I'm the Only Wizard Climbing the Tower - Chapter 56

WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Hydrogen B.

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 56: 056

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The next morning.

As soon as I woke up, I opened Hunter Gallery out of habit.

‘Let’s see. What happened overnight?’

With practiced movements, I logged in to Hunter Gallery.

And there I saw it.

[Is China threatening us with war?]

[Yeah, our country’s going to collapse in two months anyway. If we go to war, you guys are the ones who lose. Let’s die together.]

[I stocked up on ramen just in case.]

[LOL, they pulled some shady shit, got wrecked, and now they’re throwing a tantrum?]

[If war breaks out, will they draft reservists too?]

[Today’s proverb: The one who farted gets angry.]

[Yeah, we’ve got nothing left to lose LOL. Want to go at it? Huh?]

Hunter Gallery was buzzing with talk of war.

I was puzzled.

“War? Even if those Chinese bastards are crazy, they won’t start a war.”

It wasn’t that China was too weak to wage war.

There was simply no reason for them to do so when Korea was on the verge of collapse.

‘From their perspective, Korea will collapse and be completely empty in two months. Why would they bother starting a war?’

King Korea had two months and one week left until its destruction.

China was eagerly waiting to claim the Korean Peninsula.

Once the Points ran out and every citizen of the Republic of Korea vanished, leaving the country empty...

They would only have to bring in an army and plant their flag. The land would become theirs.

Why would they need a war?

If they just held out for nine weeks, they could take the Korean Peninsula for free.

So what was with all this war talk?

I left Hunter Gallery and looked up the news.

It didn’t take long to figure out what was happening.

[Chinese submarine sinks in the Yellow Sea, Hunter special operations unit annihilated.]

[China shifts blame and threatens Korea with war. Tensions rise on Korean Peninsula.]

[“We will not tolerate China’s military threats.” President personally warns China amid Yellow Sea tensions.]

[What happened last night? Seoul and Incheon timeline.]

[Show of force? China conducts sudden military exercises across the Yellow Sea and Manchuria.]

[Hoarding returns. Ramen shelves emptied at supermarkets as fears of war grow.]...

As I read the articles, I muttered quietly.

“China’s being China. What shameless bastards.”

The situation was simple in the end.

They had invaded first, then got completely wrecked by me.

Now they were brazenly demanding compensation for their losses.

I clicked my tongue.

“They never change. All that fuss over face. The continent really is something else.”

China’s culture of face.

Mianzi, was it?

They valued the social image others saw more than their own lives.

And China had thoroughly lost face this time.

They had tried something against our now-weak country.

Then they lost dozens of precious High Floor Hunters from their Hunter special operations unit, along with a submarine.

Of course they were acting tough toward Korea to preserve their domestic and international image.

There wouldn’t be an actual war.

War was insane to begin with.

They would put on a little WWE show, then eventually quiet down...

That was what I expected.

And so, King Korea remained precarious but cheerful today as well.

* * *

Early in the afternoon, shortly after lunch, Han Seonga came to see me.

She wasn’t alone.

“Did you sleep well, Mr. Baek Jiho?”

“Yes, thanks to you. But who are those people...?”

Several men in black suits stood behind her, holding plastic crates.

Han Seonga answered.

“They’re here to move the items. The inspection of the artifacts you acquired has been completed. All tracking devices and engravings have been removed, so you may dispose of them as you wish.”

“Oh.”

The artifacts I had obtained after killing the Chinese Hunters yesterday.

It seemed their inspection had been completed within a day.

“We’ll bring the items inside.”

The men in black suits began stacking the crates in front of the entrance.

Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.

The boxes kept piling up.

I opened them one by one to inspect their contents.

Each crate held artifacts, swords, spears, and the like.

There were twelve crates in total.

I felt great.

‘Each one is worth at least ten billion won...?’

That meant a profit of more than 120 billion won.

I was immensely satisfied.

I needed to sell them quickly.

I wasn’t some ordinary fool who swung swords around, after all.

That Hannam-dong mansion was practically within reach now.

China money was so sweet.

Though...

“Where am I supposed to sell all this?”

