‘It’s not like the only way to persuade people... is with words, right?’
When I first heard that.
What I thought of was my cooking.
But then I also rembered that Junggu didn’t know about my cooking.
And once I took a mont to think about what exactly Junggu knew about —
It wasn’t hard to interpret what he ant.
‘Help us persuade them.’
And.
If persuasion through words didn’t work on them—
‘Then persuade them with strength...’
Hmm.
At first, I’ll be honest, I was a bit taken aback.
But.
Considering the temperant of this man nad Park Junggu.
It wasn’t exactly incomprehensible.
‘A battle maniac who thinks power is everything.’
That attitude of trying to solve things with strength if it cos down to it.
In a way, maybe that’s only natural.
But.
‘I don’t know about that.’
I also felt a bit uneasy.
“Can I ask you one question?”
“Mm?”
As we pushed through the blizzard.
Heading toward this so-called Central Branch of the Association—
“What is it, big bro?”
“...Quit calling that. Anyway.”
When we were just about to reach our destination.
I quietly moved up to the front and ca to stand next to Junggu, who was commanding the warriors.
“About what you asked to do.”
“Mm. I asked to borrow your strength for a bit, that’s what you an, right?”
“Do you honestly think that’s possible?”
The fact that this man, Park Junggu, was overestimating my strength.
That in itself wasn’t strange; it was sothing I’d intended.
Of course, my actual combat power wasn’t quite at that level, but...
‘As long as I use sowhat different thods.’
In reality...
There were still ways.
To crush them with force.
It wasn’t like they didn’t exist.
What worried was a slightly different part.
“Even if you subdue them by force, will those people truly follow?”
“Hm.”
“Even if you gather the leaders of the other groups in one place... I’m not sure that beating them up is enough to make the people in each branch actually obey their orders.”
“Ha-ha... I can understand why you’d think that.”
At my question—
“There definitely will be so pushback.”
“Sir?”
“But it won’t matter.”
Junggu nodded as he spoke.
“You’ve probably spent all your ti beyond that ‘Demon Realm Gate,’ so you don’t know how things are on the surface, or how people’s thinking changed after the world ended. If that’s the case, then it makes sense you’d think that way.”
...Hmm.
I doubt there are that many people who’ve rubbed shoulders with others as much as I have, but anyway.
“What do you think—how did the Guild we belong to... this ‘Association’—co to be?”
“Sir?”
“As soone who belongs to that Guild, maybe I shouldn’t be the one saying this, but unifying all the humans in a region under a single Guild is not an easy task. From what we can tell, in other regions... even in Gangwon, where the radio says a surviving military unit exists, they probably haven’t managed it.”
“...”
I had had so thoughts about that part.
“Isn’t it because this weather restricts the environnt humans can survive in?”
“Hm.”
“Because of that, the humans who survived were forced to crowd into narrow areas, which made it easier to unify them.”
“Ha-ha... are you sure you just ca down from the Demon Realm? That’s sharp.”
Junggu looked surprised, as if it hadn’t occurred to him that I might know that.
Well, since I ca here from a different region, it was a natural guess that I’d be able to notice what was unique about them.
“It’s true that played a big part. But that’s not all.”
“What do you an?”
“Imagine that all the humans who gathered in this area had only diocre forces. Then do you think they could’ve unified this easily?”
Probably.
They wouldn’t have.
“In a world this starved for resources, the odds are high they’d still be split apart... fighting... and living like that. In reality, when they were trying to push through unification, there were plenty of forces that opposed it.”
“So you’re saying there was a reason they could still manage to unify?”
“Mm.”
Folding his arms.
Junggu looked up into empty air, as if recalling old tis, and said:
“The Chair... back then it wasn’t the Association yet, but anyway, he led his group... and went around visiting those who refused unification.”
“...And then?”
“Those who rejected the unification that was essential for humanity’s survival... or the kind of villains who shouldn’t be allowed to remain inside any group...”
His expression.
Scrunched just a little.
“He cracked their skulls one by one.”
At first, I wondered if that was so kind of taphor.
“It’s not a joke or an exaggeration, I an it literally.”
“...”
Apparently not.
“The way I heard it... that Chair sounded like a fairly gentle type.”
“Ha-ha. The Chair was more or less a good person, true. That’s why I decided to follow him. But if you’re asking whether he was mild... absolutely not.”
In the end.
The reason a group called the Association was able to erge boiled down to one thing.
“The Chair... that old man was unbelievably strong.”
That now-missing Chair.
Had been unimaginably powerful.
‘...Well, yeah.’
They call it unification, but.
What it really ans is bringing every other group under your feet.
It’s not easy for that to happen this quickly.
It was only natural that sowhat extre thods had been used.
