Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 30
Chapter Title: Passing the Baton
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I blinked vacantly.
For a moment, I wondered if I'd misheard something.
Passing on the leader position?
A role with such overwhelming authority that, even without much personal gain, handing it off to someone else felt downright terrifying?
"You're joking, right?"
"Would I say something like this as a joke?"
Seo Chang-woo stared at me with a face brimming with pent-up frustration.
It wasn't outright anger so much as long-suppressed resentment finally boiling over.
"I even asked Aaron about it. He confirmed the leader position can be transferred anytime. Voting is only mandatory the first time."
Of course, if desired, the next leader could also be chosen by vote.
But only if the previous leader wished it.
Which meant, conversely, there was no need if the leader didn't want to bother.
It was entirely the leader's prerogative whether to pass it on or not.
"So if it can be handed off, I'm planning to do just that. And among the options, you struck me as the best choice, Jong-min."
"Don't like the leader gig?"
"To be precise, it's the people I can't stand."
Seo Chang-woo let out a deep sigh and turned his head, pointing to one side of the stone wall.
"Jong-min, have you checked out the fields lately?"
"You mean the ones from the daily labor quests?"
"Yeah, exactly."
After the leader was elected, the Commoners really did start getting daily labor quests.
To be exact, every single one was "plow the fields."
As a Pioneer, I didn't receive them, but apparently accepting one spawned a personal plot in the corner of the village.
Plow it to a certain point, and you'd get your rewards.
"I saw them. Haven't spotted anyone working since the first day, though."
"To be precise, they gave it a half-hearted go until the second day before quitting cold turkey."
Ever since becoming leader, Seo Chang-woo's hunting time had plummeted.
Unlike me, who hunted obsessively, he had a front-row seat to everything happening in the village.
"At first, there was at least some willingness. It was safe work, and the system even handed out Magic Stones as rewards. But that lasted barely two days."
"What was the reason?"
"Too hard."
"..."
Of course it was hard.
Not some light task, but backbreaking field-plowing.
But ditching even a safe quest like that—what did they plan to do instead?
As if reading my thoughts, Seo Chang-woo gnashed his teeth.
"Quests come with tools. But those tools? They're all abandoned in the fields right now. Not even bothering to take them home. And they sure as hell aren't coming to us for help. No hunting either."
"They're really doing nothing?"
"They drop by now and then to complain. Suggested taxing the Pioneers to redistribute to them."
Wow, that was crossing a line.
Openly admitting they planned to freeload.
The already frayed sense of camaraderie felt like it had hit rock bottom.
Seo Chang-woo wore the same icy expression I did.
"And get this—you know what they say among themselves? 'Don't step up, or you'll get pegged as the workhorse. Next thing you know, they'll slap taxes on you. Now's the time for firm resistance.' Resistance my ass! Resist who? Who's oppressing them?!"
Bang! Seo Chang-woo slammed the table hard enough to echo.
His emotions had surged beyond his control.
After some heavy breathing, he finally calmed and let out a deep sigh.
"Sorry. Got too worked up."
"No worries. I get it."
"Anyway, that's why I want to hand it over to you, Kim Jong-min. I just can't deal anymore."
"Why me, though? We're not exactly close."
I lobbed a straight fastball, and he managed a bitter smile.
"Call it my last shred of conscience. Realistically, the only candidates left are Choi Seung-hyuk and you. Hand it to him, and all hell breaks loose."
"I have zero intention of coddling the Commoners."
"Sure, but it'd probably end with a good thrashing. Choi Seung-hyuk? He'd tie the guy to a chair and hunt for torture tools."
I nodded at the brutally honest assessment.
True, that bastard wouldn't show mercy.
Even for this sorry lot with zero loyalty left, handing it off felt like it'd prick the conscience a bit.
But my take was different.
'They need to hit absolute rock bottom before they'll snap out of it.'
Would carrots and sticks even work on the Commoners?
No chance.
They'd dismiss carrots as worthless scraps and whips as a dictator's greed.
They needed to face a real villain first—then those delusions would vanish.
