Chapter 127
Chapter 127
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 127
Chapter Title: Tower Conquest Declaration
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The day before the Tower Conquest Declaration.
Chief Park Kyung-su entered the Blue House due to an emergency summons from the president and returned with a rather weary face.
Team Leader Jeon Gwang-il cautiously asked.
"Chief, did everything go well?"
"Hoo, I thought I was going to die trying to manage my expression."
"Why did you have to manage your expression?"
"A request came in through the hotline from the North Korean side."
"...What?"
"Chairman Kim In-jung called our president directly."
Could it be?
"What was the content?"
"He said they don't have the capability to conquer the Tower themselves, so he asked to speak with our S+++ rank conqueror."
"Um…"
"He requested that we take the Tower by changing its nationality to the Republic of Korea."
"...."
The inevitable had arrived.
Well, he knew it would come to this.
"What was the Blue House's reaction?"
"Of course they were bewildered. They didn't even understand what it meant?"
"They couldn't possibly understand."
How does that make sense?
To take a North Korean Black Tower...
It's not like the Tower is a Lego block tower.
How do you even take it?
When they first heard such a thing, they probably suspected he was insane.
Especially with rumors of Chairman Kim In-jung's illness circulating lately.
It was only because Jeon Gwang-il and Park Kyung-su had heard about it in advance that they weren't surprised.
"What did you say, Chief?"
"I couldn't say I knew. I said I didn't know."
"And then?"
"They told me to ask Player Bong. I said I understood that much."
"Anything else?"
"What else could I say? Even the Blue House was scrambling."
There was nothing more to ask, really.
The matter was already decided.
"So I'm planning to call soon."
He wore an expression of having already accepted his fate.
"I'll just have to relay that our S+++ rank conqueror, the top player, readily agreed, right?"
They still wouldn't understand, though.
How do you take a Tower?
Of course, once it happens, they'll realize, 'Ah! So that's how it works!'
And the next day.
A World Announcement rang out, declaring the Tower Conquest.
Tower Conquest.
Forced occupation, or seizure,
And the declaration, or proclamation of war.
Effect
📍 Use the megaphone to declare a Tower 'Conquest' in the format of a [World Announcement]. Ten days after the declaration, you can forcibly occupy a specific country's Tower and incorporate it into your own nationality. Cancellation is possible mid-way. There is no limit to the number of uses.
⏰ Limitation: Can only be declared against countries with below-average Tower conquest progress. Additionally, the target country of conquest is granted a 'Defense Right'.
Taking over another country's Black Tower.
Is that all?
Far from it.
It only changes the Tower's nationality, like a player's temporary naturalization.
Therefore, even if the nationality changes, the physical Black Tower remains in the original country's territory.
What if you don't conquer that Tower?
The Tower in the original country's territory will collapse.
Is that all?
For players of that nationality, the Tower effectively disappears, so they lose the magic stone rewards too.
A Tower Conquest Declaration is no different from an invasion.
That's right.
It's a war item.
If you use it recklessly without prior agreement, that is.
Well, an excuse can be made.
By creating a suitable pretext.
'Your country doesn't have the ability to conquer the Tower, right?'
'We'll take it over and conquer it for you.'
'We're sacrificing ourselves for a country at risk of Tower collapse.'
Doesn't that sound familiar?
The logic imperialist nations used when seizing colonies.
That's why groundwork was needed.
"The groundwork is finished. I think it can be used now."
"There won't be any problems, right?"
"I've already talked to everyone. The South Korean government has been notified as well."
Good.
Let's take the Tower.
Joo-hyuk took the Tower Seizure Declaration Megaphone out of his inventory.
When he flipped the switch.
"The Democratic People's Republic of Korea's Black Tower."
These days, even 62 floors is below average.
Well, most countries are in the mid-to-late 60s.
European and even African countries are climbing like mad.
To reach the 71st floor.
To get the 4-type gift set and high-grade magic stones.
It's possible because the overall difficulty has decreased.
Plus, the Tower reward equipment and Holy Water of Divinity from the Player Shop are quite good.
"I declare conquest."
Instantly!
He had finally done it.
World Announcements followed one after another.
A ten-day grace period.
Defense Right granted.
Five floors in ten days.
Meaning it's possible to defend if you climb one floor every two days.
Cheer on, my foot.
And one floor every two days?
It should be considered impossible.
It's not like North Korea has level 60 players, and even if they did, North Korea's Black Tower has pre-Cabalan difficulty.
