Chapter 43

Episode 10 – Future War (2)

As soon as my hand wrapped around the flag, I felt a strong energy rising in my body. Originally, this was something the third turn Yoo Jonghyuk should have but... it didn’t matter.

Wasn’t he already strong?

[‘Kim Dokja’ has occupied the white flag.]

[If the white flag doesn’t change owners in the next five minutes, Chungmuro will be under his control.]

[If the flag is snatched in the next five minutes, the timer will reset.]

A timer appeared in the air.

[5:00]

Gong Pildu pointed at me with a pale face.

“Take away the flag! You only have to snatch it in five minutes!”

The alliance member belatedly regained their minds and started rushing towards me. Oho, it was like this?

Lee Hyunsung turned to me.

“Dokja-ssi!”

“Hyunsung-ssi!”

We called out to each other at the same time. Hercules’ Shield flew out of my hands into Lee Hyunsung’s hands.

“T-This?”

“I picked it out for you. Throw away what you previously used.

A big smile appeared on Lee Hyunsung’s face.

[The character ‘Lee Hyunsung’ has used the exclusive skill ‘Wide-Area Defense!]

A translucent shield centred on Hercules’ Shield surrounded our party. Indeed, this was the secondary skill attached to an A-grade item.

“Wah, what is this?”

People groaned as they ran into the air shield. They tried to break the protective shields with their old weapons but it couldn’t be broken with E-grade or F-grade items. In the end, the alliance members had only one place to turn to.

“Pildu-ssi!”

“Out of the way!”

The level of Armed Zone had risen considerably and there was already a small Armed Zone under Gong Pildu’s feet. He reduced the area to shorten the cooldown time. He was using his brains.

Well, I had to handle it properly.

“Pildu, did I tell you to get up yet?”

“Heok?”

Gong Pildu’s head once again slammed into the ground as he fell flat.

[Under the terms of the contract, ‘Command Rights’ is activated!]

“Keep your head on the ground until I tell you to get up.”

The perplexed alliance members shouted at Gong Pildu.

“P-Pildu-ssi?”

“P-Pull me up! Quickly!”

The terrified alliance members tried to raise Gong Pildu up but it wasn’t easy because Gong Pildu was very heavy.

“And... it is annoying so turn off the turrets.”

[The character ‘Gong Pildu’ has released ‘Armed Zone Lv. 6!]

“T-This bastard...!”

“Shut your mouth as well. Stay silent for 30 minutes.”

[Under the terms of the contract, ‘Command Rights’ is activated!]

“Oof oof oof!”

The alliance members became completely panic stricken once Gong Pildu became powerless with just a few words. Of course, the same was true for Lee Hyunsung, Yoo Sangah and Jung Heewon.

I said with a smile, “Now everyone seems to have figured out the situation and I’d like to talk to you...”

I could see people wincing and withdrawing.

There were roughly 29 people left. 20 members from the Landlord Alliance and nine extra people, including me and my party. The number wasn’t high but it was better than I thought. It was because having too many people at the beginning was difficult to control. I watched them and said.

“Now you have two choices.”

It was time to pick a side.

“The first one is to leave Chungmuro and go to another station. Or stay here with me.”

“W-What are you saying so suddenly...?”

“Just answer me. Will you remain here or will you go elsewhere? You better decide before the main scenario starts. Or else your life will be in danger.”

The eyes of the people present started to quickly move. Someone looked at me, someone else looked at Gong Pildu and another person looked at the tunnel leading to another station. I could tell their thoughts just be looking at them.

“I won’t stop anyone who wants to leave. But anyone who stays here will be under my control.”

“Control...?”

“Behaviour like the Landlord Alliance’ is no longer acceptable. I won’t allow tyranny over a small group.”

A handful of people watching me furtively started to stand by my side. They had been treated harshly by the Landlord Association and thought it was better to stick with me. It was a good judgment. A few alliance members shouted.

“In the end, you are going to reign!”

“I won’t deny it. But I won’t take taxes or survival money.”

“Is our safety guaranteed if we enter your group?”

A man from the alliance asked. Well, they bothered the tenants so much that it was natural to worry.

“I’ll guarantee some outside safety but I won’t interfere with what is going on inside. You must deal with conflicts between individuals yourself.”

“T-That...”

“I’ll give you one minute. You have until then to decide.”

There was no need to wait for one minute. People had already made up their minds. Some of the alliance members walked over to me with determined expressions and bowed their heads. They were relatively young.

“Thank you in advance. I was wrong in the past. Thank you for your generous forgiveness.”

“It is a pleasure. You don’t have to ask for forgiveness from me.”

[Some members within the group fell a sense of trust towards you.]

However, several others decided to leave Chungmuro. They tried to raise the fallen Gong Pildu.

I watched them and said, “Ah, leave Gong Pildu. That guy is mine.”

“What?”

“If you have decided then leave quickly.”

The five alliance members frowned at this and withdrew.

“Kang-ssi! Do you really not want to come with me? It is better than staying under him!”

“Let’s all go! Are you really going to serve that guy? You’ve seen him!”

But there were no more defectors.

