Chapter 131
Chapter 131
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 131
Chapter Title: The North Korean Prisoner and the 75th Floor
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Dimitry, the black market guild leader.
He had been abducted in Prague and dragged to North Korea.
He was in a near-catatonic state from continuous drug administration.
When he woke up, he was in North Korea.
The most closed-off country on Earth.
Still, he did not lose hope.
He would escape for sure.
How could he get out of this place?
He even considered negotiating with his inventory items.
Hand over what they wanted and become a free man.
But they were not to be trusted.
Getting fooled once was bad enough; getting fooled twice would be idiotic.
They probably wouldn't kill him.
Was there any need to kill him?
His utility as a high-level player was sufficient.
Besides, if he died, his inventory would be locked away anyway.
He held out to the end.
Despite all the torture, he stubbornly protected his inventory.
The items inside would be the foundation for a new start once he escaped North Korea someday.
But then, a change occurred.
The Tower's national advantage.
The nationality of the North Korean Tower changed?
Then what would happen to him?
Finally, that day arrived.
The worldwide notice about the nationality revocation for temporarily naturalized players.
Simultaneously, a system message arrived.
Status Window: Nationality - None.
What on earth is this?
Having his nationality revoked was one thing.
But how was he supposed to acquire a new nationality while bound like this?
If he were free, he could have just run to any embassy, applied for player naturalization, and obtained a nationality...
In 10 days, his Player qualification would be revoked.
He wouldn't even be able to use his Tower-exclusive inventory.
While he was anxiously worrying, the atmosphere in the detention camp where Dimitry was held also began to change.
The North Korean players who had been imprisoned became free and returned home.
The Spring of Pyongyang.
Relations between South and North Korea shifted to a reconciliation mode, and the South Korean Awakening Management Bureau planned to establish a branch for exchange purposes.
He felt a flicker of hope.
Could he perhaps be released too?
But there was no further news.
The torture had stopped, but he was still imprisoned.
What should he do?
Should he try negotiating now?
But there was no one to listen.
Time kept passing.
Now, only 5 days remained.
He grew increasingly anxious.
If his Player qualification was revoked, his usefulness would disappear too.
Then, a lifeline appeared.
The emergence of a new power figure in North Korea.
Go Sakeuk, Minister of the People's Armed Forces.
He came to meet Dimitry, accompanied by an interpreter.
"Comrade, you're the black market boss?"
"Y-yes, that's right."
"What's your Player Status Window nationality?"
"...Currently stateless."
"Is that so? Then if you don't acquire a nationality within 5 days, you'll be disqualified, huh."
Dimitry watched the Minister's expression carefully.
He hadn't come for no reason.
He wanted something.
"I could spare your life. I could even arrange for you to acquire a nationality."
"...Really?"
"If the conditions are met, sure."
"Tell me anything."
Gulp.
Dimitry swallowed dryly.
Finally, the opportunity to escape North Korea had arrived.
He could hand over inventory items, no problem.
Except for the most valuable one.
"What I want is just one thing."
"What is it?"
"A small pebble, about the size that fits in your mouth. Eating it massively enhances Traits."
"...."
"Give me that, and I'll set you free right now. I promise."
Trait Enhancement Rune.
He actually had one in his inventory.
He had three, sold two to the Americans, and kept one as a spare.
But he absolutely could not hand it over.
It was the most valuable item he possessed.
He needed it for his fresh start in the future.
"I don't have that. Could I give you something else? I have a 300 million dollar deposited in a Swiss bank..."
Pfft, Kosak sneered.
"Are you mocking me now? You think I don't know how much you sold that pebble to the American bastards for?"
"...Uh."
"Listen well! If there's no Trait Enhancement Rune, there's no negotiation. You'll just have your Player qualification revoked."
"N-no, that's..."
"If you're not a Player, you're useless, aren't you? You'll spend your life mining coal until you drop dead."
"B-but what can I do if I don't have it? I'm telling the truth."
Dimitry desperately denied it.
The Trait Enhancement Rune must not become a bargaining chip.
"Well, no rune means no talk. Rot in the Republic for the rest of your life."
Kosak stood up abruptly.
"W-wait!"
Ignoring him, Kosak walked out of the solitary confinement cell.
Was he just leaving?
No way. He would be back.
