Surviving in the 121st Century - Chapter 43



Only Noblemtl

Episode 43

*

Early morning. The sky was vast and strangely cold, as if transparent paint had been sprinkled on it.

As the sky becomes brighter, the city’s shadows also become clearer and the light and

The shadows clearly divided the boundary. They were blurry and scattered under the night sky last night.

The outline of the city of Dunn became clearer. The morning of Shiol was dawning.

Jincheol, who was looking at the sky beyond the window, turned his head and finished organizing his bag.

My luggage was nothing special. I had just a few trinkets and clothes that I had received when I left the tribe of Atukai.

A few sets. The shield gauntlet was worn on the right forearm, and the sword was also inside it.

Was in.

As he was looking through this and that, a pistol came into his hand.

“I didn’t even shoot this one because I was afraid of wasting bullets.”

It was a Sandesiya revolver that I received from Aiman. I still have it because I can’t find the right bullets.

All that was left was the feet.

Jincheol, who had been swinging the gun on his finger, put it back in his waistband.

I picked up my bag. I slung it over my shoulder and went out without hesitation.

As I went down the stairs, I saw Mrs. Esai waiting at the front door. The owner of this building.

Inro, the woman who gave Jincheol a boarding house.

“Have you been waiting?”

“Wait a minute. I’m out now too.”

Jincheol, who came down the stairs, took out a key from his pocket and handed it over. The old lady took the key.

Ah, he said, as if he felt sorry.

“It’s rare to find a lodger as well-behaved as you···”

“You’ll find another good boarder soon. Don’t worry.”

“I see. Thank you for telling me so.”

Jincheol gave one of the Camponi ornaments he had to the old lady and left the front door.

A. An old lady waved her hand from behind.

Jincheol’s steps into the street were brisk and headed toward the east of the city. Before Rabito’s flight

Because the ship was anchored there, he muttered as he walked.

“···Fuck. I guess I’ve been born with the fate of being a mercenary.”

This time, the Rabito that has anchored, the ‘Free Salt Trade Federation’, is the former Rabito warlord.

As such, he failed to gain the alliance of Shiol. However, he released the gold and silver he had and provided supplies.

Hiring mercenaries was permitted and was actually practiced.

Are all dictators and fallen nations driven out of their bases like this? Free salt trade

The Federation, the Self-Sovereign Federation, had a huge amount of precious metals. In just a week,

There was nothing to feed the soldiers, but the airship warehouse was filled with gold, silver, antiques, and art pieces.

It was loaded with luxury goods.

And all those luxuries were released to Shiol. Naturally, the market in Shiol was in an uproar.

and merchants and artisans were able to sell off old stocks and digest them in a short period of time.

It was noisy because of the order that had to be given.

The mercenary market in Sioux was also in an uproar.

The gold and silver of the Rabitos are baptized, and there are many others, such as the Black Foot Camponi, the Esai without a family, etc.

Many warriors and mercenaries began to calculate the profits and losses of the eastern expedition.

Will the Jaso Federation be able to defeat the enemy and reclaim their land?

How much wages can be extracted from the government and how faithfully can the wages be paid?

Is it possible? What are the chances of winning?

If you had asked those questions to the leadership of Sioux, the answer would have been very negative.

They also knew that General Rabito was a coward despite his grandiose demeanor.

They also knew that they were running away as if they were being chased by the enemy. They were the ones who had the most chances of victory for the Federation.

I didn’t see it as this high.

But the mercenaries saw it a little differently. In their view, the Rabito nations were all

It was enough. If we don’t make any critical mistakes, the Jasso Federation, which has reorganized, will be in the East.

I thought that I could retake some corner and get the country back on track. And

If that happens, maybe the mercenaries aren’t mercenaries, but the new Rabito nation.

I didn’t know if I could live comfortably, occupying each seat.

Of course, it is the appearance of the Rabito army that looks like an elite force with well-refined ceremonies.

The huge amount of gold and silver they spread, and the limited information and propaganda for mercenaries.

It was an illusion created by the strategy of General Donchava.

Even if it wasn’t the content of the conversation that Ishanka had heard, Jincheol saw through the illusion.

