Chapter 30
The Final Human (4)
"Huh…?"
The moment the woman saw Yeongwoo's golden eyes and made a disbelieving expression, a dagger shot through the air like an arrow.
Fweeeet!
A sharp tearing sound echoed, and one of the bodyguards toppled backward, his head slamming into the ground.
Thud!
It happened so quickly that by the time the woman and the other bodyguard turned their heads, all they saw was the giant corpse with a dagger embedded in its forehead.
Half of their fighting force had already been eliminated.
"Holy shit."
But it was too early to be shocked.
The dagger lodged in the corpse pulled itself free and returned to its original position.
Whoooosh!
The two stared blankly at the impossible trajectory of the dagger before realizing something even stranger.
The outsider hadn't moved a single step.
"W-Who the hell are you?"
The surviving bodyguard asked while shrinking beneath the pressure of the First Sword's presence.
At that moment, he remembered what the outsider had said earlier.
Drink dog piss and die.
It hadn't been bluffing or provocation.
The man didn't even need to cross blades with them to prove it.
The woman, meanwhile, forced herself to stand straight.
"Where the hell did you come from? Do you think you'll get away with this in someone else's territory?"
It was such a cliché line that Yeongwoo almost felt relieved.
Even now, she believed Sangju's First Sword would avenge her.
Otherwise she wouldn't be speaking so confidently.
This woman is going to take me to him.
Yeongwoo alternated his gaze between the woman, the bodyguard, and the white SUV before taking a few steps toward her.
"What are you?"
"What?"
"What gives you the right to say whether I'll survive or not? Is Sangju's First Sword going to come save you or something?
Why?"
The woman's brow twisted furiously.
"I am—!"
But she never got to finish.
For Yeongwoo, he had already heard enough.
"Either a mistress or someone from the government. But if that's all you are, aren't you getting a little too excited?"
As soon as he said that, he drove Early Bird into the remaining bodyguard's forehead.
Crunch!
His Strength and Senses had become so absurdly high that an ordinary human skull felt like tofu to him.
Slash.
As Yeongwoo withdrew the blade, the unconscious bodyguard collapsed like a puppet with its strings cut.
Thump.
While listening to the body hit the ground, Yeongwoo bent slightly to see whether there was anyone else inside the vehicle.
To the woman, the entire scene made him look like a complete psychopath.
"Y-You... what the hell are you? Why are you doing this to me?"
"I haven't done anything to you yet. Besides, you were the one who sent these idiots after me."
After confirming the car was empty, he pointed toward the driver's seat.
"Drive. Let's go see your boss."
"What?"
While she stared at him as though he were insane, Yeongwoo searched the bodyguards' pockets and equipment.
"Does the First Sword pay their salaries too? Why are they carrying so much cash?"
"...Cash?"
"This."
Yeongwoo held out a handful of coins.
28,000 Karma.
"I-I don't know. Why don't you ask him yourself?"
The woman hesitantly moved toward the driver's seat.
She genuinely intended to bring him to Sangju's First Sword.
Yeongwoo quickly climbed into the passenger seat before she could attempt anything stupid.
Her expression immediately darkened, but he ignored it and pointed out the window.
"So where are we going? City Hall?"
"Not City Hall. A motel nearby."
"A motel?"
Yeongwoo didn't exactly have good memories associated with motels.
His face hardened, causing the woman to sigh deeply.
"That's where he lives. And at this hour he doesn't really have anything else to do."
She started the engine.
The SUV smoothly accelerated down the road cutting through Nakseong-dong.
Not long after the car started moving again, Yeongwoo suddenly asked:
"You never answered me earlier. What's your relationship with Sangju's First Sword?"
The woman replied in a much calmer, drier voice than before.
"You're really persistent. What difference does it make?"
"Because I heard things on my way here."
Even for someone who had been cutting people's throats left and right, Yeongwoo couldn't bring himself to ask the next question directly.
How could he ask it to her face?
Did you sell your body to him?
But her answer completely shattered his assumption.
"What's our relationship? If I had to put it simply... husband and wife."
"What?"
"You're Sangju First Sword's wife?"
"I told you."
Wearing sunglasses, she casually made a left turn.
They were nearing their destination.
"I heard rumors on the way here. About people selling their bodies and stuff."
"...Something like that."
"I heard plenty of stories. But what about it? It's not rape. If both sides are willing and benefiting from the transaction, then what's the issue?"
"..."
"And it isn't even illegal anymore. Why does it matter so much to you?"
Yeongwoo found himself unable to refute her.
Still, one question remained.
"I heard Sangju's First Sword was the first one to start human trafficking. If that's true, shouldn't it matter to you at least?"
"...What?"
For the first time, the woman fell silent.
But only briefly.
"Of course it's regrettable. But I understand it too. The world's already ruined. Just having power and money when others don't is something to be grateful for."
Then she added bitterly:
"But this life won't last forever. You came here today, after all. Even if we survive today, sooner or later we'll die somehow."
