Chapter 56
Chapter 56
“Apparently, someone insisted that all they needed to do was overwhelm it with numbers.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“And when things ended up like this, they executed that executive to take the blame. Can’t say for sure, but that’s what I’ve heard.”
“Wait, how could a normal-mode Slayer possibly defeat a monster that exceeds normal-mode standards? That makes no sense. They approved it, then killed the person who first suggested it just because it failed? That’s even more absurd!”
Sunghyung shook his head in disbelief.
“It feels a bit rude to say this, but… it’s China, you know? Didn’t you see that article the other day? The one about a building collapsing because they replaced steel beams with bamboo to cut costs. Things like that really happen over there.”
China was not a country to underestimate, a rising superpower and one of the strongest candidates to rival the United States in the near future.
But alongside that rapid economic growth came countless unbelievable incidents like this one.
“In any case, this whole mess just exposed the rot inside the Chinese Union. It’s a textbook example of what happens when someone with no real field experience ends up in charge.”
“No, but still… even a middle schooler could’ve figured that out if they paid the slightest attention.”
To defeat a monster with high defense, you needed a Slayer with equally high offensive power.
Likewise, to survive a monster with high attack power, you needed a Slayer with sufficient defense.
Slaying might have felt like a world apart for ordinary people, but anyone who paid a little attention could understand the basics.
And yet, a Chinese Union executive had apparently ordered a mass of Slayers to take on the Cyclops. Tragically, they’d all been slaughtered.
To Hyunseok, it was so absurd it defied logic. But still, what could he do? The damage had already been done.
In the end, a desperate China had turned to Korea for help.
<1,300 Casualties — Chinese Government Appeals to Korean Union for Assistance>
<Korean Union to Dispatch the Platinum Slayer?>
❋ ❋ ❋
Sunghyung was torn.
The Korean Union’s current prestige rested entirely on one man, the Platinum Slayer: Hyunseok.
Of course, the public only knew that a Platinum Slayer existed; they had no idea it was him.
“Hyunseok, you need to understand, their concept of a Slayer is completely different from ours.
Over there, Slayers are more like… gifted laborers. To put it bluntly, strong slaves.”
“They still haven’t come to their senses, have they?”
Apparently, the Chinese government hadn’t fully grasped the gravity of their situation yet.
Either that, or they genuinely believed they could keep their Slayers under control.
“They should be showing gratitude, not acting entitled.”
“Well, I guess that attitude still works over there. Think of it like their army, all about control.”
“I can’t wrap my head around that kind of place.”
“Anyway, I’m not sure if it’s a good idea for you to go.
According to local sources, the atmosphere there is completely different from here.
Even when a Slayer kills a monster, the government twists it to look like their victory.
And among the people, Slayers are seen as dangerous, monsters in human form.
There are even rumors that the government ‘retrained’ them into military forces.
Frankly, I’m worried they’ll treat you like dirt.”
Each country had its own cultural differences, but Hyunseok didn’t seem particularly concerned.
If it meant achieving an Impossible Achievement, he could tolerate a little disrespect.
Sunghyung thought to himself,
“He really has changed a bit. Maybe it’s because of those Impossible Achievement points. He seems more fired up than usual. A Cyclops shouldn’t even be that hard for him now…”
Even Jongwon had once called Hyunseok a safety freak, yet now he seemed a bit more daring.
Still, given his power, a little confidence wasn’t a bad thing, as long as he stayed cautious.
“I won’t send you publicly, but I’ll quietly dispatch a backup team to assist you,” Sunghyung said.
Hyunseok didn’t like exposure.
If too many people followed him, the media might connect the dots and discover that he was the Platinum Slayer.
That’s why Sunghyung planned to send reinforcements discreetly.
Hyunseok didn’t object.
“So,” Sunghyung asked, “are you taking the Inha Guild with you?”
“No. I’ll handle the Cyclops alone.”
The Cyclops’ attack power was far too high; even the Inha Guild members couldn’t safely join him.
A single misstep meant death.
And just as Sunghyung suspected, Hyunseok was a little excited.
A Cyclops, an Impossible Achievement target. Plus, it drops a Red Stone.
He’d already fought one before, and the Chinese version was likely weaker than the Korean one.
This would be easy.
And on top of that, it dropped one of only two Red Stones in the world.
Even if they treat me poorly… it’s worth it.
China had also promised additional rewards.
