saying¡­? Bastard on a dizzying tightrope. Regardless, as the parents of this crazy kid, both felt a chill each time their son crossed a line. ¡°Isn¡¯t it normal for married couples to keep going, even if they¡¯re not all that into each other, for the sake of their child? So, why not at least pretend to be a married couple, for my sake!¡± ¡ªYou idiot, that¡¯s not the same at all! ¡°What¡¯s the difference? And you might have to get married today¡ªhow long are you going to keep hurling insults at each other?¡± ¡ªYou¡­! Jiseon started to curse again but stopped herself. At least half of what their son had just said made some sense. Strictly speaking, it was only Jiseon who hurled curses in the rtionship, but nheless, his point was generally valid. ¡°I¡¯m not expecting you two to be the world¡¯s greatest couple suddenly. But at least try, alright? Do you think it¡¯s easy to be parents?¡± With that, Yeongwoo pointed at his father. ¡°Dad, you go first.¡± ¡°W-What?¡± ¡°Call my mom ¡®dear.¡¯¡± Terror swept over Jeonggu¡¯s face. ¡°I-I can¡¯t¡­ No, I won¡¯t. She¡¯d actually kill me.¡± As much as he feared his son, he feared Jiseon even more. ¡°Why not? You can do it. Now you have to. Mom won¡¯t hurt you. Right, Mom?¡± ¡ª¡­¡­. Click. Yeongwoo walked over and gestured towards Jiseon. ¡°Alright, now do it. From what I see, the first step to fixing your rtionship is changing how you speak to each other.¡± Yeongwoo thought that their rtionship might improve a little if they stopped using terms like ¡°Jiseon¡± and ¡°dumbass¡± and instead addressed each other as ¡°dear.¡± After all, toplete thest mission of the ¡°Restore the Roots¡± achievement, he had to make them into proper parents who blessed his existence. ¡°Just do it, already!¡± With an intense look in his eyes, Yeongwoo pressed Bastard to his father¡¯s throat, and Jeonggu looked at Jiseon with a terrified expression. Could he really go through with this? To dare call someone he¡¯d met only briefly decades ago, who was practically a stranger to him, such an intimate term¡­ ¡°D-De¡­¡± When the first syble left Jeonggu¡¯s mouth, a blue light shed across the clear sky. Theary Examiners were watching this moment as well. Yechan and Bantubangtong, who had also been holding their breath while watching, silently cheered Jeonggu on. ¡®Go, Yeongwoo¡¯s dad!¡¯ ¡ªSummon your courage, human! And atst¡­ ¡°D¡­ Dear.¡± For the first time in his life, Jeonggu dered himself as the spouse of the Iron-Blooded Empress, Song Jiseon. They had never had a wedding, nor had they made any promises for the future; in fact, they were still essentially strangers to each other. ¡°Alright, now.¡± Yeongwoo turned to his mother with momentum, only to see her raising a massive greatsword. Swoosh! ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡ªWhy the hell would I be his ¡®dear¡¯ when we aren¡¯t even married yet, you little punk?! This is all illegal! Her muttering about legality in the midst of all this revealed that Song Jiseon was clearly panicking. ¡°What¡¯s illegal about it? The universe will soon validate it!¡± ng! With the power of the universe behind him, Yeongwoo blocked her attack, further enraging her. Through the blocked de, she could see her foolish future husband. ¡ªShould¡¯ve killed this brat ages ago. As Jiseon red at Jeonggu, who stood frozen beside her, Yeongwoo hurriedly summoned their tax consultant. ¡°Kubu! Mr. Kubu!¡± A gap in the air opened up near Yeongwoo and Jiseon, and Kubu blinked his enormous eye. Swoosh. ¡ªWhat on earth is this? Jiseon¡¯s anger quickly dissipated at the sight of Kubu¡¯s odd appearance. Kubu, equally surprised by the bloodthirsty setting he had walked into, blinked rapidly before addressing Yeongwoo. ¡ªIt is an honor to once again meet the master of the Bastard, Mayor of Metal Seoul, Jeong Yeongwoo07! Then, he blinked toward Jiseon and offered his greeting. ¡ªI am in the presence of Song Jiseon, Ice Dragon, and biological mother of Jeong Yeongwoo07! ¡ªUh¡­? Jiseon had never received a cosmic greeting in her life. ¡ªWhat is all this? Naturally, she turned to her son. In matters like this, her son was the expert. ¡°What do you mean? It¡¯s a greeting. In the universe, they address people with titles based on their achievements and statuses.¡± ¡ªAchievements? That¡¯s my title? Jiseon looked back at Kubu, reying his earlier words in her mind. Song Jiseon, Ice Dragon, and biological mother of Jeong Yeongwoo07. She finally understood that this was her official status in the universe. ¡ªCould this be considered my cosmic business card? ¡°Pretty much. The difference is that the universe evaluates it, not you¡­¡± Before Yeongwoo could exin further, a sharp blue light burst from Jiseon. sh! ¡ªIs my business card limited to being some freak¡¯s mom? Just this and a monster? ¡°¡­That¡¯s how the universe sees it. Even your past as a corporate mogul doesn¡¯t hold any value here.¡± Yeongwoo held back more words he could have said. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡®They used ¡®biological mother.¡¯¡¯ In the universe, words are never chosen lightly. Kubu¡¯s title, ¡°biological mother,¡± was literal. As Yeongwoo felt every day, Song Jiseon was not yet his true mother. So far, she was merely the one who bore him, only his biological mother. And the universe recognized that, officiallybeling her as the ¡°biological mother¡± of Jeong Yeongwoo07. ¡ªHey, that brat¡­ He didn¡¯t even say it was an honor to meet me. Jiseon¡¯s sharp instincts caught on. ¡°Of course not; it¡¯s not actually an honor to meet you yet. In terms of the cosmic hierarchy, Kubu ranks higher.¡± After reminding her of her ce in the universe, Yeongwoo carefully nudged her sword to the side. Swoosh. ¡°Mom, if you want that revenge, it¡¯s not a simple matter. You¡¯ll have to seek out someone with significant status in the universe.¡± Yeongwoo pointed to the sky with his fingertip. Then, he swirled his hand around and pointed to Jeonggu. "But if my mother marries my father and helps establish my family¡­ things might turn out quite differently, wouldn¡¯t they?" ¡°What nonsense are you spouting now?¡± ¡°Calling it nonsense, really? Would you rather live the rest of your life being disregarded, even by mere tax agents of the universe?¡± At that, Kubu attempted, for the first time, to object. ¨D I wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯m disregarded¡­ "Shut up, Kubu! A person without a mouth sure has a lot to say!" Squawk! Yeongwoo thrust Bastard before Kubu''s eyeball, and even Jiseon chimed in. ¨D Honestly, leaving out the term ¡®glory¡¯ so tantly, that does sound like disrespect. ¨D ¡­. There was nothing left to say. In front of these crazed people, Kubu could only hold his tongue. ¨D So what exactly are you nning to do? ¡°What I¡¯m saying is, my father¡¯s marriage is a necessary condition for this grand venture. And the beginning of it all¡­¡± The single word, ¡°Honey.¡± It begins with a small change in terms of address. ¨D Damn, that crap again. ¡°Though the beginnings are humble, the end shall be glorious. Don¡¯t you know that?¡± Then, pointing to the sky once more, Yeongwoo began selling dreams. ¡°To build a family to venture into space, we need a proper family first. Everything happening now isying the foundation.¡± ¨D ¡­. ¡°So, Mother, cut the nonsense and just say one word. ¡®Honey.¡¯ After all, nobody can see your face.¡± Indeed, for Jiseon, hidden behind her mask, it was much easier to say the word ¡°Honey.¡± ¡°Do it quickly! That one word from you, Mother, is what sets the grand journey in motion!¡± As Yeongwoo pointed fiercely to the sky again, Song Jiseon reluctantly let the word slip. ¨D ¡­Honey. ¡°What did you say? I couldn¡¯t quite hear it!¡± ¨D I said, Honey, you punk! Are your ears clogged? Squawk! Having been forced to say ¡°Honey¡± twice already, Jiseon grit her teeth, raising her sword menacingly. Startled, Kubu closed his eye deeply and recoiled. Swish! Then, he urgently revealed a shocking fact to Yeongwoo. ¨D Jeong Yeongwoo07 has no parents! ¡°What?¡± ¨D What? This shocking revtion from Kubu was impactful not only to Yeongwoo but also to Jiseon. ¨D Hey, tax agent. What the hell does that mean? If her son, Jeong Yeongwoo, had no parents, then he wouldn¡¯t be able to establish the family he so desperately wanted. And that would mean Jiseon herself would have to continue living on this wretched. For her, it was the worst-case scenario. At this, Kubu blinked his eye, looking at Yeongwoo, Jiseon, and finally Jeonggu in turn. ¨D ording to universalw, the concept of ¡®parent¡¯ is valid only if there is an official agreement between both parties. ¡°What exactly does that mean? Both of them agreed already. Mr. Kim Jeonggu is my father, and Ms. Song Jiseon is¡­¡± Yeongwoo paused mid-sentence, suddenly realizing something, and closed his eyes as if in suddenprehension. ¡°Oh¡­ That¡¯s ¡®father¡¯ and ¡®mother¡¯ separately.¡± ¨D Exactly. In the universe, ¡®father,¡¯ ¡®mother,¡¯ and ¡®parent¡¯ were distinct concepts. In other words, Yeongwoo had physical parents, but conceptually, he didn¡¯t have them. ¡°Then how can I get official parents?¡± Yeongwoo asked Kubu, who rolled his gigantic, universalw-bound eye around in a circle. ¨D Only by performing an official agreement ceremony following the forms and procedures specified by the family court. ¡°An agreement ceremony? Are you talking about a wedding?¡± Yeongwoo asked for confirmation, and before Kubu could even respond, Jiseon took a step back, and Jeonggu hid himself even further behind Yeongwoo. Then, shortly after. ¨D That¡¯s right. ording to current disclosure, the ceremony requires gifts equal to the number of participants, at least two agreement guarantors, and at least five witnesses¡­ As Kubu recited the structure of a universal wedding ceremony, Yeongwoo waved his hand to interrupt the tax agent¡¯s lecture and got straight to the point. ¡°Hold on, answer this first.¡± ¨D Yes. Go ahead. ¡°Witnesses? So, is there a custom of guests?¡± At this, Kubu paused for a moment and rolled his eye around, seemingly trying to interpret the concept of ¡®guests,¡¯ which was unique to Earth. ¨D Witnesses and guests on Earth serve slightly different roles and purposes. ¡°Really?¡± ¨D However, there are what we call ¡®blessers.¡¯ ¡°What are those?¡± ¨D Each party to the agreement and the ceremony host may select a certain number of blessers to observe the ceremony¡­ ¡°But that¡¯s basically the same as guests.¡± ¨D The agreement parties and the host must submit the list of blessers to the family court. In other words, they needed to submit a guest list to the court. ¡°So, wait. How do you summon these guests¡­ blessers? Do you have to send out invitations?¡± Kubu blinked his eye. ¨D The family court handles blesser invitations. However, if an invitee is wanted by the court, they may be difficult to locate, leading to a failure to summon. ¡°Oh, so the court sends the invitations on your behalf. That¡¯s interesting.¡± Nodding as if he finally understood, Yeongwoo then asked the question he had really wanted to ask all along. ¡°Then¡­ just one more thing. This is the most important part.¡± ¨D Go ahead. ¡°Can I collect congrattory money?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 321 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 321: Special (3) Congrattory money. All the humans in the room were left stunned, their mouths agape at the unexpected suggestion. ¡°Are you seriously nning to collect ongrattory money... in this situation?¡± ¡ªHas hepletely lost his mind? Most of all, Jeonggu and Jiseon, the bride and groom, were utterly taken aback, while Yeongwoo merely tilted his head as if he couldn¡¯t understand their confusion. ¡°What, are you going to let an opportunity like this pass?¡± ¡ªWhat kind of opportunity, exactly? ¡°A chance to receive additional tribute. My parents are getting married... isn¡¯t that a perfect justification?¡± "...Yeongwoo, you can¡¯t just call a wedding gift a tribute, no matter what." Jeonggu cautiously raised an objection, but Yeongwoo had already turned to Kubu for confirmation. ¡°Kubu, is it okay if I collect money from the guests? Is there a tradition like that in space?¡± Kubu nced back and forth at Jeonggu, still visibly ufortable, and Jiseon, now entirely blue with embarrassment, and then spoke with a somewhat resigned tone. ¡ªYes, in some cases, guests bring a modest gift to celebrate, depending on the status of the couple or the host of the ceremony. However, it¡¯s not legally obligatory¡­ ¡°That¡¯s fine, then. If such a tradition exists, I¡¯ll handle the collecting.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes gleamed with satisfaction as he got the answer he wanted, and then Bantubangtong, who had been listening quietly, asked a question. ¡ªWedding gift? Do guests pay money in Earth weddings? ¡°Of course! Even siblings bring gifts when they attend each other¡¯s weddings, don¡¯t they?¡± Yeongwoo asked back as if it were obvious, and Bantubangtong¡¯s face grewplicated. ¡ªWe also have marriage ceremonies, but there¡¯s no exchange of money. Only sentiments are given and received. ¡°...!¡± It was indeed a culture fitting of the fiercely loyal brethren. Feeling his heart warm unexpectedly, Yeongwoo approached Bantubangtong and, with a click-ck, ced his hand firmly on the orc lord¡¯s shoulder, speaking sincerely. ¡°Then why not take this chance to learn about a new culture?¡± ¡ª...? ¡°Go back to your country and bring the money. Since Chief Bang isn¡¯t familiar with our culture, we¡¯ll proceed with a fixed rate. Just bring an additional 20 million karma.¡± In other words, he was asking for a total of 120 million. ¡ªTw... Twenty million? ¡°This is a bargain price. So go quickly, before I raise it any higher.¡± As Yeongwoo pointed towards the high-speed transit path, urging him to depart, Chief Bang left with a bewildered expression. Now, all that was left was¡­ ¡°¡­¡­¡± Only Kang Yechan, self-proimed number one warrior in Gyeongbuk. Shhk. Yeongwoo, having sent off Chief Bang, looked naturally in Yechan¡¯s direction, and Yechan¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You don¡¯t mean I have to pay too?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s my parents¡¯ wedding. Are you not going toe?¡± ¡°Well, I...¡± When Yeongwoo brought up his parents, Yechan couldn¡¯t find a suitable excuse. The reasoning seemed a bit shaky, but after all, it was true that his uncle¡¯s parents were getting married. In the end¡­ ¡°...How much do I have to pay?¡± Yechan asked about the going rate for wedding guests, and Yeongwoo, as before, ced a hand on his shoulder. Thud! ¡°You don¡¯t need to pay anything. What¡¯s a wedding gift between us?¡± ¡°...Really?¡± ¡°But in return, travel to as many cities as you can today to spread the word about the wedding.¡± ¡°...Are you saying I should tell people to pay the gift as well?¡± Judging by his actions, it seemed he was a tyrant through and through. ¡°If you do that, you might end up getting stabbed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m sending you. I trust you¡¯ll return safely.¡± Then, Yeongwoo turned his gaze back to Kubu. ¡°Kubu, when is the wedding ceremony? Can we decide the timing?¡± Kubu blinked hisrge eyes and looked up at the sky. ¡ªording to Earth¡¯s standard, the ceremony takes ce 24 hours after the decision-making. This meant that the wedding of Yeongwoo¡¯s parents would be qtomorrow at around 3 PM. ¡°Perfect timing. By then, we¡¯ll have handled the issue with the mutants in each city¡­.¡± However, if the distance to the Korean Penins were too great, it would be impossible to arrive on time, so lifting restrictions on the high-speed transit path on the day might also be necessary. ¡®I could make a real profit from this.¡¯ As Yeongwoo imagined the potential gains, Kubu hastily added further exnation. ¡ªHowever, each officiant requires a unique token that corresponds to the number of participants. ¡°A unique token corresponding to the number of officiants? What do you mean¡ªis it possible to have more than two participants?¡± ¡ªYes. It¡¯s quitemon. ¡°What?¡± Yeongwoo was shocked as well. Apparently, it was rare in space to have just one spouse. ording to what Kubu had just said, it was alsomon for people to have multiple partners simultaneously. ¡°What about the tokens? What do they need to be made of?¡± ¡ªThe token must be a tangible object shared among the participants, serving as a sort of symbol. This wasn¡¯t much different from Earth¡¯s wedding tokens. ¡ªOnce the ceremony concludes, the family court assigns a unique code to the token, making it a distinctive symbol, which thereafter signifies the participant¡¯s maritalmitment to their spouse. ¡°...Hmm. So, it doesn¡¯t have to be equipment or anything like that.¡± ¡ªCorrect. Depending on the family tradition, some use swords or armor as their token, while others use a part of their body. ¡°...A part of their body?¡± Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t keen on subjecting his parents to that sort of wedding. However, as the officiant, or host of the ceremony, he wanted the family¡¯s identity to be proudly disyed. So, what Yeongwoo produced as the token was¡­ Shh. ¡°Would something like this work as a wedding token?¡± It was none other than amemorative coin bearing Yeongwoo¡¯s own face. A coin minted on Earth with the face of the person who would be both the officiant of this wedding and the future head of the family. ¡°You¡¯re nning to use that coin as the wedding token¡­?¡± ¡ªSeriously, is that a magic coin or something? This kid brings that out for everything. As expected, the bride and groom showed reluctance, but Yeongwoo held all the authority to carry out this marriage. ¡°Can either of you summon the witnesses and blessers? It¡¯s all happening through my connections, isn¡¯t it? I think there¡¯s some confusion here¡ªthe officiant is me.¡± Yeongwoo handed thememorative coin to his parents. ¡°And your true wedding token isn¡¯t this coin.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡ªWhat are you talking about? Yeongwoo raised the coin close to his face. ¡°The real wedding gift is me. Your beloved, powerful son. So, if you ever feel like ending this family, remember me first. Consider if you can handle your son¡¯s wrath.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡ªThis lunatic¡­ is he threatening his own parents? With that, Yeongwoo raised his sword and swung it between his parents with a shout. Screeeeetch! ¡°Quit whining, you idiots!¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡ªWhat? ¡°You¡¯re not my parents yet. If you want to say anything as my parents, firstplete the ceremony. Then I¡¯ll treat you with the respect you deserve.¡± Tired of the unproductive argument, Yeongwoo sheathed his sword, and Jiseon, who had been about to protest, fell silent. ¡ªIndeed, many things have be irreversible. Among those ¡°many things¡± was the word ¡°dear¡± that she had already let slip. At this point, what use was there in debating anything further? A grand journey was already underway. ¡°How do we make the guest¡ªno, the blessing list?¡± Yeongwoo asked Kubu, and arge hologram box appeared in the space between Yeongwoo, Jiseon, and Jeonggu. Fwoosh! ¡°What is this?¡± ¡ªThis is a list of potential blessing candidates, as currently tracked by the family court. "A candidate list? But there¡¯s nothing here?" As Yeongwoo looked curiously at the empty box... Beep! Suddenly, the hologram box shed, and names began to fill in rapidly from the top. - Kubu the Mediator - The Representative of Chargho''s Merchant Guild - Mir Alliance - Boltak''s Wandering Merchant - Cheok¡¯s Weapon Merchant - Shamil Guild - Rohm¡¯s Prisoners - Pegua¡¯s cksmith - Guppy Express Corporation The list continued, and as the unfamiliarbination of characters scrolled on, Jiseon took a step back. ¡ªW-what is all this? ¡°What else could it be? It¡¯s a list of all the aliens I¡¯ve met so far.¡± Some names were unfamiliar even to Yeongwoo, but seeing many he recognized, he felt sure. After all, wedding invitations could be sent to anyone with even a slight connection. And most importantly... sh! - Dogo Corporation - Lemu Corporation - Toma Corporation - Destroyer King, Dogo - Mara, King of Ten Thousand Demons Starting with Dogo Corporation, names of prominent figures even within the universe confirmed his suspicion. Weren''t Lemu and Mara rivalspeting for Earth''s development rights? Yet it was indeed possible to send wedding invitations even to such entities. "Um... isn''t there a risk of the venue being destroyed?" Yeongwoo¡¯s voice, sounding unusually concerned, prompted Jiseon to ask quickly. ¡ªWho exactly are these people? "Exining everything would be way tooplicated; let¡¯s just say they¡¯re cosmic arch-nemeses who will all be in the same ce." ¡ªThen... can''t you just not invite them? Jiseon made a fair point. And Kubu also supported her position. ¡ªA marriage pact is an official ritual guaranteed by the family court. Therefore, uninvited individuals cannot attend. ¡°Oh, really?¡± Yeongwoo raised his eyebrows, looking slightly surprised. Then, cautiously scratching his chin, he murmured. ¡°But... aren''t you at least a little curious?¡± ¡ªCurious about what? If they don¡¯te, there¡¯s no problem. What¡¯s the issue? Better safe than sorry. Jiseon now feltpelled to protect her unavoidable wedding from potential disaster. But... Swoosh. Her crazy son had already drawn his sword and pointed it at the sky. ¡°Aren¡¯t you even a bit curious? What kind of gifts those guys might bring?¡± ¡ªWhat? Why would I care? It¡¯s all just going into your pocket, isn¡¯t it? ¡°Your pocket? It¡¯s our pocket now.¡± While Yeongwoo proudly disyed thememorative coin to be used as a wedding gift, the candidate list continued to grow. Beep beep beep! - Five-Colored Credit - The Pilgrimage of the Forting In-Laws - The Sacred Heart Envoy - The Non-Believer, Named - Temporary Office 060II42 Jiazol - Court Promotion Review Team 9 ¡ªThis is insane! When does this list end? ¡°It just means your son has lived a busy life.¡± Of course, attendance wasn¡¯t likely to be 100%, and some names on the list were potentially very dangerous. But Yeongwoo¡¯s unique curiosity had already taken hold, leaving him nearly unable to resist the urge. What on earth would happen if those guys gathered in one ce? And what gifts might they bring? ¡°Inviting them all wouldn¡¯t be illegal, right?¡± When Yeongwoo asked this, Kubu blinked and responded. ¡ªThat¡¯s correct. ¡°And the won¡¯t get destroyed, right?¡± This time, however, Kubu couldn¡¯t answer immediately. ¡ª...The list includes many entities ssified as Rank 4 or higher under cosmicw. But since it¡¯s an official ritual, the court will take special precautions, so I think it¡¯s unlikely anything you¡¯re worried about will happen. ¡°So, theoretically, the could be destroyed, but the probability is low. Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡± ¡ªExactly. With about two seconds of thought, Yeongwoo gave his answer. ¡°Then let¡¯s invite them all. At least three of them wantary development rights, so they¡¯ll probably hold back.¡± ¡ª...Understood. Now, moving on... ¡°What else is there?¡± ¡ªYou need at least two guarantors for the pact. It¡¯s essential to meet the requirements of an official ritual. Kubu¡¯s firm tone made Yeongwoo respond more mildly. ¡°What exactly does a guarantor do?¡± ¡ªThey hand out the gifts to the participants and oversee the entire ritual. ¡°What? So, basically...¡± It was essentially the role of an officiant. Immediately, Yeongwoo thought of his mentor and benefactor, Dogo, a sessful businessman from outer space and a prince from the Vesedel royal family. But a cosmic wedding required at least two guarantors. That left one more spot. ¡°I¡¯m having trouble deciding on the other.¡± As Yeongwoo hesitated, Kubu offered a suggestion. ¡ªIt¡¯s customary to assign one guarantor to represent each participant. In other words, if Dogo were to represent Jeonggu, someone rted to Jiseon would ideally fill the remaining spot. ¡ªWhat are you talking about? I don¡¯t know any aliens. True to her words, Jiseon had virtually nowork in this reset world. "That¡¯s true. And if I try to do it, I¡¯m already the groom.¡± So, who could they possibly choose? Yeongwoo¡¯s mind wandered across the cosmos and beyond, searching for a candidate, until suddenly, a thought sparked. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡ªWhy? Is there someone? When Jiseon, his mother, asked, Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°There¡¯s still one family member left, isn¡¯t there?¡± ¡ªWho? ¡°My second uncle!¡± Another rtive of Yeongwoo and Jiseon who had yet to arrive in this world. Jinhyeon¡¯s second son, Song Jeongho. ¡ªWhat are you talking about? He hasn¡¯t even arrived here yet. ¡°But there¡¯s a good chance he¡¯ll arrive tomorrow. Right here, in Seoul.¡± Once again, Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes sparkled with mania. ¡°The wedding is at three, and Uncle arrives at one, right?¡± ¡ªSo...? ¡°That gives us two hours, right? In that time, we¡¯ll give him a good beating, and then make him serve as Mom¡¯s guarantor.¡± In short, it was a n to ¡°civilize¡± their wild second uncle into an officiant. ¡ª...Would that work? That guy¡¯s no ordinary nutcase. Jiseon looked at her son and spoke. Yeongwoo replied in an ominous tone. ¡°If he resists, we¡¯ll just shove him into a coffin. And in an emergency, we can pick anyone as the guarantor.¡± ¡ªBut what if it goes better than expected? ¡°Then we can invite my second uncle to be the guarantor. And once the ceremony¡¯s over, we¡¯ll just shove him in a coffin.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 322 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 322: Special (4) It was inevitable. Someone had to enter the coffin. Because of the effort to keep his mother alive, the empty spot in Aratubank had never been filled. ¡¾Coffin¡¿ | You can ce blood rtives into the coffin. Special effects are granted depending on the phase and condition of the stored targets. (0/2) ¡®Aratubank is a sacred artifact containing my brothers¡¯ kin''s history and his ancestors'' spirits. I can''t just leave it neglected like this.¡¯ Thus, the fate of the second uncle was as good as sealed. He was destined to be sealed in the Great Coffin. Shh. Atst, Yeongwoo looked back at Kubu. Then he asked, wrapping up the preparations for the ceremony. "Is everything finished now? Earlier, you mentioned something about witnesses. Do they serve a special role?" ¡ªThat is correct. A minimum of five witnesses are required for the union ceremony, and these witnesses are automatically selected from the first guests to arrive at the ceremony. "So it¡¯s firste, first served among the guests." ¡ªSelected guests are recorded on both the list of blessed participants and the list of witnesses. This record may also be used as a reference in future family court cases. "What? Does that mean the witnesses are seen as having a significant connection to the married couple?" He had a vague understanding of the concept. For example, suppose a prominent politician attended the wedding of a famous criminal. Everyone would naturally assume there was a strong connection between the two. In a simr vein, even in space, a guest witnessing the ceremony¡ªand especially being selected as a witness on a firste basis¡ªwas seen as having a notable rtionship with the hosts or the newlyweds. "Does this mean there''s going to be a scramble to enterte, so they can avoid being witnesses?" For Yeongwoo, the only witness who came to mind immediately was Chairman Dogo. As the chairman, he would behave however he liked, whether he was selected as a witness or not. However, it was unclear if he could serve as both a witness and a guarantor. "So at least five guests need to step up and take responsibility. Bing a witness might be a disadvantage if there¡¯s ever a trial." ¡ªIt¡¯s a sign of trust and loyalty. "But a lot of my guests are borderline criminals." The idea of a trial might feel remote to benevolent aliens, but the aliens Yeongwoo knew had different stakes. This was because many of the primary guests were from weapon-makingpanies involved in all sorts of shady business or bribed inspectors. "Anyway, the ceremony will proceed as scheduled tomorrow. The current time is¡­." The current time, 3:23 PM. As Yeongwoo checked the time and looked at Kubu, his eyes shed blue as he answered. ¡ªArrangements have been made. The union ceremony will take ce at 3:23 PM tomorrow. Then, Kubu asked Yeongwoo for the ceremony venue. ¡ªWhere would you like the union ceremony to be held? As your administrative representative, I must provide the coordinates to the family court. "Oh, right? We have to decide the location too." Yeongwoo scanned the iron-d expanse of Metal Seoul with his eyes. And soon made up his mind. "How about Gwangjin District? If a fight breaks out, there won¡¯t be anyone hurt besides the guests, and there¡¯s nothing but buildings to be destroyed there." ¡ªUnderstood. The union ceremony location will be reported as Gwangjin District. Thus, the wedding venue for Jeonggu and Jiseon was confirmed to be Gwangjin District. Although neither of their preferences were reflected, they understood there were no other choices. ¡ªLooks like all sorts of scoundrels wille to my wedding. Jiseon muttered under her breath, and Yeongwoo shook his head. "That''s precisely why it¡¯s more meaningful. This wedding will significantly impact our¡¯s rank." ¡ªWhat are you talking about? "You saw the guest list earlier, right? The mere gathering of those people in one ce is already a massive event. It will surely influence the evaluation." Others that requested ranking reviews may also have considerable influence, but there''s always a limit. Yeongwoo was certain not manys would gather the universe''s worst viins under the guise of a parent¡¯s wedding. "Now, the only thing left¡­." Yeongwoo looked at the clock again, and Jiseon was startled. ¡ªIsn¡¯t everything done? What else is there? "We¡¯re mostly finished with the wedding preparations." ¡ªRight¡­? "But today¡¯s tasks aren¡¯t over yet." The current time, 3:27 PM. About three hours and thirty minutester, the addresses of the threepaniespeting for Earth¡¯s development rights would be revealed. "From 7 PM tonight, the real battle begins. I don¡¯t know how it will y out¡­." ¡ªWhat? The ceremony is tomorrow, but the battle starts today? What the hell is this? "It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve invited our opponents as guests, so there won¡¯t be any issues with the ceremony itself." ¡ªWhat? "Though we do have to make it through tonight." At that moment, as Yeongwoo spoke, the ¡°Tower¡± in Jongno District began to shine white. Someone was using a high-speed transit route to get there. And then. Poof! The lower wall of the tower opened, and from within emerged Bantubangtong. ¡°Master Bang!¡± Yeongwoo ran to greet the Orc Lord, who likely brought 120 million in tow, while rows of red-footed orcs followed behind him, carryingrge bags. ¡ªSmall Foot, I brought the money as promised. ¡°Money? Let¡¯s call it ¡®sentiment.¡¯ What flows between us is only sentiment.¡± ¡ª¡­. Bantubangtong, expressing his stance with silence, moved past Yeongwoo to open the bags his brothersid down. Whoosh! As expected, coins were packed densely inside the bags, filling his view, and soon a golden goblin ran over, scooping up the money eagerly. ¡ªKekek! With a delighted sound, the goblin, thrilled by the massive haul, made the brothers¡¯ faces harden. Noticing this, Master Bang quickly turned around. ¡ªI think my business here is done, so I shall return. There¡¯s work to be done on Great Darwin¡­. But Yeongwoo¡¯s dark hand gripped his shoulder, preventing any further movement. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°What are you talking about, chief?¡± ¡ª¡­? ¡°You still have one more promise to keep.¡± ¡ªWhat might that be? ¡°Leave behind your Honor Points.¡± ¡ªOh. Master Bang looked as if he was regretting his choices. For a moment, he¡¯d forgotten. That he had once traded his past to this demon to secure his future. ¡ªIndeed. I almost forgot. ¡°Are you already starting to forget the past? And you haven¡¯t even handed it over yet.¡± ¡ª¡­Just get on with what needs to be done. Bang, the Great Ally, began walking toward the Victory Monument visible in the distance, and Yeongwoo, after ncing briefly at the sky where the inspectors might be watching, followed him. Who knew? Perhaps even this act of donating Glory Points would reflect well in the evaluation. ¡®Just meeting the first-tier score is hard enough¡­ but the points chief Bang is donating this time are far beyond the total needed for the first tier.¡¯ It was only possible because it involved pouring in the entire magnificent history of a race. This was a huge deal by the standards of a lower-level entering the evaluation phase. Currently, the Glory Points of Metal Seoul, the Special City of Dogo, stood at 1,025, surpassing the 1,000 points required for the first tier. And the points needed to reach the second tier? A staggering 3,000. That meant they were about 2,000 points short. ¡°How many records of disposals do you have right now, Master Bang?¡± ¡ªTwelve. ¡°That¡¯s 1,980 points then.¡± ¡ªIs that so? How many are needed to fill the second tier? ¡°With the 1,000 points already secured from passing the first tier, if you donate all twelve records, we¡¯ll be able to go past the second tier.¡± ¡ªHm. Hearing Yeongwoo¡¯s reply, Bantubangtong wore a somber expression. It was troubling to realize that even pouring in the historic achievements of the Redfoot n would only barely clear the second tier. ¡ªThe universe¡­ is indeed vast. A way for the Chief Bang to express regret. In response, Yeongwoo put aforting hand on Master Bang¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll roam that vast universe with me. And with our brothers too.¡± Just as the Mon¡¯o race warriors had the infamous space pirate Guppy, Jeong Yeongwoo of the remote Earth had the Redfoot Orcs. With fervent hearts and bulging biceps. Yeongwoo was convinced his Redfoot brothers had all the makings of true space gangsters. ¡®Although a gangster with ¡°honor.¡± Some might call such people hoodlums.¡¯ In other words, space hoodlums. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s chest swelled with pride. Meanwhile, Bang stood tall in front of the Victory Monument. ¡ªEven if it¡¯s not the right thing, a promise must be kept. I know well enough that you¡¯re not exactly a righteous person, but still, you¡¯ll keep your word. As Bang spoke to the creature with small feet, Yeongwoo nodded. ¡°That¡¯s also part of ¡®honor.¡¯¡± Yeongwoo gestured toward the Victory Monument with a nod, signaling for Bang to continue. With a resolute expression, Bang ced his hand on the monument¡¯s surface. Thud. ¨DLegendary Disposal Records of the Redfoot Orc Lord Bantubangtong have been inscribed: 12 records in total! ¡®¡­Atst.¡¯ With the donation of Master Bang¡¯s records, the Glory Points of Metal Seoul in Special City Dogo soared. From the initial 1,025 points, an astonishing 1,980 were added, surpassing the 3,000 mark. ¨DCurrent Glory Points of Metal Seoul, Special City Dogo: 3,005. ¨DThe level of the Victory Monument has increased to ¡®3¡¯. Glory Points needed for the next phase: 7,000. ¡°What, 7,000 points?¡± The hurdle grew sharply with each level. Now, they needed to collect an additional 4,000 points to even think about advancing to the next level. ¡®What kind of species are we supposed to plunder next to gather that many points?¡¯ As Yeongwoo gaped in shock, the city system disyed a new message. ¨DThe level of Metal Seoul has increased to ¡®3¡¯. As the city¡¯s prestige has risen, ¡®defense rights¡¯ have been granted. ¡°Defense rights? Does that mean we didn¡¯t even have any defense rights until now?¡± Barely after Yeongwoo blurted this out, the system disyed a series of highly satisfying messages. ¡ó The core power source of this city, the ¡®Steel Core¡¯, has enhanced functions, including Guardian Dragon Mode and Annihtion Stance. ¡°Oh?¡± ¡ó Priority construction options for the city¡¯s defense rights are rmended: Anti-Aircraft Gun, Suicide Bomb. ¡°Wow¡­!¡± Yeongwoo instinctively cheered at the sight of the new construction options but then blinked, tilting his head in confusion. ¡°Wait, hold on.¡± He hadn¡¯t seen it wrong. *Suicide Bomb. ¡°Suicide bomb? Does that mean it¡¯s the ¡®suicide¡¯ I¡¯m thinking of?¡± With eyes wide in disbelief, Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze fell on the tooltip for ¡®Suicide Bomb¡¯ that appeared before him. [Suicide Bomb] |A city that has proven its worth has the right to choose a grand finale. |nt a bomb in the designated area, and trigger a powerful explosion at the desired moment. Though you may lose the city, you can also take the invaders with it. *Once the city¡¯s prestige reaches Capital¡¯, the itself can be self-destructed. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 323 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 323: Special (5) ¡°What¡­ What is this?¡± A self-destruct bomb. This bizarrely named construct was, quite literally, a mechanism that could destroy the entire city. In fact, if the city¡¯s status reachedary capital, it could even blow up the whole... ¡®Don''t aliens only have one life each, too? How could a function like this be embedded in the city¡¯s system?¡¯ Yeongwoo, who couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing, soon regained hisposure, scratching his chin thoughtfully. ¡®No, actually, the fact that aliens only have one life is exactly what makes this function useful.¡¯ Using this as ast resort would mean failing to grasp the true potential of this tool, Yeongwoo thought. You had to know how to read between the lines. |nt a bomb in a designated area, and detonate it at the moment of your choosing. Though the city would be lost, you could take the invading enemy¡¯s life with it. ¡®So, in other words, the city¡¯s owner would have a self-destruct switch at least, and the explosion would be tremendously powerful.¡¯ ¡®Isn¡¯t this¡­ offensive, though?¡¯ Why had this been given along with the "right to defend?" Now, if he could muster the courage to face death, it was as good as having a way to intimidate anyone who dared approach. Even if it was... ¡®Even guests from across the universe.¡¯ The thought made Yeongwoo shiver. He might even hold Dogo Chairman, Mara King of the Demons, and those corrupt inspectors hostage for a huge payoff. ¡®Of course, that would only work if I truly built an image that would make people believe I¡¯d actually press the self-destruct button¡­.¡¯ Would it work, though? ¡°¡­¡± After a moment of thought, Yeongwoo realized it was still too early for that. Even if he could fool others, there was no way he¡¯d deceive the Chairman. However¡­ ¡®If our Metal Seoul bes theary capital, things might be different.¡¯ If a person from Earth weren¡¯t threatening to press a self-destruct button, but instead an entire were scheduled for self-destruction and charging in from outer space, then what? ¡®¡­Incredible. I¡¯d pay just to calm them down if it were me.¡¯ As he imagined Earth burning red in the sky, Jiseon, who had been staring at him, jabbed him with her greatsword. Poke. ¨DWhat crazy thought are you having now? ¡°I was contemting our future.¡± ¨DOur future? What about it? ¡°It¡¯s going to be explosive.¡± Yeongwoo looked at his mother with a bright smile. His mother, a mere dragon, still wouldn¡¯t understand such a grand scheme. So instead of exining his ns, Yeongwoo turned his attention to a task at hand. ¡ó Enhanced features are inactive. Pleaseplete Guardian Dragon and Annihtion Mode settings. Notifications from the system had been shing continuously. [Guardian Dragon] |Appoint a Guardian Dragon to protect the city and grant it the ability to return instantly in case of an emergency. |The Guardian Dragon¡¯sbat power is boosted ording to city level, and if the Guardian Dragon is already of the dragon lineage, the boost increases by 25%. ¡®Unbelievable. So, even a non-dragon could be a Guardian Dragon.¡¯ However, since designating a dragon lineage as Guardian Dragon provided a 25% additional boost, cities with this function essentially had to recruit a dragon. This meant that dragons were even rarer than he thought. And, fortunately, Yeongwoo had a very powerful dragon right here. ¡°Mother.¡± ¨DNow what? ¡°There¡¯s an opportunity to elevate your cosmic status.¡± ¨DWhat? Suddenly? ¡°Yes. Please be the Guardian Dragon of Metal Seoul, Dogo Special City.¡± ¨DWhat city? As Jiseon repeated, feeling something sounded strange, she saw her son, eyes alight with excitement, suddenly reaching toward her. Swoosh! ¨DWhat are you doing? Sensing something ominous, Jiseon tried to step back, but her son¡¯s hand already gripped her arm. ¨DUgh! A mysterious, colorful light radiated from his hand where it held her forearm. Then, suddenly, texts from the city system began to appear in her field of vision. ¡¸Frost Dragon Song Jiseon has been designated as the Guardian Dragon of Metal Seoul, Dogo Special City.¡¹ Immediately, a lively energy surged through her, and notification texts glowing yellow appeared in session. [City-levelbat boost is applied.] [Dragon attribute ovep increases boost effect by 25%.] [All stats increase by 20% through the ¡®Guardian Dragon¡¯ function of the Steel Core.] ¨DWhat¡­ what is all this? My body feels¡­ Before Jiseon could finish saying something felt off, a fierce blue me erupted from her entire body. ¨DArghhh! The boostedbat power had transformed Jiseon into an even stronger being than before. It was as if the overwhelming energy and aggression were boiling inside her veins, unable to be contained, spilling outward¡ªand this force was directed straight at her son, Yeongwoo. ¨DDamn, why do I suddenly feel like hitting you? Looking down at him, Jiseon, who now seemed evenrger, spoke. Yeongwoo realized that his mother had changed significantly and cautiously drew his sword. Whoosh. ¡°Calm down, Mother. You seem to be experiencing a testosterone surge. Probably a side effect of the Guardian Dragon power-up.¡± ¨DWhat did you do to me? ¡°I helped you be greater than before. Now you¡¯re truly my mother.¡± Before, he¡¯d been confident he could restrain her, but now he was less sure. Until he shed des with her again, he wouldn¡¯t know his mother¡¯s new strength. ¡®This is a disaster. So if the city grows, my mother will keep turning into an even stronger monster.¡¯ Of course, having such a monster as Seoul¡¯s Guardian Dragon was reassuring, but it also meant his control over her was weaker. ¡°Mother, here¡¯s what you should know. You are the Guardian Dragon of Seoul, and I am Seoul¡¯s mayor.¡± ¨DAnd? ¡°That means we don¡¯t need to fight each other. Also, technically, this could be considered a coup.¡± Yeongwoo said this as he quickly tried to install the ¡°self-destruct bomb¡± right where they stood, hoping to threaten his mother first. But¡ª ¡¸Self-destruct bomb construction not possible. Annihtion Mode must be activated first.¡¹ ¡°What?¡± Activating the self-destruct bomb required Annihtion Mode, and this notification appeared before his empowered mother¡¯s eyes as well. "You son of a...!" His mother swung her sword at him. Reflexively, Yeongwoo raised his sword, Bastard, to guard against her. Whoosh! The icy greatsword swung down like a sh, striking Bastard and sending a piercing pain through Yeongwoo''s hands. "...Ah!" His mother¡¯s strength was so overpowering that Yeongwoo¡¯s grip on Bastard faltered and broke. And then came the unbelievable message: ¡¸Your sensory stats have temporarily increased from 33,500 to 95,840.¡¹ "What?" This meant his mother¡¯s base sensory stat exceeded 120,000. "Mom...!" Realizing that he was finally at the point where he could actually be beaten by her, Yeongwoo desperatelyunched into evasive maneuvers. With no time to pick up Bastard, he threw himself backward. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] A blue trajectory sliced through the space where he had just stood. "Activate Extermination Mode!" Yeongwoo shouted in panic, and the construction interface appeared immediately. [Extermination Mode] | When the city is in danger, emergency facilities are activated to resolve the issue. | Can be used only once per day. ¡ó Two suitable locations for the emergency facility have been found for Extermination Mode. | Exterminator count increases to 4. Improved biological suppression. | Exterminator count decreases to 1. Enhanced ship interception performance. "Dammit! Another decision!" He still had a deadly greatsword swinging at him, but he couldn¡¯t pick just anything without careful thought. So, Yeongwoo... ¡°Mom!¡± ...decided to use his ultimate sword technique, Heart Sword. ¡°Mom, please help...!¡± He thought he¡¯d at least try psychologically if he couldn''t win physically. "Mom! Mother!" Yeongwoo wailed without even holding his sword, but the furious Song Jiseon kept charging at him without slowing down. Crash! And so, in the end, Yeongwoo... "We can turn the Four Great Gates into robots now!" ...shouted a line he thought would stop the fight if he himself had heard it. If he really had inherited this kind of personality from his mother, he figured she¡¯d be interested in the same kinds of things. And his guess was... Crash! ¡ª...What did you say? ...absolutely correct. The ice dragon Song Jiseon, who had been charging toward him, suddenly halted in ce as if she¡¯d hit the brakes. ¡ªWhat did you say about the Four Great Gates? "It looks like we can turn either the Four Great Gates or Namsan into a robot. Calm down and take a look." At Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Jiseon finally nced over the notifications that had been bothering her field of vision. ¡ªThis is some crazy nonsense... ¡°We can only choose one. Which do you think is better?¡± Yeongwoo asked as he side-eyed the fallen Bastard in the distance. He thought if he could just retrieve it remotely, sever an arm, and activate abined bleeding and limb loss effect, he might stand a chance in a power struggle. Meanwhile, Jiseon was already captivated by the surprising "Seoul robot" issue. ¡ªIs there even a question? The Four Great Gates rising up would look way cooler. "But I think Namsan would be bigger. Plus, it has improved ship interception capabilities." ¡ª¡®Improved¡¯ doesn¡¯t mean perfect. The Four Great Gates can intercept ships too, just with less powerful units than Namsan. "Hmm..." Thinking back to the metal pce, the four turrets all rose simultaneously, firingser beams. In this Metal Seoul, everything was upgraded to a much higher level. So, the power of the Four Great Gates was bound to be overwhelming until they actually saw it in action. ¡®Then Namsan must be even stronger... It¡¯s a shame I can¡¯t have both.¡¯ Now was the time to make a decision. ¡°Since the city has upgraded to level 3 and added anti-aircraft guns, it¡¯s better to focus on defeating the creatures that have alreadynded on the rather than intercepting ships.¡± And this ''creature'' would include his mother. While his mother was briefly distracted, he quickly designated the Four Great Gates for Extermination Mode to secure an insurance measure. ¡°Special Mayor Jeong Yeongwoo07 of Dogo City has designated the ¡®Four Great Gates¡¯ as an emergency facility for [Extermination Mode].¡± ¡°Looks like Seoul is finally transforming into a real city.¡± The only remaining task was to nt the self-destruct bomb under his parents¡¯ wedding hall and wait for the uing address reveal of the three main factions. ¡®Now that Seoul is rtively safe, bring on the war.¡¯ As Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes glinted and he retrieved Bastard, the clock inside his Vesedel Armor lit up. Beep! Finally, it was 4 p.m. And then, a system-wide announcement began broadcasting across the entire. ¡¸In three hours, the locations of thepanies participating in the''s development rightspetition will be disclosed.¡¹ ¡¸With non-peaceful negotiations expected, residents are advised to seek safety in designated areas.¡¹ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 324 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 324: Special (6) ¡ªWhat¡¯s this, are we just supposed to fight every otherpany? Jiseon asked, ncing at the warning sign. Yeongwoo scratched his chin. ¡°If I can settle things with words, I¡¯d rather do that. It¡¯d be easier on both body and mind.¡± But the adversaries were Mara and Lemu. Mara had a deep-seated grudge against his brothers, and Lemu was not on good terms with Dogo, their sponsor. ¡°I don¡¯t think we can avoid a war with Mara,¡± Yeongwoo said. ¡ªWhy? Jiseon asked. ¡°It¡¯s about avenging my brothers. It¡¯s a contract obligation.¡± ¡ªThen I suppose it can¡¯t be helped. Jiseon epted the answer without further questioning since it was about contractpliance. No matter how reckless or impossible a task seemed, she had to see it through if she had agreed to it at the time of the contract. This was one of businesswoman Song Jiseon¡¯s iron rules. ¡ªBy ¡®your brothers,¡¯ you mean them, right? Song Jiseon asked, subtly gesturing with her greatsword toward Bantubangtong in front of the war memorial. Yeongwoo nodded. ¡°Yes. They¡¯re the ones I¡¯ll keep going forward with. They even built that bridge¡­¡± ¡ªSo you¡¯ve been working them so hard based on your promise to avenge them? ¡°Yes.¡± ¡ªYou¡¯ve burdened yourself with an enormous weight, kid. Never base a business on ¡®hatred.¡¯ The same goes for revenge. ¡°Why not? After all, revenge is about exerting power for the victim¡¯s sake, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡ªBut isn¡¯t hatred the driving force through both the process and oue? Hatred is unpredictable; it can change form, nature, and direction with the slightest push. Jiseon wasn¡¯t just talking about how revenge breeds more revenge. She was pointing out the instability it brings to business. ¡ªDo you think anyone can bear the burden of hatred? When hopeful expectations are shattered, they end in disappointment, but when hatred is thwarted, it only breeds more hatred. ¡°You mean, if I fail in my revenge, my brothers might end up hating me?¡± ¡ªIt could be even worse. Depending on the situation, they might hate you even if you seed. With that, Jiseon dispelled her ice greatsword. Shwiiing! ¡ªWhat matters is not running a business based on hatred. If you work that way, you won¡¯tst long. As Jiseon gave her advice in a solemn tone, Yeongwoo¡¯s expression shifted to one of smug defiance. ¡°But weren¡¯t you just trying to kill me a moment ago, acting like the very embodiment of hatred?¡± ¡ªYou little brat! I¡¯m trying to calm down now, aren¡¯t I?! ¡°Well then, I¡¯d appreciate if your actions matched your words.¡± Yeongwoo, though wearing a mocking expression, actually took her words to heart because they made sense. ¡®So violence is eptable, I suppose? After all, that¡¯s a business fueled by trust and fear, not hatred.¡¯ As his thoughts reached this point, Yeongwoo instinctively looked eastward. ¡°Shall we relocate?¡± ¡ª-Where to? ¡°To Mother¡¯s wedding hall.¡± * * * At 4:14 PM. Yeongwoo arrived at Gwangjin-gu, a dedicated dueling site proudly located in Metal Seoul, and immediately began the setup for the ¡°Self-Destruction Bomb.¡± [Self-Destruction Bomb] |A city that has proven its value has the right to choose a grand finale. |ce a bomb in a designated area to cause a powerful explosion at the desired moment. While it will result in the loss of the city, it can also eliminate the invading enemy. *Once a city¡¯s status reaches that of a Capital,¡¯ary self-destruction bes an option. A colossal, violent seed, destined to grow into aary self-destructor someday. Incredibly, the bomb''s instation range covered the entire district. In other words. ¡°Whoa, is this really the size of the bomb?¡± Yeongwoo mumbled, staring at the red hologram nketing the whole of Gwangjin-gu in construction mode, as Jiseon asked. ¡ªHow big is it? ¡°The whole of Gwangjin-gu. If it detonates, we wouldn¡¯t even have time to escape.¡± ¡ªI can just fly out. ¡°It won¡¯t be so easy.¡± Yeongwoo gazed past Gwangjin-gu, eyeing the other districts. As he prepared to bury this gigantic bomb beneath Gwangjin-gu¡¯s ground, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of guilt toward the residents¡­ or rather, the voters. ¡°But someday, this will be one of our most powerful weapons.¡± Speaking aloud as if rehearsing a speech for a recording, Yeongwoo¡¯s words made Jiseon step back. ¡ªAre you seeing something like a vision? Then, suddenly¡ª Fwoosh! The ground throughout Gwangjin-gu was engulfed in a bright red light as the self-destruct bomb was installed. ¡¸Self-Destruction Bomb has been installed in Gwangjin-gu, Metal Seoul, Dogo Special City.¡¹ ¡¸This information has only been conveyed to the mayor.¡¹ ¡°These guys are more sneaky than I thought.¡± Narrowing his eyes at the notification intended only for the mayor, Yeongwoo watched Jiseon step forward. ¡ªThey seriously only told you? About the bomb you just set up? ¡°Well, now you know too.¡± Yeongwoo then pointed quietly at his father, standing in a corner. ¡°And so does Father. This is our first family secret.¡± The explosive secret of the Yeongwoo family. Yechan wasn¡¯t present, as he was busy distributing wedding invitations on Earth, and Bantubangtong had already returned to Australia before the bomb instation. ¡°But everyone knows of the self-destruct bomb¡¯s existence. They just don¡¯t know where it¡¯s ced or if it¡¯s even been set up for real.¡± ¡ªAre you sure about this? Even the fearless Jiseon shook her head at this point. No matter how daring she was, she wasn¡¯t bold enough to nt a bomb under her own city. ¡°Just one more, and we¡¯ll be ready for war.¡± Yeongwoo said as he tapped the ground in Gwangjin-gu with the back of his hand. ¡ªOne more? What¡¯s that? ¡°An anti-aircraft cannon. Anything that dares fly over Seoul will be shot down.¡± * * * At the same time, in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan¡­ A woman appeared with three swords but no shield, drawing the attention of the many swordsmen moving northward. And in an instant, all eyes widened. ¡°Huh? Is that¡­?¡± ¡°Could it be her?¡± Because above the opponent¡¯s head. It was because they held the title of Sword Emperor¡ªMaster of Swords. Not just any Sword Master, but the Miyagi Sword Emperor, Tomiko Fuyama. Everyone in both eastern and western Japan knew about the time she visited a house in Yamagata and was ambushed by six Sword Masters. In the end, only the Miyagi Sword Master, Tomiko, walked out alive from that scene. Because of that, Yamagata Prefecture disbanded and crumbled, having lost all of its Sword Masters. Thanks to this event bing so notorious, just a few dayster, even high-ranking martial artists from southern Japan were aware that the Miyagi Sword Emperor was a problematic individual. More precisely, she was known as a pro-Korean Sword Master wielding formidable power. ¡°Did she really take down all of Yamagata alone?¡± ¡°They say she¡¯s worth at least six Sword Masters.¡± ¡°Is that even possible? No matter how strong she is, six¡­?¡± ¡°And they say the fight happened indoors.¡± The Sword Masters kept a cautious distance from Tomiko, murmuring amongst themselves. Eventually, they mentioned a stigma¡ªan almost infamous one¡ªthat had been attached to her. ¡°So what? In the end, she¡¯s pro-Korean, right?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Pro-Korean? She refused to cross the sea and ended up killing six people instead.¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t just kill six. It¡¯s practically like she set the entire Yamagata region on fire.¡± The Miyagi Sword Emperor, Tomiko Fuyama¡ªa fervent pro-Korean. This was the position that Tomiko held within Japan now. A crazy woman who, for some reason, killed all of Yamagata¡¯s Sword Masters just because she didn¡¯t want to invade Korea. In fact, after the Reset, this was an unforgivable act in Japan, which had be much harsher. Thus, challengers visited Miyagi Province one after another to hold her ountable for the Yamagata incident, yet, to date, no one had walked out alive. Around the same time, Sword Masters and Sword Emperor from the south had gathered forces, confidently setting off to invade Korea, only to vanish without a trace. As things unfolded like this, a massive atmosphere of fear began to spread across Japan. They had previously attacked their rival, with whom they already held hostile sentiments even before the Reset, only to be mysteriously defeated. So, what was going to happen next? Of course, it was going to be bloody vengeance. Invasion from Korea, this time into Japan. Especially since now, thend was connected. ¡°Korea will soon covet Japanese territory!¡± Though nobody loudly proimed this, every Japanese person harbored this fear deep in their hearts. Then, this morning, people sent from Tokyo arrived in Japan¡¯s major cities. The Tokyo messengers, arriving on something that was clearly not of this world, handed a short note to each region¡¯s leaders and left. ¡¸Come to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building immediately. The preparations areplete; we will make Japan great once again.¡¹ The message sounded far-fetched, but the signature at the bottom of the note was enough to make every Swordsman and Sword Master willingly take action. ¡ªThe Tokyo Sword Emperor. Because the sender was none other than the Tokyo Sword Emperor. The symbolic name of what had once been the capital of Japan before the Reset, and perhaps still a de facto capital. Because of this, even masters from the southwest who were preparing for a second invasion, as well as Tomiko, who had not taken a step outside Miyagi for a while, all set out for Tokyo. ¡°Making Japan great again? Seems like they got the idea from somewhere.¡± Having already experienced a simr situation once in Yamagata, Tomiko smirked as she headed toward Shinjuku¡¯s southern side. That was where the promised meeting ce, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, stood. Thendmark in Shinjuku, consisting of two buildings each standing 48 stories high. The buildings were so tall that before long, the fork-like structure of the Government Building appeared in everyone¡¯s sight. Whoooom¡­! However, something about the sight was a little strange. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Tomiko instinctively stopped in her tracks. There, floating atop the Government Building, which stood 243 meters tall, was a massive, white cube. ¡®Wait, just how big is it?¡¯ If it looked to be as wide as the Government Building from this distance and height, just how gigantic could that object be? As Tomiko¡¯s thoughts reached this point, a loud cheer erupted from the ground level of the Government Building. No, to be precise, it was the sound of chanting. ¡°Waaah! Lemu!¡± ¡°Lemu!¡± ¡°Lemu¡­!¡± Then, a deep, authoritative voice, likely belonging to the Tokyo Sword Emperor, boomed through a loudspeaker. ¡ªOur great Japan is officially set to be one of Earth¡¯s three great powers! Lemu! ¡°Yeahaa!¡± ¡°Lemu!¡± ¡°Lemu!¡± The intensity of the crowd was palpable, even just from the sound. ¡®Something¡¯s wrong here. Maybe I should turn back now.¡¯ Sensing something amiss, Tomiko took a cautious step backward. But then, the booming voice trapped her in ce. ¡ªThere are two major conditions! But for greatness, any disgrace must be endured¡­! ¡°¡­Disgrace?¡± A word she had never anticipated, making Tomiko involuntarily turn her head toward the lower part of the Government Building. There, she saw a tall man holding what looked like a microphone on a tform. ¡®Are you¡­ the Tokyo Sword Emperor?¡¯ Tomiko¡¯s pupils dted as she took in the sight of the Sword Master who ruled over this country¡¯s capital. For some reason, he wasn¡¯t wearing any clothes. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 325 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 325: Special (7) While Tomiko in Japan discovered a bare-bodied Sword Emperor, Yeongwoo''s preparations for war were progressing smoothly. They¡¯d already started test-firing the anti-aircraft cannons. ¡°Fire!¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯smand, a scarlet shell fired from the anti-aircraft guns installed in each of the eight districts of Metal Seoul. Bang! Bang! Jiseon, watching alongside, muttered as she stroked her chin. ¡ªHow powerful is that? ¡°Well, you could try getting hit if you really want to know.¡± Yeongwoo thought there must be a reason the anti-aircraft cannons fired shells rather thansers, unlike otherrge weapons they¡¯d seen before. ¡®Are shells simply more powerful?¡¯ The tooltip for the anti-aircraft cannon didn¡¯t specify what kind of opponent it could bring down. [Anti-Aircraft Cannon] | The sky must remain clear. | Eight anti-aircraft cannons are installed in key areas of the city to eliminate unnecessary flying objects. In other words, they wouldn¡¯t know the cannon¡¯s exact power until it was actually used inbat. ¡°Since we¡¯re talking about it, do you actually want to try getting hit? I¡¯m curious.¡± ¡ªYou little brat, you really lost it, huh? Wanna go another round? Whoosh! As Song Jiseon summoned a massive sword in her grasp again, Yeongwoo waved his hands and took a step back as if joking. Even he knew that his current strength wouldn¡¯t easily overpower his mother. ¡°Well, anyway¡­ the four gates have anti-aircraft abilities too, so in emergencies, that¡¯s a total of twelve cannons.¡± It wasn¡¯t enough to cover the entire sky above Seoul, but it was still more than capable of battering down a giant battleship. ¡°And there¡¯s Mother as well.¡± The official guardian dragon of Metal Seoul, Song Jiseon. Thinking about it, Seoul¡¯s defense capabilities were quite impressive. There were eight cannons on standby, twelve in emergencies, plus four annihtion robots that could be activated, not to mention a monstrous guardian dragon who could even pressure Yeongwoo, the master of this world. Plus, there was the self-destruct bomb that could blow up both the city and the invaders. ¡®Now we just need the enemy to show up.¡¯ As Yeongwoo checked his watch anxiously, Jiseon asked, ¡ªSo, what¡¯s next on the agenda? For the first time, Yeongwoo admitted there wasn¡¯t a next step. ¡°Nothing.¡± ¡ªWhat? ¡°I don¡¯t have anything else to do right now.¡± ¡ªReally? Yeongwoo¡¯s face dropped. He was so used to spending every day at full speed that he couldn¡¯t handle even a little downtime. ¡ªHaving nothing to do should be a good thing, shouldn¡¯t it? Why the long face? ¡°I¡¯m alive right now because I¡¯ve never had nothing to do. Getting too idle isn¡¯t really a good thing.¡± The current time was 4:34 PM. There were about two and a half hours until the address would be revealed. ¡ªHow long until the next task? ¡°About two hours.¡± ¡ªYou¡¯re nuts. That¡¯s what you call free time? Jiseon finally realized her son¡¯s sanity might not be intact. How had he been living here if even a two-hour gap felt too long? ¡ªWhates after the war? ¡°I have to pay taxes at 10 PM.¡± ¡ªAnd after that? ¡°From 11 PM, it¡¯s the real ¡®night.¡¯¡± ¡ªReal night? ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right. You just got here today.¡± Yeongwoo put his hand on his forehead. He¡¯d momentarily forgotten that his mother was a neer in this world. ¡°After 11 PM, extreme weather starts. Generally, it¡¯s not safe to roam outside.¡± Yeongwoo briefly exined the extreme weather conditions, climate-resistant equipment, and dungeons, and Jiseon tilted her head. ¡ªSo, you¡¯re saying you wander around outside even at night? Without sleeping? ¡°Yeah¡­ oh?¡± As he nodded to his mother¡¯s words, Yeongwoo suddenly shuddered. ¡°Right? I do wander around at night.¡± ¡ªWhat are you rambling about all of a sudden? ¡°War. I can fight at night too. And my allies can withstand extreme weather to some extent.¡± ¡ª¡­? Still not understanding the world fully, Jiseon couldn¡¯t quite grasp her son¡¯s excitement. ¡ªSo, what does that mean? ¡°It means we can carry out night air raids. Of course, I¡¯d have to finish the dungeon quickly and return.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s face lit up with excitement. He stashed away a knife he¡¯d taken out at some point and said, ¡°I think I know what to do with the remaining time. Before the war starts, I should get some sleep.¡± * * * Yeongwoo07, the Mayor of Metal Seoul, devoted to public service to the point of sacrificing sleep. When he entered a private suite at the Parnas Hotel with his parents, Seok, sitting with the children in the living room, was taken aback. ¡°Whoa! Y-Yeongwoo?¡± Of course, it wasn¡¯t Yeongwoo that startled her, but the towering white-haired giant with a full set of armor who followed him in. ¡°A m-monster¡­ behind you¡­!¡± ¡°Oh, the two of you haven¡¯t met, right? This is my mother.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°And this is Kim Seok, the director of the Moi Cultural Foundation.¡± When Yeongwoo forced the two to introduce themselves, Jiseon extended her hand to Seok with a smile. ¡ªI¡¯m Song Jiseon of Jinhyeon. Nice to meet you. ¡°Jinhyeon¡­ Song Jiseon?¡± Seok repeated the name to herself in disbelief, then her eyes widened as she realized who Jiseon was. ¡°Are you really Song Jiseon?¡± ¡ªYes, haha. Jiseon¡¯s voice held genuineughter; it was her first time meeting someone who truly recognized her. ¡ªSo, what brings the director here¡­? Now, it was Jiseon¡¯s turn to ask about the other¡¯s situation. In response, Seok pointed to Yeongwoo with a forced smile. ¡°Your son¡¯s holding my husband hostage, so I don¡¯t really have a choice¡­¡± ¡ªWhat? Jiseon, who had been smiling pleasantly from behind her helmet, instantly froze and red at Yeongwoo. ¡ªWhat crazy things have you been up to? ¡°Well, she didn¡¯t exactly lie, but it¡¯s not entirely the truth either¡­¡± Yeongwoo thought about blowing a whistle to demonstrate, but decided against it. He still needed to use his "friends" in the uing war. ¡°I¡¯ll show you directlyter. It¡¯s a bit of aplicated situation.¡± Though he had exined a lot to his mother over time, he didn¡¯t feel confident exining about the friends locked up andboring in the returnees'' room. ¡ªAll you¡¯ve done so far is kidnap, assault, and extort people. What have you even been doing? ¡°Oh,e on, stop nagging.¡± Yeongwoo moved into the bedroom to escape from his mother. He was about to turn on the television, but realized it wasn¡¯t the right time for room service andy down on the bed instead. ¡°At least the bedding hasn¡¯t turned into stone.¡± It might not be a safe zone, but he doubted his mother would try to cut his throat with a greatsword while he was asleep. That made this ce the safest spot in Seoul, didn¡¯t it? ¡°Please wake me up around 6:30. I still need to be up by 6 at thetest.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Lying in bed, Yeongwoo said this, and Jiseon, standing by the bedroom door, looked at her son. ¡ªAnd what am I supposed to do until then? "......" But her son didn¡¯t answer. Soon, a red eye icon appeared over his left eyelid. Yeongwoo¡¯s mutated cornea, the "One-Eyed Sentinel," had activated. ¡ªThis kid sleeps with one eye open, even when he¡¯s resting. Jiseon muttered, feeling pity for her son. How rough must his life have been if he couldn¡¯t let his guard down, even in sleep? He would have had to exceed his natural limits to survive as a rootless outcast and push aside the top yers. ¡ªWhat is this all about? Ie home, and there¡¯s a war with aliens waiting. Click. Jiseon, feeling mentally exhausted, slumped down, blocking the doorway like a barrier. Then Jeonggu, who was ncing over from the living room, cautiously spoke. "Uh¡­ you should get some rest." ¡ª...What? Unconsciously, Jiseon raised her head. There stood her fianc¨¦, with a sword at his waist. ¡ªRest? With a waring up, someone has to stay awake. ¡°I can stay awake. I was the one who watched over Yeongwoo before, wasn¡¯t I?¡± Jiseon snorted instantly. ¡ªYou? Don¡¯t be ridiculous. You¡¯d probably be blown out of the gxy by a mere breath. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m a Strongest Sword too, you know.¡± Jeonggu, looking somewhat aggrieved, had a title above his head that indeed read "Strongest Sword." ¡ºStrongest Sword of Dobong¡» But it wasn¡¯t impressive enough to leave an impact on Jiseon. Yeongwoo was already the elected Strongest Sword of the Korean Penins, and Jiseon herself had returned as a dragon, thanks to her record as a conglomerate head. She wasn¡¯t sure whatbination of traits had produced a son like this, but it was clear Jeonggu was the one with the lowest standing among the three. ¡ªSpare me and go to sleep. There isn¡¯t much time left anyway. Jiseon, who usually gave in to the weaker party. Just then, her son¡¯s crazy voice rang out from behind. "Mother, would you please be quiet and go to sleep as well?" ¡ª...? When Jiseon turned around, she found Yeongwoo sitting up. She thought he¡¯d been in a deep sleep, but he had woken up again. ¡ªWhy can¡¯t you just stay down for once? ¡°It¡¯s too noisy.¡± ¡ªWhat? But the "noise" Yeongwoo mentioned wasn¡¯t just his parents'' conversation. The real reason he had woken up was due to a system message. ¡¸The addresses ofpetingpanies will soon be disclosed!¡¹ ¡¸Register a representative profile, and choose the firstpany to invite to the negotiation table.¡¹ Since it was nearly time for address disclosure, prompts kept appearing, asking him to register something. ¡®What do they keep wanting me to do? Register a representative profile?¡¯ As Yeongwoo struggled to open both eyes fully, he saw a fist-sized round hologram floating in front of him. Soon, another system message popped up over it. ¡¸Authorize data ess. Keywords representing your profile will be automatically input for thepetitor.¡¹ ¡®Authorization?¡¯ When Yeongwoo approved the data ess, a long horizontal line stretched from left to right. It was a loading indicator. ¡¸Extracting keywords from user Jeong Yeongwoo07¡¯s data.¡¹ Tworge rectangles then appeared below. Pop! ¡¸While the extraction is ongoing, review the profile of thepeting representative.¡¹ ¡®So now I can see thepetitor¡¯s profile?¡¯ Blinking, Yeongwoo waited for the next steps, and soon, a string of text began to fill therge rectangle. ¡ºMara¡» | Representative Type: Human | Mara¡¯s representative is of the [Predator] type, highly [rational], with a strong [armed] presence and a [challenging] demeanor, making them an extremely [dangerous]petitor. ¡®Ah, so this is what they mean by keywords.¡¯ Yeongwoo nodded. It was a method where a few attributes were extracted from each representative¡¯s data, creating an introductory profile based on that. ¡®So next is the Lemu profile?¡¯ When Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze moved to the final profile, he saw a rather odd phrase. ¡ºLemu¡» | Representative Type: Human | Lemu¡¯s representative is a [blindly devoted] follower. Driven by immense [greed] and a clear [sense of purpose], with a strong [sacrificial spirit], they await theirpetitor [in the nude]. With clear purpose and strong sacrificial spirit, they await theirpetitor in the nude¡­ Yeongwoo was left with only onement. ¡°What the hell¡­ what exactly is waiting for me?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 326 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 326: Negotiation (1) ¡ªWhat¡¯s going on? Why are you so surprised? Song Jiseon, seeing her son¡¯s expression, was surprised herself. What on earth could startle this monster of a kid so much? It seemed that something only the mayor could see had appeared again, so Jiseon asked again. ¡ªDon¡¯t keep it to yourself; discuss it with your parents. Do you think you¡¯re fighting this war alone? Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the representative profile of the naked agent, and finally turned to look at his mother. "They¡¯repletely naked." ¡ªWhat?"\ Jiseon¡¯s voice instantly twisted in shock. "I don¡¯t know why, but apparently the agent from the Lemu side is naked. Maybe because they¡¯re in the adult industry?" It seemed almost too straightforward for apany that deals with intergctic adult content. Yeongwoo found it hard to believe. ¡ªNaked? Does that mean they¡¯re not even wearing any gear? Are they really going into battle like that? Jiseon found it just as difficult to understand, and Yeongwoo could only scratch his chin. "I mean, I wouldn¡¯t know. Still, as a representative, they probably have no choice but to do what their sponsor tells them to do..." ¡ªWhat? So if these Dogo guys told you to strip down right now, would you actually consider it? Or do even worse things? "..." Faced with such a loaded question, Yeongwoo looked at his mother with a mix of disgust and bewilderment. But it was a sharp question. In fact, he hadn¡¯t thought about it in those terms before. The humiliations he¡¯d endured while working with Dogo so far were limited to announcing his sponsorship to his opponents. Even that had be so routine that he no longer found it humiliating. "Stripping... Once you get used to it, after being financiallypensated enough times, it might not be such a big deal." ¡ªCrazy kid. "Of course, I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d actually do if it came down to it. But one thing¡¯s for sure¡ªI¡¯d consider it very seriously." Yeongwoo thought that the Lemu representative might have chosen ¡°stripping¡± for a simr reason. Just as Dogo operated with a rather ruthless business philosophy, Lemu must have its own unique way of doing things. ¡®Well... the fastest way would be to just summon them and ask directly.¡¯ Yeongwoo recalled the notification he saw at the start. ¡¸Register your representative profile and choose the first organization to invite to the negotiation table.¡¹ ¡®So, after registering my profile, I can summon an organization? I¡¯ll just pick Lemu then.¡¯ It didn¡¯t matter who he met first since he nned to crush both Mara and Lemu eventually, but after learning that the Lemu representative waspletely naked, he couldn¡¯t resist the urge to meet them. Why were they waiting for battle in the nude, and what kind ofpensation did they receive for it? ¡®Hmm. I¡¯m curious to see where this weirdo lives.¡¯ As Yeongwoo pondered his curiosity, a short alert sounded, indicating that his keyword extraction wasplete. ¡¸Extractionplete. Please review the representative profile below and choose the first organization to invite to the negotiation table.¡¹ ¡®Oh...¡¯ Finally, his profile wasplete. Yeongwoo, curious about how the system would evaluate him, quickly looked over at his profile. The first thing that caught his eye was the name of his affiliated agency, "Dogo." ¡ºDogo¡» | Representative Type: Demon | | The representative of Dogo is insane! They don¡¯t even possess a [heart] of humanity. They are [unpredictable] and a [cosmic] presence. They covet all the [money] you have. Avoid encounters if possible. | "...What." Yeongwoo felt momentarily taken aback when he saw his profile. He wasn¡¯t sure if this was an insult or apliment. Of course, the purpose of this profile was to helppetitors decide on their first negotiation target. ¡®Not that it really matters whether it¡¯s apliment...¡¯ But it was impossible not to feel a slight sting seeing the systembel him as ¡°insane.¡± ¡®Am I that crazy even by cosmic standards?¡¯ As Yeongwoo pondered this, a real-time notification popped up in front of his eyes. Pop! ¡¸Representative Mara has reviewed your profile.¡¹ ¡¸Representative Lemu has reviewed your profile.¡¹ "Oh." Both the heavily armed representative of Mara and the naked representative of Lemu were now awake. ¡®Well, with the address reveal approaching, it would be strange if they were sleeping.¡¯ Once his thoughts reached this point, Yeongwoo finally got out of bed. Then, atst, the options rted to the ¡°negotiation table¡± appeared. ¡¸Please select one representative to meet at the negotiation table.¡¹ ¡¸If both representatives select each other, a portal to the negotiation table will open. At the table, rtively safe conversations can take ce, and official agreements may be made.¡¹ It was literally an opportunity for actual negotiations. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t just a simple conversation; if they reached some sort of agreement, they could make it official. ¡®But if neither side picks the other, there won¡¯t be any negotiations.¡¯ For instance, if Dogo chose Lemu, Lemu chose Mara, and Mara chose Dogo, then no one would have picked each other. ¡®Well, let¡¯s go with... Lemu?¡¯ Based on the descriptions, the Mara side seemed stronger, but he was tired of meeting strong opponents. He¡¯d met enough powerful entities on and off Earth to be sick of them. Now, he was more interested in the ¡°weird ones.¡± ¡®Lemu... I¡¯ll go with Lemu.¡¯ As Yeongwoo muttered this to himself, the system immediately responded. ¡¸Representative Jung Yeongwoo07 of Dogo has invited Lemu to the negotiation table.¡¹ Then, the representatives who had invited Yeongwoo to the table were revealed. ¡¸Representative Lemu has invited you.¡¹ ¡¸Representative Mara has invited you.¡¹ "Huh? An unanimous vote?" Both Lemu and Mara had chosen Dogo¡¯s representative. Since the negotiation table offered a ¡°rtively¡± safe space for conversation, it seemed that the others felt drawn to the most dangerous-looking profile. ¡¸You may now initiate negotiations with the Lemu representative. Would you like to open the portal?¡¹ "Right now? Immediately?" Yeongwoo, surprised, muttered aloud, and Jiseon beside him tilted her head. ¡ªWhat¡¯s happening now?" "I can initiate preliminary negotiations right now." ¡ªNegotiate what? Aren¡¯t you all just going to end up fighting anyway?" "Right? I¡¯ll find out once I sit down." Yeongwoo, like his mother, wasn¡¯t exactly sure what they¡¯d be negotiating. It wasn¡¯t as if they¡¯d propose going to war without killing each other, was it? Once he gave his approval to open the negotiation table, arge portal opened on one side of his room. Shwaaaa! This portal was different from the ones he¡¯d seen before, appearing as arge, dark blue ring of light. ¡ªIs that the entrance to the negotiation hall?" "Yes." ¡ªThis is still our domain, and yet they can just open a passageway without any restrictions?" A true leader¡¯s perspective. It was a perspective fitting for the head of a global corporation. In the midst of it all, Jiseon felt a kind of threat and difort. "They did ask for my consent before opening it." However, depending on the situation, they could probably open a portal without permission if they wanted to. Hadn¡¯t foreign powers, as well as other entities, been recklessly invading this? And perhaps that was because the rightful owner of this had yet to be determined. "Take care. Please look after Father and Madam." Yeongwoo asked his mother to watch over them as he stepped into the portal leading to the negotiation table. * * * Cold. The first thing Yeongwoo felt upon passing through the portal was the chill. It wasn¡¯t an intense cold that stung his skin, but it was enough to feel ufortably chilly. "Seriously, calling someone here and this is what we get? At the very least, they could have adjusted the temperature." The space beyond the navy-blue portal was a small room, about 8 meters in diameter. In the center of the room was a table, roughly 2 meters wide, and chairs were arranged around it so that people could face each other. In other words: ''If someone starts a fight here, there¡¯s no way to avoid it.'' The room was too cramped for two of the strongest representatives of each nation on the brink of war. And, as expected... The room was far too cramped for the two champions from opposing nations, poised for war. And, as expected... ?This space is a public resource managed by theary Court. Acts of property damage, assault, and murder are strictly prohibited.? A warning message appeared, almost as if it had been waiting for this very moment. Then another message followed. ?If you experience any inconvenience while using this space, please press the button on the side to open an exit.? ¡°An exit?¡± It was only now that Yeongwoo noticed there wasn¡¯t a separate exit in the room. And that there was a small button on either side of the room. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡®So if I stop my opponent from pressing it, I can prevent them from escaping, too.¡¯ But with violence strictly prohibited¡ªlet alone killing¡ªhe¡¯d have to subdue his opponent without striking. ¡®In this space, what exactly constitutes an act of violence¡­?¡¯ While Yeongwoo was mulling this over, a navy-blue portal finally appeared on the opposite side. Swoosh! ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The representative of Lemu was entering. Thud. Yeongwoo instinctively reached to draw his weapon but barely stopped himself in time. And then... Whoosh. A figure finally emerged from the portal. ¡®No way.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s pupils widened in shock as he caught sight of the pale figure. The man representing Lemu stoodpletely naked. A towering figure of about two meters, appearing to be in his early 40s, but with such well-developed muscles that it was clear he had enhanced his physique. Yet, his unblemished, pale skin, hollow eyes, and wild beard gave him a deeply unsettling appearance. It was as if his face and body didn¡¯t belong to the same person. Not that Yeongwoo was much different, but at least he had clothes on. ¡°Ah, you¡¯re an East Asian, I see.¡± The man who came to the negotiation table on behalf of Lemu spoke, observing Yeongwoo. Yeongwoo tried to check the title above the man¡¯s head but quickly realized there was nothing there. ¡°You don¡¯t have a title.¡± When Yeongwoo pointed to the man¡¯s head with his armored finger, the man nodded, intrigued. ¡°Indeed. Nor do you, sir.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± He called him "sir." It was rare to hear someone address another with such formality. ¡°It seems that titles from our homnds hold no power here.¡± The man extended an arm horizontally, then brought it to his chest, bowing his head. It was an overly dramatic gesture. ¡°I am Yuto Kawachiya03, Sword Emperor of Tokyo, representing Lemu.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Upon closer inspection, the man¡¯s fingers were exceptionally long. Watching this giant naked man bowing oddly just seven meters in front of him gave Yeongwoo chills. ¡®I¡­ I want to kill him right now.¡¯ Just as one instinctively wants to rid themselves of a giant insect when they feel disgust or fear, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but want to get this man named Yuto out of his sight. But this was the domain of theary Court. Killing his opponent wouldnd him in prison. ¡°I¡¯m Jeong Yeongwoo07 from Korea. As you¡¯re probably aware, I¡¯m the representative of Dogo.¡± Yeongwoo introduced himself simply and gestured to the negotiation table. ¡°Let¡¯s sit down, for whatever it¡¯s worth.¡± At least by sitting down, he could hide half of this guy¡¯s bare flesh behind the table. Creak. Yeongwoo pulled out a chair and sat down at the table first. After some thought, Yuto followed suit and grabbed his chair. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Why is your type listed as ¡®Demon¡¯?¡± |Representative Type: Demon Yuto was referring to Yeongwoo¡¯s profile. Both Mara and Lemu were marked as ¡°Human,¡± but Yeongwoo, the representative of Dogo, was listed as ¡°Demon.¡± ¡°You look human enough to me.¡± Yuto¡¯s gazended on Yeongwoo¡¯s chest, specifically near his heart. He seemed to be recalling the profile note: Does not possess a human heart. Yeongwoo shrugged and ced his hand on the negotiation table. Thud. ¡°Well, you¡¯ll find out soon enough. But more importantly, why are you naked?¡± As Yeongwoo asked this, Yuto finally pulled his chair in and started to speak. ¡°The reason for my current state is actually¡­¡± But before he could finish his sentence¡ª Beep! A sharp signal red as the table that both Yeongwoo and Yuto had their hands and elbows on lit up. Whoosh! ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ?Wee to the negotiation table.? A holographic message appeared in front of both representatives. And then the true nature of the ¡°negotiation¡± was revealed. Fwoosh! Beams of light shot down from somewhere above them, creating five face-down cards in front of each person. ¡°What is this?¡± Yeongwoo, who had seen all kinds of strange things, had never encountered anything like this, and it seemed that Yuto, the embodiment of ¡°strange¡± himself, felt the same. ¡°Could it be a card game?¡± He muttered in his peculiar tone, and soon an instruction appeared. ?The negotiation will proceed with up to five proposals.? ?Each representative is given five cards reflecting their actual power. For each proposal, one card will be revealed topete on a ¡®power¡¯ score.? ¡®No way.¡¯ Yeongwoo looked down at the cards on the table in front of him. So, in essence, they were going to y five rounds of card flipping. The winner of each round, based on the ¡®power¡¯ of their card, could make a demand of the loser... ¡®Is that it? Did I understand this correctly?¡¯ As Yeongwoo silently questioned himself, the next message appeared right on cue. ?Now, let the first negotiation begin.? ?Each representative, please pick a card to reveal for this round. If you win the power duel, you may state your negotiation demand.? ¡®Looks like we¡¯ll have to pick a card before deciding on a demand.¡¯ Following the instructions, Yeongwoo picked up the card at the center of his hand. A help message appeared as he did so. ¡¸You have selected your first card. Until the final negotiation decision, neither party will be able to see each other¡¯s cards.