Level 4 Human in a Ruined World

[Translator - Night]

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Chapter 284: Karma (5)

"If the citizens don't come up with the money, I'll kill all of Tongliao's Three Swords..."

The ones most shocked by this rather outrageous threat were the Three Swordsmen themselves, who only now realized they were being held hostage.

"W-What? Are you a robber?"

When the second sword of Tongliao, Huang Shengli, asked in a bewildered tone, Yeongwoo instinctively flinched for a moment.

"......"

Until now, he had never thought of himself as a robber, but hearing it now, he realized that what he just did was essentially robbery.

He had abruptly taken them hostage and demanded money from the citizens.

On Earth, someone like this would definitely be called a 'robber.'

'Damn it, things have gotten really messy.'

Moreover, Huang Shengli, who was now a hostage, was looking at the "Tower" that Yeongwoo had come on.

She was in shock that this mysterious structure, which seemed almost awe-inspiring, was just a means for a robbery.

But was Yeongwoo just a mere robber?

No.

Jeong Yeongwoo07 was a powerful robber who could take the Three Swordsmen of Tongliao hostage instead of the citizens.

And he was an angry robber who believed that trying to solve this situation with nice words was out of the question.

"You attacked me first."

"...What?"

"You three attacked one person, and now what? Asking if I'm a robber? Demanding compensation for assault is robbery?"

"Well, that’s because..."

"Just get the money ready, you bastards!"

When Yeongwoo rolled his eyes and threatened the citizens of Tongliao, a loud voice came from behind him.

"You thief! Let’s settle this once and for all!"

This was from Zheng Chosan, the first sword of Tongliao, who had failed in his previous attempt to stab Yeongwoo in the back.

Shiiing!

This time, a sharp attack aimed precisely at the back of Yeongwoo’s neck came flying in, forcing him to display a bit of his skill.

'I didn't want to cause permanent damage if I could help it.'

He swung Bastard like lightning and sliced Zheng Chosan's blade in two.

Swish!

The unique-grade sword of Zheng Chosan was now broken, and Huang Shengli, who witnessed this up close, widened her eyes in shock.

"......!"

She realized that this robber who appeared with the Tower was not just unusual in personality but also in martial prowess.

'Who the hell is this guy?'

A monstrous stranger who arrived like a bolt out of the blue.

"You bastard!"

Next, the third sword, Guo Wangbo, who had finished his struggle with the Golden Trail, came charging in.

Tat-tat-tat!

Before he could even take three steps, the robber’s form shot forward like a bullet.

"S-Stop!"

At that moment, Huang Shengli, who was still held by Yeongwoo, screamed, and almost simultaneously, there was a heavy thudding sound.

Thud!

"Ugh?"

It was the groan of Guo Wangbo, who had tried to swing his sword at the robber.

He looked down at his stomach, which was now in excruciating pain.

"......"

There, between his navel and solar plexus, was the hilt of a red sword. Jeong Yeongwoo had struck Guo Wangbo with the hilt of Bastard.

Of course, he had controlled his strength, so Guo Wangbo didn't sustain any external injuries.

But instead...

"Urgh!"

The effect of the Golden Punishment began gnawing at his senses.

As his entire body felt like it was burning, Guo Wangbo rolled on the ground in agony.

Seeing this, the citizens finally began to move.

"L-Let's gather some money."

"How much does everyone have right now?"

"This is all I have..."

Fearing that all of Tongliao's Three Swords would actually be killed, they decided to try and collect the money the robber demanded.

Seeing this, Huang Shengli gritted her teeth.

Grinding them together, she barely managed to form a sentence in respectful language.

"What are you? Do you go around extorting money like this?"

"......"

Confronted with such an accurate statement, Yeongwoo paused for a moment in thought.

Then, unable to find another answer, he nodded.

"Yes."

"Yes?"

"I do go around extorting money."

A straightforward answer.

With that, Yeongwoo released the arm of Huang Shengli, whom he had been holding until now.

