Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Utopia
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Kim Juncheol shouted loudly.
"We're moving to land!"
-Alpha, receiving.
-Romeo, receiving.
-Bravo, receiving.
-Delta, receiving.
The boats revved their motors, ready to go.
The late-arriving cruise ship pulled up behind the line of boats.
On the deck, Kim Jeongjae—drenched in blood from head to toe—stood with his arms crossed, glaring at me.
‘……That cruise ship is done for too.’
Just seeing his face made a short curse slip out.
The other players and NPCs probably hadn't noticed. But once that cruise ship arrived, everyone would see hell.
Why?
Because the people inside that cruise ship by now were probably……
Vrooooom—!
The boats all shot forward through the water in unison, leaving the cruise ship behind.
As we headed toward land, I said to Major Kim Juncheol.
"Major Kim Juncheol."
"Yes, sir."
"The man on the deck of that cruise ship. Be careful around him."
"……You mean the man in the black coat?"
"Yes."
I said it for one simple reason.
Kim Jeongjae was a vicious piece of trash who attacked players and NPCs just for the fun of it.
The round was over, so there was no reason to fight him.
Still, it left a bad feeling.
"Can I treat him as an enemy?"
"Yes. Just don't attack first. No need to pick a fight if he doesn't start one. Keep your guard up, and you'll be fine."
"……Understood."
It wasn't long before we reached the Han River Park on the opposite side from where we'd launched.
The soldiers disembarked quickly in the order the boats docked, forming ranks.
I tried to get off with them, but an invisible transparent wall blocked my path.
Thud!
"……There's one here too. Sora, hang on a sec."
"Okay."
The soldiers in goblin masks disembarked one by one.
The soldiers fanned out in a semicircle, swiftly searching the area.
Having used up all their bullets, they all carried silvery longswords.
Once the search was complete, a soldier reported the situation, and Major Kim Juncheol shouted.
-Everyone, disembark!
As he called out, the barrier blocking us vanished.
I got off the boat first and offered my hand to Yoo Sora.
"Here."
"Thanks."
She smiled brightly as she stepped off the boat. Losing her balance from the rushing water, she stumbled forward right into my arms.
I cleared my throat awkwardly and helped her up.
"Be careful."
"S-Sorry. I didn't realize it was so slippery."
"It's fine."
I made an embarrassed face.
I'd always been awkward around women since I was a kid, so situations like this weren't familiar.
-Ahem.
[System Message.]
[All players, please stand by for a moment.]
All the players who'd gotten off the boats gathered in one spot.
A transparent rectangular barrier had trapped us there.
Locked inside, we just exchanged glances, saying nothing.
Even Jeongwoo and I stayed quiet.
We didn't want to reveal our plans in front of the high school girl group or the gangster player.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Michael sidled up next to me.
I hoped he'd stay quiet, but he whispered like he was sharing a secret.
"Cheonjae Kim."
"Speak."
"Wanna eat caramel~?"
My eyes lit up.
Caramel was one of my all-time favorite desserts.
"Yeah, sure."
"Ooh. Here you go~. Korean caramel."
"Thanks. I love caramel."
I couldn't help but smile.
Michael pulled a yellow caramel from his pocket.
It looked familiar yet had a wrapper I'd never seen.
"……Yeot?"
"Yes. Korean caramel. This is yeot. Eat yeot~."
"You little……."
Yoo Sora beamed and stuck to my side.
"Oh! Give me some yeot too."
"Ooh, Sora likes caramel too~?"
"Yes!"
Michael pulled another piece from his bag.
"Eat yeot."
"……Your speech got shorter there."
"Sorry~. I'm a foreigner…… But not everything's short~. I have long ones too~."
"……Ah. Okay."
We all popped yeot in our mouths and quietly watched the NPCs.
[Happiness +1 increased.]
Huh?
Caramel had this effect?
News to me. Though it was a useless stat here, so no need to eat a ton.
"They're coming!"
A shout came from a goblin-masked soldier.
Several soldiers moved to where the cruise ship was docking.
Vrooooom—
The cruise ship slammed its bow into the shore.
Boom!
And climbed right up onto land.
No pier, and the helmsman clearly wasn't used to driving it.
Kim Jeongjae on the deck didn't waver in the slightest.
As expected of the strongest NPC with all stats at 99.
He leaped off the cruise ship, coat billowing.
Flutter.
Thud!
As he landed, Major Kim Juncheol greeted him.
"Good work."
"……."
Kim Jeongjae didn't reply and walked right past him.
Given his usual behavior, he might've attacked the other NPCs.
Thanks to the 'caution' I'd asked Major Kim Juncheol to take, no fight broke out.
With so many soldiers waiting with longswords, even he wouldn't dare rush in.
I let out a sigh of relief.
Jeongwoo, who knew the situation, exhaled deeply too.
Surprisingly, the gangster let out a sigh at the exact same time.
As if he knew the guy.
Kim Jeongjae was definitely from the late-game story in Land of Ruin.
Did that guy know about him?
Coincidence?
Or did he really know who he was?
I didn't know for sure, but he was dangerous either way.
Once Kim Jeongjae was gone, the rectangular barrier around us disappeared.
I took the lead and said to Jeongwoo.
"Finally, Utopia."
"Just the beginning. Let's eat first once we're in. I'm starving."
"……How? We'll head straight underground once we enter."
"Underground…… Oh! Right…… Sub-level."
"Just endure one day. Hang in there a bit longer."
