Chapter 599

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Chapter 599: Common Sense (1)

Common sense in the Black Zone.

If someone steals your ship, don’t be surprised—stay calm and think about stealing someone else’s ship.

“…Isn’t that basically a vicious cycle? If that’s how it works, someone is bound to end up without a ship. And then that guy, who never planned on it, becomes a ship thief too.”

As Yeongwoo muttered this, Kejen flicked a finger.

—You could call it a structural cycle. As long as you can get out, that’s all that matters, right?

Yeongwoo agreed with part of that, but there was still something he couldn’t wrap his head around.

“But in the first place, aren’t there more people who come here on one-way tickets?”

—That’s right.

“Then that means the number of people coming in is way higher than the number of ships leaving. How does this so-called ‘structural cycle’ even hold?”

—Ah, that’s because…

Kejen stroked his beard.

—Some of the people who come in on one-way tickets die naturally here, and some stay in the Black Zone for a very long time.

“Even so, there should still be far more people trying to leave.”

—True. That’s why there’s a kind of ride-sharing culture.

“Ride-sharing?”

—Yeah. Usually, multiple groups board a single ship.

“How does that even work? It’s not like a bus that can drop people off along the way.”

—That depends on the agreement. Of course, if they can’t agree, they settle it with force.

Last man standing.

According to Kejen, it wasn’t uncommon for several groups to depart together on a ship, only for a single team to be the only ones who disembarked alive.

—Still, there are plenty of folks who are desperate to leave the Black Zone as quickly as possible, so agreements are made fairly often.

“What do you mean by ‘fairly often’?”

—Most of the ones desperate enough to ride-share are usually fleeing after causing trouble in the Black Zone.

“So?”

—So if you just drop them off near their destination, they’re often satisfied.

“So in the end, it all depends on who you’re sharing the ride with. More luck.”

—The best-case scenario would be us monopolizing a ship… but that’s not something you should count on.

“But we only need to go as far as Earthship. Couldn’t we get off quickly?”

—I can’t.

“…Huh? You’re not even stopping by Earthship?”

—It’s not like there’s another ship waiting there for me, is there? It’s easier for me to find my own way to survive.

“So you’re saying you’ll just mingle with criminals escaping the Black Zone and head off somewhere in space?”

—That’s the life of a master thief.

“Heh.”

Only then did Yeongwoo truly realize that Kejen was a genuine “spaceman.”

A life of wandering the cosmos.

That kind of life was only possible if you had a certain level of understanding of space itself.

“But if you ride-share, won’t you be surrounded by other criminals? How do you survive in that mess?”

—Depending on the situation, I either get rid of the others and take the ship, or I get off at a planet where I can find a one-way shuttle.

“You’re insane.”

If anything, maybe Kejen was the one living the truly unpredictable life.

—Anyway, we should leave here as soon as possible. Once Kardal’s reinforcements arrive, they’ll start by sealing the hangars. Then ride-sharing won’t mean a thing.

With that, Kejen stepped toward the exit portal of the marketplace, and Yeongwoo followed him in.

* * *

Shooaa—

As they passed through the portal, accompanied by a now-familiar sense of distortion, Yeongwoo’s vision filled with the dim interior of the hideout.

Kejen was there too, peering outside through a small hole in the wall.

—Looks like that earlier commotion is over now.

Just as Kejen said, the outside—previously filled with deafening explosions before they entered the marketplace—had grown quiet.

“So now we head to that hangar place?”

—Of course. It’s not far from here.

After watching outside through the hole for a bit, Kejen decided it was time and pressed several spots on the hideout’s floor with his foot.

A downward staircase leading outside appeared along the side of the hideout.

—This time we’re completely in my territory. Just follow right behind me.

“Don’t tell me we’re going to run into another fight on the way?”

—That depends on the will of the dice.

With that, Kejen started moving quickly down the stairs.

Tap tap!

Yeongwoo and the others followed, and the moment everyone stepped outside, the staircase sealed itself back up.

“How many hideouts like this do you even have?”

Since Yeongwoo had been meaning to learn about Black Zone rent anyway, he asked. Kejen nodded.

—It’s been so long I don’t remember the initial cost, but I pay 100,000 karma per day for this hideout.

“100,000?”

That meant three million karma a month.

“That’s cheaper than I expected. Is it because the land area is small?”

—It depends on how much space you use. And whether it’s inside or outside the Black Cliff.

“Oh right, you said you have another hideout outside, didn’t you?”

—Out there, you can rent a house for 50,000 karma a day.

