The Regressor Only Protects Me Chapter 69

#Episode 69. Flowering

I turned the tumbler I was holding and looked at the brand.

It was a tumbler from a franchise coffee shop that was quite famous in the past.

At that time, I couldn’t believe that one tumbler like this would cost the price of two chickens.

At that time, what should I say?

Because my life was one of money-seeking.

“… … .”

I thought that if I could just utilize the monsters, I could bring great power to the force.

So, from the shopping mall, I figured out how goblins behave and attack their prey.

I think it was probably around that time that I started thinking about taming monsters.

The first time I saw an ogre, I was scared, but at the same time, I saw potential.

The principle is simple.

The fact that they are not that different from animals.

The fact that they are creatures who feel fear just like humans.

In fact, their intelligence was superior to expectations.

Teaching the bell ringing wasn’t difficult either.

Clear tones, dull tones, double strikes, triple strikes, even the rests between the beats of the bell.

Now, the number of tamed ogres has begun to increase in the Anyang Station area.

I became more and more powerful.

There was no rush.

The force is growing and individual training is continuing.

I focused solely on solving the problem at hand.

I turned my eyes away from the tumbler and looked beyond the rooftop.

-Keuuuuu… …Keuuuuu… … .

A giant human face.

No, the face of that bastard with only one eye was staring at me clearly.

I was on the roof of the building, and the guy was standing upright on the first floor, looking at me.

Taming through sound.

The guy was maintaining a still posture and developing patience.

There was no one around except Jin Jae-hee.

For three hours already, the guy had been standing there, waiting quietly.

“… … .”

I put down my tumbler, got up from my seat, and approached the guy.

Now, there was less than a meter between my face and his.

The eyes of the guy looking at me with drool dripping from his mouth were sharp.

And yet, he never even thought of attacking me.

The implications of this were obvious.

I’m going to take this place down with this guy.

The thought of using his massive body to decimate enemy forces was exciting.

I wonder how strong that guy is.

With this, ogre taming is a success.

[You have successfully tamed the Ogre.]

[Earn achievement points.]

[+200p.]

* * *

As Kang Shi-on took control of Manan-gu, the map began to shake.

This is because the seeds that Zion had sown were sprouting one after another as time passed.

First, citizens within the force voluntarily followed orders and were reborn as workers.

Because the approval rating was so high.

There is no rest under Zion.

Everyone was given equal opportunity to handle assigned tasks and was guaranteed the right to survive.

[Citizen daily mortality rate 5% -> 1%]

As the boiler restarted for the second time, new survivors from outside the settlement joined in.

Zion’s forces quickly established territory and a base, and survivors scattered nearby began to gather to join his forces.

The warm steam rising from the police station building became a signal flare.

Now it has become the cape of hope for the people of Apocalypse.

[Citizens: 851 -> 1,543]

The third was to strengthen combat power.

Based on the secured approval rating, Zion proceeded with the ‘reserve army’ of all citizens, and all personnel except children and the elderly received military training according to the schedule.

Additionally, a department specializing in weapons research was created, and a command system that could be called a military system was established.

Above all, he had an ‘Ogre Unit’.

[Total power

1,143 troops / Special Forces (140), Reserve Forces (1,003)]

Ogre taming was effective.

Ogres were a great force not only in fighting but also as a labor force.

The tamed ogre is now a loyal slave who follows the power.

As Zion intended, the value of monster labor far surpassed that of humans.

Even a snowball that would take dozens of humans to dig up could be completed by an ogre in just a few minutes.

Also, as the Ogre intervened in the power, it played a part in maintaining the public’s support.

This is Kang Shion, the monarch who tamed monsters.

It was an element that they could receive deep trust and high support from.

Winter still continues.

Zion intended to select representatives from among the core workers of the power and use them to run the country going forward.

In his government, the working class was divided into two major classes.

[The Ministry of Order was created.]

The orderly is in charge of organizing the life plans of new personnel coming in from outside as well as existing personnel.

