Chapter 3
The Chaebols Turn Into Dragons (3)
“This is the exchange center?”
“Where did it even fall from…?”
As the exchange center slammed into the ground, the reactions of the leading runners split in different directions.
Some looked up at the sky with anxious eyes.
Some backed away with frightened expressions.
And then…
step.
A very small number of people calmly began walking straight toward the exchange center.
Among them was Yeong-woo.
“……”
He forced his stiff, fear-frozen legs to move.
This world has been reset, but not everyone’s abilities have been reset. In terms of physical ability, I’m at the very bottom… a predetermined vulnerable class.
He had realized this earlier while falling behind during the sprint.
In a world where dragons and quests existed, what mattered most? Without a doubt—physical ability.
And as proof, the first quest even had a “first-come, first-served” reward.
If the sudden appearance of the exchange center hadn’t overwhelmed everyone, the fast ones would have already claimed everything.
But I still have a chance.
Yeong-woo continued forward, watching those who had overtaken him remain frozen in place.
As the distance to the exchange center closed within 20 meters, its light and vibration grew stronger.
And along with it, new information seeped into his mind.
First, the exchange center does not attack humans.
Second, it disappears after remaining here for about two hours.
Third, placing a palm on its surface begins the exchange.
It felt like knowledge he had always known.
“…?”
Though he found the experience strange, Yeong-woo kept moving forward.
Finally—
“…Hoo.”
He stood before the exchange center, its vibration intensifying as if welcoming him.
Woooong… Woooong…
Its surface was pitch black, its material impossible to identify.
Even under the bright sun overhead, it neither reflected nor transmitted light.
It clearly did not belong to this world.
“……”
Carefully, Yeong-woo reached out and touched it.
tap.
Cold.
And as solid as marble.
Then a new interface appeared before his eyes.
Flash!
“Resident information has been registered.”
| Name: Jeong Yeong-woo07
| Role: Undetermined
| Active Benefit: [Tax Deduction – Single-Person Household]
Tax… deduction?
For the first time, Yeong-woo almost felt grateful that Bong-hui had died in front of him.
If that hadn’t happened, he wouldn’t have been able to accept this profile seriously.
So this is like a status window.
He carefully examined his resident information.
Seeing the “07” after his name, he assumed—
That means I’m the 7th Jeong Yeong-woo in the country to register.
In other words, there were six other Jeong Yeong-woos who were either braver or more reckless than him.
A strange feeling washed over him as he examined his only benefit.
| Active Benefit: [Tax Deduction – Single-Person Household]
There was no disagreement about him being a single-person household.
He had been abandoned in front of an orphanage as a baby, never knowing his parents, and had no siblings.
But if I get a tax deduction for being a single-person household, doesn’t that mean someone is collecting taxes somewhere?
With even the president dismantled and gone, who could possibly be collecting taxes?
While he was thinking this, the screen changed.
“Exchange will begin.”
“For each remaining karma point, 10,000 Karma will be paid in coin form.”
Karma.
It was likely the new currency of this reset world.
As expected!
Confirming that his remaining points could be exchanged, Yeong-woo felt a faint thrill.
| Worker Jeong Yeong-woo07 currently holds 3 karma points.
| You will receive 30,000 Karma. Please prepare.
Prepare? For what…?
As he tilted his head—
clink.
A sound like coins rolling came from inside the exchange center.
And then—
whoooosh!
Dozens of crimson coins suddenly poured out all at once.
“W-what?!”
He instinctively reached out, but catching them all was impossible.
ting, ping! ping!
A dozen coins slipped through his hands and scattered across the ground.
…Damn it.
But that wasn’t the end.
While he was scrambling, another exchange began on the opposite side.
Another person assigned to the same exchange center had started too.
“Hey, watch out!”
It was too late.
whoooosh!
Even more coins burst out than before, and a panicked voice came from the other side.
“Eh?!”
Then the person finally became visible—previously hidden behind the massive exchange center.
“I-I’m sorry! I mean, this is—!”
A large young man—who turned out to be a police officer—quickly apologized.
Yeong-woo picked up a few coins that had rolled to his feet and handed them over.
“These… rolled over here.”
“Ah, thank you!”
Seeing him bow repeatedly, Yeong-woo briefly lowered his guard.
He thought, for some reason, that this was a good person.
But only for a moment.
A heavy, violent presence soon overwhelmed both of them—and everyone around.
Dudududududu…!
Latecomers who had been watching from afar finally rushed in after seeing the coins spill out.
“So it really gives money?”
“No way…”
“It’s just scattered everywhere!”
Everyone knew the old currency had become useless after the reset.
So the ones rushing toward the exchange center had gone completely mad.
Damn. I need to hurry.
Realizing chaos would erupt soon, Yeong-woo quickly gathered the coins.
He soon discovered each crimson coin—about the size of a 500 won coin—was worth 1,000 Karma.
He had collected exactly 30 coins.
If I didn’t have a bag, I’d be screwed.
As he poured them into his backpack, he looked up again at the police officer.
As expected, the officer was stuffing coins into his pockets with desperate urgency.
There were too many coins for him to handle.
And then—
Dududududu…!
The latecomers were almost there.
Their eyes were locked onto the coins around the officer.
This is bad. They’re going to strip him clean.
Yeong-woo shouted:
“It’s too late! Give up the rest!”
“But—!”
The officer hesitated, unable to leave the remaining coins.
And then—
“WAAAH!”
The latecomers finally crashed in.
Thud! Thud!
It was less “latecomers” and more like highway robbers.
They immediately targeted the officer, who had the most coins.
Dozens of people swarmed him, grabbing at his pockets.
Others dove straight for the ground coins.
Tear!
Someone behind Yeong-woo yanked at his backpack.
“Hey—!”
Panic surged through him as his body was violently pulled again.
Whoosh!
He twisted and swung his upper body toward the attacker.
But—
Pow!
A fist slammed into his face.
“Ugh!”
Another blow followed immediately, striking between his ear and cheek.
“Ghk!”
His vision blurred. His legs weakened.
It was his first time being beaten like this.
And even now, people kept pulling at his bag.
“No! If I lose that too…!”
He struggled, but someone twisted his arm violently.
Crack.
The pressure was enough to suggest his arm might break.
At this rate… it’ll really break.
Lose everything… or become injured too?
As despair crept in—
Flash!
The quest window that had been in his vision disappeared and new text appeared.
<Quest Complete – “New Life”>
| Basic Living Funds
| First-come, first-served reward
And then a red warning appeared.
“You are eligible for the first-come, first-served reward.”
“Please prepare.”
Prepare…?
Just reading that word made his chest tighten.
The last time he saw it, coins had rained down from the exchange center.
And this time—
Kyaaaaaak!
A sharp slicing sound tore through the sky.
Something shot down from above.
What now?!
Still pinned and being beaten, Yeong-woo barely lifted his eyes.
And he saw it.
A sword falling straight toward him.
“…!”
By the time he realized it, it had already arrived.
ting!
It landed right beside his right hand.
An 80-centimeter blade dropped from the sky.
Everyone froze.
“…What?”
“Huh?”
“What is that?”
Because it wasn’t just one sword.
Kyaaaak! Kyaaak!
With slight delays, more swords began raining down.
ting, ting, ting!
At each location where “first-come” conditions were met, silver streaks fell.
Two… three… seven… maybe ten people.
Yeong-woo quickly estimated how many “leaders” there were.
And then—
He grabbed his sword faster than anyone else.