Cultivate oneself, manage one’s household, govern the country, and bring peace to the world1수신제가치국평천하(修身齊家治國平天下) – Thank gosh this idiom had the Chinese words/version next to it..

The first step to saving the world, or rather the country, was to risk one’s life to protect one’s family.

And then, in order to save the country:

‘We need to find the families of the vassals.’

Finding the families of the key people might sound funny, but it was the most efficient way to achieve maximum results.

The top priority was to expand territory through leveling up, and the ones who had played the biggest role in that were the vassals.

Since they had been moving for me so far, now it was my turn to work for them.

‘Absolute Dweller’s Eyes.’

Ha Dong-geon’s party was currently near Jagalchi Station.

The annex area had expanded to just before Jagalchi Station.

Since it was a long distance to teleport, I used the Absolute Dweller’s Door to move to the edge of the area and then called them.

[Could you come back for a moment?]

They had advanced this far to meet Kim Ga-yeong’s parents–or rather, her mother–who were in Daesin-dong.

First, I planned to rescue Kim Ga-yeong’s family near Jagalchi, and then go find other people’s families.

During the five days the annex was being constructed, we had been steadily clearing a path to Daesin-dong, but we could hardly advance even 1km due to the monster waves.

Moon Byeong-ho, who had returned to the area, was surprised to see me.

“Mr. Jae-hyun? How did you…?”

“As expected, it was Mr. Jae-hyun’s power that wiped out the monsters earlier.”

Ha Dong-geon, quick on the uptake, asked, “So does that mean this area is now under Mr. Jae-hyun’s control?”

“You could say that.”

“If the safe zone has expanded this far, we can proceed with the operation much more safely.”

“Yes, but that’s not all.”

I didn’t keep Ha Dong-geon’s party here just to speed up the construction of the annex.

It was too dangerous to move to Daesin-dong due to the increased monster density from the monster waves.

The best option was to use the subway, but reality was that clearing the way from my house to the subway station would not be easy.

However, once the annex was completed, the whole situation changed.

First of all, the area expanded to just in front of Jagalchi Station, so we could enter the subway station directly.

And.

“We should be able to arrive at Kim Ga-yeong’s family in Daesin-dong today.”

Kim Ga-yeong asked with a skeptical expression.

“Is that possible? Even if a safe zone has been created…”

“Don’t worry. I now have a way to clear the subway tracks.”

When Seo Ye-jin was brought here, the strategy of filling the subway tracks with poison mist using mice could be used again.

“And there’s one thing I’d like to suggest to all of you.”

***

Seo Ye-jin, who was scouting the tracks connecting Jagalchi Station, Toseong Station, Dongdaesin Station, and Seodaesin Station using mice, said.

“It would’ve been a real disaster if you’d just let them go.”

“Right.”

The inside of the subway tracks was much more difficult than we had expected.

We had guessed that there would be few underground since the surface was full of monsters due to the monster waves.

However, contrary to our expectations, the place was filled with marine monsters that liked dark places. Creatures resembling catfish, crabs, octopuses, and eels were occupying the area.

Shwaaaaah!

However, those in the enclosed space could only become prey to Yoo Hye-rin’s poison mist.

[You have hunted an Ironclad Eel (Lv. 32).]

[You have gained experience points.]

[625,738,094 won deposited into the Absolute Dweller’s wallet.]

[You have hunted a Dark Octopus (Lv. 27).]

[You have gained experience points.]

[268,876,356 won deposited into the Absolute Dweller’s wallet.]

It was quite profitable.

There was a reason why the settlement money for the monsters that died from Yoo Hye-rin’s poison mist was so high.

「Name: Yoo Hye-rin (Lv. 34) [+]

Titles: [Fifth Vassal] [Knight] [Toxicologist]

Trust: 94 Loyalty: 100

Awakening Abilities: Poison Mist, Poison Dust

★Quest Assignment」

After Yoo Hye-rin signed a subordinate contract, she acquired the title of Knight, leading to an increase in settlement money.

Furthermore, her poison became even more potent, and she gained the ability to produce concentrated poison powder.

‘Yoo Hye-rin’s not the only one who’s changed.’

I looked at Seo Ye-jin, who was meditating beside me.

「Name: Seo Ye-jin (Lv. 37) [+]

Titles: [Tenth Vassal] [Baron] [Tamer]

Trust: 72 Loyalty: 76

Awakening Abilities: Queen of Mice, Evolution, Enhancement

Experience Distribution Rate: 200%

★Quest Assignment」

In her case, her existing Knight title evolved into Baron, an aristocratic title.