The five men cursed a few times before heading for the tunnel towards Myeongdong. They wanted to gain land elsewhere and become new ‘landlords’. Unfortunately, their plan would fail. In the fourth scenario, the people ‘wandering’ were good prey to predators.

Once five minutes passed, the system messages popped up.

[The sub scenario has ended.]

[You have earned 1,000 coins as compensation.]

[The white flag will show its true effects to the Chungmuro representative.]

[Current Group: 24 people.]

[Your reputation is still too weak to gain the title of king.]

The title of king...

Indeed, it was hard to get the title of king with just a white flag. In order to walk the proper king’s road, I had to change the colour of the flag. Of course, the white colour had its own ‘authority.’

[You have gained control of the Chungmuro Group through the effect of the white flag.]

[You can punish a group member who goes against you.]

[There are currently five people who have left.]

I could give a ‘punishment’ to the five distant men but I left it alone. Terror was effective in controlling people but such tyranny wasn’t suitable for me.

“Well, thank you.”

I said while looking everyone in the eyes.

Lee Hyunsung was looking at me with respect while Yoo Sangah and Jung Heewon nodded. The rest of them were looking at me with similar expressions. They were still rabble but it wasn’t a bad start.

Shortly afterwards, Bihyung appeared in the air.

[Ohu, you have voted for a representative. Then let’s start the game!]

[The fourth main scenario is activated!]

+

[Main Scenario #4 – Struggle for the Flag]

Category: Main

Difficulty: C

Clear Conditions: (Hidden because there are many contents)

Time Limit: 12 days.

Compensation: 2,000 coins.

Failure: ???

+

I press the clear conditions.

Numerous messages appeared in front of me.

+

[Clear Conditions]

1. Every station has a ‘flag’ and ‘flagpole’ that can be occupied.

* The flag can only be carried by the ‘representative’ of the station.

2. You need to protect the flag from other station groups. If a flag is taken away by another group, the losing group will be taken over by the group that occupied the flag.

3. You can put a ‘flag’ in the ‘flagpole’ of another station. The authority of the flag is only for the ‘representative’ of each station. Once the representative dies in an armed conflict, the authority of the representative is transferred to the person who holds the flag first. If you take the ‘flag’ of another station group, the treatment of the group deprived of the flag is determined by the group that took the flag.

4. You must occupy the ‘flagpole’ of the ‘target station’ within a certain time limit. Failure to do so will result in the death of all group members.

5. The target station your group should occupy is Changsin Station.

+

Jung Heewon thought for a moment before opening her mouth.

“...We have to keep our flag and flagpole while putting out flag in other stations. Am I understanding it right?”

“That is how I understood it. We must take the flag to Changsin Station.” Lee Hyunsung also spoke.

Then I said, “That’s right. Everyone has understood.”

Jung Heewon narrowed her eyes at my words. She knew I was pretending not to know. Now that I knew the future, she kept looking at me. I grinned towards Jung Heewon.

Yoo Sangah touched her shoulder and said.

“Again... we once again have to fight against people?”

Lee Hyunsung thought for a moment before replying.

“It said that we can decide on the treatment of the group if we occupy their flagpole... hopefully there might not be any casualties.”

“Ah, I see. That death won’t necessarily occur if we take over the station? If we can accept the members of that station group when deciding the treatment...”

“Yes, it is possible to clear it without anyone dying.”

Lee Hyunsung replied with a smile. However, my heart wasn’t comfortable.

It seemed like Yoo Sangah and Lee Hyunsung were trying to understand the world with some saintly logic.

There was no such thing as a scenario where no one died. The fourth scenario would have more casualties than any precious scenario.

As if she knew my heart, Jung Heewon changed the topic.

“What line is Changsin Station? I think we should know that first.”

Lee Hyunsung confirmed it on the route map.

“Line 6. If we go to the tunnel, we can use the transit route...”

“Then we should split the group. How about a few people guarding this place while others go to scout?”

I didn’t have to say anything as they actively exchanged opinions. It was somewhat heartwarming.

[The activation of the scenario will turn off Chungmuro Station’s safety borders.]

[You can now freely move to other stations.]

As people were exchanging their opinions, I approached Gong Pildu.

“Gong Pildu, you can speak now.”

The command was turned off but Gong Pildu couldn’t easily open his mouth.

“I know that you feel badly towards me. But you have to adapt. The days when you are a landlord are over.”

“...”

“I know why you have been so obsessed with ‘land.’ But do it moderately. If you want to survive in the future. Don’t you have something to do?”

Gong Pildu’s eyes were shaky. I continued speaking.

“You will be in charge of protecting this place.”

Just like the third scenario, Gong Pildu was very useful for the fourth scenario. As longa s Gong Pildu protected this place, Chungmuro would be safe unless someone on Yoo Jonghyuk’s level came.

“Why should I speak to you...?”

“This time I won’t enforce it with a command. If you follow my request, there will be a reward.”

“...”

“Think carefully. Think about your family.”

Gong Pildu’s eyes became bigger at my words.

“You, how...!”

At this moment, noise was heard from the tunnel.

Baang~!

There was a loud horn sound and headlights shone on the railway of line 4. There was a bike engine sound and an exhaust sound. Something was coming towards Chungmuro.