It seemed she wasn't the type to abandon the citizens and flee.

Then, Huang Shengli looked Yeongwoo up and down.

"What will you do with the little money you get from us? You seem like someone who already has more than enough."

"Isn't it the case that many drops make a flood?"

"......?"

"Even specks of dust, when gathered, can form a mountain. I intend to collect every bit of small change in China to help buy this planet."

"W-What do you mean... buy what...?"

From specks of dust to purchasing a planet—Huang Shengli's mind seemed to freeze for a moment at this cosmic leap in conversation.

The uninvited guest in front of her was not just a simple robber but an utterly insane one.

However, Yeongwoo remained serious.

"Please contribute some money so I can buy Earth. I'm asking you nicely."

Then, he looked toward the southwest, where Beijing—Peking—was likely located.

"In return, I'll conquer Beijing and erase Im Dupyeong for you."

Beijing, and Im Dupyeong.

The moment Yeongwoo uttered these two words, the previously noisy hall, bustling with people collecting money, fell silent.

"......?"

Surprised by this unexpected reaction, Yeongwoo widened his eyes.

Then, Zheng Chosan, the first sword of Tongliao, who was still standing with his broken sword, pointed his half-blade at Yeongwoo.

"Conquer Beijing? That's our long-cherished goal. Who do you think you are to interfere?"

"You, who can't even take me down, have your sights set on conquering Beijing?"

"You...!"

There was nothing wrong with what Yeongwoo said, so Zheng Chosan couldn't find anything to refute.

This conversation was openly happening in front of the citizens of Tongliao.

There was no greater humiliation than this.

Some random robber had shown up out of nowhere, spouting nonsense, and they lacked the power to shut him up.

It was enough to drive Zheng Chosan mad.

"You crazy bastard!"

"I've heard that too many times; it doesn't affect me anymore. Just hand over the money. Then I won't bother you any further."

Yeongwoo spoke with a face that showed he was genuinely unaffected, and finally, Huang Shengli brought up the matter of 'price.'

"...How much do you need?"

So Yeongwoo had to ask in return.

"How much are you paying Im Dupyeong right now?"

"Huh...?"

"Huh?"

"What are you talking about?"

Huang Shengli looked completely bewildered.

In response, Yeongwoo quickly turned to gauge the expressions of the other two swordsmen, Zheng Chosan and Guo Wangbo.

"...Good grief."

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

As expected, they also had no idea.

They were completely unaware of the existence of the "collection teams" of the Standing Committee members who traveled through various Chinese cities daily, collecting tens of millions of karma.

"You've never met them? Im Dupyeong's collection teams."

"Collection teams?"

"Im Dupyeong is collecting money?"

Seeing the Three Swordsmen of Tongliao immediately become enraged confirmed it.

The shadow of Beijing had not yet reached this city.

'Damn, is this because of me? Well, I did kill the East region officer.'

It was unmistakable.

One of the two Standing Committee members he had killed in China must have been in charge of collecting from Tongliao.

"Oh, I'm sorry. It seems I might have killed the person in charge of Tongliao. Otherwise, your blood would have already been sucked dry starting yesterday."

Yeongwoo scratched his chin with the tip of Bastard.

"So, how should I make you feel this grim reality...?"

"W-What are you talking about now?"

"You may not know this, but all other cities in China are paying Im Dupyeong 50 million karma every day."

"Fifty million...?"

Fifty million karma every day.

This figure sounded completely unrealistic to the citizens of Tongliao, who had not yet encountered a Standing Committee member.

"Is that even possible?"

"Not monthly, but daily? They're paying 50 million every day?"

"Why are they even paying that?"

As the crowd began to buzz again, Zheng Chosan questioned the uninvited guest as if challenging him.

"Don't talk nonsense! You're saying every city is giving that much money to Beijing? Why? That doesn't make any sense."

Yeongwoo immediately released a golden aura from his eyes, projecting the "Majesty of the Strongest Sword."

Whoosh!

