[{"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-539":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},1848553,2454,"Chapter 539","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-539",539,"\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chapter 539: Black Customers (2)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What… Chief Navigator?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mantero.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chief Navigator of the Delcen royal family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Yeongwoo learned of this steadfast retainer’s background, his jaw dropped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘No wonder the prince entrusted this guy with his secret escape.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course—the prince only had one chance to flee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wouldn’t have relied on just anyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He chose the most skilled and loyal navigator among his retainers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, Mantero had proven his loyalty by staying behind to buy the prince time to escape.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The price he paid was to be branded a criminal of the crown and imprisoned in Lesham’s Black Iron Prison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘But thanks to that, he met me.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that thought, Yeongwoo felt as if his mind had lit up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah…!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By helping the prince, Mr. Mantero, you accumulated good karma.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—R-really…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And now the reward for that virtue has come back to you!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—What do you mean…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve met me, haven’t you? I am the owner of Earthship, Jeong Yeongwoo!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Spreading his arms wide, Yeongwoo declared proudly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that, Earth, who was monitoring the navigation controls, squeezed his eyes shut.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Yeongwoo grabbed hold of Mantero’s forearm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Mantero, I’ll cast your dream. I’ll give you the chance to become Earthship’s Chief Navigator!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Eh? But I never…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was true—Mantero had never dreamed of becoming Earthship’s navigator.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Yeongwoo’s next words sealed his lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The prince is gone, the royal family still treats you like a criminal. Even if you became a free man, where would you go?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And didn’t you hear earlier? Black Iron Prison already sent out fighters after us. Everyone here is now a fugitive.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, Earth cut into the conversation while adjusting the navigation system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>『Since we’re talking about it, we’d better depart now. Multiple crafts have been detected from Lesham.』\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, fighters had been dispatched to recapture the escaped prisoners.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>『Captain, please authorize departure.』\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Earth’s request, Yeongwoo nodded gravely and asked back:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Our destination is Gadoa?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>『Yes. If we have a navigator skilled enough to pass through Gadoa, then that’s where we must go.』\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Earth spoke, he glanced at Mantero.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was silent pressure—only if Mantero took the helm could they hope to reach Gadoa.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earth, for his own safety, wanted a professional navigator too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, while the control room was full of powerful fighters, not one of them knew a thing about ships.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well then, Mr. Mantero. How about a grand bit of navigating?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A commoner, Jeong Yeongwoo, was making this crude proposal to none other than the former Chief Navigator of a royal fleet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mantero hesitated, glancing around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—But this place is…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t dare voice the rest, but Yeongwoo read his thoughts clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean it’s a pirate ship, right? Don’t know how you guessed so quickly, but you’re not entirely wrong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—…!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But let’s be honest, aren’t you a criminal now too? You’ve finally found the place you truly belong.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The place he belonged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or more precisely—the place he had left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could never again serve as the royal Chief Navigator.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now he was both an ex-convict and an escaped prisoner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For the rest of his life, he would be hunted by Black Iron Prison and the Delcen crown alike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps Earthship was indeed the only fitting place for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A haven of fugitives.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Ah.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mantero gave a short groan as if glimpsing a dark and sinister future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Yeongwoo, brimming with confidence, struck the final blow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mr. Mantero! For the countless fugitives who will come here in the future, take the helm of Earthship. Ensure that no one ever catches us!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hwat!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Yeongwoo extended his hand for a handshake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mantero flinched and stepped back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Th-this is…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A handshake. It’s Earthship’s greeting ritual. Once you take this hand, we’re in the same boat together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A handshake—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Born from the custom of showing that neither side held a weapon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mantero had been loyal enough to be imprisoned for his prince.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he willingly became Earthship’s navigator, he would surely protect the ship until his dying breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So long as Yeongwoo himself didn’t betray him, the partnership would be ideal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Come now, Mr. Mantero! Decide!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Yeongwoo shouted with his hand outstretched, Earth warned urgently from the radar.Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs N0v3l.Fiɾe.net\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>『In ten seconds, Lesham’s fighters will enter our perimeter. We must move, now.』\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At last, Mantero clenched his jaw, stepped forward, and grasped Yeongwoo’s hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Set the destination. To Gadoa. I may be piloting a planet-ship for the first time, but it will make excellent practice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dead Star, Gadoa.