Chapter 37
Chapter 37
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: 12. Strange World (1)
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Daily quest.
A mission literally assigned every day.
In typical games, it served as a device to encourage continuous user logins, so the mission difficulty was never high.
At best, killing a few trash mobs or pulling weeds from the village flower beds.
But this wasn't a game where "users" logged in and out at will—it was reality, where users were always connected.
So what meaning did a daily quest hold in the real world?
'Anyway, since it's one of the basic welfare systems, it should be a positive institution.'
However, contrary to Young-woo's thoughts, the people behind him were all staring into empty space with faces frozen in fear.
Welfare or not, they were terrified of every change unfolding in this world.
Nothing that had happened so far had been remotely friendly to humans, and even systems like the night shift—supposedly guaranteeing survival rights—turned out to be utter hell once you arrived on site.
So.
"Daily quest...?"
"What is it this time?"
"I don't need crap like this... Just leave us alone, please!"
No one present dared to feel optimistic about the future brought by the daily quest.
And rightly so—it was far from an easy quest.
[Daily] "Scout"
<Mission> Approach to within 10 meters of a monster.
<Reward> 3,000 Karma
[Daily] "Economic Activity"
<Mission> Pay compensation to another person and receive Karma.
<Reward> 1,000 Karma
<Special> Family members cannot be designated as trading partners.
"Approach a monster?"
"What kind of daily quest is this... It's suicide."
"This can't be serious."
As expected, those who saw the "Scout" quest reacted with utter disbelief.
After all, everyone here was someone who had remained a "civilian" precisely because they couldn't even dream of fighting monsters.
"But the second one seems doable, right?"
"Yeah...? The reward's a bit stingy, though."
When a few mentioned the "Economic Activity" quest, everyone's attention instantly shifted there.
"You complete it by receiving Karma from someone else?"
"We could just swap coins with each other, right?"
"Oh... Let's give it a try."
After some discussion, one group arbitrarily picked trading partners and began exchanging equal amounts of currency.
The currency they used was the commemorative coins bearing Young-woo's face—everyone had been flat broke until Young-woo handed them out.
"......"
Young-woo was just as curious about the results of the experiment, so he stayed put and watched quietly.
"Exchange on the count of three."
"Want to count it off?"
The two attempting the commemorative coin swap, right in front of everyone.
Even in this consensual exchange, one side was visibly tense—his build was far smaller than his partner's.
He knew full well that if the other guy pocketed his coins without handing over his own, getting them back would be no easy feat.
Of course, with so many eyes on them and the city's Greatest Swordsman present, such a thing was unlikely... but for the weak, even the tiniest uncertainty loomed large.
"Alright, counting down."
The smaller man spread his left hand wide and counted off loudly.
"Three! Two! One...!"
The moment the count hit zero, two commemorative coins crossed paths front to back.
Thankfully, the exchange went honorably—but the outcome dashed everyone's hopes.
"...Huh."
"Uh."
Judging by the experimenters' faces, nothing had happened at all.
At that, the rest—who had been lining up to try a matching swap—took a collective step back.
"A straight swap won't cut it... It has to be a real transaction."
"The quest says 'pay compensation,' after all."
"Hmm."
The room buzzed with noise once more.
Then, the larger of the first pair made a new proposal.
"I've got a 1,000-coin here. I'll give it to you, so massage my arm for a bit? You return the coin once the deal's done."
The smaller man—again tagged as the trading partner—nodded with a sour look.
He knew it was just for the experiment, but kneading the other guy's arm didn't sit well.
On top of that, he had to hand the received money right back.
"...Let's do it."
But what choice did he have? The 1,000-coin was in the other's hands.
"Sure, then."
With that, the burly man thrust out his massive forearm.
What followed was a half-hearted massage lasting about ten seconds.
"This good?"
Sensing his partner's face stiffening by the second, the giant pulled back his arm first and proffered the crimson coin.
Every eye in the room locked onto the recipient.
"Oh!"
A world away from the previous experimenter's expression.
Then came a clink, and a crimson coin dropped from thin air.
The quest had truly cleared.
"Oh?"
"You really do have to provide some service."
"If we just plan it out ahead of time between ourselves..."
The mood in the room surged with excitement, but Young-woo had gleaned something from the subtle power play between the traders.
'That worked because it was an open experiment under the banner of testing... but coordinating that smoothly with a total stranger? Good luck.'
