by Yoo Seong
‘Don’t tell me?’
Ark hurriedly manipulated his Nymphe. And his heart fell as he saw the sector management window.
-The current population had fallen below 2000!
You need to keep the population at more than 2,000 for a week in order to apply for public facilities. If you gather the population again then you need to maintain it for another week.
“U-unbelievable!”
Those guys had been aiming for this! S-20’s population had steadily increased to over 2,500. Even with all the incidents, the population had stayed at 2,300 people. Therefore Ark hadn’t worried about the population. The population had only decreased a little bit so he didn’t think it would fall beneath 2,000 in one day. That was a trap. Those guys were ready to decrease the population to less than 2,000 at any time. And they had waited for him. In other words…..
“You!”
Ark turned and shouted. Bain just laughed and said.
“Heh, you’ve finally grasped the situation. I said you would be sorry if you didn’t accept my advice. The Laius company has managed more than 10 sectors on Istana. Do you think we wouldn’t have expected Ark-nim’s plan?”
“You…..!”
“There will be a problem if you continue being difficult. I’ll simply say this. I don’t have any relationship with those murderers. But who knows what will happen in the future. The murders of pioneers in the dungeon will probably continue. So it will be difficult for you to increase the population. Ark-nim’s plan has no possibility of working.”
Bain paused and continued.
“Now it is impossible to buy this sector for 1,000 gold. My offer is 500 gold. If you’re smart then you will decide quickly. The value will continue to go down……”
Space 2
The Best Hunting Ground
“Hah……”
Ark sighed. He had been on the verge of applying for an extension when there was a mass case of PK! This unprecedented event was definitely a fatal blow to Ark. So far he had identified the death toll at 230 people! But the problem wasn’t the deaths. The incident happened in just 30 minutes. The fact that there were 230 deaths in such a short time meant that the Laius company had a minimum of 100 people hidden in the dungeon. They also had to have considerable levels and skills to PK the users hunting in Mt. Fargo. More than 100 chaotic people had infested the dungeon.
“Damn, how can we hunt in a place like this?”
“Does it make sense to pay for a dungeon infested with chaotic people?”
“Isn’t the sector manager going to solve this problem?”
“Allowing chaotic people in the first place is inconceivable!”
The users’ complaints were directed at Ark. Strictly speaking, it was Ark’s responsibility. There were ways to hide an identity in Galaxian. There were even items that make noise to prevent the opponent from figuring out their personal information. If the Hyde Helmet was used then even the appearance could be changed. Therefore most cities and sectors had devices installed at the entrance to detect those types of items and skills like ‘stealth.’ But Ark was poor.
He had been saving all his money to install the Fairy and exclusive route. But that meant he couldn’t install the search device. The boundary of S-20 was only marked with a fence and rubble. In addition, Ark only had 10 people to maintain the boundary. If someone wanted to sneak in then it was easy. The auditor was correct when he pointed out that S-20’s security was low. He didn’t even have the minimal amount of equipment to stop a situation.
‘Those guys aren’t hiding in that way……’
Even if there were no security facilities, there were the eyes of many pioneers in the dungeon. There had to be a way to hide 100 chaotic people in the dungeon. Perhaps they were in a normal state before entering the dungeon. In any case, the damage was huge. Many users in the same party had died. If they were normal before PKing then there would be no way to filter them out even if he had search devices. But that wasn’t an excuse. He couldn’t avoid receiving the blame so he took the dungeon entrance fees.
‘It’s fine if they blame me. The problem is that there is no way to resolve this situation.’
This was the reason for Ark’s sigh. Usually a sector would request intervention from the federation in cases like this. However the range of S-20 was up to the entrance of the dungeon. They had to pass through S-20 to do to the dungeon so the users paid a separate admission fee. But the dungeon itself wasn’t owned by Ark. In other words, it was no different from the Outlands. That’s why he couldn’t stop Bain from drilling a tunnel to the dungeon even though he was advertising it for free.
“We’ll handle this!”
At that moment Berad stood up and shouted. Ralph and Kalliben also followed him.
“Yes! We’ve sweated blood digging in the dungeon. I can’t just let those vile henchmen steal all our hard work!”
“Don’t be stupid.”
Mellin jumped in with a frustrated expression.
“You’ve spent a month there so you know how big and complex the dungeon is. How can 10 people find all those guys? You need to find a minimum of 100 people. If we enter then they will systematically deal with us. We’ll just be surrounded by them in the dungeon and get wiped out.”
“I’m not afraid of death!”
“Yes, what does it matter if we die once or twice?”
Mellin sighed and shook his head.
“That way won’t solve anything.”
Mellin’s words were correct. In fact, not all the users had been scared off by the PK case. Users like Ciel and Kuma who fought with Ark weren’t put off by it. But that was only dozens of people. There were over 100 chaotic people and he wasn’t even sure of the number but he wouldn’t have enough to deal with all of them. He had to admit it. Mt. Fargo’s dungeon had been seized by Laius. And……
*Sector Management Information Window*
Sector Code: S-20 Sector Rating: Lv. 1
Sector Range: 1 kilometre around the entrance of Mt. Fargo.
