Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 42
Chapter Title: Rewards of the Yulturen Ruins
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“Whoa, what’s that?”
The moment they stepped outside the door, Paeng made a huge fuss.
And for good reason—a beautiful cluster of lights stretched out before them, like an entire galaxy shrunk down to size.
“It’s an energy generator made by the Yulturen race. In our terms, you could call it a space core.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s basically a generator that gathers cosmic energy and converts it into usable power.”
“Sounds like a cheap explanation.”
“I don’t fully understand Yulturen tech myself.”
“I see.”
“Yeah.”
After the exchange, Geon-woo ordered Kamalro to activate the core.
The soul of Kamalro inside the orb then commanded the core to start up.
In the current situation, Kamalro was the only Yulturen soul in the ruins capable of issuing proper commands.
Thanks to that, the core obeyed the highest authority holder, Kamalro.
Chiiiiiing! Chiiiing!
“Whoaaa!”
= My lord!
As preparations for core activation began, the full shape of the core room came into view.
The hemispherical space turned fully transparent below, completing a perfect sphere, and starfields appeared across its walls.
Those starfields on the walls then began interacting with the galaxy-shaped core in the center.
“Let’s step back.”
Geon-woo had found info that the central galaxy would expand depending on activation level, so he retreated.
Woooooong! Charrrrrlk!
Silver threads like spiderwebs connected from the wall’s light clusters to the central galaxy core.
Geon-woo could feel energy flowing through those lines into the core.
“Perfect. Now let’s go.”
Confirming it, Geon-woo turned away without lingering.
The door they’d just closed reopened.
“Huh? Where are you going?”
Paeng asked.
“We’ve secured the energy to move the ruins, so now we use it.”
“Nothing here worth taking?”
“What, you wanna rip out the core room?”
“Wouldn’t work, huh?”
“If it would, you think I’d back off like this?”
Geon-woo bantered with Paeng as they reentered the elevator, and moments later, a flash of light teleported them elsewhere.
“Yulturen civilization was incredibly advanced. But enjoying its benefits required energy.”
“So that’s why you fired up the core?”
“Yep.”
“Where to now?”
“Honestly, almost nothing made with Yulturen tech is usable for us. Their stuff is built around syncing with their own souls and civilization tools from the ground up.”
“What’s that mean? Like, without a Yulturen soul, you can’t use Yulturen gear?”
“Exactly.”
“Then what’s the point of coming here? Cheonsuwan’s crew too? Even the demons didn’t know?”
Paeng asked, baffled.
“No clue about Cheonsuwan’s side—how much they knew coming in. But the demons? Different story because of this.”
Geon-woo held up the soul-preservation device containing Kamalro’s soul.
“Oh, right. Demons have Yulturen souls, so they figured they could grab something here with that?”
“That was the plan.”
“Was?”
“Now the ruins answer to this guy, so other souls won’t have much pull. Sure, basic rights or whatever—they can’t restrict those.”
“Complicated. What’s ‘basic rights’?”
“Yulturen had almost no discrimination; they didn’t oppress each other. Even a city lord couldn’t interfere with a Yulturen’s basic life.”
“So Cheonsuwan’s goons or demon bastards could still snag something from the ruins?”
“Little things, maybe. Getting it out? Whole other issue.”
With the space core activated, the ruins’ defenses had come online.
The site was now shielded by a powerful spatial barrier.
Problem was, it blocked outgoing traffic too.
So even if they grabbed something here, nothing was leaving for Onviroad without Geon-woo’s say-so.
User logouts didn’t work either.
“So where are we now?”
Paeng asked Geon-woo as they exited the newly opened elevator doors.
“Everything Yulturen made is useless without a Yulturen soul.”
“You said that.”
“But they did trade with other races and sometimes gifted them stuff.”
“Gifts? So they had ways to let other races use their gear?”
“Spot on. This is like a procedure room for that.”
“Procedure?”
“A place that links other races’ souls to Yulturen treasures. And preps those treasures too.”
“The gift room, huh?”
“You got it.”
“What kinda gifts we talking?”
Paeng knew zilch about Yulturen, but he’d heard they had the power to shatter dimensions in their final stand against demons.
A race that could do the unimaginable from Earth’s perspective.
So how insane were their treasures?
“Let’s see.”
Geon-woo approached one wall, which turned transparent like metal glass, revealing display cases inside.
Most items in the grid spaces—big and small—were palm-sized metal discs.
“What are those?”
Paeng sounded disappointed, like they were toys.
