Chapter 68
We first got out of the car with our hands raised above our heads to show we had no intention of fighting.
“Who are you!”
Despite this, people shouted at us with fierce eyes, holding various weapons.
In this world, it was understandable to be more cautious of unfamiliar humans than monsters.
“Please, be at ease. We are not bad people…”
Baek Yi-heon, who was speaking, suddenly closed his mouth, perhaps realizing how cliché his words sounded.
Instead of speaking further, he enveloped his body in blue mana with a whoosh.
The people surrounding us lowered their weapons slightly, startled.
“Awakened…?”
“Well, they must be Awakened to have crossed the collapsed bridge.”
At those words, Baek Yi-heon nodded calmly and said,
“That’s right. And Awakened ones, according to their power, have casuality…”
“Then at least they’re not evil!”
At that moment, someone in the crowd shouted.
People put away their weapons, looking relieved in unison.
We were rather surprised by their smooth attitude.
“What? They already know about this…?”
While our group knew because I had explained using the Intrachankunta excuse, how did these people already know…?
Ignoring us, the people murmured among themselves.
“Someone go call the village chief!”
“Tell him newbies have arrived, newbies!”
‘Village chief…?’
I was puzzled by this unexpected term, but only for a moment.
Soon, a red sedan came racing down the rural road lined with fields.
The person who got out of the car was a man with brown hair.
He looked to be in his mid-30s, with muscular arms typical of someone who did a lot of physical labor.
‘Is this man the so-called village chief?’
As I was observing him cautiously, the man’s eyes widened upon seeing us.
“My, if it isn’t Yi-heon-ssi and Noah-ssi!”
…Huh?
I tilted my head at this friendly greeting from someone who seemed to know us, but only for a moment.
I raised my hand in surprise and exclaimed,
“From that prison back then…!”
It was the man who had become the leader of the survivors from Hwacheon Prison.
The one I had advised to ‘try going to Ganghwa Island.’
‘He really did follow my advice and come here!’
I hadn’t recognized him because his appearance had changed so much.
He had been tall with a likable face back then too, but his body wasn’t like this.
‘He’s bulked up incredibly in such a short time!’
“Haha. My goodness. I’ve always wanted to repay your kindness, and here we meet again!”
The man laughed heartily as he approached us and extended his hand.
He introduced himself as ‘Seo Jae-hyun’ and greeted our group.
“Welcome to our camp, Awakened ones.”
Choi Kkang-kang asked in a suspicious tone towards the man smiling with a spirited attitude,
“…What’s going on? Even if it’s you, why is everyone else so welcoming to strangers?”
He seemed much more cautious due to our experience in Onjeong City.
Seo Jae-hyun nodded as if he understood and explained,
“Since Ganghwa Island became isolated after the bridge collapsed, it’s very rare for anyone to visit.”
Then he added, addressing us who still hadn’t let our guard down,
“Besides, if you’re Awakened ones, you face casualty if you commit evil acts, right?”
“…You’ve already figured out that much?”
To Yu’s question, Seo Jae-hyun smiled with an experienced expression and replied,
“We’ve learned these facts through trial and error.”
Then he pointed towards the village with his thick arm.
“I’m also an awakened, so please don’t worry too much. Now then, follow me. I’ll introduce you to the village.”
I glanced at the red sedan he had arrived in and asked,
“…Is there still oil left here?”
“Ah, if you look inside the car, you’ll see it’s been modified to use magic stones.”
Not just me, but all of our companions were surprised by this answer.
It was the first place we’d seen where magic stone utilization technology had developed to this extent.
“How on earth did you…”
Seeing our reaction, Seo Jae-hyun chuckled and said,
“You’ll naturally understand when you see the town.”
💎
Following Seo Jae-hyun in our camping car, we soon reached the outskirts of town and got out.
“Wow. This is impressive!”
Choi Kkang-kang exclaimed in amazement, looking around after getting out of the car.
“All the buildings are intact. And there are so many people.”
Indeed, it was just as he said.
At first glance, the Ganghwa Island camp looked like an ordinary rural town.
The only difference was the shops making or selling items that didn’t exist before the Gate Outbreak.
“Are these shops run by craftsman-type awakened…?”
“That’s right. They operate workshops and sell their products together.”
There were also shops selling raw meat, vegetables, and even items.
“How did you figure out how to refine magic stones?”
“The village children discovered it by accident while playing in the stream.”
It seemed that due to the large population, ideas and village development had grown explosively.
‘The fact that they’re not under major survival threat must have played a role too.’
“On the way here, I noticed agriculture seems to be doing well too.”
“That’s right. Fortunately, many of our elders survived here.”
Seo Jae-hyun nodded with a kind and upright face.
“Farming methods, identifying edible plants… The saying ‘losing one elder is like burning down a library’ really proved true.”
He added, looking around the village with a newfound appreciation.
“It was a proverb I couldn’t understand before.”
I muttered while following his gaze towards the village.
“…It really is nice.”
Of course, I had seen a village preserved from pre-apocalyptic times in Dowonhyang before.
But that felt somewhat artificial, creating a sense of discomfort.
Unlike that, this place was truly a village created by people working together, giving it a vitality I’d never seen before.
Then, Seo Jae-hyun asked with a troubled face while scratching the back of his head.
“Um… Is there something on my face?”
Turning my head at those words, I saw Choi Kkang-kang openly examining him with a suspicious expression.
When our eyes met, he quickly whispered in my ear.
“Hey! Be careful. We need to watch out for people who look too nice.”
It seemed the memory of betrayal by Kim Seo-min in Onjeong City was still too vivid.
“…It’s okay. He’s trustworthy.”
This is a person who survived that living hell and led a group of survivors all the way from Gangwon Province to Ganghwa Island.
And he even became the leader of the Ganghwa Island camp.
Above all, isn’t he an Awakened one?
The probability of Seo Jae-hyun turning to the evil god’s side was slim.
“Haha. It seems you’re quite suspicious of me.”
At that moment, Seo Jae-hyun said with a kind face and a hearty laugh.
“Are you worried about a situation like Bang Johan?”
At those words, I calmly told him about what happened in Onjeong City.
Seo Jae-hyun, listening with a serious face, nodded.
“I see… There’s a high chance those unidentified individuals are after sacrifices.”
“Has there been any suspicious incident here?”
Following Baek Yi-heon’s words, I added,
“For example, unexplained disappearances or murders…?”
“There haven’t been any so far. I have significant experience with Bang Johan from Hwacheon, you know.”
Seo Jae-hyun, who had only seemed gentle, answered with a glimpse of leader-like firmness.
“We’re thoroughly vigilant against any suspicious individuals.”
Indeed, at a glance, this village seemed extremely peaceful.
‘Did Yoo Hyun-min’s group not make it here yet…?’
I felt inwardly relieved.
Even though I had told my companions everything, showing my father’s crimes right in front of them would be a different story.
💎
Thank you for reading! ♡