Sector Manager: Ark (Agent: Dark Eden)
Number of Stores: 12 (7 Duty-free shops, 55% tax of the income)
Population: 1,180
Sector Assets: 4,374 gold
“Hah……”
He sighed over and over again.
“Why did something like that happen? There’s no Fairy here so all the experience gathered from the past few days just flew away! No matter how precious the gallstones is from the Thanatos, it isn’t worth the risk and anxiety.”
“Refund our entry fee!”
“Yes, I won’t be hunting here anymore!”
A large number of pioneers requested a refund since the PK incident. 1,000 people had left the sector. And Ark was forced to refund the 1 gold dungeon admission fee. However now money wasn’t the problem.
‘There are 13 days left for the audit command. Currently the only way to complete the quest is to expand the sector.’
The condition was that the population of 2,000 needed to be maintained for a week. In other words, he needed to attract back the pioneers and maintain it for at least 6 days. However the population couldn’t increase when the dungeon was basically closed. There were other hunting grounds around S-20 but that would only attract users for a short period of time. And there were other sectors in the Outlands. There was also no guarantee that the PK wouldn’t happen again. No, he was sure it would!
‘There is only one way to solve this situation.’
Ark would also hire pioneers like the Laius company! He could hire mercenaries to sweep through the dungeon. That would also fill up the population so it was killing two birds with one stone.
‘The problem is funding. It would cost quite a few gold to handle the chaotic people in the dungeon. A minimum of 100 people is necessary. Employing users in that method would require thousands of gold. My remaining 4,374 gold might not be eno
ugh.’
It would be useless even if he hired the mercenaries. He wouldn’t have the money to expand the sector as planned. He would fail the audit command!
‘No, there has to be some way! I can’t give up S-20 like this! I have to defend it! Chaotic…..if only I could pull out those damn chaotic bastards…..but the dungeon is outside my sector and they’re trapped in there……’
It was at that moment. A lightning bolt flashed through Ark’s head.
“Yes, that’s right! I’ve misjudged the situation! Pioneers aren’t entering the dungeon because of the chaotic PKers. So I thought they seized the dungeon but it is actually the opposite.”
“The opposite? What are you saying?”
The Royal Guards were bewildered by Ark’s words.
“Even if they infiltrated the dungeon in the normal state, they’ve all become chaotic once they killed the pioneers. They won’t be able to leave the dungeon in that state. Many pioneers left but there are still more than 1,000 users in the sector. If they exit in a chaotic state then they would only be committing suicide. No matter how level they are, they won’t be able to deal with all the users in the sector. If they enter the sector then that will also give the federation the chance to intervene. The Laius group knows of the relationship between Marquis Martin and me so they won’t take that risk. So those guys are trapped in the dungeon.”
“Eh……”
The Royal Guards thought furiously. Their expressions were asking why if mattered if they were locked up. But this difference was great for Ark.
‘Yes, I don’t need to have complicated thoughts!’
Ark ignored the members’ ‘?’ and looked around. The man wiping the Silver Star caught his eye. His name was Kurakan. He had kept on challenging Rapid while Ark was away and eventually won. However Ark got annoyed and beat him in a duel, sentencing him to serve the sector for a week. Honestly Ark hadn’t expected Kurakan to keep his promise. Ark thought he would run off as soon as possible. However Kurakan had been obediently fulfilling his service time in S-20 with chores. In Kurakan’s words……
“So far I’ve duelled with hundreds of users and I’ve never lost. Dying is not the same as losing. Ark is the only one who I admitted defeat to. So I will keep the promise. It isn’t because Ark-nim knows my recognition code. I will look extremely cowardly if I run away. I can’t become Ark’s student if I commit such a cowardly act.”
“Student?”
“I intend to be a disciple that is like your subordinate.”
Kurakan snorted and struck his chest.
“When I started Galaxian I vowed to defeat 1,000 users. I won a duel with more than 500 users until I was beaten by Ark.”
He could guess how Kurakan won. He kept on challenging Rapid until he couldn’t rest and became sick. Well that was until he met Ark.
“But if I lost before 1,000 wins then that person would become my Hyung-nim. That is Ark-nim. You’re the only person in Galaxian who won against me.”
He couldn’t agree that Kurakan won against the other users but……
“Okay. I’ll see what you do from now on and I will decide.”
Ark agreed that Kurakan would be a candidate to become his subordinate for the moment. His level and equipment weren’t that great but he was persistent in applying for the duel. That’s how he eventually managed to win against Kurakan. He could probably make use of him somehow.
‘That time is now.’
Ark grinned and beckoned towards Kurakan.
“Hey you. Look over here a moment.”
“Huh? Why?”
“It’s a little sudden but……”
Ark pulled out his blue lightsaber.
“You have to die.”
—————————————————————————————-
–Has it been going as planned?