From the beginning, the appearance of the rabbits who were steeped in militarism seemed normal to Jincheol.

It wasn’t this.

Nevertheless, Jincheol decided to board the flying battleship as a mercenary, and it was headed to the East.

Because it was the fastest way to get there. The journey by boat would have taken more than a month.

If you get on a ship, it will take you four to five days. So, once you get to the East, Jincheol

was planning to desert right away.

“Are you crazy enough to get involved in someone else’s war?···”

There are people who think like Jincheol, so not everyone accepts the Jasso Federation.

All of them wanted to accept only people with a clear identity.

Originally, Jincheol should have been caught there, but Ishanka gave him a guarantee and hired him as a mercenary.

It could be. The Rabitos were speechless at the title of mercenary guaranteed by the prestigious family of Shiol.

He handed me the contract without any notice.

If Jincheol deserts later, Ishanka’s reputation will be in trouble, but she was

They seem to be nervous about the warships and warlords who will never be able to return to Sioux.

Didn’t use it.

As I was walking down the street with my mind wandering, I found myself out of the city center and on the outskirts of Siol.

The buildings there, unlike the inner city, were not repaired and were collapsing.

It was in ruins or close to ruins. No matter how early in the morning it was, there were people walking along the street.

Ram was not easily visible.

The moment I turned the corner, there was a short honk of a horn and a black light.

A truck passed in front of Jincheol.

“What the fuck?”

Jincheol took a step back, but still kept his eyes on the truck.

The truck resembles a 19th century antique car rather than a modern one. Of course, it is a car.

The wiring, gears, suspension devices, etc. were so complex that it was difficult to call it an antique.

But all those devices are visible on the outside and have a rattling sound inside.

I am very far from a modern or futuristic car, let me say.

It was a truck that you would see in a steampunk movie.

In addition, the size and shape of the driver’s seat that drives it is tailored to the rabbits.

To Jincheol, it looked like some kind of toy or amusement device.

“Hey… Are you saying you’re pulling a truck?”

Jincheol, who was watching the truck moving away, turned his head. The truck jumped out.

The whole place was visible. The end of the city of Shiol, the plain before meeting the Cogant Forest.

It was in the circle.

Rabito’s airship, their aerial battleship. A flying steel fortress.

The rabbis’ camp was spread out around the battleship that had landed close to the ground.

The thought that there were few people there until then was disappointing because there were people coming to sell things.

Merchants of Shiol and mercenaries who came to board the ship, and people who just came to watch the flying battleship.

There was no other market street where people were tangled up and noisy. There were trucks everywhere.

Nigo, wearing military uniforms, were carrying all kinds of luggage.

Jincheol, who had discovered the rabbit squad passing by in a row, froze in place.

Goosebumps appeared on my back and arms. Memories of the Manchurian plains I used to roll around in were faint.

It happened along the small spine.

And there was a strange comfort, as eerie as that, like returning home.

A feeling of being born again. A familiar view of the garrison. Jincheol unconsciously tightened his jaw.

Went.

“This is… it really feels like shit.”

I stood there blankly, staring at the garrison for a moment without realizing it. Someone called Jincheol.

It was done.

“Jincheol!”

I turned my head and saw Mr. Parm, Udim, and Ishanka. Ishanka was wearing a hood and a net.

Toro was covering his face.

“Mr. Parm.”

“You’re early. That airship is supposed to leave at noon today.”

“Yes, I heard that too.”

The paths of Jincheol and the two men, Mr. Parum and Udim, diverged here. Jincheol went to the East,

The two men returned to the tribe with the delegation of Shiol and searched for the shadow of the assembly.

It was because they had decided to go first. They said goodbye to Jincheol, who was leaving first today.

It is for this purpose.

Jincheol reached out his hand to Mr. Parum first. The teacher took his hand and spoke.

“Are you sure it’s okay for me to go alone?”

It was a word of concern for Jincheol, who was going alone to the East where he had no connection. Jin felt the worry.

Cheol answered with a smile.

“I’m not a kid. It’s okay. I’m more worried about you, teacher.”

“I?”

