[{"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-620":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},1848665,2454,"Chapter 620","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-620",620,"\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chapter 620: The Real Job (3)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Retirement? Planetary ships can retire?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「I’m just repeating what I heard. You’re the planetary shipmaster—shouldn’t you know better than anyone?」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right. Asking someone who knew nothing about planetary ships was pointless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the one who actually owned a planetary ship was Yeongwoo himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…But does ‘retiring’ even work like that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「From what I heard, yes. The ship had been half-destroyed. They had to rebuild it from the frame up. We spent about a month together while it was undergoing repairs, so we talked a fair bit.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how he looked at it, this was priceless information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Testimony from someone who had spent an entire month with another planetary shipmaster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What was his name? His species?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Yeongwoo fired off questions in quick succession, Duke Dalqui raised a hand in a calming gesture.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「It’ll take some time to dismantle the ship anyway, so I’ll send my younger sibling and the vessel down first. I’ll answer anything you want after that.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At those words, Yeongwoo gestured to Earth, signaling it to open a portal toward the Salzeo ship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Safe travels, Lady Kanaph. Until next time.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Again…?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With an expression that clearly said she was sick of this already, Lady Kanaph stepped into the portal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shwaaa—!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blue portal swallowed her whole, and moments later, the Salzeo ship launched toward Planet Tehen at high speed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright. I kept my end of the bargain and sent both the hostage and the ship back. Now talk. Who was the guy who dragged in a half-destroyed planetary ship?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>* * *\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A planetary ship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A free celestial body, hailed as one of the wonders of the universe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to the achievement system, only ten planetary ships—including Earth—had ever existed in all of cosmic history.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, the planetary ship that had visited Planet Tehen was one of the nine that had existed before Earth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Before me, there were only nine planetary shipmasters. And the universe is absurdly vast. I honestly thought I’d never even find a trace of another one in my lifetime.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If this was coincidence, the odds were ridiculous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And if it wasn’t—then planetary ships must possess something that drew them toward one another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And perhaps…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘All the previous planetary shipmasters were protagonists of the universe too. Maybe that’s why the narratives of protagonists inevitably overlap.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Yeongwoo drifted through these idle thoughts, Duke Dalqui Izori finally spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「They call it a wonder of the universe—a planetary ship. So I assumed that grotesque appearance was simply how planetary ships looked.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had been a literally shattered planet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So horribly damaged that Dalqui had believed its form was intentional.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How badly wrecked are we talking?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Half-destroyed. Roughly half of the planet had completely vanished.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Half the planet was gone?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did Yeongwoo understand why Planet Tehen had failed to recover from its devastation even after 200 years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「First, we had to fill the empty space with something. We also needed a way to contain the core, which could have exploded at any moment.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dalqui stared into empty space, his face twisted in discomfort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Surprisingly, that man possessed an enormous quantity of Katangdal ingots and Selulite. We used them to construct a stabilizing structure around the core.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…An enormous amount of Selulite.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From that alone, Yeongwoo could tell how extraordinary that planetary shipmaster must have been.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had only just managed to obtain a single fragment to strengthen Earth’s shield—yet that man had been carrying massive amounts of Selulite two hundred years ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘…Damn it. Where did that bastard even get all those resources?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Yeongwoo clenched his fist, Dalqui continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「His name was Phaemong. From what I could tell, he was a descendant of the Selopt.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Selopt? That doesn’t ring a bell.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「A long-lived species with blue skin and white pupils.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, unlike what the records described, Dalqui added, the planetary shipmaster he met was extremely aggressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why? Aren’t Selopts known for being violent?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「On the contrary. Because they live so long, they’re generally said to be gentle in temperament. They don’t particularly enjoy killing, either.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But you didn’t meet just any Selopt—you met a planetary shipmaster Selopt. No way he was normal.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「He fired his main cannons the moment we met. That’s when I truly grasped the difference in firepower, and the battle began.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yep. Definitely a planetary shipmaster.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Still, once the ‘negotiations’ ended, we got along surprisingly well.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did he say anything else? How he got half-destroyed, how he made his money—anything?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「He wasn’t one to talk about himself much. But he constantly said he intended to return to the battlefield where his ship was crippled. That’s why I remember it so clearly.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And that battlefield was his final destination?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Yes. He said he would retire there once the fight was finished.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Couldn’t that just be poetic language? If he loses, he disappears from the universe anyway—so it’s basically retirement.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「An interesting interpretation. That may well be the case.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dalqui smiled bitterly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed he hoped Yeongwoo’s theory was wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just then, as if the ship had safely arrived at Tehen, Dalqui rushed off-screen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was going to see off his long-lost sibling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmmm. Doing a good deed feels nice, but… I kind of feel like I let this go for too cheap.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Yeongwoo muttered to the now-empty screen, Earth spoke up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>『You’re not thinking of chasing that planetary ship, are you?』\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why? Any reason I shouldn’t?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>『If that planetary shipmaster turns out to be someone like you… that’s extremely dangerous.』\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He decided to retire two hundred years ago. By now he’s either dead or enjoying a peaceful old age.