¡¹ In other words, they would only reveal their cards after deciding on their demands and seeing who won. ¡®So if I¡¯m confident in winning, I could set any outrageous condition I want, right?¡¯ As he held his first card, Yeongwoo asked himself this question, and the help message responded promptly. ¡¸The loser of each round not only has to ept the winner¡¯s demand but also forfeits their own demand to the winner.¡¹ ¡®Ah.¡¯ Put simply, if he set a condition like "surrender at the start of the war" and lost the round, then he would have to fulfill that absurd condition himself. ¡®So, in the end, we¡¯re forced to gauge the strength of each other¡¯s cards.¡¯ Since he didn¡¯t fully understand the rules of this game yet, Yeongwoo decided to be a bit cautious. ¡®Let¡¯s see what my first card is. I still don¡¯t know what¡¯s on it.¡¯ Muttering to himself, Yeongwoo flipped the card he was holding. Tiny, hail-like particles rained down onto the card as icy blue text appeared. ¨D[Mother, Who Returned from the Heavens] card has been drawn! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 327 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 327: Negotiation (2) ¡®Uh... Mother?¡¯ Yeongwoo was stunned when he drew his first card. It wasn¡¯t just the name on the card that left him speechless. [Mother Who Returned from the Heavens] ¡°Mother breathed her blue breath.¡± | Card Grade: Legendary | Power: 1,200 Strongest Mother If the opponent¡¯s card is a dragon type or mother type, power increases by 600. ¡®Damn it, this is basically a card duel.¡¯ Theposition of the cards looked just like the ones inpetitive card games. ¡®We¡¯re deciding the oue of a war with this? Are they insane?¡¯ As Yeongwoo wiped the cold sweat off his forehead, still unable to grasp the reality of the situation, Yuto across the table shed a wicked smile. "So? It seems you¡¯ve drawn quite an impressive hand." "...!" When Yeongwoo looked up, he saw that his opponent, the duelist standing across from him, waspletely naked. He even held the elongated card between his fingers as though he were used to games like these. ¡®Who the hell is this guy? Even the way he¡¯s holding his cards is different.¡¯ Swallowing hard, Yeongwoo caught sight of the card Yuto held between his fingers. It reflected a faint, bluish light. As exined earlier, until the terms of negotiation were confirmed, they couldn¡¯t see each other¡¯s cards. "Have you yed a lot of... games like this?" Yeongwoo asked carefully. Yuto, cing his massive, pale pecs on the table, sped his hands together with a confident smirk. "¡®Games like this¡¯... If you were an experienced yer, you wouldn¡¯t use that phrase. It¡¯s clear that you¡¯re a novice, Mr. Yeongwoo." Yuto chuckled unpleasantly before switching to a cold tone. "I won¡¯t lie. To put it mildly, I¡¯m a veteran duelist." "...!" "The fact that we¡¯re each using a different deck version would disqualify this from official matches, but we have no choice. The whims of the universe are far beyond our control." Listening to Yuto, Yeongwoo realized something. This guy was just as insane as he was. ¡®Judging by his attitude, he was probably a game nerd in his youth. And this lunatic is supposed to be Tokyo¡¯s Sword Emperor? Japan¡¯s in real trouble.¡¯ Yeongwoo had momentarily forgotten that he himself had once been a gaming streamer. "So, now that we¡¯ve both drawn our cards¡­ does this mean we should propose our negotiation terms?" Yeongwoo looked back at the card he¡¯d drawn for this round. A legendary card with 1,200 power. From the looks of it, 1,200 seemed to be on the high end of the power spectrum. But this was only a guess. Without more cards topare, he couldn¡¯t be sure. ¡®Given that only monsters powerful enough to be called to the negotiating table are here, the average deckposition could be legendary.¡¯ Yeongwoo reminded himself that this was a power struggle backed by extraterrestrial sponsors. ¡®I have Bastard and Aratubank among my forces. With equipment at a mythic level, their card grades should be mythic too.¡¯ On the other hand, ¡°Mother Returned from the Heavens¡± was at the legendary level. It was a powerful conditional card, but it might be rtively average if the condition didn¡¯t match. Yeongwoo hadn¡¯t yed a lot of card games, but he knew that conditional power boosts typically worked that way. ¡®My mother¡¯s power increases by 600¡ªor 50%¡ªwhen facing another mother or dragon.¡¯ It was effectively a counter card. Which meant its base power might have been intentionally set lower, assuming it would asionally encounter matches in which it would receive a power boost. ¡®So if I face the right opponent, I could potentially take down a mythic card. But since it¡¯s only a counter for two types, its base power might be lower than average for a legendary.¡¯ This was the best deduction Yeongwoo could make. Now, he needed to figure out the strength of his opponent¡¯s card. But he had no prior knowledge about this naked man, making any guess difficult. ¡®Besides, in a world where even orphans can get mother cards¡­ anything is possible from his side.¡¯ Would he get a feel for things after the first round? ¡®Let¡¯s dive in.¡¯ Resolving himself, Yeongwoo tightened his jaw, and Yuto squinted, noticing the change in his expression. "Seems like your card is a bit underwhelming, huh?" "...!" Realizing his expression had been read, Yeongwoo widened his eyes. ¡®Right. I should¡¯ve kept a neutral face, even if I wasn¡¯t bluffing.¡¯ But it was toote to hide what had already been revealed. So Yeongwoo turned the question back. "What about you? Did you draw a decent card?" Yuto, self-assured as a veteran, answered without batting an eye. "Hmm... Legendary?" "..." Yeongwoo tried to stay calm, controlling his breathing, but his pupils betrayed him by widening slightly. "Yeongwoo, that card¡¯s legendary, right? Or maybe it¡¯s epic, but you¡¯re intimidated by legendaries." Yuto skillfully probed, observing Yeongwoo¡¯s reaction. ¡®This guy¡¯s not just a duelist; he¡¯s a gambler. He¡¯s way too good at mind games.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s impulse was to skip the cards and snap Yuto¡¯s neck, but he had no choice. "Let¡¯s get this over with. Propose your terms." Refusing further mind games, Yeongwoo insisted on moving to the next step, and the system disyed a new message. ¡¶Both parties have confirmed their cards, and negotiations will nowmence.¡· Then, three yellow coin icons appeared above each of their heads. sh! ¡¶Each agent has three negotiation points per round.¡· ¡¶Negotiation points can be used to propose or reject terms.¡· ¡®This¡­ feels like karma points.¡¯ The rule felt familiar. Just as karma points could be used offensively or defensively, negotiation points were resources for attack and defense at this table. ¡®Making the first proposal will cost one point¡­ so in practice, we can each use only two negotiation points.¡¯ Realizing this, Yeongwoo quickly deduced one key rule about the game. That rule was simple. ¡®If you¡¯re the first to refuse, you¡¯re at a disadvantage.¡¯ In this game, rejecting an opponent¡¯s proposal immediately deducts a negotiation point. If one side keeps rejecting while the other continues proposing new terms, the side that started rejecting will eventually run out of points and lose. ¡®It¡¯s all about order. If you refuse twice in a row, you¡¯ll have no points left, while the other side, after two refusals, can still propose a final term. Since we each start by proposing a term, the side doing the rejecting will be cornered.¡¯ Though the proposed term stays in effect for both sides, this isn¡¯t the same as winning. The side that has been rejected twice can propose a final term that the opponent can¡¯t refuse. In other words, as soon as you begin rejecting and implying your hand is weak, you fall into your opponent¡¯s pace. To avoid this, one could either charge forward blindly, confident in the strength of their hand, or set a deliberately absurd condition to provoke the opponent¡¯s refusal. ¡®But if they ept your absurd term and win the round, that would be suicidal.¡¯ Yeongwoo realized this game was moreplicated than it appeared. But at the same time, he thought: ¡®If the card is strong enough, that solves everything, right? If I knew I¡¯d win 100%, it wouldn¡¯t matter what terms I propose.¡¯ Of course, that¡¯s easier said than done. People aren¡¯t robots, after all; psychology ys a huge role. ¡¶Please propose your terms now. After voicing the desired conditions, touch the negotiation points above your head to submit your proposal.¡· ¡®The game has begun.¡¯ What should he propose in this first round? Without absolute certainty of victory, he had to prepare for the worst. He had to assume his conditions could backfire on him. ¡®Suicidal terms or offering equipment¡­ those are out.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t here to gamble away his life or legendary equipment. Even if he was in a card battle, his life wasn¡¯t a game with extra lives. "...." As Yeongwoo deliberated over his first proposal, Yuto broke the silence. "Let¡¯s start with something peaceful. How about it? Something low-stakes for both sides." "What do you mean by ¡®peaceful¡¯?" ¡°There are still four rounds left to determine the oue of the war. Shouldn¡¯t we make choices for the people we are responsible for?¡± ¡°Hah¡­¡± For the first time, Yeongwoo saw the person before him as a ¡®human being.¡¯ Perhaps he wasn¡¯t as indifferent to life as he initially thought. ¡°Are you talking about something like prohibiting attacks on civilians?¡± ¡°Something simr. We could also prohibitrge-scale weaponry to preserve residential areas.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Large-scale weaponry. He was probably referring to something likeser cannons. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°You want us to fight with only melee weapons?¡± ¡°Victory will ultimately depend on which side¡¯s main forces are annihted first, won¡¯t it? There¡¯s no need to cause unnecessary civilian casualties.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s true, but¡­¡± It made sense, yet Yeongwoo¡¯s side had Toma¡¯sser cannons, eight anti-aircraft guns from Metal Soul, and four decimators disguised as the city¡¯s four gates. ¡®Norge-scale weapons? That¡¯s nonsense.¡¯ Besides, it wasn¡¯t like he didn¡¯t have alternatives. ¡°How about this?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s designate a battlefield. Somewhere between Korea and Japan.¡± As Yeongwoo suggested this, a map showing Korea and Japan in their current ¡®Pangea¡¯ state popped up. Pop! ¡°If we evacuate civilians in advance and restrict the fight to that area, there won¡¯t be any unnecessary civilian casualties.¡± ¡°That makes sense.¡± Yuto nodded. But Yeongwoo could tell he wasn¡¯t entirely on board with the idea. ¡®This guy¡­ he only made that suggestion to gauge whether I haverge-scale weapons or not.¡¯ And further, if needed, he intended to banrge-scale weapons to secure an advantage. ¡®So, does that mean Japan doesn¡¯t have artillery weapons? Even if that¡¯s the case, with Lemu backing them, they¡¯re bound to have something.¡¯ Their military strength was still shrouded in mystery. ¡°¡­¡± Yeongwoo studied the map provided by the system and pointed to a region between Geoje Ind and Yamaguchi Prefecture, specifically an area that used to be an ind. ¡°How about here? It wasn¡¯t heavily popted to begin with, and there aren¡¯t many buildings left for habitation.¡± Yuto¡¯s eyes widened as he confirmed the spot Yeongwoo indicated. ¡°That ce¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s Tsushima.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Yuto¡¯s poker face slipped for an instant. Seeing this, Yeongwoo immediately touched the coin by his bedside and shouted. ¡°The Korea-Japan war will be fought solely on Tsushima!¡± A negotiation draft instantly appeared between the two of them. Ping! [The battle between the Dogo and Lemu factions shall be conducted solely within Tsushima.] ¡°This¡­!¡± Yuto looked slightly flustered at the sudden negotiation draft, and Yeongwoo added a few more words. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, you can exercise your veto.¡± ¡°¡­¡± But Yuto knew well enough that the first side to use their veto usually ended up at a disadvantage. Furthermore, he hadn¡¯t even proposed his own negotiation terms yet. ?The representative of Lemu, please present your negotiation terms.? The system prompted Yuto, who finally mmed the table with his right hand and grasped the coin with his left. Thud! ¡°Like me, strip off all your clothes. Let¡¯s both fight in the nude.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyebrow twitched as Yuto¡¯s proposal appeared below his own on the screen. Ping! [The representatives of Dogo and Lemu shall engage inbat in apletely naked state.] ¡°You¡­ you bastard¡­¡± First, he was all about making choices for the people, and now he was demanding a nude fight? What was this nonsense? ¡°You said you don¡¯t lie! Don¡¯t you want to make choices for the people?¡± Yeongwoo pointed usingly, but Yuto closed his eyes quietly. ¡°You asked me why I was naked.¡± ¡°I¡­ I did.¡± ¡°This is the reason.¡± Clunk. Suddenly, Yuto stood up, revealing his entire body. ¡°Ah, damn it.¡± Yeongwoo cursed, squinting in disgust, while Yuto slowly opened his previously closed eyes. ¡°Everything I do is recorded by Lemu¡¯s cameras.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°What I gave to Lemu in exchange for immense power was humiliation.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°The more humiliation captured on camera, the greater the national benefit. So if I can strip the representative of Dogo as well¡­ it will benefit my country immensely.¡± ¡°What, what the hell are you talking about?¡± As Yeongwoo instinctively reached toward his sword, Yuto stretched out his right hand in a gesture to stop him. ¡°Representative of Dogo, Jeong Yeongwoo! Please strip. We have already prepared 200 naked warriors!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Yuto¡¯s pale flesh reflected in Yeongwoo¡¯s wide eyes. Yuto then approved Yeongwoo¡¯s negotiation terms. Ping! Now, if Yeongwoo epted Yuto¡¯s proposal, the real battle would begin. ¡®Damn¡­ if I lose here, I¡¯ll have to fight naked? And for free?¡¯ Could this all have been part of Lemu¡¯s grand n? Was this some roundabout way of taking revenge after losing the Dogo publicity model? ¡°You, do you have any idea how crazy this is? Dogo and Lemu¡­¡± Yeongwoo was about to exin the interster power dynamics when Yuto interrupted. ¡°Then just decline it.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Exercise your veto. Isn¡¯t that all you have to do?¡± ¡°You bastard.¡± It wasn¡¯t exactly wrong, but it wasn¡¯t entirely right, either. He¡¯d likely fall into the opponent¡¯s pace when he exercised his veto. And after two vetoes, he could be met with an even more humiliating proposal. Maybe it would be better to gamble everything on winning here. ¡®If I can overpower his hand with my card, then I just need to win¡­ but is this the right move?¡¯ Lowering his gaze, Yeongwoo looked at the card he held firmly in his hand. [Mother Who Returned from the Heavens] ¡°Mother breathed her blue breath.¡± | Card Grade: Legendary | Power: 1,200 Strongest Mother If the opponent¡¯s card is a dragon type or mother type, power increases by 600. Could this card possibly defeat the crazy hand that man would reveal? ¡®Mother, you¡¯re strong, right? I¡¯ll trust you this time.¡¯ There was no choice but to go all in. Yeongwoo opened his eyes wide, then mmed the table as he epted Yuto¡¯s nudity proposal. Bang! ¡°Fine, reveal your card! If I lose, I¡¯ll strip as much as you want! But if I win¡­¡± A glimmer of madness flickered in Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll make you realize why I¡¯m known for going after all my opponents¡¯ money.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 328 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 328: Negotiation (3) [Dogo¡¯s Rules] The battle between the Dogo and Lemu factions can only take ce within Daema Ind. [Lemu¡¯s Rules] The representatives of Dogo and Lemu must fight unclothed. As the terms of the negotiation were finalized, Yuto toyed with the card in his hand. ¡°This is a reasonable proposal for the first round, wouldn¡¯t you say? The oue isn¡¯t of great importance, regardless of who wins.¡± Yeongwoo, baring his teeth in response, shot back, ¡°Who cares? You psycho. I have no intention of fighting naked.¡± Of course, even in the worst-case scenario, Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t entirely without a foothold. Even if all his gear was removed, he would still benefit from the effects of his catalog collection. This was one reason why Yeongwoo quickly epted the proposal. ¡®He¡¯s notpletely wrong. For the first round, it¡¯s sensible for both sides to set manageable terms.¡¯ Neither side knew the true power of the other''s cards or how each round would unfold. ¡®And if necessary, we can just cancel thest round¡¯s agreement in the next negotiation. That should be doable, right?¡¯ Naturally, taking such a step would waste an entire round, so caution was essential. ¡®Besides, it¡¯s just clothes. I can manage if I can rake in a ton of money in theter rounds.¡¯ As a glint of enthusiasm appeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes at the thought of money, Yuto, who had been watching him closely, settled back into his chair. ¡°Shall we proceed?¡± For some reason, he was brimming with confidence. With that, Yeongwoo turned his gaze to the space above the table, awaiting the system message. Shhh.. Immediately, padlock icons appeared on both negotiation terms, and a new notification was disyed: ¡¶The terms for Round 1 have been finalized.¡· ¡¶Now the power of each side¡¯s cards will bepared to determine the winner, and the representative who wins the battle will secure both sets of terms.¡· Losing meant giving up his terms, while winning allowed him to take everything. It was¡­ ¡®Just like a gamble.¡¯ As Yeongwoo surveyed the gambling table where the fates of both nations were staked, the time finally came for the cards to be revealed. ¡¶Dogo¡¯s representative, please reveal your card.¡· Yeongwoo nced at Yuto¡¯s expression briefly before cing his card on the table. Thud. ¡°¡­Let me introduce my mother.¡± The blue glow covering the card vanished in an instant, and a dragon¡¯s roar¡ªlikely from an ice dragon¡ªreverberated throughout the negotiation chamber. KUA-AAAAAAH¡­! At that moment, a frigid stream of icy energy flowed along the ceiling, chilling the room further. ¡®Was that really necessary?¡¯ While Yeongwoo remained unfazed, Yuto looked up at the ceiling with an expression of awe. ¡°Did you say¡­ your mother? Just who are you¡­?¡± Then, immediately¡ª Shwaaaah! A silver-white dragon emerged from the icy current on the ceiling and leaped into Yeongwoo¡¯s card. CRASH! ¡°Mo¡­ mother?¡± Seeing the dragon, Yuto reflexively jumped up from his seat. Meanwhile, the image on Yeongwoo¡¯s card changed to depict a massive ice dragon roaring over a city. [Mother Who Returned from the Heavens] ¡°Mother breathed her blue breath.¡± | Card Grade: Legendary | Power: 1,200 Strongest Mother If the opponent¡¯s card is a dragon type or mother type, power increases by 600. ¡°A legendary card, as expected.¡± Admiring Yeongwoo¡¯s card, Yuto smiled appreciatively. ¡°And what about yours?¡± When Yeongwoo gestured with his chin toward the card in Yuto¡¯s hand, he raised it with a serious expression and threw it toward the table like a whip. Snap!* The card glowed a bright white as soon as it touched the table. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°Observe closely! This is my deration!¡± Yuto¡¯s sharp voice echoed as a shout of determination resounded from somewhere. WAAAH! ¡°¡­What the hell?¡± Startled, Yeongwoo looked around to locate the source of the noise, only to see naked Japanese warriors pouring down like a waterfall from above Yuto. [200 Naked Warriors] ¡°Sess always requires adversity.¡± Card Grade: Epic Power: 800 Effect: Comradeship If the next round¡¯s card is human, it increases that card¡¯s power by 300. ¡°What¡­.¡± Watching the naked warriors being absorbed into the card, Yeongwoo grimaced. ¡®Damn it¡­ he got me.¡¯ He realized that Yuto, a self-proimed veteran duelist, had bluffed. This guy knew from the beginning he had a high chance of losing. ¡®So that¡¯s why he was going on about patriotism and whatnot.¡¯ Of course, since he was willing to fight naked for his country, there was likely some truth to his sense of duty. ¡®Anyway, a win is a win.¡¯ The only issue was... If the next round¡¯s card is human, it increases that card¡¯s power by 300. Yeongwoo had realized that the card effect of ¡°Comradeship¡± could influence the next round, not just the current one. ¡®If the next card is human¡­? Unlike ¡°mother¡± or ¡°father,¡± humans are prettymon, aren¡¯t they?¡¯ Currently, the power of the Epic-grade Naked Warriors card was 800, while the Legendary Mother card had a power of 1,200. So if there was an Epic card with a base power of around 900 or a Legendary card with a power of around 1,100, then this ¡°Comradeship¡± effect could actually enable the Epic card to surpass the Legendary card. ¡®Better to assume the opponent will have an additional 300 power in the next round.¡¯ As Yeongwoo considered this, the cards lying on the floor rose into the air and collided. PAH! In the next instant, Yuto¡¯s ¡°200 Naked Warriors¡± card shattered into pieces. CRACK! ¡¶Dogo¡¯s card ¡°Mother Returned from the Heavens¡± has destroyed Lemu¡¯s card ¡°200 Naked Warriors.¡±¡· ¡¶Dogo¡¯s representative has secured full control over the terms of the negotiation!¡· Atst, the first-round victory. In front of Yeongwoo, the terms of both sides and a new option appeared. ¡¶Dogo¡¯s representative, please select the final terms.¡· A help message popped up for Yeongwoo. ¡¸You have won the power battle! The opponent¡¯s terms are now yours.¡¹ ¡¸You may nullify or partially modify the opponent¡¯s terms, but at least one term must remain active.¡¹ ¡°Partial modification?¡± As Yeongwoo muttered, the help message borated. ¡¸If the opponent¡¯s terms have the potential to be disadvantageous, partial adjustments are possible.¡¹ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] With a sh, a modified term appeared: Lemu¡¯s representative must fight unclothed. ¡°Oh.¡± The original condition was for both sides to fight unclothed, but it could be modified so that only the opponent would have toply. However¡­ ¡®The guy is already unclothed. In fact, he seems to prefer it.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze shifted to Yuto across the table. Already prepared for the next round, Yuto watched him, hands sped and chin resting atop them, exuding an eerie intensity. ¡®What a lunatic.¡¯ Yeongwoo muttered to himself, then had an idea and asked the helper for rification. ¡®Is it possible to change the suggestion to, like, a rule about keeping clothes on, instead of taking them off?¡¯ The response came back immediately: ¡¸You cannot alter the basic format of a suggestion.¡¹ ¡®Damn. So all I can decide is whether I join him in taking them off or not.¡¯ In that case, there was no question: reject the opponent''s proposal. ¡®For that guy, making me undress might be crucial. So, let''s leave it open enough that he keeps debating over it through the remaining rounds.¡¯ Fighting while undressed wasn¡¯t itself a major ordeal for Yeongwoo. But doing so without any advantage...that felt utterly unfair. ¡®If I could at least gain something for going naked for a round, I could ept it. But just taking it off? No way.¡¯ With that thought, Yeongwoo immediately rejected Yuto''s proposal. ¡¶Lemu''s negotiation offer has been rejected. As a result, only the conditions set by Dogo¡¯s agent are now active.¡· ¡®Good. At least we¡¯ve secured the battleground.¡¯ This meant that, in the battle against Lemu''s side, the likelihood of civilian casualties had been drastically reduced. [Dogo] |The battle between Dogo and Lemu''s forces can only take ce within Tsushima Ind.| In a few hours, he would be facing 200 naked Japanese warriors on Tsushima Ind. ¡®Is this a dream or reality?¡¯ When Yeongwoo looked up at his opponent again, pale flesh once again filled his view. "Alright, now that we¡¯ve got the basic rules down, let¡¯s move quickly. The war¡¯s about to start." As Yeongwoo said this, Yuto nodded, and soon a system message appeared. ¡¶Negotiation round two will now begin.¡· ¡¶From this round onward, each round will allow one ¡®shuffle¡¯.¡· ¡°Shuffle?¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Yuto¡¯s face lit up with interest, while Yeongwoo immediately asked the system for rification. ¡°Shuffle, as in, mixing up cards?¡± ¡¶From now on, at the beginning of each round, you can view the number and grade of the cards in the deck, and use ¡®shuffle¡¯ to randomly mix the cards on the table with those remaining in the deck.¡· Yuto summed up the exnation in one word: ¡°¡­A reset.¡± Exactly. Simply put, it was a way to reset the cards on the table. The key here, though, was that each round allowed for inspection of the deck¡¯s remaining card count and grade. ¡®So, does that mean I can get an idea of whether any mythic cards have been drawn from my deck yet?¡¯ For instance, Yeongwoo had two cards in his deck that could definitely be ssified as mythic: the mythic items "Bastard" and "Aratubank." If he counted resources broadly, there was even the possibility of a mythic-grade Chairman card. ¡®In other words, there¡¯s a good chance I have three mythic cards in the deck.¡¯ So, if the deck showed three mythic cards left after the shuffle, that would mean... ¡®It would mean no mythic cards are on the table right now, so legendary would be the highest I can expect.¡¯ As Yeongwoo grasped this part of the rule, he saw Yuto nodding on the other side, clearly having caught on to the significance of the "shuffle" as well. ¡¶Before drawing the second card, each representative, please confirm your deck.¡· Following this prompt, a hexagonal hologram appeared in Yeongwoo¡¯s view. It was his deck. [Total Cards: 25] |Mythic: 3 |Legendary: 5 |Epic: 10 |Unique: 7 ¡®What... I have 25 cards in my deck?¡¯ Which meant that, including the five cards already on the table, there were 30 cards total. And one of his legendary cards was already in y. ¡®Damn, getting Mom on the first turn was actually incredibly lucky?¡¯ The price of not trusting the strongest mom card. Yeongwoo btedly regretted his unfilial behavior. ¡®So, what are the remaining four cards on the table? All epic or unique?¡¯ That¡¯s what it looked like based on the deck''s configuration. Lower-ranked cards were usually moremon in this type of battle game. ¡®Then, should I go for a shuffle...?¡¯ As Yeongwoo pondered this, a curved arrow icon appeared to his left. That must be the shuffle icon. "......" Without a second thought, Yeongwoo activated the shuffle. Whip! The five cards on the table were sucked into the air. Then¡ª Swish! Swish! Swish! Five blue lights shot down onto the table in their ce. The shuffle was done. Cards reshuffled, and the ones for the second round wereid out anew. ¡®So, what about my deck? Since I can¡¯t shuffle again in the same round, I guess they¡¯ll at least show me the deck¡¯s status?¡¯ As Yeongwoo asked this with a hopeful look, the system quickly responded. ¡¶The shuffle for round two has beenpleted, and the deck¡¯sposition has been updated.¡· And now, Yeongwoo¡¯s updated deck status showed: [Total Cards: 25] |Mythic: 6 |Legendary: 4 |Epic: 7 |Unique: 8 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 329 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 329: Negotiation (4) ¡®What the¡­ why do I have six Mythic cards now?¡¯ Cognitive dissonance. Seeing that the number of Mythic cards had actually increased after shuffling, Yeongwoo could only blink in disbelief. [Total cards: 25] | Mythic: 6 | Legendary: 4 | Epic: 7 | Unique: 8 Before the shuffle, there were only three Mythic cards, but now there were six. The Epic cards had decreased from ten to seven, and the Unique cards had increased from seven to eight. So, to sum it up: ¡®Could it be that my initial hand had three Mythic, one Legendary, and one Unique card?¡¯ Looking at the increased number of Mythic cards post-shuffle, it seemed likely. He had just discarded the ultimate hand that could have secured victory in every round except one, with a very high probability. ¡®No way, damn it.¡¯ Yeongwoo realized instantly that he was, in colloquial terms, screwed. ¡®Why are there six Mythic cards here?¡¯ Yeongwoo was stunned at the sheer quality of his deck, now returned to the deck pile after shuffling. ¡®Wait, then what¡¯s on the table now?¡¯ He looked at the five cards still face down on the table. He could deduce their identity by reverse-calcting from his previous hand and the current deck. ¡®Two Legendary and three Epic.¡¯ Considering that the lowest grade in his deck was Unique, he had at least avoided the worst-case scenario. But knowing there were no Mythic cards in this hand made the situation even more grim. ¡®And one card can¡¯t even be used because one round has already passed.¡¯ This meant that only four cards would be used. ¡®So, realistically, the remaining hand could be either two Legendary and two Epic, or one Legendary and three Epic.¡¯ Adding to this, if the opponent drew a card of the ¡°Human¡± type in this round, its power would be increased by 300. ¡®This round won¡¯t be easy.¡¯ As confirmed in the first round, Yuto had Epic-level cards. The first card he had drawn in a random hand was Epic, so he likely had several Legendary cards as well. ¡®In that case, I have to hope his hand has a lot of Unique cards.¡¯ Yeongwoo thought this, but then quickly changed his mind. ¡®No, relying on luck alone would just be gambling.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t leave the future of the Korean Penins¡ªor this entire¡ªto mere chance. ¡®If the hand isn¡¯t good, what¡¯s the way to win? Ites down to momentum.¡¯ Yeongwoo resolved himself. This second round would be won through a bluff, using sheer force of will. ¡¶All Representatives, please pick up your card for this round.¡· It was time to choose his second-round card. Yeongwoo hesitated for a moment and then picked the card in the center, as he had in the first round. Swipe. Immediately, the silhouettes of his ¡®friends¡¯ rained down from the ceiling. [Workers] [The Workers] "Yeongtae, Taejoon, Younghyeom, Geumhwa." | Card Grade: Epic | Power: 1,000 Performance-based If this card is drawn again, its power doubles. ¡®Damn it...¡¯ Yeongwoo almost rubbed his forehead but managed to stop himself. Even though it was a high base power for an Epic card, the timing was not favorable. ¡¶Both sides have confirmed their cards, so negotiations will begin.¡· A sh of light followed, and three negotiation rights appeared above each yer¡¯s head. ¡¶Please state your negotiation proposal and touch one of the rights above your head to make the proposal official.¡· Yeongwoo locked eyes with Yuto. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Yuto¡¯s eyes showed no signs of wavering, so Yeongwoo spoke while maintaining eye contact. ¡°Let¡¯s start by cutting off one arm each.¡± Yuto, who had been intecing his fingers, twitched them. ¡°¡­What did you say?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s keep this round light. Let¡¯s fight with one arm each cut off.¡± ¡°What on earth are you saying?¡± Yuto¡¯s face hardened, and he frowned in genuine displeasure. ¡°Stop joking and make a serious propo¡ª¡± Beeep! ¡°Huh?¡± The familiar alert sound made Yuto unsp his fingers and look at the space between them. [Both the Representatives of Dogo and Lemu must cut off one arm before proceeding with the battle.] Yeongwoo had really locked in the proposal to fight with an arm cut off. ¡°Hurry up and ept it. I¡¯m really curious about what¡¯s going to happen.¡± Yeongwoo gestured as if choosing which arm to cut, and Yuto shook his head. ¡°Is this some kind of bluff? Your hand must be pretty bad to pull such a desperate move¡­.¡± ¡°If it looks like I¡¯m desperate, then make a bold move too. If you win the card duel, I¡¯ll be the only one who loses an arm, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± This time, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t even tell Yuto to refuse. Even if he lost and ended up cutting his arm alone, it wouldn¡¯t be a huge disadvantage. In fact, he might need to cut it to gain the effect of a physical impairment and blood loss. ¡°Hurry up! We don¡¯t have all night. Don¡¯t forget we also have to fight Mara.¡± As Yeongwoo urged him, Yuto bit his lip. ¡°Fine¡­ I¡¯ll make another counterproposal.¡± [Both the Representatives of Dogo and Lemu must fight in the nude.] Beeep! Yuto finally started to get pulled into Yeongwoo¡¯s pace. While he had no issue fighting nude, the idea of cutting an arm off was frightening. ¡°You were eager to strip and fight at the start, but now you¡¯re scared to lose an arm? I could cut off both of mine.¡± ¡°¡­There¡¯s a difference between noble sacrifice for one¡¯s country and just being a lunatic with no arms.¡± Then Yeongwoo pulled out Bastard from his belt. Swaaash! He extended his left hand and ced it on the table. Thump! ¡°W-what are you doing now?¡± Yuto¡¯s pale face turned even whiter, and Yeongwoo looked at him with a predator¡¯s re. ¡°If you¡¯re not crazy, you can¡¯t achieve anything in this universe!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°So, I can¡¯t hand over this to someone who¡¯s not fullymitted.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± With that, Yeongwoo positioned Bastard vertically over his left hand and drove it down. m! ¡°Ahh, you maniac!¡± Yuto jumped up from his seat, losing hisposure for the first time, while Yeongwoo shouted fiercely. ¡°Sit down, you bastard! The game isn¡¯t over yet.¡± ¡°Y-you¡­!¡± ¡°Sit tight and ept the negotiation. Let¡¯s see what the cards reveal.¡± Even as Yeongwoo spoke, Yuto was already activating his veto. aash! ¡¶The Representative of Lemu has rejected the proposal from Dogo.¡· Now, Yuto had only one veto left. Seeing this, Yeongwoo immediately proposed the same negotiation again. [Both the Representatives of Dogo and Lemu must cut off one arm before proceeding with the battle.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°It¡¯s no use. I¡¯ll keep proposing the same thing.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s easier now that we¡¯re on informal terms. Stay sharp; this is just the beginning.¡± Yeongwoo smirked, blood trickling from his left hand, while Yuto wiped the sweat from his temples and activated hisst veto. aash! ¡¶The Representative of Lemu has rejected the proposal from Dogo.¡· Yuto now had no more vetoes left. He could no longer refuse the opponent''s proposal, which meant that for Yeongwoo, this was finally the chance to put forth an advantageous offer. Since the odds of winning this battle were not high after drawing an epic card, wouldn''t it be enough to propose an offer that was nearly null? However, Yeongwoo, now caught in the momentum, proposed the same limb-severing use again. [Both the delegates of Dogo and Lemu shall fight after amputating one of their arms.] ¡°You can''t run away,¡± Yeongwoo dered. ¡°Wha...!¡± Fear flickered in Yuto''s eyes as he realized that the opponent who suggested cutting an arm was genuinely serious. ¡°Th-the Representative of Dogo is insane. Unpredictable and... cosmic...¡± Yuto recalled the description he had once read about Yeongwoo. Yeongwoo then finished the line for him, ¡°So avoid encounters whenever possible...!¡± BANG! Yeongwoo mmed the table hard with his remaining right arm, confirming the proposal. Immediately, both negotiation uses were adopted, and the card in front of Yeongwoo began to glow. ¡¶Round 2 negotiation terms have been confirmed.¡· ¡¶Representative of Dogo, please reveal your card.¡· Yeongwoo swiftly flipped his card, revealing an illustration of four friends assembling a yer statue, and its power was disclosed. sh! [The Workers] "Yeongtae, Taejoon, Younghyeom, Geumhwa." | Card Grade: Epic | Power: 1,000 Performance-based If this card is drawn again, its power doubles. ¡°What... what? An epic?¡± Yuto''s eyes widened, even more so than when he had witnessed Yeongwoo self-harming. He had expected an overwhelmingly strong card, so he was shocked to see only an epic card. ¡°A bluff? No, this is just...¡± Madness. ¨DThe Representative of Dogo is insane! While the profile description echoed in his mind, Yeongwoo pointed at Yuto''s card and spoke. ¡°Now we shall fight on Tsushima, stripped and with one arm cut off.¡± Of course, Yeongwoo knew he was going to lose. Yuto, trembling with horror, roughly flipped his card. ¡°Stop with the nonsense, you madman! You cut your own arm off!¡± BANG! The card of Lemu''s delegate, Kawachiya Yuto03, was revealed. [The Giant yer] ¡°The bigger the opponent, the easier it is to attack.¡± | Card Grade: Legendary | Power: 1,100 Climber When faced with a higher-ranked card, power increases by 700. ¡°So it was a legendary card after all,¡± Yeongwoomented calmly, prompting Yuto to shoot him a bewildered look. ¡°You¡¯re not surprised at all? Did you just want to cut your arm off for fun?¡± Having regained someposure after winning this round, Yuto resumed speaking formally. ¡°Either way, you¡¯ll end up stripped and missing an arm.¡± ¡°But I gained a round,¡± Yeongwoo replied. ¡°...?¡± ¡°How could a crow understand the phoenix''s intentions?¡± Yeongwoo said as he pulled out Bastard embedded in his left hand. Swish! The wound on his hand healed rapidly, but Yeongwoo quickly hid his arm to avoid revealing this fact. There was no need for Yuto to know that he could reattach limbs. And so, the shuffling phase began again. ¡¶Round 3 will begin soon. Shuffle counts have been recharged.¡· Seeing this, Yeongwoo activated the shuffle without hesitation. He had nowhere left to fall. ¡®Shuffle, start!¡¯ sh! As Yeongwoo approved the shuffle, the cards on the table were shuffled, altering the deckposition. ¡¶Round 3 shuffleplete. Deckposition updated.¡· [Total Cards: 25] | Mythical: 3 | Legendary: 5 | Epic: 9 | Unique: 8 ¡®Ah...!¡¯ Yeongwoo gasped inwardly as he observed the remaining cards. ¡®They''re back! My mythicals!¡¯ Three mythical cards had returned to the table. ¡°...¡± As Yeongwoo''s eyes gleamed wildly post-shuffle, Yuto cautiously asked while watching him. ¡°What now? You''re not going to propose something absurd again, are you?¡± With fierce eyes, Yeongwoo stared back at him. ¡°We¡¯re going to strip.¡± ¡°Pardon...?¡± ¡°How much is Lemu paying you for that?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 330 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 330: Negotiation (5) ¡°Wh-why¡­?¡± Yuto pressed his lips tightly as if reluctant to speak. In response, Yeongwoo looked down at himself and spoke. ¡°You said the national interest grows the more humiliation captured by Lemu¡¯ cameras, so if I appear naked, wouldn¡¯t the pay you and Japan receive increase as well?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Then why don¡¯t I get a share?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Dogo is Lemu'' biggestpetitor. If a representative from such apany were to be humiliated, Japan would surely gain enormous benefits.¡± ¡°But in the end, Lemu¡¯ representative is on this side, so why should you¡­?¡± ¡°Exactly, you bastard.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m angry. Why should you guys take the money I earned by undressing?¡± Yeongwoo mmed the table in frustration, just as the system message announced the start of the third round. ¡¶Please pick up and check the card you will use in this round.¡· ¡°Hurry and check your card! I will reim my rightful share in this round.¡± With this, Yeongwoo eximed while already grabbing the card on the table. Snap! The card he picked in the third round was the one furthest to the left. ¡®Please, please, a myth!¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s current hand, verified through the shuffled deck, was three Myth cards, one Legendary, and one Epic. Out of the five cards on the table, only three would be used in the future, so his actual hand could consist of three Myth cards, or one Legendary, one Epic, and one Myth. ¡®It could also be two Myths and one Epic. With such a high ratio of Myths, the odds are significantly in my favor no matter how this ys out!¡¯ This too could be considered karma. Because he had umted so much mythical ¡°karma,¡± he was now reaping great ¡°rewards¡± in this card battle where the stakes were the dynamics of war. ¡°Gahhhh!¡± Yeongwoo let out an unusual cry as he checked the fate held in his hand. sh! The identity of the card Yeongwoo flipped in his hand was revealed. Screech! [Bastard] ¡°The world was especially harsh to me.¡± |Card Rank: Myth |Power: 2,200 Despise the Weak Challenger ¡®¡­Damn. The boss has arrived.¡¯ Bastard. Seeing the majesty of the first Myth card he had ever drawn, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t even blink. The card, just like the original, exuded red demonic energy like a torrent. There was no way Yuto, who had hesitated at the mere suggestion of an arm being cut off, could have a card to defeat this beast. ¡®Its performance is absolutely insane. Even a Myth-hunting Legendary card can¡¯t beat Bastard, and on the contrary, this card¡­.¡¯ Challenger A monster designed to counter cards stronger than Myth. Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but be pleased with its performance, perfectly mirroring that of the original Bastard. Now, what card did Yuto have? Shff. When Yeongwoo lifted his gaze, he saw a naked man with a solemn expression examining his own card. ¡°How is it? This card.¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s question, Yuto asked instead. ¡°What are you nning to propose this time?¡± Yeongwoo nonchntly responded. ¡°My money.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Hand over the money.¡± And soon the negotiation phase began. ¡¶Both sides have confirmed their cards, starting the negotiation phase.¡· Pop-pop-pop! Three negotiation tokens appeared above both men¡¯s heads, and Yuto¡¯s body trembled slightly. ¡¶Please state your proposal. Once spoken, touch the negotiation token above your head to formalize the proposal.¡· ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yuto, having learned from the previous rounds that predicting the opponent was futile, looked nervously between Yeongwoo and his three negotiation tokens. ¡°Am I going first?¡± Yeongwoo asked politely, then shouted out his proposal before Yuto could respond. ¡°Hand over all the money Japan is supposed to receive from Lemu!¡± The system immediately acknowledged Yeongwoo¡¯s words and formalized them. Whirr! [The representative of Lemu transfers the war profits gained from the contract with Lemu to the representative of Dogo.] ¡°What? This lunatic!¡± Rustle! Yuto jumped up in disbelief, only for Yeongwoo to gesture with the Bastard card for him to sit back down. ¡°Calm down. I wanted all your profits, but it¡¯s limited to the war profits. It¡¯s the lesser evil.¡± This seemed to be because the negotiation table was rted to the uing three-nation war. Proposals could be made freely, but their scope had to be limited to this war. ¡°No matter what, asking for all profits is absurd!¡± When Yuto protested, Yeongwoo stood up as if ready to throw down the Bastard. Wham! ¡°Hey, bastard! Then does stripping down and fighting in Tsushima make sense?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to lose your money, win the match. Then you won¡¯t have to worry about me taking it.¡± This was undeniably true. And this was the negotiation table. If one could make unreasonable demands of the opponent, then one should also be prepared to receive unreasonable demands. ¡°¡­Damn it.¡± Yuto¡¯s spirit, so confident when he first appeared naked in this room, had notably changed. After staring at the card in his hand for a while, he looked determinedly at Yeongwoo. ¡°¡­Fine. I¡¯ll counter with something big too.¡± He pointed at the proposal already floating in midair and shouted. "Have the proxy of Dogo also transfer all the profits generated after this negotiation to me!" [The proxy of Dogo transfers all war profits gained through their contract with Dogo to the proxy of Lemu.] "You idiot. We''re strictly performance-based; we need to win the war first to get anything." After ncing at the proposal, Yeongwoo made a briefment before finalizing the negotiation terms. sh! ¡¶Round 3 negotiation terms have been finalized.¡· The third round unfolded swiftly, showcasing a genuine battle of wits. For the first time, both sides had proposed the same terms. The losing side in this battle would have to hand over all war-rted profits from their sponsor to the opponent. "Show me your card. What do you have?" Yeongwoo extended his index finger to point at Yuuto¡¯s card, and Yuuto''s face turned even paler as he flipped it over. "Behold the newndmark of Greater Japan!" "What?" sh! [Space Communicator] "Space is vast; you never know what you might encounter." | Card Grade: Legendary | Power: 800 + 1,140 Encounter with the Unknown [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] "Oh...!" Yuuto, though the one who revealed the card, looked astonished as if he were seeing it for the first time, and Yeongwoo understood his reaction only after taking in the bizarre card''s effect. Encounter with the Unknown ¡®A gamble within a gamble. This card sure has a strong theme.¡¯ The Space Communicator card started with a base power of 800, but its power could randomly spike from 1 to as much as 3,000 the moment it was flipped, making it a risky bet. ¡®If it reached its maximum, it could have contended with even higher-tier cards than mythic.¡¯ Despite its incredible potential, the problem was that this time, the opponent was holding a "Bastard" card. "Impressive. But I believe Japan¡¯s fate is sealed." "What?" Yuuto''s face contorted, but Yeongwoo didn¡¯t respond verbally, choosing instead to flip over his card. sh! [Bastard] ¡°The world was especially harsh to me.¡± |Card Rank: Myth |Power: 2,200 Despise the Weak Challenger "...Huh?" Yuuto, who had been meticulously reading through the Bastard''s tooltip, suddenly widened his eyes and mouth in shock. Seizing the moment, Yeongwoo mmed his hand down on the table with force. Bang! "The power of the universe stands with me...!" At that moment, a crimson sword shot out from the Bastard card, shattering Yuuto¡¯s ''Space Communicator.'' Crack! "No... This can¡¯t be. How does a card like that even exist?" "Does it make sense for a legendary card to reach a max power of 3,800? You wouldn''t have said a word if you''d won." Having won Round 3, Yeongwoo easily nullified Yuuto''s proposal. As a result, the current negotiation conditions set between both sides numbered four in total. [The battle between the proxies of Dogo and Lemu can only take ce on Tsushima Ind.] [The proxies of Dogo and Lemu must fight in a naked state.] [The proxy of Dogo must fight with one arm amputated.] [The proxy of Lemu transfers all war profits gained through their contract to the proxy of Dogo.] ¡®Two rounds left. What should I propose to avoid regrets?¡¯ Yeongwoo had two mythic cards left with a legendary and epic card each as well, meaning the odds of drawing a mythic card in the remaining two rounds were quite high. ¡®Let''s go strong both times. If I face a critical proposal and lose, I¡¯ll have to void it in the next round.¡¯ ¡¶Round 4 is about to begin. The shuffle counter has been recharged.¡· A chance to shuffle for Round 4 was given, but Yeongwoo opted not to and picked up a card right away. Tap! Yuuto¡¯s eyebrows twitched upon seeing this. Not shuffling meant Yeongwoo was satisfied with the current hand. Moreover, this was Round 4. So that meant he intended to use the current cards for both remaining rounds. ¡°What on earth... What are you holding?¡± Yuuto asked with irritation, to which Yeongwoo responded while calmly drawing the next card. ¡°Heh... my card is... huh.¡± Yeongwoo, after drawing the card, checked it again in disbelief. ¡®What kind of nonsense is this?¡¯ [Jeonggu Before the Storm] "Jeonggu is still alive, wrapped in the mysteries of the universe." | Card Grade: Legendary | Power: 1,000 Suspicious Straw [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 331 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 331: Negotiation (6) ¡®A card of the same grade¡­ so, a legendary card can win against anything of the same grade but loses to every other card?¡¯ It was oddly anticlimactic. Yeongwoo found it hard to hold back a chuckle. The effect was absurd¡ªjust like something his father woulde up with. ¡®¡­Well, I already drew it, so there¡¯s no choice.¡¯ Yeongwoo gazed nkly at the bizarre card. In a way, he wondered if it was much different from life. Like the so-called ¡®blood bond¡¯ between parents and children. Once you draw a card, you ept whatever oue it brings, just as you have no control over who your parents or children are. Once a parent-child rtionship is established, it doesn¡¯t change. Even if you bring in new parents or new children, the essential rtionship of birth mother and father remains the same. For that reason, Yeongwoo¡¯s family¡ªwho had once been strangers¡ªwas beginning to resemble a family. ¡®Of course, for now, I have to step in if we¡¯re even going to pretend to be one, but asionally¡­¡¯ Yeongwoo thought of his father, Jeonggu. The man who had stopped him when he tried to confront his biological mother, piercing through the ice storm to do so. That reckless act even thawed the frozen heart of the Ice Dragon, Song Jiseon, who spared Jeonggu by withdrawing her cold aura. ¡®But¡­ the truth is, he¡¯s pretty weak. Without me or Mother, he can¡¯t do much on his own.¡¯ Yet he was also the link between two formidable beings. In that sense, the strange card named ¡°Jeonggu Before the Storm¡± seemed a good representation of the man, Kim Jeonggu. ¡®Father! Can I trust you? I almost got into trouble earlier by not trusting Mother.¡¯ Yeongwoo murmured, looking at the card, when an animated image appeared on its blue surface. ¨DSsshhh! It was an image of Jeonggu on a small boat, struggling through rough waves. A faint outline ofnd could be seen in the dark sea beyond, and between Jeonggu and thend was an enormous typhoon, creating a massive whirlpool. ¨DCrash! A massive wave in the image engulfed Jeonggu. ¡ªWhoa. For a moment, Jeonggu disappeared in the image, only to reappear, emerging with his battered boat from the ck waves. ¡°Damn, why is this image so intense?¡± It was then that Yeongwoo noticed that one-third of Jeonggu¡¯s oar was broken. Yet, the Jeonggu in the image rowed on undeterred. Perhaps he would continue until he faced something not legendary but mythical, or until some low-grade card caused his absurd demise. ¡®¡­Well, let¡¯s give it a shot. I¡¯ll row with this broken oar too.¡¯ Holding his father¡¯s card, Yeongwoo looked across the table at his opponent, and the system initiated the negotiation. ¡¶Both sides have reviewed their cards. Negotiations will now begin.¡· Pop! As expected, Yeongwoo was given three negotiation options. Upon seeing his opponent¡¯s card in the previous round, he immediately proposed what he had thought of. ¡°All infrastructure.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°If you lose in battle, I take control of all space-rted infrastructure.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That spacemunications device in Japan. I¡¯m curious what exactly it is.¡± Yuto looked up, as if confirming if the system would ept Yeongwoo¡¯s proposal. And, unfortunately for him¡­ [The representative of Lemu will transfer all physical infrastructure to the representative of Dogo upon losing the battle.] The system formalized Yeongwoo¡¯s proposal. ¡°You¡¯re saying you¡¯ll take all of it? Ridiculous!¡± ¡°Seems like there¡¯s more than just the spacemunication device, huh?¡± Noticing his opponent¡¯s reaction, Yeongwoo pressed on, and Yuto clenched his jaw. ¡°But if I don¡¯t lose this match, all the infrastructure you have bes mine.¡± ¡°Yes, if you win.¡± And that wasn¡¯t all. Yeongwoo held back, but this offer would be worthless until the war¡¯s oue was decided. Even if Yeongwoo lost the card game, the infrastructure transfer would be null and void if he won the war. So if Yuto had any doubts about his performance in battle, he should be negotiating for something that would help him inbat, not afterward. ¡®But I¡¯m confident in battle. Although those 200 naked warriors¡­ they might be mentally unsettling, but¡­ actually, Aratubank might block even that.¡¯ Aratubank was a mythical shield that could block mental attacks. ¡¾Immunity¡¿ | This shield cannot be destroyed and can block most non-physical damage and mental attacks. And with a mythical sword in hand, it would be almost impossible for Yeongwoo to lose to Yuto in battle without some absurd penalty. ¡°So, what¡¯s your proposal? Let¡¯s not waste time.¡± Tapping his wrist as if urging Yuto to hurry up, Yeongwoo noticed his opponent scratching his cheek for the first time. Yuto had kept his cool fairly well so far, but at the final stretch, he could no longer hide his nervousness. Then he raised a finger and pointed at Yeongwoo¡¯s sword. ¡°That sword¡­ Bastard?¡± ¡°What?¡± The unexpected question surprised Yeongwoo for a moment. ¡°So it is the Bastard.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just surprised you only recognized it now.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t use it.¡± ¡°When? In the war?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll propose it in negotiation. You can¡¯t use the Bastard in this war!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Yeongwoo let out a satisfied sigh as the system epted Yuto¡¯s proposal. [The representative of Dogo cannot use the Bastard in this war.] It wasn¡¯t the best move, but it was a solid, calcted choice given the information avable. Since the ban was limited to the ¡®Bastard,¡¯ it wouldn¡¯t harm Yuto if he lost this round. Moreover, it had a direct impact on the uing battle. Yeongwoo nodded, acknowledging his opponent¡¯s efforts. ¡°That¡¯s pretty clever, but¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Yeongwoo chose to say nothing more. He didn¡¯t need to reveal that he had more than just the Bastard at his disposal. Of course, Yuto couldn¡¯t help but feel irritated listening to the conversation. ¡°But, what?¡± "......." ¡¶The proposals for Round 4 negotiations have been finalized.¡· As both negotiation proposals were settled, Yeongwoo, who had been keeping quiet, finally recited his lines. ¡°It¡¯s getting closer.¡± ¡°What? What¡¯sing?¡± ¡°The time when I can finally beat you directly.¡± Round 4 was nowplete. After this match, only the final round remained. And once they escaped this frustrating room, the time for violence would finally arrive. ¡°If only I were a little older, I would¡¯ve ignored the intergctic court and taken you down already.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] As Yeongwoo clenched his fist, looking frustrated, Yuto lifted the corners of his mouth into a mocking smile. ¡°Hurry up and reveal your card. I¡¯ve prepared something special just for you this time.¡± ¡°You sound confident.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± It really seemed like Yuto had something up his sleeve. In response, Yeongwoo flipped his card, revealing his father rowing with a broken oar. ¡°My father, still alive and well.¡± Thwap! As Yeongwoo sent the card flying across the table towards Yuto, seawater really seemed to ssh around the card, and the sound of waves filled the air. ¨DKwahhhhh! [Jeonggu Before the Storm] "Jeonggu is still alive, wrapped in the mysteries of the universe." | Card Rank: Legendary | Power: 1,000 Suspicious Straw ¡°What the¡­ Power of one thousand...?¡± Yuto leaned back, eyeing the bizarre card that had flown his way. Then, when he saw the special effect listed below, his expression hardened. ¡°What does this mean?¡± ¡°Why? You didn¡¯t bring a legendary card, did you? Even a unique card would be enough to take down my father.¡± As Yeongwoo leaned in close to the table with an expectant look, Yuto threw the card in his hand down on top of "Jeonggu Before the Storm." Thwap! [Everyone''s Desire, Lemu] ¡°If you know everyone''s desires, you can captivate everyone.¡± | Card Rank: Legendary | Power: 900 Irresistible Proposal ¡°What the...¡± Yeongwoo''s pupils widened in an instant. Lemu. The Lemu card had finally appeared. ¡°But... it¡¯s ranked as legendary?¡± Though the effect was overwhelming, the problem was¡­ ¡°Lemu is a legendary card?¡± With Yeongwoo¡¯s exmation, Lemu¡¯s power surged to a staggering 2,700, yet it failed to affect Jeonggu, who was busy rowing with a broken oar. Crash! Soon, Lemu¡¯s card was sucked into the typhoon. Crack-crack-crash! ¡°Ah¡­!¡± ¡°Wow, Father!¡± Amidst Yuto¡¯sment and Yeongwoo¡¯s exmation, Lemu shattered, and the winner of Round 4 was granted to Yeongwoo. ¡¶The proxy of Dogo has won the Round 4 match. The Dogo faction may finalize or revise the negotiation proposal.¡· ¡®It¡¯s only fair to adjust the penalty a bit.¡¯ When Yeongwoo tried to change the Bastard penalty to apply to his opponent instead of himself, even the name of the weapon on the proposal was modified. [The proxy of Lemu cannot use the Giant Hunter in this war.] Giant Hunter. It was Yuto¡¯s legendary weapon, unveiled in Round 2. The negotiation system had interpreted "Bastard" as each side''s main weapon and automatically applied it. ¡®That guy¡¯s really done for now.¡¯ The outlook for Lemu¡¯s proxy, Yuto, had be grim. Meanwhile, the negotiation system mercilessly began the final fifth round. Whirr! ¡¶The fifth round will begin soon. Shuffle count has been replenished.¡· ¡®Shuffling? Not anymore. Now it¡¯s just pure gambling for pleasure.¡¯ The only possible cards left to draw were two mythic ones and one epic. Thus, the chance of drawing a mythic was significantly higher. ¡®Thanks to Father appearing earlier, the odds for mythic cards have risen.¡¯ If he failed, an epic would appear instead of a mythic, but Yeongwoo was only focused on sess. ¡®A mythic card has toe out, no matter what. If an epic appears here, I¡­ I¡¯m afraid of what I¡¯ll do.¡¯ Yeongwoo looked up at the ceiling, or rather, far beyond. ¡®If I even see the first character of "epic," I swear I¡¯ll destroy everything!¡¯ After threatening whatever unseen force he was addressing, Yeongwoo picked up one of the cards on the table to his right. Thwap! ¡°With this game, Japan will fall! It¡¯s my turn! Draw!¡± Then, the atmosphere darkened all at once, and a massive steel anchor shot down from the sky. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 332 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 332: Negotiation (7) CLAAANG! BOOOM! It was an utterly overwhelming entrance. A massive anchor dropped straight onto the table, making the cards scattered there jolt from the impact. "W-What did you just draw?" Yuto, nearly stumbling back, managed to regain his bnce and asked. In response, Yeongwoo raised the card responsible for summoning the anchor to eye level. ¡°¡­Dogo.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡¸Dogooooo¡¹!!¡± FWOOSH! In an instant, Yeongwoo''s eyes glowed gold, and his intense loyalty to the chairman surged with the authority of the Strongest Sword, flooding the room. "Kegh? S-Spare me!" Yuto¡¯s heart felt like it was about to burst, and soon a warning message popped up from the system. ¡¸Violence is prohibited in this public area.¡¹ ¡¸Please cease any violent actions toward your opponent.¡¹ Then, a shing red countdown started. ¡¸Five seconds remaining until forced suppression.¡¹ ¡­5. ¡­4. As Yeongwoo quickly retracted his aura and raised his hands, the countdown that had dominated the scene came to a halt. Pop. ''Wait, does that mean if I start flexing again, the countdown will resume from 5 seconds?'' A burning urge to test this theory rose within him, but he managed to hold it back. After all, he couldn¡¯t ruin everything at thest moment. This was the final round¡ªsess at the negotiation table was within reach. And, most importantly¡­ ¡®Right? This has to be a Mythic card.¡¯ The card he¡¯d drawn in the final round was Mythic level. And not just any Mythic card¡ªit was the Chairman¡¯s card. [Our Chairman] ¡°Dogo has no weaknesses.¡± | Card Rank: Mythic | Power: 3,000 Master of the Ten Thousand Swords Saving Face ¡®What the heck, this ispletely overpowered.¡¯ True to its Mythic rank, the base power alone was overwhelming. And with the Bastard already activated and ssified as an equipment card, "Our Chairman" now boasted an astonishing power of 6,000. But the reason Yeongwoo muttered ¡°overpowered¡± was because of the unique effect, ¡°Saving Face.¡± ¡®It guarantees that my power is always higher than my opponent¡¯s, but at the cost of weakening my next card? This is basically...¡¯ It was as if he was taking out a power loan with hefty interest. Of course, with the "Master of the Ten Thousand Swords" effect, its raw power would generally increase so much that the burden on the next card would be minimal. But there could always be exceptions. For example, what if he faced a card of higher rank than Mythic with just the base power of 3,000? ¡®It means I¡¯ll forcefully overpower the opponent''s card, but pay the priceter, right?¡¯ Could this also be how the Chairman operated his business? Come to think of it, Yeongwoo had never seen the Chairman do anything that would harm his own image. Nor had he evene close to that level of the business world. ¡®Somewhere out there in the universe, there must be a world where even the Chairman has to overextend to match others... right?¡¯ For some reason, his heart swelled¡ªno, it expanded to the size of the universe. And then, he spotted a pale-skinned, naked swordsman entering his field of vision. "Have you checked the cards?" Yeongwoo asked, and Yuto nodded, holding a bluish card in his hand. ¡¶Both parties have confirmed their cards. Negotiation begins now.¡· Finally, thest round had arrived. Yet, after that anchor drop, Yuto had already guessed he was going to lose the fifth round. That entrance seemed like it could only belong to a top-tier Legendary card, or perhaps even another Mythic. "How¡­ how is it that your strength has no end?" Yuto asked, sounding genuinely curious, and Yeongwoo raised a finger to point to the ceiling. ¡°Because the universe is watching over me.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°The energy of the cosmos¡­ it''s starting to flow into me. I can feel it.¡± To an outsider, it would sound like utter nonsense, but Yeongwoo was dead serious. While he didn¡¯t fully understand the aliens'' constant talk about something called "the Blueprint," he did feel one thing clearly. Whether by chance or destiny, if mysterious events kept happening in session, it meant that the universe¡¯s will was guiding him. His mother, who returned as a dragon after being the head of a conglomerate, and his father, who was reset but tied to her decades ago in fate. And Dogo, who supported him until the day he reunited with his father. Could all of this really just be a coincidence? Sure, at one point, it must have all been due to sheer luck and effort. But somewhere along the way, he started to feel like he was part of a grander flow. Maybe the universe had been searching for a ruler of this all along, with those who met certain criteria bing candidates, riding the cosmic current. And now¡­ ¡®I am the clear front-runner.¡¯ The fact that Yuto, who was once a decent rival, was crumbling here spoke volumes. In a way, this game was a test that summed up all the aplishments he¡¯d umted over time. And the result? ¡°You¡¯re out.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re out. You¡¯re too weak to lead this and challenge the universe.¡± Yuto frowned, looking puzzled. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? Why would anyone fight the universe?¡± ¡°You really don¡¯t get it, huh? Mara¡¯s representative probably understands the universe better than you.¡± Yeongwoo shook his head, holding the Chairman card. ¡°Now that ournds are practically neighbors, I won¡¯t be too harsh.¡± He added a final note. ¡°But since you attacked first, you¡¯ll have to pay the price. I¡¯m demanding reparations for the war.¡± ¡°Reparations for war?¡± ¡°Prepare 300 million karma every day.¡± ¡°What? 300 million a day? That¡¯s insane!¡± Shocked at the absurd amount, Yuto sprang to his feet, and Yeongwoo calmly ced the Bastard card on the table. nk! ¡°If you win this match, we¡¯ll pay you 300 million instead, right? So just win if you want to avoid it.¡± Even in a card game, you didn''t have to pay the indemnity if you won the war. After all, the concept of indemnity was money a defeated nation gave to the victor. But both men knew well: in this card game, and in the real war, the maniac dressed in clothes had a far higher chance of winning. ¡°¡­Our people won¡¯t stay quiet. 300 million every day? That¡¯s absurd.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°For all of Japan, that¡¯s not even much.¡± Then, Yeongwoo pointed Bastard at Yuto. ¡°Besides, you won¡¯t even hear that resentment. You¡¯ll be dead in Tsushima, so you won¡¯t be around when the indemnity is due.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± It was an obvious statement, yet hearing it like that made it feel entirely new. ¡°I¡¯m going to die in Tsushima?¡± "We could spare you to manage Japan, but unfortunately¡­¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze drifted back into the air. "Sorry, but I¡¯d prefer if all the high-taxpaying types other than me were dead. You pay your taxes diligently, don¡¯t you?¡± Hearing this, Yuto had to maintain his best poker face. However, disoriented from their prior conversation, Yuto instinctively twitched his lips, forgetting himself. ¡°Wh-why does that¡­¡± "Well, you''re a stakeholder in the too. So you have to die.¡± As Yeongwoo posted the negotiation proposal, a system message appeared between them. Paah! [The defeated nation must pay 300 million Karma in indemnity to the victor each day.] ¡°If you refuse, I¡¯ll raise it to 500 million. Don¡¯t do that to those you¡¯ll leave behind.¡± Adding a chilling threat, Yeongwoo made Yuto withdraw his hand from the veto button. ¡°¡­You¡¯re ruthless.¡± ¡°This is me being generous. I mean it.¡± Like a cornered rat biting a cat, excessive indemnity could provoke Japan¡¯s deep resentment, potentially sowing the seeds of unnecessary civil strife. ¡®What I promised my voters was peace. So I¡¯d rather not have a neighboring country as a constant headache.¡¯ Of course, if he followed the Chairman''s method, he could solve it by erasing Japan entirely, but¡­ for the sake of long-term global productivity, he had to keep enough humans around. ¡°You might die today or, at thetest, by tomorrow, but your country and its people will live well under a mighty. So post the proposal and get lost.¡± ¡°¡­You madman.¡± Yuto looked at the card in his hand. And atst, he submitted his proposal. ¡°If I win this game, I¡¯ll nullify the terms agreed upon in thest round!¡± [If the representative of Lemu wins in Round 5, the agreement from Round 4 will be nullified.] This was his way of saying he¡¯d lift the transfer of Japan''s material infrastructure and the ban on using the ¡®Giant Hunter.¡¯ He still hadn¡¯t given up hope. ¡°If you get your hands on our facilities, I can only imagine how much you¡¯ll trample on Japan. I can¡¯t hand it over!¡± ¡°This bastard knows me too well.¡± Even so, Yeongwoo confirmed the proposal. ¡®It¡¯s a fight I¡¯m going to win anyway. Might as well grant the wish of a soon-to-be dead man.¡¯ Piiing! ¡¶Round 5 agreement has been confirmed.¡· Atst, the final negotiation was over, and confident of victory, Yeongwoo ced the Chairman¡¯s card on the table with the utmost respect. Taat. ¡°Not all sponsors are the same. Our Chairman stakes even his dignity and the future. So there¡¯s no way he¡¯d let me lose in such a petty fight.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Seeing Yeongwoo¡¯s card, Yuto went beyond shock and let out a hollowugh. ¡°Ha.¡± As Yuto exhaled a shallow breath, he revealed his card. Taat! [Conference of Tokyo] ¡°A revival of the Empire¡¯s dream.¡± | Card Grade: Legendary | Power: 1,100 Empire¡¯s Memory A card so powerful it couldn¡¯t guarantee victory even against another legendary card, let alone a mythic one. And sure enough. Shaaah! The moment the opponent¡¯s card was revealed, a mass of iron surged from the Chairman¡¯s card, tearing the ¡®Conference of Tokyo¡¯ to shreds. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± A deep sigh. As the conference card that was in his hand just moments ago disintegrated instantly, Yuto¡¯s face twisted in despair as he stepped back. ¡¶The representative of Dogo has won the Round 5 match. The Dogo faction may finalize or modify the agreement.¡· Yeongwoo then nullified Yuto¡¯s proposal, leaving only the indemnity treaty. All the cards on the table vanished. Paah! ¡¶The negotiation between both sides has ended.¡· Then, all umted war agreement terms unfurled like a monumental deration. [The battle between Dogo and Lemu factions will only take ce within Tsushima.] [The representatives of Dogo and Lemu must engage inbat in a naked state.] [Dogo¡¯s representative must enterbat after severing one of his arms.] [Lemu¡¯s representative will transfer all wartime earnings gained through his contract with Lemu to Dogo¡¯s representative.] [If Lemu¡¯s representative loses the war, all material infrastructure will be transferred to Dogo¡¯s representative.] [Lemu¡¯s representative is prohibited from using the Giant Hunter in this war.] [The defeated nation must pay the victorious nation a daily indemnity of 300 million Karma.] And this entangled battle of Tsushima was set to begin in just a few hours. ¡°Hm.¡± Scanning the list of agreements, Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze fixed on one particr point. It was none other than the ¡°nakedbat¡± use. [Dogo and Lemu¡¯s representatives must engage inbat in a naked state.] ¡°What is this? So we¡¯re the only ones who have to strip? Then the 200 naked warriors are just a ploy to earn extra points?¡± Yuto nodded. ¡°¡­Something like that. If baring ourselves boosts national interests, that¡¯s patriotism.¡± ¡°Oh, really? You mean 200 people actually went along with that?¡± Yeongwoo blinked quickly. Then, alone, he made a decision. ¡°I guess we have no choice.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll look for patriots too.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 333 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 333: Earning Foreign Currency (1) What is patriotism? If the intent to serve one¡¯s country is embedded within, then anything can be considered patriotic. In that sense¡­ ¡®If there are many undressed soldiers on the battlefield, Lemu has to pay Japan more money. And that money, as per the agreement, wille to us. So, if you¡¯re a true patriot¡­¡¯ Swoosh. Yeongwoo once again shifted his gaze to the void, or rather, somewhere beyond the ceiling into space. ¡®You have to undress. An undressed soldier is a patriot. In other words, if you don¡¯t undress, it¡¯s practically the same as not serving your country!¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes began to fill with madness, and across from him, Yuto looked concerned. He was worried for the people of South Korea, who were led by this crazy man as their representative. ¡¶All processes are nowplete. The negotiation table will be closing shortly.¡· Soon, as the system message appeared, the negotiation hall began to light up, and shortly afterward¡ª Whoosh! A portal opened up behind each of the representatives, drawing in everything nearby. ¡°Ugh!¡± Forced ejection. Both Yuto and Yeongwoo were sucked into the portals that appeared behind them, and their vision was soon filled with the disorienting sensation of the portal¡¯s space. sh! In an instant, the surrounding scenery shifted to a hotel bedroom. ¡®I¡¯m back.¡¯ They had been returned to the location they were at just before entering the negotiation hall. In that case, the next thing to check was¡ª ¡®What time is it?¡¯ Yeongwoo raised his wrist, and the time was projected over the Vesedel armor. Beep! Current time: 5:48 p.m. There was roughly 1 hour and 12 minutes left until the locations of eachpany¡¯s headquarters would be revealed. ¡®However, I already have a good idea where Lemu¡¯s base is located.¡¯ Tokyo, the capital of Japan. It was highly likely that Tokyo was Lemu¡¯s Earth headquarters. It was easy to deduce from the ¡°Tokyo Summit¡± card that Yuto had yed during negotiations. ¡®So, what about Mara? Is there no separate negotiation with Mara?¡¯ Yeongwoo casually turned his head to the west, Japan¡¯s opposite direction, but no system message appeared even as time passed. ¡®If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll need to prepare for the Tsushima War first.¡¯ Even if the addresses were revealed, the only ce to meet Japan was on Tsushima Ind. On the other hand, Mara was different as its location was still unknown. Once the addresses were revealed, there was a high chance Mara would immediately invade Seoul. Of course, their first target might still be Tokyo. ¡®But attacking Tokyo is no longer eptable. All the infrastructure there is mine now.¡¯ As Yeongwoo pondered for a moment over his first-ever war, he felt Jiseon¡¯s presence as she walked out from the living room. ¡ªWhat, you¡¯re back already? Did the negotiations go well? ¡°Yes, they went very well.¡± It was practically andslide victory. But in order to realize the profits gained from the negotiations with Japan, they had to win the Tsushima War, and to maximize those profits, he would need as many undressed soldiers as possible. And all within the next hour and 12 minutes. ¡®There¡¯s enough time to move the troops. I can use the super-speed routes.¡¯ The problem, however, was Japan. Could Yuto and his 200 undressed soldiers make it to Tsushima on time? ¡°We should¡¯ve set a specific time for the war¡­ but the space closed as soon as the negotiations ended.¡± ¡ªWhat? But you said we¡¯d know each other¡¯s locations by 7 p.m., right? Doesn¡¯t that mean the war will automatically start then? ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡± Yeongwoo was about to exin the details of the agreement he made with Japan, but the system saved him the trouble. ¡¸The representatives of Dogo and Lemu have agreed to conduct their war on Tsushima Ind!¡¹ ¡¸At 7 p.m. today, Tsushima Ind will be designated as a war zone, with a white capture g to be installed at its center.¡¹ ¡ªA capture g? Since Jiseon could see the universal announcement, she looked puzzled, and Yeongwoo added ament while looking toward the living room. ¡°I was wondering how the winner would be decided in this war¡­ and now they¡¯ve told us.¡± ¡°The method of victory in this war is g domination.¡± g domination. Yeongwoo had a pretty good idea of how this war would go. ¡¸The faction that makes contact with the capture g will enter a ¡®capture¡¯ state, and if this capture state is maintained for over two hours, they will immediately be dered the victor.¡¹ In simple terms, it was a game of capture the g. The objective was to guard the g installed in the center of Tsushima for two hours to win. There was also a faster way to end the war. ¡¸During the war, both factions must attempt to seize the capture g.¡¹ ¡¸If either faction fails to attempt g seizure for more than an hour, the war will immediately end.¡¹ ¡ªSo it¡¯s saying to keep fighting without rest? Jiseon muttered after reading the rules, but Yeongwoo shook his head. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to guard the g for two hours, you can end the war in one hour by wiping out the enemy on the battlefield.¡± ¡ª...Really? ¡°If we start at 7 p.m. and eliminate the enemy right away, we¡¯ll finish around 8¡­ more realistically, it would end around 8:30 p.m. at the earliest.¡± ¡ªThen what happens next? ¡°I don¡¯t know. This is my first war too. Who knows what Mara might do in the meantime?¡± They still had to pay taxes by 10 p.m., and by 11 p.m., strange weather would once again envelop the world. So would the war continue into the night? ¡®I haven¡¯t even negotiated with Mara yet¡­ so what happens in that case?¡¯ It was confusing. One thing he knew for sure, though, was that a system-scheduled war with Japan was set to start today at 7 p.m. ¡°Mother.¡± ¡ªWhat? ¡°You¡¯re now the proud guardian dragon of Seoul, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡ª¡­So? ¡°So, you¡¯ll need to look after Seoul.¡± ¡ªYou¡¯re telling me to protect the neighborhood while you go have fun on Tsushima? ¡°It¡¯s better for you to stay here. You have to fight undressed on Tsushima.¡± When Yeongwoo finally made the infamous statement, Song Jiseon¡¯s silver hair spiked up in shock, and she practically screamed. ¡ªWhat? What do you mean by that? ¡°There¡¯s a special use for this war. If participants fight naked, Lemu pays us. It¡¯s a huge opportunity to earn foreign currency.¡± ¡ªWhat¡­ what kind of nonsense is this? ¡°If you don¡¯t understand, just ept it. Don¡¯t try toprehend the universe, Mother!¡± ¡ªYou crazy¡­ what on earth are you doing? nk. Jiseon took a few steps back to put distance between herself and her son. Hearing her shout, her husband Jeonggu came rushing into the bedroom. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Yeongwoo, waiting for this, pointed to him. ¡°What else? We¡¯re preparing for war. Hurry up and grab your weapons.¡± ¡°What? My weapons?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Yes. Aren¡¯t you going to fight in the war?¡± Jeonggu pointed at himself with a baffled look. ¡°You want me to join the war? Why?¡± * * * War. The war starting in about an hour was no ordinary war. This was a war in the reset world. It was a gathering of superhumans who had survived countless invasions by monsters and mutants. But given the wildly mutated state of the world, even among superhumans, the difference in power could be immense. For instance, even if there were a hundred Strongest Swords like Jeonggu, they probably wouldn¡¯t be able to take down Yeongwoo alone. So¡ª ¡°Why do I have to go to the battlefield? Shouldn¡¯t you cherish your parents now that you¡¯ve finally found them?¡± To Jeonggu, being dragged into this war was iprehensible. Honestly, it seemed like Yeongwoo could handle the entire war on his own. ¡°Yeongwoo! Say something!¡± When Jeonggu loudly shouted from the backseat of Negwig, Yeongwoo finally nced back at him. "You''re not a real parent yet. You have to show proof that you''re a true father." "A-Ah! That''s why we''re getting married tomorrow¡­!" The groom-to-be, Kim Jeonggu. Only now did he start to tremble, as if he had just realized something. ¡°Damn it! The wedding is tomorrow, and you''re pushing me into a war zone? Does that make any sense?¡± At that, Yeongwoo looked back at him again, speaking in a low voice. ¡°Oh? You¡¯re getting bold because Mom¡¯s not around.¡± ¡°You¡­!¡± ¡°Should I send you back to her?¡± When Yeongwoo asked this, Jeonggu was left speechless. ¡°¡­Why on earth do I have to go to a war zone?¡± ¡°What are you so worried about? Do you think I¡¯d make my father a human shield? There¡¯s no need to worry about getting hurt.¡± ¡°You say I won¡¯t get hurt? That sounds a bit off. So, you mean I¡¯ll get hurt in some other way?¡± Jeonggu wondered what on earth could get hurt if not his body. As his confusion deepened, the destination of the two travelers appeared below. The Great City of the Red Footed Orcs, Darwin in Australia. "We¡¯re here. Get ready.¡± ¡°Huh? Ready for what?¡± Jeonggu tilted his head, checking his equipment. To this, Yeongwoo replied with an ambiguous phrase. ¡°Be ready to give everything for thisnd¡­ no, for this son.¡± And at that moment, Negwig carrying the two men plunged into the tower in Darwin. CRASH! The Red Footed Orcs guarding the top of the tower spotted Yeongwoo and exchanged uneasy looks. ¨CLittle Foot? ¨CWhat¡¯s going on all of a sudden? By now, the orcs had learned well. Whenever Little Foot visited, it meant trouble wasing. ¡°Where¡¯s the Lord? Is he in the city?¡± ¨COf course. He¡¯s always here to guard the n. ¨CI¡¯ll let him know you¡¯re here. One of the orc guards pulled out a pouch of powder from his waist. He hesitated between a red pouch and a ck one. The red signal meant wee, the ck one meant warning. Yeongwoo, noticing this, rested his hand on his weapon and spoke. ¡°Are you out of your mind, brothers?¡± ¨CIt¡¯s a tough call. ¨CBut you¡¯re still our brother. The orc guards, reluctantly, tossed the red pouch into the air. An orc on the opposite side shot an arrow to burst it. FWOOOSH, BANG! The signal took shape in the sky as a red footprint. ¡°Good.¡± Yeongwoo, satisfied with the signal, pressed the descent device, and the two moved to the lower floors of the tower. SWWWISH! A wondrous sphere of light surrounded Negwig and the two men, instantly passing through hundreds of meters, revealing the vast northern Australianndscape before their eyes. ¨CLittle Foot! ¨CLittle Foot is here! A swarm of Red Footed Orcs, evenrger than before, gathered around the tower to wee Yeongwoo. Soon, Bantubangtong, the first chief who sold off the n¡¯s history, approached with a huge wave of his hand. ¨CLittle Foot! What brings you here so suddenly? Looking at his assembled brothers, Yeongwoo spoke. ¡°Has the news not reached here yet?¡± ¨CNews? What news? ¡°The first war has been dered.¡± ¨CWar? Have you finally found Mara? A rare excitement crossed Bantubangtong¡¯s face. But Yeongwoo shook his head. ¡°No, but we¡¯ll meet them soon. In the meantime¡­¡± Yeongwoo scratched his chin thoughtfully, and Bantubangtong took a step closer. ¨CWhat is it? Please, don¡¯t deceive me. Yeongwoo nodded solemnly as if he understood. ¡°Before we go to war with Mara¡­ we¡¯ve found a way to gather a massive amount of military funds.¡± ¨CWhat? Military funds? How words are phrased canpletely change how they¡¯re received. As expected, the ¡°war vocabry¡± worked well on his brothers. ¨CWhat¡¯s the method? As Bantubangtong showed significant interest, Yeongwoo gave a sly grin and asked his next question. ¡°How many brothers are currently staying in Darwin?¡± ¨CAs of sunrise today, there are seventeen thousand six hundred and four brothers. 17,604. Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but be surprised that Bantubangtong knew the exact count of his brothers to thest digit. ¡°Lord Bang.¡± ¨C¡­Must blood be shed again? This is too much. I won¡¯t barter my brothers'' lives any longer. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want any of my brothers to get hurt either. Isn¡¯t it almost time for vengeance? Every single brother should savor the moment of glory.¡± ¨C¡­W-What? Then why do you keep calling me ''Lord Bang''? ¡°Lord Bang! How much does revenge weigh for you and your brothers?¡± ¨CYou dare to ask the weight of our revenge? It¡¯s already like Mount Tai¡­ ¡°That¡¯s right! It¡¯s so heavy that even the armor on our bodies can barely withstand it, almost to the point of turning us naked in an instant!¡± ¨CWh¡­ what did you say? For a moment, the grand tone vanished from Bantubangtong''s voice, reced by deep confusion. ¨CWhy would our armor suddenly shatter? At that moment, he noticed that Little Foot had already taken off his top. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 334 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 334: Earning Foreign Currency (2) ¡ªHey, Little Foot? What on earth are you doing?! In a surprised voice, Bantubangtong scolded him, but Yeongwoo, who had already taken off the upper armor, was unlocking the sp at his waist. Clink! "Master Bang... I''ve found a way to bring in a massive amount of military funds from outer space. However, unfortunately, this is the only method." Thunk! Then, the lower armor, split into two, dropped to the ground. The tattoos Yeongwoo had been hiding between his thighs were now exposed. "Huh? You rascal, why do you have so many tattoos there?" As expected, Jeonggu widened his eyes and pointed at Yeongwoo¡¯s tattoos, though only for a moment. Rustle! Yeongwoo continued and even removed the chain mail covering his groin and buttocks. "Y-Y-Yeongwoo¡­?" Shocked by the unexpected performance, Jeonggu stuttered, while Bantubangtong, standing right in front of Yeongwoo, looked him up and down before taking a step back. ¡ª¡­I don¡¯t understand what this means. In response, Yeongwoo raised his index finger, pointing to the sky. sh! "In exactly one hour, we¡¯ll fight the first battle on Tsushima Ind." ¡ªSo? "However, it will be a naked war." ¡ªWhat?!" A naked war. For Bantubangtong, it was a phrase he had never heard in his life¡­ no, even in the vast history embedded within his mind and heart, no one had evere across such a strange term. ¡ªDid you say... naked war? "It''s a preliminary battle before the sh with Mara. The victor in this war will secure massive military funds and gain peace for eastern Asia." Yeongwoo clenched his fist, emphasizing the point that even the neighboring country, Japan, was now bordering northern Australia, thanks to the supercontinent Pangaea. "But unfortunately¡­ only those who are bare can receive the military funds." ¡ªWhat nonsense is that? What kind of war is this¡­? Bantubangtong was about to object when Yeongwoo silenced him with a single line. "Because the one funding us is a porn productionpany." ¡ª¡­¡­. Darkness seemed to descend over him. Bantubangtong closed his eyes tightly. ¡ªLittle Foot, how far into darkness are you nning to lead us? "Darkness? The path of vengeance is filled with starlight." Yeongwoo pointed to a high-speed transport route, glittering like stars in the sky. "However, for the stars to shine brilliantly, darkness muste first." Swish. Yeongwoo then lowered his hand, pointing at Bantubangtong¡¯s body, and the Orc lord, who carried the history of his n, flinched. "It¡¯s merely a temporary shadow to brighten the path of vengeance. But my little shadow alone isn¡¯t enough. So, please, help me." As he finished saying this, he took off his steel boots, and Bantubangtong instinctively covered his mouth. ¡ªLittle Foot! Are you saying that the light our brothers have forged isn¡¯t enough? Bantubangtong pointed to the already-glowing transport route, but Yeongwoo nced back as if there were no other option. Then, he spotted his father, who had been wearing a terrified expression from the beginning. "Father, by now, I assume you¡¯re ready." "W-What are you talking about? I haven¡¯t done anything¡­." At this, Yeongwoo looked at Jeonggu with a terrifying gaze. A look that seemed to say he already knew. "Please, just a small but significant favor. Do you want to die on the eve of the ceremony?" "Goddammit¡­ what on earth do you mean by a ¡®small but significant favor¡¯?" Despite his reluctance, Jeonggu raised his hands to his shirt. He knew all too well that if he didn¡¯t undress along with his son at this moment, everything would fall apart with all the Orcs watching. Besides, hadn¡¯t his son expressed hismitment by being the first to undress? The kid was serious. If he botched things here, he could truly die. "This is just a dream¡­." With an expression as if he was in a trance, Jeonggu took off his shirt, and seeing this, Bantubangtong looked on in dismay, a sorrowful expressioning over him. ¡ª¡­Jeonggu. For the first time, Bantubangtong addressed Jeonggu by his name. In response, Jeonggu pleaded with the Orc lord, folding his ungroomed, unimpressive body that hadn¡¯t seen proper enhancements. "The talk about military funds is mostly true. Please, at least for my sake¡­ help my son." With these words, Jeonggu, with trembling hands, reached for his pants, but the massive shadow of the Orc lord, Bantubangtong, loomed over him. And then. Grab! Bantubangtong seized Jeonggu¡¯s hand as it reached for his waistband. ¡ªJeonggu! Though you¡¯re human, you¡¯re a great father. But how you ended up as Little Foot¡¯s father remains a mystery. Then, he looked over at Yeongwoo. ¡ªLittle Foot, show proper respect for your father. If you promise, I¡¯ll create the shadow instead. This was his offer to participate in this so-called naked war in Jeonggu¡¯s ce, on the condition that Yeongwoo pledged not to strip his father. "Oh¡­ Master Bang!" Yeongwoo eximed with admiration, as though he¡¯d been waiting for this. Then he approached his father, along with Bantubangtong, both gripping Jeonggu''s waistband, and he said, "My father, Jeonggu, will not be stripped in this war. I swear on my mother." Then Jeonggu, held by the two giants, murmured to Bantubangtong in a voice as if crawling out of a hole. "Master Bang¡­ thank, thank you¡­." However, Jeonggu was practically as good as naked. All the Orcs filled the area, staring at him with sympathy in their eyes. Snap! Bantubangtong let go of Jeonggu, and then began to remove therge iron armor draped over his shoulder. ng! ¡ªBut I¡¯m the only one here who promised you a shadow." He would undress and join the battle, but he refused to drag his brethren into such an absurd affair. Of course, for Yeongwoo, it was enough that Master Bang alone was stripping down. "Of course. I¡¯ve obtained only Master Bang¡¯s promise." Little Foot, Jung Yeongwoo, knew very well. As a mere honorary Red Foot, it was impossible for him to persuade all 17,604 brothers. So the one Orc he had set out to convince was Bantubangtong, the vessel holding the history of their n. "Getting Master Bang on my side is like having the whole world as my ally." At the moment Yeongwoo thought this, he heard the sound of metal clinking from within the crowd of red-footed orcs. "......!" It was unmistakably the sound of a sp on armor being undone. And then, a rough orcish voice came from within the ranks of brothers. ¡ªIn that case, who will honor Bantubangtong? Let me rece his armor with my own shadow! Thump! One of the red-footed orcs threw off his armor. Since Master Bang had taken off his armor to protect his honor, the orc was now stripping himself in turn to honor Master Bang. Such a thought was only possible because he was a red-footed orc who spoke and thought from the heart. Of course, from a logical standpoint, the more orcs without armor, the less Bantubangtong would stand out. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡®Goddamn, that¡¯s it. They¡¯re here.¡¯ Yeongwoo felt an inner surge of delight, just as he heard another clinking sound. ng! nk! Red-footed orcs, their chests burning with passion, began to undo the locks on their armor one after another. Taking advantage of the moment, Yeongwoo shouted out, ¡°Tonight, we will create a night so dark that only the path of vengeance we¡¯ve forged will be visible!¡± Hwaaah! At the end of his speech, Yeongwoo raised his hand to the sky with force, prompting the orcs, armor in hand, to raise their armor high in the air in unison. Huahhh! ¡ªFor the path of vengeance! ¡ªTonight, our heavenly brothers will shine more brilliantly! ¡ªFor the brothers! The lifted armor cast shadows so dense that the entire area grew dark, and seeing this, the other orcs widened their eyes and hurriedly began stripping off their own armor. ng! nk! It almost looked like a domino effect. ¡ªMy...my god. Overwhelmed by the influence of Littlefoot¡¯s rallying abilities, Bantubangtong stood speechless, unable to break the flow. Then, as if remembering something important, he hastily asked Yeongwoo, ¡ªLittlefoot! Littlefoot! ¡°Yes, what is it?¡± ¡ªIn Daemado, what exactly will we be facing? Though my brothers feel fearless now, it doesn¡¯t mean that death won¡¯t seek us out!¡± [PR/N: Daemando is korean im to tsushima ind, altho lord bang saying that is crazy imo ??] His concern was whether sending the brothers to battle in such a vulnerable state wouldn¡¯t endanger their lives. Despite the heated atmosphere, Master Bang was worried about the safety of hisrades. ¡°Ah¡­Master Bang.¡± Yeongwoo felt a warmth fill even his heart, which was like poison and steel, and he clutched at his chest. ¡°Now that both of us are stripped bare, I won¡¯t lie. Even I don¡¯t know exactly what the enemy is preparing.¡± ¡ªWhat? It was the truth. No matter how much Lemu might be a producer of indecent films, surely they wouldn¡¯t strip their warriors and send them in unprepared. There must be some kind of gear provided that made theck of clothing irrelevant. But on Yeongwoo¡¯s side, they really would be going into battle unprotected. So, for the sake of the brothers, the only possible n had toe from Yeongwoo himself. ¡°I will handle all thebat. Master Bang, please just remain on the battlefield with yourrades.¡± ¡ªAre you telling us not to fight? A wall of 17,684 naked orcs. All Yeongwoo wanted from the brothers was just that. But Master Bang refused immediately. ¡ªHow far do you intend to insult us? If this war is about obtaining military funds, then it is also a war for our red-footed brothers. ¡°Master Bang!¡± ¡ªThe battlefield is a ce for fighting. Don¡¯t demand that we be cowards. ¡°Damn it! Then stopining that fighting naked puts you at a disadvantage!¡± Yeongwoo almost blurted this out, but he understood what Master Bang was saying. The reason why a naked battle was more dangerous for the brothers was because they would fight unafraid of death. ¡°Brother... I will try to figure out a way. I¡¯ll ensure our brothers are harmed as little as possible.¡± The best approach would be to clear the battlefield before the brothers even began fighting, though how feasible that would be was uncertain. ¡®Using artillery fire, I can take care of the small fry, but there will surely be experts on their side too.¡¯ Having arge number of troops also meant they could be swept away easily. Though the brothers were quite strong, each one¡¯s skill level was likely no match for even a top regional swordsman. ¡®Then¡­.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened, and among the red-footed orcs, Jeonggu, who had been blinking in confusion, approached him. ¡°Are we heading out now? Is it really all over?¡± In response, Yeongwoo pulled out his prized ring, the ¡®Wave,¡¯ from his inventory and nodded. ¡°Yes. We¡¯re almost done.¡± ¡°Almost¡­?¡± ¡°Our Seoul needs to share in the suffering, too.¡± Yeongwoo then used the Wave to send a message to Seoul¡¯s Strongest Swords. ?In one minute, we¡¯ll have an emergency meeting in Samseong-dong. I¡¯ll lift the route restrictions, soe at the speed of light..? After a moment of thought, he added another line. ?Any swordsman who is even one secondte will earn a spot in this naked battle. Starting the countdown now..? ?59..? ?58..? As Yeongwoo began counting down, Jeonggu, who was watching his son, asked, ¡°What are you talking about? Even if we follow the routes to Seoul nonstop, it¡¯ll still take at least five minutes. How will you catch anyters?¡± Yeongwoo looked calmly at his father and replied. ¡°It takes me a minute just to go and unlock the route restrictions. Since everyone will bete anyway, it¡¯s fine.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 335 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 335: Earning Foreign Currency (3) "What... what did you say?" The fact that the crazy personying traps effortlessly was his son left Jeonggu with his mouth agape. ¡°You said that anyone who¡¯ste has to join in the battle naked?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± "That, that can''t be! It''s too much of a deception!" "But practically speaking, it''s an internal conflict on Earth. Is it fair for only brothers to sacrifice themselves? If we don¡¯t want any bacshter, the Strongest Swords should participate too." At Yeongwoo¡¯s words, Jeonggu closed his mouth. Although the method was extremely cunning, the intention itself wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. In the long run, for the Red Foot Orcs and Seoul''s Strongest Swords to coexist, both sides needed to contribute to this war to some degree. "And if we win this civil war, the ones who stand to benefit most, both directly and indirectly, are Seoul and the Strongest Swords. They¡¯d essentially gain a position of power in the''s capital." As he said this, Yeongwoo waved subtly at Bantubangtong. "Master Bang, I¡¯ll stop by Seoul before heading to Tsushima." ¡ªSo when should we move out to the battlefield? "To move all the brothers here¡­ you¡¯ll need to start preparing right now. The war starts on time, so just wait on the outskirts of Tsushima and move into the central area on time." ¡ªUnderstood. ¡°I¡¯m counting on you.¡± Yeongwoo bowed respectfully toward Bantubangtong, who furrowed his brow and muttered quietly. ¡ªIt seems like you can put your clothes back on now, Little Foot. ¡°I¡¯ll just have to take them off again soon anyway, so it¡¯s fine.¡± * * * In Darwin, an Orc city in Australia, stood a towering building. In front of the towering station known as the Path of Vengeance, built by the brothers, Yeongwoo still stood, stark naked. And the timer he had announced through Seoul''s bulletin¡­ ?10.? There were only 10 seconds left. "Isn¡¯t this too much? Giving them only 10 seconds practically." As Jeonggu shook his head, Yeongwoo nced back. "The real unfair thing is making only the brothers strip." "Well, if that¡¯s the case, the most unfair person would be¡­" But Jeonggu didn''t finish his thought of, "Isn¡¯t that you?" It would have been pointless to say it anyway. Even now, his son was intimidating Seoul''s Strongest Swords. ?7 seconds remaining.? Only now did Yeongwoo finally lift the restrictions on using the express pathways. Along with the already cleared Yechan, even those with the Strongest Sword title of Seoul could now ess the pathways. "There, it¡¯s done, right?" "What¡¯s done?" "Preparations for the war." Yeongwoo spoke as he moved to enter the tower on his Negwig, but Jeonggu asked urgently. "Hey, are you really going to Seoul naked?" ¡°Don¡¯t you know the phrase ¡®lead by example¡¯?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Jeonggu, momentarily speechless, quickly put on the shirt he had been holding. ¡°You do as you like. I¡¯ll go in fully dressed.¡± "That¡¯s why you¡¯re the Dobong Strongest Sword and I¡¯m the Strongest Sword." ¡°...You lunatic.¡± Soon, Negwig ascended from the lower floors to the top floor of the tower, and in front of the two, the Path of Vengeance, glowing with starlight, appeared. By now, the Strongest Swords across Seoul would be running with all their might on the pathway. "But won¡¯t the others wonder why they¡¯re supposed to strip in Tsushima? Will they just go along with it?¡± Only Yeongwoo and Yuto knew the specific details of the agreement for the Tsushima war. Thus, the Strongest Swords in Seoul would be blindsided by this talk of fighting naked. ¡°Of course they won¡¯t go along with it easily. They never have before.¡± "Telling them to strip down and fight is a different level from the stuff you¡¯ve pulled before. This isn''t just squeezing money out of people." At this, Yeongwoo, calmly guiding Negwig along the brilliantly shining pathway, responded. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what makes it the duty of an elected Strongest Sword.¡± "...What?" "Going to battle naked, in a broader sense, serves the national interest. It¡¯s a chance to attract significant foreign currency. So, why wouldn¡¯t we do it?¡± ¡°¡­.¡± "Besides, as the strongest warriors of each district, the Strongest Swords have enjoyed certain privileges. So, to repay theirmunities, fighting naked is only fitting." ¡°The fact that repayment involves stripping is the issue. They¡¯d rather put their lives on the line than befortable with this.¡± ¡°Why? If these warriors are willing to risk their lives for the people, why not take off one measly piece of clothing?¡± It was a clever argument, nonsensical yet oddly persuasive. ¡°It¡¯s just a different kind of fear. If fighting mutant monsters is about oveing fear of death, then fighting naked is about oveing conventional beliefs¡ªthe belief that nudity is silly.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°When you were about to strip, did any of the brothersugh at you? In that moment, you were revered. Your nudity wasn¡¯t ridiculous at all.¡± ¡°¡­Ye-Yeongwoo¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Shut up. We¡¯re almost in Seoul.¡± Jeonggu, sitting in the back, pointed below the path. There, the entire view of southern Seoul unfolded. They had already neared Samseong-dong. ¡°It¡¯s time to earn our tax money.¡± As Yeongwoo ominously muttered, Negwig surged into the tower''s top floor. BOOM! Finally, they reached Seoul. As soon as they touched down in the tower, Yeongwoo struck the descent lever. BANG! A blinding white light enveloped the two, shooting them down to the ground. Soon after, the sound of a crowd reached them. Responding to Yeongwoo''s summons, Seoul¡¯s Strongest Swords had already gathered in front of the tower in Samseong-dong. "Yeongwoo!" "Fighting naked¡ªwhat is that supposed to mean?" ¡°Isn¡¯t it you who¡¯s actuallyte, Yeongwoo?¡± As the lower part of the Samseong-dong tower brightened, the Strongest Swords gathered there started hurling questions at him like reporters who had caught a scoop. But it onlysted a moment. FLASH! Yeongwoo and his father emerged from the tower¡¯s inner glow, and everyone instantly covered their mouths, taking a step back in shock. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡°Gasp.¡± ¡°Y-Yeongwoo¡­?¡± Their reaction was only natural. Sitting at the forefront of the Negwig was Jeong Yeongwoo, entirely and unmistakably naked. ¡°¡­This crazy bastard.¡± Someone muttered in horror, a mixture of disbelief and dread stered on their face. It was now clear to all that the earlier announcement about "nakedbat participation" wasn''t some bizarre joke. Seeing Yeongwoo stride out in the buff, everyone quickly realized their turn to disrobe wasing, and soon none of them would be clothed either. ¡°N-No way¡­¡± ¡°Is this guy for real?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] ¡°Is he going to make us strip too?¡± As the Strongest Swords muttered grim predictions, Yeongwoo finally opened his mouth. ¡°The Tsushima War begins today at 7 PM. Everyone¡¯s aware of this, right?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± The Strongest Swords nodded cautiously, and Yeongwoo continued. ¡°Then do you understand why I¡¯ve already stripped down?¡± ¡°W-Well¡­¡± ¡°How would we know?¡± ¡°Yeah, why exactly are you naked?¡± Sensing an opportunity, the Strongest Swords voiced their frustrations. In response, Yeongwoo raised a finger to the sky. Whoosh. ¡°Let me get straight to the point.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°If you participate in this war naked, you¡¯ll earn money. From¡­ outside.¡± ¡°Money?¡± ¡°From outside?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s giving it?¡± Their curiosity ignited by the unexpected im, the Strongest Swords bombarded him with questions. But instead of answering, Yeongwoo calmly drew his sword. Shiiing! The sharp sound silenced the crowd. ¡°Does it really matter who¡¯s paying? Normally, we¡¯d only be suffering losses in war, but now we¡¯re getting paid. Isn¡¯t that what matters?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s fierce gaze swept across the group, silencing further dissent. But then, someone raised their hand. ¡°It does matter. Quite a bit, actually.¡± It was none other than Songpa¡¯s Strongest Sword, Oh Yeonhee. ¡°Judging from how seriously you¡¯re taking this, it¡¯s clearly not just pocket change.¡± Yeonhee eyed the strategically ced Negwig that obscured Yeongwoo¡¯s more sensitive parts, then pressed on. ¡°But if you expect us to do the same, don¡¯t you think we deserve a proper exnation? The fact that stripping makes money suggests this isn¡¯ting from a clean source.¡± Her words emboldened the other Strongest Swords, who began chiming in one after another. ¡°She¡¯s right!¡± ¡°Exactly, what if it¡¯s dirty money?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got to tell us what¡¯s really going on!¡± At this, Yeongwoo sighed and scratched his chin, as if conceding their point. ¡°You¡¯re right. I was wrong to keep this from you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The sudden shift in his demeanor threw everyone off. Watching this unfold, Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jo Sangik, instinctively took a step back, hiding behind the others. ¡®Something¡¯s¡­ something¡¯sing.¡¯ Jeong Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t just a formidable warrior; his political skills had grown just as fearsome. In this situation, he could¡¯ve easily resorted to intimidation alone¡ªbrandishing his sword and forcing his ¡°nakedbat¡± n through sheer pressure. But Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t aiming for partialpliance; he wanted all the Strongest Swords stripped bare. And to achieve that, he had chosen a different tactic. ¡°Well then, let me reveal everything to you, and to the voters in Seoul.¡± sh! With a flourish of his arm, the broadcast screens he had purchased for ¡°business presentations¡± appeared across the city. Bzzzzt, bzzzzzt ¡°W-What the¡­?¡± ¡°What is he doing now?¡± ¡°Is he seriously about to broadcast himself naked to the entire city?!¡± The Strongest Swords gawked at the massive screens now hovering over ces like Samseong-dong. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo leaped off the Negwig, his bare feetnding solidly on the ground. Thud! ¡°Is nudity embarrassing? No! What¡¯s truly shameful is refusing to shed a single garment for the sake of our nation!¡± He pointed dramatically at the screens above. ¡°In ten seconds, I¡¯ll announce the list of nakedbatants to the voters. If you¡¯re unwilling to fight for the national interest, step aside and start drafting your public statements.¡± He vaguely gestured toward an undefined direction on his right. Then, with a benevolent tone, Yeongwoo offered a word offort to the still-stunned Strongest Swords. ¡°Today, I¡¯ll be the only one baring all in front of these screens. You¡¯ll only need to strip when we¡¯re in Tsushima.¡± At this, Yongsan¡¯s Strongest Sword, Kim Doha, paled as he asked in a trembling voice: ¡°S-So¡­ the public won¡¯t see us naked, right?¡± To this, Yeongwoo beamed brightly and responded. ¡°Of course not. They¡¯ll never see a thing.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 336 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 336: Bing Each Other''s Shadow (1) "¡­¡­." All the Strongest Swords fell silent. They were simply at a loss. They couldn''t bring themselves to strip naked on Tsushima Ind, but at the same time, they couldn''t dare to say on national television, "I won''t strip." "Whatever we choose, it¡¯s going to be humiliating anyway¡­." Finally, when someone muttered this under their breath, Yeongwoo, who somehow overheard it, stepped forward and countered before the Strongest Swords. "Yes, that''s correct. There¡¯s no option that isn¡¯t disgraceful for you." "¡­¡­!" "Then wouldn¡¯t it be better to at least make some money out of it if you¡¯re going to suffer humiliation anyway? Standing over there will only leave you branded as a coward!" Swish! Yeongwoo pointed to a still empty space. ording to him, it was the spot where "those who would not act in the national interest" would gather. "Now, you have 6 seconds left. If you¡¯re afraid to strip, please move over there and prepare a coward¡¯s statement." At Yeongwoo¡¯s merciless words, Lee Hanwook, the Strongest Sword of Dongjak District, responded with a solemn expression. "This is¡­ violence." Immediately, Yeongwoo pressed Lee Hanwook by showing his naked body. "Hey, you punk! Isn¡¯t what you¡¯re doing violence against the nation and its people? What do you think people will say when they see you, refusing to strip off a mere piece of clothing, sacrificing national interest?" "Th-that¡¯s¡­." "And the opponent is Japan." "¡­¡­!" Japan. At the mention of this contentious name, Lee Hanwook mmed up, and at this point, Yeongwoo turned on the broadcast screen. sh! "The military funding for this war was originally supposed to go to Japan. But thanks to my victory in the negotiation game, that right has been transferred to us." Yeongwoo, ring at Lee Hanwook, pointed his finger towards the direction of Japan. Then, Oh Yeonhee asked a question. "So we have to strip in front of the Japanese?" As Yeongwoo had mentioned earlier, the Korean public wouldn¡¯t see the Strongest Swords naked, but the Japanese opponents would. Yeongwoo nodded in agreement. "Of course. But the Japanese will also be fighting naked." "¡­This is absurd." Oh Yeo-hee looked as if she might copse at any moment. The expressions of the other Strongest Swords standing in line behind her weren¡¯t much different. "So, both sides will be fighting this war naked?" This time, it was Choi Nahmee, the Strongest Sword of Seocho District. With questions disguised as objections flying in from all directions, Yeongwoo was practically fighting a one-against-many battle, but at least on the broadcast screen, Yeongwoo seemed to be the one dominating the room. Every time he moved or spoke, all the Strongest Swords flinched. "If you kill all your opponents, that¡¯s it, right? There won¡¯t be any witnesses left. So make your decision now. The broadcast has already started." As Yeongwoo pointed to the sky screen, all the Strongest Swords looked up in shock. On the massive screen filling the sky, their faces were clearly visible. Yeongwoo''s naked figure, being the only one without clothes, stood out prominently. "Because all of you arrivedte, it would be appropriate for you to strip withoutint, but I still want to leave it to your free will." Then, Yeongwoo pointed to the spot designated for cowards. "With a war ahead to secure military funds, if your heart isn''t burning with patriotism, go stand over there." A few people instinctively took a step, but in the end, no one moved to change their spot. No one had the courage to be the first coward. "Very well." As Yeongwoo''s tone became calm again, Jo Sangik, who had earlier noticed ominous signs, looked dismayed. In the end, that devil had seeded in stripping all the Strongest Swords of Seoul. "We will participate in the Tsushima Ind War at 7 PM today in a naked state!" Yeongwoo announced the war against the Lemu side while looking at the broadcast screen. He then added ament, possibly directed at the people watching the screen across Seoul. "Half of the proceeds from this war will be used for the development of Metal Seoul and the Korean Penins!" Hearing this, one of the Strongest Swords muttered quietly. "Then, where will the other half go¡­¡­?" * * * 6:47 PM. With about 13 minutes left until the promised Tsushima Ind War. Yeongwoo had already arrived at the upper floors of the ¡®Tower¡¯ set up on Tsushima Ind with the stiff-looking Strongest Swords. "This is Tsushima Ind." Yeongwoo stated an obvious fact. Then, he emphasized another well-known fact. "It¡¯s time to strip." Finally, the Strongest Swords, who had only been making gloomy expressions, spoke up. "Right now? Why¡­¡­?" "Isn¡¯t there still quite a bit of time left?" "Do we have to strip this early?" All the Strongest Swords wanted was to minimize the time spent naked, even by a second. But Yeongwoo had his reasons. "If you go down there to strip, it would mean piling your gear in the middle of the battlefield¡­ Does that make any sense?" On the other hand, this ¡®Station¡¯ was a ce where only those with Yeongwoo¡¯s approval could enter. It was the perfect ce to use as a changing room. "And if you leave your gear on Tsushima Ind, who knows if one of you might change your mind during the fight and pick up your clothes." "¡­¡­." This was Yeongwoo¡¯s real intention. "So let¡¯s strip safely here." As Yeongwoo brandished his sword menacingly in the air, the faces of the Strongest Swords twisted with despair. They had prepared themselves to some extent, but when it came time to strip together in one ce, it was beyond mortifying. "Hurry up and strip. We don¡¯t have time." As Yeongwoo waved his sword in the air, urging them, Choi Nahmee, the Strongest Sword of Seocho District, hesitated as she touched her top. "Why don¡¯t we have time? We still have at least 10 minutes, don¡¯t we?" Yeongwoo scratched his chin with an awkward smile. "We need to go down and secure ourbat positions, and more importantly¡­." ¡°¡­More importantly?" "You need to greet yourrades." "What?" "What?!" "Comrades? What do you mean?" "Is there something else?" All of a sudden, the Strongest Swords in the room widened their eyes in shock. Seizing the moment, Yeongwoo quickly held his weapon, Bastard, up to Choi Namhee''s neck. "That''s enough. You first. Strip." "You... You crazy bastard, was this another lie?" Choi Namhee''s face looked as if his world had crumbled. Unfazed, Yeongwoo responded with a shameless smirk. "A lie? I just didn¡¯t mention it." Then he pressed the tip of Bastard closer. Swoosh. "Down there, in Tsushima, a massive army of red orcs is waiting for us." "What did you say?" "Yeongwoo! What are you talking about?" "The orcs are here?" This unexpected shock tactic left the Strongest Swords reeling, unable to regain theirposure. "The silver lining is that the orcs are our allies." At this, Gwanak¡¯s Strongest Sword, Jo Sangik, pointed out a very important detail. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w "Yeongwoo, does this mean... they are also naked?" "I''m sorry." "Oh...!" Jo Sangik was left speechless, merely opening and closing his mouth in disbelief. Every person in the top floor of the tower was within Yeongwoo¡¯s striking range. "Try not to think of it too badly. When else in your life would you get to fight a naked war? And with over seventeen thousand orcs, no less." "......!" Shock upon shock. "W-Why... Why is this happening?" Jo Sangik looked at Yeongwoo with a face full of dread, as if staring into the face of pure horror. At that moment, a system message appeared before everyone. ¡¸In 10 minutes, the business addresses of thepanies bidding forary development rights will be disclosed.¡¹ "We only have 10 minutes left. Let¡¯s all strip. What happens here stays between us." Dongdaemun''s Strongest Sword, Jang Jeongho, muttered with a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead. "Damn it, what do you mean between us? You said there are seventeen thousand orcs down there." But surprisingly, Jang Jeongho¡¯s pants were already falling to the ground. Whoosh! Yeongwoo had swiftly flicked Bastard, snapping off Jang Jeongho¡¯s pants button in an instant. "Huh?" "Gasp!" "W-What just happened?" As Seoul¡¯s Strongest Swords faced off against domestic mutants, Yeongwoo¡¯s martial skills, honed beyond foreignnds and even alien worlds, had reached a near-supernatural level. He could undress an opponent without leaving a single scratch. "For those of you still hesitant to take off your clothes, I¡¯m happy to assist." With a resigned sigh, Jo Sangik began undressing quickly. This marked the point at which every Strongest Sword in the room began to strip. ¡®This is true unity.¡¯ Watching the Strongest Swords strip swiftly, Yeongwoo smiled in satisfaction. As soon as thest one was naked, he activated the descent mechanism. Boom! The descent mechanism activated, enveloping the room in a bright, white light. And in an instant¡ª sh! Yeongwoo aimed to transport all the Strongest Swords of Seoul to the center of Tsushima. If the system hadn¡¯t intervened. ¡¸The predicted destination is currently restricted.¡¹ ¡®...What?¡¯ ¡¸Destination changed automatically.¡¹ With a final notification, Yeongwoo and the Strongest Swords stood on a field about 100 meters away from the tower. sh! "What just happened?" "Did we just teleport?" The naked swordsmen, realizing something had gone wrong with the teleportation, looked around in surprise. The situation equally took aback Yeongwoo. "A restricted area? What the hell is going on..." With a displeased look, Yeongwoo red at the lower section of the tower, where he finally realized the problem. "Ah, right over there." The high-speed transit station of Tsushima had been installed at the ind¡¯s center, ovepping with the critical war zone where the "Capture g" was located. Indeed, near the tower¡¯s lower section, a translucent, circr barrier had been erected, with a white capture g nted in the middle. "It looks like we¡¯re restricted from entering until the war officially begins. That¡¯s the capture g we need to seize." Swoosh. Yeongwoo pointed at the enormous g with Bastard, and the Strongest Swords huddled behind him, covering their bodies with their weapons as best as they could. "If we hold that g for two hours, we¡¯ll be dered the victors of the Tsushima War." Upon hearing Yeongwoo exin the rules, the Strongest Swords were stunned. "Two hours?" "So we have to stay naked for the entire time?" "That¡¯s insane." Yeongwoo grinned wickedly, as if he had been waiting for this moment. "There is, of course, one way to end the war faster." "W-What is it?" "To ensure no one even attempts to seize the g, we could eliminate the enemy entirely before then." As Yeongwoo pointed in the direction the Japanese troops were expected to arrive from, a trumpet sounded loudly from behind him. reeeee! Then, a gigantic shadow fell across Yeongwoo and his group. "They¡¯re here." Sensing something massive approaching, Yeongwoo turned around. A red tide filled his vision, as if a crimson wall was rushing toward him. The naked orc army hade to Tsushima, keeping their promise. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 337 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 337: Bing Each Other''s Shadow (2) "Th-this is impossible..." "This is... a nightmare." "How many orcs are there?" The endless line of orcs left even the Strongest Swords, standing bare and exposed, with their jaws agape. "...Fuck, never thought I''d find myself face to face with orcs, especially naked ones." Just as Jang Jeongho, Strongest Sword of Dongdaemun said, seeing over seventeen thousand naked orcs in one nce was a truly shocking sight. Meanwhile, elsewhere: "Master Bang!" Yeongwoo ran forward, calling out to Bantubangtong, who was supposed to be leading the brothers. Tat-tat! Soon, from within the ranks of red-skinned, simrly naked orcs, emerged Master Bang in his bare state. -A small foot. "Master Bang! Thank you for traveling such a long way!" Yeongwoo greeted him cordially, but instead of acknowledging the greeting, Bantubangtong looked at the naked humans gathered behind the small foot. -Who are they? "They are the best swordsmen of Seoul. They have considerable martial skills and will help protect the brothers." Yeongwoo intended to position these swordsmen among the brothers to face the Japanese army. -I see. After listening to Yeongwoo''s words, Bantubangtong nodded. Then, raising his head again, he searched for Jeonggu. -Where is Jeonggu? Is he dressed as promised? Bantubangtong wanted to verify whether the troublesome small foot had clothed Jeonggu as agreed. Anticipating this, Yeongwoo gave a sly smile. "I left my father safely in Seoul." -...Are you sure? Is Jeonggu really in Seoul? "If you don''t believe me, you can visit Seoul after the war is over." -...... Bantubangtong still looked doubtful. However, with the war about to begin, Yeongwoo couldn''t afford any more dys. "There are far more brothers than expected. I think cing our people in units of around 2,000 brothers each would be best." Just as Yeongwoo said this and was about to call the naked Strongest Swords gathered in the distance, arge timer appeared above the upied territory far away. sh! [00:04:59] "Five minutes...!" The war on Tsushima Ind was about to begin. But there was another issue. Screeeech! It wasn''t just the timer that appeared with five minutes left until the start of the war. "Huh, what is that?" "...Huh?" "Everyone, look at the sky!" The Strongest Swords, already on edge due to their nakedness, were the first to notice the change. A bluish barrier was forming in the sky above Tsushima Ind. Then, soon after: Pop-pop-pop! Tiny metallic objects started forming a mesh-like structure over the barrier. "What... what is that?" "They look like metal balls." "What is this, a concert stage?" The Strongest Swords''s worriedments were pretty urate. Momentster, those ''metal balls'' started rolling around in ce like eyeballs. Seeing this, Yeongwoo let out a deep sigh. ''These insane bastards are installing cameras out in the open?'' Knowing that this war was being filmed as content by Lemu, Yeongwoo realized that those objects in the sky were thousands of miniature cameras. Indeed, a few momentster: Whirrrr! Some of the metal balls in the center of Tsushima Ind''s sky fused together, forming a muchrger, round camera. ''...The main camera.'' Yeongwoo realized there was no longer any point in hiding the fact they were being filmed. As he closed his eyes in resignation, the Strongest Swords began screaming and pointing at the sky. "Th-that, isn''t that a camera?" "What?" "Fuck, it really is?" "Is this all being recorded?" The Strongest Swords, realizing they were being filmed by an advanced alien camera, directed their gaze towards Jeong Yeongwoo, the person behind this unbelievable scene. "Yeongwoo?" "You madman, Jeong Yeongwoo!" "What is going on here? Exin yourself!" "......" Yeongwoo responded with a bitter smile, looking up at the camera. "Yes, that''s right. It''s all being recorded." "W-what?" "Are you saying that''s really a camera?" The flustered Strongest Swords tried to cover themselves with their arms and weapons. However, turning their backs to the main camera exposed them to the naked orc army, and turning around made them face the camera head-on, leaving them in a dilemma. Eventually: Thud! Jo Sangik, the Strongest Sword of Gwanak District, gave up even trying to cover himself and stepped forward to face Yeongwoo. "...Yeongwoo." "Yes." "Given the situation, I won''tin pointlessly." "That¡¯s what I expected from the Vice Minister." At that moment, a holographic guide appeared in Yeongwoo''s vision. "......!" Just as Yeongwoo''s pupils dted, former Vice Minister of Strategy and Finance Jo Sangik lunged at him, grabbing him by the throat. "But, you crazy bastard! Have some damn sense...!" Finally, Yeongwoo''s devilish schemes had shattered even Jo Sangik''sposure. "You... argh!" Jo Sangik,pletely losing his temper, clung to Yeongwoo naked, screaming in rage. Yeongwoo allowed him to strike a bit before gripping Jo Sangik''s arm tightly and throwing him effortlessly. Thud, wham! "Vice Minister Jo, aren¡¯t you part of the core of this country''s administration? There¡¯s a lot more ahead; if you lose your temper over this, how will you handle what¡¯sing next?" Jo Sangik, sprawled on the ground, asked in a voice that sounded like he was about to cry. "Over this? What the hell is going on next? What is this all about?" "I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s true that this scene is being filmed, and yes, we¡¯re getting paid for it." "Wh-who is filming...?" "Lemu. It¡¯s a gctic adult film productionpany." "Are you saying we are currently appearing in some kind of... gctic adult film?" "Yes, probably. Although I¡¯m not sure exactly how it will be used." "......" Jo Sangik closed his eyes as if resigned to his fate. The other Strongest Swords, who had been listening closely, did the same. "Still, the people on Earth won''t be able to see this footage." Although the words ''most likely'' were left unsaid, the Strongest Swords knew what it implied. If aliens could see it, then one day, the people of Earth would too. After all, Jeong Yeongwoo''s vision was to make Earth part of the universe. "You¡¯ve sold our dignity. To the gxy, no less." Jo Sangik muttered in agony, eyes still closed. Yeongwoo pulled him up forcefully. "Don¡¯t be ridiculous, Vice Minister. Whose dignity did I sell? I sold your naked bodies." Then, pointing south of Tsushima Ind, he said: "If a bit of nudity can make your dignity vanish, then you might as well go die out there." And in the direction he pointed, there was the sound of a roaring crowd: "Waaaahhh...!" ¡°There it is! I see the upation g!¡± The enemy in this Tsushima War, the Japanese army, was charging forward. And they werepletely naked. It was exactly as Yeongwoo had said. ¡°What... what is this?¡± ¡°Huh...?¡± ¡°They¡¯re naked over there too?¡± The Strongest Swords, seeing the naked Japanese soldiers, were confused. It was one thing for them to be naked, but having everyone on this battlefield unclothed was an entirely different matter. In that moment, Yeongwoo quickly took control of the situation. ¡°The Japanese army! The Japanese army is attacking!¡± ¡°...What?¡± The term "Japanese army" wasn¡¯t technically incorrect, but it was a deliberate choice meant to stir emotions. As soon as they heard that the Japanese army was attacking, the fighting spirit of every Strongest Sword surged. Perhaps it was a deep-seated national resentment. In a way, it wasn''t just the Red-foot Orcs who embodied history in living vessels. ¡°If we lose the upation g to the Japanese army, not only will we be defeated, but we won''t get paid either! Stop them now!¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Yeongwoo shouted roughly while brandishing his sword, and the Strongest Swords, who had been busy covering themselves up until now, hesitated before picking up their weapons. No matter how much their naked selves were exposed in the universe, losing to the Japanese army right in front of them was something they couldn''t bear. ¡°Damn it, this really is a Korean-Japanese War.¡± ¡°Why the hell are those guys naked too?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s win this war first, then we can talk.¡± Finally motivated to fight, the Strongest Swords sprang up from their positions, while Bantubangtong, standing in front of the Red-foot Orcs'' formation, looked at the timer in the air. [00:00:23] There were 23 seconds left until the protective shield around the upation g disappeared. Bantubangtong turned back to his brothers and gave an order. - It¡¯s time to make our fallen brothers shine even brighter! Then, waving his hand forward, he shouted. - Spearmen, to your positions! Seventeen thousand Red-foot Orcs immediately shifted their stances, and the spearmen, who had been preparing their spears among the infantry, stepped forward. [00:00:06] And with only 6 seconds left... - Ready! At Lord Bang''smand, the spear-wielding brothers took their throwing stances, and as the timer hit 2 seconds... [00:00:02] With a shout! A brother holding arge brazier ran forward from a designated section of the formation. Boom! And then... [00:00:00] Bang! The moment the timer expired, he hurled therge brazier towards the direction of the upation g. Whoosh! The mes and torches inside the brazier scattered, creating a kind of re effect, and the advancing Japanese soldiers were suddenly illuminated. ¡°Huh!¡± ¡°What, what is that?¡± ¡°Orcs...!¡± ¡°Orcs!¡± The current time was exactly 7 PM. The sky was growing dark, so the Red-foot Orc army was also revealed by the brazier''s light. Realizing that an Orc unit had been lying in wait across the Tsushima region, the naked Japanese warriors momentarily froze, and in that instant, the Red-foot Orcsunched their spears. - Spear throw,mence! At Lord Bang¡¯smand, thousands ofrge spears soared into the air. Whooosh! It was as if they were under a massive storm cloud, with the sky filled with piercing sounds, and in an instant, spear tips rained down over the Japanese soldiers. But even more surprising was the skill of the Japanese soldiers. Ping! Ping! Ping! Ping! Naked, without a single piece of armor, the Japanese soldiers disyed incredibly precise movements, deflecting all the spear tips. ¡®What is that? I¡¯ve never seen this kind of weapon before.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s eyebrow twitched. He noticed that every Japanese soldier held something like a glowing sword. It was a faint, slightly blurred light, as if light was refracted underwater, and every Japanese soldier had one. This must be the special blessing granted by Lemu. ¡°What the hell... Why are they fighting so well?¡± Seeing the Japanese soldiers deflecting thousands of spears, the Strongest Swords from Seoul suddenly became tense. And finally... Swoosh! The Japanese side easily cut down thest spear and let out a triumphant cheer. ¡°Waaaah!¡± ¡°The Tsushima War will be our victory!¡± ¡°Charge forward, everyone!¡± Having sessfully defended against the first attack, the Japanese army''s morale soared, and as they rushed toward the upation g, the Seoul Strongest Swords realized the identity of their opponents. ¡°Those are... Sword Masters, Sword Emperors.¡± ¡°Swordmasters? Aren¡¯t those regional titles?¡± Most of the 200 naked warriors Yuto had prepared were top-tier Japanese fighters with regional titles. ¡°Go secure the g!¡± By now, the Japanese army was almost at the white upation g, and the naked Strongest Swords, growing anxious, turned to look at Yeongwoo. ¡°Is it time to move in? We¡¯ll lose if they take the g, right?¡± ¡°Yeongwoo, are you going to fight or not?¡± ¡°Look at that! They¡¯re about to capture the g!¡± The Strongest Swords hastily got into their fighting stances. However, the Japanese force included hundreds of elite fighters. Engaging without Yeongwoo would be a suicidal move, so everyone awaited his battlemand. Then finally, Yeongwoo looked around with a satisfied expression. ¡°It seems everyone is ready now.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Ready for war, that is.¡± Then, he suddenly looked up at the sky. ¡°General! It¡¯s been a while since we requested artillery support. The target coordinates are...!¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 338 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 338: Bing Each Other''s Shadow (3) "Earth! 319, 104, 8113, 62!" When Yeongwoo shouted the coordinates of the central part of Tsushima, everyone on the Korean side flinched and stepped back. This was because both Seoul¡¯s Stronges Swords and the Red-footed Orcs harbored a fear of Yeongwoo¡¯s asymmetrical power. And soon after... Boom! With a sound like the heavens splitting open, aser designed forary bombardment shot down from above. It covered only half of the central part of Tsushima where the upation g was nted. ''Let''s try killing only half of them for now!'' There were two main reasons why Yeongwoo targeted only half of the Japanese forces, despite having ess to such aser bombardment. The first reason was that if all the top Japanese fighters in this ce were massacred, it would be difficult to handle Japan''s mutants in the future. After this war, they would need to demand reparations daily, and for those reparations to be obtained, someone needed to deal with the mutants. More importantly, the mutants had to be managed before civilians were wiped out. Therefore, it was more convenient for Yeongwoo if some of the regional titleholders from the Japanese side survived. ''But it''s not like all of them need to stay alive.'' And the second reason was none other than: [The Proxy of Dogo must fight with one of their arms severed.] This was part of the current war agreement¡ªan "arm-severing" rule. However, since no warning message had appeared yet, it seemed that... ''Does the system consider that the battle hasn''t officially started? I thought it would warn us immediately, but it''s surprisinglyx.'' Contrary to Yeongwoo''s thoughts, it wasn¡¯t the system that wascking. The real shoring was... Boom! Yeongwoo¡¯s predictive ability. Swoosh, Bang! Toma''sary bombardment struck the central part of Tsushima but couldn¡¯t prate the camerawork installed by Lemu above. "Huh?" Not only did it fail to prate, but it even seemed like the cameras scattered by Lemu over Tsushima were absorbing theser. "What the hell? Is this really what those Toma bastards call a weapon?" Of course, that didn¡¯t mean Toma was weak. It was just that Lemu wasn''t so easy to beat down like a mere punching bag. "What... what was that?" "Did something juste from the sky...?" "Huh?" The sudden appearance and disappearance of theser bombardment left the Japanese side equally bewildered. It was shocking enough that aser had suddenly appeared from the sky, but for it to vanish like a lie in an instant? "Did we imagine that...?" "No, I definitely heard it. Someone called out coordinates from over there..." While the Japanese "Naked Resistance" unit of 200 warriors looked confused, someone stepped forward to resolve the situation. And that was none other than: Thud! ¡ºTokyo Sword Emperor¡» Kawachi Yuto03, the person who brought Lemu to Japan. Like hisrades, he was also in a naked state. Pointing at the cameras above Tsushima, he spoke confidently. "Did everyone see? Lemu is protecting us!" Even though he knew the difference in strength between both sides due to a previous card game, Yuto''s spirit was truly incredible. Even Absolute Demon Yeongwoo had to admire it secretly. ''He¡¯s definitely something else.'' As expected from a human with an alien sponsor and one of Japan¡¯s representatives. He probably sensed defeat was near, yet he still chanted for his sponsor until the very end. "Everyone, raise your voices together! Lemu!" "Leeemuuu!" "Lemu...!" As the naked warriors raised their glowing weapons to the sky and chanted Lemu''s name, therge camera of Lemu installed above shone down on them. And then, soon after: Tap! Yuto touched the upation g nted in the central part of Tsushima. Immediately, the white upation g disyed Lemu''s emblem¡ªa square. A system message then appeared in the air. ¡¸The Proxy of Lemu has secured the upation g!¡¹ ¡¸Lemu''s Cumtive upation Time: 1 second¡¹ This was the moment when the official war interface appeared. sh! [17,619 ¨C 201] "Huh? What¡¯s that...?" "What is that?" "No way." It was obvious to anyone: those numbers represented the forces of both sides. The Korean side,posed of Seoul and the Red-footed Orcs, showed theirbined troop numbers. Meanwhile, Japan¡¯s side consisted of Yuto and his 200 naked warriors. "Is there really such a huge difference in numbers?" "This is insane... It makes us look like total bullies." Seoul''s Strongest Swords expressed difort. Of course, the majority of the Japanese side were titleholders, so there wasn¡¯t a huge difference with the Korean side in terms of totalbat power. Still, it felt disgraceful to pit nearly 20,000 soldiers against just 200. "Uh, Yeongwoo, is this okay?" "...Is there no concept of war ethics in space?" When the Strongest Swords voiced their concerns about the overwhelming difference in numbers, Yeongwoo became furious and raised his sword against his allies. "What nonsense are you spouting in the middle of a war? If you had to kill me, wouldn''t you bring 200,000 soldiers?" "Uh, well... that''s true..." Hearing such words, they found it convincing. "Those guys are also crazy people with alien sponsors. Don¡¯t be swayed by mere numbers!" ¡¸Lemu''s Cumtive upation Time: 17 seconds¡¹ As Yeongwoo pointed to the steadily increasing upation time of Lemu, the Strongest Swords finally gripped their weapons tightly. "Now that I think about it, you¡¯re right." "...Yes. If we think about trying to kill Yeongwoo..." But the lukewarm atmospherested only for a moment. Swoosh! Suddenly, a series of white beams rained down from the sky like a barrage, and this time, Lemu¡¯s cameras didn¡¯t block them. "...Damn it. Of course." Sensing something, Yeongwoo turned his gaze towards Lemu''s forces. There, white silhouettes appeared endlessly around Yuto and the 200 naked warriors. Pa-pa-pa-pat! Lemu had sent reinforcements to Yuto. The mercenaries sent by Lemu were a type of android, equipped with swords and shields made of light. They were two meters tall and looked like mannequins with a fully humanoid appearance, but their semi-transparent material was clearly not of Earth origin. At first nce, it seemed like ss, but since no one would send ss robots into battle, the strength of that strange exterior was unknown. ¡°What the¡­?¡± ¡°They¡­ they keep increasing?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The top swordsmen pointed out the state of the growing army in mid-air. [17,619 ¨C 1,849] The Lemu faction¡¯s numbers, which were only 201 a moment ago, had swelled to 1,849. Then, a second wave of evenrger white beams fell from the sky, and it was then that everyone on the battlefield realized what was happening. Lemu was matching their headcount with Dogo''s side. [17,619 ¨C 4,735] As the Lemu faction''s total surged to 4,735, Yeongwoo stepped forward towards the enemy and spoke. "Why do viins in manga always lose? It''s because they foolishly wait for their opponents to finish transforming." He then took out a ck sword from his weapon inventory and threw it forward. Swooosh! Just as the Lemu androids were getting up afternding on Earth, they were pierced one after another by Yeongwoo''s sword. Crash! Twenty of Lemu¡¯s androids were shattered with a single throw, causing the previously confident Japanese forces to hesitate. Taking advantage of this moment, Yeongwoo abruptly severed his own left arm. Swoosh! ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°What?!¡± ¡°What the heck is that?¡± Both allies and enemies were stunned by this shocking disy. But to Yeongwoo, it was merely a doping tactic to instantly boost his stats through the loss of a limb and the resulting blood loss. ¡°Let''s go! Kill them all before their reinforcements are finished!¡± Determined to end the battle quickly without worrying about the aftermath, Yeongwoo shouted with a murderous glint in his eyes, and the 17,000 Red Foot brothers responded first. - Shield bearers, to the front! Initiate the advance formation! Bantubangtongmanded, pointing his massive sword toward the Lemu faction. The javelin throwers in the front row stepped back, positioning their spears forward, while the brothers withrge shields took the front line, forming their ranks. And then. Thud, thud, thud! The 17,604 Red Foot brothers started marching forward in perfect unison. It was the same infantry tactic they had practiced countless times on their home, now being executed on this foreign world. Yeongwoo hastily shouted at the naked top swordsmen. ¡°Our brothers are not invincible! There will definitely be bloodshed, so spread out and help maintain the formation!¡± At this, Jo Sangik, who had already seen the advancing Red Foot orcs behind him, asked in a flustered voice. ¡°Then, Yeongwoo, what about you¡­!¡± But Yeongwoo was already gone. Leap! He was already rushing toward the Lemu faction, holding his severed arm aloft. ¡°Yuto! Come out and face my sword!¡± As Yeongwoo yelled, intending to cut off the enemymander¡¯s head, Yuto, who was hiding among the naked warriors, gave a sly grin. [17,619 ¨C 13,402] The two armies were now nearly equal in numbers. All he had to do was deal with that one-armed Strongest Sword, and Lemu''s reinforcements would handle the rest. ¡°Comrades, our moment hase. If we kill that one-armed man, this war is ours.¡± Yuto pointed his zing sword tip at Yeongwoo as he spoke. At that moment, the one-armed warrior unexpectedly blew a whistle. Fweeeet! ¡°¡­?¡± Suddenly, the sky darkened, and an ominous presence could be felt from far above. Yuto was reminded of the cards he had seen at the negotiation table. Those cards were based on the actual forces present, so it was possible that some of them might appear on this battlefield. And just as he thought, he saw it. ¨D Waaah! ¨D Aaaah! ¨D Look at that, the ce is crawling with those invaders. ¨D W-What¡­ there are so many of them? With eerie voices, four massive silhouettes, known as "Workers," fell from the sky. ¡°¡­The Workers.¡± Yuto instinctively looked up and recognized the reinforcements as the very same "Workers" he had only seen on the cards. [The Workers] "Yeongtae, Taejoon, Younghyeom, Geumhwa." | Card Grade: Epic | Power: 1,000 Performance-based If this card is drawn again, its power doubles. But then, something unexpected happened, even for Yeongwoo, whomanded the Laborers. ¡¸A special condition of this battlefield has been partially fulfilled.¡¹ ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡¸The effects of certain cards deployed on the battlefield are now activating.¡¹ At that moment, the bodies of the Laborers, who were just about to hit the ground, started glowing with an unusual light. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 339 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 339: Bing Each Other¡¯s Shadow (4) ¡°What? What kind of crazy nonsense is that?¡± Yeongwoo''s eyes widened as he read the system message. ¡¸Some card effects from the power deployed in the battlefield are now activating.¡¹ No matter how many times he read it, it meant that the special effects of the cards used at the negotiation table were also taking effect here in this battle. Take, for instance, the ¡°Workers¡± card. Performance-based If this card is drawn again, its power doubles. The performance-based effect doubled its power. And sure enough, the workers descending from the sky were now surrounded by a radiant glow, different from before. ¡®How does this make sense? Even if the war rules were set at the negotiation table, the card effects are actually being implemented here?¡¯ Yeongwoo still looked confused. If the special effects of the cards were indeed being applied here on Tsushima, what would happen to his father, Jeonggu? [Before the Storm: Jeonggu] ¡°Jeonggu is still alive, shielded by the mysteries of the universe.¡± |Card Grade: Legendary |Power: 1,000 Suspicious Straw A card that always wins against cards of the same grade, such as Jeonggu. Which meant that he would automatically win against Lemu, another Legendary. ¡®What kind of ce is this?¡¯ If Jeonggu had been here, what would have happened? Yeongwoo felt a shiver run down his spine. And meanwhile¡­ ¨DWhat the¡­? ¨DIt feels like my body got bigger? ¨DI¡­ feel strange. Yeongwoo''s friends, officially titled ¡°Workers,¡±nded on the battlefield. BOOM! Four mutated giants entered the battlefield, and the Lemu forces surrounding the capture g copsed in an instant. To avoid being crushed by the mutants, they had no choice but to fall back. On top of that, due to the "Performance-based Pay" card effect, Yeongwoo¡¯s friends¡¯ bodies had indeed grownrger. Even General Kim Younghyeom, who had returned as a white tiger, was originally around 5 meters long, but now looked closer to 8 meters. ¨DFighting the Japanese on Tsushima¡ªnow that¡¯s a strange situation. Am I allowed to kill every Japanese here? General Kim Younghyeom bared his gleaming fangs with a sinister line, and Yeongwoo spoke up loudly, making sure everyone heard him. ¡°You can kill anyone holding a sword, but if they disarm or flee outside Tsushima, don¡¯t kill them. We should spare a few for post-war administration.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± For the Japanese soldiers, this sounded like apelling surrender offer. It was essentially saying that they would be spared if they dropped their swords and fled Tsushima. And it wasn¡¯t out ofpassion; it was simply for easier post-war governance. ¡®Is this guy¡­ really going to spare the ones who surrender?¡¯ ¡®This is basically ourst chance, isn¡¯t it?¡¯ ¡®If we don¡¯t take this chance now, we might not get another¡­¡¯ The Japanese soldiers¡¯ resolve began to waver. With morale already crushed by thebined forces of the orc legion and mutated giants, they were all the more inclined to give in. Seeing this, Yuto, the Tokyo Sword Emperor, widened his eyes and looked around at his allies. ¡°What is happening? Does that nonsense really shake you all aftering this far?¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°If we lose here today, Japan will be a defeated nation forever!¡± Yuto understood better than anyone that there would be no next time. This wasn¡¯t just a national conflict; it was a proxy war for the powers of the universe. Once this war ended, there was a high chance that no further internal wars would ur. From then on, they¡¯d be busy withary development and making contact with the worlds beyond the sky. ¡°When we took off our clothes, we also threw away our lives! Fight with everything you have! Lemu is still with us!¡± As Yuto shouted and gripped his sword tightly, BOOM! The Red Foot Orcs, maintaining their formation, struck Lemu''s nk. -Shield-bearers! Keep pushing forward! -Split their forces! -CHARGE¡­! Like bulldozers, the shield-bearers pressed forward, spear-wielders thrusting behind them, while axemen swiftly infiltrated the gaps created by the assault. The Red Foot Orcs, who had experienced numerousrge-scale battles, were leagues ahead of the Japanese troops, who had only a week of experience in this reset world. The same went for thebat robots Lemu had sent as reinforcements. Not being apany that made war machines, Lemu¡¯sbat robots were simply physically powerful and numerous, butcked any sophisticatedbat abilities. Smash, crash! They were swept away helplessly by the three-stage tactics of the Red Foot Orcs. Moreover, Seoul¡¯s Strongest Swords mingled within the orc formation, reinforcing their firepower, causing Lemu¡¯s numbers, which had overtaken the Dogo forces, to dwindle again. [17,619 ¨C 19,330] When both sides shed, the numbers had been nearly 19,000. sh! [17,602 ¨C 17,483] But in the blink of an eye, it dropped to 17,000, with some casualties on the Red Foot Orc side as well. However, the exchange ratio was so disproportionate that the bnce of power on both sides, briefly even, was broken in an instant. [17,531 ¨C 15,207] Lemu''s forces lost 4,000 in an instant. While the remaining numbers were still roughly equal, the two armies felt vastly different. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] The Dogo forces, seeing their opponents crumble as they advanced, gained momentum, while the Japanese swordsmen on the copsing side felt their morale drain rapidly. Seeing only alien robots all around them, even those were flung around like paper dolls each time one of the massive mutants swung their bodies. ¨DWhat the hell is this? It¡¯s neither ss nor metal. General Kim Younghyeom spat out some remnants of a Lemubat robot that was caught in his teeth, growling as he did. A Japanese swordsman who happened to be standing nearby trembled, realizing that a human body would be as crushed in those teeth as the remnants of the robot. Finally¡­ ¡°Screw it!¡± He became the first deserter from the Lemu forces. Tap tap! Throwing away the sword Lemu had given him, he started sprinting south. ¡°No¡­ no way!¡± Yuto, who was the first to spot the deserter and thus the first crack in the Japanese ranks, felt his face twist like a demon''s. He instantly realized that this would lead to a chain reaction of further defections. ¡°Stop! Anyone leaving now is a traitor to the nation!¡± As Yuto shouted and prepared to hurl his sword at the deserter¡¯s back, a crimson silhouette blocked his path. Whoosh! It was none other than Jeong Yeongwoo, the proxy of Dogo. He had finally broken through Lemu¡¯s reinforcements and arrived before Yuto. ¡°Yuto-san, doesn¡¯t Japan also need a future?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°If all of Japan¡¯s Sword Masters and Sword Emperors die here today, it will put us in a very difficult position. Someone has to survive to pay the tribute, don¡¯t you think?¡± Yuto ground his teeth, ncing at the deserter, who was now a distant figure. ¡°And who¡¯s supposed to pay this tribute? The war isn¡¯t over yet.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Yeongwoo didn¡¯t rebuke him directly. Instead, he shifted his gaze to the battlefield status disyed in the air. [17,422 ¨C 11,829] ¡°You already know you can¡¯t beat me in a one-on-one duel. You even lost to me in that card game.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡± ¡°And now you¡¯re losing this war as well. At this rate, the Japan you worked so hard to uplift will end up stripped of everything¡ªeven its soles.¡± Yeongwoo was offering Yuto onest chance¡ªa chance to live long enough to keep paying the tribute. But. sh! Contrary to Yeongwoo¡¯s expectations, Yuto lunged forward, swinging his sword and shouting: Achwing! ¡°One-armed bastard! If I kill this guy, the war ends! Forget everything else, focus on killing him first!¡± His n was to immobilize Yeongwoo''s sole arm and have his men attack from behind. But things didn¡¯t go as he intended. ng! Yeongwoo effortlessly parried Yuto¡¯s de and then thrust forward with Bastard, piercing through Yuto¡¯s sword. It was the activation of one of the mythical de¡¯s unique effects: Contempt the Weak. ¡¾Contempt for the weak¡¿ | This de¡¯s attacks can only be blocked by equipment of mythical grade or higher. ¡°Wha¡­?!¡± Yuto¡¯s disbelief was evident as he saw Yeongwoo¡¯s de cut through his guard. He had never encountered a mythical weapon before and couldn¡¯t have imagined such an extraordinary ability. In contrast, Yeongwoo¡­ sh! ¡­severed Yuto¡¯s right arm in a single stroke, finally revealing the voice befitting amander of a foreignnd. ¡°My true enemies are beyond that sky. You are not even worthy to be my foe. This sword is proof of that.¡± The mythical sword Bastard was designed to prevent even a single exchange with anyone unworthy. With Yuto¡¯s blood dripping from the de, Yeongwoo turned to face the Japanese swordsmen who had been about to nk him. Seeing Yuto lose his arm in a single strike froze them in ce. They realized that even if all the Sword Masters and Sword Emperors here attacked at once, victory was far from guaranteed. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Finally, Yeongwoo made a proposal¡ªnot mercy, but an offer to defect. ¡°Those who leave here alive will prepare the tribute for the Korean Penins. That is how you¡¯ll survive.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°If you have family or friends left back on the maind, you¡¯ll get to see them again. You¡¯ll even get to keep breathing.¡± Then, he looked skyward once more. Perhaps the night had grown darker because the paths of vengeance shining in the heavens appeared even more radiant. ¡°Of course, dying heroically here is also an option. I won¡¯t force you to choose. But if you wish to live, start running now.¡± Whoosh! Yeongwoo pointed south with Bastard, and the Japanese swordsmen hesitated, their expressions conflicted. If staying here meant certain death, then running and surviving seemed like the wiser choice. In the end¡­ Tap tap! Dozens of swordsmen began fleeing southward. At that moment, a new war notification appeared. Ding! ¡¸Mara¡¯s proxy has discovered Dogo¡¯sary business site!¡¹ ¡°What? Are those bastards looting the empty house¡­?¡± While this scenario had been anticipated, there was one variable Yeongwoo hadn¡¯t ounted for: -Mara? -Mara¡­! -It¡¯s Mara! The red-footed orcs stationed in Tsushima also saw the war notification. Unsurprisingly, momentster, Bantubangtong, pointing to the tower next to the upation g, roared: -The path has finally opened! All troops, advance to Seoul! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 340 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 340: The Path of Vengeance (1) "What? Lord Bang! What are you talking about? The war here isn¡¯t over yet!" Yeongwoo looked dumbfounded as he saw the brothers already beginning their retreat. No matter how one-sided the battle seemed, the war wasn¡¯t finished. They needed to hold the g for at least another hour to secure victory. If the Lemu faction attempted a counterattack, they¡¯d need to fight for another two hours at the very least. -That¡¯s right. The war isn¡¯t over yet. Lord Bang nodded in agreement, but his eyes were already filled with vengeance. -Our war starts now! Mara is in Seoul¡­ Mara! As Lord Bang roared with rage, his voice seemed to pierce the heavens. Seventeen thousand brothers raised their weapons in unison, shouting in response. -Mara! -The path of vengeance is open! -Maraaaaa! ¡®These lunatics.¡¯ Of course, Yeongwoo understood the sentiments of the brothers. Mara had mercilessly massacred their kin, even driving them to the brink of extinction, after taking their home. How could they not be consumed with vengeance against Mara? Compared to that, the war over Daemado seemed trivial in their eyes. But for Yeongwoo, who had ambitions to im dominion over this and secure massive funding from extraterrestrial backers, this war was a crucial business opportunity. ¡°No one leaves until this war is over.¡± Yeongwoo brandished his sword menacingly as he spoke, causing Lord Bang, who had been heading toward the tower with the brothers, to twitch his eyebrows. -What did you say? ¡°Mara¡¯s true body isn¡¯t even in Seoul. It¡¯s just a proxy that¡¯s been found. Hardly a reason to halt the war.¡± -But now¡­! Wasn¡¯t the presence of a proxy in Seoul essentially a signal for full-scale war with Mara? To the Redfoot Orcs, the news was tantamount to dering an all-out battle against Mara. -This is your, yes. But it¡¯s also our new home. The message was clear: they couldn¡¯t allow Mara to im this, which was supposed to be their new sanctuary after losing their home. Yeongwoo nodded as if it were obvious. ¡°Indeed. As I promised, the brothers will thrive on thisnd. But to ensure that¡ª¡± Swish. Yeongwoo reached out, and from the distance, a golden goblin scurried over, handing him amemorative coin bearing Yeongwoo¡¯s face. Yeongwoo tossed the coin to Bantubangtong. Whizz! -¡­What¡¯s the meaning of this? Thud! Catching the coin, Bantubangtong tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Money.¡± -Money? ¡°Don¡¯t lose sight of the bigger picture by getting caught up in immediate concerns, Lord Bang. Moneyes first.¡± -What nonsense are you talking about? There¡¯s someone from Mara in Seoul right now¡­! ¡°And what about here?¡± -¡­? ¡°There¡¯s a mountain of wealth here, yet you¡¯re willing to abandon military funding just to chase after one of Mara¡¯s proxies?¡± With that, Yeongwoo made his trademark scheming gesture. Fwoosh! He pointed his scimitar toward the sky¡ªor rather, the cosmos. ¡°Mara¡¯s proxy is just a human under Mara¡¯s shadow. Your true enemy lies beyond, out there in the universe.¡± -Small Foot¡­! Are you trying to deceive us again? Bantubangtong, sensing d¨¦j¨¤ vu, raised his voice. But Yeongwoo silenced him with an even louder retort, crushing his momentum. ¡°The Master of the Void! The King of Ten Thousand Demons!¡± -What¡­? ¡°The one who walks in the shadow of cosmicw. In the universe, that¡¯s what Mara is called. And that bastard is the ultimate tax evader, the kind even our chairman couldn¡¯t touch!¡± Of course, there was no official evidence about taxes. ¡°To face a lunatic of Mara¡¯s caliber, what do you need? Courage? Burning vengeance?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s rhetorical question left Bantubangtong speechless. As victims, neither he nor his brothers knew much about Mara, who loomedrge as a cosmic force. But Yeongwoo, who had looked toward the stars early on, knew what was essential to challenge the King of King of Ten Thousand Demonss. ¡°Money. A ridiculous amount of money.¡± Money¡ªknown as Karma in universal terms. Coincidentally, a word also used on Earth to mean ¡°fate¡± or ¡°consequences.¡± And with enough Karma, one could transcend the limits of their species, even bribing cosmic officials. Perhaps¡­ ¡°We can defeat even the King of King of Ten Thousand Demonss with enough money. Forget about shing with one of his underlings.¡± As Yeongwooid out the reasons for finishing the war, Bantubangtong swallowed hard, his expression grim. -But¡­ isn¡¯t Seoul important to you and us as well? Your kin live there. ¡®Your kin,¡¯ referring to the citizens of Seoul. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I left my parents there.¡± -¡­Jeonggu! ¡°My mother is the guardian dragon of Metal Seoul. She¡¯ll do her duty¡ªprotecting her husband and the city. And she only needs to hold out for an hour.¡± -An hour¡­? As Bantubangtong tilted his head in confusion, Yeongwoo strode toward the battlefield, moving among the Redfoot Orcs, Strongest Sword, and a significant number of Japanese troops who still held their ground. He ced his hand on the central g nted in Daemado. Thump. The g, previously marked with Lemu¡¯s insignia, now bore the wedge-shaped symbol of Dogo, transitioning its status to ¡°Contested.¡± ¡°One hour! If the opposing faction doesn¡¯t attempt to reim the g in an hour, the war ends automatically.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s words drained the color from the faces of the Japanese forces. ¡°So if you truly want to head to Seoul to deal with Mara¡¯s proxy, finish this war cleanly first.¡± The implication was clear: if they killed every enemy here to prevent any attempts to retake the g, they could secure their military resources and head to Seoul afterward. -¡­ Bantubangtong looked away from the tower, instead gazing at the sky¡ªor rather, the universe. The seventeen thousand Redfoot Orcs followed his gaze upward. -¡­The cosmos. Bantubangtong murmured as he envisioned the universe beyond. Yeongwoo shook his head, correcting Bantubangtong¡¯s line. ¡°To us, the cosmos is ¡®Mara.¡¯ And in this war, we¡¯re earning our fare to reach Mara. In one hour.¡± Havingpleted his universal logic for vengeance, Yeongwoo pointed his sword at the Lemu faction. ¡°They¡¯ll open the path to Mara for us! The path of vengeance still shines brightly!¡± With golden light gleaming in his eyes, Yeongwoo¡¯s words spurred the Redfoot Orcs to reorganize their ranks. Before Lord Bang even issued an order, they decided on their own: finish the Daemado War first, then march to Seoul. -Mara! -Open the path to Mara! -Maraaaa! The furious cries of the orcs sounded like the whirring of cash registers to Yeongwoo. ¡®Perfect. Time to bleed Lemu dry.¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] As the brothers turned back from the tower, the Japanese swordsmen began retreating in fear. Having overheard the earlier conversation, they were utterly overwhelmed. How could they possibly outdo this madness aimed at the universe? Even the desperation of Tokyo¡¯s Sword Master, who sought foreign backing at the cost of his dignity, paled inparison. ¡°Screw¡­ screw this. What path is there for us?¡± ¡°These guys arepletely insane.¡± The only sensible course of action when dealing with madmen: avoid them. Especially when those madmen were enraged orcs. And so, finally¡ª nk, nk! The Japanese Sword Masters, along with their elite forces, threw down their weapons and fled. The retreat had begun. Yuto, still holding his sword, desperately shouted after them. ¡°If we retreat here, Japan is finished! Are you willing to be ruled by them?¡± In response, a swordsman who had been standing by Yuto¡¯s side until then slowly lowered his sword and stepped back, saying: "Those guys... they¡¯re already aliens. They never nned to rule us; they''re just lunatics." "...What?" Hearing this, Yuto hastily turned to look at his side, but the swordsman in question was no longer there. Tat-tat! He was already far away, retreating with his back turned. Instead... Fwaaaah... A massive shadow, sorge it darkened the twilight air of 7 PM, began to stretch over Yuto''s feet. "Yuto." "...!" The voice and the shadow¡¯s owner¡ª ¡°¡­Ye-Yeongwoo.¡± The number one swordsman of the Korean Penins, Jeong Yeongwoo07, stood before him. Had he always been thisrge? Yuto blinked nervously and finally saw clearly: Behind the now-naked Jeong Yeongwoo07 stood an endless line of orc soldiers, forming a fortress-like wall. Darker than the darkness itself. Yuto looked at the figure towering before him like a demon king and muttered: "You¡­ you¡¯re the true evil, aren¡¯t you?" At this, Jeong Yeongwoo raised his crimson demon sword high and spoke in a t tone: "Thank you for sending my brothers and me to space. Send my regards to Mara in the void." Then, without hesitation, he struck down at Yuto. * * * Same time, near the tower in Samsung-dong, Metal Seoul, Dogo Special City. ¡¸A representative of Mara has discovered Dogo''sary office!¡¹ The ominous alert had appeared five minutes ago, prompting Jiseon to rush outside. Yet despite this, nothing seemed to be happening in Seoul. ¡ªWhat¡¯s going on? Isn¡¯t this the only Dogoary office? Jiseon let out a shallow sigh as she scanned the still and quiet Seoul skyline. Although she was tense¡ªher son was away during this unexpected situation¡ªtheck of any actual incident left her feeling anticlimactic. Then, momentster¡ª Tat-tat! A faint presence. Jeonggu came running out from the direction of the Parnas Hotel. ¡°Dear! Are you alright?¡± Apparently, he¡¯d been hiding inside the hotel for the five minutes following the alert, only now daring to emerge. Jiseon frowned and pointed the tip of her frost greatsword at Jeonggu. ¡ªYou idiot, don¡¯t say things like that when Yeongwoo¡¯s not here. Just don¡¯t call me at all. ¡°But¡­ but¡­¡± Jeonggu faltered, looking around nervously. He couldn¡¯t help but worry Yeongwoo might have installed cameras throughout Seoul to keep an eye on his parents. But Jiseon didn¡¯t care about that. What mattered to her was the ominous alert she¡¯d just seen. ¡ªThis is the Dogo office, isn¡¯t it? Yeongwoo said as much. ¡°Yes, yes. This is where Dogo Special City was dered¡­¡± And this is where their son would return to after the battlefield. ¡ªThen what is this? There¡¯s no way that alert was just a system error. A representative of Mara has discovered Dogo''sary office¡­ ording to the message, the enemy had already located Metal Seoul. They were watching from somewhere. ¡ª... As Jiseon carefully surveyed the buildings around Samsung-dong, from the smaller structures to the tower leading to the high-speed transitwork, something strange caught her attention. She turned to Jeonggu and asked: ¡ªHey. ¡°Y-yes? What is it?¡± ¡ªWas it always this dark at this time? ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡ªThe sky. Doesn¡¯t it seem unusually dark? Jeonggu looked up at the sky and blinked. ¡°Huh¡­ You¡¯re right. It¡¯s like midnight already. Not a single cloud, either.¡± Suddenly, Jiseon raised her sword and pointed it at the hotel. ¡ªYou, go back inside and sleep. Now. ¡°What? Why the sudden¡ª¡± Jeonggu gave her a hurt look. But Jiseon wasn¡¯t looking at him. ¡ªJust get lost. If you want to walk into tomorrow¡¯s wedding hall alive. ¡°...?¡± Finally, Jeonggu realized something. Following Jiseon¡¯s gaze, he, too, looked up toward the sky above Seoul. Sshhhhhh. And then he saw it. The pitch-ck sky flickered for a moment. ¡°Ah!¡± Jeonggu gasped instinctively, and at that moment, the eight anti-aircraft cannons installed throughout Seoul raised their barrels in unison. Weapons Yeongwoo had set up had detected something. Duuuuuuuuuuuuu¡­! A deep, resonating horn-like sound spread from the sky above. ¡ªDamn it. What the hell is that? There¡¯s something above us. Jiseon¡¯s words slipped through gritted teeth within her helmet. Even though her eyes saw only darkness, her dragon instincts told her the truth. Something was covering the entire sky above Seoul. And then¡ª Thut-thut-thut-thut-thung! The anti-aircraft cannons of Metal Seoul began firing into the heavens. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 341 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 341: The Path of Vengeance (2) ¡°Uh, uh¡­¡± Jeonggu stared nkly at the sky. He, too, realized something had arrived over Seoul but hadn¡¯t seen it directly yet, so he held off making any conclusions. In contrast, Jiseon spoke the moment the anti-aircraft guns fired. ¡ªHey, Jeonggu. Go get Yeongwoo. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡ªBring our son. We need to deal with that thing! As Jiseon scolded Jeonggu, a series of blue explosions erupted in the sky. BOOM! BOOM! The shells streaking across Seoul¡¯s skyline had indeed collided with something. ¡°What the¡­?¡± The sky glowed blue, reflecting in Jeonggu¡¯s widened pupils. At that moment, the mysterious flying object cloaked in shadows revealed itself. ROAAAAAR! A sound like a beast howling from beyond a tunnel reverberated across Seoul. ¡°What is that thing?¡± Jeonggu¡¯s pupils dted further as he muttered to himself. What was blocking Seoul¡¯s skies wasn¡¯t a machine but a living creature¡ªan enormous, jet-ck monster resembling a giant stingray. ¡°A¡­ a dragon?¡± As Jeonggu uttered the words unconsciously, Jiseon, who was also staring at the sky, kicked him in the shin. Thud! ¡°Ow!¡± ¡ªDoes that look like a dragon to you? Stop babbling and get moving! She pointed toward a station for the high-speed transit system. ¡ªHurry and tell Yeongwoo toe back to Seoul. Tell him that if we dy, we might lose the city! ¡°Yes, understood¡­ Wait, what?¡± Jeonggu nodded instinctively but froze as the meaning of her words sunk in. ¡°What do you mean, lose Seoul?¡± Losing Seoul meant Jiseon might not win this fight. In other words, even she wasn¡¯t confident of victory. ¡°But, Jiseon, you¡¯re a dragon! Nothing could happen to you, right?¡± Jeonggu asked anxiously, but Jiseon only pointed her sword toward the tower in response. ¡ªNo time for exnations. Move! And then¡ª ROAAAAAR! The monster in the sky let out another distinctive howl and shook its massive body. From it, countless jet-ck eggs rained down. It was deploying reinforcements. ¡ªThis¡­! Realizing this was an all-out war, Jiseon reverted to her dragon form, and the anti-aircraft guns resumed firing in sync. BANG! BANG! This time, they targeted the mysterious eggs instead of the flying object. Seeing this, Jiseon opened her massive jaws and unleashed her breath attack. It seemed the anti-aircraft guns¡¯ judgment was better than her own¡ªlikely because they, too, were from outer space and thus knew how to handle extraterrestrial threats. The eggs were more dangerous than they appeared. Although the barrage from the anti-aircraft guns and Jiseon destroyed many, some eggs slipped through the defenses andnded in Samseong-dong. The moment they hit the ground, they exploded violently. Screeeeech! The eggs erupted into thick, dark dust, obliterating everything within a 20-meter radius. From the impact zones, enormous tentacles emerged. SCREEEEEE! The eerie cries confirmed these were also living creatures. ¡ªWhat the¡­ now this? Jiseon crushed one tentacle under her w, killing it instantly, but the problem wasn¡¯t over. ROAAAAAR! The monster in the sky shook its body again, releasing even more eggs than before. ¡ªWhat is this ¡®Mara¡¯ thing, exactly? Jiseon growled as she sted another breath attack toward the sky. Despite her efforts, several eggs broke through Seoul¡¯s metal defenses. Those surviving eggs¡ª Screech! Screeeech! nded across Samseong-dong, as well as on Jiseon¡¯s enormous back. Screeeech! ¡ªArgh, damn it! Jiseon let out a scream as she struggled to shake off the tentacles. Meanwhile, Jeonggu, running toward the tower as instructed, turned back at her cry. ¡°Jiseon!¡± What filled his vision was the sight of Jiseon twisting her gigantic body to fend off the tentacles. And above her head¡ª WHIRRRR! An ominous energy began to gather. ¡°What the¡­?¡± The creature dominating Seoul¡¯s skies was preparing some sort of ultimate attack. Having learned there was a guardian dragon in Metal Seoul, it decided to eliminate her first. ¡°Jiseon, watch out!¡± Jeonggu shouted urgently, pointing above her head. Surprisingly, instead of looking up, Jiseon shrank her body using a polymorph spell. Swoooosh! Jeonggu¡¯s slip of calling her "Jiseon" instead of "honey" betrayed the severity of the situation, but Jiseon judged there was no time to even nce upward. And her judgment was spot on. The moment she transformed back into her armored warrior form, an ashenser shot down from the sky. SIZZLE! With a sound like boiling water, theser struck the spot where the guardian dragon had stood moments earlier. BOOOOOM! ¡ªYou bastards¡­ Theser would have sliced her in half if her transformation had been a second slower. Jiseon inwardly marveled at the sheer firepower of the Mara faction, far beyond her expectations. And to think these creatures were mere businesspetitors of her son¡­ Well, if you¡¯re going topete, might as well aim for the big leagues. ¡ªBut seriously, if creatures like these win theary development rights, what¡¯ll happen to Earth¡­? Jiseon muttered as she shed another tentacle rooted in the ground. Unexpectedly, a response came from the sky. ¡²Cmity will strike.¡³ ¡ªWhat? The voice was undeniably human. Yet, the source of this voice was unmistakably inside the strange lifeform in the sky. ¨DAre you Mara''s agent? Are you even human? Jiseon raised her sword towards the sky as she asked, and her opponent chuckled lowly. ¡²Am I human? It''s amusing to hear that question from a dragon.¡³ Then, a grayish light shone from the flying creature in the sky, illuminating the space before Jiseon. Whoosh! ¨D...! Sensing something, she stepped back. At the same time, a massive greatsword came hurtling down with incredible speed to the illuminated spot. Wham! CRASH! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¨DWhat the hell is this now? But the real surprise came next. Swish! Near the fallen greatsword, a faint silhouette began to form, and soon, a man appeared in its ce. ¨D...Teleportation? Not even Yeongwoo could pull off a trick like that. ¨DHey... you might want to head home before my son arrives. He can''t stand seeing someone else with better toys. Half-jokingly, Jiseon remarked, but the man sneered as he drew the sword from the ground. Shing! ¡°Your son? And who might that be?¡± The one speaking, Mara''s agent, was none other than... ¡ºSword Master of London¡» The Sword Master of London. A middle-aged man with auburn hair from Ennd. Though he had a lean, wiry appearance, his towering 2-meter frame was packed with taut muscles, and every piece of his equipment looked far from ordinary. While Yeongwoo was busy shaking down the Chinese and stationing his biological mother as the gatekeeper of Seoul, sword masters in the West were apparently engaging in tentacle y. Watching all of this unfold from the entrance of the tower, Jeonggu murmured softly. ¡°¡­Sword Master?¡± The remark, barely audible, was somehow caught by Mara''sckey, who turned his gaze towards Jeonggu. Seizing the opportunity, Jiseonunched her preemptive strike. nk! Gripping an icy greatsword with both hands, she swung it straight for her opponent''s neck. Whoosh! The massive de sliced through the air with a deafening roar, causing the Sword Master of London to widen his eyes. ¡°What the¡ª?!¡± Even before the de connected, he could sense the overwhelming force behind it. It made sense¡ªthis was Metal Seoul, the home turf of Song Jiseon, the guardian dragon. In Seoul, where all of the guardian dragon''s buffs were activated, Jiseon was virtually invincible. Even her monstrous son, Yeongwoo, struggled against her. BOOM! When Jiseon¡¯s and the Brit¡¯s des collided, the resulting shockwave blew dust outward in all directions. Then¡ª ¡°¡­Impressive. There really is something special in the East.