Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: The Ordinary Guy's Strategy
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Even on the largest domestic site, 'Black Tower Climbing Gallery,' the consecutive S++ clearances were still a major topic.
The site was frequented by many players, and of course, countless ordinary people too.
The reason there had been no global announcement for three days was simple.
The protagonist of the clear had been busy moving.
But who would know that?
Suddenly!
The comment section of the forum buzzed into a frenzy.
Comments poured in.
Mostly from IDs with verified player badges.
The birth of a new hero.
South Korea's Black Tower, 26th floor, consecutive S++ grade clears.
The ripple effect grew increasingly intense.
People were ecstatic with national pride, and the press and broadcasters moved swiftly.
Players whose faces were already known appeared on TV talk shows, spinning tales and using their own clearing experiences to talk about how incredible an S++ clear was.
Corporations moved quickly too.
Ilseong Group was the first to open fire.
If it was a 27th-floor S++ clear, 27% off, 28th floor, 28% off.
They announced they'd run the promotion for two weeks.
It even affected the stock market.
The value of South Korean stocks skyrocketed.
The composite stock price index soared to unimaginable heights.
Ding-dong!
The doorbell rang at his new house.
Click!
He opened the door.
"Player Bong Joo-hyuk, your delivery is here. It's 10 whole fried chickens, right?"
"Ah, yes. Sorry to trouble you."
Less spicy food for Kosak.
He had bravely tried tteokbokki, declaring he couldn't remain a spice wimp after being promoted to SSR, but he failed spectacularly and almost crossed the threshold of death.
"By the way, that's an incredible amount of food."
"Well, I get really hungry after finishing a clear..."
"Hahaha, you could be a mukbang YouTuber. Here you go."
"...Thank you."
The customized service for residents of the Player Officetel.
Deliveries were only possible to the first-floor security office.
Getting them to each unit was the job of the officetel management staff.
They also handled all sorts of errands.
Taking clothes to the laundromat and picking them up, sending a cleaner if needed.
Living in an officetel where players gathered was overflowing with perks.
All facilities were inside the officetel.
A restaurant serving three meals a day, a coffee shop, a gym, a karaoke room, a laundromat, even a swimming pool.
'I should have moved in sooner.'
Such luxury was a first in his 25-years of life.
'Getting caught doing an S++ clear during the Awakening evaluation was a god-send.'
At first, he thought it was a disaster.
He had only aimed for a standard contract, planning to quietly clear floors and come out, but he got caught.
How much he'd regretted it.
He should have just done repeat missions on an existing floor instead of clearing a new one; then he wouldn't have been caught.
And why did Kosak have to make such a scene?
Damn Summoned Being Principle 3, Clause 3.
But that incident became the catalyst for his Elite Team contract.
He would never have gotten a contract like this normally.
Bodycam footage was an absolute must.
Because the Elite contract decision is based on the clearing footage.
He was probably the only person to get an Elite contract without providing footage.
'I thought Elite Players were incredibly dangerous and would die in the Tower soon, but...'
Now, it was too good.
Could one's feelings change this drastically?
Well, so what?
That's just how an ordinary guy is.
He had just finished the 26th-floor S++ clear.
The mission was to eliminate 20 Swamp Trolls.
The 26th floor was also notorious for being a very tough mission.
Because of the Swamp Trolls' regeneration?
No.
It was the swamp environment that drove people crazy.
Of course, having the Shadow Step skill made it relatively easier to navigate.
Joo-hyuk also killed one.
Under the tanking of Savage Gobang and the protection of SSR Kosak, he smashed the Swamp Troll's head.
Perhaps due to the power of the Primordial Thunderbolt Staff, the Swamp Troll couldn't even regenerate.
"You've worked hard, so let's have some chicken..."
Kosak and Gobang were kneeling politely in the living room, completely engrossed in the TV.
"...Heh."
"..."
A music chart program.
A video of a lively girl group dancing and singing.
"Hey, hello?"
They didn't even pretend to listen.
Well, it was understandable.
Joo-hyuk's old studio apartment had a worn-out 27-inch TV.
The TV in the new officetel was 85 inches.
The difference in picture quality and size was incomparable.
It was like experiencing a new world, so he understood.
"...Aren't you going to eat the chicken?"
Aah!