Should I just hand them over to a loot dealer?

I couldn’t picture ten-billion-won swords and spears being loaded onto that old junk truck.

As I considered how to dispose of them, Han Seonga spoke quietly.

“The government can purchase these artifacts.”

“Really? Then...”

“But I wouldn’t recommend it.”

“...Why not?”

I was confused.

Wouldn’t it be good if the government bought Grade 2 artifacts?

I could sell them easily.

The country could obtain useful combat artifacts.

Han Seonga answered my question.

“Well... as you know, Mr. Baek Jiho, our country has no members of a High Floor Hunter special operations unit.”

“Hmm. That’s true.”

“Because of that, the purchase price for Grade 2 combat artifacts is quite low. We don’t actively purchase them because there are no special operations Hunters who can use them.”

“Ah.”

The government had no reason to buy Grade 2 artifacts meant for High Floor Hunters.

What good were Grade 2 artifacts?

There was nobody who could bring out their full power.

Apparently, selling them to the state would likely get me a terrible price.

“So I recommend selling them on the private market if possible.”

“I should do that.”

I would have to look into selling the artifacts some more.

The government would obviously lowball me.

And even if I sold them cheaply, they would probably just sit in storage.

It would be better to sell them for a fair price to someone who would actually use them well.

That was when HunterNet came to mind.

‘Should I sell them to the Raid Team members? There are sixty High Floor Hunters there.’

I had recently joined HunterNet’s Raid Team board.

There were around sixty High Floor Hunters there.

Wouldn’t at least a few of them buy my artifacts?

If that didn’t work, I could ask my sister to look into exporting them.

She used to work at a trading company, so she should know about overseas sales.

Anyway.

“I’ll exchange my Points.”

“Yes. Please place your hand on the crystal ball.”

Now that I had received the artifacts, it was time to exchange my Points as usual.

I placed my hand on the crystal ball she held out.

[Please specify the number of Points to transfer to the ‘Republic of Korea’.]

“All of them.”

[Transferring 32,986 Points to the ‘Republic of Korea’.]

I transferred 32,986 Points.

I had originally had 36,660 Points, but using the invisibility artifact for about an hour had cost me several thousand Points.

I had spent just under 3,700 Points.

Should I ask them to reimburse me for that?

...No. I was about to make 120 billion won. It would be a little petty to complain about thirty million won.

Besides, the inspection costs for these artifacts must have been tens of millions of won too.

I should just leave it alone.

While I was thinking about this and that, Han Seonga checked the crystal ball and spoke quietly.

“Hunter Baek Jiho. We have confirmed 32,986 Points. We will deposit 329.86 million won into your designated account. The Republic of Korea will remember your devotion.”

Han Seonga gave me a deep bow.

As she raised her head, she continued.

“And... I think we may be able to bring you good news soon.”

“Good news?”

“Yes. It is still under discussion, so I cannot tell you yet. But I will inform you as soon as there is a result.”

“...?”

“Well then, I should be going. Please have a peaceful day.”

-Clunk.

Han Seonga left.

I muttered to myself.

“So what’s the good news?”

I didn’t know what it was, but it seemed they were doing something for me.

Maybe they were going to give me a lot of money?

Honestly, I wasn’t that greedy for money anymore.

Just thinking about 120 billion won coming into my pocket had made me content.

Maybe I only needed a reasonable amount of money?

No!

I quickly shook my head.

I hadn’t forgotten.

‘Don’t settle, Baek Jiho! You must gather all the money in this world and surpass Elon Mengsk! Don’t be satisfied with a mere 120 billion won!’

I had secretly marked Elon Mengsk as my rival.

I had sworn to earn more than 1,800 trillion won.

And yet I had nearly become complacent after receiving just 120 billion won...!

How shameful!

Anyway.

“Should I make a post to sell these artifacts?”

* * *

After Han Seonga left, I logged into HunterNet, specifically the Raid Team board.

The posts I saw were...

[The National Intelligence Service is pretty good? They shredded the Ministry of State Security Tier 1 Hunter special operations unit.]

[Wasn’t Choi Yejin the one who killed them?]

