[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world":3,"chapter-level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-323":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Level 4 Human in a Ruined World",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1848287,2454,"Chapter 323","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-323",323,"\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chapter 323: Special Planet (5)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What… What is this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A self-destruct bomb.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This bizarrely named construct was, quite literally, a mechanism that could destroy the entire city.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, if the city’s status reached planetary capital, it could even blow up the whole planet...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Don't aliens only have one life each, too? How could a function like this be embedded in the city’s system?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo, who couldn’t believe what he was seeing, soon regained his composure, scratching his chin thoughtfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘No, actually, the fact that aliens only have one life is exactly what makes this function useful.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Using this as a last resort would mean failing to grasp the true potential of this tool, Yeongwoo thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You had to know how to read between the lines.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>|Plant a bomb in a designated area, and detonate it at the moment of your choosing. Though the city would be lost, you could take the invading enemy’s life with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘So, in other words, the city’s owner would have a self-destruct switch at least, and the explosion would be tremendously powerful.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Isn’t this… offensive, though?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why had this been given along with the \"right to defend?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, if he could muster the courage to face death, it was as good as having a way to intimidate anyone who dared approach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if it was...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Even guests from across the universe.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The thought made Yeongwoo shiver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He might even hold Dogo Chairman, Mara King of the Demons, and those corrupt inspectors hostage for a huge payoff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Of course, that would only work if I truly built an image that would make people believe I’d actually press the self-destruct button….’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would it work, though?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment of thought, Yeongwoo realized it was still too early for that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if he could fool others, there was no way he’d deceive the Chairman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘If our Metal Seoul becomes the planetary capital, things might be different.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Planetary self-destruction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If a person from Earth weren’t threatening to press a self-destruct button, but instead an entire planet were scheduled for self-destruction and charging in from outer space, then what?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Incredible. I’d pay just to calm them down if it were me.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he imagined Earth burning red in the sky, Jiseon, who had been staring at him, jabbed him with her greatsword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Poke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>―What crazy thought are you having now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I was contemplating our future.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>―Our future? What about it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s going to be explosive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo looked at his mother with a bright smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mother, a mere dragon, still wouldn’t understand such a grand scheme.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So instead of explaining his plans, Yeongwoo turned his attention to a task at hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>◇ Enhanced features are inactive. Please complete Guardian Dragon and Annihilation Mode settings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Notifications from the system had been flashing continuously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Guardian Dragon]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>|Appoint a Guardian Dragon to protect the city and grant it the ability to return instantly in case of an emergency.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>|The Guardian Dragon’s combat power is boosted according to city level, and if the Guardian Dragon is already of the dragon lineage, the boost increases by 25%.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Unbelievable. So, even a non-dragon could be a Guardian Dragon.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, since designating a dragon lineage as Guardian Dragon provided a 25% additional boost, cities with this function essentially had to recruit a dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This meant that dragons were even rarer than he thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And, fortunately, Yeongwoo had a very powerful dragon right here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>―Now what?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s an opportunity to elevate your cosmic status.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>―What? Suddenly?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes. Please become the Guardian Dragon of Metal Seoul, Dogo Special City.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>―What city?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Jiseon repeated, feeling something sounded strange, she saw her son, eyes alight with excitement, suddenly reaching toward her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>―What are you doing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sensing something ominous, Jiseon tried to step back, but her son’s hand already gripped her arm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>―Ugh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A mysterious, colorful light radiated from his hand where it held her forearm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, suddenly, texts from the city system began to appear in her field of vision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Frost Dragon Song Jiseon has been designated as the Guardian Dragon of Metal Seoul, Dogo Special City.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately, a lively energy surged through her, and notification texts glowing yellow appeared in succession.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[City-level combat boost is applied.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Dragon attribute overlap increases boost effect by 25%.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[All stats increase by 20% through the ‘Guardian Dragon’ function of the Steel Core.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>―What… what is all this? My body feels…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Jiseon could finish saying something felt off, a fierce blue flame erupted from her entire body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>―Arghhh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The boosted combat power had transformed Jiseon into an even stronger being than before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if the overwhelming energy and aggression were boiling inside her veins, unable to be contained, spilling outward—and this force was directed straight at her son, Yeongwoo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>―Damn, why do I suddenly feel like hitting you?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking down at him, Jiseon, who now seemed even larger, spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo realized that his mother had changed significantly and cautiously drew his sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Calm down, Mother. You seem to be experiencing a testosterone surge. Probably a side effect of the Guardian Dragon power-up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>―What did you do to me?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I helped you become greater than before. Now you’re truly my mother.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before, he’d been confident he could restrain her, but now he was less sure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until he clashed blades with her again, he wouldn’t know his mother’s new strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘This is a disaster. So if the city grows, my mother will keep turning into an even stronger monster.