WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Hydrogen B.
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Chapter 64: 064
──────
Morning.
After finishing breakfast by mixing rice into the familiar soybean paste soup, I checked the internet news.
Every article was full of chaos.
[Yellow Sea, Manchuria on the verge of war... Korea and China remain locked in a standoff for the third day]
[Society's foundations crumble amid a ‘rush to flee the Republic of Korea’]
[Imported raw material prices soar... Exchange rate spike brings crisis to the common people's economy]
[Pre-apocalypse bargain sale? Japanese capital hunts Korean corporations]
[The Korean Peninsula faces growing danger of collapse. Why does its ally, the United States, remain silent?]
[Russian military aircraft violate airspace again]
...
The Republic of Korea was smiling brightly as it stood on the brink of destruction today too.
It was facing off against Chinese forces in the Yellow Sea and Manchuria.
The won-dollar exchange rate had passed 2,400 and continued rising without end.
The wealthy and the leaders of society were making their final escape.
Its ally, the United States, remained silent...
I clicked my tongue.
“At this rate, I really can't afford to take even a single day off from climbing. If things go wrong, the country might collapse in one month instead of two.”
The neighboring countries were busy tearing it apart, while its ally, the United States, had effectively abandoned the Republic of Korea.
No, had only the United States abandoned Korea?
Even the rich and elites who could be called this country's leaders were fleeing overseas.
Still, this was unexpected.
“Why are those Russian bastards poking around? Didn't they make some agreement with China?”
When I entered “Russia” into the internet news search bar, countless articles came up.
[Russia on top of China? Great powers engage in a covert struggle to claim the Korean Peninsula after its collapse]
[F-15Ks scramble repeatedly. Is Russia openly probing Korea's air defense network?]
[A series of provocations shakes the Korean Peninsula]
[President strongly protests Russia: “If airspace violations continue, we will shoot them down.”]
It seemed Russian military aircraft had been crossing into our airspace and stirring things up.
But why were these bastards acting up too?
Russia was busy focusing on Europe. It shouldn't have had the spare attention to look this way.
Did it have some other objective?
“Whatever. I'll just climb.”
The Republic of Korea was in danger.
In the end, all of this was happening because it lacked Points.
If I earned enough Points to delay the collapse, this crisis would naturally be resolved.
Like I had done until now, I needed to diligently raise my Floor.
After that, I went through my usual routine.
First, I dealt with the loot.
“I've deposited 741 million won.”
“Take care.”
“Haha. Don't mention it. And... thank you sincerely, Hunter Baek Jiho.”
Bow.
The middle-aged loot buyer, who was actually a National Intelligence Service agent, gave me a deep ninety-degree bow.
Ever since I ground up the Chinese Hunter special operations unit, this guy had been bowing like that every time I dealt with loot.
It was a little uncomfortable to receive this kind of bow every day from a man much older than me.
Even if I told him to stop, he never listened.
He probably thought I was his lifesaver or something...
I just wished he would treat me normally.
After selling my loot, it was time to exchange Points.
I placed my hand on the familiar crystal ball.
[Please specify the amount of Points to transfer to the ‘Republic of Korea’.]
“Everything.”
[Transferring 74,100 Points to the ‘Republic of Korea’.]
After I transferred the Points...
“Hunter Baek Jiho. We have confirmed 74,100 Points. We will deposit 741 million won into your designated account. The Republic of Korea will remember your dedication.”
Bow.
Han Seonga gave me a deep ninety-degree bow too.
Seriously, how many times a day was I receiving these bows?
I was worried about everyone's back health.
“Ah, right. And Mr. Baek Jiho, about the ‘good news’ I mentioned before.”
“Yes. You said something good would happen to me, though you wouldn't tell me what it was.”
“Yes. We have made progress. The National Intelligence Service and the Climber Management Department have finished coordinating. However... the National Assembly's budget approval remains. Since we are proceeding with security in mind, please understand that it will take a few more days.”
“What exactly is it?”
“Hmm. Enough progress has been made that it should be fine to tell you. It concerns your formal contract, Mr. Baek Jiho.”
“A formal contract?”
A formal contract.
My sister had told me about it, so I knew what it was.
Wasn't it a contract that bound a Hunter to a country under the London Convention?
For Hard-rank Hunters, formal contracts were standard.
Every one of them was incredibly valuable.
The moment one was discovered, the country immediately arranged a formal contract to prevent another country from recruiting them.
I hadn't signed a formal contract because of the threat of kidnapping from China and Russia...
But it seemed my formal contract was being discussed after the United States tried to recruit me.
I nodded.
‘Hmm. Am I finally going to receive the treatment I was originally supposed to get?’
Once a formal contract was signed, the state would support me with at least tens of billions of won every month.
It was the kind of treatment provided to keep me from leaving for another country.
You could call it a kind of Hunter exclusivity agreement and the premium for it.
