Chapter 10

The way back to the shelter was quite comfortable. Due to the fact that we all can fight, the monsters that came at us were easily delt with.

As we approached the shelter, several people, the head of them is a woman with short hair, ran out to greet Kim Hyunsung.

"Ah, Hyunsung-ssi! Deokgu oppa and Kiyoungie oppa also worked hard. Let us take those for you…"

I could see those guys taking bags from Kim Hyunsungie as though it were only natural.

One man, who seemed to have an injured leg, snuck his hand towards our side as well, so Lee kiyoung shook him off, and said,

"We will carry our bags ourselves."

"Oh, yes…"

I have already given the bags I found to Kim Hyunsung, but I still have 3 extra bags of food that was in my old shelter.

But even with the 18 bags that Kim Hyunsung is carrying, they still have the guts to get my share of food.

It looks like Lee kiyoung shares my thoughts as he drew a clear line between us and their system of distribution.

Funnily enough, I could clearly see an expression of disapproval on his face.

He seemed to be thinking something along the lines of, 'Who do you guys even think you are?'

That small expression of his made me smile a little.

'a group of greedy leach without shame.'

Kim Hyunsung was quietly speaking with women who seems in charge, I remember that he called her Lee Jihye.

"This is the food that we obtained from the starting point. I want Jihye-ssi to distribute it amongst the people inside the shelter."

"Alright! Leave it to me, Hyunsung-ssi. By any chance, were there any survivors…"

"Yes, we met him at the starting point, he helped us get a lot of food as well."

Saying that he pointed at me, which made the people who were listening cast their glaces at me, but no one approached me expect Lee Jihye.

'it looks like she's the boss when Hyunsung isn't around, she may prove to be useful if she can stand at the top of this people.'

"Hehe. May I know your names?"

" Ayanokouji kiyotaka."

"I'm Lee Jihye, nice to meet you. In a moment, I will lead you to a place where you can rest. Are you okay, Hyunsung-ssi?"

"Of course. Please, take care of him, Jihye-ssi."

"Yes, leave it to me, Hyunsung oppa."

She clenched her fist in a cute manner, but seeing her earlier reaction when she saw me, plus her smile that didn't reached her eyes, I couldn't feel any warmth from it.

Seeing how she scanned me, up and down, maybe she was also calculating what role we would I play after joining this place.

"Maybe some of them are still alive nearby. Sooner or later, we'll have to search that area again."

"Ah! Right…"

There probably wouldn't be enough food. Kim Hyunsungie had only brought 18 bags bags.

Thirty people wouldn't be able to eat their fill after sharing it amongst themselves.

I could still hold out for now, but I was already feeling hungry myself after using magic and killing the monsters.

I followed Park Deokgu and Lee kiyoung, carrying our bags, walked past the leeches surrounding Kim Hyunsung and headed inside.

Inexplicable gazes followed us all the while.

While walking, Park Deokgu spoke with a hint of uneasiness.

"Hyung-nim, you really won't share with them?"

"We are not volunteers."

"Well, I know that but… I don't feel very good about it. And the expressions of those people who went out to greet us were kinda…

"Why do you care about how they look at you?"

"I-I just don't like it…"

"They're the ones who should be thanking us for risking our lives and bringing them food, Deokgu. The idea of even supporting baggage like them is laughable. The place we're staying in right now is Kim Hyunsung's shelter. We're not one of them. We helped them as much as we were helped, and we even gave up some food that we were supposed to get. It's the least we could do. Kim Hyunsung knows that, which is why he hasn't said anything…"

"He's right, I saw earlier the way they handled the food we brought them, they took it from us without gratitude like it's a natural thing to do, I almost thought that they think it's our duty to bring the food while they help us eat it, but I guess this is the bad habit they picked after being babysit by Hyunsung."

I added my thoughts after hearing the conversation between them so that I wouldn't be left in the dark.

"Umm…"

"Just like Ayanokouji said, If they want better treatment, they can also pick up a sword. Well, maybe if I were in their shoes, I would also have had a hard time doing that… Maybe Kim Hyunsung wants them to be motivated by us. I'm not sure what the outcome will be."

"Ahh… So when they see us taking so much food, they would realise they also have to fight to be treated likewise?"

"That's the desired effect."

I guess what he said make sense, since he was able not only to survive but also had the time to build a shelter and take care of this people.

That guy wasn't stupid. It was possible that he was hoping for something along those lines to occur.

While we were trudging over to the place where I will be staying, it's also where the both of them usually stayed, I noticed Some people were cleaning up their surroundings, while others moved heavy stones to fortify the shelter.

'well, at least they're not completely useless.'

'Lee Jihye.'

She was in charge of these people.

It was her job to distribute food and report any issues to Kim Hyunsung.

She was also the first to come out to greet him.

While thinking about this, I heard Lee kiyoung calling his meat shield .

"Deokgu-yah."

"What is it?"

"Do you remember Jung Hayan?"

'Jung Hayan, who's that.'

"Are you talking about the lady with the injured leg who was clinging onto you earlier?"

"That's right."

