Chapter 129
Chapter 129
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 129
Chapter Title: White Tower, 17th Floor
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The conversation of the Tower managers.
[So, the Tower Seizure Declaration Megaphone was used.]
[Yes. Perfectly cleanly, without any conflict or strife whatsoever.]
[I've felt it before, but the synergy between this Savior and the Helpers seems exceptionally good.]
[It's natural for people with compatible soul wavelengths to be summoned, but this is smooth. Have there been any issues so far?]
[He handles even the Mad Demon King better than anyone.]
[This Tower nationality change is also an achievement, which is worrying. I wonder what achievement reward will be given.]
[No need to worry too much. Achievement rewards are also probability-based, so at most it'll be an increase in Tower entry count or an extension of the Helpers' manifestation period.]
[Hoo, under these circumstances, we have no choice but to quickly push him past the 70s and wait for him to reach the 80s.]
[The 79th floor and below are event zones, so that's fine, but from the 80th floor onwards, we need proper designs.]
[Well, from that point on, we'll have some leeway with causality, so we can set up various things.]
[The variable is the Alchemist Aliamari... She'll probably just stay in her room making potions again, right?]
[She absolutely must. It would be a headache if she directly participates in the conquest.]
Above all else, the main source of income for Players is Magic Crystals.
Of course, if you receive equipment items or items without Tower-exclusive modifiers as rewards, it's truly hitting the jackpot.
But the only thing that provides a steady, reliable income from daily Tower climbing and repeated conquests is Magic Crystals.
It was during this time that the existence of High-Grade Magic Crystals was first revealed.
High-Grade Magic Crystals, only obtainable as rewards from the Black Tower of a country that has successfully climbed to the 71st floor.
Initially, their value was unknown.
So, when countries or corporations bought them, they only paid about twice the normal price.
However, the repeatedly researched uses of High-Grade Magic Crystals—their value as room-temperature superconductors.
The price exploded.
Demand surged, mainly from corporations, universities, or government research institutions.
From twice the price to three times, four times, ten times.
They were selling like hotcakes.
You have to strike while the iron is hot.
To the South Korean Black Tower, where High-Grade Magic Crystal rewards were most abundant,
Thus, countless Players attempted temporary naturalization to North Korea, and due to an unintended incident, nationality transfers were restricted for one year.
Exactly today.
The day of reckoning.
What is the fate of Players belonging to a Black Tower whose nationality changes?
Ding!
It's here!
The naturalized Players cheered.
It was the best outcome.
Nationality change to South Korea.
Both the ordinary Players from various countries who jumped in hoping to make a killing, and the black market Players who naturalized on a large scale for new business ventures.
All hoped to be able to suck honey from the South Korean Black Tower.
But what's going on?
The nationality in their status window isn't changing.
Does it take some time to change?
They soon realized the reason.
The target of the first notice was "Players belonging to the former Democratic People's Republic of Korea Black Tower," meaning native Players, not temporary naturalization.
Then what about the temporary naturalization Players?
A short while later, another world notice sounded.
Ding!
What?
They couldn't believe their ears.
Revoked!
What happens now?
And then, the changed status window.
[Affiliation]: None.
None.
If you have no affiliation, the Tower you can enter disappears.
What the hell is this?
Simultaneously, ding.
Ah! So that's how it is.
If it's revoked, it doesn't automatically recover; you have to create a nationality again.
Acquiring a nationality shouldn't be hard, right?
Just make a new contract with a country.
There's no reason for a country to reject Players, who are like industrial workers.
But what about the money invested for temporary naturalization?
It looks like they won't recover a single penny.
Disappointed Players, angry Players, irritated Players, cursing Players.
Are they all upset?
Not at all!
In fact, Players with negative feelings were only a tiny minority.
Most temporary naturalization Players were relieved.
And they cheered and were grateful.
Why?
They thought they'd be stuck in the North Korean Black Tower for a whole year, unable to move.
Other countries were advancing toward the 70s at super high speed.
It was clear that soon, most Players would receive High-Grade Magic Crystal rewards.
But what about themselves?
They had no choice but to only conquer the North Korean Black Tower for a year.
Receiving only normal Magic Crystals as rewards, whose price had already plummeted.
But now it's different.
They've been miraculously freed.
They can change their nationality to any country they want.
All thanks to South Korea's S+++ Rank Conquest Record Player successfully seizing the Tower.
How grateful are they?
They feel like meeting him in person, hugging him, and thanking him.
So, the Players whose nationality was revoked went to South Korean Player community sites and left comments.
Using translators, of course.
South Korean Players also left comments.
It was a happy ending for everyone.
Except for one person.
Who?
The Player whose nationality was revoked but cannot acquire a new nationality within 10 days.
The black market guild leader Dmitri, imprisoned in North Korea's Player cooperative detention camp.