The Ministry of Order includes the departments of boilers, food, water, imperial regulations, and medical care.

It was a ministry that covered almost all the work necessary for the people to survive.

The person appointed as manager was a middle-aged woman who had previously been an accountant and businesswoman.

[The work unit (is) created.]

The Works Department was the department with the most people among the ministries, as it handled all the labor needed internally and externally within the force.

The man appointed as manager was a former boiler manager.

The two ministries of order and work were the power bodies belonging to the monarch.

Zion distributed power equally.

So that we can check each other,

The principle was that the heads of the order department and the work department could not interfere with each other’s work.

When issues arose involving each department, Zion directly stepped in to resolve them.

Power was divided into administration and politics, but national defense power remained directly under the monarch.

The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd armies, each with 100 men, led by Choi Myeong-jun.

[Command (is) established.]

[The 1st Army was created.]

[The 2nd Army was created.]

[The 3rd Army was created.]

Additionally, in case of war, all personnel within the force could be used by the monarch as reserve forces.

All this was protected by the monarch’s edict.

[Article 2, Paragraph 1: Under the monarch, each military command, order department, and work department are established, and each department has independent authority. The officers at the head level of each department do their best in their respective duties.]

[Article 2, Paragraph 2: In times of war, the monarch may mobilize personnel from the Ministry of Public Order, Ministry of Works, and Military Command as reserve combat forces. ※Issuance of a general mobilization order]

[Article 2, Paragraph 3: The heads of each department have the authority to issue orders and appoint officials, and are responsible for them.]

The contents from Article 2 onwards were decided by Zion after discussion with the heads of each department.

The director was given the power to issue administrative orders and appoint personnel under each subordinate.

For example, the chief of police, who judged that there was a shortage of drinking water yesterday, exercised his command authority and increased the number of workers needed to procure drinking water.

Additionally, a new person in charge was appointed to ensure that there were no disruptions in the procurement of drinking water.

As the organization under the monarch was reorganized in this way, work efficiency was maximized.

They recruited talented people and, based on their abilities, chose the best method they could to grow their power.

With this systematic reorganization, Zion’s power began to grow rapidly.

Humans are animals of industrialization.

Through industry, civilization has developed and reached the present.

The inhabitants of Zion knew exactly what their duties were.

Once they were given a mission, they all fulfilled their responsibilities and carried out it faithfully.

Of course, in the beginning, Zion often intervened directly.

In order to manage and supervise the influx of survivors each day, Zion had no choice but to intervene.

The command that Zion demanded of the forces was as follows:

The first is the activation of labor.

All were ordered to work voluntarily for the absolute monarch and his power.

The second is to secure necessary buildings first and activate the market.

Zion was envisioned as a city within a city.

They tried to secure their territory by building a castle by integrating villas, schools, and roads centered around the police station.

To achieve this, it was necessary to secure housing while also securing food and water to sustain the growing population.

That wasn’t all.

A market that could run autonomously was also needed.

This was because new things were constantly flowing in from outside the city, and almost everyone worked voluntarily.

Right now people get what they need through bartering, but in the future the scale of bartering will increase.

So Zion ordered the establishment of a market, and the central market thus created was operated with the police station at its center.

And the chief of the order issued the currency.

It was a lighter.

In the midst of the disaster of cold, a lighter was of great value.

The Chief of the Order used it as currency to create a market and establish an autonomous and independent economic system among the residents.

The lighter was valuable as a tool that could start a fire, and it was small and easy to carry.

In addition, the small quantity also played a role.

Everyone recognized the lighter as a new currency, and Zion also approved it.

The above two points, that is, the monarch’s emphasis, were rules set by the powers that be, not enforced by ‘decree’.

Although the edict was not issued to punish, the residents generally followed the rules.

Because they decided it themselves.

And when the rules were broken, they would petition the monarch, Zion, for judgment, and Zion would delegate the judgment to each of the chiefs and supervise them.

As the internal system stabilized, Zion’s forces grew stronger and larger with each passing day.

