[{"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-540":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},1848554,2454,"Chapter 540","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-540",540,"\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chapter 540: Black Customers (3)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…You want me to find a captain?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo tilted his head at Mantero’s suggestion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I think you’re mistaken. From now on, Mr. Mantero will take charge of all practical operations related to piloting the Earth Ship. He’ll effectively be the captain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-…Eh…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you want, I’ll even take the captain’s title off myself and hand it to him. I don’t know how to do that stuff. He’d be a fake captain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Yeongwoo pointed at the captain’s chair that rose up out of the air and the awkward-looking helm, Mantero, who realized how trapped he’d been, pressed his palm to his forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-T-this… a planetary ship has three times the capabilities and slots of an ordinary large vessel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Isn’t that a good thing? When will we ever get to pilot a ship like this again?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-The problem is… many functions are locked even to me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That can be unlocked with money. Neither of us has driven a planetary ship before — we’ll learn together.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo said encouragingly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew well that, though the escapee needed a hideout, it was hard to find loyal people whose faith had been proven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, Mantero — who’d served a long time as the royal chief navigator — had a slightly different view.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-For now, I’ll have to handle the steering, but to operate this ship properly you need someone even more capable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s anyone better than the royal chief navigator? Even if there was, what reason would I have to meet them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mantero ran his hand carefully over the helm’s wheel and said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-If it’s just standard navigation, I’m confident. But this ship… is different. It’s not meant merely for movement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s true. This is a planetary ship built by breaking the natural order of space.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-This ship has complex combat systems and auxiliary functions built in. Someone who’s handled rough, complicated environments will be better than me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Rough and complicated environments?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-For example, war… or captains who have been on the run for a long time. Those who’ve been rolling around in dirtier, rougher places will handle this ship better than someone from a wealthy royal background like myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short, Mantero was saying that a captain who’d spent more time in the filthy underworld would be far better at handling a planetary ship than someone as clean and privileged as a royal chief navigator.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what on earth does the Earth Ship have inside it to make you say that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Professionals had their own world of expertise; Yeongwoo could somewhat understand Mantero’s stance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In simple terms, a planetary ship was an object that even the royal chief navigator found burdensome. Its performance was too high and its potential enormous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-I’m still confident in my navigation skills. But a captain needs to handle more than that. They must be able to fully unleash the ship’s abilities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All right, then let’s do this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo raised his index finger to end the conversation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Acting captain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-……?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Until we find a proper captain, Mr. Mantero will be the acting captain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It sounded like a deputy, but practically he would be the captain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They only used the term “acting” to lessen Mantero’s burden.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t ask me when or how we’ll actually find a real captain. Honestly, who would volunteer to be the captain of a pirate ship?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-…….\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Mantero hadn’t been jailed, he’d never have had reason to meet Yeongwoo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Still, I’ll respect the opinion of someone in the field. If an opportunity comes, we’ll look for a new captain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-…Very well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So from now on Mr. Mantero is the Earth Ship’s chief navigator and acting captain?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After confirming, Yeongwoo pointed to the dead star Gadoa visible outside the helm’s viewport.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Looks like it’s time to make some money.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Yeongwoo’s command, Mantero, seated in the captain’s chair, swept his hand through the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>swoosh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Holographic monitors, previously empty, floated up on the side of the captain’s chair and produced complex indicators.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What’s that now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Yeongwoo leaned in toward unfamiliar functions, Mantero looked out the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-I’m calculating the movement of the main fragments of Gadoa. It isn’t perfect, but we can predict where those fragments will be in about three minutes or five minutes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If it isn’t perfect, the prediction could be wrong, right?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Even so, we can check real-time data; if they move differently from our expectations, we can respond differently from our plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mantero added that this was the basic requirement for a navigator of a large vessel.ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ noⅴelfire.net\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But we’re even bigger than large ships, so responding to variables will be much harder.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Exactly. When piloting ships of this scale, you must react far faster than in normal cases.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Mantero pulled a lever that jutted out under the helm’s wheel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>creeeak!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately the Earth Ship began to maneuver forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the first time the ship had entered manual control.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>『…Oh.』\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Earth itself watched Mantero with a curious gaze — it was the first time such fine maneuvers had been performed by a human.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>『Huh, definitely… seems like a high-level operator?』\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earth drifted closer beside Yeongwoo and whispered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, the Earth Ship moved into the field of Gadoa’s fragments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Our ship’s shields look stable; we can ignore small planetary fragments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mantero turned the large wheel and worked the left stick; the ship’s central axis rotated quickly, changing its course.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>whirrrr…!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-But we must absolutely avoid fragments that still retain residual heat and large broken planetary debris.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He meant they had to approach the vault while dodging the endless dust and gas clouds, avoiding those dangerous hot fragments and big chunks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>thud, thunk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mantero tapped the holographic monitor several times and projected the expected trajectory into the cockpit’s airspace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-We’re departing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having checked the entry angle, Mantero began to increase speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A crewmember, staring outside, turned to Mantero with a dropped jaw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-You want to go straight in where those rocks are flying everywhere?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the place the Earth Ship was charging toward, huge stones were streaking by.