Ch.88Chapter 4. How to Conquer a Villain (1)

After talking with Ymir.

I immediately left Sejong Island using my bike.

I considered stopping by the Tavern Owner briefly, but there was no real need to do so.

Vrooom.

After riding across the sea for quite some time heading west, I arrived at a shoreline that felt both familiar and strange.

[…Huh?]

I thought I was heading in the right direction, but perhaps because I was lost in thought, I seemed to have veered off course from my intended destination.

There are many people at the beach.

Even though it’s late at night, they’re all enjoying swimming in swimsuits despite the chilly March weather.

Splash.

I pulled my bike to a spot with as few people as possible and headed inland to look for a signpost.

The signpost had both Korean and English writing, with “Samcheok City, Gangwon Province” embossed in gold letters at the bottom.

‘Did I come straight to Samcheok?’

Samcheok, Gangwon Province.

A place where many people used to gather to enjoy beaches along the East Sea or as a vacation spot looks completely different in this world.

[Release.]

I deactivated my transformation.

I only released my Goblin transformation and immediately changed into Do Ji-hwan in a suit.

‘Keeping magical power in maximum power-saving mode.’

I also released my spirit form, using just enough magical power to maintain my clothing.

I was momentarily naked, but it was just for a brief moment in a place without CCTV.

‘It’s ridiculously bright here.’

This is my third time coming here directly, but it’s my first time seeing Samcheok from the coast this late at night.

And the Samcheok before my eyes now is not the Samcheok I knew.

‘This isn’t Las Vegas.’

Tall buildings with flashy neon signs line the streets, glittering with lights despite the late hour.

Have you ever heard of a place called Samcheok?

With apologies to the residents of Samcheok, unless you served in the military in Gangwon Province or heard about it in passing, it’s a town you rarely encounter in life.

But this place is different.

This world’s Samcheok is different.

Just like how Ulleungdo produces Pumpkin Babies instead of traditional pumpkin taffy, Samcheok has completely transformed from its original form.

Korea’s Las Vegas.

The streets filled with brilliant lights are packed with more Westerners than Koreans, and people adorned with luxury watches and all kinds of flashy clothes parade around, flaunting their immense wealth.

It’s no exaggeration to say it’s as glamorous as Haeundae Beach in Busan.

It looks like an incredibly wealthy coastal area that should be called “Chuck Sreettle” rather than Samcheok.

‘Since it’s a city where foreigners have concentrated.’

Only millionaires live there.

No, even millionaires would struggle to find a small studio apartment in Samcheok.

You’d probably need to be at least a billionaire to afford a mid-sized apartment in Samcheok.

The reason for this transformation?

Obviously, it’s because of superpowers.

As soon as word spread that Sejong Island helps with superhumans’ magical power, people flocked to places near Sejong Island, and the government focused on protecting Gyeongsang Province, which is close to Sejong Island, to prioritize its citizens.

-Hey, I’m offering money!

-Not here! The government is watching this area like a hawk. If I sell this land, I’ll be arrested!

-Damn, I have money but can’t buy anything!

-Hey, Chris! Look at this! If we go north from here, we can buy land!

-Isn’t that North Korea?

-It’s barely South Korea!

Foreigners began settling in areas the government couldn’t intensively manage.

-Damn, things are chaotic enough without people trying to take our land…!

-Sir! The vice chairman of Microspot and his family have requested private jet entry approval! It seems they’re coming to buy land!

-What? Why would they…?

-Sir! Muhammad Saladin Marsur, who’s staying in Japan…!

-Argh, I need Heungseon Daewongun…!! Damn, why do they keep trying to devour this small piece of land! Hey! Convene the National Assembly immediately! Block foreigners from buying real estate right now!

-But we’re the executive branch….

-I don’t care about executive branch or whatever, if you don’t gather right now, I’ll consider you traitors and defectors!!

The government had no way to stop the big wave of foreigners pouring in.

-Wooo! Korea, lift the blockade!!

-Follow the logic of the capitalist market! We’re offering money to buy, why won’t you sell!

-We won’t sell even for 10 billion!

-We brought 10 trillion, though?

-……Time out. No, damn! You’re going to spend 10 trillion on that tiny piece of land! Are you planning to throw money down the drain!!

-We’re throwing it at the Korean Peninsula.

-Hey, shut up! Whose side are you on!

When major overseas companies were causing a commotion, saying they would pour in as much money as this country’s annual national budget—and not just one company, but companies from America, Arab countries, and any country with money to spare were flying in asking to buy land—how could they resist?

-Sir! Big trouble! Foreign companies are buying up land on a large scale!!

-What? We blocked foreigners from buying land by law!

-They’re using Korean nationals! They’re bringing people with Korean citizenship into Korea and using them as fronts to buy land!

-Damn! Tell the field officials! If someone smells like butter, suspend all transactions!

