Chapter 190

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Chapter 190: The Seven Lords (3)

He went out on inspection with Amteron.

Guild members were selling equipment at stalls lining the streets.

The price was reasonable, with only a 10% profit margin on top of the material cost. The quality and price were incomparable to other equipment shops, so the popularity was immense.

Just then.

A lion-headed beastman with a platinum badge approached a stall.

“Wow, these items are killer! Give me everything here.”

“Customer, you need to follow the rules. There’s also a purchase limit per person.”

“….Can’t you see this?”

The lion-head showed his platinum identification badge with a menacing expression.

In the 9th District, a platinum badge meant you were a high-ranking noble.

To the extent that you could get away with a certain amount of abuse without anyone daring to speak up. But the guild members weren’t intimidated at all.

Thump!

Thump!

A large Minotaur and an Ogre.

They were district heads who had survived the previous battle. Their status, befitting the heads of top guilds, was also platinum.

It was by no means low.

“Hey, lion head. Got a problem?”

“….No, I just like the items.”

“So what if you like them? You gonna buy them without waiting in line?”

Crack.

The lion-head hurriedly backed away in front of the two district heads, who were cracking their knuckles with fierce faces.

“Please wait in line. There are plenty of items!”

“Even if you don’t have Marks, come and see the items first! We offer rentals and installments! Just sign a contract and the premium equipment is yours! We also sell houses! We have pictures of the houses here, so feel free to look!”

A warm smile spread across his face as he saw the district heads working hard as if it were their own business. He gave them 1% of the sales, and they were working this hard.

He approached the two district heads.

“Ah, Guild Master!”

“Are the items selling well?”

“Oh, we can’t keep up with the demand. We’re lending them out, letting people pay in installments… so there’s no reason for them not to buy.”

“How about the houses?”

“We’ve closed 100 contracts today. But, Guild Master, if I may be so bold as to say something…”

The Minotaur looked at him cautiously. Despite being a level 1,000 powerhouse with a platinum badge, he was very polite.

“Go ahead.”

“Installments and rentals seem like a revolutionary method. Since there’s a contract, the risk is low. But… Do we need to do that even for the dropouts? There’s a high chance they won’t be able to pay it back.”

Dropouts.

They were residents without any identification badges.

They were people who came to the Heavenly City without sponsorship certificates, usually survivors who were brought in when their planets were destroyed.

It was like Noah’s Ark, the way the Heavenly City gathered survivors from each planet.

Since they were brought in without identification badges, their living conditions were extremely poor.

They didn’t even have the initial 4-pyeong house. They couldn’t receive quests.

And except for a few, they weren’t very strong.

This was because most of the people who survived until the end on each planet were not those who fought to the end, but those who fled.

That’s why the treatment of dropouts wasn’t good. From the 8th District upwards, there were hardly any dropouts, but the lowest District, the 9th District, was different.

More than half the population were dropouts.

These people repeatedly took on daily labor and disrupted the city’s peace.

Even those with the lowest bronze badges enjoyed a heavenly life compared to the dropouts.

“Cowhead.”

“Yes, Guild Master.”

“What did your brother say?”

“He said you’re saving the city.”

“Right. But if more than half the population are vagrants, can the city really be saved?”

“Th-that’s… But the dropouts are no different from losers. Even if we give them good equipment and houses, they’ll never fight.”

“That’s all prejudice. They might be even more determined not to miss this opportunity because they’re desperate.”

Those who weren’t desperate had signed contracts, so they could be kicked out. It was as simple as taking back the equipment and houses and giving them to someone else.

The cost per contract was a bit high, but if it was included in the installment interest, it wouldn’t be impossible to make them sign.

“Think about it. If these dropouts work hard to gather materials and sell them at the rest stop to circulate Marks, wouldn’t that benefit us too?”

The Heavenly City was the source of Marks. If you sold materials at the shops run by the Heavenly City, they would give you Marks.

‘I don’t know if it’s infinite, but I’ve heard they’ve been paying out consistently so far.’

With the Marks obtained this way, he could buy construction materials and develop the city.

As the Heavenly City’s printing press turned, he could prosperously develop the city as long as he could uplift the vagrants.

That’s why he was giving equipment and houses to the homeless.

The houses were built by the undead, so they only cost materials, with no labor costs.

The same went for the equipment.

So, was there any reward for him?

There was.

Whether it was installments or rentals.

There was one thing in common.

He received 2% of the income.

For installments, it was for 10 years.

For rentals, it was until the item was returned.

This wasn’t entirely a loss for the buyers. To buy such equipment outright, you had to have a very high status. In exchange for giving them a chance to recover, he would gain a source of income that he could roll for life.

Since they signed a contract, there was no way for them to evade it.

