Food security, livestock breeding, air purification. Taesan had resolved some of the city's major issues but was still thinking of other improvements he could make.
He focused his mind.
“Build.”
With a rumbling sound, pillars rose from the ground. The earth twisted and reshaped itself into houses made of soil and stone.
Taesan knocked on one of the walls. It didn’t shake, even with a fair amount of force.
“Not bad.”
The people were ecstatic about the new homes. They eagerly examined the structures, some even rushing to claim spots inside.
“Wow!”
“It’s spacious!”
The earthen houses were empty inside, but that didn’t matter to the residents. No longer would they have to shiver under leaking roofs during rain or huddle in tents with holes that let in the wind. This alone brought them immense joy.
Taesan continued working on other improvements.
He treated the injured, patrolled the city’s borders, and kept an eye on potential threats. Gradually, the people’s trust in him deepened.
“Hmm.”
Yet, Taesan was not completely satisfied.
The city was stable, but only because he was there. His efforts so far were merely temporary measures.
Makeshift cultivation couldn’t be performed on polluted soil. First, he had to purify the earth with divine energy or special items. The area where cultivation was possible remained limited.
For now, the current population could be sustained, but if their numbers grew, food shortages could become an issue again.
The air purification was also reliant on Minerva. Since she couldn’t stay here indefinitely, the pollution would return once Taesan left.
What Taesan wanted was not a temporary solution but a sustainable environment where people could grow and thrive without his constant intervention.
“How can I make this happen?”
Taesan kept thinking of ways to ensure a long-term solution.
Even if he wasn’t entirely satisfied, the people were overjoyed.
The food issue was solved, and in time, they would have livestock and meat. The air was cleaner, and they now had sturdy houses.
This place had become a paradise almost overnight.
“Are you there?”
“Yes?”
The old man, who had first approached Taesan, came over with a cautious smile and handed him a worn bowl.
“Take this.”
Inside was a small piece of bread.
“There isn’t any wheat around here, is there?”
“It’s from what little we had left. It’s on the verge of spoiling, but it’s still edible. People wanted to thank you, so they made this with our last bit of flour.”
Taesan accepted the bread and took a bite. The old man looked at him with a peculiar gaze.
“Did you know that some people are calling you a messenger of the gods?”
“I’m aware.”
He had noticed a faint amount of divine energy starting to flow toward him. Since he was here on a quest given by the gods, he didn’t deny it.
‘Faith, huh.’
A thought flashed through Taesan’s mind.
As he processed the idea, the old man spoke.
“Are you... really a messenger of the gods?”
But he swallowed the words.
Before the world’s collapse, people worshipped gods who they believed protected them. But when the monsters arrived, those gods had disappeared.
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The people didn’t know it, but the gods had been slain by an ancient god. They assumed their gods had abandoned them.
Some gods did appear later, fighting off the monstrous invasions, but they, too, vanished after the battles. Once more, people felt abandoned.
In this hopeless world, to think that a god would send a messenger to save them seemed absurd.
“Thank you.”
In the end, all the old man could do was express gratitude.
“Thanks to you... we’ve regained hope.”
The old man didn’t have long left to live, and he had constantly worried about his grandson’s future in such a cruel world.
Thanks to Taesan, a large part of that worry had dissipated.
“But I’m also anxious.”
The old man muttered with a worried look.
“If the other cities find out about this, they won’t sit still.”
The old man had mentioned before that there were five cities, each controlled by a different faction. Aside from the city of the abandoned, these factions maintained a careful balance of power.
Taesan asked, “How exactly are the cities divided?”
The old man began to explain.
There were five cities in total.
Each city was controlled by a different group.
The Scarlet Avatar.
The Azure Dew.
Kaleiat.
The Martial God.
And the Abandoned.
“The other cities are in better condition than we are. They have some livestock, and they can produce small amounts of food.”
It wasn’t much, but they had enough to sustain their smaller populations.
“Each group also has individuals with unique powers.”
“Unique powers?”
“Some have powers that are invisible, while others have physical abilities far beyond ordinary humans.”
The old man glanced at Taesan.
“Just like you.”
He seemed to believe Taesan was one of these special individuals.
Taesan didn’t deny it.
“These powers emerged after the monsters appeared.”
If the powers emerged with the monsters, they were likely related to the gods. The old man continued.
