V54C3P3 – All That Labor Work

“A dragon hunt. Isn’t that a bit reckless?”

“It seems that way. It is too dangerous, having seen the battle between the Hermes Guild and the dragon.”

The meeting began with a skeptical atmosphere.

The lords scanned one another and withheld their true feelings.

‘This scene is being broadcasted live. Maintaining a solemn tone and somber facial expression is the key here. I will stall for a while then engage quickly at the right time.’

‘This is a dragon hunt led by Weed himself. It isn’t important that we are successful in this mission; what is important is partic.i.p.ating in his plan.’

‘Exercising domination over the continent? First, I have to establish a foundation as lord. That means I cannot afford to fall out from events like this.’

‘These guys are all going to join anyway. CTS Media proposed this conference and not a single one turned it down.’

The lords exchanged eye contact and hid their thoughts.

‘Weed… Who knows what kind of grudge he is going to hold if we were to reject his offer.’

‘We will double-cross him when the time is right but until then, we shall serve as loyal henchman. We will shadow him well, so that he will have complete trust in us. We will build trust and make sure that he will never suspect us. Our factions will grow and at the moment of truth, we will smack him on the back of his head!’

This conference took place alongside a number of underlying grand schemes from the individual lords. No one announced non-partic.i.p.ation and the day dragged on, finally coming to a conclusion in the evening.

“The users wish for the peace of this continent. The Black Lion Guild will put an end to Kaybern no matter the sacrifice.”

“The Black Sword Mercenaries will also do the same. We shall lead the front lines.”

“The Lion Star is comprised of brave warriors. We will gladly join the hunt. Without us, the dragon hunt will be a difficult mission.”

“We are the Candera Guild, a union reborn from 7 different guilds. We will show what we are capable of, in the name of light and peace in the continent and the Arpen Empire.”

The Arpen Empire’s lords of several cities and vast lands were all burning with ambition.

Thus, they all confirmed partic.i.p.ation in Weed’s dragon hunt without considering the risks.

Weed a.s.sessed objectively that the hunt for the Dark Dragon Kaybern was improbable. There were steps to take no matter how badly he wanted to slay the Black Dragon.

“I have to force our probability to be higher.”

There was no requirement for the hunt other than a minimum level of 400 and therefore, over 500,000 users signed up with more continuing to do so, which was a great a.s.set.

High-level users in both the North and Central Continent all competed to sign up. Though it was uncertain how many would actually prove their worth on the battlefield.

“What are your plans for all these users?”

Pale asked with a spark of curiosity.

To think that he would proceed with the quest storming around with such a huge crowd of users.

He antic.i.p.ated backlash if they were to be divided and only some of them accepted. Even the users that had no real intention of fighting would feel irritated when they were to be turned down.

“They have to be exploited.”

“Pardon?”

“What do you think is the advantage of intensive labor?”

“Mmm. Accomplishment after diligent work?”

“It’s different. That is the perspective of the laborers, and to speak from the point of an exploitative owner… Eh-Hem. More heads mean securing more labor force. Expansion of the labor force. This is crucial. Put them on any kind of task, exploit them, and it solves everything.”

“…?”

Pale could not get his head around it. He was a person with a kind nature who always thought logically and empathetically.

However, Weed’s theory was plain simple.

There is a mountain.

It needs to be moved.

What I have is a huge labor force.

When it came to problem solving, the smart ones will concern themselves about the most efficient method. There were possibilities of achieving the goal using the least amount of effort through creative and innovative methods. Weed was different.

‘Why do you have to think about it? Just make them move it.’

He had the real mind of an exploitative, abusive owner!

True intensive labor was to get them working as much as possible.

The fault in his system however, was that the users that have gathered before him could not be considered great laborers yet.

They were beings that could think for themselves and see through him.

As civilization became more developed and advanced, people received better education which resulted in overly smart individuals.

Weed decided to use Geomchi and the apprentices for this matter.

“Master. Please take on a hundred of these people.”

“Easy. Can I do as I please?”

“Of course. They signed the registration forms, so we’re in the clear.”

“Kids nowadays are not so keen on listening…”

“I will take care of that. You can take them around in your own fas.h.i.+on. Brothers too, please take on some people.”

Weed took the users that were exceptionally skilled out of the warrior cla.s.ses that wielded weapons and left them all up to Geomchi, Geomchi2, the instructors and apprentices.

“It will be alright to put them through danger. I got them to sign the contract, so it is their own fault if they die. Train them strictly and turn them into useful warriors for me.”

“You got it.”

He carefully selected the most skilled individuals out of the users that gathered to the proclamation of slaying the dragon.

He planned to take them to the southern desert and fight alongside with Geomchi and the apprentices.

“The higher their levels, the greater their combat strength will become with adjustments to their inefficiency in fighting styles. Moreover, they need to learn themselves of what they need to do when they confront the dragon.”

Weed believed that it was necessary to transform the combat styles of the users.

