Episode 8 – Emergency Defense (3)

I couldn’t kill Gong Pildu because he was useful in future scenarios, but I needed Gong Pildu to leave his land.

This was a difficult dilemma so I focused on the premise of the dilemma. For example if he was on ‘private land’ then I had to destroy the private land.

“Uhh… h-he is out.”

“This dog…”

However, using this method required strong force. An overwhelming force that could destroy a ‘huge’ private land in one blow. That’s why I hastened to evolve Lee Hyunsung.

“Eeeeok…!”

The people who fell down to the third underground floor groaned with pain.

The operation was a success.

The green zones disappeared and the landlords lost their ‘rooms.’ Gong Pildu’s face was covered with dust and looking this way. As he was about to open his mouth, Bihyung’s voice entered their ears.

[What are you doing now? Waaah!]

‘Be quiet.’

[Crazy bastard! The dokkaebis of Chungmuro are freaking out because of you!]

I had a headache from the messages of the constellations that rang in my head.

[The constellation Prisoner of the Golden Headband likes your recklessness.]

[The constellation ‘Bald General of Justice’ likes your revolution.]

[The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ likes the destruction and chaos.]

[300 coins have been sponsored.]

“Y-You bastard!”

“Kill them!”

The alliance members shouted at us. I started running down to the platform with Lee Hyunsung.

[The exclusive skill, Character List is activated.]

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[Character List]

Name: Lee Hyunsung

Attribute: Person who has Regained Justice (Rare)

Stigma: Great Mountain Smash Lv. 1, Great Mountain Push Lv. 2.

Exclusive Skills: Bayonet Skills Lv. 2, Camouflage Lv. 2, Patience Lv. 1, Sense of Justice Lv. 2, Weapons Training Lv. 3.

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The evolution of Lee Hyunsung was successful. Strictly speaking, it was just the start. But the fact that Lee Hyunsung could use Great Mountain Smash would quickly enhance the power of the party.

“Hyunsung-ssi, how many more times can you use it?”

“…Probably once or twice more.”

Lee Hyunsung was gasping for breath and obviously quite worn out.

It was natural. The Great Mountain Smash stigma was an ultimate skill that consumed a tremendous amount of stamina and magic power. There weren’t many skills that exceeded Great Mountain Smash when it came to pure physical force among the physical reinforcement type skills.

The group of people scattered all over the place seemed to be running in this direction. I asked Yoo Sangah who was running in the front.

“Was there anywhere you couldn’t break?”

“I broke both of them!”

“I didn’t realize the rooms could be broken like this. We banged hard on the ground together and it smashed…”

Jung Heewon followed.

Yoo Sangah, Jung Heewon and Lee Gilyoung took out the small green zones. Most of the green zones fit three or fewer people, apart from Gong Pildu’s green zone. There was some was an ambiguous scale but there was a separate person handling those.

[Hey! Can’t you hear me? What are you going to do now?]

On the other hand, Bihyung was still shouting across the ‘dokkaebi communication’.

‘What are you worried about?’

[Have you forgotten? I’m don’t have the only channel in Chungmuro. Do you really not know what will happen if you do this?]

Of course I knew. Maybe the constellations in the channel with Gong Pildu would be in a frenzy right now.

‘What channel is Gong Pildu in?’

[…Biryu’s channel. BIR-3642.]

‘Biryu is the one who came while you were busy for a bit?’

[That’s right. That asshole.]

‘How is his subscription configured?’

[It is the flagship channel for the ‘finding amusement’ group.]

The dokkaebis whose main purpose was to find amusement. That’s why their broadcasts were radical. Great. Then the response within the channel would be much hotter than expected. Everyone would’ve eaten the sweet potatoes properly.

I headed down the stairs of the transfer corridor to line 4 and saw a welcome face. The blade was moving through the air.

“You broke them?”

“Yes. It was easy.”

Lee Jihye’s role was to take out the green zones that contained five to eight people. It was a task that Jung Heewon would find hard to do alone. Indeed, she was Yoo Jonghyuk’s disciple and was the incarnation of the sage hero. Now there were no more green zones left in Chungmuro.

“Now what? Those jerks will come running wildly. Ah, there they are.”

Lee Jihye’s expression twisted as she looked behind me.

“I’m not going to help you this time.”

“I don’t need it.”

Jung Heewon scowled as she watched Lee Jihye retreating.

“What is with her?”

Come to think of it, Jung Heewon didn’t know about Lee Jihye. But there was no time to tell her.

[Haha… you are fucked now.]

A message was heard along with Bihyung’s words.

[A bounty scenario has occurred!]

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[Bounty Scenario – Assassination Commission]

Category: Sub

Difficulty: C

Clear Conditions: The constellations of Channel #BIR-3642 have requested to kill a certain person. Please kill ‘Kim Dokja’ of Chungmuro Station.

Time Limit: 10 minutes.

