Chapter 78
Chapter 78
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: The Prisoners of Yongsan Station
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Checked the Spirit Stone and came home.
Ate lunch with Bom noona and Seol-hee.
"How are you feeling?"
"Much better. Thank you for your concern."
Seol-hee had come down with a cold.
It had thrown off our Gate raid plans, and she'd felt terrible about it.
Now that she was back in shape, we planned to head to the Gate together early tomorrow morning.
If we cleared the two remaining Emergency Gates, she'd hit level 20 too.
"Hyun-ah. Got time after lunch?"
"Why?"
"Kim Ha-na stopped by a few times saying she got approval."
The Im Sang-sik and Kim Ha-na couple were Muhwa-dong residents.
Both loyal to me and capable, they were helping Auntie Soo-jung in the internal support headquarters.
"I sorted the documents separately, but she said there was something she needed to tell you in person."
"Yeah, I have time."
"Okay, I'll call her after lunch then."
We finished lunch and moved to my newly set-up private office.
It was right next to the house.
I wrestled with the backlog of paperwork.
Had a meeting with the Sang-ha couple too.
Anything involving Spirit Stones, Mana Stones, or personnel had to go through me no matter what.
"You've worked hard. You must be hungry."
Coming home, Go Mi-hye greeted me alone.
I hadn't done much, but it was already early evening.
"Where are noona and Seol-hee?"
"There was an accident at the construction site. They went to handle it."
"No idea when they'll be back then?"
"Yeah. If it's okay, dinner with me..."
"I'll step out for a bit."
After hearing what Go Mi-hye had to say, I left the house again.
Heading down to the lobby, I spotted Auntie Soo-jung just entering the main building.
"Yi Hyun-ssi. I was just about to head up."
"What's going on?"
"Yes. The prisoners from Yongsan Station."
It hadn't even been a full day yet, but the prisoners had already made up their minds.
We were supposed to talk tomorrow.
I glanced at the prisoners clustered behind her.
"They can't do it?"
"Sigh... yes."
"All of them?"
"Yes, sorry."
Unbelievable.
Ten prisoners had rejected the offer.
I decided to hear them out.
Since I planned to keep bringing in more prisoners going forward.
"Bring them all here."
"Yes."
I sat on a sofa in one corner of the lobby.
Auntie Soo-jung, a few of our people, and the prisoners came crowding in.
"Sit down."
I had the prisoners sit in a row on the long sofa in front of me.
I created a relaxed atmosphere to get honest answers.
"I heard you rejected the offer. I want to hear why."
I thought I'd made a damn good offer.
Just giving them a chance was more than enough.
On top of that, Samira was one of the best places to live in the current situation—hard to find anywhere better.
That's what I thought, anyway.
No one spoke up, everyone hesitating.
"You can be honest. It's fine."
I'd promised them three meals a day.
They could shower occasionally and were exempt from guard duty.
They'd be monitored and controlled, but it was just three years of regular life.
They hadn't committed crimes in Samira, so that's why I gave them the chance.
But they still hated the idea? I couldn't understand it.
"How about one at a time?"
I looked at the man sitting closest.
Meaning, you first.
"Uh... They explained what we'd be doing, but honestly, I don't think I can handle it. My stomach's weak."
"And you next to him?"
"The term doesn't sit right with me. Three years of hard labor for stealing a bit of food? That doesn't make sense."
The first two men were thieves.
They'd been steadily siphoning off food supplies from Kang Hye-seon's group.
Including water.
Once those two broke the ice, everyone started spilling their reasons.
"Too much hard work. And who works from dawn till dusk?"
"I was an academy instructor. If it was work suited to me, maybe..."
"This isn't fair. Some killed people, and mine was just assault. Making me live the same as a murderer..."
The work was tough. Grueling. Filthy.
Too harsh for their crimes.
Didn't like group living.
Too much sharing a room with murderers.
"Mister, I'm a minor. Is this right?"
"No freedom to move around, even bathroom trips with permission and supervision... Isn't this a human rights violation?"
All sorts of complaints poured out.
"Do you have the right to judge our crimes? What gives you the authority to work us for free?"
The more I listened, the bigger my headache got.
Judging by their attitudes, Kang Hye-seon's side hadn't disciplined them properly.
Or maybe I'd created too relaxed an atmosphere.
Either way, even after hearing their reasons, I still didn't get it.
So I asked again.
"Didn't you live in prison at Yongsan Station? Eating just one meal a day?"
Meaning, isn't working here better than prison?
"I'd rather that. Send us back."
"Yeah. Or tweak the terms a bit? Looks like you need hands here too..."
"Three years? Who knows what happens tomorrow anyway."
Had they discussed it among themselves?
Now they were trying to negotiate with me.
Even mouthing off.
This was hopeless.
I told someone to bring the rest of the prisoners.
"Decide now. Those who accept, stand over here."
I said only those willing to work diligently should stay in Samira.
We'd all lived in 21st-century Korea.
Everyone knew things had changed, but complaints would still arise.
So I planned to keep only those who accepted their lot.
Couldn't spare much manpower for oversight.
"What happens if we reject? Take us back to Yongsan?"
"Or just let us go... I'll survive on my own."
"We can renegotiate, right? These terms don't make sense."
Their choices were the same as before.
Those who quietly accepted our offer showed fear toward me.
'These ones are quick on the uptake.'
A few even felt emptiness and regret.
As if repenting their crimes.
"Auntie."
"Yes."
"Reforming these people will take a long time, right?"
"Probably... yes."
I made my decision.
Taking in people was never easy.
