WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Hydrogen B.
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Chapter 156
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After that, we headed north.
We flew for quite a while, relying on Iing Iing's Psychokinetic Flight.
We crossed the northern sky at high speed.
As we headed north, the surroundings gradually changed.
The heat grew stronger the farther we went, the wind harsher, and the land turned from barren ground into something like a desert.
And on top of that...
Kyaaaaaah!
Woooooo!
Various monsters appeared here and there.
But their behavior was strange.
Booooooom!
Boom!
Even when I blasted every monster I saw with Fireballs and Railguns, they ignored us and fled south without a second thought.
I muttered quietly.
“Those monster bastards. They’re not even paying attention to us, just making a mad dash south.”
“Seriously. Normally, they’d charge us the second they saw people...”
“They look like they’re terrified and running away.”
The monsters did not react to our party.
More precisely, they did not seem to have the presence of mind to react.
Whether I fired Railguns at them or showered them with Fireballs, they only looked south and fled in a panic.
Anyway, after flying north for a while and killing the occasional monster we came across, we finally saw it.
“That must be the volcanic region Valdemar told us about.”
“...Fuck. It really is a volcano?”
It was the volcanic region north of the city.
I slowly looked it over.
“Hmm. So this is what a volcanic region looks like? It’s kind of fascinating. It looks like something out of a movie.”
The first thing I saw was the dark red land.
Something like lava flowed through the cracks like tiny veins.
The heat rising from the ground was scorching and stifling.
Sulfur smoke rose here and there, filling the air with a terrible smell.
It smelled like rotten eggs.
Beyond that land, far to the north, stood a colossal volcano.
Rumble...
Endless red lava flowed from the crater at its peak.
That volcano was probably the source of this entire incident.
I wanted to rush over right now and blast it with magic artillery and Tactical Fireballs.
Unfortunately, I could not.
“Iing Iing!”
“Jiho, Iing Iing says this is the end of the map. She can’t go any farther.”
“Tch. Is there a barrier?”
Floor 47 ended right in front of the lava fields!
We had no choice but to turn back, leaving the source of the disaster behind.
I made a vow.
“You dragon bastard. Next time I see you, I’ll turn you into lava-roasted dragon!!!”
No mercy for anyone who messes with my city!
With that, we finished our short investigation and returned to reality through the Escape Portal.
[Baek Jiho (Republic of Korea: Floor 47)]
[You have completed Tower Floor 47.]
[You have defeated 1,317 Wyverns (3,000).]
[You have defeated 604 Trolls (5,000).]
[You have defeated 172 Ogres (10,000).]
[You have defeated 64 Cyclopes (10,000).]
[Points are being calculated.]
[Tower Floor 48 has been unlocked.]
I had killed lots of monsters and earned lots of Points.
I had also saved my city.
Still, I could not resolve the true cause of the problem, so the run left me with a slight sense of regret.
* * *
Right after returning to reality, I opened my status window.
[Baek Jiho (Republic of Korea: Floor 48)]
[9,331,000 Points]
What I saw was a massive total of over 9.3 million Points.
I clenched my fist.
“At last, I have saved Seoul...!”
Seoul, the capital of King Korea.
A megacity with the world’s twenty-sixth-largest population.
The heart of the Republic of Korea.
A city with a population of 9.3 million.
And today, I had earned 9.3 million Points.
In other words, I had earned Points equal to Seoul’s population and saved every citizen of Seoul!
Feeling proud, I raised my chin.
“Hehe... Today, I have saved countless people once again. Five days ago, I saved Busan. Four days ago, I saved Jeolla and Gwangju. Three days ago, Chungcheong. Two days ago, Jeju and Gyeongsang. Yesterday, Incheon, Daegu, Gangwon, and Ulsan! And now, I have finally saved God-Seoul too!”
“You really are relentless. You keep making regional population jokes every time we finish a clear.”
“Citizens, rest assured!!! Seoul is safe!!!”
I had finally saved Seoul.
I had saved more than half of King Korea!
I nodded and muttered quietly.
“Now all that remains is... Gyeonggi Province?”
Jjanggi Province.
A gigantic region with a population of 13.6 million.
It was also the administrative district with the largest population in the country.
Once I saved Gyeonggi Province, I would have saved every person in the country.
True to the name Extreme Lunatic Hell Patriotic Admiral Yi Hunter, I would bear sole responsibility for the survival of every Korean citizen!