¡± The Englishman remained firmly nted in his spot, remarking with admiration, his eyes gleaming with a hint of madness. ¨DDamn it. Realizing she''d encountered a truly formidable opponent, Jiseon muttered a curse. At that moment, the Englishman vanished again, leaving only his greatsword behind. It was that teleportation trick again. ¨DYou¡­! Before Jiseon could react, he appeared behind her and delivered a heavy body blow. THUD! ¨DUrgh! A blue mist escaped from within her helmet as she exhaled in pain. This was the first punch she''d taken since arriving on Earth. ¡°This is why I chose Mara. Isn¡¯t this power worth the cmities it brings?¡± The man¡¯s voice echoed from behind her. ncing toward the tower, Jiseon noticed Jeonggu had disappeared. He had bolted, likely to call for her son after seeing her take a hit. Feeling a strange energy rise from the soles of her feet despite the searing pain in her torso, Jiseon swung her sword once more. Whoosh! ¨DYou bastard! The real cmity is already here in Seoul! But the space behind her was empty. Instead, another flicker of movement appeared near the abandoned greatsword. The Brit had teleported again. ¨DYou pesky little fly¡ª! BAM! A blindingly fast straight punchnded before she could finish her angry retort. Jiseon spat blue blood from her helmet. ¨DGah! Inside the armor forged from ice dragon scales, her blood boiled with rage. Her son, the cmity, would surely show up soon, but the humiliation of being beaten by a foreigner enraged her. ¨DYou bastard, let¡¯s fight fair and square without your cheap tricks! As she shouted and prepared to unleash an icy storm from her sword, the ¡°tower¡± began glowing white in the distance. ¨DOh! Atst, the cmity known as her son hade to save his mother. The Englishman, noticing Jiseon¡¯s pleased expression, turned his gaze toward the tower. ¡°Is that the son you mentioned?¡± sh! A silhouette appeared within the station as the lower wall opened. Seeing this, Jiseon yelled loudly. ¨DThat¡¯s the one! The one you¡¯ll have to face¡ª! There was no need to finish her sentence. As expected, her son appeared holding a cursed sword, but, as always, he was stark naked. Even the massive orc standing behind him was also naked, holding Yeongwoo¡¯s left arm in its hands. ¡°...?¡± The Englishman froze momentarily in confusion, while Yeongwoo blinked repeatedly at the scene before him. Then¡ª ¡°Master Bang, my arm, please.¡± He took the arm from the orc behind him and reattached it to his shoulder. Click! Pointing the cursed sword at the Englishman, he shouted: ¡°You¡­! Let me ask you one thing!¡± Even the Sword Master of London, a fundamentally human being, felt a twinge of guilt and opened his mouth to respond. ¡°What is it? If it¡¯s about your mother, I¡¯d like to apologize. But ultimately, everyone here will¡ª¡± As the Englishman clenched his left hand and wore a sinister expression, Yeongwoo irritably waved the cursed sword. ¡°Not that! Do you happen to have any money Mara promised you?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 342 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 342: The Path of Vengeance (3) ¡°¡­What?¡± Swordmaster of London, Ben Walter. The strongest knight of Britain, determined to save at least his homnd in a world on the brink of copse. And yet, the first thing he hears from the Eastern adversary he encounters is... "Do you have the money Mara was supposed to pay?" "What? Mara''s payment? Why would I owe you?" "Because of you, the payment I''m supposed to receive from Lemu might get reduced. So, isn''t it only right that you cover the difference?" This was Yeongwoo''s argument¡ªsince he had left the battlefield early upon hearing the news of his mother being assaulted, it might have caused a reduction in his reward. "Really? But for someone like that¡­" Ben nced between Yeongwoo and Jiseon. No matter how he looked at him, this naked ''Strongest Sword'' didn''t seem like the dutiful son type. After all, hadn''t he immediately brought up money as soon as he got here? ¡°¡­Sinceing here, all you¡¯ve done is talk about money.¡± When Ben pointed this out, disregarding propriety even in the presence of the man''s mother, Yeongwoo simply nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Weren¡¯t you here to save your mother?¡± ¡°Saving money is saving my mother.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°If there¡¯s no money on this, we¡¯re all dead. My mother included. It¡¯s just a question of whether you die a few days earlier orter.¡± ¡°...Is that really something you should say in front of your own mother?¡± As Ben rebuked Yeongwoo for his perceivedck of filial piety, Jiseon abruptly distanced herself from Ben and retorted. ¡ªIs he wrong, though? Without money, what exactly can you do against those creatures? ¡°What... what did you say, Madam?¡± Ben was so flustered he identally used honorifics. Meanwhile, Jiseon pointed her greatsword toward the massive spacecraft in the sky. ¡ªJust look at that. How can anyone dare bring something like that onto someone else¡¯s without permission? It just shows how defenseless this Earth has be. ¡°Well, that¡¯s because¡­¡± Ben Walter followed Jiseon¡¯s gaze to the sky. Ever since the Reset, it was an open secret that this had be essible to anyone¡ªa ¡°free zone,¡± as Jiseon called it. And Ben had merely chosen to align himself with Mara, a sponsor who had promised immense power and had indeed delivered on that promise. ¡°Thanks to the Reset, we¡¯ve already lost our self-sufficiency. That¡¯s why we must align with powerful forces to rebuild.¡± Sharpening his de as he regained hisposure, Ben dered. But Yeongwoo burst out, roaring at him. ¡°What the hell, you idiot! Why Mara, of all people? You should¡¯ve teamed up with Lemu instead, even if it meant stripping naked!¡± Yeongwoo also turned his gaze to the sky. ¡°Dogo and Lemu are businesspeople. Their calctions are straightforward¡ªbased on money.¡± By working with them, the would essentially be a subcontractor, but there would at least be a chance to gather resources and achieve independenceter. ¡°But Mara¡­ is different. That guy is just the cancer of the universe.¡± The titles attached to Mara said it all. ¡¸Master of the Void, one who walks in the shadow of universalws, King of Ten Thousand Demons.¡¹ Having encountered some of the void entities under Mara¡¯s control, Yeongwoo could not ept aligning with such a force. But fundamentally, Yeongwoo and Ben had different goals. ¡°Cancer of the universe? Don¡¯t you think I know that? But sometimes, you have to ally with evil when the situation calls for it. For us, sorting out our internal affairs takes priority.¡± This statement essentially summed up Britain¡¯s stance. As a major yer in Earth¡¯s civil war, Britain had no intention of losing and bing a colony. They had to win at all costs. Especially as a former colonial empire, the thought of submitting to other nations¡ªlet alone the East¡ªwas unthinkable. In short: ¡°We intend to restore the hierarchy on this.¡± For Ben and some British leaders, the immediate power struggle on Earth outweighed concerns about the cosmos. ¡°You¡¯re insane. So, you''re saying there¡¯s no moneying from Mara?¡± As Yeongwoo asked this, Jiseon instinctively stepped back several paces, sensing an imminent fight. But, oblivious to the tension, Ben Walter nced at the sky and responded. ¡°Even if there were, I have no intention of giving it to you.¡± ¡°Really? Then leave your gear and go. That sword, in particr, looks pretty nice.¡± Yeongwoo shifted Bastard to his left hand, raising it to point at Ben¡¯s greatsword. Swoosh. ¡°¡­!¡± That¡¯s when Ben realized it. Yeongwoo had been stalling to recover his left arm this entire time. ¡°You¡­ you bastard¡­!¡± ¡°You seem upset about my supposedck of filial piety, so you can¡¯t be all bad.¡± As Yeongwoo spoke, he summoned equipment from his inventory. In an instant, his once-naked body was d in the full-body armor of Vesedel. Ssshhhhh. A massive flying greatsword, Golden Trail, appeared behind him, and Aratubank materialized, its de sinking a third into the ground like a gravestone. ¡°What the¡­¡± For Ben Walter, this sudden disy of equipment felt like a sucker punch. Finally, as the legendary bow White Fire wrapped around his body, Yeongwoo shifted Bastard back to his right hand and unsheathed Aratubank with his left. Crack! ¡°But if you win this war, our will fall into the Void. That¡¯s something I can¡¯t allow.¡± Pointing his de toward the heavens, Yeongwoo dered: ¡°On the other hand, if I win this war, we¡¯ll reach the stars. Making me this¡¯s ruler is clearly the better choice!¡± ¡°What¡­ what nonsense is that? How does that even make sense?¡± As Ben protested, Yeongwoo dashed forward, his eyes glowing golden. ¡°Shut up and hand over your head and equipment! I¡¯ll send you back to the Void!¡± ¡°Wait, no! I¡¯m a human of Earth too¡­!¡± Ben tried to object, but Yeongwoo was already charging at full speed. Tap-tap-tap! Covered in dazzling equipment, the Strongest Sword¡¯s advance made even the mighty Swordmaster flinch. And then¡ª Fwoosh! A strange symbol appeared on Yeongwoo¡¯s right shoulder. ¡°This battle is proudly sponsored by the intergctic weapons brand Dogo!¡± As Yeongwoounched into a pre-battle advertisement, Swordmaster of London muttered under his breath in disgust. ¡°You¡­ idiotic bastard.¡± Hearing this, Yeongwoo snapped back. ¡°Doesn¡¯t Mara make you do this kind of stuff? Isn¡¯t that even weirder?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°To be sponsored by a military contractor already makes you an idiot, but what kind of price do you think you¡¯d have to pay to make the Master of the Void your backer?¡± ¡°...!¡± It was a very persuasive argument, but for Ben, it was toote to change the course he¡¯d already decided upon. And above all¡ª ¡°Save that kind of thinking for when you¡¯ve actually beaten me!¡± The moment of truth had already begun. The de of Bastard was charging toward him with incredible speed. Shreeeeek! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Yeongwoo¡¯s high-speed thrust made a sound like a jet engine. Having already experienced the mysterious techniques of the East in his earlier fight with Yeongwoo¡¯s mother, Ben chose evasive maneuvers. Swish! He vanished, leaving behind an afterimage, and reappeared at Yeongwoo¡¯s nk. ¡°Huh?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened at Ben¡¯s extraordinary skill. Meanwhile, Ben¡ª Slice! ¡ªwas shocked to see the Bastard¡¯s de slice cleanly through his greatsword as if it were cutting through water. ¡°What the hell is this guy?¡± ¡°Wait¡­ can he teleport?¡± Both fighters were astonished by the other¡¯s abilities. But when ites to an opponent who ignores guards andnds their attacks versus one who can teleport, who¡¯s the true predator? ¡°Hey, you punk. What was that just now?¡± Yeongwoo barked the question aggressively, like a gangster. Ben quickly retrieved his sword and stepped back. ¡°And how did you pass through my de just now?¡± In response, Yeongwoo hoisted Bastard threateningly. ¡°Then let me show you again!¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Without hesitation, Yeongwoo swung his de. Wheeaaak! Ben Walter, the Swordmaster, responded byunching his greatsword toward Yeongwoo while teleporting again. If his greatsword failed to block Bastard again, it would at least fly past Yeongwoo, allowing Ben to take his back through teleportation. Fweeeew! Ben¡¯s strategy, while intricate, wasughably thwarted by Yeongwoo¡¯s gear advantage. ng! Golden Trail, which had been orbiting around Yeongwoo, intercepted Ben¡¯s flying greatsword. Ben reappeared near the hilt of his greatsword as nned, only to find¡ª ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡ªhe was still standing right in front of the lunatic. And worse, his guard waspletely down. ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s the secret. You¡¯ve got a magic sword.¡± Having finally deduced Ben¡¯s trick, Yeongwoo followed up with a straight punch. Smack! Ben¡¯s head twisted violently to the side from the impact, unable to react as he¡¯d been too focused on Bastard. ¡°Ugh!¡± Though hisbat hologram had warned him, the punch came too fast for him to process. ¡°You seriously didn¡¯t get a single dime from Mara? Huh?¡± Even in this intense final interrogation, Yeongwoo¡¯s question was all about money. His mother, Jiseon, watched her son in disbelief, though she also had her own question. Whoosh. As she observed, there was still a massive ship hovering above Seoul, sent by Mara. In other words, Mara¡ªthe King of Ten Thousand Demons¡ªwas likely watching his agent get beaten up right now. ¡ªWait, what the hell is Mara even doing? Not sending reinforcements?¡± Jiseon voiced her thoughts. Yeongwoo, who was about to throw another punch at Ben, turned around at herment. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right. Lemu even gave Japan equipment and a whole army ofbat robots.¡± It was a valid point. For a being with titles like ¡°Lord of the Void¡± and ¡°One Who Walks in the Shadow of Cosmic Law,¡± Mara¡¯s investment in thisary developmentpetition seemed suspiciouslycking. Sure, giving the Swordmaster enough power to challenge Yeongwoo¡¯s mother was impressive. But in the end, that power was no match for a mythical sword. ¡°Hey, do you have anything else you got from Mara?¡± Yeongwoo pressed his de near Ben¡¯s head. Finally, the beleaguered agent¡¯s eyes widened in realization. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± But it wasn¡¯t because he suddenly remembered something. Instead, he had spotted something in the sky. Yeongwoo followed his gaze and turned to look. Whoosh. There in the sky, strange symbols shimmered, as if oil had been spilled across the heavens. It was¡ª ¡®Transcendent Script.¡¯ A form ofnguage that only higher beings of the universe could manipte freely. The message contained within was brief but unmistakable: ¡¸I seek a new agent. In exchange, I offer a portion of this and the Void.¡¹ The meaning was short but clear. ¡°They¡¯re saying they want me to be their new agent, right? Is that even possible?¡± Yeongwoo gazed up at the darkened sky. As things stood, Yeongwoo was the official agent of Dogo. But Mara¡¯s bold move suggested it was possible to poach an agent from a rival faction. ¡®Wait¡­ holy crap. Mara is fluent in Transcendent Script?¡¯ Yeongwoo blinked rapidly. He had seen his chairman use fragments of Transcendent Script to create intergctic contracts with a single sh of a sword. But creating an entire sentence purely in Transcendent Script? That was new. ¡°Well¡­¡± Yeongwoo scratched his cheek. Sensing something, Jiseon exhaled sharply and shouted: ¡ªWhatever you¡¯re thinking, stop it! Absolutely not! She had already figured out her scheming son was weighing his options between Dogo and Mara. But for Yeongwoo, whose ¡°global¡± scale was intergctic, there was no such thing as an absolute no. The universe was vast, and possibilities were endless. ¡°Master Mara! As you may know, tomorrow at 3:23 PM is my parents¡¯ wedding!¡± ¡ªWhat? ¡°What?¡± Ben Walter, who had overheard the wedding announcement, widened his eyes in disbelief. ¡°If you could spare some time to attend the ceremony, I would seriously consider switching sides.¡± Yeongwoo added with a sly grin: ¡°Ah, and as for gifts, remember: bribes count too. Cash or anything mythical and above only, please.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 343 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 343: The Path of Vengeance (4) Tributes will only be epted in cash or equipment of Mythic tier or higher. At the conditionid out by Yeongwoo, the atmosphere at the scene froze as if time itself had stopped. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡ª ¡­¡­. -¡­¡­. There were three individuals: Swordmaster of London, Ben Walter; Song Jiseon, the guardian dragon of Metal Seoul; and Bantubangtong, the lord of the Red Foot n. None of them could say a word, merely ncing between Yeongwoo and the transcendent text floating in the sky. The most pressing question for Ben Walter was whether Mara would ept such an absurd proposition. If, by any chance, Mara agreed to those terms, it would essentially seal Ben''s fate as nothing more than a disposable pawn. For Song Jiseon, on the other hand, it was simply too absurd to process. While the wedding itself was little more than her son¡¯s tantrum, it was still her ceremony. And now, seeing her son turn even this sacred event into a profit-making scheme¡ªit was almost too much to believe. A monster truly gave birth to another monster. Lastly, there was Bantubangtong. -Little Foot? He stared at Yeongwoo with a look of sheer devastation unmatched by anyone else present. After all, he had trusted Yeongwoo¡¯s pledge of vengeance against Mara, even going as far as hurling his n members hundreds of meters into the sky and participating in the Great Naked War of Daemado. And now, at this very moment, he stood there¡ªstillpletely naked. And yet, before him stood Yeongwoo, daring to say¡ª -Little Foot! Boom! Enraged, Bantubangtong mmed the ground with his massive red foot. Then, pointing his sword at Yeongwoo, he dered: -Little Foot! Put down Aratubank! I do not wish to sully this sacred relic with blood. His demand was clear¡ªleave the n¡¯s sacred relic behind and settle the matter here and now. In other words, he intended to execute the traitorous "Little Foot" right on the spot. Boom! Boom! As Bantubangtong charged forward like an enraged rhinoceros, Yeongwoo whispered to Ben Walter: ¡°Hand over your weapon, and I¡¯ll make sure you walk out of here alive.¡± ¡°¡­What did you say?¡± Before Ben could react to the absurd suggestion, Yeongwoo punched him square in the face. Smack! Then, seizing the teleportation greatsword, Yeongwoo flung it toward his mother. Whoosh! This was, in fact, a preventive measure for Bantubangtong. Handling the furious n lord alone was one thing, but dealing with Mara''s proxy on top of it would have been too much. And finally¡ª -LITTLE FOOOOOT! Bantubangtong swung his sword at Yeongwoo with murderous intent. In response, Yeongwoo threw Aratubank toward him and shouted: ¡°Lord Bang! Calm yourself!¡± Whoosh! The sacred relic of the Red Foot n, Aratubank, flew through the air, and the sight of it immediately snapped Bantubangtong out of his blind rage. His genuine reverence for the relic overpowered his fury. -You¡­! Though his sharp fangs were bared in rage, his hands reflexively let go of his weapon to catch the relic. Thump! As Bantubangtong cradled Aratubank in his arms, Yeongwoo tackled him to the ground. Thud! He toppled both Bantubangtong and the sacred relic in one move. -Urgh! As Bantubangtongy sprawled beneath the relic, Yeongwoo climbed atop it and called out to him again. ¡°Lord Bang! Lord Bang!¡± -Don¡¯t call me with that filthy mouth! I¡¯m no longer¡ª Before Bantubangtong could finish, Yeongwoo covered his mouth with one hand and whispered: ¡°Lord, our vengeance is still in motion! Don¡¯t say anything you¡¯ll regret.¡± -¡­? Bantubangtong¡¯s pupils widened, but wasn¡¯t this clearly another trick? -Mmmph! As he squirmed, trying to swat away Yeongwoo¡¯s hand, Yeongwoo pressed his forehead against Bantubangtong¡¯s and said: ¡°Lord Bang! There¡¯s a saying on Earth: If you know your enemy and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles.¡± -¡­¡­! Seeing a faint flicker of doubt in Bantubangtong¡¯s eyes, Yeongwoo continued: ¡°If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory, you¡¯ll suffer a defeat.¡± When Yeongwoo recited only part of the saying without exining, Bantubangtong¡¯s confusion deepened. Sensing this, Yeongwoo slowly removed his hand from Bantubangtong¡¯s mouth. After a moment of hesitation, Bantubangtong asked: -What does that mean? ¡°It means that if you don¡¯t know the enemy but know yourself, you¡¯ll win half the battles but lose the other half.¡± -Hmm¡­ I see. Even as a Red Foot orc, Bantubangtong couldn¡¯t help but be moved by words that struck a chord. -Is there more to the saying? ¡°Of course. Would you like to hear it?¡± When Yeongwoo asked this, Bantubangtong made a face, as if his pride was wounded. -I¡­ might be a little curious. Yeongwoo smiled and delivered the final line: ¡°If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you¡¯ll lose every battle.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w With that, Yeongwoo mmed his fist next to Bantubangtong¡¯s head. Crack! ¡°Not knowing the enemy and not knowing ourselves¡ªthat¡¯s the situation we¡¯re in right now.¡± When Yeongwoo added this with a regretful expression, Bantubangtong tilted his head. -¡­Why? ¡°Because we still don¡¯t know Mara, and Lord Bang doesn¡¯t truly know me. Nor do I truly know you.¡± -¡­¡­! ¡°Isn¡¯t that why, upon hearing just one phrase about defection, you immediately doubted me? It shows how shallow our trust is.¡± -T-That¡¯s¡­ ¡°And I, too, didn¡¯t truly understand you, Lord Bang. I never thought you¡¯d see me as a traitor so easily. You¡¯re not as steadfast as I expected.¡± -But, Little Foot! You called that scoundrel a lord! In response, Yeongwoo raised his hand, showing the back of it, with his index and middle fingers extended. "Lord. This title consists of two characters. One is ''Dae'', meaning great. Both Lord Bang and Mara Lord share this character." Then, Yeongwoo folded his index finger. Schlk. "But the ''Hyup'' I use has two types. The ''Hyup'' for Lord Bang is Heroic Hyup." Finally, Yeongwoo slowly folded his still-raised middle finger. "On the other hand, the ''Hyup'' I use for Ma Lord is Insert Hyup (’¶), the same as in the word for swindler." In short, it was a nonsensical im that he had never properly called Mara a "Lord." -You scoundrel! Again, you mock me! As expected, Lord Bang rebuked Yeongwoo, but Little Foot''s cunning logic didn¡¯t stop there. "Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will never fear the result of a hundred battles!" -¡­¡­! "To know the enemy and ourselves is the only way to fight without fear! How could I dare deceive myself?" Boom! Suddenly, Yeongwoo grabbed the top of the Aratubank. "The reason this relic was taken from your homnd is ultimately because of Mara, isn¡¯t it? But have you ever seen Mara in person?" Lord Bang¡¯s eyes widened at Yeongwoo¡¯s question. Come to think of it, though he had lost his homnd to Mara and was now tangled with him here on Earth, he had never actually seen the viin in person. "Talking about revenge without even seeing the enemy in person? No wonder we lose every battle!" -¡­¡­. His im was wless¡ªso much so that it went beyond that, leaving onepelled to agree. How could you defeat an enemy whose true form you didn¡¯t even know? "And so, I started scheming. Tomorrow, at my parents'' wedding, I will summon Lord Mara. It will be our first time seeing our enemy in the flesh." -Little Foot¡­ Truly, you¡­ Touched, Bantubangtong''s facial muscles twitched. Seeing this, Yeongwoo clenched his fist and spoke. "Today, we trulye to know each other, and tomorrow, we wille to know our enemy! So please bear with me a little longer!" As Yeongwoo whispered this and raised his fist high over the Aratubank, Lord Bang, startled, asked: -W-What are you asking me to bear? Without answering, Yeongwoo shouted so everyone could hear as he swung his fist. ¡°Lord Bang! Sorry, but in the end, it¡¯s all just business¡­!" Pow! Yeongwoo¡¯s straight punchnded squarely on Bantubangtong¡¯s face. -Urgh! As Bantubangtong spat out red blood, Song Jiseon screamed and rushed to her son. ¡ªYou crazy bastard, what are you doing?! Meanwhile, Mara, seemingly pleased with the scene, quietly erased the transcendent sentence and began withdrawing the strange aircraft hovering over Seoul. Whrrrooooom¡­! With its characteristic eerie sound, the jet-ck manta ray began ascending. "W-Wait!" Seeing this, Ben Walter looked to the sky, as if pleading to be taken with it. But before he could act, Yeongwoo, who had approached him from behind, grabbed him by the shoulder. Clench! "Can¡¯t you see? They¡¯re basically telling you to clock out." "W-What?" "They¡¯ve basically abandoned you here. Lord Mara ns to rece his agent at tomorrow¡¯s wedding." Thanks to the universalnguage system, they were essentially speaking the same Earthnguage, yet Ben couldn¡¯tprehend his opponent¡¯s words. Terms like Lord Mara and wedding felt as foreign as alien tongues. However, he did understand one thing: "If I kill you here, it might provide somefort to Lord Bang. Still, there¡¯s a way for you to leave alive." A way to leave alive. These words made Ben¡¯s eyes and ears perk up. "What is it?" "Take off your clothes." "¡­What?" When Ben asked again, Yeongwoo threatened him by brandishing Bastard "Take off your clothes, you bastard. You need to return all your issued gear before quitting, don¡¯t you?" "¡­¡­." Under Yeongwoo¡¯s threats, the Sword Master of London reluctantly began undressing, prompting Yeongwoo to deliver his next line. "You¡¯reing tomorrow too, aren¡¯t you?" "What are you talking about? Where would I even go?" "My parents¡¯ wedding, of course." "¡­¡­?" "Those who show up without wedding gifts will be beheaded at the entrance. So if you want to live tomorrow, bring money." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 344 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 344: The Path of Revenge (5) Tomorrow at 3:23 PM, Jiseon and Jeonggu¡¯s wedding day. What will happen when that timees? Neither Jiseon, the bride, Bantubangtong, one of the VIP guests, nor Ben Walter, who had just received his invitation, could have imagined it. ¡ªWhat... What are you talking about? Cutting the guests'' necks at the entrance of the wedding hall? It''s just a metaphor, right? When Jiseon asked this, Yeongwoo raised a bastard sword and replied. "Does this look like a metaphor? As the host of the wedding, there won¡¯t be any empty-handed guests." There was no need to borate further: Empty-handed guests will not leave the wedding hall alive. Yeongwoo''s reputation spoke volumes. Jiseon sighed heavily, a deep blue exhale escaping her lips. ¡ª...It''s my wedding, so why is there nothing I get to decide? A wedding hall filled with viins from across the universe, bribery, threats, and violence at every corner. She had never wanted to get married in the first ce and hadn¡¯t even imagined what her wedding would look like. But she had never dreamed it would turn out like this. Even if she could reset her life and live it thousands of times over, it would be nearly impossible to end up with a day like this again. ¡ª¡­By the way, where is my wedding hall? Jiseon asked in resignation. Yeongwoo shook his head as if she still didn¡¯t understand something important. "Our wedding hall. You¡¯re not ready to get married yet, are you?" ¡ªRight. Our wedding hall, you idiot. ¡°The venue¡¯s in Gwangjin District. No buildings, no residents¡ªit¡¯s perfect.¡± ¡ª¡­. Needless to say, it was the exact opposite of a normal wedding venue. ¡ªSo, what? Are we just getting married in a barren field? Exchanging coins or something? ¡°Who knows? I¡¯ve never conducted a wedding before. We¡¯ll have to ask Kubuter.¡± Given that figures like the founder of a pan-gctic weapons brand and even the King of Ten Thousand Demons might attend, it was hard to imagine this chaotic event being conducted casually in the middle of a wastnd. ¡°If pushes to shove, we¡¯ll ask Taewon¡¯s side to send over some personnel to set things up.¡± When Yeongwoo said this, Jiseon, her logic starting to kick back in, pointed to the sky. ¡ªWait. ¡°What?¡± ¡ªWon¡¯t another wave of mutants appear in the sky around 1 PM tomorrow? Is there even a point in decorating the venue if everything¡¯s just going to be destroyed? ¡°Well, that¡¯s true¡­¡± It was a sharp observation. Yeongwoo¡¯s expression suggested he hadn¡¯t thought that far ahead. He then turned to Ben Walter, who had been standing awkwardly on the sidelines, and gestured at him. ¡°Are you undressed yet? You should leave before I change my mind.¡± It wasn¡¯t just about sending Ben away before summoning Kubu; the man still hadn¡¯t taken off his gear. ¡°¡­¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s prompting, Ben reluctantly started removing his armor. nk. Thud. He hesitated for a moment before looking at Yeongwoo and asking, ¡°Wait¡­ you¡¯re not making me strip my underwear too, are you?¡± ¡°That might count as gear. Take it all off. Didn¡¯t you see mee in earlier with nothing on?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any gear in my underwear.¡± ¡°Just take everything off and leave.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± The defeated stay silent. In the end, Ben removed even the underwear he had been wearing beneath his armor. Only then did Yeongwoo¡¯s sharp gaze relent. ¡°You worked hard to get here. I¡¯ll make sure your way back isfortable.¡± Yeongwoo led the way, pointing to the ultra-high-speed transport system in the distance. Ben¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You¡¯re telling me to ride that?¡± ¡°Of course. Are you nning to cross continents looking like that?¡± Even as a Swordmaster from London, Ben couldn¡¯t possibly travel naked across China and the Middle East to get back to Ennd. ¡°Let me remove the usage restrictions. Take this. If you don¡¯t arrive safely in Ennd, I won¡¯t get paid tomorrow either.¡± Yeongwoo ced his hand on the terminal to unlock ess to the transport for Ben, who blinked in disbelief. ¡°So you¡¯re saying I have to take this back tomorrow too?¡± ¡°Most Earth-based guests will use this. Now, hurry up and make some money.¡± With that, Yeongwoo shoved the now-naked Ben Walter into the transport terminal. Yeongwoo turned back, watching the startled Swordmaster enveloped in light and whisked away. ¡°Mother.¡± ¡ª¡­Huh? ¡°Let¡¯s have a look at that weapon now.¡± He was referring to the sword Ben had handed over to Jiseon¡ªa mysterious greatsword that allowed its wielder to teleport. It was finally time to examine the spoils of war. ¡°It¡¯s probably gear bestowed by Mara. There¡¯s no way something capable of teleportation would be unlocked so early.¡± This was a fact he knew from experience. Equipment of this level, far beyond the ordinary, could usually only be obtained through legendary achievements or transfers from external sources. The Golden Trail autobat greatsword and Bastard were cases in point. ¡ªHere, take it. Whoosh! Jiseon picked up the greatsword from the ground and tossed it to Yeongwoo. A smoky trail followed the weapon''s arc. -This smell is foul. Bantubangtong scowled, clearly displeased by the stench emanating from the weapon. And indeed¡ª ng! The sword in Yeongwoo¡¯s hands turned out to be an artifact from the void. ¡¸Lightbreaker¡¹ - Void Greatsword ¡¾Void Step¡¿ ¡¾Dark Shadow¡¿ ¡¾Ability damage increased by 20%.¡¿ ¡¾Void Step¡¿ |You can teleport to the location where the Lightbreaker is. ¡¾Dark Shadow¡¿ |Increases all attack power by 20% against enemies with the light attribute. ¡°Whoa, what is this? You¡¯ve been keeping something like this all to yourself?¡± The Light Splitter. Looking like a massive conch shell, this grotesque greatsword was unmistakably the weapon of a viin. Its ominous name, intimidating appearance, and special effect of Dark Shadows all pointed to its purpose: opposing the light. ¡®Not that light is always good or righteous. The world isn¡¯t so ck and white. And just because you use violence doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re a viin!¡¯ As Yeongwoo thought this, he shot the Lightbreaker toward the ground ahead. The massive greatsword from the voidnded with a thunderous crash, embedding itself into the earth. Boom! Then, as Yeongwoo cast Void Step, his vision instantly turned ashen, and everything around him felt as if it had frozen in ce. ¡®What? This is¡­¡¯ The phenomenon was identical to what urred when he used the ck Sphere at night to summon dungeons. ¡®So, it really is a void step.¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Though he couldn¡¯t fully grasp the mechanism, the teleportation executed by the sword clearly utilized the power of the void for swift movement. Perhaps it operated on principles simr to wormholes, one of the universe¡¯s many hypotheses. It was also evident that the act of transforming the surrounding space into ash gray to summon dungeons with the ck Sphere was deeply connected to the void. ¡®What exactly is the void? What gives it such immense influence?¡¯ After all, even the Chairman he encountered in the Dogo Dungeon, back when he was a prince, had wielded the power of the void. Hadn''t he nearly been sucked into the void as punishment for incurring the prince¡¯s wrath? ¡®And now I¡¯m supposed to take down the ruler of this void¡­?¡¯ As Yeongwoo questioned whether he was truly on the right path, the frozen scenery suddenly blurred and retreated into the distance. Whoosh! The Void Step¡ªthat is, the teleportation¡ªwas in motion. Zap! His ashen vision returned to normal, and the natural sounds that had been silenced came back into focus. The noises of the people nearby and the distant bustle of the city reached his ears again. It was only then that Yeongwoo realized he had briefly dipped into another dimension¡ªinto the void¡ªand returned. "Damn." He hadn¡¯t moved a single step of his own will, yet the Lightbreaker was now standing upright near his left hand. "How much time has passed?" When Yeongwoo asked, Jiseon, who had been staring nkly at him, answered. ¡ªTime? What time? Barely 0.1 seconds. "Insane." Yeongwoo shuddered at her response, recalling the curse¡ªif it could even be called that¡ªuttered by the guild leader from his prince days. ¡¸Feel the eternity of time within the void!¡¹ It hadn¡¯t been an empty threat. ¡®Damn it, that lunatic really did try to trap me in an eternity within the void.¡¯ The void. In this enigmatic space, time could either flow incredibly slowly or not at all. If he lost to Mara, the master of this void, during their inevitable sh... ¡®I might end up experiencing a fate worse than death.¡¯ A chill ran down Yeongwoo¡¯s spine. Yet, abandoning his battle against Mara was not an option. After all, Bantubangtong, the chief of the Red Foot n and his first official client, was still standing there, staring at him without a shred of clothing. ¡°¡­Lord Bang.¡± -What now? ¡°I think Mara might be a stronger opponent than we anticipated.¡± -That was already made clear back on our home. ¡°No, Mara is far stronger than even you realize.¡± A realm where thews of time were defied¡ªthe void. And its ruler, Mara. Perhaps the moniker "Walks in the Shadows of Cosmic Laws" stemmed from the peculiar time distortion of the void. Regardless, Mara was an iprehensibly powerful entity. To keep his promise to Lord Bang and the others, he would have to face the impossible. =So, has your resolve wavered? At this question from Lord Bang, Yeongwoo shook his head. ¡°True loyalty, in my opinion, is about unwavering determination.¡± -Unwavering determination¡­? ¡°Even if something is impossible, striving to repay one¡¯s debts at any cost¡ªthat, to me, is loyalty and my core value.¡± ng! Yeongwoo pulled the Lightbreaker from the ground. ¡°And Lord Bang, along with your brothers, are people to whom I owe a great debt. So even if Mara is the god of this universe, I will not back down!¡± Whoosh! As Yeongwoo raised the Lightbreaker into the air, the void¡¯s distinctive acrid energy dispersed around him. This time, however, Lord Bang didn¡¯t grimace. He could see that Yeongwoo¡¯s small feet were still firmly on the path of vengeance. ¡°Kubu! Are you present?!¡± With the Lightbreaker pointed skyward, Yeongwoo called for his tax ountant. The sky over Samseong-dong split open, and Kubu emerged. ¡ªYes. I¡¯m here. ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s ceremony in Gwangjin-gu¡ªis it just a matter of setting a location, and everything else happens automatically?¡± So far, they¡¯d only designated a venue and submitted a guest list. If things continued as they were, the center of Gwangjin-gu would simply host a horde of gctic beings and Earth¡¯s elite bringing bribes to a barren wastnd. ¡ªOf course not. As expected, Kubu immediately shook his head. ¡ªA formal ceremony is an official ritual managed by the family court. There are specific procedures, and the designated venue must have physical structures in ce. Physical structures. In simple terms, there needed to be seating for guests or a tform of some kind. Kubu¡¯s gaze shifted northwest, presumably checking the state of the Gwangjin-gu venue. ¡ªCurrently, Gwangjin-gucks the necessary structures. ¡°Then? Is there a contractor for that¡­?¡± ¡ªYes. "These damn space-faring bastards. Another excuse to take money." As Yeongwoo cursed, clenching and unclenching his fists, Kubu blinked. ¡ªThe family court can provide basic essential structures free of charge. ¡°Huh? Really?¡± So there was something akin to a public wedding venue avable for dispatch? What kind of gctic welfare system was this? ¡ªHowever, if you desire additional instations, you¡¯ll need to hire a private contractor. Additional instations. A very vague term. Yeongwoo asked, ¡°When you say additional instations¡­ does that include execution tforms?¡± ¡ª¡­¡­? Kubu, seemingly unable to immediately grasp what Yeongwoo meant, hesitated and blinked rapidly. Yeongwoo rified. "Public execution tforms. Can those be set up at the ceremony venue if I pay? Maybe even exhibition halls to disy the guests¡¯ mary gifts?" At this, Kubu blinked faster than ever before and cautiously replied. ¡ªI will connect you with the appropriate affiliate businesses. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 345 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 345: Affiliated Businesses (1) Affiliated Businesses. A venue that installs public execution tforms for weddings? Jiseon couldn¡¯t help but be astonished. ¡ª What kind of people live there¡­? Unconsciously, she found herself looking up at the sky. ¡ª ... For the first time, she thought she might understand her son a little better¡ªthe crazy boy who spent every free moment staring at the sky. But even so¡­ ¡°Oh, really? So you can set up different tiers for the guest seats as well?¡± She doubted she¡¯d ever fully understand her son, especially when he said things like this without a hint of shame. ¡°Like first ss for the biggest cash gifts, second ss for the next tier, and if a new top donor arrives, the current first ss gets bumped down to second ss, and second to third!¡± As Yeongwoo enthusiastically described his ideal seating arrangements, Kubu blinked slowly, expressing his disapproval in silence. ¡ª That¡¯s something you should discuss further with the affiliated business. He then turned his gaze back toward the north. He was once again surveying Gwangjin District, where the wedding venue was to be set up. ¡ª We¡¯ll summon the instation team to Gwangjin District. However¡­ ¡°¡­However?¡± ¡ª Since Metal Seoul¡¯s city level is currently at ¡®3,¡¯ the mayor¡¯s approval is required for any external ess. ¡°Oh?¡± This was unexpected. For the first time, they now had a say in whether external forces could enter. ¡°Wow¡­ So at level 3, we can start regting ess.¡± Of course, major forces like Dogo, Mara, and Lemu could stille and go as they pleased, but it was a start. It was just a tiny sliver of autonomy, butpared to before, it was a significant step forward. ¡°This is about city-level ess, though, notary ess, right?¡± When Yeongwoo asked this, Kubu answered immediately, as if it wasn¡¯t a difficult question. ¡ª That¡¯s correct. In other words, other areas outside of Metal Seoul remained open to external forces. At this, Yeongwoo turned to his mother and said: ¡°Now do you understand why Metal Seoul must be Earth¡¯s new capital?¡± ¡ª ¡­You crazy brat, I haven¡¯t said a word yet. Jiseon shuddered. Then, noticing the abandoned armor lying nearby, she turned to Yeongwoo. ¡ª Isn¡¯t that one of your spoils of war? Don¡¯t forget to take it with you. ¡°Oh.¡± Prompted by his mother¡¯s remark, Yeongwoo suddenly remembered Tsushima. The battlefield where he had left behind the Strongest Swords and his brothers. ¡°Lord Bang.¡± ¡ª Speak. ¡°Now that the immediate crisis is resolved, you should return to Tsushima. That war needs to be wrapped up as well.¡± At this, Lord Bang tilted his head and looked at Yeongwoo. ¡ª What about you? Are you saying you¡¯re not returning to the battlefield? ¡°I n to return before the war ends, but¡­¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze drifted northward again. After all, nning his parents¡¯ wedding was as important as the war on Tsushima. ¡°First, I need to check on the wedding venue.¡± ¡ª ...I see. Lord Bang couldn¡¯t hide his disappointment at the war being relegated to second ce. Yeongwoo, noticing this, tried to soothe him by adding: ¡°When you return, there should be equipment left behind by the Lemu faction. You and the brothers can divide it among yourselves.¡± He was referring to Lemu¡¯sbat robots and theser swords distributed to Japanese swordsmen. ¡°I¡¯m sure the Japanese side brought some of their own gear as well. Discuss it with the Strongest Swords and distribute it ordingly.¡± Not that there would be much. Given that fighting naked was a baseline requirement for the war, personal equipment was mostly limited to essories. ¡ª And you? Don¡¯t you need anything? When Lord Bang asked this, Yeongwoo thought for a moment before replying simply. ¡°If there¡¯s any equipment resistant to abilities or that mitigates damage, I¡¯d like that.¡± Though he didn¡¯t have high hopes. Equipment like that had a low drop rate. It was far more likely that Yechan, currently traveling the world to deliver wedding invitations whileworking with merchants, would find such equipment. ¡®I hope Yechanes back alive and well.¡¯ As Yeongwoo thought this, another idea came to him, and he called out to Lord Bang again. ¡°Lord Bang.¡± ¡ª What now? Lord Bang, who had been heading toward the tower, turned back. ¡°The Strongest Swords¡¯ equipment is stored at the upper levels of Tsushima¡¯s tower.¡± ¡ª That makes sense. ¡°And you have administrative control over the transport routes, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡ª I do. ¡°You might not realize this yet.¡± ¡ª What do you mean? ¡°If you lock the transport routes before the war ends and demand money from the Strongest Swords, you could extract a significant amount. You could then use that money to power Darwin¡¯s dimensional gate and rescue more of your brothers.¡± In simpler terms, he was suggesting holding the equipment at the top of the tower hostage to extort money from the Seoul Alliance. ¡ª ...Little Foot. As expected, Lord Bang gave Yeongwoo a scolding look, as if addressing a misbehaving child. ¡ª You seem to umte karma with every breath you take. ¡°They used to pay protection fees daily anyway. But now, since I¡¯m not charging them, their situation has actually improved. They¡¯re rich, trust me.¡± In Yeongwoo¡¯s view, taking a little now wouldn¡¯t hurt. Moreover, activating the dimensional gate would let him strengthen his void fragments, effectively killing two birds with one stone. It was, in essence, embezzling Seoul¡¯s assets. But there was no way Lord Bang would use such cunning tactics. ¡ª If it¡¯s truly justifiable, you do it yourself. ¡°I can¡¯t. I¡¯m the mayor of Seoul¡ªI can¡¯t exploit my own citizens.¡± The mayor¡¯s actions could alwayse back to haunt him during election campaigns. But his brothers were different. Even though they had gained control of Seoul¡¯s Guro District and were effectively citizens of Seoul, they weren¡¯t public officials. ¡°Think of the brothers still left on your home.¡± ¡ª My brothers wouldn¡¯t want to survive by oppressing others for their money. ¡°The Strongest Swords aren¡¯t weaklings, Lord Bang.¡± ¡ª The strong don¡¯t get extorted. Which means the only one here who isn¡¯t weak is you, Little Foot. Lord Bang then silently looked at Dragon Song Jiseon. It was as if his gaze was saying that Jiseon, forced to ept a wedding involving an execution tform, was also a victim in her own right. ¡ª M-Master¡­ Jiseon, impressed by the Orc Lord''s profound insight, unconsciously muttered the title "Master," while Bantubangtong began walking toward the tower again. -To my eyes, Mara also seems like someone who pays back debts no matter what. Does that mean Mara, too, possesses a sense of ''justice''? ¡°¡­¡­!¡± -I still don¡¯t quite understand what ¡®justice¡¯ is. It seems you don¡¯t fully understand it either, so keep pondering. Finally, Lord Bang reached the lower levels of the tower. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w He stepped beyond the widely arching outer wall and informed Yeongwoo: -Today, I will not draw my sword twice. This meant he would not extort money from the top swordsmen after the war ended but instead let them go. Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but admire him and bowed deeply to send Bantubangtong off with respect. ¡°I will have to think deeply about this. I respect the Master¡¯s will.¡± As Bantubangtong entered the tower, his body ascended to the heavens, glowing with light. Witnessing this, Jiseon slowly approached her son and spoke. ¡ªYou¡¯re the only garbage in this city. ¡°People who don¡¯t bring wedding gifts are garbage too. Let¡¯s go build the execution tform.¡± * * * Gwangjin District. The official battleground of Seoul as designated by Metal Seoul Mayor Jeong Yeongwoo and also the wedding venue for Yeongwoo''s parents. A ce where even beings from the higher echelons of the universe might attend was, for now, literally an empty wastnd. ¡ªHow do you even set up a wedding venue here? Jiseon looked over the deste Gwangjin Districtndscape and asked, to which Yeongwoo habitually looked to the sky. ¡°Nothing¡¯s impossible in the universe. I think setting it up will take less than 10 seconds if the configuration is ready in advance.¡± ¡ªBut the venue you¡¯re setting up isn¡¯t a normal one, is it? ¡°If there¡¯s a rted business, doesn¡¯t that mean someone has done a simr task before?¡± Saying this, Yeongwoo nced at Kubu, who was blinking nearby. The pitiful administrative agent closed his eyelids, then gave a report instead of a direct response. ¨CThe instationpany has arrived and is requesting entry into the city. Shall I allow it? Though still invisible, the wedding hallpany was waiting for permission to open its gates somewhere beyond the sky. Yeongwoo nodded. ¡°Yes, let them in. But only allow entry into the Gwangjin District.¡± When Yeongwoo added this condition, Kubu blinked a few more times and reported: ¨CThe affiliated business has been granted ess to Gwangjin District. At almost the same moment, a small ck hole appeared in the sky, and from it, something resembling a rusty monkey wrench shot out. Shreeeeek! As the object quickly grew in size, it became evident it was some sort of spacecraft. ¡ªWhat is that? Watching the suspicious vessel, Jiseon voiced the ominous question. The crude-looking object was heading straight for the wedding venue. Yeongwoo, knowing that the appearance of a vessel often reflects the nature of its upants, had a gut feeling. ¡°No matter how you look at it, that¡¯s not a weddingpany.¡± When Yeongwoo looked to Kubu for rification, Kubu blinked hisrge eyes and replied: ¨CThe venue for the ceremony must fulfill the mandatory requirements set by the family court. Kubu exined that as long as the stage for exchanging gifts, seating for the guests, and an outer wall of a certain specification were in ce, the physical form of the wedding venue would suffice. ¡°So? Then as long as it meets those requirements and we add an execution tform or two, there¡¯s no problem, right?¡± When Yeongwoo demanded further rification, Kubu¡¯s eyelids trembled slightly. ¨CTypically, the ¡®additional structures¡¯ for ceremonies include thrones for special guests or devices to harmonize withary atmospheres. ¡°So, are you saying my requested execution tform doesn¡¯t qualify as an ¡®additional structure¡¯?¡± When Yeongwoo asked, Kubu answered him head-on for the first time. ¨CThat¡¯s correct! ¡°What?¡± ¨CI judged that the requested ¡®additional structure¡¯ cannot be installed through the ceremony service provider. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Something wasn¡¯t adding up. If that¡¯s the case, what exactly was thepany descending from the sky? Swoosh. ¡°Then what is that? Didn¡¯t you say it was an affiliated business?¡± When Yeongwoo pointed to the sky, the strange vessel crashed into the northern part of Gwangjin District. Boom! It was more of a crash than anding, and Kubu blinked rapidly as he spoke. ¨CQuaya¡¯s Hammer. ¡°Quaya¡¯s Hammer?¡± ¨CA prison constructionpany. ¡°What?!¡± This guy hadn¡¯t summoned a wedding-affiliated business; he¡¯d brought in apany for execution tforms. ¡°Is this guy insane?¡± As Earth¡¯s absolute martial master, Yeongwoo gaped in astonishment. But Kubu added even more shocking details as if prepared for this moment. ¨CRegardless of the process, as long as the mandatory requirements are met, the venue will be officially recognized. So, if you use them, it¡¯s theoretically possible to build a wedding venue with an execution tform. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Indeed, one is influenced by thepany they keep. Yeongwoo had to admit that his dark energy had seeped into Kubu as well. ¡°That¡¯s a brilliant idea. Let¡¯s do it.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 346 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 346: Affiliated Businesses (2) Building a wedding hall through a prison constructionpany. Wasn¡¯t this the era of universal expansion? So nothing was impossible. Even intermediary Kubu had struggled to find a simr case before finallying up with a solution after much thought. ¡°For Kubu¡¯s sake¡­ we have no choice.¡± When Yeongwoo muttered this, Jiseon snapped at him. ¡ªIf you just gave up on the execution tform, you wouldn¡¯t have to resort to this nonsense. ¡°But that¡¯s the core of it. Besides, this is actually a good thing.¡± ¡ª...What? ¡°When else would I get to meet a prison constructionpany?¡± ¡ª¡­¡­ This guy, his mindset is just different, Jiseon thought to herself. ¡ªWhy a prison? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re nning on ending up there someday? ¡°You never know what the future holds.¡± As Yeongwoo said this, someone appeared from within a rusty, crashed spaceship in the distance. ¡°Are those the contractors?¡± As Yeongwoo asked this and pointed, three massive figures, seemingly draped in ck raincoats, were walking toward them. They stood about four meters tall. Though their thick limbs were faintly visible through their cloaks, they were bipedal with only two arms, making them not entirely alien. Compared to theary inspectors they had encountered before, these figures were almost familiar in appearance. All three wore metallic masks with multiple small holes, which made Yeongwoo wonder for a moment if they were of the same species as the cloaked inspectors. ¡ªYes, those are the prison contractors, Hammer of Quaya. Hammer of Quaya¡­ The name felt oddly familiar, and Yeongwoo tilted his head until he remembered. It was from the hazardous contractor list he¡¯d seen when selectingary developmentpanies. [Hazardous Contractor List] A ranking ofpanies unsuitable forary development. Dogo Hammer of Quaya Toma Hexagon Cerium ¡°Ah¡­! Quaya!¡± Yeongwoo eximed as he finally recalled their background, and Jiseon, resting her hand on her greatsword, asked, ¡ªWhat? Who are they? ¡°They¡¯re Hammer of Quaya, ranked second as the most unsuitable forary development!¡± ¡ªWhat? Jiseon turned her head to look at the approaching contractors, now only a few dozen meters away. She muttered in a low voice, just loud enough for Yeongwoo to hear, ¡ªThey build prisons, of course they¡¯re unsuitable forary development¡­ Then, as if another thought crossed her mind, she asked Yeongwoo, ¡ªWait, a prison constructionpany is ranked second? Who¡¯s ranked first, then? Yeongwoo nced up at the sky and replied, ¡°Our Chairman.¡± ¡ªWhat the hell. Jiseon instinctively looked up at the sky. This crazy son of a gun had summoned the first and second most dangerous contractors from the cklist. ¡ªDo you think you can handle this? ¡°Considering that the number one contractor is my sponsor, how could it get any riskier?¡± ¡ªHah. Jiseon let out a hollowugh as Hammer of Quaya came within ten meters. Thud. Their footsteps carried a tremendous weight. It was at this moment that they realized what they thought were raincoats were actually something closer to enormous wings. ¡®What¡­ what are these guys?¡¯ A creeping unease began to rise in Yeongwoo, making him swallow nervously. The mortality rate in intergctic prisons was said to be 84%. Would the prisons these people built be just as deadly? Thud! As the contractors took another step closer, they alternated nces between Yeongwoo and Jiseon before slightly nodding. -Who is the boss here? Despite their bizarre appearance, their greeting was so familiar it could havee from an Earthling. Jiseon pointed at her son with her greatsword and replied, ¡ªThis guy is the boss. The three contractors simultaneously turned to stare at Yeongwoo. -Ah, Boss. It¡¯s an honor to meet you. ¡°Ah, yes.¡± -We are servants of the Master of Abyss, Quaya. The Master of Abyss, Quaya. Yet another extraordinary figure to encounter. ¡°I¡¯m Jeong Yeongwoo-07, Mayor of Metal Seoul, Dogo Special City.¡± As Yeongwoo introduced himself, the contractors briefly stirred before bowing slightly and cautiously asking, -By any chance, are you from that Dogo? Before Yeongwoo could answer, the wedge emblem of Dogo lit up on the upper arm of his Vesedel armor. Fwoosh! -Ah. The contractors¡¯ reaction seemed anything but pleased, and the reason quickly became clear. -In that case, we¡¯ll only charge half the contract fee. ¡°What?¡± Yeongwoo, who rarely made concessions when it came to money, couldn¡¯t hide his surprise. What kind of crazypany would voluntarily cut their fee in half? ¡°Do you have some kind of brotherly bond with our Chairman?¡± Yeongwoo threw out the most usible exnation, but the contractors subtly shook their heads. -Dogo affiliates are provided services at cost. Their answer was cryptic, loaded with implications. ¡®Did these guys get beaten by the Chairman in the past or something?¡¯ If it wasn¡¯t brotherhood, then that seemed like the next most likely exnation. ¡°So¡­ is Hammer of Quaya essentially apany run by the Master of Abyss?¡± -No, we are more like a subsidiary. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± To think that a prison constructionpany was a mere subsidiary¡­ Just what kind of entity was this Quaya? ¡®But considering their favorable attitude toward the Chairman, there must be some kind of connection between them...¡¯ As Yeongwoo scratched his chin in thought, the contractors spoke again, as if to cut off his spection. -We¡¯d like to greet the boss properly. Could you teach us the customary greeting on this? Yeongwoo paused for a moment before extending his right hand. "How about a handshake?" He suggested, curious about the inside of the other¡¯s massive, cloak-like wings. "If you have a right hand, just extend it empty-handed and sp it with mine." -Very well. Then I¡¯ll do it on behalf of us. At Yeongwoo¡¯s suggestion, the figure in the middle of the three merchants stepped forward, slightly parting the ovepping wings that covered their entire body. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Creak. A sound reminiscent of leather seats rubbing against each other echoed out, and from within¡ª "¡­!" Arge arm made entirely of jet-ck bones stretched out. ¡®What the heck, are these guys Death Knights or something?¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s pupils dted as he grasped the massive hand of his counterpart. Crunch. "Excuse me¡­ What should I call you?" Yeongwoo asked, running his hand over the skeletal arm. The merchant replied, -We dare not possess names. "Still, I need something convenient to call you. How about I assign you a temporary name for the duration of our dealings?" -That¡¯s¡­ unheard of¡­ "How about Kobu?" -¡­? Kobu¡¯s flustered reaction was evident, even from behind the mask. Yeongwoo¡¯s chosen name was simply a reversal of the first syble of Kubu, the mediator¡¯s title. ¡ªHey, you jerk! That¡¯s seriously rude¡­! Unable to hold back, Jiseon let out a small scream and muttered, but what could be done? The words had already been spoken. ¡°Why? It¡¯s better than Mr. Contractor. Mr. Kobu, and Mr. Tobu, and Mr. Chobu. Wee to Earth.¡± Yeongwoo smiled brightly as he shook the hand of the person in front of him. The representative of Quaya''s Hammer, Kobu, nced at his colleagues on either side. Then. -Pleased to meet you. Following Yeongwoo¡¯s lead, Kobu shook his own arm. ¡°Great. Then please, this way first.¡± After the introductions wereplete, Yeongwoo began walking toward the ¡°tower¡± visible in the Gwangjin District, and Kobu, Tobu, and Chobu followed in line. ¡°That¡¯s the entrance the general guests, meaning those native to this, will use.¡± Yeongwoo pointed to the lower section of a high-speed transit station as he spoke. Hearing this, Kobu paused briefly and asked: -Guests¡­? ¡°Yes, guests.¡± -We came to install an execution tform. Therefore, those to be hung on the tform should be prisoners or captives. ¡°Ah.¡± Finally realizing there was something more important than a handshake, Yeongwoo nced back into the air behind him, but Kubu had already disappeared. ¡°This jerk¡­¡± But the business had already begun. Calming himself, Yeongwoo spoke as if he were carefully exining Korean to a foreigner, adding gestures for rity. ¡°I.¡± Thump. Yeongwoo pointed at his own chest. Then, vaguely gesturing toward a spot in the air, he continued. ¡°n to hang the guests. On the execution tform.¡± He even mimed shing his neck with his hand, which finally made Kobu understand. -What are the guests for? ¡°They¡¯re here to witness a wedding cere¡­ no, a union ceremony.¡± -¡­? Kobu said nothing further but looked around at the devastated Gwangjin District. -Surely this isn¡¯t the ceremony venue? ¡°Yes. And you¡¯re here to build that venue.¡± -¡­Ah. A sigh heavy with dismay escaped from Kobu. ¡°You can do it, right? As long as the venue meets certain requirements, the family court will approve it. It¡¯s not illegal, so if it¡¯s done properly, it¡¯s actually possible, isn¡¯t it?¡± Yeongwoo spoke as if this was knowledge he¡¯d had all along, though he¡¯d only learned it a few minutes ago. Kobu quietly withdrew the hand he had extended for a handshake earlier. -We cannot build elegant structures. ¡°Then build it like a prison.¡± Yeongwoo gestured vaguely toward the entrance of the tower behind him. ¡°Once guests exit this tower, is there a way to ensure they don¡¯t escape? A sturdy passage connecting the tower to the venue entrance seems necessary.¡± -¡­It¡¯s possible. Does this tower only amodate general guests? ¡°Yes, but some mighte carrying legendary weapons, so the passage should be unbreakable.¡± -Not even a legend can destroy our prison. ¡°You¡¯re the contractor I was looking for.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes gleamed with a hint of madness. Whoosh! This was when Yeongwoo threw a de, embedding it in the ground about 50 meters from the tower entrance. ¡°That spot seems suitable for the venue entrance. Can you also add a function to adjust the height of the passage?¡± -Additional costs could range from 50 million to 300 million karma. ¡°Then let¡¯s add it.¡± For Yeongwoo, this ceremony was the biggest business opportunity since the reset. The congrattory gifts alone, if well-extracted, could rake in hundreds of millions, or even billions. Considering contributions from the ¡°big yers,¡± investing in the millions didn¡¯t seem burdensome. ¡°The maximum height of general guests is about 2 meters. The ceiling height should drop to 1.5 meters before they enter so they can¡¯t draw their swords recklessly.¡± ¡ªWhat? Why go that far? Jiseon let out a frustrated sigh at such a malicious design. ¡°Some guests might not get along. So before they reach the venue, we make them hunch over and walk straight ahead.¡± Guests equaled money. So, until they offered their gifts, it was best to ensure they stayed alive. -Boss, what¡¯s the range for non-general guests? Kobu finally asked the most critical business question. Non-general guests. Thoseing from beyond the stars were the real issue. Their cosmic statuses varied, as did their heights, bodilypositions, and methods of visiting Earth. As such, Yeongwoo, a mere Earthling, couldn¡¯t even begin to predict their needs. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we design for the most dangerous guest? Chairman Dogo, Mara, and maybe even Lemu could show up.¡± Counting on his fingers, Yeongwoo listed the non-general guests, and Kobu looked toward the sky. -In that case, it¡¯s impossible to build a passage for them. ¡°Why?¡± -They will arrive in the manner they choose. However. ¡°However?¡± -Under cosmicw, conflicts between beings of the same tier must be minimized. Therefore, separate arrival points for each¡­ ¡°What? I was nning to start a gift battle between them¡­¡± -What? ¡°You haven¡¯t heard of the giftpetition era?¡± [PR/N: This dude is insane ??] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 347 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 347: Affiliated Businesses (3) - A congrattory gift¡­ Did you say it¡¯s an exhibhition? Kobu stared nkly at Yeongwoo and then casually nced around at the panoramic view of Gwangjin-gu. It felt like a notion that wouldn¡¯t arise on such a remote. - If it¡¯s Lemu, they¡¯re already at a legal grade of Level 4, and President Dogo is¡­ Level 3 under cosmicw. In other words, Kobu was trying to convey that he shouldn¡¯t dare y games with such entities. ¡°Oh, so Lemu is pretty famous? If Kobu knows not just thepany¡¯s name but also its grade, it must be.¡± - It¡¯s not just Lemu. All the guests you just mentioned are in the danger category. Kobu muttered something while alternating nces between Tobu and Chobu. He seemed to be saying that they¡¯d gotten themselves into serious trouble today. ¡°Kobu.¡± - Yes, boss. ¡°Once you start thinking about something like this, you¡¯ll never begin. Just build it.¡± - ¡­? Before Kobu could respond, Yeongwoo moved to the spot where the entrance to the wedding hall would be constructed. Click, click. ¡°Since there¡¯s a chance cosmic merchants might attend, the entrance has to be built asrge as possible.¡± Amodations had to be made for all sorts of bodies: giants, enormous insects, and massive blobs of oil. ¡°And for regr guests, I want them to feel an overwhelming sense of foreboding when they walk down the passageway to the wedding hall entrance. Something that makes them feel like they¡¯ve made a serious mistake.¡± When Yeongwoo made this request, Kobu finally began taking the project seriously and offered his skilled opinion. - If the maximum height of regr guests is about two meters, simply building arge lobby will have enough of an effect. Then he gestured vaguely above Yeongwoo¡¯s head. - The space itself should suggest that it wasn¡¯t built with them in mind. Excessively high ceilings, unnervingly empty spaces that feel unnecessary, almost as if something has been prepared for them. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Hearing this, Yeongwoo could now appreciate the fact that the individuals in front of him were experts in constructing prisons across the universe. - Many beings feel small in spaces that don¡¯t consider their presence. It¡¯s like how a three-legged being panics when given a chair with only two footrests. An oppressive space should exclude the subject¡¯s characteristics. At this, Jiseon leaned in close to Yeongwoo and whispered softly. ¡ªRemember this well. You never know when you¡¯ll be standing before a chair with only one footrest yourself. This was a jab at her son¡¯s reckless behavior, suggesting that it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if he ended up imprisoned one day. Yeongwoo retorted immediately. ¡°But if I lose a leg, I¡¯ll only get stronger.¡± ¡ªWhat did you say, you punk? While Jiseon growled, Yeongwoo was already imagining the grand scale of the wedding hall lobby as he walked off somewhere. Click, click. ¡°In my lobby, there must be an execution tform and a congrattory podium. Guests will approach the podium, sign their names in the ledger, and pay their gifts.¡± - A ledger, you say¡­? ¡°It¡¯s like a guestbook. A record that says, ¡®I attended this event.¡¯¡± Hearing this, Kobu nodded. - Like a prison inmate roster. We can prepare that immediately. ¡°Well, it¡¯s simr enough.¡± The project proceeded smoothly. Having constructed numerous cosmic prisons before, Kobu was a veteran who even understood the nuances of an interster guestbook. - However, there might be many who don¡¯t leave their names. ¡°What do you mean by not leaving their names?¡± - Different cultures have vastly different ways of signing guestbooks. ording to Kobu, some species drew lines with swords to sign, while others left parts of their bodies as their signature. In other words, they would need methods tailored to each culture to collect guestbooks from everyone. ¡°So, should we stockpile tiles or iron tes or something?¡± - Fortunately, we have specialized signature sheets prepared by type. ¡°You¡¯re a true professional.¡± - However, there will be additional charges. ¡°¡­?¡± The pattern was bing clear. So Yeongwoo asked outright. ¡°Kobu, the additional charges don¡¯t apply to the Dogo special rate, do they?¡± Kobu hesitated briefly before confessing. - That¡¯s correct. ¡°Well, it wouldn¡¯t be fair to do all this work at cost after traveling so far. I won¡¯t be stingy¡ªafter all, this is a family celebration.¡± Yeongwoo spoke magnanimously. Given the malicious structure of the wedding hall, thepetition among guests to give gifts was bound to intensify. Thus, any additional costs for the hall would essentially be passed on to the guests. ¡°Just don¡¯t let them whine aboutpeting within the same grade.¡± - ¡­Understood. Kobu exchanged nces with Tobu and Chobu again. Seeing this, Yeongwoo pointed west and made a suggestion. ¡°How about putting the execution tform over there?¡± - ¡­What type of execution method are you considering? ¡°The actual act would be beheading, but adding a gallows for intimidation might also be effective. You know what a gallows is?¡± Yeongwoo mimicked a choking motion with his hands, and Kobu leaned back, appalled. - I¡¯m familiar. ¡°Just hanging an empty noose on the gallows can send a strong message. Personally, I hope no one has to be executed.¡± Hearing this, Jiseon asked, worriedly. ¡ªIn the worst-case scenario, are you really going to execute the guests? That¡¯s not just intimidation¡ªif you do that, public opinion will turn against you. If her son truly nned to dominate Earth, he would need to consider not just domestic sentiment but international sentiment as well. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w But Yeongwoo was firm. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t want to execute anyone. But threats only work if they¡¯re ¡®real.¡¯ The guestsing to this wedding are likely hardened veterans. A half-hearted threat won¡¯t make them pay.¡± ¡ª ¡­ Jiseon had much to say but couldn¡¯t muster the courage to speak. ¡°Our wedding¡¯s gifting system uses a two-strike rule.¡± ¡ªTwo strikes? ¡°Guests whoe empty-handed are detained in a special prison set up in the lobby.¡± ¡ªWhat? ¡°Then we send messengers to their respective nations, demanding ransom from their leaders if they want their people released.¡± ¡ªThat¡¯s just kidnapping¡­ You¡¯re saying guests will be taken hostage if theye empty-handed? Jiseon sighed deeply. However, Yeongwoo had his own justification for the executions. "Anyway, the big money ising from the guests from space. The money we get from Earth guests is really just pocket change." ¡ªWhat? Then why are you extorting money to the point of executing people? "First, it''s a test of sincerity. Second¡­" Yeongwoo''s gaze shifted somewhere. He was probably imagining the ¡®special prison¡¯ that would be set up in the wedding venue lobby. "We¡¯re assessing that person¡¯s reputation and value." ¡ªReputation? "The Earth guests are the top names from various regions, so if they¡¯re kidnapped at the wedding venue, there¡¯s no way their home countries won¡¯t pay. At this point, a national powerhouse isn¡¯t a simple asset you can rece with mere pennies." ¡ªTh-then? "Even so, if no onees forward with money to rescue the detained individual, it boils down to one of two things." Yeongwoo raised one finger as he spoke. "Either their people want them to die and disappear because they¡¯re a tyrant¡­" He extended a second finger. "Or it means there¡¯s an equally powerful second-inmand ready to rece them." ¡ªTh-that¡¯s usible? "Even if there¡¯s a third reason, whatever it may be, it¡¯s still enough justification to kill them. They didn¡¯t bring any money, after all." This was, essentially, Yeongwoo¡¯s real intention. ¡ª¡­¡­. "For whatever reason, if tribute isn¡¯t paid even after giving them one more chance, the detained individual will be executed immediately. And we¡¯ll use their equipment to make up for the tribute." As Yeongwoo spoke with excitement, Kobu, who had been quietly listening, cautiously interjected. -So, where exactly do you n to set up the tribute disy area? Kobu scanned the vicinity near where the execution stage and the tribute tform were likely to be ced. Naturally, he assumed it would be somewhere in the wedding venue lobby. But Yeongwoo¡­ He turned his head in apletely different direction from where Kobu was looking. "I¡¯m nning to use the entire front wall inside the wedding hall. When my parents exchange their wedding gifts, I want the tribute rankings disyed in the background." -What? ¡ªExcuse me? Kobu and Jiseon were both startled at the same time. This was a system neither the wedding venue nor the prison had ever seen. ¡ªHey, take it easy... Just how far are you nning to take this? "How far? To space, of course." Yeongwoo looked up at the sky¡ªor rather, to space. "Think about it. Dogo and Lemu, who don¡¯t get along, are gathering in one ce, and Dogo will have no choice but topete in the tribute battle to avoid losing his advertising model to Mara. I don¡¯t know much about space, but I¡¯m certain countless factions will be watching this wedding." The fact that Dogo hade to Earth, newly opened due to the Reset, to stick advertisements everywhere was proof enough. In space, any ce where issues arise bes ad space. In that sense, this wedding Yeongwoo was orchestrating was an incredible advertising opportunity. "For ordinary guests, giving a tribute is just like paying a tax, but for the bigwigsing from space, it¡¯s more about saving face. That¡¯s because not only will I reveal the tribute rankings, but I¡¯ll also create enormous disparities in seating arrangements based on those rankings." ¡ªHah. At her son¡¯s ruthless business n, Jiseon felt her hand trembling slightly. "But at the same time, they¡¯re essentially paying for advertising. While Mara might be an exception, all the other guests¡ªour chairman, Lemu, Toma¡ªare all businesspeople." Of course,peting for the top spot in tribute rankings wouldn¡¯t be easy, especially with Mara nning to visit in an attempt to buy Yeongwoo07. "That¡¯s why we have to do our best to make every chairman and president visiting the wedding venue desperately want to im the top spot on the tribute rankings." ¡ª¡­¡­. It was a clever scheme that not only yed on corporate pride but also turned the unique setting into a bidding war for exclusive advertising space. ¡ªBut¡­ isn¡¯t the tribute ranking only visible after entering the wedding hall and making a contribution? "Exactly. At first, we¡¯ll just announce the existence of the tribute rankings and hold a closed bidding. They¡¯ll only see the rankings after making their initial contributions." ¡ªAnd? What else is there? "Double-charging." ¡ªDouble-charging? "Once they¡¯re inside the wedding venue, there will be another tribute tform." ¡ªWhat? "Then the chairmen can check their rankings. If they don¡¯t like their position, they can make another tribute to change it." ¡ªYou lunatic bastard. "That¡¯s why you have to create a product so irresistible that they¡¯ll curse while buying it anyway." Yeongwoo grinned wickedly. "By tomorrow, everyone will leave with empty wallets." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 348 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 348: Affiliated Bussinesses (4) Where on earth was this guy''s limit? Jiseon stared nkly at her son, who was busily moving around on the barren wedding venue site. He was just some nobody from a remote, yet here he was, already toying with the CEOs of intergctic corporations. What kind of being would this monster grow into? Jiseon couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine. ¡°Well, our wedding hall doesn¡¯t have a Virgin Road. It only has a Gift Road.¡± Meanwhile, Yeongwoo was spouting nonsense again. ¡ªA Gift Road? What is that? Kobu, thinking it was some unique Earth custom, asked sincerely. Yeongwoo pointed straight ahead with his finger. ¡°It¡¯s a grand entrance pathway where the emblem of the top contributor¡¯s ranking is disyed beneath their feet. It stretches from the entrance of the wedding hall all the way to the altar. When the ceremony begins, the bride and groom will walk along this path.¡± Then, he raised his finger to point at the sky. ¡°In this wedding, the top contributor ranking outranks even the parents of the bride and groom.¡± ¡ªWhat does that even mean? Jiseon tilted her head, baffled by the bizarre concept. Yeongwoo, still looking at the sky, exined further. ¡°Those who survive the brutalpetition of contributions deserve the treatment to match.¡± ¡ª¡­? ¡°Essentially, the person who makes this wedding possible gets the final say before the bride and groom enter.¡± ¡ªWhat kind of insane talk is that? If the top contributor says to cancel the wedding, are you seriously going to cancel it? ¡°Of course.¡± ¡ªAre you out of your mind? When Jiseon asked in earnest, Yeongwoo gave a sly smile. ¡°But, Mom, if you were the top contributor, could you really cancel the wedding?¡± ¡ªWhat? ¡°By now, this wedding has already received contributions from countless beings across the universe. The top contributor, overwhelmingly, has invested the most money. Plus, the ceremony needs to start for us to disy their emblem along the Gift Road and on the ranking board behind the altar.¡± Speaking with utter confidence, Yeongwoo continued. ¡°So, no, they wouldn¡¯t cancel. They won¡¯t want to.¡± ¡ªThen why go through all this trouble? ¡°To create the ultimate form of ceremony. The power to blow up the entire event with one decision¡­ that¡¯s what being the top contributor grants. At least within this wedding hall, they be the absolute ruler.¡± To achieve that, of course, the top contributor would have to pay more than the sum of all the other guests¡¯ contributionsbined, so they wouldn¡¯t actually cancel the wedding. ¡°This is the difference between can¡¯t and won¡¯t. While other guests can¡¯t cancel the wedding, the top contributor chooses not to. It puts them in the position of granting their ¡®approval.¡¯¡± Yeongwoo figured that no powerful guest who has long ruled over others in the universe would pass up the chance to upy that seat. After all, if they relinquished the spot, someone else¡ªa rival businessman or a lowly merchant they despise¡ªwould gain the authority to ¡°blow up the wedding.¡± Imagine the rage if that happened. ¡°Once the top contributor is confirmed, the bride and groom¡¯s entrance proceeds with their approval. At that point, the top contributor¡¯s emblem will be disyed along the Gift Road.¡± ording to Yeongwoo, before the bride and groom even appear, the emblem of the top contributor would be disyed first, leading the way to the altar. ¡°This symbolizes the way being paved by the top contributor who made this ceremony possible, with the bride and groom following behind.¡± ¡ª¡­ Jiseon¡¯s jaw dropped at the sheer cunning ttery of it all. ¡°When the bride and groom arrive at the altar following the emblem, the contribution rankings will finally be revealed on the wall behind the altar.¡± The rankings disyed would show contributors from 1st to 15th ce. The emblems of the top three contributors would be prominently disyed at the center of the wall, with the 4th ce and below emblems serving as decorative patterns. ¡°Of course, the top contributor¡¯s emblem needs to be thergest and most dazzling, while the 2nd and 3rd emblems should have identical size and effects to emphasize their roles in supporting the 1st ce. Can you make that happen?¡± Yeongwoo looked at Kobu expectantly. H aving spent his entire life designing prisons, Kobu stared into the void, unsure of himself. ¡ªWhat kind of effects do you have in mind? If you have reference materials¡­ ¡°Ah.¡± Yeongwoo clicked his tongue. Good reference materials were abundant on Earth, especially in games where ranking tiers were prominently disyed. But how could he show that to Kobu? ¡°As you know, our was destroyed, and all those materials are gone.¡± ¡ªI see.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t prisons have any ranking disys? Like for model prisoners or something?¡± ¡ªThere are simr concepts, but they might not align with what you want. ¡°What are they? Just tell me.¡± ¡ªOur prisons have defense rankings and release countdown lists. ¡°¡­Defense rankings?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s ears perked up. He had heard that the mortality rate in intergctic detention centers was 84%, and he had always wondered what went on inside those ces. Now, he had a glimpse into the answer. ¡°Why would a prison have defense rankings?¡± ¡ªEvery prisoner asionally faces challenges. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡ªWhen challenged, they must fight the challenger and survive. Each victory adds to their defense count, which determines their ranking. ¡°Wait, hold on.¡± For the first time in a while, Yeongwoo massaged his temples. "Who''s the challenger? Are fellow inmates the ones who issue the challenges?" ¡ª That is correct. "Why? Being locked up is already a hassle. Why would anyone willingly pick a fight?" ¡ª Because winning a ''challenge'' allows one to take away the other party''s incarceration points. "Incarceration points?" ¡ª It''s the currency used within the prison to purchase various amenities or to change housing units. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w "Housing units? You mean they can switch their cells?" ¡ª Yes. For convenience or strategic reasons, some inmates prefer to relocate. "Wow... so it''s not just about being locked up." ¡ª Additionally, collecting incarceration points can reduce one''s sentence. "Ah, in that case, it makes sense." Yeongwoo finally began to grasp the prison culture of the universe. "It''s like they''re imprisoning each other¡ªfighting and stealing incarceration points, even at the risk of death." The system forced long-term inmates to continually fight due to their need for massive points, while short-term inmates had to avoid fighting to maximize their chances of release. "So, does this strategic cell switching also rte to the challenge culture? Like moving far away from dangerous individuals?" ¡ª There are various reasons, but what you mentioned is one of the main ones. "Wow, once you¡¯re in, it¡¯s game over." ¡ª Are you interested in prisons? Kobu suddenly posed a sharp question. "Why? Do I look like someone who''s about to go to prison?" ¡ª Generally, people don¡¯t want to know about prisons. "As the saying goes, ''Know yourself and your enemy, and you''ll never be defeated.'' Whether or not I end up in one, it can''t hurt to learn about them." And who knows? Perhaps one day, he might do business involving ex-convicts or prisons themselves. Yeongwoo preferred to gather information whenever an opportunity arose. "Then, what¡¯s the imminent release list?" ¡ª Most prisons have a central square where a real-time updated list can be viewed. Kobu pointed upward into the air in front of them. ¡ª A jet-ck metal board disys various names. Those nearing release are shown at the top, glowing brightly. Then he gestured toward the ground. ¡ª At the very bottom, a few names are also disyed, but generally, no one dares to read them. "Are those names of the oldest long-term inmates?" ¡ª The oldest, as well as those with an excessive amount of incarceration points. Kobu curled his skeletal fingers into a fist. Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but ask cautiously. "Kobu, you¡¯re an ex-convict, right? It sounds like you¡¯ve seen that list yourself." Kobu trembled. ¡ª Prison is... an unbelievably terrifying ce. "But it¡¯s possible to survive and get out. It¡¯s an honor to meet a survivor." ¡ª You must be either incredibly strong or incredibly lucky. I was only thetter. I still hope therades I left behind find redemption. Drawing shapes in the air with his darkened fingers, Kobu prayed for the well-being of his rades.¡± Seeing this, Yeongwoo suddenly remembered something he had momentarily set aside and shifted the conversation back to the ranking of congrattory donations. "If prison is such a terrifying ce, you must have desperately wished to survive when your release date was approaching. It must¡¯ve taken extraordinary luck to make it through to the end." ¡ª That¡¯s true... Kobu gazed back into his distant past. Yeongwoo moved closer and whispered like a devil. "In that case, why don¡¯t you channel that desperate ¡®luck¡¯¡ªthe miracle you longed for¡ªinto this ceremony? The top donor in the ranking bes a miraculous presence here." ¡ª Ah... It seemed Kobu had finally begun to grasp what Yeongwoo wanted. He slowly surveyed the venue. ¡ª Even in the darkness of that prison, miracles can happen. "The darker the sky, the brighter the stars. Imagine that moment of release as you work. And don¡¯t worry about the donation rankings anymore." While Yeongwoo and Kobu conversed, Jiseon stepped back, muttering to herself. ¡ª What the hell are these criminals even talking about...? She couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine what kind of ceremony her son had nned based on the things he was saying earlier. ¡ª But this is it, right? There¡¯s nothing more, right? Jiseon asked her son, her tone filled with worry. Still, she thought she could bear this if it was the lesser evil. And soon after: "We¡¯re almost done," Yeongwoo said, nodding toward his mother. ¡ª Almost? "Yes. All that¡¯s left is the seating arrangement." ¡ª Hey, isn¡¯t it enough to just set up some VIP seats? What else do you need to do? "Do you think their wallets will open for something so simple? We need them to open fully, not just halfway." ¡ª What? "The top donor in the ranking should have the power to kick out any guest they want from the venue." ¡ª You insane brat. You¡¯re going to take away their seats? "I¡¯m not the one taking them away. It¡¯s the top donor who will do it." ¡ª Who on earth would be crazy enough to spend money on something like that? Sure, the first and second might go crazypeting because they hate each other, but not the rest. "The rest are nothing but insignificant specks in the eyes of the chairmen. It doesn¡¯t matter. But." ¡ª But? "Moderately wealthypanies will need topete with each other." ¡ª What are you talking about? "The third-ce donor won¡¯t be kicked out." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 349 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 349: Affiliated Businesses (5) ¡ªUnbelievable. Jiseon doubted her ears. The solution her son had just proposed was close to a perfect business model¡ªif not for the fact that it revolved around the fiercepetition over congrattory gifts at weddings. In this wedding hall, the person ranked #1 in the congrattory gift rankings wielded virtually unchecked power. Not only could they run extensive advertisements for their business, but if they desired, they could dismiss all guests or even cancel the wedding entirely. This dynamic forced the universe''s elite, who had already attended the wedding, into a position where they could not help but target the top spot on the gift rankings. Moreover... ¡ªSecond ce isn''t safe, but third ce is immune from being kicked out? So you''re saying second ce is just fodder for the amusement of the first ce. "Yes. Considering how much money they spent fighting each other, the victor deserves the right to oust their bitter rival." In contrast, the second-ce ranker, despite enduring the gruelingpetition, had a high chance of being thrown out of the wedding hall. Ironically, this only made the battle for the #1 spot even fiercer. ¡°Third ce is rtively much safer, so aiming for it is the most rational choice for advertising at a reasonable price.¡± Then Yeongwoo added: ¡°But if the businesses have even a bit of money, they''ll all think the same thing.