The Omen
Samira is growing steadily.
Both in quantity and quality.
There are many factors to quantitative growth, and one of them is the increase in population.
As the number of people grew, I implemented a structural reorganization not long ago.
Departments have been divided under the External Activities Headquarters and the Internal Support Headquarters, and duties are being delegated.
Gradually, things are becoming more segmented and specialized.
The changes in the External Activities Headquarters are particularly significant, and at the center of those changes is the introduction of the Hunter System.
If it used to feel like people were just swarming around, now, high-level Awakened who have earned their Hunter qualifications form teams to carry out various missions.
Securing zones, farming, clearing gates, rescue operations, and so on.
In addition to their existing duties, the Hunters and their teams have become capable of handling, to some extent, the areas I used to be responsible for alone.
"No, people should be flexible."
"I told you, it’s not possible."
I was on my way back from Yongsan Station.
As I passed the trading post, I heard a loud voice.
A middle-aged woman was throwing a tantrum at a clerk at the Hunter-exclusive counter.
Her expression and her voice were both aggressive.
"Don't you see the line of people over there?"
"Even so, there are regulations, so it’s not possible. I told you, this is a counter exclusively for Hunters. And please don't use informal language with me."
Hunters are the core personnel of Samira.
I had sought ways to provide for their convenience, and one such measure was the Hunter-exclusive trading post.
"I know the regulations, but there’s no one here right now, is there? The work is the same anyway, so don't just sit around and hurry up with the people who have been waiting..."
The Hunter-exclusive trading post is operated alongside the general trading post.
The role of the trading post itself is the same; the exclusive one was created simply to reduce waiting times for Hunters.
All the Hunters are out in the field.
Since it’s almost dinner time, they should start returning in teams soon.
"How would you know when the Hunters will return... No, I told you not to use informal language, didn't I?"
The trading post clerk dealing with the woman was from Myungshin Women's University.
She isn't an Awakened, but she is a full-time employee and carries a personal weapon.
As she stood up from her seat, the woman hesitated for a moment.
"Fine. I get it, so don't change the subject and just be flexible. You can just move aside when the Hunters come, right?"
"That’s still not possible. That’s not flexibility; it’s breaking the rules. Go over there and stand in line."
When the clerk spoke firmly, the woman turned away, grumbling.
Complaining that the way things were handled was strange.
'Her face is unfamiliar.'
I don't know everyone in Samira, but I’ve become familiar with almost everyone’s face.
That woman seemed like someone who hadn't joined Samira long ago.
"Honey. Over here."
"Haa... They don't listen to reason. It’s obvious they’re just sitting around... while some of us work our fingers to the bone all day..."
The woman who caused the scene went to the back of the line at the general trading post.
It seems the couple survived together.
Her husband had been standing in line, and she naturally joined him.
"Hey. Why are you cutting in?"
"What did you say?"
"I asked why you're cutting in line. You should go to the back and stand there."
The person behind them said a word to the woman.
"Why is this cutting in line? I just went to talk for a second. I had already saved the spot, so why are you nitpicking..."
I approached them.
The person behind the aggressive couple started to retort, but upon seeing me, they bowed their head.
"Lee Hyun-nim..."
The others were the same.
Even the trading post clerks rushed out to greet me.
As everyone bowed in unison, the aggressive woman and her husband looked at me with bewildered expressions.
"Excuse me."
That lasted only a moment.
She opened her mouth toward me.
"You must be someone important, so listen to me."
My thoughts were correct.
This woman was a newcomer who didn't even know my face.
She must have been brought into Samira by a Hunter other than me.
"The line here is so long, but because of Hunters who haven't even arrived yet..."
"Hey, you woman."
The trading post clerks turned pale and tried to block the woman.
"Haa... Even after filtering and managing them like this..."
I was annoyed.
And for some reason, I remembered Kang Hyeseon saying that she was wary of herself.
'That’s that, and this is this.'
I made the trading post clerks step back.
I stood in front of the aggressive woman.
"Oh, seriously. Are these people all collectively crazy?"
"Why are you touching someone else's body so carelessly!"
The woman raised her voice again while looking at me.
This time, even her husband joined in the commotion.
"Was I wrong! Someone who worked all day in this scorching heat..."
They had already received basic training.
I could refute her words in many ways, or I could try to persuade her nicely, but I was too lazy to explain or convince her.
Grab.
"Kugh."
I grabbed the woman by the throat.
I applied force to my grip.
Snap.
A life was extinguished all too easily.
"Uh, uh?"
The woman's husband stared at the scene with a blank expression.
It was the expression of someone who had lost touch with reality.
"W-what! Honey!"
Soon, he came to his senses and lunged at me.
I lifted my foot and kicked him.
Crunch.
With a strange sound, his body folded in half and flew far away.
"Go pick up the corpse."
