Chapter 91
Chapter 91
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: Founding the Human Empire
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My entire body shivered uncontrollably, and my head throbbed as if it might split open. It was the worst condition imaginable.
Yet the onslaught of pain paradoxically assured me that I was still alive.
Clank!
“……Huh?”
As I tried to shift my body, I realized something was off.
“What the hell is this?”
My arms were sealed in massive manacles.
Iron balls were chained to my legs, and even a steel collar encircled my neck.
“The Lord has awakened!”
“Lord! Are you alright?”
Worried voices reached me. Their tone stood in stark contrast to my current predicament.
I lifted my head.
“You’re awake.”
Broad shoulders, a height pushing two meters. The man in Eastern-style martial robes, with his rugged features, stood gripping a massive broadsword.
Now that I looked around, he wasn’t alone. Hundreds of men in Eastern garb had me surrounded.
“Lord!”
“Do not approach.”
As the robed man pressed a blade to my throat, the elite soldiers filling the central plaza grew visibly restless.
‘What the hell is going on?’
Not good. An unknown situation.
Escaping took priority.
“Log out.”
I whispered it as softly as possible, like a murmur. I’d only been cautious on Earth, not in Ardenia, but after the Ice Queen blocked my logout, ventriloquism had become second nature.
Flash!
I returned to Earth.
“But what was that about?”
A question lingered, but it wasn’t urgent. Instead of dwelling, I tackled the immediate issue.
“You’ve got hypothermia? How? What happened?”
The dedicated healer, there for the cast and crew’s health, stared in disbelief. No wonder—such symptoms were abnormal in a controlled studio environment.
“Haha…… just overdid it with my ability a bit.”
“Goodness…… not my place to interfere, but don’t push yourself. You’re the heart of our film now, Jaeyeon!”
“Got it.”
As I nodded obediently, advanced medicine and healing poured in. A state that would’ve left me on death’s door in Ardenia—if not actually killed me—snapped back to decent in moments.
“Advanced medicine forever.”
Muttering nonsense, I headed to my private quarters. Lying on the bed, I sorted through events.
‘Lucky I didn’t die. Must be thanks to the new element.’
An attribute power, symbolic of chakra users. Even Hye-young nearby had awakened darkness, using shadow travel and stealth.
‘But it seems forced.’
I tried swapping the plaza’s chill for another element, but it wouldn’t budge. Meaning the attribute here was inherently cold.
‘So if I claim all nine points, I’ll have nine attributes?’
Unprecedented, though not entirely unique. Even chakra masters typically handled one or two.
That wasn’t the only change.
‘I’ve reached the second layer.’
The Infinite Nine Layers of chakra: the first had filled, advancing me to the next.
A realm that hadn’t budged despite years of training had leaped forward!
The implication was clear.
‘Each point claimed advances a layer.’
The gains from claiming points were beyond imagination—and grew stronger with each one.
“No, wait.”
Lying there, I muttered suddenly.
“If one point got me to the second layer…… all nine would make ten?”
But the Infinite Nine Layers ended at nine; completion led to transcendence, beyond layers.
“Hmm. Maybe the math works differently…… somehow…….”
[Ding dong~ Dang dong~ Time to head to work~ Actors and staff, please come to the set~!]
“Ah…….”
Morning had arrived without me noticing I’d dozed off. Staring blankly from bed, I grumbled.
“The world’s gone to hell…….”
I wasn’t this person before. Lately, going to work felt like a drag. My past self, sleeping with a knife amid constant peril, would’ve called me weak.
‘Still, I haven’t rested enough lately.’
No matter how tough the body, endless labor grinds the mind. Acting on Earth, endless kill-or-be-killed in Ardenia—it was wearing me down.
‘I’ll claim a few more castles around…… then focus on internal affairs for a while.’
With a point claimed, the path to mythic synthesis opened. No rush for now.
“Alright! We’re wrapping up soon! Everyone, let’s push!”
“Fighting!”
