Chapter 694

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 694: Kidnapping (6)

Disposition of the Palsi.

Purchase of a ship and naval guns.

And even putting out a bounty for the Liberation District, whose existence in the Black Zone was still uncertain.

Yenta carefully wrote down the itinerary he had to carry out today alongside this insane Grade—3 pass holder customer.

—First… I believe it would be best to start with the easier tasks.

“I agree. No telling when something might happen and force us to leave this place.”

—……

“Oh, and there’s one more thing we need to do.”

As Yeongwoo raised a finger to add another item, Yenta’s expression froze solid.

—What else do you require?

“I still haven’t contacted the guy who’s supposed to buy this bastard. So I need a place where I can communicate.”

—Ahh… that won’t be difficult.

Yenta let out a sigh as though enormously relieved.

Then he pressed a finger against the cylindrical machine hanging from his waist.

Clack!

And astonishingly enough, a portal formed up ahead.

“What?”

A portal.

And not just any portal—it connected to somewhere within the Black Zone.

No matter how one looked at it, it wasn’t an ability a mere orc guide should possess, so Yeongwoo stared in surprise. Yenta quickly added an explanation.

—This is a portal leading to the city center.

“But how are you able to open something like that?”

—Ah, this is a kind of privilege granted to Grade—3 guides. The Black Zone itself issued this device.

As he said this, Yenta tapped the cylindrical machine at his waist with his hand.

“Then what about those goggles?”

—These are originally mine.

“…I see. So you wear them just because they look cool?”

—Uh, these are motion detectors. They also decipher coded text I haven’t fully learned yet. They have various functions.

“More impressive equipment than it looks.”

After nodding, Yeongwoo peered beyond the portal.

“But even Grade—3 guides aren’t given authority to move directly to the destination itself, huh?”

—Even so, the ability to move instantly to the center drastically shortens travel routes.

Yenta added that this hangar district was attached to the outskirts of the Black Zone, so reaching the major facilities would otherwise take quite a while.

“Then let’s get moving already.”

As Yeongwoo stepped toward the portal, Yenta suddenly stretched out a hand to stop him.

—W—wait a moment, please.

“Why?”

—The portal is red.

“…Huh?”

Just as Yenta said, the portal was glowing red, leaving Yeongwoo no choice but to tilt his head in confusion.

“What about it being red? It’s been this color the whole time.”

—This portal has a fixed arrival point. And the fact that it is red right now means someone is currently at the destination.

“You mean another Grade—3 pass holder is standing there with their guide?”

—Yes. That is correct. If you wait just a little, the portal will turn blue.

“What a hassle.”

—Once you arrive on the other side, you’ll understand why.

Right around the time Yenta said that, the portal’s color truly did change to blue.

Seeing this, Yenta stepped forward first and spoke to Yeongwoo.

—I’ll go in first. Please follow immediately after!

* * *

The blue portal leading to the center of the Black Zone.

The moment Yeongwoo passed through while gripping Dots’s nape, an overwhelming sense of presence crashed over him.

“Good lord.”

The place where Yeongwoo, Dots, and Yenta stood was a square—shaped space set aside at the corner of an enormous road.

It was protected on all sides by a transparent barrier, making entry from the outside impossible, while exit was only possible through the bluish gate ahead.

And beyond that exit, villains of every imaginable kind were moving through the wide streets in droves.

“So all the villains in the universe gathered here.”

Watching countless races mixed together and walking the streets, Yeongwoo suddenly remembered something and asked Yenta:

“But where’d they go? The Grade—3 bastard who was here before us.”

Yenta glanced beyond the barrier and answered.

—They already went outside, so tracking them down would be difficult.

“So two teams can’t use this space simultaneously?”

—It’s not that they can’t… but the guides try to avoid it whenever possible.

Well, most customers here were villains, after all.

And only Grade—3 pass holders used this space, so even if they crossed paths, nothing good would likely come of it.

—First, let us visit the exchange office. It is the simplest task we can accomplish here.

With those words, Yenta stepped through the blue exit first, and Yeongwoo likewise headed outside while dragging Dots Salzeo along.

The moment they emerged, several approaching villains flinched and moved aside.

“What’s this? Did they realize we’re Grade—3?”

—They saw you coming out of the Grade—3 exclusive waiting area. Right now, anyone can tell you are a Grade—3 pass holder. But once we move a little farther away from here…

“Farther away, what happens then?”

—That is when true ‘Qira’ begins.

“What the hell is Qira…?”

—It is a kind of battle of nerves. For example, refusing to step aside for someone approaching you, or deliberately bumping shoulders while passing.

“So basically shoulder—checking. There are rules to that too?”

—Even the residents of the Black Zone cannot fight every single day, so there are ways to pass through Qira safely. The first method is—

Yenta suddenly lowered his head.

—To pass by with your head bowed like this. Then, in most cases, nobody will initiate Qira against you.

“So you’re saying to keep my eyes down while walking around. Not that different from Earth.”

