Chapter 124
Chapter 124
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 124
Chapter Title: Execution
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‘Are these idiots completely brain-dead? How long have we been in this tower, and they’re still bitching about the real world?’
“Hey, Pissypants.”
“Yes! Joo-hyuk-nim!”
“How many points have those guys paid up?”
Pissypants rattled off the answer on the spot, as if he’d memorized the question and response in advance.
“They paid 100 pt each faithfully for the first few days, but there’s no record after that. Just four days’ worth, a total of 400 pt.”
“Hmm.”
I stroked my chin. The daily tribute was 2,000 points. Nearly ten days had passed since the raid. That meant they hadn’t met their quota even once during that time.
Something felt off.
“Slaves don’t have personal property, right? The cost to rent those guys… Ah, no one wants to borrow old folks.”
I figured it out mid-sentence.
Regular soldiers or ordinary summoners might be different, but the moment they miss even a single deadline and become slaves, all their possessions are confiscated. So, the only way slaves could earn points boiled down to one thing.
Using their sole asset: their bodies.
In this village, the slaves most in demand from soldiers were young, ugly female slaves.
They were human, at least, and perfect for relieving sexual frustration once you bagged their heads.
But that middle-aged couple was different. They had no value as laborers or for sex.
From my perspective, they were nothing but malignant inventory that just complained endlessly.
“Whatever. Dealing with morons like them just gives me a headache… Just prepare a clean execution.”
I waved my hand dismissively, as if it were a hassle. The faces of the two middle-aged pair, who had been calm until moments ago, drained of all color.
“E-execution? W-wait a second! We’re sorry! We won’t do it again, please spare our lives…!”
“Yes! Joo-hyuk-nim!”
At my command, Pissypants immediately pointed out two soldiers and forced the prisoners into position for easy beheading. Sensing their deaths, the pair completely lost their minds and began screaming.
“You’re all insane!! Spare us!”
“I don’t wanna die over hardtack!!!”
Crime: Stealing hardtack. Verdict: Beheading. The moment execution was about to be carried out.
“Hold on, Kim Joo-hyuk.”
A cold, firm voice rang out from the crowd. The owner was Han Yu-ra. She strode forward through the throng right up to me.
One hand gripping a bow, quiver slung over her shoulder, sweat beading on her skin—she’d clearly just returned from hunting.
At Han Yu-ra’s appearance, the middle-aged pair clung to her like she was their savior.
“Yu-ra! You’re Yu-ra, right? Please! Save us!”
“Yu-ra! I’m begging you like this! Just put in a good word with that young guy! We don’t need anything else! Don’t you remember how much I looked out for you back then!?”
Tears and snot streaming down their faces, they desperately pleaded with Han Yu-ra. Her eyebrows twitched at their pathetic display.
“What, got something to say?”
If Han Yu-ra wanted to spare them, extending their lives short-term wouldn’t be hard.
This was just a show for the soldiers and slaves. Nice to have, but no big loss if skipped.
On the other hand, if I coldly rejected a plea from my devoted woman? The fallout could spiral uncontrollably.
Rumors would spread behind my back: That guy decides everything on his own whim, no matter what.
In that case, rule by fear would still hold, but voluntary loyalty from the group would be out of reach.
So, even if it cost me a bit, I planned to heed whatever came out of Han Yu-ra’s mouth.
To be precise, my position and situation left me no choice.
Han Yu-ra looked me straight in the eye and said,
“Leave this one to me. You can’t be the only one getting your hands dirty forever.”
‘Ho?’
Her response exceeded my expectations. I’d figured she’d ask for mercy or leniency… Honestly, I admit it. I’d underestimated Han Yu-ra.
“……?”
“Y-Yu-ra? What does that… mean?”
A chuckle slipped out. She was adapting to this tower’s survival rules far faster than I’d thought.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [Day 25 begins.] Beep-beep-beep—
The tablet alarm blared, and Han Yu-ra opened her eyes, getting out of bed.