As filming neared its end, the set buzzed with energy. After my scenes, staff chatter drifted over.
“Man, this film’s hitting 50 million viewers easy.”
“The footage turned out better than expected…… Seongjae’s in top form, and rookie Hye-young’s exceeding all hopes.”
“Truth is, the real surprise is something else.”
“Yeah. Who’d have thought? Started as an extra.”
The mood intensified as filming raced toward the finale.
Alan’s eyes gleamed with growing mania, reshooting scenes endlessly if unsatisfied, rewriting scripts on the fly.
Even I, with zero interest in acting, got swept up in the heat.
One day, two, three.
Three days flew by without a trip to Ardenia. Lying in my quarters post-filming, it hit me.
“Oops. Still need that mythic synthesis.”
And for that, I had to resolve Ardenia’s mess.
“Log in.”
The scene shifted. From comfy bed to shackled prisoner.
An enraged Steelstone’s voice boomed.
“Sheathe your sword. Coward. Is this what the Martial Alliance Leader stoops to? A hostage drama?”
“Easy there, knight. We just want to talk.”
“You……!”
Steelstone ground his teeth. He wasn’t the only furious one.
Whoooosh……
Killing intent from the gathered elites manifested as heat haze.
The Martial Alliance Leader, blade at my throat, grumbled in dismay.
“Strange. Most peculiar…… How did these lowly peasants amass such power?”
And then.
Step! Step! Step!
Troops poured through the west gate, seemingly seized by the enemy.
Flashy uniforms blending gold and red.
The Myriad Sword Legion.
Step! Step! Step!
Countless forces followed. Soldiers in the plaza groaned.
“One million Ming troops…….”
“Still this many? After losing their homeland and fleeing…… how?”
The enemy horde seemed endless, packing the city dense.
Then, the masses parted.
“The continent’s sole sun! Heaven’s scion! His great and exalted Imperial Majesty arrives!”
“Long live! Long live! Long long live!”
“Long live! Long live! Long long live!”
“Long live! Long live! Long long live!”
The horde prostrated, shaking the earth like a collapse.
From their midst emerged a lavish palanquin, embroidered in red and gold silk, adorned with jewels, gliding through to me.
“Pity we meet like this. I am Hyeonwon Chang.”
The Ming Emperor halted thirty meters away. Even shackled, the distance screamed fear.
Clank!
The middle-aged man dubbed Martial Alliance Leader lifted my chin with his broadsword. I complied, meeting Hyeonwon Chang’s gaze.
“You saw me fight.”
“Indeed. Most valiant. Strength befitting legend. Your forces were impressive…… yet paled beside you alone.”
“So?”
His lips twitched at my tone—insolent, no doubt.
But he’d witnessed my power, and even captured, I had legions.
Knowing appeasement first, his voice stayed mild.
“I saw your name in floating script endlessly. Doubted at first…… now I know you’re worthy.”
“Worthy of what?”
He clapped sharply.
Adorned beauties approached with golden swords.
“Become Grand General. Han Jaeyeon. The continent teeters on ruin. Swear eternal loyalty with that blade, and you and your line shall bask in Ming glory forever.”
“…….”
I eyed the Emperor.
Then the blade at my throat, Ming forces setting the mood, my anxiously watching subordinates.
Memories flooded of my first days in this barbaric world.
‘Medieval Land.’
Even Korea’s dime-a-dozen unemployed lived better than its kings.
Restaurants brimmed with foods steps away; hot water gushed from taps.
Smartphones linked to endless movies, dramas, novels, entertainment. Everyone had clean, plush bedrooms.
Had it not been me, any abductee would’ve despaired at Ardenia. Dreaming of burgers and cola, retching at filthy outhouses, enduring ceaseless agony and malice through tear-soaked nights.
“Answer, Han Jaeyeon. Will you become Grand General?”
But back on Earth, I’d wished for birth in the Three Kingdoms era. Under a dictatorship’s gloom.
A world of ceaseless war, collapsed order, constant strife.
