Memorize

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The cities of Hall Plain are structured like a web. Since the locations of cities vary across different continents, each city performs similar yet distinct roles. If you look at them individually, they might seem disconnected, but from a broader perspective, it's clear that they are interconnected and work together in an organic system, fulfilling essential tasks for one another.

In the Northern Continent, where my party and I currently reside, there are numerous cities. The central metropolis of this continent is 'Babara', and surrounding it are four major cities in the east (Prinsica), west (Halo), south (Khan), and north (Pamela). Each of these major cities has two smaller cities under its jurisdiction, forming a network of support and cooperation.

To go into more detail, the major eastern city, Prinsica, governs the smaller cities of 'Eden' to the northeast and 'Dana' to the southeast. The western city, Halo, oversees 'Dorothy' to the northwest and 'Beth' to the southwest. The southern city, Khan, controls 'Koran' to the southeast and 'Monica' to the southwest. Lastly, the northern city, Pamela, governs 'Mule' to the northeast and 'Montana' to the northwest.

This makes for a total of one metropolis, four major cities, and eight smaller cities. In some cases, such as in the southern city of Khan, mid-sized clans have united to form a coalition, known as the 'Southern Free Alliance', to manage the city collectively. However, it is generally accepted that each city is governed by a single leading clan.

As mentioned earlier, the clans responsible for managing the cities have specific duties depending on their location. While this may seem unimaginable in the Western Continent, where endless freedom is cherished, the Northern Continent is able to maintain such a structure thanks to the 'Golden Lion Clan', the strongest single faction on the continent.

For example, the southern cities of Khan, Koran, and Monica are tasked with preparing for the conquest of the 'Iron Mountains', which serves as a gateway to the Central Continent. These cities essentially act as forward bases, laying the groundwork for expanding into the Central Continent.

On the other hand, the northern cities of Pamela, Mule, and Montana are located at the edge of uncharted territory. It's known that one more step into the Northern Continent would lead to the great metropolis of 'Atlanta', but the resources needed to occupy that area are still insufficient. Meanwhile, the northern frontier remains an unknown and untamed region.

Pamela, along with its smaller cities, Mule and Montana, is responsible for guarding and stabilizing the regions near the uncharted territory. Originally, their role included exploration and conquest, but this has recently been prohibited, according to information I received from an instructor. Additionally, thanks to what Han-Byeol told me that night, I'm certain that a significant event I remember is about to unfold.

Initially, I had planned to head to Montana, a small city in the north, but I decided to change course to 'Mule'. Several factors influenced this decision, but the biggest reason was undoubtedly 'An Hyun'.

I vaguely recalled hearing that a rare class related to lances, the 'Qi Spearman', was discovered in a cave near Mule. While I didn't know the specifics—where or how it was found—the idea of obtaining a rare class was tempting. If we could secure it, it would significantly boost our overall strength, so I thought it was worth investigating.

"Our first destination will be 'Mule'."

When I announced that we were heading to the small town of Mule, everyone looked puzzled. It was understandable since most players typically operated in large or regular cities, not small ones like Mule. An Hyun, curious about the reason, asked me with a questioning look.

"Hyung, isn't Mule the city located at the far northern edge? I also heard it's the most recently developed city and that the area is quite dangerous. Because of that, vagrants frequently appear, and they say it's risky unless you're strong enough."

An Hyun's statement wasn't wrong. From a general perspective, that was an accurate description. While I wanted to train him to assess the broader flow of Hall Plain, that kind of judgment required experience and time. Still, I appreciated that he was thinking critically, so I reached out and patted his head. Hyun looked up at me with a blank face but didn't resist the gesture.

To explain the decision for going to Mule, I first needed to clarify the current movements of the 'Golden Lion Clan'. It didn't take long to explain to An Hyun and Yun-Jung, as they had already picked up on the general information and rumors. Turning my head, I noticed Sol quietly observing Hyun and me. She was watching my hand on Hyun's head with a strange expression, so I quickly pulled my hand away.

In order to advance beyond the 'Iron Mountains' and into 'Atlanta', the Northern Continent had several issues that needed resolving. These issues could be summed up under one word: 'stabilization'. Had the surrounding monsters been fully dealt with? Were there any dangerous areas within the territory? Were there any unexplored or uncharted regions? And, most importantly, could they prevent interference from vagrants?

In Hall Plain, stabilization had a crucial significance. If a clan could fully stabilize its territory, even if an expedition failed, they could regroup and recover their strength. It meant that only after solidifying their foundation could they realistically consider advancing into the Central Continent. The problem was that players' opinions on what constituted stabilization varied widely.