Compensation: 2,000 coins.

Failure: None

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I thought this situation would unfold. It was going to be a lot of fun. Now all the incarnations in the region would gather on the platform of line 3 to catch me. Jung Heewon asked by his side.

“I will receive 2,000 coins if I kill Dokja-ssi right now?”

“Why, are you going to kill me?”

“Aye, perhaps. If you give me 200,000 coins then I don’t know.”

Does this girl know how much 200,000 coins were worth?

“Dokja-ssi. Go behind me.”

Lee Hyunsung stepped out ahead of me. Jung Heewon stayed beside me while Yoo Sangah and Lee Gilyoung moved to block any access. It was a defense formed around me. Jung Heewon smiled.

“Now I can pay back my debt.”

“Dokja-ssi, we’ll try to block it somehow.”

There were people showing hostility around us. The angry landowners and the tenants were blinded by the bounty quest. I watched Lee Gilyoung holding the weapon and opened my mouth.

“Don’t be nervous.”

I lightly stroked Lee Gilyoung’s shoulder and moved towards the railway tracks.

“We don’t have to fight them.”

It was a few turns. I had read about such a scene. I didn’t have time to check which regression it was but Yoo Jonghyuk had destroyed the green zones as soon as he arrived at Chungmuro.

Even then, it was like the current situation.

[All green zones in this region have been destroyed and the main scenario has collapsed.]

[The difficulty is automatically adjusted according to the remaining schedule of the scenario.]

[The scenario content is updated!]

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[Main Scenario #3 – Emergency Defense]

Category: Main

Difficulty: B-

Clear Conditions: All the green zones in the region are destroyed and the monsters that were going to be created in the remaining days have suddenly run wild. Survive against the flood of monsters for the remaining time.

Duration: 8 hours.

Compensation: 1,000 coins.

Failure: ―

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Originally, there were three days remaining in the scenario.

Now the monsters supposed to be created during the remaining time of the green zone scenario would emerge all at once. In other words, it was simple.

[The emergency defense has begun!]

The defense game had started.

“W-What?”

The people approaching me started screaming. The cries of monsters were heard from outside the screen door. The feast of monsters moved like an angry wave.

“Crazy! What the hell is this?”

The platform of line 3 quickly became a mess. The faces of the people became speculative as they watched the monsters coming from all sides. The bounty scenario was completely forgotten about.

Grrrr!

A few grolls ran and bit some of the alliance members. The upset people were shouting.

Now was the only chance. I shouted to my party.

“Go to the transfer route!”

I started jumping up the transit stairs with my friends. By the time we reached the upper level, people were blocking the path.

“What? Get out of the way!”

“Do you want to fall?”

I kicked some of the followers and pulled out a blade. The people were surprised by the White Pure Star Energy blade and backed away.

“You haven’t grasped the situation yet.”

“W-What?”

“Even if you come up, you won’t be able to survive.”

There was a sense of despair in the expressions of the people. There were no more rooms. Now there were no more safe zones from the monsters in Chungmuro.

“What should we do?”

“What else? Fight.”

“Don’t speak crazy words! This is all because of you! If you hadn’t broken our rooms…!”

I triggered the Blade of Faith and used it on the transfer stairs.

Kwarurung!

“Uwaaaaack!”

The centre of the staircase fell with a large sound, along with the people. It was cruel but necessary.

“Crazy! Quickly find another staircase! Quickly!”

Well, I don’t think it would happen.

Lee Hyunsung was already running. I smashed the transit stairs we came up on and there was only one staircase remaining. Subsequently, the sound of arguing and something breaking was heard on the other side.

“Shit! Waaah!”

The cries of the people trapped on the platform of line 3 were heard. Lee Jihye approached me and asked.

“Ahjussi. This isn’t what you told me. If you leave it like this…”

“I know.”

I looked at the lower floor that was becoming pandemonium. If I left it like this, they would all be killed. Whether it was from the monsters or using each other’s bodies as a stepping stone to come upstairs.

This wasn’t what I wanted.

[The exclusive skill ‘Bookmark’ can now be activated.]

[‘Character Bookmarks’ is activated.]

[Available Bookmark Slots: 3]

[Bringing up the list of available bookmarks.]

[People Listed in the Bookmark Slots]

The Delusion Demon Kim Namwoon (Understanding 35). Steel Sword Lee Hyunsung (Understanding 65). Demagogue Cheon Inho (Understanding 20).

I activated the third bookmark.

[The number three bookmark has been activated.]

[The level of the Bookmark skill is low, shortening the activation time.]

[Activation Time: 5 minutes.]

[Your understanding of the character is low, so only a part of the character’s skill is activated.]

[Incite Lv.2 has been activated.]

Suddenly, it felt like my tongue was coming alive on its own. This was how Cheon Inho felt. I looked downstairs. In the middle of the mess, I could see a middle-aged man.