{Baron}

All abilities are increased by (Loyalty*2)%, and experience points and settlement money from monsters hunted by vassals with the title of Baron are tripled.

※Barons can grow by distributing experience points.

While experience and settlement money ratios remained the same, the effect of loyalty on abilities increased tremendously.

Not only did it change from physical ability to all abilities, but the increase was also doubled.

In addition, a new ability called Enhancement was created.

Enhancement (Grade B)

Enhance a target that is subordinate to you.

The enhanced mice could run much faster and were less likely to die.

‘And.’

It went without saying that Seo Ye-jin was not the only one to gain the position of Baron.

Ha Dong-geon, Kim Da-jeong, and Oh Eon-ju, all of whom were previously Knights, had their titles upgraded.

Ha Dong-geon and Kim Da-jeong attained the same rank as Seo Ye-jin, ‘Baron’ while Oh Eon-ju obtained the title of ‘Viscount’, a rank higher than that of ‘Baron’.

「Name: Oh Eon-ju (Lv. 45) [+]

Titles: [Ninth Vassal] [Viscount] [Warrior]

Trust: 100 Loyalty: 100

Awakening Abilities: Werebear, Primordial Vitality, Berserk

Experience Distribution Rate: 200%

★Quest Assignment」

[Viscount]

All abilities are increased by (Loyalty*3)%, experience points and settlement money from monsters hunted by vassals with the title of Viscount are tripled. A vassal with the Viscount title increases the limit of vassal registration by 3 slots.

※Viscounts can grow by distributing experience points.

There was not much difference from Barons in other aspects, but there was one decisive difference.

-A vassal with the Viscount title increases the limit of vassal registration by 3 slots.

‘Thanks to that, the maximum number of vassals has increased to 21.’

Additionally, Moon Byeong-ho, Kang Deok-su, Kim Ga-yeong, and Kim Geon, all went through an upgrade through the subordinate contract.

After confirming that the poison mist remaining in the subway tracks had disappeared, I said to Ha Dong-geon’s party.

[Let’s go now.]

First up was Kang Deok-su.

“Rise!”

Click, click!

「Name: Kang Deok-su (Lv. 32) [+]

Titles: [Third Vassal] [Knight] [Commander]

Trust: 93 Loyalty: 100

Awakening Abilities: Steel Knight’s Order

★Quest Assignment」

Upon becoming a Knight, the existing skill ‘Steel Knight’ was upgraded to ‘Steel Knight’s Order2The ‘Order’ here doesn’t mean command, it’s the kind that’s in medieval ‘order of chivalry’.‘.

Along with this, he gained the ability to summon not only armor that surrounded his body but also armored golems to command.

“Charge!”

The knights charged towards the monsters.

Clang!

Each one of them possessed considerable combat power.

In some ways, they were even better than Kang Deok-su in armor.

Crack!

Although it broke apart from the Giant Crab’s attack, it didn’t matter much.

“Rise!”

It was enough to just summon the golem again.

The monsters that were aggroed by the armored golems no longer paid attention to other things.

“Hahaha! Let’s go!”

The most excited was Kang Deok-su himself.

Following the path opened by Kang Deok-su, Ha Dong-geon’s party was able to smoothly enter Exit 2 of Jagalchi Station.

[The path is clear. Just head straight to Seodaesin Station.]

It was roughly 3km away.

Running at full speed with superhuman abilities far surpassing those of ordinary people, they arrived at Seodaesin Station in less than five minutes.

“We really arrived in just one day…!”

[Citizen Kim Ga-yeong’s trust has increased.]

Kim Ga-yeong stepped out of the gate at Seodaesin Station and said, “…If you go out to Exit 2 of Seodaesin Station, you’ll be right in front of our apartment complex.”

“Let’s go.”

When they came out of Exit 2, they heard a familiar sound.

“Kkiik!”

There was a group of goblins on a small grassy area between the road and another road to the right of the exit. They were hunting sky marlins whose noses were stuck in the trees and couldn’t fly away.

It was a rather amusing sight.

The fact that goblins survived meant that this place was attacked less by marine monsters.

‘Perhaps it’s because of the favorable terrain.’

Daesindong was surrounded by small mountains.

It was difficult for monsters pouring out from the sea to head towards Daesindong.

The lack of marine monsters was probably due to this geographical advantage.

Seeing that the goblins were in good shape, it was clear that they had been less affected.

‘Perhaps.’