They were no different from three-year-olds completely absorbed in a children's animation.
Joo-hyuk also put the chicken down in a corner and joined them in watching TV.
'They are pretty, though.'
Lively teenagers and young adults in cool clothes, showing off exciting dances and songs—how could mere chicken catch their eye?
But the girl group's segment ended, and it was a boy group's turn.
As if it was all an illusion, the two's interest instantly cooled.
"Oh! Fried chicken?"
"I'll have some too."
Now the chicken was visible?
"Mr. Kosak?"
"Yes?"
"Do you have a girlfriend? Or did you have one?"
"Can't get one... I mean, I haven't gotten one."
Funny guy.
"Ah, anyway, dating is no good... If you date, the sharp tension you've built up gets disrupted. It's an assassin's destiny."
"Right, right."
Sharp tension?
He didn't know who he was talking about.
"But why doesn't Summoner Bong have a girlfriend?"
A counterattack?
He'd parry it.
"...It's an Elite Player's destiny. I'm worried my... my unyielding willpower might weaken if I date."
"Ooh! You're similar to me, then. People doing big things always lack time for dating."
"R-right? If I hadn't awakened as a player, I would have gotten a girlfriend by now."
"Hehehehe!"
"Hahahaha!"
An ordinary guy always wins through self-rationalization.
A victory of the spirit, that is.
"By the way, I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"It's a housewarming, and I couldn't even buy you a roll of toilet paper."
"Toilet paper, what for..."
"Ah! Are we working on the 27th floor tomorrow too?"
"Might as well go all the way to the 29th floor since we've already touched the 26th."
"Yes, sir!"
The 30th floor was on hold.
Because the cooldown for Random Summon was gradually approaching.
Thirteen days left.
If they finished up to the 29th floor, ten days would remain.
They'd summon one more person to clear the 80 Trolls and Twin-Head Troll of the 30th floor.
So, what to do for those ten days?
Let's just go easy, comfortably repeat floors and practice skill proficiency.
Joo-hyuk's mother, Hong Geum-ja, shook hands with Attorney Lee Chang-seok, expressing her gratitude.
"Thank you for your hard work, Attorney. Thanks to you, we won."
"Hahaha! I should have gotten you more in compensation, but it was only a billion won..."
"No, this money is plenty. I was planning to donate it anyway."
"Are you sure that's okay?"
"I intended to donate from the start."
"Then I won't take my legal fee either."
It didn't even need to go to trial.
The court of public opinion wasn't favorable either.
Most decisively, when the government announced they'd switch all the water purifiers in national public offices to another company, Jin Saemmul Co., Ltd. surrendered, raising both hands and feet.
"Ah! Should I look into a suitable place to donate?"
"Please do. Focus on orphanages if possible, and the donor should be my son's name."
"Your son's name is..."
"Joo-hyuk, Bong Joo-hyuk."
"Yes! I'll handle it immediately."
They had received compensation, obtained apologies from the abusive customer and the headquarters,
It was clearly something to be happy about, but Hong Geum-ja's expression wasn't very good.
How could she not worry about her son Joo-hyuk being active as a player?
She could only hope fervently.
That he remained safe and sound.
Bong Cheol-su was hospitalized in Ilseong Hospital's VIP room.
It was a luxurious hospital room.
It had a reception area, a high-end sofa, a caregiver's bed and a spacious bathroom.
Perhaps because of that, the second son, Bong Min-hyuk, came straight to the hospital after school.
"Son?"
"Yep!"
"Is this your house? Should I give you a work attendance stamp?"
"Haa! It's comfortable, too comfortable. Plus, the caregiver's meals are free. The food is really good too."
"We'll be moving soon."
"I'll just stay until then."
Bastard.
He wasn't here for caregiving but to make himself comfortable at the hospital?
Doesn't he have any friends?
He understood.
Whose son was he?
He had just received a call from his eldest son.
He seemed fine, so he was relieved.
Honestly, it was a mystery no matter how he thought about it.
Why would he say he's doing player activities?
If it was that rascal Min-hyuk, he wouldn't have even considered it.
"Father. You can stop worrying about Hyung. I checked, and the mortality rate for Elite Players is much lower than for regular players."
"Is that so?"
"They have professional support teams attached. They also provide essential items for clearing."
Still, he couldn't help but worry.