However, Kejen added that modifications like the ones in this hideout required extra fees.

—And where I am now is a free trade zone. More ‘organized’ areas are much more expensive. Or you need an entry pass of a certain rank just to live there.

“So you don’t know exactly how much rent is in those areas?”

—I don’t. This has always been enough for me.

But since Yeongwoo held a third-grade pass, he could find out the rent in higher-tier areas if he wanted.

Of course, escaping the Black Zone took priority for now.

“So in the Black Zone, regular areas are about 100,000 per day.”

That information would later have a significant impact on how Yeongwoo priced rent on Earthship.

‘And really, I don’t have to follow Black Zone prices anyway. The Black Zone and a planetary ship aren’t even comparable.’

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No matter how much trust the Black Zone had built in the underworld, it was, at its core, just a massive ship.

Functionally, it might not differ much from a planetary ship, but in terms of prestige—or rather, how tenants felt—it was completely different.

‘A wonder of the universe. Life on a fully free planet. How much do you even charge for that? I can’t even imagine.’

As Yeongwoo drifted into near-delusional thoughts, Kejen emerged onto the main road and sprinted toward a distant portal.

Tap tap!

—Do you remember which hangar it was?

Kejen asked, turning to Amana.

Amana stared into the air for a moment, then replied.

—Hangar… forty-six?

Kejen counted on his fingers, then spoke to Yeongwoo.

—I’ll check Hangar 46, but it’s probably already been looted.

“Why? Is 46 in a bad spot?”

—The 40s are near the emergency landing zone.

“What’s that?”

—It’s where ships that were originally round-trip capable are guided when they’re too damaged to keep flying. And the 40-series hangars are right in the line of sight for those emergency landings.

“So anyone who lost their ship would’ve marked those as their next targets.”

—Exactly. So don’t get your hopes up.

Amana opened her beak slightly and muttered.

—So… my ship might not be there anymore?

—You might end up with a better one instead.

Soon, Kejen leapt into a massive portal in the middle of the road.

Shooaa—

Yeongwoo followed, and this time they emerged onto a huge four-lane thoroughfare.

“This place is a maze.”

—It’s designed so that only those who’ve stayed here a long time can navigate it easily. Hangar 46 is that way.

Kejen pointed toward a large white building in the distance.

From that building, an arch-like structure floated hundreds of meters away at an angle—it was clearly the emergency landing guidance system.

Even now, a ship engulfed in flames was shooting down beneath the arch.

“What kind of disaster leaves a ship landing like that…?”

—Either they’re being chased by someone extremely angry, or the ship was already half-broken and hit an asteroid on the way here.

In most cases, it was the former.

When they reached the large white building, Kejen glanced at a strange sign and moved inside without hesitation.

—Sometimes entry is restricted. If you ever come to a hangar and the sign’s letters are red, never go in. It means there’s been an accident.

“…But what does that sign even say? It doesn’t translate.”

—Because it doesn’t mean anything.

“…What?”

—The warning is color-based. The letters that look like writing are all fake.

As Kejen spoke, a massive hangar finally appeared before them.

Rows of ships of all shapes and colors lined up like a parking lot.

—Starting from the left, that’s 41, 42… so 46 should be over there.

The moment Kejen pointed toward Hangar 46, Amana’s feathers bristled and she shrieked.

—T-There! That one!

“What? Your ship?”

—Y-Yeah…!

Amana hurriedly raised her hand, pointing upward.

Clang!

A sleek, pure-white ship was lifting into the sky through the hangar exit that had just opened.

“You’re telling me that thing flying off right now is your ship?”

Yeongwoo reached for his waist, ready to throw Bastard, but Amana quickly stopped him.

—I-It’s fine… I’ll just hope it goes somewhere good and gets used for good things.

“I really don’t think that’s where it’s headed.”

By then, the ship had already left their sight, and Yeongwoo slid the half-drawn blade back into its sheath.

“So what now? Are we really going to become ship thieves too?”

Even as he spoke, his eyes were already scanning for a ship that caught his fancy.

Kejen tapped his thigh.

—Don’t just board any ship.

“Why not?”

—Expensive ships have built-in security systems. One wrong move and you’ll be turned into ash or Swiss cheese.

“Then how do we tell which ships are safe to steal?”

—Well…

As Kejen stroked his chin and looked around the hangar, a loud noise erupted from the far side.

Boom!

The sound of a large metal plate hitting the ground.

Someone had ripped open a ship’s outer hull.

—That right there. When someone else successfully breaks into a ship, you take that one!

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