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

—The second method is for when Qira has already been initiated. If the other party blocks your path, then all you need to do is step aside like this. It signifies acknowledging that the other party is stronger and that you intend to pass quietly.

Yenta demonstrated by pretending to sidestep around someone.

Even during this explanation, countless villains passing nearby continued to avoid Yeongwoo’s group.

At the moment, it was obvious to everyone that he possessed a Grade—3 pass, so nobody dared initiate Qira.

“Then what if your shoulders have already collided?”

—If the other party has eyes, you briefly meet their gaze before lowering your head. If they do not have eyes, then you direct your gaze toward their weapon before backing away.

“Oh, fuck off. You’re basically saying people here live in constant submission.”

After hearing the entire explanation, Yeongwoo exploded in irritation, causing Yenta to wave his hands frantically as though it were all a misunderstanding.

—No! You personally do not need to respond to Qira, customer!

“What’s that supposed to mean now?”

—It is my role to handle Qira. Because I am your guide.

It was then that Yenta stepped firmly in front of Yeongwoo and Dots.

In other words, once they left this area and entered the zones overflowing with Qira, Yenta intended to bow his head, avoid eye contact, and deal with people in Yeongwoo’s place.

Then Yeongwoo and Dots would simply walk through the path he opened for them.

At that, Yeongwoo grabbed the back of Yenta’s neck with his free hand.

Whip!

—Uh, uhh?

“Hey, punk. Didn’t you call yourself a son of this place? A bastard who goes around using his mother’s name shouldn’t be making a living by taking beatings for others. Qira, my ass.”

As he spoke, Yeongwoo strode boldly into the crowd of villains.

“Just point the direction. Which way do we go?”

In other words, Yeongwoo himself would take the lead instead of relying on the guide.

Yenta paled in horror.

—B—but if you personally engage in Qira, there will definitely be problems…

“Isn’t Qira just a way for strong—looking idiots to flaunt their power against weak—looking targets? Then why should someone who isn’t weak bother responding to it?”

—……!

“They’ll block my path and refuse to move? Then I’ll just kick them out of the way. Once they feel the difference in strength, they’ll be the ones lowering their eyes.”

A truly tyrannical line befitting a villain who possessed a Grade—3 pass.

Having never dealt with such a major figure before, Yenta could only stammer helplessly.

—I—is this what Grade—3 guides are normally like…?

In his panic, Yenta accidentally blurted out his thoughts aloud.

Meanwhile, Yeongwoo was already moving forward while gripping both Yenta’s and Dots’s necks.

“I won’t ask a third time. Which direction is the exchange office?”

At last, Yenta pointed toward a massive building visible in the distance.

—Using the main entrance of that building as a reference, it is inside the alley to the left.

“Not that far.”

After confirming the direction, Yeongwoo immediately started moving.

Straight through the densely packed sea of villains.

For now, they were still near the Grade—3 exclusive area, and since Yeongwoo had a guide accompanying him, everyone quickly realized his status and hurriedly moved aside.

But once they got considerably farther away from the Grade—3 zone, the atmosphere began to change.

The number of people stepping aside from far away dropped sharply, and more and more individuals shot sharp looks at them as they passed.

“So this is what a normal Black Zone street feels like.”

—Even so, if a guide is accompanying you, most people won’t initiate Qira unless they are especially aggressive.

“Then what about when someone walks around alone?”

—If you are not confident in fighting, it is best to lower your posture. Nearly every encounter becomes a contest of wills.

“What a tiresome place.”

Then again, wasn’t this the world of villains?

With so many villains mixed together and going about their own business, perhaps it would actually be stranger if friction didn’t occur.

“But even if the atmosphere’s gotten rougher, I still don’t see anyone actually initiating Qira.”

The moment Yeongwoo said that, his footsteps halted for the first time.

Clack.

An approaching individual stopped in place instead of moving aside.

“Finally.”

As Yeongwoo muttered that, the other party replied bluntly.

—What do you mean, finally? Move to the side already. You’re blocking my path.

The other party was a gigantic one—eyed brute standing nearly three meters tall, with an enormous sword strapped across his back.

At this, Yeongwoo released his grip on the backs of the other two’s necks.

Because it looked like he would soon need to use his hands.

“You’re blocking my path too, aren’t you? So one of us has to change direction.”

—Then you move.

“…Yeah, I think I get the idea now.”

Yeongwoo nodded and lightly rested a hand atop the Bastard at his waist.

Shhk.

Seeing that, the other party bared his fangs and reached for the greatsword on his back.

—You stupid bastard.

Almost simultaneously, Yenta sensed the movement and screamed.

—C—customer! He’s drawing his sw—

But Yenta never managed to finish his sentence.

Before the remaining words could leave his mouth, Yeongwoo’s foot had already slammed into the cyclops’s abdomen.

Bwoooooom!

The nearby villains, realizing a fight had broken out, quickly retreated to create space.

And within the roughly five—pyeong dueling ground thus formed, Yeongwoo’s fist sliced through the air like an arrow.

“Move, you son of a bitch! And leave that sword behind as payment for the Qira!”

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]