Kosak was certain.
That guild leader guy had the rune in his inventory.
But he shouldn't rush it.
He needed to give him time to think.
So he would voluntarily cough up the Trait Enhancement Rune from his inventory.
The outcome was predetermined anyway.
He planned to visit the day before the nationality revocation.
By then, the rune would be in his hands.
The Northern Tower was conquered up to the 74th floor.
Next was the NO.1 original South Korean Tower conquest.
After a full day's rest.
After calling all Summoned Beings except Marie.
"Summoner, good morning."
"Loyalty! Summoner Bong, the Minister of People's Armed Forces has arrived."
"The warrior has come as well."
"My Lord."
"Sergeant Veronica Caliber."
"Hoe!"
"Woof woof!"
With so many of them, just exchanging greetings took an age.
And their numbers would only grow.
"Let's finish quickly. We have to build a house."
Shall we enter?
To the unconquered upper floors.
Spot!
A safe zone.
It was like a barn.
But the atmosphere was eerie.
It didn't feel particularly cold, yet a chill seeped into his entire body.
'Hmm, feels like ghosts might appear.'
Spooky.
'Let's dope up first.'
The potions he received from Miss Marie.
Drug dependency wasn't good, but an LSSR-grade Sage's potion probably had no side effects.
Gulp, gulp, he drank them down.
Creak— Joo-hyuk opened the barn door and stepped out.
Outside was a pitch-black night without a hint of moonlight, not a single insect chirp to be heard.
"Light!!!"
Whoosh!
The quick-witted Bardin manifested a brilliant glow.
Whoosh!
Giant Gobang scooped up Bardin, the human holy sword and human lamp, and lifted him high.
Like a torch.
Behind them were Gwang-ma and Kosak, in the middle were Joo-hyuk and Gyeon Dal-rae, and finally Razix and Veronica riding Hyeolrang.
Only then did the outside scenery come into view.
Old-fashioned tiled-roof buildings stood here and there.
But they were half-collapsed.
Underfoot were scattered broken roof tiles and overgrown weeds.
This place was perfect for YouTuber streamers' abandoned house exploration content.
But Gyeon Dal-rae tilted her head.
After looking around for a long time, she spoke in a trembling voice.
"I think I know where this is. This place is..."
Instantly!
Ding!
75th Floor Basic Mission
📍 Objective: Defeat 30 Palace Guard Soldier Haunts.
Additional Optional Mission
📍 Objective: Defeat 15 Palace Guard Ssaulabi Haunts.
High-Difficulty Optional Mission
📍 Objective: Defeat Captain Heukchisu, Palace Guard Haunt.
Extreme-Difficulty Optional Mission
📍 Objective: Defeat the Hungry Ghost Gyeonsul.
The palace.
Defeat haunts.
'Then?'
This was the palace of the Celestial Empire.
And it was in ruins.
Gyeon Dal-rae's expression was sorrowful.
Well, it was the place where she was born and raised.
"It's ruined... The imperial palace, the Empire..."
It seemed so.
Not a single person was around.
Instead,
Swish, swish, swish—
Something pale and whitish drifted through the air as if swimming through emptiness.
"...They're real ghosts."
Vengeful spirits bearing grudges.
Haunts who failed to ascend to the afterlife and fixed their spatial coordinates to a specific location in the mortal realm.
"G-ghosts are scary."
"Sergeant V, you hunt undead left and right, so why are ghosts scary?"
"Are undead and ghosts the same thing?"
"Honestly, if you think about it, we're basically ghosts too, right?"
"Shut up! You commie bastard, do you really want me to turn you into a ghost?"
"Aigoo, our anti-communist Sergeant V. Unification is just around the corner, and you're still on about commies?"
Sergeant V wasn't the only one scared.
Razix was also clinging to Hyeolrang's neck, trembling violently.
'Hmm.'
Joo-hyuk's mouth went dry too.
Sergeant V was right.
Were ghosts and undead the same?
Especially traditional Korean ghosts were scarier.
Memories of watching horror dramas on TV while hiding under a blanket as a child were still vivid.
'Ugh, my heart's pounding.'
He took out the mental fortification mango juice made by the Sage from his inventory and drank it.
"Princess."
"Speak, my lord."
