Chapter 283
Chapter 283
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 283
Chapter Title: 64. Retribution (4)
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Tongliao.
A city in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, it was also the area that Dalian Sword Hero Tian Zhulin had recommended as Youngwoo's next destination.
The reason she had suggested Youngwoo visit Tongliao back then was simple.
It was that dangerous of a place.
Tongliao City, where Mongols made up 50% of the population, had seen anti-government protests demanding independence from China right up until the Reset.
In other words, the atmosphere had already been tense even before the Reset hit.
Then the Reset arrived, and countless swords rained down from the sky—what do you think happened in Tongliao?
At the very least, the Han Chinese avoided even approaching the area, which meant rumors about Tongliao only grew darker and more ominous.
Tales like the Mongols occupying Tongliao preparing to march on Beijing, or even the beggars lying on the streets being on the level of special-grade swordmasters from other cities.
"......"
Of course, Youngwoo had no idea about any of this history. He had simply assumed Tongliao was clearly stronger than other cities.
From Dalian's perspective, they needed to point him toward a city that could handle some bandit from the Korean Peninsula without much trouble.
'How strong is this Tongliao place? And if it's a headache of a city that even Dalian knows about, Im Doo-pyeong must have seen it as a threat too.'
In that case, wouldn't he have sent stronger collection squads there?
So far, Youngwoo had taken out two: Sixth Standing Committee Member Jang Jin-sam and Fourth Standing Committee Member Baek Gang-ryang.
And if the Standing Committee was still structured as six members like before the Reset, that left four, including First Standing Committee Member Im Doo-pyeong.
'Well, on the bright side, I've already taken out a third of what was only six Standing Committee Members.'
That must have seriously disrupted Im Doo-pyeong's collection operations.
As he had felt plenty yesterday, China was just too vast.
Now he only had three collection squads left to use.
So Im Doo-pyeong himself might even be out collecting directly.
'Where the hell is he spending all that money? Whether on gear or stats, he must be one hell of a monster by now.'
While Youngwoo mulled over such thoughts, the Neugig carrying him raced along the light path at tremendous speed.
From the ground, Youngwoo and the Neugig would look like a fast-moving shooting star.
Yet Youngwoo himself wasn't even aware he was moving at such high speed.
He was casually allocating stat points in preparation for his battle with Im Doo-pyeong.
* Available Karma: 85,212,500
* Available Defense Budget: 78,967,105
'Hmm. Plenty in the bank.'
The top was his personal funds, the bottom a sort of national treasury.
Using tax money required separate accounting, with records open to the public.
Personal funds, on the other hand, could be spent freely, just like before.
So Youngwoo decided to raise his stats with his own money first.
'Anyway, mutants show up this afternoon, so I'll need to check the shop too. Let's spend a clean 60 million.'
[Strength] 7,700 (19+7,681)
[Stamina] 6,348 (21+6,327)
[Durability] 7,498 (13+7,485)
[Sense] 3,500 (24+3,476)
There were four basic stats.
Youngwoo invested 10 million evenly into each, then pondered a moment before dumping another 20 million into Sense.
To make sure he could trigger the "Agility" ring's effect.
「Agility」 - Mutated Ring
【When Sense is the highest stat, gain 10% damage reduction.】
Youngwoo's current stat-boosting mechanisms were mainly two.
First was the narrative gem "Masochism" equipped on his Cowardly Cat.
【Strength increases 25% when bleeding.】
Second was the golden flash's Sense steal, but with Strength so high now, Agility wasn't triggering reliably outside of multi-opponent fights.
'Damage reduction is a rare effect with low occurrence. Better trigger it whenever possible.'
It was a sort of big data insight from handling far more gear than most.
So his final stats ended up like this.
[Strength] 8,700 (19+8,681)
[Stamina] 7,348 (21+7,327)
[Durability] 8,498 (13+8,485)
[Sense] 6,500 (24+6,476)
'Even then, I need about 4,400 stolen Sense for Agility to kick in. Not easy.'
Of course, with a total stat sum over 31,000, he was plenty monstrous.
But would it be enough against Im Doo-pyeong, who had blazed an extraordinary path since Day 1 of the Reset?
Shiiiaaa!
Meanwhile, the Neugig kept carrying him at insane speeds, and soon an alert appeared in Youngwoo's view: arriving at destination Tongliao.
Pop!
It showed his current position on the route directly.
'No way, crazy? These guys built a tower right in the heart of Tongliao.'
Youngwoo gaped at how the next tower on the route—the station—lined up exactly with Tongliao on the map.
The overzealous brothers had set up stations in every major Chinese city.
Which meant, naturally.
'The tower's already surrounded.'
The moment Youngwoo reached that conclusion, the Neugig streaking across the sky came to a halt.
Sssat!
Meaning he had finally arrived at the unauthorized station in Tongliao.
But still inside the booth 800 meters up, neither Youngwoo nor Tongliao's residents could see each other yet.
'Wonder if Tongliao's top fighters are out already.'
China's cities each had their own title systems, making it hard to predict what labels these opponents would have.
Sword Hero here, Five Heroes there, Twin Evils somewhere else...
'The land's just that big?'
Clack!
