Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: 61st Floor S++ Rank Strategy
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61st Floor S++ Rank Strategy.
The news exploded the moment the global announcement appeared.
It was chaos until the next morning.
Finally, 61st Floor S++ Rank Strategy, but It's Not Time to Celebrate.
How Far Will This Go? A Point Where We Need a Break.
The Tower's Collapse Deadline is 6 Months. The S++ Strategist Must Not Forget That.
Dazzling Talent Could Actually Harm the Community.
We Don't Know Your Identity, but We Ask the S++ Strategist to Slow Down the Tower Conquest.
The content was similar.
Stop conquering the Tower.
The 67th Floor is absolutely out of the question.
I understand the reasons the media and the public are worried.
A player's uncontrollable climb up the Tower.
It's not good to climb like a madman.
You have to ascend according to schedule.
Joo-hyuk had already planned to stop at the 64th Floor.
That day, he didn't summon his Summoned Beings.
He had asked for their understanding the day before.
When he said he planned to attend a showcase event, they all went crazy.
They said it was dangerous outside, told him to be careful - again and again - and to call them immediately if anything happend.
Joo-hyuk wanted to go with them too.
But since he had to move in a designated car with bodyguards, he couldn't take them.
Unless he summoned them inside the venue.
'What could possibly happen?'
The venue would be crawling with police, National Intelligence Service agents, and Management Bureau staff.
Plus, he had his Energy Shield and Blink Ring.
He was the safest person in the world right then.
'Should I get ready to go out?'
Ding!
A message arrived.
It seemed the car to pick him up had arrived.
Clothes neat, shoes clean, wallet in hand... He was excited.
Could he have ever imagined he'd be invited to a fashion event?
HG Hotel.
The venue for HG Fashion's new brand showcase.
People packed the event hall.
Celebrities, singers, actors, politicians, businesspeople, fashion industry insiders, and journalists from home and abroad.
But plainclothes police and NIS agents were also mixed in with the crowd.
On the surface, it was an event hosted by HG Fashion, but with many elite players attending, the NIS and the Management Bureau couldn't help but be on high alert.
Player Nam Ga-eun was also scheduled to attend for a surprise event.
Jeon Gwang-il was slowly walking around the perimeter of the venue.
He saw Player Bong Joo-hyuk entering the hall in the distance.
But he pretended not to know him.
He was discreetly keeping an eye on him, checking if the security detail was properly in place.
Though no one knew it, Bong Joo-hyuk was effectively the most important VVIP here.
Even more so than Crown Prince Binsala of the UAE sitting over there.
'But why does that guy keep coming to Korea? It makes me uneasy.'
Anyway, security seemed fine.
Crown Prince Binsala was also attending; he had brought quite a few personal bodyguards.
The event was being held on the hotel's top floor.
A space no one could easily access.
Someone approached Vice Chief Jeon Gwang-il as he looked around and spoke to him.
"Vice Chief."
"Ah, Director Noh, you came personally."
It was Noh Young-geun, the 1st Director of the National Intelligence Service.
"Don't worry too much. The security check was thorough."
"Haha, worry? Honestly, I'm just tired. I just want this event to end quickly so I can go home and sleep."
"Same here. All civil servants are alike. By the way..."
Director Noh glanced at Gwang-il's expression and asked.
"Is the rumor true?"
"What rumor?"
"They say the product being introduced this time was made from the hide of the Tower monster, the Basilisk."
It would be public knowledge soon anyway.
"Yes, that's correct."
"Is the supply sufficient? Enough to release to the public?"
"It's sufficient. That's why we're supplying it."
"Don't tell me this time also..."
Gwang-il shook his head side to side.
Two meanings: Don't bother asking, and I won't tell you anyway.
So he deftly changed the subject.
"Nothing is happening outside, right? Incidents or accidents."
"Ah! There's a forest fire on Gwanaksan Mountain. Firefighting helicopters have been dispatched, so it should be contained soon."
A forest fire.
