Sang-woong looked down at Jahabi with a gaze full of contempt and continued.
“Is the order you speak of trampling, raping, and plundering the weak? You have not only used the Freedom I gave the people to dominate and violate others, but you have also encroaked upon and mocked the land and dignity of other races. Your greed has defiled everything I sought to protect.”
An uncontrollable anger dwelled in the depths of Sang-woong’s voice. His eyes no longer seemed to view Jahabi as a Human.
“I am the Owner of the Land. And a beast like you, who tramples the weak and crosses the line that should never be crossed as a Human… cannot live together with us on this Earth.”
Sang-woong’s gaze moved past Jahabi toward his subordinates, who were collapsed and groaning on the ground.
They huddled closer together, cowering under Sang-woong’s cold eyes.
“All of you… do not deserve to live on this Land.”
His voice carried the weight of a final judgment.
“I banish all of you beyond the boundary of the Land. Find a way to survive on your own. You shall never be able to return here again.”
Sang-woong instructed the people to pick up the fallen group and drag them outside the boundary of the Land.
They screamed and pleaded for mercy.
For those who had already grown accustomed to living on Earth without Magi, life outside the Land would be hell.
No, in a place teeming with Monsters, it would be difficult to survive for even a single Day.
Jahabi and his group finally realized clearly just how insignificant the power they possessed was.
And they realized how foolish it had been to act out based on that meager strength.
However, Sang-woong did not show a shred of sympathy.
There was no mercy for those who followed the cruelty of the Demon Tribe and committed even more hideous acts.
The screams and cries of Jahabi and his group grew distant as they were banished.
After the banishment was over, Sang-woong gathered the remaining Humans in one place again.
The people were enveloped in a mix of fear, relief, and awe toward Sang-woong’s overwhelming power.
Their eyes were still a blur of hope and anxiety.
Although Sang-woong had removed the violent rulers, a sense of helplessness and uncertainty remained because they had been unable to do anything themselves.
“As you have just seen, true order cannot be created through strength alone.”
Sang-woong’s voice was solemn, but it was no longer as cold as before.
“Strength is meant to be used to protect oneself and fight enemies, not to be recklessly inflicted upon the community one lives with.”
He pointed out their failure directly.
“You gained Freedom, but you did not know how to enjoy it. Consequently, some used that Freedom to oppress others, and others simply succumbed to that oppression. This cannot continue.”
The people lowered their heads.
Sang-woong’s words were correct.
“But there is still an opportunity.”
Sang-woong presented a new possibility.
“An opportunity for you to determine the shape of this community yourselves. From now on, at regular intervals, we will elect a leader through Voting.”
The people stirred.
It was the first time they had heard the word ‘Voting,’ and they did not fully understand its meaning.
It was understandable, as the word contained the concept of ‘individual will,’ something they could not have even imagined from their time as Noya until now.
“Voting means that each of you directly chooses a representative to lead the community. The person chosen by the most people will become the leader, working for the community and creating rules that everyone agrees on. Since it is important to become familiar with the process, we will elect a leader again every two months at first.”
The people still looked bewildered by the new System.
However, at the words “choose for yourself” and “my one vote,” they seemed to feel a subtle sense of interest and responsibility that was different from before.
“And keep this in mind.”
Sang-woong’s eyes turned sharp once again. His gaze swept across the entire community.
“Interfering with this Voting process, forcing others to vote a certain way, manipulating the results for one’s own benefit, or refusing to accept the results and causing a disturbance — all of these are acts of treason intended to destroy the community.”
He declared solemnly, as if reminding them of the fate of Jahabi’s banished group.
“Anyone who does such a thing… without exception… will be banished from this Land forever.”
The people flinched when the word ‘banishment’ appeared again.
Through Jahabi, they had confirmed that banishment was not a simple warning but a manifestation of Sang-woong’s absolute will to enforce the rules.
They realized deep in their bones that the right to vote was a symbol of Freedom, while at the same time, a heavy punishment would follow if it was abused or obstructed.
Now, Voting became more than just an act of picking a leader; it became a minimum promise and duty for survival in this new community.
“Now, prepare for the first Voting. Those who wish to become the leader, please step forward. The rest of you, think seriously about who will work best for our community.”
At his words, a silence thick with tension filled the air.
Who would step forward?
Despite seeing the past failures and punishments, would there be anyone with the desire to step up or lead the community?
Time passed in hesitation, and then several people who gathered their courage slowly walked forward.
They were those who had shown faint leadership even during their time as Noya, and those who were moved by Sang-woong’s words and decided they must step up for the community.
Perhaps there were also those with other motives, hoping to gain power once again.
Among them was the middle-aged man who had begged Sang-woong to become King when they first arrived on this Land.
The candidates spoke their pledges with sincerity.
“I am strong!”
A young man shouted, clenching his fists.