“Don’t get caught up in some weird guy again and get locked up in a prison or something. This time you won’t be able to get out.

“Because I did it for you.”

Mr. Parm laughed. Then, at some point, he lowered his voice and whispered.

“···Be careful, Jincheol. You never know how far the power and strength of the assembly can extend.

Besides, it is very dangerous for someone to be in charge of excavating something and be a mercenary.

It suggests that it is a big deal. You may end up fighting against warlords in the East.

“It could be.”

The teacher held Jincheol’s hands with both of them.

“If you find yourself in that situation, don’t try to fight back. It’s within your power.

Even if it is a dangerous situation, it will not be difficult for you to escape from that place.

“You’re just trying to find your kind, not become a murderer, right?”

Jincheol looked into his serious eyes and nodded.

“I will keep that in mind.”

“Yeah… I bet you’ll do well.”

As I let go of the teacher’s hand, Udim, who was next to me, thrust his fist out. Jincheol said, “Haha.

He laughed and bumped his fist into the other’s.

“Teacher, take good care of yourself. Don’t let something like this happen again.”

“I am not dead. And the teacher is not dead. Don’t die either.”

The last person waiting for Jincheol was Ishanka. His face was covered by a deep hood.

Lin She reached out to Jincheol first.

“Thank you, Jincheol.”

“What? I’m going to go and look for you while I’m doing my own thing.”

I could see her eyes through the hood. Her eyes were red around the edges.

“···If you find Snow, if you meet that child··· I’m sorry··· Really··· Mom

I’m sorry···”

“Oh, yeah. That, what is it? Okay. I’ll explain it to you when we meet···”

Jincheol quickly took his hand away and passed the situation upon seeing her dazzling eyes. His daughter’s story

Jincheol felt burdened by the fact that she became very emotional whenever she appeared.

After we finished greeting each other like that, Rabito came out from a corner of the garrison and said,

A voice was heard shouting with the mouth open.

[Mercenaries who were supposed to gather before noon today! All of you, come here! I have already signed the contract.

Mercenaries, come here! Those who haven’t done it yet, write here!]

Jincheol exchanged greetings with the three people one last time and then started walking towards that place.

I heard the teacher’s voice behind me.

“See you again when this journey is over, Jincheol!”

Jincheol responded by raising his hand and continued walking.

Leaving his friends behind in Shiol, his steps headed towards the Rabito Garrison.

All. I didn’t look back. As the teacher said, we would meet again.

Jincheol, who entered the garrison, immediately approached Rabito, who was shouting with his hood up, and spoke.

Walked.

“Where are you going?”

“mercenary?”

“that’s right.”

“What about the contract? Did you write it up?”

The contract had already been drawn up with Ishanka’s guarantee. Jincheol took the paper he had.

I showed it to him. The rabbit glanced at Jincheol’s paper and then made a quick gesture.

“Over there. Just wait a moment and a private will come and guide you.”

“···”

It’s a bit dry. Jincheol took the documents and walked to the direction he had pointed, tilting his head.

I laughed. They hired someone and poured so much money into it, but the management seemed a bit sloppy.

When I went in the direction that Rabito pointed, I saw several mercenaries already there waiting.

All. Mostly black-footed camponigos and a few Ologs were seen. They were heading towards Jincheol.

He either gave me a wary look or fell backwards in surprise.

“Huh? You?”

“Eek!”

The guy fell backwards in surprise. Jincheol saw him and pretended to know him. Then he

The guy was so frightened that he sat down and crawled backwards. When Jincheol approached, he said, “What kind of ghost is this?”

I was shaking as if I had just met her.

That guy and Jincheol were even involved in a fist fight. I don’t know their names, but I just threw a stone.

Olog, who was only called food. One night, he attacked Metidotti’s assassin and Jincheol.

He was a fierce guy.

But Jincheol reached out his hand to the fallen man.

“···?”

Doljumeok looked up at Jincheol with a blank expression. Jincheol waved his outstretched hand and said.

“What are you doing, Inma? Who is eating you?”

The stone fist, who had been blankly blinking, carefully grabbed the hand. The train pulled him

The reporter stood up and spoke with a dumbfounded expression.