Zion’s intention was to create a city that would grow without his direct intervention.

Because it took him a lot of time.

Lots of time to grow.

Bam! Thud.

“… … .”

Zion hit the wall and fell to the floor.

He slowly raised his head and looked at Jin Jae-hee in front of him.

She was approaching slowly, sword in hand.

And he looked down at Zion and spoke coldly.

“wake up.”

“… … .”

Over 100 competitions.

It was a cold day with heavy snowfall, but Zion’s entire body was drenched in sweat.

Zion wiped the corner of his mouth and barely managed to regain his balance before getting up.

And then he showed his fist again.

Up until now, Zion has been rushing at Jaehee as if he was going to kill him, but up until now, Jaehee has been subduing him using only his right hand.

“If your body is not trained, no matter how talented you are with artifacts, it is useless.”

“… … !”

Swish-!

Zion stretched out his right hand and aimed for Jaehee’s head.

But Jaehee just turned his head to avoid it, and tripped Zion again, causing him to fall to the other side.

bang-!

“Keuk… … !”

Jaehee continued speaking to the suffering Zion, placing her foot on his wrist joint.

“The power is just your background. In the end, you have to become strong yourself to win. Use all means possible. There is no more mercy. Somehow, you have to obtain ‘Awakening 1’ during this one year.”

“… … .”

Jaehee pressed his wrist even harder.

Zion had no idea what Awakening 1 she was talking about.

But right now, all I wanted to do was beat Jin Jae-hee.

Zion held out his right hand and summoned the artifact.

Balls were created in the air and aimed at Jaehee.

Swish-!

Jaehee just turned her head to avoid Zion’s artifact.

Her training methods were merciless.

We thoroughly utilized the player and monarch’s excellent recovery ability.

Jin Jae-hee did his best to activate his artifact, awakening his fighting sense to the point where he really wouldn’t die.

Jaehee’s attacks continued.

“It’s been a year.”

puck-!

“One year.”

Kudang-!

“In one year, you will only grow stronger. Overwhelmingly. Your power. Your strength.”

bang-!

Jin Jae-hee grabbed Zion by the neck and pushed him against the wall.

And behind him, still speaking in a low voice,

Shh.

At that moment, a sphere flew towards Jaehee.

But Jaehee ran away without even looking back.

“Don’t even think about anything else. All we are allowed is a life of pain, suffering, persistence, and thorns.”

Kwuuuk… … .

Jin Jae-hee pressured Zion even harder.

“Emotions come after all of this. It’s not too late to let it all out then.”

Her voice was constantly echoing in Zion’s ears.

“Cowardly, majestically, and sometimes mercilessly.”

Her voice was unstoppable.

“I won’t stop until you become the only monarch of this era.”

Their training took place on the roof of the police station while everyone in the force was busy growing their force.

For a whole year.

The rooftop began to turn red from the spilled blood of Zion.

Jaehee didn’t stop.

Even when she saw Zion lying on the floor, panting, she felt no sympathy or pity.

This is all for Zion.

Because what was done for Zion was soon done for himself.

Now, in round 3, everything changes.

Zion had to change accordingly.

If the regressor himself becomes his teacher, Zion will grow dazzlingly.

It will become so strong that no one can treat it lightly, and its power will grow in scale.

There is no rest until then.

* * *

Under a half-collapsed streetlight.

Pure white flowers bloomed in the snow-covered place.

Spring has arrived.

A year has passed.

Round 2 is almost over, the long winter is finally coming to an end and spring flowers are blooming.

As meltwater falls like a waterfall from the frozen windows of the building, the remnants of the past buried in the snow begin to emerge from the world.

Everything had changed.

His city was completed and its markets were active.

The people of this place regarded Zion as their savior and true ruler, and they were now living a new life in a new land.

The forces of Zion, which started with 841 men, now numbered 12,000 after one year.

This place was no longer called a police station.

The capital, Man-gyeong.

It was the new home of the first force in Manan.

And then a guest came to this changed place.

(Continued in the next episode)