How could I not look forward to that?
My heart swelled with grandeur...!
“If I save Gyeonggi Province, it means I’ll have saved the entire nation... Then they might really build a statue of me in Gwanghwamun Square. No, they have to build one. If the people of this country have any conscience, they should build a cool statue of me! Right next to Admiral Yi’s statue, if possible!”
“Before you start talking about statues, show your face properly. When the hell are you going to reveal it? Are you planning to hide it for the rest of your life?”
“Silence!!! A hero reveals his handsome face at the decisive moment! Do you think I can casually reveal a face that will keep girls around the world awake at night?”
“Fuck, I told you your face isn’t that amazing.”
Anyway, King Korea’s salvation was not far away.
Good. Let’s keep going like this!
Let’s make the people of King Korea safe again!
MAKE KOREA SAFE AGAIN!!!
Just as I was making a complete fool of myself...
“Iing Iing.”
Poroong.
Iing Iing flew over and held something out to me.
“Huh? What’s this, Iing Iing?”
What Iing Iing held out was a small, shabby wooden doll.
Its body looked roughly carved with a knife.
Its arms and legs were crooked.
And colorful dots had been scattered all over it.
Were those meant to represent rainbow dust?
“Iing! Iing Iing!”
Poroong. Poroong.
Iing Iing held the wooden doll high and puffed out her chest.
She seemed extremely proud of it.
Hyeji translated from beside us.
“Iing Iing says she got it while helping restore the city earlier. She saved a little kid trapped under the rubble, and the kid gave her their toy as thanks.”
“Oho.”
“And... apparently, it’s supposed to look like Iing Iing.”
I looked down at the wooden doll again.
Certainly...
If I looked very closely, it did kind of resemble Iing Iing.
Very, very closely.
“Iing Iing Iing!”
Poroong. Poroong.
Iing Iing hugged the wooden doll tightly and flew around in circles.
She seemed very happy to have merchandise of herself.
She had wanted my figure so badly yesterday.
Now she had one of her own.
“That’s great, Iing Iing. Now you’re a fairy with merchandise too.”
“Iing!”
What a good girl.
She worked hard clearing rubble and saving people, and this was how she got repaid!
As I watched Iing Iing with a pleased expression...
“Oh, come to think of it, I got something too.”
Hyeji rummaged through her Spatial Bag and pulled something out.
It was a white handkerchief.
Small embroidery had been stitched into one corner with clumsy hands.
Hyeji continued.
“A woman gave it to me while I was handing out bandages at the relief station. I couldn’t understand what she said, but... I think she gave it to me as thanks.”
“Oho.”
“I got something too.”
This time, Choi Yejin pulled something from her clothes and tossed it onto the table.
It was a small metal insignia.
It bore an image of two swords crossed over a shield.
“A knight gave it to me while I was opening a crushed door. He went on for a while, but I couldn’t understand a word. Still, judging by the mood, I think he was thanking me for saving his companions.”
“Oho.”
Every party member had received a gift.
Iing Iing had a wooden doll.
Hyeji had a handkerchief.
Choi Yejin had a knight order insignia.
I glanced at their expressions.
“Well... it didn’t feel bad. It felt like I was directly being thanked.”
“Right? I felt kind of proud too. When that woman gave me the handkerchief...”
“Iing! Iing Iing Iing!”
The party members chatted happily, each holding their gift.
They looked pleased and proud.
I searched my pockets.
I rummaged through my coat’s inner pocket.
Nothing.
I rummaged through my pants pockets.
I only caught dust.
I rummaged through the potion pouch hanging from my waist.
Nothing there either.
I muttered quietly.
“...What about me?”
“?”
“Why don’t I have anything? Is it seriously true that I’m the only one who didn’t get a gift?”
No, every party member had received something and felt proud.
Why was I the only one who got nothing!!!
What was this, discrimination?
Racial discrimination! Angel discrimination!
As Longbow Apache, defender of political correctness, fierce anger boiled within me...!
As I frowned, memories from the relief station flashed by like a panorama.
‘A-Angel! Thank you so much...’
‘Quit making a fuss! If you’re better, get out already! Next patient!’
‘Angel! Thank you for saving our child! We cannot offer much, but at least take this...’
‘Forget it. Next!’
‘Angel, please accept this at least...’
‘Next!!!’
“Ah.”