Physiques, values, consciences—they varied wildly from person to person. Even the perceived worth of money differed.
To Young-woo, 1,000 Karma no longer felt like much, but to someone scraping by without even tax money for tonight? That was a lifeline.
'This setup inevitably breeds master-servant dynamics. The days of naively swapping money back and snagging just the reward? This moment's probably the last.'
Young-woo watched the crowd dive headlong into "trades," then turned north once more.
* * *
The daily quest's impact on daily life proved even greater than expected.
Reaching the northern outskirts road of Sangju City, he saw people who should have been hustling for jobs instead pairing off and trading furiously among themselves.
Not everyone had found a partner to cash in on the "basic welfare," of course.
"Anyone wanna help clear a daily quest...?"
"500 coins for you. Need a daily quest helper."
Daily quests were one-and-done, so anyone who'd already finished theirs with a partner had no reason to risk dealing with yet another stranger.
Stragglers were inevitable.
'Some are even paying extra to get quest help.'
Fair enough—with a 1,000-Karma reward, shelling out 500 for assistance still left a profit.
Paaat!
Young-woo blasted through the chaotic scene at top speed.
Quest partners for dailies dotted every corner of Sangju City, and here and there, brawls broke out from botched deals.
'Anyway, now they can cover daily taxes reliably. Survival rates should climb.'
Still fell short of a bare minimum livelihood, though.
Nightly trials weren't limited to taxes.
The night shift to dodge freak weather.
Young-woo's own stint had cost 3,000 Karma for a cramped motel room.
Sharing was an option, sure—but who was handing out free crash space bought with blood money?
Unless you were a monster hunter success story, the world stayed brutally tight.
'No other options for most. Scout quest it is.'
[Daily] "Scout"
<Mission> Approach to within 10 meters of a monster.
<Reward> 3,000 Karma
Racing along the road out of Sangju City, Young-woo eyed the quest prompt hovering left in his vision with a sickened stare.
No matter how he sliced it, this felt like a quest custom-engineered to account for everything.
Why?
Why torment people like this?
Tatak!
At last, a massive highway unfurled to the right, complete with Sangju City's cheery "farewell" sign.
'Sangju ends here.'
Mungyeong next.
Sun still hung high, casting short shadows from Young-woo and the roadside trees alike.
Unlike the teeming urban core, he alone raced the highway—granting a fleeting peace.
But only fleeting.
「Gyeongbuk Greatest Swordsman (True) has appeared!」
「All Gyeongbuk Greatest Swordsman (True) receive your location in real time.」
"What...?"
Screeech!
Young-woo slammed to an instinctive halt, scanned his surroundings in a panic, then bolted onward along the road.
'Gyeongbuk Greatest Swordsman (True) means someone's collected three Greatest Swordsman titles.'
He nearly tacked on a "how already?"—then cut the thought short.
Hadn't he himself—born into mediocrity—done just that?
'Someone out there, just like me, touring cities and claiming Greatest Swordsman heads.'
And that someone was receiving his position live.
Young-woo, meanwhile? Clueless on the rival's spot, face, or name.
No telling if an assassin lay in wait at the next stop, Mungyeong.
'No end to this, really.'
Claiming zero fear of an unknown challenger would be a bald lie, but this was anticipated.
'Anyone I cross paths with now could be an enemy. Stay sharp.'
Scarce had the thought crossed his mind when noise erupted ahead on the road.
"......?"
Vrooom—a mechanical growl. Engine noise, precisely.
A rarity on reset day two's roads.
'Someone else driving?'
The lone prior sighting: Sangju Greatest Swordsman's wife.
Now, car number two.
'There it is.'
The engine hum had barely registered when a gray SUV entered his view.
Which also meant Young-woo—on foot—was gradually reeling it in.
Spotting not one but two drivers in this deranged world stunned Young-woo plenty, but the SUV's owner ahead? Probably far more shocked.
Screech!
True enough, the SUV fishtailed wildly side to side, its engine note shifting.
Groooar...!
Gunning it to put distance between itself and the apparent road-raging lunatic in broad daylight.
'Way too fast... Got fuel to burn?'
Eyeing the receding vehicle, Young-woo poured extra juice into his shins and thighs.
Crunch!
The asphalt meeting his soles shattered mercilessly, and the gap—widening for a beat—began closing anew.