Chapter 152
Chapter 152
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 152
Chapter Title: The Aftermath and a New Residence Permit
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The operation ended successfully.
Final reporting time.
The number of dead was a mere seven.
However, they were all China's top power brokers.
To put it in Korean terms, it was as if the president, the next, the next-next, and the next-next-next presidential candidates—seven people in total—had been massacred in one place.
It was a world of difference from the previous situation where the chairman was absent. It would be difficult to sort things out in a short time.
Kosak connected his smartphone to the TV. He said he had filmed something.
"The artisan of mise-en-scène, the master of art films, thorough research, realistic direction that excludes CG, method acting that immerses oneself in the role, meticulously weaving a clear-cut scenario—the one and only ten-million director and actor, yours truly, Kosak."
That's a long introduction. Too long.
Our LSSR Kosak. Is there anything he can't do?
The screen began to play. A scene of Kosak, his face transformed by Polymorph, giving a speech, and Chinese politicians frozen in terror.
And then,
*BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM KABOOM!*
A deafening roar and the screen went black.
*Clap clap clap clap!*
The applause of the summoned beings echoed. Kosak raised his hand in acknowledgment as if he were on a red carpet.
'...'
Wait, why are we watching this?
I gave permission, but seeing the final product makes my heart pound.
Of course it would. Is this an ordinary matter?
"The work came out splendidly. And I uploaded the video to YouTube from Beijing. Using an account under a Chinese name."
He even made it public before coming back. A video containing utterly preposterous claims.
Unite, players of the great continent of China? Is this the Communist Manifesto or something?
Anyway, China will be noisy for a while. They won't have the spare capacity to pay attention to discussions about Korean reunification.
The result of activating the third clause of the Summoned Being's Three Principles. The Chinese Chairman, along with the Standing Committee members—a total of seven dead.
This is the minimum sacrifice. I got my revenge and eliminated a threat in advance. All of this was for my own sake.
"...You've worked hard. And thank you for always looking out for me."
"Hmph, 'thank you'? I merely did what was my duty."
"Sergeant Veronica Caliber, please command me anytime."
"Ah, you don't need to say thank you. This Kosak can read Summoner Bong's heart just by looking into your eyes."
"Ho-eh!"
Anyway, it ended well. The fallout will be severe, though.
A blast and tremors echoed through Beijing, China. At first, people thought it was an earthquake.
The explosive power of the nuclear backpack wasn't as strong as other nuclear weapons, and since it detonated deep inside an underground bunker, no fallout or mushroom cloud rose.
However, soon after, the military forces stationed closest to the headquarters were the first to rush in. After all, that unit's original mission was to defend the Continental Crisis Management Headquarters building.
The unit commander arrived at the scene and directed rescue operations. The scene was devastating. The collapsed headquarters building. People groaning and fallen everywhere.
It was enough to drive one mad. What place was this?
The most heavily guarded location in Beijing. The bunker housing Chairman Liu Zhao's office and residence.
Yet the soldiers guarding this place were all lying injured outside the headquarters.
Putting it all together, a bomb had exploded, but it must have detonated inside the bunker, not outside.
The people collapsed here were quite a distance from the building, having suffered indirect damage...
It was a ghostly, outrageous affair. The guards were all special forces soldiers who had received the highest level of training.
Even they didn't know. Why they were injured.
They had simply lost consciousness and then came to from the intense explosion and shockwave.
Also, the most crucial part—the soldiers were one thing, but what about the Chairman and the Standing Committee members? Could they possibly be inside the collapsed bunker?
Those collapsed outside weren't just soldiers. There were also staff, aides, and secretaries stationed at the headquarters.
Their statements were all the same. They lost consciousness momentarily and woke up to find themselves outside.
Was it really a ghost? If it were a person, there should be at least some eyewitnesses. But no one had any memory of it.
Anyway, the Chairman and Standing Committee members weren't found outside. It was ominous. If they were inside the collapsed building...
But then, a unit officer came rushing over as if something urgent had happened.
"C-Commander!"
"What is it?"
"At the explosion site, uhm, r-radioactive material readings have appeared."
"What?"
So?
"...A nuclear explosion?"
"It seems likely..."
What is this? This is a disaster. An unimaginable outcome flashed through his mind.
Right at that moment!
*Ding, ding, ding...*
Smartphone notification sounds rang out everywhere.
Because of the explosion? But no.
"L-look at this."
"Huh? What is it? ...YouTube?"
A video streaming platform banned within China. But everyone watches it. By bypassing the restrictions.
"A suspicious video was uploaded. An acquaintance sent me a link to watch it."
The unit commander watched the video on his smartphone. A moment later.
"M-my god..."
The hand holding the phone trembled violently.
A single YouTube video rocked the world. It was a video containing the claims and explosion footage of a Chinese player armed with insane madness.
The view count exploding was a given. What kind of ordinary content was this? Who were the people in the video?
