Chapter 78
Chapter 78
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: The Birth of Bong Corporation
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To put it in terms of Jeon Gwang-il, the Deputy Director of the Awakening Management Bureau, he was known as the most textbook bureaucrat in the entire bureau.
The achievements he had accomplished were immense.
Implementing the Elite Player Development Project, discovering talented players like Yu Cheol-min and Nam Ga-eun, establishing the Magic Stone and Tower Materials Research Institute, recruiting master craftsmen from across the country to operate self-sufficient weapon and equipment production facilities…
Furthermore, he was a competent, reasonable, and dignified boss who commanded respect.
For these reasons, he was extremely popular among the staff as well.
Truly the model of a successful public servant. But here?
"This is Mr. Kosak, a capable member of our team."
"I, I'm Jeon Gwang-il."
"Howdy. Summoner Bong's right-hand man, reliable confidant, negotiation expert, creative strategist, tactical genius, master of guerrilla warfare, lifesaving specialist, that's me, Kosak. Hehehe."
"...Ah, yes, yes."
It felt completely different from when he'd seen him at the HG Hotel.
Back then, he was terrifying enough to send shivers down one's spine, but here he seemed like a puppy wagging its tail excessively.
He took out a business card and handed it over. Next was the giant.
"He's our team's tank and pillar."
"I Savage Warrior Meat Shield who exists for Summoner. Call me Gobang."
"Ah, that's... I'm Jeon Gwang-il."
Finally, the moment the meaning of 'Gobang' was revealed.
Would people know?
The fact that 'Gobang' meant 'Meat Shield'.
The terrifying giant who could stop bullets and crush terrorists with one hand.
He also handed over a business card.
"This is Princess Gyeon Dal-rae, our team's supporter."
"Greetings. You work hard for the nation's affairs. I ask that you continue to support young master Bong in every way, both materially and spiritually."
The dignity flowing from her made her seem less like a metaphorical princess and more like a real one.
So, he respectfully took out a business card to give her.
"Thank you. This humble maiden does not yet have a business card, so please accept this instead."
"Th-thank you."
Jeon Gwang-il received a piece of yellow paper from Gyeon Dal-rae.
It looked like a talisman.
"Deputy Director, this is a very good item. It's a Luck Talisman, quite effective. Please carry it with you at all times."
A Luck Talisman?
He wasn't one to believe in superstitions, but if a player like Bong himself said it was effective…
He folded it neatly and placed it in his wallet.
"This is Sergeant Veronica Caliber. She's the guest of honor at this celebration, having just been promoted."
"N-nice to meet you."
"Have you served in the military?"
"Umm, I was in the Marine Corps."
"Final rank?"
"Discharged as a Sergeant…"
"Aha! You must have worked hard. Let's do well from now on."
"...Yes, yes."
A flustered Jeon Gwang-il.
Setting aside the sudden use of informal speech…
The skintight full-body suit and its pronounced curves left him unsure where to look.
"Finally, our team's ace, the all-around handyman, Mr. Razix of the Beastkin race."
*Roll, clack!*
"Hohe, business card."
A cute creature stood confidently, offering a tiny hand.
Jeon Gwang-il hurriedly handed over his card.
*Snatch!* with a tiny hand.
"..."
Ah!
Where in the world does such a creature come from?
Sparkling eyes, a round body, and it even talked.
It was hard to tell if it was a person or a hamster.
He now understood what Beastkin felt like.
"Tower ores, Basilisk and Wyvern hides, Mr. Razix brings them all."
"Ah!"
"Hoheng!"
As if to say, 'This is who I am!', Razix placed both hands on his hips, lifted his head, and snorted.
Cute and capable.
Truly perfect.
No wonder he was the ace.
"Now, now, introductions are over."
Over?
"Player Bong-nim, the person that Gobang-nim over there is holding…"
"Ah! That's Lucius Bardin. He's currently serving as a holy sword."
No, what does that mean?
"...S-serving as a holy sword?"
At that moment!
"So you are a heretic tool as well. How is it that the Summoner has not a single faithful servant by his side? You too shall one day have your skull shattered by this mace and repent in the Lord's embrace…"
"Lucius Bardin, Summon Release."
*Poof!*
"Don't mind him. He's a good person, but he's a bit crazy after getting involved with a cult."
"I-is that so?"
This is awkward.
He hoped they wouldn't say anything about using a person as a tool?
No matter how fanatical, this was abnormal labor exploitation.
It could turn into a human rights issue.
Joo-hyuk quickly steered the conversation elsewhere.
"Ahem, let's finish what we were doing. For Sergeant Veroni…"
"Sergeant Veronica Caliber."
Alright, the time had come again.
He must not fail this time.
Joo-hyuk focused his mind.
