◈ Episode 100

Kim Lee-hyun closed the car door and came out, covering his forehead with his arm. He even frowned. His eyes were stinging from the glaring sunlight.

"Ha, I should have at least brought a driver."

I couldn't help but feel regretful. I was tired both physically and mentally after driving all the time. No matter how much the physical performance of a person improves, it is impossible for a person to become like a machine.

It took a full ten days just to move.

This time, I didn't take a helicopter. Not only was it not an urgent matter, but operating a helicopter itself is a risky act.

'The land route is just as dangerous.'

I've been suffering terribly from monsters lately.

It was okay when I stopped at a town or city along the way, but it wasn't always possible. There were times when I had to sleep in the car.

And then I realized, it's better to stay up all night.

"Ugh. I can't even travel alone."

The presence of a night watch was extremely necessary. The frequency of monster appearances was higher than when I was heading to Cilicia. Rather than saying it was bad luck, it would be more accurate to say it was a characteristic of the region.

Kim Yi-hyeon took a fresh look at the surrounding scenery.

"I've lived and seen all the deserts."

A terrain made up of high and low sand dunes. Instead of cacti, the hills are studded with strange ivory-colored rocks. Mutated dung beetles crawl beneath the rocks.

Footprints and tire marks of unknown date are occasionally visible. These are traces that will soon be buried in the sand and disappear.

Suddenly, a flashback to the battlefield of Bastetera came to mind. I saw snow piled up on the corpses. I wondered how much of what was buried here.

I become conscious of my feet for no reason.

'Shall we go?'

After putting on the shemagh and cloak without any gaps, he took a step forward.

An old abandoned site. It is a ruin that has already been visited by countless grave robbers. It would be difficult to find any relics even if you searched for three days and nights.

I'm not particularly interested. There are just steps you have to go through before entering the city.

"I've been waiting."

A person walked out from behind a weathered pillar.

Just like Kim Yi-hyeon, the outfit covers the entire body, leaving only the area around the eyes exposed. There is no unnecessary detail in the gait, so the upper body hardly shakes.

I lowered my gaze and looked at my hands. I couldn't see the weapon status because it was hidden by the sleeves.

Did you notice that I was observing you?

"You have a strong sense of vigilance."

The man rolled up his sleeves and showed his bare hands. Only then did Kim Yi-hyeon take his persistent gaze away.

"I'm sorry if I was rude. I've heard so many bad rumors."

"No, I feel a little relieved. It seems like you're not here for tourism."

"What kind of crazy person would come to Banjar as a tourist?"

"I agree with you, but there are people who don't know how precious life is. Especially the rich who think the world is small."

Even though he was saying it as a joke, there was not even a hint of humor in his tone. It was just dry. The man took out a small object from his bosom while observing Kim Yi-hyun's expression.

A craft hanging on a leather strap. Kim I-hyeon also held out the symbol he had received from Kushan in advance. After confirming that the shapes matched, he put it back.

"You said Shahid. Isn't he a spy for Rap?"

"Yes. I am personally carrying out Morea's instructions."

Morea. Another name for Kushan.

'The feet are wide.'

Kim Yi-hyun stuck out his tongue. Kushan has connections with many sources of information, even if they are not related to rap. Even if they are not deep relationships, they are connections that can be used usefully.

Shahid handed over his ID. The date of issue was May 2, 2040, four years ago. The name written on it was also very strange.

This was also one of the conveniences I gained from working with rap.

"You don't have to worry about the information leaking. It's a valuable source of income for me, too."

"I'm talking about funding. Would it be different if an employer who takes better care of me than Morea appeared?"

"First of all, wouldn't it be necessary to assume that your information has value?"

"That may be true."

Morea stared at Kim Hyun-ah with emotionless eyes as he took out his ID. Soon, he lifted the flowing cloth up to the tip of his nose and turned away.

"Follow me."

He moves ahead. Even when I look at him again, his way of walking is unique. He doesn't even make the sound of his clothes brushing against me. If I took my eyes off him for a moment, I would miss him.

Following behind, there was an old off-roader parked on one side of the ruins. Morea opened the trunk and nodded inside.

It meant to tell me to go in.

"I received an ID card, but do I have to enter the country illegally?"

"The search won't be a problem. Instead, rumors will spread, knowingly or unknowingly. Another foreigner has come in. And tomorrow or the day after, there will be a fight at the hotel where you are staying."

"It's a neighborhood that's hard to get attached to."

"Mostly yes."

Kim Yi-hyeon shrugged his shoulders and squeezed himself into the luggage compartment. Surprisingly, he felt less resistance. In fact, after accumulating all sorts of experiences, he usually didn't think much about it.

I just think it's refreshing.

'I feel a little sorry towards Ainoa.'

A few months ago, I carried a person, but this time I was the one being carried. It wasn't my intention, but my life experience was getting richer day by day.

chin.

The light went out as the trunk closed.

After a while, my body started to shake as the car started to move. If I waited like this, I would arrive in a city I didn't know about.

'How long will it take?'

I had been eating only dried food so I started missing proper food.

* * *

The car stopped and started again several times.