The fall of a clan that was once considered the strongest on the continent was a perfect example of this. The 'Golden Lion Clan' had made a rash decision. Cities like Mule, which had only recently been established, were still far from stabilized. The Northern Continent itself couldn't even be considered secure, yet the clan was preparing for an expedition as if they were being rushed by something.

Recalling my experiences from the first time, I clicked my tongue at the thought that one of their failures had been the poor implementation of stabilization policies. The most notable policy they enacted was a large-scale battle in the western city of 'Halo'. The Golden Lion Clan, alongside 'SSUN Clan' (the representative clan of Halo), engaged in a major battle with vagrants and emerged victorious.

But they had been too complacent. vagrants are scattered players, wandering from place to place, and they're called vagrants precisely because of that nomadic nature. Like cockroaches, they possess a tenacity that can't be wiped out by a single victory. Despite this, the Golden Lion Clan prematurely celebrated their success and marched straight into the Iron Mountains. That complacency led to disastrous consequences.

Recalling the timeline, the first expedition to the Iron Mountains would likely occur about six months after my entry into the 'Hall Plane'. Given that 13 weeks had already passed since we entered the Player Academy, that meant there were roughly three months left before the expedition. Even factoring in the time it would take for the expedition to return and the period where various clans would assess the situation, we had around 100 days to prepare. During that time, I needed to establish myself as much as possible and grow stronger.

In that regard, the small northern towns of 'Mule' and 'Montana' fit perfectly into my plans. Currently, there were signs that efforts to clean up vagrants were beginning as part of the preparation for the expedition. Players with sharp instincts would likely sense that the Northern Continent was slowly beginning to stir with the winds of war.

I suspected that the vagrants would also retreat further into the shadows, moving in secret to avoid being picked off one by one. They would likely begin to gather, waiting for their moment to rise, much like when they had caused trouble in the Western Continent. If my predictions were correct, the upcoming storm would likely hit the 'west' and 'south'. As the focus of power shifted in those directions, the east and north would be relatively safer from their threats.

"We have nothing left to gain around the more well-known cities. While they haven't been fully explored, most of them have been developed to a significant extent. Because of that, there are more players there, and competition is fierce. With established clans already holding territories, it would be difficult for us to operate freely."

"But as I mentioned before, and as you said, there's a possibility that a large-scale expedition will happen soon, right?" An Hyun chimed in, still holding onto that idea.

I immediately shook my head. We didn't have the qualifications to join any expedition at this point. It would be better to avoid getting involved in a major battle and getting crushed like a shrimp caught in a whale fight. Even if we had to start from the bottom, it would be more beneficial to proceed steadily, one step at a time.

"Who can guarantee that the expedition will succeed? Just look at the city we're in now, 'Babara'. It took four years of preparation and countless sacrifices to establish this place. And yet, they want to push forward and cross the Iron Mountains? That's bound to be an even more difficult challenge than Babara was."

"Hmm... I guess you're right. It does make sense when you put it that way." An Hyun muttered, starting to see the logic in my words.

"Oppa, does that mean there's still a lot to gain from 'Mule'?" Yun-Jung asked, still showing some reluctance.

Even though I explained my reasoning, it was clear they still had their doubts. I understood where they were coming from—having just left the player Academy with high ranks, they were brimming with confidence. However, I couldn't allow them to rush in blindly. I spoke more firmly to make my point.

"Don't worry about the vagrants. Right now, most players and even the vagrants are focusing their attention on the upcoming expedition. And from what I've heard, a lot of players have already started leaving 'Mule', so the development there has been pretty stagnant. That means there's plenty of opportunity for us to take advantage of."

Of course, I couldn't reveal everything to them, so my words were mixed with some "guesses." While I had the advantage of knowing what the future held, I still wasn't sure if they would fully accept my explanations. I looked at each of them seriously, watching to see how they would respond.

An Hyun was deep in thought, mulling over my words with a serious expression. Yun-Jung also had a contemplative look on her face. However, 'An Sol', who had been silent for a while, was… what was going on? Why was she pouting at me? Did she have some kind of complaint? I shifted my gaze away from her, trying to ignore the uncomfortable feeling. Just then, Yun-Jung lifted her head and spoke in a tone that was unusually serious for her.

"Oppa."

"Yeah?"

"I have a question. Can I… ask it?"

"Of course. Go ahead."

I thought I had provided enough detailed explanations so that they wouldn't have any lingering questions, but it seemed there was still something lacking. Regardless, I appreciated their curiosity and willingness to express their thoughts, much more than simply following my lead, so I nodded in agreement.

With my permission, Yun-Jung scooted closer to me and gently took my hand. Instead of asking her question, she just sat there, holding my hand, which was rather strange. I watched her as she brought my hand closer to her face. Soon, her lips parted, revealing her white and neat teeth. And then…

"Nom."

