Chapter 43: Preparations for Flight
Chapter 43: Preparations for Flight
The cities of the Hall Plain were structured like a spiderweb. Though the cities on each continent were in different locations, they all performed similar yet distinct roles. Viewed individually, they might seem to be operating separately, but from a broader perspective, it wasn't wrong to say they were organically linked, each fulfilling a necessary function for the others.
The Northern Continent, where my party and I were, also had numerous cities. With the metropolis of Barbara at its center, four general cities were situated in the cardinal directions: Prinsica to the east, Halo to the west, Khan to the south, and Pamela to the north. Each of these cities, in turn, had two smaller cities under its jurisdiction, extending diagonally, creating a network of mutual support.
To be more specific, the eastern city of Prinsica oversaw the small cities of Eden to the northeast and Dana to the southeast. The western city of Halo had Dorothy to the northwest and Bess to the southwest. The southern city of Khan had Coran to the southeast and Monica to the southwest. And the northern city of Pamela had Mule to the northeast and Montana to the northwest.
One metropolis. Four general cities. Eight small cities. The clans managing these cities sometimes did so jointly, like the Southern Free Alliance, a coalition of mid-sized clans that had founded the southern city of Khan. Generally, however, it was correct to assume that a single representative clan managed each city.
As I mentioned, the clan managing a city has a duty to perform a role befitting its location. This would be unthinkable on the Western Continent, which championed endless freedom, but the Northern Continent was dominated by the Golden Lion Clan, the single most powerful faction, which made such a system possible.
For example, the southern cities of Khan, Coran, and Monica had made it their current policy to conquer the Steel Mountains, the gateway to the Central Continent. In other words, they served as a forward base for the advance.
Conversely, the northern city of Pamela and its subordinate cities, Mule and Montana, bordered an unexplored region. It was a known fact that a metropolis called Atlanta lay just a step beyond the Steel Mountains, but no one yet had the strength to capture it. The northern unexplored region, on the other hand, was truly an unknown territory.
Pamela, along with Mule and Montana at the northernmost tip, was responsible for guarding the unexplored region and stabilizing the surrounding area. Their role had originally included exploration and conquest as well, but I seemed to recall an instructor saying those activities were currently prohibited. More importantly, the information Kim Hanbyul had given me that night confirmed that the event I remembered would soon occur.
Initially, I had planned to go to the small northern city of Montana, but I decided to change our destination to Mule. There were several factors behind this change, but the biggest reason was, without a doubt, Ahn Hyun.
I couldn't recall the details clearly, but I remembered hearing that a rare spear-related class, the Aura Spearman, had been discovered in a cave in Mule. Of course, I didn't know the specifics of where or how it was obtained. Still, if we could acquire a Rare Class, it would be a massive boost to our strength, so I thought it was worth investigating.
“Our first destination will be Mule.”
At the mention of the small city of Mule, puzzled expressions appeared on everyone's faces. They seemed surprised that we were heading to a small city when all the other Users were active in metropolises or general cities. Ahn Hyun, curious about the reason, asked me with an inquisitive look.
“Hyung. Isn't Mule at the northernmost tip? I also heard it's the most recently pioneered city, so the surrounding area is dangerous. Because of that, Vagabonds appear frequently, and it's supposed to be risky unless you've built up some skill.”
Ahn Hyun wasn't wrong—at least, not from a conventional point of view. I wanted him to learn to judge the larger flow of the Hall Plain, but that required time and experience. Still, I was pleased that he had thought this far, so I reached out and patted his head. Ahn Hyun looked up blankly but did not brush my hand away.
To explain why Mule was the right destination, I first had to describe the Golden Lion Clan's current movements. Ahn Hyun and Lee Yoojung had already picked up enough of the atmosphere and rumors that it did not take long. Remembering that Sol had been quiet, I turned and found her staring at my hand on Ahn Hyun's head. I hurriedly lowered it.
Before advancing to Atlanta beyond the Steel Mountains, there were numerous problems within the Northern Continent that had to be resolved. There were many factors, but they could all be summed up in a single word: Stabilization. Had all the surrounding monsters been cleared? Were there any dangerous areas within their sphere of influence? Were there any unconquered territories? And finally, could they prevent interference from Vagabonds in advance?
Stabilization was a word with profound meaning in the Hall Plain. If a continent under one's control was perfectly stabilized, one could rally their forces again even if an expedition failed. In other words, it was only wise to attempt an advance on the Central Continent after building a solid foundation. The problem was that every User had a wildly different opinion on what stabilization entailed.
