# Chapter 473: Side Story 146
The first future civilization Ju-hyeok had ever encountered was Original Earth.
The world ruled by an artificially created AI God, the source of the Black Tower.
True to future civilization characteristics, Original Earth’s military and police were all androids or drones.
Was it because they valued human life?
No.
It was because AI was far more efficient and powerful than humans.
Androids and drones did not have emotions like humans.
Whether the situation was unfavorable or favorable, once a command was inputted, they carried it out to the end.
They did not know fear.
Until they could no longer move.
Solely for the annihilation of the target.
Even if their arms and legs were torn off, they would still charge in.
This was why there was no need to deploy humans in the military.
Androids were a hundred, a thousand times better.
It was the same now.
Even when two large robots, far bigger and faster than themselves, appeared, the androids absolutely did not retreat.
For that reason, Gwangma’s and Kozak’s first live combat deployment of the Shipgants went very smoothly.
Woooong!
Elder Gwangma’s Blood Jade Shipgant, glowing bright red from Force Qi.
The refined forms of Blood Jade Palm Technique executed without a single wasted movement.
-Slice! Crack! Crunch!
The giant palm swept across the battlefield.
Burst, crushed, torn apart.
Kozak’s Shipgant too.
First of all, the color was different.
It was painted in flashy, multicolored patterns.
On its back, the Korean letters “Sabonggaeng” were written in large print.
On its chest was a V symbolizing victory.
A V, huh…
What, is this a Taekwon robot?
It looked like that, but Kozak was still Kozak.
-Spot! Spot! Spot!
Blink once and he was there, blink again and he appeared here.
Twin short swords designed for Shipgants flashed across the battlefield.
Each time they did, the heads of combat androids floated up into the air.
Ju-hyeok watched the two Shipgants’ combat with a satisfied expression.
Clap clap clap clap clap clap!
Even applauding.
“Nice work!”
He had actually already known.
What the summoned beings had been worrying about lately.
The Summoner was improving day by day, while the summoned beings were at a standstill.
The fear that they would be summoned less and less because of that, eventually being pushed into the background.
Of course, Ju-hyeok had no such intention, not even a speck of it.
Why would he abandon his summoned beings?
But he had to address their worries.
That was why he had used up all his enhancement stones to make the Shipgants.
‘I should have done this sooner.’
Seeing how happy they were.
‘By the way, what should I do for the other summoned beings?’
It was a dilemma.
Even ordinary small and medium-sized companies gave long-time employees solid benefits like performance bonuses, stock options, or golden key gifts.
But right at that moment!
-Tingle!
‘…Hm?’
A signal felt at the crown of his head.
Ju-hyeok tilted his head.
There was something nearby.
‘What is it?’
-Spot! Spot!
Ju-hyeok left the battlefield, following the sensation.
The two Shipgants were still in combat.
‘Where around here is it…’
But all he could see was a worn-out streetlamp.
A building that had been abandoned mid-demolition.
‘Is this it?’
Something caught his eye.
It was a small CCTV camera attached next to the broken streetlamp.
Blink blink.
It even had a light on.
This was a secluded area within the city with few people around, a place where power was not supplied.
The outskirts of the city were all like this.
It was a world with insufficient power production, after all.
Yet the camera had power?
Anyway, the energy was being felt from inside it.
It was becoming clearer and clearer.
‘Could it be… Ah!’
Now he understood what it was.
‘It’s a spirit, right?’
Ju-hyeok had spirit power far superior to elves.
A gift from Sillaiel, the Spirit King of Wind, in the Skaldion dimension.
An ability that helped him easily identify spirits and form contracts with them.
‘You were alive?’
According to Nerian, all the spirits of Sapung Earth had been wiped out due to magical environmental pollution.
But there was a spirit like this?
A spirit existing inside a small camera.
He could not even tell what its attribute was.
Not wind, not water, not earth, not fire.
‘Then is it light?’
Seeing it blink, light attribute seemed closest.
He would know if he asked.
‘Hello? Who are you?’
Blink! Blink!
‘Would you like to come out for a bit?’
Blink! Blink!
‘It’s okay, don’t be scared.’
In that instant!
-Flutter!
A small ball of light, like a firefly, emerged from inside the camera.
-Crackle crackle!
Something like an electric current was flowing around the ball.
‘Haha, there you are.’
It seemed to feel a sense of closeness.
The firefly ball kept sparkling as it circled around Ju-hyeok.