Yun-Jung playfully bit my hand with a teasing glint in her eyes.

"…"

"…"

"…"

The expressions on An Hyun, An Sol, and my own faces froze in an instant.

"'Muwoborama' (You said to ask). So I asked," She said, all smiles, her teeth still on my hand.

I looked down at her, utterly dumbfounded by her antics. After a moment, she burst into laughter and gently released my hand. An Hyun wore an expression of disbelief, while An Sol seemed embarrassed and glanced around, as if to escape the situation.

Though I maintained a calm demeanor, I felt slightly annoyed. We were in the middle of discussing important matters regarding our journey ahead, and here she was acting like this; it made me wonder if she had lost her mind. If it had been anyone else, perhaps someone like Lee Ji Young, I would have frowned immediately. But this was Yun-Jung.

Having observed her for a while, I knew that she had a tendency to be extremely averse to people she disliked, with 'Park Dong Gul' being a prime example. Because of that, I understood that she could be playful or cute with someone she liked, which allowed me to suppress the irritation rising in my throat. However, I felt the need to teach her about appropriate times and places for such behavior. Just as I was about to speak, An Hyun beat me to it, addressing Yun-Jung in a somewhat reproachful tone.

"Hey, what do you expect me to do when you act like that while I'm trying to talk about something important?"

"I'm sorry! I really am. Ah, oppa, I'm so sorry! But your face was just so serious that I couldn't help myself."

"Well, of course, I'm serious. We're talking about life-and-death matters here."

An Hyun responded with a sulky expression, and Yun-Jung rolled her eyes playfully as she continued, "You know, at the training center, whenever we asked you something, you'd just keep repeating that you were deep in thought. I didn't expect you to be thinking about stuff like this. Honestly, I couldn't even bring myself to think about it. But since I decided to follow you anyway, I'm all for it!"

An Hyun seemed to agree with her, mumbling in acknowledgement and nodding his head. He muttered something about how it was hard to believe she had thought about anything seriously, but before he could finish, Yun-Jung kicked him lightly in the shin. An Hyun shot her a glare, but she simply glared back, then redirected her attention to me.

"Oppa, hearing you talk, I think going to Mule is the best idea. How do you plan on getting there, though? Being at the northernmost point, walking there seems like it would take forever."

I felt relieved at her question. At least Yun Jung was asking a normal question, and the slightly awkward atmosphere had returned to a more serious tone. I sighed inwardly and responded in a calm voice.

"We should try to get there as quickly as possible. There are bound to be other players with similar thoughts. It's best if we have as few competitors as possible. Some players with lower skill levels might decide to abandon the expedition or battles and head to uncharted areas instead. So let's use the Warp Gate."

Every city has a Warp Gate. The fees depend on the distance, with shorter distances costing less. Since Mule is at the northernmost point, I estimated it would typically cost around 2 gold per person (1 gold = 100 silver = 10,000 bronze).

At my words, An Hyun spoke with a burdened expression.

An-hyun spoke with a burdened expression at my words.

"I heard that the warp gate fees are expensive…."

I was about to reflexively say, "But we just got our weekly pay," but I paused to gather my thoughts before continuing.

"I heard that the pioneer cities reduce warp gate fees as part of a policy to encourage players to visit. Given the circumstances, I've heard that this will soon end, but they are probably still offering it for now. Has everyone saved up some weekly pay?"

At my words, the three of them simultaneously looked at each other's faces. Could it be that they spent it all? No, there shouldn't be any need for that. While I, with my 1,000 gold, was worried about something trivial, the others started laughing together. For a moment, I thought they had collectively lost their minds, but soon I noticed Yun-Jung extending her hand toward me. In her hand, she held a bundle of coins.

As I accepted the coins in a daze, Yun-Jung said in an energetic voice, "The money that Hyun, Sol, and I have saved up from our weekly pay. It should be about 7 gold and 80 silver."

"...Why do I have to manage this? It's your money."

"Not yours, ours."

Yun-Jung immediately corrected me. An-hyun, who was standing next to her, also looked a bit awkward and added to her words.

"I think it would be better for you to manage it than for us to keep it individually."

"And I tend to make impulsive purchases."

As Yun-Jung interjected playfully, sticking out her tongue, I found myself staring blankly at the group. The moment I met their gazes, a fresh feeling I had never experienced before welled up inside me. It felt like an unfamiliar emotion was swirling within me. I forcibly tried to suppress that feeling, then tossed the coins into the air and caught them again. It was a meaningless action.

But. The weight of the gold coins in my hand felt heavier than usual.

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