The fall of a clan once called the strongest on the entire continent. The Golden Lion Clan had made a decision that was far too hasty. There were still newly pioneered cities like Mule, and the Northern Continent could hardly be called stable, even by the most generous of standards. Nevertheless, they were preparing for an expedition as if something was chasing them.
Thinking back to my first run, I clicked my tongue inwardly. Their inadequate stabilization policy had been one of the main causes of their failure. The only major policy they had carried out before the expedition was a large-scale battle in the western city of Halo, where the Golden Lion Clan and the SSUN Clan—Halo’s representative clan—fought the Vagabonds.
But they had been too complacent. Vagabonds were called such because they were scattered in cells and wandered from place to place. They had the resilience of cockroaches, so a single victory was no reason to let one's guard down. Despite this, they popped the champagne early and marched straight into the Steel Mountains. And that complacency brought about a disastrous result.
As I recalled the timing, the first expedition to the Steel Mountains would take place roughly six months after I entered the Hall Plain. Considering the thirteen weeks that had passed at the User Academy, that meant there were about three months left until the expedition. Even factoring in the time it would take for the expedition to return and for the various clans to gauge the situation, we had about 100 days. During that period, I needed to establish a foothold and build up our strength as much as possible.
In that respect, the small northern cities of Mule and Montana were perfect for my plan. In fact, as part of the preparations for the expedition, there were already subtle signs of a crackdown on Vagabonds. Any User with sharp senses would be able to tell that the clouds of war were slowly gathering over the Northern Continent.
I figured the Vagabonds would also be retreating deeper into the shadows, moving stealthily. Before they could be picked off one by one, they would likely gather and wait for an opportunity to rise up from the Western Continent. Assuming my predictions were correct, the coming storm would hit the west and south. With the balance of power shifting in that direction, the east and north would be relatively safe from their threat.
“There’s little for us to gain around the famous cities. I wouldn’t call them completely conquered, but they’ve already been extensively developed. There are more Users, fiercer competition, and established clans in place, so we’d face plenty of difficulties.”
“But I’ve heard it from you too, Hyung. A large-scale expedition might happen soon.”
I immediately shook my head at Ahn Hyun’s words. We had no qualifications to join the expedition. Rather than become the shrimp whose back was broken in a fight between whales, it was far better to start at the bottom and climb one steady, certain step at a time.
“Who can guarantee that the expedition will succeed? Take Barbara, the city we’re in now. It took four years of preparation and countless sacrifices to pioneer this place. Crossing the Steel Mountains will obviously be harder than conquering Barbara, so I don’t think the same four years of preparation will be enough.”
“Hmm… really? Hearing you say it makes it sound plausible.”
“Oppa. Does that mean there's still a lot to gain in Mule?”
Even after my explanation, the kids didn't seem to have completely let go of the idea. I understood their confidence, having just graduated from the User Academy at the top of their class, but this was something I absolutely could not allow. I put more force into my voice as I continued.
“Don't worry about the Vagabonds. Right now, both the existing Users and the Vagabonds are focused on the upcoming expedition. And I heard that pioneering in Mule has stalled because Users are suddenly leaving. The more they give up and leave, the more opportunities there are for us.”
Naturally, I could not tell them everything, so I had to mix in speculative phrases such as “it will probably happen this way.” I knew the future and could speak with conviction, but whether the kids would accept it was another matter. I studied their faces seriously.
Ahn Hyun considered my words with a grave expression, and Lee Yoojung also seemed deep in thought. As for Ahn Sol, who had been quiet for a while… What was this? Why was she pouting at me? Was she upset about something? I smacked my lips and looked away. At that moment, Lee Yoojung raised her head and spoke in an unusually serious voice.
“Oppa.”
“Yeah.”
“I have a question. So… can I ask?”
“Of course. Go ahead.”
I thought my explanation had been detailed enough to leave no room for questions, but apparently I had missed something. In any case, it was far better for them to be curious or voice their own opinions, as Ahn Hyun had, than to obey blindly, so I nodded readily.
As soon as I gave permission, Lee Yoojung scooted close and gently took my hand. Instead of asking her question, she started fooling around. When I silently watched her, she brought my captured hand to her mouth. Her lips parted, revealing straight white teeth. And then…
“Nom.”
Lee Yoojung bit my hand while giving me a provocative look.