‘Yeah, yeah.’
But he still was not sure what its attribute was.
The certain way to find out was to form a contract with the spirit.
Should he try?
Would it accept?
‘…Do you want to form a contract with me?’
-Stop!
The spirit stopped in front of Ju-hyeok’s eyes.
Then.
Blink! Blink! Blink! Blink!
It flickered rapidly.
-Ding!
[The spirit of light, electricity, and data has accepted the contract with the Summoner.]
Really?
[The spirit of light, electricity, and data has been registered to the System Catalog.]
‘Wow!’
Light, electricity, and data.
It was a spirit with three attributes.
Among them, data.
Spirits could even have an attribute like this?
But it seemed unable to speak.
Though feelings could be shared.
The Sapung Earth spirit was extremely happy.
Because someone had found it and even made a contract with it.
But then?
-Flutter!
-Swoosh!
The spirit entered Ju-hyeok’s pants pocket.
‘Whoa!’
Why are you going in there?
Right at that moment!
-Bzzzz!
A vibration sound from the smartphone in his pocket.
“Hm?”
Why is this ringing?
Ju-hyeok pulled out his holographic smartphone.
Then.
-Tspit!
A holographic image rose from the smartphone.
Inside it, a ball of light was visible.
<...Hello.>
Huh?
‘Are you the spirit?’
Hahaha.
So it had light, electricity, and even a data attribute.
It could do things like this too.
‘How did you survive? Weren’t you lonely?’
The spirit began telling its story.
At first, it had been a spirit of light.
And the last surviving spirit.
All the other spirits had met extinction due to magical pollution.
The reason it had survived?
It did not really know either.
It could only say it had been lucky.
Surviving was not the end of it.
The spirit of light had changed its attributes to match the altered environment.
Evolution for survival.
A kind of mutation, one might say.
But there was also a problem.
Because of the change in attributes, no one could recognize its existence.
Not even elves.
In a way, it made sense.
Was it not an entirely new type of spirit?
And so it had lived alone on Sapung Earth all this time.
Since its attributes were light, electricity, and data, it had survived by hiding inside electronic devices.
How lonely must it have been?
Its fellow spirits had disappeared, and there was no one to form a contract with.
‘Aw, don’t mention it.’
By the way, what was its name?
Spirits had names too.
‘Hmm, I’m not really good at naming things, so I’ll give you one when I think of something.’
<...Okay. And I have a request.>
‘Oh, say anything.’
‘In the smartphone?’
‘Is that comfortable for you?’
It was probably because of the spirit’s attributes.
‘Alright. Stay as long as you want.’
But then.
-Ding!
Another notification sound.
-Master.
This time it was AI Wiz.
-An unidentified data program has currently infiltrated Master’s smartphone. Suspected hacking. Please turn off your smartphone immediately and…
Oh, our smart Wiz.
However.
‘It’s fine. I know about it.’
-Is that so?
‘Yeah. It’s not hacking and it’s not illegal.’
-Understood. No danger detected. Registering as Master-authenticated program.
Wait!
Something occurred to Ju-hyeok.
This spirit seemed like it would get along well with AI Wiz.
Especially considering its attributes.
‘Spirit.’
‘I said I’d give you a name earlier, right? Should I give you one now?’
‘Alright. From now on, I’ll call you Winnie.’
‘That’s right, Winnie.’
-Ding!
[The System Catalog name for the spirit of light, electricity, and data has been changed to Winnie.]
A spirit and an AI.
They seemed like they would get along well.
‘Winnie and Wiz, you two get along from now on.’
-Yes.
Don’t fight.
Be good to each other.
-Spot!
Ju-hyeok returned to the battlefield.
The battle was already over.
Gwangma and Kozak had also stored their Shipgants in their Spatial Transfer Bracelets and were standing without them.
“You’re already done?”
“We took care of everything. Later, drones even flew in trying to bomb us.”
Oh dear!
“But don’t worry. The Assassination Shipgant took care of them.”
I’m not worried.
There are two Shipgants after all.
“Oh! Where were you? You suddenly disappeared, so we were worried.”
“Ah, about that.”
Ju-hyeok explained how he had coincidentally met the spirit Winnie.
“Ho! As expected of the Summoner. Talent never stops coming to you.”
“That’s right. Aren’t you the Boss who even has a One-Tenth Demon God clinging to you?”
Is that so?
Anyway, with the Shipgant test run complete.
