Chapter 285
Chapter 285
----------------------------------------------------------------- Translator: uly Chapter: 285 Chapter Title: God's Atlantis -----------------------------------------------------------------
A week had passed since returning to Korea from Japan.
Jin Se-young had left Yeongcheon Sword Hall for the A-rank Hunter exam.
It was a shame to lose a sex partner, but with Han Ha-rin around, it was fine.
During that week, I took on requests from the Hunter Association.
To build up achievements faster.
My current ability put me at C-rank Hunter level, but my official Hunter rank was still E.
I pushed hard, aiming for at least D-rank.
'But damn. No requests available.'
Korea had a lot of Hunters for its narrow landmass, so requests were scarce.
And of course, the requests I meant were the ones I could handle easily at my level.
There were plenty of tougher ones.
'Why are there so many D-rank requests that send you overseas?'
Korea was peaceful with its small territory and high population density, but other countries abroad were different.
Especially China lately—it was in the worst phase imaginable.
Dungeons the Chinese Hunter Association had overlooked were bursting open all at once, unleashing hundreds of thousands of monsters across the country.
The silver lining was that they were in remote areas outside cities, so casualties weren't too severe.
Rumors online claimed the Chinese government had experimented in those dungeons and caused an accident.
With China's track record, it wasn't unbelievable.
They had zero credibility.
'Why does the world feel more fucked up every day?'
I had zero intention of going abroad, so I figured D-rank could wait.
Overseas travel?
I had the Playful Life app.
Better to dive into one of its worlds than deal with real trips.
'There are even travel documentary-style creations among the options.'
Still, no plans to jump into a documentary world right now.
I opened the Playful Life app and selected one world.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
You have selected God's Atlantis. Playful Life begins.
??? Zone 14, Sand Hell.
It was a desert near Zone 2—today's city—which we'd made our base.
Desert monsters raided now and then, but I was strolling through alone.
Despite its brutal name, the monsters here weren't that strong, making it a common route for merchants and adventurers.
For reference, I was currently dressed in black clothes with a clown mask over my face—the "Heavenly Demon" getup—walking the sands.
I had two reasons for coming here.
One was a request from Pesika, the necromancer who ruled the back alleys of today's city and brokered jobs.
The request was simple: Deal with the "Mud Hand" bandit gang plaguing this desert.
Mud Hand had been on friendly terms with the back alleys, but they'd murdered a black market merchant crossing the desert and looted his goods.
They could've returned the items claiming ignorance and compensated for the life—but this time, they clammed up and vanished into the sands.
They'd crossed a line.
'Damn old hag. At least tell me exactly where they are.'
I pulled a cool bottle of water from my inventory and chugged it.
Nothing but sand around. No clue where the Mud Hand bastards were hiding.
I'd taken this annoying request partly to do a favor for Kang Myung-jin, the protagonist of this world, and partly for the job itself.
'Handling Pesika's request might get me into Helten... Damn. How long do I have to do these tedious jobs?'
Helten. The most infamous crime syndicate in Atlantis right now. That's where I wanted in.
With my unique trait Deception (SS), I could fake my identity, and Helten offered tons of benefits.
"Kuh... Kuhuhk... Kuhk."
A weird noise echoed. Like stifled sobs or leaking laughter.
I turned toward the sound.
Hyenas the size of wolves slunk toward me. Five of them, brown-furred, circling me.
Smart for beasts.
"Sand hyenas, as expected."
Boredom crossed my face. This was the fourth pack today.
The sand hyenas made their eerie cries and charged.
One thing to watch for against them: Don't get bitten.
Sand hyenas had jaws that could chew through steel plating.
Otherwise, just fast. But not fast enough for me.
Heavenly Demon Divine Art: Silent Void.
My fist, clad in black gloves and Demon Subduing Armor, uppercut the charging hyena's jaw.
Its body floated into the air.
A beat later, its head exploded.
Bang! Blood and flesh pattered onto the sand.
You acquired 15 AP.
Less than the tutorial monster Heider.
These were stronger than Heider, but the tutorial had special bonuses for AP.
"Kuhk! Kwek! Kuk!" The hyenas charged en masse.
I emotionlessly circulated Heavenly Demon Divine Art, swinging limbs.
