Chapter 91

[Translator – Night]

[Proofreader – Gun]

Chapter 91: Yongsan Park (1)

“Something feels off today.”

A middle-aged man with a receding hairline rushed over, tilted his head politely, and muttered.

This man’s name is Park Sangdo162.

A former Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, he currently holds the position of Prime Minister of the ‘New Seoul Government.’

He is the most powerful figure in the government formed after the reset.

“What seems strange?”

A young man, upon receiving Park Sangdo’s report, responds with a puzzled expression.

What is the identity of this man sitting on the bench, smoking a cigarette?

『Yongsan’s Strongest Sword』

Yongsan Strongest Sword Kim Doha03.

He is the strongest residing in Yongsan and the only combat weapon of the New Seoul Government.

Due to the quasi-independence and privatization of all armed agencies, including police departments nationwide, the current government is practically reduced to an administrative body.

Thus, the government, which needed ‘physical force’ externally, reached out to Kim Doha, asking him to become their patron.

Given that the former president’s office was located in Yongsan, there was no other option.

So, it came to pass that Park Sangdo, a former high-ranking bureaucrat, found himself bowing to Kim Doha, who once ran a convenience store in Yongsan.

In essence, the government, mere semblance though it was, had nothing else to offer to the real power in this world, the Strongest Sword, except for its formal recognition.

Soon enough, Park Sangdo raised his head and finished his report.

“That’s… We received someone from Guro and Gangdong. They intend to participate in today’s meeting.”

Guro District, Gangdong District.

Both areas had not participated in the last meeting, and they had rudely treated the envoys sent by the Seoul Alliance.

Especially Guro District, not only did they rudely dismiss the envoys, but they also made them disappear.

The same was true for the neighboring district of Yeongdeungpo.

So, they were planning to discuss investigations into Guro and Yeongdeungpo at the meeting, but it was surprising that Guro, one of the high-risk areas, expressed willingness to participate first.

“Oh, really? It’s unexpected that they’re coming from Guro.”

However, Kim Doha, upon hearing the news, wasn’t particularly surprised.

They knew well that their main objective wasn’t the meeting but the ‘outsider who rides a horse,’ as announced by Gangnam’s Strongest Sword through a message.

In other words, they were here for some interesting spectacle.

‘It seems they’re getting bolder. They’ve come all this way just for a show. They must think they can get away with anything now. It’s becoming a habit.’

Anyway, it wasn’t a pleasant development for Kim Doha either.

The more Swords gathered, the higher the chances of troublemakers among them, and inevitably, there would be incidents.

And the location of such incidents, unbeknownst to them, would likely be right in the middle of Yongsan District.

‘Of course, that might be today.’

The unidentified outsider pursued by Gangnam’s Strongest Sword, and the delayed attendance of Guro and Gangdong at the meeting.

It’s all ominous.

“Tsk.”

After dropping the cigarette butt, which had burned down to the filter, to the ground, Kim Doha crushes it with his foot and says,

“We still don’t know the identity of Guro’s Strongest Sword, right? They could be a crazed Korean-Chinese. It might be wise not to station anyone to the west.”

“Yes. Understood. Any other instructions?”

Park Sangdo repeatedly nods his head almost submissively.

Anyway, once the meeting is over, there’s no need to confront the Strongest Sword until 3 p.m. tomorrow.

A few hours of shutting his eyes tightly would allow him to live out the rest of the day as a “real prime minister.”

“…”

As Park Sangdo, who hadn’t received the dispersal order, continued to stand in place waiting, Kim Doha seemed to remember something belatedly and asked,

“Oh, is there something you need, sir?”

“Yes? Well… I’m not aware of anything specific.”

“Is something wrong? Should we send someone to Gangnam?”

When Park Sangdo, now concerned, asked, Kim Doha waved his hand dismissively.

“No need. They’ll be here soon anyway, so we’ll find out shortly.”

And Kim Doha’s words turned out to be true.

Before long, a policeman in uniform rushed over to where the two were.

“Urgent!”

With swift movements, it was evident that he was one of the elite police stationed on the border of Yongsan for the Strongest Sword meeting.

“Urgent…?”

Kim Doha, sensing that the uneasiness he felt earlier was materializing, suddenly rose from his seat.

Most policemen on patrol wouldn’t leave their posts and come to Yongsan Park.

“What’s going on? What’s urgent?”

Park Sangdo, following up, asked the policeman.

The policeman gasped for breath and pointed south.

“I… I think there’s a mutant appearing on Dongjak Bridge.”

* * *

The Han River.

A massive body of water dividing the capital city of Seoul into north and south.

With an average width of 1.2 kilometers, even the superhumans emerging after the reset could only cross it via bridges.

This meant that those committing crimes in the reset world didn’t use bridges at all.

There was no way to evade inspections on the bridges, and if they were surrounded, there was no escape.

So, thanks to the vast width of the Han River, the riverside naturally became a safe zone.

Of course, strictly speaking, the safest place would be the residence of each Strongest Sword.

For this reason, everyone, past and present, wanted to live by the riverside, and the actual population there was the largest, leading to maximum police deployment for security.

Just like what Yeongwoo was witnessing now.

‘How many of them are there…?’