¡± ¡ª...So that means thepetition for third ce will also heat up. "Yes. It¡¯s like a second-tier ranking battle." ¡ª... Born salesman. At this point, Jiseon had nothing left to say. With cunning of this level, it was clear her crazy son would do as he pleased no matter what she said. ¡ªFine, do as you wish. But be careful. The opponents are aliens. She was starting to ept that Yeongwoo was, indeed, an extraordinary talent on a universal scale. But even so, wasn¡¯t he merely a fledgling who had only just begun to rise? In contrast, the guests Yeongwoo was about to toy with were the upper echelons of the universe. Surely they, too, had once gone through an ambitious phase like Yeongwoo''s. It was unlikely they would be entirely blind to his scheme of pitting them against each other. ¡ªDo you know the story of Icarus? If you fly too close to the sun, your wings will melt. "Yes, but if you fly too low, your wings get wet in the sea. The altitude is just right now." ¡ª...Are you sure? As Yeongwoo looked skyward again, Jiseon quickly waved her hands. ¡ªAlright, alright. "Is there such a thing as returns without risks? We¡¯re not in a position to be picky right now." ¡ªBut this is spicy food. "It¡¯s just spicy food. Through this wedding, we will take a great leap forward." A vast sum of cash, and the achievement of a reputable family name. These were essential preliminary steps for Yeongwoo''s budding n and Earth itself to venture into the universe. "So, is there anything else I need to guide you on?" Yeongwoo eventually asked Kobu. The prison construction contractor, about to tackle the challenge of a lifetime, gazed into the void. -When is the wedding? "Earth time... tomorrow at 3:23 p.m." -In that case, we willplete the venue and have it delivered here by 2:23 PM tomorrow. "Delivered? Is the venue modr?" -Yes, given this area, we can construct it in our workshop and transport it here. Would you like to see the construction process? "Ah." Yeongwoo was intrigued and almost said ¡°Yes,¡± but after some thought, he realized it would be inconvenient to have the venue constructed on-site. ¡®There¡¯s a high chance my second uncle will show up tomorrow at 1 PM.¡¯ Moreover, if aliens were building something here, it might cause undue concern among the locals. So, Yeongwoo reluctantly shook his head. ¡°No, that¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s go with the modr option.¡± - Understood. We¡¯ll deliver it by 2:23 PM local time and proceed with the final inspection then. ¡°So, what¡¯s the cost of the work?¡± What would it cost tomission a customized venue from a cosmic prison constructionpany? As Yeongwoo waited anxiously and curiously for an answer, Kobu spread out his palm, disying a series of strange symbols. Apparently, this was their version of a calctor. - We charge half of our service fee upfront. However... ¡°However?¡± - You must pay at least the cost price for materials. ¡°Of course. I wouldn¡¯t want to create bad karma, especially since we might work together again.¡± But whether he¡¯d already created bad karma, Kobu didn¡¯t seem entirely convinced. Instead, he smoothly transitioned the conversation to a businesslike tone. - We normally handle a wide variety of materials. ¡°Well, that makes sense, considering you specialize in prisons.¡± - However, for this order, since it¡¯s for a ceremonial venue, I rmend using low-cost materials. ¡°What¡¯s the difference between low-cost and high-cost materials?¡± - First of all, the price difference can range from hundreds to thousands of times. ¡°...?¡± What on earth could justify such a disparity? ¡°What makes high-cost materials so special?¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s question, Kobu sped his pitch-ck skeletal hands together, mimicking a de. - Structures made from high-cost materials are imprable, even by the masters of myth. ¡°Ah.¡± Immediate understanding. Though still a novice, Yeongwoo himself could be considered a ¡°master of myth,¡± so this exnation sent a chill down his spine. ¡°Then what about low-cost materials? Do they fly away in strong winds?¡± - Low-cost materials are susceptible to destruction by mythical forces. In other words, they could withstand anything short of myth-level power. It was simr to the durability of the high-speed transit stations scattered across the area. ¡®As expected of a prison constructionpany. Even their low-cost materials have ridiculous durability.¡¯ Of course, he¡¯d love to lock up Mara and the Chairman and threaten them with self-destruction, but his mother¡¯s advice echoed in his mind: ¡®Fly too high, and your wings might melt.¡¯ ¡®It¡¯s not time for that yet.¡¯ Yeongwoo calmed himself and asked Kobu again. ¡°Then how much would it cost to build the venue using low-cost materials?¡± Kobu brought up his palm-calctor again. Zap! - Including our service fee of 300 million, additional charges of 240 million, and the material cost of 680 million, the totales to 1.22 billion karma. ¡°Does that include execution tforms and detention facilities?¡± 1.2 billion karma to erect a wedding hall with execution tforms on a barren in. While undoubtedly a vast sum, it was surprisingly affordable on a cosmic scale. Of course, right now, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t even have 200 million won, let alone 1.2 billion. But he wasn¡¯t one to be deterred by mere numbers. ¡°Deal!¡± Without hesitation, Yeongwoo agreed to the price. ¡°I¡¯ll pay the bnce after the ceremony ispletely over. No down payment!¡± -...? ¨DYeongwoo, what are you talking about? That¡¯s not a bnce anymore if there¡¯s no initial payment. ¡°I don¡¯t have any money right now. With the loose change I¡¯ve got, I have to pay taxes tonight.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Yeongwoo said this, then nced at Kobu, Tobu, and Chobu in turn as he continued speaking. ¡°Instead of a down payment, how about I increase the final payment? Does that work for you?¡± -... The three contractors remained silent. Then, they let out quiet sighs, looking around. -We suppose there¡¯s no other way if you don¡¯t have cash on hand. ¡°Yes, yes. All your wages wille directly from the ceremony venue, so please handle this carefully. If something goes wrong, I¡¯m bankrupt.¡± ¨D¡­I¡¯m sorry, everyone. Jiseon apologized to the contractors on behalf of her son, who was already bowing apologetically. Then Kobu approached Jiseon and extended his right hand. It was the only greeting Kobu had learned on this, and it seemed the most appropriate way to show respect to the rtively well-mannered Jiseon. ¨DAh. Jiseon shook the offered hand and apologized again. ¨DI¡¯m really sorry. I assure you, the bnce will be paid without issue. -We¡¯re counting on you. This is already the bare minimum cost. ¨DYes, yes, I understand. I¡¯m sorry. Only after Jiseon uttered her third apology did the contractors step back. -Then, we¡¯llplete the venue by the appointed time tomorrow and return. ¡°Yes! Safe travels! Thank you so much!¡± Yeongwoo waved brightly as Kobu, Tobu, and Chobu¡¯s bodies became blurry. Swaaat. And then. Ping! In an instant, they disappeared from Yeongwoo¡¯s sight. ¡°...!¡± They had already returned to their distant spaceship. ¡®So, they¡¯re ex-cons after all. Even their movement technique is different.¡¯ A fleeting thought crossed Yeongwoo¡¯s mind: perhaps Kobu, the nameless one, was actually an incredibly powerful being. As they say on Earth, the ripest ears of rice bow the lowest. Kobu¡¯sment about being lucky to have been released from prison might actually have been a sign of humility. ¨DHey, those guys will probably shudder at the mention of "Dogo" from now on. They didn¡¯t seem too happy to begin with. Watching the contractors¡¯ spaceship hastily leave Earth, Jiseon clicked her tongue. Yeongwoo, however, said something entirely different. ¡°This just shows how well the chairman has built the brand image.¡± ¨DWhat? ¡°Just having the ¡®Dogo¡¯ name attached cut the service fee in half. And it¡¯s not like I have any background or connection to those contractors.¡± ¨DThat¡¯s true. ¡°To achieve something like this in this brutal universe... it¡¯s really remarkable.¡± It was truly impressive¡ªand enviable. Yeongwoo wondered if, someday, simply being "Yeongwoo," or even ¡°Earth-born,¡± would make aliens tremble. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s almost time. Let¡¯s get going.¡± Yeongwoo nced at his wrist and then turned toward the tower. ¨DWhat are you talking about? Where are we going now? ¡°To collect money. The Tsushima War should be almost over.¡± ¨DRight. We sent that lord back to Tsushima earlier, didn¡¯t we? It didn''t feel real for Jiseon, who had been defending Seoul the whole time. Even while they were discussing setting up an execution tform at the venue, a war had been raging far away in Tsushima. ¡°Once the war is over, per the contract, all of Lemu¡¯s support funds will transfer to us.¡± Additionally, all the intergctic infrastructure built in Japan would be Yeongwoo¡¯s property as Dogo¡¯s representative. That included the much-talked-about ¡°spacemunicator¡± in Japan, which Yeongwoo had only seen on a credit card statement until now. [Space Communicator] "The universe is vast, and you never know what you might encounter." | Card Tier: Legendary | Power: 800 + 1,140 Encounters with the Unknown ¡®It¡¯s probably a gift from Lemu. I wonder what it actually does.¡¯ As Yeongwoo mused over this and was about to head toward the tower, a system message appeared before his eyes, perfectly timed. ¡¸In 3 minutes, the Dogo faction will fully upy the capture point.¡¹ ¡°...!¡± The Seoul Alliance and the Red Foot Orcs had been holding the capture point for nearly an hour. If Lemu¡¯s faction didn¡¯t make any attempts to contest the point in the next three minutes, the Tsushima War would officially end. ¡°We need to hurry. Three minutes left.¡± As Yeongwoo urgently began to strip off his clothes, Jiseon took a step back and asked, startled. ¨DWhy the hell is he acting up again? Half-undressed, Yeongwoo fixed his gaze on Jiseon¡¯s armor and spoke. ¡°Mother.¡± ¨DWhat? W-what is it? ¡°When you transform into a dragon... you¡¯re naked, aren¡¯t you?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 350 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 350: Supreme Armament (1) ¨DHow would I know that? A cold sweat seemed to run down her back. It felt like this crazy son of hers was intent on dragging his mother into the hell of naked warfare. ¡°Oh, really? Then I¡¯ll have to go see for myself.¡± ¡ªGo see for yourself? ¡°To Tsushima. We need to end this war.¡± ¡ªAnd why should I go there? I¡¯m just... The words ¡°The Guardian Dragon of Seoul¡± caught in Jiseon¡¯s throat, unable to escape. Yeongwoo stepped in to finish her sentence for her. ¡°It¡¯ll just take a moment. No one¡¯s going to invade Seoul in the meantime.¡± ¡ª... It was an irrefutable argument. With Mara¡¯s proxy already driven away naked, who would dareunch an attack on Metal Seoul? ¡ªWhat exactly do you need me to do on Tsushima? ¡°You just have to stand there. Once the war is over, Lemu should handle the payments.¡± Of course, this was mere spection. Yeongwoo had never been part of aary development war before, so he didn¡¯t really know how thesepetitions concluded. ¡ªJust stand there? ¡°Yes. But once the settlement is over, I¡¯d like you to apany me to Japan as well. In your dragon form.¡± At this, Jiseon asked in a puzzled tone, ¡ªAnd what exactly are you nning to do there? ¡°I made a promise to someone. If we win the war, we¡¯ll im ownership of the infrastructure in Japan.¡± ¡ªAnd? ¡°We need to see it in person. Plus, we¡¯ll need to decide on a sessor for Yuto.¡± ¡ªIsn¡¯t that your business? I don¡¯t see why I need to go. ¡°No, you muste with me. We need to ride a dragon to get there.¡± ¡ªWhat? ¡°I have no intention of shedding more blood by entering the Japanese maind, even though the war is over. But we¡¯ll need to establish dominance since they¡¯re unlikely to be friendly toward us.¡± In short, it was a n to showcase that there was a ¡°real dragon¡± on the Korean Penins¡ªan intimidation tactic without the need for drawn swords. ¡ªWill that really work? ¡°It will. Your size will defy everyone¡¯s expectations.¡± Yeongwoo was certain of it. If his mother soared through Japanese airspace in dragon form, everyone there would be overwhelmed. Her dragon form was a staggering 250 meters long, with the distance from her front paw to her chin measuring almost 100 meters¡ªsomething even Yeongwoo hadn¡¯t fully adapted to yet. And the same would hold true for Japan¡¯s strongest fighters. ¡°Let¡¯s just go. The more you overthink it, the more hesitant you¡¯ll be.¡± ¡ªThat¡¯s called caution. ¡°If you¡¯re cautious all the time, you¡¯re just a coward. Mother, are you a coward?¡± With those words, Yeongwoo had already opened the tower¡¯s outer wall. ¡°Stop being cautious ande on. All you have to do is breathe, and the money will pour in.¡± It sounded like something out of a fairytale. ¡ªDamn it, Jiseon muttered, resigning herself to follow her son. * * * Tsushima. The battlefield of the naked war. For Jiseon, it was hard to believe. That a porn productionpany even existed in this universe, and that their sponsorship had somehow led to all thebatants stripping¡ªhow was that even possible? It was something she wouldn¡¯t believe until she saw it with her own eyes. And so she did. ¡ªFuck. Faced with that absurd scene, she was at a loss for words. ¡°Mother, wee to Tsushima.¡± Standing at the upper level of the tower, already stripped bare, Yeongwoo spread his arms and gestured ahead. Jiseon clenched her eyes shut inside her helmet. ¡ªHow do you even live in a world like this? It was at least fortunate that the sun had set. Before hery a vast field filled with naked crimson-footed orcs and equally unclothed swordsmen from the Seoul Alliance. ¡ªThe war is over, so why are they still like that? ¡°It¡¯s not over yet. There¡¯s one minute left.¡± Yeongwoo nced at his wrist, and a holographic clock projected over his armor. BEEP! The current time: 8:33 PM. ¡°Get ready, Mother.¡± Yeongwoo urged Jiseon to join the naked war, but she hung her head, staring at the ground. Up until now, she had transformed into a dragon without much thought. But thanks to her insane son, she now viewed the situation in an entirely new light. Could a dragon¡¯s form truly be called naked? Strictly speaking, a dragon wore no armor, so calling it nude wasn¡¯t incorrect. In other words, transforming into a dragon here was akin to stripping in front of countless orcs and swordsmen. And her size only added to her predicament. ¡ª... Jiseon hesitated, unable to bring herself to transform. Yeongwoo leaned closer and whispered, ¡°See? I was right. Overthinking makes you hesitant.¡± ¡ªYou insane bastard, this is apletely different matter. ¡°How so? I don¡¯t see it. All that hesitation exists only in your head. No one here will think you¡¯re naked.¡± Of course, this was a tant lie. Imagine a sudden dragon transformation in a battlefield where everyone was stripped bare. Everyone would instantly realize the truth: that dragons, by their very nature, wore no clothing. ¡°Twenty seconds left. If you don¡¯t transform now, it¡¯ll be toote.¡± Yeongwoo wagged his finger like a ticking clock, prompting Jiseon to nce at the sky. ¡ªShut up for a moment. And with that, she stepped forward and transformed into an ice dragon. ROAAAARR! Her immense form, hundreds of meters long, unfurled across Tsushima, causing swordsmen and orcs alike to recoil in terror. ¡°What¡­ what is that?¡± ¡°An ice dragon¡­?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that Yeongwoo¡¯s mother?¡± Watching the stunned reactions of everyone, Yeongwoo felt even more confident. ¡®Bringing Mother to Japan will definitely make things easier.¡¯ Big businesses required big yers. As he gazed up at his mother¡¯s colossal dragon head, so high he needed enhanced vision to see it clearly, a signal sounded. BEEP! Finally, the Dogo faction had monopolized the g on Tsushima for one hour. ¡¸The g¡¯s ownership has been decided.¡¹ ¡®It¡¯s over atst.¡¯ Yeongwoo watched the system notification floating in the air, and the next message followed. ¡¸The development rights war between Dogo and Lemu on Tsushima has concluded with a victory for the Dogo faction.¡¹ Suddenly, a bright beam shot down from the sky,nding at Yeongwoo¡¯s feet. SHOOM! What appeared was a silver metallic object embedded slightly into the ground. ¡°A¡­ spear?¡± It resembled a spear, but its true nature became clear as the system illuminated it. POP! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡¸Tsushima Pact¡¹ ¨C Epic Certificate ¡¾|l||I-Earth¡¿ ¡¾This certificate guarantees rights as stipted in the pact.¡¿ ¡¾Enforcement Level: 3¡¿ |This document is certified by theary Court and the Bnce Enforcement Office. It was none other than a certified item granting rights ording to the Tsushima Pact. The system¡ªor perhaps something beyond that¡ªhad sent tangible evidence to ensure the terms decided at the negotiation table would be enforced. ¡®What the...? The certificate has enforcement level?¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze instantly shifted to the term ¡°enforcement level.¡± ¡¾Enforcement Level Level 3¡¿ |This certificate guarantees the rights upheld by theary Court and the Bnce Enforcement Office. While it meant that official institutions of the universe guaranteed the rights of this certificate, a slight twist in perspective revealed something unsettling. ¡®If there are designated guarantors, doesn¡¯t that imply someone could ignore the guarantee?¡¯ Theoretically, that was entirely possible. If an entity stronger than theary Court and the Bnce Enforcement Division, the guarantors of this certificate, emerged, they could simply disregard the Great Demon Treaty. ¡®And that means they could ignore all promises associated with Enforcement Level 3 as well.¡¯ A shiver ran down his spine. As he had long suspected, the universe was ultimately a world ruled by the strong. ¡®What¡¯s the Bnce Enforcement Office, anyway? If they have an enforcement office, they must be the ones wielding this enforcement level.¡¯ Why else would this certificate possess enforcement level? It had to be because if someone broke the promises written on the certificate, the guarantors would use physical force to enforce them. ¡®Not that it matters now since Japan doesn¡¯t have the power to back it up¡­¡¯ As everyone knew, even public officials in the universe sometimes got beaten up¡ªor worse, killed¡ªwhile on duty. But the fact that ¡°agreements¡± in the universe still depended on the enforcement level of public institutions didn¡¯t sit well with Yeongwoo. For now, the agreement¡¯s terms were guaranteed, but someday, he might encounter lunatics who could outright dismiss such enforcement level. ¡®This is already infuriating.¡¯ He wanted to punch them all. But at the moment, even the guests from the universe couldn¡¯t afford to make reckless threats, as their strength was insufficient. ¡°This is the certificate.¡± Thud! As Yeongwoo pulled the epic certificate from the ground, Jiseon, floating high in the air, asked, ¡ªCertificate? ¡°Yes. With this, we can go to Japan and demand war reparations and the promised armaments.¡± Despite all the tasks he had aplished since the reset, this was the first time he¡¯d demanded war reparations guaranteed by the universe. Yeongwoo felt a sudden thrill and gestured at his mother. ¡°Come down here.¡± ¡ªWhat for? ¡°To carry me, of course.¡± ¡ªWhat are you talking about? Can¡¯t you use the transit path like you did to get here? ¡°That¡¯s no fun. Let¡¯s make an impact by flying dramatically over Tokyo, just like Mara did.¡± With that, Yeongwoo leapt high towards his mother¡¯s nape. Swoosh! ¡ªYou little punk. Before long, Jiseon realized her son had mbered onto her neck without permission. ¡°Just think of it as giving your son a piggyback ride. Now, let¡¯s go¡ªto Tokyo¡¯s skies.¡± ¡ªAre you serious? You really want to fly there like this? ¡°Yes. To ensure peaceful negotiations, we need to look as intimidating as possible.¡± As he said this, Yeongwoo double-checked that Bastard was securely attached to his waist. ¡ªDo the people in maind Japan even know they¡¯ve lost the war?¡± ¡°They should¡¯ve seen the same system message since their country was directly involved in this war.¡± When Yeongwoo pointed towards maind Japan, Jiseon finally took off. Whoosh! As the Redfoot Orc army and the Strongest Swords looked on in awe, they shouted something unintelligible, but their words failed to reach Yeongwoo, who was already soaring through the sky. ¡°...!¡± Jiseon had risen so quickly that people on the ground now looked like ants. ¡ªWe¡¯ll be over Tokyo in no time. Is there anything we should be wary of? ¡°Wary of what?¡± ¡ªYou idiot. You know, like how Seoul has anti-air defenses. ¡°Oh.¡± Now that she mentioned it, it was a valid concern. But Yeongwoo didn¡¯t know much about that. ¡°This is my first time in Tokyo, too.¡± ¡ªYou¡¯re unbelievable, you know that? Still, Jiseon was already speeding towards their destination with her son in tow. They were heading for Tokyo, soon to officially be the capital of a defeated nation. Swoooosh! ¡°You don¡¯t even need the transit path, Mom. You should just fly everywhere.¡± Impressed by her incredible mobility, Yeongwoo said this, prompting Jiseon to scowl. ¡ªWe¡¯re almost there. Pray that your mother doesn¡¯t get shot down by Japanese artillery. ¡°Even if you do, it¡¯ll probably be Lemu.¡± When Yeongwoo quipped and turned to look ahead, he saw it¡ªa silhouette resembling Tokyo Tower, though not quite the same. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± It was undoubtedly the location of Tokyo Tower, but a purple tower now stood in its ce. ¡ªWhat is that? ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me earlier? I¡¯m asking you what it is. Did Tokyo Tower get remodeled in the meantime?¡± ¡ªNo way. Neither Yeongwoo, the post-reset world expert, nor Jiseon, the pre-reset world expert, knew what it was. ¡°Wait... could that be...?¡± Could it be that thing Yuto had as a card¡ªthe intergctic transmitter? As Yeongwoo¡¯s thoughts reached this point, he saw arge banner unfurling from the middle of the purple tower. Fwoosh! ¡ªThere¡¯s definitely something there! Mistaking it for Japan¡¯s air defense, Jiseon began to maneuver, but Yeongwoo stopped her. ¡°No! It¡¯s a coborator working for us!¡± ¡ªWhat? What are you talking about? Jiseon blinked at her son¡¯s odd remark and turned her gaze to the banner. Her eyes widened as she read the hand-scrawled Korean text, though it was a bit crooked. ¡¸Please don¡¯t destroy this.¡¹ -Tomiko Hayama [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 351 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 351: Supreme Armament (2) ¡ªTomiko Hayama? Is she someone you know? Jiseon, noticing a ridiculous banner in Korean, asked her son. Yeongwoo nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve met her before. If I had to categorize her, she¡¯d be closer to our side.¡± Of course, this was purely Yeongwoo¡¯s one-sided assumption. The only image he had of Tomiko Hayama was from the dungeon Temple of Valor. However, back then, she seemed far more rational than other participants, even going out of her way to avoid unnecessary conflicts with those from countries with strained rtions. Thus, Yeongwoo thought: ¡®Tomiko¡¯s now Japan¡¯s leader? Maybe this can be resolved smoothly.¡¯ Meanwhile, Jiseon had an entirely different thought. ¡ª¡®Our side¡¯? There are allies in Japan, and yet we went to war? ¡°That¡¯s why we fought all the way to Tsushima Ind.¡± ¡ªThen why didn¡¯t she join the war? ¡°Because she¡¯s smart. You only have one life.¡± Judging by the banner hanging there, it seemed Tomiko had been preparing to surrender even before the official notification of the war¡¯s end was issued. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Over to that tower.¡± Yeongwoo pointed toward the lower part of a violet tower. Jiseon, lowering her voice slightly, asked her son again. ¡ªStill, should we keep acting threatening? ¡°Of course.¡± ¡ªGot it. The moment Jiseon heard this, her entire body began to glow a bright blue, emitting a low, resonant roar. Then, with her wings spread to their maximum, casting a massive shadow, she descended into the middle of Tokyo, where the mysterious tower stood. BAM! Hernding was so forceful that it sent powerful winds surging through the area. ¡°W-whoa!¡± ¡°A d-dragon?!¡± ¡°A dragon hase!¡± It seemed that there were some Japanese elites near the tower. Startled, people who had been hiding among the buildings started running away frantically. Then, above their heads¡ª WHOOSH! Jiseon unleashed a burst of blue breath that froze the air as it shot forward. ¡ªI am Song Jiseon, the guardian dragon of Metal Seoul! I havee to im the rights granted under the war treaty! Jiseon dramatically delivered the line, unprompted by Yeongwoo. Yeongwoo, however, yed along by holding a treaty scroll high in the air. Hwoosh! ¡¸Tsushima Pact¡¹ ¨C Epic Certificate ¡¾|l||I-Earth¡¿ ¡¾This certificate guarantees rights as stipted in the pact.¡¿ ¡¾Enforcement Level: 3¡¿ |This document is certified by theary Court and the Bnce Enforcement Office. A momentter¡ª Tap, tap! Swift footsteps approached rapidly from the other side of the violet tower. The figure that emerged was none other than Tomiko herself. ¡ºMiyagi Sword Emperor¡» A title associated with Japan¡¯s strongest from Miyagi Prefecture, albeit with the unfortunate nickname Swordyer. Despite Yuto¡¯s desperate plea at the Tokyo conference¡ªwhere he even bared himself to rally participants¡ªTomiko had remained here to the end. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t break things!¡± Tomiko¡¯s voice carried an edge of frustration as she ran toward them. Seeing her, Jiseon slowly closed her wide-open mouth. ¡ªThat¡¯s her? She¡¯s got a bit of an attitude, doesn¡¯t she? ¡°You¡¯re the one who unleashed the breath first, Mom. I didn¡¯t ask for that.¡± Yeongwoomented as he jumped off his mother¡¯s back. Thud! Seeing him descend, Tomiko, who had been charging forward with determination, hesitated and took an involuntary step back. ¡°Y-Yeongwoo¡­?¡± It was an unwee but familiar face¡ªJeong Yeongwoo07. ¡°Yes, Tomiko. I bring bad news today, but I hope you¡¯ve been doing well.¡± As Yeongwoo spoke, he stabbed the scroll-shaped spear into the ground. Seeing this, Tomiko flinched again, her upper lip twitching slightly. ¡°More importantly, why are you¡­ still naked?¡± Tomiko was well aware of the infamous naked war that had urred on Tsushima. But why was he still undressed here? It wasn¡¯t until this moment that Yeongwoo realized he was still naked. ¡°Oh, my apologies. I was in a hurry.¡± With unapologetic nonchnce, he began re-equipping his armor. Watching this, Tomiko felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her. ¡®¡­Ah.¡¯ It dawned on her that this man had grown even more formidable since thest time she had seen him in the dungeon. To top it off, a birthright brand now gleamed above Yeongwoo¡¯s head. It had appeared the moment he severed the head of Tokyo Sword Emperor Yuto on Tsushima Ind. In other words, Tokyo would never have another Sword Emperor as long as Yeongwoo lived. ¡°Yuto¡­ is dead, isn¡¯t he?¡± Considering the slim possibility, Tomiko cautiously asked. Yeongwoo gestured to the silver-white spear embedded in the ground. ¡°Yes. He¡¯s gone to hell. But Yuto left behind his final will.¡± ¡°His will?¡± ¡°We yed a card game to decide the future of our nations. I won.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°It means Japan now owes the Korean Penins 300 million karma per day.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°And it¡¯s legally binding on a cosmic level.¡± Yeongwoo smiled brightly as he spoke, and Tomiko¡¯s legs wavered beneath her. She instinctively understood that the absurd nonsense this madman was spouting was probably all true. ¡°W-why should we pay 300 million?¡± ¡°You can ask Yuto yourself when you see him. If you had won the war, you wouldn¡¯t have to pay.¡± Yeongwoo casually scanned the Tokyo skyline, as if inspecting property he had just won at an auction. His gazended on the violet tower, about 50 meters away. ¡°That thing¡ªdid Lemu build it? Is it the interstermunicator?¡± ¡°¡­As far as I know.¡± ¡°As far as you know? You haven¡¯t used it yet?¡± When Yeongwoo asked, confused, Tomiko made an awkward expression. ¡°I¡¯m not the representative of Japan. I didn¡¯t join the war; I was merely waiting.¡± "For the Second Tokyo Conference." "Second?" "The first was to select participants, and the second will address follow-up issues. For example, dealing with those who dared not risk their lives for the sake of the nation." In simpler terms, a purge. Of course, since Tomiko held the title of Sword Emperor, it was uncertain whether she could be so easily executed. But one thing was clear: if Japan had won the Tsushima War, the maind''s atmosphere would now be feverishly intense. "Oh, then if it had been Yuto visiting instead of me, you would have been in quite a predicament, wouldn''t you?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w "Who knows? Both would be problematic, though perhaps to different degrees." "Even rolling in a pile of manure is better than being dead. In any case, wee." "...What?" "Wee to my Tokyo. From now on, all of Tokyo''s majorndmarks are mine." Ting! Yeongwoo pulled out a certificate from the ground and pointed with it toward a violet tower. At the same time, beams of light shot down from the sky. Zeeeeee-aaaaaat! "Huh?" "What?" One of the beams pierced the top of the violet tower, etching a crest onto it. Simultaneously, other beams descended throughout Tokyo, creating wedge-shaped sigils. In other words... "Even the universe has red tags?" Red tags. The official name was Confiscation Marker. They were essentially a type of branding used by government institutions when seizing a debtor''s property for various reasons. And just now, several of Tokyo''s key facilities had been confiscated. "What is all this?" Seeing the wedge-shaped symbols suddenly appear throughout the city, Tomiko widened her eyes in shock. Yeongwoo answered nonchntly. "As of now, all cosmic infrastructure in Tokyo is under my ownership." "......!" "And from this moment on, Japan''s representative is you, Tomiko." Promoted to Japan''s representative in an instant. But Tomiko''s expression was far from bright. "What if I refuse?" "Why?" "It''s just a fancy title for someone who has to scrape up money and hand it over, isn''t it?" A perceptive one indeed. So Yeongwoo nodded without hesitation. "That''s correct." "......?" "Japan''s primary role right now is to gather 300 million karma daily and send it to us. Naturally, the representative''s job is to oversee collections." "Well, I''m not doing it." "Then who will? To my knowledge, there''s no one better suited to gather money without wielding a sword than you, Tomiko." "......" It was only now that Tomiko tightly closed her eyes. That scoundrel was being polite only because she was a familiar face. Otherwise, he''d have simply smashed everything alongside his dragon and had the conversation afterward. "Someone has to take the representative position, anyway. The question is how much blood will be spilled before someone does." As Yeongwoo said this, he rested his hand on the hilt of his Demonic Cursed Sword. Seeing this, Tomiko looked as if she were reliving a nightmare. She knew full well, having seen it herself in the dungeon, that the cursed sword was no ordinary weapon. "Isn''t the lesser evil better than the worst? As long as the reparations are delivered daily, Japan won''t face any trouble." "Demanding 300 million a day is trouble enough." "Think of it as a fine. After all, you struck first." "..." There was no way to argue against that. "After Pangaea, Japan now shares a border with northern Australia, correct?" "What''s that got to do with anything?" "In northern Australia live my brothers, the Redfoot Orcs. Normally, war would have broken out there, too, but I''m currently preventing that from happening." Bluffing. In other words, a perfect lie, though not entirely baseless. If Yeongwoo wanted, he could ask Lord Bang to invade Japan and seize morend. "If you take on the role of representative, I promise you this: there will be no war with the Orcs." Conversely, if you refuse the position, the border with Australia will be a new source of headaches... At least, that''s how Tomiko interpreted it. Though no sword had been drawn, she was essentially being threatened. "Make the right choice for your people, Tomiko." As Yeongwoo delivered this nonsensical line with an unchanging expression, Tomiko pressed her hand to her forehead in frustration. "Collecting 300 million karma daily... Is there anything else I have to do? If there is, just say it all now." "Of course." Yeongwoo nodded as if it were obvious. Then he looked around Tokyo again. "Empty this city." "What did you say?" "Most of the facilities here are ours anyway. My people and I will frequently visit Tokyo to use them. That''ll be inconvenient and potentially dangerous for the residents, wouldn''t it?" "..." At these words, Tomiko reflexively nced at Jiseon, who was hovering 100 meters above with her dragon''s head visible. "But Tokyo already has so many residents..." "Then ask them. If they want to keep living in a city visited daily by armed Koreans. And above all¡ª" sh! Yeongwoo subtly changed his title. ¡ºTokyo Sword Emperor¡» "You...!" "I''m the Sword Emperor of Tokyo now, aren''t I? Just tell everyone to leave." The sorrow of losing the Sword Emperor title. Tomiko had neither the means nor the ability to stop this lunatic. By now, it seemed the lesser evil would indeed be for her, as a familiar face, to take on the representative role. "I''ll do my best to empty the city. Is there anything else?" As Tomiko groaned her reluctant eptance, Yeongwoo finally tilted his head toward the sky. "Something else? Let''s discuss thatter." "You mean there''s more?" Tomiko gasped in horror, and Yeongwoo drew his Demon Sword, pointing it skyward. "That depends on Mr. Yuto. I don''t know exactly what he was supposed to deliver." "...?" Baffled, Tomiko followed Yeongwoo''s gaze upward. There, a massive square-shaped ship silently broke through the clouds and descended. "Wha¡ªwhat is that?" "Lemu. They''re in the cultural business." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 352 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 352: Supreme Armament (3) "Culture¡­ business?" Tomiko, stillcking cosmic experience, could only take the words of this entric at face value. And at least outwardly, it seemed believable. Whirrrr¡­! The descending ship indeed looked like it belonged to those involved in cultural endeavors. Its pristine white, cubic surface gleamed like fine porcin, descending silently without engine noise. One could almost say it exuded a certain elegance. "It does seem to have a noble aura, doesn¡¯t it?" "Exactly, right?" Tomiko¡¯s observation made Yeongwoo smile brightly. Then, he added a cryptic remark. "I¡¯ve always been curious about who they truly are." "What do you mean? Haven¡¯t you met them before?" "I have, but I¡¯ve never seen their true form." Every time Yeongwoo had interacted with the Lemu, their signature cubic entities had represented them. When they made advertising proposals, they sent intermediaries instead of showing themselves directly to sign the contracts. But this time was different. Whoooooooosh¡­! The ship descending from the sky was unmistakably a Lemu vessel. This meant that the true form of the Lemu had to be inside. "Lemuuuuu¡­!" Yeongwoo spread his arms wide, weing the enduringly intertwined alien force, and the Lemu seemed to respond in kind by sending a signal. Baaaaaang! Like many ships, it emitted a sound simr to a foghorn. Then, the ship¡¯s once-pristine white faces shifted to a pearly hue, radiating a gentle, glowing light. Fwoooooosh! Current time: 8:49 PM. The night was already pitch ck, and with no grand events in progress, the Lemu ship was the only source of such dazzling light over Tokyo. For those unfamiliar with the Lemu, their appearance was captivating beyond measure. Psssssh! As the Lemu¡¯s ship reached a height of 50 meters above the ground, it released a mist-like substance from its base beforeing to a halt. It appeared they had no intention of descending further. ¡®These guys are being extremely cautious. Well, considering this city is now practically under Dogo¡¯s jurisdiction, it makes sense.¡¯ Perhaps their earlier encounter with the chairman¡¯s wrath on Earth made them wary. ¡®Though if the chairman decided to intervene, their precautions would be meaningless anyway. What¡¯s the point of this hesitation?¡¯ While musing over this, Yeongwoo tucked the sword he was holding back into his belt. At that moment, the base of the Lemu ship began to split into a square opening. "...Oh." Yeongwoo widened his eyes. He had expected them to send a hologram or something simr for their contact, not to physically open the ship. Click! With a locking sound, thin white pirs extended from the four corners of the ship¡¯s underside. Hsssssss! ¡°Huh?¡± ¡ª¡­! Caught off guard by this unexpected development, both Jiseon and Yeongwoo flinched. The four pirs plunged deeply into the Tokyo ground. Thud, thud! Essentially, the massive cube ship had deployed legs to support itself. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be fine just floating? Why bother installing those?¡± Yeongwoo murmured to himself. At that moment, a thin membrane appeared between the four pirs extending from the ship. Swish! Completely transparent, the barrier allowed the ship¡¯s underside to be fully visible, but the asional shimmer of its surface confirmed that something was blocking the way. In other words, this was likely... ¡®A protective shield?¡¯ As Yeongwoo spected internally, the ship¡¯s underside began lowering a gray, square metal te. "Oh¡­" Sensing something significant, Tomiko let out a sound. Yeongwoo, anticipating that the Lemu would be present on the te, moved closer to the barrier. And sure enough... Whirrrr¡­! As the square te descended to roughly 20 meters above the ground, a massive silhouette came into view atop it. "Wow, it¡¯s huge!" Tomiko, her pupils dted, spoke to Yeongwoo. The descending te was a perfect square, each side spanning tens of meters. But the entity standing atop it was so enormous that its silhouette was already visible. ¡°¡­Is this okay?¡± Feeling a rising sense of danger, Tomiko asked Yeongwoo, but his expression betrayed no tension. "Lemu used to sponsor Japan. They wouldn¡¯t harm you without reason." With that, Yeongwoo began removing his Vesedel armor. nk, ng! The metallic armor encasing his body hit the ground with a loud tter, causing Tomiko to scream and step back. ¡°What are you doing now?!¡± "When Lemu promised support to Yuto, they requested the Naked War." "S-so what?" "It makes sense to receive the rewards of the war in the same manner." This implied that the Lemu would expect it. Tomiko was already exasperated by the reasoning. "You¡­ You¡¯re insane." "If you¡¯re not going to undress, step back. Don¡¯t get caught on camera." "Excuse me?" "Being clothed here would be disgraceful." The reward ceremony for the Naked War. It was undoubtedly being filmed, just like the war itself. Thus, it was better for only the unclothed to appear on screen for the sake of marketability. This way, the Lemu would dly pay a hefty sum. Having made up his mind to go all the way, Yeongwoo gestured for Tomiko to move aside. "If you¡¯re not going to undress, hurry and leave." At this point, Jiseon turned to her son. ¡ªWhat about me? "Mother, since you¡¯re already undressed,e closer." Yeongwoo proudly invited his mother to the prestigious scene. As the dragon-shaped Jiseon approached with heavy footsteps toward the direction of Lemu''s ship, the gray metal te finally descended in the heart of Tokyo. Thooooom! ¡°Wow, these guys¡­ they¡¯re robots?¡± Yeongwoo gaped, his mouth wide open. The gray metal te, spanning hundreds of square meters, was intricately etched with what appeared to be countless circuit patterns. And at its center¡ª ¡õ ¡­¡­ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w There sat a figure, unmistakably the master of ¡°Lemu,¡± perched upon a throne forged of mechanicalponents. A cape woven from silver-white cables and armor with delicate circuits sprinkled across its surface adorned them. The mechanical body beneath, however, wasposed of gray metal. Its hands, also gray, bore rings that looked as if bolts had been partially melted and refashioned. Standing roughly five meters tall, their presence wasmanding. ¡®¡­They look ridiculously powerful.¡¯ Beside the throne stood two giant war machines, each at least ten meters tall. Yet, they didn¡¯t feel like bodyguards. The figure¡¯s aura was far too overwhelming for that. ¡®No wonder they dared to challenge our chairman.¡¯ Yeongwoo, who had envisioned some rich space tycoon, was stunned by the sheer majesty of Lemu, a presence far beyond his imagination. Then again, isn¡¯t wealth equivalent to power in space? ¡°¡­¡­¡± As Yeongwoo, still stark naked, stared at his opponent beyond the transparent protective barrier, the figure on the throne lifted their right hand from the armrest. ¡õ Jeong Yeongwoo07. Your reputation has reached the very summit of the Machine Tower. It is a pleasure to meet you. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡õ I am the Seeker, the Master of the Machine Tower, and the Architect, Lemu. ¡®Not the Lustful King Lemu, but Architect Lemu?¡¯ Of course, most prominent figures across the universe loved to use the title of ¡°king.¡± Chairman Dogo, the King of Destruction, did so, and Mara referred to himself as the King of Ten Thousand Demons. But Lemu¡¯s title wasn¡¯t ¡°king¡±¡ªit was ¡°Architect.¡± What exactly did they design, then? Since they had introduced themselves, Yeongwoo also bent at the waist in a polite bow. ¡°I am Jeong Yeongwoo07, a human from Earth and the Mayor of Metal Seoul.¡± Originally, he would have added ¡°Dogo Special City,¡± but considering his audience, he tactfully left it out. ¡°It is an honor to meet you in this manner. May I address you as Chairman Lemu?¡± When Yeongwoo cautiously inquired, Lemu moved their mechanical facial muscles to form a smile. ¡õ Titles are merely formalities. Call me whatever you findfortable. At this, Yeongwoo ced a hand on the hilt of his dagger and said abruptly, ¡°Hey, Lemu!¡± ¡õ ¡­¡­! ¡°¡­You¡¯d be shocked if I called you that, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± Yeongwoo caught a fleeting moment where Lemu¡¯s expression stiffened, his eyes glinting mischievously. ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll call you President Lemu.¡± As Yeongwoo suddenly shifted from ¡°Chairman¡± to ¡°President,¡± it was Lemu who posed a question in turn. ¡õ May I ask why? ¡°For me, there¡¯s only one Chairman.¡± ¡õ Dogo. ¡°If it¡¯s all right with you, I¡¯ll reserve the title Chairman for him.¡± ¡õ Chairman Dogo may not be a great businessman, but he is an exceptional warrior. Was this a mechanical diss? Yeongwoo mulled over the curious remark as he nced up at the sky. It seemed the Chairman wasn¡¯t nning to make an appearance today. Then again, he was probably busy working himself to the bone to prepare tomorrow¡¯s wedding gift. From what Yeongwoo knew, Dogo had so many business ventures that hispany rarely had much liquid cash on hand. In contrast, from their first meeting, Lemu had tried to win through sheer wealth. ¡®Maybe the President is right. The Chairman might be an exceptional warrior but not necessarily a great businessman.¡¯ Everything was rtive, after all. At leastpared to Dogo, Lemu was clearly the better businessman. Even now, Lemu¡¯s attitude showed as much. Weren¡¯t they addressing someone of significantly lesser stature with the utmost courtesy? ¡°That aside, President, what brings you to this humble ce today¡­¡± As Yeongwoo began to broach the subject of the promised payment, Lemu waved their right hand knowingly. ¡õ There is no need to embellish your words with me. At that moment, the circuits embedded in the floor lit up in a radiant blue, and just behind the protective barrier, a white mechanical device emerged. ¡°Ohhh¡­¡± As expected, the metal te beneath Lemu¡¯s feet wasn¡¯t ordinary. Within its domain, Lemu was practically omnipotent. ¡®So that¡¯s why the protective barrier is here? In case the Chairman shows up to start a fight?¡¯ A reasonable suspicion. But business came first. Yeongwoo turned his gaze to the device rising from the ground. Lemu, gesturing as if to say ¡°go ahead,¡± tilted their palm upward. ¡õ Within it are the promised support items and the special privileges of the Machine Tower originally meant for Mr. Yuto. ¡°The special privileges of the Machine Tower?¡± Genuinely curious, Yeongwoo asked, and Lemu leaned forward from the throne to answer. ¡õ All resources of the Machine Tower are devoted to studying the Akashic Records. ¡°What¡­ what did you say?¡± The Akashic Records. A kind of record-book revered as godlike among the denizens of the universe. ording to what Yeongwoo had heard, the Akashic Records contained everything that happened in the universe. ¡°Are you saying the Machine Tower¡¯s special privilege has to do with the Akashic Records?¡± ¡õ While no one can ess the Akashic Records directly, with sufficient resources, it can be observed. Therefore¡­ President Lemu made the most significant movement they had since arriving on Earth. p! Their palms struck together, creating a resounding p. The top of the device that had risen before Yeongwoo opened, revealing two massive icons. The left icon resembled a Karma Coin, likely representing the promised funds. The right icon was shaped like an eye. ¡°Wait, don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± ¡õ The Akashic Records holds all of time: the past, the present, and the future. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡õ Yuto sought to glimpse the future. Jeong Yeongwoo07, do you wish for it as well? ¡®What the¡­ is this guy some kind of universal fortune-teller?¡¯ Caught off guard by the unexpected privilege, Yeongwoo gaped, though his tongue was already forming words. ¡°The¡­ the future. If I really can see it, I must.¡± At his response, the eye icon disappeared, reced by three words. ¡õ As a gift for this meeting, I will grant you a glimpse of the future. Choose one of these three fragments. [Family] [Infamy] [Spouse] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 353 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 353: Supreme Armament (4) ¡ªWhat... what are you talking about? A spouse? For you? Jiseon, who had just witnessed a fragment of Yeongwoo¡¯s future, was even more shocked than he was. She had imagined her son¡¯s future might involve their family name, and certainly some infamy, but the concept of a "spouse" was so oundish it had never even crossed her mind. ¡ªYou mean I¡¯m going to have a daughter-inw? What kind of fool would marry someone like you? Jiseon berated her son mercilessly. But Yeongwoo was just as flustered. ¡°...Ah, hold on a second.¡± He waved a hand at his frenzied mother, trying to calm her down, and turned to Lemu, who was inside the protective barrier. ¡°President, what exactly does this mean? The ¡®future fragments¡¯ you mentioned earlier¡­ Are these things that will actually happen?¡± Lemu propped his right elbow on the armrest of his throne and rested his chin on his hand. ¡õ ording tow of causality, everything in the universe has a rational basis and tends toward inevitability due to karma. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡õ Therefore, the Akashic Record that governs causality and karma predicts most futures and records them in advance. ¡°What did you say?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°You¡¯re saying the future is already recorded?¡± It wasn¡¯t an entirely unfamiliar concept. On the first day of the Reset, he had learned about the Chronicle of Destiny and how it had preordained his future. However, the Reset system had imed that everyone¡¯s destinies were reset at the point of that catastrophe. But now¡­ ¡°So you¡¯re saying my future is still recorded somewhere? But the Chronicle of Destiny doesn¡¯t even exist anymore¡­¡± Yeongwoo trailed off mid-sentence. Come to think of it, wasn¡¯t the Akashic Record itself the Chronicle of Destiny for the entire universe? The Akashic Record, which all beings revered almost like a god. The reason was simple: the Akashic Record determined their futures. Just as humans on Earth prayed to their ancestors or gods for a good future, beings in the universe venerated the Akashic Record and sought its blessings for their well-being. In other words, the fact that Yeongwoo¡¯s family name, infamy, and spouse were already inscribed in the Akashic Record meant¡­ ¡õ The Akashic Record is vast and profound. While we can only observe a tiny portion, one thing is certain¡­ Lemu gestured toward the fragments of Yeongwoo¡¯s future disyed before him. [Family] [Infamy] [Spouse] ¡õ These are the futures that await you. The Akashic Record has judged and recorded them, and we call this the priority future. ¡°¡­Priority future.¡± Unless some unprecedented variable disrupted the course of events, this was a future that would inevitablye to pass. And fragments of that future were right in front of Yeongwoo. ¡°Then¡­ when the original Chronicle of Destiny was revealed on the first day of the Reset, my next future was already recorded in the Akashic Record, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Yeongwoo posed a sharp question, and Lemu interlocked his fingers, leaning forward slightly. ¡õ An intriguing question. While it¡¯s beyond our capacity to verify, I¡¯d say it¡¯s highly probable. Then, Lemu nodded toward the fragments of Yeongwoo¡¯s future once again. ¡õ Now, choose. You may glimpse only one of them. ¡°Have you also not seen what¡¯s inside these fragments yet?¡± ¡õ Observing the Akashic Record consumes significant resources. And since we are already monitoring many things, we cannot squander resources carelessly. In other words, the opportunity to observe such precious fragments wasn¡¯t something they would waste on ¡°Jeong Yeongwoo07.¡± Just days ago, Yeongwoo was nothing more than an anonymous inhabitant of a remote, Earth. But now, thanks to his promised privileges, he had a chance to glimpse a part of his future. ¡°You¡¯ve never seen my future before?¡± Yeongwoo scratched his chin. ¡°Then this will be a good opportunity for you, too.¡± ¡õ ¡­? ¡°You¡¯ll find another person worth monitoring.¡± Yeongwoo smirked wickedly, but Lemu, who had glimpsed countless fragments of the universe¡¯s futures, found itughable. ¡õ We are awaiting countless moments that have already been set. Events beyond your imagination. It was a reminder that the vast events unfolding in the universe had already been observed, and they were simply waiting for their time. But Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t intimidated in the least. ¡°And yet, you¡¯ve ended up using those precious resources on me. Isn¡¯t that also beyond what you imagined?¡± ¡õ ¡­¡­. Lemu had no retort. ¡°By the way, it¡¯s unfortunate that the keyword ¡®infamy¡¯ is part of my future.¡± That essentially meant he would be a viin in the future. Jiseon immediately chimed in. ¡ªOh, infamy doesn¡¯t surprise me. You¡¯ve always done nothing but things that would make you notorious. Then she pointed at the fragmentbeled [Spouse]. ¡ªBut that one¡¯s a real shocker. [Spouse]. The one keyword that had utterly stunned Jiseon upon its appearance. ¡ªYou? Getting married? ¡°¡­Why not? I could do it if I needed to.¡± Unlike his earlier confidence with Lemu, Yeongwoo spoke with much less conviction. Even he had to admit his life path seemed far removed from anything resembling marriage. ¡®Who on earth would I marry? And why¡­?¡¯ The idea of having a spouse was shocking enough, but the notion that he would choose marriage was even more baffling. ¡®Would I need an absurdlyrge sum of money someday?¡¯ That was the only usible reason he could think of at the moment. If he had to pay an astronomical amount in taxes to avoid prison or death, then marriage might make sense. ¡°So, Mother, are you most curious about my spouse?¡± When Yeongwoo turned to Jiseon, she hesitated. ¡ªAnd what about you? Confronted with the possibility of glimpsing her cosmic daughter-inw in advance, she felt a sudden pang of fear. Yeongwoo returned his gaze to his future fragments. Family, Infamy, Spouse. If he wanted to teach Lemu, the president of the other side, a lesson, choosing infamy or family would probably be the better options. But realistically, they weren¡¯t likely to be of much help. ¡®Family or infamy are somewhat predictable choices since they align with my current direction.¡¯ But the spouse¡ªnow that was different. Yeongwoo, for all his unusually cosmic thinking for an Earthling, couldn¡¯t even begin to predict anything about his own marriage. Why? With whom? ¡°Let¡¯s take a look at my spouse. I¡¯m more curious about why I¡¯d marry than who I¡¯d marry.¡± ¡ªWhy would you even get married? ¡°Do you think I¡¯d find someone I love and get married in this mess? Even if someone like that existed, they¡¯d be dead by now.¡± ¡ªFair enough. Jiseon quickly epted the logic but then red up in protest. ¡ªBut then why would you get married? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re nning to threaten someone into marriage again, you bastard! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w That was, in truth, Jiseon¡¯s story. Wasn¡¯t she the first victim of a forced marriage thanks to Yeongwoo? ¡°Well, who knows? I¡¯d have to see it to find out.¡± Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t entirely deny the possibility, stroking his chin thoughtfully. After all, who could say what kind of person he¡¯d be in the future? ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s see for ourselves.¡± When Yeongwoo turned toward Lemu, the mechanical emperor who sold pornography to fund its foresight ventures wore an odd expression. ¡õ Have you made your decision? ¡°Yes. If my future spouse exists, I¡¯d like to know who it is and how we ended up married.¡± At that, Lemu closed its eyes as if in contemtion. ¡õ What you see will be known only to the printing press. And then it added, ¡õ Select a shard. The future shards. The three choices given to Yeongwoo were positioned inside Lemu¡¯s protective barrier. They rested on a gray metal te with intricate electronic circuits etched into its surface. ¡®So, I have to step inside to pick one myself?¡¯ Lemu still showed no reaction, and the three future shards, disyed on a mechanical device, were about 10 meters away beyond the protective barrier. It was impossible to touch the shards without stepping inside. ¡°Wait here for a moment.¡± In the end, Yeongwoo entrusted the situation to his mother and boldly stepped into Lemu¡¯s barrier. Swish. Immediately, a system message appeared in his vision. ¡¸All equipment effects below the Epic grade have been deactivated.¡¹ ¡®What?¡¯ But that wasn¡¯t all. ¡¸You are now under the ¡®Contempt for Life¡¯ effect. All stats are reduced by 25%.¡¹ As expected, within Lemu¡¯s barrier, he couldn¡¯t use his powers properly. And that wasn¡¯t the only concern. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The electronic circuits on the floor were essentially extensions of Lemu¡¯s body. He would be exposed to unpredictable attacks if he had to fight inside this space. This was Lemu¡¯s home turf, after all. ¡®As much of a mess as our is, it¡¯s impressive how Lemu can casually set up its domain here.¡¯ It seemed there wasn¡¯t a single pushover among the gxy¡¯s big names. Quietly marveling, Yeongwoo carefully advanced toward the shards. Clink, clink. Finally, he reached out to the shard on the far rightbeled ¡°Spouse.¡± ¡®Who could it possibly be? My future spouse¡­!¡¯ As the future shard began to flicker, Yeongwoo stepped back cautiously. Meanwhile, Lemu, seated on its throne, adjusted its posture and tilted its head toward the air. Soon, sh! A vibrant glow surged from the shard Yeongwoo had selected, forming a hazy halo in the sky. It resembled a massive screen. ¡®Why is the screen so big?¡¯ Feeling an ominous presence within the glow, Yeongwoo instinctively stepped back again. Roar! The presence was farrger than he¡¯d expected. ¡®Something¡¯sing out?¡¯ While Yeongwoo¡¯s hand moved to his weapon out of reflex, his mother, Jiseon, who had a much better vantage point, widened her eyes. She had already seen the inside of the glowing halo. ¡ªIs¡­ Is that my daughter-inw? Iron Empress Song Jiseon¡¯s voice was thick with fear and disbelief. ¡°What is it? What did you see?¡± Yeongwoo urgently asked. At that moment, the previously white halo red a vivid red. Whoosh! ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Then, a colossal dragon with crimson scales, resembling dried blood, crawled out and let out a piercing yellow breath. Roooaaarrr! Beneath its blood-colored scales, fiery sparks crackled, turning its skin an even more intense red. The creature¡¯s monstrous wings entered Yeongwoo¡¯s vision next. No fewer than four wings¡ªtwo pairs¡ªstretched out menacingly. ¡°¡­Oh, shit.¡± Yeongwoo muttered under his breath as he involuntarily covered his mouth. That¡¯s when he noticed Lemu, now standing from its seat. ¡°President! What the hell is that? Are you saying that¡¯s my spouse?¡± Lemu looked at Yeongwoo with aplicated expression. ¡õ That is Princess Parina of the Sun. ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡õ If she does not suit your tastes, it¡¯s likely a political marriage. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 354 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 354: Supreme Armament (5) "Uh, strategic...?" Yeongwoo felt a sudden dizziness as Lemu''s words about cosmic fate echoed in his mind: ¡¸ording tow of causality, everything in the universe has a rational basis and tends toward inevitability due to karma.¡¹ In other words, the prioritized future inscribed in the Chronicle of Destiny was a result of causality and karma. Put differently: ¡®...It happened because it was bound to.¡¯ Although the exact timing of his supposed marriage to that monster was unknown, it implied that all his past and future actions had inevitably led to this oue. Craaaack! Princess Parina let out a guttural sound, reminiscent of a chest full of phlegm, and spewed a yellowish breath. Though it was merely a vision, with no tangible heat, her fiery temperament was apparent to all present. ¡ª What the hell, kid?! What did you do to end up marrying someone like her? A startled Song Jiseon gaped at her son, her jaw dropping as she interrogated him. Yeongwoo, looking both aggrieved and confused, replied: "I don''t know! And I''m not even married yet!" ¡ª Did you miss it? If it''s written in the Chronicle of Destiny, it''s practically set in stone! "..." There was no refuting that. But still¡­ ¡®What kind of situation leads me to marry someone like that? What on earth did you do, future Yeongwoo?¡¯ Yeongwoo threw the question into the void, seeking answers from his future self. Unsurprisingly, no response came. Meanwhile, the crimson visions that filled the air dissipated without a trace. Swish! "Huh." ¡ª Whoa! As the images of future wife and daughter-inw vanished, the stunned mother and son widened their eyes. Lemu, sitting once more on his throne, feignedposure. ¡õ Intriguing, isn¡¯t it? Yeongwoo, undeterred, took a few steps closer to Lemu and asked: "President, can''t I see a bit more? Shouldn''t I at least know why this marriage happens and what I gain from it?" ¡õ The Chronicle of Destiny reveals only what it allows. We cannot see beyond this. Though far more must have been etched into the scroll, Lemu asserted that the Machine Tower''s observation capabilities were limited to this glimpse. Even if Lemu was deliberately withholding information, Yeongwoo had no way of proving it. ¡®This is why it sucks to have no power.¡¯ Yeongwoo surveyed Lemu¡¯s dominion with envy. His gaze shifted to the coin-like icon still resting atop a mechanical tform. "Then, can I at least im my reward now?" ¡õ Of course. You¡¯ve earned it. With a casual gesture, Lemu motioned toward the coin icon as though offering a meal. Yeongwoo wasted no time and grabbed thest remaining reward. Click. In an instant, 800 million karma was transferred into his bnce. Whoooosh! "Whoa...!" Avable Karma: 932,779,605 Avable Defense Funds: 0 Yeongwoo¡¯s wealth surged past 930 million, and the electronic flooring gave way as a massive steel vault, the size of a wardrobe, emerged. ng! "What¡¯s this?" ¡õ An armory. "An armory?" When Yeongwoo touched the surface of the mysterious vault, arge gap appeared in the center, and the doors slid apart, revealing the contents inside. "Wow..." As expected, it was indeed an armory. Inside, a gear rack held a sword, a shield, and a small object resembling a key. "Why do they look like that?" Yeongwoo pointed to the sword and shield, questioning their holographic appearance. Lemu, seemingly brimming with pride, answered: ¡õ These are customizable rewards. "Customizable rewards?" ¡õ Input your desired effect, and the Machine Tower will locate and summon equipment matching those specifications. "Ridiculous." Essentially, a nk check for equipment¡ªno wonder Lemu seemed so confident. "What¡¯s the maximum grade?" ¡õ Both are of legendary grade. "Wow." Two pieces of legendary equipment tailored to his needs¡ªa value that couldn¡¯t be measured in money. On Earth, no matter how wealthy you were, obtaining the desired gear was often a matter of sheer luck. ¡®So the President doesn¡¯t just read the Chronicle of Destiny; he uses other forms of detection as well.¡¯ Though Yeongwoo knew Chairman Dogo despised Lemu, he felt it wise to maintain at least a working rtionship. After all, Lemu¡¯s ability to glimpse even fragments of the Records set him apart from all other factions. "Um... Should I ce an order now?" As Yeongwoo cautiously reached into the armory, Lemu nodded. ¡õ May you find equipment that suits you. "Phew." Exhaling deeply, Yeongwoo touched the holographic sword. Buzz. Immediately, a search interface appeared. [Please input your desired equipment effects.] "Perfect." Yeongwoo already knew what to ask for. Just as he had requested from Yechan, he needed gear specialized in special abilities. Currently, his build maximized the benefits of the Osmosis effect by optimizing base resistance values. ¡¸Osmosis¡¹ - Epic Ring ¡¾The lowest basic resistance value is equal to the highest resistance value.¡¿ |Fire Resistance: 15% (Osmosis: 50%) |Cold Resistance: 15% (Osmosis: 50%) |Lightning Resistance: 15% (Osmosis: 50%) |Poison Resistance: 15% (Osmosis: 50%) |Special Ability Resistance: 50% |Dragon Resistance: 10% His fire, cold, lightning, and poison resistances were bnced, while his special ability resistance was pushed to its maximum. If he could keep stacking special ability resistance, he wouldn¡¯t need separate gear for base resistances. His offensive gear followed a simr logic: Yeongwoo was transitioning to a special ability-focused setup. ¡¸Heresy¡¹ - Unique Gauntlets ¡¾15% of attack power is converted into mental damage.¡¿ ¡¸Judgement¡¹ - Unique Gloves ¡¾Increases power by 20% against enemies with #abilities.¡¿ ¡¸Dark sh¡¹ - Transformed Crescent Moon de ¡¾While using this weapon, you will continuously take psychic damage.¡¿ ¡¾Adds 25% of the psychic damage taken in thest 2 seconds to your attack power.¡¿ ¡¾Increases psychic attribute damage by 10%.¡¿ Additionally, his epic bow White Fire had a default special ability damage attribute. ''I have to find weapons and shields rted to abilities.'' Abilities not only weaken an opponent¡¯s equipment but are also a trait widely used by cosmic entities. In other words, topete in the cosmos, one cannot rely solely on themon attributes found on Earth. ¡®Search for equipment with the highest single stat rted to resistance against or damage from abilities.¡¯ As Yeongwoo made this request, the search interface began working immediately. [Searching for the requested equipment.] Soon after, the holographic sword began to change shape. Shuaaaah! It was no longer a sword¡ªit had transformed into something akin to a long spear. ¡°Already found one, huh?¡± As Yeongwoo muttered to himself, the length of the first reward weapon, now a spear, suddenly extended to around four meters. ¡°Whoa?¡± And then, its full appearance and tooltip were revealed. ¡¸Horn of Kelpite¡¹ ¨C Legendary Spear ¡¾20% of attack power converted to ability damage.¡¿ ¡¾40% increase in ability damage.¡¿ ¡°Wow¡­¡± Truly, a legendary item lived up to its name. Yeongwoo was left speechless at the absurdly powerful effects. ¡®Unbelievable. Sniping specific options during crafting can produce gear like this?¡¯ With this, Yeongwoo¡¯s ability damage ratio had now reached 35%. At this rate, it would be nearly impossible to find an equal rival on this. ¡®Heh heh, conquering Earth is just a matter of time now.¡¯ As Yeongwoo gave a wicked grin, the search interface disyed a new prompt. [Please input the desired equipment effects.] One more. Now it was the shield¡¯s turn. Just as with the weapon, Yeongwoo was about to search for shields with the highest stats rted to abilities, but then he paused. ¡®Wait.¡¯ The grade of the next obtainable item was legendary. ¡®If that¡¯s the case, what if I look for an item with no numerical stats in its options instead?¡¯ The moment this thought urred to him, he immediately requested the search. [Searching for the requested equipment.] A legendary shield rted to abilities but without numerical values in its options. It didn¡¯t take long for the search to yield results. Shuaaaah! The hologram, which had taken the shape of a shield, suddenly shifted into a rectangr form and revealed a metallic structure with a brass hue. ¡¸Fully Armored¡¹ ¨C Legendary Shield ¡¾When taking ability damage, all equipment bes indestructible.¡¿ ¡°What¡­?¡± Indestructible. From the description, it seemed to counteract the primary trait of ability damage: equipment weakening. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Normally, exposure to ability damage over time would cause equipment to crack and eventually break, but this shield prevented that entirely. ¡®But I¡¯m constantly exposed to ability damage because of the ¡®Dark sh.¡¯¡¯ If Yeongwoo were to acquire this item, it would effectively render all his equipment permanently indestructible. ¡®Well, since both will go into the collection, I¡¯ll just hold Aratubank in my hands.¡¯ This was already a satisfying haul, wasn¡¯t it? Moreover, there was still¡­ ¡°President, what¡¯s that?¡± At the very bottom of the armoryy an item resembling a key. ¡°It looks like a key at first nce.¡± Unlike the previous two pieces of equipment, the ¡°key¡± was not rendered as a hologram. This meant it wasn¡¯t crafted as a customizable item but had been included as a fixed reward. ¡°Could it be a surprise bonus? Like a key to a treasure chest?¡± Yeongwoo jokingly remarked as he reached out to pick up the mysterious object. But just then, a warning hologram from the First Sword Art appeared. ¡°Uh-oh.¡± It was already toote. Yeongwoo¡¯s fingers had just touched the key. Tap. ¡¸Viin Suppressor¡¹ ¨C Legendary Tool ¡¾Applies a suppression effect based on the target¡¯s level of malice.¡¿ ¡°Huh?¡± The moment Yeongwoo read the tooltip, a massive vibration began to emanate from his fingertips. The suppressor activated. ¡°Urghhh!¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s entire body was paralyzed as if struck by a taser. Meanwhile, Lemu muttered an ominous line. ¡õ The decree has already written your future. At the very least, it confirms that you¡¯ll marry the Princess of the Sun, so no matter what I do here, I won¡¯t kill you. ¡°Of course not, you bastard! If you try to kill me, the chairman wille flying!¡± Yeongwoo gritted his teeth and shouted. And he was probably right. Theary evaluation fee that had already been paid meant a significant investment had been made into Yeongwoo and Earth. If anyone, especially Lemu, attempted to take his life, the oue would be painfully obvious. Boom! Meanwhile, Jiseon unleashed her breath on Lemu¡¯s barrier, but it didn¡¯t leave a single scratch. ¡õ But is it really because of Chairman Dogo? ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡õ Perhaps it¡¯s simply because our story is progressing well, and that¡¯s why you can¡¯t die. With these words, Lemu gazed at the sky. ¡õ The chairman is quite preupied at the moment. He doesn¡¯t have the bandwidth to care about the safety of a mere advertising agent. ¡°¡­!¡± Realizing this, Yeongwoo also turned his gaze upward. Now that he thought about it, despite the increasingly dire situation, neither the chairman nor anyone from headquarters had intervened. Why was that? ¡®Could it be¡­¡¯ Lemu¡¯s earlier remarks about observing fragments of the future shed through his mind. Perhaps this moment was one of the many instances Lemu had been waiting for. A moment when the chairman and the entirety of Dogo would be tied up. Maybe all of this was¡­ ¡®The architect, Lemu.¡¯ Whether it was because of the suppressor or his own horrifying thoughts, Yeongwoo¡¯s entire body trembled. At that moment, Lemu casually snapped his fingers. ¡õ All promised rewards will be delivered. However¡­ Boom! Lemu¡¯s two bodyguards began to approach Yeongwoo. ¡õ You¡¯ll also need to sign a contract with me. Think of it as receiving an investment for the distant future. ¡°What nonsense is this? If I did that¡­¡± The chairman¡¯s wrath would be unimaginable. It would also cause irreparable harm to his rtionship with Dogo in the future. ¡õ It¡¯s a dual contract. Legally, there¡¯s no issue. For the first time, Lemu smiled. And seeing that smile sent shivers down Yeongwoo¡¯s spine. This guy must have already reviewed fragments of this future before arriving or had quickly set up the suppressor upon the Princess of the Sun¡¯s appearance. Either way, his cunning was undeniable. ¡°Fuck, the whole universe is full of viins.¡± ¡õ The contract terms are highly favorable to you. ¡°Shut up! As long as the chairman has my back, there¡¯s no way I¡¯m making a deal with you!¡± As Yeongwoo shouted while restrained by the suppression device, Lemu''s bodyguards, who had approached right in front of him, nced back, awaiting their employer''s signal. In response, Lemu inteced his fingers again and spoke softly. ¡õ I cannot go against the directives, so I won''t be able to kill you immediately, Yeongwoo. "Then isn''t all this pointless? Why go out of your way to provoke me and ruin our rtionship?" ¡õ If I restrain you, at least I can threaten you in other ways, can''t I? "What?" Yeongwoo instinctively retorted, and then quickly thought like a viin. Forcing his paralyzed neck to twist, he shouted toward his mother outside the protective barrier. "Mother! Prepare to fight!" ¨D...What? "They''reing for you next!" The moment Yeongwoo yelled, Lemu''s bodyguards suddenly changed direction, rushing out of the protective barrier. BAM! BAM! Since killing Yeongwoo on the spot wasn''t an option, they intended to use Song Jiseon''s life to threaten him. ¨DDamn it, telling me to prepare to fight, not even to run? What kind of nonsense is this? Jiseon shouted indignantly, just as two of Lemu''s bodyguards unsheathed des from their fingertips. SHIIIING! ¨DHey, these bastards have swords! Sensing their menacing aura, Jiseon flinched and prepared to unleash a breath attack, but Lemu addressed Yeongwoo. ¡õ Your mother won''t be able to defeat my subordinates. I guarantee she''ll lose her life in 16 seconds. Since it was none other than the Lemu making the im, Yeongwoo believed it to be true. This only made him more confident in his response. "Then let''s see what happens in 16 seconds." As Yeongwoo looked to the sky, as if waiting for something, Lemu followed suit, ncing up. And indeed, something appeared in the sky. WHIIIIIIIIINE! ¡õ ¡­¡­? It was none other than the signature oversized anchor of Chairman Dogo. "If my future fragment has a family, shouldn''t that be a clue? If my mother dies here today, my future family wouldn''t exist. So something else is bound to happen!" Excited, Yeongwoo exined as he confirmed the anchor in the sky. But contrary to Yeongwoo''s expectations, Lemu wore a baffled expression. ¡õ Families... can be established in various ways. "What?" ¡õ Even if your mother were to die, it¡¯s still possible to¡ª Lemu was about to continue when he couldn¡¯t. The massive anchor descending from the sky crashed onto Lemu''s ship. BOOOOOOM! With a deafening roar, the four pirs projecting the protective barrier shook violently, and the bodyguards poised to attack Jiseon also turned their gaze skyward. And then¡ª KA-BOOOOOM! Countless swords rained down from the heavens, overwhelming the bodyguards. A thunderous voice resounded from somewhere. ¨DI am the one born of the battlefield, master of the Hundred-Thousand Sword Mountain, and the Destroyer King, Dogo! ¡õ ¡­¡­. As soon as Lemu heard Dogo¡¯s voice, he quietly pressed his forehead in exasperation. Then, carefully addressing the void, he asked, ¡õ Aren¡¯t you supposed to be under containment? What brings you here? In response, a massive tombstone-shaped warship emerged, connected to the anchor by chains, as the voice boomed again. ¨DThat matter has been resolved. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 355 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 355: Supreme Armament (6) Resolved. There was no need to ask what the chairman meant by "resolved." It was obvious. ¡®In the middle of being arrested? That means the police or someone else must have been trying to apprehend him. And yet, here he is?¡¯ What on earth was the chairman¡¯s daily routine like? Yeongwoo was at a loss for words. ¡®Does hemit crimes during the day and kill public officials whoe for him at night?¡¯ While Yeongwoo was muttering to himself, the gravestone-like bottom of the ship opened up, and the problematic businessman, Chairman Dogo, appeared. ¨DLemu...! As always, Dogo appeared d in full-body Vesedel armor, wielding a massive sword. From over 200 meters in the air, he dropped straight down. Screeeeeeech! Hended noisily right next to the iron anchor hooked onto Lemu''s ship. Boom! The four pirs supporting the shield shook even more violently than before, prompting Lemu, seated on his throne, to speak in an annoyed tone. ¡õ Chairman, this is still amercial zone. In response, Dogo tapped the tip of his sword against Lemu¡¯s ship beneath his feet. Thunk, thunk. ¨DI¡¯m here for business, too. ¡õ ¡­! Having dealt with Dogo many times before, Lemu¡¯s face stiffened instantly. And just as expected¡ª CRASH! With a deafening tearing sound, the ship Lemu had brought began splitting apart on both sides. "What the hell...?" Yeongwoo stared nkly into the air in disbelief. The chairman was tearing apart a spaceship with nothing but a sword. ¡®Is that even possible?¡¯ It was the sheer majesty of a Level 3 being under spacew. Or perhaps it was simply because he was Dogo. Zap! The shield that had surrounded the area instantly disappeared, and the suppressor that had paralyzed Yeongwoo also deactivated immediately. Swish! However, this wasn¡¯t because Lemu¡¯s ship was destroyed¡ªit was simply because Lemu, who controlled the suppressor, could no longer pay attention to Yeongwoo. Crash! Having split the enormous ship from the ceiling to the bottom, Dogo was now charging toward Lemu. ¨DYour corpse won¡¯t even make good fertilizer! Dogo, making a somewhat mechaphobic remark, swung his sword as Lemu sprang up from his throne, snapping his fingers. Ping! A massive mechanical hand emerged from the circuit-covered floor, attempting to grab Dogo. ¡õ Let¡¯s calm down, shall we? Using the mechanical hand as a shield, Lemu quickly retreated. However, Dogo sliced the hand apart with a single blow, and before its wreckage could even hit the ground, he had closed the distance to Lemu. ¡õ ¡­! ¨DDo you not see the royal insignia? Truly a lowly creature. The Vesedel armor that Yeongwoo wore bore the royal insignia itself, so how dare Lemu issue threats? But Lemu had a response. ¡õ Isn¡¯t it said that Vesedel acts faster with a sword than with words? I simply prevented you from using the sword to facilitate conversation. In some ways, this wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. Dogo proved Lemu''s point by thrusting his sword forward instead of replying. Screeeech! As the chairman thrust the massive sword in his right hand forward, arge barrier rose from the floor to intercept the sword¡¯s trajectory. Boom! Of course, this barrier, too, was instantly shattered, but it seemed to be part of a premeditated n. ng! Only after raising the barrier did Lemu finally manage to block Dogo¡¯s sword, which he did while trembling violently, clutching a mechanical sword with both hands. In contrast, the chairman still held his massive sword with one hand. Watching this unfold, Yeongwoo realized something. ¡®Lemu can¡¯t withstand even a single direct strike from the chairman.¡¯ Without the preemptive defense of the barriers, Lemu¡¯s body would have been torn to shreds. In other words, without the circuits Lemu had prepared in advance, the battle wouldn¡¯t have even been possible. ¡®This¡­ this is insane. Is this the difference between Level 3 and Level 4? Or is the chairman just that exceptional?¡¯ Yeongwoo blinked in astonishment. Meanwhile, Dogo nced at Lemu¡¯s cape, which was visible beyond the trembling mechanical sword, and let out augh. ¨DHave you developed a new material? That cape looks impressive. The silver-white cape made of cables caught his attention. Seeing this, Lemu looked troubled. Then Dogo swung his idle left hand,unching a hook punch. Swish! The chairman¡¯s body hook flew straight for Lemu¡¯s right nk. ¡õ ¡­! Sensing the impending fatal blow, Lemu hurriedly summoned an iron barrier from the ground to defend himself, but it was insufficient to block the chairman¡¯s punch. Crunch! The thick barrier crumpled like tin foil, pushing into Lemu¡¯s right side. Thud! In the end, the chairman¡¯s body hook struck Lemu¡¯s right nk squarely. As Lemu bent forward in pain, the chairman¡¯s sword swung in a sharp, violent arc. "¡­Ah!" Before Yeongwoo could finish his exmation, Lemu¡¯s head was severed. Slice! "What the...?" Yeongwoo gaped in disbelief at the spectacle before him, while the chairman casually kicked Lemu¡¯s decapitated head aside. Then, without a word, Dogo pulled the cape from Lemu¡¯s limp body. Swish! ¨DYou¡¯ve made something interesting in the meantime. ¡°C-Chairman?¡± ¡ªSpeak. ¡°Is this really okay? No matter what, Lemu is...¡± The president of an interster mega-corporation. The fact that such a man could be beaten to a pulp and killed was simply iprehensible. ¡ªAre you worried about the machine? ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡ªLemu is a machine. That¡¯s why it doesn¡¯t wager its life in even a sacred duel. From the start, it has no life to lose. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡ªIts consciousness is scattered within the Machine Tower, and its lowly body can be reproduced there as many times as necessary. ¡°Ah.¡± Yeongwoo finally understood. This visit to Earth was, in short, merely Lemu¡¯s shell. No matter what happened to it here, Lemu¡¯s existence itself wouldn¡¯t disappear. ¡®So it was a safe outing from the start.¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w However, the body itself must be quite costly, so there would still be some losses. Sure enough, Chairman Dogo kicked Lemu¡¯s corpse around, inspecting it with admiration. ¡ªImpressive. To think it dared withstand my de. That meant it had been impossible during their previous encounter. ¡ªMilitary Chief. At Dogo¡¯s call to the air, Desirak, the Military Affairs Chief, suddenly appeared from the halved remnants of Lemu¡¯s ship, sweeping aside his cloak. He had been lying in wait nearby, concealed. ¡ªYes, Chairman. When Desirak descended from above, Dogo handed him Lemu¡¯s cloak. ¡ªDeliver this to Development, and confiscate all the junk. The ¡®junk¡¯ the Chairman referred to included everything in the vicinity, from Lemu¡¯s body to the cubic ship and the electronic circuits scattered on the ground. ¡ªUnderstood. Upon receiving the order, Desirak scattered small metallic spheres onto the ground. sh! The spheres emitted a blue light, scanning the surroundings and beginning to hologram Lemu¡¯s body. Sssshhh... Everything in the area was being transferred somewhere. ¡®So when he said he was here for business, he wasn¡¯t lying.¡¯ The ship alone and Lemu¡¯s body must hold tremendous value. Yeongwoo finally began to understand how Dogo generated his revenue. ¡®...Honestly, this is just extortion.¡¯ The fortunate part was that Lemu¡¯s bounty wasn¡¯t included in thepany¡¯s seized goods. ¡®No way he¡¯d take my meal ticket, right?¡¯ While Yeongwoo mulled this over, Chairman Dogo approached him, his shadow towering ominously in the dark. Thud, thud! Yeongwoo made the first move. ¡°Chairman, are you all right? Of course, he¡¯s no match for you, but Lemu wasn¡¯t an ordinary opponent.¡± ¡ªThe essence of all duels is facing death. But that machine doesn¡¯t confront death. That¡¯s why it belongs beneath my de. The Chairman then looked at the sword in his right hand. ¡ªCutting something filthy has left a stench. Whoosh! He flung his sword to the ground behind him. Desirak nced at the discarded de and sent one of the spheres rolling toward it. The sphere scanned the sword, beginning to hologram it. ¡°...!¡± At that moment, Yeongwoo clearly saw it. The de of the Chairman¡¯s sword was partially damaged. ¡®Huh?¡¯ Although it had seemed like he overwhelmed Lemu, something had clearly caused damage to his weapon during the process. ¡®So he was bluffing?¡¯ Yeongwoo finally understood why the Chairman¡¯s card had the special effect ¡°Saving Face.¡± Style over substance. The Chairman was someone who would rather die than have his dignitypromised. ¡®Is this what it takes to sit at the pinnacle of the violence business?¡¯ As Yeongwoo marveled at the Chairman¡¯s bravado, Jiseon, who had been standing imposingly, lowered her head as much as possible to bow. ¡ªChairman, I¡¯m Yeongwoo¡¯s mother, Song Jiseon. It¡¯s an honor to meet someone of your stature. Creak. She pressed her ice scales tightly to her skin to reduce her bulk as much as possible. Dogo looked up at her and remained silent for a moment. ¡ª... Yeongwoo tilted his head before realizing. ¡®Is he deciding whether to use honorifics?¡¯ While Desirak had addressed Jiseon as ¡°Madam¡± earlier, Chairman Dogo was different. Given the vast gap in status between him and Yeongwoo, using honorifics for Jiseon just because she was Yeongwoo¡¯s mother might seem ridiculous. ¡®But the Chairman is an illegitimate child. So maybe he has particr feelings about parents?¡¯ Of course, those particr feelings could be an overwhelming rage. At any rate, it was clear that the Chairman was unusually hesitant, and the result of his deliberation was... ¡ª...It¡¯s a pleasure. Yeongwoo is doing well. A ridiculously awkward piece of feedback. Nodding his helmet once, the Chairman turned to Yeongwoo and hastily bid farewell. ¡ªLemu has lost its body on this today, and it will be reflected in the evaluation. ¡°Excuse me? evaluation?¡± Yeongwoo asked, but instead of answering, Dogo soared toward the Iron Anchor, leaving only a final piece of advice. ¡ªMake sure you attend the dungeon tonight. ¡°The dungeon, sir?¡± While Yeongwoo repeated the Chairman¡¯s words, his wrist suddenly emitted a brief rm. Beep! Checking the time on his wrist, Yeongwoo saw it was already 9 p.m. ¡¸The lodging service has begun.¡¹ ¡¸From now on, all buildings ssified as ¡®residences¡¯ are under the influence of the lodging system and are rendered invible.¡¹ In two hours, the night dungeon would open. The dungeon the Chairman mentioned must undoubtedly refer to this night dungeon. ¡°Chairman! What¡¯s going to happen in the dungeon tonight?¡± Yeongwoo shouted, chasing after the Chairman, who was already atop the Iron Anchor. Finally, he received an answer. ¡ªYou¡¯ll meet your evaluation peers. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡ªAct in a way that doesn¡¯t disgrace the Vesedel insignia. If there¡¯s a problem, resolve it immediately. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 356 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 356: Supreme Armament (7) "You''re talking about evaluation peers... Basically, aliens, aren''t you, Chairman?" Yeongwoo asked, but Dogo soared into the air with the steel anchor without another word. Charrurururut! His ship was preparing to leave Earth. Yeongwoo skipped many steps and got straight to the point. "Chairman! Won''t there be problemster if I harm my peers?" However, the anchor carrying the chairman had already disappeared into the ship. ng! The bottom of the ship sealed, and the hull turned a brilliant white. Paaaaaat! Momentster¡ª Pit! In the blink of an eye, Chairman Dogo''s tombstone ship disappeared from Earth''s orbit. Staring nkly at the sky, Jiseon said to her son: ¡ªHey, what kind of technology is that? Don¡¯t you have something like that? "How could a still struggling to develop have that kind of technology?" A spaceship was in apletely different category of power¡ªfar beyond mythic swords or anything else. Although Yeongwoo didn¡¯t even own a small space vessel yet, he instinctively understood. To own a ship, you needed a proper family or a business enterprise. "If you want technology like that, focus on getting married tomorrow without a hitch." ¡ªWhat does marriage have to do with technology? "It matters in space." To avoid being dominated by others, you needed not only defensive power but also offensive capability. In other words, a spaceship was essential. ''Is this why I end up marrying the Princess of the Sun? Just for a good spaceship...?'' He knew parts of the future, but ironically, those glimpses made his path feel even more uncertain. What on earth was going to happen? ¡ªSo, what¡¯s left now? Shouldn¡¯t we head back? Jiseon looked around as she spoke, and Yeongwoo replied while picking up the rewards left by Lemu. "Yes, let¡¯s go back and prepare to pay taxes. But before that..." As Yeongwoo registered the equipment Lemu had left into his catalog, he shifted his gaze to the violet tower in front of him. A tooltip for this cosmic device appeared in his view¡ªjust like in Metal Seoul. [Space Communicator] | Connects to a spacemunicationswork within a specific range, allowing externalmunication. | Communication range depends on the''s grade. A fee must be paid to a ry station when activated. "Wow, what? There¡¯s a spacemunicationswork?" A system message appeared as he checked the tooltip and touched themunicator''s surface. ¡¸Change of authority detected.