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Chapter 696: Basement Floor (1)

The basement floor.

A vast underground world beneath the floor of the Black Zone.

In truth, since Yeongwoo had not yet seen it with his own eyes, it did not quite feel real to him, but considering Yenta’s mother was a resident there, it was clear that something did exist.

“But how on earth can an underground world exist? Unless the Black Zone side arranged an underground space in advance, something like that should be impossible.”

When Yeongwoo voiced his question, Yenta nodded.

-Of course. The basement floor was a place that existed from the very beginning.

“What are you talking about? Explain it properly.”

-Originally, the basement floor was not a residential district. It was a space meant to conceal the Black Zone’s infrastructure.

“Ah, so it’s literally the city’s underground.”

-Yes. The basement floor has massive waterways, and the facilities for providing the Black Zone’s basic services are placed there.

“Then from the Black Zone’s standpoint, isn’t it an extremely important space? If you compare it to a car, it’s like the engine is in there.”

-That is correct. That’s why, if you look at the history of the basement floor, it is said there was once major friction with the Black Zone.

“Friction with the Black Zone, huh.”

Yeongwoo stroked his chin.

Because that passage itself implied that the basement floor was something entirely separate from the Black Zone.

“Then is the basement floor a force that opposes the Black Zone?”

At this question from Yeongwoo, Yenta quickly shook his head from side to side.

-There is no way. The basement floor is ultimately a part of the Black Zone as well. So it cannot survive if it clashes with the Black Zone.

“But you said there was major friction in the past, didn’t you? And from the Black Zone’s perspective, aren’t the basement floor residents practically intruders who have illegally occupied major facilities?”

-That was true in the past. But after the ‘Great Cleaning,’ the situation changed a great deal.

“The Great Cleaning?”

-Several thousand years ago, the Black Zone once cleaned out the basement floor. It was truly a massacre.

“Aah, so it was cleaning in that sense.”

-After that, even the basement floor gained a minimum set of rules, and that is the prohibition order.

“A prohibition on what?”

-A prohibition on attacking all facilities that exist in the basement floor. In the basement floor, even if residents are fighting each other, if there is a risk that a facility might be destroyed, every situation immediately comes to an end.

“What a ridiculous place.”

It might be a far stranger place than he had thought, Yeongwoo thought.

“Then does the Black Zone side no longer interfere with the basement floor now?”

-Yes. A great deal of time has passed since the Great Cleaning, and the scale of the basement floor has grown considerably. Also, in a way, the residents of the basement floor are protecting the major facilities.

“Well, if you look at it very broadly, the basement floor is also one of the Black Zone’s security forces.”

As Yeongwoo nodded, an enormous arched structure appeared in the distance.

-That place is the western district.

Yenta pointed at the structure with a slightly flushed face.

According to him, there was a large drainage channel in the middle of the western district, and through there, they could go to the basement floor in question.

“But is there only one entrance to the basement floor here? Do you have to come this far out every time?”

When Yeongwoo asked while looking around, Yenta scratched his nose.

-Um… there are several entrances to the basement floor, but entering from this side is the safest.

“Safest?”

-The forces occupying each section of the basement floor are all different, you see. So you have to choose the entrance carefully too.

“Really? What happens if you choose the wrong entrance?”

-Usually, it only means you end up paying a little more in tolls, but as for you, customer……

Yenta glanced at Yeongwoo.

At that, Yeongwoo’s brow immediately narrowed. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

“What is it? Just say it quickly.”

-…Customer, you have earned the enmity of the Thousand Pits.

“You mean those rat bastards from earlier?”

-Yes. The Thousand Pits are an extremely influential force in the basement floor. The majority of entrances leading to the basement floor are connected to the Pits in some way.

“No, are the rats really that big of a deal?”

When Yeongwoo tilted his head, Yenta looked troubled.

He had become at a loss as to how he should explain the world known as the basement floor.

-Because there is no ‘system’ in the basement floor, almost everything is done through physical force. No matter which area you enter, you must first pass through those who occupy it, and there is no institution that guarantees the success of a transaction for any expensive item. If you are pushed back in strength while bartering, you may lose your goods just like that.

“But what does that have to do with the rats’ influence?”

-Because for that reason… in the basement floor, ‘favor’ is extremely important.

“Favor?”

-The Thousand Pits are a force with an extremely long history within the basement floor. As much as that history, they have had interactions with numerous forces, and just as they have accumulated grudges, they have also accumulated a great deal of favor. So in an emergency, they can draw support from numerous forces.

“Ah, so this favor is a kind of alliance? Or maybe loyalty……?”

-It has a much broader meaning than that, but you are partially correct.

“In any case, it means those rat bastards are old hands in the basement floor, so if I antagonize them, things will become annoying in various ways.”

-But if you go through here, you should be able to avoid unnecessary commotion for the time being.

Around the time Yenta said this, an unusual sound of water came from the distance.

Kuaaaat……!

It was a roar loud enough to make one wonder whether there was practically a waterfall up ahead, and when Yenta heard it, he quickened his pace even more.

