WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Hydrogen B.
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Chapter 126: 126
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The next morning.
After mixing rice into the familiar soybean paste soup my sister had made and eating it, I checked the news.
Several headlines caught my eye.
[China Declares “Large-Scale Military Exercise Successfully Completed”]
[“Not a Drill, but a Battle”... Foreign Media Raises Possibility of Massive Chinese Military Casualties]
[Republic of Korea Electricity Prices Fall, Major Boost for Industry]
[“We Survived Thanks to Blue Motes.” Hunters Imprisoned in Chinese Point Farm Return Safely]
[Consumers Demand “Extreme Lunatic Hell Hair Growth Treatment,” Chaos Ensues. When Will It Be Released?]
[Countries Around the World Compete to Secure Blue Dot, U.S. and EU Request Emergency Meeting with Korean Government]
[Blue Dot Finally Clears Floor 40 of the Tower of Trials... Qualifies to Enter Floor 41]
[Can Korea’s Hero Kim Taeseok Be Rescued?]
[Abnormalities on Floors 31 to 40 of the Tower of Trials... Tower climbers forced to return One After Another]
...
The articles went on and on.
I grinned.
“The whole world is talking about me...!”
There were articles about what I’d done in China the other day.
Articles about our country’s economy, the company I’d founded, and Points.
And lastly.
[Blue Dot Finally Clears Floor 40 of the Tower of Trials... Qualifies to Enter Floor 41]
[Can Korea’s Hero Kim Taeseok Be Rescued?]
Articles announcing my entry into the Highest Floors.
Articles hoping for Kim Taeseok’s rescue too!
All sorts of people were waiting to see what I would do.
I muttered quietly.
“Do people all want Hunter Kim Taeseok rescued soon? Well... that guy was pretty devoted to the country. Of course they’d want someone to save him.”
Hunter Kim Taeseok.
Korea’s first Hard-rank Hunter.
The man who had stayed in Korea until the end to earn Points, even while the country was completely fucked.
Then he pushed deep into Floor 41 and became stranded there.
Hunter Kim Taeseok was exactly the sort of person this Extreme Lunatic Hell Patriotic Admiral Yi Hunter should rescue personally.
So I planned to save him today.
First, I checked the strategy posts.
I found a long-unupdated post on the Raid Team board and read it.
[(Info) Floor 41 Strategy Guide, Still Writing]
[Author: Kim Taeseok (41)]
Nice to meet you, Raid Team freaks.
I’m writing a Floor 41 strategy guide.
It’s unfinished because I’m still working on it, so bear with me.
Let’s begin.
First, Floor 41 is the first floor of the proper Large Monster Zone.
The theme of the Highest Floors is “large.”
Literally, the floors in the 40s are the Highest Floors, a zone packed full of fucking huge bastards.
Once you start, you’ll see something like a canyon between enormous mountain ranges.
The goal is apparently to head north along the canyon, killing or detouring around all kinds of gigantic monsters, then take the Escape Portal beyond the valley at the end.
The reason I’m being vague and saying “apparently” is because our team has never made it all the way to the end.
We asked the Korean government for information they bought from America... but there wasn’t much, so it was honestly disappointing.
I heard they spent a lot of money getting this information too, which makes it feel like even more of a waste...
Anyway, countless Large Monsters appear as you follow the canyon.
There are Ogres, Cyclopes, Trolls, Wyverns, and all kinds of others, so you have to advance while dealing with them one by one.
But clearing it with just two people is fucking brutal.
I pull aggro in front while Choi Yejin covers me from behind.
If Choi Yejin misses one shot, I’m fucked. If I lose aggro, Choi Yejin dies. That’s the kind of setup it is, and it scares the hell out of me.
We can somehow handle one at a time, but we can’t get through areas where two or more appear at once.
I keep wondering if we should wait for more Hard-rank Hunters to climb up.
But when I think about the country’s Point situation, it doesn’t seem like we have that kind of time...
For now, we’re moving around with the idea of at least uncovering the map.
Oh, right. I’ll organize what we’ve learned about the monsters on Floor 41 here.
Ogre.
A fucking huge, strong, and fast enemy.
They have absurd strength, enough to smash cliffs apart, and they try to grab Hunters and tear their limbs off, so they’re dangerous.
Choi Yejin can hit their eyes, then I climb onto their back and strike the top of their head to kill them.
Danger Level: High.
Troll.
A monster that heals its wounds in an instant.
Its recovery is disgustingly fast.
It’s also craftier than it looks.
If Choi Yejin pulls aggro from a distance, it happily comes running over because it thinks there’s only one person. I lie in wait, then stab its ankle so it can’t run away, and hack and stab it while it’s down. That worked.