“Was that man really that strong, this Chair of yours?”
“Mm. If I compare him to you, I honestly don’t know who’s stronger. In your case, you completely overwheld without even showing your combat skills...”
He thought for a mont.
Then nodded.
“Mm, no. Even factoring in the skills you didn’t show , I don’t think you’re stronger than the Chair.”
“That much?”
“Maybe you’re close. But for , it’s pretty hard to imagine another human stronger than him.”
I couldn’t help but be a little surprised at that.
‘The strength I showed him... had an absurd amount of bluff mixed in.’
My original self was not that level of powerhouse.
But by going all out and layering on as much bluff as I could—
I must have left quite an impression on this man.
‘And yet he can say that man was stronger than ?’
He was soone I’d only heard about.
But he’d had a huge impact on these people.
It seed clear that he had the power to match that.
“The reason the remaining branches are divided in their opinions... and the Association can’t act as one anymore, is entirely because that Chair went missing.”
The fact that soone like that had disappeared—
Was the single biggest misfortune the humans of Gyeonggi had suffered.
“The fortunate part is that the forces who opposed unification were all removed, so the people who remain are those who supported it... They’re all likely to think the current situation is not a good one.”
“Then why...”
“Even so, they can’t just go under so other force that’s about the sa size. So I’d say every force is probably waiting for so kind of trigger that will let them unify properly. The best thing would be if the Chair ca back, but...”
He let out a sigh.
“We’re well past the golden ti... it’s hard to believe, but we have to assu the Chair and that strike force are basically wiped out.”
Trying to unify again in that situation, huh.
I wasn’t sure that was even possible, but.
“In the end, what we need is a trigger... soone who could stand in for the Chair.”
“Sir...?”
“And there’s only one quality that a person who could be that focal point needs.”
That intense gaze.
Pierced into .
“Powerful strength... enough to overwhelm everyone else!”
“...”
“If you want to unify the Guild’s opinion so you can investigate the cause of that cold like you said, that’s the only way.”
...No, but.
That’s basically—
‘Isn’t that the sa as asking to take the role of this force’s leader?’
When I frowned.
Junggu gave a wry chuckle and said:
“Did I put too much on your shoulders?”
“Mm.”
“Well, it’s not like I’m saying you have to. It’s more like, I’d like things to work out that way~ is all. If it’s too much pressure, you can refuse.”
“Refuse, you say.”
“If I were the strong one, that’d be one thing, but it’s you. What can I do? The choice is yours. If you really don’t like my suggestion, just think of this as a sightseeing trip to the Central Branch and leave it at that. It’s a decent place to visit. Especially the food there is pretty go—”
He was about to continue.
But then.
“Oh.”
He broke off mid-sentence.
Pointed straight ahead with his finger and said:
“Look over there.”
“...?”
At his words, I turned my head.
In the distance.
Beyond the raging blizzard.
A faint shape ca into view.
“That’s the Central Branch.”
A Wall that looked at least twice as big as the one at the Northern Branch.
With enormous height and width.
After a grueling journey.
We’d finally reached our destination.
“Man, I’m freezing here. Let’s hurry inside. We can talk about the rest in there.”
“...Yes, sir.”
So.
As I followed him toward that Wall.
I thought to myself.
‘Overwhelm them with strength... huh.’
It was true.
That in a world like this, it might not be that bad a thod.
Strong ruling the weak might sound barbaric.
But those being ruled would also be protected by that strong person.
However...
How should I put it.
‘It just doesn’t suit .’
I was not a combat class, but a production class.
Overwhelming others with strength was not my style.
Puzzling over how I was supposed to handle this.
I headed toward the slowly opening gate in the Wall.
****
“So you’ve arrived, Mr. Junggu.”
“Mm. It’s been a while, Mr. Yunseong.”
Once we went inside the Wall—
Soone from the inside ca out to greet us.
As I watched him talking with the other mbers of the Northern Branch.
I quietly asked Junggu:
“Who is that?”
“Hm? Ah. You an Mr. Yunseong.”
From what I could see,
He was acting like a leader of this branch.
But.
I’d heard the Central Branch had most of its combat forces missing.
“He used to be one of the elites of this Central Branch.”
“Sir?”
“Now that the Chair is gone, he’s acting as a sort of stand-in leader.”
I couldn’t help but be a little surprised at that.
“I thought those elites all went missing trying to resolve the source of the cold...”
“Ah, well, that’s a bit complicated. As I understand it, he did join that expedition too. But apparently he got injured before they even began the real attack?”
“Injured?”
“Ha-ha. The trip from the Northern Branch to here isn’t exactly easy either, is it?”
Never mind the environnt thanks to that massive blizzard.