At first, I thought, 'Have we already arrived?', but as the number of times increased, my thoughts changed to 'Is it now?', 'Is it still far?', and 'When on earth?'

It was quite difficult to stay awake. Even in a space that was not comfortable but rather stuffy, it was easy to fall asleep. I was chasing away the sleepiness by chewing on a snack.

The low ceiling opened and natural light poured in.

"Come out."

Shahid's blue eyes still showed no emotion. It was awkward to deal with him for some reason. Kim Yi-hyun made a "yeah" sound and slowly got out of the trunk.

"It seems like it's been a while since I came into the city. More than I thought...."

Crunch.

I felt a sensation of contact with the crown of my head.

"...I thought it would take a long time."

The feel of solid iron was not unfamiliar.

Kim Yi-hyeon lowered his head and rolled his eyes left and right. It was a dark alley with thick shadows. Naturally, it wasn't a public place.

'Is there five people visible right now?'

They were all wrapped in dark-colored cloth. Three of them had drawn daggers and two were holding pistols. Not only that, but there was a presence behind them.

"Raise both hands slowly, palms facing out."

A gruff voice was heard right in front of him. It was a guy with a gun pointed at his head. Kim Yi-hyun obediently followed the order. Resistance was not a good idea in this situation.

"Is this okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. Lift your head too."

When he raised his head, the gun followed. Kim Yi-hyeon confirmed the face of the person who had pointed the pistol at his forehead.

Tanned brown skin. Dark eyebrows and a beaked nose are impressive. A resident of Polaris who has never appeared in the game.

"I can't tell where you're from just by looking at you. Well, I guess it's okay."

The man signaled to his colleague. The young man who received the signal pulled out the blade hanging from Kim I-Hyeon's back. He didn't stop there, and continued to search his body.

'It's pretty thorough.'

Kim Hyun-ah glanced over the shoulder of the smiling man at Shahid, who was receiving a leather pouch from the man's colleague.

"Don't blame me. I forged your identity and brought you to the center of the city, so I guess he did his job well. After that, it's up to you."

"That's true."

It was already a dangerous area known to the entire continent. As for Shahid, all he had to do was tell Kushan, "I guided you well, but you died."

There's no way he'll get caught with the book.

"Then what happens to me from now on?"

"흠."

The man looked Kim Hyun up and down as if he was assessing the price.

"His limbs are intact, and his face isn't bad either. He has a certain aura. If I'm lucky, I'll be sold to a lonely widow at night and live out the rest of my life in comfort."

"What if I'm unlucky?"

"I don't know. There are quite a few unusual customers. Like a homosexual, or a slightly eccentric researcher. Oh, and it seems like stuffing human heads has become popular recently."

"There are so many crazy people out there."

"I agree. But unfortunately, the less sane you are, the better you seem to be."

It was indeed a true story.

Banjar has been in a state of anarchy for decades. The police have long since been disbanded, and there is no regular army. It is a country where violent criminals reign as powerful figures.

A typical lawless zone.

It is a place where gunfights break out on the streets without a care. It is a continental garbage dump where people who cannot live in normal society gather.

"Okay, that's all for now."

As soon as the body search was over, the conversation ended. It seemed to be a brief moment of boredom. The man snorted as he stuffed the confiscated money into his pocket.

"I'll give you some advice since you seem to be somewhat sane. It would be better to refrain from doing anything foolish. Corpses have their own demands, after all."

It meant that if you fail, I'll just shoot you.

"Take it and go."

Then, the man's colleagues grabbed Kim I-hyeon by both arms and forcibly dragged him away. They walked down a dirty alley and entered a building without a sign.

The interior was furnished with only the bare minimum of furniture, such as a sofa. The cement walls, which had not even been wallpapered, were covered with marks of freshly painted paint. A faint smell of blood tickled my nose.

Squeak.

The door is closed.

The man untied his hood and sat down on the sofa. He stared at Kim I-hyeon, holding a bottle of alcohol that was rolling around like trash.

"Tie it up properly and put it in a corner."

"Yes. Alex, bring me the rope."

The young man whose name had been called headed upstairs. Shahid had already left. By now, he must have kept his money bag safely in a safe or somewhere.

There are currently six people here. Kim Yi-hyeon estimated the width of the room by eye.

'Why is it so narrow?'

It may seem inconvenient to move, but there is nothing you can't do.

Bam!

Kim Yi-hyeon turned his upper body sharply and shook off the men who were holding his arms. The sudden movement and the strength beyond imagination. The two who were unable to respond fell to the floor noisily.

"Ha, why did I have a feeling it would be like this?"

The man didn't panic because he had guessed. He clicked his tongue and picked up the pistol. It seemed like he should break off one limb even if it meant losing value.

That's what I thought.

"...What?"

Until a shotgun suddenly appeared in front of me.

Taang!

Without a moment's hesitation, the trigger was pulled. The bullets sprayed from the gun barrel and struck the man's face and torso. The body, hit by a hail of bullets from a close distance, was thrown backwards.

The gunpowder smoke rose and dispersed into the air.

"You didn't know this would happen, you punk?"

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.