Chapter 181
Chapter 181
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 181
Chapter Title: 41. Everyone's Greatest Swordsman (1)
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High-risk mutated being.
And the Board of Directors themselves stepping up to recommend a composition of two people per group.
“What… what’s that supposed to mean? Even First Swords aren’t supposed to go alone?”
Jeong Gu scratched his chin as he read the warning notice. Meanwhile, Yeong-woo, who had already slipped on his shoes, nodded.
“Yes. It means from today onward, mutants too tough for a single First Sword to handle will start showing up.”
He’d thought it was just a silly dream, but maybe it wasn’t. Yeong-woo reflected on that dragon dream he’d seen right before waking.
“Of course, the idea that Mom actually gave me a real oracle is ridiculous.”
If his mother truly was a mutated being, then just like Kim Jeong-eun, she’d be trapped in darkness right now, waiting only for the day she could return.
She wouldn’t be giving oracles to some son whose name she didn’t even know—hell, she probably couldn’t even see her own future.
So what was that dream about?
“If Uncle really comes back as a lightning-spewing dragon, then I’ll have to take it seriously.”
Ding-a-ling!
The morning call blared as noisily as ever.
Yeong-woo headed straight to the bedroom and picked up the receiver in question.
Click.
As always, the bizarre voice announced his remaining checkout time.
《1 hour and 56 minutes remaining until checkout.》
And then.
《You have one unconfirmed message. To receive it, please press 5.》
For the first time, something other than the checkout alert came through.
“…Huh?”
It had a voice mailbox function after all.
But why would someone leave a message right at this point, and for what?
Yeong-woo pressed 5 on the phone as instructed, and the raspy voice read the message stored in his mailbox.
《Hello, Jeong Yeong-woo07. This is Prismatic Credit calling.》
‘Prismatic Credit…?’
He had a pretty good idea why they were contacting him.
And sure enough.
《Prismatic Credit offers loans with interest cheaper than death, backed by thorough credit checks…》
‘Figures. Can’t pay a little tax, and every damn fly in the universe swarms you.’
Prismatic Credit.
Pan-galactic loan sharks.
To sum up their message: they knew he was in a bind over acquisition tax and were offering to lend him money.
《If you’d like a consultation, pick up the receiver and dial 403 0909#. We’ll send you a pager. Consultation and paging fees are free.》
‘What the hell.’
Yeong-woo was about to slam the receiver down—pure spam-mail vibes—when he paused.
‘Hold on.’
Truth was, he did need money.
A shit-ton of it, in fact.
‘Acquisition tax on the bastard isn’t the end. Getting the weapon codex will trigger another one.’
It was a one-time payment separate from the base tax, but considering non-payment meant death, he couldn’t ignore it.
‘Guess loans have to be on the table as an option.’
Even the dungeon system had called Yeong-woo a scammer.
No way was he falling for some naive sucker play.
“Golden.”
Yeong-woo called out to the golden goblin while still holding the receiver. The creature, lounging in the side room, came scampering over.
-Keek!
“You still have it? That check.”
At Yeong-woo’s words, the goblin—somehow figuring out exactly what he meant—opened its sub-space pouch.
-Keek!
Shh.
What the goblin pulled out was none other than a pure-white coin.
「Blank Check」 - Unique Currency
【Transforms once into any currency it touches.】
‘If the loan sharks pay out in actual currency form, I could duplicate it with this.’
And if that worked, borrowing as much as possible would be the smart move.
Of course, it was still just one option for now.
‘Might as well get the pager. No downside for me.’
Decision made, Yeong-woo immediately dialed Prismatic Credit’s pager number. Suddenly, a section of empty air slyly split open.
Srrt.
Someone inside discreetly shoved a small device through.
Like sneaking candy to a kid.
“H-Hey?”
Yeong-woo called out urgently, but the rift had already sealed shut.
A far cry from Togo’s blatant pillar-of-light-from-the-sky approach—this was sleazy on a whole other level.
“…This the pager?”
Yeong-woo had no choice but to pick up the one that had dropped to the floor.
Shh.
「Prismatic Pager」 - Common Tool
【Interest cheaper than death! Prismatic Credit.】
“Hah.”
Yeong-woo let out a hollow chuckle at the tooltip, quintessential cheapness of Prismatic Credit.
Reason the pager was “Common” grade? Probably cost-cutting.
Made to scatter everywhere for free.
‘Interest cheaper than death, huh… Slogan implies plenty of folks dying over taxes.’
Anyway, getting spam this fast meant he was growing at a decent pan-galactic clip.
‘Guess pressing this calls them instantly.’
As Yeong-woo fiddled with the pager—like a single keyboard key ripped off and left behind—Seo-ok, who’d been standing blankly in the bedroom corner, spoke up.
“…You done?”
Yeong-woo flashed an awkward smile and bobbed his head.
“Ah, didn’t even greet you… Sorry. Sleep well?”
That’s when Yeong-woo realized something.
He’d been shirtless since last night.
But Seo-ok wasn’t your average person, so she didn’t make a fuss over Yeong-woo’s oddity.
Instead.
“Sleep? I barely got any. How could I, with the kids’ dad carrying on like that all night?”
“Huh?”
Yeong-woo finally glanced at the television.
There was CEO Kim Tae-jun, buried in parts just like before bed last night—along with the other two inmates.
And.
“Whoa?”
The progress was enough to shock even Yeong-woo.
“No way… you’re saying they really pulled an all-nighter on that?”