But since I hadn't signed a formal contract, I had never even seen tens of billions of won.
I had received unlimited artifact support from the National Intelligence Service instead...
Still, it felt different from having cold hard cash deposited straight into my account.
Anyway, a formal contract!
The day my prestige spread far and wide wasn't far off!
Then, a thought suddenly crossed my mind.
‘Ah. But once my identity is revealed, won't people find my Hunter Gallery posts?’
Ah, that wouldn't do.
This body was the Extreme Lunatic Hell Wizard Hunter.
The savior of the Republic of Korea.
People couldn't find out that I had acted like an attention seeker in an internet dumpster like Hunter Gallery...
‘...Should I delete all my Hunter Gallery posts now?’
But it felt far too wasteful to delete them.
They were a kind of memory for me, and honestly, I wanted to keep them if possible.
As I was lost in various thoughts...
“I'll take my leave now. Have a good day, then...”
Click.
Han Seonga left.
I muttered quietly.
“Should I go to the Tower first?”
And so, I waited for my SSS porter, Na Hyeji, and the Extreme Lunatic Hell fairy, Iing Iing.
A little later.
[Entering Tower Floor 24.]
The raid on Floor 24 began.
* * *
Moscow.
Under the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service.
The Zaslon Special Purpose Center.
“Have we acquired all information on Korea's air defense network?”
“Yes. We have Seoul's air defense map completely in our hands.”
“What about the preliminary preparations?”
“We are recruiting a local administrator. False identification documents and a means of bringing in weapons are ready.”
“Hurry. The National Intelligence Service bastards aren't like they used to be. They could notice something and stop us.”
The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service's elite special forces unit.
The Zaslon Special Purpose Center.
Its team leader, Dmitry Andreyevich Sokolov, issued orders in quick succession.
They were currently planning to kidnap Baek Jiho.
The Republic of Korea's sixth Hard-rank Hunter.
He was still a weak person who had only reached the Middle Floors, in a doomed nation on the brink of collapse.
That was why he had been selected as their target.
Team Leader Dmitry looked down at a map of Seoul as he spoke.
“As you all know, secrecy is the top priority in this operation. We cannot be exposed early like those Chinese bastards and let another Hard-rank Hunter intervene.”
The team members nodded at his words.
Team Granite, Team Sokol, and Team Grom.
The operation force consisted of three teams, thirty-three people in total.
Every one of them was a High Floor Hunter and battle-hardened veteran.
They had gained countless experiences in real combat across Eastern Europe and the Middle East.
Their sharp gazes focused on Team Leader Dmitry.
Dmitry continued.
“To ensure the utmost secrecy, we will use drugs to sedate him before kidnapping him.”
It was Russia's specialty.
Assassination by drugs.
True to the nation famous for radioactive tea, Russia had often used drugs whenever it needed to eliminate someone.
This time was similar.
The only difference was that the drug they would administer this time was an anesthetic, not poison or radioactive material.
“The operation will take place in seven days. Before then, complete all preliminary preparations, including infiltrating Seoul and recruiting local collaborators. For Mother Russia!”
“For Mother Russia!”
Russia's elite special forces.
The sharpest claws of the brown bear.
The Zaslon group targeted Baek Jiho.
* * *
Washington.
Headquarters of the United States Climber Management Department.
The Secretary's office.
“...Say that again.”
Simon Scott, Secretary of the Climber Management Department, furrowed his brow.
He had heard news that was difficult to believe.
Crushing out his cigarette in the ashtray, he spoke.
“That absurd intelligence we obtained... Are you saying Baek Jiho, that green Korean Hunter, really seems to be climbing one Floor per day?”
Baek Jiho, the Republic of Korea's sixth Hard-rank Hunter.
All kinds of unbelievable information about him...
For example, that he climbed one Floor per day.
Or that he earned tens of thousands of Points every day.
An analysis had come in that all of that absurd information was true.
The official beneath him continued.
“Yes. Through cooperation with the NSA and CIA, we obtained data from the Korean Climber Management Department... The Points registered under his name total a staggering 350,000. He has not even been a Hunter for a full month.”
“...”
“He is paying tens of thousands of Points every day. His most recent payment was 74,000 Points. His climbing records are also updated once per day.”
“...No matter how I look at it, that makes no sense. Could it be disinformation from the National Intelligence Service?”
“After investigating through numerous channels, not just several times but dozens of times, we found that it is absolutely not National Intelligence Service disinformation. Please believe us, Secretary.”
“...”
“We need to recruit Baek Jiho immediately. Intelligence suggests that the Korean National Assembly is preparing a formal contract. If the formal contract goes through, we will lose our chance to recruit Baek Jiho. This is our only opportunity!”
Click. Click. Click.
Secretary Scott began opening and closing his Zippo lighter.
It was a habit he had whenever he fell into deep thought.
