Episode 21
#21
The monster subjugation proceeded smoothly.
Every two hours, I swept in over ten million points, and each time points accumulated, I spent all of them on robot production.
At this rate, Alt would be completed in three hours and Aria in seven, with production finishing at two-hour intervals, so their numbers would grow far beyond what they were now.
I didn't know the exact principle, but the moment I purchased the robots, production of hundreds of units commenced simultaneously.
Moreover, the enhanced function upon reaching level 30 wasn't just the scouting function.
Besides the scouting function, various other functions had been strengthened and newly created, but the most useful one at present was that the robots' operation time had increased from twenty-four hours to seventy-two hours.
And it wasn't as if the charging time had grown longer, either.
After charging for twenty-four hours, they could operate for seventy-two hours right away.
'It would be better to increase Alt and Aria rather than Meradon.'
I didn't purchase more Meradons since fifty units were sufficient.
Meradon production required heavy point consumption and took a long time to manufacture, making it an unnecessary expenditure at the moment.
Right now, I needed a large army rather than the strength of an individual.
"Excuse me, Representative Gim Hancheol?"
Just then, a survivor approached me and spoke.
It was Gang Inhan.
But because of the title "Representative," I couldn't help making a somewhat awkward expression.
"Uh…… Representative?"
"Haha, but you are the representative of this alliance, aren't you? I must call you Representative."
"Please, feel free to speak comfortably."
"Then I'll comfortably call you Representative. Anyway, rather than that, with this many robots, wouldn't it be better to close the Gates first?"
I shook my head at his opinion and said.
"If we capture all the Gates in Ulsan, there's a possibility that even higher-grade Gates will appear. It's better to just leave them be."
This was still the early phase of the Myeolsokhoe.
I could close all the Gates in Ulsan with my power right now, but that act would only result in hastening the disaster to come in the future.
"But if we keep hunting monsters like this, they'll keep pouring out of the Gates."
"It's fine. I've already prepared countermeasures."
I, too, knew that leaving the Gates as they were while subjugating the monsters in the streets would be putting the cart before the horse.
That was why I had prepared something in advance before starting this work.
"I've deployed the strongest of my robots in front of every Gate in Ulsan. There probably won't be any monsters coming out of the Gates."
"Ah! I see!"
The robots deployed in front of the Gates were Meradons.
There were only about five or six Gates in Ulsan in total, so fifty Meradons would be enough to block them.
Moreover, there was another reason I wasn't trying to capture the Gates.
"And if we capture all the Gates right now, we'll lose our means of earning points. It might take some time for new Gates to appear."
"Ah, I see……. But more than that, did you say means of earning points?"
"Yes. I'm thinking of creating a way for survivors to safely earn points after this situation ends. Literally, a hunting ground."
At my words, Gang Inhan made a blank expression for a moment before bursting into laughter.
"Now that's a hunting ground I can get behind."
"We have to give back as much as we've received."
"You're saying you'll put them on the opposite side?"
At those words, I smirked and nodded.
Indeed, as he said, the monsters' position would now be reversed.
From the side doing the hunting to the side being hunted.
It was then.
"Hancheol!"
At someone's call, my gaze turned toward the direction of the voice.
There, survivors armed with weapons were gathering and approaching me.
There were at least thirty people.
Soon, I could see the face of the woman at the front, the one who had called out to me.
It was a familiar face.
Sin Yua, who had fought alongside me in the Seonghwajeon.
She had led the people and approached me.
"Surely you didn't think I only supported you with words?"
At her words, I looked at her and grinned.
"Thank you for coming to help."
"You're working so hard for us; we couldn't just sit still."
She smiled brightly and extended her hand to me.
I grasped her hand, shaking it as I spoke.
"As expected, it suits you well?"
"Huh? What does?"
"Being a leader."
At those words, Sin Yua simply chuckled.
"This is just a one-time thing. Now! You must be short on time, so let's go take care of the monsters quickly."
* * *
Han Inhan looked over the street from the balcony.
The streets were quiet.
It had grown quiet because the noisy howling of the monsters had vanished.
Under normal circumstances, it would have been a welcome sight, but Han Inhan's expression contorted in the opposite direction.
"You said I would fail?"
He glared at the Prophets standing beside him and opened his mouth.
Their expressions were still blank with shock.
"Does that look like a failure to you?"
"……."
"……."
"……."
"……."
Still, not a single answer came.
At the sight of such Prophets, Han Inhan ground his teeth.
In that instant, mana flared from his body and began threatening the Prophets.
"Huk!"
"W-wait a moment!"
Feeling the mana, the Prophets finally came to their senses and turned to look at Han Inhan.
His face was contorted like an evil spirit.
"You'd do well to think of a way before my patience runs out."
"A-a way?"
"You didn't think I'd leave it like that, did you?"
As Han Inhan glared viciously, grinding his teeth, the Prophets gulped.
They thought for a moment, and among them, Gim Minhan opened his mouth.
"T-there is one way."
"What is it?"
"It's simple. We capture and keep a few monsters alive."
"……You mean capture monsters, hide them, and then release them into the streets when the time draws near?"
"Exactly."
It was, in a way, a simple frontal tactic, but not a bad method.
Whatever happened, they just had to stop Gim Hancheol's pledge to eliminate all the monsters in the streets.
Han Inhan thought for a moment, then used the ability he had received from the contracted Constellation.
His body began to sink into the floor as if he had fallen into water.
Before leaving, Han Inhan looked at the Prophets one last time and opened his mouth.
"For now, you all try executing that method."
"W-where are you going?"
"I have a separate idea as well. So from here on, we'll act separately."
With those final words, his body disappeared beneath the ground.
