Level 4 Human in a Ruined World

Chapter 20

Red Mist and respiratory damage warning.

The latter probably won’t just mean a simple coughing, considering how things have been going in this world.

‘Even lungs might corrode.’

The initiation of overnight lodging services came with weather alerts, essentially prompting the use of these lodgings.

“Should we go to a motel?”

“…What?”

“To use the lodging.”

“There are plenty of other places nearby, though?”

As Yechan pointed out, the surrounding area was scattered with ‘residential’ buildings.

Behind the mart from earlier, there were tightly packed neighborhoods and apartments.

However, according to Yeongwoo’s perspective, these residential areas had a fatal flaw.

“There is a high probability that the owners will return. Those places were originally inhabited by someone.”

“Right? Oh, I see…”

Yechan belatedly understood Yeongwoo’s argument.

“That’s true. Regular homes likely had people living in them…”

“Motels have owners too, but not every room is occupied by them. There might be vacant rooms.”

Of course, that would be if they hurried there.

“But even if all the rooms are full, it won’t be a problem for you, Mister? Since everyone would want to stay the Strongest Sword.”

Upon this, Yeongwoo shook his head.

“I’ll decline that offer. Even if it starts with good intentions, seeing the Strongest Sword asleep might bring out unexpected feelings.”

“That’s… yeah, that could happen.”

While Yechan understood Yeongwoo’s words, he found him to be quite peculiar.

He was someone who would distribute money to everyone, even in front of mutants, starting with the kids.

Yet, he held such distrust for people… It was impossible to gauge what was truly on his mind.

「Two hours until the [Abnormal Weather] Red Mist forms.」

Soon enough, a climate notification appeared along with a timer at the top of their field of view.

Tick-tock!

「01:59:58」

‘Two hours? So, the abnormal weather starts around 11 at night.’

Considering that the majority of people were crowding stores and convenience shops to get food, it wasn’t ample time at all. In truth, Yeongwoo and Yechan weren’t at ease either.

“Do you happen to know where a motel is around here?”

“I-I don’t know… Shouldn’t you, Mister?”

“Just because I’m an adult, am I supposed to know everything?”

As Yeongwoo argued this, he finally realized something.

He had never been to a motel in Gumi even once.

“Let’s just follow this main road for now. If we can’t find any, we’ll have to go back towards the station or just enter any house.”

Their current location was in Bisandong, quite a distance northeast from Gumi Station.

It was an entirely unfamiliar neighborhood for Yeongwoo, who rarely ventured beyond the dormitory.

Creak, click.

They cycled along the main road for about ten minutes, searching.

Finally, Yeongwoo spotted a family ahead, causing him to slow down.

“Excuse me! Can we ask for directions?”

Upon which, the woman at the front raised her axe threateningly in her right hand.

The two men carrying a sack on their bikes had appeared rather odd.

Soon, they recognized Yeongwoo’s title and their eyes widened.

“Wait, aren’t you Jung Yeongwoo-nim?”

As the woman spoke, her husband and children behind her began rummaging through their pockets.

Probably trying to pull out those commemorative coins again.

“Yes… Do you live around here? We’re looking for a motel.”

“A motel? There might be one around… I’m not exactly sure of the exact location, though.”

The woman looked like she wasn’t sure about the exact location.

“In that case, we’ll have to keep searching for now.”

As Yeongwoo made a brief farewell and attempted to pedal again, a hand waved from the husband’s side.

“If you follow that road up ahead, there should be a motel on the left named Riverside Motel. It’s nestled between buildings, so you’ll have to look closely.”

“Ah, thank you.”

As Yeongwoo nodded his thanks, the woman smiled and glanced at her husband.

“You’re really good with directions.”

“Oh, that’s… ”

Before the husband could finish his sentence, Yeongwoo pedaled away.

* * *

Riverside Motel.

Although not exactly by a river as its name suggested, it was indeed wedged between large buildings, making it hard to find.

Even so, being a five-story building hinted at ample room availability.

“Is this it?”

“Looks like it.”

Yeongwoo and Yechan approached the motel entrance on their bicycles.

Despite the talk of the Lodging Services, there was nothing particularly distinct about the exterior. Only something flickering beyond the opaque glass entrance hinted at activity inside.

‘Is the owner still here?’

Given they couldn’t leave their heavily loaded bicycles outside, Yeongwoo opened the entrance while still holding onto his bike.

Clang.

The bell on the door shook, signaling the arrival of a guest inside, and at the same time.

Swoosh!

“……!”

Unexpectedly, the Gumi Sword Technique hologram taking a defensive stance appeared along with a piercing sound.

「Senses stat has temporarily increased from the 100 to 122.」

‘Who on earth…?’

Senses increased by 22 implied the opponent’s original Senses stat were now at 44.

Meaning, if they were originally a low-level human, they could be considered a veteran who had accumulated a significant amount of Karma. If not, then most likely…

‘A high-level human, at least level 1 or 2.’

Regardless, a surprise attack was not forgivable.

Yeongwoo swiftly retrieved his Early Bird and countered the attack.

Ping!

Simultaneously, from the other side of the door, the hilt of a sword bounced into the air.

Almost immediately, someone fell backwards, screaming.

“Ah–aaah!”

Reacting instantly to the sound, Yeongwoo swung open the glass door, surveying the scene.

“Ugh!”

The source of the horrific scream seemed to be a young man in his early twenties.

“…”

Yeongwoo alternated his gaze between the man’s deformed right hand and the one-handed sword stuck under the motel counter.

“Ah.”