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Mantero didn’t slow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-In about eight seconds, a path will open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And at the instant when the Earth Ship and the rock formation seemed about to collide—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>pop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The seemingly endless train of rocks split apart at once, forming a large open space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Mantero had said, a path opened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-My god.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The passenger Jiseon wiped her cheek in astonishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, from the ship’s flank, a star fragment grazed the Earth Ship and barely missed it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Was that calculated too?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-A variable we fully anticipated, but it passed closer than we thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mantero was saying this while turning the wheel sharply again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he began steering the Earth Ship toward the direction from which huge rock masses were approaching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how it looked, it was reckless; Yeongwoo couldn’t hide his exasperation and asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mantero held the wheel and replied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-This is the only dangerous section. If we move as close to that rock field as possible, we can reach the vault safely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Almost at the same moment, monstrous rocks began to skim past the top of the Earth Ship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some even changed course because they touched the Earth Ship’s exosphere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do we have to do this to reach the vault?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-In exactly twelve seconds from now, the Earth Ship and Mr. Koatu’s vault will be vertically aligned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it were anyone other than the royal chief navigator, Yeongwoo would have called it nonsense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mantero, however, had already warned everyone in the cockpit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-You’ll all feel a strong drop. Hold onto your seats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he braced his arms on the wheel and stomped the left pedal with his toes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>clack!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Th…there’s a pedal?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Yeongwoo gaped, the roller-coaster-like drop that Mantero had warned about swept across the cockpit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>whooaaah!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earth blocked its ears against the screams that burst from the planet’s population.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>『Hey, warn us sooner about things like this!』\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>whooaaah!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For about ten seconds the Earth Ship plummeted at high speed, and when Mantero reached the intended point—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>shrieeek!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A machine-like object, never seen before in Gadoa, flashed past the cockpit window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Huh? That just now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone inside, including Yeongwoo and Jiseon, blinked in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mantero calmly continued to guide them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-What you just saw was Mr. Koatu’s secret vault. We’ll chase the vault and synchronize speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, they would fly alongside the vault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So that Yeongwoo and Koatu could land on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>WHAM!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Mantero finished speaking, the Earth Ship’s thrusters produced explosive thrust, and on the holographic map floating in the cockpit, the red dot marking the vault drew closer to the ship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-You two should prepare to land.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Mantero’s instruction, Earth awkwardly rose from his seat and handed Koatu a return stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>『I hope it won’t be so busy in there that you can’t even use the return stone. Use it to teleport back when you’re done.』\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Earth said that, Koatu hesitated as he took the return stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is it, Koatu? Are you hiding something?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo habitually placed his hand on the bastard blade at his waist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Koatu spread his arms slightly and said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-I didn’t hide it on purpose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, damn. What is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Things had been going smoothly so far, and Yeongwoo was impatient for the next line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Please tell me there’s money in there. If there isn’t, Koatu, your life ends right here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-No, there is money in there. The issue is that something’s missing…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What’s missing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-The security key. When I was imprisoned, the toolbox containing my security key was taken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You mean without that you can’t open the doors?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-I can open the inner central vault, but the machine sentries deployed across the vault can’t be handled without the security key.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short, even though the vault’s owner was present, they’d have to fight through the secret vault’s security systems without the key.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Of course, someone skilled enough to subdue the head warden could reach the inner vault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then what’s the problem?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-Exiting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they opened the central vault without the security key, every sentry they encountered on the way out would switch to self-destruct mode.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All the sentries we meet on the way out would self-destruct, then.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then there’s only one way. Smash all the sentries before reaching the central vault and go.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that, Mantero interjected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-That would be difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-We can only hold position for about six minutes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What? We have to grab the money and get out within six minutes?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-After six minutes we’ll have to leave our current position and find the best route to re-enter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The vault kept moving along Gadoa’s internal orbit, and fragments were racing around it, so none of them could say when it would settle into a stable spot again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mantero’s point was that it’d be best to finish this job on this opportunity if possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-I’ll land you as close as I can to the vault’s central region. You have six minutes… no, now five minutes. Use your return stones within that time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But you said every robot self-destructs when the central vault is touched. I can survive somehow, but Koatu—?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Koatu, the person in question, spoke carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-That’s why I thought of something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He suddenly sat down on the floor and pulled out the prosthetic leg that had been the only thing supporting his body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>wham!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What are you doing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-You might not believe it, but this is the key to opening the central vault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-So you take this and go into the vault alone. Gather as much money as you can in five minutes, then fight through the self-destructing sentries and escape safely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, are you crazy? You expect me to go into the central vault alone knowing where it is?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Yeongwoo asked angrily, Koatu’s prosthetic leg twitched slightly on the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>-The prosthetic knows the vault’s location well enough to guide you.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>",2007,"2026-06-09T07:04:10.527Z",1,"novelbin.me","60a4b9218b88efefa28c0d5b968cbb465af0b1736e2478168d7f285c5218eb0b","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-541","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-539",688,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Flevel-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-cover.jpg"]