[I didn’t kill them. I seriously didn’t do anything.]

[Will those Chinese bastards really invade? I don’t think they’d bother starting a war with a country that’ll collapse in two months anyway.]

[Waaah... I want a girlfriend...]

[How’s my lunch?]

...

Normal posts and China-related topics were jumbled together.

In some ways, it was even more of a mess than Hunter Gallery.

At least when a topic caught on at Hunter Gallery, everyone stuck to that one subject.

This place felt chaotic because attention seekers and random topics were all mixed together.

These High Floor Hunters really didn’t seem sane.

Anyway.

-Click! Click! Click! Click!

I carefully photographed each of the twelve artifacts.

Then I wrote a sales post in the Raid Team board.

[Post Title: Selling 12 Grade 2 combat artifacts]

[Author: Baek Jiho (21)]

(12 photos of various artifacts)

I got twelve Grade 2 artifacts.

There are spears, swords, axes, daggers, all kinds, so take your pick.

The appraisal reports in the photos list all the specs.

I looked into selling them to the government, but they said the price would be dirt cheap, so I’m trying to sell them here.

They’re clean items with all tracking devices and engravings removed.

Buy them already. They’re cheap, cheap.

Name your price first. But if you offer under ten billion won each, I’ll smash your skull.

Buy them fast. I’m selling these because I want to move.

...

I posted it.

A moment later, comments began pouring in.

└Kim Minjun (24): Is this real???

└Hwang Mingi (30): What the hell, how did you get this many Grade 2 artifacts? Are you really on Floor 21?

└Kang Seojun (22): What is this? For real?

└Lee Hyunsu (28): Hunter Gallery’s idol Blue Dot has finally started posting in the Raid Team too.

└Jo Jihun (21): Is this fake or real?

└Han Ujin (29): ???

Apparently, the twelve artifacts I had posted were quite shocking.

Well, I had dropped twelve Grade 2 artifacts that only High Floor Hunters would carry around.

Of course they would react like that.

“Hehe. How cute.”

They were getting this surprised over something so minor.

I wondered how shocked they would be when I started farming Grade 1 artifacts later.

I kindly replied to the noticeable comments.

└Oh Sanghyeon (35): What is this? Where did you get them? Did you raid some national warehouse or something?

└└Baek Jiho (21): I did raid a country, but not ours. Anyway, do you want to buy my artifacts? I’ll give you a good price.

└└Oh Sanghyeon (35): Are you seriously selling these??? This isn’t just a gimmick???

└└Baek Jiho (21): Then why would I post a sales listing? Are you buying or not? Let me know already.

└└Oh Sanghyeon (35): ???

└└Park Dohu (31): I want to buy the axe. Will you sell it? I’ll pay ten billion won.

└└Baek Jiho (21): Ah, naming the exact minimum price is so cold. You’re on the High Floors, you’ve got money. Spend a little for my move.

└└Park Dohu (31): Hmm, then... eleven billion?

└└Baek Jiho (21): Deal. I’ll send you my account number in a message, so give me your home address. I’ll send it by courier.

└└Park Dohu (31): You’re sending an eleven-billion-won artifact by courier? We should meet up, you crazy bastard.

└└Baek Jiho (21): Going outside is a hassle. Let’s just do a courier deal.

└└Park Dohu (31): Has he lost his mind?

└Yoon Geonu (33): The spear...

└└Baek Jiho (21): You buying the spear? How much?

└└Yoon Geonu (33): Thirteen billion...

└└Baek Jiho (21): Oh, how generous. Give me your address and I’ll send it by courier.

└└Yoon Geonu (33): We should meet to trade...

└└Baek Jiho (21): Ah, I said let’s do a courier deal.

I focused my replies on potential customers who might buy my artifacts.

In other words, High Floor Hunters.

It was promotional work for my 120 billion won.

But these people...

They didn’t seem to believe my post was real.

They either kept tossing out bait or insisted on meeting in person.

It seemed they thought it was either attention-seeking nonsense or a scam.

‘Honestly, that makes sense.’

A Middle Floors Hunter had suddenly brought out a pile of Grade 2 artifacts.

