Global Awakening: Only I Can Respawn

I'll think about our water problem later. First, I should deal with them.

He glanced around at the group of over a hundred people. Most were non-combatants, but even those with suitable classes had grown entitled after being spoon-fed.

As for those with other classes, their attendance meant little. While useful in different fields, they were incapable of hunting or fighting effectively. The gist of it was that they had more mouths to feed than they had hands to work.

YuWon sighed, massaging his temples. The situation had turned into a headache, and the more he thought about it, the worse it got.

At first, he thought about leaving the base and going the nomad route. But the base was a safe place, and he didn't have any intention of leaving the place just yet. That left him with one option.

Should I kick them all out?

He had already told them there would be no freeloaders. If they wanted food, they would have to work. But that alone won't be enough. With their supplies gone, they would need to hunt... a lot.

Even if people contributed to the base and hunt, there wouldn't be enough food for everyone. The obvious choice was eliminating people based on their usefulness. But that would lead to another problem.

Once I kick them out, they might go around, find other groups, and tell them about the base.

With everyone losing their food source, it was a matter of time before people began raiding each other's bases. In such situations, it was best to silence the troublemakers.

Killing them here would be troublesome. But… anything can happen outside these walls.

YuWon smiled, noticing the light at the end of the tunnel. With that thought, he returned to the crowd, waiting for them anxiously.

"Alright, listen up!" YuWon began. "As you know, we have run out of food. Thankfully, we have a way out of this mess."

Everyone sighed in relief at hearing it. But they wouldn't like what YuWon said next.

"From now on, we'd have to hunt evolved beasts to survive," he said. "No more freeloading. If you want food, then you have to work for it."

People stared at each other. With one glance, YuWon knew they weren't in the favor of working.

Not only that, they had lived a comfortable life so far. Because of that, stepping out of the base seemed like an absurd thought to them. It was then a man stepped up to YuWon, staring into his eyes.

"Are you saying we have to leave the safety of the base? We don't even know what's out there! It's suicide for weak people like us!"

Encouraged by the man, a few more people stepped up, protesting against YuWon.

"I'll never step outside! It's the duty of the strong to protect the weak!"

"Yeah! That's right! Why should we have to risk our lives?"

Soon everyone was yelling as if their words would have any effect on YuWon.

Do they think their tantrums work in this world? How cute.

YuWon sighed before smiling. It had been two weeks and these fools still thought they were living in the old world where the voices of the weak mattered.

YuWon wasn't their leader because he got elected to be one. He was their leader because he chose to be one. But he could easily turn into a tyrant if he wanted.

"It looks like I gave you people the wrong impression," YuWon mumbled, and everyone went quiet.

Gina, Lysandra, Yeji, and Yuna were the only ones aware of his true nature. It was time YuWon reintroduced himself to the rest.

He stepped toward the guy, who started the rebellion and swung his sword. The blade stopped mere inches from the man's neck. Feeling the cold metal next to his neck, the man collapsed to the ground in fear.

The crowd gasped and stepped backward. They had always seen YuWon as a righteous person who protected those who couldn't protect themselves.

They thought his kindness was why he saved them during the first trial. Little did they know, YuWon viewed them as nothing more than worker ants.

YuWon believed if he threw enough scraps at them, they would happily work for him. Only now he realized his mistake.

In a forsaken world, strength was the only thing that mattered. If one had enough strength, they wouldn't need to ask for anyone's help. The others would rush to please them.

YuWon looked down at the man, his blade inching closer to the guy's face.

"It is the duty of the strong to protect the weak?" he scoffed. "A world like that never existed. It always has been a world where the weak have to please the strong, or they'll be left behind."

The man gulped down his saliva as YuWon leaned in closer and smirked.

"If you can't even do something as simple as hunting for food, then what use is there in keeping you alive?"

The people there might have heard such words in movies, but hearing them now had a profound effect on them. All the voices of protests were strangled to death in an instant.

"I-I'll go!" he stammered. "I'll hunt for food, water... anything you say! Please, don't hurt me!"

YuWon smiled and put the sword back.

"Good, boy," he said, patting the man's head. "I expect you to perform exceptionally well."

Then YuWon's eyes turned to the crowd. They immediately nodded, agreeing with his terms, and formed groups preparing for the hunt.

"Divide yourselves into two groups," YuWon announced. "Half of you will stay here to guard the base. The other half will go out and hunt. When the first group comes back, the second group will go. Is that clear?"

Everyone nodded in agreement, but none dared to speak a word. YuWon couldn't help but shake his head. If only he had used fear to control them earlier, he wouldn't have had to deal with their stubbornness this whole time.

Oh well, it's never too late to learn a lesson.