Come to think of it, it was wildfire season.
'The firefighters must be having a hard time.'
He hoped they were extinguished safetly.
Joo-hyuk couldn't get a grip on himself in the showcase venue, an experience he was having for the first time in his life.
It seemed he had made the right decision to come.
Everywhere he looked were celebrities.
Singers, actors, entertainers—people that he'd only seen on TV.
It truly felt like he was at a broadcasting station.
'Should I ask to take a photo together?'
If he bragged to his younger brother Min-hyuk, he'd jump around and cause a scene.
If he showed photos to his Summoned Beings, saying he met people he'd only seen on TV, they'd open their eyes wide in surprise, right?
But the first hurdle, just approaching them to speak, was difficult.
Even if he cleared the first hurdle, what if they refused when he asked for a photo?
'Let's not.'
Well, just seeing them in person was something.
'Oh! A Hallyu star!'
The girl group sweeping Southeast Asia with phenomenal popularity—all its members were here without exception.
'I can't resist this.'
As a fan, of course.
'Hmm,'
It was a dilemma.
If he approached them and said, "I'm an elite player, but..." would he be treated like a lunatic?
No, as an elite player, he wasn't lacking compared to celebrities.
Whether male or female, elite players were top candidates for ideal spouses.
They made good money, and the mortality rate wasn't high.
While he was hesitating like that, the event began.
He decided to stay quiet for now.
There would be an opportunity later.
CEO Go Yeon-ha appeared on stage wearing a clean suit.
Holding the microphone,
"Hello. I'm Go Yeon-ha."
She got straight to the point.
"Many of you might be curious about what the brand name 'Deulkkot & Basil' means. Shall I explain that first?"
Go Yeon-ha operated a remote.
Then, a video appeared on the screen behind the stage.
It seemed to be filmed with a bodycam worn by players.
In the video, a giant crocodile—no, a Basilisk—was moving, revealing its massive teeth.
"Yes, a Basilisk. The 'Basil' in our brand is named after this creature."
People tilted their heads.
A Tower monster as a brand?
What's the connection?
"I'll show you. A real Basilisk."
Instantly!
The screen showing the video descended with a whirr.
Simultaneously, multiple spotlights illuminated the stage, and with majestic music, the imposing presence of a giant Basilisk's whole hide was revealed.
Murmur, people gathered closer to the stage.
Click-click-click! Click-click-click!
Camera-wielding journalists continuously snapped photos.
"That, is it real?"
"A whole hide? Does that come as a reward too?"
"Isn't it all the reward hides they've received, pieced together?"
"Right. It must be a model."
"No. If it were a model, you'd know immediately."
"It must be real. Would CEO Go Yeon-ha hold an event like this to show a fake?"
Seeing it up close, it felt as if a real Basilisk had burst out of the Tower.
"We have signed an exclusive leather supply contract with the Korean Awakening Management Bureau. Basilisk hide will be supplied steadily from now on."
At those words, the expressions of other fashion industry insiders instantly hardened.
Steady supply?
What nonsense was that?
"HG Fashion has produced prototypes based on this hide. We plan to sell them as products."
The gazes of people who had been admiring the whole hide shifted to Go Yeon-ha.
Products... Could she mean bags, wallets, shoes, things like that?
Buzz, buzz.
The venue grew noisy.
"Please enjoy."
Then, models walked out one by one from behind the stage.
Ten in total.
"These are the Commercial Quality products of Deulkkot & Basil."
Each model held a bag in their hand.
They held the bags in their right hand, then their left, or stretched them out with both hands so people could see them well.
"Is that made from Basilisk hide?"
"...Hmm, how much?"
"If it's real, what does the price matter?"
"I want it."
"But if it's Commercial Quality..."
"That means there's a higher grade too."
People's interest was explosive.
"Let me introduce the second Deulkkot & Basil Luxury Quality products."
Whoosh! The turning heads of the crowd.
This time, six models.
No one cared who the models were.
