Chapter 231
Chapter 231
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 231
Chapter Title: 52. Eulsa Invasion (3)
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Kwaaaa!
The Korean Peninsula surged powerfully westward, slicing through the waves.
“No way, is this for real?”
Youngwoo stood tall at the boundary between Yeongjongdo and Incheon Port’s docks, his face etched with disbelief.
But it was unmistakably happening in real time.
He could see the waters ahead parting relentlessly even now.
Like a massive battleship, the entire landmass was sailing onward.
That meant somewhere north of the Korean Peninsula on the map, it must have torn free from the Chinese mainland.
Otherwise, how could Incheon right here be barreling toward Chinese soil?
‘Then Japan’s probably charging toward us right now too?’
If this tectonic shift was happening simultaneously everywhere, that was likely.
The Korean Peninsula would crash into China across the Yellow Sea, and Japan would cross the East Sea to slam into Korea...
‘What about Taiwan or the Philippines? And right below is Indonesia.’
Indonesia was a nation of countless islands, no less.
And it didn’t stop there.
Below Indonesia lay another continent: Australia.
Australia could shove Indonesia aside and come right up under the Korean Peninsula without anyone batting an eye, or veer west to stick to Africa or India.
‘The world map’s gonna be a total mess. It’d be great if I could pull up some kind of world map to see the rough layout.’
In any case, the one sure thing was that the western face of the Korean Peninsula was hurtling toward the Chinese mainland.
And from the conversation he’d had with his father earlier, the prime candidate for butting up against the Korean Peninsula’s west coast was Shandong Province.
‘That’s where Jahaam lives.’
Coincidentally, Shandong was the turf of Zhang Jahaam, the one Chinese guy Youngwoo had ever really interacted with—the twin evils of Shandong.
Of course, now that he bore the mark of China’s territorialist stamp, Jahaam might not exactly roll out the welcome mat.
Kwaaaa!
Yeongjongdo, fused as one with Incheon Port, kept pressing westward, and only then did Youngwoo realize something.
‘Oh, right. It won’t stick right away.’
It had taken some time even for Yeongjongdo, which had been in sight, to collide and merge. Naturally, reaching Shandong across the Yellow Sea would take a good while longer.
‘How long? Thirty minutes? An hour?’
He had no precise read on the Peninsula’s speed, but it seemed like it would be a substantial wait before Incheon met Shandong.
“Hmm.”
So what to do in the meantime?
‘Should I move to the tip of Yeongjongdo for now? That’s probably the first spot to make contact with Shandong.’
Youngwoo was mulling this over and about to steer Negeug inward on Yeongjongdo when—
Tat-tat, tat!
From behind him—Incheon Port direction—multiple swift presences closed in.
‘They’re finally here.’
Probably Incheon’s top swords.
Youngwoo had no intention of sparking a civil war before even meeting the Chinese, so he turned around without drawing his blade.
Just then, three figures—a man and two women—rushing toward his position came into view.
“Huh?”
“What’s that?”
“Someone’s already here?”
As Youngwoo had guessed, they were Incheon’s district First Swords.
『Bupyeong First Sword』
『Yeonsu First Sword』
『Michuhol First Sword』
‘How are they already together? Were they prepped for this from the start?’
Youngwoo wasn’t an expert on Incheon geography, but even he knew it was damn near impossible for First Swords from three districts to coincidentally meet up this quickly.
Even if they’d bolted at the sound of Yeongjongdo crashing into Incheon Port, the distances between districts varied.
In other words, the three of them showing up together meant...
‘They must’ve been crashing here nearby from the get-go. They had contingency plans too, huh.’
Makes sense. The Pangea crisis had been telegraphed since yesterday, and for a port city like Incheon, this whole event was basically another apocalypse.
So their rapid assembly was only natural.
“You were all... bracing for a Chinese invasion?”
For some reason, his chest tightened with camaraderie as Youngwoo gazed at the three First Swords with eyes full of brotherhood. The Bupyeong First Sword, who’d been staring him down, tilted his head.
“Mister.”
“...Yes?”
“You’re the Joseon First Sword? Joseon as in... no way, the top guy in our country...?”
Her tone dripped with skepticism.
Clearly, Bupyeong’s image of the nation’s strongest didn’t match Youngwoo’s current vibe.
Not that Youngwoo looked battle-ready—his face was mild, his speech polite.
Even if he was two meters tall and wrapped in well-developed muscle.
“Isn’t that what Joseon First Sword means? Our country’s Joseon, right?”
“Didn’t you know? I clocked it the second I saw him ride in on that horse. The king’s finally here.”
“Oh, really? I’m living to see the Joseon First Sword.”
The three First Swords chuckled.
They seemed utterly unconcerned by Youngwoo’s mention of a Chinese invasion.
‘What the hell with these kids?’
Only then did Youngwoo grasp his situation.
These were just strong-but-dumb punks.
Indeed, Bupyeong looked early twenties at most, while Yeonsu and Michuhol seemed late teens to just over twenty.
