WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Chen
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Our Precious Demon King ◈
Chapter 98: To China
──────
China's most powerful figure.
Chairman Xi Wugang, the central figure of the Communist Party, held a list.
[Jun Dragon Kitchen]
Kim Junyong: Grade 1
Cheon Yubeom: Grade 1 (Rank 2)
Kim Remi: Grade 1
Yu Jia: Grade 3
Kim Ed: Grade 4
Kim Luciel: Grade 5
This was not a list of restaurant employees.
“Apart from Cheon Yubeom, none of them are even in the rankings, are they?”
“That's correct. However, rankings cannot be used to measure combat strength.”
Rankings were essentially hunting scores showing how many monsters and devils, the minions of evil, a hunter had killed.
Before Kim Junyong appeared, they had largely matched a hunter's combat strength. Now, however, everything was a complete mess.
Special One and Special Two.
Kim Junyong and Kim Remi were already believed to have G-rank combat strength.
They had yet to determine how powerful Kim Ed and Kim Luciel were. Their best guess put them at Grade 1.
“The Kim family is quite distinguished.”
“...”
“Are these two naturalized citizens?”
“Kim Ed is a cat.”
“The cat mentioned in that earlier report.”
“Yes. The one called Kim Luciel joined recently.”
“Hmm.”
Chairman Xi Wugang's attention was on Yu Jia.
“How could this young woman reach Grade 3 just a week after awakening?”
“...That is the question.”
The chairman's brow furrowed.
An “awakening ticket” was what they had gained by scratching Japan's back. Some people claimed that China had suffered enormous losses because of one person's greed, but the chairman paid them no mind.
If there was a way for an ordinary person to become a hunter, what did a fortune matter?
Qin Shi Huang had sought eternal life and ultimately failed. But the chairman had succeeded.
Class: Revolutionary
Mana: 698
Skill: Agitation
The skill was quite good too.
It was a hypnosis-type skill that confused monsters and turned them into obedient servants. Used well, it allowed its owner to hunt without getting a single drop of blood on their hands.
Whenever time allowed, Xi Wugang had entered the Demon Realm with trusted followers to hunt.
Yet their mana still hadn't passed 1,000, the requirement for Grade 9.
“How could she reach Grade 3 in just a week?”
Chairman Xi Wugang looked grave.
Human greed knew no bounds. Now that the chairman had become a hunter, all they wanted was to increase their mana as quickly as possible.
Even now, they felt younger and full of life. How much more energy would they have once they gained more experience points and reached superhuman levels?
Eternal life truly wasn't just a dream.
“Chairman, your progress is already more than fast enough.”
“Indeed. We must consider them exceptions.”
“A small fry trying to keep up with the big fish... Gah!”
One official realized the mistake and shut their mouth, but a heavy silence had already fallen over the room.
“You seem to need some rest.”
“P-please spare me!”
The official fell to the floor and begged, trembling all over, but the chairman's guards dragged them away.
“Tsk.”
In a sense, the official had been right.
Their counterpart was the Mad Sovereign. Surely he had some secret method.
‘Just what did he do?’
If only the chairman could learn that secret, growing stronger would take no time at all.
“Chairman, the foreign minister is about to make an emergency appeal for aid.”
“Hmm. Let's watch.”
The television came on. At a press conference, the foreign minister was appealing to Korea for help in a desperate voice.
[After lengthy negotiations, in order to save Beijing, we will cede Mount Baekdu and some of the surrounding territory. We will also crack down more strictly on illegal fishing in the West Sea...]
The compensation terms were humiliating, even disgraceful.
The Communist Party officials all looked grim as they watched for the chairman's reaction.
[...We wish to make it clear that this is an unavoidable choice to save our capital, the very heart of our people, and to promote friendly relations between Korea and Japan...]
What a fine stream of empty words.
‘Arrogant bastards.’
Since awakening as a hunter, Chairman Xi Wugang had felt boundless confidence welling up inside.