“Since we’re already out, let’s go raid the department store. Ralf-ssi has been looking forward to it too.”
“Yessir!”
Wanghong Department Store was not far from the bank they had robbed before.
They arrived quickly.
But then.
“Huh? The department store is closed. What should we do?”
Large letters posted on the department store’s glass window.
Closed Today.
What should we do?
Are we here to shop?
We’re here to rob the place.
-Ziiiing!
Opening a dimensional gate leading to the White Sect.
“Kozak-ssi.”
“Yes?”
“Go through the dimensional gate into the White Tower and tell everyone who wants to rob the department store to come out.”
“Yessir!”
“Oh! Tell the One-Tenth Demon God to come out too if he’s interested.”
“Got it.”
The department store heist begins.
Where should we hit next?
Well, do we even need to think about it?
The city is vast, and there’s plenty to steal.
* * *
Jarad was the general manager of Wanghong Department Store.
He was currently on edge.
Because rumors were spreading that the dimensional criminal who had brazenly robbed a bank was going to hit the department store next.
‘Why the department store of all places?’
Please don’t come.
If they had to come, he hoped it would be tomorrow or the day after.
Because they were currently moving merchandise out of the department store.
They could not just sit there dumbly and get robbed.
They could not stop those people.
He had just received word earlier.
He had an acquaintance at Geumhwa Security.
They said the dimensional traveler had appeared again.
When he asked if they could stop him, the answer was negative.
The android and drone forces were on the verge of being annihilated.
The CEO had been dragged off somewhere, and the Deputy CEO had already fled.
His acquaintance said he was going to give up too and run.
So he had locked the department store doors.
He had the staff pack the department store merchandise into boxes.
Starting with the expensive valuables.
Just then!
-Clang!
An expensive wristwatch fell to the floor.
“Hey, you crazy bastard! Do you know how much this costs?”
“S-sorry.”
“You could sell all the artificial organs you have installed and still not afford this!”
“…I-I’ll be more careful.”
The frantic packing work continued.
“When is the autonomous cyber trailer truck arriving?”
“I’ve already requested it. It should be here soon.”
Once the trailer arrived, they just needed to load it up and send it to the warehouse.
But at that moment!
-Crash!
“Gasp!”
The department store front entrance shattered to pieces.
Thugs poured in all at once.
“Everyone, hands off the merchandise. Otherwise, we robbers will shake and shoot.”
God damn it!
* * *
Jarad was the general manager of Wanghong Department Store.
He was currently on edge.
Because rumors were spreading that the dimensional criminal who had brazenly robbed a bank was going to hit the department store next.
‘Why the department store of all places?’
Please don’t come.
If they had to come, he hoped it would be tomorrow or the day after.
Because they were currently moving merchandise out of the department store.
They could not just sit there dumbly and get robbed.
They could not stop those people.
He had just received word earlier.
He had an acquaintance at Geumhwa Security.
They said the dimensional traveler had appeared again.
When he asked if they could stop him, the answer was negative.
The android and drone forces were on the verge of being annihilated.
The CEO had been dragged off somewhere, and the Deputy CEO had already fled.
His acquaintance said he was going to give up too and run.
So he had locked the department store doors.
He had the staff pack the department store merchandise into boxes.
Starting with the expensive valuables.
Just then!
-Clang!
An expensive wristwatch fell to the floor.
“Hey, you crazy bastard! Do you know how much this costs?”
“S-sorry.”
“You could sell all the artificial organs you have installed and still not afford this!”
“…I-I’ll be more careful.”
The frantic packing work continued.
“When is the autonomous cyber trailer truck arriving?”
“I’ve already requested it. It should be here soon.”
Once the trailer arrived, they just needed to load it up and send it to the warehouse.
But at that moment!
-Crash!
“Gasp!”
The department store front entrance shattered to pieces.
Thugs poured in all at once.
“Everyone, hands off the merchandise. Otherwise, we robbers will shake and shoot.”
God damn it!
“Didn’t you hear? Put down what you’re holding and go home, wash your feet, and go to sleep.”
Just then!
-Swoooosh!
Gobang enlarged his body with Gigantification.
“EVERYONE GET OUT!!!”
A terrifying Lion’s Roar.
The department store staff fled in terror.
Sorry about that.
But these aren’t your belongings anyway.
They’re department store merchandise that hasn’t been sold yet.
And we won’t say anything even if you run.