Yeongwoo frowned as he looked at the mass of policemen gathered at the far end of the bridge.

It wasn’t because he was feeling bad; he just wanted to take a closer look at them.

‘Those over there are probably Yongsan police.’

When Yeongwoo turned around, he could see another group of police gathered at the starting point of the bridge.

‘Those must be from Dongjak.’

Dongjak Bridge, spanning 1.3 kilometers, connecting Dongjak-gu, Seocho-gu, and Yongsan-gu.

Yeongwoo had just crossed about half of Dongjak Bridge.

Suddenly, the police, who were nowhere to be seen earlier, appeared out of nowhere and blocked the bridge front and back.

There hadn’t been any obstruction when he climbed up to this side from Dongjak-gu earlier, but perhaps the police had been hidden somewhere, keeping an eye on this side.

‘Well, it doesn’t matter.’

Yeongwoo shrugged and focused back on the road ahead.

Clunk.

Clunk, clunk.

Moving slowly for now.

There was still some time before the meeting started, and there was no need to rush, nor did Yeongwoo feel like threatening the police by speeding up.

After all, isn’t it us who have the right to life and death?

Even though surrounded by dozens of police officers, Yeongwoo’s mind was as peaceful as ever.

Clunk, clunk.

With each sound of Negwig’s steel hooves hitting the ground, Dongjak Bridge, visible in Yeongwoo’s sight, gradually shortened.

‘Come to think of it, have there been any monsters or mutants appearing on the bridge? There’s not a single trace of destruction.’

Misfortune may be a blessing in disguise.

Apart from the fossilized subway tracks laid on the 11-meter-wide railway in the center of Dongjak Bridge, it didn’t look much different from before the reset.

[Translator – Night]

[Proofreader – Gun]

Clunk.

As Negwig, carrying Yeongwoo, almost reached the Yongsan side of Dongjak Bridge, the Yongsan police guarding that side began to hesitate.

“Is… is the Strongest Sword not here yet?”

“Should we buy some time somehow?”

“I heard mutants can actually talk.”

They couldn’t bring themselves to think that the rider on that strange iron horse was human; they simply assumed that mutants from other areas had come up to Yongsan.

“Stop, stop moving! If you come any closer, we’ll consider it an intention to attack and retaliate!”

Finally, the Yongsan police sent a sharp warning towards Yeongwoo.

But if the opponent was indeed a mutant, it was a careless response to issue a threat before concluding the dialogue.

After all, had they actually met mutants before?

“Hmm.”

Yeongwoo first halted Negwig and then glanced at the police blocking the way out of Dongjak Bridge.

Unlike their sloppy handling earlier, their gaze was quite stern now.

Although they might seem like chicks to Yeongwoo, who had fought against the Strongest Swords and mutants, if all Seoul citizens were lined up, they belonged to the top ranks as well.

Moreover, some of the policemen here were eager to have a chance to fight mutants.

It was due to their misconception that they had become strong enough after hunting monsters for the past three days.

They didn’t understand that the combat power of monsters and mutants was incomparable.

Those who had realized this had already perished.

So, some people regarded mutants merely as ‘slightly stronger monsters.’

However, because there was a bounty of 3 million won on their heads monopolized by the Strongest Swords, it’s said that they’re exclusively controlled by the Strongest Swords.

But this ‘mutant’ doesn’t seem to have an owner, does it?

“Oh, please don’t get excited. I’m not a mutant…”

As Yeongwoo said this and raised his arms to show, swish!

“I told you to stop moving…!”

Contrary to Yeongwoo’s advice, some of the officers who were very excited rushed to subdue the ‘mutant’.

Thunk!

“What? Stop it!”

“Hey!”

Of course, the majority didn’t move an inch.

It wasn’t just the instinctive fear of mutants, but rather, the thought that the opponent might be a person that came to them belatedly.

Because despite the strange appearance of that iron horse, anyone could see that the person on top of it was clearly human, showing a bewildered expression.

“Oh my. Aren’t you all too hasty?”

Yeongwoo, who hadn’t expected the police to react so rashly, had no choice but to tap his left chest, invoking the ‘prestige of the Strongest Swords’ while internally worrying about potentially exacerbating misunderstandings.

Thunk!

It was to bring out the legitimate title of Strongest Sword he deliberately concealed before crossing the bridge.

‘I might only make things worse by doing this.’

The reason why Yeongwoo, a legitimately recognized Strongest Sword, had such concerns was nothing other than…

「Gyeongbuk’s Strongest Sword」 – Epic title

【Prestige of the Strongest Swords】

【Voting Rights 】

【Rohm’s Bottom】

It was because of the new martial arts that replaced the major components of the Gyeongbuk Sword Law, called ‘Rohm’s Bottom.’

Rohm’s Bottom.

Perhaps due to the legendary swordsmanship being incorporated into the tooltip of the Strongest Sword of Gyeongbuk, his title’s form had strangely changed.

Ssshhh…

The Epic title ‘Strongest Sword of Gyeongbuk,’ summoned by the call, finally began to manifest above Yeongwoo’s head.

And at that same moment, everyone in the vicinity stared in astonishment, their eyes and mouths wide open.

[Translator – Night]

[Proofreader – Gun]