You acquired 15 AP.
You acquired 15 AP.
You acquired 15 AP.
The last one turned tail and bolted instead of charging.
'Change status window.'
Status window changed to Thunderclap Sword.
Crackle. Lightning gathered before my hand, forming a swastika shape.
I fired it at the fleeing hyena.
Rumble! The blue bolt struck true.
You acquired 15 AP.
"Where do you think you're going?"
I switched the status window back and resumed walking the desert.
??? While trekking the sands, I spotted a ruined building.
Stone structure on the verge of collapse, but sizable—room for over a hundred people.
'Could be the Mud Hand bandits' hideout.'
Pesika said they numbered about thirty.
Even I couldn't guarantee victory in a straight fight.
Plan was to snipe the strong ones first.
'Deception.'
Activating my unique trait Deception (SS) to hide my form and presence.
But desert sands showed footprints.
I used Deception again to erase them.
'Inefficient, but no choice. Better than being spotted.'
I approached quickly, slipping in through a small hole in the corner instead of the front.
No Mud Hand bandits inside. False alarm.
'Looked like a hideout, but nope.'
It had felt too obvious for a bandit den anyway.
'Might as well rest here... Huh?'
A presence in the corner.
I tensed, ducking behind a pillar to peek.
Three camels loaded with cargo, and four men.
The men carried heavy bags too.
'Merchants.'
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙
The King of the Demon Heavens' eyes gleam.
The King of the Demon Heavens offers you a mission.
📜 MISSION PROPOSED 📜
Mission Condition 1: Kill all the men and loot their cargo.
⏰ Time Limit: 10 minutes
🎁 Success Reward: 10,000 AP
⚠️ Failure Penalty: None
Do you accept the mission?
'Decline.'
Mission declined.
I rejected most of the King of the Demon Heavens' missions.
Great reward for killing a few guys, but I didn't want to be his puppet.
The King of the Demon Heavens laments.
'Leave these guys be and rest here... No. Wait.'
I eyed the merchants again.
Only two had swords at their waists.
Weaker than me.
I could take them in 30 seconds.
'Perfect bait.'
Three camels, heavy loads for four men.
Not dangerous-looking—prime target for Mud Hand to salivate over.
'Good. Tail them secretly.'
Beats blindly searching the desert for their hideout.
"So that rumor seems true?"
"What rumor?"
The merchants sat resting, chatting.
Overheard: They'd met by chance en route and teamed up just for this leg.
"The Yustria Empire. They're opening up... Think it's real?"
"Ah... That one. Probably. They've hit their limit."
Yustria Empire.
The only empire on the Atlantis continent, ruling over 700+ zones.
"Reason for opening... Princes fighting for the throne...? That's the talk."
"Gathering forces to claim the throne? Plausible rumor. But what does it matter to us?"
"No, think about it. Opening means freer access than before.
Invest everything in trade now. One success and we're rich!"
"After seven successes, maybe. If we succeed.
Think small-timers like us can?"
"Distance to the empire? Minimum a month.
Safe routes? Failure's more likely."
"You're so negative."
"Alone, sure failure. But with numbers?
Gather dozens of merchants, head together. Odds improve."
"Profit shrinks then."
"Heh, plan ahead.
Back one of the three princes.
Or the Imperial Five Dukes if not."
Imperial Five Dukes.
The five pillars upholding the empire.
Even the emperor couldn't defy them.
Their power was immense.
"Doubt they'd trust us."
"Make them."
"You're ambitious, but underestimate the world.
Sounds arrogant, but know your place to live long."
"No ambition to be top merchant?"
"Want to, but I know my limits.
Not the material."
"Boring."
"I like this boring life."
I pondered their talk.
Yustria Empire's opening.
Meant active exchange with outsiders, even offering nobility to non-citizens.
'Just like the original.'
Irrelevant to me now.
They chatted more, then rested.
About 30 minutes later.
"Hahaha. Who gave you permission to rest here?"
Over ten bandits appeared.
Their clothes bore a hand with three fingers.
Mud Hand's emblem.
'Lucky!'
"B-Bandits?!"
The merchants panicked.
"Hahaha! We are the Mud Hand bandit gang, rulers of this desert!"
My eyes gleamed.
The leader's voice... was a woman.