Chapter 35
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: People
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"Let's see. I wonder what the kids are up to."
On a rock about fifteen minutes away from our settlement.
I picked up the binoculars and gazed far off at the plane wreckage and the classmates milling around it.
'Nothing out of the ordinary today, either.'
I twisted the lens ring on the binoculars to zoom in a bit more.
The classmates' figures came into slightly sharper focus.
Some lying down sleeping.
Others wandering around.
And even a girl crouched alone by the seaside, taking care of business.
Kang Hye-rin's expression was a little intriguing as she squatted there, tense in case anyone showed up, her pale backside fully exposed. But anyway.
'Tools sure make things convenient.'
Having tools really was great.
Oh, and by the way, these binoculars were something I'd dug up from the sand three days ago while preparing a place to sleep.
'Never imagined something like this would turn up underground.'
And that wasn't all.
Aloe gel had come out, biscuits too, and even some underwear whose owner was unknown.
It was all so bizarre. How did stuff like that end up buried in the sand?
'Honestly, the panties were a shock.'
They were sheer, provocative, and high-end looking.
The condition seemed like new.
But handing something dug up from the sand to the group didn't feel right, so I just sold them in the shop.
Remembering how pricey panties had sold for last time.
However—
[YY Brand Panties (Condition: Dirty)]
[Value: 2,481 won]
[Cash Payment: 248 won]
'Pfft. That's it?'
The teacher's sweat-soaked panties had fetched a whopping 50,000 won, but these barely hit 2,000 in value.
Even though they looked way higher quality.
'The shop window's valuations are still beyond me.'
Anyway, I kept the binoculars trained on the classmates.
I observed their actions and expressions, inferring their psychology and conditions.
'Cracks are starting to form in their group.'
No matter how capable an organization is, severe stress makes unity tough.
Even if the individuals are top-notch.
Organizations crumble more from internal issues than external ones.
The classmates' collapse boiled down to just two simple causes.
No sign of rescue teams.
And food.
'Even Kim Jaejun won't be able to hold them together if things get worse than now.'
Every time stress built up, there were always kids around to vent on.
Lee Hyunji was handling that scapegoat role right now, but it was only a matter of time.
Unlike with the guys, the girls had no outlet at all.
'They might splinter.'
Like-minded ones grouping together.
Separately.
Of course, this was just a hypothesis. Being in such a remote place might paradoxically pull them closer.
'Well, time will tell naturally... Hm?'
That's when someone broke off from the group and started heading somewhere.
My eyes sharpened.
'...Park Jimin.'
Park Jimin walked along the shade of the palm trees, then stopped abruptly somewhere.
A familiar spot.
It was where I'd cooked the clam stew. More precisely, where Park Jimin and I had tangled up and rolled around.
"......"
Park Jimin went there once a day, sitting for a while before heading back.
Next to the items I'd hidden, staring out at the sea.
When bored, she'd pull out matches, light one, and just watch it burn down.
"Hoo."
It was getting to me.
I wanted to go drag her back right then.
But I couldn't.
A short distance away, Kim Taehun was watching Park Jimin.
He followed her obsessively whenever she wandered off, like a stalker fan keeping his distance.
Even if I somehow lured her away, he'd scour the island looking for his missing psycho queen.
And Park Jimin, spotting that from the rocky hill, wouldn't stay quiet.
'Not yet.'
I let out a deep breath, expelling the lump in my chest.
The emotions that had surged to my head quickly settled back down, calming and steadying my mind.
I shook off those useless feelings, felt refreshed, and shifted my gaze from Park Jimin to the opposite shoreline.
'Getting closer, bit by bit.'
Jeong Seohee was approaching along the coast, tracing the watermelon rinds we'd discarded here and there. Step by step, nearer.
Jeong Seohee was drawing closer.
The reason was simple.
Probably because of the twins. If what the teacher said was true, those three were pretty tight.
'They treat commoners like us like dirt, but of course they stick together like friends.'
The world had advanced, but capital had concentrated in the hands of a few.
Along with the perks and power.
The bloated capital and power spawned more of the same, widening the wealth gap to an irreparable chasm.
Like medieval times, the world now existed for the top 0.01% or less.
So in a way, it was natural they didn't treat us like people.
I'd tremble at dropping 100,000 won on a meal, but to them, that wouldn't compute.
Born with everything, raised around classmates who'd ingrained the same worldview, they'd think:
'Ah, those people are a different species from us.'