Danger Level: Moderately High.
Wyvern.
A flying enemy that suddenly descends from the sky to ambush you.
Their bodies aren’t as tough as Trolls or Ogres, but they often appear in groups of two or more, making them extremely dangerous.
If there are two or more, hide deeper in the canyon. If there’s one, Choi Yejin attacks it with her bow, and when it descends to ambush us, I stab it with my spear.
Danger Level: Moderately High.
Cyclops.
An enemy with only one eye.
They don’t show up often.
But that eye has a special ability, Slow.
When it looks at me or Choi Yejin, our bodies gradually slow down until we eventually stiffen like stone.
They aren’t that hard to deal with alone, but around the middle of the floor, Cyclopes start appearing alongside Ogres or Trolls, and it gets fucking dangerous...
They’re weak as hell on their own, but they’re very dangerous when paired with another monster...
Danger Level: Medium.
Danger Level When Paired with Another Monster: Extremely High.
Anyway, that’s what we’ve found out.
I’ll upload the map we’ve been working on as an attachment, so use it as a reference.
And don’t leak it outside under any circumstances.
This is a national asset, and it can’t get into foreign hands.
Later.
└Kim Minjun (24): Wow! Ogres, Cyclopes, Trolls, Wyverns... I respect you, Hunter Kim Taeseok.
└Choi Yejin (41): Old man, did your injury from last time heal properly? Sorry, I missed the Wyvern.
└└Kim Taeseok (41): It’s fine, it’s fine. I sprayed a Potion on it and rested a bit, so it healed quickly. Want to raid later?
└└Choi Yejin (41): Old man, get some rest. Your arm nearly got torn off, and you’re going back into the Tower after just one day. That’s way too much, right?
└└Kim Taeseok (41): I’ve gotta... earn Points...
└Park Gyu (38): Brother Taeseok, wait just a little longer!!! I’ll climb up there!!!
└└Kim Taeseok (41): Don’t push yourself too hard.
└└Park Gyu (38): Sorry, I can’t do it. Why is Floor 38 so hard? I’ll just stay stuck in the High Floors and shit myself like a baby.
└└Choi Yejin (41): You bastard.
└Kang Seojun (22): Hunter Kim Taeseok, are you all right?
└Lee Junho (28): You’ve already been stranded for a week. The government is coordinating with America to prepare a rescue team, so please hold on a little longer.
└Oh Sanghyeon (35): I’m cheering for you.
└Jeong Gitae (33): Brother Taeseok, I’ll wait. Please come back safely.
...
The comments went on and on.
I muttered quietly.
“Floor 41. A Large Monster floor...”
There were four main types of monsters on Floor 41.
Ogres, Wyverns, Trolls.
And Cyclopes.
Ogres, Wyverns, and Trolls were common enemies.
Cyclopes were rare enemies that appeared only occasionally.
They all possessed enormous bodies.
Enemies that pressured Hunters who had only just reached the Highest Floors with their overwhelming strength.
Dangerous enemies.
But to me, they were nothing more than Point shuttles.
“Each of these things is worth at least several thousand Points, and the expensive ones go up to 10,000 Points...?”
Monsters on the level of High Floor War Black Mages were everywhere!
My mouth was watering.
I wanted to get in there already and wipe out every Large Monster with magic.
I picked up my smartphone.
“Ms. Han Seonga, I’m going to rescue Hunter Kim Taeseok on Floor 41, so please guide me.”
* * *
Vrooom.
I rode in a car driven by a National Intelligence Service agent toward Gwanghwamun Square.
Ms. Han Seonga, seated beside me, spoke quietly.
“Thank you for volunteering to rescue Hunter Kim Taeseok, Hunter Baek Jiho.”
Bow.
Ms. Han Seonga gave me a perfect ninety-degree bow again today.
But she could pull off a perfect ninety-degree bow even while seated.
She was more flexible than she looked.
Ms. Han Seonga continued.
“The government has made many attempts to rescue Hunter Kim Taeseok, but...”
Hunter Kim Taeseok had been trapped inside the Tower for over seven weeks.
It wasn’t as if the government had made no effort to rescue him.
America, Europe, Japan.
They had requested aid from several countries in the London Conference.
“But the results were...”
“They all turned us down, right? Cold-hearted foreign bastards.”
“Yes. No country would easily lend out an invaluable asset like a Highest Floor Hunter.”
Highest Floor Hunters.
The country’s most important assets, people who earned massive amounts of Points.
To make them move, an equivalent price was necessary, in other words, Points.
“The Republic of Korea didn’t have that kind of surplus. We couldn’t organize a proper rescue team.”
The Points Korea could pay were far too few.
In the end, they had failed to organize a rescue team.