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
My expression, along with Ahn Hyun's and Ahn Sol's, instantly hardened.
“Yoo tol’ me to ashk,” she mumbled around my hand. “Sho I bit.”
I stared down in disbelief at Lee Yoojung, who was grinning with my hand still in her mouth. A moment later, she burst into giggles and gently released it. Ahn Hyun looked at her as if she were pathetic, while Ahn Sol glanced around in embarrassment.
I was pretending to remain calm, but I was irritated. We were in the middle of an important discussion about our journey, and she pulled a stunt like this. For a moment, I wondered whether the crazy bitch had lost her mind. During my first run—or if another User, Lee Jiyoung for example, had done this—I would have scowled immediately. But this was Lee Yoojung.
I had been watching her for a while now. Her personality was such that she had a pathological hatred for people she disliked, with Park Donggeol being the prime example. By the same token, I knew this was how she showed affection (?) to people she liked, so I managed to swallow the anger rising in my throat. Still, I felt the need to teach her to distinguish between the time and place for such things. As if sensing my mood, Ahn Hyun spoke up in a chiding tone before I could.
“Hey. How can you act like that while Hyung is talking about something important?”
“Sorry. I'm really sorry. Ah, Oppa, I'm so sorry. But your face was so serious, I just couldn't help myself.”
“Of course I'm serious. This is a matter of life and death.”
When Ahn Hyun retorted with a sullen expression, Lee Yoojung glared at him and continued. For some reason, she seemed to be in a good mood.
“Back at the training center, whenever we asked, you’d only say you were thinking. I never knew you were considering all of this. Honestly, I couldn’t even begin to think about this stuff… but we decided to follow you from the start, right? Anyway, I’m all for it.”
Ahn Hyun hummed in agreement with Lee Yoojung's words and nodded. He then muttered to himself, “Well, it's not like you would have thought of this,” only to get a swift kick to the shin from her. Ahn Hyun glared at her with simmering eyes, but when Lee Yoojung glared back, he clicked his tongue, looked away, and turned his gaze to me.
“After hearing you out, Hyung, I agree that we should go to Mule. So how do you plan to get there? It’s in the far north, so walking would take a while.”
I felt a sense of relief. Ahn Hyun's normal question seemed to have returned our slightly derailed atmosphere to its original state. I sighed inwardly and answered in a calm voice.
“The sooner we get there, the better. We're probably not the only Users with this idea. The fewer competitors, the better. Some less-skilled Users might give up on the expedition and come to the unexplored regions. So let's use the Warp Gate.”
Every city had a Warp Gate. The fee was calculated based on distance, so the closer the destination, the cheaper it was. Since Mule was at the northernmost tip, the standard price would probably be around 2 Gold per person. (1 Gold = 100 Silver = 10,000 Bronze.)
At my words, Ahn Hyun spoke with an uneasy expression.
“I heard the Warp Gate is expensive…”
My reflexive response was, You received your weekly pay, didn’t you? But I paused to organize my thoughts before continuing.
“I heard that pioneer cities offer a discount on Warp Gate fees as part of a policy to attract more Users. There are rumors it'll end soon because of the situation, but it should still be active for now. You all saved up some of your weekly pay, right?”
At my question, the three of them looked at one another. Don’t tell me they spent it all. No, there wasn’t even anything to spend it on. While I, a man with 1,000 Gold, worried about something so silly, the kids exchanged looks and laughed at the same time. For a moment I wondered whether they had all gone mad, but then Lee Yoojung thrust a hand toward me. She was holding a bundle of pouches.
As I took them, bewildered, Lee Yoojung said in a cheerful voice.
“This is all the money Hyun, Sol, and I saved from our weekly pay. It should come to about 7 Gold and 80 Silver.”
“…Why am I managing this? It's your money.”
“Not ‘your money.’ Our money.”
Lee Yoojung corrected me at once. Beside her, Ahn Hyun looked awkward before adding his support.
“We thought it would be better for you to manage it, Hyung, than for each of us to keep it separately.”
“And I’m a terrible impulse buyer.” Lee Yoojung slipped the comment in like a garnish and stuck out her tongue. For a moment, I could only stare blankly at the kids. When I met their eyes, a fresh emotion I had never experienced before welled up inside me. The unfamiliar feeling swirled within me. I forced it back down, tossed the pouches into the air, and caught them again—a meaningless gesture.
Still, the gold coins felt heavier than usual in my palm.