Chapter 68
Chapter 68
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: uly
Chapter: 68
Chapter Title: The Crystal Deception
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"C-Castration...?"
The soldiers stared at me, their faces drained of color.
They looked as if they couldn't even trust their own ears.
Not that I could blame them. I wouldn't believe it either.
For a man, castration was like killing off another version of himself.
No one wanted to lose their reason for living.
"That's what I heard."
"Then getting beaten with clubs isn't the issue here!"
"No...! Absolutely not...!"
"I-I'll go back! I'll starve for a whole week if I have to!"
"Mr. Lee Seo-ho! N-No, Master! I'll do anything if you let me go back! Please!"
The soldiers rushed toward me, kneeling and begging with faces full of horror.
They knew I was the only one who could stop their castration right now.
They looked like kids whining about getting a shot.
Though this was on a whole different level.
"Ah... Well, it's not like you can't go back."
Hope bloomed on their wailing faces at my words.
'Figures. No man would want that, right?'
I smiled at the sight.
Truth be told, the whole castration thing was a complete fabrication.
Sure, now that Hong Si-eun was fully under my control, castrating them was possible.
But that wasn't my goal. I had no interest in the hassle of neutering surgery.
"Please let us go back!"
"We don't need human treatment! We'll be your slaves for life!"
They chose their dicks over a life as humans.
More precisely, their balls.
I couldn't blame them. Totally understandable.
"Sigh, it's not that easy to just turn back after coming this far..."
"Please, somehow...!"
I deliberately sighed, giving off the vibe that it was difficult.
They clung even more desperately to my pants.
Maybe it was time to drop the act. It was getting tiresome.
"Alright, if you want to leave, now's the chance while everyone's still asleep. Follow me."
"Y-Yes!"
"Thank you! Thank you so much!"
Not a single one of the four wanted to stay.
We slipped quietly out of the tent, leaving nothing but empty sleeping spots behind.
。 。 。
Still before dawn.
The area in front of the hotel, which could be called early morning, was quiet and sparse.
Some men and women huddled in thick clothes, warming their hands over blazing fires in drums.
[ Ahh...! Hnng...! ]
Other tents were busy with productive activities from the morning.
As we passed one, the soldiers swallowed hard and perked up their ears.
That sound seemed to ignite their determination to protect their own manhood even more.
'I wonder if the man's pinning her down, or if she's the one on top.'
This place was a bizarre cult where status was divided by gender.
Women could treat men like slaves just for being women.
Naturally, some used men as sex slaves to satisfy their lust.
Handsome men were even used as communal gigolos, like dormitory idols.
'They probably planned to use me that way too.'
If I'd only had the Charm Eye, I might've ended up as the top earner here.
"Uh, where are we headed right now?"
One of the soldiers asked nervously as we passed the tent in full swing.
"Out of the hotel first."
"Out... outside?"
"You know, where the zombies shamble around."
A faint green barrier enveloped the hotel—one you wouldn't notice unless you looked closely.
Thanks to that barrier-like shield, no zombies got in.
Whether they couldn't detect humans or just hated the barrier itself, who knew.
The principle was a mystery.
"No one's guarding it..."
We passed the fountain tent village where wanderers seemed to live and reached what could be called the hotel's boundary.
Up close, the barrier was clearly visible.
"No real need to guard it."
I muttered a casual reply to one of the soldiers.
These cult weirdos didn't worry much about the hotel's outskirts, leaving the perimeter lax.
Instead, they heavily guarded the hotel building itself to keep outsiders out.
'The tent village folks don't matter if they get wiped out, huh.'
Guards meant manpower drain.
Even with three hundred people, picking sentries left only a few.
Wasting them on outer defenses was too costly.
The area beyond the barrier was zombie-infested anyway.
The barrier protected the inside from zombies while the outside horde blocked other survivors.
Efficient design.
'Perfect for someone like me, though. Thanks a bunch.'
For ability users like me, fully immune to zombies, it was like an automatic door.
"Follow me."
"I-Is it safe?"
"What if it's not? I don't care."
"S-Sorry! I'll stick close!"
"Annoying. Get lost."
"Eek!"
The soldiers, knowing my abilities well, followed without much fuss despite their fear.
Zombies drawn to these guys slowly approaching was annoying.
But a simple 'Stop' or 'Get lost' made the nearby ones back off. No big deal.
While at it, I ordered the approaching zombies to block the others, clearing a path.