And on top of that, I insisted on delivering them by courier?

Even I wouldn’t have believed it.

I clicked my tongue.

“Was the courier deal too much? I was trying not to meet people because I didn’t want my face to become known...”

Come to think of it, delivery was a little ridiculous.

Who would send a precious item worth at least ten billion won through a courier service?

Right.

I should just meet them to trade. That was the right call.

I was about to leave a comment when...

└Choi Yejin (41): Was it you?

Choi Yejin.

The second Hard-rank Hunter in our country had commented.

But what did I care?

A Highest Floors Hunter wouldn’t need Grade 2 artifacts.

It would be better to ignore her.

Then, right then...

└Choi Yejin (41): I’ll buy everything you posted for 200 billion won, so meet me once.

└└Baek Jiho (21): Now that’s some serious girl-crush energy!

She had rung the Golden Bell.

So she was a big spender!

With a cool deal like this, of course I should meet her in person.

Though... no matter how I looked at it...

‘It feels like she wants to meet me more than she wants to trade for artifacts...?’

Someone who already had Grade 1 artifacts had no reason to buy twelve Grade 2 artifacts in a bundle.

Clearly, this was only an excuse to meet me.

That was fine.

‘It’s Choi Yejin. Meeting her shouldn’t cause any major problems.’

Choi Yejin had rejected the astronomical money, fame, and privileges offered by foreign countries, then remained in Korea until the end.

Like me, the Extreme Lunatic Hell Wizard Hunter, she was a great patriot.

Meeting her shouldn’t be a problem.

And...

‘I’m curious what a Hard-rank Highest Floors Hunter feels like.’

The Chinese High Floor Hunters I met yesterday had been manageable.

But the Highest Floors would surely be different.

Hard-rank Hunters were talents at the absolute peak of humanity, appearing at a rate of only one in ten million people.

And she was one who had reached the Highest Floors.

If I met her in person...

I could roughly gauge my own level.

Whether my current specs would hold up even on the Highest Floors.

Or whether I was stronger than the High Floors but weaker than the Highest Floors.

Having made up my mind, I quickly left a comment.

└└Baek Jiho (21): When are you free? I have to enter the Tower in the evening, so I’m available starting tomorrow.

└└Choi Yejin (41): I have climbing scheduled too, so weekdays are difficult. Let’s meet once over the weekend.

└└Baek Jiho (21): This weekend? Okay.

└└Choi Yejin (41): I sent you my contact information in a message, so text me when you have time.

The replies stopped there.

Anyway, it looked like I would be meeting Choi Yejin this weekend.

I would get 200 billion won and meet a Hard-rank Highest Floors Hunter.

It had been a while since I had gone out...

As I kept the appointment in mind...

└Park Gyu (38): Ah, she’s caught that bug again.

└Lim Doyoon (32): Newbie, be careful.

└Jeong Gitae (33): Whenever she sees a promising newbie, she keeps calling them out and putting them through brutal sparring sessions. She keeps doing it because she says they need even one more Highest Floors party member.

└Park Dohu (31): It’s kind of sad to watch. There are no Hard-rank Hunters, and they can’t clear Floor 41 because they lack people. But no matter how much you put Normal-rank Hunters through the wringer, how are they supposed to reach the Highest Floors...

└Oh Sanghyeon (35): Still, she helps people a lot, doesn’t she?

└└Park Gyu (38): Yeah, she does help. I broke through to the High Floors because of her too. But she puts people through way too much LOL. I nearly got beaten so hard I shit myself LOL.

└└Oh Sanghyeon (35): Fuck, man, stop talking about shit. I was eating.

└└Park Gyu (38): LOL poot poot.

└└Oh Sanghyeon (35): Fuck.

Comments kept appearing.

As I read them one by one, I muttered quietly.

“Sparring...”

It looked like she wanted to meet me to spar.

That was good news for me.

It was an opportunity to find out exactly how far my power would carry me against a Highest Floors Hunter.

‘Shouldn’t use magic, right?’

No matter who Choi Yejin was, I had no intention of revealing my magic.

I had to be extremely careful about anything related to magic.