Paradise-like 34th Earth was my hell.
Not from starvation, pain, or toil.
No one.
Needed a being like [me].
‘Just like Dad.’
I’d seethed in rage. In a world safe, where part-time gigs afforded culture, I was miserable.
Unable to bear being needless, worthless trash.
‘Hilarious.’
Only in this hellish Medieval Land did I……
Become myself.
“Han Jaeyeon! Answer!”
The Emperor bellowed. I met his eyes again, then the million Ming troops cramming my castle.
Gaunt frames hidden by finery. Limbs trembling from malnutrition.
“……Now I’m certain.”
“Will you swear loyalty?”
Ignoring drivel, I rose. The Alliance Leader shoved me.
“Before His Majesty! Mind your manners!”
Ignored him too. Instead, I strained against the manacles.
“Fool! It’s forged of dark iron, even if you—!”
Screeeeech—!
“……!?”
The manacles’ shriek shifted the air. The Leader swung like lightning. Clear aura cloaked his blade—top-tier Sword Expert.
Useless.
Clang!
“Guh!?”
Struck by a flying manacle half, he spewed blood, tumbling.
I shook off the remnants.
“I wanted to be special. Hated myself for it.”
“You! What nonsense?!”
The Emperor shrieked. Martial Alliance and imperial elites drew blades, radiating menace.
Ignored.
“I will become Emperor.”
“……!”
“You! You dare! Before me?!”
Shrieks erupted. Calmly, I continued, infusing voice with ki for all to hear.
“I will become Emperor. I shall be the banner leading you, the walls letting you rest.”
I scanned around. Countless eyes—hatred, rage, respect, love, enmity, joy.
I understood.
‘Right. What I wanted…… was this.’
To shine brightest, revered by all. Not unnoticed if gone, but essential, calamity if absent.
This childish, selfish desire.
Was my core.
“I’ll be the sword charging foes foremost, the shield guarding all.”
Calmly, I declared.
“Here and now…… I proclaim the founding of the Human Empire.”
“Long live His Imperial Majesty!”
Fastest shout—Hayes, right there.
‘Knew you were around.’
I chuckled inwardly. She started it.
“Long live His Majesty!”
“At last, at last!”
“Emperor! Long life!”
“His Majesty!”
Soldiers prostrated, voices thick with joyful tears.
Not all, though.
“Kill him!”
“Wipe them out!”
“How dare he! Before whom?!”
Ming’s mightiest, the Myriad Sword Legion, drew blades roaring. But neither I nor my soldiers cared.
If they charged my prone troops, disaster—but I wouldn’t allow it.
[Upgrading Crude Brick Castle (Advanced) to Fine Fortress (Rare)!]
Rumble rumble rumble!
“Argh! The ground?!”
“B-Buildings are receding!”
“What!? What’s happening!?”
The shaking earth toppled Ming soldiers, who screamed. Unlike my veterans, they panicked in terror.
Five hundred thousand diamonds—five million won—spent.
[Upgrading Fine Fortress (Rare) to Perfect Fortress City (Heroic)!]
Rumble rumble rumble!
Walls soared to forty meters; floors and buildings rippled, transforming. My prone troops were fine; Ming’s charging horde tumbled, collided, some even wounded by their own drawn weapons.
Ming had experts holding balance, but even they froze in defensive stances amid chaos.
Three hundred thousand more diamonds spent.
[Upgrading Perfect Fortress City (Heroic) to Temple of Ice (Legendary)!]
Boom!
Walls rose higher, city expanded. Soldiers gawked at unprecedented ice structures.
But not over.
Two million diamonds—two hundred million won—more.
[The Temple of Ice (Legendary) ascends to mythic realm!]
[Lord’s choice in progress.]
Options appeared. No amusement park or succu nonsense.
I selected my premeditated theme.
[Castle of Steel and Giants!]
[Gigas Land (Mythic) has appeared!]
Thus, at last.
In Jemail, Chrome’s capital, the steel colossus revealed itself.