Absolute Dweller

[Episode 10] Busan Station (4)

“Fifty people together in one unit? Do they think we’re chickens?”

“It’s just temporary…”

“Temporary? What kind of temporary is that! There are plenty of vacant houses around! We’ve looked around, so what’s the deal!”

People were gathering in groups, making Kim Dabin uncomfortable.

Each of them expressed their dissatisfaction.

“No, at least the kids should be comfortable.”

“Stop it and just give us a few empty rooms. We’ll sleep in there.”

“I’m sorry, it’s our principle…”

Passing by Seo Ye-jin sitting in the center of the living room, I grabbed the doorknob to the bedroom where Yoo Hye-rin was sleeping. The reason for heading here instead of the front door was to use a new skill I got through leveling up this time.

Absolute Dweller’s Door Lv. 1

– Can connect doors within the homebound area.

It was a new skill that emerged after reaching level 20.

‘To the 21st floor.’

As I opened the door to the bedroom, instead of the sleeping Yoo Hye-rin, the 21st floor was revealed.

“You’re all illegally occupying other people’s houses anyway! In this emergency situation, we should help each other and live together. Do you think you can do whatever you want? Huh?”

There were some who were screaming and going too far now.

I said to them.

“It’s me. The one who’s illegally occupying someone else’s house.”

The people who were protesting to Kim Dabin now turned their attention to me. I looked directly at the man who had just raised his voice and spoke.

“I’m sorry, but if you’re unhappy with the policy I’ve made, would you please leave?”

“What-? You little, how dare you talk to us like that—!”

There was no need for a long speech.

“Expulsion, Sung Yoon-sik.”

I immediately expelled the man who was threatening Kim Dabin.

At that moment.

[Citizen Sung Yoon-sik is expelled from the homebound area.]

Swoosh—

Sung Yoon-sik’s body disappeared.

He was expelled from the declared area.

In the case of expulsion, it would move the person out of the homebound area without injuring or threatening their lives.

Of course, it was difficult to guarantee their lives after leaving the homebound area.

‘Absolute Dweller’s Eyes.’

I checked to see if he was sent to an area with monsters. Fortunately, the alley where he was expelled was empty except for darkness.

He awkwardly touched the transparent barrier.

[Unauthorized entity attempting entry.]

“H-Hey.”

Sung Yoon-sik’s trembling voice echoed emptily in the alleyway.

“I-Is anyone there? Hey—!”

After confirming his state, I asked the others.

“Anyone else have any complaints?”

Everyone was silent as a mute.

In the awkward silence, I looked each of them in the eye for a moment before speaking.

“As of now, water, electricity, and gas supply for the unit you are using will be cut off.”

“What?”

“No, what?”

“Why, this can’t be happening!”

I looked at those complaining and said, “On the contrary, I would like to ask. What exactly is this situation?”

I didn’t gather people in one place because I liked it.

“I want to ask. What is the reason for you all being here?

“Is it a coincidence that you all came here right after we dealt with the giant?”

A large group of 157 people.

They had plenty to drink and eat compared to other survivors. Of course, it was natural for such a large group to gather.

Although there were no awakeners, they were a group that were not lacking in material goods.

Nevertheless, the reason they came was obvious.

“You came here because you judged this place to be reliable, a place that has the ability to defeat monsters like giants, right? To be protected.”

It was such a noisy event.

The reason why people were flocking to this place was because the battle with the giant was having a kind of promotional effect.

“There are hundreds of people coming here every day with the same thought as you. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

The moment you accommodate their demands, three immediate problems will arise.

First, empty rooms will be quickly consumed, eventually leaving no space for new arrivals or forcing them to sit on the streets.

Second, those who were already citizens will become dissatisfied.

And finally, once you give in once, they will endlessly demand more.

“I’ll take this opportunity to make this clear now.”

A forceful occupation by the powerful.

Honestly, one could view it that way.

But I didn’t want to understand their perspective.

Why should I act like that when my position is much better?

“Your basic rights, welfare, none of that is here. Look at the world. The South Korean government has already collapsed, and I am not a representative of the government.”

The world right now was too cruel to desire such romantic things.

“If you want to enjoy rights, please first have the qualifications for it.”

Honestly, it didn’t look good.

Other survivors were making efforts in their own way to adapt to the uncomfortable environment.

They divided into three shifts to maximize the use of space in public facilities for sleeping, sought advice from those who had already adapted here, or paid a fee to existing citizens as rent.

They were adapting in various ways.

Despite the inconvenience, there were many people who prioritized children and the weak, and many who were trying to overcome it together.

However, instead of finding a way, they chose to demand recklessly.

They were full.

This was the only comparison I could make.

“Go back to your assigned accommodation immediately. If you don’t want to lose any more.”

As soon as I finished speaking, people dropped their heads and left in a hurry.

[Citizen Kim Dabin’s trust greatly increases.]