The recent counterattack was so powerful that not only did it disarm the opponent, but it also shattered the hand holding the weapon.

‘Come to think of it, my strength is currently at 300.’

Initially, his base strength was merely 19. He was practically a superhuman now.

Yet, despite this, Yeongwoo’s ability to handle food or ride a bicycle stemmed from the fact that not too long ago, he lived as an ordinary person.

This allowed him to gauge how much strength to exert in daily life.

However, if he were to let go of that sense anytime soon, it could lead to unforeseen consequences.

“Whoa.”

Yechan, following Yeongwoo inside, frowned at the young man sprawled on the floor.

“Guuugghhh!”

The assailant continued his cries of agony.

Yeongwoo then searched through the attacker’s pockets.

As expected, there wasn’t a single coin in his possession.

This meant he had likely come to the motel well-prepared for robbery.

The next step would usually involve delivering a fatal blow, but…

“What level are you? What’s your role? An extra? A supporting role?”

Yeongwoo postponed the opponent’s death by asking these questions.

“Ugh, uggh!”

However, with a broken wrist, would he even register such questions?

The young man’s continuous groaning and screams made it impossible for him to hear or respond.

And so, eventually…

Thud!

“Uuaaagh!”

Yeongwoo’s Early Bird pierced the young man’s thigh, an attempt to provoke a reaction and distract him.

“Ah, Mister? Why are you doing this again…!”

Surprised, Yechan tried to stop Yeongwoo.

While the opponent had initiated the attack, Yechan believed there was no need to resort to torture despite that.

However, Yeongwoo had his reasons.

He felt it necessary to investigate other high-level humans to understand the specific nature of a Level 1 supporting role, like his mother.

“What level of human are you? What’s your role? Just tell me that, and I’ll let you live or kill you, whichever you prefer.”

“You… you insane…!”

Enraged, the young man tried to spit at Yeongwoo but stopped upon seeing the Early Bird held in his grasp.

“Wait! I… I’m a Level 1. A Level 1 Extra.”

“Level 1?”

Yeongwoo’s eyes widened.

He was indeed a high-level human.

“And your occupation?”

“Uh… I don’t have one, anything like that.”

“So, unemployed? Then what about your parents?”

Upon Yeongwoo’s inquiry, the expression on the young man, who had been in despair until then, suddenly changed.

It was as if he had become an entirely different person.

“You guys killed them.”

“What?”

“You killed them! You damn vultures…!”

It was more than just expressing malice; the rage and sorrow were so intense it seemed to make the air around them boil.

Perhaps the young man’s parents were also high-level humans, and judging by his extreme reaction, they might have been targeted and eliminated by public vote.

“Now you’re trying to act innocent? Just kill me too!”

The young man seemed to have lost control entirely.

But regardless what happened to his family life due to the reset, the fact remained that he intended to kill anyone entering the motel.

“…”

Seeing that further conversation was futile, Yeongwoo followed the young man’s orders and swung his Early Bird.

Fssh!

In a blink, a red streak crossed the young man’s throat, and soon, the head fell with a sickening thud, the severed neck emitting a gushing sound.

Witnessing it all, Yechan’s face turned pale.

“…”

As a high school student, this sight was too brutal and bizarre for him to comprehend.

To think a person he considered a colleague would resort to torturing for information, and that the tortured individual’s parents had been erased by the public…

It was a moment when he realized that he was living in a much more terrifying world than he had thought.

“Is… is this really happening?”

As Yechan spoke, staring at the head lying lifelessly, Yeongwoo raised an eyebrow and asked.

“What? Just because I didn’t kill him right away?”

It was purely Yechan’s uncertainty about what he was troubled by that led to his words.

Hence, Yechan found himself at a loss for words. In truth, he didn’t precisely know what was making him fearful and anxious.

Whether it was due to Yeongwoo gradually becoming inhuman or if the world itself was the issue.

“…No.”

Yechan shook his head, gesturing to continue on their way.

So, with an uneasy expression, Yeongwoo moved, leaving the severed head behind.

「01:16:32」

According to the mist timer at the top of their field of vision, they had roughly an hour left.

If there were no rooms available in the motel or if there were other issues preventing them from staying there, they’d have to pedal their bicycles again to find another place to stay.

‘Of course, if both options fail, we might have to end up entering a room someone else rented and get our throats slit in the middle of the night.’

Yeongwoo and Yechan crossed the lobby, avoiding the young man’s blood that had already reached their feet.

Thud.

All the lights were off, so they carefully walked up the dark stairs.

But for some reason, a faint blue light seeped from above, gradually illuminating their surroundings with each step upward.

“…What is it this time?”

“I don’t know. I doubt any monsters will show up again at this point.”

Yeongwoo tightly held the Early Bird in his right hand and steadily moved his gaze upward.

Eventually,

Click!

Both of them reached the second floor of the motel, and soon, they discovered the source of the bluish light.

It was none other than the room entrance doors emitting a subtle glow.

“…”

It was a surreal scene, but Yeongwoo, mindful of the limited time, walked towards the room at the end of the corridor.

Yeongwoo chose room 208.

Approaching it, the frame of the door, previously shining blue, intensified in color.

Subsequently, its unique interface appeared.

「Would you like to use the Lodging Service?」

[Riverside Motel Room 208]

|Space: Compact

|Facilities: Bathroom

|Lodging fee: 3,000 Karma

|Duration: Until 10 a.m tomorrow.

「How many people are planning to stay? Please enter the number of occupants.」

Next, a sort of holographic keypad appeared.

“…”

After a moment’s thought, Yeongwoo reached out his hand.

「2」