[{"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-631":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},1848683,2454,"Chapter 631","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-631",631,"\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chapter 631: Toward the Unknown (3)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn it. This just got complicated.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mission given by the Black Hole—find the Planet-Ship Master Phaemong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For whatever reason, if he failed to carry this out, Yeongwoo would have no choice but to accept the covenant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would have to visit the Black Hole Tesache once every 100 years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, from Yeongwoo’s personal perspective alone, it was not a huge problem, but as mentioned earlier, this promise was no different from a kind of curse that would be handed down through the Renaissance family for generations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether the future Earth Ship Master became Yeongwoo’s child or a new Earth representative elected through humanity’s vote, they would have to shoulder that covenant as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Another embodiment of unpredictability.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps it was the destiny of a protagonist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>● The path has opened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, Tesache said this while pointing at the ceiling covered in white.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Yeongwoo looked that way, the surroundings were instantly dyed pure white and wrapped around everyone in the chamber.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And then—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swaaah!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along with a certain sense of incongruity, the surrounding scenery changed back into the interior of the control room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Huh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had passed through the Black Hole Tesache.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Th… reporting. We have currently arrived in the Phemu Galaxy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the confusion, Acting Captain Mantero delivered a situation report.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Phemu? Ah, the galaxy where that Rieke was supposed to be?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Phemu Galaxy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A place classified as an ultra-high-risk zone, to the extent that not even relay tunnels had been opened there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had traversed a distance that would take 120 years even with interstellar jumps in the blink of an eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for Yeongwoo, that wasn’t the problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The covenant… this is basically confirmed, isn’t it? Even if Phaemong is alive, there’s no way a retired old man would bother going to meet the Black Holes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that, Earth nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>『If he’d intended to meet them in the first place, he would’ve kept the promise long ago. But dragging him out by force is……』\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A being who had lived as a Planet-Ship Master for at least several hundred years, perhaps even several thousand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would it even be possible to defeat such an existence by force?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if Phaemong were alive, sending him to the Black Holes would be close to impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>『Still, the fortunate thing is that it’s only once every 100 years. That means your successors would only have to do it once during their term, right?』\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Well, that’s true. Though I’ve never actually asked for their opinion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What Yeongwoo worried about was the possibility that some unknown successor might refuse an audience with the Black Hole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that happened, wouldn’t they lose one of Earth Ship’s greatest advantages—cosmic jumps?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Then again, if they elect such a pathetic head of family, maybe it’s better for the family to just collapse.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Come to think of it, a successor head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo had never thought about anything after himself, so the feeling was strangely unfamiliar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, he might be eliminated after losing the vote of confidence in a few days, but in truth, Yeongwoo did not think he would lose at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was broadcasting all the major operations he was carrying out as Earth’s representative—who on earth would take over this position?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if humanity did not like the current representative, Yeongwoo believed they also would not be able to think of a suitable successor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, the level of Earth Ship had risen so high that no one except the founding captain could even lay a hand on it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Anyway, let’s hurry to that place called Rieke or whatever. We still have to meet Phaemong, don’t we?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Yeongwoo’s order, Mantero took the helm and shifted his gaze outside the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Then we will head toward Rieke immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Acting Captain, how long will it take from here to Rieke?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—We should arrive in about 30 minutes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s quick.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Since it isn’t very far from the Black Hole… we’re extremely fortunate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, right. You said we can’t use relay tunnels within Phemu. But why is that?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—The navigation guide only explains that it’s because there are many dangerous regions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Rieke is probably one of those dangerous regions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—That is certain. It’s said to be a planet where a dragon resides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Do relay tunnels usually not get built near planets where dragons live?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—If it’s a dragon the size of a planet, even the Space Navigation Corporation would find it difficult to interfere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that, Yeongwoo tilted his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another unfamiliar term had popped up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Acting Captain, what is the Space Navigation Corporation?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—It is a company established by the government for the comprehensive management of the universe. It mainly handles the maintenance of relay tunnels and also takes charge of related security duties.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah… so it’s like a road corporation on Earth. Or a railway corporation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Since it oversees the universe’s transportation network, it is famous for having a large number of very high-ranking civil servants stationed in its working staff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And even so, they decided to abandon the Phemu Galaxy.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—They likely judged that even if they put in the effort to open relay tunnels, the practicality would be low.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So there must be quite a few unsettling things elsewhere in Phemu. I doubt the Space Corporation would back off just because a single dragon lives there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even an 11th-grade civil servant is considered 4th-rank under cosmic law.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then what about single-digit top-ranking officials?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Surely above them there would also be many who ranked 3rd and even 2nd under cosmic law.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, the government would not be able to exert power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Is the reason this universe looks lawless simply because it’s just too vast? The government’s power itself seems sufficient.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While Yeongwoo scratched his forehead, Jiseon approached and asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—When you meet that person called Phaemong, what are you planning to do? You’re not going to consider him an enemy from the start, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s right, I suppose? I know better than anyone that having a Planet-Ship Master as an enemy brings no benefit.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the variable was Phaemong himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Phaemong came out hostile first, what other choice would they have?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s retired, so we can only hope he doesn’t have any hostility or greed left. What I want is to take over whatever he has left.