All they needed was time.
G-rank?
It was what 1.3 billion people wanted.
The chairman ought to become a hero and lead the people.
The day when China would stand tall above the world was not far away.
“Once he resolves the dungeon, could we arrange a meal together?”
“Gasp! Absolutely not! It's far too dangerous!”
“Please don't forget his past!”
“Hmm.”
Chairman Xi Wugang nodded.
They had wanted to casually probe him about the secret to Yu Jia's rapid leveling, but on second thought, there seemed to be no need to do it in person.
It would be disastrous if their relationship soured, or if the chairman fell into some scheme and was assassinated.
“I was too hasty.”
“Not at all. Surely your safety is the Party's highest priority?”
“You must lead the people for ten thousand years.”
“Ha ha. Treat him well before sending him on his way.”
“Of course. Even Special One will be moved by the generous hospitality of a great nation.”
“It would be nice if he chose to become a naturalized citizen, like Yang.”
“We'll do our utmost to make him welcome.”
Soon, all of China was in an uproar.
- Those Korean bastards are finally showing their true colors.
- We're handing over territory now?
- This is insane. Koreans are experts at stealing anything they can get their hands on.
- It figures. These are the people who insist Confucius was Korean.
- This one hurts. Giving up territory... It should never happen.
- Maybe those Korean bastards created the A-rank dungeon in Beijing in the first place.
- They're too greedy.
- Even if they get Mount Changbai, North Korea's in the way. They'll still have to go through China, won't they?
- Next they'll insist Mount Changbai was Korean territory all along.
- Hey, does nobody care about the West Sea?
- There's no other choice. This is all because our hunters are useless.
- Having to borrow a hunter's power from some tiny country. What a disgrace.
As Korea had demanded, China had drawn up an official document specifying the compensation for “resolving Beijing's A-rank dungeon.”
They had then announced it at a press conference.
The Chinese public's anger erupted immediately.
But this was exactly what the Communist Party had intended.
‘The humiliation will be brief.’
By bowing to Korea, the Communist Party would rally the people's support and unite them.
Even if the Party wanted to hand things over to Korea, the people's opposition would ultimately prevent it.
That went for the West Sea issue, cutting ties with North Korea, and handing over Mount Baekdu.
- Everyone, calm down. China was the one that asked for help.
- You're Korean, aren't you?
- Caught you. Get lost. Go back to your peninsula.
- Are you going to abandon Beijing? Beijing is a hundred times more important than some tourist spot like Mount Changbai.
- Die!
Whatever the Chinese public thought, Kim Junyong, Cheon Yubeom, Lee Mina, and Sasaki arrived in Beijing.
Flash, flash.
“Ah! We've been waiting for you! This is Director Wang Weijie, head of special district operations at the Central Special Department's Third Bureau. I'm Jin Luo, your interpreter.”
“Right. Nice to meet you.”
[What did he say?]
[He says it's nice to meet you.]
Wang Weijie approached with a bright smile and held out a hand.
Kim Junyong extended his index and middle fingers to make scissors.
“I win, huh?”
[What is this man doing?]
[H-he says he won at rock-paper-scissors.]
[Hah. What a rude man.]
“Y-you're being rude.”
[Idiot! Why would you translate that?]
[I-I'm sorry.]
Leaving Interpreter Jin Luo and Third Bureau Director Wang Weijie to their bickering, Kim Junyong examined the dungeon.
He'd come here to work, so he might as well get to it.
“Are we eating here after we finish this?”
“We're on a business trip. We should at least have a meal before we leave, shouldn't we?”
“Hmm. I think it'd be fine to go straight home.”
“I, Sasaki Yoichi, will give this raid my all until my stomach is completely empty!”
Everyone except Lee Mina voted yes.
“Hey, interpreter.”
“Y-yes?”
“We'll finish up in a flash. Have some good food ready.”
“Oh, understood!”
Kim Junyong raised his phone, opened the camera app, and pointed it at the dungeon.