Not one country had been willing to send such precious Highest Floor Hunters.
“So the government had half given up. We believed the chance of a rescue was slim... but then Hunter Baek Jiho cleared Floor 40.”
Ms. Han Seonga smiled faintly.
I thought she should smile.
“I believe Hunter Kim Taeseok’s rescue may finally be possible.”
Thanks to this Extreme Lunatic Hell Serial Savior Hunter.
The opening for a rescue had returned!
Of course they would be hopeful.
“I know it’s shameless to ask, but please bring Hunter Kim Taeseok back safely.”
“Yes. I’ll definitely bring him back. Don’t worry.”
“Still, there’s one more thing I need to say.”
Ms. Han Seonga suddenly readjusted her posture.
Her expression turned serious.
“Please be careful.”
“?”
“Hunter Kim Taeseok is important as well. But from the government’s perspective, Hunter Baek Jiho’s safety is the most important thing.”
“...”
“There is no one in Korea who can replace Hunter Baek Jiho now. If you judge the situation to be dangerous, please retreat without fail.”
It seemed Ms. Han Seonga was worried that I might overextend myself trying to save Hunter Kim Taeseok and come to harm.
Of course, it was an unnecessary concern.
I was the one who had even defeated the Black Mage Sect Leader, Sans, on the previous floor.
I had one-shot even a continent-level powerhouse!
So a few oversized trash mobs were nothing.
I was confident I could deal with them easily.
Still.
“Please return safely.”
Seeing Ms. Han Seonga looking at me with such concern made it hit home.
King Korea was relying on me.
It made me feel proud.
I nodded confidently.
“Don’t worry. Hunter Kim Taeseok and King Korea. I’ll save them all!”
The car sped toward Gwanghwamun Square.
A black Tower came into view in the distance.
The Tower of Trials.
* * *
A massive black Tower stood alone where Gwanghwamun Square had once been.
The Tower of Trials.
A gigantic structure that had appeared seven years ago as if tearing through space.
A building had been constructed around the base of the Tower of Trials as if embracing it.
It was none other than the central headquarters of the Climber Management Department.
As I walked toward the Tower, I looked around at the scenery.
‘Gwanghwamun Square. I came here a few times before, but none of its old appearance remains.’
The place had always been packed with citizens, and protesters would sometimes be visible.
Now it had turned into a sort of fortress under strict military and police guard.
It was only natural.
With the Tower of Trials here, it was no longer a square but the most important facility upon which our country’s fate depended.
There was no way its old appearance could have remained.
The only trace of its former self was probably the statue of Yi Sun-sin at the far end of Gwanghwamun Square.
I looked at Brother Sun-sin’s statue and nodded.
‘Watch over me from heaven, Brother Sun-sin! As the second Admiral Yi, I’ll protect this country!’
The statue of Yi Sun-sin seemed to be smiling kindly.
As I trudged toward the Tower of Trials, I spotted a familiar woman.
She had short tied-up hair and worn-out leather armor.
A bow as tall as she was hung from her back.
“Hey! You’re here?”
“Hello, ordinary person Choi Yejin.”
“Let’s go in already! I told the Management Department everything. We should be able to enter right away.”
“Hold on. I have to wait for my porter.”
Just as I calmed Choi Yejin, who was rushing me...
Screeeech.
Another car arrived and dropped someone off.
It was none other than my porter, Na Hyeji.
She was late!
“Hyeji, why aren’t you hurrying up? Honestly, you’ve gotten careless! You always get an easy ride as a porter, so you’ve lost your discipline! You’re late on this historic day when I’m saving Kim Taeseok!”
“...I’m not late. I arrived exactly on time.”
“Showing up ten minutes early is basic manners! You call yourself a Korean from a people known for hurrying, yet you show up exactly on time? Do you know how much you’d get cursed out for coming to work exactly on time?”
“Jiho, you’ve never worked at a company.”
“I’ve still worked part-time at a convenience store. Where’s Iing Iing?”
-Iing...!
“Ah, you’re hiding in Hyeji’s bag. That must be stuffy. Why does this wicked person only carry something like a handbag instead of a roomy backpack...? Don’t you see how cramped Iing Iing looks?”
-Iing!!! Iing!!!
“Iing Iing, I’m sorry... I’ll definitely bring a backpack next time...”
While Hyeji and I bickered, Choi Yejin frowned and said,
“You people treat going into the Tower like it’s a picnic?”
“?”
A picnic... wasn’t it?
I got to use as much magic as I wanted, tear and smash things to relieve stress.
It was a fun and easy picnic where I could grin all day.
Was it not?
Choi Yejin shrugged.
“Well, with your strength, I suppose you could see it as a picnic. Fine. Let’s go.”
