Level 4 Human in a Ruined World - Chapter 75
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Chapter 75: Karma (4)
“What kind of nonsense is this? Can’t you even drive properly?”
“Well, this is…”
A total of ten people jumped out of the car.
They looked at the leading vehicle with aggressive eyes, but soon wore perplexed expressions.
“Oh.”
It was because they noticed Yeongwoo standing in front of the leading vehicle, as well as the Iron Horse and patrol car in the adjacent lane.
“…”
Suddenly, silence fell.
However, the eyes of the eleven people, including those at the forefront, were moving restlessly.
They were assessing the combat power of these unexpected outsiders.
Since the reset, even legitimate complaints had to be handled carefully in this world.
One could easily provoke the powerful and end up losing their life.
Moreover, how would they deal with this somewhat forced problem this time?
“Um… sir.”
Finally, a man who seemed to be the leader of the eleven cautiously spoke up.
It seemed he wanted to show respect, as it appeared the other party was not an ordinary person.
“Although it may not have been intentional, you have obstructed our passage. We need some compensation. Our cars are all wrecked…”
Upon hearing this, Yeongwoo smirked while looking at the badly damaged cars.
“…Me?”
Of course, he understood what the other party was saying.
However, they had been stationary, leaving one lane completely empty.
If the driver of the leading vehicle hadn’t been startled by Negwig, such an accident wouldn’t have happened.
So, based on common sense, this was a matter to be settled among the eleven.
Swiftly, as Yeongwoo silently shifted his gaze to the leading vehicle, the driver, who was still holding the steering wheel, tensed up.
“It’s regrettable that an accident occurred, but… I don’t think I should be held responsible. Either continue on your way as is, or…”
Yeongwoo didn’t elaborate further, but everyone in the vicinity understood.
If there was dissatisfaction, they would fight it out according to the ways of this world.
‘That guy definitely has something up his sleeve.’
The expressions of the eleven turned cold.
It was partly due to Yeongwoo’s provocation, but mostly because they were already heavily tense.
How strong would one have to be to show such audacity?
“…”
After a brief silence following Yeongwoo’s provocation, Taeyoung, who was not accustomed to such events, stepped down from the patrol car and bowed his head to the group of eleven.
“I believe there is some degree of responsibility for the accident, so I will apologize on behalf of our party.”
An apology on a diplomatic level.
He also didn’t want to witness eleven murders happening right in front of him.
Even though the law had become somewhat ineffective in this world, he was still a police officer after all.
However, the eleven didn’t easily back down.
“No… verbal apologies are meaningless, right? And technically, isn’t this a non-contact accident? We should at least have some compensation to consider any concessions.”
As the leader of the eleven said this, he continuously observed Yeongwoo’s expression.
In a situation where the power balance between both sides was unclear, they were testing how far they could push things.
Of course, if Yeongwoo were a bandit, his line would not be drawn so far away.
“If we don’t negotiate?”
“Huh?”
“Are you saying if we don’t negotiate, you’ll fight to the death? If you were truly confident, you wouldn’t be wasting time like this.”
“…!”
The eleven were startled by the unexpectedly firm response.
Given that this world was filled with blusterers, it was too dangerous to take lightly.
In other words, such a response was only possible if one was truly powerful.
“I think… let’s just quietly wrap this up this time.”
Once again, the opinion of the eleven began to lean towards yielding.
Everyone present here was not aiming for monsters or mutants in Seoul, but rather skilled individuals in the Gyeonggi Province aiming for them, ranging from the second to third-tier.
Therefore, they were well aware of how high the ceiling of the concept of ‘strong’ was.
Moreover.
‘Damn… who is this guy to have such a strong vibe.’
The temporary leader of the eleven, Lee Jangho 73, gritted his teeth.
He could feel the unique aura of the Strongest Sword from the man in front of him.
Even though there were no titles above his head.
‘No way… but no, that can’t be.’
He had never heard of the Strongest Sword hiding his title.
Even if that were possible, there was no reason for Jangho to do so in his common sense.
In other words, the man in front of him was just an ordinary person.
‘If he’s not the Strongest Sword, there’s no reason he can’t be killed.’
While Jangho thought this, he was also preparing to bow his head according to the public opinion.
He didn’t have an absolute certainty of victory.
“It seems unavoidable. Well then, this time, we…”
Just as Jangho was about to step back with a smile.
Vroom…!
Another engine sound came from the road behind them, that is, from the direction of Seoul.
“What now, again?”
As Yeongwoo turned his head in the direction of the sound, all eleven, who had been listening to the engine sound in the same spot, simultaneously widened their eyes.
“Oh, this…”
“Ah.”
The momentum of the eleven, which had been somewhat subdued, strangely shifted.
Something mixed with anticipation and concern.
And not long after, from a distance, a group of vehicles revealed themselves.
Vroom…!
Even though the engine sound was particularly fierce, there was a significant difference in the way they used the road compared to the eleven they had encountered earlier.
While the eleven were using only one lane and driving in a single file, the approaching group was using the entire four-lane road.
Moreover, there weren’t many vehicles, just four.
“These guys are doing whatever they want.”
Looking at the four vehicles, which had now gotten closer, Yeongwoo asked Jangho.
“What about them?”
To which Jangho, gesturing awkwardly, replied.