The number of monsters able to endure this cold was nothing to sneeze at.
There had been several skirmishes with such monsters.
“He was injured in the course of that. Honestly, getting casualties mid-transit is pretty common.”
“...I see.”
“The others went on to investigate the source, and /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ Mr. Yunseong was the only one who returned, after being wounded.”
And.
The other elites who’d gone to investigate the source had all gone missing.
Leaving that man, the only surviving elite, to act as the leader here.
“Well, I say all this, but it’s not like I know him all that well either.”
“Really? You two seed pretty familiar.”
“We’re only on na-and-face terms. I usually talked with the Association executives or the Chair. I rarely had a reason to chat with other mbers.”
I watched the man nad Yunseong with a slightly curious look.
As we continued further inside the Wall, Junggu spoke to him.
“Have the leaders of the other branches arrived?”
“The Eastern Branch people arrived yesterday.”
“What, then we’re late?”
“No. You’ve arrived on ti. The Southern Branch people haven’t gotten here yet.”
“...Again?”
“Well, the Southern Branch is the farthest away, so it can’t be helped, can it.”
Apparently.
That Southern Branch was habitually late.
“Anyway, let’s go in.”
“Mm. All right. Where do we take the goods for trade?”
“As always, to the warehouse over there...”
My reason for coming here was to attend the eting being held at this place.
But in truth, the main reason this group had co here was trade.
“Oh?”
For that trade.
They’d burned precious fuel to load these vehicles down with all sorts of goods.
And when Yunseong saw what was inside, his expression changed dramatically.
“How much is this...?”
“Heh-heh. Our group had sothing good happen recently.”
What had shocked him—
Was nothing more or less than food piled to the brim inside.
“With this, our Association’s food worries will ease up a little.”
Thanks to the fertilizer dish I’d made.
The amount of food the Druid, Gang Jaeho, could produce had skyrocketed.
From their perspective, the quantity of food we’d brought this ti was enormous.
“Oh, right.”
While we were talking about food.
As if he’d just rembered sothing, Park Junggu spoke up.
“If we’re talking food, it’s all thanks to Mr. Youngjun here that we can produce this much. So it’s only right that we take care of his business first.”
At those words.
I tilted my head.
“My business...?”
“What, you already forgot what you asked to do?”
I’d thought I’d co here purely to help persuade the other groups.
“You said there were people you wanted to find.”
“...Ah!”
“Since the leaders of every branch spread across Gyeonggi Province will be gathering for this eting, if we show them the list you gave , we might be able to find a few more people.”
Junggu.
Hadn’t forgotten about that other purpose.
“What is this about? People you want to find?”
“Oh, actually...”
When he and I started talking about that.
The man nad Yunseong approached with a puzzled expression.
“Mr. Yunseong. Could you read this notebook for us?”
“Hm?”
Junggu, striking while the iron was hot,
Handed him the list of nas I’d given him last ti.
“What is this list? There are quite a lot of people written here...”
“For reasons I can’t go into, it’s a list of people our branch is looking for.”
“Hm. It seems like too many to all be survivors...”
“Right. It’s a list recorded based on the standards from before [Doomsday].”
At those words.
The man nad Yunseong frowned.
“In that case... I doubt many of them are still alive.”
“Still, you never know, so do us this favor. You might know soone on there yourself.”
“Hm. I don’t think it will amount to much, but... since it’s a request from the Northern Branch that brought us so much food, all right.”
The man nad Yunseong seed to think this was probably aningless.
But he didn’t think it would be any trouble to read through it.
With a calm expression, he began going down the list.
“...Huh?”
Then, after a mont.
As if he’d seen sothing that shocked him.
His eyes flew wide.
“Mr. Junggu?”
“Mm?”
“Could you tell in more detail why you’re looking for these people?”
“...Oh, it’s nothing big. The one who made it possible for us to produce that food is this young man here.”
THUNK.
Resting his hand on my shoulder, Park Junggu said:
“This kid is the one who, for his own reasons, is searching for these people. Is there so kind of problem?”
“Hm. So he’s the one looking for them?”
A gaze full of wariness.
Turned on .
“Yes, that’s right.”
“You...”
The man who’d calmly been reading the notebook and suddenly started acting like this.
I had no idea what was going on.
“Shin Seokjun. Seo Younghee...”
“...Sir?”
“What’s your relationship to these two?”
At those words from his mouth.
I couldn’t help but be greatly shocked.
I an.
Of course.
‘Shin Seokjun. Seo Younghee...’
Those nas—
Were endlessly familiar to .
The head and matriarch of the Shin family.
In other words.
“...I’m their son.”
“What?”
They were the nas of the parents.
I’d been searching for.
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