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, having such a monster as Seoul’s Guardian Dragon was reassuring, but it also meant his control over her was weaker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mother, here’s what you should know. You are the Guardian Dragon of Seoul, and I am Seoul’s mayor.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>―And?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That means we don’t need to fight each other. Also, technically, this could be considered a coup.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo said this as he quickly tried to install the “self-destruct bomb” right where they stood, hoping to threaten his mother first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Self-destruct bomb construction not possible. Annihilation Mode must be activated first.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Activating the self-destruct bomb required Annihilation Mode, and this notification appeared before his empowered mother’s eyes as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You son of a...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mother swung her sword at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reflexively, Yeongwoo raised his sword, Bastard, to guard against her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The icy greatsword swung down like a flash, striking Bastard and sending a piercing pain through Yeongwoo's hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Ah!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mother’s strength was so overpowering that Yeongwoo’s grip on Bastard faltered and broke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then came the unbelievable message:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Your sensory stats have temporarily increased from 33,500 to 95,840.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This meant his mother’s base sensory stat exceeded 120,000.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mom...!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing that he was finally at the point where he could actually be beaten by her, Yeongwoo desperately launched into evasive maneuvers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With no time to pick up Bastard, he threw himself backward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A blue trajectory sliced through the space where he had just stood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Activate Extermination Mode!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo shouted in panic, and the construction interface appeared immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Extermination Mode]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>| When the city is in danger, emergency facilities are activated to resolve the issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>| Can be used only once per day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>◇ Two suitable locations for the emergency facility have been found for Extermination Mode.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>| Exterminator count increases to 4. Improved biological suppression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>| Exterminator count decreases to 1. Enhanced ship interception performance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Dammit! Another decision!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He still had a deadly greatsword swinging at him, but he couldn’t pick just anything without careful thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, Yeongwoo...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mom!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...decided to use his ultimate sword technique, Heart Sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mom, please help...!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought he’d at least try psychologically if he couldn't win physically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Mom! Mother!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo wailed without even holding his sword, but the furious Song Jiseon kept charging at him without slowing down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crash!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, in the end, Yeongwoo...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We can turn the Four Great Gates into robots now!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...shouted a line he thought would stop the fight if he himself had heard it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he really had inherited this kind of personality from his mother, he figured she’d be interested in the same kinds of things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And his guess was...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crash!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—...What did you say?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...absolutely correct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ice dragon Song Jiseon, who had been charging toward him, suddenly halted in place as if she’d hit the brakes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—What did you say about the Four Great Gates?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It looks like we can turn either the Four Great Gates or Namsan into a robot. Calm down and take a look.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Yeongwoo’s words, Jiseon finally glanced over the notifications that had been bothering her field of vision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—This is some crazy nonsense...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We can only choose one. Which do you think is better?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo asked as he side-eyed the fallen Bastard in the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought if he could just retrieve it remotely, sever an arm, and activate a combined bleeding and limb loss effect, he might stand a chance in a power struggle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Jiseon was already captivated by the surprising \"Seoul robot\" issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Is there even a question? The Four Great Gates rising up would look way cooler.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But I think Namsan would be bigger. Plus, it has improved ship interception capabilities.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—‘Improved’ doesn’t mean perfect. The Four Great Gates can intercept ships too, just with less powerful units than Namsan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking back to the metal palace, the four turrets all rose simultaneously, firing laser beams.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this Metal Seoul, everything was upgraded to a much higher level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, the power of the Four Great Gates was bound to be overwhelming until they actually saw it in action.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Then Namsan must be even stronger... It’s a shame I can’t have both.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now was the time to make a decision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since the city has upgraded to level 3 and added anti-aircraft guns, it’s better to focus on defeating the creatures that have already landed on the planet rather than intercepting ships.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And this 'creature' would include his mother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While his mother was briefly distracted, he quickly designated the Four Great Gates for Extermination Mode to secure an insurance measure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Special Mayor Jeong Yeongwoo07 of Dogo City has designated the ‘Four Great Gates’ as an emergency facility for [Extermination Mode].”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Looks like Seoul is finally transforming into a real city.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only remaining task was to plant the self-destruct bomb under his parents’ wedding hall and wait for the upcoming address reveal of the three main factions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Now that Seoul is relatively safe, bring on the war.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Yeongwoo’s eyes glinted and he retrieved Bastard, the clock inside his Vesedel Armor lit up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beep!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, it was 4 p.m.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then, a system-wide announcement began broadcasting across the entire planet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「In three hours, the locations of the companies participating in the planet's development rights competition will be disclosed.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「With non-peaceful negotiations expected, residents are advised to seek safety in designated areas.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>",1818,"2026-06-09T07:03:45.853Z",1,"novelbin.me","807588ee9fd046b965f7eb331539da43c6f4242bcf0c4ca2fbfe57cb62f2c12d","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-324","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-322",688,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Flevel-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-cover.jpg"]