The Regressor Only Protects Me [EN]: Chapter 152

152. The Returned Hero (1)

Mangyeong, a border outpost on the southern Gunpo side.

“Haa…! I can’t see. Just a moment. Just…! Excuse me. Just a moment, please.”

Hayoonha was stuck in the crowd, craning her neck, trying to see ahead.

But all she could see were the backs of countless citizens.

The news that the king, who they thought was dead, had returned.

It was so astonishing that even the current monarch of Mangyeong would rush out barefoot.

‘I can’t see… I can’t see…!’

Hayoonha grabbed onto the shoulders of the citizens and barely managed to move forward.

Finally, she came to the very front of the crowd.

There, four people were standing.

They were receiving the cheers of the citizens.

“For Mangyeong, for heroes, and for labor! For the King! Puahahahahaha!”

The man shouted Mangyeong’s four commandments and laughed heartily.

He was the leader of a group of hunters who had returned after subjugating the Kobold Dungeon near the dense forest on the southern side.

At that moment, the man with the burly muscles discovered Hayoonha and was startled.

“Ah…! For the King to personally come out to greet humble me…! It is an honor.”

The mustache and beard were reminiscent of an old Joseon [Korean dynasty from 1392 to 1897] general.

The man strode forward and knelt down before Hayoonha.

“Greetings to the King of Mangyeong.”

Only then did the crowd recognize Hayoonha and quickly bowed to her.

“Greetings to the King!”

This was the etiquette for the king.

The numerous people gathered here all bowed to her.

Hayoonha looked around at them, sweating nervously as if she was in trouble.

‘This is… not it. The informant wouldn’t lie. If it’s the story from the few informants who know the hero’s face, it’s certain.’

The people of this city had only heard about the existence of the first King, Kang Si-on, through murals or stories, but had never actually met him.

The only people who accurately knew Kang Si-on’s face were the few second-generation citizens of the executive ranks who fought in the war against Doan Park Ji-soo.

And the first generation, those who were at the Manan Police Station.

Originally, the Doan citizens or the citizens who had flowed in over the past five years were third-generation citizens.

Of course, this difference in ‘generation’ was also a difference in status.

The first-generation citizens who had been with the Manan Police Station formed the core of the power.

The second generation was the middle class, that is, middle managers or landlords.

The third generation were mostly citizens who lived by working and serving in the military.

Since the majority of Mangyeong’s citizens were made up of different races and third-generation citizens, there was little chance that they would recognize Kang Si-on even if he walked around in the middle of the market.

Hayoonha glanced around.

Everyone was prostrating themselves to her, and the face of the hero who had returned after five years was nowhere to be seen.

“Make way-! Make way-!”

“Clear the road-!”

“Make way!”

The royal guard finally broke through the crowd and began to push people back to protect Hayoonha.

Hayoonha sighed briefly.

‘Where on earth… did he go?’

He’s not lost, is he?

She was worried.

* * *

I picked up a chicken skewer sprinkled with strange red powder and took a big bite.

The moist and soft texture lingered in my mouth.

The red powder wasn’t chili powder, but it had a slightly spicy and sweet taste.

Is it a new spice made by grinding flower petals?

‘I feel like my sense of taste has become more sensitive.’

This chicken skewer.

I could feel the unmistakable scent and texture of chicken.

In fact, even when I was the lord of Mangyeong, I had tried to domesticate chickens and pigs.

Since the existing animals were not completely extinct, if chickens and pigs could be domesticated, they could be a good source of protein for the members of the force.

That plan failed, but it seemed Yoonha had succeeded.

They were selling it openly in the market street like this.

I couldn’t even imagine how much domestication had progressed.

Besides, it’s delicious.

‘Before the world was destroyed, it was too expensive for me to even think about buying it….’

I put the last remaining piece of meat in my mouth, lost in absurd thoughts.

“How much is it, ma’am?”

The old woman smiled broadly and said to me.

“Oh my! Yes, yes. How many did you eat?”

“Keueok-.”