That was why she intended to enjoy everything she could while she still could.
In other words, Sangju's First Sword and his wife already regarded the world as doomed and were simply burning through what remained of their lives.
"But you're a First Sword too."
"So?"
"Why keep wandering around? You could've lived like a king where you came from."
"I don't want to die."
Yeongwoo looked out the window.
"Unlike you people, I'm not planning to sit around waiting for death."
"Like it's that easy."
That was the end of the conversation.
The woman pointed ahead.
"We're here."
A shabby building with an old signboard stood before them.
[Honeymoon Motel]
While Yeongwoo read the sign, the woman had already gotten out and headed toward the entrance.
The doors swung open and a sturdy man came out to greet her.
He bowed deeply.
She really is the First Sword's wife.
After all, there had been no reason for her to lie.
Watching the two exchange a few words, Yeongwoo stepped out of the car.
"Is that him?"
The man glanced at Yeongwoo and immediately moved toward the motel counter.
Since the axe hanging from his waist remained sheathed, Yeongwoo also refrained from drawing his weapon.
"Who's that guy?"
The woman shrugged.
"Hard to say. A pimp, maybe."
"...What?"
Without elaborating, she entered the motel.
Yeongwoo followed.
The situation was developing in a way completely different from what he had imagined.
If that man really was a pimp, it meant Sangju's First Sword was here with other women.
And his wife is still alive?
If both parties openly tolerated such behavior, then this relationship was beyond dysfunctional.
"What room?"
The pimp answered immediately.
"Room 303."
Third floor.
The woman looked annoyed and started climbing the stairs.
The staircase was nearly identical to the riverside motel Yeongwoo had stayed at in Gumi.
He followed her upward.
By the time they reached the second floor, an absolutely disgusting smell was already invading his nostrils.
The stench of semen.
"What the hell..."
Unable to endure it any longer, Yeongwoo muttered a curse.
The woman glanced back and laughed bitterly.
"What else? The end of the world."
Then, as they neared the third floor—
"Hey! Sehwan!"
Her voice suddenly exploded through the building.
"A First Sword from the neighboring city came to kill you!"
Yeongwoo immediately shoved her aside and rushed up the remaining steps.
A dark silhouette emerged from the corridor stretching to the right.
Is that him?
Yeongwoo almost threw his dagger immediately.
Then he stopped.
The figure was a naked woman.
But the person who appeared behind her was unmistakably the target.
A large figure stepped into view.
Above his head shone a brilliant title.
[Sangju First Sword]
Dokgo Sehwan01
Rank #2, Defense Quest Cleared 147 Times
He was completely naked.
After glancing at Yeongwoo, he turned toward his wife.
"What... did you just say? Who came?"
"You idiot. Another First Sword came to kill you. If things go badly, you might actually die today."
A conversation that belonged in another world.
Realizing his opponent was completely unarmed, Yeongwoo instantly hurled the dagger he had hesitated to throw.
Fweeeet!
The blade shot down the corridor like lightning.
For a brief moment, sunlight from a tiny window illuminated the dagger.
At almost the same instant, Dokgo Sehwan's body blurred.
Thunk!
The dagger embedded itself in the wall at the end of the hallway.
The ambush had missed.
Damn. He really did swallow three million Karma.
Goosebumps spread across Yeongwoo's body.
He immediately recalled the dagger, but Sehwan had already noticed the danger and leapt into the room beside him.
"What the hell is this bastard?"
Dokgo Sehwan's furious voice echoed from Room 303.
He was obviously scrambling to grab his weapon.
Yeongwoo sprinted down the corridor and arrived outside Room 303.
The terrible smell hit him again.
Then a horrifying message appeared.
Ping!
Your Sense stat has temporarily increased from 100 to 428.
The golden flash's deprivation effect had increased his Senses by 328 points.
Which meant his opponent's original Sense stat had been 656.
"Ghk...!"
But Yeongwoo didn't have time to process the message.
An attack was already coming.
WHOOOSH!
Dokgo Sehwan's weapon was also an Early Bird.
And his Strength was so overwhelming that even the Gumi Sword Technique couldn't find an opening to counterattack.
The two First Swords exchanged over ten blows in an instant.
The naked woman standing in the hallway finally snapped out of her daze and ran for the stairs.
She had never imagined someone capable of matching Sangju's First Sword would appear.
Meanwhile, Sangju First Sword's wife, Yoon Seoyeon—
"...?"
The moment she realized the outsider was fighting her husband on equal footing, she immediately sprinted downstairs.
To call for reinforcements.
With everyone's affairs already settled, all of Sangju's strongest fighters should still be nearby.
But when she reached the bottom of the stairs, an utterly unexpected sight awaited her.
BOOOOM!
BOOOOM!
The first thing she heard was a deafening roar.
Seoyeon rushed to the motel entrance and looked outside.
Countless pillars of light were descending from the sky.