## Chapter 388 – The Color From Space
And my prediction was spot on.
“Get out of here! This is our area!”
“We were here first! We’ve been waiting since the day before yesterday, you bastards!”
“The day before yesterday, my ass! We’ve lived here for generations! We’re practically natives!”
Overall, the situation was a mess.
After arriving at the village we were guided to, sleeping for a night, and starting to move in the morning, fights were breaking out everywhere over whose area was whose.
“Natives my ass, what a load of crap!”
“How vulgar! Are all outsiders like this?”
“Crazy old man talking about outsiders! I’m a local too, you son of a bitch!”
Whether they were from different groups, young and old were raising their voices and fighting. We were running into this kind of situation almost every hour.
“Who are you people?”
“And you?”
They stopped fighting, glared at us, and spoke.
“Here to find the meteorite.”
I sighed as I answered, and their faces twisted instantly as they began to explain kindly. It was a continuous stream of bullshit about how this was their area.
“T-This is our area! We’d appreciate it if you left!”
“No, it’s our area! Anyway, it’s our area, so please go back!”
They were all claiming to be from some prestigious organization in the city, spouting nonsense, so there was nothing I could do but let it go.
Using violence where there are many witnesses is foolish.
More than that, they weren’t really threatening us, so it didn’t matter if we ignored them.
“God damn it.”
Will we even be able to find the meteorite?
We ignored them and moved on.
“It’s our area! Get lost!”
“You young punk…! I’ll complain to your guild and you’ll learn your lesson?!”
“Please, go complain, please!”
As soon as we passed, the sound of fighting started up again behind us.
There are a ton of these bastards right now.
The meteorite has fallen, and these sons of bitches who came from all over to find it have formed their own forces and are claiming their own territories.
It was truly an era of warring factions.
Money and desire from space were making the world murky.
If Buddha saw this sight, he would personally uproot the Bodhi tree and swing it around, turning all the brats into minced meat.
“Hmm… I didn’t think of this. I didn’t think it would be this bad.”
Wienia said with a sigh.
None of us expected this kind of reality. We just thought we’d set up a base and rummage through the mountains to find the meteorite.
“Who knew these kids’ desires would be this strong? Well, what can we do? Let’s go somewhere else.”
There is no end to human greed.
And after looking into it, it seems that this area is not ruled by a lord, but is under the jurisdiction of a free commercial city, so there’s no big problem even if these squatters claim areas like this.
It is said that there are many interest groups such as organizations, guilds, trading companies, and clans in the free commercial city because there is no lord. However, even though there are no nobles, the reality of the free city is that large organizations are lording over it like nobles.
Anyway, all those bastards have flocked here to make a fortune with the meteorite, so it’s natural that things are chaotic.
If they grow their organization with the capital gained from the meteorite, they will be able to gain an advantage over other groups. That’s why they’re searching with their eyes burning.
Even the adventurers from other regions and the vagrants who came to change their fate with inflated dreams are gathering to get a piece of the pie, so it has become a pit of desire.
“It felt like this when ancient ruins were discovered in the desert. Are all places where people live the same?”
“Is it like that there too? What a world.”
People living in the desert would be no different from people here. Anyway, we kept moving. Continuing to places where there were likely to be no people.
Time goes by.
Meanwhile, we looked at the ground from time to time, and if there was something like a stone, we picked it up and checked it.
“Meteorite, huh.”
I picked up a smooth stone and observed it.
Of course, it’s not a meteorite.
It’s just a simple stone.
Can we really find the meteorite—
“—Ah! That guy! That guy is stealing the meteorite!”
What? What bastard is stealing the meteorite?
As I was thinking that, —rumble! Instantly, the people around us swarmed in and surrounded us.
“Thief!”
“Stop!”
“How dare you!!!! Our meteorite!!!!”
What the hell are these bastards doing? I put the stone I just picked up in my pocket to use as a weapon and drew my sword.