¡¹ ¡¸Would you like to issue a new ess card for themunicator?¡¹ ¡¸If a new card is issued, the existing one will be destroyed.¡¹ The previous card seemed to have been with the prior owner, Yuto, who was now presumably dead. ¡®Well, obviously.¡¯ Yeongwoo immediately issued a new card. A palm-sized rectangr object materialized before him. Swaaaat! [Space Communicator ess Card] - General Tool | Instantly activates the connectedmunicator¡¯s functions. "Ohhh." It felt like themunicator was an important piece of equipment. Even the dimensional gate in Darwin, northern Australia, didn¡¯t have such remote controls. However, as soon as Yeongwoo tried to activate themunicator, a restriction message popped up. ¡¸The is under review, so connection to themunicationswork is blocked.¡¹ "Wait, these bastards cut off the inte?" He now had another reason to finish theary review quickly. ¡®Why did Lemu set this up then? Was he just investing for a distant future?¡¯ It was also possible that themunicator had functioned properly before Yeongwoo initiated theary review. While themunication range was tied to the¡¯s grade, even a low-grade should have some ess to thework. ¡®What about the rest?¡¯ Yeongwoo noticed icons with unique tooltips scattered throughout Tokyo. These were infrastructures Lemu had installed while sponsoring Yuto. [City Shuttle Bike] | Deploys bikes that allow fast travel between designated cities. ¡®Oh, this feels like a downgraded version of the high-speed transit routes.¡¯ [Mechanical Forge] | Mass-produces basic equipment in a short time. ¡®Huh.¡¯ This was clearly the weaponry Lemu¡¯s faction had used during the Tsushima War. It turned out that those weapons had been produced here. ¡®This could be useful for maintaining a standing army. I should invest in this once the treasury is filled up.¡¯ With everything checked, Yeongwoo turned his attention to the high-speed transit station installed in Tokyo. It was time to return to Seoul to prepare for taxes and dungeon challenges. "It¡¯s time to head home." ¡ªIs it really over now? "Yes. Today¡¯s daytime work is all done." ¡ªWhat do you mean daytime? It¡¯s 9 PM, you lunatic. Yeongwoo nced at his wristwatch and replied: "My night starts at 10 PM." With that, he walked toward the station. * * * 10 PM. The time when taxes¡ªfeared by every entrepreneur in the universe¡ªwere collected. 11 PM. The start of extreme weather and nighttime dungeons, marking the real night. As a result, Yeongwoo had almost no time to rest. The best he could manage was a brief break between 9 PM and 11 PM after finishing most of his afternoon tasks. ¡ªWow, you live like this every day? You don¡¯t even need to go to hell for this kind of life. The current time was 9:21 PM. Finally returning to their hotel suite in Samseong-dong, Jiseon tossed a greatsword onto the living room floor. Jeonggu and Yechan, who were already there, wore ufortable expressions. ¡ªAh, there were people here. Seeing Yechan, who had arrived earlier, Yeongwoo brightened up. "Oh, Yechan! How did it go?" To Yeongwoo, Yechan was the most anticipated person. After all, it was Yechan who traveled the entire, delivering wedding invitations, risking his life to collect debts, and purchasing ability-rted equipment from various merchants. "Yes¡­ This time, the amount collected is 240 million Karma." Yechan, whose face looked somewhat gaunt, kicked the iron box at his feet. The box opened its mouth wide and started spitting out coins. ¡°I thought I might need something to carry things, so I bought a storage container from a merchant.¡± It wasn¡¯t on the level of a Golden Goblin, but it was still a storage container capable of subspace inventory. "Wait, 240 million? That means you didn¡¯t just travel through China, right?" Yeongwoo, who had been silently listening to Yechan''s story, asked. Yechan nodded in response. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡°Yes. Since delivering the wedding invitations was the main mission, I went to almost every region I could immediately ess.¡± Then, with a horrified expression, he stared at his spear. ¡°But in Mongolia¡­ the disputes were so intense I had no choice but to duel.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Having gone through something simr in China, Yeongwoo could vividly picture the situation. ¡°¡­Well done. You¡¯re a true Golden Goblin.¡± Yeongwoo said this while instructing the actual Golden Goblin sitting next to the sofa to collect the funds. ¡ª Keeet! Shortly after, Yeongwoo¡¯s ount bnce reflected not 240 million but roughly 170 million. Yechan had already taken out his 30%mission before handing over the money. ¡°¡­What about the equipment?¡± Yeongwoo nced at Yechan¡¯s hands, just in case. He knew Yechan had worked hard, but with such a heftymission paid, surely something more shoulde out of this. As expected. ¡°I thought you¡¯d say that.¡± Yechan let out a small sigh and pulled out a glove from the storage container. ¡°Like you mentioned, it¡¯s true that ability equipment isn¡¯t easy toe by.¡± ¡°Just one?¡± ¡°¡­Luckily, there are two.¡± Yechan pulled out a pair of pants from the container as well. ¡°Oh.¡± For the first time, Yeongwoo¡¯s expression brightened. ¡¸Mist¡¯s Touch¡¹ ¨C Unique Glove ¡¾Increases sensory perception by 15% when visibility is obstructed.¡¿ ¡¾10% Resistance to special Abilities.¡¿ ¡°What¡­ 10% special resistance? Are you kidding me?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s jaw dropped. Given his current equipment setup, the special ability resistance stat directly applied to all basic resistances. As a result, Yeongwoo¡¯s current resistances looked like this: |Fire Resistance: 15% ¡¾60% Osmosis¡¿ |Cold Resistance: 15% ¡¾60% Osmosis¡¿ |Lightning Resistance: 15% ¡¾60% Osmosis¡¿ |Poison Resistance: 15% ¡¾60% Osmosis¡¿ |Special Ability Resistance: 60% |Dragon Resistance: 10% The effects were overwhelmingly powerful. On top of that, the armor catalog¡¯s progress was steadily building, and the third effect would soon be unlocked. ¡°What about the other one?¡± Yeongwoo stretched out his hand, prompting Yechan to hand over thest piece of equipment. ¡¸Unstoppable Stride¡¹ ¨C Relic Pants ¡¾Increases physical damage by 15% while in motion.¡¿ ¡¾Increases special ability damage by 15% while in motion.¡¿ ¡°While in motion? So it doesn¡¯t apply when stationary.¡± Of course, if he extended his de for mid-rangebat, the bonus would likely apply constantly. The same went for archers firing while moving. ¡®If only there was one more special ability resistance stat, it¡¯d be perfect.¡¯ Still, if Yechan kept working hard every day,pleting the special ability equipment set wouldn¡¯t be much of an issue. ¡°Tomorrow is the day to collect congrattory gifts, so you don¡¯t need to handle any collection tasks. It¡¯s a tax-exemption day. However¡­¡± ¡°However what?¡± ¡°You need to gather equipment. Meet with some merchants before the ceremony starts tomorrow.¡± The wedding was scheduled for 3:23 PM. Assuming the various awakened individuals from each country were sorted out by 2:00 PM, that left about an hour to spare. ¡ª Are you really going to manage time down to the second? Jiseon, who had been quietly listening,mented. Yeongwoo turned toward his mother. ¡°We don¡¯t know what might happen after tomorrow¡¯s ceremony. So we have to do our best to prepare in advance.¡± But the truth was, anything could happen at this very moment, too. Because¡ª Tat-tat! There was a small noise from inside the room, and soon, Kim Seok ran into the living room. ¡°Y-Yeongwoo¡­?¡± ¡°Yes, Madam. Is something wrong?¡± Seok was the wife of Kim Taejoon, who was trapped in the Returnee¡¯s Room. She was one of the few people Yeongwoo treated with utmost respect. Yet, Seok now wore a veryplicated expression. ¡°You need toe see this. Right now¡­¡± She gestured toward the bedroom where the television was set up, prompting Yeongwoo to ask urgently. ¡°Why? Did something happen?¡± He was already rushing toward the bedroom. Fwaaah! As he crossed the living room and central corridor into the bedroom, therge television was already on. On the screen was the pure white Returnee¡¯s Room. ¡°Representative! Are you okay?¡± Yeongwoo asked urgently, but Kim Taejoon¡¯s voice from the television didn¡¯t sound strained at all. ¡ª Ah, Yeongwoo. The figurehead has finally been assembled. Contrary to Yeongwoo¡¯s expectations, Kim¡¯s tone didn¡¯t suggest any danger. Instead¡ª ¡ª But¡­ there¡¯s a problem. ¡°Yes, Representative. What is it?¡± ¡ª The figurehead won¡¯t activate. ¡°What? Even though you¡¯ve finished assembling it?¡± ¡ª It requires a name. A family name. ¡°¡­!¡± A family name. As soon as Yeongwoo heard this, he felt it in his gut. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ The purpose of that figurehead¡­¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened as he spoke. Kim Taejoon then read the tooltip hovering above thepleted figurehead. ¡ª This figurehead is a fusion device capable of merging with ships. It can attach to specific objects, other ships, or, in rare cases, evens. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡ª To enable interster travel, proof of ownership from a family or business is required. Please input the owner¡¯s seal or family name below. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 357 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 357: Astronaut (1) To acquire a ship for space traversal, proof of ownership by a family or business entity is essential¡­ Upon reading this formal statement, Yeongwoo''s heart began to race. ¡®A ship for space traversal.¡¯ Finally, he was at the threshold of owning his own ship. Of course, to construct the ship using that forward deposit, he either had to marry off his parents to establish a family or create a business entity himself. ¡®Since I don¡¯t yet know how to officially start a business, turning to the family route will be quicker.¡¯ Currently, Yeongwoo was progressing through achievements rted to founding a family. Once his parents¡¯ marriage wasplete, the path to establishing a family would surely open up in some way. And then, at that point, the ship could be officiallymissioned. ¡ªA family name? How can you put down a name when you don¡¯t even have a family yet? Jiseon, who had been watching TV with her son, asked this. Yeongwoo scratched his chin. ¡°As you said, we can¡¯t put it down just yet, but we should still think about it.¡± ¡ªThink about what? ¡°A family name.¡± The minimal background required to be a major figure in space. In the chairman''s case, he hailed from the royal family of Vesedel, though he hadn¡¯t been the one to choose the family name. After all, being an illegitimate child of the royal family, there must have been a founder of the family and many kings before him. However, Yeongwoo was lucky to have the chance to name his own family. In effect, he held the qualifications of a family¡¯s founder. ¡°What would be good for our family name?¡± Yeongwoo asked his mother. Jiseon shrugged her shoulders. ¡ªHow should I know? It¡¯s your family in the end, isn¡¯t it? ¡°It¡¯s our family, Mother.¡± Yeongwoo emphasized our once more. [Noble Family: Restoration of Roots] |Complete the following three missions. (1/3) -Obtain a mother and father. -Reconcile your parents. -Receive a blessing of existence from yourplete parents. Because the final step of the achievement ¡®Restoration of Roots¡¯ was to receive a blessing of existence from hisplete parents, Yeongwoo was mentally preparing them in advance. In Yeongwoo¡¯s mind, plete parents¡± meant a physical family consisting of a wife, husband, and their only child, who also recognized this family bond emotionally. ¡°So, can I name the family whatever I want?¡± As Yeongwoo said this, Jeonggu quietly appeared in the background. He had been bothered by all this talk about families and had crept closer to listen. ¡°¡­What? What¡¯s going on?¡± Jeonggu asked nervously, standing in the doorway. Yeongwoo pointed at the ceremonial figure on the TV screen. ¡°After your wedding tomorrow, I¡¯ll move forward with founding the family and building the ship. But we need a name for the family to use at that time.¡± ¡°A family name¡­?¡± Jeonggu had a nk expression. Then, ncing briefly at his wife, he muttered softly. ¡°Well, technically, we already have a name, don¡¯t we?¡± He was referring to Jinhyeon, Jiseon¡¯s family of origin. But Yeongwoo shook his head. ¡°This is our family. So, we need a new name. And besides, Father, you¡¯re not even from the Jinhyeon family.¡± Strictly speaking, Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t part of the Jinhyeon family either. Though some of that family¡¯s blood ran through his veins, it was the Jinhyeon family that had decided to abandon him when he first appeared in this world. ¡°I want a name that rtes to all three of us. One that also carries a bit of Earth¡¯s uniqueness¡­¡± Muttering to himself as he pondered, Yeongwoo suddenly widened his eyes. Then, he pronounced a word that neither Jiseon nor Jeonggu could have ever expected. ¡°Renaissance.¡± ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡ªWhat? ¡°How about Renaissance?¡± Yeongwoo looked back and forth between his parents with an innocent expression. Neither of them could say anything. Renaissance of Bulgwang-dong. The truth was, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t yet fully understand what ¡°Renaissance¡± meant. Whether it was the name of the nightclub where his parents had first met, or the name of the motel where his conception had likely urred due to ¡°implied intent,¡± he didn¡¯t know. But his curiosity didn¡¯tst long. ¡ªYou son of a bitch! The moment Jiseon heard the name ¡°Renaissance,¡± she pulled out a knife and tried to sh her husband. Swoosh! ¡°Ah, wait, Jiseon! I didn¡¯t do anything¡­!¡± Jeonggu fell backward in shock at the sight of the knife, and in the chaos, Yeongwoo stepped in to block his mother¡¯s de. ng! ¡°Wait, seriously?! Were you actually trying to kill him?¡± Yeongwoo, stunned by the sharpness of her strike, asked incredulously. Jiseon exhaled a blue breath. ¡ªStop saying that cursed word. ¡°Is ¡®Renaissance¡¯ the name of a motel or something?¡± ¡ªKaaargh! Jiseon, havingpletely lost herposure, no longer sounded human. And this was Seoul, the very heart of the Korean Penins. With the ¡°guardian dragon¡± buff in effect, Jiseon¡¯s power was immense. ¡ªI swear, I¡¯ll kill everyone! Kwaaak! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w As Jiseon screamed something close to a battle cry and swung her greatsword, Yeongwoo, who had been holding his mother¡¯s de at bay until then, was flung across the room,nding on the opposite side of the bed. ¡°Ugh!¡± The ¡°friends¡± who had been watching the bedroom scene through the television reacted with shock. ¨CWhat¡¯s going on over there? ¨CYeongwoo? Are you okay? The friends outside the returnee¡¯s room were startled to realize there was another ¡°monster¡± inside capable of overpowering Yeongwoo. ¡ª¡­! It was only then that Jiseon noticed the presence of an ¡°outsider¡± in the room and withdrew her sword. ¡°---nyway, no. Use another name. ¡°Repeated exposure is one way to ovee trauma, you know.¡± Yeongwoo sat up and stared at the ceiling¡ªdark and dim. Perhaps the ceiling of the Renaissance that his parents had once looked up at, on that fateful day of their youth, had been just as ck. ¡°I¡¯m not saying we should decide right now. I¡¯m just saying we should consider it.¡± For some reason, Yeongwoo liked the name Renaissance. It was a name tied deeply to him, Jiseon, and Jeonggu, the three people who would form the first members of this family. To Yeongwoo, it also felt like something close to a hometown. Moreover¡ª ¡®Renaissance. It¡¯s got a good meaning. And it¡¯s a word born on Earth, so it would even have uniqueness out there in space.¡¯ Renaissance. Originally referring to a cultural and artistic revival, in modern times, the word is also used when something experiences a resurgence or a second golden age. In other words, it could symbolize Earth¡¯s revival¡ªa hope for rebirth after reaching the brink of destruction through the ¡°reset.¡± ¡®The era of violent Renaissance. Earth and humanity will be reborn through fists.¡¯ While silently reciting his own slogan, Yeongwoo suddenly had a thought and asked the TV screen: ¡°CEO, what did that tooltip for the bow figure say earlier? Something aboutary fusion?¡± ¨CUh, yes. Hold on a moment. CEO Kim Taejoon walked back over to the bow figure and reread the tooltip. ¨CIt can attach to certain objects or other ships under specific conditions, and in rare cases, it can even fuse withs. ¡°That¡¯s it!ary fusion!¡± Tat! Yeongwoo dashed toward the TV, prompting the camera broadcasting the returnee¡¯s room to elevate its angle and zoom in on the bow figure. ¡°If this thing can turn into a ship and it says it can fuse with a, what does that mean?¡± ¨CWell, that¡­ uh¡­ CEO Kim Taejoon, being a rational person, could only stammer in confusion. Yeongwoo supplied the answer himself. ¡°It means Earth can be a ship. I don¡¯t know what the specific conditions are, but that¡¯s what it¡¯s saying.¡± ¡ªWhat are you talking about? Earth turning into a ship? This time, Jiseon interrupted. She was terrified to think about what kind of insane scheme her son was concocting this time. ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering why I¡¯m supposed to marry the Princess of the Sun, and I think it¡¯s because of that.¡± ¡ªThe ship¡­? ¡°Yes. To be precise, it¡¯s because we need Earth to turn into a ship.¡± ¡ªAnd why would marrying the Princess of the Sun have anything to do with that? Jiseon asked, bewildered. Yeongwoo walked over to the bedroom wall and turned on the room light. Click. ¡°Because Earth needs a sun. But since we can¡¯t afford to buy one, it seems like they sold me off instead.¡± ¡ªWhat? Jiseon no longer had the energy to argue at this point. Yeongwoo added anotherment. ¡°The fact that I¡¯m going to marry the Princess of the Sun means that Earth¡¯s ship transformation¡ªwhich requires the sun¡ªmust be part of my future.¡± ¡ªWhat crazy thing are you saying now? ¡°And for Earth to transform into a ship, a family is essential. But since your wedding is tomorrow, that means I won¡¯t have a family until at least then, right?¡± ¡ª¡­That¡¯s true? ¡°So that means, at the very least, until today and tomorrow¡ªuntil the ceremony ends¡ªI¡¯m hard to kill.¡± ¡ª¡­Is that how that works? ¡°Yes. The records show that the moment when I marry the Princess of the Sun is inevitable.¡± Strictly speaking, it was ¡°an extremely high probability.¡± Therefore, as long as Yeongwoo advanced toward the futureid out by fate, the statement that he ¡°wouldn¡¯t die¡± could also hold true¡ª¡°at an extremely high probability.¡± ¡°Mother, all the forces of the universe are aligning in my favor. Today, the chairman also said I could do whatever I wanted, and fate says I¡¯m hard to kill until tomorrow.¡± ¡ªI was there, and the chairman never said that. ¡°Tonight and at the wedding tomorrow, nothing I do will matter. In any case, all of this is to gather as much money as possible to upgrade Earth into a ship and marry the Princess of the Sun.¡± As if to dere his ns to fate itself, Yeongwoo gazed up toward the ceiling. Jiseon shook her head. ¡ªThis bastard has truly lost his mind. Her crazy son was now negotiating with fate itself¡ªfate that may not even have a consciousness. ¡ªYou¡¯re going to end up dead, you know. I¡¯m worried about you, Yeongwoo. As Jiseon voiced her genuine concern, a system notification suddenly appeared in everyone¡¯s view. sh! ¡ª-Taxes will be collected starting at 10:00 PM. ¡ª-Anyone with unpaid taxes will be immediately terminated at the time of collection. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 358 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 358: Astronaut (2) In the universe, there''s a tagline that goes, "Interest rates cheaper than death." The idea is that if you fail to pay your taxes, you''ll be annihted instantly, so loanpanies urge you to borrow money from them to pay your taxes. That¡¯s how absolute taxes are in space, and Yeongwoo had never seen anyone who failed to pay them. Even someone as rebellious as the so-called "shadow of the universe¡¯sw" would probably pay their taxes. That¡¯s how strict it was. ¡®But seriously, who¡¯s even using all this tax money?¡¯ As one of Earth''s top taxpayers, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but wonder. Who was using all this collected tax money, for what purpose, and how? Generally, taxes are public funds, so they are used for the public good¡ªmaintaining roads and streetlights, covering public employees¡¯ sries and operating expenses, and so on. ¡®Ah, probably to hire recements for all the public officials who keep dying.¡¯ Yeongwoo answered his own question. Considering how many viins like the Chairman existed in the universe, a significant portion of the funds likely went into handling the disasters they caused. Now, one question remained. ¡®So... who''s spending it?¡¯ While institutions like the National Tax Office existed, it was unclear if there was something akin to a Ministry of Finance in the universe. What Yeongwoo was really curious about was whether there was some entity that oversaw it all¡ªsomething like a president of the universe. ¡®Doesn''t seem like it¡¯s typesetting, though¡­¡¯ From what he¡¯d seen, even the Chairman¡ªwho casually killed public officials over inheritance tax disputes¡ªnever ignored taxes. This meant evenwless figures had a line they wouldn¡¯t cross: taxes. ¡®Nobody dares defy taxes. That means there¡¯s an overwhelming force behind it.¡¯ But what was the source of that force? Why could someone beat up a tax collector but not refuse to pay taxes outright? What sat at the top of this universal governance?n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡ª-Tax collection will nowmence. The tax notice cut off Yeongwoo¡¯s train of thought. Momentster, his tax statement appeared before his eyes. | Calcted Tax: 138,290,000 Acquisition Tax: 11,530,000 | Deductibles: Dependents | Final Tax: 117,540,000 Acquisition Tax: 9,800,000 Acquisition tax due in 23 hours, 59 minutes The total amount, including acquisition tax, was just shy of 130 million Karma. ¡®I¡¯ve officially reached the point where I¡¯m paying taxes in the hundreds of millions.¡¯ Even though he was about to lose an enormous amount of money, Yeongwoo didn¡¯t feel bad at all. His bank ount was in good shape, and the more taxes he paid, the better his chances of bing aary stakeholder someday. Avable Karma: 1,104,309,405 Defense Funds Avable: 0 Yeongwoo¡¯s total wealth amounted to roughly 1.1 billion Karma. However, as promised to the Strongest Swords, half of the money earned during the Naked War had to be used for public purposes. This meant 400 million was essentially public funds, leaving his effective wealth at 700 million. ¡®I¡¯ll have to invest some of the public funds into upgrading Metal Seoul... that should work.¡¯ It might also be worth considering using the forge Lemu left behind to supply Seoul with equipment. After calcting his finances, Yeongwoo paid the full tax amount without hesitation. sh! In an instant, 127,340,000 Karma was deducted, reducing his bnce to the 9 billion range. * Avable Karma: 976,969,405 * Defense Funds Avable: 0 "Everyone else is good, right?" Yeongwoo asked, just to be sure, and everyone nodded in agreement. After all, anyone with issues had likely already been annihted and wasn¡¯t present in the room. "Alright, then¡­" Yeongwoo scanned the room, checking on everyone, which included a more diverse group than before. Jiseon, Jeonggu, Yechan, and Seok, along with Kim Taejoon¡¯s family. "Everyone seems to be doing well. I¡¯m going to catch a bit of sleep now." He had less than an hour for some shut-eye. ncing at his wristwatch, Yeongwooy down on the bed. Jiseon, who had been staring at him, stepped back, and as always, Jeonggu cautiously approached and asked: "When should I wake you? Are you heading to the dungeon again today?" "Yes, of course. I absolutely need to go today." ording to the Chairman, today¡¯s dungeon was different. It would be the first nighttime dungeon Yeongwoo entered since starting theary evaluation. With his curiosity as a universal ranker, Yeongwoo wouldn¡¯t miss it, even if someone tried to stop him. "Apparently, there¡¯ll be other evaluation candidates. The Chairman said so, so it must be true." "Evaluation candidates? You mean forary evaluation?" "Yes. There must be others undergoing evaluation. Their representatives areing too." "So, aliens?" "Exactly." "What are you supposed to do with those... aliens in the dungeon?" Jeonggu, having some experience apanying Yeongwoo to dungeons, couldn¡¯t help but wonder. "No idea. Maybe we¡¯ll have a battle for additional promotions or something." A frightening thought, but one entirely usible in this universe. "We¡¯ll find out soon enough. If I don¡¯t wake up even after the extreme weather rm, wake me by force." "...Got it." As Jeonggu responded, Yeongwoo had already closed his eyes and begun to sleep. * * * At exactly 11:00 PM, the time Yeongwoo had been waiting for arrived, apanied by an extreme weather alert. ¡¸Extreme Weather Alert: Lightning Storm Detected¡¹ "!" As soon as the rm sounded, Yeongwoo bolted upright. He immediately began scanning his equipment catalog for gear to withstand the storm. ¡¸Eye of the Typhoon¡¹ - Epic Ne ¡¾Ignores extreme weather of the wind type.¡¿ It was a ne he¡¯d earned as a reward for a nocturnal achievement. Since it negated all wind-based weather effects, it would likely work against the lightning storm as well. ¡®None of these rewards go to waste.¡¯ Having prepared for the weather, Yeongwoo got up. At that moment, he encountered his father walking toward the room. "Oh, you''re already awake." "And you''re walking over in this storm? What if I¡¯d overslept?" "...What?" "I¡¯m heading out. If I¡¯m meeting fellow candidates, I can¡¯t bete." With Bastard at his hip, d in full Vesedel Armor, and apanied by Golden Goblin and shadowy Pofu Tenta, Yeongwoo checked his equipment onest time and stepped out of his room. Click. The moment he entered the hotel corridor, ominous noises greeted him. Crackle! Zap! The lightning storm outside was affecting even the hotel¡¯s interior. ¡®Crazy. Anyone who went outside for even a second must¡¯ve been killed.¡¯ The corridor floor seemed to warp underfoot as if a lens distorted it. The entire exterior space was saturated with immense energy. Yet the hotel elevator was still operational, and Yeongwoo risked riding it down to the lobby despite the storm raging outside. ¡®Times like this really feel like the apocalypse.¡¯ Lightning arced above the elevator call button. Though it felt more like a lightning attribute than a wind one, Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t harmed at all¡ªthanks to the storm being ssified as "wind." Ding! The elevator doors slid open, and at the far end of the lobby, Negwig was waiting. ¡®This really feels like going to work.¡¯ Especially since today¡¯s mission involved theary evaluation, it could be considered an external duty. "Let¡¯s go. Whatever it is, today won¡¯t be ordinary." Yeongwoo mounted Negwig, and Golden Goblin and Pofu Tenta climbed onto its back. "Take me to Gwangjin-gu. It¡¯s dungeon time again." -Screech! As soon as Yeongwoo patted Negwig''s neck, the creature dashed out of the hotel like a bolt of lightning. Boom! Just like always, Yeongwoo was engulfed by the immense speed, but this time, a raging thunderstorm greeted him outside. CRASH! ¡®What the...¡¯ Yeongwoo''s pupils dted as he stared at the sky. Massive lightning whirlwinds, each hundreds of meters in diameter, writhed over various parts of the city. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡®And they don¡¯t even graze the residential areas?¡¯ For the first time in a while, Yeongwoo felt a sense of awe. Until now, he''d been too preupied figuring out how to navigate the extreme weather to notice. But now, his perspective had broadened enough to take in the phenomenon itself. ¡®How is that even possible? I¡¯d bet mypany¡¯s entire resources couldn¡¯t develop this kind of technology.¡¯ It was a wide-scale assault that affected every nook and cranny of the building corridors, yet, beyond the thin line of a single doorbeled "residential area," there wasn¡¯t a hint of damage. And every day, such attacks came in different forms in this world. Which meant that someone out there in the universe had designed and implemented all of this. ¡®Is there really an all-powerful god in the universe?¡¯ Standing in awe of a deity whose existence he couldn''t confirm, matters like his parents'' wedding scheduled for 3:23 PM the next day or the venue¡¯s 1.22 billion Karma bnce seemed utterly trivial. ¡®If I had power like that... I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with all these money leeches!¡¯ Boom, boom! The steel horse carrying Yeongwoo kicked its legs with even more vigor. Soon, Gwangjin-gu appeared ahead, shrouded in the lightning storm. ¡°I¡¯ll open the dungeon right away. As usual, you probably won¡¯t be able to enter this time either.¡± When Yeongwoo said this and gestured for the goblin to take out the orb, the goblin, squinting against the lightning storm, fumbled nervously in its dimensional pouch. -Squeak! The goblin handed over an orb that started turning pitch ck the moment it was drawn from the pouch. Taking the orb, Yeongwoo leaped off Negwig. Thud! Surprisingly, before his feet even touched the ground, a dark field began to unfold from the orb. Whoosh! ¡°Huh?¡± An all-too-familiar sensation. It was the void. ¡®What... what¡¯s going on?¡¯ ¡¸At the request ofary inspectors, this dungeon is now linked to the waiting room of theary Administration Bureau¡¯s Inspection Division.¡¹ A warp utilizing the void had opened. ¡°Wait, what? How can it just connect like that? Shouldn¡¯t you get my permission first?¡± Yeongwoo shouted angrily, but his voice was drowned out by the roaring lightning storm. Instead, a short notification followed: ¡¸Commencing transport.¡¹ Before Yeongwoo could protest further, his body was sucked into the dark void. ¡°Ugh...!¡± This was nothing like the portals typically used to enter dungeons. Though time seemed frozen, the suffocating sensation of holding one¡¯s breath pressed down on his entire body. When the unpleasant feeling finally subsided, his vision was filled with polished stone tiles. Thud! Yeongwoo let out a pained yell as his forehead smacked against the floor. ¡°...Ugh!¡± Caught mid-air during transport, Yeongwoo had fallen t as soon as the warp ended. But where was this? ording to the chairman, this was where he¡¯d meet his inspection peers. ¡°...!¡± Sensing movement ahead, Yeongwoo quickly regained hisposure and shot to his feet. Shing! Drawing his mythical sword, Bastard, he shouted: ¡°Come at me! I¡¯m the one and only...!¡± But the only figure in the stark white waiting room was a single individual. -Please, calm down¡­! A hulking knight with shoulders spanning at least two meters. The figure stood around five meters tall but appeared shorter since they were crouched awkwardly on a small bench. Even seated, they were taller than Yeongwoo. ¡°What... Just you?¡± Yeongwoo eyed the figure suspiciously. Now that he looked closer, something was off about them. They wore a thick suit of armor thatpletely covered their body, but the headpiece wasn¡¯t solid. Instead, it was filled with something that looked like a semi-melted caramel¡ªa blend of liquid and jelly-like texture. In other words, a caramel-coated knight was sitting in front of him. ¡°What the...¡± An alien. No doubt about it. Plop. The caramel knight kept dripping some kind of sweat or liquid from its armor. -Ah, apologies. As the yellowish liquid seeped through the armor¡¯s waist, the alien used a handkerchief in its left hand to wipe it away. ¡°¡­Are you sick or something? Should you even be here right now?¡± Yeongwoo asked, half-seriously, prompting the caramel-like head to twist into a spiral. -I-I¡¯m sorry. I tend to sweat a lot when I¡¯m nervous. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Realizing it was just sweat, Yeongwoo nodded. He also learned something else. While the alien had no eyes, nose, or mouth to express emotions, its entire head reacted to its feelings instead. ¡®So this guy can¡¯t y mind games, huh?¡¯ Reassured by the surprisingly novice-like demeanor of his first opponent, Yeongwoo rxed slightly. ¡°Am I the second to arrive?¡± -Oh, y-yes. The caramel knight wiped its sweat again before turning its caramel head toward Yeongwoo. ¡®Wait, so this guy wasn¡¯t even looking at me while talking?¡¯ -I came early, just in case I waste. ¡°Yeah, but where are the others?¡± -They should be here soon. Plop. The early bird dripped more of its bodily substance. Yeongwoo decided it was time to exchange names. ¡°Well, since we¡¯re stuck here, why don¡¯t we introduce ourselves...¡± Just then, the system sent a message. Beep! ¡¸This is the waiting room. To prevent any mishaps, all participants are requested to remain seated.¡¹ ¡®Remain seated?¡¯ Come to think of it, the caramel knight had been sitting on a bench the whole time. It must have received this instruction upon arrival and followed it dutifully. ¡°Remain seated, huh...¡± Yeongwoo looked around. The spacious room was lined with long benches and wide chairs along the walls. The system sent another message: ¡¸Royalty, please take a bench. All other participants, please use the chairs.¡¹ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 359 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 359: Astronaut (3) "What the hell?" Yeongwoo frowned deeply. But no other response came from the empty space he red at. Only this: ¡¸Royalty, please take a bench. All other participants, please use the chairs.¡¹ The same message as before appeared once again. ¡®Is it telling me to shut up and just follow orders?¡¯ Irritated by the tant discrimination, Yeongwoo turned to the caramel knight. "Excuse me." -Yes? "Forgive me for asking, but are you royalty?" -Huh¡­? The caramel knight''s yellowish head morphed into a wide circr shape. He then alternated his gaze between the bench he sat on and Yeongwoo¡¯s feet, as if to say, ¡®Can¡¯t you tell by the fact I¡¯m on the bench?¡¯ -I am Aldo, the second prince of the Shelbir Royal Family from the Doatel. A second prince, hailing from a ce called the Doatel. He remained seated on the bench, bowing politely with folded arms and only inclining his waist. ¡°¡­¡­¡± Yeongwoo quietly observed the prince¡¯s greeting before stepping toward him with purposeful strides. nk, nk. At that moment, the system issued a warning. ¡¸Combat in the waiting room is strictly prohibited.¡¹ "Oh no, nothing like that." Yeongwoo grinned widely. He sheathed his sword back at his waist and extended a hand to Aldo, the prince from Doatel. "I''m Jeong Yeongwoo07 from Earth." -Earth¡­? Hearing aary name for the first time, Aldo¡¯s head quivered like jelly. "Yes, it¡¯s an obscure you wouldn¡¯t have heard of yet." Yeongwoo gave a bitter smile and approached Aldo again. -Wha... What? Startled, Aldo twisted his head into a spiral shape and leaned as far back as he could. But Yeongwoo simply matched the distance with another step forward, rendering the effort useless. "I¡¯m not going to hit you. It¡¯s our first meeting, so I just wanted to shake hands." -...Shake hands? As Aldo echoed his words, Yeongwoo extended his right hand. ¡°Just take my hand with your right one. On Earth, this gesture means ¡®Let¡¯s not fight and get along.¡¯¡± -Ah. Although Aldo¡¯s head was still tightly twisted, it seemed he wasn¡¯t so rmed as to refuse a handshake. -That¡¯s¡­ a good gesture. Eventually, Aldo extended his massive, armored hand andpletely enveloped Yeongwoo¡¯s hand, much like grabbing a handle. Grip. The size difference between their hands¡ªeasily more than double¡ªmade this inevitable. "Pleasure to meet you, Prince Aldo." As Yeongwoo gently shook their sped hands, Aldo¡¯s twisted head started to unwind slightly. -Then¡­ may I call you Mr. Yeongwoo? "Of course." Yeongwoo replied cheerfully, then withdrew his hand from Aldo¡¯s grip. And then¡ª ¡®Why are there so many benches? Are there really that many royals in the universe?¡¯ Truthfully, Yeongwoo wanted to sit on a bench too. Though he didn¡¯t have royal blood in his veins, the Authencity he was wearing carried the insignia of the Vesedel royal family. ¡¾Vesedel Royal Family¡¯s Protection¡¿ This armor substitutes for a royal insignia. ¡®Damn it, if I have a royal insignia, I¡¯m basically royalty.¡¯ Even so, Yeongwoo opted for a chair instead of the bench. He figured it was wiser to observe how things unfolded before making a move. ¡®I still don¡¯t fully understand why I¡¯m here. Let¡¯s hear the rules before deciding anything.¡¯ It was around then that the third participant finally appeared. Whoosh! Emerging from the same dark void as Yeongwoo was a golem with a body made entirely of rock. -Oh. With a voice as heavy as his appearance, the third participant alternated his gaze between Yeongwoo and Aldo. Then he cautiously stepped back, surveying his surroundings. ¡®Looks like he¡¯s a cautious one too.¡¯ As Yeongwoo studied the third participant with interest, the system disyed the same instructions as before. ¡¸This is the waiting room. To prevent any incidents, all participants are asked to take a seat.¡¹ Incidents¡ªprobably referring to fights between participants. "Royals sit on benches, everyone else on chairs," Yeongwoo helpfully ryed the rules, prompting the golem to silently nt himself on a nearby chair. -Why bother distinguishing seats for royalty? The golem nced back and forth between his chair and the benches, visibly displeased. Representing his here, he felt slighted by the preferential treatment. And then¡ª Whoosh! The void opened once more, ejecting the fourth participant. Boom! With a heavy thud, the new arrivalnded. ¡®¡­Huh?¡¯ It was an owlbear, straight out of a game¡ªa massive bear with the head of an owl.N?v(el)B\\jnn What stood out were the numerous tattoos covering its entire body. Yeongwoo spected they were likely substitutes for equipment. ¡®There¡¯s no way they¡¯d walk around without even pants unless there¡¯s a reason for it.¡¯ The only items the neer carried were several bracelets on their wrists and arge hammer in one hand. The two long, colorful feathers extending from where ears would typically be likely indicated¡­ -Greetings, everyone. I am Amana, guardian of the sacred Sutral. ¡®¡­That¡¯s a gender marker.¡¯ The moment Amana spoke, Yeongwoo realized she was female. Her voice wasn¡¯t necessarily higher-pitched like a human¡¯s, but something animalistic about it made her gender unmistakable. Those vibrant feathers were the equivalent of sexual dimorphism in Earth¡¯s animals. Once again, the seating instructions were broadcast. ¡¸This is the waiting room. To prevent any incidents, all participants are asked to take a seat.¡¹ -Seat? With movements exuding dignity, Amana surveyed her surroundings. Upon hearing the instructions, she furrowed her brows¡ªwell, the space between her beak. ¡¸Royalty, please sit on the bench. Other participants, please use the chairs.¡¹ -Ridiculous. Amana was clearly not royalty either. -Why create seating disparities? Isn¡¯t this the real cause of conflict? She directed her sharp words at the empty air, then cast herrge shadow over a chair in the corner. Whatever the system¡¯s logic, she saw no point in defying it, especially since others were alreadyplying. Boom! Amana sat down with her head and beak held high, when suddenly a white sphere descended from somewhere high above, beyond sight. Swoosh¡­ Approximately five meters in diameter, the sphere descended to a level where everyone in the room could see it clearly before speaking. ¡ªGreetings,ary examination candidates! "Huh? It talks?" -What? -¡­? -Was that¡­ the sphere? Yeongwoo and the others in the room looked on in astonishment. And then¡ª ¨DI am the administrator of this space, Waiting Room 023. You can call me ¡®Vito.¡¯ When the mysterious sphere introduced itself as ¡®Vito,¡¯ the other waiting participants surprisingly all greeted it in unison. -Ah, Mr. Vito. -Pleased to meet you, Vito. -Nice to meet you. So you¡¯re our administrator. The only one who felt a tinge of unease in the situation was Yeongwoo. ¡®What the¡­ are these guys idiots?¡¯ Sure, being polite is fine and all, but this seemed a bit over the top. Meanwhile, Vito continued speaking. ¨DThose of you gathered in Waiting Room 023 will now form a team and be deployed to the Promotion Hall. -The Promotion Hall¡­? -What¡¯s that? [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] As expected, the term Promotion Hall sparked reactions from the participants, and Vito was quick to provide an exnation. ¨DAn important factor inary promotion is the abilities of the representative who applies for the promotion. ¨DThus, representatives froms that have passed the first screening undergo further evaluation in the Promotion Hall.s that pass this second screening earn additional opportunities for promotion. Additional opportunities for promotion. In other words, the¡¯s rank could increase further. ¡®Crazy. So that means Earth passed the first screening.¡¯ And the same applied to the others represented here. ¡°What exactly will be evaluated in the Promotion Hall?¡± Yeongwoo asked, raising his hand. Everyone else in the room turned to look at him, and Vito answered. ¨DThe Promotion Hall assess a representative¡¯s judgment,bat skills, diplomacy, and other abilities essential forary management. At that moment, Vito extended arge map from the lower part of its sphere-like body. Fwoosh! ¨DA total of 50 teams willpete in the Promotion Hall, showcasing their skills asary representatives. Only the top five teams in terms of score will qualify for additional promotion opportunities. ¡®Oh, my god.¡¯ Fifty teams. Since there were four people in Waiting Room 023, this meant a total of 200 participants, many of them likely aliens, would be thrown into some chaotic situation. ¡®Five out of 50 teams¡­ They¡¯re saying we have to make it into the top 10%.¡¯ How would they determine these scores, though? Vito disyed a guide to rify. ¨DThe second screening willst six hours. During this time, your goal is to earn as many points as possible through activities within the Promotion Hall. Activities within the Promotion Hall. Yeongwoo was starting to piece it together. The ¡°world map¡± now floating in mid-air was dotted with icons resembling monsters, along with shields and shop symbols. ¡®Basically, they¡¯re saying all 50 teams will drop into this ce and have a battle royale.¡¯ Most likely, points could be earned by taking down other participants, monsters, orpleting certain objectives. ¡®This is going to be a mess.¡¯ Even with 200 humans, such a setting would be chaotic, let alone representatives from variouss. The scenario was hard for him to imagine. ¨DThis is Waiting Room 023, so your team will also be designated as ¡®Team 023.¡¯ Vito calmly exined the team name. Then it revealed a peculiar detail about this team. ¨DFor this screening, teams have been assigned based on their Karma Scores. -What? -Karma Scores? -What exactly does that mean? ¨DThe average Karma Score of all teams entering the Promotion Hall is set to zero. ¡°What?¡± Yeongwoo blurted out in shock, immediately understanding what this meant. The strange behavior of the other members when Vito first appeared. The overly passive and virtuous impression of the caramel-colored knight, Aldo, who seemed almost unnaturally kind. ¡®No way. Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡¯ Yeongwoo nced at his three teammates one by one. Their faces revealed no trace of malice, inner darkness, or inferiority. ¡®Don¡¯t tell me¡­ am I the only piece of trash here?¡¯ Yeongwoo frantically searched his belongings for a Karma Meter, but it was nowhere to be found. Of course, it was likely still back in Gwangjin-gu, braving lightning storms in the hands of the Golden Goblin. ¡®What¡¯s my Karma Score right now?¡¯ Just as he was asking himself that, Vito spoke again. ¨DHowever¡­ there is something noteworthy about Team 023 that I must inform you of in advance.¡± -What is it? -Is it something problematic? -As long as it doesn¡¯t put us at a disadvantage during the screening, it doesn¡¯t matter. The other three members, excluding Yeongwoo, were curious about what this ¡°noteworthy¡± aspect was, and Vito cautiously continued. ¨DWhile all teams have been assigned randomly to ensure an average Karma Score of zero¡­ ¡®Ah.¡¯ Yeongwoo shut his eyes tightly, already guessing what woulde next. And then. ¨DTeam 023 has an unusually high variance in Karma Scores due to one participant with an exceptionally high negative score. ¨DWe¡¯re notifying you in advance so you can coordinate and avoid issues in the Promotion Hall. Coordinate and avoid issues¡­ It was likely advice on how to adapt to the differing methods needed to solve problems when dealing with someone with such a high negative Karma Score. -How big is the variance? -The average is still zero, right? -Who¡¯s the one with such a high negative score? How high is it? All three, confident it wasn¡¯t them, bombarded Vito with questions. In response, Vito silently turned to face Yeongwoo. ¨D¡­¡­. ¡°¡­?¡± Or at least, Yeongwoo felt as though the featureless sphere, Vito, was staring right at him. Finally, Vito announced its decision. ¨DI will disclose the details.¡± ¨DThe highest negative Karma Score in Team 023 is¡­ Gulp. Yeongwoo audibly swallowed. And then, Vito revealed the astronomical figure. ¨DOne hundred million. -One hundred million? -Are you saying 100 million? ¨DSeventy six million. -What? -¡­Huh? ¨DAmong Team 023, one participant possesses a Karma Score of approximately negative 176 million. As a result, the other three members were automatically assigned due to their overwhelmingly high positive Karma Scores. At this, the three alien teammates gasped, covering their mouths in disbelief. Even Aldo, the second prince of the Shelbir royal family, began sweating profusely. -Th-that¡¯s almost 200 million. -That¡¯s insane. How does someone even get a negative score in the hundreds of millions? -176 million is practically 200 million¡­ Unable to take it anymore, Yeongwoo shot to his feet and screamed. Fweeeeeek! ¡°You idiots! Since when is 176 million the same as 200 million?!¡± [TL/N: Knew this guy would fuck up somewhere. ??] [PR/N: Backbencher ss clown with teacher¡¯s pets.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 360 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 360: Between Good Karma and Bad Karma (1) -Huff. -Huh¡­? The sudden action by Yeongwoo made the members of Squad 023 flinch in unison. Then, one of them cautiously spoke. -Yeongwoo¡­? Aldo, the second son of the Shelbir royal family, hesitantly called Yeongwoo''s name. -Could it be¡­ Yeongwoo? It finally dawned on him. The only person in their squad with an overwhelming amount of negative karma, rumored to havee from Earth, was none other than Jeong Yeongwoo. ¡°Yeah, damn it! I¡¯m the most evil person in this room!¡± As Yeongwoo introduced himself, he brandished his demonic sword Bastard at everyone in the room. The other three squad members pressed themselves against the walls, their eyes wide with shock. -Yo¡­ Yeongwoo, was it? Let¡¯s calm down for now. Amana, the Guardian of Sacred Patrol, spoke in a trembling voice, her beak slightly quivering. Yeongwoo¡¯s face, already brimming with anger, twisted further, now fully resembling a viin. ¡°Do I look like I can calm down right now? All three squadmates I¡¯m about to head into battle with are saints! This is ridiculous!¡± It was a problematic situation no matter how you looked at it. Judging by the attitudes of the other three squad members and their ¡°overwhelming¡± positive karma levels, it was clear they had no aptitude for the battlefield. Sure, on their homes, being virtuous might have earned them the status of sages, but on a battlefield, they were utterly useless. ¡®These guys must have been the biggest rejects out of the 200 squads. Normally, they would¡¯ve been scattered among teams as deadweight. But because of my insane negative karma, they¡¯re all lumped together with me.¡¯ Still, wasn¡¯t this his own karmaing back to bite him? If he hadn¡¯t umted so much negative karma, he wouldn¡¯t have been assigned to a squad like this in the first ce. ¡°Ha¡­¡± And it wasn¡¯t like he could beat them up just because they were too virtuous. Yeongwoo felt an overwhelming sense of despair. ¡°I have to fight with these people in the promotion grounds?¡± Yeongwoo muttered in frustration, prompting Amana to speak up in a slightly irritated tone. -You¡¯re being exceedingly rude. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Already enraged, Yeongwoo pointed Bastard at Amana, but she swung the hammer in her hand to deflect the de. ng! -Do you even understand why we¡¯re here? Everyone in this room is aary guardian. We¡¯re more than capable of protecting ourselves. Amana¡¯s brilliant plumage shook violently as she spoke, causing Aldo to nervously coil himself even tighter. At that moment, Yeongwoo¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Exactly, Amana! This is it!¡± He suddenly approached Amana with a strange glint in his eye, excitement bubbling over. -W-What? ¡°Just do what you did just now in the promotion grounds! As soon as you see an enemy, bash their heads in with your hammer!¡± Amana¡¯s expression twisted in rm, and she frantically waved her hands. -W-What are you talking about? Our patrols¡­ Amana¡¯s stiff plumage suddenly drooped. -We follow a non-lethal doctrine. Non-lethal. A principle of refraining from taking lives. To someone like Yeongwoo, preparing for the chaos of the promotion grounds, there was no scarier phrase. ¡°What the hell?! Then why are you even here?!¡± Outraged, Yeongwoo tried to grab Amana by the cor, but a nearby golem, panicking, intervened and stood between them. -P-Please, calm down! Even in this chaos, the golem¡¯s voice was filled with such kindness that it only made Yeongwoo even more furious. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re all non-lethal too, huh?¡± Eyes zing, Yeongwoo shot a re at the other two squadmates. The golem hesitated, ncing at Aldo as if to defer the question. Aldo, too, stammered. -We¡­ We are advocates of peace¡­ ¡°Oh, for crying out loud!¡± Yeongwoo nearly threw his demonic sword Bastard to the ground in frustration but barely stopped himself in time. He couldn¡¯t risk damaging the national treasure bestowed upon him by the chairman. Instead, he considered throwing the item in his left hand¡ªa sacred artifact of the Red Foot Brothers¡ªbut hesitated again. ¡°What are you going to do in the promotion grounds, huh? Wave your hands at enemies swinging swords and tell them to stop?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s exasperation prompted Amana to rise to her feet. -It¡¯s possible to subdue an opponent without taking their life. ¡°No, that depends on the opponent!¡± Yeongwoo clutched his forehead in frustration.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Still, there was some credibility to Amana¡¯s words. Her earlier swing with the hammer had been impressively strong. But the other two¡­ ¡°Seriously, Prince Aldo. If you¡¯re not willing to kill or even beat someone up, how did you manage to obtainary guardian status?¡± Reaching this stage ofary evaluation meant that, at some point, internal conflict or even war had urred on their. Yet¡­ -Um¡­ There were exceptions. -Our applied for the promotion evaluation to secure additional development areas for producing more relief supplies. ¡°¡­What?¡± Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. ¡°What do you mean, relief supplies?¡± -Doatel is one of the interster relief centers. The more we help neighborings, the higher our¡¯s rank rises. ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right?¡± As someone who thrived in the business of violence, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t even fathom such a concept. A part of the universe was apparently dedicated to good deeds and altruism. ¡°Listen, sir¡­ If you keep living like that, one day you¡¯re going to run into someone like me, and they¡¯ll clean you outpletely.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s voice carried genuine concern, prompting Aldo to smile for the first time since arriving. His face formed a perfect oval as he replied. -But you haven¡¯t cleaned me out yet, Yeongwoo. ¡°You¡­!¡± Yeongwoo swallowed the curse that instinctively rose to his lips. Even a viin with a towering 170 million negative karma couldn¡¯t bring himself to insult someone radiating such pure-hearted goodness. ¡°Anyway¡­ Since we¡¯re already here, we need to pass the second promotion evaluation, right? More importantly, we need to survive.¡± He stopped short of adding, so you can continue your relief work, finding the words too cringeworthy. -Yes. For the sake of Doatel, we must survive. My older brother is unwell, so I¡¯m the most likely sessor. ¡°Unbelievable¡­¡± A life story more absurd than anything he¡¯d imagined. ¡®But does caramel¡¯s poor health mean it¡¯s so runny it just drips everywhere?¡¯ Yeongwooo scanned the waiting room again, wondering if this might all be some borate prank. Meanwhile, Aldo, the second son of the Shelbir royal family from the Doatel, spoke in a tone befitting a solemn sage. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] -It¡¯s true that I was a bit surprised by your karmic debt of 200 million, Yeongwooo. But didn¡¯t you ultimately manage to restore bnce? ording to the earlier briefing, the karmic debt of the current 023 Group had almost reached zero. In other words, it was thanks to Yeongwooo, burdened with an enormous karmic debt, that people with immense karmic merits were all gathered in this group. Chances were that the highest karmic debtor and the greatest karmic benefactors among the promotion candidates were all in this group. -I see this as another of the system¡¯s preparations. It¡¯s an inevitability dictated by karma. And perhaps, it¡¯s also a chance for you, Yeongwooo, to earn some karmic merit. Swoosh. Aldo spread his arms as if to warmly wee Yeongwooo. Now that he thought about it, Aldo hadn¡¯t carried any weapons from the beginning. ¡®This guy came here nning to freeload from the start.¡¯ Though Yeongwooo was deeply cynical, he couldn¡¯t entirely dismiss part of what Aldo had said. Hadn¡¯t Lemu once said this? ¡¸ording to thew of causality, all events in the universe possess inherent rationality and tend to form patterns based on karma.¡¹ All things are governed by cause and effect, so the deeds of the past inevitably influence the present, creating tendencies over time... Put simply, the reason why a group with near-zero karmic debt had both Yeongwooo, with his massive karmic debt, and three extraterrestrials with immense karmic merit in the same room was that it was an inevitable consequence of thesews. The problem was¡ª ¡®Other groups probably have a reasonable mix of viins and virtuous individuals, so they won¡¯t have much trouble reaching a consensus. But this group? It¡¯s made up of the absolute extremes.¡¯ How could pacifists and executionists possibly agree on anything? This was a disaster of a group, born from the very workings of the universe. ¡°So, what now? Are we all going to the promotion hall for a group suicide?¡± Yeongwooo gripped the hilt of Bastard tightly as he spoke. ¡°No way! I can¡¯t do that. I¡¯m going to survive, go back, get my parents married, extort some wedding gifts, and take ownership of a ship!¡± Yeongwooo¡¯s every word dripped with greed. At this, the golem, who had earlier stood to separate Yeongwooo from Amana, cautiously spoke up. -Well... technically, we only need to make it into the top five somehow, right? Yeongwooo pointed his weapon at the golem and roared like fire erupting. ¡°Hey, Golem! What¡¯s your name?¡± -Ta... T-Taru, from Pigot... ¡°Okay, Taru. As the viin here, it¡¯ll only make me look worse if I lose my temper with you, so I¡¯d rather not. But!¡± Whoosh! Unable to hold back, Yeongwooo thrust Bastard in Taru¡¯s face. ¡°How the hell are three of you¡ªCaramel the Giver, Owl the Pacifist, and Taru the Polite Golem¡ªgoing to make it into the top 10%, huh?¡± -¡­¡­ -¡­¡­ -Umm¡­ As the three extraterrestrials failed to give any response, Yeongwooo let out a deep sigh. ¡°Don¡¯t you people believe in having a n?¡± Of course, they weren¡¯t people. ¡°Sigh.¡± Yeongwooo gazed at the three dejected extraterrestrials as if they were utterly pathetic. ¡°I don¡¯t know about you, but my is under constant invasion from powerful forces. And tomorrow, I need to pay off a debt of 1.2 billion. So forgive me if I¡¯m a bit short on patience.¡± Click! Yeongwooo sheathed Bastard at his waist, and Amana looked at him in shock. -What are you plotting this time? It seemed that Amana¡¯s distrust of Earthlings was already starting to take root. ¡°What do you mean? It¡¯s obvious we won¡¯t get much out of this team, so we¡¯ll just have to loot the others.¡± As Yeongwooo said this, he turned his gaze upward to the hovering Vito. ¡°How long until we¡¯re deployed to the promotion hall?¡± Immediately, the floor of the waiting room turned transparent, revealing a distant ind far below. ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± They had been floating above some this whole time. ¡ªDeployment to the promotion hall will ur in 12 seconds. ¡°What?¡± ¡ªIn approximately 11 seconds, the waiting room will be dropped as a whole, and you can adjust your drop zone using the disyed device. At that moment, a holographic map appeared in the center of the group of four. It was identical to the promotion hall map they had seen earlier, with one difference: Beep, beep, beep, beep! Numbers from 1 to 50 began to light up sequentially on the map. ¡°This¡­¡± The format and interface were all too familiar. Yeongwooo instantly realized what this was. The drop zones of the 50 groups were being marked in real time. ¡®Damn it, this is just like that game.¡¯ The moment Yeongwooo thought he understood the test¡¯s format, he drew his sword again. Shwing! ¡°Top 10%? No. I have to be first. There must be special rewards for being at the top.¡± Yeongwooo licked his lips greedily, and Amana recoiled in horror. Meanwhile, Vito announced the test¡¯s imminent start. ¡ªFive seconds until the waiting room is dropped. Click! Outside the walls of the waiting room, the sound of locks disengaging echoed. Aldo grabbed onto the bench tightly, and Taru hurriedly returned to his seat and sat down. As for Yeongwooo¡ª ¡°Everyone, there¡¯s a reason viins exist in this universe.¡± With a maniacal grin, he pointed to the zone with the most numbers on the map. Tap! [023] The number 023 was added to the densely packed central-west region of the promotion hall. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for me, you wouldn¡¯t have made this choice.¡± -Are you insane? That area¡¯s swarming with other groups! Seeing the drop zone selected for Team 023, Amana¡¯s face twisted with fear, and Yeongwooo delivered his line as if he had been waiting for this moment. ¡°Pacifism? Sure, I respect it. But shouldn¡¯t you respect me as well?¡± -...? ¡°I¡¯m a performance-based guy. If necessary, I¡¯ll take care of three times the work.¡± -...No, that¡¯s not¡ª As Amana groaned in near despair, the waiting room of the doomed Team 023 began its descent. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] Chapter 361 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 361: Between Good Karma and Bad Karma (2) Screeeech! A deafening sound of something piercing the air reverberated through the walls and into the room. The promotion grounds, which had looked so tiny beneath their feet moments ago, were rapidly expanding in size. This meant only one thing: their altitude was dropping fast. -D-Do you really intend to go down there? Aldo twisted his head tightly as if begging for reconsideration. Instead of replying, Yeongwoo stared intently at the map of the promotion grounds disyed in the waiting room. As before, the map showed 50 numbered markers scattered across it. Theirnding positions could still be adjusted, and the markers shifted in real-time. Among them, the most erratic activity was centered in the mid-west region, where Team 023 was heading. There were currently 11 teams descending toward this area. Of those, six teams kept moving their markers into the central area of the mid-west before retreating back to the outskirts in hesitation. ¡®So those guys are still undecided.¡¯n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om They were likely caught off guard by the unexpectedly high number of teams converging in the mid-west. They seemed to be debating whether to stay in the outskirts and observe the situation or trust theirbat prowess andnd directly in the central zone. ¡®Cowards.¡¯ Not that Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t understand their hesitation. If all 11 teamsnded in the mid-west, it would result in a chaotic melee involving 55 people. No matter how skilled someone was, there was always a chance they could get overwhelmed and killed by dozens of attacks. Moreover, the risk of losing a teammate in battle would increase significantly. -...Shouldn¡¯t we reconsider ournding spot? Taru, who had been studying the markers alongside Yeongwoo, cautiously voiced his opinion. Yeongwoo wrinkled his nose, watching the six hesitant teams finally opt for the outskirts of the mid-west. ¡°What do you think will happen if we stick to our currentnding spot?¡± -...Huh? Well... Taru scrunched up the rocky features of his face, deep in thought. Eventually, he gave an answer. -A lot of teams¡­ and they¡¯ll probably be hostile? ¡°Fuck.¡± Was this what happened when you never did anything bad in your life? ¡°If you don¡¯t understand bad people, how can you predict their moves?¡± Sighing in frustration, Yeongwoo pointed at the central area of the mid-west on the map. ¡°See this? Those five teams that haven¡¯t budged an inch.¡± Teams 023, 046, 037, 011, and 002. ¡°If we leave them alone, they¡¯ll rise to the top of the rankings.¡± Aldo, gripping the bench tightly, hesitantly raised his hand. ¡°Yes, Prince. Go ahead.¡± - I¡­ What is the reason for growing to the top? ¡°......¡± Yeongwoo felt his energy drain for a moment. But he couldn¡¯t be annoyed. After all, the three of them had amassed enough good karma to offset 170 million units of bad karma¡ªa feat that was practically a universal miracle. ¡°Listen closely, Your Highness. And you too, Owl and Golem.¡± Yeongwoo shifted his finger, pointing to the six teams that had retreated to the outskirts. ¡°These guys made the safe and logical choice. They backed out because there were too many teams converging in the mid-west. Their n is probably to observe the central fight and decide their next move.¡± Aldo and the other two teammates widened their eyes in understanding and nodded. -Oh¡­ -That makes sense. -Indeed. ¡°And these guys here?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s finger moved back to the five teams in the mid-west¡¯s central zone. -Well¡­ they must like fighting. -Maybe they¡¯re just evil? ¡°No!¡± Yeongwoo yelled, causing Aldo to sweat nervously, and Amana to ck their beak in agitation. ¡°They¡¯re not just evil. They¡¯re insanely strong! They¡¯re confident they can survive even in a fight involving dozens of people. That¡¯s why they¡¯re staying there.¡± -Gasp. -Is that even possible? -A melee with dozens of people? Yeongwoo ignored Taru¡¯s less-than-bright remarks. ¡°What did Vito say earlier? The rankings inside the promotion grounds are determined by points, right?¡± -Yes. -That¡¯s right. -Correct. ¡°And our goal is to be first ce. So how do we achieve that?¡± Yeongwoo didn¡¯t expect an answer, so he continued. ¡°We need to eliminate anyone who can score high enough to threaten our position. Only then can we maintain our leadfortably.¡± -Gasp¡­ -Eliminate them before they even start scoring? -But they haven¡¯t even earned points yet¡­ At that moment, Amana cked their beak and raised a hand. -Wait, if those people in the central zone are so strong and evil, what about us? ¡°What about us?¡± -Well, I mean¡­ are you that strong? Yeongwoo¡¯s face twisted into a scowl as he drew an imaginary de to Amana¡¯s neck. ¡°You think my 200 million units of bad karma are just for show? How do you think I racked up a score like that?¡± -Ah¡­ I see¡­ Amana nodded hesitantly, pulling back slightly. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w By then, Vito¡¯s voice echoed through the room. ¡ª Approximately 10 seconds until the waiting room reaches the promotion grounds. ¡°Whew.¡± Taking a deep breath, Yeongwoo prepared himself. Even though he had confidently dered his intentions to everyone, he wasn¡¯t a seer who could predict the future, and whether he could actually survive in the Midwestern stronghold remained uncertain. The only thing he had to go on was the fragment of a future where he would marry the Princess of the Sun... ¡®A predetermined priority future means there''s at least a small chance it could be wrong. I can''t make overly reckless moves because of it.¡¯ Even so, giving up on the Midwestnding was not an option. As he had said earlier, in this kind of game, it was crucial to eliminate top-ranked contenders early on before they had the chance to grow. ¡®There might be extra resources or ways to enhance abilities within the promotion zone. Letting strong teams grow unchecked until theter stages could mean facing foes too powerful for me to handle alone.¡¯ At least as far as 023 Team was concerned, this game was practically a four-on-twopetition. Yeongwoo had to drag around three burdens while maneuvering through the promotion zone. That¡¯s why he determined that the best time to establish abat advantage was right at the start. ¡®Fighting aliens one against many? Sure, it¡¯s my first time, but it¡¯s the same for them too.¡¯ Everyone here was a rookieary representative. But when it came to a record of viiny... ¡®I am the top viin of the promotion games!¡¯ As Yeongwoo silently shouted this to himself, the waiting room finallynded in the promotion zone. KWA-AAAAANG! With an earth-shaking roar, the waiting room trembled violently, and Yeongwoo barely kept himself from falling as he surveyed his surroundings. "Seriously, is this anding or a crash?" The previously transparent floor of the waiting room now reflected an ashen rocky ground. The Midwest promotion zone was a bleak, rocky terrain. Then, suddenly¡ª nk! With the familiar sound of locking mechanisms disengaging, all four walls of the waiting room toppled outward. ¨DThe waiting room is now open. Best of luck. With those parting words, the guide, Vito, disappeared. Immediately, the 023 Team could see another waiting room opening right next to theirs. -Huh?! -What the¡ª! -Right next door?! While the three other team members were panicking, Yeongwoo was already leaping into the other waiting room, wielding Bastard and Aratubank. -Y-Yeongwoo? Aldo was stunned, watching Yeongwoo move as if he had anticipated this from the start. Without looking back, Yeongwoo shouted: ¡°Other teams will swarm here soon to im the finishing blows! If you don¡¯t want to die like dogs, get ready to fight!¡± Then he dodged the wall just unfolded toward the ground and sent Bastard flying into the opposing waiting room. WHRRRRRT! At that moment, a member of the opposing team, who was about to rush out, was struck down by Bastard and copsed. -Gah! The fallen opponent was a lizardman marked with the number "011" above his head. ¡®So, this is 011 Team.¡¯ Somewhere nearby, 046, 037, and 002 Teams must be waiting as well. -Who the hell is that guy?! -It¡¯s 023 Team! -Kill him now! Of course, there were still three members remaining in the 011 waiting room. A hulking toad d in heavy armor, a white-furred beastman with mechanical goggles, and an iron golem charging at Yeongwoo. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± THUNK! Yeongwoo smashed the iron golem¡¯s head with Aratubank, then extended his free hand to retrieve Bastard. WHOOOSH! For a moment, everyone froze, their mouths agape. Object Telekinesis. At the level of rookieary representatives, such a skill was quite impressive. ¡®These guys are all weaklings.¡¯ Compared to Earth, where he had fought hordes of naked lunatics and even his mother, who returned as a dragon, the average level of this promotion zone didn¡¯t seem particrly high. Two of the opponents, confident in theirbat prowess, had been taken out in a single blow each. SWISH! Golden Trail protecting Yeongwoo¡¯s rear shifted to his nk, attempting to assassinate the hulking toad within the opposing waiting room. However, the remaining two of 011 Team weren¡¯t pushovers. ¡°Not so fast!¡± CLANG! The toad used his thick steel arm guards to deflect the golden arc with ease. ¡°Oh?¡± Yeongwoo, standing atop the iron golem¡¯s corpse, let out a small sound of admiration as the toad shed his two fists together, growling: -We already weeded out the weaklings on our side. Let¡¯s see how the real contenders fight. ¡°So, you two are the viins of 011 Team, huh?¡± Yeongwoo smirked nonchntly at his opponent¡¯s remark. Then, the white-furred beastman adjusted the mechanical goggles on his face and froze. -Th-this¡­! His expression hardened as he reported to the toad. -Count! That guy¡¯s Karma Index has an extra digit! [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 362 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 362: Between Good Karma and Bad Karma (3) -What? The iron-armored toad, referred to as a count by the beastmen, widened its eyes in shock. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo was already rushing past the corpses of the 011 Team members, closing in on the two remaining enemies. ¡°No time for introductions!¡± As Yeongwoo shouted this, he extended Bastard to a length of 6.6 meters. Upon seeing it, one of the beastmen opened his elongated snout wide in disbelief. -What on earth is that? And then¡ª Screeeeech! With a chilling sound, Bastard shed through, splitting the beastman vertically. -Ack! A short cry was all that escaped as the beastman''s head split, and his mane was stained crimson. The toad count, now clutching his fallenrade¡¯s bisected body, wailed the beastman''s name in despair. -Poima¡­! Poima. A white-maned beastman from an unnamed. -Poima, I swear I¡¯ll avenge you! The toad¡¯s eyes grew wet as he red at Yeongwoo, who merely shrugged while gripping Bastard. ¡°Why are you making me out to be the bad guy? We¡¯re both viins here.¡± -You despicable scum! ¡°Still, I gave you time to mourn. Why do I get the me for that?¡± As Yeongwoo said this, he nced around once more. Thankfully, no one hade to ambush him yet. Meanwhile, the iron-armored toad raised both arms and assumed abat stance. -Hyah! -I am Count Katissan from the distant Berek! ¡°¡­¡­¡± It was evident that the toad count specialized in closebat. His peculiar stance alone made it clear that he practiced some unique martial art. Could he steal that? The arena, known as the promotion ground, didn¡¯t explicitly state whether spoils of battle could be imed. There was only one way to find out. He would just have to take him down and see. The moment Yeongwoo made this decision, Count Katissan charged forward, waving his arms wildly. -Kraaaah! What was with this guy? The clumsy-looking movements of Katissan made Yeongwoo furrow his brows momentarily. Crunch! ¡°¡­¡­!¡± From beneath Katissan¡¯s shoulder des and lowerts, additional arms suddenly emerged, bringing the total to six fists barreling toward Yeongwoo. ¡°You crazy toad bastard.¡± Though it caught him off guard, Yeongwoo, having endured countless battles, wasn¡¯t overly surprised. Besides, he had a sword. -Hyah! Yeongwoo stepped back with his left foot, using it to stabilize himself as he swung Bastard, cutting through Katissan¡¯s fists. Screeech! The newly sprouted arms, unprotected by iron armor, were severed instantly and spun midair. However, there was a problem. -Huh? Even Katissan¡¯s original arms, d in iron armor, were flying off in the same direction. Yeongwoo¡¯s demonic sword had effortlessly sliced through the iron protection. -How¡­ How is this possible?! As Katissan, who had trusted the strength of his armor, looked utterly bewildered, Yeongwoo thrust his de into the toad¡¯s abdomen and dered coldly. Crunch! ¡°Head to hell first!¡± -What? With those final words, Yeongwoo¡¯s Bastard rose from Katissan¡¯s abdomen to the top of his head, splitting him in half. St! The thick skin split to either side, and the massive shadow he cast on the ground was also divided in two. Thud! With a dull impact, the entirety of Team 011 was annihted. Boom! ¡¸023 Team achieves first elimination in the promotion ground!¡¹ A system notification appeared high in the air for everyone in the arena to see. So there was a ¡®First Blood¡¯ concept here, too. As Yeongwoo tilted his head to read the message, another notification followed. ¡¸011 Team has been eliminated.¡¹ The system announced theplete annihtion of a team. Momentster, a massive scoreboard appeared in the sky above the promotion ground. [49/50] Ah. It seemed that the survival status was only disyed after the first team was eliminated. There were still 49 teams left? That was a lot. As Yeongwoo stared at the survival count with a weary expression, the corpses scattered around Team 011¡¯s waiting area began to glow brightly. Fwoosh! ¡°Huh?¡± Hoping for loot, Yeongwoo approached the glowing bodies. But instead of treasure, an unexpected message appeared before his eyes. ¡¸Katissan04¡¹ |This participant perished while striving valiantly during theary promotion trial. Though the registry will no longer record his future, the glory of his past deeds will remain forever. Assant: |l||I-Earth¡¯s Jeong Yeongwoo07 ¡­Huh? It was a type of eulogy. Except, it also listed the killer, prominently and unapologetically. Momentster, a holographic box appeared before Yeongwoo, apanied by another message. ¡¸Katissan04¡¯s body and equipment will be transported to ||I|II-Berek. Please input a eulogy to apany the remains.¡¹ Wait, ¡°the person viewing this screen¡±? They meat him, didn¡¯t they? Who else but the killer would be standing in front of a corpse during a chaotic battle royale involving 50 teams? So, they were asking the murderer to write the eulogy? Even Yeongwoo, infamous as the ¡°Greatest Viin of the Promotion Ground,¡± was left speechless by this absurd rule. Was this really necessary? He didn¡¯t have time for this. Yeongwoo nced at the bisected bodies of Katissan and Poima. The eulogy didn¡¯t seem mandatory, but remembering Katissan clutching Poima¡¯s lifeless body stirred a twinge of pity in him. More than that¡ª -Ah¡­ -I can¡¯t believe they¡¯re sending the bodies back to their homes. -To witness aary guardian return in a coffin¡­ I can¡¯t even imagine the pain of those left behind. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The remaining three team members, having witnessed the eulogy system, were now either sweating profusely or shedding tears. Yeongwoo swung Bastard at them and roared. ¡°Stop crying, you idiots! We¡¯ve still got more fighting to do, and tears will blur your vision!¡± Then, to quickly deal with Katissan¡¯s remains, he began typing a eulogy. |His six arms were surprising, but they didn¡¯t seem particrly fast. Send. After confirming the eulogy, Katissan¡¯s bisected body was enveloped in light and shot up into the sky beyond the promotion ground. Fwoosh! The remaining members of Team 023 raised their arms toward the heavens, bidding farewell to the fallen warrior. -Oh, Katissan! -He was courageous! I saw it myself. -May he rest in peace! ¡®What the hell? Aren¡¯t these guys the real demons?¡¯ Yeongwoo shook his head in disbelief as he nced at his teammates, then hurriedlypleted the eulogies for the remaining corpses. |Your sses were cool. You were killed by the strongest contender in the promotion ground. |You were the second to die in your team. Honestly, you weren¡¯t going to be the one to secure a future for your anyway. |I killed you so quickly that you likely didn¡¯t feel any pain. Consider it an opportunity to choose a better representative. ¡®There. All done.¡¯ Send. And send again. Yeongwoo licked his lips as he sent off the eulogies along with the corpses of the deceased. ¡®Well, I guess if you die during a trial, it¡¯s only fair to recover the equipment. After all, it is the property of their.¡¯ sh, sh! Three beams of light shot up into the sky. The equipment within those beams would soon arrive on their respectives, to be handed down to sessors. And, as Yeongwoo had written in the eulogies, perhaps this would pave the way for better representatives to emerge. ¡®¡­But my name and are fully listed on those eulogies. That¡¯s unsettling.¡¯ He would have to send off at least dozens more corpses before this trial ended. And what if one of those sessors receiving the corpses decided toe back to Earth for revenge someday? ¡®How much bad karma am I stacking up today¡­¡¯ Yeongwoo stared nkly at the sky¡ªor rather, at the registry inscribed with their future. At that moment, a change urred in the survival status board hovering above the promotion field. Pop! [48/50] ¡°Huh?¡± Just moments ago, the number had been 49. Now it had changed to 48. S hortly after, another message appeared.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡¸Team 037, annihted.¡¹ ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The number was familiar. It was one of the five teams that hadnded in the central area of the midwestern sector. 023, 046, 037, 011, 002. Now, with 011 and 037 gone, the remaining teams were¡­ ¡®002 and 046.¡¯ But it wasn¡¯t just the midwestern sector where the realpetition had started. Bang! A sharp, intense alert echoed, followed by consecutive annihtion notices. ¡¸Team 009, annihted.¡¹ ¡¸Team 041, annihted.¡¹ Two teams wiped out almost simultaneously. This was proof that battles were erupting across the entire promotion field. [46/50] Four teams had essentially been eliminated as soon as the trial began. Finally realizing the violent and murderous nature of the trial, three of Yeongwoo¡¯s teammates shuddered. -W-what kind of battle is this¡­? -It feels like we¡¯ve only been here for ten minutes, and already four teams are gone? -If we¡¯re not careful, we¡¯ll¡­ Sensing the growing fear among his teammates, Yeongwoo turned to them with a reassuring smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. I¡¯ll personally write your eulogies if the timees.¡± -¡­¡­! -W-what?! -Eulogies?! Then, as if remembering something, Yeongwoo turned to Aldo. ¡°Oh, and Your Highness is an exception. I¡¯ll do my best to protect you.¡± Aldo nced nervously at the others before cautiously asking Yeongwoo: -W-why is that? ¡°You must have a royal ship at your disposal.¡± -Well, that¡¯s true, but¡­ ¡°In that case, I¡¯d like you to visit my when this is all over. We could use some help.¡± Aldo was the second prince of Doatel, a known as the sanctuary of the gxy. If Yeongwoo survived this promotion grounds, he nned to send Aldo an invitation to his wedding. As for the other two¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t cover three people alone, so you¡¯ll have to fend for yourselves. But since we¡¯re teammates, I¡¯ll lend a hand if I can.¡± In essence, it was a deration of self-preservation. -¡­Ah. -Seriously? In this brutal trial, if they couldn¡¯t defend themselves, their bodies would be sent back to theirs apanied by Yeongwoo¡¯s morbid eulogies. ¡°Well then, let¡¯s all get ready. We¡¯ve got iing.¡± Yeongwoo raised his Aratubank and turned to face the east. From that direction, a group of ominous figures was swiftly approaching. Crash! Other than one figure glowing white all over, the rest wore ck armor or draped themselves in chains. And above their heads¡­ [002] Another familiar number was disyed. ¡®002. These guys don¡¯t seem like your average team.¡¯ Yeongwoo had a hunch that they were the ones who had annihted Team 037, which hadnded nearby. And sure enough¡­ Zing! ¡°¡­¡­?¡± A sound came from their direction. Swoosh! Aser beam shot up into the sky. ¡°What?¡± Then, a thin, guided strand descended from the sky, heading straight toward Yeongwoo. Zap! Itnded right at his feet. ¡°Oh, crap.¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened in realization. Having faced a rtively weak Team 011 earlier, he had overlooked one crucial fact: Everyone here was a representative of their respectives. Which meant thatary bombardment weapons weren¡¯t exclusive to him. -Your Highness! Take cover immediately! It¡¯s an airstrike!!! As Yeongwoo shouted to protect his precious guest, the skies above the promotion grounds truly began to open. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 363 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 363: Between Good Karma and Bad Karma (4) Viin. What exactly does it mean to be a viin in this vast universe? In truth, Yeongwoo had never once considered himself a true viin. Sure, he caused minor inconveniences from time to time, but in the grand scheme of the universe, his influence was barely a speck. Besides, weren¡¯t there countless individuals in this universe far stronger than Earth''s so-called greatest swordsman? Take Lemu, who could even glimpse the future, or Chairman Dogo, who could beat Lemu to a pulp. Even the things Yeongwoo had encountered so far were but a tiny fraction of the vast cosmos. So, a feeble existence like Jeong Yeongwoo07? ¡®I¡¯m just a guy trying to live my life as best I can. How could I be a viin?¡¯ Jeong Yeongwoo07, a cosmic being with millions of evil karma points to his name, lunged forward with a fierce expression.N?v(el)B\\jnn "Haah!" His body and gaze were aimed at the spot where three virtuous aliens from Team 023 had gathered. ¡°It¡¯s already toote! Everyone, get over here! If you get hit by that thing, there won¡¯t even be remains to send back to your home!¡± As Yeongwoo shouted, the area around him was already stained crimson. It was due to the bombardment from Team 002, which had opened the sky above the promotion field and cast a fiery red light. Whatever it was, theary weapon from the other side emitted a reddish hue. ¡®I¡¯ve never seen anything like that before. Can I block it with this?¡¯ Yeongwoo nced at his only defensive mythical equipment, the Aratubank. ¡¸Aratubank¡¹ - Mythical Shield ¡¾Immunity¡¿ ¡¾Coffin¡¿ ¡¾Shared Pain¡¿ ¡¾Immunity¡¿ | This shield cannot be destroyed and can block most non-physical damage and mental attacks. ording to its immunity effect, the shield could theoretically block thatser as well. Of course, this depended on whether the bombardment fell under the "most" category of non-physical damage. In any case, Yeongwoo had no other options. Boom! From the gaping sky above, a zing redser beam descended, and Yeongwoo immediately raised the Aratubank over his head. Whoosh! A semi-circr barrier unfolded around the Aratubank as it faced the sky. "Whoa...!" With a diameter of about six meters, the barrier was clearly the manifestation of the "Invulnerability" effect. Without waiting for Yeongwoo''smand, the virtuous aliens leapt behind him. -Gasp! -It¡¯s dangerous! -Wait for us! As the guardians and representatives of theirs, they had an overwhelming desire to survive¡ª even if it meant hiding under the shield of a viin. And then, immediately. Thooom! A tremendous pressure struck the Aratubank as the bombardment engulfed Team 023. -Aaaagh! -Oh no! -Help...! The three virtuous aliens screamed under the overwhelming pressure they¡¯d never experienced before, while Yeongwoo turned his gaze towards Team 002. ¡®So, it¡¯s going to be meleebat now.¡¯ The enemy, seemingly shocked that their bombardment had been blocked, simply stood and watched from afar. And then. ¡°...!¡± Among the dark-d members of Team 002, a single figure emanating a bright light raised an arm. Szzap! From the end of their arm, a lightning spear began to form. "Seriously? Are those bastards targeting me while I¡¯m maintaining the barrier?" True to form, the figure threw the lightning spear momentster. Szzzzz! The lightning spear tore through the air of the promotion field¡¯s midwestern region. As it hurtled toward him, Yeongwoo thought of twisting his body to block it. Thunk! Unexpectedly, Taru, a golem from the Pigot, stepped in front of him. "...What?" -I¡¯m immune to elemental attacks. "What?" As Yeongwoo widened his eyes in shock, the lightning spear collided with Taru¡¯s abdomen and dissipated. Sizzle! As he imed, Taru was indeed immune to elemental damage. ¡®So, this is why people in the universe prefer using ability attacks against beings like him!