“···Aren’t you going to kill me?”

“Killed. Haven’t you heard the rumor that Meti Dotti has already been buried?”

The red face of the stone fist turned pale.

“I, I heard. Yes, you asked, you said···”

“I didn’t do it.”

“what?”

Jincheol shrugged his shoulders.

“I didn’t ask. He fell down alone.”

“Is that so…?”

“Yeah, Inma.”

There was a greater sense of caution on Doljumeok’s face. He thought Jincheol was lying.

It was like that. He explained that he ran away alone and got shot in the back and died.

It was a bit awkward. Jincheol said, just tapping the arm of the guy who had woken him up.

“We’ll be on the same boat. Let’s say hello when we get back.”

“···Okay, okay. I will··· say hello.”

“You little shit.”

Jincheol, who turned his head with a smirk, soon felt the wary gazes of the other mercenaries.

It was savage.

Mercenaries who sell guns and blood are naturally sensitive to rumors in the back alleys, and they are notorious for their organization.

It was natural to know the rumor about Father Jincheol. Moreover, the rumor has been getting worse these past few days.

It was different, but the underworld organizations that were trying to deal with Jincheol were all swept away.

That was because he went. And that too to the warriors of the noble families.

“this.”

They regarded Jincheol as someone related to a noble family, so they avoided his gaze and kept their distance.

D. Jincheol could guess that the next few days of the journey would be quite lonely.

“Mercenaries whose contracts have been completed?”

At that moment, a Rabito soldier approached the mercenaries. He was holding a folder and its contents

He said while looking at it.

“I will call your name, so please line up to the side. First, Starkey?”

The mercenaries who had gathered there were called out one by one and lined up next to the soldier. Fifteen of them.

As they lined up about 100 people, the soldier led them toward the airship.

Compared to the passing Rabito platoon, the procession of mercenaries was naturally a mess.

The private’s guidance continued all the way into the airship. The mercenaries who moved together like that

We ended up as a single platoon sharing the same living space. I realized that fact too late.

The face of the silver-fisted man turned pale.

“Wow, it really just looks like a battleship.”

Jincheol was amazed as he looked around the interior. The private guided the mercenaries through the living quarters.

It leads to restaurants, auditoriums, conference rooms, and military areas where mercenaries are not allowed to enter.

He explained the back.

But at first, the mercenaries were overwhelmed and amazed by the sight of the Rabito airship.

The pig gradually lost focus and just wandered around chasing after the soldiers. Strangely enough,

The private soldiers had no particular problem with the mercenaries’ attitude and just focused on guiding them.

But when they came out onto the deck of the airship, everyone’s eyes widened. The scenery of Sioux

It was because it caught my eye at first glance. Some people stood close to the railing and exclaimed in admiration.

However, Jincheol’s gaze was instead directed towards the airship.

“···Hey. It looks like an airship, but there are no balloons inside. This is also really cool.

“Are you wearing some kind of anti-gravity device?”

When Jincheol first saw this flying battleship, he thought it had a buoyancy effect with balloons filled with gas inside.

He thought it was a flying ship that was flying in the air without any thrust in his common sense.

Because it was the only flying device that floated and moved.

But today, after looking around the inside of the airship under the guidance of a private soldier, Jincheol came to the conclusion

The interior of the airship, which is of such a huge size, is filled with cabins and machinery instead of fuselages.

It was. In order to keep all of that in the air, the entire ship had to be

A buoyancy device several times larger would be required, but none was available.

Thanks to that, I laughed because it was so absurd. Well, nuclear fusion energy is a stable liquid.

There is a technology to make it into a state, so why can’t we launch a battleship? We need to think deeply to reach a conclusion.

I gave up because I thought it wouldn’t work out.

At that moment, a shout of “Waaaa-!” was heard from the ground base under the battleship. Mercenaries

I looked down from this railing and saw that all the rabbits who were cleaning up the garrison were gathered on one side.

She was looking at someone.

“General… This is General Donchaba.”

One of the mercenaries muttered something like that. He was right. There was a high platform in the garrison.