“Haaah—.”
As she sat up, the thin blanket slid smoothly off her.
Opening the window let in the crisp dawn air brushing her nose. Han Yu-ra stretched languidly, feeling the sleepiness fade.
“Mmm.”
Her muscles relaxed pleasurably all over. The fatigue from last night seemed completely gone in this refreshing morning.
Han Yu-ra had been enjoying some of the best days lately. Back in the cave days, she’d lived in constant anxiety, never knowing when monsters or other summoners might attack.
Sleep quality was predictably abysmal. And it wasn’t just sleep.
Damp moisture, fishy smells… and so on. The cave was great for defense with its single entrance, but everything else was a minus.
But no more. The lodging Kim Joo-hyuk had provided was a perfectly isolated personal space just for her.
Knock-knock.
“Han Yu-ra-nim, are you awake?”
A cautious voice came from outside the door. It belonged to one of the three female slaves Kim Joo-hyuk had assigned her.
“Yeah. Come in.”
With Han Yu-ra’s permission, the door’s lock disengaged. Soon, a young female summoner entered carrying a wooden basin and clean towels.
She set the basin on the table, soaked a towel in hot water, wrung it out, and handed it to Han Yu-ra.
Wiping her still-sleepy face with the steaming towel cleared the drowsiness briefly, then the cool air chilled her skin, sharpening her mind.
“Thanks. You can go now.”
“Yes, Han Yu-ra-nim.”
The woman bowed quietly and left the room.
“Whew. Still not used to it.”
Using people as slaves, even if they were the same kind.
Back in modern society, forget the backlash—you’d face punishment without question. But here… it was different. Very different.
Kim Joo-hyuk demanded tribute from everyone under his rule, and Han Yu-ra was no exception.
Unlike soldiers with decent levels, most summoners barely hit level 10. Even combining personal missions and hunting, they often couldn’t scrape together 2,000 pt.
They naturally became slaves and suffered hard labor. Honestly, it was pitiful to watch. Then, Kim Joo-hyuk granted Han Yu-ra the right to command three female slaves.
As the minimum privilege of being his woman.
‘That damn “woman” thing…’
But setting aside the unpleasant connotation, the perks of being his woman were enormous. Free lodging, free meals, free gear rentals, weekly living allowance stipends, and more. Just the big ones.
Things that seemed minor in reality felt worlds apart under the tower’s weight.
Even the female slaves under Han Yu-ra and Im Ji-hye, seen as Kim Joo-hyuk’s partners, got some benefits.
In short: zero daily tribute, freedom from grunt labor just for basic service, plus a bit of daily pay.
Han Yu-ra hadn’t planned to pick slaves, but their insistence left her no choice but to accept their service(?).
And satisfaction level: top-tier.
The slaves were ultra-diligent since one word from Han Yu-ra decided if they became personal property.
For Han Yu-ra, still holding modern ethics, it felt a bit uncomfortable, but having trivial tasks handled made personal slaves… incredibly convenient.
‘Feeling a bit down… Maybe I should go hunting.’
At level 30, Han Yu-ra could solo most personal missions. Most were high-difficulty hunts anyway, with rewards beyond imagination.
Clearing one covered her remaining tribute—including Hyeok-jin’s share—in one go.
Donning the priciest archer gear from Tower Floor 1 (loaned indefinitely for free as a “woman” perk), Han Yu-ra headed to the plaza.
“Yu-ra-nim, heading out to hunt!?”
“Could we join too…?”
“We absolutely won’t be a burden! And any rewards we get, all to you, Han Yu-ra-nim!”
Word had spread among the female soldiers: Han Yu-ra was Sex Empire guild master Kim Joo-hyuk’s cherished woman and trusted comrade.
Brown-nosing to get in good, or hoping to score big riding her skills—it was pure self-preservation.
At least these women were giving their all as soldiers to seize control of their lives.
180 degrees different from the summoners holed up in caves, doing nothing while living off points Han Yu-ra and her hunting team slaved for.