"Here..."
We arrived at a convenience store not far from the hotel.
Of course, it was now just an empty shell—no power, everything looted clean.
"Why here...?"
"You'll find out if I tell you? Just follow."
The soldiers trailed behind me with puzzled looks.
No special reason for picking this empty store.
It was simply the closest building to the hotel's barrier.
Once inside, I had zombies barricade the entrance, then shut the door.
"Can we get back to the department store from here?"
"Ah! Or maybe hide here until it's over..."
While the soldiers theorized why we'd come here.
I headed to the back storage room regardless.
It was as empty as the main shop.
Impressive how they'd stripped it completely bare.
On the other hand.
In one corner of the empty storage, I gestured at thin air.
What I touched was the system's shop window.
'Lucky the bonus came in this time.'
It let me skip grinding quests for more points.
What I bought was a crystal.
Clicking purchase, a green crystal appeared before me, floating in midair.
"Uh... do we wait a bit longer?"
Just then, the soldiers peeked into the storage entrance and asked.
"Yeah, all done. Perfect timing."
I flashed a bright smile at their timely arrival.
"Ready to head back now."
The four beamed and stepped into the storage.
"Ooh, this magic stone takes us back to the department store!"
"I-I'm fine with the dorms too..."
"You idiot! Just go wherever he sends us!"
Finally free from the castration threat, the soldiers were thrilled.
Not that I planned to ruin the mood.
"Oh, but first, some things need to go ahead of you."
"Huh? What..."
Ignoring the questioning voice behind me, I went to the front door and opened it.
Outside, zombies had gathered, lured by the soldiers' aggro.
"Alright, cut at twenty. One... two..."
"Mr. Seo-ho? The zombies are..."
They'd been excited about going back, but zombies suddenly pouring in made them panic and look to me.
I smiled kindly at their worry.
Once twenty zombies were inside, I halted the rest at the entrance.
"Go in one by one. Line up."
Then absorbed them one by one with the crystal.
Soon, all twenty were absorbed, leveling the convenience store base to 2.
"Um..."
"This... takes us to the department store, right?"
"But why the zombies..."
"P-Please answer...!"
As the twenty zombies turned to dust one by one inside the crystal.
The soldiers watching realized something was off.
But.
We'd come this far.
There was nothing they could do.
I beckoned them with a gentle smile as they stared in growing dread.
"Alright, one of you first."
"Y-Yes?"
"Didn't hear? I said one go."
"Um..."
With no explanation from me, their faces trembled with anxiety as they glanced at each other.
"Hey, fuck. You going or not...? The rookie goes first...!"
Pushed by Sergeant Park Sung-ho's hand, the lowest-ranking, Private Yoo Jae-wook, stepped forward.
Tears welled in Yoo Jae-wook's eyes as he clutched my collar desperately.
"Th-This really goes to the department store, right?"
He clung to a thread of hope, praying it was all a misunderstanding.
But I was tired of pretending to be their ally.
"Hey, got a question."
"Y-Yes...?"
I squatted down to the floor, making Yoo Jae-wook and the other three tremble.
I looked at each one by one and asked.
"Why are you speaking formally to me?"
"......Huh?"
"I was gonna ask but held back."
Yoo Jae-wook's pupil shook as he realized his faint hope was an illusion, thin tears finally spilling.
I grinned.
"Just curious since it's the end."
Zombies from outside now surrounded them.
"Anyway, get in quick."
"P-Please...! We're really sorry...! W-We... No, I really...!"
"Enough."
I patted the sobbing Yoo Jae-wook's shoulder, letting him know he didn't have just one choice.
"I told you. If you want to go back, you can."
Gamble on the uncertain crystal.
Or return to the hotel where at least their lives were safe.
It was their freedom.
And.
'Crystal level's at 4 now.'
I looked at the floating skill selection window, recalling the four bawling like newborns as they entered the crystal one by one.
Watching each other turn to dust and vanish.
Their expressions were so amusing, I laughed heartily.
They chose to protect their balls to the end.
And so, their manhood stayed safe.
Thanks to them, the freshly installed crystal hit level 4.
Enough to pick base skills three times.
And I used every opportunity.
On acquiring and upgrading [Teleportation].
『 Teleportation
- Teleport to the base once per day from outside.
Current Skill Level: 3
Teleport Uses: 4
Teleport Personnel: 3
Crystals with Same Skill: 1 [ S Department Store ] 』
>