“What did you do, you darkie?”
As the situation was, Wienia also raised her staff and was on guard. A thief, what big shot is stealing the meteorite?
“Didn’t do anything.”
“Why are these guys like this?”
“I don’t know, they must be idiots.”
“Looks like it.”
—Sreung.
Cloudy also drew her sword.
Then, a man with a thick beard came out from among the guys surrounding us and shouted.
“You guys there! How dare you steal the meteorite! If you don’t want to die, hand it over right now!”
“Meteorite? What the hell are you talking about?”
“Don’t play dumb! I saw you pick something up and put it in your arms!”
Ah, it seemed like there was a misunderstanding because I picked up a stone and observed it. A very murderous misunderstanding.
How dare they treat me, the Saintly Swordsman, like a thief.
I can’t forgive it.
“This is just a stone, you idiot. Get out of my way if you don’t want to get hit.”
“This isn’t fun…! We’re very on edge right now… Just because you have a mage doesn’t mean we’ll let you off! Hand over the meteorite right now!”
If you don’t let us off, you’re all dead, you bastard.
His face was distorted like an old man’s due to severe anger. It seems that the meteorite is a very valuable item, so they are very nervous. They have been eaten by desire.
Still, they not only surrounded us but also threatened us, so it’s innocent to destroy them all. But that would cause problems.
Unlike unknown thugs, beggars, and heretics, destroying people belonging to some city organization is not a wise thing to do.
Above all, there are people everywhere.
Unless we destroy all the witnesses, it’s better to avoid conflict. We came here to find the meteorite anyway. If an unpleasant incident occurs, we will be tracked in many ways.
Our combination is a bit unique, so tracking will be easy.
Then the meteorite will be gone.
Unlike the evil beings living outside the law, ordinary people who are protected by the law are so troublesome.
“You’re not afraid of a mage? What are you guys? How dare you challenge the authority of the Magic Tower? This won’t do! Do you all want to die?!”
“T-To try to be a thief and raise your voice…!”
“I’m not a thief, you crazy bitch! Is this a meteorite? Huh?”
I took out the stone from my pocket and showed it to him. Then, with shining eyes, he glared at me and shouted again.
“…You took out something else! Submit to a body search right now!”
“What, you crazy bastard?”
“It’s a procedure to get the meteorite back, so cooperate! If you don’t, it won’t be fun!”
It’s a natural story.
Just because they are protected by the law and the organization doesn’t mean they can act rudely. I’ve done my part as a cultured citizen if I’ve compromised this much.
“Bullshit, you’re talking like you’re eating roasted pubic hair. If you want it so badly, take this Flying Meteorite Bullet, you son of a bitch!”
—Swaaek!
Without warning, I threw the stone I was holding at him with all my might. Of course, I didn’t intend to kill him, so I aimed for his abdomen instead of his face.
—Thwack!
“Hueukk?!?!”
The stone that flew in an instant was embedded in his abdomen, and he grabbed his stomach and collapsed while retching.
“Huk, hueok! Guild leader!”
“How can this be!”
“What kind of violence is this!”
Then, the people who were surrounding us pointed their fingers and shouted fiercely. Still, they didn’t rush in, probably because they had some sense.
“Kuh, kuhaaaak!”
I approached the fallen guy, grabbed his hair, and said.
“Hey, you son of a bitch. Does that look like a meteorite to you? Huh? Aren’t you guys just trying to find fault and extort money?”
“Ugh…! T-This kind of violence! Do you know who I am!!!”
“Who are you?”
He said he was a guild leader just now, but he seemed to be working directly, and even the clothes he was wearing were very shabby.
He wouldn’t be that high up.
And no matter how high up he is, unless he’s a noble, he can’t escape the violent judgment of Kim Kat.
“I’m the guild leader of the city’s fruit vendor association! How dare you commit such violence against me!!”