I remembered.
When I had been treating people in the relief station, it did seem like everyone had tried to take something out of their clothes.
But I ignored them and sent them outside to take the next patient.
I had treated hundreds of people.
That meant I had hundreds of opportunities to receive gifts.
But I had thrown away every one of those opportunities.
I had been so focused on treating the patients in front of me that I failed to receive any gifts...!
It was unfair.
“Did I... Did I lose even the chance to receive gifts because I was busy saving people? Did my narrow-minded tendency to ignore my surroundings cause me harm? Is it the fate of a savior to never be saved...? Heavens! Primordial Heavenly Venerable!!! How can you be so cruel?! Aaaaargh!!!”
“Baek Jiho, you didn’t get a single gift? Don’t tell me... you’re a giftless loser. Hehehe.”
“Choi Yejin, you wench! You’re even flexing on me! This is infuriating. So infuriating. Heavens!!!”
“Iing Iing...”
As I screamed in the Platoon pose, Iing Iing patted my shoulder as if telling me to cheer up.
Thanks, Iing Iing.
You are the only one who always comforts me.
I live because of you.
Anyway, I was terribly wronged, sad, and angry.
Why was I the only one who did not receive a gift?
I wanted to take out my frustration.
I wanted to vent this boiling anger...!
As I looked around wildly, I suddenly spotted a jar.
“The Extreme Lunatic Hell Group has successfully launched...”
“...”
Daesik was on a table in front of the TV, diligently absorbing information from the news.
I found my sandbag!
“You environmental-destroying fucking Chinese Sans bastard! Die!!!”
“What the... Aaaaargh!!!”
I beat Daesik up gently, so Daesik would not break.
Hearing Daesik's screams, some of my resentment seemed to ease.
Anyway, after venting some anger on my Sans sandbag, I slowly picked up my smartphone.
“I must resolve this injustice...!”
Where should you go when something unfair happens to you?
Obviously, Hunter Gallery.
I needed to complain to the Hunter Gallery guys, my followers, and receive their warm comfort and sympathy!
“Hunter Gallery guys! Comfort me!”
Click!
After taking a picture of the gifts on the table, I quickly wrote a post.
[Post Title: (Info) How to Clear Floor 47!]
[Author: Blue Dot]
(A picture of a wooden doll, handkerchief, and knight order insignia placed side by side)
Not-a-newbie Hunter...
Went to Floor 47 today.
But right after entering Floor 47, I saw my ‘Extreme Lunatic Hell Heaven Ark Humanity’s Last City Big-City’ burning!!!
Holy shit, I was so surprised that I rushed over.
And it was a total mess...
A huge swarm of monsters was attacking from the north...
The city I worked so hard to build was on fire...
And some peeping creep was staring at me too...
You know how pissed I was?
So I killed them all!
First, I blasted the northern monsters with magic artillery and completely kimchi’d them.
Then I became an Extreme Lunatic Hell firefighting helicopter and put out the fires.
I also healed the injured people by spamming Heal!
Thankfully, my city was not completely ruined.
Even if it is an idle city-building game, it seems regular maintenance is necessary...
I should pay more attention to it from now on.
Anyway, today’s earnings!
1,317 Wyverns, 604 Trolls, 172 Ogres, 64 Cyclopes...
A total of 9,331,000 Points...
93.31 billion won...!!!
Damn, I earned plenty again today!
This is why I’m a Hunter!
I spent a lot of money buying a building recently.
I should be able to make that money back soon.
Should I just save more and buy another building?
How much is something like Latte World Tower?
I want to own one of the tallest skyscrapers in the country too.
Oh right, the strategy for Floor 47 is just to kill every monster you see and leave through the Escape Portal.
Later!
...
As soon as I made the post, comments came flooding in.
└You brought back something weird again today.
└Dude, what is up with the loot you keep bringing back? You keep posting pictures of random junk like bread and statues.
└└For real. Can’t you post something impressive instead? Like a Magic Stone Reactor.
└└By the way, are there no Magic Stone Reactors? This guy brought back a ton from the Middle Floors, but there has been no news from the Highest Floors, which were supposed to be the real farming spot.
└Hello, this is FFF Daily. Interview request.
└└This guy is getting less polite?
└└He got tired of asking for interviews every day, lol.
└What is this peeping thing supposed to be?
