Chapter 15: A Brief Escape (3)
TL: Hanguk
A stranger appeared on Gauido Island.
Both the man who had been plundering potatoes and Kim Yong-geun and his son were speechless.
What's happening on the island now?
Since the appearance of the wyvern, they haven't been able to sail, and thus, no one could leave or enter the island.
Fortunately, the wyvern's nest is located in the forest, and only slimes have been appearing in the village, so there is no significant disruption to daily life, but the stress of the isolated survivors is severe.
But the young man calmly strolling around the village was clearly an outsider.
Naturally, one cannot help but wonder, 'how did he get here?'
"What, who is this? Was there such a person in the village?"
Upon hearing the man's question, Kim Yong-geun and his son, who had been on tenterhooks until now, shook their heads.
Eventually, the man followed the nonchalant young man and stopped him.
"What are you?"
However, only after he stopped the young man did the man belatedly realize his mistake.
The man was carrying a long sword.
Furthermore, he was over 180cm tall and his body was robust.
Even though his face was as common as any other, his aura and eyes strongly conveyed the feeling of an 'athlete,' someone you wouldn't mess with even in school.
"I'm a person?"
"No, that's not what I'm asking!"
"Then ask your question properly."
The man was infuriated, thinking the young man with the sword was mocking him, but he endured with patience.
"You're an outsider, right? How did you get to this island?"
If the young man had been on the island before the incident, it would have made sense.
But why?
He had a feeling that the young man in front of him did not visit the island through normal routes.
"I swam here."
"What?"
The man blinked his eyes in disbelief at the young man's answer and then chuckled.
"Is this bastard making fun of me?"
Eventually, the man could no longer hold back and raised his hand.
But when the young man placed his hand on his sword, the man retreated in fear.
"You, you stay right there."
And with a typical villain's line, he ran away to call his comrades.
The young man shook his head at the man's pitiful retreat, ignored his order to wait, and moved on.
"Hey, student."
However, the young man's steps stopped once again.
Kim Yong-geun, who had been watching the entire situation from the field, had approached to speak to him.
"Yes, what is it?"
"Do you want a cold drink?"
"........."
An unexpected offer.
Kim Yong-geun's son was startled by his father's impromptu action, but the swordsman seemed interested in the offer.
"Do you have cola?"
"Of course, we have cola, as well as soda and juice."
"Then I won't refuse."
***
"Khhhhhhhhh!"
The most tastiest cola I have ever had in my life was the one I received with a chocolate bar during religious activities at the training center.
But today, I surpassed that taste.
After being chased by monsters and swimming across the sea, then walking along a pebbly beach for about two hours, I arrived at Gauido Island.
Just when I was thinking of going to the safe zone to have a bath, a kind resident handed me a cola, which gave me the gift of supreme refreshment.
"Do you want another one?"
And the kind resident offered a soda, which I downed in one shot.
I originally intended not to get involved with the villagers.
However, in a situation where I was feeling a strong thirst, the proposal of 'Do you want a drink?' was as powerful as a succubus's temptation, and I could not resist.
Thanks to gulping down 710ml of drinks at once, including cola and soda, my thirst was completely quenched.
Thanks to that, I was belatedly reminded of the risks of getting involved with the residents of the Island.
"Have you eaten yet?"
"I'm fine."
I tried to refuse the continued kindness, but...
"But I can immediately serve you some tuna kimchi stew, fried eggs, and seaweed."
"Thank you, I'll eat well."
Due to the hunger and the irresistible Korean menu, I succumbed again.
In the end, I not only got a drink but was treated to a meal, dessert, and even an apple.
By the time I regretted it, it was already too late.
Before I knew it, I had finished my bath, was out in the yard, and was petting a dog.
'This place is terrifying.'
***
Realizing my mistake belatedly, I broke into a cold sweat and got up from my seat.
It was so comfortable that I almost ended up sleeping there.
I fumbled in my inventory and pulled out a sword and a magic robe to wear.
Thanks to this, I returned looking like a comic book hero to others, but like an eighth-grade syndrome to myself.