'Lucky timing, too.'
Any other moment, they'd swallow the rotten pumpkin anyway.
Choi Seung-hyuk harbored some grudge against me.
To dodge fallout, I'd have grudgingly taken it.
But now a third option existed.
"Honestly, I don't want the leader spot either."
"You're not seriously suggesting Choi Seung-hyuk."
"Wouldn't be the worst."
"Cut the nonsense. You think he'd stop at tormenting the Commoners? He'd come after us too—he'd be itching for it!"
"That's only if we stick around here."
"Pardon?"
Seo Chang-woo gave me a blank stare.
I flashed him a grin.
"How about we all migrate to another village while we're at it?"
"...!?"
"Haa."
Yoo Ha-eun sighed as she reached the village entrance.
The safe zone where monsters couldn't approach.
Her new home since migrating to this world.
Yet stepping inside always left her uneasy.
'Don't want to go in.'
She knew exactly what scene awaited inside.
But she couldn't linger out here forever.
Everyone, herself included, was bone-tired from today's ordeal.
The only place to drop their guard and rest was here.
"Let's head in."
Her companions nodded at her words.
They looked uneasy too but tried not to show it.
That was the moment their group stepped into the village.
Thud! Thud!
"Aaaah! Aak! Aaaaah!"
"Forgive me! Please forgive me!"
Screams like tearing flesh echoed alongside desperate wails.
Turning her head, she saw a Pioneer beating a Commoner man half to death.
"You punks think my words are a joke? Funny, huh?"
"N-no, sir! It's not like that!"
"Then why'd you barely hit half your quota? Was I asking too much?"
Thwack!
"Guhk!"
The Pioneer kicked the bloodied man's gut.
The man tumbled across the ground, gasping and retching, while a woman who seemed to be his wife clung to the Pioneer's pant leg.
Onlookers—other Pioneers—snickered at the sight.
"Please! He'll die!"
"Yeah? Want me to just finish him quick? Skip the beating hassle?"
"No! I'm sorry! So sorry!"
The Pioneer drew his sword, and the woman slammed her forehead to the dirt.
He spat phlegm right on her head.
"Ptoo! Damn couple's got a talent for pissing me off. So why no quota?"
"F-from morning, suddenly felt sick...!"
"Ah, sick? Poor uncle's hurting bad?"
Grinning wickedly, the Pioneer bent down and prodded the man.
Mimicking a doctor's exam, poking here and there.
"Where's it hurt, uncle? Here? Here? Or... here?"
Squish.
"Gaaaaak!"
The man let out a guttural howl, clutching his lower belly.
Dead center of the spot he'd just been kicked.
It'd hurt pressed normally, but this was a warrior with superior strength stats.
The depth of that press looked organ-threatening.
As the man couldn't even groan, the woman wailed and sobbed, clinging desperately.
"Just once! Forgive him once! Pleeeease!"
"Huh? What? Begging to die? Want me to?"
"No! Sorry! That's not it! Sorry!"
Terror had driven them out of their minds.
As the Pioneer smirked coldly and reached for the woman's hair—
"Hey, cut it out."
Yoo Ha-eun stepped forward, unable to watch.
"Which bastard... Oh, it's you."
The irritated Pioneer turned, his face softening.
But Yoo Ha-eun's remained stone-hard.
"What's with the bullshit this time? Did they curse you or something?"
"Nah, these idiots shorted today's Magic Stone quota. Two short!"
"...Just that?"
"Just that. Problem?"
He jutted his chin defiantly, as if daring her.
Outraged, Yoo Ha-eun opened her mouth to retort—
"Miss! Save us! Save my husband!"
The woman seized Yoo Ha-eun's leg, pleading frantically.
Her face lit like she'd found a savior in hell.
"He didn't mean to! Miss, please! Talk to him! Yes? Yesss! Miss!"
Miss.
Usually for young women, but here the nuance differed sharply.
A term a lowly woman might use for a noble one—dripping with subservience.
Impossible to mistake; raw submission soaked her voice.
A pang of bitterness hit as Yoo Ha-eun looked down.