This was the first proper display of intimidation since he arrived in Tongliao.

"Gasp!"

"Ugh...!"

"It hurts!"

Although Yeongwoo directed his aura only at the Three Swordsmen of Tongliao, even the citizens surrounding them could sense how immense his internal energy was.

"Why do they pay? Because if they don't, they'll die. What's so hard to understand? Did I explain it too nicely?"

Yeongwoo casually lifted his sword in front of the frozen Zheng Chosan.

"I don't want to be a villain. But if you keep wasting my precious time, I can't help but lose patience."

"......?"

"What... what is he saying?"

Despite being the strongest in Tongliao, the Swordsmen, who felt their hearts being crushed under his aura, couldn't just ignore what Yeongwoo was saying.

"So, you're saying you want to collect the money before Im Dupyeong does?"

Huang Shengli asked in a voice filled with indignation.

“Yes! But you forgot something important!"

"What? And what's that?"

"I charge ten million less than Im Dupyeong!"

"You crazy bastard!"

It was Huang Shengli's patience, not Yeongwoo's, that cracked first.

Just in time, the "Strongest Sword's" aura that had been restraining the three masters began to fade.

Swoosh...

The aura's duration had ended.

Swish!

As soon as the hold on the Three Swordsmen of Tongliao was released, they all rushed toward Yeongwoo simultaneously, as if they had planned it.

"Haaa!"

"Die!"

"You shouldn't be allowed to live!"

This was a critical battle, where the fate of losing or keeping millions of karma daily hung in the balance.

Of course, Yeongwoo had expected such a reaction and swiftly retreated, shouting to the golden goblin, "Black Sword!"

He was ordering the goblin to pull out and toss him the Dullahan's sword.

However, the goblin merely tilted its head without even opening its subspace pouch.

-Kee?

Yeongwoo realised, 'That's right, I put it in the Catalog.'

In a hurry, Yeongwoo grabbed the "Golden Trail" floating behind him with both hands.

Thunk!

He then swung the sword toward the three masters of Tongliao, who were already closing in on him.

"Listen to me! Paying me is the safest and easiest way! Don't make me turn into a real villain!"

Whoosh!

The sword drew a wide golden arc, and though the Three Swordsmen of Tongliao flinched at the sight, they didn't suppress their fighting spirit.

"We've never even met the collection teams, and we won't lose to them either!"

"Aren't you one of those collectors? Aren't you Im Dupyeong's dog?"

"It seems killing you is the true justice!"

As the Three Swordsmen, each filled with righteous indignation, charged at him, anyone watching would see Yeongwoo as the villain.

'Damn, these guys really...'

Clang, clang, clang!

In an instant, they exchanged a dozen blows.

This exchange only lasted because Yeongwoo was holding back against the three swordsmen.

If he wanted, he could have beheaded all three within ten seconds.

But as he had said earlier, Yeongwoo's patience, like his time, was wearing thin.

"You bastards, I'll show you why the other cities are paying me from now on."

So, as Yeongwoo reached for the Bastard once more...

Boom!

A strange explosion-like sound came from the rear of the battlefield, where the four had been fighting.

"What."

"What the...?"

Yeongwoo and the Three Swordsmen of Tongliao all turned to look in the direction of the sound.

What they saw was an elderly man approaching, his voice amplified with a strange, demonic resonance.

—The Chairman Im Dupyeong demands tribute! Tongliao, heed the command...!

The old man, announcing his approach with an eerie tone filled with malice.

—I am Hong Jingbai, the 2nd Standing Committee member of the Central Politburo!

"...!"

The 2nd Standing Committee member, second only to Im Dupyeong himself in Beijing, had arrived.

He had been dispatched to investigate the situation in the Eastern region, where Standing Committee members kept disappearing.

Yeongwoo quickly extricated himself from the battlefield and pointed to the Three Swordsmen of Tongliao, who were conveniently gathered together.

"Master Hong! Over here! These men are plotting a rebellion!"

[Translator - Night]

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