“Are you leaving?”
“Yes, I'm going to mark a waypoint and go to the safe zone to look around the shop.”
“Do you have a place to return to via waypoint?”
“Yes.”
The friendly local, who introduced himself as Kim Yong-geun, didn't ask much more.
So, I was about to leave the house...
It felt wrong and uncomfortable to just go like this, so I opened the status window.
[Status Window]
-Level: 25
-Title: None
-Stats
Strength: 13(+1) Agility: 15 Magic Power: 11(+2)
Remaining stat points:
-Coin Balance: 7,352
I moved my finger to touch the 'Coin Balance' section.
[Please enter the amount you wish to withdraw.]
Along with this message, a numeric input box appeared.
I entered 300 and hit the withdraw button.
A golden flash appeared in front of my eyes, and when I grasped it, three 100 coins materialized.
"This is for the meal."
I handed it over to Kim Yong-geun.
Upon seeing the amount, both Kim Yong-geun and his son, who had been watching the situation, swallowed in surprise.
"No, 300 coins... That's too much. I don't need it."
As expected of a village enclosed by a safe zone, they understood how to use coins.
300 coins was a significant amount.
It's the worth of killing 20 Grand Dire Wolves or 10 low-rank Succubus.
However, I didn't regret it since I was treated to a precious meal.
Ignoring Kim Yong-geun, who was trying to return the coins saying he didn't need them, I left the house.
"You're here?"
As if they were waiting for me, a group of people greeted me outside the house.
Seven men and one woman.
Their ages ranged from the 20s to the 40s.
What was unusual was that they were all armed, holding makeshift spears made from kitchen knives, axes, hoes, etc.
Seeing this, I concluded that there seemed to be no weapon shop in the safe zone's marketplace.
"What do you want?"
In response to my question, a man who looked like the leader of the group, along with another man who had picked a fight with me earlier, approached.
The leader looked like an ordinary office worker in his 30s.
"I didn't come here specifically to pick a fight with you, so I'd appreciate it if you weren't so guarded."
Is this something to say after coming up in force with weapons?
I sighed and made myself clear.
"I know the general situation of this island. I have no intention of getting involved in this place's affairs, so leave me alone."
I then moved to leave.
Seeing that I wasn't scared, they were the ones surprised.
"Where do you think you're going? When in Rome, do as the Romans do. We're the law here."
However, the leader blocked my way by holding out his ax.
I was tempted to just push through, but I became curious.
What do they want from me?
"What do you want?"
Did they think they were finally getting through to me with my question?
The leader let out a smirk as if to say 'well, that's more like it'.
"You, you swam here, right? Is that true?"
"Yes."
"From where?"
"From Shinjindo."
"When did you arrive?"
"Just a while ago."
I didn't feel like mentioning about Wolgwang Island.
So, I lied that I came from the mainland.
'Shinjindo' is technically an island, but it's connected to Taean by a bridge, so it's no different from the mainland, and it's only 3km away from Gauido Island.
"I saw on the internet that monsters are now appearing underwater?"
"Monsters started appearing just before I arrived on this island. I was lucky."
"Why did you bother to come here?"
"I heard there's a waypoint on the island. I thought it might be special."
What is this about?
It won't be bad if the situation is resolved by just having a conversation, so I answered accordingly, mixing in lies as needed.
"What's your level?"
"12."
I called my level, halving it.
But that was a mistake.
I thought I called it low from my perspective, but it must have been too high for them.
"Where did you come up with such a lie!"
"I read on the internet that the highest level person hasn't even reached 10!"
Is the difference really that big?
No, that can't be true.
There must be plenty of people who have surpassed level 10; it just hasn't been publicized.
I responded calmly.
"It's easy to reach level 10. There are probably many others besides me, right?"
And I snatched the axe from the leader in front of me and broke the handle like a twig.
"......"
Only then did the mouths of those who told me not to lie shut.
Seeing me break his weapon so easily, the leader was taken aback, then coughed awkwardly.
"So, will you just set the waypoint and go back to where you were?"