The items sold were settled once every seven days. The first settlement had already arrived, and moreover…

[You have saved the life of the dropout ‘Gobmong’!]

[You have saved the life of the dropout ‘Mongmong’!]

[You have demolished the slums and created a new residential area!]

[The 9th District is developing!]

[Merit Points awarded!]

As he distributed equipment and stimulated the economy, Merit Points started pouring in.

And it was…

‘Quite a lot.’

He had earned 200 points from the battle with the Hamorn Guild and 1,000 points from absorbing the top 10 guilds.

But now, on the 10th day?

He had received a whopping 30,000 Merit Points. It meant that developing the city and improving the quality of life for its residents was also considered an achievement in the Heavenly City.

And a considerably high achievement at that.

‘It makes sense.’

Around the 1st District, improving the lives of residents could definitely be a significant benefit.

But the 9th District was different.

It was just a stopover.

It was a place where investing heavily would be a burden.

Most people wouldn’t have done this.

No, they couldn’t have.

They wouldn’t have free labor in the form of summoned creatures. But for Kim Minwoo, it was a burden-free method.

‘Marks are being printed too.’

The Merit Points earned from improving the lives of residents and the Marks earned from installments and rentals were different concepts.

In other words, he was printing money via two routes.

‘The future looks bright.’

2% of the income.

[Translator – Prøks]

[Proofreader – Prøks]

If the residents had equipment and housing, their income would naturally increase.

The Fog Forest was overflowing with hybrids. It meant there were plenty of monsters to hunt.

“Just work hard, work hard. Then I’ll take care of you.”

“Yes! We’ll work hard!”

The Ogre and Minotaur shouted energetically. Kim Minwoo was definitely not a harsh master.

Even receiving 1% of the sales was quite a lucrative income. It was even better than hunting. If they just worked hard at attracting customers, there was no reason to dislike earning money without risk.

After looking around the sales areas,

He went to find Cedric.

—Put it there, there.

He was diligently directing the construction site. The architect whispered to Cedric, who then directed the Dullahan, who in turn directed the skeletons.

“Hey, Cedric.”

—You’re here.

“You’ve built a lot. Is the work going well?”

—…Well, it’s not difficult. My subordinates are smart. They’re learning construction well. How’s Merhen doing?

“He’s probably destroying the forest by now.”

While he had instructed Cedric to oversee construction, he had entrusted Merhen with gathering materials.

They needed all sorts of materials for infrastructure construction, such as wood, stone, and sand. They could buy them at the shop, but it was a waste to spend Marks on them.

This was when he had to use free labor.

Just then.

Cedric, who had been looking around, whispered quietly.

—Master. Something’s strange.

“What is it?”

—It’s hard to explain… but I feel a gaze. A prickling sensation. My instincts are warning me.

“….Someone’s watching?”

—It’s a guess. But a knight’s intuition is usually quite accurate.

His instincts wouldn’t be warning him about a street urchin watching.

That meant a powerful figure who could threaten Cedric was watching.

It was unlikely to be an overreaction, as this was the first time Cedric had said something like this.

He was also a veteran knight who had lived as a Dragon Knight for hundreds of years. His words were likely true.

‘Is there such a being in the 9th District?’

As far as Kim Minwoo knew, there wasn’t.

The best the 9th District had to offer were the top guilds. Those with greater potential and talent had already moved up a long time ago.

Amteron, who was standing next to him, also had a hardened expression.

“Is it Blood Wolf?”

“…Blood Wolf is known for his fiery temper. If he had come to the 9th District, this place would already be in chaos.”

If it wasn’t Blood Wolf, then was it a high-ranking member of the Red Flag?

He couldn’t be sure yet.

“Cedric, follow me. Leave the construction to Haeil.”

—Alright.

Cedric nodded and followed behind as a bodyguard.

With the Heart of the Legion, they could communicate telepathically. With him by his side, he wasn’t afraid even of a Seven Lord.

‘No, to be precise…’

He had taken out insurance, double and triple. He didn’t kill Blood Wolf’s brother for nothing. He did it because he had something to rely on.

He had a nuclear bomb, so to speak.

And in the worst-case scenario, if the Seven Lord turned out to be a monster far stronger than expected…

‘I’ll use the Rank Up Ticket.’

Originally, he planned to use it on a Mythical rank item, the ultimate endgame item.

But what could he do?

If the situation called for it, he would have to apply it to the nuclear bomb and detonate it.

That was far better than dying.

Even if it exploded within the city, it would only harm the Seven Lord, as it could clearly distinguish between friend and foe.

If he took down one of the Seven Lords?

The others wouldn’t dare to mess with him, even if they wanted to.