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he could take over Phaemong’s entire planet ship, that would be ideal, but even if not, wouldn’t there at least be some remaining ship cannons or Katangdal ingots?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And since he was a former Planet-Ship Master, he would probably have some teachings to pass on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>‘Of course, all of this is under the assumption that Phaemong is alive.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In any case, the fact that two mythic artifacts had settled on Planet Rieke meant there was definitely something there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—We have entered the outer boundary of Rieke’s territory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, Mantero reported in a somewhat stiff voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since they did not know exactly what was on Rieke, he was extremely tense as a captain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other hand, Yeongwoo stretched leisurely while sitting in the captain’s seat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“There’s nothing showing up on the radar, right? Like another planet ship floating near Rieke or something.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Yeongwoo asked this, Mantero, who had been watching the radar closely, tilted his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Uh… there is no planet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo’s upper body, which had been almost reclining, shot upright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—More precisely, only coordinates exist, but there is no physical entity. Like a dead star.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, then something really must have happened there.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—It is presumed that the planet was destroyed and shattered into pieces. In fact, there are numerous fragments……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mantero, who had been continuing his explanation, suddenly fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he placed his hand on the radar and zoomed in on the detection screen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—There are far too many fragments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What do you mean, too many?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Normally, when a star or planet is destroyed, its fragments quickly scatter in a spiral pattern. Eventually, the outer debris escapes orbit and disappears far away, while the rest forms a large region like an asteroid belt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…And?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—But right now, Rieke… or rather, the place where Rieke used to be, has a significant number of large fragments. It’s as if the planet was split apart and left in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But that can’t all be Rieke’s debris, logically.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—That’s correct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then it’s either the dragon’s corpse mixed in, or the wreckage of Phaemong’s planet ship.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo could imagine it without much difficulty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hadn’t the planet ship that found Duke Dalqui’s territory already been in a half-destroyed state?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it wasn’t a difficult guess that the planet ship which returned to Rieke and resumed battle might have been half-destroyed again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Rieke will soon enter visual range. So far we haven’t received any warnings on our communication channels… we’ll approach a bit closer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With those words, Mantero increased thrust, and before long everyone in the control room saw it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Far away, a rather complex celestial body slowly began to appear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—What… on earth is that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiseon muttered with a blank expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The object visible far outside the control room window right now looked like a shattered Saturn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had an enormous ring made of countless fragments, and at its center, massive chunks of celestial bodies were tangled together at random.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No matter how I look at it, it’s not just Rieke’s fragments.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the distance between Earth Ship and the fragmented celestial mass decreased further, they finally saw it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…Wow.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Between the celestial chunks at the center of the fragment ring, the gigantic body of a dragon was floating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—That must be the dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“When it was alive, it probably could have covered half of Rieke by itself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason Yeongwoo used the word “alive” was because the dragon’s body was also split into several pieces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, perhaps because it had been dead for a long time, it had dried out so much that it looked almost like metal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did it really perish together with Phaemong’s planet ship?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that were the case, it explained why no warning signals had come from that side until now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—If it’s like this, we might just end up shouldering the covenant and rummaging through a trash heap for nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiseon expressed concern, but Yeongwoo remained optimistic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Still, there are definitely mythic artifacts in there, right? Even just retrieving those would be a gain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where else would they ever get two mythic-grade items at once?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An opportunity like this would surely be hard to come by again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Acting Captain, let’s get a bit closer. Close enough to land with the new vessel we just acquired.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—Understood. I will move us closer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as Mantero was about to add more forward thrust at Yeongwoo’s command—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chzzzt!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, communications connected and the control room window turned blue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Doesn’t it look dangerous at a glance? What kind of confidence do you have to keep coming closer?」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A tone dripping with the typical arrogance of a Planet-Ship Master.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nine times out of ten, this had to be Phaemong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—It’s… it’s two-way communication. I don’t know how they connected unilaterally, but……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Mantero reported with undisguised confusion, Yeongwoo quickly spoke toward the blue screen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior Phaemong, right? I’ve heard a lot about you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a brief silence, the other side spoke again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「You heard about me? From who?」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“From Lord Tesache and another unnamed Black Hole.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A line meant to immediately imprint why he had come here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sure enough, an irritated voice burst out from the other side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「Ugh, what an annoying situation. Just die for now.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yeongwoo instantly sensed that the line was not a bluff.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Planet-Ship Master Phaemong was, just as everyone had feared, a lunatic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And right after that, Mantero let out something close to a scream, completely unlike himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—R-Rieke! No, from inside there an enormous energy reaction has been detected! First, the shields……!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But both Yeongwoo and Mantero already sensed it was too late, and Yeongwoo blinked and shouted urgently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior! I promised to visit the Black Holes in your place!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if he had been waiting for those exact words, the energy reaction on the other side subsided.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>「I knew it.」\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Translator - Night]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Proofreader - Gun]\u003C\u002Fp>",2039,"2026-06-09T07:04:16.329Z",1,"novelbin.me","dbad5573201e8ee3e0a0974c06182064d3404b6379509135525d468f346d6269","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-632","level-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-chapter-630",688,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Flevel-4-human-in-a-ruined-world-cover.jpg"]