People were still cautious. The media also refrained from hastily writing articles. Because it was too big an issue.
It could be a deepfake video. There are plenty of those.
But soon, the truth was revealed. It was clearly not a composite; considering the time, location, upload point, etc., the video was genuine.
And the Chinese authorities, who made no mention and quietly maintained their silence.
If the video were fake, just one of the people who appeared in it could have shown their face at an official event, but they couldn't.
Thus, the death of the third Chinese National Chairman was confirmed. The world was swept up in shock.
Especially China, where the level of chaos was severe.
└ Nah, it's probably fake. I still can't believe it. That's definitely a deepfake.
└ It's not fabricated. Experts have all verified it.
└ Look, even now, the people in the video, none of them have shown themselves, right?
└ Quite coincidental, huh. There was a terror attempt in Pyongyang but it failed, and in Beijing it succeeded.
└ Beijing didn't have that cute Ho-eung hamster.
└ Right. If it had, it would have gone 'Ho-eh! Swoosh!'
└ Ho-eung?
└ Are players going to get suppressed because of this?
└ The possibility is high. Normally they're ordinary people, but with the Rune of Liberation necklace, it's different.
└ Hmph. Is that necklace a common item like equipment?
└ Right, that necklace, it only drops from the 71st floor and above, and even then it has a very low reward probability.
└ Unless you're a state-sponsored player, you probably can't even see one?
└ Then what about Pyongyang and Beijing? There are circumstances suggesting the Rune of Liberation necklace was used in both.
└ There's a conspiracy. The state might be involved.
└ There are rumors that the Chinese government was behind the Pyongyang terror incident.
└ Maybe this time too?
└ Well, who knows.
└ The claims of that Beijing terrorist are like that too. What nonsense.
└ Right, 'Great Chinese Socialism'? What is that?
└ What, mixing Sinocentrism with socialism?
└ Seems like he just blurted out whatever came to mind.
└ That person claimed to be a player, but might not actually be one.
└ But there are some correct points. Exploitation.
└ Being ruled by pigs also seems somewhat valid at a glance.
└ Liu Zhao's face did change. Probably because he took rejuvenation elixirs.
└ Anyway, looks like the chairman is changing again.
That's right.
Whatever the cause, China's top leaders were dying one after another. Two of those times, they were killed by players.
Wang Yuan was beaten to death by the player Bai Long after coveting the 71st-floor climbing gift set.
Liu Zhao was blown up in a terror attack by an unidentified madman suspected to be a Chinese player.
Due to the power vacuum, the hastily formed Chinese Emergency Countermeasures Committee ordered the public security bureau to find the player from the video.
All registered Chinese players were under investigation. A storm swept through.
A full-scale investigation of players began. The notoriety of the Chinese public security bureau was widely known.
Players being dragged away, assaulted, tortured; players who couldn't endure it and fled had warrants issued for them.
Then, discontent began to simmer among Chinese players. What wrong had they done?
Especially China's high-level players, whose dissatisfaction grew more intense by the day.
Then what about other countries besides China? Regardless of the reason, terror attacks presumed to have used the Rune of Liberation necklace had occurred twice.
Should players be regulated? But how can they regulate them?
In fact, these two incidents were events already foreseen when the Rune of Liberation necklace first appeared.
So they needed to change their thinking. Instead of regulating players, the right approach was to secure trustworthy and capable players.
They should provide them with Rune of Liberation necklaces so they can respond to any accidents that might occur.
Just look at this incident. If even one player wearing a Rune of Liberation necklace had been among the Continental Crisis Management Headquarters guard force? Wouldn't the result have been different?
Washington D.C., USA.
Tower Climbing Bureau under the Department of Homeland Security.
"Gerald, take this."
Player Gerald's eyes widened at the item Director Antonio handed over.
"T-this is the Rune of Liberation necklace, isn't it? Two of them?"
"That's right. Gifts from the Eastern Tower and Western Tower."
Gerald knew too. Items he personally received and turned over to the state.
"Why give them back?"
"Got approval from above. Decided to hand them over to the person who can use the necklace best."
"Uh, that's flustering. Wearing this, I'd be no different from a superhuman."
"Right. Super Gerald."
"Didn't you consider that I might be a dangerous person?"
Antonio chuckled.
"If I thought that, I would have confiscated the Rune of Liberation necklace you already had."
"Huh?"
"Did you think we didn't know? The fact you secretly practiced manifesting your player abilities in your basement?"
"..."
"Just hold onto it for now. We might need to ask for your help if a problem arises here in the US."
"Well then..."
In this way, governments around the world began distributing Rune of Liberation necklaces to verified players.
Well, it's a desirable method. Because only a Rune of Liberation necklace can stop another Rune of Liberation necklace.
Meanwhile,
There was one person who received a stronger shock than anyone else.
That was North Korea's Chairman Kim In-jung. He also watched the Beijing explosion disaster video from beginning to end dozens of times.