Even with Holy Water and Holy Swords, it's tough.
There's no chance of defense.
Unless it were a country other than North Korea.
The World Announcements ended.
But the system message wasn't over.
'Huh?'
What does that mean?
Player treatment?
"Ah!"
The treatment of the residents of a conquered Tower.
In other words, deciding the fate of the colonial players.
Succession means accepting them, deletion means removing them.
Of course, only regarding the status window.
'What happens if I delete?'
Since the nationality on the player's status window disappears...
'They won't be able to enter the Tower.'
Of course, they could acquire a new nationality.
But what if they can't?
If a player fails to enter the Tower for three months, their qualification is revoked.
'On the other hand, if I let them succeed the Tower nationality...'
The colonial players would be able to enter the Tower with a South Korean nationality.
They'd be the same as before.
Living in North Korea but climbing the South Korean Black Tower.
What should he do?
Succession? Deletion?
It was a problem that needed consideration.
In fact, the true purpose of using the Tower Seizure Declaration Megaphone isn't just stealing the Tower.
It's the first step in a long-term reunification plan.
He needed to consider whether succession or deletion would be more beneficial for reunification.
There's still a long way to go.
But there's time.
He could think it over thoroughly during the ten days.
"Actually, I'm also debating whether to put a ribbon on Chairman Kim's head."
"...Is that so?"
"He's more obedient than I thought. He's quite commendable."
Gwang-ma, who was listening nearby, also said,
"Then it would be good to use him. If handled well, we can get through this without anyone dying."
"Yes. There are a few people who need to be dealt with."
"Who?"
"The hardliners in the North Korean military. Their butts will be squirming after this World Announcement."
"Then what are you waiting for? Go take care of them."
"I'll clean them up soon."
Kosak's chilling gaze.
Gwang-ma chuckled and said,
"Don't even think about putting a ribbon on him."
"...Yes?"
"Do you have anything to advertise? It could be a burden for our Summoner."
"Yes, yes sir!"
Phew.
How many people would die?
It couldn't be helped.
Because the deed had already been done.
The North Korean hardliners were a sufficient threat to Joo-hyuk.
Summoned Being Principle 3's activation condition was fully met.
Joo-hyuk also disliked the hardliners gaining power in North Korea.
Is he the only one in danger?
What about his family?
He could only hope for minimal casualties.
The sudden World Announcement that rang out.
It was a shocking event.
The entire world was astonished.
Conquering a Tower.
Wait, was that even possible in the first place?
Even if the Tower has a nationality attached to it...
Perhaps an even more ridiculous situation than the Cabalan average curse.
The aftermath was enormous.
Reactions erupted first in South Korea, the party involved.
The US Department of Homeland Security.
Secretary MacMillan and Director Antonio were having a conversation.
"I contacted the Korean Awakening Management Bureau. It seems certain that the declarer is Player Bong."
MacMillan nodded.
Who else could it be?
"An item?"
"That's likely. Just look at the Tower Floor Intrusion Ticket."
Even so, this is something else.
Being able to change a Tower's nationality?
And in a seizing manner at that.
"Will North Korea just sit still? Shouldn't we send an aircraft carrier or something?"
"Well, I don't think we need to worry about that."
"What?"
"Chairman Kim In-jung of North Korea secretly requested it first."
"Ah!"
Meaning it was a pre-agreed matter.
Well, who is Player Bong, after all.
He wouldn't have used it without thinking.
"And it's not like defense is impossible."
"For North Korea, it's different."
"Right, among the 146 Towers worldwide, only North Korea."
Because it's a pre-Cabalan Tower.
"This could be an item that shifts perspectives."
"What?"
"If a country reaches a floor that's too difficult to conquer, they might ask another country to take their Tower on purpose, don't you think?"
"Ah!"
Right.
No one knows how the Tower's difficulty will change in the future.
So if they judge further conquest is impossible?
"Well, it depends on what happens to the players affiliated with the conquered Tower."
That was actually the most important part.
What would happen to them?
"We'll find out once the Tower conquest is over."
"Right, the result has become more important than the start."
MacMillan was also curious.
How exactly the Tower conquest would conclude.
The political situation in North Korea also changed rapidly.
Chairman Kim In-jung, rumored to be ill, appeared at an official event.
Demonstrating his vigor, he inspected various industrial facilities and also met with players climbing the Republic's Black Tower to commend them.
Around that time, the Tower Conquest Declaration exploded via World Announcement.
Pyongyang was turned upside down.