“It seems like troublemakers are coming.”
“Troublemakers…?”
Yeongwoo’s question was abruptly cut off as the problematic vehicles arrived at the scene.
Screech!
Threateningly parked with long skid marks on the ground, all four vehicles were loud, flashy foreign cars.
“…!”
Yeongwoo couldn’t help but think of the bandit gang he encountered in Yeosu.
Didn’t their cars feel somewhat similar to these?
Suddenly, the four vehicles opened their doors one after another, and their drivers stepped out onto the road.
Thunk!
As the people got out of the cars, the number was the same as the vehicles, four in total.
Unlike the previous eleven, who were mostly in their late thirties, these individuals looked barely in their early twenties.
“Hey… mister, what’s the time now? Why are you guys still here?”
As soon as the four young men got out of the car, they pulled out their swords.
Shing!
All armed with early birds.
One of them even had two swords.
Seeing this, Yeongwoo couldn’t help but smirk.
“Those guys are definitely the type to talk with their swords.”
As soon as the group of four young men appeared, some of the eleven also discreetly reached for their sword sheaths.
With the number of heads from Seoul increasing to fifteen, it was only natural.
But that didn’t necessarily increase their chances of winning.
“Are these guys the problem?”
After quickly scanning Yeongwoo’s group, the quartet stopped at Negwig, who was standing in the corner of the road.
“What’s that?”
A unanimous reaction.
Apparently, even in Seoul, there weren’t such ferocious horses.
Then, one of the quartet, holding a pair of swords, suddenly approached Negwig.
“It seems like it’s saying something, right? Is it really alive?”
The guy didn’t even consider seeking permission to speak to the owner of the horse.
It was as if anyone present here could be pressed with force.
Of course, perhaps…
‘It seems like he’s deliberately picking a fight.’
Yeongwoo didn’t know if the act itself was intended to provoke a conflict, as Jongsu had been observing the situation.
Anyway, from Yeongwoo’s perspective, he couldn’t let the guy mess with Negwig.
Swiftly, as the opponent was about to take the second step, Yeongwoo grabbed his shoulder.
Thunk!
“What do you think you’re doing? Don’t people from Seoul have any manners?”
Then, the young man who had grabbed Yeongwoo’s shoulder swung his sword as if he had been waiting for it.
“How dare this bastard…”
Or rather, he tried to swing it.
Thunk!
“What…?”
Currently, Yeongwoo’s strength stat was an impressive 1,200.
Of course, it wasn’t comparable to the Strongest Sword of Seoul, but it was enough to easily crush the bones of a novice swordsman.
However, the problem was…
“What…? Agh!”
As Yeongwoo made contact with the enemy, the effect of the golden punishment, inflicting unbearable pain, was triggered.
“Gah!”
The face of the man turned pale with unimaginable pain, and the other three young men shouted angrily.
“This crazy guy…!”
“Are you just going to stand there and watch?”
The target they requested assistance from was none other than the group of eleven.
And in the midst of this, the man spoke while grinding his teeth.
“You’re finished now. Do you know who I am?”
“…Who are you?”
As Yeongwoo retorted, his attention was already focused on the fourteen Seoul guys, excluding the pair of swords.
「The sensory stats have temporarily increased from the original 600 to 685.」
「The sensory stat has temporarily increased from 685 to 790.」
「The sensory stat has temporarily increased from 790 to 916.」
Finally, everyone unanimously decided to attack the outsider, as the sensory stat was skyrocketing crazily.
‘Seoul is definitely Seoul.’
Based on the sensory stats stolen from the opponent, the fourteen present here were skilled individuals with total stats ranging from hundreds to even a thousand.
It was enough to pick a fight with a newcomer.
But unfortunately, the outsider they encountered this time was the Strongest Sword who unified the large region of Gyeongbuk.
“You bastard, I’m…”
As the enraged pair of swords muttered his lines between his clenched teeth, Yeongwoo saw over a dozen death marks floating in his sight.
“Yahhh!”
“Die!”
The fourteen Seoul swordsmen, who had sharpened their swords, entered Yeongwoo’s striking range.
Clang!
Yeongwoo extended his right foot firmly to the ground and…
“Kyaah!”
…swung his black sword fiercely towards the rushing enemies.
*Boom!*
In an instant, the blade extended up to five meters, drawing a sinister trajectory.
The man, who had been about to proclaim his identity, clenched his mouth shut.
“Eop…?”
Because there were hardly any survivors among the spectators after that blow.
*Thud thud thud!*
Out of the fourteen, only the hesitating Lee Jangho73 remained standing still, without being drawn into the black trajectory, while the remaining thirteen were rolling on the ground, turned into piles of flesh.
“What… is this…?”
As the bewildered man mumbled, Jongsu, who was preparing for a handover, and Taeyoung, who had already drawn his gun, put down their weapons on the road.
And finally, Yeongwoo asked the question he hadn’t finished earlier.
“So, who are you?”
Instead of the pair of swords, who fell into contemplation, Lee Jangho, who had been silent, spoke.
“Wha- What did you just do? That guy’s father is Jeong Hyunsik.”
“Jeong Hyunsik?”
Yeongwoo asked with a puzzled expression, and Lee Jangho explained hesitantly.
“You really don’t know? Jeong Hyunsik… He’s the Gangnam Strongest Sword.”
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