His impression after watching? He was shocked for a different reason.
'...It's definitely Comrade Go Sa-geuk.'
He knew at a glance. Even though the face was different.
What does a different face matter? Kim In-jung already knew. That Minister of People's Armed Forces Go Sa-geuk could change his face at will.
But when speaking, or when making gestures, the unique habits that revealed themselves little by little.
The Chinese player in the video was definitely Go Sa-geuk. And the bomb used was likely that nuclear backpack Senior Colonel Jang Chang-soo had. Not speculation, but conviction.
It gave him chills. How big a country is China?
That's why, even though it was clear China was behind this terror attack, all he could do was protest.
But what about Go Sa-geuk? As soon as he learned China was behind it, he didn't hesitate to eliminate the Chairman and Standing Committee members.
What does this mean? His own life is like a fly's. A single swipe of a hand and he'd die.
'I need to be careful.'
His body trembled. The future looked bleak, daunting.
He had to survive. To do that, he absolutely had to make a good impression.
On Go Sa-geuk? No. On someone higher than that.
Player Bong Joo-hyuk. He held the reins of his life.
But how to make a good impression? He needed to know more about him, but...
'Anyway, since he's a player...'
Should he first go to the Pyongyang Awakening Management Branch and meet Branch Chief Park Kyung-su?
Joo-hyuk was having a conversation with Mari after a long time. Our bedroom alchemist.
Among the summoned beings, he'd become somewhat closer to Gyeon Dal-rae and Razix, but aside from them, he didn't really talk to the others.
What could he do? He had to play with them whenever he had time. But today, a message came first.
<Mari> : Knock knock, Summoner♪♪♬, what are you doing now?
<Real Man> : Ms. Mari! I'm resting comfortably. Sorry I haven't been able to play with you lately, I've been busy...
<Mari> : Hehe, Earth has plenty to do alone, so it's okay♡♡♡
<Real Man> : Hahaha, let's all get together and play sometime.
<Mari> : Umm, someday... Oh! I have something to give you. Something I made in the meantime.
Oh! Items made by our LSSR alchemist. Could they possibly be ordinary?
Joo-hyuk hurriedly approached Mari's door. *Creak*,
The door opened just enough for a hand to fit through.
Then, a glass bottle came out. *Plop*,
One, two, three, four... ten bottles in total.
Yes! It's alcohol, alcohol! The alcohol I tasted once before. It was utterly enchanting.
<Sage's Medicinal Herb Infused Liquor>
Especially good for men. Though being 'good' won't be of much use.
<Real Man> : Thank you. I'll enjoy it.
<Mari> : Um, if possible, drink it alone. It's good liquor, so absolutely don't give it to that succubus woman.
Ah, then what's the point? Alcohol tastes better with friends. And since it's liquor good for men, he'd drink it with Gwang-ma, just the two of them.
<Mari> : And there's one more thing.
More items came out through the door crack. They piled up neatly in front of Joo-hyuk.
What is it? Gems? Pebbles with a harmonious blend of blue and purple.
They were dazzling. He could even feel energy emanating from them. A very dense magical energy.
<Mari> : They're top-grade Magic Crystals. I succeeded in synthesizing them. Combined, they should be about 12 kg.
<Real Man> : Huh?
Top-grade Magic Crystals! He'd been waiting for these for so long.
As soon as he received the top-grade Magic Crystals, Joo-hyuk entered the White Tower's 17th floor.
The 17th floor, completely different from when he first entered. A green field with a leisurely flowing river.
A power plant and communication tower erected in the distance. And residential complexes on either side of the asphalt road. It was no different from a city-building simulation game.
Here, you could do anything. Internet was connected and electronic devices operated without plugging in cords. Checking his smartphone, it was already 100% fully charged. Truly a perfect self-sufficient world.
'How do I get a residence permit?'
He touched the Grant Residence Permit menu here.
'How do I issue it?'
'Issue.'
Joo-hyuk checked the Residence Permit in his inventory. An object shaped like a plastic card. The front had the words "White Tower 17th Floor Residence Permit" written on it.
'Do I just give this to whoever I want?'
Right at that moment!
+ Issuing Achievement Reward
Huh? This is an achievement too?
Sub-items have been added to the Grant Residence Permit menu.
'Ah...'
Menu addition. It was similar before. The reward from an achievement was the addition of the elevator installation menu.
So the sub-items added this time are?
<1-Day Experience Pass>
- Can grant a White Tower 17th Floor 1-Day Experience Pass to any being with a soul. Pass holders can stay in the White Tower for one day. Cost is 1 kg of high-grade Magic Crystal per entity.
<Monthly Rental Pass>
- Can grant a White Tower 17th Floor Monthly Rental Pass to any being with a soul. Pass holders can stay in the White Tower for one month. Cost is 30 kg of high-grade Magic Crystal per entity.
These were the two. Seriously, I've suddenly become a real estate agent.