Choi Myung-joon burped and put down the last skewer.

I scanned the food that the expedition team had eaten.

Choi Myung-joon 24, Jin Jae-hee 3, Choi Hyun-ji 1, me 2.

However, the price tag on the food stall did not list ‘lighters.’

[1 Chicken Skewer / 1 Coin.]

This coin is probably the currency that Hayoonha newly established.

First, I took out 10 lighters and handed them to her.

Then the stall owner was startled.

“Oh my! Why are you giving me so much money! Let’s see, 30 skewers, so 3 lighters will be enough.”

‘So roughly one coin is about 500 won [Korean currency, approximately $0.40 USD].’

The coin was reusing the existing Korean currency.

It seemed that all types of coins were being used at a value of 500 won.

Since the price of one lighter is 5,000 won [Korean currency, approximately $4.00 USD], it seemed that lighters were now being used like banknotes.

“Goodbye~”

The expedition team walked out of the food stall and walked down the market street.

This place was so crowded that it was hard to believe that the world had been destroyed.

Meanwhile, Choi Myung-joon, who had finished his meal, was patting his stomach as if he was full.

“Wow-. Seriously. I’m full. It’s been a long time since I’ve had real food. Hyung [Korean honorific for older brother or male friend], what are we going to do now? Shouldn’t we see the king of this city first? How dare they act like a king when Hyung is here.”

“Could it be Yoonha?! Oh oh~ Crazy. Wait a minute! How old is Yoonha now? Twenty years old……??? Heol [Korean slang expressing disbelief or shock].”

“What?! That kid?! How dare she.”

I walked, ignoring their stories.

Naturally, the scenery of Mangyeong came into view.

How should I explain it?

Mangyeong’s appearance had become much more ‘natural’ than I remembered.

It looked quite different from the scenery of a city that had collapsed and been destroyed.

Mangyeong was full of the appearance of civilization that had begun to sprout again after the destruction.

The buildings were reinforced in their own ways.

Most of them were made of steel plates or steel frames, but they were still quite well-equipped.

The first floors of the somewhat repaired commercial buildings even had signs.

Most of the signs were roughly made by painting pictures or letters on wooden boards, but it was still clear what the place was for.

The streets of Mangyeong had been cleared of broken asphalt and were now neatly organized into dirt roads.

I was walking along the evenly paved dirt road when I suddenly kicked a stone and looked down at the ground.

On closer inspection, flat, rectangular stones were embedded in the dirt road in a row, crossing the road.

‘Is this perhaps a crosswalk marking? If there are even devices like this…….’

At that time.

Kooong! Deureureureureuk!

A sound was heard as something was dragged across the ground.

When I turned my gaze to the source of the sound, there was an ogre.

The ogre was pulling a vehicle that looked like buses and cars were intertwined.

A large red number ‘3’ was written on the ogre’s chest.

And the residents of Mangyeong were riding in the 1-ton dump truck that the ogre was pulling.

The residents were sitting side by side on the long chairs installed inside the truck.

It was a scene that could only be seen in a military training camp in the past, but now it had become like a popular means of transportation.

“What! Is that a bus?”

Choi Hyun-ji said in disbelief as if she was dumbfounded.

I was also a little impressed.

The scene in front of me meant that there were so many ogres that they could even be used for this purpose.

It seemed that Hayoonha had properly grown Mangyeong.

‘That’s admirable.’

Looking at the appearance of Mangyeong, it seemed that I had been worrying for nothing.

I and my party put down those worries and headed towards the bus stop to take the bus.

The bus stop was marked with a sign with a picture of an ogre pulling a bus.

And next to it, there was a queue of several people standing in a row.

That was a stall selling tickets.

I and my party immediately stood in line leading to the stall.

The boy selling tickets at the stall moved his hands busily, and fortunately, the queue quickly shortened.

“Okay, let’s go!”

Ddalang!

The man who appeared to be the bus driver sat in the driver’s seat, shook the bell, and began to control the ogre.

Then the ogre went forward as if possessed.