I said to one of the prisoners from Yongsan Station who had followed me.
He went to retrieve the body with a pale expression.
"Lee Hyun-nim... I apologize."
The trading post clerks didn't know what to do in front of me.
I spoke to the Awakened who was in charge of them.
"If anyone challenges the authority of a Hunter, punish them severely."
"Yes."
"The same goes for those who try to impose their own thoughts or standards. Such people do not deserve the protection of Samira."
Soon, the prisoner from Yongsan Station came dragging a corpse while struggling.
I thought to myself while extracting the magic stones from the couple's corpses.
'Kang Hyeseon seems to be having a luxury of a dilemma.'
Our starting points are different.
The reason I gather people and feed them is for my own sake.
Those who follow me are those who chose survival by submitting to me.
I believe the reason Kang Hyeseon can have such dilemmas is because she escaped the immediate crisis of death.
Because I helped her.
Therefore, I will not hesitate when making decisions in the future.
I will judge everything by my own standards, and I will take care of those who are more helpful to me first.
If I slowly influence Kang Hyeseon, perhaps she will stop having such useless thoughts.
#
I handed over the prisoners brought from Yongsan Station to the job applicant management department.
Before dinner, I called Jang Hoseop and Aunt Sujeong.
"Such a thing happened... I will further strengthen the basic training."
When I told them what happened at the trading post, Aunt Sujeong wore an angry expression.
"Auntie."
"Yes."
"It seems there is a limit to relying solely on your skills."
Aunt Sujeong's skill set is in a form where general skills support her fundamental skill.
She can influence the thoughts of others, and as her level rose, she became capable of using her skills more efficiently on more people.
Nevertheless, I feel that it is not enough now.
The population of Samira has become too large, and she cannot devote herself solely to her time of cultivation.
"Ah... Yes. Then, if I reduce some of my other duties and increase my time for cultivation..."
"We will proceed with that gradually as well."
I have thought about this.
It is a thought that became more certain after hearing Kang Hyeseon's story.
"There is no need to make everyone like the current employee level or higher."
The executives, the residents of Muhwadong.
And even the survivors from Myungshin Women's University.
Their loyalty to me is truly immense.
To the point where there is no need to doubt their hearts, no matter what mistakes they make.
Simply put, they have fanatical aspects.
"I think we should strengthen control."
"Does that mean... you want us to regulate them more strictly?"
"Yes. And punish them severely as well. Inhumane methods are fine, too."
Until now, I had induced people to think that living in Samira was better than other ways, even if life was difficult.
"Hmm... Since that has now become an obvious fact."
Jang Hoseop immediately agreed with my words.
"So you're saying that because they're full, they keep having other thoughts?"
"Yeah. It seems like there are more people who keep trying to push their old standards."
I didn't create Samira for everyone's happiness.
It is important that I am comfortable and that there is nothing that bothers me.
"Understood. Then we will need to continue coordinating the specific details. It might be a bit annoying to match Lee Hyun-nim's standards..."
"It’s fine. We can just cut them out whenever trouble arises. And you know that to some extent, Auntie."
"Yes, that’s right."
Aunt Sujeong nodded.
"Let’s start with the punishments first. From now on, you may punish the commoners at your own discretion."
It means it’s okay to kill them.
No, it means don't bring them to me, just kill them.
Until now, I had coordinated everything for the sake of experience points, but I decided to share them with my companions.
"Just make them do what they are told and prevent them from having useless thoughts. Especially those who try to use tricks to make things comfortable for themselves."
I cannot tolerate a rotten apple.
Because if such cases occur, people will feel a sense of relative deprivation.
Even if I punish them severely, I will maintain a consistent line.
"If you want to achieve something in Samira, you have no choice but to work hard at your own job. Do you understand?"
"Yes. We should form the overall atmosphere like that."
We established the basic direction and discussed several specific matters.
Setting living rules within Samira based on my likes and dislikes, and what kind of punishments to impose if they are broken.
Since it’s not a conversation that can be ended immediately, we decided to continue adding or modifying them in the future.
"Hyung-nim. But someone might abuse this later."
"If such a thing happens, we can solve it then."
It was when we had discussed up to this point.
I was just about to finish up and eat dinner, when I felt an energy approaching quickly.
"Hoseop-ah. Open the door."
"Yes, sir."
Jang Hoseop opened the conference room door.
Then, Uncle Jangsu appeared.
"Lee Hyun-nim!"
Uncle called me in a voice that was excited, unlike his usual self.
"We succeeded!"
He urged me, saying he wanted me to go with him right away.
Saying it was hard to explain in words.
We all moved to a different location.
We went down to the basement of the main building.
"How is it?"
"This..."
There is a room in the basement used as a storage room.
The moment I opened the door, I felt it.
"A refrigerator?"
The room was filled with cold air.