Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Counter-Terrorism and Aftermath
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At the attempted terrorist attack at the HG Hotel showcase event.
Surprisingly, there was not a single civilian casualty.
Except for the terrorists themselves, that was.
An incident massive enough to shake the foundations of the nation occured.
After all, the targets were elite Players.
Until now, Korea had been known as a safe haven from terrorism.
So the shock to the public were bound to be immense.
Acting swiftly to contain the incident was Deputy Chief Jeon Gwang-il.
The first thing he did was delete all CCTV footage from inside the event venue.
He had the storage devices physically removed and destroyed.
To make recovery impossible.
Soon, countless videos began flooding the internet.
A deluge.
Jeon Gwang-il ordered his Bureau staff to collect every video circulating online and on SNS.
Was there any dangerous footage?
What if Player Bong Joo-hyuk's process of summoning those two had been caught on a smartphone camera?
Fortunately, there wasn't.
Instead, the videos mostly focused on the terrifying giant's exploits and the Westerner saving Nam Ga-eun.
Most were just these short, fragmented clips.
The only detailed footage from start to finish was the showcase video by the YouTubers, Deulkot & Basil.
It couldn't be helped.
When armed thugs burst in with guns, who would have the guts to hold up their phones and record?
They could have been shot and killed for doing that.
Everyone must have been in a panic.
Too busy lying flat on the floor, trembling.
They probably only mustered the courage to pick up their phones after the situation was reversed.
A sudden thought struck him.
Were there really only those two?
The individuals Bong Joo-hyuk could summon.
What if there were more…?
Abilities so terrifying they surpassed humanity.
Who in the world could handle them?
How fortunate.
That he was Korean.
And that he had absolutely no intention of changing his nationality.
Moreover, he was a lifesaver.
He saved him and Player Nam Ga-eun without fear of his abilities being exposed.
His character was excellent too.
He wasn't overly greedy either.
Jeon would do everything he could for Bong Joo-hyuk.
Starting with preventing his identity from being revealed.
But then, an unexpected thing happened.
The media had already started moving on its own.
Thankfully.
Followed by a decisive article.
The showcase event was originally supposed to highlight the leather and bags.
But of all things, a terrorist incident had to happen.
Was CEO Go Yeon-ha disappointed?
Far from it.
It was a jackpot.
Thanks to the videos, even people with no interest in fashion became aware of the Deulkot & Basil brand.
Inquiries for reservations poured in like rain.
But they didn't accept them over the phone.
Only at the existing HG Fashion Deulkot stores, and with limited quantities, the first batch of reservations were already sold out.
Especially the rainbow bag, interest was explosive, with people begging to buy it at any price.
So from the second batch onward, they planned to raise the price significantly.
Well, people would still line up to buy it.
US Department of Homeland Security, Tower Conquest Bureau.
A conference room with a large monitor connected to a laptop.
Secretary of Homeland Security MacMillan and Director Antonio were analyzing several videos.
"Who the hell are they? How can they use such power?"
"How would I know?"
It was baffling.
It was more unbelievable than a movie.
"Let's assume, hypothetically, that Gerald could manifest his Player abilities in reality. Could he do that?"
Antonio pondered deeply.
"I think it's impossible. The giant blocked bullets without using a shield-like barrier. And that auburn-haired Caucasian, his dagger skills aside, he was too fast. Even with slow-motion replay, we couldn't catch his movements."
Right.
Power surpassing the performance of Players inside the Tower.
"At the very least, he doesn't look Korean. If it's Gobang, is his surname 'Go'?"
"In Korean names, the surname comes first. He probably naturalized and acquired a Korean surname."
"Which one of them?"
"How should I know?"
This confirmed it.
"They were Korea's S++ grade clear recorders. And not just one, but two."
"Binsala confirmed it. That's decisive. The Korean press is also treating it as established fact."
"And using that kind of ability in reality?"
"Must be items. Even though it's a hypothesis, there's no other way to explain it..."
Items without the "Tower Exclusive" modifier, which had an extremely low probability of appearing.
They could be used in reality too.
Even by ordinary people.
"Even if it's an item effect, it's too incredible."
"It's a 61-consecutive S++ clear. Do you think they only received Demon Crystals during that process?"
It was a conquest on a different level.
Naturally, the rewards would be huge.
"The giant disappearing at the end... was that Tower Entry?"
"Yes, it appears so."
"Then he'll reappear in that spot, right? Should we send our agents?"
"Difficult. The Korean Management Bureau and the NIS are strictly controlling the scene right now."
"He might have already left. The Bureau would have snuck him out without anyone noticing."
"Yes."
It also seemed clear they had connections with the NIS.
They didn't even kill the last guy.
As if telling them to come arrest him.
MacMillan shook his head as if he couldn't understand at all.
"What a strange country. A 61-consecutive S++ grade clear record, the Holy Sword, Basilisk Tongue Leather, a massive amount of Tower ore..."
Director Antonio moved his laptop mouse and spoke.
"At this point, the Holy Sword's true owner is likely also a smokescreen."
Click.
A man appeared on the screen.
It was Joo-hyuk.
"Name: Bong Joo-hyuk. Age: 25. His active period as an elite Player is less than 6 months."
Did the US just sit back and watch after lending the Holy Sword twice?
They used various channels to gather information.
The person they found as a result was Bong Joo-hyuk.
The most likely candidate.
They traced the flow of funds.
He was also frequently seen alone with Deputy Chief Jeon Gwang-il.