"We ultimately have to defeat the Hungry Ghost Gyeonsul. Do you know who that is?"
"Gyeonsul... is this maiden's uncle."
He had thought so.
Gyeon Dal-rae's uncle.
The man who staged a rebellion, killed her younger brother, ascended the throne, and was then struck by Gyeon Dal-rae's ritual arrow.
"Maiden... has a request."
"Just tell me. I'll grant you anything."
"Please grant this maiden the opportunity to release the grudges and resentment of the dead."
"Ah..."
Right.
That was better than blindly conquering.
These haunts were people who lived in the same palace as Gyeon Dal-rae; perhaps they even knew each other.
"I wish to perform a Cheondo-gut, a ritual to guide them to the afterlife and pray for their rebirth in paradise."
A good idea.
Nothing beat a gut ritual for exorcising ghosts.
Performing a Cheondo-gut wouldn't necessarily send them to the afterlife, but...
Well, it was the Tower's world; there must be a Tower afterlife too.
"Hooeng!"
Swish.
Razix pulled out a power bank, a large speaker and amplifier, and an MP3 player loaded onto a handcart.
"I'll pull this."
"If the Minister of People's Armed Forces goes around pulling a handcart..."
"Aiyoo, don't tease me. There's only one person I'm loyal to."
"Who? Chairman Kim?"
"Eh, you know who, hehehe."
"Hahaha."
Exchanging jokes like this seemed to ease the fear a little.
Kosak turned on the player switch.
Doong doong! Doo doong doong!
Chaeng! Chaeng chaeng chaeng!
The rhythm of the Cheondo-gut ritual echoed along with the drumbeats.
Charyuk! Charururuk!
Gyeon Dal-rae stepped forward, holding bells and a knife.
Truthfully, during the undead sections on the 60th floors, Gyeon Dal-rae's gut rituals and talismans had their limits.
They could slightly weaken dark auras but couldn't deal substantial damage or inflict fatal debuffs.
The decisive role had been played by the holy sword and the summoned holy knight, Lucius Bardin.
But now the situation was different again.
Haunts were not undead.
Also, this was the palace where Princess Gyeon Dal-rae lived.
The Chief shrine maiden of the Celestial Empire's Royal Shrine, Princess Gyeon Dal-rae, the Bari-degi who guides the dead to the afterlife.
Therefore, the palace haunts were no different from mere evil spirits to her.
Charurururuk!
As the bells rang, the soldier haunts began to scatter in a panic.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
Yellow talismans were scattered like flower petals.
Pop! Pop pop pop!
Ghosts disappeared upon contact.
It was a matter of compatibility from the start.
What palace haunt could stand against Chief shrine maiden Gyeon Dal-rae?
The conquest was instantaneous.
Basic mission complete.
'Proceed'
The next targets were the Palace Guard Ssaulabi Haunts.
Although they were warrior ghosts of a higher rank than soldiers, they were no match for Gyeon Dal-rae's Cheondo-gut and talismans.
Honestly, it was over the moment they faced her.
What had been the Ssaulabi Guards' role in life?
It was to protect the royal family.
The very person they were supposed to protect was standing right before their eyes.
'Princess...'
'Your Highness.'
'We are ashamed.'
'Please slay the treacherous gods.'
Some Ssaulabi haunts even recognized Gyeon Dal-rae and bowed.
Pop! Pop pop pop!
The haunts voluntarily withdrew.
Next, the high-difficulty optional mission target: Captain Heukchisu, the Malevolent Ghost.
A named entity whose information could be checked.
"You!!! Heukchisu!"
Gyeon Dal-rae's shout.
Guard Captain Haunt Heukchisu trembled, his spirit flickering.
'Princess? Is it really the Princess?'
"I knew it would come to this. The fate of a traitor is truly wretched. To become a vile, wandering haunt, unable to leave the Nine Heavens."
'Keke, betrayal? When wealth and glory are right before your eyes, not seizing the opportunity would be foolish.'
"So, are you enjoying glory now?"
'Eek! It's... it's because of you. It's because you shot an arrow at the Emperor! You caused the Empire's downfall.'
"If a world collapses just because one emperor dies, it's better it ends quickly."
'You damned bitch!!!'
Heukchisu charged with terrifying momentum.
But again, this was Gyeon Dal-rae's world.
