Chapter 180 - Chapter 180

Chapter 180

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Translated by Jinmu

Read more at hivetoons.org

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Prototype magic gun.

Even for Joo-hyuk it was hard to handle.

Gun performance experiments should be done by people who shoot guns well.

So he left it to Master Sergeant Be from the next floor onwards.

Since they just have to examine whether it has an effect.

With weak magic power too, matching the player level.

"Master Sergeant Veronica Caliber, I will try injecting magic power weaker than the Commander."

The performance experiments that proceeded afterwards.

82nd floor Giant Snake Apophis, Sawtooth Blade Rotation Bullet.

83rd floor Giant Spider Queen Arachroid, Wide-Area Incendiary Bullet.

All of them were successful.

However, it is still too much for ordinary players.

A bit of improvement work is needed.

There is trickiness in using it, and adapting to the vibration that occurs when injecting magic power or the recoil upon firing, etc.

Even if they say it's bullet business, they should at least be able to hit it if they try.

Anyway, all planned magic gun test firings were finished.

He was also able to verify what effect each attribute bullet showed.

'I can proceed with the rental business.'

It seems applying the exact same method as when renting out the Holy Sword would do.

Players from each country entering Korea and renting it from the Awakening Management Agency.

Receiving the magic gun and bullets there and then entering.

And returning it when the clear is finished.

'But how much should I charge per bullet?'

Honestly, he had earned enough money.

Of course, the more he earns the better but.

This magic gun rental is on the grand cause level of preventing tower collapses.

'Should I only charge the cost price?'

However, the materials going into it are not easy to get.

Thinking about the special metals and High-Grade Mana Stones collected from the Gigant first, and the labor costs of our Corner Alchemist Mari and Mackenzie, and Magical Engineer El, etc.......

'Charging cheaply is a bit much.'

Let's think about it slowly.

A lot of time is left.

Since there are still heaps of countries that haven't cleared the 80th floor.

Furthermore, after the Magic Power Sealing Scrolls are sufficiently distributed, and the Rune Necklace of Liberation crisis calms down.

'Still, one worry is relieved.'

The giant monster section that was impossible to clear.

He thought there would be no other method aside from clearing other countries' towers for them.

Since now he only has to rent out the magic gun.

Thus, today.

Tower climbing a whopping 3 times.

However, he can still enter one more time.

Joo-hyuk decided to fill all 4 times.

84th floor.

The floor where High-Grade Mana Stone veins exist.

Honestly, he wanted to see.

Where Rajix was mining High-Grade Mana Stones and natural Top-grade Mana Stones from.

So he entered the 84th floor and told Master Sergeant Be, Gyeon Dal-rae, Mackenzie, and Gwangma to keep the Colossus Condor busy.

Joo-hyuk went with Rajix, Gobang, and Cossack to the ice wall of the snowfield where the vein was hidden.

Riding Rajix on Gobang's shoulder.

Seu-pa-pa-pat!

The ice wall finally arrived at.

And the hidden mine.

'It's here.'

It's his first time coming here.

"Wow... what is all this?"

"I was very surprised at first too, sir."

"It's to the point of being blinding."

Everywhere is sparkling.

A colossal amount of Mana Stones were embedded all over the cave walls.

'There were this many?'

Presently.

Rajix taking out a matte platinum pickaxe from the subspace backpack.

It seems he's going to start mining.

Just how good is an LSSR's mining skill?

Rajix lifting the pickaxe high and swinging it behind his head.

Then.

"Ho-et!"

Seu-pit!

Kwa-jik!

He struck the pickaxe onto the flat ground, not the wall where the Mana Stones were embedded.

'...Why?'

At that moment!

Jjeo-jeo-jeo-jeo-jeok, jjeo-jeo-jeo-jeo-jeo-jeo-jeok.......

A wave of energy bursting out from the pickaxe stretched out in all directions.

Hu-du-du-du-du-du-du!

The High-Grade Mana Stones embedded in the walls fall off on their own.

Countless High-Grade Mana Stones completely covering the mine floor with a single swing of the pickaxe.

"Ho-a-at!"

Ah-ah! The great LSSR miner.

Cossack picked up an exceptionally sparkling piece of stone with his hand and showed it to Joo-hyuk.