The Deputy Director was watching from the side.
So what if the reinforcement suit was a bit thin.
Pinching the very edge with his fingernail.
"Goodness! Hold it tight, will you? When you're out smashing monster pots, you're all 'manly man, manly man'."
"Hey, it was slippery."
As if they'd been waiting, Gyeon Dal-rae and Gobang criticized Kosak.
"Where did you learn such insolent manners? Daring to raise your voice to the Young Master, a mere servant? Do you need to be beaten to come to your senses?"
"Assassin, keep it in check. Or you get flick on the forehead."
"…My apologies."
As expected of Gyeon Dal-rae and Gobang.
A person should have a serious side.
Always fooling around like that.
He focused again. Grabbing just the fabric.
*Squish*, he felt his finger sink in slightly, but ignoring it, he poked it in and fastened it.
"Done!!!"
"Oh! Well done. That's finger control artistry."
"Th-thank you. Victory! Veronica Caliber, I will dedicate my entire body for the infinite glory of the Commander."
Jeon Gwang-il, who was watching this, wore a bewildered expression.
'Is that such a good thing?'
A simple metal badge. It wasn't even unusual.
The size of the silver rectangular shape was also quite small.
Yet Veronica, receiving the badge, was moved to tears,
And everyone witnessing it looked on with envious eyes.
'Come to think of it, they're all wearing one each.'
The cute creature called Razix had a whopping three badges attached to his backpack.
As Jeon Gwang-il examined the badges intently,
"Hoheng!"
Razix smirked as if to say, 'You don't have one of these, do you?'
Jeon Gwang-il felt slightly offended for a moment.
'Hey, what's the big deal about that.'
This wasn't the time for that.
The badge ceremony seemed to be over, so he should state the business that brought him here.
"Player Bong Joo-hyuk-nim."
"Yes?"
"I have something to tell you…"
"Ah! I almost forgot. What is it?"
Jeon Gwang-il began his explanation.
Starting from the anonymous document containing suspicions about the true owner of the holy sword, which channel it came through, how it was resolved,
to how Bureau Chief Park Kyung-su went to meet Jeong Seong-tae, chairman of Ilseong Group, and what they discussed.
Also, the dissatisfaction with HG Fashion playing games with leather products, so how about acquiring a company directly for this Wyvern hide,
There was a suitable company.
Ilseong Apparel, which would soon be spun off, and since they've agreed to transfer nearly 90% of the shares for free, all you need to do is decide.
Management?
No need to step in directly.
A representative named Jeong Dong-hoon would handle everything. And so on.
However, Joo-hyuk frowned deeply, showing reluctance.
"…This is embarrassing."
"I apologize. We tried to hide your identity, but then that anonymous document suddenly appeared."
"No, not that."
"Then?"
"The shares. How can I just take them for free?"
"Ah!"
"Just keep supplying the hide as usual…"
Then, the summoned beings chimed in one by one.
"Young Master, please accept them. You are more than qualified. Simply reign over them."
"I agree. What is the face of a worker like Razix? After skinning so many hides, the profits all go to the wrong people. From now on, Summoner Bong should take it all."
"Hoheng!"
Jeon Gwang-il also persuaded him eagerly.
"They are right. Own the company."
"Taking someone else's company by force is a bit…"
"It's not by force. It's saving it. If things continue like this, Representative Jeong Dong-hoon will be unfairly ousted. Think of it as saving one person and acquire it."
A company…
Joo-hyuk couldn't make a decision lightly.
Wasn't it making things too big? He felt a little scared too.
But as an ordinary guy is prone to do, when people around him blow wind into him, he inflates like a balloon.
"…Shall I give it a try?"
"Do it!"
"You must do it."
"Summoner, it would be good to do it."
"Hoheck!"
Well, it's just that.
"Let's do it!"
"Hooray! The beginning of Bong Corporation."
"A joyous occasion. Our head servant must work hard to skin hides."
"Hohehe!"
But suddenly!
Gyeon Dal-rae hardened her expression and spoke in an abstract tone.
"However, there is something that cannot be overlooked."
"What…"
"The crafty deeds of the Japanese. Young Master, leave this to the maiden. I shall teach them a proper lesson on this occasion."
What do you mean, teach them a lesson? Going to beat them up? Or curse them?
"I'll go and come back. Who do you think I am? I can make even the Japanese Prime Minister suffer a forced cerebral hemorrhage without a trace, like China's top leader… Oops?"
Huh? Did I mishear?
"What did you say? What did you do to China's top leader?"
"…N-nothing? I didn't say anything."
"You did."
"Uh, well, that… while rescuing the kidnapped players, I did it as a side job…"
I knew it.
That damn Clause 3 must have been activated.