¡¯ Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but marvel. With Taru¡¯s immunity to all elemental damage, he was practically invincible against elemental-type dragons and simr foes. ¡®The universe truly is vast.¡¯ While Yeongwoo was lost in thought, theser beam that had stained the surroundings crimson finally ran out of energy and dissipated. Fwoosh! At that moment, Aldo and Amana, who had been crouching under Yeongwoo¡¯s shield, cautiously raised their heads. Meanwhile, Team 002 started showing signs of movement. ¡®So it¡¯s really time for meleebat now?¡¯ With two mythical pieces of equipment at his disposal, Yeongwoo felt supremely confident in closebat. As he lowered the Aratubank he had held aloft and stared at Team 002, the enemy suddenly. Swoosh! Started running away at full speed. ¡®What?¡¯ After witnessing Team 023 block both their bombardment and sniping attempts, Team 002 decided to retreat. ¡®Those guys... They¡¯re real experts!¡¯ Clicking his tongue at their cold judgment, Yeongwoo quickly prepared to give chase. ¡°We can¡¯t let them get away! If we do, they¡¯ll be top-ranking teams. We have to catch and kill them now!¡± Yeongwoo dered menacingly, clutching his weapon tightly, speaking of "death" yet again in front of the virtuous aliens. Ordinarily, such words would have drawn resistance from his teammates. However, fresh off the terrifyingser bombardment, their reactions were markedly different from earlier in the trial. -Stand beside me. Suddenly, Amana hefted the hammer she was holding onto her shoulder, spread her feathered arms, and looked toward the sky. Though unsure of what was happening, Yeongwoo obediently stood beside her as instructed. At that, Aldo and Tarudo silently followed Yeongwoo and stood nearby in alignment. In that moment, the bodies of the four aliens were connected by a ring of wind. Then. Whooosh! In an instant, everyone in the area was propelled dozens of meters into the air¡ªat a tremendous speed. ¡°Huh?¡± As Yeongwoo widened his eyes in astonishment at the incredible momentum, Amana spoke in a low voice. -Today, I shallmit a duty I do not wee. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w She then turned her gaze toward Unit 002, which had already moved far away. Their mobility was extraordinary, and they seemed poised to disappear from view in a moment, but Yeongwoo instinctively understood: The specialty of the Owlbear from the Sacred Patrol was flight and eleration. Catching up to such an escape would be simple for him. -Doing good deeds does not mean being weak. It simply means not being evil. Amana, gazing at the sole viin of Unit 023, spoke as if offering a reminder. Yeongwoo, iling his legs in the air, shouted back. ¡°Do you thinkmitting evil deeds makes one just evil? It doesn¡¯t make you weak either! In this universe, if you¡¯re weak, you can¡¯t evenmit evil deeds!¡± He then pointed toward Unit 002, now just a tiny dot in the distance. ¡°Let¡¯s go! I¡¯ll take care of all the evil deeds myself!¡± Finally, Amana¡¯s eyes glinted fiercely, and her feathers bristled. p, p, p! Then. Hahh! With a powerful shout, she shot forward diagonally, carrying the three unit members bound by the ring of wind. Whooosh! It was a kind of gliding, but the speed wasparable to ultra-fast movementnes. The distance between them and Unit 002, which had vanished from sight moments ago, closed rapidly. Naturally, for Unit 002, who was fleeing: -W-what? -Above us! What is that? They couldn¡¯t help but be startled as they saw Unit 023 flying overhead. -Go, guardian of Earth. As Amana spoke, she released Yeongwoo from the ring of wind that bound him and sent him plummeting to the ground. Thud! Right into the midst of Unit 002. Boom! ¡°Seriously, just dropping me here like this?¡± Despite hisint, Yeongwoo began disrupting Unit 002¡¯s formation the moment hended. Crash! With hisnding, he split a ck-armored knight in half, making it clear to everyone: If they didn¡¯t deal with this lone intruder immediately, everyone here would die. -Gunaki! The moment the ck knight fell, a frightened alien standing behind him shouted. The alien was a steel humanoid, with heavy chains draped over his back like a cloak. His dark gray skin, entirely made of steel, gave him an appearance of strength, but his face was full of fear. The fact that their opponent had instantly killed another crew member made it clear he could do the same to him. -Kill him! This one¡¯s dangerous! As the steel humanoid shouted and drew des from his fingertips, Yeongwoo¡¯s Aratubank struck his jaw first. Crash! ¡°You bastards, don¡¯t even think about running anymore.¡± Sensing a sharp presence behind him, Yeongwoo turned and raised Bastard to block. ng! Beyond Bastard¡¯s de, a golden sword glimmered. -You bastard...! ¡°What now?¡± Yeongwoo blinked in surprise as he saw his opponent. A navy-blue gori was locking swords with him. The gori¡¯s strength was immense, enough to push Yeongwoo back bit by bit. Meanwhile, to the side, another enemy who had thrown a lightning spear earlier was preparing an ambush, as the hologram had already warned him. ¡®The level here really is something else.¡¯ Realizing he couldn¡¯t clean up the area at once in his current state, Yeongwoo rolled backward to escape from the gori. Then. sh! Using Bastard, he severed his own left arm. Everyone, including the gori, froze momentarily, stunned by the sight. -He... cut off his own arm? -Who does that? On their, meeting someone who would willingly sever their own arm was a rare urrence. But the true nature of Yeongwoo, who had lost his arm, was revealed. Ssshhh... ¡¾Corrosive Blood¡¿ |Blood bes corrupted, gaining corrosiveness. The blood pouring from Yeongwoo¡¯s wound melted the ground beneath him. A being whose entire body was essentially a weapon¡ªthis was Jeong Yeongwoo07. -Did you see that? The gori holding the golden sword took a step back, asking his teammates. But before anyone could answer, Yeongwoo moved first. Leap! He swung his severed arm, spraying blood across a 180-degree arc, and charged toward Unit 002. Screeech! The gori, who was the first to be doused in Yeongwoo¡¯s blood, screamed and copsed, and at that moment, a system message appeared in the sky above the battlefield. ¡¸10 minutes have passed since the trial began.¡¹ ¡¸The power and score rankings will be revealed shortly.¡¹ ¡¸All teams are advised to finish their battles promptly and check the rankings.¡¹ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 364 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 364: Between Good Karma and Bad Karma (5) "What? A ranking board?" Yeongwoo, standing atop the fallen gori, gazed into the void. However, the ranking board had yet to appear. Without hesitation, Yeongwoo drove is Bastard into the creature''s neck. St! The gori¡¯s already melting skin, corroded by its own acidic blood, gave way like tofu. -No... this is absurd. -Oh my God... The remaining members of Unit 002 were visibly demoralized by the spectacle. Even the virtuous members of Unit 023, who were on the verge of descending to assist Yeongwoo, froze in their tracks. -¡­Horrific. Amana summed up the scene underfoot with a brief remark. At that moment, a glowing entity from Unit 002, who had been wielding a lightning spear, nced toward the ins behind them and muttered: -I''m sorry. Then, spreading its arms, it sent a current surging toward a chained knight who was still alive. Crackle! It had paralyzed the knight to buy itself time to escape. -Damn it! The chained knight stiffened instantly and fell to the ground, screaming in frustration. Soon, the sickening sound of corrosion mixed with the pungent smell of blood emanated from right beside his head. "......" It was none other than Jeong Yeongwoo, the First Evil of Promotion. -Pl-please spare me... "There¡¯s a saying on Earth." "W-what are you suddenly talking about...? -If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." "...What does that mean? -It means whether you go fast or far, you''re dying at my hands." Bastard pierced the chained knight¡¯s forehead in an instant. St! He then turned his gaze to the lone escapee who had chosen to flee and paralyze an ally rather than running together. Had that enemy decided to split in opposite directions instead, it would have been far more challenging to chase them. But thanks to their betrayal, Yeongwoo now had only one target to focus on. This left him in a position where he didn¡¯t even need to run to capture them. "General, time to rack up some merit points. Let me give you the coordinates." Yeongwoo pulled out a coordinate tracker from his pocket as he spoke. In no time, the coordinates of the promotion arena appeared in his vision. sh! ¡²||-Beset-007-469-2088-13¡³ "Huh?" Yeongwoo unconsciously parted his lips at a strange sense of difort. The reason was none other than the identification code of this. ||-Beset Theary ID code, Beset, was strikingly shorter than any he had seen before. ¡®What¡¯s with this ce? Why is its code so unusually short?¡¯ The promotion evaluation was managed by theary Court. And this was the second test location, the Promotion Arena. Thus, the owner of this was likely theary Court, or in other words, the intergctic government. ¡®Could it be because it¡¯s a government-owned?¡¯ A short identification code could mean it was assigned early in theary ssification process. This implied that the was either rtively close to the center of the universe or¡ª ¡®It could mean it¡¯s an ancient.¡¯ Whatever the case, it was clear that this was no ordinary one. Which raised the question¡ªhow could external bombardment ur here? ¡®Does that mean theary Court authorized it? Thatary bombardment weapons can be used within the Promotion Arena?¡¯ Given that this was a venue where representatives of variouss showcased their umted might, it made sense for all firepower to be permitted. "Beset, 007, 469, 2088, 13!" When Yeongwoo recited the coordinates of the fleeing enemy, Toma¡¯sser cannon fired down from the sky without dy. Boom! ¡®You''re getting quicker at inputting coordinates.¡¯ Yeongwoo smiled with satisfaction, noticing how much faster the General had be at reacting. And in the meantime¡ª Crash! Thest survivor of Unit 002, who had been fleeing desperately, was annihted. ¡¸Team 002, annihted.¡¹ At that moment, the central-western section of the Promotion Arena was nearly obliterated. [45/50] With five units now eliminated, an announcement was made. Amana and her team descended to the ground just in time. -That¡¯s monstrous. Her gaze lingered in the direction where theser had just torn through the sky. She couldn¡¯t fathom that this insane Evil Karma Collector had even managed to deployary bombardment weapons. -Does you have any more ultimate moves up your sleeve? It¡¯d be nice to know before I get shocked again. When Amana asked this, Yeongwoo blinked briefly. The only thing that came to mind immediately was a friend he could summon with a whistle, but then, another thought struck him. "Don¡¯t talk down to me." -...What? "Even our Crown Prince uses honorifics with me. Who do you think you are to speak so rudely?" Swish! As Yeongwoo brandished his ultimate weapon, Bastard, Amana bristled, clicking her beak in frustration. -What¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden? Are you insane?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om "The truly insane one is you, daring to disrespect a viin with an Evil Karma Count of two hundred million. Do you want me to send an eulogy I¡¯ve written about you to the good folks of Sutral?" -You...! Amana tried to retort but shut her beak. If nothing else, she didn¡¯t want the lunatic''s eulogy delivered to her home. ¡°You guys are so good-hearted that I end up doing all the dirty work, and yet instead of giving me a penny, you talk down to me? Isn¡¯t that basically asking to be killed on the spot?¡± As the characteristic madness flickered in Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes, Amana finally took a step back. -C-calm down. I think I may have made a mistake¡­ Amana broke into a cold sweat. After all, as he¡¯d just seen, surviving this promotion arena would be impossible without this viin from Earth. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s get along well.¡± With those words, Yeongwoo picked up his severed left arm and reattached it to his torso, causing everyone present to freeze in ce. Squeak. They had just witnessed his neatly severed arm seamlessly rejoin his shoulder in an instant. -Y-Yeongwoo¡­? -Your arm just¡­ No one, except Yeongwoo, had ever considered the possibility of fighting a teammate, yet they couldn¡¯t help but be stunned. Yeongwoo¡¯s disy of recovery was nothing short of astonishing. ¡°Hm.¡± As he checked his left arm, now moving bit by bit, Yeongwoo turned his gaze to the still-hidden leaderboard hovering in midair. ¡°We need to move quickly. Everyone around here probably saw us exchanging fire with Team 002.¡± -What does that have to do with us needing to hurry¡­? Elemental Immunity Golem Taru asked, seemingly clueless. Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze shifted to the world map projected prominently in the arena''s air. ¡°By now, everyone in the central-west should be fleeing to somewhere far from us.¡± -And? ¡°And we need to chase them down and kill them, of course.¡± With an unchanging expression, Yeongwoo spoke of ¡°killing¡± as if it were mundane. The three benevolent allies, on the other hand, looked burdened despite just escaping the jaws of death. -Do we really need to go out of our way to hunt them down and kill them? -Exactly. ¡°If you let them go, they¡¯lle back stronger, you know¡­¡± Yeongwoo sighed and rubbed his forehead. ¡°The examiners surely know there¡¯s a big power gap among participants. So they must have scattered something across the promotion arena to offset it.¡± And in Yeongwoo¡¯s mind, that ¡°something¡± was the elements marked on the world map¡ªbeast-shaped icons likely representing monsters, as well as shield and shop icons. Just now¡ª ¡°Ah!¡± He noticed one of the monster icons near the central-west disappearing. That meant at least one team had been stationed there until moments ago. ¡®Huh, so the world map updates in real time.¡¯ This meant they could avoid pointless wandering if they watched the map closely. ¡°Amana, can you take us to that location as quickly as possible?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Yeongwoo pointed to the area above where the monster icon had vanished. There was still an unknown shield icon there, and Yeongwoo believed it was the next destination of the team that had just dealt with the monster. -That shield? We can reach it within three minutes. ¡°That¡¯s plenty. Let¡¯s go right now.¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯smand, Amana nodded and once again enveloped the team in wind rings, lifting them high into the sky. * * * At the same time, far above the promotion arena, the examination headquarters was abuzz as dozens ofary examiners stared at a massive screen. ¡°Rankings will be revealed in one minute.¡± In less than ten seconds, the power and scores of the second trial¡¯s participants would be disyed. Normally, the first leaderboard during the second trial was just a preliminary indicator of early trends. But today was different. ¡ö I heard Team 9 ced a bet? ¡ö On what? ¡ö Who knows? ¡ö Aren¡¯t they just insane? The examiners murmured. A team had dared to challenge the ¡°sry negotiation¡± system. Forary examiners, sry negotiations weren¡¯t with their employer, such as theary Management Bureau or theary Court. The only way to increase their sry was to correctly predict which team would ce first on the initial leaderboard of the second trial¡¯s promotion arena. If sessful, their sry would double. If they failed, half of it would be shed. The peculiar purpose of this negotiation system was somewhat noble: encouraging examiners to spot and back promising candidates. ¡ö When was thest time this happened? ¡ö Feels like eight rounds ago. ¡ö Did Team 9 have any basis for their bet? Where have they been recently? Predicting the final victor was one thing, but guessing the first leaderboard leader¡ªa position influenced by momentum and luck¡ªwas near impossible. As a result, many examiners saw the sry negotiation system as a malicious government trap to reduce payroll costs. Yet today, Team 9 unexpectedly dered their intention to negotiate, drawing every other examiner team to the headquarters. ¡¸10 seconds until rankings are revealed.¡¹ A notice shed on the massive screen, and therge steel doors at the back of the hall swung open, revealing Team 9. ¡ö Hah! Have you alle to witness history in the making? The team¡¯s senior examiner, Gern, d in a heavy metal mask and a flowing cape, strode boldly through the crowd. This was none other than the examiner who had epted a bribe from Yeongwoo just the day before. ¡ö What¡¯s this about, you lunatics? ¡ö Why would you risk a sry negotiation? ¡ö Who did you bet on? As the other examiners bombarded them with questions, a gaunt examiner to Gern¡¯s right let out a cacklingugh. ¡ö Heheh, today, we ascend to a higher ne. Then, a massive floating water orb to Gern¡¯s left rolled its eyes. ¡ö We saw something incredible¡­ on Earth. At this, the others blinked in confusion. ¡ö Earth? ¡ö Wait, Earth as in¡­ ¡ö The home of Dogo¡­ Finally, the screen disyed: ¡¸Rankings revealed.¡¹ The headquarters rumbled, the screen glowing brightly. Down below, the promotion arena¡¯s leaderboard was simultaneously transmitted. ¡ö Hah. Gern trembled as he slightly lifted the mask covering his face to check the screen. He then lowered it again, murmuring softly. ¡ö We¡¯ll have no choice but to offer a wedding gift to that lunatic. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 365 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 365: The Ultimate Evil of Promotion (1) Supersonic Descent. While Team 023 was swiftly flying northward, beyond the sky, Evaluation Team 9 was basking in endless apuse. And soon, the reason for this apuse descended upon the Promotion Hall. BOOOOOM! In the form of a massive pir of light. -What the¡ª Amana, leading her team through the skies, looked up, and her pupils were instantly filled with a zing yellow glow. Unfortunately, the ominous pir of light was descending directly onto Team 023. -Watch out¡ªdanger! Mistaking the sudden burst of light for an attack, Amana swiftly maneuvered to evade. The other three team members, tethered to her by a ring of wind, were thrown sideways with her abrupt movement. -Ahhh! -What¡¯s happening?! Aldo and Taru screamed in panic. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo fixed his gaze on the yellow pir of light that had just engulfed the space they¡¯d upied a moment earlier. ¡®What is that? Doesn¡¯t seem like an attack.¡¯ Yeongwoo, a veteran of countlessary bombardments, couldn¡¯t mistake destructive energy. But no matter how he looked at it, the pir of light before him didn¡¯t seem lethal. ¡°Amana, wait a moment.¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s request, Amana, who had been about to retreat quickly, hesitated. -Why? We should get out of here¡ª ¡°That¡¯s not an attack.¡± -What did you say? By this point, Yeongwoo had already freed himself from the wind ring and was descending to the ground. Thud! As if on cue, the yellow pir of light began to shrink, leaving behind a golden chest on the ground. ¡®I knew it¡ªsomething¡¯s there.¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes gleamed as Amana and the other two team members hurried down to the ground after noticing the chest. -What the¡ª -There¡¯s a chest? -So it wasn¡¯t an attack after all? And just then¡ª FLASH! From the sky above the Promotion Hall, golden waves erupted, filling the heavens. It resembled golden rain, and Yeongwoo tilted his head to gaze at the sky. The other three team members did the same. ¡°Looks like they¡¯re making an announcement. Didn¡¯t they mention releasing the rankings earlier?¡± As Yeongwoo murmured, a colossal system message materialized in mid-air. ¡¸First Ranking Release¡¹ -What?! -How did you know that, Yeongwoo? -It¡¯s true! The three team members looked at Yeongwoo in suspicion, but he maintained a calm expression as he observed the message in the sky. ¡°It¡¯s big enough for everyone in the Promotion Hall to see. That pir of light earlier and this message¡ªit¡¯s clearly a notice everyone has to see.¡± In a ce like the Promotion Hall, the most likely candidate for such a grand announcement would be the rankings. Revealing the rankings early would give an idea of the leadingpetitors¡¯ strength and tendencies, allowingters to strategize on whom to target or avoid. BOOM! With a deafening roar that shook the heavens, the ranking chart appeared. SWOOOSH! ¡¸Real-Time Score Rank #1: Team 023¡¹ Following this, profile photos of Team 023 members appeared in the sky, as if taken without their knowledge. -Huh? -What? -Why are our faces up there? Yeongwoo¡¯s profile was at the forefront of Team 023. d in his Vesedel armor, it was clearly a recent photo. ¡°Don¡¯t they have privacyws in space? And when did they even take this?¡± The profiles of Team 023 disyed proper portraits showing them from the chest up, their faces blown up to enormous proportions for all to see. It was practically a wanted poster disguised as a ranking board. The rankings then continued with the second to fifth teams: | Rank #2: Team 004 | Rank #3: Team 029 | Rank #4: Team 006 | Rank #5: Team 049 However, no profiles or photos were shown for these teams. -What?! Why aren¡¯t their faces shown? -This isn¡¯t fair. -re they really only showing our faces? As expected, the three team members grumbled, staring at their still-floating profiles with dissatisfaction. They weren¡¯t na?ve enough to endure unfair treatment withoutint. But for someone as deeply steeped in viiny as Yeongwoo, his perspective was entirely different. ¡°Why is this unfair? This is actually a good thing.¡± -What? -Excuse me? -What do you mean by that? ¡°Didn¡¯t we deliberatelye to a ce with the most teams to make ourselves prime targets?¡± Of course, this wasn¡¯t a strategy the other team members had agreed to. ¡°Now everyone knows who¡¯s ranked first and what we look like. Those with ambition will beser-focused on finding us.¡± This time, the team members managed to piece it together themselves. -No way. -They¡¯ll target us to take first ce¡­? -That¡¯s insane. ¡°That¡¯s the burden of being viins, folks.¡± Yeongwoo grinned wickedly as he nced at his team. Just then, another boom resounded through the sky. BOOM! This time, it was the Power Rankings. ¡¸Real-Time Power Rank #1: Team 023¡¹ -What?! -Power rank #1?! -We¡¯re first in both rankings? The profiles of Team 023 disappeared from the sky as they took first ce in the power rankings as well. FLASH! A video yed in the skies, showing why Team 023 had been selected as the top-ranked team in power. ¡ªThese losers were all trash. ¡®No, these crazy bastards.¡¯ Yeongwoo immediately recognized his own voice and blinked in disbelief. The footage showed him from just minutes ago in the central-western Promotion Hall, confronting their first opponents. BOOM! Earth¡¯s guardian, Jeong Yeongwoo07, was annihting Team 011 with his overwhelming strength, wielding his weapon, Bastard. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡®If they¡¯re going to show that, won¡¯t it scare off the challengers? Who would want to ruin their ns bying after us?¡¯ Yeongwoo, slightly dumbfounded, watched his own disy of power as he utterly destroyed Team 011. It was certainlypelling evidence for ranking them first in power, but for potential challengers watching the same footage, their motivation to engage would likely plummet. ¨DPoima, I swear I¡¯ll avenge you! ¨DYou despicable bastard! The scene then switched to the desperate final stand of Count Katissan, the toad and thest survivor of Unit 011. It reyed until, like hisrades, his body was split in two, and the footage ended. sh! Next, a highlight reel appeared, like ending credits, showing the rankings of power from second to fifth ce. | Power Rank 2: 004 | Power Rank 3: 050 | Power Rank 4: 042 | Power Rank 5: 033 ¡®Huh?¡¯ But something seemed odd. ¡®Except for the second ce, the scores and power rankings don¡¯t align at all.¡¯ Aside from Unit 004, which ranked second in both score and power, the other top spots in the two rankings were held by entirely different units. And what this suggested was... ¡®There¡¯s something going on. The scoring system isn¡¯t just based on elimination rankings.¡¯ This wasn¡¯t entirely unexpected, given the numerous icons visible on the world map. But the fact that the top spots, aside from the overwhelming first ce and the still-mysterious second ce, were distributed across various units indicated something unusual. It implied that it was possible to achieve high scores without engaging inbat or demonstrating highbat power. ¡®What kind of bastards are raking in rewards without spilling a drop of blood?¡¯ As Yeongwoo red with a fierce intensity, Aldo, the second prince of the Shelbir royal family, looked at him with concern. -Yeongwoo, is something the matter? Is there a problem?N?v(el)B\\jnn Yeongwoo quickly changed his expression to one of brightness and replied as if nothing had happened. ¡°Oh, Prince, it¡¯s nothing. Any problem can be solved, right?¡± He then nced down at the unopened golden box and added: ¡°You alle from the world of good karma, but I hail from the world of evil karma. So I¡¯ve never truly experienced anything like the ¡®benevolence¡¯ of the universe.¡± -Oh¡­ -Is that so? -That¡¯s unfortunate. What nonsense was this man about to spew again? The three virtuous participants looked at Yeongwoo nervously. ¡°That¡¯s why I believe there¡¯s no such thing as ¡®benevolence¡¯ in this trial. Just look at how they¡¯ve mixed people from the worlds of good karma and evil karma.¡± -¡­What? -What do you mean by that exactly? -No benevolence? I don¡¯t quite understand. Still inexperienced in the ways of the world of evil karma, the three virtuous participants tilted their heads in confusion. Yeongwoo ced a hand on the golden box and spoke seriously. ¡°Why do you think this box has been ced here? Isn¡¯t it a reward for being ranked first in both score and power?¡± -Well¡­ -Since you¡¯ve ranked first in both categories, they must be giving you extra points. -It must be some sort of ranking reward. That was the logical assumption of the virtuous participants. But Yeongwoo¡¯s opinion¡ªor rather, his hope¡ªwas a bit different. ¡°If it were a simple reward, boxes would have been distributed to all top-ranking units. But this one was given only to us.¡± He was confident of this fact because the leaderboard and profile disys had appeared at the same location as the box¡¯snding point. Then Amana, growing impatient, asked Yeongwoo: -So, what kind of reward do you think it is? Are you nning to use it to kill more participants? Just hurry up and open it so we can see what it is. ¡°Shall I?¡± Without hesitation, Yeongwoo swung his mythic cursed sword. sh! Right at the golden box¡¯s lock. ng! The lock fell to the ground, split in two by the sword, and the box¡¯s lid flew open, emitting a radiant golden light. -Oh¡­ -What is this? -Wow. The virtuous participants¡¯ eyes glimmered with gold as they gazed at the holy-looking light. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo reached into the box. Swoosh. From inside, he pulled out a small orb radiating a mysterious light. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Yeongwoo, who had been expecting a specialized weapon or tracker for the hunt, furrowed his brows at the unexpected item. A system message then appeared in midair. ¡¸Unit 023, ranked first overall, has obtained the special reward ¡®Game Maker¡¯!¡¹ ¡°Game Maker?¡± An ominous name. The instructions for the ¡°Game Maker¡± began to appear above the orb in Yeongwoo¡¯s hand. [1] Discuss with your unit to determine the order of turns. [2] Each member may input one primary rule in turn. [3] Once a rule is input, it cannot be invalidated by subsequent members. [4] When all members have input their rules, strike the device to confirm the rules. [5] The confirmed rules will rece the existing rules of this trial, and previously earned points will be preserved. ¡°What?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened after reading the instructions. Amana, who had been reading alongside him, raised her hand and shouted: -From now on, no more killing! We can set the rules now! ¡°¡­Damn it.¡± Virtue versus vice. A one-against-three unfair battle. Foreseeing the potential chaos, Yeongwoo closed his eyes tightly and muttered through gritted teeth: ¡°Please, don¡¯t make crazy suggestions like banning all killing. Let¡¯s pick something else, I beg you.¡± Hearing this, Aldo cautiously raised his hand. -Then¡­ how about the unit that shakes the most hands wins? [TL/N: These guys are kinda pissing me off ??.] [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 366 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 366: The Ultimate Evil of Promotion (2) ¡®Damn it¡­ Should I just kill these idiots?¡¯ Yeongwoo red sharply at the three virtuous aliens who were happily babbling absurd rules among themselves. Honestly, if he wanted to win this trial, it would be much easier to send those three to heaven right now and proceed alone. After all, didn¡¯t he acquire the ridiculous ability to set the trial rules as he pleased? ¡®I could send them all off in a single strike without any pain.¡¯ But¡­ -How about we make the team that shakes the most hands the winner? Sounds like a great idea, doesn¡¯t it? -Right? I heard from Yeongwoo that on Earth, this symbolizes peace. -Oh¡­ such profound meaning. Hearing his teammates earnestly spout such nonsense instantly cooled the murderous intent brewing inside him. ¡®Idiots.¡¯ Even Yeongwoo, before being a viin, was an Earthling, a human. Earth, at least in theory, was a that revered benevolence and righteousness¡ªhuman virtues, after all. So even Yeongwoo, who had set foot on the path of viiny early on, had at least nominally espoused the principle of ¡°cooperation.¡± ¡®Cooperation¡­!¡¯ For some reason, Yeongwoo¡¯s steely heart grew warm. Although he had umted nearly 200 million evil karma, there was still a trace of cooperation in his chest. Of course, his belief that true cooperation in this harsh universe required immense wealth and power hadn¡¯t wavered a bit. And the first stepping stone toward that goal was this ascension trial. ¡®I must win, no matter what. There¡¯s no alternative.¡¯ Yeongwoo clenched his fists. However, the scenario of brutally killing the three virtuous aliens and embarking on a solo mission didn¡¯t sit well with him. Not because of his human conscience, but because it was simply too predictable and uninteresting. It felt like facing the same dilemma he had when he first encountered the choice of Karma Monopoly or the Golden Ratio path. Besides¡­ ¡®Everything I do here will be permanently recorded in the Karma Board. I can¡¯t leave behind a legacy of bullying these simpletons.¡¯ Imagine if the Chairman were present in this situation. Would the Chairman attack those who couldn¡¯t even fight back? That would be unbing of their stature. ¡®¡­Hmm. Though it¡¯s hard to imagine. Knowing the Chairman, they¡¯d probably start by punching the examiners.¡¯ Either way, there was no denying he had encountered his greatest challenge since the Reset. Killing them felt wrong, but sparing them would only allow them to enforce absurd rules that would hinder him. ¡°Are you done spouting nonsense, everyone?¡± Atst, Yeongwoo forcefully mmed a bastion into the ground and spoke in a domineering tone, silencing the noisy room instantly. -Uh¡­ -I thought we agreed on shaking hands the most¡­ ¡°Shut up. Nothing¡¯s been decided yet.¡± Whether it was fortunate or not, to finalize the new rules for this trial, they had to follow the ¡°Game Maker¡± procedure. [Rule-Setting Procedure] [1] Discuss with your unit to determine the order of turns. [2] Each member may input one primary rule in turn. [3] Once a rule is input, it cannot be invalidated by subsequent members. [4] When all members have input their rules, strike the device to confirm the rules. [5] The confirmed rules will rece the existing rules of this trial, and previously earned points will be preserved. ¡®So first, we need to officially decide the order.¡¯ Each of the four team members could create one major rule, leading to a total of four new foundational principles. Because of rule [3], rules set by earlier members couldn¡¯t be nullified, making the first input position the most powerful. ¡®Then I have no choice but to be the first to input a rule that gives me overwhelming control.¡¯ For instance, he could input a rule stating that points could only be earned through killing. This would preserve the existing points, allowing him to maintain his first-ce position. Just as Yeongwoo was about to seize the first position by grabbing the bastion again¡ª Swoosh. -Ah, no! Yeongwoo! Amazingly, Aldo stepped forward and blocked Yeongwoo and the bastion with his hand. ¡°What?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes red with brief murderous intent, but fortunately, Aldo¡¯s status as a valuable guest saved his head from being severed. ¡°¡­Your Highness, you may not block my weapon. This is yourst warning.¡± Yeongwoo warned as he easily pushed aside the bulky Aldo. Thud. Aldo fell backward and cried out pitifully. -Are you going to threaten us again? I know you¡¯re aiming for the first spot! ¡°¡­!¡± Yeongwoo was momentarily stunned. -You n to input a wicked rule we can¡¯t resist, don¡¯t you? ¡®This idiot isn¡¯t aplete fool after all.¡¯ Yeongwoo was inwardly impressed and withdrew his hand from the bastion. Swoosh. He then gazed down at Aldo, who hadnded on his backside. ¡°So, what do you want?¡± -No. ¡°What?¡± -You can¡¯t be the first, Yeongwoo. Aldo twisted his head awkwardly while standing his ground against the ultimate viin. Meanwhile, Amana and Taru quietly took their ces behind Aldo, signaling their support. A rebellion of the virtuous. ¡°¡­These weaklings.¡± Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help butugh incredulously. If he wanted, he could kill everyone here in an instant. ¡°Do you really think you have a choice?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s words hung heavy in the air, but Aldo shook his tightly wound head left and right. -Ah¡­ No! We know we can¡¯t stop you! ¡°What?¡± -But we can at least try. ¡°Try what?¡± Yeongwoo furrowed his brow in confusion, and Aldo gazed vaguely into the distance. -You¡¯re strong and clever, Yeongwoo, so you¡¯ll probablye up with an incredible rule. But if that happens, the weaker teams or those who prefer peacefulpetition will all perish. ¡°That¡¯s obvious.¡± Yeongwoo sighed, as if this was a trivial matter, but Aldo suddenly tightened his resolve. -It¡¯s not obvious! ¡°¡­What?¡± -No one agreed to these new rules of the trial! Stripping everyone¡¯s options with a sudden rule change is unfair! In other words, these virtuous aliens were not only thinking of themselves but also the potential other good or weak contestants scattered throughout the trial. -We¡¯re the only ones who can propose something to you. Even if it¡¯s just once¡­ we must try. If we don¡¯t, there will be no hope left in this trial. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about hope. The universe doesn¡¯t work that way.¡± Yeongwoo found their words ridiculous. But so did Aldo and the two virtuous aliens. -We are part of this universe too, Yeongwoo! ¡°¡­Damn it.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w It was both true and untrue. If Yeongwoo swung his bastion now, they would no longer exist in the universe. ¡°Honestly, with just one attack, I could¡­¡± Before Yeongwoo could finish, Aldo spoke as if reading his thoughts. -We¡¯d vanish, and so would countlessary guardians in this trial. That would be the oue of the karma we¡¯ve built. And you, Yeongwoo, would add another burden of karma to your shoulders. ¡°¡­¡­¡± The karma that would arise the moment Yeongwoo wielded his de of death at this very juncture. Yeongwoo himself was well aware that it would be evil karma. And Aldo, in his long-winded way, was exining that if they erased good people through the logic of power, one day, only beings of evil karma would remain in this universe. ¡°Hey, no, seriously, why is it that so-called ¡®virtuous beings¡¯ are always so weak? If you guys had been stronger in the first ce, none of this would¡¯ve happened, right?¡± As Yeongwoo voiced the doubts that had been vaguely forming in his mind, Aldo immediately responded. -Evil beings aren¡¯t strong, and good beings aren¡¯t weak. A strong being who makes virtuous choices bes a truly powerful bearer of good karma. These words came from none other than the second prince of Doatel, a known as a sanctuary in the universe. Having never done a single virtuous deed in his life, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t find a rebuttal. ¡°Well, but¡­¡± Didn¡¯t you have to be evil first, in order to be strong? At least, that was thew of the universe Yeongwoo had learned. And indeed, even Yeongwoo himself hadn¡¯t done anything virtuous... ¡®Ah.¡¯ As he unconsciously rewound his past, Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes suddenly opened wide. Just once. Perhaps there had been one act he could call virtuous. Like the golden box visible in the distance, hadn¡¯t he once painted the sky gold himself? Instead of monopolizing three million karma, he distributed thirty thousand. The Golden Ratio Act. -Good and evil are not absolutely divided. Though Yeongwoo-nim carries as much as two hundred million points of evil karma, the evil karma of our team has ultimately converged to zero. We still exist within bnce. And now, we, in this bnce, have reached the point of establishing new rules for this Promotion Grounds. Aldo, with his non-existent eyes, gazed at Yeongwoo¡¯s de of death. In truth, the bnce had been maintained simply because Yeongwoo hadn¡¯t ughtered his teammates as soon as he arrived at the Hall. After all, hadn¡¯t he decided to go through this test with them? And finally, the bnce of Team 023 faced a genuine trial. If Yeongwoo slew the three virtuous beings here and set his own rules, the scales would undoubtedly tip. Under extreme rules, countlessary guardians would die, and in the process, the vast good karma would vanish forever from the universe. -Good karma brings forth good rewards and maintains the bnce of the universe. But if the bearer disappears before the reward arrives, that reward, too, will never be recorded in the ledger. ¡°But I¡¯m a man in the violence business. A literal violence dealer. Isn¡¯t it maintaining bnce for me to wield violence, as long as dreamers like you exist?¡± As Yeongwoo said this and turned his gaze toward the still-bright ¡°Game Maker,¡± Aldo stood up, extending his right hand before Yeongwoo. -I request a powerful handshake, Jeong Yeongwoo-nim from Earth. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± -Please grant me the first turn. Unfamiliar with Earth¡¯s culture, Aldo seemed to think that requesting a strong handshake also allowed one to make a strong request. Yeongwoo alternated his gaze between Aldo and his de of death. ¡°Why on earth should I bother dealing with people like you? If you just gathered all the virtuous beings together, wouldn¡¯t they have died off on their own?¡± Of course, if that had happened, the universe would have long be a monster-infested hell, and there would be no officials to maintain even minimal order, nor would there be systems like the Golden Ratio Reset. Ultimately, the existence of a certain level of bnce had paradoxically given rise to beings like Yeongwoo. ¡°What happens if I decide to spare you and those other so-called virtuous beings who may or may not be in this Promotion Grounds?¡± Aldo alternated his gaze between the two virtuous beings on either side and replied. -Honestly, I don¡¯t know! ¡°What?¡± -That is something only the records can¡­ ¡°Ugh, shut up. If that¡¯s the nonsense you¡¯re going to spout, then zip it, Your Highness.¡± Yeongwoo let out a deep sigh. ¡°This endless talk of the ledger, seriously convenient.¡± With that, he pulled out his de of death embedded in the ground. ng! Seeing this, the three virtuous beings gathered together flinched, leaning their upper bodies back with surprised expressions. It seemed inevitable that the crimson-ck sword would soon sh toward them. And indeed, Yeongwoo himself¡­ ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me!¡± Whish! He swung his de of death toward his teammates, stopping just before the de could touch them. Ssst. ¡°Your Highness.¡± -¡­Yes? Yes? ¡°If I give you the first turn, what rule will you establish?¡± -Well, uh¡­ Aldo broke into a cold sweat. Then he mumbled something as nonsensical as before. -The team that performs the most handshakes in the Promotion Grounds¡­ ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°How about this: if you take down the current first-ce team, you im first ce?¡± -¡­Huh? ¡°Then, of course, the evil ones wille after us, right? On the other hand, if your im that many virtuous beings are in this Hall is true, they won¡¯te to kill us.¡± -But those whoe after us will¡­ ¡°Well, they¡¯re obviously evil, so wouldn¡¯t it be better if they died? For the bnce of the universe, no less? I¡¯ve already got 200 million points of evil karma under my belt.¡± -Uh, hmm¡­ At Yeongwoo¡¯s rather extreme proposition, Aldo couldn¡¯t find words, so Amana cautiously raised her hand. -Then what about the rankings from second to fifth ce? Don¡¯t forget that up to fifth ce gets to be promoted.N?v(el)B\\jnn ¡°Oh, right.¡± Yeongwoo nodded as if he had just remembered. ¡°Then, Amana, you add that rule.¡± -¡­Me? ¡°Yes, you include it during your turn. Rank second to fifth based on the number of handshakes.¡± Then he pointed at Taru. ¡°Taru, you build a paradise for the defeated.¡± -What do you mean by that? ¡°Set aside a corner of the Hall where those unwilling to fight can gather and shake hands until they¡¯re bored. But anyone who enters won¡¯t qualify for the rankings.¡± In other words, a kind of neutral zone. -Well¡­ that¡¯s not a bad idea. Taru, seemingly the most mild-tempered of the group, nodded. ¡°Alright, done? Then let¡¯s begin.¡± As Yeongwoo gestured for Aldo to activate the Game Maker with his glowing de, Amana asked a sharp question. -Wait. ¡°What now?¡± -What about you? ¡°Me?¡± -One rule per teammate. That means you¡¯ll get to establish a rule too, right? What exactly are you nning to do by letting us go first? Indeed, as thest in turn, Yeongwoo coulde up with an ingenious strategy to outwit everyone. But what came out of Yeongwoo¡¯s mouth was an unexpected proper noun. ¡°Dogo.¡± -¡­What? ¡°I want everyone in the Promotion Grounds to chant Dogo.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 367 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 367: The Ultimate Evil of Promotion (3) -Do... Go? Amana tilted her head, opening her beak in curiosity. Yeongwoo nodded in response. "Yes, Dogo." -What is Dogo? "It is the name of my benefactor as well as thepany sponsoring me." Jeong Yeongwoo, No. 07 from Earth. Noticing that this viin''s tone had suddenly be uncharacteristically polite, Amana felt her feathers bristle with unease. Something so awe-inspiring that even this scoundrel couldn¡¯t help but show reverence¡ªit terrified her to think such a thing existed in this universe. -You have... a sponsor? Much like Yeongwoo, Amana herself represented a lower-tier just beginning to brush against the vastness of the cosmos. The universe, for her as well, was still a realm of the unknown. -But why make everyone shout that sponsor''s name? Yeongwoo took a deep breath, then spoke in a transcendent tone he hadn¡¯t used in some time. "¡¸Dogo¡¹ is a business. As Dogo''s promotional model, it is my duty to make the brand''s name shine and spread it far and wide." Dogo. A name that referred to both a gctic weapons manufacturer and a member of the royal Vesedel lineage who had founded the enterprise. And the way Yeongwoo pronounced ¡¸Dogo¡¹ just now carried all these connotations at once. -My... my goodness. The owlbear from the sacredary patrol cked her beak rapidly in shock. To her, the existence of ¡¸Dogo¡¹ representing the pinnacle of violent enterprise, was unimaginable. -Ah¡­ Is this truly real? -Un¡­ Unbelievable. Reading the sinister weight behind Yeongwoo¡¯s utterance of ¡¸Dogo¡¹ both Aldo and Taru shuddered uncontrobly. For beings who had lived only in worlds of light before stepping into the promotion grounds, this alternate universe¡ªfraught with threats, extortion, assaults on officials, and arms dealing¡ªwas a nightmare beyond their wildest imagination. And now, they realized for the first time that such a world had always existed on the other side of the cosmos. "Do you understand now why I try to resolve everything with power?" Yeongwoo, hailing from the dark side of the universe, swung Bastard menacingly as he shouted, causing Amana to gape in terror, her beak trembling. -Y-you... really have a Karma Debt of 200 million¡­! "200 million? That¡¯s nothing, you fools! In the universe Ie from¡ªno, in the universe we live in¡ªyou can''t even qualify for anything noteworthy with just 200 million!" Of course, this only applied to mid-tier viins at best. After all, Yeongwoo was already the supreme evil among representatives of lower-tiers. "Now, hurry up and propose the new rules." Yeongwoo gestured alternately between Aldo and the game-maker with Bastard, prompting the poor second prince of the Shelbir Kingdom to furrow his brow. -Apologies, but what did you say earlier...? Something about defeating the top team? "If you eliminate the current top-ranked team, you¡¯ll take their spot as number one." -...Ah. "That way, we won¡¯t have to feel guilty about dealing with anyone whoes for us."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Aldo was about to raise the issue of the Karma Debt this might incur but quickly closed his mouth instead. Then, following Yeongwoo''s instructions, he ced his hand on the surface of the game-maker. Tap. With a sh of mysterious light, the spinning game-maker shone brightly and disyed a system message visible to all. ¡¸The first participant is attempting to create the first rule. Do all team members agree?¡¹ It seemed to be a confirmation protocol. If even one team member disagreed, the rule wouldn¡¯t proceed. ¡®So unnecessarily systematic.¡¯ ¡¸Do all team members agree?¡¹ The game-maker repeated the question as silence lingered. Yeongwoo, Amana, and Taru responded in session. "Yes." -I agree. -I agree as well! Immediately, the game-maker spun faster, creating arge holographic box¡ªa text field they had seen several times before. Entering a rule here would establish the first new regtion for this advancement round. "Let¡¯s do it." Yeongwoo tilted Bastard, urging Aldo to proceed. Aldo, still frowning deeply, ced both hands on the game-maker. -Make it so you can only be number one by defeating the current top-ranked team. Aldo finally voiced the first rule. Soon, a loud signal red from the game-maker. Beeeeep! ¡¸The first rule of this advancement round has been sessfully created.¡¹ [To achieve first ce in the advancement round, you must defeat the current top-ranked team.] "Wow, it refines the input nicely," Yeongwoo remarked with satisfaction, ncing at Amana, who suddenly looked even more tense. -My turn? Amana cautiously approached the game-maker and ced her arms on it. Tuk. As before, the process of seeking consent from the team began. Once everyone voiced their agreement, another text box appeared. Fwoosh! "I... I..." Overwhelmed with nervousness, Amana hesitated, prompting Yeongwoo to assist her. ¡°Teams ranked second to fifth will be assigned based on the number of handshakes exchanged with other teams.¡± -Oh. Yeongwoo added a rification. "A handshake doesn¡¯t have to involve the right hand. Any physical contact made with the body part typically used to hold a primary weapon counts, as long as the two parties separate without fighting." This was a consideration for the diverse species in the cosmos, some of which might not even have arms or legs. -Ah¡­ I see. Understanding Yeongwoo¡¯s exnation, Amana clicked her beak a few times and then entered the second rule for the advancement round. ¡¸The second rule of the promotion match has been newly entered.¡¹ [For those ranked 2nd to 5th in the promotion match, rankings will be determined by the total number of "handshakes" executed.] *Handshake: A gesture involving physical contact and greeting the opponent, followed by parting ways without engaging inbat. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ surprisingly considerate.¡± Well, considering the promotion grounds were filled with all kinds of different species, it made sense to have a clear definition of ¡°handshake¡± to avoid misunderstandings. This new rule increased the likelihood that ranks 2 through 5 would depend less onbat strength and more on how effectively one could win over the favor of others. Since everyone would now know that the number of handshakes directly influenced rankings, it wasn¡¯t likely that people would randomly handshake with just anyone. Those with unapproachable appearances or intimidating auras were at a clear disadvantage. ¡®But won¡¯t there be cases where people just buy handshakes with money? They could use IOUs or something.¡¯ Yeongwoo, whose thoughts were steeped in deviousness, was already entertaining hical schemes. If he had been aiming for a spot in the top 5, he would undoubtedly have pursued such tactics. On the other hand... [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w -So, the rankings will really be decided by handshakes now. -And with the added condition of parting ways withoutbat¡­ That¡¯s a relief. -At least some of thes with significant good karma may seed in this promotion match. The other three proponents of good karma seemed relieved, pleased that such a rule had been implemented. ¡®These guys are ridiculously optimistic. The universe really is vast if people like them are still alive.¡¯ Yeongwoo shook his head in disbelief, then motioned toward Taru, thest of the good-karma proponents. ¡°Alright, Taru, it¡¯s your turn.¡± ording to Yeongwoo¡¯s description, the rule Taru was about to make was essentially a haven for losers. The rule was to establish a ¡°surrender zone.¡± ¡°This is the Midwest right now, so those who intend to fight us would naturally gather here. What¡¯s the opposite direction?¡± When Yeongwoo asked this, Taru blinked a few times before answering. -The east¡­ perhaps? ¡°Correct. The east is likely the opposite direction. So, let¡¯s tell anyone who wants to surrender to head there.¡± At Yeongwoo¡¯s suggestion, Taru scratched his head before stepping up to the game maker. -Uh¡­ Please designate the far eastern end of the promotion grounds as a ce where people can surrender. The game maker rephrased Taru¡¯s request and presented it as follows: ¡¸The third rule of the promotion match has been newly entered.¡¹ [A designated safe zone has been established in the eastern part of the promotion grounds. Entering this zone means forfeiting the chance to rank and guarantees immunity from attacks by other teams.] ¡°Hm, that¡¯s reasonable enough.¡± Now, the western part of the promotion grounds would be a battlefield for the ¡°real contenders,¡± while the eastern part would be crowded with those surrendering or seeking handshakes. For those still vying for a rank, they would have no choice but to pursue the teams heading east to desperately request handshakes. ¡®It¡¯s obvious, so obvious.¡¯ Ironically, the peaceful eastern zone could be more chaotic than the war-torn western zone. ¡®In any case¡­ whether they beg for handshakes or buy them with money, onlys with that level of determination deserve to advance.¡¯ For Yeongwoo, it was crucial to maintain his position as 1st ce, and this arrangement suited him well. He could protect his top spot while pacifying the good-karma proponents and avoiding excessive bad karma. ¡°Well then, it¡¯s finally my turn.¡± When Yeongwoo stepped forward, the three good-karma proponents instinctively tensed and retreated slightly. ¡°The fact that so manyary guardians have survived this promotion match is entirely thanks to the mercy of the universal weapon brand, Dogo.¡± As Yeongwoo spoke, the Dogo emblem on his upper right arm lit up brightly. ¡°From this day forward, those who didn¡¯t know Dogo wille to know its great name, and those who did will give thanks for its miraculous mercy.¡± He then ced his hand on the game maker. Thump! ¡°When the new rule is dered, every participant must shout ¡®Dogo¡¯ at the top of their lungs. For those whock a voice, mimic the emblem with their bodies.¡± Then Yeongwoo added an ominous use. ¡°Anyone who fails to chant ¡®Dogo¡¯ within 30 seconds of the new rule¡¯s deration will die immediately.¡± [PR/N: Actually insane wtf?? ??] -What? -What did you say? -Immediate death¡­? The three good-karma proponents were visibly horrified. Of course, it was uncertain whether the game maker would actually implement such a condition. But since it was a key rule of the game, there had to be an undeniable reason to enforce it. ¡°Better than turning the promotion grounds into a living hell. Isn¡¯t it easier to shout ¡®Dogo¡¯ and survive?¡± As Yeongwoo removed his hand from the game maker, the rule generator began spinning rapidly in mid-air. Whiiiirrr! Finally, it produced the rule. ¡¸The final rule of the promotion match has been newly entered.¡¹ [Within 30 seconds of the new rule¡¯s announcement, any participant who does not fervently worship ¡®Dogo¡¯ will die immediately.] ¡°Hah, this thing¡¯s even harsher than me.¡± Even Yeongwoo, infamous for his ruthlessness, was impressed by the term ¡°fervently worship,¡± which hadn¡¯t crossed his mind. ¡°Well, no objections, right? Let¡¯s proceed as is.¡± When Yeongwoo tapped the game maker twice to confirm the rule, it shot into the sky, erupting in a massive explosion visible to all in the promotion grounds. Boom! As if signifying the copse of the existing order. Rumble¡­! The ground of the entire promotion grounds quaked, capturing everyone¡¯s attention, while a giant system message appeared in the sky. ¡¸The previous rules have been reced by new ones set by Team 023, the current overall 1st ce.¡¹ Surprisingly, instead of starting from Rule 1, the system began revealing the rules in reverse order, starting with the final Rule 4. ¡¸Regretfully, from this moment onward, anyone who does not fervently worship ¡®Dogo¡¯ within 30 seconds will die immediately.¡¹ [TL/N: HAHAHA REGRETFULLY HAAHAHAHA.] ¡°What? Regretfully? That wasn¡¯t part of my wording.¡± As Yeongwoo frowned and muttered, a holographic Dogo emblem apanied by a countdown appeared in everyone¡¯s field of view. sh! ¡¸30¡¹ ¡°¡­Huh?¡± ¡¸29¡¹ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 368 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 368: The Ultimate Evil of Promotion (4) ¡¸28¡¹ ¡®What? These bastards are even putting a timer on me, who''s already aligned with Dogo?¡¯ While Yeongwoo widened his eyes in disbelief, chaos had already erupted on the other side. -Do, Dogo? -Dogo...! -Dogo!!! The three aliens of Team 023 were reaching toward the sky, repeatedly shouting "Dogo" at the top of their lungs. Like the other participants, the aliens didn¡¯t want to return to their home as lifeless corpses. Thus, they screamed "Dogo" until their throats were sore. ¡¸24¡¹ ... ¡¸23¡¹ But the fatal countdown timer showed no signs of stopping.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om -Huh? -W-We definitely did it, right? -Dogo! Dogo...! The three aliens¡¯ faces turned pale with fear. Meanwhile... ¡°D-Dogo!¡± Yeongwoo, like the other participants, watched the unrelenting countdown timer with growing anxiety. ¡¸18¡¹ ¡°What the hell is going on here?¡± No matter how desperately they shouted, the timer didn¡¯t stop. ording to the rules, the timer hitting zero meant death. ¡¸Unfortunately, anyone who does not worship ¡®Dogo¡¯ with utmost desperation within 30 seconds will die instantly.¡¹ ¡°D-Dogo! Chairman...!¡± Even Yeongwoo, who was supposedly endorsed by Dogo, looked up at the sky in panic. Realizing the gravity of the situation, the three aliens shouted as if they were about to burst into tears. -Dogo! Dogo! -Dogo! Save us! -Dogo! Please! The arena descended into utter pandemonium. This wasn¡¯t limited to just this section; every team in the promotion match was likely experiencing the same chaos. ¡°Hey, you crazy bastard! Who gave you permission to change the rules like this?¡± Yeongwoo cursed as the timer dropped to 13 seconds. ¡¸13¡¹ The final rule Yeongwoo had submitted to the game maker was to "shout Dogo as loud as you can." But the game maker had gone beyond that, twisting the rule into something catastrophic. ¡¸Anyone who does not worship ¡®Dogo¡¯ with utmost desperation will die instantly.¡¹ Desperately worship Dogo. What exactly did the system mean by "utmost desperation"? ¡°¡¸Dogo!¡¹ This promotion match! With the mercy of the great ¡®Dogo¡¯...!¡± Yeongwoo tried once again, screaming with all his might in an almost transcendent tone, but the timer before him remained unmoved. ¡¸10¡¹ Now just 10 seconds. ¡¸9¡¹ The countdown continued without mercy. ¡®Damn it. I fell into my own trap!¡¯ What on earth did he have to do to satisfy the condition of "utmost desperation"? ¡®Are you saying what I¡¯ve been doing isn¡¯t desperate enough? How could I possibly be more desperate than this?¡¯ As Yeongwoo struggled toprehend, his gazended on the three aliens who were clinging to each other. -Dogo...! -Dogo! -Lord Dogo! Can¡¯t you hear us? The sight of them wailing and almost weeping was both absurd and pitiable. At this point, one might assume their behavior qualified as "utmost desperation." Yet, even in their vision, the fatal timer showed no sign of disappearing, and soon it ticked down to the final five seconds. ¡¸5¡¹ -Aah! -Are we really doomed here...? ¡¸4¡¹ With only 4 seconds remaining, the aliens rushed to Yeongwoo. -Y-Yeongwoo! -Isn¡¯t there something else we can do? -No matter how hard we try, it¡¯s not working! Now genuinely desperate, they turned to him for answers, fearing their impending demise. ¡¸3¡¹ But at that moment, Yeongwoo... ¡°¡¸DOOGOOOOOOO!!!¡¹...!¡± He screamed "Dogo" with every ounce of strength he had, leaving no room to respond to the aliens. After all, the idea that someone like him¡ªDogo¡¯s official sponsor¡ªmight fail to worship properly and die was utterly uneptable. Yet... ¡¸2¡¹ The timer didn¡¯t stop, finally reaching itsst digit. ¡¸1¡¹ ¡°What?¡± A reality too unbelievable to ept. For the first time, everyone, including Yeongwoo, looked genuinely terrified. -D-Dogo... Prince Aldo, the second son of the Shelbir royal family, muttered "Dogo" onest time. And then... ¡¸-¡¹ The timer expired and vanished before everyone¡¯s eyes. ¡°......!¡± Gasp. -T-The timer...! -Wait, what happens now? -Was death truly the oue? As everyone braced for the worst, squeezing their eyes shut, only Yeongwoo kept his eyes open, ring at the sky. Something felt off. ¡®Those bastards, don¡¯t tell me...¡¯ The game maker¡¯s announcement had been clear: failing to desperately worship Dogo within 30 seconds would result in death. But nowhere did it state that seeding in worshiping would stop the timer. In other words... ¡®Are they seriously making us scream Dogo for the full 30 seconds?¡¯ As Yeongwoo¡¯s jaw dropped in disbelief, arge system message shed in the air, glowing a menacing red. ¡¸Team 018, eliminated.¡¹ -What? -Gasp. -E-Eliminated? That wasn¡¯t even a battle, was it? Taru pointed at the elimination message with his massive finger. As he said, it was unlikely the elimination was due tobat. Just moments ago, all teams had been too preupied with worshiping Dogo. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w This meant their deaths were for another reason entirely. ¡®So they¡¯re really killing people! Who were the idiots who refused to worship Dogo?¡¯ Of course, the fools who defied the rules were already dead, their faces unidentifiable. ¡¸Team 046, eliminated.¡¹ Another team was wiped out. -H-Huh? -They¡¯re dropping like flies! -Are they being dealt with in order? Amana¡¯s words rang true; the system seemed to be systematically eliminating participants. Which meant that if anyone in Team 023 had performed subpar worship, they might be next. ¡¸Team 008, eliminated.¡¹ Yet another team vanished in an instant. -Ah... -Are we next? Is it going to be our turn soon? As Taru looked at Yeongwoo with a fearful expression, he scratched his chin. ¡°Whether it''s your turn or not really depends on you, doesn''t it?¡± -...? -What do you mean? ¡°Ask yourself this: have you worshipped the System with such desperation that you could stand proud before it?¡± And in that moment¡ª Thunk! With a loud signal, another team was eliminated. ¡¸Team 024, annihted.¡¹ ¡°¡­!¡± Team 024. Being just one number apart from their own, even Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but flinch. ¡®008, 018, 024, 046... Four teams eliminated.¡¯ Why did they perish? Was it because they didn¡¯t take the new rules seriously? Or perhaps they worshipped under duress butcked true desperation? ¡®Whatever the case, it¡¯s clear their entire teams cked off.¡¯ One more intriguing detail was that none of the annihted teams had been on the leaderboard. In other words, every team listed on the leaderboard had clearly screamed their devotion with everything they had. ¡®People with more to lose always fight harder.¡¯ That was why Yeongwoo himself had been wailing like a madman earlier. And it had paid off. Soon, a message appeared, announcing the end of the "purge." sh! ¡¸Participants who refused to abide by the new rules have been eliminated.¡¹ -Oh¡­ Does that mean we made it? -Looks like it. -For sure¡­ we gave it everything we had. The three followers of virtue heaved sighs of relief. Then, the next rule for the promotion match, newly set by Team 023, was revealed. ¡¸From now on, a designated area in the eastern part of the promotion field will be marked as a safe zone.¡¹ ¡¸Entering this area means you cannot re-enter the leaderboard, but you will also be safe from attacks by other teams.¡¹ A green circle appeared on the eastern edge of the world map disyed in the sky. Swoosh! ¡°That must be the safe zone,¡± Yeongwoo said, pointing at the map with Bastard in hand. At the same time, countless numbers began to appear on the map. -Huh? -Wait, is that¡­? Even the three followers of virtue could immediately recognize what it was. They were none other than the real-time locations of the surviving teams. With the rules of the game shifting dramatically, the positions of all teams had now been revealed. And the most obvious reason for this was, of course¡ª [023] Team 023 was highlighted in bright yellow in the central-western part of the map, clearly marked as the creators of the new rules and the ultimate boss to beat for anyone aiming for first ce. ¡°They¡¯re outright broadcasting our location.¡± Yeongwoo scrunched his nose and muttered, prompting Amana, who was studying the map, to add ament. -But every team¡¯s location is visible, so it¡¯s fair enough. Indeed, Team 023 could see where other teams were heading¡ªwhether they were retreating to the safe zone or hesitating. Among them, one stood out. [004] Stationary not far from the central-western area was Team 004. ¡®004? Those guys? Second in power, second in score.¡¯ By all measurable metrics, they were the strongest team in the promotion match apart from Team 023. Knowing this, they were likely pausing to strategize. Then came the announcement of a peculiar rule. ¡¸The rankings from second to fifth ce in the promotion match will now be determined by the total number of ''handshakes'' executed.¡¹ *Handshake: The act of making physical contact with another participant as a greeting, then parting ways without engaging inbat. At this, the teams moving toward the safe zone froze in ce on the world map. The unexpected rule had thrown everyone into confusion. But Team 023 had one more trick up their sleeve. ¡¸The final rule has been activated! The first ce in the promotion match can only be achieved by eliminating the current top team.¡¹ And an additional message followed, unprompted: ¡¸The ultimate victor will receive an incredibly powerful exclusive benefit. Aim for the throne to restore your¡¯s glory.¡¹ ¡®I figured as much.¡¯ Having explored countless dungeons and imed hidden rewards, this didn¡¯t surprise Yeongwoo. But for the other participants, it seemed to be a significant motivator. Why? -Hey, Yeongwoo! As soon as the final rule was announced, Aldo pointed at the world map. ¡°What, is Team 004 charging straight at us?¡± Such a scenario was already within Yeongwoo¡¯s expectations. He turned to the world map Aldo indicated with a calm expression. Slide. Then¡ª ¡°¡­What?¡± Numbers scattered across the map were converging in one direction. Specifically, they were moving toward the central-western area, where Team 023 was located. ¡°What the¡­?¡± Yeongwoo blinked, double-checking the map. This time, it was unmistakable. ¡°Are these bastards for real?¡± Nearly every team in the promotion field was now heading toward the throne. ¡°These morons! I said handshakes, and they¡¯re doubling down on bad hands.¡± Realizing the inevitable bloodshed ahead, Yeongwoo closed his eyes. Behind him, the three followers of virtue could do nothing but squeeze their eyes shut as well. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 369 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 369: The Ultimate Evil of Promotion (5) -Y-Yeongwoo, what happens now? Aldo, staring at the world map, let out a frightened voice. In response, Yeongwoo calmly aimed at the world map floating in the air with his weapon, Bastard. Dozens of teams, including the powerful contender Team 004, were closing in fast. What would happen next? "Well, what else? We¡¯ll just have to follow the rules." ording to the new rule, the only way to im the top spot in the promotion battle was to defeat the current first-ranked team. From the perspective of the current top-ranked team, as long as they weren¡¯t defeated by another team, they could retain their position. "Challenging and fighting is perfectly legal. We all agree on that, right?" Yeongwoo asked, his eyes gleaming fiercely. The three virtuous aliens hesitantly nodded, looking visibly ufortable. Given the situation, they couldn¡¯t very well forbid counterattacks against this madman. -But not everyoneing this way is here to fight, Amana said, trying to deny the grim reality. It wasn¡¯t a baseless im. "What do you mean? If they¡¯re not here to fight, why are theying?" -...Handshake. "Excuse me?" -Ranks two through five are determined by the number of handshakes, aren¡¯t they? As Amana spoke, she looked down at her right hand. -With the new top-ranked rule, many teams started moving toward the central west. Naturally, other teams aiming for the rankings have no choice but to head in this direction too. In other words, Amana spected that many of the teams visible on the map were here to find handshake partners, not to fight for the top spot. -There might not be as many teams gunning for first ce as you think. "Hmm. That could make sense." Yeongwoo stroked his chin as he listened to Amana''s reasoning. It was usible. It didn¡¯t seem reasonable that all those teams would aim solely for first ce. "Well, whatever the case, we can just ask them directly." Yeongwoo nodded and turned his gaze to the "challengers" closing in on the world map. Forty-one teams remained in the promotion arena, with nine already eliminated. Excluding the current first-ranked Team 023, there were forty teams left. ¡®About five teams seem to be heading toward the withdrawal zone¡­¡¯ The remaining thirty-five teams were either converging on the central west or still deliberating, showing no clear movements. The teams that weren¡¯t moving yet were likely observing the situation to decide their next course of action. One thing was certain: ¡®There are definitely plenty of teams thinking about jumping into the first-ce battle. Maybe I haven¡¯t shown enough of my strength yet?¡¯ Yeongwoo felt a pang of disappointment, believing his earlier disy of mercy had been underappreciated. After all, he had hoped to take a break from umting bad karma, but here they were, flocking to him of their own ord. ¡®At this point, umting bad karma seems inevitable for me.¡¯ Swish. Yeongwoo turned to the three virtuous aliens. "Looks like we¡¯ll have a few corpses to clean up soon. Could you prepare some eulogies?" -Eulogies? "For those guys. When they die, we¡¯ll wrap up their bodies and send them off with eulogies. I need you to write them." Since Yeongwoo would handle the violence and killing, the other three wouldn¡¯t have much else to do. "Understood? When there are bodies, you¡¯ll write the eulogies." With Yeongwoo''s one-sided request, the three reluctantly nodded. -Alright. -¡­Someone has to write them, after all. -Fine. Better we do it than anyone else¡­ Thus, the division ofbor within Team 023 was settled. Yeongwoo got up, dusted himself off, and began scanning the surroundings, noting down coordinates in advance. After all, he might need to use bombardments again. ¡®If there are multiple teams withary bombardment weapons, it¡¯ll be chaos. I should probably strike first, just in case.¡¯ While Yeongwoo pondered various scenarios and surveyed the central west, he noticed silhouettes emerging from the northern horizon. "Oh?" Finally, the first visitors since the announcement of the new rule. As Yeongwoo pointed north with wide eyes, the three virtuous aliens followed his gaze. And then: -Oh no¡­ -They¡¯re heading this way. -Good grief¡­ They preemptively offered condolences for the unnamed opponents heading toward the worst possible oue. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo: Ssshhh! He unsheathed Bastard, preparing for battle, and began walking north at a leisurely pace. ¡®Which team is that?¡¯ ncing at the world map, Yeongwoo saw the marker for "Team 042" closest to his current position. ¡®Team 042.¡¯ They were ranked fourth in power. Unlike the others, it was clear this team intended to participate in the battle for the top spot. ¡®This will be a good opportunity to gain some intersterbat experience.¡¯ When else would he get to fight such a diverse range of extraterrestrial opponents? While this battle might cost manys their representatives, Yeongwoo''s perspective on such losses remained unchanged: ¡®If they die in the promotion battle, they weren¡¯t cut out forary promotion anyway. Better to die early and let someone else take over.¡¯ The newly implemented rules even allowed contestants to avoid both battles andpetition entirely. They could simply move to the eastern end and wait out the timer to survive. But the fact that so many teams chose to head west to challenge the first-ranked team was a clear measure of their judgment¡ªorck thereof. ¡®Of course, it also shows their courage and skills. But if they end up dying to me, it means their skills weren¡¯t sufficient.¡¯ As Yeongwoo silently mused and stared north, Aldo, watching the world map, shouted urgently: -Hey, Yeongwoo! Team 042 is right ahead! On the map, the markers for Teams 042 and 023 ovepped almostpletely. Of course, in the actual terrain, there was still a distance of about 300 to 400 meters between them. ¡°Yes, I know. I was just about to¡ª¡± As Yeongwoo shrugged his shoulders and gestured not to worry¡ª Whoooosh! ¡°¡­Huh?¡± A massive void opened up beneath his feet, a pitch-ck hole appearing suddenly. ¡°Ah¡­!¡± The moment Yeongwoo instinctively recognized it as the power of the Void, a giant hand emerged from the hole, enveloping him. -Huh? -Hey, Yeongwoo? -What¡¯s going on? An ambush? Before the three allies could react, the hand grabbed Yeongwoo and dragged him into the hole. In that instant, Yeongwoo found himself thinking: ¡®Who the hell are these bastards?¡¯ He was trapped in a zone imbued with the Void¡¯s peculiar, time-stopping aura, cursing under his breath. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w This was clearly a remote abduction. It had to be someone skilled in using Void power, making a preemptive strike. And soon¡ª Fwoosh! After a brief moment of gray obscuring his vision, Yeongwoo¡¯s surroundings lit up again. His body was raised back to ground level. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± It was then that Yeongwoo saw the four aliens surrounding him. -Haha, wee. -Are you the leader of Team 023? -Whoa, your energy levels are off the charts. -You¡¯re smaller than I expected. The ones who had used the Void to abduct Yeongwoo were none other than Team 042. [Team 042] A dark blue mechanical humanoid, a towering beastman with an eagle¡¯s head, a lizard covered in blue scales, and a humanoid alien with pupil-less eyes. Thest one, in particr, caught Yeongwoo¡¯s attention. Despite its pale skin, its hands were pitch ck. At a nce, Yeongwoo knew this one was the abduction¡¯s executor. The distinct, unsettling sensation of the Void emanated continuously from its hands. -Sharp, aren¡¯t you? Sensing Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze, the "ck Hands" alien blinked its pure white eyes. Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but ask: ¡°What¡¯s the point ofing after me here? Are you really after the number one spot?¡± The eagle-headed beastman, who had been aiming a long spear at Yeongwoo, moved its beak threateningly. -Of course. There are incredible perks for ranking first in the promotion matches. Why wouldn¡¯t we aim for the throne? ¡°But if you challenge the number one and lose, you¡¯ll die, won¡¯t you? Wouldn¡¯t it be safer to aim for just the top five?¡± Though Yeongwoo kindly offered them a chance to reconsider, Team 042 onlyughed. -Amusing fellow. -If we don¡¯t lose, that¡¯s all that matters. -That¡¯s cowardly logic.N?v(el)B\\jnn After all, they had the ability to abduct someone from hundreds of meters away in an instant. There was no way such individuals would give up the throne with its promised extraordinary rewards. Then the dark blue mechanical humanoid spoke. -And why did you create such ridiculous rules in the first ce? It referred to the rule that one could only im the top spot by defeating the current number one. Without that rule, Team 023 wouldn¡¯t have be everyone¡¯s target. Yeongwoo¡¯s response? ¡°Damn it, I didn¡¯t expect every dog and stray toe after me. I was just trying to minimize coteral damage.¡± -What? -You bastard. -How arrogant! Infuriated by his response, Team 042¡¯s eagle-headed beastman gripped its spear tighter. Crack. -Coteral damage? We¡¯re no strangers tomitting atrocities ourselves. Let¡¯s see how well-versed you are in evil! With that, the eagle-headed beastman swung its spear to strike Yeongwoo¡¯s neck. But Yeongwoo, who had been warned by his precognitive instincts, raised Aratubank to block it. ng! In the same motion, he lunged forward and drove Bastard through the beastman¡¯s chest. Thwack! And with that, another¡¯s future darkened. ¡°So, you lot are familiar with atrocities? Then wouldn¡¯t taking you down count as a good deed?¡± As Yeongwoo withdrew his de with a wicked smile, the remaining members of Team 042 stepped back, sensing something was wrong. -What¡­ what was that? -That sword! It¡¯s not normal! -Regroup! We have to attack together to have a chance! While Team 042 reeled from the shock of theirrade¡¯s sudden demise, a deafening explosion erupted in the distance behind Yeongwoo. Boom! ¡°¡­What the?¡± When Yeongwoo turned, he saw a zing red pir of fire rising from the spot where he had left his three allies. Another team had ambushed them while Yeongwoo was upied with Team 042. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡± He had expected such chaos, but not in such rapid session. And more importantly¡ª ¡°Wait.¡± Wasn¡¯t Prince Aldo, who would be arriving with a massive dowry tomorrow, in that very spot? ¡®Those idiots, if they face a real opponent, they¡¯ll be useless.¡¯ With this realization, Yeongwoo hurled his Aratubank, knocking the Void-user backward. Thud! -Gah! Yeongwoo leapt onto the alien¡¯s chest with blinding speed and drove his dagger into its ckened hands. Thwack! ¡°You can use that power again, right?¡± -W-What? ¡°Send me back over there.¡± -I-I can¡¯t. I don¡¯t have a way to send you back. ¡°You bastard.¡± Yeongwoo adjusted hismand without hesitation. ¡°Then bring them here instead.¡± ¡­What? ¡°Everyone over there. Bring them here. I¡¯ll handle the rest.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 370 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 370: The Ultimate Evil of Promotion (6) -What... What did you say? You want me to bring all those guys fighting over there? ¡°Yes, that¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m talking about.¡± With these words, Yeongwoo twisted the sword embedded in his opponent¡¯s hand, eliciting a distorted scream. -Gaaaah! W-Wait! The opponent nced southward with wide, pale eyes¡ªtoward the battlefield where pirs of me were erupting. -There are more of them than I expected. Can you handle it? ¡°Just call them. I¡¯ll deal with the aftermath,¡± Yeongwoo said, baring his teeth and pretending to twist the sword again. The ¡°ck Hand¡± frantically nodded. -F-Fine! I¡¯ll do it. The man¡¯s pure white pupils turned jet ck, and he pressed his other hand¡ªthe one not pierced by the sword¡ªagainst the ground. CRACK! Dark energy spread from his palm, corrupting the floor beneath them. ¡®Oh... so this is the power of the Void.¡¯ It was the first time since meeting the First Prince Dogo in a dungeon that he had encountered someone wielding the Void. His cosmic perspective was broadening. ¡®The universe really is vast. Each race has its own specialized abilities.¡¯ From Sutral, Amana could create wind for flight and high-speed movement. From Pigot, Taru were innately immune to elemental damage. Then what unique ability did humans from Earth possess? -Raaaah! The ¡°ck Hand¡± roared, pulling his hand from the ground. At the same time, the earth beneath Yeongwoo and Squad 042 turned pitch ck. WHOOOSH! ¡°...!¡± The entire area was being transformed into a summoning site. Suddenly¡ª THUD! The ground rippled, and twelve aliens erupted simultaneously from beneath. ¡°Prince! Prince Aldo!¡± Yeongwoo shouted, trying to locate Aldo. In response, Aldo¡¯s desperate voice came from one side. -Y-Yeongwoo! Save me! ¡°Damn it!¡± Yeongwoo turned to see two aliens entangled with Aldo. One was Squad 029. One was a ratman d in a full-body robe wielding a sword, and the other was an elf with jade-colored skin and pointed ears. Yeongwoo immediately threw his sword toward the elf and charged at Aldo. ¡°Get off! That¡¯s my guest!¡± WHAM! The elf, struck by the sword in his waist, rolled to the ground. Meanwhile, the ratman, who had been attacking Aldo with the sword, sensed Yeongwoo¡¯s deadly aura and turned. -What the¡ª? And then¡ª SMASH! Yeongwoo¡¯s fist came crashing down, shattering the ratman¡¯s skull. CRACK! Fueled by rage, Yeongwoo delivered a devastating punch with all his might. ¡°Prince, are you okay?¡± Yeongwoo asked, still seething as he nced at Aldo. Aldo trembled, clutching his abdomen, where fluid seeped from his armor. -I-It hurts a bit, but I¡¯m fine! ¡°Did you get stabbed?!¡± rmed, Yeongwoo inspected Aldo¡¯s armor and found a small puncture near his abdomen¡ªproof that the ratman¡¯s sword had prated it twice. ¡°What kind of armor can¡¯t even block a sword?!¡± Yeongwoo scowled, exasperated. Aldo hastily pointed behind him. -T-That¡¯s not important right now. Look, Amana! ¡°...?¡± There was no need to turn around. -Raaah! With a piercing scream, Amana unleashed a powerful gust of wind from behind them. WHOOOSH! The resulting whirlwind was strong enough to knock everyone off bnce. Momentster, Amana soared high into the air. Having struggled on the ground, she had fled to the skies for safety. ¡®At least she knows how to protect herself.¡¯ Yeongwoo decided to leave Amana in the air and turned his attention to thest squad member, Taru. Then he saw it. BAM! BAM! Taru from Pigot was curled up and being beaten. -P-Please! You should run while you can! It¡¯ll be better for you! Taru shouted at his attackers, urging them to flee. Retrieving his sword, Yeongwoo called out Taru¡¯s name, causing him to widen his eyes in shock. ¡°Taru!¡± -Eek! Taru shrieked, shoving his attackers away as he yelled. -R-Run! Yeongwoo will kill you all! But it was already toote. SWHOOSH! The ¡°Yeongwoo¡± in question charged at them, sword in hand. ¡°If you beat me, you¡¯ll instantly take first ce!¡± Yeongwoo shouted. His words drew the attention of every squad in the area. Then, with a dramatic swing, his sword cleaved through the air. SPLURT! The heads of the two aliens assaulting Taru were severed in an instant. THUD! Their heads hit the ground one after another, and Taru mped his hands over his mouth, screaming. -Ahhhhh! Right before his eyes, an irreversible act of malice unfolded. And from this moment onward, the challengers scattered across the arena began fleeing all at once. -W-We can¡¯t take them on. -...Run! Though they had boldlye to im the top spot, seeing their opponent¡¯s true strength firsthand made them realize their judgment had been wrong. But weren¡¯t they all already within Yeongwoo¡¯s range? ¡°If you were going to run away, you shouldn¡¯t havee in the first ce!¡± As Yeongwoo¡¯s merciless voice echoed and he began dealing with the fleeing opponents one by one, Amana, floating in midair, clicked her beak together in fright. -S-Stop it! There¡¯s no need to kill those who are running away! At this, Yeongwoo, who was about to drive his de into the back of a fallen alien, hesitated. ¡°Why?¡± -...Huh? ¡°They came here with the intent to kill us. Isn¡¯t it only right to make them take responsibility for their choice by killing them...?¡± When Yeongwoo asked with a serious expression, Amana looked utterly bewildered. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w -B-But they¡¯re no longer trying to kill us, are they? ¡°That¡¯s only because they realized we¡¯re much stronger than they expected. If we were weaker, they wouldn¡¯t be running; they¡¯d be killing us to the bitter end.¡± -Even so, ughtering those who no longer wish to fight... If they¡¯ve given up their intent to kill, isn¡¯t that enough? ¡°...Ha.¡± After listening to Amana¡¯s words, Yeongwoo realized he would never be able to live as a virtuous man. ¡°Don¡¯t you even understand the concept of reaping what you sow?¡± -...? ¡°You all understand karma, don¡¯t you? These people came here with the intent to kill us, sowing the seeds of evil karma, and they¡¯re simply reaping the consequences now.¡± Though Yeongwoo kindly broke it down for her, Amana still shook his head. -That¡¯s the logic of the wicked. Even if someonemits evil, responding with good deeds can eventually lead them to do good as well. Acts of kindness are like nting seeds of goodwill. ¡°Oh,e on. That¡¯s ridiculous.¡± -If you kill them now, they¡¯ll remain evil forever. There will be no chance for their lives to change. But if you spare them... that act of kindness could be a seed that bears good fruit someday. ¡°Not ¡®someday.¡¯ More like ¡®maybe.¡¯¡± -Huh?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°If I spare them, there¡¯s no guarantee they¡¯ll turn over a new leaf. More likely, they¡¯llmit more evil deeds.¡± -W-What do you mean...? -It¡¯s called cause and effect! If you spare someone evil, evil wille back to you! Even in movies, the viin you thought was dead alwayses back in the sequel! -...Movies? ¡°So I choose to sever their cycle of evil karma right here, right now!¡± -N-No! As Amana cried out, and Yeongwoo¡¯s sword was about to plunge downward, Aldo suddenly let out an unprecedented yell. -Yeongwoo! Sir! ¡°What?¡± When Yeongwoo turned his head, he saw Aldo crouched on the ground, twisting in pain as a liquid trickled from his waist. -Then what about you, Sir Yeongwoo? ¡°What about me?¡± -Aren¡¯t you... a massive umtion of evil karma yourself? ¡°...What?¡± Aldo¡¯s words, surprisingly, were not incorrect. After all, wasn¡¯t he someone who likely had over 200 million points of evil karma by now? -Then, by your own logic... are you not a being who will only bring more misfortune to the world if allowed to live? ¡°...?¡± -The things you just said... they apply to you as well! Why do you view yourself as nothing but a wretched being? ¡°......¡± Yeongwoo felt as though he¡¯d been struck on the back of the head. Aldo was right: the logic he had used against these perpetrators of evil applied equally to himself. A being without potential for redemption, who would only bring more harm if left alive. Was that really who Jeong Yeongwoo was? ¡°I-I...¡± -Everyone is generous to themselves! That¡¯s normal, and it¡¯s how it should be! But to do that, you must also be generous to others! Aldo groaned and rose to his feet. His broad shadow loomed over Yeongwoo and everyone else in the arena. -Kindness isn¡¯t some grandiose thing. Just treat others the way you¡¯d want to be treated. Sir Yeongwoo, by helping us, you¡¯ve already done a good deed. That means you¡¯re not someone who onlymits evil. So please... Aldo extended a hand, pointing at the opponent lying beneath Yeongwoo¡¯s feet. -Let him go and perform your second act of kindness. Just as you¡¯ve proven yourself, give others a chance to prove themselves too. ¡°...Prince.