"Yes."
The term he used to refer to me changed from 'you' to 'you¹'.
"Then, let me make a suggestion."
Just when I was getting bored and thought about ignoring and breaking through,
The leader came up with the interesting word 'suggestion'.
"You are the only one here who can come and go from the outside."
"Yes."
"If we need something, you can get it from the outside. With your inventory, you can carry quite a lot of items, can't you?"
Damn...
I got caught lying.
I can't actually go to the mainland?
Although the corner of my mouth twitched unknowingly, I acted calmly.
"How do you plan on payment and compensation?"
However, his following words hardened my expression.
"You'll have to figure that out yourself."
"What?"
"If you don't help us, the villagers will be retaliated against."
That's an ingenious calculation.
Proposing a deal by putting the lives of strangers I have never seen before at stake?
Like a third-rate villain...
'What's this? Am I the only one who thinks this calculation is strange?'
As I was bewildered, the leader gave a nod to the man I was arguing with.
Then, that man nodded and tried to go into Kim Yong Geun's house where I had my back against.
"What are you doing?"
-Wham!
Of course, I couldn't tolerate such nonsense.
I broke the arm of the man I hadn't liked from earlier, then knocked him out with a punch to the jaw.
Is it because I subdued one person too easily?
They hurriedly created distance from me.
"Don't move!"
And then,
A man in his thirties, who was hiding behind a nearby tree, revealed himself and shouted at me.
Surprisingly, he was holding a hunting rifle in his hand.
"I can imagine how you've treated the villagers."
As soon as a gun appears, levels and all are useless.
That thought was clearly visible on the leader's face.
I asked the leader, who was looking smug.
"I'm really curious, why are you doing this? Isn't it better to help each other?"
My tone of voice had somehow turned informal.
I judged that there was no longer a need to respect the opponent.
"The world has collapsed. Law and order have been destroyed."
"So you're going to live as you please?"
"Yes, it means we don't need to be oppressed anymore."
"You're sick, seriously. It's severe Chuunibyou."
Well, I can understand a bit.
Anyone who lived under strong discipline would feel liberated.
Even as the world is destroyed and everyone's life is threatened, I've seen on the internet that some people view this situation as the arrival of equality.
How to accept this is up to each person.
"Then I can do as I please too?"
At my question, everyone let out a faint laugh.
"Do you even have the ability to do so?"
At their mocking attitude, I shrugged my shoulders and pointed my finger at the man who was pointing his gun at me.
*
"Are you hurt anywhere?"
At my question, Kim Yong Geun and his son swallowed dry saliva and nodded.
Behind me, asking how they were, nine members of the tourist group were lying down, covered in blood.
"Ugh..."
"Sa, save me."
"It hurts."
That's right.
I had instilled the concepts of ethics and morality into these people who were oppressing others as if they were the masters of the world.
I originally planned to simply register the waypoint and return, but I ended up seeing blood because of them.
"I personally think there's no point in leaving guys like these alive. How about just throwing them to the marine monsters?"
"Th, that's a bit."
At my terrifying suggestion, Kim Yong Geun and his son were shocked, and the fallen people began to shed tears and beg for mercy.
Why did they mess with someone who said they would peacefully go their own way and end up like this?
I still don't understand.
"Well then, you all deal with these people as you see fit. You're the ones who suffered directly."
"Th, thank you."
Before I knew it, many villagers had come out along with Kim Yong Geun's father and son.
For now, I decided to leave their treatment up to them.
If the situation seemed too much for the villagers to handle, I'll have to throw them into the sea.
[The waypoint of Gauido Island has been saved.]
[A navigable waypoint has been found.]
-Wolgwang Island (Cost: 52 coins)
I headed for the safe zone of Gauido Island, my original destination.
First, I saved the waypoint.
Next, I checked out the shop in the safe zone, which could be considered the highlight.
*****
TL Notes:
1) In Korean, both 너 and 자네 are translated as 'you,' but in Korean, 너 is a normal 'you,' and 자네 is a more respectful 'you.
*****
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