Watching this, Kim Dabin sighed and said, “Thank you, Mr. Jae-hyun. I survived thanks to you.”

I smiled and used the Communication Ring.

[You’re welcome. It’s something I should do.]

“Hm?”

[Gratitude should actually come from me.]

Kim Dabin tilted her head with a puzzled expression.

It must have been confusing for her to hear my voice even though I wasn’t speaking.

I continued to use the Communication Ring.

[Are you surprised?]

“Oh, yes.”

[Perhaps you can do something similar.]

“Me?”

[You’ve heard of telepathy, right? Try thinking of the person you want to communicate with and speak to them in your mind.]

At that moment.

[Like this?]

Kim Dabin succeeded in using telepathy.

[Well done. You can learn the exact conditions and limitations by using it yourself.]

[T-Thank you!]

It felt a bit strange to only use telepathy to communicate when we were right in front of each other.

Then.

“Excuse me…”

As I turned around, I saw a man whose head was shaved standing nervously.

Upon closer inspection, he was one of the people who had rushed towards us earlier.

“Do you still have more to say?”

When I confronted him, the man stammered.

“I-I know this is really shameless, but… the friend who was just expelled… Can you forgive him just once?”

Looking at the man speaking cautiously, I replied.

“Why should I?”

“While it’s true that Yoon-sik had the loudest voice, it was everyone’s opinion. Actually, it was everyone’s responsibility, so I don’t think Yoonsik should be blamed for everything. If there are consequences, I will accept them gracefully. So please show mercy just this once…”

Admittedly, expelling Sung Yoon-sik was excessive.

Being expelled was practically a death sentence at this point.

‘Even if you didn’t say that, I was going to let him back in anyway.’

[Unauthorized entity attempting entry.]

Fortunately, Sung Yoon-sik was still there, knocking on the barrier without going anywhere.

Although he was crying with tears and a runny nose.

I reached out to the bald man in front of me and said, “My name is Kim Jae-hyun.”

“I’m Han Kyung-hoon.”

After a brief handshake with Han Kyunghoon, I asked.

“May I ask if Mr. Han Kyung-hoon came to me as the representative of that group?”

“What?”

“I’m asking if that opinion just now is agreed upon by others as well. About accepting Sung Yoon-sik back in exchange for everyone accepting the consequences together.”

“Yes, that’s right. It was a decision we all made together.”

I had been wondering when to let Sung Yoon-sik back in. I couldn’t take one person’s life to set an example.

So I was actually grateful that they had caved in first.

Also, the somewhat negative image of him was being diluted.

‘You need this level of solidarity to survive, right?’

They were a large group without any awakeners.

Just surviving in this world as such a group was proof of their ability.

There would surely be some use to them.

“Alright. I will grant Mr. Sung Yoon-sik his citizenship again. And I will provide electricity and water, excluding gas, to the public facilities you use.”

“Is that, is that really true?”

“I’m letting you off the hook just this once considering your camaraderie.”

“T-Thank you! Thank you so much!”

[Citizen Han Kyung-hoon’s trustworthiness greatly increases.]

When I think about the children in this group, I want to provide gas as well, but then it becomes a precedent.

They should suffer the pain of showering in cold water and sleeping on a floor without a boiler for a little.

‘Since we have electric mats, the children will figure out how to keep warm somehow.’

After Han Kyung-hoon left, Kim Dabin communicated with me telepathically.

[I think Mr. Jae-hyun is a very warm-hearted person.]

I also replied using the communication ring.

[Me?]

[Yes.]

Strange.

There doesn’t seem to be any warmth from the conversation just now.

[Thank you for your kind words.]

Could this be a form of flattery?

I spoke to Kim Dabin who was looking at me kindly.

“I’m considering placing a public facility in each of the 25 buildings, not just the 3 buildings currently assigned.”

“All 25 buildings?”

“Yes.”

At the same time, I had the illusion that the dark circles under Kim Dabin’s eyes deepened a bit.

“How many team members do you have, Dabin?”

“There are a total of 15 including Hye-rin and Hyeong-jun.”

“Would you be able to manage with 100 people? With 4 people per building, it should be manageable.”

Kim Dabin’s eyes widened in surprise when she heard that.

“A hundred people?”

“Yes. I will pay each of them 100,000 won per day.”

She smiled as if she was pleased.

It was the smile of capitalism.

“If it’s that scale, we should be able to run it stably. Plus, my influence will likely increase.”

It was then.

[The 21st floor.]

[Door opens.]

Two men and a woman came out of the elevator and approached us.

One of the men came forward as the representative and spoke to Kim Dabin.

“Hello.”

“What brings you here?”

“Do you need a medical team or something?”

“A medical team?”

The man introduced himself with pride in his voice.

“I’m Lee Sung-min, an associate professor of nephrology at Busan Paik Hospital.”

As more people gathered, people with different skillsets began to appear.