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo doubted a retired planetary shipmaster would attack a successor who came looking for him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And I’m curious what kind of battlefield could cripple something as powerful as a planetary ship.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>『Still… it bothers me. You only just finished assembling your basic armament. Is this really the time to go looking for another planetary ship?』\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But if we manage a peaceful meeting, the gains are huge. We could learn a ton from a predecessor, and more importantly…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo stared into the void and grinned broadly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>『What exactly are you plotting now?』\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If he’s retired, he doesn’t really need anything anymore, does he?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>『Like what?』\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Main cannons. Super-strong shields. Stuff like that. Honestly, he probably doesn’t need much money either.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>『You lunatic.』\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earth finally realized it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo was planning to fleece a retired planetary shipmaster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>『You really have no fear in this universe, do you?』\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s probably why I managed to launch a planetary ship in the first place.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Yeongwoo and Earth bickered, Duke Dalqui reappeared on the screen—this time alongside Kanaph Izori, who looked noticeably brighter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「My sister arrived safely. Though late, I wish to express my gratitude.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dalqui bowed formally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo scratched his cheek and nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yeah, yeah. You’re welcome. So—are the repairs underway?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Nothing too difficult, technically speaking. We’ll send the ship up as soon as the signal device is removed.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Good. Then hurry up and finish what you were saying earlier. Where did Phaemong go?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dalqui shifted his gaze into the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Far from here. In the Phemu Galaxy, there’s a planet called Rieke.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Rieke?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Naturally, it was a name Yeongwoo had never heard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You don’t have exact coordinates?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that, Mantero immediately began typing at the console.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—If we know the galaxy, we can find it. I’ll start searching right away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Dalqui continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「He said there was a dragon that lived while embracing that planet. He fought it—and that’s how his planetary ship was crippled. After the repairs, he planned to go back and finish it.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…What? A dragon as big as a planet?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it truly embraced a planet, its size would dwarf the planet itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jesus. That’s insane.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If such a creature existed, it suddenly made sense how a fully armed planetary ship could be half-destroyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The battles of the previous planetary shipmasters were on an entirely different level from anything Yeongwoo had faced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You didn’t fight a royal fleet or anything—you fought a cosmic dragon?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Was that metaphorical? It didn’t sound like it. In any case, that’s what I heard.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Planet Rieke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the unidentified dragon that supposedly enveloped it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A planetary ship that lost its first battle and limped away, half-destroyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Two hundred years have passed since then. No telling whether the dragon is still there… or whether only the ruined planetary ship remains.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, if given the choice, Yeongwoo hoped the planetary ship was still there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He’d rather root for a fellow planetary shipmaster than some unknown dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Ah, I’ve found it. Planet Rieke. It’s classified as an extreme-risk zone, so there aren’t even any relay tunnels nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So it really exists.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—To reach it, we’ll have to use a black hole. Interstellar warp alone won’t get us there—it’s too far.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How far are we talking?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mantero answered in a grave tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—One hundred and twenty years of straight flight. And even within the Phemu Galaxy, there are no relay tunnels.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…120 years?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo gaped—then suddenly realized something.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait. Even with a planetary ship, it takes 120 years?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Which meant—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then Phaemong must’ve used a black hole to get here, right? No way he spent 120 years flying here after losing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After listening quietly, Jiseon nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Right. Otherwise, it’d be a 240-year round trip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure, in a universe this vast, someone might travel 240 years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in this case…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This senior definitely knew how to use black holes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo could only reach that conclusion because he himself had used black-hole corridors before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You only see what you know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jeonggu chimed in with a surprisingly sharp observation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So… the black hole we’ll be using is probably the same one Phaemong passed through?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Most likely. There’s probably only one black hole closest to Rieke.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then communication might be easier. If those black holes already let Phaemong through, maybe they’ll let us pass too.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“In theory, yes. They’d probably be more friendly toward outsiders.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling that things were finally coming together, Yeongwoo stretched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright. Let’s find the black hole that leads to Rieke.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he pulled out the mythical map ‘Great Exploration’, Mantero rushed over to inspect it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—With precise coordinates, this map allows direct movement to the target location.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once Mantero placed his hand on the map with the coordinates in mind, the cosmic space within the map began to spin violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—I’ve found it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mantero located Planet Rieke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—There’s a black hole not far from Rieke. If the previous planetary shipmaster really used a ‘corridor,’ this should be it. Oh—wait.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He suddenly widened his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What is it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—There are myths present on Rieke. Two of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>",1796,"2026-06-09T07:04:16.329Z",1,"novelbin.me","99a5442d696d1fae6b0a717b2bbf661e0545b0a2bd9f4247d40eceff65f1db45","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-682","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-681",688,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Flevel-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-cover.jpg"]