Even the androids couldn’t stop us.
“They even packed everything in boxes for easy transport.”
That’s right.
What nice people.
“Alright, let’s get started.”
-Clang! Spin spin spin!
The moment the words left his mouth, Ra the Bandit swept through the first floor of the department store with aerial somersaults.
-Sssssssss!
All sorts of items got sucked in.
Ral the Bandit, the reinforcement priest, also charged in with fire in his eyes.
Grabbing whatever he could get his hands on and stuffing it into the subspace bag he had prepared.
But he was slower than Ra the Bandit.
The size of his subspace could not compare either.
Gyeon the Bandit was at the luxury cosmetics counter, subtly slipping lipsticks and foundations into her sleeves.
Ah.
Lady Gyeon.
You have fallen.
But it is alright.
This is merely part of the investigation process.
And as the de facto King of Hell, I shall turn a blind eye.
So everyone is not guilty.
Kallihar, having come out to another world for the first time in a while, seemed more interested in sightseeing than stealing.
He was looking around curiously.
And thus, a Demon God who did not pillage.
“Light!!! Sweep it all up!!!”
An angel who did pillage—the epitome of contradiction.
The thieves’ guild finished the first floor and went up to the second.
After the second floor, up to the third, fourth, fifth.
Ral the Bandit’s subspace was already full, so whenever he found something he liked, he took out existing items and put in new ones.
Meanwhile, Ra the Bandit with her vast subspace was vacuuming up everything in sight.
Before long, the sixth floor.
It seemed to be the electronics department.
Similar to Original Earth, but far more advanced devices of all kinds were displayed nicely.
There were no cords to plug in.
All the products ran on artificial mana stone charging.
Thank you.
I’ll make good use of these.
But at that moment.
-Spit! Spit! Spit! Spit! Spit…
‘Hm? What’s this?’
The holographic devices and large monitors on display turned on automatically.
The ones that were already on switched to different screens.
They all showed the same thing.
One person was visible.
He looked roughly middle-aged, but with a strong impression and sharp eyes.
“Who is that?”
“I know him. That’s Wang Hong.”
Aha.
Wang Hong, Chairman of Wanghong Group.
Owner of the department store.
But why did he show up?
Was this a recording?
Or live?
-You.
It was live.
He was probably watching through CCTV cameras installed in the department store.
-Just what are you thinking, committing such shameless acts?
Shameless acts?
“I was treated like a criminal, so I’m acting like a criminal… Is there a problem?”
“That’s right. Who’s the one who attacked the moment we crossed dimensions?”
“Are all dimensional travelers criminals?”
-Then do you just leave alone those who trespass into your home without permission? It is our principle to exclude dimensional travelers for the stability of the community.
“Did you ever consider having a conversation first? Dimensional travelers don’t specifically choose which dimension to come to. They arrived by chance.”
-Hmph! Whether by chance or fate, if you’ve come to someone else’s world, you should take responsibility.
“You talk as if this whole world belongs to you.”
How annoying.
-Then whose land is it? I am the owner of this city. I even set the laws.
How arrogant too.
-I am allowed to do so.
Is that how it is?
“So am I. Because I’m the boss of a criminal gang.”
-How pathetic. Fine. Just wait. I will definitely make you kneel before me.
“You don’t have to wait.”
Then, looking at his summoned beings.
“Let’s catch that guy. Right now!”
“Yessir!”
“This young lady shall attempt to track him.”
“Captain Veronica Caliber! Commencing capture operation.”
“This old man will bring that fellow to the Boss. With his arms and legs cut off.”
-Heh heh heh! Do as you please. I doubt you’ll even be able to find me.
And then.
-Spit! Spit! Spit! Spit! Spit…
The holographic images and monitors all turned off simultaneously.
‘Hm.’
He had said all that, but how was he supposed to find him?
Would Gyeon Dal-rae’s Tracking Talisman work?
“Don’t worry. That guy just raised a cliché flag.”
A flag?
“The villain flag where you show up in front of the protagonist running your mouth and then get caught.”
Aha.
“Just watch. That guy will keep talking nonsense until the very end and then get caught.”
At that moment!
-Ding!
It was Winnie.
But why are you also calling me Boss?
Found him?
‘What?’
Huh?
How?
‘Oh!’
Wow!
Our Winnie, you’re amazing!
Good.
Wait for me, Chairman Wang Hong.
I’m coming to catch you right now.