Tap tap tap—

Ha Dong-geon’s party ignored the goblin group and ran.

It was only about 100 meters from the subway station to the apartment complex where Kim Ga-yeong’s mother lived.

Running along the alley to the left, they soon reached an apartment complex.

“We’ll go in directly.”

To get to the main gate of the apartment complex, they had to take a bit of a detour, but with the physical specs of Ha Dong-geon’s party, they could use even non-paths as paths.

Ha Dong-geon lightly jumped over the 2m high wall, boldly plunging into the flower bed.

The others also followed suit, easily leaping over the wall.

“Kkiaaak!”

As soon as they entered the apartment complex, they were faced with a group of ten goblins.

Wooong!

At that moment, Kim Ga-yeong’s arrow glowed.

And.

Swoosh!

Just before hitting the goblin, the light exploded into dozens of branches.

And.

Pook pook pook!3I’m sorry, I ran out of ideas for sound effects. I wanted to just write ‘Pubububuk’ if that makes more sense to you.

Each of them became a killing weapon that pierced the goblin’s body.

“Kwaeeaaak!”

[You have hunted a Goblin (Lv. 7).]

[You have hunted a Goblin (Lv. 8).]

[You have hunted a Goblin (Lv. 7).]

“Kkigigik!”

The remaining goblins, terrified by the sight, began to flee, and the busy Ha Dong-geon party ignored them and ran.

“Where do we go?”

“This way!”

Kim Ga-yeong led the way.

‘Oh?’

When they arrived at the apartment building where Kim Ga-yeong’s mother lived, they found the entrance completely blocked by wooden boards.

It meant there were survivors.

‘Perhaps.’

Ha Dong-geon smashed the wooden boards with his spear and then turned to his party members.

“Ga-yeong and I will go up, so please watch over here.”

“Okay! Rise!”

Kang Deok-su and the order of knights guarded the entrance.

Creak, creak.

Since the elevator naturally wasn’t working, Ha Dong-geon and Kim Ga-yeong had to use the stairs.

With their advanced physical abilities, they arrived at the 19th floor in strides, and Kim Ga-yeong knocked on the door of her house and shouted.

Thump, thump, thump!

“Mom! Mom—!”

Her desperate and urgent cry seemed to reach the sky.

Click.

“Noona4Noona and Unnie both mean older sister. Males call older sisters ‘noona’ and females use ‘unnie’.?”

It seemed to have reached the heavens5The heavens answered her cries..

“Myung-hwan! Where’s Mom?”

“She’s inside. Oh, and brother-in-law too?”

And then.

“Ga-yeong!”

A middle-aged woman’s voice came from inside the front door.

[Citizen Kim Ga-yeong’s trust has increased.]

[Citizen Kim Ga-yeong’s trust has reached 100.]

[Obtained ‘Light Arrow.’]

As soon as Kim Ga-yeong saw her, she immediately rushed into her arms and cried.

“Mom!”

“Ga-yeong! My child!”

After the tearful family reunion, Kim Ga-yeong burst into tears of sorrow.

“Sniff, Mommm.”

“Why are you crying, Ga-yeong? What’s wrong?”

“Dad ah, he, sob.”

Kim Ga-yeong couldn’t speak for a while and just kept crying sadly.

Even though she couldn’t fully explain, perhaps they understood just from that.

“No, no…”

“Heuk.”

As sadness filled Kim Ga-yeong’s mother and brother’s faces, tears soon flowed down their cheeks.

“Sob, Mom.”

“Aigoo, my dear. Ai…”

“……”

The family of three who were reunited wept sadly for the member missing from their midst.

There was a long melody of sorrow.

Despite having fulfilled the hope of reuniting with her family, Kim Ga-yeong still couldn’t escape the pit of despair.

…

The world was unfair.

Some were born into unfortunate families, suffering abuse and growing up in hardship; while others were born with a silver spoon, growing up without lacking anything.

Some faced unjust death, encountering monsters without any abilities; while I lived comfortably from the beginning, awakening fraudulent abilities.

No matter how much I questioned the world, the only answer that came back was just silence.

There was no reason for what had already happened; it was just a fact that had to be accepted.

All we could do was be grateful for surviving, grateful for reunions, and mourn and grieve for those we would never see again.

‘Let’s speed up.’

Now, all that remained were the families of Ha Dong-geon, Kang Deok-su, and Kim Geon.

The next target was Jangjeon-dong.

The families of the three were all there.

TN: Gosh, all the new terms to name took forever. Everyone’s gotten an upgrade!