One was erected, and General Donchava climbed up to it and directed his men at the Rabito soldiers.

He was raising his voice. He was giving a speech.

“oh···”

“Something… cool? I can’t quite hear what they’re saying, though…”

The general’s speech on the podium was so passionate that it could be seen from afar. Speaker device

The sound was not very good, so the voice was buzzing and I couldn’t hear it well, but there

The suction power was so great that all the mercenaries there were focused without even realizing it.

Of course, Jincheol shook his head in disbelief. In his view, the general’s speech was

It was too clumsy. Shouting and waving both arms passionately.

It seemed difficult for them to even rank high in elementary school speech contests.

But whatever his feelings, all the Rabitos in the ground base were united and rose.

They shouted in unison, their fists raised.

“Freedom and salt! Freedom and salt! Freedom and salt!”

“Freedom and salt! Freedom and salt! Freedom and salt!”

The mercenaries watching from the deck were so overwhelmed by the sight that they were speechless.

The eyes of some of the mercenaries even gleamed dangerously. Jincheol quietly watched them.

I remembered his appearance well. I shouldn’t have spoken to him.

As Jincheol was looking at the other mercenaries, he saw the face of the private who had been guiding them.

It was seen.

He looked down at the general and the maddened rabbis with an expression of disgust.

was there.

“···”

The next moment, he noticed Jincheol’s gaze and quickly changed his expression, and Jincheol just

I pretended not to know. Of course, there must be various people among those rabbits. This

There must have been some rabbits on board who were still sane.

Come to think of it, there were rebels too?

“I’ll move inside now.”

The private led the mercenaries again. The mercenaries, overwhelmed by the speech, followed him obediently.

And after I entered the dorm, it became even quieter.

Jincheol didn’t care why they were so quiet. He just sat in the innermost room.

I took the seat and looked out at the scenery outside the dormitory.

Soon after, a vibration resonated throughout the hull and the ship began to rise.

It was small.

The mercenaries in the dormitory felt motion sickness and were staggering or scared on their first flight.

While eating and lying flat on the floor, Jincheol looked out the small window in the dormitory.

I just looked beyond.

The river Siddalia runs through the city and the towering Temple of the Sun, which is rounded

The seven squares surrounding it, and the back alleys of the port and city that I had been wandering through for the past two months, are visible.

It was.

Will I be able to come back someday? I will come back and meet Mr. Parm and Udim, and sleep in the library.

Meet the mirror and the azalea in the temple again, and go to the golden whale to find the employee.

The day when I can drink with Chike and make silly jokes. I hope that day will come.

Could it be possible? How long will this journey to the East take?

The figure of Shiol was fading away under the noon sun.

*

Life on the flying battleship was not much different from the previous day on the Baika merchant ship.

Of course, unlike the merchant ships that sailed the Sedalia River, this airborne warship was a wave-like ship that cut through the clouds.

There was the uniqueness of flying around on a rum, but it was not like rolling around on a ship with nothing to do.

It was the same.

Jincheol didn’t know exactly how many mercenaries were on the ship. He also lined them up on the parade ground.

No, I can’t count how many there were because they showed us the ships in each platoon and stuffed us into the barracks.

It was because there was no way.

But it seemed like there were at least two or three hundred people. They ate two meals a day at a place called Restaurant No. 4.

, and the guys who just sit there and eat a bowl of thick porridge each.

If you count them, it comes out to about that much.

“Is this a concentration camp or an army?”

The mercenaries had nothing to do. Of course, they had to organize their own dormitories and elect a dormitory leader.

I did it, but Jincheol was all gone. Cleaning was also showing the fist to Doljumeok.

I was able to organize it – I gathered the captains and the commander of the mercenary unit showed his face once.

That was all.

Eventually, the mercenaries flew over the Koganth Forest and into the blue sea.

All I did was eat two meals a day and stay in the dormitory, get motion sickness, and do other things.

All I could do was fight with mercenaries. It really was like a prison camp in the sky.

The surprising thing is that unless you touch the ship’s engine or cross the mercenary space,

The point is that the Vitos have overlooked all of that. Even though they are mercenaries, they are not disciplined to that extent.

