There was a bombardment of messages. Other than the time when the gods sent messages to him, this his second time seeing all kinds of words pop up. Yet he didn’t need to decide what to read. It was all organized. Most of them were grayed out as if they were locked for now.
The only one available was the following:
<<Changing rules>>
<<Changing structure>>
And a few others were shining. Dohyuk then chose the top one.
<<Changing rules>>
Any beast-like is forbidden
No other gods are allowed
-Faith is consumed to add, delete, or edit
-Amount of required faith varies depending on the complication of the rule
Dohyuk read carefully and asked for help.
“Heeyun.”
“Y-yeah?!”
She opened her eyes again and meekly answered.
“If I can make a rule, like the one that kicks out the ‘crazy’ people, what would be the most important one for now?”
“…Uh”
She was taken aback by the sudden question, but she carefully considered it.
“Not allowing fights or killing each other would be the best… but…”
She then continued, “I think we need a rule that addresses ‘hygiene’.”
“Hygiene?”
“Yeah.”
Dohyuk didn’t even think of that.
“I don’t think people will fight against each other for a while. You strongly emphasized that.”
Dohyuk’s direct order would last for a while. Then the next important things were the ones that were lower in priority.
“Even if we have a building, it’s not like we have water or anything. If people are not careful in taking care of their business, or throwing trash, or even cooking… It will soon turn into a mess.”
And that would lead to a low-quality lifestyle.
“I see.”
Dohyuk agreed and quickly formed a paragraph.
“All people must clean up their own waste…”
Dohyuk then pondered for a second, and added, “If this is not followed within 12 hours, he or she will be kicked out to the city’s north gate.”
<<Requires 240,000 faith to issue the rule>>
<<Saying the word ‘Apply’ will apply the new rule>>
“…!”
It was a success. After trying a few more times, Dohyuk was able to learn the system more in depth. As the rule became more complicated, or if the punishment was greater, the required faith grew in number.
Then Dohyuk tried the next one.
“If one kills another… they will be punished by dying with a heart attack with no exception.”
The result popped up.
<<Requires ………………>>
“How much is this?”
An endless string of numbers appeared. Dohyuk was dumbfounded. He then opened his mouth again to try a slightly edited version.
“If one kills another… they will be punished to die from a heart attack. But it only applies to those with all stats under ’30’.”
“W…what? Dohyuk?”
That rule was disgusting enough that even Heeyun had to call out to him. Yet the difference was outstanding.
<<Requires 4,320,000 faith to apply the rule>>
It was still a lot, but the difference was large.
“…because they are easy to kill.”
That seemed to be the reason. So, a rule that would kill ‘anyone’ would require an amount of faith that was not possible for most gods, at least not with the likes of Aruga. Besides, they didn’t need to use that much of faith to allow one city to have such a rule. However, it was a different story for Dohyuk.
‘If I gain more faith…’
Aruga told him that Dohyuk could overtake the other gods’ regions. But he didn’t need to expand right now. This city and the environment surrounding it would be enough for a while.
‘I can make it.’
He believed he could make a better world, even if it was small. If he paid the price, he would have the power to do so.
“…Whoa. I see,” Heeyun commented as she listened to Dohyuk’s explanation.
“So am I a remote control now? You can touch me here and there to control the city?”
“Yeah.” Dohyuk then quickly added, “If you don’t like it, I can change…”
“Nope. No need.”
Heeyun shook her head, but Dohyuk didn’t stop.
“Maybe not now, but you might be at a disadvantage later on.”
Symbol was a core that decided the ownership of the city. If someone knew that Heeyun was the symbol, she would be targeted. She would be safe within the city, but knowing that would still be stressful.
“But isn’t it a good thing?”
“What?’
“Think of it this way. Even if we are weak and we need to rely on someone else to live, we still have to work if we’re alive.”
Even those people in the city had to put in the labor so that they can work for themselves and the city.
“Everyone needs a job. With that said, my job is perfect.”
“…”
“I have to stay in the city and just watch over the people… it’s easy! Why would I reject this?”
She spoke with such a bright smile that Dohyuk couldn’t say anything.
“The only thing that’s inconvenient is that I need to come whenever you want me to, but that’s not a problem.”