"What, another incident? I have nothing to curse the Mad Demon about. You're a Little Mad Demon, a real Little Mad Demon."
"…S-sorry."
"Young Master, Kosak-nim is not at fault. It was all the maiden's doing. Please kill me."
"The Deputy Director is right here! He must have heard everything. Do you want to see me get arrested?"
Jeon Gwang-il was just standing there with his mouth agape…
They rescued kidnapped players?
Moreover, the cerebral infarction of China's Chairman Lin Chaoming, who died a few days ago, was an intentional act?
Looking uneasy, Joo-hyuk cautiously asked.
"Am I going to be arrested?"
"Huh?… Why, why?"
"What you said earlier about the Chinese Chairman…"
"I have no idea what you're talking about. I didn't hear anything."
"Ah, r-really?"
"Anyway, congratulations on establishing the company."
The quick-witted diplomacy of Jeon Gwang-il.
Kosak also nodded in satisfaction.
"Truly a fair and just administrator. Did you win the Deputy Director position by rolling dice? I praise you."
"Warrior likes those who are quick. Worth saving you."
Gyeon Dal-rae also added.
"Although we assist the Young Master from within, assisting from the outside like this is also important. Considering merit and reward, please bestow a badge upon the Deputy Director as well."
A badge?
"No, what am I, to someone of higher status than me…"
Jeon Gwang-il quickly spoke up.
"Not at all. I would gratefully accept it if given."
"…Really?"
"Sincerely. I really want to receive one."
"..."
Attaching it wasn't difficult, but…
And so began the badge awarding ceremony.
Gyeon Dal-rae proclaimed Jeon Gwang-il's merits.
"Deputy Director Jeon Gwang-il, for your devoted support of the Young Master, contributing greatly to smooth Tower conquest and world peace, we hereby award you this badge."
The badge attached to his chest.
Jeon Gwang-il bowed his head and admired the sparkling badge.
'How strange.'
It felt like receiving a presidential commendation.
Anyway, for some unknown reason, he felt inexplicably good.
The next day.
Joo-hyuk summoned the beings again.
They played enough yesterday; today it was time for Tower climbing.
Conquering the 66th Floor.
The target: the undead flying monster, Specter.
When the Specter of the Black Tower's 66th Floor was first revealed to the world through the bodycam footage of America's top player, Gerald Watson, people despaired.
Because it was completely different from any type of undead monster that had appeared so far.
The Specter's characteristic was its size.
It was incredibly huge.
Moreover, it was a flying undead.
Physical attacks were ineffective, and befitting its size, it emitted a wide-ranging dark aura.
Still, he somehow managed to capture it.
Gerald Watson, with 3 days left until the collapse deadline, barely managed to conquer it after nearly filling the 15 hours.
But that was only possible because it was Gerald.
He was the world's top player, a Dark Knight by trait, armed with light-attribute items.
How could anyone else catch that?
Even America barely managed it.
It was safe to assume the Tower's collapse was scheduled.
But then, the holy sword suddenly appeared.
This was nothing short of a miracle.
The difficulty of the Specter, once thought unconquerable, plummeted dramatically.
However, for Joo-hyuk, the true owner of the holy sword, it was an unnecessary item.
He had Bardin, which was even more effective.
[Entering the Korean Black Tower's 66th Floor.]
Specters?
If you only thought about S++ conquest, they might actually be easier than the 65th Floor.
Aside from physicality, their patterns were simple.
He received the mission.
[66th Floor Mission: Defeat 10 Dark Specters.]
[Completion Time Limit: Within 15 hours.]
"Let's catch them quickly and get out. We have a secondary conquest to do too."
No matter how huge the Specters were, could they possibly withstand two SSR-grade summoned beings wielding holy attribute weapons?
Add Gyeon Dal-rae's buffs to that.
"Light!"
"Attribute Absorption."
The Specter was flying down from the distant sky with an intensely thick dark aura.
The holy attribute bullets fired in rapid succession from Veronica's magic gun.
*Thud! Thud-thud-thud!*
The Specter's body hit by the holy bullets burst into flames.
By the time it landed, it was already in a near-death state.
Gobang finished it off by swinging the holy sword Bardin.
"Light!!!"
*Crush! Whoosh—!*
"Wow."
Already caught one? Did it take about 30 seconds?
"What should I do?"
"Hmm, cheer?"
"Fighting!!!"
He had to do at least that.
*Poof!*
Joo-hyuk's penthouse.
The 66th Floor also recorded an S++ grade conquest.
Now, there would be no higher-floor climbing for a while.
Let's just skin hides through repeated conquests.
There were still over two years left before entering the 70s.
Until then, he'd slowly increase the number of summoned beings and prepare by strengthening traits.