-We have almost arrived!

It was also at this point that the number of villains passing through the area clearly decreased.

Because everyone knew that the drainage channel here was a path to the basement floor, they were consciously avoiding the channel and going around to the side.

“Certainly, it doesn’t seem like there are many guys who have business in the basement floor.”

-Unless one originally lived there, it is difficult to remain safe in the basement floor.

“But why are you taking me to the basement floor?”

-Th-that is… because you wished for it as well, customer.

Then Yenta glanced at Yeongwoo.

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-And I feel like if it is you, customer, you will somehow survive. And I will help you as much as I can. In any case, you are my first 3rd-class ticket customer.

With these words from Yenta, the structure of the floor changed.

The stone tiles they had been stepping on until now came to an end, revealing the steel floor that had been laid beneath them.

And over it, water that had flowed in from somewhere was rushing fiercely.

“That direction must be where the drainage channel is.”

When Yeongwoo moved his finger along the direction in which the water was flowing, Yenta nodded.

-Yes. There is a very large drainage channel up ahead. It is practically closer to a waterfall.

Then, once there were no more people coming from the opposite direction, he stepped boldly forward and operated the mechanical device attached to his wrist.

Beep.

“What’s that now?”

-I am informing the basement floor gateway connected to the drainage channel of my location in advance. It is a request to turn off the traps, since we will be visiting soon.

“Traps? This place really does every ridiculous thing imaginable.”

As Yeongwoo was shaking his head from side to side, the sound of water grew even more intense, and a gigantic space appeared ahead.

A huge hole into which water that had rushed in from all directions poured down like a waterfall.

Kwaaaaaa……!

“This is… the drainage channel?”

As Yeongwoo was surprised by its size, which was much larger than he had expected, Yenta carefully looked around.

-Yes! All the water generated from the entire western district and part of the eastern district flows into this place!

“Then the entrance is down there?”

Yeongwoo stood at the edge of the floor where the water flowed and glanced slightly downward.

Then a cliff so deep that its end could not be seen tightened around his field of vision.

-That is correct! It is impossible to confirm with the naked eye, and you must go down directly to confirm the entrance!

Yenta strained his throat to break through the sound of the water.

At that, Yeongwoo pointed below the drainage channel as if to say he understood.

“How do we enter?”

-You simply jump down……!

Together with these words, Yenta boldly threw himself toward the bottom of the drainage channel, and seeing this, Yeongwoo also quickly leaped into the drainage channel.

Tat!

“I really am trying every crazy thing there is.”

Afraid he might lose the Bastard, Yeongwoo moved his hand to his waist, and from below, Yenta’s unseemly scream was already ringing out.

-Uaaaaaaak!

Although he had bravely attempted the descent first, that did not mean he had also cast away his fear.

Sswiaaaaaak!

Then, once they had gained enough acceleration, the fierce sound of wind began to mix into his ears.

And from around this point, he could see that large and small holes had been pierced here and there midway through the drainage channel.

And from within each of those holes, some kind of presence could be felt little by little.

“……?”

But because the speed of their descent was far too fast, there was no time to examine the nature of those presences.

After descending at such ultra-high speed, Yeongwoo and Yenta were only able to encounter a kind of speed bump after several dozen seconds had passed.

Piiiiit!

Once they reached a certain section, something like a translucent curtain began repeatedly blocking their path and reducing the speed of their descent.

Piping, piiing!

Each time they passed through one curtain, their descent speed decreased noticeably, and at last, when their speed had been suppressed to a level where a stable landing would be possible.

Biiiiiiiiik!

Along with a sharp signal tone, the sense of space beneath their feet expanded even further.

“…Ugh!”

At last, the drainage channel section had ended, and a supermassive reservoir beneath it appeared.

Puh-eoooong!

Yeongwoo, who plunged into the middle of the reservoir with a thunderous sound, hurriedly raised his head above the surface of the water, and soon saw it.

The sight of Yenta holding one arm high.

“What are you doing now……?”

-A boat that will soon fish both you and me out will arrive.

“A boat?”

The moment Yeongwoo asked this in return, a dark gray shape appeared beyond the horizon of the reservoir, which practically looked like a sea.

And then.

Baaaaaaak!

With a deep ship’s horn that called to mind a brass instrument, it fired a laser beam into the air.

Piiiiit!

Then the laser soon resonated with the device attached to Yenta’s arm, and before long, it pinpointed the exact locations of Yeongwoo and Yenta.

“Is that the boat with the ‘favor’ you mentioned? It came to pick us up, right?”

At this question from Yeongwoo, Yenta wiped his water-soaked horns with his hand and said.

-That is not at the level of favor. The force occupying this place, the western reservoir, is not our ally.

“…Then? If they’re not allies, what are they?”

When Yeongwoo tilted his head, Yenta pointed at the sailing ship, which had already drawn fairly close, with a rather dignified expression.

-This is my mother’s territory.

“What?”

-Black Horn Yegot. In the world above, they also call her the Bandit of the Reservoir.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]