"Summoner Bong-nim, please look at this, sir."

"Oh!"

It was a natural Top-grade Mana Stone.

"It's a huge one, sir. Just this one easily exceeds 3kg, sir."

Worth 3 permanent residency tickets for the White Tower 17th floor.

Worth 3 Sub-light Speed Missile rounds from Master Sergeant Be.

"This precious thing......."

It was then.

Shu-shu-shut! Shu-shu-shu-shu-shu-shut!

"Euing?"

What is this sound?

Turning his head towards the direction the sound was coming from.

It was Rajix.

He was sweeping up the High-Grade Mana Stones covering the floor.

How?

By simply stretching his hand forward, the High-Grade Mana Stones on the cave floor shuk-shuk flew and entered into the subspace backpack.

Shu-shu-shut! Shu-shu-shu-shu-shu-shut!

Even the Top-grade Mana Stone Cossack was holding in his hand.

"Heol, it's remote storage, sir."

That was the case.

Subspace storage is possible even from a long distance.

In the past, Rajix had to directly make contact with his hand for them to go in.

'This is crazy, this is crazy.'

Now they enter wildly even without touching them.

'This is like.......'

He finally understood.

The secret behind LSSR Rajix's cleaning skill.

He had seen him cleaning with his own eyes just a moment ago too.

He just accepted it because Rajix was inherently so good at cleaning, but.

'He was sucking dust and garbage into the subspace backpack in this manner.'

He was a vacuum cleaner.

The Dimensional Farmhand choosing only what he wants and absorbing it into the subspace backpack, rather than recklessly sucking in just anything.

After that, he just has to sort out the dust and garbage separately and take them back out.

If so, cleaning is a joke.

Joo-hyuk felt pleased.

He had felt sorry watching Rajix clean all this time, but how great is it to know he cleans comfortably like this.

* * *

In the early days of tower climbing, the situation of players was not very good.

In the tower, they were superhumans equipped with magic power who cleared monsters and climbed the tower, but in reality, they were people no different from ordinary people.

So they even became targets of crime.

How bad was it that they said there were more players dying outside the tower than players dying inside the tower?

However, as the governments of each country actively stepped forward to protect players, the situation changed.

Legal and institutional devices for players were prepared.

Among them, the government directly managed players with outstanding talents meticulously.

Guaranteeing their annual salary, preparing safe residences for them, and attaching bodyguards to them too.

It was the same for ordinary players.

Aren't they industrial workers mining the new resource, Mana Stones?

Although lacking compared to state-nurtured players, sufficient protective devices were created for them as well.

However, the Rune Necklace of Liberation is a dangerous item that can neutralize these protective devices for players.

The moment players are recognized as enemies of the community, nobody knows what kind of situation will arise.

So the governments of each country had no choice but to be fervent in securing Magic Power Sealing Scrolls.

Scrolls that began being distributed to government agencies first.

Police stations, police boxes, fire stations.......

They were supplied not only to the Republic of Korea but also to North Korea.

Especially centering around the regions bordering China.

It was still quiet other than China.

Because currently it's a matter only occurring inside China.

However, one overlooked fact.

Players belonging to each nationality do not necessarily have to be in their own country to enter the tower.

For example, even if it's a player living in the US, if their status window nationality is Chinese, they enter a Chinese Black Tower.

People also know that.

Therefore, that border closures or banning Chinese entry have little effect.

Eventually, the first incident related to the Rune Necklace of Liberation exploded in a place other than China.

It was the US.

A Chinese international student player who came to the US to get a degree on a student visa.

A fight broke out inside the university.

At first it originated from a simple verbal argument, but as always, it escalated into a racial discrimination incident.

The Chinese international student player who was possessing a Rune Necklace of Liberation.

An item he was rewarded by occasionally entering the Chinese tower while living in the US.

As the verbal argument developed into a physical fight, the international student player immediately activated the option effect of the necklace he was holding.

However, that international student had no intention of killing people.

Usually that is general.

Players are also ordinary people in a way.

Perhaps if it was monsters, but is killing people that easy?

The trait of the international student player was a magic type.

After liberating his strength using the necklace, he caused a disturbance by firing off fireballs wildly in the dormitory.