The Prophets—no, the Players—could only watch his disappearing figure for a moment before letting out a sigh.
* * *
Meanwhile, in the middle of smoothly subjugating monsters, Sin Yua approached me with a puzzled face and asked.
"Hancheol, what are you thinking about?"
"Huh? Ah, did my expression show?"
"Yes, you had a rather serious expression……. Did some kind of problem occur?"
"No. It's nothing much; I just think a slightly troublesome matter has come up."
"A troublesome matter?"
"Yes. I think I'll have to step away for a moment."
Along with those words, I opened my mouth toward the survivors.
"Everyone! We'll take a short break! And Mr. Gang Inhan and Ms. Sin Yua, please come here for a moment. I have something to say."
At my words, Gang Inhan and Sin Yua approached me with puzzled expressions.
They opened their mouths to me.
"Yes, Representative. What is it?"
"Something to say?"
I spoke to them.
"Something urgent has come up, so I'm planning to step away for a moment."
"Will it take long?"
"I can't be certain, but it won't take too long. However, if I happen to be late, please rest sufficiently and then lead the people in clearing this place."
"I don't know what it is, but understood for now."
"Yes, leave this place to us."
The two nodded at my words.
Next, I gave Noah an order.
'Noah.'
[Yes, Master.]
'Send all the items I purchased here.'
[Yes, understood.]
Simultaneous with Noah's words, a brilliant light descended from the sky.
Soon, various types of weapons were summoned amidst the light.
They were weapons I had purchased from the Sky Island's shop.
"This is……."
"Please distribute these to those without weapons. I'm sure they'll be helpful."
Sin Yua grinned at my words and opened her mouth.
"Well, since you've given us weapons too, we'll have to work even harder."
"You don't have to overdo it. If it seems too much, you can continue resting until I return. The robots will hunt on their own anyway. Well then, I have urgent business, so I'll be going first."
Whoosh!
With those final words, Hancheol's figure vanished instantly before their eyes.
At the sight that had just occurred, they could only widen their eyes in wonder.
"The Representative really has so many amazing abilities."
"Uh…… I suppose so?"
* * *
Meanwhile, the group of Prophets who had parted with Han Inhan were conversing in serious voices.
"Tsk—is that bastard really not a Player too?"
"He could be. Otherwise, it makes no sense."
"Anyway, let's get this over with quickly. We have to at least try something."
At Gim Minhan's words, they nodded and tried to exit the house.
It was then.
Boom!
Along with a loud noise, the door fell away, and a man entered the house with leisurely steps.
The moment they saw the man's face, their expressions froze.
"G-Gim Hancheol!?"
"How did you……."
I looked around briefly before turning my gaze back to them.
I glared at them, slowly approached, and opened my mouth.
"Don't think about moving. Considering what you've done, I think I could kill you without hesitation."
At those words, their faces began to turn deathly pale.
I looked down at them and asked in a low, sunken tone.
"It was you lot, right? Who gave the information to Han Inhan."
"H-how did you—."
"Are you insane? What were you thinking, giving information to Han Inhan?"
"Y-yes?"
"You knew too, didn't you? That survivors would die off without even being treated like human beings."
He is one of the villains of the Myeolsokhoe.
Although the situation had shifted to fulfilling a pledge, his behavior would not change.
The first thing he did upon becoming king was to sacrifice countless survivors for the purpose of Gate raids.
His first action as king of Ulsan was mass slaughter.
"Why did you do it?"
At those words, everyone turned their heads away, unable to meet my gaze.
I couldn't help but let out a hollow laugh, wondering if that gesture meant they still had some conscience left.
However, one among them was staring straight at me.
It was a man named Gim Minhan.
He ground his teeth and shouted at me.
"You know too, don't you! That what we're doing and what you're doing are both futile!"
Hearing his words, I examined his face for a moment.
It was a haggard face stained with despair.
Looking at his face, I could tell.
He wasn't a Player, but a Reader.
A reader who had read the novel, not the game.
And one who had probably read until the novel's ending at that.
"I was just trying to have some fun and live comfortably before that day comes. Why can't I? Isn't this world doomed anyway!"
I quietly listened to his words.
I knew. Because I, too, was a reader who had read the novel.
I could somewhat understand why he had given up and sided with Han Inhan.
I spoke to him.
"Yes, well. I understand your reason."
At my words, they couldn't say anything.
No, rather, they directed their gazes at Gim Minhan with surprised expressions.
From their expressions, I could tell that this was news to them as well.
Only Gim Minhan glared at me fiercely.
"If you've read the novel, I suppose you might think that way."
With those words, I took a step forward until I stood before him.
Gim Minhan, now facing me up close, still held a hostile gaze toward me.
I spoke to him.
"But did you think I came here to play the hypocrite?"
"W-what!?"
Boom!! Crash!!
In that instant, my hand moved quickly and struck his chest.
He flew through the air like a doll, smashed through the window, and fell straight down below the balcony.
"Kuaaaack!!"
Thud!
The moment the situation occurred, their faces froze completely.
They wore expressions of uncontrollable shock at what had just happened.
I turned my cold gaze back to them and opened my mouth.
"I didn't come here to put on airs of hypocrisy. I only asked because your actions were so absurd. Did you forget what you were trying to do just now? You were making plans to kill me."
"……."
"……."
"……."
Their faces were already severely hardened.
I spoke to them in a low, sunken voice.
"If you tried to kill others, you should have been prepared to die."
Those words marked the beginning.
"U-u-uaaaack!!"
"You bastard! Die!!"
Realizing the meaning of my words, they all rushed at me at once.
If they didn't kill, they would die.
They must have realized that, which was why they were acting that way.
Therefore, I simply swung my hands quickly at them.
Swish! Boom!!