Youngwoo leaped off the Neugig's back and stood before the round table device in the room's center.
An interface popped up, asking if he wanted to open the top wall and resume or descend.
Without hesitation, Youngwoo chose descend.
'First time using the travel route for its "intended" purpose.'
Of course, this "intended purpose" was Youngwoo's own invention.
But Doge had provided the blueprints for this road.
Youngwoo figured anyone from that insane company would use it the same way.
Thud!
The entire room vibrated briefly, then blinding light filled the walls and floor.
Shwaaaaa!
And then.
Pop!
In an instant, Youngwoo's body blurred, teleporting him to ground level in the blink of an eye.
'...Insane. And soon they're gonna remodel Earth with this tech...?'
But right now, Doge's amazing tech wasn't what Youngwoo needed to focus on.
Clank!
The tower wall at ground level slid open, forming an exit—and beyond it, as expected, Tongliao's residents had gathered in a massive black swarm.
"...Huh?"
"He's walking out?"
"What the hell is that?"
Every single one was armed to the teeth, and about 30% of those in view were heavily armored.
Plenty wore graded gear, not basic stock.
"Oh dear, first time meeting you all."
As Youngwoo tugged the Neugig's reins and slowly stepped out of the tower, the citizens surrounding the bizarre structure shuffled back en masse.
Yet they didn't forget to bravely shout while aiming their blades at him.
"St-stop!"
"Don't move!"
Still, they clearly didn't think someone emerging from an alien-looking "tower" was a fellow Earthling.
"It looks just like a person."
"Is that thing human?"
"Human... sort of?"
A few in the crowd muttered words like "person" or "human," but always prefixed with "like" or "sort of."
And amid it all.
Kwang, tang!
From the opposite side where Youngwoo faced off against the citizens, came sounds of people testing the tower with their weapons.
'Good thing I tested it yesterday.'
Youngwoo nodded in satisfaction at the noise.
Then, figuring he needed to liven things up more, he deliberately took a big step forward.
Splash!
The hundred or so citizens watching him shrieked like monkeys spotting a predator.
"D-don't move!"
"You crazy? Move again and we treat it as invasion!"
Their threatening words clashed with the limp wobble of their blade tips.
"......"
Confident he could emerge unscratched even fighting everyone here, Youngwoo silently waited for what came next.
And finally.
"Q-quick, to city hall!"
"Hurry!"
The lines he wanted reached his ears.
At last, they were calling the city's real heavyweights.
But in truth, those heavyweights were already.
Shwaaaaa!
Splash!
Approaching fast, each radiating a distinct aura toward the tower.
'Two... no, three?'
Unsettling presences closing in from three sides.
Youngwoo sensed their skills were qualitatively different from other cities'.
Because.
Whiiiirrr!
Their greeting to the suspicious intruder was none other than a preemptive strike.
It could be seen as reckless, or conversely, proof they were strong enough to afford recklessness.
And in most cases, it was surely the latter.
「Sense temporarily increased from 6,500 to 8,134.」
「Sense temporarily increased from 8,134 to 10,511.」
「Sense temporarily increased from 10,511 to 12,008.」
'What? What the hell are these guys?'
Indeed, the three swordsmen's stats were enormous. Startled, Youngwoo hurriedly assumed a defensive stance.
He sent the waiting golden trajectory left to handle one, then drew his dagger from his bosom.
He promptly blocked the incoming blade from the front with it.
Piiing!
A precaution in case using Child of Life accidentally killed them.
Only then did he catch sight of the opponent's face and the title above it.
『Tongliao Three Swords』
'Ah, so this place has the Three Swords system.'
Probably First Sword, Second Sword, and so on.
And the one clashing blades with Youngwoo.
"Supreme Sword...?"
『Supreme Sword』
She eyed the title—simply "Supreme Sword"—with unease.
But if it was Tongliao Three Swords, there should be one more.
That made two: the man grappling with the golden trajectory now, and the woman who had just crossed blades with Youngwoo.
'Ah, so the one sneaking up from behind.'
Feeling the vanished presence reappear behind him, Youngwoo deliberately twisted his body slightly.
Just like in Shandong, planning to let them stab his heart and plant fear in the three swordsmen's souls.
But.
Kyinggit!
The rear assassin's blade missed his heart—and even his skin.
The armor "Legitimacy" he wore simply deflected the thrust meant for his heart.
"Ha, damn. Should've done the heart show."
With his planned scenario derailed from the start, a flustered Youngwoo glanced around.
Tongliao's citizens looked utterly terrified.
No wonder: some alien structure spits out a guy who's somehow facing all three of Tongliao Three Swords at once.
So Youngwoo hastily shifted tactics.
Hyak!
He snatched the arm of the swordswoman he'd first clashed with in a flash, pressing his dagger to her throat.
Hyat!
"Huh...?"
Youngwoo's speed was so unbelievable that his opponent—the Tongliao Second Sword, Hwang Seong-ri—couldn't even dream of reacting.
"Y-you... what the hell are you?"
As Hwang Seong-ri asked in shock, Youngwoo pressed the dagger closer to her throat and addressed the crowd.
"Bring the money right now. Or I'll kill all the Tongliao Three Swords."