¡± Yeongwoo would be lying if he said he wasn¡¯t moved, even a little. Of course, part of it was because the opponent might be a potential benefactor at his wedding, but he couldn¡¯tpletely dismiss Aldo¡¯s argument. So. ¡°Fine. You¡¯re all lucky today. The prince has shown you mercy. Get out of here. You have five seconds.¡± He withdrew his sword and released the opponent he¡¯d pinned down with his foot. Then. -Y-You¡¯ll regret this! -R-Run! -Move! Get out of here! The person Yeongwoo had been holding, along with the rest of Squad 042, scrambled to escape. They knew this was their first andst chance. ¡°......¡± As Yeongwoo watched the retreating figures grow smaller in the distance, Aldo cautiously approached him. -How does it feel to do a good deed? Surely it feels good, doesn¡¯t it? At this, Yeongwoo shot Aldo a re, his face already filled with irritation. ¡°Feel good? What nonsense...!¡± And then, out of nowhere, words appeared before him, causing him to fall silent. Fwoosh! For the first time in a long while, his achievement window lit up. [Achievement Unlocked: Cold but Warm] | Achievement Grade: Universe | Achievement Rank: #841 ¡¸Created over 10 million points of goodwill while possessing over 200 million points of evil karma.¡¹ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 371 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 371: Cold But Warm (1) "The universe? Is there an achievement tied to the universe?" Yeongwoo widened his eyes in surprise. [Achievement Unlocked: Cold but Warm] | Achievement Grade: Universe | Achievement Rank: #841 ¡¸Created over 10 million points of goodwill while possessing over 200 million points of evil karma.¡¹ It was the first time since the reset that Yeongwoo had ever seen the "Universe" achievement tier. ¡®I¡¯ve finally reached the universe itself...!¡¯ Indeed, there was no other way to interpret it. The fact that the rank of this achievement was measured on a universal scale was proof enough. Yeongwoo07¡¯s actions and aplishments were no longer justary; they had now transcended to be evaluated on a cosmic level. ¡®Rank #841... That means there are 840 others ahead of me who have unlocked this achievement?¡¯ At first nce, that seemed like a lot. But upon closer thought, it wasn¡¯t so at all. The universe. This was an achievement that spanned the entirety of the universe, no less. ¡®Wait, hang on. Does that mean only 840 people in this entire universe have managed to generate over 10 million points of good karma while holding over 200 million points of evil karma?¡¯ That implied that those with evil karma in the hundreds of millions werergely irredeemable scum. ¡®So, I was right, wasn''t I...?¡¯ Yeongwoo shot Aldo a nce that screamed, ¡®See, I told you so!¡¯ But he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it aloud. While it was true that most of the heavily sinful were indeed evil, this achievement also indicated that there were 840 others who were "Cold but Warm." Aldo saw their existence as proof enough of what he had been saying. Virtuous individuals, after all, were rare beings. And now, even Yeongwoo, inadvertently, had his name added to the list of those rare individuals in the universe. ¡®Still, the existence of this achievement is amusing. Couldn¡¯t they just create an ¡®Ultimate Evil¡¯ achievement for us sinners instead?¡¯ A strange feeling washed over him. Could this really be the "bnce of the universe" that Aldo had been talking about? Regardless, the very existence of such an achievement suggested that the universe encouraged "Cold but Warm" actions. In other words, reforming oneself. ¡®Then... is there a next-tier achievement? Usually, these things are part of a series, right?¡¯ Perhaps there were other tiers, such as having 40 million points of good karma with 200 million points of evil karma or 50 million points of good karma with 500 million points of evil karma. If there were, Yeongwoo was willing to force himself to umte more evil karma or good karma to reach them. ¡®You never know.¡¯ With a glimmer of unreasonable hope, Yeongwoo opened the achievement window. To his surprise, there was indeed a new entry added. [Burning Ice] | Ensure that your total points of evil karma do not exceed twice your points of good karma. "What...?" Yeongwoo''s eyes grew wide in disbelief. It really existed¡ªa sequel to the so-called "Reform Achievement." ¡®What does this even mean? ¡®Ensure that your total points of evil karma do not exceed twice your points of good karma¡¯...?¡¯ He blinked rapidly. In simple terms, it meant he had to decrease his evil karma umtion and increase his good karma points. With his current evil karma points at 200 million, achieving the "Burning Ice" achievement would require at least 100 million good karma points. If his evil karma points continued to grow,pleting "Burning Ice" would be forever impossible. ¡®And they don¡¯t even show me exactly how many good karma points I currently have?¡¯ This was undoubtedly intentional. Unlike previous achievements, which provided a clear progress indicator, this one offered no such convenience. In other words, it was telling him to stop overthinking andmit to pure, uncalcting acts of good karma. ¡®What do they take me for? Do they think I¡¯m the kind of pushover who¡¯d suddenly start being nice just because they told me to?¡¯ Yeongwoo silently fumed, but his anger didn¡¯tst long. [You have unimed achievement rewards.] A shing notification at the bottom of the achievement window caught his eye. ¡®Hmm. Well, I should at least check the reward.¡¯ What would the universe grant as a reward for performing such a "Cold but Warm" deed in this deste cosmos? Ting! When Yeongwoo imed the reward, a brilliant light flickered before his eyes, revealing the tooltip for a new piece of equipment. ¡¸Precious Heart¡¹ - Legendary Ne ¡¾The higher your ratio of good karma points, the greater your damage reduction¡ªranging from a minimum of 10% to a maximum of 30%.¡¿ "What the..." As expected of an item with absurd acquisition conditions, its effects were just as outrageous. ¡®Damage reduction based on good karma point ratio?¡¯ Even the minimum 10% reduction made the item worthwhile, but the maximum effect of 30% was unprecedented for defensive equipment. ¡®A perfect fit for aspiring virtuous individuals. Instead of boosting attack power, it provides damage reduction based on good karma points¡­¡¯ Yet, it was also incredibly useful for Yeongwoo, whose offensive capabilities were already top-notch. ¡®Then what¡¯s next? Will the next item make virtuous individuals invincible?¡¯ Having seen the reward for this achievement, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but turn his gaze toward the next-tier achievement. [Burning Ice] | Ensure that your total points of evil karma do not exceed twice your points of good karma. If hepleted this achievement as well, wouldn¡¯t it grant even better rewards than the current one? Likely another defensive item. And for Yeongwoo, who had no qualms about beating up even government officials, stocking up on defensive gear was a priority. Ironically, however, obtaining such gear required... ¡®¡­A massive amount of good karma points.¡¯ For the violence-filled business ahead¡ª In other words, for future acts of sin, he first needed acts of good karma. "..." When Yeongwoo silently turned to the three virtuous individuals nearby, Aldo, who had been watching him, nervously asked: -W-What¡¯s wrong, Yeongwoo? "Goodwill."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om -...Pardon? "I need to umte good karma. What kinds of virtuous acts can I perform in this Ascension Arena?" -All of a sudden...? Though puzzled, Aldo quickly straightened his expression. After all, if this top-tier viin decided to do good, he couldn¡¯t help but wee the idea. -That¡¯s an excellent decision! There are plenty of ways to earn good karma! He nced at the world map floating above them. -For example, simply persuading other challengers whoe to challenge you to leave peacefully could count as a virtuous act. "Really?" -Yes! Normally, you¡¯d have to duel them, but altering the oue in a positive way should qualify as good karma in the system¡¯s eyes. "Oh, so the system determines what counts as good karma or evil karma?" -Exactly! That¡¯s my understanding! "Huh¡­ Then if I could convince the system itself, I couldmit evil karma and still have it count as good karma." When Yeongwoo muttered this to himself, Amana, who was standing nearby, looked utterly stunned. -W-What did you just say¡­? "Ah, just kidding. Just kidding." With a wicked smile, Yeongwoo looked up at the world map. The symbols for Squad 042 and Squad 029, who had been thoroughly humiliated earlier, were retreating as far away as possible from the central region. Meanwhile, the second-ranked Squad 004 was rapidly approaching. The other squads were also heading toward the central region, albeit cautiously judging by their slow-moving markers. Among them were groups who likely approached with peaceful intentions, as the virtuous individuals had suggested. ¡®So, should I start by greeting Squad 004?¡¯ Yeongwoo scratched his chin. At that moment, a marker for Team 004 on the world map moved rapidly toward their location. Finally, they had decided to make their move. ¡°Everyone, be careful. The strongest ones in this promotion field areing,¡± Yeongwoo said, raising his guard with the Aratubank. Without a word, Amana and the other three aliens hid behind Yeongwoo¡¯s Aratubank. -Team 004¡­ could it be¡­? ¡°Yes, second overall. Besides us, they¡¯re the only ones in the promotion field ranked high in both score and power.¡± From a different perspective, if not for Team 023, Team 004 could have imed the throne in this promotion battle. That¡¯s why Team 004 wasing¡ªto verify whether Team 023 was truly as strong as the rumors suggested. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡®These bastards have both power and luck. Of all times, they had toe when I¡¯m forced into aliens work.¡¯ Yeongwoo grimaced regretfully, wrinkling his nose. At that moment, a sharp presence was felt from afar. Swoosh! ¡°Attack!¡± Boom! A strong vibration struck the surface of the Aratubank. Peeking out to inspect, Yeongwoo saw a purple arrow embedded in the surface dissolve into the air. ¡®An elemental arrow?¡¯ There was an archer on the other side wielding elemental abilities. Soon, four silhouettes approached rapidly from the distance. Unlike other teams before them, each figure was lean and agile. ¡°......!¡± Yeongwoo instinctively realized these were true elites. Of course. ¡®Still, isn¡¯t the King of Promotions me? This isn¡¯t a prison. No matter how strong they are, it¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t handle.¡¯ Meanwhile, Yeongwoo¡¯s Karma Points, so high it couldnd him in prison, totalled an absurd 200 million. ¡®Not all karmic sinners are created equal!¡¯ As the distance closed to a reasonable range, Yeongwoo opened his guard. Team 004, now within 10 meters, looked visibly surprised. -Huh, this guy. -What¡¯s with his equipment? As befitting their second-ce ranking, they had an eye for gear. They widened their eyes at Yeongwoo¡¯s armor, weapon, and shield. The one leading them, an obsidian-skinned ogre covered in tattoos, instinctively assumed a defensive stance the moment Yeongwoo opened his guard. They could sense an overwhelming attack was imminent. And indeed¡ª Wham! Yeongwoo reversed his grip on Bastard and struck the ogre¡¯s chest like lightning with the pommel of the sword. Gak! The ogre¡¯s ck mouth opened as pale fluids spilled out. Behind him, a panther beastman unsheathed their ws and aimed for Yeongwoo¡¯s neck. Swoosh! A sharp tearing sound filled the air. But Golden Trail flew from behind Yeongwoo, intercepting and blocking the beastman¡¯s attack with ease. ng! -Wh-what is that? The sword¡¯s moving on its own! The beastman, now targeted by the golden streak, shouted a warning to their teammates. But it was already toote. The remaining two members were already being pummeled by Yeongwoo, who had stepped forward to greet them. Thud! ¡¸Rohm''s Bottom¡¹ - Legendary Swordsmanship ¡¾Fight like a prisoner.¡¿ Living up to his 200 million Karma Points, Yeongwoo wielded the techniques of prisoners and subdued Team 004 without even drawing Bastard. Not only was his karma overwhelming, but hisbat prowess was far beyond what representatives of lower-tiers could handle. -Y-Yeongwoo, sir¡­? Aldo stumbled backward in shock at his teammate¡¯s unbelievable performance. Even Amana, who had beenposed until now, gripped her weapon tightly, fluffing her feathers. Meanwhile, Team 004, now sprawled on the ground, could barelyprehend what had just happened. -Wh-what just happened? -What do you think? We lost, ridiculously fast. -Didn¡¯t that guy not even use his sword? In disbelief, they realized their entire team had been defeated in about ten seconds. The ogre, who had fought Yeongwoo first, raised his head and stammered. -W-who are you? This¡­ this isn¡¯t the level of a promotion candidate! Yeongwoo drove Bastard Child near the ogre¡¯s head and answered. Thud! ¡°Me? If you must know, I¡¯m from Earth¡¯s¡­¡± Before he could finish, another team appeared in the distance. Another group had finally stepped into the Midwest. [033] The name tag above their heads read 033. ¡®033? Fifth in power, wasn¡¯t it?¡¯ Yeongwoo¡¯s memory was unmatched. He recalled seeing 033 at the bottom of the power ranking list earlier. Waving his hand, he shouted toward them. ¡°Are you here to challenge for first ce? Or just for a handshake?¡± Team 033, seeing the defeated members of Team 004 sprawled around Yeongwoo, began retreating. Clearly, they realized they¡¯d made the wrong decision. Yeongwoo frantically waved both hands and shouted again. ¡°Wait, wait! Gentlemen! We sell handshakes here!¡± Selling handshakes. At Yeongwoo¡¯s sudden and bizarre deration, both the fallen Team 004 and his own teammates tilted their heads in confusion. -Yeongwoo, sir? -Selling handshakes? What¡¯s that supposed to mean? -That¡¯s not part of our rules. Yeongwoo turned to the aliens and grinned. ¡°There¡¯s no rule saying we can¡¯t sell handshakes.¡± -Huh¡­? -Well, technically¡­ Yeongwoo turned back to Team 033 and shouted once more. ¡°Handshakes! Team 004, 30 million! Team 023, 50 million!¡± The ogre from Team 004, lying on the ground, suddenly seemed to realize something, his mouth agape. -Wait, no! Don¡¯te here! If you do¡­ But before he could finish, Yeongwoo¡¯s foot pressed down on his head. Thud! ¡°You punk, you want to die here? Quit your nonsense and get ready to sell handshakes. Sell enough, and you might even make it into the top five.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 372 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 372: Cold But Warm (2) The Alls Handshake Event, held in the central-western region of the promotion grounds. Although it was a paid handshake event, it had its effects. -Selling handshakes? -What nonsense is this? Suspicious eyes filled with doubt stared at him, but still, Team 033 postponed their retreat and began cautiously approaching, albeit very slowly. In response, Yeongwoo ced even his sword on the ground and spread his arms wide. Fwaaat! "Handshake! Team 004, 30 million! Team 023, 50 million!" Finally, Team 033, who had approached within about 50 meters, showed curiosity. -W-What in the world are you talking about? 30 million, 50 million¡ªwhat does that even mean? The one speaking was a massive steel golem, seemingly the leader of Team 033. With disproportionately massive armspared to its torso and lower body, it brought to mind a mutated version of CEO Kim Taejoon. "It means if you write a loan note for 30 million, you get the opportunity to shake hands with Team 004. For 50 million, you can shake hands with Team 023." Yeongwoo gestured toward Team 004, who was sprawled on the ground. The steel golem swallowed hard. -You''re¡­ selling handshakes for money? "Yes. Consideringary promotion, it¡¯s practically a steal, isn¡¯t it?" -But¡­ handshakes are supposed to be free, aren''t they? The steel golem hit the nail on the head. Yeongwoo¡¯s expression turned grim, quite unlike before.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om "Free handshakes only existed until I came up with the idea of paid handshakes." -What?! "If you don''t pay, you can¡¯t shake hands with Team 004 or Team 023." -Th-This is absurd¡­ The steel golem of Team 033 seemed dumbfounded. But Yeongwoo wasn¡¯t done yet. "Of course, other handshakes might be free. Anyone can shake hands to gain favor or negotiate appropriately." -Right? "But the handshakes I¡¯m selling¡ªthose of Team 004 and Team 023¡ªcan only be purchased with money. Do you know what this means?" The steel golem scratched its head. -What does it mean¡­? "You¡¯re well aware, I¡¯m sure, that ranks 2 through 5 in this promotion tournament will be determined by the number of handshakes." -Oh. "In other words, after wandering around the promotion grounds and shaking hands as much as possible, the deciding factor will inevitablye down to the number of paid handshakes!" -...! A ridiculous but logically sound statement. Yeongwoo¡¯s theory of paid handshakes had a persuasive power that made the listener nod involuntarily. Even if, by the end of the exnation, it left a peculiar sense of unease. "The price may rise depending on the situation, so you¡¯d better buy while it¡¯s cheap." -The price could go up? "Of course. Do you know the official price forary promotion set by theary court?" -N-No¡­ "Exactly. Nobody knows, so the market price bes the set price." And Yeongwoo intended to determine that market price himself, right here in the promotion grounds. -You¡­ You¡¯re insane, aren¡¯t you? The steel golem of Team 033 red at Yeongwoo. It quickly scanned its surroundings. Because, as crazy as this person sounded, their words weren¡¯t entirely wrong. And most importantly¡­ -Wait a second¡­ The steel golem¡¯s expression turned sly. -The fact that the handshake is paid was decided by you, wasn¡¯t it? "This bastard, dropping the formalities now, huh?" Yeongwoo said this while smiling leisurely. After all, he hadn¡¯t built up his reputation as the ¡°Ultimate Evil of Promotion¡± just by stacking debts worth two billion credits in a game of p matches. Yeongwoo, self-proimed ¡°Ultimate Evil of Promotion,¡± had thought of more bad ideas, and faster, than anyone else in this tournament. Which was why he immediately noticed when the golem¡¯s eyes started shifting. ¡®This guy¡¯s nning to take me down and offer free handshakes himself.¡¯ And so, as Yeongwoo subtly moved his hand closer to Bastard¡ª ¡°In the end, if I just take you down, everything¡¯s resolved, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯ll offer free handshakes!¡± Finding a clear solution, the steel golem charged across dozens of meters, swinging the blunt weapon in its hand. BOOM! Its heavy footsteps contrasted with its nimble movements. Of course, seeing this, even the skilled warriors of Team 023, as well as the members of Team 004 sprawled on the ground, quickly guessed the oue. Team 004, the second-ce team overall, had each gone up against Yeongwoo one-on-one and lost. Did this golem have some special trick up its sleeve? -Kraah! With a fierce shout, Yeongwoo swung his weapon in a diagonal arc. A crimson streak trailed behind, slicing cleanly through the neck of the golem¡¯s weapon. Skkrrk! ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The person holding the weapon realized it first, followed by the three members of Team 033 trailing behind. Thud! The upper part of the golem¡¯s weapon fell to the ground. -My¡­ my weapon? Seeing its high-grade weapon cut like paper for the first time, the steel golem¡¯s mouth fell open. Seizing the moment, Yeongwoo darted forward like lightning, driving a knee into its chin. WHAM! -Gah! A decisive blow. The impact this had on the remaining members of Team 033 was immense. They now understood why Team 004 had been left sprawled across the ground. -Wh-What is this? -So it was this guy who subdued Team 004¡­ -How did he even cut that weapon? As Team 033 stood frozen in shock, the silhouette of yet another unit began to emerge in the distance. Upon seeing this, Yeongwoo hastily raised his hand and shouted toward the neers. ¡°Handshakes for sale! Team 023 for 50 million! Teams 004 and 033 for 30 million each!¡± * * * A Thriving Business. Yeongwoo¡¯s paid handshake service began selling like hotcakes, barely an hour after its debut. The key to its poprityy in the world map¡¯s location marker feature. By forcing Teams 004 and 033 into submission and turning them into handshake sellers, Yeongwoo created a spectacle on the world map that caught everyone¡¯s attention. In the map¡¯s middle region, the markers for Teams 023, 004, and 033 were clustered together, neither disappearing nor moving apart. This unusual sight piqued the curiosity of other teams, drawing them in one by one. Once they arrived, they found themselves swept up in Yeongwoo¡¯s ¡°Handshake Theory¡± and, after some deliberation, ended up buying a handshake. -Fine¡­ We¡¯ll start by buying a handshake from Team 004. ¡°Very well. Team 004!¡± This time, the customer was Team 010. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Yeongwoo led the members of Team 010 to stand before the members of Team 004, who were positioned neatly for optimal handshaking. ¡°You know how to draft a promissory note, yes? In exchange for this handshake, you owe us 30 million. The payment is due within two weeks, Earth time. If you fail to pay within this period, you¡¯ll owe us triple the original amount.¡± In other words, if Team 010 failed to deliver 30 million to Earth¡¯s Jeong Yeongwoo07 within two weeks, their debt would balloon to 90 million. -¡­We agree. The leader of Team 010 nodded in agreement. Yeongwoo then lightly traced a line across the leader¡¯s palm with his fingertip. Swish. A glowing symbol signifying mutual agreement appeared in the air. sh! This method of verbal contract was something Yeongwoo learned for the first time during this handshake market. Indeed, cultural exchange had its perks. ¡°Now, shake hands with the Team 004 member in front of you.¡± Yeongwoo gestured dramatically for the teams to shake hands. Soon, the paid handshake between Teams 004 and 010menced. For the first time, a new interface appeared in the skies above the promotion field. Beeeeep! With a sharp signal sound, it revealed itself as none other than a new "Score Ranking" disy. ¡¸Due to the umtion of handshake counts under the new rules, the real-time ranking board is now visible.¡¹ The screen first unveiled the top rank, written in red letters. ¡¸Real-time Overall 1st ce: Team 023¡¹ Below that, the rankings for 2nd through 5th ce¡ªthe petitive tiers"¡ªwere disyed. Ta-ta-ta-tang! | 2nd ce: Team 004 [6 handshakes] | 3rd ce: Team 033 [6 handshakes] | 4th ce: Team 006 [4 handshakes] | 5th ce: Team 026 [3 handshakes] -Huh? -What the¡­? -Wait, the 5th-ce cutoff¡­ is just 3 handshakes? The participants gathered in the central-western area began murmuring. While the 2nd and 3rd ces, with 6 handshakes each, seemed formidable, the 4th and 5th ces required only 4 and 3 handshakes, respectively¡ªa reachable goal. There were seven teams gathered in this region alone. Even excluding the team selling paid handshakes, four teams remained. A couple of mutual handshakes and one or two paid ones could secure a spot in the rankings. Watching the shifting dynamics, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but smile meaningfully. ¡®Heh, the universe favors me.¡¯ After all, the sheer number of teams flocking to this central-western area guaranteed more potential customers. The map now showed seven teams gathered in this region, with three already in the handshake rankings. What would other teams, upon seeing this map and leaderboard, conclude? ¡®There¡¯s something going on in the central-west! I don¡¯t know exactly what, but heading there could get me closer to the handshake rankings!¡¯ Sure enough, after the rankings were revealed, teams lingering on the outskirts of the central-west began heading toward the handshake venue en masse. The real sales of paid handshakes were just beginning. Taking a deep breath and savoring the "scent of money" in the air, Yeongwoo was interrupted by Aldo, who approached cautiously. -Y-Yeongwoo¡­. ¡°Yes, Your Highness? What¡¯s on your mind?¡± -Aren¡¯t too many teams gathering here? ¡°Too many? That¡¯s a good thing, isn¡¯t it?¡± Of course, it was only good for Yeongwoo. The proceeds from this handshake event would go straight into his pocket. But Aldo, ever the cautious royal, wasn¡¯t concerned about mere profits. -Like what happened with Team 033 earlier¡­ someone might decide they don¡¯t need to pay. After all, even you, Yeongwoo, can¡¯t face dozens of teams alone, can you? If that many gather here at once¡­ His unspoken question was clear: wasn¡¯t this situation risking not just the business but Yeongwoo¡¯s life itself? Atst, Prince Aldo had begun thinking like a true strategist. ¡°Hah, Your Highness! That¡¯s exactly the mindset you need to survive long-term!¡± Grinning widely, Yeongwoo gripped Aldo¡¯s shoulders firmly. sp! Then, shing a rare benevolent smile, he murmured quietly. ¡°In the unlikely event dozens of teams attack at once, we¡¯ll just bombard them from above. Don¡¯t worry.¡± -E-excuse me? Bombard them? ¡°Don¡¯t fret. I¡¯ll protect you with Aratubank.¡± Turning away, Yeongwoo fixed his gaze on the silhouettes of more teams approaching from the outskirts. Finally, those hesitant teams had decided to step into the handshake venue. Now, as long as he sold handshakes well, Yeongwoo was confident he¡¯d leave this promotion field with a hefty profit and return to Earth. ¡°Handshakes¡­ no,ary promotions for sale! Team 023, 100 million! The rest, 50 million!¡± Then, pointing a de toward the remaining teams already present, he dered: ¡°You too¡ªget down here. Now.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 373 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 373: Cold But Warm (3) -Sa¡­ It''s beyond imagination. Golem Taru of the 023rd Team scratched his forehead. He was witnessing something that defied all hismon sense¡ªa scene unfolding before his eyes that should have been impossible. -Is it the 004th Team? -Hmm, I¡¯ll buy just two for now. 010 and 033. -Handshake... Why is the 023rd Team so expensive? As confidently predicted by Jeong Yeongwoo07 earlier, his paid handshakes were selling like hotcakes. ¡°Why is the 023rd Team''s handshake expensive? Because there¡¯s a premium for being ranked first overall.¡± Yeongwoo answered the customer¡¯s question with a sly grin. But everyone implicitly knew the real reason why the 023rd Team''s handshakes were so expensive. What would happen if the ¡®rank-seeking challengers¡¯ who came here filled every possible handshake opportunity? At that point, the determining factor for entering the ranks would be the handshake with the 023rd Team, which no one had bought so far due to its exorbitant price. In short, Jeong Yeongwoo07 had orchestrated everything. -...You seem to see very far¡ªmuch further than anyone else, Yeongwoo. Recognizing the grand scope of Yeongwoo¡¯s n, Aldo muttered nervously, and Amana let out a deep sigh. -With schemers as wicked and cunning as these, how can the universe ever find bnce...? Golem Taru added with a hesitant expression. -But still... -But still, what? -At least for this promotion match, I think bnce has been achieved thanks to Yeongwoo. -What did you just say? Amana¡¯s feathers immediately stood on end in shock. But Taru continued with his argument. -If it weren¡¯t for the new rules created by Yeongwoo, countlessary representatives would have died. Things have taken a strange turn, but in the end, it¡¯s true that many lives were saved. -...¡­ It was a fact too difficult to refute, leaving Amana unable to say anything. -And isn¡¯t it the same with this handshake event? Yeongwoo has the ability to harm all the challengers, but instead, he chose to just take their money. -That¡¯s true. Amana finally nodded in agreement. As Taru pointed out, the only things being exchanged here were money and handshakes. In a ce where swords and lives should have been at stake, it was a curious shift. So, even if Jeong Yeongwoo07 had initiated all this with malicious intent, the oue leaned more toward good than evil. -Then... does that mean this could actually be considered good karma? -Only the system will know for sure. Taru looked up at the sky. And during that moment. Beep-beep-beep! With a sharp signal sound, a system notification appeared above the promotion arena. ¡¸1 hour remains until the promotion match ends.¡¹ Immediately, the participants on the ground widened their eyes and looked up at the sky. -Huh? -What? One hour? -Is it already thatte? What did those words imply? It meant there was only one hour left to purchase handshakes. -Ah, a handshake! I¡¯ll buy one more! -We¡¯ll take two! -The 023rd Team handshake¡ªis it still 100 million? As expected, participants who hadn¡¯t bought enough handshakes scrambled to make their purchases. Seeing this, Yeongwoo summoned his henchmen to block the ''products'' and shouted: ¡°Starting now, we¡¯reunching a special sale!¡± -A s-special sale? -A sale, you say¡­ Typically, a special sale implied discounts. But Yeongwoo¡¯s sale was a little different. ¡°From this moment, the 023rd Team handshake is 120 million, and all other teams are 60 million karma.¡± -What?! -120 million now? -This is outrageous! Isn¡¯t this profiteering? A sudden 20% price hike. Naturally, the prospective buyers protested. But Yeongwoo¡¯s ruthless sales tactics didn¡¯t end there. ¡°Profiteering? What nonsense. Starting now, handshake prices will increase by 20% every 10 minutes. So right now, it¡¯s the cheapest they¡¯ll ever be.¡± -You insane bastard. -Every 10 minutes? A 20% hike? -You think we¡¯ll fall for such tant trickery? Enough is enough! But with only fourary promotion slots avable, most of the participants were desperate to im one. And knowing this all too well, Yeongwoo smirked as he mmed a henchman into the ground and dered: ¡°Asary representatives and guardians, shouldn¡¯t you first think about what you can do for your own people?¡± -...What? -Huh? -What¡¯s he saying now? ¡°You¡¯ve made it this far to this promotion arena. No matter what, shouldn¡¯t you leave here with some sort of achievement?¡± Slowly, Yeongwoo raised his hand and pointed toward the sky. More specifically, toward the vague direction of each participant¡¯s home. ¡°What I¡¯m selling is not justary promotion but your glory itself. Yes, 100 million, 200 million karma¡ªit¡¯s not a small amount of money. But the glory you¡¯ll gain in return will be equally immense.¡± Clenching his hand encased in his Vesedel armor, Yeongwoo looked out at the crowd ofary representatives, their eyes gleaming as if dreaming. That was right. Could there be anything more glorious for aary representative than to return home with the news of promotion? Spending some money here for that glory wasn¡¯t such a great sacrifice after all. Moreover: ¡°Don¡¯t forget. The price increases by 20% every 10 minutes. And it takes time to actually handshake too.¡± -...You¡­ -Ah. In other words, even if they tried to buy a handshake now, their turn might be dyed, and the price could rise in the meantime. ¡°I¡¯ll say it again. Promotion is cheapest right now.¡± As Yeongwoo finished his sentence, countlessary representatives rushed toward him. Not to shake his hand, but to purchase aary upgrade opportunity at the lowest price. -Alright! I''ll buy it. Shake hands with me! -Let us go first! We''ll pay for handshake 023 immediately! -How much would it cost to buy everything you''re selling? Could you prioritize them by price for us? "No. I will sell handshakes in the order of arrival." Even when someone proposed buying all the handshakes in exchange for moving up in line, Yeongwoo stuck to his principles, which only caused the line of eager buyers to grow longer. From the earlier conversation, one thing was clear: ¡®The sooner you line up, the higher your chances of buying a handshake within 10 minutes.¡¯ This statement had been proven true. -Then let¡¯s proceed quickly! -Hurry up and start selling handshakes! We don¡¯t have time! Participants, holding wads of cash, urged those in the front of the line to purchase quickly. With a wide grin, Yeongwoo announced: "The handshake sales... begin now!" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w * * * ¡¸2 minutes remaining until the promotion battle ends.¡¹ Time flew by like an arrow. For Yeongwoo, it felt as though he had spent the entire hour just issuing promissory notes. And indeed, that was mostly the case. ¡®This is crazy. So, this is how you do business.¡¯ It was the first proper business Yeongwoo had conducted since Earth connected with the universe. Yeongwoo blinked as he looked at the dense list of promissory notes disyed on the left side of his vision. ¡¸Total Promissory Note Value¡¹ | 2.46 billion Karma. And the most remarkable part? This was achieved without seemingly increasing any "evil karma." In other words, Yeongwoo learned for the first time that, depending on the situation, it was possible to run a "violent business" without resorting to outright malice. ¡®Chairman, are you watching this? Proof that even righteous violence is possible!¡¯ Of course, the buyers who had grudgingly purchased the exorbitantly priced handshakes would likely never agree that this was "righteous violence," but in the grand scheme of things, it wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. After all, everyone here would return to their homes alive, wouldn¡¯t they? ¡¸1 minute remaining until the promotion battle ends.¡¹ The 1-minute warning finally appeared. Yeongwoo scanned the crowd and spoke. "Thank you, everyone, from the bottom of my heart! The promissory notes you issued are guaranteed by the universe, so as previously disclosed, failure to pay within two weeks will result in imprisonment. But two weeks is a long time, so I¡¯m sure you can build at least a basic spacecraft by then." Then, Yeongwoo dramatically pointed a finger toward the sky. Zap! "And tomorrow at 3:23 PM Earth time, there will be a major event. If any of you already own a spacecraft, please visit Earth at that time. There will be plenty to see and business opportunities to seize." ¡¸30 seconds remaining until the promotion battle ends.¡¹ "Once again, thank you! Comints regarding this transaction will be politely declined, but inquiries about new deals are always wee. If you need help, look for Jeong Yeongwoo07 on Earth." With those words, Yeongwoo tucked his weapon into his belt and bowed deeply to everyone. At that moment, three representatives from Team 023 cautiously approached Yeongwoo and asked: -So¡­ is this really the end? -Are we parting ways now? "Why? Are you feeling regretful about leaving?" -N-not really¡­ -We¡¯re just wondering if it¡¯s really okay for us to end as the top team. Swish. One of them pointed to the leaderboard disyed above the promotion grounds in real-time. ¡¸Overall Rank: 1st ¨C Team 023¡¹ | 2nd: Team 004 [19 handshakes] | 3rd: Team 049 [18 handshakes] | 4th: Team 006 [17 handshakes] | 5th: Team 033 [17 handshakes] "Yes. Unless someone takes me down within the next 30 seconds, we¡¯ll finish in first ce." Of course, less than 30 seconds remained. ¡¸10 seconds remaining until the promotion battle ends.¡¹ The countdown had already reached the single digits. Yeongwoo turned to the crowd and shouted: "Does anyone want to change the rankings onest time? Just two more handshakes could get you to 5th ce!" This prompted Team 033, currently in 5th ce, to scream in near-panic. -W-what are you saying?! -You can¡¯t change rankings at thest minute! -Do you have no sense of decency?! ¡¸5 seconds remaining.¡¹ Despite Yeongwoo''s final sales pitch, no additional buyers emerged. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Everyone who could afford it had already bought handshakes. ¡®Damn, I guess this is it.¡¯ As Yeongwoo showed a frustrated expression, the promotion battle countdown dropped below 3 seconds. ¡¸2 seconds remaining.¡¹ And finally¡­ ¡¸1 second remaining.¡¹ ¡ºPromotion battle ends.¡» "Thank you for your hard work¡­!" With Yeongwoo''s deration, time froze across the promotion grounds. A new system message appeared exclusively in front of Team 023. ¡¸You have passed the 2nd trial ofary promotion as the overall 1st ce team.¡¹ [Team 023, Overall Rank 1st] | Total Score: 133/100 -Bonus 20 points for bnce score. -Bonus 5 points for first kill. -Bonus 5 points for creativity from theary judge. -Bonus 3 points from Team 9¡¯s sry negotiator. ¡®Huh? Team 9? Aren¡¯t they the ones who took bribes?¡¯ In the frozen time, Yeongwoo found it odd that Team 9 had awarded bonus points. He had no idea that Team 9 had sessfully negotiated higher sries thanks to him. And then¡­ sh! ¡¸As the 1st ce team, you will now receive special benefits for the 2nd trial.¡¹ ¡®Oh¡­ finally.¡¯ ¡¸However, before choosing your benefits, please evaluate your team members.¡¹ ¡®Evaluate my team?¡¯ ¡¸Among the following three team members, who do you believe contributed the least to passing this promotion trial?¡¹ [Prince Aldo from Doatel] [Guardian Amana of the Sacred Patrol] [Taroo, the Last Hope of Pigot] ¡¸The team member with the most votes will receive a downgraded reward and will have a lower chance of being matched with you in simr dungeons.¡¹ ¡®What¡­ So they¡¯re imposing a tiered reward system on the same team? That¡¯s harsh.¡¯ Even the ¡°worst of the worst¡± promotions left Yeongwoo stunned. But there was no avoiding the choice. The next message appeared: ¡¸If you do not select another team member within 10 seconds, you will automatically vote for yourself.¡¹ ¡®Damn it.¡¯ [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 374 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 374: Cold But Warm (4) ¡¸9 seconds left until the voting ends.¡¹ ¡®Only 10 seconds? What the hell are they trying to pull?¡¯ The countdown began, the remaining time rapidly ticking away. With it, Yeongwoo¡¯s mind started racing as well. There were three possible candidates to vote for: [Prince Aldo from Doatel] [Amana, Guardian of Sacred Inquiry] [Taru, the Last Hope of Pigot] Strictly speaking, there were actually four. If no one was chosen within the 10 seconds, the system would automatically cast a vote for oneself. Essentially, the choice boiled down to one of the four. But who would the other three teammates vote for? ¡®The one with the most votes gets downgraded in their reward tier. Even worse, the chance of encountering them again is significantly reduced.¡¯ In simpler terms, the vote was designed to single out someone to be left behind. Despite having fought alongside one another in the promotion match, one teammate would be abandoned. ¡®Logically speaking, they¡¯re bound to vote for me, the only evildoer among us.¡¯ But would Aldo from Doatel really cast his vote against him? Proud Amana, who shielded others with his body when lightning spears rained down, or Taru, the one who braved the storm to protect hisrades¡ªcould they bring themselves to vote for Yeongwoo? The more Yeongwoo thought about it, the less he could imagine them doing so. In the brief time they had spent together, he hade to understand one thing clearly: they weren¡¯t the type. He had witnessed firsthand how righteous individuals operated under fundamentally different assumptions. ¡®And besides, the question posed alongside the voting rights was about contributions to the promotion match. Those foolish idealists will probably base their judgments purely on that.¡¯ Yeongwoo concluded that the three righteous individuals wouldn¡¯t vote against him. Instead, they would likely opt to sacrifice themselves rather than vote someone else out. ¡°¡­¡­.¡± A sharp pain welled up in his chest for some reason. ¡®Foolish idiots.¡¯ Even as he muttered inwardly, Yeongwoo continued to deliberate. If that were the case, the decision ultimately rested with him. Who should he choose? ¡®Why does this feel so familiar?¡¯ Unconsciously, Yeongwoo recalled the elimination vote on the first day of his reset. Each participant had been given a certain amount of Karma Points to cast against elimination candidates. At the time, his roommate, Im Bonghee, had been frantically voting against others, but Yeongwoo had made a different choice. He hadn¡¯t voted for anyone and simply let the voting period expire. The result of that decision¡­ He raised his head in his mind. While his physical body remained still, in his mind¡¯s eye, the title "Strongest Sword" shone brightly. ¡ºStrongest Sword¡» That choice on the first day of the reset had triggered a butterfly effect, ultimately leading to his survival. It was a result-based story, but still, the "bnced" choice had kept him alive until now. ¡®¡­Bnce, huh.¡¯ Suddenly, Aldo¡¯s words from the promotion match resurfaced in his mind. Appropriate acts of virtue and vice must ur for the universe¡¯s bnce to be maintained, Aldo had said. Maybe this was the time for Yeongwoo to contribute a virtuous act. By choosing himself, the sole evildoer of Team 023, as the one to fall behind. Of course, Yeongwoo, ever sly, didn¡¯t truly believe he would end up left behind. ¡®If the righteous ones all vote for themselves and I also vote for myself, each of us will have one vote. In other words¡­¡¯ ¡¸The team member with the most votes will receive one tier lower rewards and will have a lower chance of being matched in simr dungeons in the future.¡¹ There wouldn¡¯t be any single teammate with "the most votes." ¡®Conversely, the system might interpret it as everyone having the most votes. It¡¯ll ultimately be up to the system¡¯s judgment.¡¯ In short, it was a gamble. If everyone voted for themselves, theoretically, all members could either receive the highest rewards or suffer lower-tier rewards together. But everyone voting for themselves¡­ ¡®That would be bnce. If the universe truly values bnce, all members will receive the highest rewards.¡¯ ¡¸2 seconds left until the voting ends.¡¹ With only 2 seconds remaining, Yeongwoo let the time slip away without casting a vote for any of the three teammates in front of him. Then. Beep! A sharp signal marked the end of the vote, and a message appeared before them. ¡¸The voting period has ended.¡¹ Soon after, another message popped up before all members of Team 023. ¡¸The voting results will now be revealed.¡¹ ¡®What¡­ They¡¯re announcing the results immediately?¡¯ ¡¸Evaluation Results for Team 023¡¹ | Jeong Yeongwoo: 1 | Aldo: 1 | Amana: 1 | Taru: 1 ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes widened in shock. At the same time, the frozen time within the promotion arena began to move again, and beams of light descended from the sky, piercing through to each participant¡¯s head. Fwoosh! -What the? -Hey, what¡¯s going on? -Save me! Amidst the panicked cries, Yeongwoo calmly observed a beam of light heading directly toward him. ¡®It¡¯s the return procedure.¡¯ Theck of warning from his regional swordsmanship indicated that this was indeed a "return." Yeongwoo quickly turned to face the righteous teammates of Team 023. Then, with his illegitimate sword sheathed, he gave them a slight bow. ¡°Thank you, everyone.¡± -What? Ye-Yeongwoo¡­ A flustered Aldo tried to say something, but before he could finish, the beam of light enveloped Yeongwoo and lifted him skyward. The same happened to the other teammates as they were escorted out of the promotion arena. Shooo! A sharp sound echoed as Yeongwoo shot through the air, ascending rapidly. Carried by the beam of light, he pierced through the skies above the promotion arena in an instant. Then, for just a fleeting moment, he saw ¡°it.¡± ¡®¡°Huh? What¡¯s that?¡¯ It was a massive oval-shaped structure floating above the arena, almost like a spaceship. Yeongwoo didn¡¯t know it yet, but that was the very Promotion Examination Headquarters¡ªthe ce where the Evaluation Team 9 had sessfully negotiated their sry adjustments. ¡°W-Wait! Hold on!¡± And just as Yeongwoo thought he saw silhouettes resembling the members of Team 9 near the exterior of the strange structure¡ª Whoosh! The beam of light carrying him suddenly turned an ashen gray, and the realm of the void opened up. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w ¡°No, just a little longer! I want to see more!¡± It was time topletely leave the promotion arena. Swoosh!n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Before he knew it, Yeongwoo¡¯s entire body had entered the void, and its distinct acrid air began to engulf him. ¡®Are they really kicking me out like this?¡¯ He hadn¡¯t even properly observed the peculiar structure in the sky, which he hadn¡¯t realized was there until now, nor had he checked the reward for being ranked first in the promotion test. ¡®Just wait a bit¡­!¡¯ Yeongwoo frantically craned his neck downward and shouted internally, but his surroundings had already begun to change rapidly. Whoosh! The ashen-colored void in his vision quickly regained its original hues, revealing an all-too-familiarndscape¡ªthe ruined Gwangjin-gu. ¡°Ah, damn it.¡± The moment he returned to Earth, Yeongwoo swore under his breath. Nearby, his long-timepanions¡ªNegwig, the golden goblin, and Pofu Tenta¡ªtilted their heads curiously in unison. -Squeak. -Kieek? -Bap¡­? Seeing his old friends again, Yeongwoo could only let out a bitter smile. ¡°¡­Thanks for waiting.¡± The events at the promotion arena now felt like a fleeting dream, likely due to the abruptness of his return. But it was no dream; soon, a follow-up message appeared in his vision. ¡¸Jeong Yeongwoo07, who challenged Earth¡¯s second promotion trial, has finished with aprehensive rank of first ce!¡¹ The current time was 7:21 AM. There were still just under 40 minutes left until the morning rm and the cessation of abnormal weather, and the entire region bordering Gwangjin-gu remained in ckout. Then¡ª Pop! Pop! Pop! As soon as the message was disyed, lights began to illuminate the surrounding areas. Unintentionally, Yeongwoo had just delivered a nationwide¡ªperhaps evenwide¡ªwake-up call upon his return. ¡®Wait, was that a global announcement?¡¯ This meant other countries in simr time zones might have been jolted awake by the promotion test notification as well. ¡®Well, I¡¯ll need to aim forary shareholder status anyway, so a little name promotion doesn¡¯t hurt.¡¯ Another message appeared before Yeongwoo¡¯s eyes. ¡¸Results of Team 023 Member Evaluation¡¹ | Jeong Yeongwoo: 1 | Aldo: 1 | Amana: 1 | Taru: 1 ¡°¡­¡­!¡± It was the evaluation result he¡¯d seen back in the promotion arena. As Yeongwoo had suspected, none of the other team members had cast elimination votes. As a result, each vote reverted to its caster, leaving all team members with the same vote count. The system¡¯s determination? ¡¸All members of Team 023 received equal votes.¡¹ ¡¸As a result, no maximum vote count can be determined, and the penalty is removed.¡¹ ¡°Hell yeah! That¡¯s right!¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s pupils dted to their fullest. This confirmed something important: the universe doesn¡¯t penalize those who perform acts of virtue. But what Yeongwoo and the three others aplished during the team evaluation wasn¡¯t merely an act of kindness. The three members had, in effect, chosen not to eliminate Yeongwoo, the worst viin in the history of the promotion test. Meanwhile, Yeongwoo himself refrained from targeting others and instead chose to sacrifice himself¡ªa decision both ¡°cold but warm,¡± given the stakes of aary promotion trial. ¡®So, there must be more, right?¡¯ Even if the intention wasn¡¯t pure, actions with good oues could still be considered virtuous. As Yeongwoo¡¯s greed-filled eyes eagerly awaited the next message, something indeed appeared. sh! ¡¸For passing the second promotion trial with top marks, a two-tierary rank upgrade is guaranteed.¡¹ ¡¸As a special reward for first ce overall, the ¡®Dual Design¡¯ feature is applied to allary structures.¡¹ [Dual Design] | Restrictions on the selection of facilities and devices during construction are lifted. | However, costs increase for constructions exceeding previous limits. ¡°What does that mean?¡± As Yeongwoo tilted his head in confusion at the somewhatplex tooltip, more system messages began to flood his vision. ¡¸[Victory Monument] construction is now avable!¡¹ | If registered under Earth, gains 20% additional Glory Points. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡¸[Annihtion Stance] settings are now avable!¡¹ | Reduces the number of annihtors to ¡®1.¡¯ Enhances ship interception capabilities. In other words, the restrictions that had previously allowed only one choice between facilities and devices were nowpletely lifted. For example, Yeongwoo could now activate the annihtion stance at both Namsan and the Four Great Gates simultaneously. ¡®Provided I have enough money, of course.¡¯ Thankfully, money wasn¡¯t an issue. By 3:23 PM today, he¡¯d be hosting the wedding of Jiseon and Jeonggu, raking in an enormous amount of congrattory cash gifts. ¡®This means I can install duplicates of all future facilities too, right?¡¯ As theary rank rose, city levels would naturally increase, unlocking new features and structures. ¡®In the universe, money truly is king.¡¯ As Yeongwoo grinned greedily, the final reward of the promotion test appeared before him. Beep! It was¡ª ary Court] ¡°Bnced Fate¡± Reunite with the following three individuals: (0/3) -Aldo, the second prince of Doatel -Amana, the guardian of Sacred Sutral -Taru, thest hope of Pigot Must use a family-owned spaceship. Adjustment of karma score guaranteed by theary Court. It was aary Court quest. ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Yeongwoo could only react with one thought: ¡°This¡­ is basically a viin rehabilitation program, isn¡¯t it?¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 375 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 375: The Host (1) ¡®These punks... Did they think they could have some fun just because I yed nice at the Promotion Hall?¡¯ Yeongwoo gazed up at the sky. The system was something akin to a mechanical deity, so it wasn''t surprising that it pursued bnce. After all, imbnce leads to copse. Wasn''t the reason for Earth''s reset also attributed to the arrival of an "imbnced" state? ¡¸On Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at approximately 10:12:08 a.m., an ''imbnced'' state has arisen.¡¹ ¡¸This signifies that the majority of humanity harbored hostility toward the world, triggering the forced activation of the reset function.¡¹ But theary Court wasn¡¯t a god¡ªit was part of a government and, in a sense, a sort of persona. Courts, after all, are ultimately a collective of bureaucrats. Yet even theary Court was attempting to push forward the rehabilitation program of the promotion¡¯s Greatest Viin... ¡®What exactly is bnce in the universe anyway? Is it really some grand principle?¡¯ It seemed that the universe¡¯s government also considered maintaining "bnce" an extremely important task. ¡®Well, whatever. If they adjust my karmic debt, it¡¯s good for me.¡¯ ary Court] ¡°Bnced Fate¡± Reunite with the following three individuals: (0/3) -Aldo, the second prince of Doateln/o/vel/b//in dot c//om -Amana, the guardian of Sacred Sutral -Taru, thest hope of Pigot Must use a family-owned spaceship. Adjustment of karma score guaranteed by theary Court. Adjustment of karmic debt¡ªthis likely meant a reduction. If Yeongwoo could meet those three, who were both his former promotionrades and great benefactors, his karmic debt could be reduced. And if that were the case... ¡®From one perspective... it feels like they¡¯re trying to help meplete the ¡®Burning Ice¡¯ achievement. To pull this off, I¡¯d need to keep increasing my good karma while reducing my bad karma.¡¯ [Burning Ice] | Ensure that your total points of evil karma do not exceed twice your points of good karma. For Yeongwoo, who essentially made a living through violent business ventures, this was an achievement that seemed nearly impossible to aplish. However, if theary Court¡¯s rehabilitation program could significantly lower his bad karma,pleting the "Burning Ice" achievement might actually be a serious possibility. ¡®And they told me to reunite with my oldrades. It doesn¡¯t say I have to do good deeds when I meet them, does it? So, even if I go and demand money, it¡¯d still count aspletion, wouldn¡¯t it?¡¯ Moreover, he was already set to reunite with Aldo, the Second Prince of Doatel, today. Being royalty, Aldo already had a spaceship and was expected to attend today¡¯s ceremony as a guest. ¡®Then I¡¯ve basically cleared one of them already.¡¯ That left two quests: -Amana, the guardian of Sacred Sutral -Taru, the Last Hope of Pigot Yeongwoo had no idea where Sacred Sutral or Pigot were located, but based on the quest details, it seemed like he could visit them as long as he had a spaceship. You must use a spaceship owned by your family for this mission. If today¡¯s wedding ceremony went smoothly, he could progress the court¡¯s quest and enhance his family standing in some way. ¡®Let¡¯s just not die at today¡¯s ceremony.¡¯ Though the records had foretold his marriage to the Princess of the Sun, that was only the top-priority predicted future. Straying too far from the predetermined future could trigger unexpected events, leading to his death. ¡®Let¡¯s head back. We can rest until 10 o¡¯clock.¡¯ Current Time: 7:29 a.m. The extreme weather was about to subside, and the morning call was due to ring soon. However, the hotel service wouldst until 10 a.m., allowing him some much-needed rest until then. Squeak! As Yeongwoo grabbed the reins, the four-eared creature instinctively turned its head south. When Yeongwoo stroked its steel mane, itunched into high-speed sprinting. * * * 7:33 a.m. When Yeongwoo arrived at the guest room, he was greeted at the door by Jiseon and Jeonggu. "Y-you¡¯ve been through a lot." ¡ªWhat happened out there? The two had only been able to see the public announcement broadcast earlier and were unaware of the exact details of what had transpired. ¡¸Jeong Yeongwoo07, who challenged Earth¡¯s Second promotion Test, has finished with an overall rank of first ce!¡¹ Everyone had assumed Yeongwoo had gone into a nighttime dungeon, but the announcement suddenly revealed that he had passed the Second promotion Test. "What do you mean? I got backstabbed." As Yeongwoo spoke with a weary expression, undoing his equipment piece by piece, Jiseon clung to him, pressing for answers. ¡ªWhat do you mean, backstabbed? "Well, the chairman hinted at it, so I kind of expected it... But today, the portal connected not to a dungeon, but to the Promotion Hall." ¡ªAnd? "What else? I worked hard." Yeongwoo dismissed the feat of earning a staggering 2.46 billion credits from a paid handshake event as merely "working hard." Even his parents could only imagine the immense effort hidden in the phrase "worked hard." ¡ªCan you really rank first just by working hard? Weren¡¯t there other aliens there too? "Of course there were." Yeongwoo casually stripped off his Vesedel armor and flopped onto the bed, leaving hispanion weapon within arm¡¯s reach. ¡ªThis brat must¡¯ve done something crazy again, didn¡¯t he? "Oh,e on. I just need some rest, so don¡¯t bother me." As Yeongwoo furrowed his brow slightly, Jiseon flinched and backed away. ¡ªI¡¯m telling you, he definitely did something terrible, even to aliens. Unable to confront her son directly, Jiseon muttered to her husband, who nodded silently in agreement. The two couldn¡¯t imagine that their son had actually performed acts of virtue on an alien. "Anyway, isn¡¯t the important thing that we seeded in the additional promotion? The where your family will settle¡ªwouldn¡¯t it be better if it¡¯s a thriving one?" With his eyes closed, Yeongwoo made this remark, causing Jiseon and Jeonggu¡¯s expressions to freeze. "......" ¡ª...... They were suddenly reminded that today was not just any day¡ªit was the day of their wedding ceremony. "Don''t even dream of trying to run away. Your wedding is no longer just a family affair." ¡ªWhat on earth do you mean by that? "Don¡¯t you know who¡¯sing to the wedding today? From the Destroyer King of the Universe to the King of Ten Thousand Demons, the guest list is insane. Now imagine standing them up." ¡ª¡­¡­ "That¡¯d be the end of our Earth. Honestly, just a duel between the chairman and Mara could split this in half." There wasn¡¯t a single false word in what Yeongwoo said. With such a colossal guest list invited, the wedding absolutely had to proceed. "Let¡¯s start the rehearsal around 11." As Yeongwoo casually threw out the next schedule while lying in bed, Jiseon and Jeonggu''s eyes widened in shock. "Rehearsal?" ¡ªRehearsal? Are we seriously doing a rehearsal? "Yes. This is a performance worth at least tens of billions. Of course, there¡¯s going to be a rehearsal." The hammer from Kwaya, the prison designpany, was scheduled to bring thepleted wedding venue at precisely 2:23 p.m. One hour before the ceremony. At that point, they¡¯d inspect the actual venue in person, settle the remaining bnce if there were no issues, and then proceed with the wedding. "Our venue arrives around 2. But we can¡¯t rehearse just an hour before the ceremony¡­ so we should do it in the morning." ¡ªRehearsal? Does that mean there¡¯s a program? "I don¡¯t know. We¡¯ll have to ask Kubu about itter. But I imagine there¡¯s at least a basic outline." Then, Yeongwoo opened his eyes again. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w "If there¡¯s no universal wedding protocol, we¡¯ll just have to make one. With the amount of money these guests are paying to attend, shouldn¡¯t the two of you at least waltz?" At this, Jiseon instinctively rested her hand on the hilt of her sword. ¡ªWhat the hell are you talking about? You can¡¯t be serious. "Does it sound like I¡¯m joking?" In response to his mother¡¯s threatening gesture, Yeongwoo¡¯s hand instinctively searched for the position of his sword. Seeing this, Jeonggu quickly stepped between them, forcing an awkward smile. "Aha¡­e on, it¡¯s a special day. Let¡¯s not do this." ¡ªA special day? "There¡¯s a saying¡­ if you can¡¯t avoid it, you might as well enjoy it¡­." Jeongguughed bitterly¡ªmore at himself than anyone else. After all, his words were more for his own sake. A blue-blooded ice dragon of a wife who boiled with rage at his every word, and a patricidal son deemed the strongest in history. Jeonggu had no desire to wee such individuals into his family. ¡®Damn it¡­ I used to have dreams of a peaceful family too.¡¯ But what could he do when this was the reality he faced? Truly, Jeonggu stood before a storm. All he could do now was force a smile and hope no one died. And since he¡¯d already resigned himself to living on Earth, he figured he might as well support his son¡¯s vision for the¡¯s prosperity. "I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll do my best¡­." As Jeonggu bowed repeatedly to his son and future wife, Jiseon clicked her tongue and stepped back. Then, bypassing Jeonggu, she turned to her son and asked: ¡ªSo what now? Are we just supposed to wait until 11? "I haven¡¯t had a wink of sleep. So I¡¯ll catch some shut-eye until 11. You two keep watch. The room rental ends at 10, right?" Yeongwoo, still lying in bed, gestured toward the bedroom door. At this, Jiseon¡¯s armor began to glow an ominous blue. Jeonggu quickly raised his hands and walked to stand guard by the door. "Fine. If anything happens, I¡¯ll wake you up. Happy now?" "Yes. Thank you. After all, I¡¯ve earned some rest after upgrading this, haven¡¯t I?" With that, Yeongwoo closed his eyes again. Jiseon opened her mouth to say something but stopped. ¡ªWhy is that little brat always so full of himself? She nced alternately between Yeongwoo and Jeonggu, who stood at the door. Finally, she slumped to the floor as if giving up and asked Jeonggu: ¡ªWhat time is it? "Seven¡­ forty." ¡ªSo, 3 hours and 20 minutes until the rehearsal. Damn it. Jiseon exhaled heavily inside her helmet. Swallowing hard, Jeonggu checked his watch. It was now 7:41. Only one minute had passed. So he, too, cursed silently to himself. ¡®¡­Damn it.¡¯ * * * This is a dream. Yeongwoo knew for sure. How? BOOOOOOM¡­! He was aboard the chairman¡¯s tombstone-shaped spaceship. Seated on a massive iron throne, d in Vessedel armor, Yeongwoo gazed forward where Kubu gripped the controls with nonexistent hands. Having never seen the interior of the chairman¡¯s ship, this vivid depiction could only mean one thing. ¡®What an absurd dream.¡¯ In this absurd dream, Yeongwoo traversed the cosmos. He didn¡¯t know the destination. Dream-Yeongwoo simply stared at the scenery beyond the control room screen, encased in the tombstone-shaped vessel. Then¡ª -Gah, M-Master! Kubu turned, his enormous eyes wide, calling out to Yeongwoo. And he addressed him as "Master." "What is it, Kubu?" Dream-Yeongwoo shifted his gaze to Kubu, who seemed ready to say something. CRAAAASH! A massive stone structure smashed through the exterior of the control room, barreling in without restraint. "AAAAAAH!" Dream-Yeongwoo let out a rather undignified scream from his throne. And then¡ª FLASH! ¡°Ugh!¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s vision went white as he woke with a start. ¡°Fuck!¡± Shocked, he sat up, running his hands across the bed. Jeonggu, who had been trying to wake him, almost screamed. "Y-Yeongwoo! You¡¯re up? You need to get up now! It¡¯s urgent!" At the mention of something urgent, Yeongwoo snapped his head toward his father. "What the hell? What could possibly be so urgent the moment I wake up?" Soaked in cold sweat, he stared at his trembling father, who uttered an iprehensible phrase. "A¡­ wreath¡­ from space." "Wreath?" "Yeah, a wreath. From space." [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 376 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 376: The Host (2) ¡°What¡­ A wreath has arrived?¡± Yeongwoo instinctively checked the current time. The numbers 10:39 glowed brightly on his wristwatch. 10:39 a.m. Thankfully, it was almost in line with his desired wake-up time. ¡°Who sent the wreath?¡± Yeongwoo asked again, this time with a hint of irritation. Jeonggu scratched his forehead. ¡°How would I know? The host needs to sign for it before it can be taken away.¡± ¡°Excuse me? Who exactly?¡± ¡°It looked like a delivery person.¡± Now Jeonggu was scratching his neck. He seemed as perplexed by the situation as Yeongwoo. ¡°Anyway, hurry down. It¡¯s a mess outside.¡± ¡°...¡± The situation sounded ominous. Yeongwoo quickly geared up and dashed out of the room. As he stepped into the hotel corridor, he noticed Lim Suna from Taewon Group waiting for him. ¡°Mayor.¡± ¡°Oh, Suna.¡± The title "Mayor" made Yeongwoo flinch momentarily, but Suna ignored it and proceeded with what she needed to say. ¡°A congrattory item has arrived at the hotel entrance.¡± ¡°A congrattory item¡­ Are you talking about the wreath? I was justing down after hearing about it from my father.¡± ¡°A wreath¡­ I suppose it could be called that.¡± Suna tilted her head slightly. It seemed like calling it a wreath was purely her father''s assumption. ¡®What exactly is waiting down there¡­?¡¯ The "wreath" was bing increasingly mysterious. ¡°But why did you personallye all the way here for this? You could have passed the message to my parents and gone about your business.¡± Yeongwoo tried to be considerate, but Suna wore an awkward expression. ¡°Well¡­¡± She nced toward the emergency stairs, confirming that the elevator was out of service due to overdue maintenance. ¡°The congrattory item upies an enormous space. ording to the deliverypany, the host must approve before it can be relocated.¡± It was clear that Suna¡¯s exnation was much more precise than his father¡¯s vague ount. ¡°So it¡¯s aplicated issue. But in any case, it sounds like I need to go down and resolve it myself.¡± ¡°Yes. I apologize for interrupting your rest¡­¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to take the stairs, right? If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll go ahead.¡± When Yeongwoo offered, Suna bowed slightly in gratitude. ¡°I¡¯ll follow shortly.¡± * * * Taewon Group. Before the reset, it ranked third in the domestic corporate hierarchy. Now, it functioned as an administrative unit managing Gangnam, the heart of Metal Seoul. For such a corporation to send someone expressing ¡°concern¡± was unusual. They imed that the congrattory item addressed to Yeongwoo was causing problems in Gangnam. What on earth could it be? ¡®Surely they didn¡¯t send something like a giant bomb?¡¯ Given the diverse and utterly unpredictable affiliations of the guests, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t even hazard a guess about the nature of the ¡°congrattory item.¡± Finally. Tap tap! As Yeongwoo descended the seemingly endless emergency stairs, he arrived at the hotel lobby. ¡®Let¡¯s see what this is about.¡¯ The moment Yeongwoo stepped into the lobby, he sensed an unusualmotion outside. ¡°Wow¡­¡± ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it going to copse¡­?¡± A crowd had gathered in front of the hotel¡¯s main entrance, murmuring in awe. When a few people spotted Yeongwoo inside the lobby, they shouted out: ¡°Oh! It¡¯s the Strongest Sword!¡± ¡°The Mayor¡¯s here!¡± ¡°Yeongwoo! Over here!¡± With the inconsistent ways people addressed him, Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but notice how disorganized everything was. Amidst the chaos, Yeongwoo stepped toward the bizarre structure towering at the front of the crowd. ¡®What the hell is that?¡¯ Standing at the front was a rectangr stone tower that resembled an ancient monument. Even as Yeongwoo approached the main entrance, the top of the stone tower remained out of sight. Finally. Thud. When Yeongwoo stepped outside, the crowd parted, creating a path for him to approach the tower. And as he got closer, the upper portion of the tower began to change. Crack, crack, crack! Initially a perfect rectangle, the upper section of the stone tower split apart, transforming into a shape resembling a flower bud. In other words. ¡®Did someone actually send me a stone flower? Who the hell would do this?¡¯ It turned out to be a ¡°wreath,¡± just as Jeonggu had said. Then, someone standing at the base of the tower noticed Yeongwoo and ran toward him. -Oh, are you Mr. Jeong Yeongwoo-07? The figure was a Ratman d in mechanical armor¡ªa humanoid rat with a long, thin mustache on either side of its snout. Standing about 1.5 meters tall, the Ratman didn¡¯t seem particrly intimidating, which was probably why Gangnam¡¯s residents dared to crowd around the tower. ¡®The world really has changed. People don¡¯t even flinch at the sight of a Ratman anymore.¡¯ Yeongwoo mused that this might be the right time to proceed with integrating Guro-gu¡¯s Red Foot Orcs. Truly, the era of multiculturalism had arrived. After all, these people had been witnessing monsters falling from the sky almost daily for over a week now and surviving to tell the tale. It was no wonder a mere Ratman didn¡¯t scare them. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Jeong Yeongwoo07. Are you the one who delivered this?¡± Yeongwoo extended his hand for a handshake, and the Ratman reciprocated without hesitation. p. -Yes, sir. I am York, a courier for the transportpany Kario. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± York the Courier. Yeongwoo noticed that York¡¯s strength was impressive, enough to deduce that if York wanted to, he could easily overpower everyone present¡ªexcept for Yeongwoo himself. Of course, York had no reason to do so. Still, it was clear that Gangnam¡¯s citizens were unknowingly standing before a formidable being. ¡°Courier work must be tough. Your strength is remarkable.¡± Yeongwoo tightened his grip slightly as he spoke, and York twitched his whiskers in a smile. -Thank you for noticing. In space, many things can happen. At the very least, one must be able to safeguard the cargo and escape. That wasn¡¯t all. As an intergctic courier, York must have encountered countless aliens and dealt withary peculiarities that Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t even imagine. ¡°Do you think you might ept amission from me someday?¡± In the universe, connections were power. As Yeongwoo carefully released the handshake and asked, York pulled out a thin piece of metal about the length of a middle finger from his waist. Swipe. ¡¸Rat-colored pager¡¹ - General tool ¡¾Diligent, Prompt. Kario Transport.¡¿ |Sub-Universe Manager, Chief York. In other words, it was a kind of business card-cum-pager. -As long as the price is right... we can transport almost anything. "Then, would you happen to transport living beings too?" -Pardon? Th-that depends... if my safety is assured... "I''m kidding." When Yeongwoo burst into heartyughter, York finally rxed his tense expression. He''d only now realized that this was no ordinary customer. Afterward, York nced around as if suddenly curious and muttered, -Where on Earth is this? It sounded like he was talking to himself. Then, he manipted a device attached to the chest of his mechanical armor, bringing up the current location. Beep! [|l||I-Earth] But who was this opposite him? Yeongwoo, the king of curiosity, wouldn''t miss such an odd statement. He immediately asked, "What do you mean by ''which Earth''? What are you talking about?" [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w -Excuse me? "Are you saying there are other Earths?" -It''s only natural fors with the same name to exist across the universe. That''s why we have unique coordinates, isn''t it? York, as if stating the obvious, fiddled with the device that had just disyed the coordinates. Yeongwoo, on the other hand, was dumbfounded. "No, no! Hold on a second! Multiple Earths exist?" Even the usuallyposed Yeongwoo grabbed York, looking visibly flustered. York nced at Yeongwoo¡¯s hands gripping him, then subtly leaned back. -Earth has always been one of many. So is my home. "That¡­ that makes no sense." Of course, having multiples named Earth might not be all that strange. After all, a name is just a name. But in the universe Yeongwoo had experienced, no letter was used frivolously. Even in item tooltips, a single modifier could change the meaning entirely. So, for the universe to give multiples the same name¡­ "Mr. York, have you ever visited another named Earth?" When Yeongwoo asked this to glean more details about the other Earths, York stared nkly at the air for a moment before shaking his head. -No. This is my first time on any Earth. If it weren''t for a delivery job, I wouldn''t havee here either. "I see..." Yeongwoo sighed, sounding almost disappointed. But then, York said something that made Yeongwoo''s ears perk up. -However, I¡¯ve heard the name before. Earth, I mean. "What¡­? You''ve heard of another Earth?" Yeongwoo unknowingly frowned in irritation. Why? Because the thought of a space-traveling deliveryman hearing about another Earth before this one felt slightly bruising to his ego. Did that mean there was a more famous Earth than this one? "Why¡­ why is that Earth famous?" -It''s not so much famous as... infamous among deliverymen. "Infamous?" -"here''s someone patrolling the boundaries between lower and upper universes. If you fail to answer their questions, they''ll rob you of everything you''re carrying. That person is said to hail from Earth. "Wait, what? You''re saying there''s an Earthling robbing people at the edge of the universe?" When Yeongwoo pointed to himself while saying "Earthling," York stared at him intently. -As I said earlier, I¡¯ve never seen that person myself. Thankfully, I¡¯m only a lower-universe manager and don¡¯t frequent the boundary. And the boundary is so vast that only a handful have encountered them directly. York¡¯s im was that it was more of a ghost story circting among deliverymen than a verified fact. -When a deliveryman loses their cargo, the transportpany naturally holds them ountable. So, manypanies have sent teams to recover the stolen goods from the boundary. This was the reasoning behind why the boundary ghost story had some factual basis. "And?" -But as far as I know, nopany or client has ever caught the person at the boundary. Even now, rumors asionally circte about goods disappearing there. "...It¡¯s truly a ghost story." Yeongwoo felt a strange mix of emotions. The idea that someone from a named Earth was robbing people at the treacherous boundary of the universe¡ªand surviving¡ªwas both absurd and fascinating. "Who the hell is this guy?" As Yeongwoo muttered this to himself, York checked his coordinate device again and handed something over. Swish. -Please sign here. I need to head to my next delivery soon. It was arge metal te with a spacious nk area for a signature. When Yeongwoo ced his palm over the te, York nodded. -Thank you. The delivery today is a ceremonial gift. The sender is¡­ York studied the unfamiliar script written at the bottom of the te, then looked back at Yeongwoo. -It says, ''From Kwaya¡¯s Hammer Team.'' "Kwaya?" That Kwaya. The prison designpany scheduled to set up the wedding venue today. -Yes. Let me briefly exin how it works... "That thing works?" -Of course. It has a criminal detection function. "What?" Yeongwoo facepalmed. Leave it to a prison designpany to send a wreath matching their theme. -If you look at the top, you¡¯ll see a bud forming. "Yes, I see it." -That reacts to cosmic sins and interster criminal records. When a particrly notorious guest visits, the bud will fully bloom. "I see..." It was an unwee gift. But it was already delivered, so sending it back wasn¡¯t an option. It seemed they¡¯d have to ce it near the venue. "By the way, the wedding is scheduled for a different region. Why did it arrive here?" -The sender requested delivery to the host¡¯s location. "Sigh." -If you''d like, I can change the instation site. Should I? "Of course. This is practically my front yard." As Yeongwoo sighed and replied, the sky above Metal Seoul shed for a moment. Fwoosh! Then, with a deafening sonic boom, an obviously massive object shot down at incredible speed. BOOM! "Ah, crap. What now?" As Yeongwoo stared at the sky in exasperation, York took a step back, his voice trembling. -It''s... an express cargo. "What? Express? How can you tell?" York stiffened his whiskers and replied. -I can see the ¡®handle with care¡¯ mark. "Handle with care?" -Yes¡­ Do you happen to have any guests arriving from the Void? "Ah."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Yeongwoo blinked. It seemed Mara, the Master of the Void, was indeed attending the wedding today. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 377 [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w Chapter 377: The Host (3) ¡°But¡­ no matter how I look at it, that doesn¡¯t seem like a floral wreath.¡± As Yeongwoo furrowed his brows and carefully observed the mysterious express cargo, it began emitting smoke as it approached from the sky. Sssszzzzt! As if it were a fire. ¡°What? Why is that happening?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it on fire?¡± ¡°This doesn¡¯t look good¡­¡± People gathered in front of the hotel began murmuring while watching the sky, and soon, the true nature of the express cargo was revealed through the smoke. Fwoosh! The cargo turned out to be a massive, oval-shaped object in a deep navy hue. Its surface looked smooth, almost like a polished pebble. The problem was¡­ nk! When it reached about 100 meters above Gangnam-gu, four w-like appendages extended from its bottom. Like those of a w machine. At that moment: ¡°R-Run!¡± ¡°It¡¯s attacking!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a monster, a monster¡­!¡± People gathered in front of the hotel started fleeing in panic. Instinctively, they felt a threat emanating from the express cargo. In contrast, Yeongwoo¡ª Click. ¡ªtook a step toward the descending cargo and muttered. ¡°What in the world did Mara send?¡± The Master of the Void, Mara, wanted Yeongwoo to rece Ben Walter as the new proxy. To that end, Mara had implicitly promised to send a wedding gift. In other words, since the rivalry over wedding gifts from other parties hadn¡¯t even begun yet, there was no reason for Mara to attack the. Thus, it was overwhelmingly likely that this express cargo wasn¡¯t meant for an attack but had some symbolic meaning¡ªlike the stone monument sent by kwaya to celebrate the ceremony. Boom! Eventually, the mysterious express cargonded in the heart of Gangnam-gu, and the four ws protruding from its bottom dug deep into the ground. Crunch! As the scene resembled a tree taking root, Yeongwoo felt a twinge of unease. ¡°York, have you seen cargo like this before? You recognized it as something from the Void earlier.¡± York, trembling slightly with his long beard, answered. ¡ªMost Void cargo has a special mark to prevent loss. I recognized it by that mark. It wasbeled ¡®Handle With Care: Void Cargo.¡¯ ¡°So you don¡¯t know exactly what it is?¡± ¡ª¡­No. You cannot predict whates from the Void. ¡°¡­¡± Yeongwoo agreed with that sentiment. That¡¯s why he was curious about how Mara would appear at the venue today¡ªand in what manner. ¡°Then¡­ what exactly is a Void wreath¡­¡± As Yeongwoo muttered, taking another step toward the enigmatic monument, a ratman resembling York appeared from behind Mara¡¯s gift. ¡®What the¡­ Are ratmen typically delivery agents in space?¡¯ ¡ªAh, you¡¯re already here. The ratman, who had brought the Void cargo, removed his strange helmet and bowed politely. Unlike York, who wore mechanical armor, this one was d in medieval-style silver armor. However, the helmet appeared to be a high-tech device, seemingly used for identifying items or locating coordinates. ¡ªI am Moru, from Sero Transport. The silver-armored ratman extended a business card, just as York had. Shff. ¡¸Silver Summoner¡¹ - Common Tool ¡¾Nothing is impossible! Sero transport.¡¿ | Hazard Specialist Agent Moru. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re an agent. Nice to meet you.¡± Yeongwoo spoke, noting that Agent Moru¡¯s beard had turned ashen. It was likely due to the effort of delivering the object all the way from the Void. ¡ªAh. Moru seemed to notice Yeongwoo¡¯s gaze and quickly brushed his beard with both hands. Poof! Ashy dust briefly scattered around his snout and beard before vanishing into the air. ¡ªThis celebratory stone¡­ was personally ordered for delivery by Lord Mara, the ruler of the Void and King of Ten Thousand Demons. Moru respectfully folded his hands and gestured toward the massive navy stone behind him. Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Thank you for your hard work. But do you happen to know what exactly this thing does?¡± After all, the cargo sent by kwaya¡¯s Hammer had been exined in detail by York, who had delivered it. However¡ª ¡ªEr¡­ I was only tasked with delivering it. I wasn¡¯t given any specific details about the cargo. My apologies. As the King of Ten Thousand Demons, Mara¡¯s approach naturally differed from that of kwaya¡¯s Hammer. With Mraa being in a superior position to Yeongwoo, he had simply sent the item without exnation. ¡®What the¡­ It¡¯s obviously not just a decorative item. Shouldn¡¯t they at least provide a minimal exnation? This guy needs to be put in his ce during the gift rivalry.¡¯ Feeling slightly indignant, Yeongwoo continued to gaze at the still-mysterious Void wreath. Meanwhile, Agent Moru, twitching his beard, spoke up. ¡ªWell then, I¡¯ll be taking my leave. My task was merely to deliver the celebratory stone.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Wait, hold on. You can¡¯t just leave it here. Move it over there before you go.¡± Shff. Yeongwoo gestured toward Gwangjin-gu. Moru¡¯s beard bristled. ¡ªOh, is this the wrong location? ¡°Yes. Lord Mara set the delivery address incorrectly. The wedding venue is in the neighboring district. York, bring the thing sent by kwaya¡¯s Hammer and follow me.¡± Yeongwoo pointed toward kwaya¡¯s gift, a detection device, as he gave the instructions. After all, if it were a wreath, it should be ced near the wedding venue¡ªespecially since kwaya¡¯s wreath was designed to bloom beautifully at the ceremony site. ¡®Would it bloom if the chairman were toe? Well, there are quite a few prestigious guests, after all¡­¡¯ As Yeongwoo scratched his chin, gazing at the two wreaths, two Ratmen stood in front of their respective cargoes and scattered small, marble-like objects near the wreaths. ¡°Ah.¡± It was a familiar object. ¡®Aren¡¯t those the ones the military chief used?¡¯ Exactly. Those were the very same transmitters that Dogo''s military chief used to retrieve Lemu¡¯s spaceship and the chairman¡¯s sword. It seemed this equipment was universally used across the gxy. Swoosh! Soon, the tworge wreaths transformed into holograms and were absorbed into the scattered marbles. ¡®Wow, so that¡¯s how they work.¡¯ The Ratmen then picked up the marbles they had scattered and looked at Yeongwoo. Yeongwoo gestured toward Gwangjin-gu after summoning the quad-legged vehicle. ¡°Let¡¯s go, to my parents¡¯ wedding venue.¡± [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w * * * The journey to Gwangjin-gu with two intergctic couriers. Fortunately, both werepact enough to barely fit in the back of the quad-legged vehicle. ¡°But how will you both return?¡± Noticing they didn¡¯t seem to have brought any additional transport, Yeongwoo asked, and York pointed to the sky in response. ¡ªWe¡¯ve docked our freighter outside the city¡¯s shield. ¡°A shield?¡± ¡ªYes. This is a Level 3 city, isn¡¯t it? ¡°Oh¡­ right?¡± Yeongwoo had almost forgotten that Metal Seoul had been upgraded to Level 3 thanks to contributions to the Glory Score by Lord Bang. ¡ªFreighters without clearance cannot enter a Level 3 city. ¡°But dropping cargo is allowed?¡± Yeongwoo asked with a slightly disappointed tone, and York nodded. ¡ªRegrettably, yes. In other words, preventing unauthorized cargo drops would require raising the city¡¯s level further. ¡®Hmm¡­ if I build the new monument and exterminator now, will that raise the level?¡¯ While Yeongwoo pondered this, the ruins of Gwangjin-gu came into view. ¡ªIs that the wedding venue? Moru asked, pointing to the deste ruins. York tilted his head as if he couldn¡¯tprehend it either. ¡ªWhose wedding is this, exactly? ¡°It¡¯s my parents¡¯ wedding.¡± ¡ª¡­¡­? ¡ªWhat? ¡°Please ce the wreaths over there.¡± Yeongwoo indicated the western boundary of Gwangjin-gu as the desired spot for the wreaths. Since the exact size of the wedding venue was still unclear, it was crucial to secure as much space as possible. Whoosh! The two wreaths were ced in the designated location, and the Ratmen began preparing to leave. Clink! They threw what appeared to be a mechanical tform onto the ground and stepped onto it. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡ªIt¡¯s a return device. It instantly transports us back to the freighter. As York exined, he stepped onto the tform, which began glowing blue and enveloped his body in a holographic shroud. Whirrr! ¡°If I attacked you now, would you not be able to return to your ship?¡± Yeongwoo¡¯s offhanded question startled York. ¡ªThat¡­ that would be disastrous! Even as his body was enveloped in holograms, York flinched in panic. Then, suddenly¡ª Swoosh! A beam of light shot into the sky as York disappeared into the atmosphere above Gwangjin-gu. Moru, also from Sero Logistics, followed suit, bing a hologram and ascending rapidly. In an instant, the two couriers vanished from Earth. ¡®Intergctic couriers¡­ there¡¯s something romantic about it.¡¯ Yeongwoo stared nkly at the two disappearing into the stars before turning his gaze back to the wreaths they had left. Click. The stone wreath sent by Kwaya¡¯s Hammer remained tightly budded, while the massive navy-blue rock sent by Mara showed no signs of activity. ¡®No way this is just a keepsake¡­ What function could it possibly have?¡¯ Yeongwoo couldn¡¯t believe that the King of Demons, Mara, would send a wreath merely to celebrate a wedding. Even he wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. So what secret function was hidden in this wreath? ¡°Hmm.¡± As Yeongwoo approached to inspect the surface for any changes¡ª KABOOM! A thunderous roar erupted from the sky above Gwangjin-gu, where the couriers had disappeared. ¡°What? Another wreathing?¡± Yeongwoo thought about the many powerful guests he had invited¡ªfigures like Dogo, Mara, Lemu, and even the Assessment Team 9¡ªall of whom might send their own borate wreaths. ¡°If more keep arriving, it¡¯ll interfere with the rehearsal¡­¡± As he worriedly nced upward, an incredible symbol appeared in his vision. Glint! ¡°Ah¡­!¡± It was what Yeongwoo had been eagerly waiting for. A steel monolith, engraved with Dogo¡¯s Wedge Insignia, was descending. ¡°Chairman? Chairman¡­!¡± Startled, Yeongwoo instinctively ran toward the direction of the descending monolith. At that moment, Mara¡¯s wreath began to stir. Clunk! A sudden unlocking sound came from the navy-blue rock as cracks formed on its upper surface. And then¡ª Whirrr! It started drawing energy with an unmistakably hostile intent. ¡°Wait, Ma¡­ Mara! Hold on a second!¡± Realizing the purpose behind Mara¡¯s early arrival, Yeongwoo shouted in panic. Zap! A violetser beam erupted from the top of the navy-blue rock. [Trantor - Night] [Proofreader - Gun] w The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!