A South Korean player bastard dares to seize the Republic's Tower?
He's lost his damn mind.
This is a matter of pride.
How is this different from a declaration of war?
It says defense is possible by conquering 5 floors, but is that easy?
As everyone knows, the Republic's Black Tower is pre-Cabalan.
Denunciation rallies were held throughout Pyongyang.
Kill the South Korean player.
Let him taste the might of Juche's nukes.
Turn Seoul into a sea of fire.
We are not afraid of war.
If Comrade Chairman decides, we will do it.
Especially the North Korean military was restless.
Ready to jump into war preparations at any moment.
In response, Chairman Kim In-jung convened an emergency meeting of the Supreme People's Assembly.
North Korean military leaders and Workers' Party officials gathered in Pyongyang one after another.
And two days before the Supreme People's Assembly meeting, a series of massive incidents erupted in North Korea.
They made the Tower Conquest Declaration seem like nothing.
Enough to push war discussions aside.
Minister of the People's Armed Forces died in a traffic accident while commuting.
Director of the General Political Bureau died of a heart attack in his office.
Director of the Reconnaissance General Bureau found dead by the Taedong River.
Marshal of the Korean People's Army found hanged at his residence.
Director of State Security jumped from a top-tier Pyongyang apartment.
Commander of the Korean People's Army Strategic Force died of a cerebral hemorrhage in a missile base restroom...
.
.
.
Key figures of the military hardliners died one after another.
All within a day or two.
It was a baffling affair.
What in the world?
There was no evidence of assassination or sniping.
Most were accidents or suicides.
Of course, everyone knew they weren't natural.
But there was nothing they could do.
North Korea's high-ranking officials began to fall silent.
Because all the deceased were powerful figures who had advocated for war with South Korea.
The atmosphere in North Korea grew chaotic.
It seemed the Supreme People's Assembly meeting might be postponed, but it proceeded by Chairman Kim In-jung's will.
At the Mansudae Assembly Hall in Pyongyang,
Chairman Kim In-jung and all major party, government, and military leaders of North Korea's supreme leadership were in attendance.
Many seats were sparsely empty.
They knew the reason,
But there was an unfamiliar figure seated next to Chairman Kim In-jung.
Looking at the two, they seemed very close.
Chairman Kim In-jung rose from his seat.
And then.
"Before the representative meeting, I wish to appoint a new revolutionary force to the vacant position of Minister of the People's Armed Forces."
A new Minister of the People's Armed Forces,
Just the day before yesterday, the previous one had died.
The Minister of the People's Armed Forces is equivalent to the Minister of Defense.
A very important position.
But a person never seen before?
"Comrades, please welcome Comrade Go Sa-geuk with applause."
Clap clap clap clap!
Thunderous applause,
It was a person Chairman Kim personally brought.
Even if there were suspicions, you had to clap first.
The new Minister of the People's Armed Forces, Go Sa-geuk, stepped up to the podium.
"Comrades, nice to meet you. I am Go Sa-geuk."
After the greeting.
"First, I express my heartfelt gratitude to the great Comrade Chairman who appointed me as Minister of the People's Armed Forces."
Clap clap clap clap!
"I, Minister of the People's Armed Forces Go Sa-geuk, will devote all my heart and strength to spread the Juche revolutionary spirit, abbreviated as the Joo-hyuk spirit, throughout the world."
Clap clap clap clap!
"Additionally, I will conclude my remarks with a cheer of long life."
Go Sa-geuk, no, Kosak, raised both hands high in the Supreme People's Assembly hall and shouted.
"Long live Comrade Chairman!"
"Long live!!!"
"Long live the Democratic People's Republic of Korea!"
"Long live!!!"
"Long live the Juche revolutionary spirit!"
"Long live!!!"
"Long live the Joo-hyuk spirit!"
"Long live!!!"
The face of Kosak, drunk with madness.
"Long live Joo-hyuk!"
"Long live!!!"
"Long live Joo-hyuk!"
"Long live!!!"
"Long live Joo-hyuk!"
"Long live!!!"
Joo-hyuk's name echoed throughout the assembly hall, but no one suspected a thing.
Juche revolutionary spirit.
Joo-hyuk.
A simple abbreviation.
The meeting ended blandly.
Not a single word was discussed about responding to the Tower seizure.
Because everyone who could speak was already dead.
Chairman Kim In-jung also only spoke about other pending issues.
And so, North Korea did nothing.
Until the Tower was conquered.