Big drain on food, time, and energy.
"Those who rejected, take off your clothes."
"Pardon? Why our clothes..."
"Because we provided them."
They were all wearing the same black uniforms.
The moment I said to strip, they rebelled.
I walked up to the loudest man and slapped him across the face.
Crack!
I held back my strength.
Didn't want to splatter his head all over and have to clean up.
Still, the man crumpled powerlessly.
"Huh? Is he... dead?"
Someone nearby checked the fallen man and gasped in shock.
Dead, alright.
"Strip."
I said again.
"No, this psycho... Mmph."
A woman tried yelling at me, but someone next to her covered her mouth.
"Once they're naked, tie them up."
"Yes."
The relaxed vibe vanished instantly.
Samira's Awakened surrounded the prisoners threateningly.
The prisoners sluggishly stripped.
"Eun-chae, gather everyone."
I gave separate orders to Ki Eun-chae standing by Auntie Soo-jung.
"Including guard units. Everyone."
"Yes!"
Ki Eun-chae burst through the main gate and ran off.
I approached a female prisoner still clutching her clothes.
She gave up and stripped as I neared.
They had no value left now.
All of Samira's members gathered in an open clearing on one side of the central garden.
The construction accident victims weren't badly hurt, so everyone came. The ones out on external duties had just returned too.
"Everyone, quiet down."
This clearing was unused land.
Uncle Jang-su and a few others quickly set up a wide platform.
I went up on stage with the Yongsan prisoners.
The nine rejectors and one corpse were naked.
Their limbs bound, mouths gagged.
"These are Samira's job applicants. From now on..."
Auntie Soo-jung first explained the eleven applicants.
Emphasizing they'd handle Samira's grueling work and hold lower status than current members.
Then it was my turn.
"These people are criminals guilty of various offenses."
Auntie Soo-jung had covered the basics.
I just said what I wanted.
"And shameless slackers. I'm going to kill them right here in front of you all."
I declared a public execution.
Yet Samira's members showed no disturbance.
"Because they rejected my offer."
Anger surged in their previously calm hearts.
"Their greatest sin is weakness. And they dared defy me despite that."
No need for logical persuasion now.
No agonizing over societal norms or if my words and actions fit.
"Do you believe in the afterlife?"
I got their buy-in with a few words, then hit them with a seemingly out-of-left-field question.
"I was someone who comforted the dead and the bereaved."
What did the people of Samira's land expect from me?
"That's probably why I gained this power."
Countless eyes fixed solely on me.
They believed in me, relied on me, followed me.
Mana Stone Extraction
Extracting from the man's corpse in the main building.
I murmured softly, focusing my mind to yank out his mana forcefully.
Even dragging out the lingering life force.
"Watch closely. I can send the dead on their way... or hold them back."
Moments later.
The corpse's abdomen split open just like before, and the Mana Stone popped out.
'The difference is...'
This man wasn't an Awakened.
Yet I succeeded in extracting the Mana Stone.
And another thing.
The body crumbled visibly, ashen and dry.
This became possible after breaking level 40.
Normally, some mana residue stayed in the corpse after extraction, but I'd scraped it all clean.
"Everyone, look clearly."
I lifted the completely lifeless corpse for all to see.
"According to Confucian ideals, the soul of the dead returns to heaven, the body to earth."
I showed the small Mana Stone in my hand.
A woman shone a light on it.
"But these won't return even in death. They'll remain in my hands, fertilizer for Samira."
If they sent me their faith.
"So beware yourselves. When doubt or weakness creeps in, think of me."
Even if that faith was toward a god, not a mere human.
"Believe in me. Follow me."
I would live up to that faith.
I killed the remaining nine rejectors too.
They met their ends in terror and despair, witnessing my 'miracle'.
They fully believed my words.
Seeing me extract the Mana Stone, they writhed in agony, convinced they too would find no peace in death.
"Yi Hyun-ssi."
"Our savior."
"Ahh..."
In contrast, Samira's members watched me kill and extract with voices of rapture.
I felt their emotions vividly.
Joy and awe swirled wildly.
'They know it's a skill, but...'
They already believed and followed me.
Now I'd shown a miracle no human could perform.
Death, souls, afterlife.
These tied to faith, so they saw me not as human, but something greater—and rejoiced.
So I'd put on a show.
Broke the 'common sense' that non-Awakened don't yield Mana Stones, making myself seem special.
"Everyone, calm down."
Made good use of the rejectors.
I beckoned Auntie Soo-jung with my eyes.
'Even Auntie Soo-jung...'
Her feelings toward me weren't much different from the others.
Even the grumbly Jang Ho-seop.
"Everyone. Yi Hyun-ssi is with us."
Auntie Soo-jung used her skill, stirring their hearts further.
Her level 20 General Skill was 'Broadcast'.
Even a mutter carried on mana waves.
It lingered longer in their memories too.
"He who will become a great being. So what must we do?"
Auntie Soo-jung delivered what would've seemed absurd before without batting an eye.
Yet people looked at me reassured.
I couldn't help but smile at the sight.
Truth didn't matter.
People just wanted to believe.
Auntie Soo-jung exploited that perfectly.
'No wonder cults spring up in chaotic times.'
Now Samira's members would devote themselves even more to Samira.
Faith influences thought and action.
This moment would form the foundation for my perfect control over them.
Two days passed.
"Hyung-nim."
I was preparing to enter the Gate.
Jang Ho-seop came running up, face urgent.
"People came down from the north."
"People?"
"Yes. They entered our territory..."
A group had flowed into Samira's sphere of influence.