└Yeah, yeah. You went into the Tower again today, saved a city, saved people, saved everything. Our Blue Dot, go do whatever you want. Go save the whole world.
└Holding my breath until you start selling hair loss medicine. Hup.
└But seriously, what is that junk?
The comments came in every direction.
I carefully replied to the ones that caught my eye.
└But seriously, what is that junk?
└└Blue Dot: They are things the locals gave us to say thanks. The wooden doll is Iing Iing’s, the handkerchief belongs to the porter, and Choi Yejin received the insignia.
└└How can someone’s name be Iing Iing?
└└Blue Dot: Iing Iing is not a person?
└└?
└└Blue Dot: Our Iing Iing is a ridiculously cute fairy. Seriously, insanely cute.
└└What kind of bullshit is a fairy...
└└By the way, are there no Magic Stone Reactors? This guy brought back a ton from the Middle Floors, but there has been no news from the Highest Floors, which were supposed to be the real farming spot.
└└Blue Dot: Come to think of it, I barely see any Magic Stone Reactors. Why? I heard they start appearing occasionally from Floor 42, but they are strangely hard to spot. Maybe the Worldline changed. El Psy Kongari... It is the choice of Steined Gate...
└└Forget that junk and bring back Magic Stone Reactors. Make electricity cheaper already~
└└Steined Gate is boring as hell.
└Latte World Tower is probably worth around six or seven trillion won at current prices? It used to be much more expensive, but the owner went to Japan and sold it off cheap.
└└Blue Dot: Oh, it is not as expensive as I expected? Should I save up and buy it?
└└If you are going to buy it, you should do it soon. Korea is recovering, so real estate prices are gradually rising.
└└Shining Blue Dot saved our country, so my home value went up. Yay.
└└Blue Dot: Since I saved King Korea, real estate prices must be rising. I need to save up quickly before they go up more.
...
As I wrote comments, I felt refreshed and nodded.
“Receiving comfort from the Hunter Gallery guys has eased my heart! My anger over not getting a gift has completely subsided!”
“Was there... any comfort?”
Hyeji tried to call me out, but I ignored her.
For an attention seeker like me, the number of comments was comfort itself!
Our porter still did not understand the world of attention seekers.
Anyway, as I diligently browsed Hunter Gallery, the mood in the comments suddenly began to shift.
└Hey, Yu Seunghee took a shot at Blue Dot, lol.
└└For real? Where?
└└He just posted it on SNS, lol. Yu Seunghee was trashing Blue Dot. Go look.
└└Holy shit, has that guy lost his mind? How dare he go after Blue Dot?
└└Shining Blue Dot, are you watching?
“...What?”
Yu Seunghee?
That black-haired Yankee traitor?
What had he said?
I immediately closed Hunter Gallery and checked his SNS.
What I saw was this.
[Yoo Seung-hee]
[341,000 followers]
His profile picture showed him wearing sunglasses and wrapping himself in an American flag in front of an American supercar.
And there was a post he had uploaded just now.
[Honestly, does nobody else think this is weird? I’m talking about that Hunter called Blue Dot.
He climbs one floor every day?
Every day, from the Lower Floors to the Highest Floors?
Hahahaha. Do you really think that makes sense?
Even elite clear teams from our great America take months just to get through one floor.
A Hunter like that suddenly appeared in Korea, a country that was barely scraping by because it had no Points?
And he does not even show his face or reveal his identity?
It is obviously a scam by the Korean government.
A fake hero created by a country on the verge of collapse because it wants some attention from the international community.
His posts are even more ridiculous.
He says people live in the Tower, that he built a city, that he brought back a figure, hahahaha.
Isn’t that just mental illness at this point?
You can tell how pathetic Korea is when it promotes this kind of thing on a national level.
It is a little sad if you think of it as a dying country’s final struggle, lol.
Anyway, he will be exposed in London soon enough.
If you have the courage to show your face, come out.
God Bless America.]
[42,000 likes · 18,000 comments]
“...”
I slowly lowered my smartphone.
Then I turned and looked at the calendar.
Time until London.
Four days.
“Tukstaks Clinic, Branch No. 2.”
My appointment in London was confirmed.
Footnotes:
“Jjanggi Province” is Baek Jiho’s joking alteration of Gyeonggi Province using jjang, Korean slang meaning “the best.”
“Sans sandbag” preserves a Korean pun linking Sans’s name to “sandbag.”
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