Chapter 371

The resolution of the food problem. The breeding of livestock. The purification of air.

Kang Taesan devised several other methods as well.

He focused his mind.

“Be constructed.”

Rumble—!

Pillars rose from the earth. The ground twisted and deformed, forming houses made of soil.

Taesan knocked on one of the houses. Even though he used considerable force, it didn’t budge.

“Not bad.”

The people cheered for the houses that had been built. They rushed forward to look at the houses.

“Wowww!”

“It’s huge!”

The houses made of soil had nothing inside.

But even that was enough for the people to be satisfied. They no longer needed to get soaked by rain leaking through cracks in the ceiling. They no longer had to stay in tents with gaping holes that couldn’t even block the wind. That alone made them immensely happy.

Taesan continued to do many things.

He treated the injured and patrolled the outskirts of the city. The people’s trust in him grew deeper and deeper.

However, Taesan wasn’t satisfied.

Sure, the city had stabilized.

But it was only because he was there. It was a temporary fix.

[Makeshift cultivation] couldn’t be used on polluted soil. The land had to be purified first using [Divinity] or [items]. Usable land for [Makeshift cultivation] was limited.

With a population like this city’s, there wouldn’t be a problem, but if their numbers grew, the situation would change. One day, food would become scarce.

Air purification was also impossible without Minerva. Since they couldn’t remain here forever, the problem would resurface once Taesan left.

What Taesan wanted wasn’t mere survival, but an environment where they could continue to grow and live. A world that collapsed in his absence was meaningless.

‘What should I do?’

Taesan kept pondering solutions.

Of course, it was only Taesan who was dissatisfied—everyone else in the city was extremely content.

The food issue was resolved. Given more time, they would be able to eat meat too. The air had been purified, and sturdy houses had been built.

This place had become a paradise in an instant.

“Is someone there?”

“What is it?”

The old man who first met Taesan cautiously approached. He smiled gently and handed over a worn bowl.

“Take this.”

Inside was a small piece of bread.

“There’s no wheat, though.”

“I had some stored away. It’s on the verge of spoiling, but still edible. The people made this bread with the last of our flour, just for you.”

Taesan accepted the bread and took a bite. The old man watched him with a curious gaze.

“Did you know there are people calling you a messenger of the gods?”

“I do.”

Even now, a bit of [Divinity] was flowing into Taesan. He had accepted a quest from the gods and come here—it wasn’t far off, so he didn’t deny it.

‘Faith, huh.’

A thought briefly crossed Taesan’s mind.

As he organized that thought, the old man spoke again.

“You… are you really a messenger of the gods?”

But he swallowed the words.

Before the world’s destruction, their world also had gods who watched over them. Everyone worshipped that god.

But when the monsters appeared, their god vanished.

In truth, the god had been slain by the [Old Gods], but they never learned that. They believed their god had abandoned them.

Other gods appeared and stopped the monsters’ invasion, but once the monsters were gone, those gods disappeared without a trace. Once again, the people believed they’d been abandoned.

And now, in such a situation, the gods had sent a messenger to save them? It was a strange thing.

“Thank you.”

In the end, all the old man could offer was gratitude.

“Thanks to you… we can have hope again.”

He didn’t have long to live. He always worried whether his grandson could survive in such a harsh world after he passed.

Thankfully, thanks to Taesan, that fear had largely disappeared.

“But I’m uneasy.”

The old man muttered with a worried face.

“If the other cities find out about this, they won’t stay quiet.”

The old man had said earlier: there were five cities, each ruled by a different group. Excluding the city of the forsaken, the rest held nearly equal power and stood in a tense balance.

Taesan asked,

“How exactly are they divided?”

“Come to think of it, I didn’t explain that in detail.”

The old man began his explanation.

There were five cities in total.

Each city was ruled by a different group:

The Red Incarnate.
Blue Dew.
Kalleyat.
Martial God.
The Forsaken.

“The other cities are in slightly better condition than this one. They have proper livestock, though few, and are cultivating food to some extent.”

It wasn’t much, but it was enough for a small number of people to live without worry.

“And each group has people with special powers.”

“Special powers?”

“Some manipulate invisible forces, others possess physical abilities far beyond normal humans.”

The old man glanced at Taesan.

“Like you.”

He seemed to think Taesan was one of those people.

Taesan didn’t deny it.

“Those with such powers began to appear after the monsters showed up.”

If they appeared after the monsters, then there was likely a connection with the gods. The old man continued.

“Those with powers rule over normal people and treat them as slaves. Anyone who doesn’t accept that or is deemed useless is cast out—and ends up in this city.”

The old man frowned.