“Hey Gong Pildu. How long are you going to stand there?”

Gong Pildu glared at me.

“This dog…!”

“Don’t you have to act in order to live? If you move, everyone else can live.”

The power of Incite permeated the ears of all the frightened people.

“P-Pildu-ssi!”

“P-Pildu-ssi, please save us!”

Gong Pildu’s expression distorted. I felt good. This was what Cheon Inho would’ve felt at Gumho Station.

“The third scenario isn’t as hard as you think. Once everyone gives up on the rooms and participates in the defense, there are enough people to handle the monsters.”

My words were half true. If Chungmuro had united before I arrived here, there would be far less victims. After all, the biggest pitfall of this scenario was the green zone.

“If Gong Pildu fights with the people, you can survive.”

Those who fight together would survive, those who ran away would die.

[The sponsor behind Lee Jihye agrees with your wisdom.]

[The constellation ‘Maritime War God’ nods his head.]

“Now there are no rooms for you to run away to. Forget about whether you are a landlord or tenant and fight. Or you will all die.”

The more urgent the situation was, the more the effect of Incite would increase.

“Damn, this fucking guy…!”

“Pildu-ssi! Please help us!”

The alliance members gathered around Gong Pildu. If he ran away here alone, Gong Pildu’s Landlord Alliance would collapse. In the end Gong Pildu made his decision.

“Dammit… Everybody gather here!”

The people downstairs started gathering around Gong Pildu.

“I need time to install a new Armed Zone. Everybody just hang on!”

The key was Gong Pildu’s Armed Zone. However, the weak point was that Armed Zone took time to install every time it moved.

Blood splattered everywhere and people screamed as their limbs were torn off.

“Aaaagh!”

As expected, the first ones who abandoned the formation were the tenants, not the alliance members.

“Yoo Sangah-ssi.”

“Yes. Please leave it to me.”

I didn’t need to explain it. Yoo Sangah already understood what she needed to do.

Her Binding Thread stretched out and started to rescue the people who couldn’t fight anymore. In any case, their mission was to buy time for Gong Pildu to deploy Armed Zone.

“U-Uhh… t-thank you.”

The tenants hung from the threat and were pulled upstairs.

The rescued tenants were shaking as they wrapped up their injured area. In the meantime, some of the people with weapons carefully looked at me. I smiled at them and said.

“Oh, do you want the bounty?”

[The time limit for the bounty scenario has expired.]

[The bounty hanging on Kim Dokja has been destroyed.]

“Sorry, it is too late.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

The tenants seemed ashamed as they put away their weapons. I heard Gong Pildu’s voice roaring from the bottom.

“Out of the way!”

[The character ‘Gong Pildu’ has used Armed Zone Lv. 3!]

[The character ‘Gong Pildu’ has activated ‘Armed Zone Lv. 4!]

There was a mechanical sound as five turrets rose from the ground. The red magic bullets condensed in a short time and started firing.

Dududududu!

Kwang! Kwaang! Kwaang!

The ground rats screamed as they were hit by the bombardment of magic bullets while the grolls came to a halt. The group of people cried out.

“As expected of Pildu-ssi!”

“Wahhhh!”

It was truly Gong Pildu. In a defense type scenario, there was no incarnation that surpassed a player’s combat effectiveness.

The 10 Evils weren’t called that for nothing.

“All of you damn scum disappear!”

The agitated Gong Pildu randomly fired. Lee Hyunsung spoke with admiration.

“It is a really tremendous stigma. Is it okay when the magic power consumption is so big?”

“It is a good stigma so it will be okay for a while.”

“Should we help…?”

“Gong Pildu alone is sufficient. If we do down then he will be distracted and stop shooting.”

The Defense Master sponsor behind Gong Pildu was completely suited for this type of scenario. As long as he supported Gong Pildu, Gong Pildu wouldn’t die here. As long as the sponsorship continued.

I sat down and stretched out my legs.

“We will be sucking honey for a while.”

“…Is it time for personal maintenance already?”

Lee Hyunsung sat down with me and the party members started to relax one by one. Jung Heewon asked.

“Thank you. I didn’t get enough sleep… can I sleep now?”

“Yes.”

10 minutes later, Jung Heewon was lying on the ground and snoring. I said yes but I really didn’t know how she could sleep so easily.

“A-Aren’t we too easygoing?”

Yoo Sangah sounded concerned. Indeed, it would be confusing. There wasn’t a ‘scenario’ like this so far. In fact, all we did was survive the brink of a crisis.

“Think of it as standing on the right line.”

“Then over there…”

“They got the wrong line.”

The confusion on the lower level had almost died down because of Gong Pildu.

Dududududu!

“Uwaaaaah!”

He should’ve lived a better life.

“Fuck! Fuuuuuckers!”

In the midst of the endless procession of monsters, Gong Pildu’s screams echoed.