Soon, the Secretary spoke quietly.
“To be honest, I can't believe it. He is only in the Middle Floors, yet he is earning as many Points as someone on the Highest Floors? He climbs one Floor every day? Isn't that clearly beyond common sense?”
“...”
“But... this is a fucked-up world. A world where the Tower appeared and half the global population was erased. Common sense was thrown into the gutter long ago, wasn't it?”
Snap.
The Zippo lighter closed.
It was a sign that his deliberation had ended.
“Wait outside for a moment. I need to make an important call.”
“...Understood.”
The official left the Secretary's office.
Secretary Scott picked up the phone.
It was a direct line to the President.
Ring. Ring. Click.
The call connected quickly.
He opened his mouth in a grave voice.
“Your Excellency.”
Not Mr. President.
Secretary Scott used the honorific, His Excellency President.
It was flattery that worked well on President Trump, who was authoritarian and hungry for power.
They said that when making a difficult request, using that honorific slightly increased the odds of approval.
Scott continued.
“I need an unlimited budget. The future of the United States depends on this.”
The United States intended to recruit Baek Jiho by making use of its specialty.
That specialty was none other than throwing money around.
The United States had absorbed countless talented people from all over the world with massive amounts of money.
It intended to make full use of that advantage again.
“We must recruit a Hunter from the Republic of Korea at all costs.”
The United States.
Its huge, fat ass had begun to move in earnest.
Its destination was the Republic of Korea.
* * *
Beijing, China.
Headquarters of the Ministry of State Security of the People's Republic of China.
The Minister's office.
“I have bad news.”
Feng Tianxia, the Chief Superintendent, began speaking quietly.
He was the Minister of the Ministry of State Security.
Looking down at the telephone on his desk, he continued.
“President Xi called just now.”
“...!”
The vice ministers lined up in the office all hardened their expressions.
Xi Jinping.
The supreme ruler of the People's Republic of China.
With a single word from him, no one in the People's Republic of China could avoid a purge.
Even if they were the Minister and vice ministers of the MSS, its highest-ranking officials.
A call from President Xi.
There was no choice but to be nervous.
Especially when they had recently committed a fatal failure.
“He ordered us to take responsibility and make up for what happened in Korea.”
“...”
“The prestige of our People's Republic of China has fallen to the ground. At this rate... the Americans, the Europeans, even those Ivan bastards will look down on us.”
They had recently failed an operation in Korea.
They targeted Baek Jiho, the Republic of Korea's sixth Hard-rank Hunter.
Thirty-six Tier 1 Hunter special operations unit members from the MSS had died.
They had even lost a Yuan-class submarine.
It was an incredibly severe loss.
But what was more devastating than that...
Was the loss of face.
China's culture of face, mianzi.
They valued appearance over what lay within.
They were people willing to stake even their lives on how others viewed them.
China's face had fallen to the ground.
It had suffered devastating damage at the hands of a weak country on the brink of collapse.
They had to make up for it.
So they made a new plan.
“Only three Hard-rank Hunters in that shithole country now, correct? Kim Taeseok, Choi Yejin, and Baek Jiho...”
“That is correct.”
“President Xi ordered us to kill or kidnap all of them. Kim Taeseok is isolated in the Tower... So the other two will be our targets for now.”
“...!”
They intended to kidnap or eliminate every Hard-rank Hunter in Korea.
Of course, that would be impossible with ordinary forces.
Baek Jiho was still only in the Middle Floors, so perhaps he was manageable.
But Choi Yejin, who had reached the Highest Floors, possessed martial power on an entirely different level from High Floor Hunters.
But they must not forget.
The forces they could deploy did not end with a mere Hunter special operations unit.
One of the vice ministers cried out in shock.
“D-Don't tell me! Are we deploying the Committee Members?!”
“That is correct.”
“...!”
Committee Members.
That was what Chinese Hard-rank Hunters were called.
The reason they were called Committee Members was simple.
Hard-rank Hunters held seats on the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee, China's highest governing body.
They held both power and authority in their hands.
China's Highest Floor Hunters.
Deploying Chinese Hard-rank Hunters was no ordinary matter.
“President Xi has assigned four Committee Members to support us.”
“...”
“You are to assist them with all your heart and strength. Understood?”
“Understood!”
Four Chinese Hard-rank Hunters had been deployed.
There was nothing more to see.
Choi Yejin and Baek Jiho.
They would be kidnapped by China and worked like dogs, or have every organ removed while they were still alive.
“We must succeed. If only to preserve our own lives.”
“...”
Four Committee Members of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee.
Hard-rank Hunters and powerful figures from the Highest Floors.
They targeted Baek Jiho and Choi Yejin.
The Republic of Korea stood at the threshold of collapse.
The great powers had begun intervening in earnest.
All of this was happening while Baek Jiho raided Floor 24.
Footnotes:
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