The results on-screen made the answer obvious, no need to ask.
―F-634, General!
―Hold up. Where’d you pile all the F’s?
―Over there on the back.
The three had sorted the parts by assembly numbers in the meantime, establishing a proper system.
Hell, the massive gun barrel was nearly half complete.
‘They said time vanishes in there, but no stamina limits either, huh.’
Only issue: the returnee-room TV was off right now.
Probably lost power once the generator died.
‘Even if they finish the laser cannon and find the coordinate detector, no generator means no artillery request. Gotta rack up merit points today.’
Having grasped the situation, Yeong-woo asked Seo-ok as he prepared to head out.
“You staying a bit longer? TV should work till 10 a.m.”
“Yes. We’re planning to stick around till ten. But where are you off to, Yeong-woo? Rest more.”
“Ah, well, I kinda have to…”
Yeong-woo checked his watch.
Current time: 8:12 a.m.
Still plenty of time before the mutated being appeared, but that’s exactly why there was work to do.
‘Hand out detectors to the First Swords, discuss countermeasures for today’s Board warning on high-risk mutants.’
Which meant advancing the First Swords’ meeting time.
Ideally during their least busy window: morning.
“You probably saw, Madam, but today’s incoming mutant seems pretty strong. Gonna need a strategy session.”
Seo-ok glanced worriedly at her husband on-screen.
“Then my husband’ll have a tough fight today.”
Stating the obvious.
But Yeong-woo held his tongue.
“I’ll do everything to make sure that doesn’t happen. Won’t be easy, but the merits should cover a generator.”
The generator was welfare gear for the inmates, even before laser cannon prep.
“Try not to worry too much. If you’re here till ten, I’ll leave the officer and Jong-su behind.”
“Yes. Thanks as always.”
Seo-ok bowed her head to Yeong-woo in thanks. Moses and Yi-hyeon, half-hiding behind her, bowed shyly too.
“Th-Thank you, Godfather.”
He’d figured the kids would be out of it, but they remembered what he’d said last night.
―From now on, I’m your godfather.
“Uh… yeah. Listen to your mom.”
Yeong-woo gave the kids an awkward smile before hurrying out.
Jeong Gu, waiting in the living room, immediately latched onto him.
“Dude.”
“……?”
“Two-per-group, obviously you’re grouping with me?”
So that’s what he was on about—Jeong Gu had been fretting over the Board’s warning too.
“Right. Dad’s got his turf, yeah? Dobong First Sword and all.”
“You know how many people live in Dobong? All those lives hanging by my thread…!”
As Jeong Gu ranted, someone knocked on the guest room door.
Knock, knock.
“Who the hell this early?”
“Could be Seon-ah.”
But both guesses were wrong.
Creak.
Yeong-woo opened the door, wondering who it could be—and found a woman brimming with aura standing outside the room, still shielded by the blue barrier.
“Huh? Mom.”
The one dubbed “Mom”—Choi Jong-seon02.
Yangju’s First Sword amid the ruins, slated to handle all of Gwangjin District starting today. Baby mama.
She had the baby wrapped in a sling against her body as usual, weapon already in hand.
“Heard a super-strong mutated being’s coming?”
“Yeah. I was just about to—”
Yeong-woo tried to explain his follow-up plans, but Jong-seon cut in.
“You’re grouping with me, obviously?”
“…Huh?”
“It’s two-per-group, right? You dragged me here—you gotta take responsibility, no?”
“L-Logically, yeah, but.”
No arguing the logic or morals.
“…….”
Yeong-woo glanced back awkwardly, and Jeong Gu piled on like he’d been waiting.
“Hey, then let’s just do three-per-group. We hustle harder, problem solved.”
“No… touring multiple regions, distance ain’t the issue there.”
The real problem was inter-district travel.
Gangnam and Gwangjin were close enough for quick mutant cleanup… but Dobong was way up north.
‘Everyone’s spooked by the Board warning. Even Mom’s angling to pair with me…’
Just yesterday, she’d called him a crazy orphan.
But in combat, that crazy orphan was the most reliable ally.
And that held true from Jeong Gu’s perspective too—Yeong-woo’s prime suspect for bio-dad.
‘High-risk mutant…? Safest bet’s gluing myself to this kid.’
Jeong Gu shot a pointed glare at his rival in group formation: Choi Jong-seon.
Back off smartly if Yeong-woo insists on pairs, that vibe.
But Jeong Gu’s competition wasn’t just Jong-seon.
Ding!
Now an arrival chime from the elevator down the hall, followed by an ominous presence rolling in.
“Whoa, someone’s already here?”
“Oh, Yeong-woo!”
“Yeong-woo! Good morning!”
The 32nd-floor corridor of Parnass Hotel filled with an army of staggering titles.
『Songpa First Sword』
『Seocho First Sword』
『Yongsan First Sword』
And then.
Thud-thud!
Dongjak First Sword Lee Han-uk, who’d skipped the elevator and bounded up the stairs himself.
“Huff, huff… Everyone’s already here.”
At Lee Han-uk’s words, Jeong Gu instantly clocked it.
These bastards had all come to lobby for group leader spot.
Every First Sword in the Seoul Federation wanted to group with Yeong-woo.
“This fuckin’…”
Jeong Gu’s brow furrowed as he sized up the scene.
But right now, physically and relationally closest to the Joseon First Sword was Kim Jeong-gu himself.
Thwap!
So he confidently slapped Yeong-woo’s shoulder and declared loudly for all to hear.
“Son! Good morning!”