"There will be no afterlife for you. Die again! Traitor!"
Fwoosh!
A flying talisman.
Whoosh!
A shining bronze mirror.
"Gyaaaah!"
Struck by the talisman and exposed to the mirror's light, Heukchisu melted away.
"Ghost hunting isn't for marines; it's for maidens."
"So 'Chief shrine maiden' wasn't an exaggeration."
"Her energy is overwhelming. Reminds me of when I got scolded for slurping noodles."
"Warriors don't make noise when eating noodles."
Though Gyeon Dal-rae had died young and never outgrown her girlishness, within the palace, she was invincible.
The natural enemy of haunts.
Who could possibly stand against her?
Now, the final one.
Gyeon Dal-rae knew where the Hungry Ghost Gyeonsul, the target of the extreme-difficulty optional mission, was.
She walked alone, step by step.
The largest hall in the palace.
Creak— she opened the door and entered.
"...Uncle."
A skeleton-like, emaciated form, a ghost crawling on all fours like a dog across the great hall's floor.
Clack, clack, clack.
The miserable appearance of a Hungry Ghost.
The Hungry Ghost Gyeonsul saw Gyeon Dal-rae.
'Oh! My niece has come. You're just like before. You've put on weight quite appetizingly.'
"How wretched you are. Even in death, you're bound to the Tower, unable to leave. How can your attachments be so many?"
'Shut up! Before killing your brother, I should have killed you first. That's the one regret I have.'
"Have you still not realized the emptiness of power? Even after reducing the Empire to this state?"
'Kekekeke, power is something even between father and son cannot be shared.'
"I have something to ask you.... Did you, by any chance, kill my father as well?"
'Hehe, don't you already know? Yes, I killed him. Your weak father was never meant to be Emperor in the first place.'
Twitch!
Gyeon Dal-rae's body staggered.
Trembling, quivering pupils.
A face pale from drained blood.
Seeing this, Joo-hyuk's heart ached.
How could he not understand that feeling?
The enemy who killed her father and brother.
A bastard like that deserved to be beaten a hundred times over.
Joo-hyuk approached Gyeon Dal-rae and placed both hands on her slender shoulders.
"Princess."
"...Ah!"
"Leave that bastard to us."
"Th-that's..."
"Don't bear it alone."
Gyeon Dal-rae stepped back.
Razix toddled over and gave her a big hug.
"Hoe."
"Servant Razix... I-I'm alright."
"Hooeeeee!"
It was heartbreaking.
On the 74th floor, she had parted with her master; on the 75th floor, she faced the enemy who killed her father and brother again.
Joo-hyuk gave an order to Veronica.
"Sergeant V."
"Sergeant Veronica Caliber!"
"Feed him one large round."
"Victory assured! Attribute absorption initiated."
Veronica cautiously approached Gyeon Dal-rae and asked.
"Princess, excuse me for a moment."
"...Yes, Sergeant V. Let me attach a talisman for you."
An exorcism talisman attached to the magic gun.
The talisman's energy was sucked into the magic gun.
"Hungry Ghost targeting complete!"
Click!
Sergeant V's magic gun bullets were magic stones.
An attack power combining physical and magical damage, with attribute absorption adding the talisman's divine power.
Clack clack clack!
The Hungry Ghost Gyeonsul charged on all fours like a dog.
'I'll definitely devour you!!!'
What nonsense.
Have a large round instead.
The magic gun glowed white-hot.
Zzzziiing!
Fwoosh!
Sergeant V's entire body shook violently.
Boom!
The large round struck the charging Hungry Ghost Gyeonsul directly.
Kabooom!
Crash crash bang!
The explosive shockwave that followed was blocked by Gwang-ma and Gobang.
The Hungry Ghost Gyeonsul, its four legs pointed skyward, trembled from the large round impact.
"Kiiiii..."
Still not dead.
"One more round."
"Yes sir!"
Zzzziiing!
Fwoosh!
Boom!
Kabooom!
Bang!!!
The Hungry Ghost Gyeonsul vanished instantly.
Well, it would probably respawn if reset.
It wasn't even difficult.
Gyeon Dal-rae pretty much did it all herself.
So?
Time to enter the 76th floor right away.
No need to drag things out.
🏆 Reward: Platinum Badge x2
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