Chapter 107
Chapter 107
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 107
Chapter Title: 29. In the Pitch-Black Night (1)
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Gyeongbuk Province, Gumi.
The monumental region where Yechan and Youngwoo had received the problematic "Existing Fate Record" and fought their first battle against a monster.
Of course, that didn't mean Yechan had come back here chasing nostalgia.
The sole reason he had come to this place was purely...
‘Two of them. Jackpot.’
He had judged that by now, monsters or mutants would have piled up around the Gyeongbuk area.
And as expected, two mutant markers had come down in Gumi.
‘Probably the 2-day and 3-day ones hanging out together?’
If that was the case, he needed to be cautious.
Because by the third day of the reset, the power gap between mutants had widened dramatically.
Just today alone, he had caught about four 3-day mutants, and one of them had been exceptionally strong.
‘No monsters at all, though.’
Yechan quickly traversed Gumi City, confirming that not a single blue pillar of light was visible anywhere nearby.
‘Hmm.’
There were two main reasons why a deserted city would have zero monsters.
First, monster hunters who roamed abandoned cities like this one had swept through.
But hunters who searched on a city-wide scale usually traveled in large groups, making it nearly impossible for them not to run into mutants.
And second, a mutant had personally driven out the monsters.
‘Probably the latter.’
By now, Yechan was something of an expert on this world.
Thanks to exploring countless cities alive after parting ways with Gumi's Greatest Swordsman Jeong Youngwoo.
On the second day of the reset, after splitting from Youngwoo, Yechan hadn't headed to Seoul. Instead, he had turned toward Jeonbuk.
It wasn't part of any clear plan—just the vague result of pedaling aimlessly with the mindset that from now on, he had to go it alone.
There was also the instinct to head for areas with fewer people, since humans terrified him more than monsters.
And before long, he realized it.
Jeonbuk, Chungnam, Gyeongbuk... The regions corresponding to this country's midsection had turned into ruins one by one starting from the second day of the reset.
There were various reasons, but mostly, it was because the area's Greatest Swordsman had moved elsewhere or died.
For some reason, most Greatest Swordsmen began heading to nearby metropolitan cities, or to Seoul or Busan, after experiencing the first day of the reset.
And this wasn't just the Greatest Swordsmen—it was the same for the local residents.
Was it some human instinct? The desire to stay in places with lots of people whenever possible.
“…….”
For Yechan, who had the exact opposite tendencies, it was hard to understand.
In any case, because the majority had fled to big cities, every region Yechan visited was overflowing with monsters and mutants.
Thanks to that, he sometimes even witnessed the bizarre sight of mutants and monsters warring with each other.
Of course, conversely, there were cases where monsters negotiated with mutants to secure residency rights.
‘Absolutely no stepping foot in those areas.’
So Yechan targeted regions first where mutants had left for elsewhere, leaving only monsters behind.
Catching three or four monsters separated from their packs allowed him to boost his stats massively.
Once he had grown to the point where dying to monsters was difficult, he challenged a mutant for the first time.
A snake-form mutant coiled on the roof of Muju County Office.
[Soldier-Kim Young-heum]
Despite its fearsome appearance, his actual prowess wasn't that impressive.
To be precise, Yechan had overpowered it after catching over a hundred monsters in preparation for this challenge.
After easily taking down his first mutant, Yechan unhesitatingly chose the 3 million karma option, and from there, things progressed smoothly.
In ruined cities, everything he encountered was money.
20,000 karma per monster, 3 million per mutant.
Then, starting from the third day, he began encountering merchants who had come down to various places, buying equipment and martial arts, leading to his current state.
An nameless powerhouse wandering Gyeongbuk and Jeonbuk.
He held not a single Greatest Swordsman title, but his total stats were unrivaled.
It was just that he rarely encountered living people, so he hadn't been exposed to the world.
Pa-pat!
As Yechan crossed Gumi City, a red pillar of light finally came into close view.
‘Mutants. We're almost there.’
Venturing a bit further, he spotted an enormous beast perched atop a four-story building on the other side.
[Comedian-Kim Jong-gu]
Kim Jong-gu.
Once a famous entertainer who appeared on various variety shows, but expelled from the industry due to repeated drunk driving incidents.
As karmic retribution, he was now a hellhound, sparks flying from his nostrils with every exhale.
「Uh... what’s that smell.」
Kim Jong-gu, who had been blankly staring at the ground, suddenly lifted his head and locked eyes straight on Yechan's position.
He had caught the scent of the mutant equipment wafting from him.
「What the—it's just a kid.」
Of course, it was an opponent emitting an unusual aura for a mere "kid," but Kim Jong-gu hadn't properly clashed with any true experts since returning to this world, so he didn't heighten his guard much.
「Kid, I'm taking it easy today, so head back.」
“Yes……?”
Yechan hesitated at the unexpected kindness.
Then, as he shifted his foot sideways, he stepped on something.
Clink.
It was none other than...
“Wow.”
Crimson coins.
Not just one or two—hundreds were scattered around the four-story building Kim Jong-gu had made his lair.
In other words, the monster remains that should have littered the area had all been gathered here.
This was probably where Kim Jong-gu had waged a massive battle against monsters while taking control of the region.
“…My god.”