Their eyes were drawn solely to the bags they were holding.
"Different, definitely different."
"Truly worthy of being called Luxury."
"Right. It's incomparable to Commercial."
"Can you tell the difference? I'm not sure."
"Look at the pattern. It seems like the belly hide part of the Basilisk."
"Crocodile leather can't even compare."
Since it was a fashion event, many industry professionals were present.
Also, top-tier celebrities.
People who could gauge an item's value at a glance.
A product of much higher quality than Commercial.
There was no doubt this was the brand's main lineup.
"Finally..."
Again?
Luxury wasn't the end?
"Let me show you Deulkkot & Basil's High-End luxury goods. You'll be able to experience what the best hide is."
Clip-clop, clip-clop.
A single model walked out with skilled steps.
Along with the mysterious bag she was holding.
No words were needed.
A bag with the base hide accented with colorful hides in various places.
"Ah!"
"Oh."
"Hmm."
"Wow!"
"That kind of hide..."
"Ra, Rainbow Basilisk boss?"
Everyone was mesmerized.
The vibrant luster of the Rainbow hide mixed here and there with the existing Basilisk hide.
While they were entranced, another model simultaneously walked down the red carpet holding a High-End luxury bag.
Her walk was awkward, but people immediately recognized who she was.
Because instead of ordinary clothes, she appeared wearing form-fitting leather armor.
"It's Nam Ga-eun!"
"Our top player also participated as a model?"
"But what are those clothes?"
"It's full-body armor. Even the shoes are leather."
The elite players present were even more enthusiastic than the general public.
"Well made. It's like a game character."
"The era of Tower gear as fashion has arrived."
"But, you shouldn't wear that in real combat. The sides are all open like that."
"Still, it's pretty."
"You could wear it as a bulletproof vest."
Desire smoldered and rose within the venue.
Whether bags or armor, they had to buy them.
The price didn't matter.
Everyone gathered here had the means to do so.
Crown Prince Binsala, who had entered Korea and attended the event, also expressed admiration for the bags the models were carrying.
Especially when the High-End luxury item with Rainbow hide and Player Nam Ga-eun's leather armor were introduced, he was so surprised he let out an "Ack!"
'I need to buy a few.'
Since he had three wives, he should buy one for each.
He came to meet Gobang, but unexpectedly such luxury goods... Wait!
'Hmm, a whole Basilisk hide.'
That's also an item.
Someone must have brought it from the Tower.
It wouldn't be a reward given out for nothing.
You'd need at least an S++ rank...
'Could it be?'
Crown Prince Binsala shot up from his chair and looked around.
Could Gobang be here too?
The event was proceeding smoothly.
People's interest was explosive.
Moreover, the showcase was being live-streamed worldwide via YouTube.
The number of concurrent viewers was rapidly increasing.
They made products using the hide of a Tower monster, the Basilisk?
How can they stand this?
The event reached its climax.
Player Nam Ga-eun even participated as a model for a surprise event.
Vice Chief Jeon Gwang-il was confident of the event's success.
Even he was tempted by the bags.
With all the frequent overtime lately, if he bought his wife a commercial grade bag, how happy would she be?
But on a civil servant's meager salary, even buying one was burdensome, and while CEO Go Yeon-ha offered to give him one as a gift, the law stood in the way.
'A pie in the sky.'
Gwang-il shook his head side to side and approached the glass window.
'...Hmm.'
Something had been bothering him for a while.
The sound of helicopters.
It was natural for firefighting helicopters to be dispatched since there was a forest fire on Gwanaksan, but they sounded too close.
Almost as if they had landed on the hotel rooftop right above the venue.
Well, they might have made an emergency landing due to a malfunction while fighting the fire, but,
Looking at the distant firefighting helicopter.
It seemed to be drawing water from the Han River and heading to Gwanaksan.
It would be evening soon.
I hope I can leave before traffic gets bad.
But just then!
Something caught Gwang-il's eye.
A flock flying in formation...
'Birds?'