“Those with these powers dominate and enslave regular people. Anyone who refuses to submit or is deemed useless gets sent to this city.”
The old man scowled.
“They’re still fighting each other over their interests, even in this ruined world. Instead of working together to survive...”
The old man couldn’t understand it.
“If they find out about this place... we could be in danger.”
“Is that so?”
Taesan murmured. His indifference made the old man’s expression more serious.
“They’re very strong. You may have unique powers, but they’re not combat-related.”
Taesan had shown no combat abilities, only food cultivation and air purification. Naturally, people assumed his powers were non-combative.
“In contrast, their abilities are geared towards combat. They can shatter boulders with ease.”
The old man warned him with a grave tone.
“Even someone like you mustn’t be careless. You need to be prepared.”
“I see.”
Taesan’s response was still nonchalant, which left the old man puzzled. Taesan asked him,
“You mentioned five cities. Are there no other survivors?”
The old man sighed.
“As far as we know, there are only five cities left. That’s the harsh reality of this world.”
The survivors of this world had gathered in those five cities.
Taesan considered one possibility.
---
A man with bronze-colored muscles slouched on a plush sofa, letting out a relaxed breath.
He was Malbre, the ruler of the Scarlet Avatar, one of the five cities.
“So boring.”
He was utterly bored.
The power struggle between the different factions had been in a deadlock for a long time. Without anyone making the first move, no conflict arose.
He had no issues with food. As the ruler of his city, he could eat whatever he wanted, though many had died as a result. He didn’t care.
Though the world was nearing destruction, Malbre was living a life of luxury.
In fact, he enjoyed this world more than the one before. Before the fall, he had been a lowly, struggling man. But as the world crumbled, he had gained immense power.
To break this boredom, he considered what he could do.
“Perhaps I’ll catch some slaves.”
They were pitiful, crawling creatures with no power, desperately clinging to life.
Watching the emotions on their faces as they perished brought him some amusement.
Just as he was about to stand, the ornate doors opened. A man entered.
“What is it?”
“I bring news for Your Majesty.”
The man bowed deeply. Malbre had ordered everyone to address him as “Emperor,” a title he fancied.
“Speak.”
“I have returned from scouting the other cities, as you commanded.”
Like Malbre, the man had gained special powers during the monster invasion. With his greatly enhanced speed, no one could catch him. Malbre had assigned him to reconnaissance.
“What news from the other cities?”
“The other three cities have nothing unusual. But... the city of the Abandoned is different.”
“Hmm?”
Malbre frowned at the unexpected name.
The city of the Abandoned. A place where the useless people gathered, with no resources and nothing left but slow death. Malbre had completely disregarded it.
“What did you find there?”
The man hesitated, prompting Malbre to scowl.
Finally, the man spoke.
“They were eating corn.”
“...Corn?”
“And not just corn. I also saw watermelons.”
“What?”
Malbre’s eyes widened.
Corn and watermelon were nearly impossible to come by. He hadn’t seen watermelon in ages.
“There wasn’t just a little, either. Nearly everyone I saw had corn or watermelon.”
“What is going on there?”
Malbre’s face twisted. The man continued cautiously.
“I overheard some of them talking. There’s a rumor going around... that a messenger of the gods has come to them.”
“A messenger of the gods?”
Malbre sneered. He didn’t believe in gods. His strength was his own, and he had defeated the monsters by his power alone. Though some unexplainable things had happened, he dismissed them as illusions.
“Someone with a production-based ability must have arrived in the Abandoned’s city.”
Malbre grinned, baring his teeth.
“Summon the lieutenants. We’re going to crush the city of the Abandoned.”
“Yes.”
The man answered quickly.
Upon receiving Malbre’s orders, the lieutenants of the Scarlet Avatar gathered. Malbre informed them that someone capable of producing food had arrived in the city of the Abandoned and instructed them to capture him.
“If he doesn’t cooperate, kill everyone else in the
city. But make sure he’s unharmed.”
The lieutenants answered in unison.
With his lieutenants, Malbre stepped outside. The slaves working nearby caught sight of him, recoiling in fear.
Malbre savored their reaction.
He was the Emperor.
No one could challenge his authority.
Malbre believed this with absolute certainty.
Before long, he arrived at the city of the Abandoned.