"...!"
"...!"
Both sets of eyes widened.
Yoo Ha-eun recognized the woman, and vice versa.
One who'd blocked her group at the shop before.
Ignorant of levels, demanded same Magic Stones as Pioneers.
-Low level, few stones? Obvious lie! Hiding for yourselves!
That sparked the mob to hound Yoo Ha-eun.
Fresh memory snuffed budding sympathy.
Her expression hardened; the woman trembled, clasping hands in prayer.
"M-miss... my mistake, back then...!"
"Get lost."
Yoo Ha-eun slapped the pleading hands away and turned.
No interest left.
Moments later, screams erupted behind.
"Look at these shits? Beg me, not her!"
"P-please forgive...!"
"Whatever. Hubby's dying today."
"No! Nooo! Aaaaaah!"
Splurt.
The sound made Yoo Ha-eun pause briefly.
But only briefly.
With a faint sigh, she kept walking.
How had things come to this?
After sending her exhausted companions home, Yoo Ha-eun headed somewhere.
Fortunately, her target was quietly at home.
"What? Yoo Ha-eun? What brings you?"
A rough-faced man scratched his head as he emerged.
Pioneer and current village leader, Kim Ki-hoon.
She started to speak but scowled sharply.
A woman's muffled sobs drifted from inside.
She could guess what happened yesterday.
Kim Ki-hoon acted oblivious, utterly shameless.
"You usually avoid my face like the plague. What happened?"
"No drama, no visit. Drama's why I'm here."
"Spill."
"Ran into an acquaintance from another safe zone."
His face shifted instantly.
Lax demeanor vanished; eyes sharpened like a beast's.
"Details."
"Happened during today's hunt..."
Yoo Ha-eun explained calmly.
Near-death in Gnoll zone due to idiot ex-leader.
Rescued by pre-world acquaintance.
Even offered to help them level up out of goodwill.
Kim Ki-hoon barked a hollow laugh upon hearing it all.
"Level 20? That's bullshit. Lie, right?"
"Not the lying type. And his stats backed it up."
"How strong?"
"Magic Missile blew half a Gnoll's head clean off in one shot."
"...!"
Kim Ki-hoon's face turned grave.
If true, unbeatable opponent right now.
A powerhouse lurking nearby.
Face him as foe? Chills.
After brief thought, he eyed her suspiciously.
"Why tell me, though? We that chummy?"
"Chummy my ass. Just clearing up so no misunderstandings if we cross paths. Word is they're shifting hunts to the Gnoll habitat soon?"
"Yeah, planned. Tomorrow maybe."
"Spot us mid-hunt, don't pry or start shit. Pure goodwill from him."
"Hm."
Kim Ki-hoon nodded.
Preemptive report to dodge collusion accusations.
Made sense.
Her powering up wasn't bad.
Bad blood aside, same Pioneers.
One concern lingered.
"Just to check—not thinking of defecting?"
"As if. If anything, that bro seemed eager to jump ship here."
"What? For real? Why?"
"Not as bad as our old turf, but their Commoners are a total mess."
That explained everything for Kim Ki-hoon.
Weaklings throwing tantrums? Yeah, he'd wanna bail.
Our side grows stronger, plus a powerhouse Pioneer defects.
A faint smile crept across his lips.
"If that's it, we get it. Totally. You've been bugged by your low level relative to skill—pump it up good."
"Was gonna. Make sure you tell everyone. No pointless clashes."
"Obviously. Spreading the word today—no sweat."
Relief washed over Yoo Ha-eun at his positive reply.
No suspicions if they bumped into each other.
A few days' buffer for casual chat.
As she departed with light steps, Kim Ki-hoon's smile froze cold.
"Still, better insure against 'what ifs.'"
He knew Yoo Ha-eun's recent discontent.
Yet she'd stayed silent for one reason.
No alternatives.
Now a new option dangled.
Even before defection risk, the mere existence of choice was trouble.
Scratching his ass, Kim Ki-hoon muttered.
"Gotta tell Jin Jong-su... where's that moron holed up...?"