"Fucking!"
He could only spew curses.
Can he acquire a new nationality within 10 days?
If his Player qualification is revoked, what happens to the treasures in his inventory?
After the world notice about the North Korean Black Tower nationality change popped up,
In South Korea, news exploded as if they had been waiting.
Breaking News: North Korean Black Tower changed to South Korean nationality.
Breaking News: Former North Korean Tower affiliated Players transferred to South Korean affiliation.
Breaking News: Shock! There was prior consultation between the South Korean government and the North Korean government.
Breaking News: Black Tower unification, complete unification is not far off.
Breaking News: Chairman Kim In-jung proposes North-South summit.
Breaking News: Promises of friendly exchanges across politics, economy, and culture.
Breaking News: South Korean Awakening Management Bureau decides to share Tower climbing know-how with North Korea as part of exchange plan.
These were matters already agreed upon by the North and South Korean governments.
They had placed an embargo with the press to release breaking news as soon as the notice appeared.
Follow-up reports also poured out.
Breaking News: Temporary naturalization Players stuck in North Korean Tower have nationality revoked.
Breaking News: Finally escaped! Words of thanks to the S+++ Rank Conqueror pour in.
Breaking News: Governments of various countries begin nationality acquisition procedures for temporary naturalization Players whose nationality was revoked.
Breaking News: Chinese President Liu Zhao expresses concern over Tower seizure, saying forced occupation is akin to imperialism.
Breaking News: White House official statement welcomes Tower integration. It was achieved after sufficient prior consultation. Also thanks for freeing the stuck temporary naturalization Players.
Breaking News: Japanese Prime Minister Maeda actively supports North-South unification discussions.
South Korean Awakening Management Bureau,
This place was also in a buoyant mood.
The workload had suddenly increased.
"Frankly, I'm more surprised that North Korea changed than that the Tower nationality changed."
Chief Park Kyung-su with a flushed face.
"The President keeps calling and asking."
"Asking what?"
"Whether we can really trust North Korea."
"Hahaha, how did you answer?"
"I said the current Chairman Kim is someone we can trust more than anyone."
Jeon Gwang-il also nodded.
Park Kyung-su was right.
To be precise, it's not Chairman Kim they trust, but Kosak—no, Go Sa-geuk, the People's Armed Forces Minister beside him.
"By the way, who's going to North Korea? To establish a new Awakening Management Bureau branch in the North, we need to decide on dispatching staff first."
The contents agreed upon with North Korea.
Sharing the South Korean Bureau's Player training know-how.
"Should I go? Team Leader Lee Min-ah is indispensable to the Bureau."
"No, you stay put. I'll go."
"You, Chief?"
"Yes, it's perfect timing. I'll step down from the Chief position and take the North Korean branch director position."
"Uh..."
Well, if it's Chief Park Kyung-su, there's nothing to worry about.
"With this, your promotion is also decided. Congratulations in advance. Chief Jeon Gwang-il. I look forward to your good work."
Promotion?
Jeon Gwang-il just stood there with his mouth agape, as if he hadn't expected it.
Joo-hyuk finished the Pyongyang Okryugwan banquet and returned home using the Tower.
The saved default location was the penthouse.
Tower Seizure Declaration.
Kosak's dispatch to North Korea using the Ring of Retreat,
And the groundwork began.
Casualties were inevitable in that process, but.
Anyway, everything fell into place.
They took over the North Korean Black Tower without any particular conflict.
And the relationship improvement discussions began.
Unification wasn't far off.
It seemed almost within reach.
They could do it right now without any problems.
Naturally, an achievement also popped up.
And an achievement reward was received.
But that reward was very perplexing.
'They give something like this?'
You have been allotted the 17th floor of the White Tower.
Something completely unexpected.
You have been allotted the 17th floor of the White Tower.
He received real estate.
'The 17th floor of the White Tower?'
Not a Black Tower?
Did such a Tower exist?
And it says "allotted," not "entry."
Does that mean they're handing over an entire floor of the Tower?
Independent and.
It doesn't collapse.
You can stay there too.
So he checked.
[Universal Skills]: Tower Entry (3 times/day)/ Tower Exclusive Inventory/ White Tower 17th Floor Entry and Exit.
There were no entry count restrictions.
Anytime, as you wish.
Would the Summoned know?
"Have you heard of the White Tower?"
"White Tower? Not a Black Tower?... Hmm, I've never heard of it."
"This maiden has not heard of it either."
"Ditto."
He also asked Mari.
[Mari]: No. I'm hearing it for the first time too.
They all don't know.
How to check?
There's no choice but to enter directly.
"White Tower 17th Floor Entry."
Spot!
"Oh!"
He could guess why it's called the White Tower.
Everything around is pure white.