The higher the level, the less they engage in dangerous situations. The losses of dying were too immense so there were many that huddle safely and hunt monsters of moderate level at a stable pace. It is as if they are the type of people who became stronger at a consistent pace much like studious high-schoolers that study extensively at their desks.

Even in modern sports such as baseball and soccer, the approach is scientific unlike it was in the past.

Overworking the body wears it out, reduces motor abilities and leads to injuries.

‘But, this is Royal Road. One cannot exercise 100% of his ability if he’s too worried about death.’

A lot of the users that played rough in the hunting grounds were part of the Hermes Guild.

“It would be helpful if I experience tough battles as much as I can. If I don’t, I will only be a bystander when the battle with the dragon begins.”

Weed sent all the so-called elites to the southern desert and spoke to the remaining users.

“You will all be going around hunting. There are commanding officers that did a good deal back in Garnav Plains, and people like Roam-nim and Carlise-nim will be there to lead you all. I will arrange the best hunting grounds and environment for a crash leveling program.”

The situation was grave with all monsters on the move at once.

He used the justification of the need for growth in order to slay the dragon, meaning that he was planning to mobilize all users in the monster eradication.

“Please do your best. I will only take reports of results.”

“Understood. Weed-nim.”

“Roam-nim. I expect a lot from you. Can I trust that you will do much more than the other battalions?”

“I will certainly live up to your expectations.”

Weed divided 400,000 users into 1,000 battalions and spread them across the entire continent.

This process only took one day!

Those that joined for the dragon hunt did not expect it to be handled with such speed.

Some of them headed to the southern desert and the rest scattered to all parts of the continent.

There was no specific plan set, but the exploitation of user labor and the compet.i.tion between commanding officers would set everything in motion.

It was obvious that the security of the continent had increased by at least 2 levels with just this plan.

Many villages and cities that were vulnerable to destruction would be saved.

Mapan jiggled his thick cheeks as he watched the turn of events.

“You are amazing, Weed-nim! I thought I caught up to you to a considerable extent, but you overcame another level when you became Emperor.”

“…..

Zephyr who was standing beside him thought in simple terms.

‘I guess he’s talking about how fast the matters are being dealt with? How incredible his initiative is.’

He thought lightly, but the following comment by Mapan was not what he expected.

“K-hu-hu.You really saw their weakness. If the goal was to eradicate the monsters, it would have been difficult to gather over 400,000 high-level users. Furthermore, it would have been impossible to be on the move and fight for days.”

Indeed, it would have been tough even if a tremendous fortune was spent for it.

It could never have been achieved even with the wealth of the Mapan a.s.sociation that has climbed to commercial supremacy in the Northern Continent and expanded to the Central regions.

“However, with a few words he changed the ultimate goal into Kaybern and listed this process as a milestone… I bet that they will suffer, but many will believe that it cannot be helped. They will struggle to become stronger.”

“…..”

Zephyr could now see reality more clearly.

All Weed had done was set out a proclamation and spoke a few comments.

With just that, he rounded up 400,000 high-level users that usually cannot even be present in one location, and sent out for hunting like slaves.

‘WIth no rewards involved. With just the meaning of companions.h.i.+p for the greater goal…’

The situation hasn’t changed, but the mentality of the users transformed.

From this point on, the users mobilized in a hard journey of monster hunting will not blame Weed.

That is because the hastily formed battalions will compete for performance, and all of that had become a stepping stone in the grand scheme of defeating Kaybern.

‘With such ease… He drafted an army and threw them into eradicating monsters.’

Zephyr had first met Weed long ago as a comrade and thought plainly about him.

It was surprising to see Weed accomplish incredible quests and become famous, but he thought it could happen to anyone.

Weed always had luck and suffering wherever he went.

‘It was just that he excelled in judgment. Everyone goes through difficult matters in life, but Weed-nim resolved all of it in some way.’

Weed was a tough cookie, a genius of war, and he possessed a gifted survival instinct.

He was an instigator that knew how to use other users, was capable of planning great strategies and had the initiative to accomplish them in any way he could.

‘I used to think lightly of him because he was always complaining about buying salt for 200 won more. Now that I think about it, he isn’t an ordinary man.’

Zephyr felt as if Weed, who he met by coincidence, becoming the emperor of Arpen Empire was set in the stars.

“Your commanding officer is me. You will all stick with me.”

Weed sent the elite forces, warriors and knights to the southern desert. However, he organized the rest of the job cla.s.ses into battalions under his direct command.

*Rumble-rumble.*

There was a commotion amongst the users.

“Are we really travelling with Weed-nim?”

“I think he’s planning to level us up.”

“This won’t be an easy job. My level is almost 500.”

“That’s amazing. I didn’t think I would get to go hunting. I expected solely quests.”

“We get to go on air too.”

The users were purely in excitement.

They felt light-hearted and intrigued going on a hunt with Weed as if they were out for a picnic.

Though, the faces of Pale and Romuna had long turned pale.

“Leveling them up?”

“A crash course at that…”

(To be continued…)