‘Sure, being young doesn’t mean they’re thoughtless—but throw tattoos into the mix, and it changes the story.’
Youngwoo belatedly spotted the flashy tattoos on Bupyeong’s peach bone and calves, reminding him that while first impressions aren’t always right, they hit the mark plenty often.
“There’s gotta be some kinda alliance in Incheon, right? You were gathered here for a reason... When’s the alliance leader showing up?”
Youngwoo asked, hoping to find someone more reasonable to talk to. Bupyeong shot back as if reading his mind.
“Why? Think you can’t talk sense with us kids?”
“...!”
This guy had national-top-tier instincts.
“Yeah. That, and shouldn’t we hash things out with the decision-maker to move things along faster?”
At Youngwoo’s words, Bupyeong grinned and glanced around.
“This is me asking for real—does Joseon First Sword actually mean nationwide strongest?”
“Uh... well...”
How to explain this was really just a North Joseon title without causing misunderstandings?
Youngwoo pondered, then just nodded.
“Yeah. Close enough. Means he’s pretty damn strong.”
“Oho...?”
Bupyeong’s eyes shifted at Youngwoo’s affirmation.
Then they narrowed into a sly, predatory glint.
“But how do we know? That you’re really the nationwide strongest.”
“...?”
“We’ve never seen you before, mister. So how’s that ‘nationwide’ strongest...?”
“Ah.”
Youngwoo got it and let out an involuntary chuckle.
They were questioning how he could claim nationwide top dog without ever fighting an Incheon local.
‘No way—even after seeing Negeug and the golden trail, they’re not scared?’
It defied Youngwoo’s common sense, but hey, that took guts in its own way.
“Yeah... correction. Not nationwide strongest yet.”
“Yet?”
As expected, Bupyeong pounced on the loophole like he’d been waiting.
He looked itching for a fight right then and there.
Youngwoo might’ve drawn steel in his younger days.
“But we might have to fight Chinese any second—why keep picking fights with your own people?”
He reined in his hotheaded nature and delivered the line calmly.
Bupyeong fired back with an irrefutable point.
“Fuck, man, look at yourself. You’re begging for shit with that getup.”
“Huh...?”
Youngwoo did as told.
He looked down at his own body.
Shirtless, shoulder ad-tattoo, spiral flame on his chest.
Topped off by the new Doggo product ‘Aerial Etiquette’ perched on his bare shoulder.
With the flying golden greatsword and otherworldly iron horse for the finishing touch.
‘Oh shit, I’m the Incheon type!’
Tattoo guy, Jeong Youngwoo07.
And hidden under his pants, his groin was packed even denser with wilder ink.
Pound for pound, Youngwoo might out-tattoo Bupyeong by a couple levels.
“Ah, sorry. I do kinda stand out, huh?”
Youngwoo bowed his head sincerely. Michuhol First Sword—who’d been glaring daggers—nodded and chimed in.
“It ain’t that we don’t like you, mister. But around here, wearing the ‘pussy’ title means no respect.”
“...?”
Youngwoo’s apologetic vibe evaporated.
“Wait, how’d you know I’m a pussy?”
He’d been surrounded and slapped by crowds on reset day one.
To Youngwoo, ‘pussy’ was a trigger word.
“Duh... you’ve been acting like total pussy since we got here...”
As Michuhol shrugged indifferently, the shirtless tattoo guy suddenly yanked a pistol from his waistband.
Flash!
“Whoa!”
“You crazy fuck!”
The air turned electric in an instant.
And in that blink, Youngwoo had the ‘gun’ trained on the three First Swords one by one.
「Evil Karma Meter」 - Narrative Tool
【Can view the target’s evil karma value.】
【Evil karma reduction from good deeds boosted 20%】
But the problem was...
‘What? They’re better guys than they look.’
The three First Swords’ evil karma topped out at two, three hundred.
Yeonsu First Sword’s was a measly 12.
“M-Mister? We get it, calm down.”
Bupyeong waved his arms slowly, face drained pale.
He was no slouch in aggression around Incheon, but facing a lunatic who popped out of nowhere on horseback waving a gun? Instant normie mode.
“Sorry, we apologize.”
Michuhol—who’d poked the bear with that word—bowed deeply and cautiously.
Yeonsu First Sword, with the all-time low karma, wiped cold sweat and soothed the Joseon First Sword.
“If we offended you, we’re sorry. We just talk tough... we’re not that bad.”
Youngwoo believed Yeonsu, naturally.
The karma was indirect proof.
So as he started lowering the barrel—
-Zing!
The meter suddenly vibrated faintly, and at that exact moment, a vicious bellow thundered from afar.
“You fucking pussy bitch, using a gun like a coward?”
“...!”
Youngwoo shot Bupyeong a white-eyed glare demanding explanation. The guy stammered through chattering teeth.
“T-That’s the Incheon Alliance Leader. He’s... kinda bad.”