A link appeared as though he had scanned a QR code. It connected him to the Demon Realm Forum, and the dungeon information popped up.
Dungeon of White Demon (白鬼), Lord of Imperfection.
A-rank, 4 days 11 hours 9 minutes
[Raid in Progress][Yang Minchan]
[Would you like to enter?]
“Huh. Would you look at that?”
“What's the matter?”
At Cheon Yubeom's question, Kim Junyong grinned.
“Oh, I know this guy.”
“What? You've met Yang Minchan?”
“Huh? Not him.”
“Oh, you mean the boss monster?”
“Yeah. You don't know the Black and White Twin Demons?”
“N-no, I don't.”
Cheon Yubeom and Lee Mina were low-level newbies who had spent no more than thirty years in Belheim. Sasaki Yoichi, however, was an R-rank hunter, even if he was only ranked 999th.
He was a veteran who had survived seventy-one years in Belheim before returning.
“Gasp! The Black and White Twin Demons!”
“Oh, you know them?”
“Of course I do!”
Sasaki looked deeply shocked.
“Among the demon realm lords, this one's every bit as vicious as the Mad Sovereign!”
“...!”
Cheon Yubeom and Lee Mina were startled, but Sasaki Yoichi continued with a grave expression.
“Wait, does that mean the boss of this A-rank dungeon is a demon realm lord?”
“Scared?”
“O-of course I am! Demon realm lords are incredibly powerful!”
Demon realm lords.
These devils more than deserved to be called the kings of their territories. Even gathering the strength of the Allied Forces wouldn't guarantee victory against one. Yet there were only four of them here.
“Th-the assessment is wrong! There's no way a demon realm lord would be A-rank.”
“It's fine. This one's a weaker version.”
Why else would a devil Kim Junyong had met in Belheim descend to Earth?
It had died in Belheim, revived in the Demon Realm, and then attempted to descend to a new planet, Earth.
“How do you know so much about it, big bro?”
“Oh, I'm the one who killed this guy.”
“Gasp! Th-that's incredible!”
As Sasaki Yoichi exclaimed in admiration, Cheon Yubeom and Lee Mina felt as if their pounding hearts might burst.
‘Wh-who does he think the Adviser is?’
‘What? He doesn't suspect he's the Mad Sovereign at all!’
If that was an act, it could fool even a devil.
That innocent face showed nothing but pure admiration.
Kim Junyong grinned and tapped to enter the dungeon.
“Let's just go.”
“Yes! If you're going, big bro, I'd follow you into hell!”
Flash, flash.
The four vanished.
“Huh?”
Third Bureau Director Wang Weijie frowned. In all the confusion, the group had left before they could even exchange proper greetings.
“Hmm. So he really can enter a dungeon with a raid already in progress.”
Korea's Special Adviser was even more special than a G-rank hunter.
“Yang Minchan, you fucking bastard.”
Of the twenty handpicked elites the Central Special Department had sent on its suicide mission, Yang Minchan was the only survivor.
If he'd survived, he should have returned. Instead, for some unfathomable reason, he'd decided to hold out inside the dungeon.
They had no way of knowing what was happening inside. Since the raid was still in progress, they couldn't send in another expedition either.
With nothing to do but wait for the break, China's only option was Korea's Special Adviser, who could force his way into the dungeon.
“What about the banquet?”
“Every detail is ready!”
“And the hosts?”
“We've selected only the most beautiful.”
Wang Weijie smiled slightly.
“A giant belongs in a great nation. He's too great a talent for a small country to hold.”
“We'll use every means at our disposal to win him over.”
“Good.”
A honey trap.
It was a strategy with a long history.
Wasn't that how Yang Minchan, the SR-rank hunter now causing China such a headache, had become a naturalized Chinese citizen?
In any case, China dreamed big.
With a naturalized Kim Junyong as its weapon, China's influence would spread across the globe!
“Stake everything on this mission!”
“Yes, Director!”
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