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Orbiting at the edge of the Milky Way, it was a fragmented star, with massive rocky chunks spinning rapidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That’s why even Koatu had only approached his vault with a mid-sized ship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet now, Mantero insisted it was possible with a planet-ship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—How do you dodge debris in something this massive? You might avoid a few, but hundreds will be coming at once!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Koatu’s doubt was perfectly reasonable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A normal ship, with a skilled pilot, could weave between debris with acrobatics.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this was a vessel the size of a planet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like Earthship trying to dodge a meteor falling on Eurasia, only to be struck instead in Africa.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps it was simply too big to dodge at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Mantero answered calmly, without a hint of panic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Any debris already within our perimeter can’t be avoided.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? Then what do we do?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Ships of this scale must be navigated with foresight. You must never be in a position where dodging is required.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rather than steering reactively to visible debris, you had to predict the paths of all fragments filling the space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…How’s that even possible?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Every ship has detection systems. They can extract velocity data of debris.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From that, a skilled navigator constructs a predictive model that matches the near-future almost exactly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Ah, so it’s like jump rope?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miraculously, Jiseon grasped his point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jump rope?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—When we jump rope, we don’t actually watch the rope every time, do we? We just know the timing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, that’s because I’m the one swinging it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Even when someone else turns the rope, isn’t it the same? You might glance at their arms, but mostly you just feel the timing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That ‘feel’ comes from past experience, the sound of the rope, and subtle cues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, even jump rope is a kind of short-term prediction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, guiding a planet-ship through stellar debris was incomparably more complex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>『We’re almost at Gadoa.』\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earth announced as the surrounding transit field began to blur.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fwaaash!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, why is the dead star still orbiting?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>『Because it hasn’t yet encountered another body massive enough to capture it. Someday it will join another orbit—or get flung away to wander again.』\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Earth finished his bitter explanation, Gadoa’s form finally appeared outside the viewport—pitch black.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kwaaaah…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Dead Star Gadoa resembled a vast black cloud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Occasionally, from within, flashes like lightning revealed themselves—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Those luminous bursts inside the gas layers are fragments of the star. Ordinary ships deform just by approaching them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Mantero’s explanation, Yeongwoo shuddered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then we shouldn’t get close.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—That depends on where exactly the vault lies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned toward Koatu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Now, tell me the precise location of your vault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Koatu waved his hand, summoning a keypad inscribed with alien symbols.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Paaat!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tapped in the code.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Luck matters. The vault’s location changes every time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beep!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the final input went in, Koatu’s secret vault emitted a unique signal, which Earth instantly detected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>『Vault location confirmed. But it’s… huge.』\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earth projected a holographic model of Gadoa into the control room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swaaash!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the very center of the black cloud, a red dot gleamed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…That’s the vault?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>『Looks like an enormous machine.』\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How enormous, exactly?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>『About… the size of Jeju Island.』\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A vault the size of Jeju Island?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, Yeongwoo thought perhaps Koatu was far more formidable than he had realized.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, Mantero loosened his shoulders as if warming up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—If it’s that big, it should be easy to find.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He approached the captain’s chair and looked at Yeongwoo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Pardon me, may I borrow this seat? It seems to control all major systems.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, of course. That’s the captain’s chair.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo quickly vacated the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mantero gently caressed the armrests, then sat down with great care.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pressed a hidden button on the inside of the armrest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clank, crunch!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A loud sound of locks releasing came from beneath the chair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo had never heard such a sound before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chair rose about 1.5 meters on a silver-white column.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the floor beneath, a complex handle emerged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What the hell is that?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gawking, Yeongwoo was left speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mantero leaned forward slightly, peering down at him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Is this your first time seeing it?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Of course! Until now, I just said where I wanted to go, and it always took me there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mantero gave him a baffled look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—I’ll handle the vault, but you must find yourself a capable captain quickly. This ship is far more extraordinary than you realize.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>",1536,"2026-06-09T07:04:10.527Z",1,"novelbin.me","8d383f1fd6a75b998f004c087539a93d2a2111ef2b760f290bdb78778b947647","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-540","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-538",688,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Flevel-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-cover.jpg"]