Yoo Sora glanced around at the others and pressed close to my side.
"Cheonjae, do you smell blood……?"
"Blood?"
She was right.
A thick scent of blood rode the wind straight into my nose.
I'd been too focused on Kim Jeongjae to notice.
"Major Kim Juncheol!"
The major turned his head toward me.
"You called?"
"Can you check inside the cruise ship?"
He nodded.
He'd probably been about to anyway, since none of the passengers had gotten off.
Led by Major Kim Juncheol, the soldiers entered the cruise ship.
"……."
A few seconds after they went in.
A shout rang out.
-Damn it!!
Major Kim Juncheol emerged onto the deck, his face twisted in rage like a goblin mask.
"Damn! Damn!! DAMN—!!!"
The players cautiously gathered near the cruise ship.
"Major, what happened?"
"That…… the man you mentioned……. Hoo…… See for yourselves inside."
I nodded and went in. A scene of brutal slaughter greeted me.
Yoo Sora, unable to bear the stench of blood, covered her nose. Seeing the bodies, she started retching.
Michael took her outside.
Most people seemed killed in one strike, bodies split in half.
All the refugee NPCs and monk players were dead.
Major Kim Juncheol ground his teeth at the massacre.
I approached him from behind.
"Major."
"……Speak."
"The man's name is Kim Jeongjae. Don't forget it."
"Kim Jeongjae…… Damn…… I'll…… remember."
* * * * *
Once Kim Jeongjae was gone, the NPCs started marching toward the next village.
We followed behind them.
Past the promenade, heading into the apartment complex.
Another invisible barrier blocked our path.
The NPCs passed right through without issue.
Major Kim Juncheol, walking ahead, turned back to me.
"Why aren't you coming?"
"……Go on ahead."
"Come with us."
I touched the transparent wall and told him.
"I'll catch up soon."
"Then…… is it okay if we go first?"
"Yes."
Major Kim Juncheol saluted us all, then marched forward.
And so, we parted ways with the goblin-masked soldiers.
Yoo Sora waved her hand high. The high school girl players waved too. Guess we'd gotten close to them somehow.
I shook my head and led everyone else to another spot.
The high school girl group and the gangster player followed behind us.
I turned to them.
"Why are you following?"
The gangster glanced at Yoo Sora's face, then answered me.
"I'm just going my own way."
"……."
"Move. Then I'll go first."
He shoved my shoulder and walked ahead. He seemed to know the way, so he'd definitely played Land of Ruin before.
To think someone that scary was playing the same game as me.
I'd have been in big trouble if I'd tangled with him.
Jeongwoo chuckled and tapped my hand.
"Hey. That guy's super scary."
"His stats are high too."
"How do you know?"
I rolled my shoved shoulder and showed Jeongwoo.
"Look."
Just a light palm push, and it was swollen bright red.
Unbelievable.
Not like he'd slapped me. Not like he'd pressed hard.
Just a casual shove to get me out of the way.
Early in the game, levels weren't high yet, so he must have a special class giving him those abilities.
Whatever it was.
Seeing my wound, Yoo Sora came close.
"Oh no! Cheonjae, you okay?"
"Yeah. Just a little swollen."
"Want a blue injection?"
"Nah, not that bad. Save your mana."
"Oh……."
"Sora, do you know that guy by any chance? Seemed like he glanced at your face earlier."
"No!"
Yoo Sora licked her upper lip.
‘……What’s that about.’
I rubbed my shoulder to loosen it and started walking again.
Ignoring the high school girls.
We reached the middle of the apartment complex.
A massive, grotesque wooden door that looked like it led to where demons lived.
In the center, a liquid like mercury swirled wildly.
The gangster player went in first.
We stood in front of the door and talked.
"Michael, keep your words to a minimum. Don't stir up trouble with chit-chat."
"Got it~."
I looked at Yoo Sora.
"Sora, just do whatever they tell you. Nothing special."
Yoo Sora nodded.
Finally, I talked to Jeongwoo.
"You, just cool your temper. No fighting other guys until we're all together."
"I'll try."
"Try my ass? Fight if you wanna die."
Jeongwoo mocked Michael's accent sarcastically.
"Don't wanna die~. Cheonjae short~."
"Shut up, you punk."
Jeongwoo laughed hard and hung on my back. Pretending to play around, he whispered in my ear.
Just two words.
"Yoo Sora. Liar."
I looked at Jeongwoo's face.
He put a finger to his lips, then got off my back.
Then headed for the gate.
"Hey, Kim Cheonjae, hurry up. Sora, first time here, right?"
Yoo Sora's eyes darted in panic, then she nodded.
"Yes."
After answering, she avoided my gaze and licked her upper lip again.
Her behavior was suspicious, but I just watched quietly.
Suspicion without evidence was just conspiracy theory.
Even if it came from a close friend, I had to observe the situation.
Neutral, rational judgment was the basics of survival here.
Once ready, we entered the gate one by one.
Ma Jeongwoo.
Michael.
Yoo Sora.
And finally.
Me.
I put my hand into the gate's swirling liquid first.
Strange sensation.
Like passing through cool water. Slowly pushing my face in, I saw the other side.
Tried to pull back, but impossible.
Only forward.
I shoved my whole body through the gate.
And arrived where ochre winds blew.
"……Utopia."
The village of ruin that handled the early and late-game story of this game.
[Ruined Village]
Finally, we'd reached the center.
Login: The Apocalypse