"Turn on the TV. Let's see if there's any news about Mom."
"A news channel?"
"Yes."
Just then, a breaking news ticker scrolled by.
"Amazing, just amazing. How is it 26 consecutive clears?"
"At school, the kids talk about nothing else every day."
"Ah! Which floor did Joo-hyuk say he was clearing?"
"Yesterday on the phone, he said he was in the 20s. I don't know the exact floor."
"Hmm."
Bong Cheol-su tilted his head for a moment.
"You don't think the person setting the S++ clear records could be your brother, do you?"
"Aigoo, Father, you're doing it again. Just eat your meal. You should talk about plausible things."
"Then is Joo-hyuk signing an Elite contract a plausible thing?"
"Huh? That's true. That's also plausible... But could it really be Hyung? He's one of the most famous players in the world."
"Right? I was just saying it."
Although the two didn't know much about the Black Tower,
They at least knew how incredible an S++ grade was.
The criteria for gauging a player's talent.
Bravery, fighting spirit, unyielding tenacity, an unbreakable will...
Sorry to say, none of those were included in his son Joo-hyuk.
What alpha male?
He was a typical ordinary guy.
Black Tower, 27th floor.
The mission was to kill 20 Ice Trolls within 4 hours.
Here too, like the Swamp Troll mission, the environment was the problem.
They had to hunt Ice Trolls on rugged peaks covered in perpetual snow.
He had performed a mission in a similar environment before.
The cold pierced even his padded jacket, startling him, but...
When players first cleared Ice Trolls, the biggest struggle was the cold.
Later, items were made, making it relatively easier.
Ding-dong!
He opened the door at the sound of the bell.
"Player Bong, I've brought what you requested."
It was Team Leader Jeon Gwang-il.
He had come to deliver the item Joo-hyuk had requested to borrow.
"I don't know how to thank you for always taking care of me."
"Not at all. Supporting Elite Players so they can clear the Tower is our job."
"I'll use it well and return it."
"Then, good luck on the 27th floor."
What Gwang-il brought was a full-body leather armor set made from Volcano Orc hide, including shoes and a hat.
Nothing was better for blocking the cold.
Volcano Orc hide occasionally appeared as a reward when clearing the 24th floor.
'But why don't I get any reward items?'
Always Magic Stones, occasionally Tower-exclusive Healing Potions,
Even the Energy Shield was a special perk he obtained.
Let's go.
Calling Gobang and Kosak.
Whooosh...
As soon as he entered, a freezing wind swept over him.
Even in the safe zone, he could feel the chill.
But he wasn't cold.
The faint warmth emanating from the Volcano Orc hide made it feel almost hot.
"Aren't you cold, Gobang?"
"A warrior does not fear the cold."
"What about you, Mr. Kosak?"
"Hmm, I am SR, SR! D-d-d-d-d, I drive away the cold with m-m-m-magic power."
Seeing his teeth chattering uncontrollably, he seemed very cold.
"...Should I take it off for you?"
"Gasp! N-no. M-m-moving will m-make it better."
They needed to finish quickly.
Accepting the mission,
Thump, thump, thump, thump!
Gobang climbed up the snowy mountain as if it were nothing.
If only he were smarter, Gobang would be a true SR.
Kosak went berserk.
Assassin Kosak rampaged around like a madman, seemingly trying to overcome the cold.
'Ooh, it's warm.'
It felt like being under a blanket in a warm ondol room.
He even felt sleepy.
A good item was definitely worth its price.
'Shall I start moving?'
He should at least kill one.
That's when it happened.
"Huh?"
Already?
No, he hadn't even warmed up.
Kosak, with bright red cheeks and a runny nose.
"Hehehe,"
Sniff!
The snot that was out went right back into his nostrils.
"..."
He must have wanted to finish quickly because of the cold weather.
How cold must it have been?
'That aside...'
Finally, an item dropped.
A weapon item, no less.
[Reward: Tower-Exclusive Holy Sword of the Grand Master of Paladins, Roland's Holy Kingdom]
It was a black sword,
'It's a two-handed sword.'
Too heavy to wield with one hand.
'It's just for thrusting and slashing mindlessly.'
You'd have to see blood up close.
"Hmm,"
He had a sturdy mace, so why bother?
He'd dispose of it later.
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