[{"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-385":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},1848399,2454,"Chapter 385","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-385",385,"\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chapter 385: The Dignity of a Wedding (1)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—N-No way. Did they really make that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiseon removed her helmet as if entranced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her silver-white hair fluttered as she turned her gaze toward the execution platform in question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a towering, pitch-black iron pillar, approximately ten meters high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the base, there was a spot where the condemned could rest their head, much like an ordinary guillotine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chains, whose purpose was disturbing even to imagine, hung ominously from it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the very top of the execution platform, a horizontal iron bar extended outward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed to be designed for hanging executed guests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would they… would they really hang guests who didn’t bring wedding gifts?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—What the hell? How is this even a wedding?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a level of vulgarity beyond comprehension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiseon had never heard of such an idea in her life—let alone conceived of it herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, it had come from none other than her own son.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To think that such a monstrosity would be placed in the lobby of his wedding hall—was beyond absurd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a spaceship resembling a rusted monkey wrench descended through the skies over Gwangjin-gu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was none other than kwaya’s Hammer, the team responsible for designing the wedding venue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had arrived to personally explain the ongoing construction process.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Kobu! Tobu! Chobu!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Yeongwoo called out the names of the three contractors he had assigned, a ship landed on the outskirts of the wedding site.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kwoooom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From within, three towering figures emerged, their bodies cloaked in massive, black, wing-like garments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each stood around four meters tall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their faces were obscured by masks riddled with small holes, making their expressions unreadable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, it was clear to everyone that they were delighted to see Yeongwoo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kobu was the first to lift an arm and wave enthusiastically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well, today was the day they were receiving their final payment of 1.2 billion credits—so of course, they were happy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Kobu!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo waved back as he approached them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three contractors—Kobu, Tobu, and Chobu—moved toward the execution platform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Sir, it is an honor to meet you again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kobu extended his right hand in greeting, exactly as he had learned before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ssshhh…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo briefly glanced at Kobu’s right arm, which was made entirely of jet-black bone, before extending his own hand to shake it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You must have had a long journey. You’re here about the wedding venue, correct?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Yes. All designs for the venue have been finalized, and construction will be completed by 2:23 PM, Earth time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even now, materials were being dropped from the skies above Gwangjin-gu at a breakneck pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The passage connecting the tower to the wedding hall lobby was already nearing completion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Guests will begin arriving on the planet approximately one hour before the ceremony begins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh? Then shouldn’t you start explaining the venue right away?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Indeed, which is why we hurried here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kobu lifted his head and looked at the execution platform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though his expression was hidden behind his mask, his next words revealed exactly what he was thinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—A remarkable piece of work. We designed it with the guests in mind, envisioning those who would be hung there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Uh… Of course, the best scenario would be if no one actually gets hung there.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Then, may I proceed with explaining how the execution platform functions?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kobu’s tone carried a hint of excitement for some reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…….\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo silently stared at the towering execution platform for a moment before finally nodding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Go ahead.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Yes, as you can see, this is a guillotine-style execution device.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Kobu picked up the chain connected to the headrest of the guillotine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—We pondered: how could this execution platform serve not only for executions but also to psychologically pressure guests into paying their wedding gifts?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…And?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Thus, we devised these ankle shackles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ankle shackles?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clank!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Kobu raised the chains high, Tobu, who was standing behind him, retrieved a white-painted metal mannequin from his coat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—This represents an Earthling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taking the mannequin from Tobu, Kobu fastened the guillotine’s chains around both of its ankles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Before execution, the guest’s ankles are shackled like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, he pulled the lever attached to the lower section of the guillotine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swoooosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A chilling metallic screech echoed as the ten-meter-high blade came crashing down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slick!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The steel blade effortlessly decapitated the iron mannequin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wow…!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo gaped at the unexpected efficiency of the device as the severed head tumbled down a slope, finally settling neatly into a recessed compartment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—That is the head storage area. This model can hold up to ten heads at a time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, the execution platform could process up to ten guests in succession.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—The bodies of the executed guests can then be hoisted up for display using this lever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A display stand?