“But I will no longer use this strength to take things away! I will personally carry goods and protect them so that everyone works fairly and shares food fairly! I will keep watch to ensure no one bullies the weak!”
In his voice, a will to protect the weak could be felt, unlike Jahabi before him.
“I know Farming well.”
An experienced old woman spoke calmly.
“I will share all the knowledge I have with you. I will teach you the most efficient way to grow sweet potatoes and potatoes, and I will manage the food honestly so that no one goes hungry. I will strive to ensure everyone can sleep in a warm bed.”
Her voice held the calmness and reliability that came from years of experience.
The people listened to the voices talking about their needs, which were different from the coercion that had dominated them until now.
Who would become the representative responsible for their lives and the future of the community?
Their fate was now in their own hands.
The Voting began.
Under Sang-woong’s strict supervision, the people took turns casting their votes for the candidates they supported.
Their hands trembled, but it seemed to be because of the sanctity of deciding something for themselves rather than the fear they had felt before.
The counting of the votes proceeded, and finally, the first leader was born.
The elected leader stepped forward, his face a mixture of tension and responsibility.
He took a deep breath and spoke his first words in a trembling voice.
“Thank you… for trusting and choosing… someone like me.”
His voice carried a heavy sense of responsibility along with deep emotion.
“I am lacking… but following Master Sang-woong’s will… I will surely make this community… a place where we live together well.”
His voice wavered, but his sincerity was felt.
He immediately took his first action.
He proposed that they first do the most urgent task necessary for everyone among the pledges he had promised.
The people listened to the proposal and, for the first time, began to discuss the community’s problems with ‘their representative.’
It wasn’t perfect, but they felt a sense of relief in the very fact that someone was stepping up to create order and solve problems.
It was a moment where the System called ‘Voting,’ rather than strength and violence, showed a single ray of hope amidst the chaos.
The community had now taken its first step after washing away the stained failure caused by violence and power.
It was a step taken on Sang-woong’s Land, by their own hands, and alongside a leader they had chosen themselves.
Sang-woong watched this scene from not too far away and nodded quietly.
They would experience repeated failures and successes, and sometimes his intervention might be necessary, but they would gradually take shape as a free community.
***
Sang-woong’s Truck cut through the silence as it drove down a quiet national road.
His destination was the Material Store in the Town center.
It was to buy a few items needed for the Land.
The familiar scenery of Rice Fields and farmlands passed by quickly, and before long, gray buildings began to pop up one by one on both sides of the road. Soon, his vision was filled with a forest of dense Construction.
“President, welcome!”
As he opened the door to his Regular Customer Material Store and stepped inside, a young Employee who recognized Sang-woong shouted loudly and ran over.
His face was full of unmistakable joy.
Since Sang-woong bought items with the momentum of emptying the entire Barn every time he visited, this kind of extreme hospitality was natural in a way.
“Hello. Have you eaten?”
Sang-woong responded with a kind smile and meticulously picked out the items he needed.
By the time he finished paying and came out, the lunch hour had long since passed.
As hunger began to set in, he moved his steps toward a nearby Restaurant area.
As Sang-woong was walking down the street, his gaze suddenly became fixed on one spot.
A yellowish piece of paper was stuck haphazardly onto a worn, faded wall.
As he approached to check, he saw it was a faint wanted poster, the ink having almost evaporated.
The person in the photo looked too ordinary to be a villain; he had a gentle impression that even seemed somewhat weak.
However, the two words ‘Murder,’ which stood in stark contrast to that gentle impression, were printed chillingly clear.
‘Hmm… He looks like he couldn’t even kill a single fly…’
Sang-woong mindlessly brushed his finger over the dusty poster.
The rough, dry texture of the paper was felt vividly at his fingertips.
Along with the sensation of the poster on his fingertips, a piece of an old memory pierced Sang-woong’s mind like a sharp glass shard, as if a seal had been broken.
In that moment, Sang-woong’s vision blurred, and his pupils shook minutely.
With the wanted poster acting as a trigger, memories of his past life came rushing in like a storm.
The worst villain who had driven the entire Republic of Korea into a crucible of fear, Ho Shin-woo.
He, too, had a gentle impression, to the point of looking weak, much like the murderer on the wanted poster.
However, the number of Hunters who had fallen under his terrifying blade officially exceeded 100.
Since it was impossible to prove murders inside a Dungeon due to its nature, the dark rumors that unofficialy more than 1,000 innocent Hunters had disappeared without a trace, unable to even scream at his hands, were by no means an exaggeration.
People shuddered at those unconfirmed numbers, tacitly believing them to be true and trembling in fear.
For a while, every News report in the Republic of Korea was plastered with the name ‘Ho Shin-woo.’
Everything from his background and life history to the cruelty of his crimes and in-depth investigative reports on why he had to become such a terrible Monster.
Ironically, that terrible killer’s reputation had been excellent.
His friends and acquaintances all described him as a kind and pure person.
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.