“…I see.”
“Right?”
Dohyuk smiled.
“Anyway, I’m okay. So… you should feel free to order me around, or other people if you want. It’s you who does most work anyway.”
“It’s because of my personality.”
“I know. You were like this before too,” Heeyun said. She was always curious, even in the previous life, as to how Dohyuk could be so focused on his work. His hostility showed when he killed an enemy, and his hospitality toward people within his territory made it seem like he was two different men.
“But you’re better now.”
“…I’m better now?”
“It was…”
Heeyun tried to say something, but she stopped and chose a different answer.
“You were really a pushover.”
The sun rose up, and Dohyuk woke up. He was up late yesterday as he ‘touched’ Heeyun to check on the access he had over the city. It was a valuable experience as he was able to learn about the few options that he did not even think of. He then picked up his readied backpack. It had a bit of food to last him for a while. He was going to head west. From his region to the west, there was a coastal area that was covered with a mountain of rocks. That was his destination.
Mayhab, the God of Steel. His region had mines that contained unique iron ores.
As Dohyuk walked out of his city and began walking toward the grasslands, he reached into his pocket.
“…I know that it was you who stopped her from eating away all of my faith.”
He spoke to the bottle.
“Let’s finish it now.”
He then looked at the glass bottle in his hand, or the Godly Item that Ka’Kudenol had given to him. But he wasn’t looking at it with a friendly look in his eyes. The only reason why he did not throw this bottle away was because he knew this item would not leave him even if he wanted it to.
“I know enough now.”
At least to Dohyuk, they weren’t real gods. They were just a bit stronger, but they weren’t that different from those crazy humans.
“So, if you have any other reason… cut to the chase and tell me what you…”
[SADDDDDDD]
Word began to pop up so Dohyuk stopped speaking and looked at it. Maybe, like with Aruga, he might be able to find a chance to have the upper hand.
[You were a babyyyyy buuuut now sooooo grownnn and talkkkk coooooold….]
“…Hey,” Dohyuk frowned.
[Maaaann aaaaaare allll saaaaaaaameee…]
“Cut the bullshit,” Dohyuk growled angrily. “Stop with your gibberish and attitude. I know your true nature is far away from all that stupid talk.”
[Ouuuurrrr naturrrreeee?]
“Yeah. Your…”
[Natttttuuuuuure?
Dohyuk did not hesitate. He decided to throw it away, but this time, the bottle was stuck on his palm.
[Are you angryyyyyyy?]
“…!!”
[But thennn…. It was a veryyyy cuuuuute questionnnn.]
“What?”
[Let’ss sayyy for exammmpppple… Ifff little babyyys asksss youuu hooow babiesss are madeeee… how areee youuu going to answerrrr?]
The words popped everywhere, adding onto the already hard to read words.
[Thatttsss… I donnt waaaant to hearrr that questionnn from themmm. I jussst like seeeeing youuu wigglinnng arounddddd.]
“I’m not here to be your target of voyeur.”
[Buuuutt ittts sooo funnnn- Howww doesss it feeeeeeel?]
“It feels like crap, thanks to you-”
[Tooo borrrrow poweeer from the one youuu so hatehate sooo much too wiggggle?]
That…
“…”
[Whatttts goinnnng onnnn? Hmmmmmm?]
That was enough to make Dohyuk grimace for the first time.
“….I.”
Maybe, he had known this all along.
Dohyuk hated this world, the gods, and the corrupted people. But then-
[Huuuuuurrrts? Is ittttt hurtttttt?]
Maybe Dohyuk was perfectly fine with living in this world.
To grow in strength, kill, and take it all. Dohyuk, after all, was fighting against the world with what was already there.
“…don’t… care…”
Dohyuk answered slowly, word by word. It only made him grimace. That was all. Dohyuk wasn’t the type to stop doing what he was doing because of his concerns. However…
[I knoooowww.]
The goddess laughed.
[I juuustttt loooove seeeeeing youuu havinnnng hard timessss. Shooow meee mooore and moooore.]
“…”
[Youuuu are reallyreally speci….]
Yet Dohyuk couldn’t see the next word as he had pulled the glass bottle out, along with his skin.