Different species.
Similar-looking but another kind.
Livestock.
That's why they stuck to their own.
Someone like me couldn't even qualify as a friend. Wrong level from the start.
'But now the tables have turned completely.'
I climbed down from the rock and headed back to the settlement.
Plenty to do.
Climbing to that position required a lot.
'The core is power.'
And power isn't just bought with money. It needs backing.
One key element: 'people.'
My people, who'd do anything for me—even stake their lives.
"That was delicious, Woojin."
"Why not have more?"
"No, I'm full."
The lavish fruit spread still had plenty left.
I eyed the remnants in front of the teacher: one banana peel and two orange rinds.
'Less than breakfast.'
I handled all the food prep, so every meal's portions were etched in my mind.
But the teacher's intake had dropped.
Not just now—less at breakfast than dinner last night, too.
I checked the other three, just in case.
'Kim Yeonju seems fine, but the twins left strawberries.'
Well, technically, they stuffed them into their swimsuits.
But it was different from the early days when they'd cram them in their mouths.
The twins made the issue clear.
'The food's getting repetitive.'
That was the reason.
No matter how tasty, eating the same meals three times a day for days gets old.
'Time to switch up the menu.'
Winning over subordinates who already trusted me was easier than expected.
Just take care of them at the right moments.
Not big gestures—just spot-on when needed.
"How about grilling some meat for dinner tomorrow?"
"Huh?"
"R-Really, Master?"
The teacher's eyes went wide, while Kim Yeonju practically headbutted me, shoving her face right up close.
Squeeze.
The twins even plastered themselves to both my arms, eyes sparkling.
"Yeah. And I can buy meat, too. Pork, beef, chicken..."
"R-Really?!"
"But I couldn't figure out how to grill it properly, so I held off."
"Hm. Yeah, that's a problem."
The women glanced around and nodded.
Open fields. Rocky hills.
No tools for cooking meat.
"Master, what if we just grill it on rocks? Like the clams!"
"Hygiene-wise, that's risky... Mess up here, and it's straight to the afterlife."
"Ugh."
The women stroked their chins, deep in thought.
They looked ready to save the world, brows furrowed tight.
I waved my hands in front of their serious faces.
"Enough worrying, everyone."
"What? We have to think to eat meat!"
"Pooling our heads should find a way, right, Woojin?"
Nod nod. The twins bobbed their heads furiously, agreeing with both Kim Yeonju and the teacher.
I chuckled and said,
"I told you earlier. I held off because I was thinking about it. Why would I bring it up now otherwise?"
"M-Master! You found a way?!"
"Right?"
Kyaa! Kim Yeonju tackled me in a hug, followed by the teacher and twins piling on top.
"W-Wait. Yeonju, your chest is smothering me. Move that fat lump off my face."
"Who cares about breathing? Meat! Meat! Woo-hoo!"
If not breathing, then what...?
"Master, can't we do it tonight instead?"
"Sorry. Not possible."
"Why?"
"You know where the classmates are? I hid a pot a bit further out. Need to fetch it."
"Ah. Guess we wait a day then."
That's when the teacher gave me a worried look.
"Woojin, that's a long trek. You'll be exhausted. Let's postpone the meat."
Postpone meat? Kim Yeonju and the twins' eyes bulged like they might pop out.
Kim Yeonju's pupils quaked for a split second before she shot up, hand raised.
"Master! I'll go!"
Nod nod. The twins pointed at Kim Yeonju, assuming she'd go.
"You don't even know where it is."
"Ugh."
Kim Yeonju and the twins deflated.
I smirked at the sight and headed to the shade, lying down.
"Already bedtime? Sun's still blazing, Master."
"Yeah. Nap now so I can move at dawn. Gotta get back with the pot before sunset."
The women's blank faces lit up in an instant.
"And even if it's not just the pot, I left other stuff there too. Gotta go today or tomorrow anyway. No need to feel bad."
The women rushed me with touched expressions.
"We love you, Master!"
Seeing their beaming smiles and heartfelt emotions, I could feel their trust in me deepen even more.
A smile tugged at my lips too.
'These four will soon stake their lives for me—my founding merits, the solid foundation and shield for my absolute power.'
For that, a half-day round trip was a small price. I'd gladly do it multiple times if needed.
"Master, you know I really love you, right?"
"Woojin, I know you do too?"
Tap tap tap. Nuzzle nuzzle nuzzle.
Yeah yeah. Got it.