Because they wouldn’t know if there was another item like that.

With that in mind, he canceled Merhen’s summoning and called him back.

—Huh? Minwoo. Why did you call me?

“Do you sense any magic? I think someone’s hiding.”

—Magic? Hmm….

Merhen frowned.

A specialist in magic.

If the one hiding and watching was using magic to conceal themselves…

They couldn’t escape Merhen.

Just like now.

She extended her hand forward.

At that moment.

A strong wind started to blow, and the transparent space, where there had been nothing, began to melt away.

A figure emerged from that spot.

About 1.7 meters tall.

In contrast, the pitch-black wings on their back were incredibly large, exceeding 3 meters.

Scanty attire.

Two large horns, voluminous pink hair. Blue eyes shimmered like the sea.

Amteron gasped at the sight.

The seven rulers of the city.

Their appearances were all famous. The same went for Lilith, the Succubus Queen and Empress of Charm.

Two large horns, blue eyes. Pink hair and giant wings were her trademark.

He had heard of her in rumors and seen her in pictures.

Seeing the exact same figure, he couldn’t help but be shocked!

“Oh my god! It’s a Seven Lord, a Seven Lord!”

Amteron shouted to Kim Minwoo in a panic.

In contrast, Lilith, whose figure was forcibly revealed, seemed perfectly calm.

“Oh? How did he find me?”

She was in the middle of observing when,

Her location was suddenly exposed.

It wasn’t a high-level concealment spell, but its effectiveness depended on the user’s skill.

Lilith was a succubus, and concealment magic was a basic skill for succubi. But it had been instantly dispelled.

The sudden appearance of Lilith drew the attention of the residents on the street.

Just then,

The eyes under her robe turned pink.

“Everyone! Attention!”

[Affected by Charm Gaze (EX)…]

The residents stared blankly at Lilith. The power of charm didn’t discriminate against the undead. Merhen and Cedric also began to stare at her blankly.

The Succubus Queen’s charm.

It was a powerful spell that could instantly seize control of life and death.

Even knights with noble spirits, dragons who had lived for thousands of years, and even women couldn’t escape her charm.

She, who held everyone’s lives in her hands, gave an order.

“Forget everything you just saw.”

[Charm Command – Forgetfulness activated!]

Suddenly, Kim Minwoo’s vision turned red.

The intense magical energy emanating from Lilith began to invade his mind.

It was like a sweet, seductive touch.

A voice whispering deep within his soul, telling him to forget everything and submit to her.

Before he could even finish a thought, he felt himself being overwhelmed by a blind adoration for Lilith.

An irresistible force.

It felt like every single autonomic nerve in his body was being commanded by her. Kim Minwoo desperately bit his tongue.

Blood gushed out, and a salty taste filled his mouth.

This was closer to a mental attack.

It was a method often used by high-level monsters. In Gate Hunter, the only way to resist mental attacks was to focus your mind.

‘Something I’ve always done.’

He just had to endure it once.

In his fragmented consciousness, he began to search for something to hold onto.

Just then,

Something hot started to rise from the depths of his soul.

Something that even Lilith’s charm couldn’t break.

[Title, ‘Indomitable Spirit’ activated!]

[Encountering a massive mental attack!]

[Unrevealed effect triggered!]

[Resisting!]

Kim Minwoo’s eyes snapped open, burning red.

It felt like a tremendous force had exploded within him. His body, which had been frozen like a stone, gradually loosened up.

“Oh my! Did you just resist? My charm?”

Lilith looked surprised.

No one had ever completely overcome her charm before. Even the Seven Lords needed time to break free from her charm.

That’s how absolute Lilith’s power was in the realm of charm.

But the human in front of her was different. He had broken free from her charm in an instant. It was as if he had done in a moment what the Seven Lords took a long time to achieve.

No, she even felt that he might be something even greater.

The soul she had tightly grasped in her hand slipped away.

‘How high is his mental strength…?’

Lilith was shocked.

The small soul she had enslaved had already found its freedom and was leaving. A shadow sword was drawn.

[Using Shadow Movement (SS)…]

He instantly moved behind Lilith and stabbed with his sword.

Her eyes gleaming with interest, she blocked the sword with her long fingernails.

Clang!

Sparks flew with a sharp clang. Kim Minwoo frowned at the recoil he felt in his hand.

“Lilith, the Seven Lords. Is that right?”

“Don’t look at me like you’re going to kill me. I’m not used to that.”

Lilith’s demonic eyes shimmered.

[TL/N: Fews things to clear out: Merit Points is for Heavenly City and Achievement Point is for Earth. The Guild Name For the Heavenly City would be ‘Money Talks’ only. Will Confirm More Things as I get more context.]

[Translator – Prøks]

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