The US police were immediately dispatched.

Tearing the Magic Power Sealing Scroll to drain his strength, and then lightly subduing him with stun guns.

Running away to the tower?

It's of no use.

They just have to wait until he comes out.

The Chinese international student player who caused the accident was immediately imprisoned in a player-exclusive prison on charges of property damage and arson.

There were no human casualties.

Deaths and injuries were all zero (ç„¡).

Secretary McMillan and Director Antonio were also very satisfied.

"We almost had a huge disaster. What would it have been like if there was no scroll?"

"What do you mean how. A shootout would have probably occurred. The liberated player would have resisted to the end as well."

Right.

Human casualties would have been unavoidable.

A liberated villain firing off fireballs, the police would have just fired their guns first.

"You should know this is all because of me."

"Suddenly?"

"It's because I swiftly preempted it that the scrolls came in early, isn't it."

"Ah......."

"We were also first with the Holy Sword rental, right? The 80th-floor dream resistance kit too."

"That, I was first......."

"But I'm the one who gets the budget from the White House."

Antonio smiling pi-shik at McMillan's self-praise.

"From now on, we just have to keep an eye on Korea. If they try to do something there, raise your hand briskly first. Saying we will join in too."

"Yes, yes, we should do that."

McMillan as well, Antonio as well, know very well.

That all of this is thanks to the world's supreme player Bong Joo-hyuk.

"Give Mr. Bong a thank-you call or something."

"I tried but he doesn't answer."

"Then at least to Commissioner Jeon,"

"I already did with him."

Anyway, the incident was concluded well.

What's left is.

"By the way, what do we do about that international student?"

"As a result of the investigation, it seems racially discriminatory remarks became the problem."

"Hmm."

"He was also bullied normally just because he's Chinese."

"Fucking racists!"

"I think extenuation of circumstances is necessary."

Extenuation of circumstances.

A matter worth contemplating.

An international student player who did not inflict direct harm on people even after liberating his strength.

He merely exercised a show of force.

There is even evidence he waited for everyone to evacuate the dormitory.

So the charges are also property damage and arson.

"Shall we naturalize him to the US on this occasion?"

"...Eung? Even though he's a villain liberated player?"

"He made a mistake at first, but still he didn't use skills on people, so it seems he also has control, we just have to manage him. Returning him to China like this is telling him to die."

McMillan nodding his head.

"It will have an advertising effect too. Because we can show that we can peacefully resolve problems if it's the Magic Power Sealing Scroll."

"I will make contact."

With this, the US incident concluded as the first precedent of peacefully subduing a liberated villain player.

The White House also promoted it extensively.

And they released the arrest process captured intact on CCTV to the entire world.

It was the moment the actual effect of the Magic Power Sealing Scroll was clearly confirmed with both eyes.

China had no choice but to be devastated.

To subdue them easily like that?

* * *

The magic gun performance experiments were finished too.

Now the Magic Power Sealing Scroll entering earnest mass-production work.

Even without having to deliberately interfere, the printing factory ran naturally well.

The only work the summoned entities did was supplying special paper for scrolls and magic ink.

Even that, they could supply materials in massive quantities because Rajix had returned.

Joo-hyuk went to the Pyongyang Presidential Palace alone with Cossack.

To meet with Chairman Kim In-joong.

Planning to conduct full-fledged business in North Korea from now on.

Then he should at least meet face-to-face and say words along the lines of please take good care of us.

It's not uncomfortable to meet.

He had gotten acquainted with him in the past, and he is also one of the people who knows his identity for certain.

"You thought well, sir. A single warm word from the master makes the farmhand dance, sir."

"...Still he's the North Korean supreme leader, farmhand is a bit much."

"He spared the bastard who tried to kill him, wouldn't it be a rise in status if he's a farmhand, sir."

Joo-hyuk and his party who arrived at the Presidential Palace met with Kim In-joong.

Chairman Kim In-joong frozen stiffly.

"S, Supreme Player Comrade, w, welcome."

"It's been a while. I am always thinking thankfully for letting us build a factory in North Korea."

"Ah, no. Use it as much as you like. We will empty the Presidential Palace too if you need."

"Ayu, what do you mean the Presidential Palace, ...maybe if we unify."