I followed Choi Yejin to the Tower of Trials.
More precisely, to the Climber Management Department headquarters, the building surrounding the Tower’s base.
Government employees were inside the headquarters.
A middle-aged official hurried out as we entered.
“Welcome! Hunter Choi Yejin! And you must be...”
“That’s me.”
“Hunter Baek Jiho, correct? And this must be Hunter Na Hyeji. It’s an honor to meet the great people responsible for the Republic of Korea’s survival. Let me guide you. This way, please!”
The middle-aged official, who introduced themself as a section chief, guided us with a friendly attitude.
Still, their tension seemed a little unnatural.
Choi Yejin quietly explained from beside me.
“There was a bloodbath at the Climber Management Department.”
“A bloodbath? I cause those often against monsters. But why was there one here?”
“You know how there were lots of scumbag officials selling information because they thought Korea was finished? The National Intelligence Service took care of the officials who tried to sell your information abroad. I heard half the section chiefs, bureau chiefs, and other managers were either killed or dismissed.”
“Damn.”
Half the management positions had been wiped out?
It was amazing in many ways.
It was amazing that so many officials had tried to sell out the country.
It was also amazing that the National Intelligence Service had tracked down and dealt with every one of those traitors.
Anyway.
We followed the official’s guidance.
“This is the Tower. Those brightly glowing names over there belong to Tower climbers who are currently climbing.”
“Oh.”
At last, we could approach the Tower.
A massive black Tower rising to the very edge of the sky.
Countless names covered the lower part of the Tower.
Some glowed brightly.
Others were dark and dim.
The brightly glowing names likely belonged to people currently climbing the Tower, while the darkened ones belonged to those who had finished climbing and returned to reality.
As I examined the Tower’s surface with fascination, I happened to witness something strange.
-Fsssh...
Suddenly, a brightly glowing name was erased in an instant.
Confused, I grabbed the official beside me and asked,
“That name just disappeared. What was that?”
“Ah... no.”
The official sighed sadly.
Choi Yejin explained.
“What else would it be? They died.”
“...”
“The Hunter General Mobilization Order hasn’t been lifted yet. There are still lots of Hunters forcing themselves into the Tower. And then... they die.”
The Hunter General Mobilization Order had not been lifted yet.
I had been bringing back a lot of Points floor by floor, but Korea’s Points were still in deficit.
That was why the Hunter General Mobilization Order had continued for over a month.
I muttered quietly.
“I’ve earned a lot of Points so far. They should just lift the Hunter General Mobilization Order. Why...”
“Even including the Points you bring in, we’re still in deficit. It’s too early to lift the Mobilization Order. Though... judging by how fast you’re growing, it’ll probably be lifted soon.”
“...”
“Grow quickly, earn a lot of Points, and make the bald guy lift the Hunter General Mobilization Order. Extreme whatever Patriotic Admiral Yi, sir.”
Pat, pat.
Choi Yejin patted my shoulder.
It was something I hadn’t felt much lately.
Yet even now, there were Hunters being forcibly sent into the Tower to earn Points.
To save them, the Hunter General Mobilization Order needed to be lifted.
That meant I needed to earn lots of Points.
So our country could survive without coercive measures like forcing Hunters into the Tower.
I stared at the vanished name for a moment before moving on.
After walking about halfway around the Tower while examining the names, we saw it.
“...This is Hunter Kim Taeseok’s slot.”
A brightly glowing name located at one side of the Tower.
I looked at it.
[Kim Taeseok 41]
Hunter Kim Taeseok.
His name gave off a soft glow.
If we touched that name, we could make an intrusion into Floor 41, where he was.
I glanced back and forth between Na Hyeji and Choi Yejin.
Hyeji merely looked fascinated.
As for Choi Yejin...
“...”
She said nothing.
Normally, she was a woman who would have started cursing first.
Now, she simply stared seriously at the three characters spelling Kim Taeseok.
“Let’s go.”
After staring at the name for a while, Choi Yejin spoke quietly in a resolute voice.
“To save the old man.”
Choi Yejin stretched out her hand and placed her palm over the name.
I placed my hand beside hers.
Hyeji stretched out her hand and touched the name too.
“Enter the Tower.”
[Baek Jiho (Republic of Korea: Floor 41)]
[Na Hyeji (Republic of Korea: Floor 41)]
[Choi Yejin (Republic of Korea: Floor 41)]
[Please select the floor you wish to enter.]
[An available Tower climber has been found.]
[Kim Taeseok (Republic of Korea: Floor 41)]
[Would you like to intrude?]
“Intrude.”
[Intruding into Tower Floor 41.]
Flaaash-!
A bright sphere of light rose around us.
Footnotes:
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