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo asked, puzzled. Instead of answering, Kobu demonstrated by pulling another lever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clank!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as the lever was pulled, the chains connected to the guillotine’s upper section began to retract.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Consequently, the mannequin’s legs were yanked upward, lifting the \"corpse\" into the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…My God.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo instinctively covered his mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>kwaya’s Hammer had built an execution platform that not only beheaded guests but also displayed their corpses afterward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Will this be acceptable?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Excuse me? Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—You were the one who requested an execution platform for the wedding venue, sir.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well… that’s true.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—If you approve, we will proceed with final installation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kobu then placed his hand on another lever positioned slightly higher up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And what does that one do?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—We considered the possibility that you may wish to execute non-humans as well, so this lever allows you to adjust the execution platform’s settings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Oh.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was this really worth 1.2 billion?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed that with enough money, contractors became quite proactive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—If you pull this lever all the way down, the execution platform expands to its maximum size.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clank!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Kobu yanked the size-adjustment lever all the way down, the central pillar of the execution platform extended upward, growing to a towering height of 20 meters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The stands where the guests’ heads would be placed also expanded to nearly three times their original size.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this scale, even beheading giants would be no issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s absolutely perfect. Let’s proceed as is.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Yeongwoo instinctively clapped his hands, his uncle, who had been silent within the shield, finally spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>∴ You… you bastard… What the hell are you talking about? Hanging the guests?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It might be a bit hard for someone who just arrived in this world to understand, Uncle.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>∴ Even your mother doesn’t seem to understand yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Well, there are always individual differences.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After answering like that, Yeongwoo turned to Kobu with another question.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What’s over there?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was pointing at a vast, empty lot in the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A significant portion of the land designated for the wedding venue by kwaya’s Hammer was nothing more than a flat metal-plated area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kobu glanced up at the sky before turning back to Yeongwoo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—That’s where the guests’ ships will land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, so that’s why the site was designed to be so large.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The designated wedding venue covered a rectangular area spanning 2 kilometers in width and 5 kilometers in length.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that he was paying closer attention, about 70% of that space was essentially a parking lot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, the location where the ceremony would take place was still enormous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom! Boom! Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The jet-black outer walls of the wedding hall had just begun to rise, and at a glance, the front width of the hall was already several hundred meters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait a minute… then how long is the virgin road going to be?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Virgin road? What is that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, it’s the path the two participants walk down when they enter.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that, Kobu turned his head to glance toward the wedding hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—By Earth standards, about 800 meters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"800 meters?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo’s mouth dropped open, and Jiseon and Jeonggu were equally stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You’re telling me they have to walk 800 meters…?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—What? The venue is going to be packed with aliens, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An 800-meter-long virgin road, lined with aliens itching to exert legal intimidation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait… at this rate, the bride and groom shouldn’t be walking in—they should be sprinting.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo tilted his head, mumbling his thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if anticipating his curiosity, Kobu retrieved a steel box from his coat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swipe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What’s this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—It’s the ceremonial gift box.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ceremonial gift box…?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—The participants’ entrance is practically the only part of the cosmic wedding ceremony that involves the guests.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I suppose. I heard the guests test their courage throughout the entire entrance process.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant the most thrilling moment for the guests would be the participants’ entrance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And what does that have to do with the ceremonial gift box?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without a word, Kobu suddenly grasped the box with both arms and tucked it under his armpit—just like a football player.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"……?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Each participant must place their prepared gift inside this box and carry it all the way to the end of the wedding hall without dropping it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So the guests try to scare the bride and groom into dropping their ceremonial gift box?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Exactly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Wait, why is that even a tradition? What do the guests gain from terrifying the ceremony participants?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kobu then revealed a reason so undeniable that no one could argue against it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—If even one of the participants drops their ceremonial gift box, the hosts must refund all the congratulatory money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh, for fuck’s sake. You’ve got to be kidding me, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>",1609,"2026-06-09T07:03:45.907Z",1,"novelbin.me","7f74769773c78c511aa2c159b0687743756b0708a080f7edf0d033e7d6ded91f","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-386","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-200",688,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Flevel-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-cover.jpg"]