He took out some food from his bag and handed it to Park Deokgu.

"I want you to give this to her, and see if she's okay."

"Hyung-nim, why are you… ah…"

Something about his expression didn't seem right.

"I understand. Very well, you can leave it to me!"

'why would he care about this person, did he knew her before coming here.'

I was doubtful about his reason to help this person unless he knew her, likes her or is he trying to win her over, i can't reach conclusion until I see her.

As I was in deep thoughts, I heard him mutter under his breath with faint voice.

"Pure things are easily dyed."

"What did you say?"

"It's nothing."

'Pure things are easily dyed huh.'

I think I know what he's trying to do. as my lips titled upward, I mutter under my breath.

"Interesting, show me how will you operate, parasite-boy."

****************

An invisible hierarchy was forming.

Even beasts that were incapable of speech would create a class-based system among themselves. It would be stranger if, in a situation like this one, there were no subtle differences in ranks.

As long as it was a place people inhabited, it was a natural outcome.

"First of all."

At the very top of the pyramid was Kim Hyunsung, the man who had built this place.

I didn't know what had occurred whilst finding this shelter, but the people here certainly placed a lot of trust in Kim Hyunsung.

I would have had a similar reaction.

Of course, it was a natural reaction for someone who had suddenly fallen into an unknown land crawling with monsters.

The fact that there was a guy willing to pick up a sword and stand up against those monsters was very reassuring, especially since that guy was foolishly kind.

It was no wonder then, that people admired him.

Next up was Lee Jihye. A woman who had an unexpected windfall from being with Kim Hyunsung.

Unlike Kim Hyunsung, who frequently roamed outside, she spent most of her time in the shelter, managing food distribution, guarding the shelter, and other essential tasks.

There were also some people who could be considered part of 'Lee Jihye's Unit' that held significant authority.

Of course, while Kim Hyunsung was here, they couldn't abuse or openly take advantage of their power, but it was inevitable whilst he was gone.

"Then where are we, Hyung-nim?"

"You could say that we're right under Kim Hyunsung, because we have the strength to fight and retrieve food."

"Umm…"

"I'm not under anyone, I'm just here to rest that's all, I don't need his protection."

I quickly corrected what Lee kiyoung was saying about me being under Kim Hyunsung.

What a joke, I spent my whole life living under someone, living a life where that man orders were everything to me, a puppet design to finish the story he created.

After coming here and finally regaining my freedom, I refuse to be under someone, the mere fact that someone ordering me makes me uncomfortable.

That's why I will do everything I can in order to protect this freedom I have just obtained, and in this new world I can only do that by standing at the top.

Lee kiyoung chock from my rebuttal as he looked at me with questioning gaze but I ignore and promote him to continue his speech.

"A-anyway, it's probable that they're dissatisfied with us right now."

"But at first…"

"Of course, they were sweet to us at first. But I'm sure they didn't like what happened yesterday. It was like implying that we want to be independent. To put it bluntly: 'It's not our job to feed you.' That was likely the last nail in the coffin."

"But part of the food they took was ours. Isn't it natural to say, thanks, instead?"

"Of course, there are people like that too, but… It's human nature to try to keep new powers in check. Even if it's just within a small group of people."

"Does that mean that Kim Hyunsung is keeping us in check?"

"No, Kim Hyunsung doesn't think of this place as his own in the first place."

"Then who the hell is so wary of us…?"

"People who think this place belongs to them."

I guess he means that It wasn't Kim Hyunsung who was pretending to rule. It was Lee Jihye, the one who was profiting off of him.

My feeling towards her seems to be right since Lee kiyoung and I shared the same opinion.

When I first met her, I noticed how she attached herself to Kim Hyunsung and calling him big brother, even though she looked older than him, I guess she did that in order to use him and gain an influence through him to be second in command of this shelter.

She scanned me earlier in order to determine my worth, whatever I'm useful or not, and I guess I passed her standard of accepting, otherwise she will make me do the rough work.

'the people here are more interesting than I thought.'

This thoughts flashed through my mind and I couldn't help but put an amusement smile on my face.

"I think I know what you mean."

"Kim Hyunsung is the figurehead of this group, but she's the one controlling it. In the first place, Kim Hyunsung doesn't have time to manage this place since he spends most of his time outside. Where might is required, the one with strength is king, and where food and shelter are a priority, the one grasping them is king. Kim Hyunsung has power, but it's that woman who has food and shelter."

"You mean Lee Jihye?"

He nodded slightly.

"That's right."

"…"

"One more loaf of bread is enough to win people over and you can send away those you're wary of. Power is created by discrimination. Jung Hayan is probably one of the ones who aren't favoured by Lee Jihye… That's why she was separated from the group and sent out to do rough work."

"Since when have you been paying so much attention to Hayan-ssi?"

"In the future we will have to keep an even closer eye on her."

Park Deokgu nodded quietly.

So it means that this Jung Hayan is currently useless since Lee Jihye made her do the rough work. Couple with the attention Lee kiyoung is giving her, that made me conclude that he pretty much saw her status window and her potential attract his attention.