"We, we will also speedily complete the unification task!"

Hmm.

Why did such a nice person cause us heartache all this time.

Firing off missiles and what-not.

Joo-hyuk sat on the sofa.

Cossack standing politely grasping his hands behind him.

"Cossack-ssi, you sit down too."

"I am thankful for the words, but I can stand, sir. He-he-he-he."

Chairman Kim In-joong was nervous.

To think that People's Armed Forces Minister who is terrifying just to look at is acting so fawningly.

'I must be careful.'

If he even makes a slip of the tongue, his head could fly off immediately.

"Ah right! It's something I felt while looking at the Pyongyang Black Tower factory site."

"Please speak."

"The labor force seemed to be lacking somehow. Because we need more people to work in the future."

"Do not worry. I will issue a general mobilization order for the Republic's people."

"No, there is no need for that. What about bringing the army soldiers from the frontline of the armistice line and starting to make them work......."

"Ah!"

"I will hire all of them. Based on South Korean workers' wages."

Why are armistice line soldiers needed?

There is no reason for a war to break out either.

"Right you are, it is a wise thought, Supreme Player Comrade! We will commence immediately."

The labor force problem was resolved.

"Because I'm constantly only owing you... please speak if there is anything you desire, I will grant it."

"None at all. Other than the wish to live a long, long life for me."

"Ha-ha-ha, it will be so."

"Is, is that really true?"

"Of course. Unless you suddenly get sick and something goes wrong."

"......."

Gulp,

Kim In-joong swallowing dry saliva.

This is a warning.

That he will be eliminated if he doesn't work properly.

What would a sudden illness mean?

Myocardial infarction or cerebral infarction etc., it would be a disease that kills you if it occurs.

A terrifying person.

The cruelty hidden behind a kind face.

And the People's Armed Forces Minister glaring at him coldly with an expressionless face behind him.

A silent intention that he would kill him immediately if he tried any foolish tricks.

"I, I will work ha, hard with the spirit of extinguishing self and serving the public."

"Ha-ha-ha. I look forward to your kind cooperation in the future as well."

Kim In-joong jumping up abruptly.

Raising both arms high upwards.

"Long live Joo-hy......."

"Wait!"

"Yes?"

"Don't do that."

What do you mean long live Joo-hyuk?

It makes me cringe just hearing it.

On the other hand, Cossack had a regretful gaze but.

It ended well.

No matter how cooperative he is, how is it easy to meet and talk to the North Korean supreme leader?

Well, still, it seems good words of blessing were exchanged.

From now on, the North Korean factory will probably run well on its own too.

"Then I will be going......."

Right at that moment!

Instantly.

Ji-i-ing.

A call coming to Joo-hyuk's smartphone.

'Who is it?'

It was his father Bong Soo-cheol.

And as a video call at that.

It's been quite a while since South Korea and North Korea were connected via communication networks.

Since the time the Korean Awakening Management Agency Pyongyang branch was created.

So North Korean players can also freely enter SNS or internet bulletin boards.

"I will answer a call for a moment."

After asking for understanding.

"Yes, Father, what is it?"

- I called just to see my son's face. ...Nothing much is wrong, right? The world is noisy these days with liberation this, whatever that.

It seems he is worried because of the incident that occurred in China.

As expected, the only people who worry about me are my family.

Ah! Excluding the summoned entities.

"It's fine. Who am I? I'm Father's son. If it seems dangerous, I don't even go near there."

- I know that, but I'm worried, where are you right now by the way?

"It's Pyongyang, North Korea."

- ...What?

"I am meeting with Chairman Kim In-joong at the Presidential Palace."

Bong Soo-cheol's absurd expression shown on the smartphone screen.

- That is nonsense.......

Joo-hyuk turned the smartphone around and illuminated Chairman Kim In-joong's face.

Then.

"Comrade Father! I am Kim In-joong. It is our first time meeting."

- Heo-eok!

Bong Soo-cheol freaked out.

And then in a trembling voice.

- Th, this is an act benefiting the enemy, v, violation of the National Security Act.

"...Yes?"

What is he saying?

What act benefiting the enemy.

Ttuk!

The disconnected call.

It seems his father was very surprised.

Well, Chairman Kim is not an ordinary person after all.