“Kinda like proliferative metal? Some in there unfold into carrier-sized starships.”
“St-starships?”
“Yeah, but not for us.”
“Why not?!”
“Soul can’t handle it. Level gap, basically.”
“So even here, restrictions on what I can use?”
“Yeah. Which is why this’d suit you.”
Geon-woo reached into one grid shelf; a small black-shiny disc floated slowly into his hand.
“Wh-what’s that?”
Paeng’s voice mixed excitement and nerves.
“Armor.”
Geon-woo tossed it to him.
“Huh?”
Paeng caught it easily despite looking flustered.
“Go stand over there. It’ll sync it up for you.”
Geon-woo pointed; a new pillar of light appeared—particles coalescing.
“Inside that?”
“Yeah. It’ll link to your soul. Then it’ll work anywhere—Onviroad, Earth, avatar or real body.”
“To my soul? Safe, right?”
“No side effects. Just go! Gotta do you first, then me.”
Urged by Geon-woo, Paeng hesitated but took the disc and stepped into the light pillar.
“Stay still. Starting now.”
As Geon-woo warned him, Kamalro activated the device on command.
Ziiiiing!
“Hrngh...!”
Paeng’s eyes rolled back; he shuddered, making weird noises.
Seconds later, the light pillar vanished, and Paeng collapsed like a deflated balloon.
= Is he alright?
Ilryeong asked Geon-woo, worried.
“No issue. Yulturen treasure merged with his soul—shock from that. He’ll wake stronger.”
= I see.
“Now you, Ilryeong.”
= M-me?
Ilryeong pointed at herself in shock, like she hadn’t seen it coming.
“These are the pinnacle of Yulturen civilization. Every piece reacts to and works with souls.”
= So even a spirit like me can use Yulturen treasures?
“Some limits, but one’s useful.”
Geon-woo pulled a gold-and-silver twisted disc from another shelf—similar size to Paeng’s.
= I go in there too?
Ilryeong eyed the new light pillar smartly.
Geon-woo nodded, sending the disc in first.
Steel ing herself, Ilryeong flew into the pillar.
And.
Ziiiiiiiing.
= Hya... My lord... I feel... it...
Thud!
Ilryeong hit the floor, unable to withstand the shock, just like Paeng.
Geon-woo nodded at the sight.
“Definitely materialized.”
He’d heard her hit the ground.
Pure spirit? No sound. But there was impact—proof she now had a body.
“Alright, my turn?”
Geon-woo eyed the wall-filling grid shelves.
Greed said bind these treasures to his jiangshi spirits too.
But even a city lord had limits on clan treasures.
Kamalro could only claim two here.
He’d used them on Paeng and Ilryeong.
“So nothing for me to take. But...”
Something bigger.
Geon-woo recalled it from Kamalro’s memories.
As the ruins’ sole authority, Kamalro could claim it.
‘Kamalro, let’s begin.’
Geon-woo commanded.
Paeng and Ilryeong needed time to recover.
He could finish his own procedure first.
Chiiiiiing!
Kamalro created another light pillar on Geon-woo’s order.
“Yes! It worked?!”
Geon-woo cheered at the pillar.
He’d believed, but it could’ve been denied.
Kamalro used top authority to request the procedure for Geon-woo, then approved it via his old councilor status.
Kamalro requested, Kamalro approved—but formally, council greenlit top authority’s ask.
Thus, Geon-woo got his desired procedure.
“Awesome! Let’s do this! Hooo...”
Geon-woo deep-breathed and stepped in.
Right after, Kamalro performed the Yulturen secret technique as ordered.
* * *
= Whoa, whoa. So I can materialize in any form I want?
‘Careful—once set, no changes. Pick something you love first time...’
= Obviously my old family look. No issue.
‘Right. Tip: Set form fully clothed, and you’re stuck that way. So...’
= Naked for initial state?
‘Who said naked? Minimal clothes you can swap later. Frees up wardrobe changes.’
= Underwear only... Got it.
‘Why the sly look?’
= No reason. Just thought primal form best.
‘Do you. Prep change clothes, don’t forget.’
= Yes, my lord. Thank you.
‘Gift hits right, huh? Your ladylike tone’s dragging on.’
= Hehe.
Ilryeong laughed off Geon-woo’s jab. He turned to Paeng, finally stirring.
“Insane. Freaking insane. This exists?!”
Awakening, Paeng instinctively grasped his new soul-bound gear and marveled endlessly.