“Fruit vendor association leader? Aren’t you guys idiots?”
“I-Idiot?! You’re insulting our association!”
“You guys did something to be insulted first. Ah, damn it! You rude bastards! You treat people like thieves and demand a body search! Thinking about it, I’m pissed off!”
Enraged, I immediately slapped the guy’s cheek with my palm. —Slap, slap! Every time I slapped him, his lips burst and blood splattered.
“Ugh, ugh! Keuheuk! S-Stop! Stop it!”
“You uneducated bastard! Let’s keep the etiquette between each other! You uncivilized bastard!”
After all, if words don’t work, the only option is to use violence. I slapped the guy until his cheeks were ruined.
Why am I beating people up after coming to find the meteorite?
I can’t understand.
“Uwaaaaak!! I was wrong!!! Stop it!”
“Hehehe, you son of a bitch. Pay the consolation money and get lost when I’m talking nicely.”
“Keuheuk…!”
Well, even if I don’t kill him, I have to beat him up to save face. I wouldn’t have done this if words worked, but these bastards went too far.
The other guys were just claiming our area, but these guys threatened us and even demanded a body search.
That is clearly illegal behavior.
Still, I’m not a serial killer, so would I kill someone for such a trivial matter? I’m not a crazy psychopath.
“I’ll take this as consolation money.”
I immediately rummaged through his pockets and took out a money pouch.
“Keuheuk…! Keueueueuk!! How dare you, rob me…!”
“You were going to do it first.”
“What nonsense! You’ll regret it!”
“What did I do to regret?”
I didn’t kill anyone, I just beat them up a little because there was a fight. There might be a problem, but the justification is on my side, so what can I do?
I kept the limit as much as possible.
“You stole the meteorite and even robbed me!”
“If I really robbed you, you’d all be dead. Ah, damn it. Just get hit more. This bastard still hasn’t come to his senses!”
I got angry again and kicked the fallen guy a few more times. It’s not a world where words work at all.
“Keuhak!”
Even South Korea, which has mandatory education, is full of bastards who don’t listen, so it’s a natural thing.
“You son of a bitch! Wake up, you bastard! You’ll really die if you live like that!”
“Uwaaaak!! Stop hitting me! I was wrong!”
After giving him a moderate beating, I decided to leave.
The members of the fruit vendor association who were surrounding us were just looking at us with fearful eyes, unable to do anything.
“G-Guild leader…”
“…What should we do?”
“The guild leader said something crazy first… He’s out of his mind because of the meteorite right now…”
“That’s true… But still, it’s become like that…”
I shouted at the guys who were whispering.
“Get out of the way!!!!!!”
“Euhaaaaak!!”
They witnessed the assault and were terrified, so they immediately opened the way. When a chance to make a lot of money arises, all sorts of morons twist their bodies and come looking for it.
I immediately pulled Quitus and passed through.
“Hehehe, Kat. So how much did you get this time?”
I handed the money pouch to Cloudy, who was smiling happily.
After roughly counting, it seemed like there were about 3 silver in it.
“3 silver. This is a good way to make money.”
“But darkie. Won’t they cause problems?”
“It’s bound to happen. But damn it, what can I do? I even insulted the Magic Tower, so I can’t just let them off.”
“Hehe. That’s true. What are those fruit vendor bastards doing messing with a mage?”
“Hehehe, that’s what I’m saying.”
Law and protection.
Unlike outlaws who can be killed without guilt, people who live diligently in the city and engage in economic activities live under the protection of the law and organizations.
If you kill them, you will be charged with murder.
Of course, you will be charged with assault even if you assault them, but there is no reason to be afraid of that and give in.
You just need to maintain a reasonable line.
If you are afraid of using violence against someone who has crossed that line, you cannot survive in this world. I, Heavenly Demon Kim Kat, am a man with enough culture to distinguish that.
If you want to mess with me, get stronger than me first and come back.
