Chapter 29

[Translator – Night]

[Proofreader – Gun]

Chapter 29: Villain’s Battle (3)

After parting ways with Bag Merchant, Yeongwoo sped along the road faster than before.

He wanted to quickly confirm whether human trafficking was really taking place in this city.

Thud!

Passing several farms, rice fields, and barns, the surrounding scenery gradually transformed into a more urban environment.

A gas station appeared, followed by buildings covered in glass and a convenience store revealing itself.

At this point, Yeongwoo felt a tremendous sense of discomfort.

Ever since the convenience store appeared, people could be seen again, and they all raised their hands when they saw Yeongwoo, as if gesturing to call a taxi.

Moreover, they were all standing by the roadside as if there were some kind of rule.

‘What’s going on?’

Just from the ‘people raising their hands’ in his immediate line of sight, there were a whopping seven people.

Yeongwoo stopped in front of a man closest to him.

Before Yeongwoo could say anything, the man spoke first.

“Are you looking for someone?”

“Yes.”

“Well then, let me introduce myself first. I am Kim Taehong. Level 1, Karma 2,000. I can take care of seats, carrying luggage, collecting items… I can do anything within my abilities.”

This man, Kim Taehong, pronounced his lines cleanly without a single mistake.

“Level 1… Does that mean you serve me all day long?”

“Yes. That’s right. If you permit overnight stay, I won’t mind at all.”

The overnight stay referred to nighttime accommodations.

In other words, if the employer wanted to use the room they rented alone, it meant the servant would find his own place to stay.

‘It’s much more autonomous than I imagined.’

Yeongwoo grinned.

This seemed more like a personal business than human trafficking.

Of course, in terms of selling one’s labor, it could be expressed as ‘selling oneself.’

While Yeongwoo was examining the sturdy man in front of him, the man unexpectedly uttered an unexpected line.

“I… I have one condition, though.”

“What is it?”

“As I mentioned earlier, I appreciate the offer for an overnight stay, but I won’t sleep, and I won’t go near the male dormitory.”

“What?”

Yeongwoo was surprised, then realized the man had taken a step back.

‘Oh, did he find it strange that I was examining his body?’

While overnight stay was allowed, the refusal to sleep meant something else.

He would earn 2,000 Karma using his body, but that didn’t mean he would sell his body in a sexual way.

“So, what about not going near the male dormitory?”

Yeongwoo asked immediately.

“No, I’m not interested in sleeping or anything like that. What about the male dormitory? Is there something there?”

“…?”

This time, the man seemed surprised.

“Aren’t you from this area? There’s a city hall in the male dormitory.”

“Oh, City Hall.”

Yeongwoo understood immediately.

City Hall, the main residence of the Strongest Sword and the place where human trafficking was said to be active.

Therefore, for this man who engaged in conservative transactions, City Hall must be a dangerous area.

“Why don’t you go to City Hall then?”

“Because it becomes dangerous for both of us there.”

Even if he was a strong individual who could be bought for money, it meant safety couldn’t be guaranteed at City Hall.

At this point, Yeongwoo became more curious about what was happening at City Hall.

“Are you going to the male dormitory by any chance?”

As the man asked this, Yeongwoo just nodded without saying a word.

The expressions of other ‘job seekers’ who had subtly approached for their turn immediately stiffened at Yeongwoo’s words.

“…It seems like everyone here avoids going near City Hall.”

The man scratched his forehead and spoke.

“If you’re in your right mind, you generally do.”

“Then, let me ask one more thing.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

“Is the payment in advance or post-payment? In reality, if the other party decides not to pay, it’s entirely possible.”

“Yes, that’s right. So, it practically depends on the conscience of the one paying.”

“It’s truly unbelievable.”

“Well, the world has become like this. We’re just doing this because there’s no other way for now.”

The man let out a bitter laugh.

Seeing this, Yeongwoo, for a moment, had the thought of taking out a coin from his backpack to give.

Sympathy and gratitude for the information.

However, that thought didn’t translate into action.

The feeling of regret for parting ways with someone he would probably never see again, but did it matter?

After nodding in acknowledgment to the man and the nearby people, Yeongwoo continued on the road leading to the male dormitory.

At that moment, he thought that they would probably find it difficult to survive until tomorrow.

Even someone like himself, the Strongest sword, was after coins desperately.

Why would someone willingly give compensation to someone weaker than them?

This was the moment when he understood what concrete issues ‘lawlessness’ could cause.

**

After parting ways with the man and continuing on the road, Yeongwoo soon encountered another group of people.

This time, the gender and age were diverse, and as soon as Yeongwoo entered their sight, they all raised their hands, just like before.

However, the types and nature of the services they offered were slightly different.

Some were peddlers selling petrified items, and some specialized only in ‘item collection,’ one of the services offered by the man he had met earlier.

If you told them the item you wanted and the meeting place, they would scour the entire city to find it.

Of course, there was no guarantee that they would come back alive even if they found the item.

‘In the worst case, they might find the item and then the trading partner pulls out a knife,’ Yeongwoo thought.

Nevertheless, the lineup of job seekers continued.

Yeongwoo encountered another group until he faced a sign that read ‘Male Dormitory.’

「2km to the Male Dormitory.」

“We’re almost there.”

Yeongwoo looked at the sign and then glanced back.

The lineup of job seekers that seemed endless just a while ago was now nowhere to be seen.

It seemed that everyone was reluctant to stay near the male dormitory.