A husky voice flowed from the monitor. Just by listening to the voice, you could imagine that it came from a man in his 50s sitting arrogantly in a swivel chair and biting a cigar.
“Of course.”
Bain replied subserviently.
“They’ve receive an unrecoverable blow this time. The decrease in population ruined his plan to expand the sector and take the research centre. And the population will keep on decreasing as long as our criminals are here. That guy has no way to recover. Now we just need to wait for the audit time limit……”
–Shut up!
The man shouted in a harsh voice. He stared at Bain with an unpleasant look and said.
–What is happening in S-20 right now can’t be related to the Laius company. The Laius headquarters doesn’t know anything about this. If there is a problem then everything will be blamed on you. Am I wrong?
“T-that’s right! I’m sorry!”
Bain closed his mouth and quickly lowered his head. The man then started talking again.
–The important thing isn’t the process but the result.
“I’m aware of that.”
–You’ve already done enormous damage to headquarters. Originally you would’ve been fired already. Have you forgotten who made sure you still have your neck?
“Of course! I will never forget Vice President-nim’s mercy!”
–But my benevolence has a limit.
The Vice President rubbed his cigar onto an ashtray and said.
–If you fail this time then it is the end.
“That will never happen!”
–I will believe you.
The man shut off his monitor at those words. Bain finally sighed with relief after a long time had passed.
“Phew……”
He wiped the sweat on his forehead. He had no choice. That was the Vice President of the Laius company! His mood on that day could determine whether Bain’s neck stayed on or not. And Bain had been in danger of losing his job last time. The research institute built on the slopes of Mt. Fargo had been smashed. Bain was the warden so naturally he would be smashed as well. Yet he had been revived as a phoenix because of the Vice President’s mercy. If the Vice President abandoned him then he would be screwed!
Responsibility →Dismissal → Poverty→ Homeless→ Desperation→ Death!
The route for a gloomy life replayed through his head. No, he wouldn’t even last that long. The Laius company was behind the S-20 incident. If it was discovered than the Laius company would suffer a huge blow. The Vice President would definitely push it all on Bain. Bain would become the scapegoat of all the illegal actions. If that situation occurred than he would be treated as a ‘thing.’ The Vice President had saved Bain. Thus he was a cannon fodder when there was a crisis. It wouldn’t just be a dismissal if he failed. He would probably push all the responsibility on Bain and then silence him! His body would probably be found somewhere having died an unnatural death. No, if it was the Vice President then he would definitely do that.
Failure= death.
“But there’s no need to worry about that.”
Bain who had been looking uncomfortable smiled and shook his head. Everything was going according to plan. He had the airship crash into the sector and sneaked assassins into the dungeon. As the result the population of S-20 had decreased. Now the sector expansion was completely blocked.
‘Even if Ark manages to obtain the money from somewhere and passes the audit, he won’t be able to sustain the sector. He will know this no matter how stupid he is. He would have no choice but to give up. Ark would have to beg to buy it at 500 gold. But I have no intention of giving him even 1 gold.’
Bain’s mouth rose in a smile.
‘That Ark bastard, this is payback for treating me like a fool in front of all those pioneers. He will realize what a big mistake he made.’
“Huhuhuhu! Huhuhuhu!”
Bain laughed crazily as he imagined the future. Suddenly the door opened and a guard ran in.
“Chief!”
“Huhuhu……cough!”
Bain choked with surprise.
“Ho
ly shit! You almost killed me! Do you know how to knock?”
“There’s no time for that!”
“There’s no time? You mean you don’t care if I’ll choke and die?”
“I mean……look outside!”
“I don’t know what’s going on. Now you want me to check outside……”
Bain suddenly flinched and closed his mouth. Bain was sitting in the office on the top floor of the institute that had been completed. His balcony looked over S-20 so he could watch Ark’s efforts to revive the sector.
Yet…..yet…..
“What the hell is going on?”
Bain looked back at the guards.
“I don’t know. Why……?”
Kwaaaaah! Kwaaaaah!
The guards answer became buried by an ensuing explosion. The clouds scattered because of a storm. The space distorted and an airship appeared with a flash of light.
—————————————————————————————-
“Che, they’ve all gathered.”
The man talking had a thick scar carved on his face. Then someone near the man laughed and said.
“They’re all at a similar level anyway. There is no need for Hyung-nim to worry.”
“Hrmm, am I that strong?”
“Of course. Who is Hyung-nim? Hyung-nim is the great warrior who wiped out dozens of great worms! Isn’t that Hyung-nim? I decided to serve Hyung-nim because of that strength.”
“If Hyung-nim is with us then we are stronger than all those users!”
“Hyung-nim is the king!”
“Huhuhu. Yes, that’s me.”
The man with the scar laughed. The man had henchmen that were clamouring away. His party had challenged the dungeon with the highest difficult in Istana’s southern region. While everyone was wiped out by the last boss, he had fought the great worm and won. His name was Hoover. He was called the worm slaughterer by other users.