“They… still fight each other. Even in this ruined world, they kill one another for their own interests. When they should be joining forces to survive.”

He couldn’t understand it.

“If they find out about this place… it could be dangerous.”

“Is that so.”

Taesan muttered. His tone seemed indifferent, which made the old man’s face grow grim.

“They are incredibly strong. You have power too, but it’s a non-combat power, isn’t it?”

Taesan hadn’t shown them any combat-related abilities.

At best, he could cultivate food and purify the air. Naturally, people assumed Kang Taesan’s abilities belonged to that category.

“In contrast, their powers are heavily focused on combat. They can shatter a boulder the size of a house on their own.”

The old man spoke with a tone full of concern.

“Even for someone like you, you must not let your guard down. You need to prepare.”

“I see.”

Taesan replied.

His still indifferent demeanor left the old man flustered. Taesan asked him a question.

“You mentioned five cities. Are there no other survivors beyond those?”

In response to the question about whether any other survivors existed in this world, the old man answered with a bitter expression.

“As far as we know, there are none. Only five cities have managed to survive. That is the reality of this world.”

The old man answered.

All remaining survivors in this world were gathered in those five cities without exception.

Taesan considered another possibility.

* * *

“Haaah…”

A bronzed, muscular man let out a lazy breath as he lounged on a soft sofa.

He was the ruler of one of the five cities—Malbre, the master of the Red Incarnate.

“So boring.”

He was terribly bored.

It had been a long time since a deadlock had formed among the different factions. As long as none of them made the first move, no conflict would arise.

There were no issues with food. As the ruler of the city, he could eat whatever he wanted. Many people had died because of that, but he didn’t care.

The world was on the brink of destruction, but he was living a life of luxury.

He preferred the current world over the one before its downfall. Before the collapse, he had been a bottom-feeder, living a meager life. But during the collapse, he had suddenly acquired immense power.

What could he do to relieve this boredom?

“Maybe I’ll go catch some slaves.”

Pitiful creatures who crawled on the ground without any power. Yet they still clung to life like desperate slaves.

Even so, watching their expressions as they died was quite entertaining.

Just as Malbre made up his mind and began to rise—

The luxurious door opened, and a man entered.

“What is it?”

“I bring a report for Your Majesty.”

The man bowed his head to the floor in greeting. All of this was due to Malbre’s orders. He demanded to be called emperor and forced those around him to comply. Malbre lifted his chin.

“You may speak.”

“I have completed the reconnaissance of the other cities as Your Majesty commanded.”

The man, like Malbre, had gained special powers when the monsters invaded. Thanks to his greatly enhanced speed, no one could easily catch him. Malbre had assigned him the task of scouting.

“What is the situation in the other cities?”

“There was nothing noteworthy in three of the cities. However… the City of the Forsaken was different.”

“Hm?”

Malbre’s face twisted at the unexpected name.

The City of the Forsaken. A place where worthless scum gathered, wasting food. A place with nothing left, slowly dying—Malbre hadn’t paid it any attention.

“What was there?”

The man couldn’t bring himself to speak easily. Malbre scowled and urged him on. Eventually, the man opened his mouth.

“They were eating corn.”

“…Corn?”

“Not only that. I also saw watermelon.”

“What?”

Malbre’s eyes widened.

Corn? That was something rarely seen these days. And as for watermelon—he hadn’t seen one in ages.

“There was a substantial amount. Everyone I saw was holding either corn or watermelon.”

“What is this…”

Malbre’s face twisted. The man continued quietly.

“While I was hiding and listening in, I heard them saying that a messenger of the gods had descended among them.”

“A messenger of the gods, huh.”

Malbre scoffed. He didn’t believe in gods. His strength was entirely his own, and the reason he defeated monsters was because he was strong. Strange things had happened a few times, but he firmly believed they were all illusions.

“So someone with production-type powers must have gone to the City of the Forsaken.”

Malbre bared his teeth.

“Summon the officers. We’re going to crush the City of the Forsaken.”

“Yes, sir.”

The man responded immediately.

Upon Malbre’s order, the officers of the Red Incarnate assembled. Malbre told them that someone capable of producing food had appeared in the City of the Forsaken. They would raze the city and capture that person.

“If they do not obey us, you may kill everyone else in the city. But do not lay a finger on that person.”

The officers answered in unison.

Malbre exited with the other officers. The slaves working with gaunt faces flinched and hid upon seeing his face.

Malbre found their reactions quite pleasing.

He was the emperor.

No one could challenge his power.

Malbre believed this without a shred of doubt.

Before long, Malbre arrived at the City of the Forsaken.