‘Why are they so afraid? If it continues like this, the city won’t be sustainable.’

If it continued this way, it wouldn’t be long before job seekers from the outskirts of the city couldn’t pay taxes, leading to their deaths or migration to other cities.

The population would decline.

However, considering the structure of this world where the only resource was supplied through hunting monsters and mutants, the survival of the strong wouldn’t be a significant problem, whether the population decreased or not.

The road continued until Yeongwoo faced what seemed to be the urban area near the male dormitory.

Then, for the first time, he could see the traces of last night’s battle – destroyed stone walls, scattered corpses, and dried bloodstains everywhere.

The difference from Gimcheon City was that the number of corpses in Sangju City was significantly lower.

Even though those who went monster hunting didn’t necessarily strive to minimize civilian casualties, the strong individuals in Sangju City were much more capable than those in Gimcheon City.

‘Hmm.’

As Yeongwoo ventured a bit further inside, even the few remaining corpses disappeared, and a relatively clean landscape unfolded.

[Translator – Night]

[Proofreader – Gun]

It was at this moment that Yeongwoo heard that sound for the first time.

“Beep!”

It was the sound of a car horn coming from the direction of Yeongwoo’s back.

When he turned around, a white foreign car was making an angry noise with the engine running.

‘A car…? Riding in a car?’

Yeongwoo instinctively thought that the person inside must be the Strongest Sword of Sangju City.

Reset Day 2.

At this point, when mutants appeared only one per region, who would dare to indulge in the luxury of purchasing a car?

‘Unless it’s someone who monopolized 3 million Karma.’

As Yeongwoo was about to draw his Early Bird from his waist, a second honk echoed from the white car.

“Beep!”

Then, the driver’s side window opened, and a woman inside stuck her head out.

“What’s the matter? Can’t you clear the way? Should I just hit and run?”

A sharp voice matched the sleek design of her sunglasses.

Not pebbles but real sunglasses. It was a luxury item that could be considered even more extravagant than a car.

What the hell, this bitch?’

As Yeongwoo, shocked by the fresh attire, stared at her, the woman opened the driver’s side door with a bang.

“Can’t you understand a word? Should I just hit and run?”

With a clacking sound, her high heels, which had been covering her feet, met the road.

And at that moment, Yeongwoo noticed it too late.

The fact that the person he was facing right now wasn’t the Strongest Sword.

‘She’s wearing shoes, and she’s not carrying a weapon.’

Crucially, even when she saw that the person in front of her was barefoot, she didn’t show any signs.

This means that she does not know that there may be cases where one ‘cannot’ wear shoes.

In other words, the woman had never encountered someone with abilities at the level of a transcendent.

So, it made no sense for her to be indulging in such luxury.

“…?”

Looking at the woman without a sword and not carrying a small knife on her hip, Yeongwoo asked,

“What’s your relationship with the Strongest Sword? Family? Or is he your lover?”

“What?”

Momentarily perplexed, the woman’s face showed confusion.

Then, she quickly regained her arrogant expression and asked,

“Hey, where are you from? Seems like you don’t have basic manners.”

Even after seeing the Early Bird hanging from Yeongwoo’s waist, she didn’t show any signs of backing down.

And the reason was evident in the back seat of the white car.

Clank, clank.

This time, the back door of the white vehicle opened successively, and Yeongwoo shifted his gaze in that direction.

There, two sturdy men, each holding an Early Bird, got out.

‘Bodyguards, huh.’

The corner where the woman placed her trust wasn’t just the glow of the Strongest Sword.

However, when the two swordsmen finally saw Yeongwoo, they only made a bewildered expression and didn’t immediately engage in a display of skills.

It was immediately recognized.

The opponent wasn’t an ordinary person.

They seemed to have little understanding of the significance of being barefoot, but seeing the golden glint in Yeongwoo’s hands, they seemed to understand that it wasn’t an ordinary item.

“…What are you doing?”

As the two men hesitated, the woman’s displeasure was evident.

One of the bodyguards cautiously spoke up.

“He seems to be an outsider and might not know… Let’s just let it go peacefully. There’s no need to shed blood over this…”

“What?”

Unexpectedly, the woman erupted in anger and pointed at Yeongwoo.

“Can’t you get rid of this guy quickly? If you can’t handle this, you might as well go back and get beaten up.”

Silently, the threat from the woman surprisingly had an effect.

The two bodyguards reluctantly glanced at Yeongwoo, as if indicating that he should comply.

Yeongwoo, drawing his Early Bird slowly, spoke.

“Is this woman really that intimidating? Or are you afraid of the Strongest Sword?”

In response, the bodyguards assumed a combat stance and uttered their lines.

“We apologize. Our only means of survival is this.”

“No emotions here.”

The apology and the claim of having no emotions seemed genuine.

Taking this into consideration, Yeongwoo delivered his final warning sincerely.

“Lower your weapons and leave this area. I won’t pursue you then. Don’t unnecessarily invite trouble.”

However, since he concealed his title, it was perceived as a provocation from the other side.

“Ha. What?”

“This guy just made me feel something I haven’t felt before.”

Finally, the bodyguards adjusted their Early Birds threateningly, and Yeongwoo matched it by filling his pupils with golden light.

“Beep!”

A moment later, a golden wave emanated from Yeongwoo.

“…!”

At that moment, both bodyguards and even the woman could clearly understand whom they had encountered.

[Translator – Night]

[Proofreader – Gun]