-It’s too late…! Even the relatives of the Gangwon Province governor have been bought! In fact…!

-Fine. In that case, we’ll give up Gangwon Province.

-Pardon?

-If we can’t stop it anyway, we can’t sell Gangwon land at a bargain price. Tell the Gangwon governor to come to Busan immediately. From now on, we’re entering auction procedures for Gangwon Province land.

So the government in this world sold Gangwon Province.

-We’ll show them the power of the Korean setup. Everyone, gather all the troublemakers from across the country. Let’s show them what setting someone up really means.

-Isn’t that a bit too petty, sir?

-What are you talking about.

Although it sounds a bit strange, they planned to create neighborhoods in various areas of Gangwon Province where foreigners would live together, similar to Incheon’s Chinatown.

-Respected foreign leaders and global business leaders who lead the world. We do not want conflict. Therefore, we will create large-scale immigrant concentrated areas on our land. And the rights to that land… we will now put up for auction.

And they auctioned off those neighborhoods to “companies” or “countries” that would use them.

-Ah, we will now begin the auction for Yanggu General Jang Yeong-sil Town, the farthest from Sejong Island and closest to the 38th parallel.

-What’s the connection between Yanggu and Jang Yeong-sil?

-The auction begins.

-10 billion!

-20 billion!!

-……Let’s raise the bidding in units of 50 billion.

Some complained that this action was selling the country’s land, creating concessions or settlements.

Locals also voiced their complaints loudly.

-Maple Inc. has bid 1,000 trillion. Any higher bids?

-No, you crazy bastards! Your market cap is 2,000 trillion, what the hell are you doing!

-My late-born child has become a superhuman. From now on, Maple is a Korean company. Gangneung is now ours… ahem. We look forward to smooth cooperation with Gangneung City.

-Oh, damn! Hey! We can’t lose! We must take Yangyang!!

There’s a saying, isn’t there?

That it’s too much money to refuse.

-From now on, this is Gangneung Maple Town. Mayor of Gangneung, do you like apples?

-I’m allergic to… oh, I love them! I can’t get enough!! Haha, Steven, welcome to Korea!

-Thank you. Is there a place to build a factory in Gangneung?

-Oh my, if there isn’t, we’ll make one! We’ll carve out mountains to create land! How much land do you need?

That’s exactly what happened.

All the major companies that anyone who trades foreign stocks has bought at least once have branches in Korea.

Those branches are all concentrated in Gangwon Province, and over the past 25 years, millionaires among foreigners entering from overseas have all started coming to Gangwon Province.

-Sir. Good news.

-What now.

-The millionaires who have entered Gangwon Province are trying to settle down by marrying Koreans.

-…Doesn’t that make it look like we’re marrying for money?

-But what if they give birth to superhumans?

-Sigh, I don’t know. Argh, Daewongun! You were right!!

Thus, many cities along the east coast from Goseong to Samcheok in Gangwon Province are home to many foreigners.

Not people from Southeast Asia or Central Asia, but blonde Hispanic people.

‘This is troublesome.’

I departed from a quiet beach when heading to Sejong Island, but it’s really inconvenient without electronic devices.

I thought I was traveling in a straight line, but it seems I veered off course slightly, and I ended up in a place with many people, especially many “foreign superhumans.”

‘This is bad.’

I must have taken a wrong turn while thinking about Ymir.

It could also be because I was in a hurry to get back to Seoul quickly.

-Hmm, I should call the librarian. Oh, he’s not answering? Why isn’t he answering? Is he busy going home after just talking with me?

I wanted to get back quickly to get back at Ymir who would be laughing like that, but in my haste, I seem to have gone slightly off course.

‘It’s okay.’

There’s no real problem.

I just need to take the highway or national road to Seoul.

‘The problem is spirit form.’

It’s fine now, but I’m starting to run low on mana to maintain spirit form all the way to Seoul from here.

I thought I’d be fine after consuming the Dragon King’s orb before departing, but after riding the bike in spirit form for nearly 400km, the mana consumption is considerable.

“…….”

What should I do.

To quickly recover mana here….

“?”

“Excuse me.”

A woman approached me in the alley where I was hiding.

“Are you the prince on a white horse?”

“…….”

The woman with wavy red hair reaching down to her waist was wearing a black suit even at this late hour.

What’s unusual is the sunglasses she’s wearing late at night.

And her fiery red eyes.

“I’m not the prince on a white horse….”

I reached out my hand toward the woman.

“But I have ridden a white horse before.”

“……Not just one, I imagine. Anyway.”

The woman took my hand.

“Welcome to Gangwon Land, The Samcheok-topia. Welcome to my management area.”

“…What nonsense are you talking about.”

“Hmph.”

The woman shrugged.

“Anyway, welcome. Do you need anything?”

“Need something.”

I pointed my finger at the woman.

“I need magical power, Director.”

“…….”

The woman blushed.