It was absurd to see him without a mask.

“What the hell. Are you really going to use it as a meat shield?…”

To Jincheol, it seemed like nothing more than feeding the pigs well before slaughtering them.

Then, when a fight breaks out, the pigs that have been well fed are released in front and the meat is put in the meat room.

If that’s the case, then I understand that a very generous salary is also acceptable. Anyway

They are such idiots that they issued empty checks.

Although his mind was complicated, Jincheol’s body was curled up in a corner of the dormitory and was in a state of confusion.

I was lying down. I don’t know why, but when I come to a place like this, my body just naturally becomes damp.

I was exhausted. Of course, everything was becoming a nuisance. In the end, I was on the airship.

In three days, Jincheol became a sergeant in his final years.

“Damn, there’s no separate reserve force training···”

“excuse me···”

At that moment, someone approached him and spoke to him cautiously. His sprawled body did not move.

I rolled my eyes and checked, and it was a stone fist.

“why.”

“That, to investigate a person without personal equipment···”

Doljumeok was the leader of the gang in the dormitory where Jincheol entered. On the first day, Mo was scared of Jincheol.

The mercenaries who had been looking at him and making fun of him all had their mouths broken and were crawling on the floor.

After that, he naturally took command of the mercenaries in the dormitory.

Of course, Jincheol was one step away from the command.

“Why? If you don’t have one, you can give me one.”

“I think so. I got one too.”

The rifle that Doljumeok showed had a pretty plausible shape. Meanwhile, Jincheol

Compared to the pipe rifles I’ve seen, it has a clean barrel and bolt, and is made of wood.

Heavy stock and all. It was a really proper rifle.

The problem was that the size was tailored to the rabbit.

“Do you have your finger on the trigger?”

“···Oh, wouldn’t it be okay if I cut this part?”

Stone Fist muttered, fiddling with the iron trigger guard. How else would he cut it?

But? Instead of saying that, Jincheol just closed his eyes.

“Ah. It’s all annoying. I want to desert quickly.”

The flying battleship was now flying over the sea. But when it reached the east, it was clear

It would stop and land on the ground at some point, and that would be Jincheol’s chance to desert.

After the desertion, we will have to find traces of the meditation meeting. In the meantime, if possible, Ishan

Also look for Carr’s daughter.

If you don’t escape and continue to stay on this ship, you will really be the General Donchava of the Jaso Federation.

I had to fight for it. I was grateful for the free food and transportation, but that didn’t mean I had to stand on this side.

I didn’t want to shoot anyone. I was tired of that kind of thing.

Doljumeok scratched his shiny head as he looked at Jincheol and turned around.

Anyway, if you don’t touch Jincheol, he’ll just lie in a corner and sleep quietly.

Doljukkeum, who was gradually getting a taste of using mercenaries, was unable to control them.

I was grateful that you just behaved well.

Jincheol, who had been grumbling like a sergeant in his last years, suddenly felt a chill down his spine.

The rice cake body was raised. What is this?

The next moment, a strange wind noise of “Shui-ee-ee” was followed by a thunderous “Kwarurung-ee” sound.

There was a loud noise and the entire airship shook.

“Eww! What the heck!”

“Ouch! Shit! I hit my head!”

“Ewww!”

Suddenly, the entire ship began to shake like a broken amusement ride, causing the mercenaries to fall over.

While hitting his head and vomiting, Jincheol quickly got up.

So I stood up and looked around, and soon the whole airship heard a siren going “Waeeeeung”

The sound rang out.

At that moment, something flashed past the window. Jincheol pressed himself against the window and watched it.

I confirmed his identity and felt myself swearing.

“What the heck, is this an aerial battle?”

What passed by the window was a sleek airplane. It looked like an early

It had a crude appearance, like a propeller was removed from a crazy fighter jet, but the propeller

The leading edge that had to be turned had several gun ports. Was it a gunship?

Those planes were fluttering like flies, making that strange wind noise I had heard a little while ago.

It was hovering around the airship in the room.

And far away in the sky, as if rising from under the water, white

The massive body of a flying battleship slowly emerged through the clouds.