Because of that, he couldn't even judge how wide or how high this place was.
"Huh?"
A menu,
Swish!
Items appeared as holograms before his eyes,
[Basic] [Placement] [Grant Residence Rights] [Resident List]
Four categories in total.
It looked like a game interface.
Can only he see it?
"Can you see this? That hologram in front of me..."
Instantly!
'What the?'
A sense of incongruity was felt by Joo-hyuk.
It's quiet.
There's no presence.
He looked around,
'...Did I come in alone?'
That was it.
There was no one but himself.
Then,
"White Tower 17th Floor Exit."
Spot!
"Summoner Bong!"
"Summoner! Where did you go?"
"Master, it's a relief. We were worried when you disappeared."
"Huehehe..."
The Summoned couldn't follow him in.
It was definitely different from the Black Tower.
If he summoned them directly there...
"I'll release the summons for now. I'll call you back in three hours."
He released all Summoned.
Then waited three hours.
Until he could resummon.
After that,
"White Tower 17th Floor Entry."
Back to the white space.
"Designated Summon: John Kosak!"
But.
Ding.
"Ah!"
So that's what the resident menu was for.
Joo-hyuk touched the [Resident List] that appeared as a hologram with his hand.
[Current residents: 0.]
0 people.
How do you grant?
Tap!
Residence Right
You can grant residence rights to any being with a soul. Residents can stay here anytime, as long as they wish, without time restrictions. Cost is 1 kg of Supreme-Grade Magic Crystal per individual.
If you become a resident, you can enter.
And you can live here.
But the cost.
Even 1 kg of Supreme-Grade Magic Crystal.
Since High-Grade Magic Crystals have appeared, there must be Supreme-Grade ones, but...
'Where do I get that?'
Can you get them by climbing to high floors?
Anyway, without Supreme-Grade Magic Crystals, the White Tower 17th Floor was ultimately a place only he can enter.
'It's meaningless.'
What would he do coming in alone?
In a white space with nothing.
"Tch."
It was an achievement reward that's not welcome at all.
They should have just increased the manifestation period.
'Let's get out.'
No, before that, check the remaining two menus.
First, [Basic]
Tap!
Environment
- Determines the environment of the White Tower 17th Floor. The first environment decision incurs no cost.
Environment decision.
Probably similar to the Black Tower's environments.
Like desert, jungle, snowfield, plains, etc.
It seems to implement such an environment on the 17th floor.
'What would be good?'
Joo-hyuk imagined in his head.
A world with a blue plain and a flowing river.
Then.
Swish!
The once white space with nothing transformed into a beautiful plain like one seen on a tourist postcard.
'Wow!'
It was a vast plain where the horizon was visible.
Not fake, but real.
The earthy scent filling his nostrils, the river flowing leisurely in the distance.
'It really changed like this?'
Then what about the other two items in Basic?
White Tower 17th Floor Wireless Communication Network
- Constructs a network within a certain range. Can also connect to Earth's network. Cost: 10 tons of High-Grade Magic Crystals.
'....'
The remaining one is.
White Tower 17th Floor Power Plant
- Produces electricity. Once the power plant is constructed, all electronic devices can be used without connecting cables within a certain range. Cost: 20 tons of High-Grade Magic Crystals.
These are the currently unlocked three Basic submenus.
Environment, Communication, Electricity.
If they're realized as is, you could live here.
There's still one thing left to check.
[Placement]
When he tapped it with his hand, two submenus appeared.
Copy
- Copies up to 100 object items. Can also be used outside. No cost.
Paste
- Pastes and places copied objects. High-Grade Magic Crystal cost occurs proportional to height, volume, and value.
An example video appeared kindly.
Like watching a movie.
A building copied from outside was pasted into a specific space here.
Just buildings?
Starting with daily necessities that go into a house, furniture and electrical appliances.
Cars, bicycles, motorcycles, roads, airport and port facilities, gyms, etc.
And a city was created.
A perfect city with all infrastructure in place.
'This is like...'
Something like a city-building simulation game.
Copy something from outside and paste it into the White Tower 17th Floor.
Thus creating all the foundations and convenience facilities for humans to live.
'It's a kind of shelter.'
Self-sufficient, allowing you to survive even if the world ends.
But there was one fatal flaw.
Namely, resident registration.
Plus the cost for registration: Supreme-Grade Magic Crystals.
If you can't obtain Supreme-Grade Magic Crystals, you have to live alone.
Lonely and desolate.
'...Should I still decorate it?'
It might be fun.
It would be similar to playing a game.
Moreover, the cost for Basic and Placement is High-Grade Magic Crystals.
The amount is enormous, but it can be obtained sufficiently.
Let's do it slowly.
While conquering the Tower, in spare moments.
What about resident registration?
We'll have to find Supreme-Grade Magic Crystals somehow.