Furthermore, after Korea's top Player, Yu Cheol-min, naturalized to Japan, they discovered that Bong Joo-hyuk had purchased the penthouse where he used to live.
So they thought he was the most likely figure, but...
"Bong Joo-hyuk was a proxy put forward by the Bureau, to deceive the public's eye."
"No definitive proof, but circumstantially..."
"Haah! Talking with you makes my head feel like it's going to explode."
"Mine too."
There's a limit to what can be gleaned from videos alone.
Other than asking the Korean Management Bureau directly.
"What's their disposition?"
"I think they're at least not villains. They saved people, after all."
"Could we recruit them?"
"I can't guarantee it. The Korean government won't just sit idly by either."
"Hmph! What are they gonna do if they don't sit still?"
International relations still operated on the logic of power.
Since the appearance of the Towers, that tendency had only intensified.
"You compiled the report, right?"
"It's right here."
"Good work. Let's review it again after I get back from the White House."
"Yes."
The meeting was over.
Ultimately, the final decision would be made at the White House.
Cheongdam-dong Penthouse.
Joo-hyuk and his Summoned Beings gathered in one place.
Everyone was furious, their anger boiling over.
"Hehehe, don't you worry. Your right-hand man, Kosak, took care of everything."
"Warrior also played his part."
Gyeon Dal-rae snorted with a look of disdain.
"You call that taking care of it? Didn't you finish them off too easily? Those heinous bastards who threatened the young master. We should have slowly strangled them, burned them, cut them, flayed them to death, and even that wouldn't be enough."
Veronica, also seemingly full of rage, added,
"If it were me, I wouldn't have killed them right away. I'm so angry I can't even sleep. If the commander falls, the army is as good as annihilated. We must carry out retaliation with shock and awe."
Gyeon Dal-rae and Veronica were far more agitated than expected.
Even Razix was like that.
His fluffy, round body trembled violently as he raged.
"Huek! Hueee! Kill them. I'll kill them."
Even Razix...
Joo-hyuk stepped in.
"Hey, the outcome was good, so let's just move on. No one got hurt, right?"
Had he spoken out of turn?
He thought they'd just curse a bit and be done with it.
The atmosphere was unusual.
Gyeon Dal-rae suddenly stood up and bowed deeply to Joo-hyuk as if about to fly at him.
"young master, I apologize, but this is a matter we cannot overlook. Retribution is necessary."
"...What are you planning to do?"
"This servant will send forth an assassin."
"To whom?"
"The Emperor of China is the target. The master must bear the sins of his underlings."
What Emperor of China...
He probably meant the supreme leader, but...
"Even if you send an assassin, won't there be any backlash on you, Princess?"
"This servant is already a dead body once over; what does dying twice matter? I would merely be unable to be summoned for 100 days."
That's the same thing.
Gyeon Dal-rae sometimes seemed to have a screw loose.
"Let's just send a curse. If we ask Mr. Kosak, he can go to China and procure some sacrifices for the curse."
"I beg your understanding. A curse would be woefully insufficient."
Kosak raised his hand sharply.
"I shall go. I, Kosak, the genius of assassination and artist of the red ribbon, shall create a masterpiece and return."
Veronica too.
"If it's sniping, I'm confident too. A single shot would be enough."
Even Razix.
"Hueeng! I'll go."
"What are you going to do, Mr. Razix?"
Swish!
Razix pulled a shiny golden pickaxe from his subspace backpack and made a grave expression.
As if to smash the enemy's skull with the pickaxe.
Whoosh!
"Huek!"
"..."
Whoosh whoosh!
"Hueeek!"
"..."
This was driving him crazy.
Gobang also raised his hand.
What was he about to say now...
"Summoner, let's use the Mad Demon."
"The Mad Demon?"
"Let's drop him in China and come back. Three hours should be enough."
This guy had lost his marbles too.
Releasing the Mad Demon in China was no different from dropping a nuclear warhead.
It would be like pressing the nuclear launch button himself.
He would kill indiscriminately.
Guilty or not, he would tear apart every person in sight.
And then he'd probably say...
'Summoner, I took care of everything. You take over China.'
"The Mad Demon? Don't you know I've been giving him one-star ratings and not summoning him because I don't want that? Should I just unleash him here?"
"..."
He needed to put his foot down firmly.
"If you cause trouble without my knowledge! I'll release your summoning right away, you hear? And I'll never summon you again. I'll have a Random Summon soon anyway, I'll gather new people and just do repeat conquests with Mr. Razix."
"Hueeeee..."
The atmosphere deflated.
"Instead, I can tolerate sending a curse. Is that possible? Mr. Kosak?"
Kosak sprang to his feet.
He scurried over and stuck close to Joo-hyuk's side.
"Ah, I'm impressed, so impressed. How fortunate I am to serve such a benevolent and broad-minded Summoner. Just give the order. Hehehe."
"Sergeant Veronica Caliber! I firmly pledge absolute obedience to the Commander's words. Victory!"
"Warrior also supports decision."
Gyeon Dal-rae also hesitated for a moment before saying,
"This servant shall obey young master's august command."
Joo-hyuk smiled contentedly.
"Good. Then let's prepare to send the curse."
"Yes, sir!"
But what if the curse's effect was too weak?
They'd definitely raise hell again.
Gyeon Dal-rae would talk about sending assassins, Kosak about his ribbons, Razix about his pickaxe...
'Hmm, the Mad Demon.'
If he were even slightly normal, he wouldn't be a sore thumb but the most reliable finger.
'I should summon him later and ask.'
Had his thoughts changed, or...
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