As Yechan marveled at the coins strewn everywhere, Kim Jong-gu slyly opened one of his drooping eyes and warned,
「Take what you need. And never come back. Oh, and don't go to Seoul either. This uncle's letting you off.」
Yechan's excited expression, as he prepared to scoop up the coins, suddenly turned icy.
“…Why not Seoul?”
At the kid's abrupt shift in demeanor, Kim Jong-gu was slightly taken aback.
「Why? ...It's dangerous, that's why.」
“Why is Seoul dangerous? There’s lots of people, and surely Greatest Swordsmen too…….”
As Yechan spoke up to that point, realization dawned.
“But what are you uncles waiting for here?”
「……!」
At Yechan's use of "uncles," Kim Jong-gu's eyes snapped wide open, and right on cue, a massive shadow surged from the wall of the building to Yechan's right.
Sssrrrr.
[Gumi City Councilor-Im Tae-hong]
The other mutant staying in Gumi, Im Tae-hong.
Having manifested as a so-called "Shadow"—a shadow human—he boasted a height of four meters.
In other words, a four-meter shadow was now looming over Yechan's feet.
「This guy's reeking too much and yapping nonstop. Let's just kill him.」
A sharp voice emanated from the shadow on the ground.
Kim Jong-gu wrinkled his snout in clear discomfort, but Yechan took the initiative and prepared for battle first.
Shwaa!
He swung the long crimson spear gripped in his right hand once against the ground, and the bizarrely twisted spear blade glowed red for an instant.
“If you're planning to march on Seoul, think again. You uncles couldn't even beat me.”
Yechan assumed they were waiting here for 4-day mutants to arrive in preparation for an assault on Seoul.
There was no other reason for two mutants to remain in these ruins.
And apparently, that was exactly it.
「Who the hell are you to talk about stopping us or whatever.」
Im Tae-hong's voice turned far colder than before.
At the same time, his shadow had already spread beyond Yechan's feet, blackening the surrounding ground.
Probably the prelude to a shadow human's unique attack.
In response, Yechan stabbed the blackened earth with the spear he had lowered to the ground and shouted,
“I'll call myself the Self-Proclaimed Gyeongbuk Greatest Spear……!”
* * *
Gangnam District.
A massive district holding many affluent areas like Yeoksam, Cheongdam, and Nonhyeon, so-called "Gangnam."
Pre-reset population: 530,000, third highest among Seoul's 25 districts—a ranking that surely hadn't changed much.
Because it was the neighborhood where every survivor in Seoul wanted to live.
Of course, this was only true while the previous Greatest Swordsman, Jeong Hyeon-sik, was in office.
Now, rumors were rampant throughout Gangnam that Jeong Hyeon-sik's head had been severed.
And Youngwoo was feeling it acutely.
“Is that him?”
“That’s Gangnam First Sword……?”
“From Gyeongbuk? Some guy from the provinces?”
“He rides a monster.”
As Youngwoo followed Taewon Group's protocol team from Cheongdam Bridge to Samseong-dong COEX, residents lining the streets whispered nonstop.
‘Should've just said I'd take the car.’
Youngwoo squeezed his eyes shut upon seeing even more crowds gathering ahead.
Just as they were exiting Cheongdam Bridge, a Taewon staffer had clearly said it.
There would be lots of people on the way, so why not ride in the car they brought?
But at the time, it felt more awkward to make Negi follow alone, so he refused.
‘But that was a huge mistake.’
Glancing back, Youngwoo saw the residents who had clogged the road and were trailing after him in a mob startle in surprise.
Naturally curious about the man who would succeed Jeong Hyeon-sik and protect the area.
Then, the motorcycle-mounted riot police nearby formed a blockade, widening the gap between the residents and Youngwoo.
By then, COEX in Samseong-dong—the building Taewon Group used as headquarters—came into view.
A strategic stronghold with the Han River to the north and Tancheon Stream to the east, boasting an overwhelmingly assigned plot of land.
Especially with the InterContinental and Parknas Hotels adjacent, it had secured a massive amount of the world's most precious resource: "housing"—a man-made marvel.
‘Taewon is Gangnam, huh.’
Youngwoo's jaw dropped as he saw yet another long procession of ceremonial escorts stretching ahead of COEX.
Not all these people could be actual Taewon employees... Taewon must have absorbed huge numbers of personnel while taking over Gangnam post-reset.
In any case, Youngwoo passed through the formal welcome procession and reached the COEX entrance.
There, a middle-aged man standing with bodyguards at the COEX entrance approached Youngwoo with measured steps.
“Oh... Jeong Youngwoo-ssi!”
The chubby 50-something man's name was Baek Do-hwan.
Former president of Taewon Life Insurance, current head of Taewon Group.
In other words, Gangnam's de facto administrative power broker.
“I've heard so much about you. Must've been tough. I'm Taewon's Baek Do-hwan.”
Baek Do-hwan gauged Youngwoo's reaction while bowing awkwardly at the waist.
Testing the waters, unsure of the other man's style.
But Youngwoo had no time for such things.
Suddenly, the Greed Serpent raised its head and stared beyond COEX somewhere.
-Hiss.
It even flicked its tongue, causing Baek Do-hwan to yelp and stagger back. Then Youngwoo asked,
“What's up there?”
Youngwoo pointed vaguely at a spot, but Baek Do-hwan immediately grasped what he was seeking.
Because...
“It seems... you're referring to the previous Greatest Swordsman's office.”
Coincidentally, Jeong Hyeon-sik's room was right there.