That didn't seem right.
It wasn't the movement of birds.
They were also very fast.
Getting closer and closer.
'D, Drones?'
That was it.
Dozens of drones were charging toward the glass windows of the hotel's top floor.
"Crazy!"
Could those really be ordinary drones?
No way, right?
It was a fashion showcase, but the attendees were a glittering array.
Elite players, even Nam Ga-eun and Crown Prince Binsala.
'Terrorism?'
Gwang-il stiffened.
The drones were about to crash into the glass windows.
That was when it happened.
Fwoop! Someone suddenly appeared beside him.
"Huhk!"
Player Bong?
"Hold on tight."
"...Yes, yes!"
Fwoop!
Joo-hyuk and Gwang-il's bodies instantly moved from the glass window to a location far away.
It was the Blink skill.
Simultaneously, the drones crashed into the hotel's thick glass windows.
Bang! Kaboom! Bang-bang-bang-bang!
Crash-crash-crash-crash!
The large glass windows exploded outward.
"Kyaaah!"
"Eek!"
"Huhk!"
"Wh, what is it?"
"Everyone, g-get down!"
Fortunately, not many were injured.
Because they had crowded toward the stage to look at the bags.
But the people were in a state of panic, not knowing what to do.
'Phew.'
Joo-hyuk felt relieved.
He wasn't that interested in the bags, so he had turned his eyes to look at the scenery outside, and that's when he spotted the charging drones.
Drones.
There were an enormous number of them.
Could they just be normal drones?
No way.
Whatever they were, they were undoubtedly dangerous.
But Vice Chief Jeon Gwang-il was right up against the large glass window.
A myriad of thoughts raced through his mind in an instant.
What should I do?
It seems like I could save him.
It was scary, but Vice Chief Jeon Gwang-il was one of his few acquaintances.
Just leave him?
If I could save him, I should try.
So he activated his Energy Shield and cast Blink.
Thanks to that, Gwang-il was safe.
But Nam Ga-eun was not so fortunate.
Someone who looked like a hotel employee grabbed Nam Ga-eun from behind and held a bluish knife against the carotid artery in her neck.
In his other hand, he also held a loaded crossbow.
"Aah..."
"Player Na...Nam Ga-eun !"
The leather armor, designed for style, offered no protection around the neck.
"Don't move! Everyone, put your guns down!"
Security guards who were about to jump onto the stage stopped in their tracks at the assailant's threat.
"If you don't put your guns down, I'll cut this bitch's throat. You think I can't do it?"
NIS agents and bodyguards slowly placed their guns on the floor.
A checkpoint had been set up at the venue, so weapons couldn't be brought in.
So that means?
'A player.'
Right.
The bastard holding Nam Ga-eun hostage is a player.
He must have taken a weapon made from Tower metal from his inventory.
'Using a player for terrorism?'
Anyway, no one could move.
Korea's top player, Nam Ga-eun, was being held hostage.
Instantly!
Whirr! Whirr!
Ropes descended through the broken glass windows.
Assailants swiftly rappelled down the ropes and infiltrated the venue.
Thud! Thud-thud-thud!
Clack! Clack! Clack!
Assault rifles were aimed.
"If anyone moves, we shoot."
Xiao Jun, wearing a mask, looked at the captured Nam Ga-eun and grinned.
'Too easy.'
Truly a perfect operation with the best outcome.
Joo-hyuk let out a deep sigh.
He was happily sneaking glances at celebrities, and now this trouble?
Fortunately, he saved Gwang-il, but.
'The outside world really is dangerous.'
I shouldn't have come out.
What could I do? It's my own fault.
"John Kosak Designated Summon."
Whoosh!
A halo of light rose.
And then,
"Chuungsuh... Huh? Hmm."
"As you can see, this is the situation."
"We should call Gobang too. We need a tank to block bullets."
Kosak realized the moment he was summoned.
What his job was.
And beside him, Vice Chief Jeon Gwang-il was watching everything with his mouth agape.