As the bus moved, the group was busy admiring the changed scenery of Mangyeong, unable to take their eyes off the window.

I also looked out the window with a happy heart.

The bus was quite fast, but not to the point where I couldn’t observe the surrounding scenery in detail.

Many people were passing by on the road.

Most of them were carrying luggage and walking, but occasionally there were carriages led by deer tamed by Doan’s technology.

It seemed that a basic logistics system was in place.

Passing through the entrance of Mangyeong, a full-fledged commercial district unfolded.

“Come on! Pick! Pick! Mother over there! Come here and take a look at the Goliath fruit. The quality is really good today.”

“It’s cheap! It’s cheap! 100% natural Nepenthes fiber! How long are you going to wear only worn-out clothes! Get some new fabric!”

The market was lively and bustling.

Temporary buildings made from parts modified from vehicles were full of the market.

If they had used the ruins of the buildings as they were before, now it seemed that they had their own construction know-how of the new era.

Most of the people in the market seemed to be maintaining the costumes from before the destruction, but on closer inspection, the materials of the clothes, accessories, and props they had were things that could not be seen before.

A bag made of alligator turtle leather, a muffler that seemed to be made of rabbit monster fur, a brooch made of Nepenthes buds, etc.

It seemed that they were now making the most of monster leather and new plants.

Once again, I realized that a lot of time had passed in Mangyeong, a girl who had just boarded the bus shouted while shaking scrolls.

“Everyone! This week’s Mangyeong newsletter is on sale! 1 lighter per copy! It’s a reliable newsletter directly published by the Public Relations Department!”

She was a girl with acne all over her face, as if she was just passing through puberty.

The girl was carrying a bag made by weaving fibers from an unknown plant, and the bag was full of newsletters.

Some passengers handed lighters to the girl and began to receive newsletters.

I was also intrigued and gestured to Choi Myung-joon.

Then Choi Myung-joon quickly ran out and bought a newsletter.

“Here it is. Hyung.”

I took the newsletter that Choi Myung-joon handed me and read the news on the front page.

I wondered how they implemented the printing technology, but the clumsy but properly standardized letters came into view.

Since it was not a very difficult technology to make letters by processing wood or metal, it seemed to be a widely spread technology in Mangyeong.

I unfolded the newsletter neatly printed in letters.

The newsletter was packed with the latest news from Mangyeong.

The opening of the Central Theater’s play ‘The King of Mangyeong: The Legend of Pamian Apartment’. Far exceeding the expected number of visitors…….

The Minister of Labor’s regular work allocation announcement. The amount of mandatory work mobilization for citizens has decreased by 20% compared to last month…….

After the inauguration of the new Special Forces Commander, the Special Forces support rate is soaring…….

His Majesty the Acting King’s visit to the Mangyeong Orphanage. “The orphanage facilities still seem inadequate, they should be supplemented…….”

Special feature. ‘Romance of the Century’. Close coverage of the dating rumors of the 2nd Class Citizen Management Director under the Ministry of National Defense. Is the partner a 2nd class citizen? …….

Living point. Fabric made of Red Hound leather shrinks when washed in cold water…….

From the announcements of the Central Mangyeong to gossip for entertainment.

The publisher ‘Public Relations Department’ was written at the very top of the newsletter.

‘Public Relations Department……. The administrative system has changed a lot.’

There had been many changes in the administrative system of the new Mangyeong, and new positions and departments that I had never heard of were also mentioned.

However, it was clear that it was not carelessly established but was functioning properly.

You could tell just by looking at the contents of the newsletter.

Even though each department had some issues, it was clear what they were in charge of.

I stared at the newsletter like that for a long time.

At that time.

I felt a stinging gaze from somewhere.

I turned my head towards the seat on the opposite side where I felt the gaze.

There, an old man with white hair was sitting and sticking his head out.

The old man glared at my face.

Then, he tilted his head once as if he was wondering something, and repeatedly watched me carefully again.

I naturally covered my face with the newsletter.

Meanwhile, the speed of the ogre bus was gradually decreasing.