Regardless of how they treated their Slayers, Hyunseok had no intention of giving up both an Impossible Achievement and a Red Stone.
A few days later, Hyunseok headed for China.
❋ ❋ ❋
Hyunseok met with a Chinese Union executive in charge of foreign operations.
When the U.S. Union wanted his help, they’d sent a Korean-speaking Slayer directly to Korea.
Japan had done the same, a fluent liaison.
But the Chinese Union apparently didn’t have anyone who spoke Korean, so a translator accompanied them.
Not that it mattered much, though it was clear from the translator’s sweat-drenched forehead that the executive’s tone wasn’t exactly polite.
And though the man tried to hide it, the arrogance in his posture and expression was obvious.
So this is what it’s like. Slayers really are treated like dirt here. This pompous gut thinks he’s above everyone, and he’s supposed to represent the Union?
Hyunseok felt a faint bitterness.
He was the only person in the world capable of soloing a Cyclops, yet China acted like they were doing him a favor.
I guess he thinks bowing to the Korean Union is the same as bowing to me.
Anyone paying attention would know the status of Slayers in Korea versus China was night and day.
Of course, that man probably did know, but arrogance like that ran too deep to hide.
The translator spoke up nervously.
“The Chinese Union has made all the arrangements with your Union. The compensation will be delivered through them, so we ask for your best efforts.”
So they misunderstood.
The Chinese Union wasn’t paying the Korean Union because it was above Hyunseok, quite the opposite.
The Korean Union had agreed to handle the transaction, and Hyunseok would receive the majority of the payment.
They’d even asked Hyunseok directly how he wanted to be compensated, and he told them to send it through the Union, easier for logistics and better for the Union’s image.
So this guy thinks I’m some lower-rank subordinate obeying orders?
He hadn’t even bothered to research who he was dealing with.
They’re desperate enough to request international help but didn’t even investigate the Slayer they begged for…?
It was no wonder Chinese Slayers were treated so poorly.
There wasn’t much strategy involved.
Hyunseok had soloed Cyclopes in Korea and Japan before. China’s would be no different.
The Cyclops that had caused massive casualties in China, fell easily to Hyunseok.
Just as he expected, the difficulty was lower.
[Recognized as a Difficult Achievement.]
Not an Impossible one, just Difficult.
For ordinary Slayers, there wasn’t much difference between the two, but to Hyunseok, it mattered.
So Korean monsters really are the strongest.
“Difficult Achievement” ranked below “Impossible,” but it was still a monster beyond normal-mode standards.
Hyunseok’s expression brightened.
Red Stone!
He’d obtained it.
Normally, easy and normal-mode dungeons dropped Green Stones, while hidden dungeons rewarded Yellow Stones.
But Red Stones had only ever been found from a single type of monster, the Cyclops.
Now he had one.
Of course, all of it, the loot, the Achievement rewards, the Red Stone, belonged to him.
The Chinese Union’s behavior had been unpleasant, but the results were worth it.
At least they hadn’t been openly rude, that was something.
Hyunseok’s solo Cyclops raid made headlines worldwide once again.
Korean media in particular went wild, celebrating him as a national hero.
While his feat was undeniably impressive, the novelty had worn off slightly, he’d done it before, after all.
Still, “As expected of the Platinum Slayer” echoed across every outlet.
But the real incident happened that night, something that would shock not just Korea, but the entire world.
❋ ❋ ❋
That night, the night before Hyunseok’s departure.
He was staying in a luxury hotel provided by the Chinese government.
The Cyclops hunt hadn’t taken long at all.
As I thought, the Korean one was stronger.
Lately, he’d been pondering something: why did the strongest monsters and the fastest world changes always seem to appear in Korea?
He had a theory, that each region’s difficulty might scale based on the average skill level of its Slayers.
He wasn’t certain, but it fit the pattern.
Whatever the reason, the best Slayers should be in Korea. Strong monsters mean faster growth, and that opens even more opportunities to grow stronger.
From the Tutorial to Easy Mode, then Normal Mode, and soon, Hard Mode.
At this pace, it would only take a few years.
Stronger monsters, greater rewards.
He’d secured a Red Stone, one of only two in existence, and both were in Korea, both obtained by the Platinum Slayer.
No doubt the Korean government was grinning from ear to ear.
Hyunseok pushed his thoughts aside and was just about to drift off to sleep when, an explosion rocked the building.
It was an attack.
Gunfire, screams, and roaring flames filled the hotel.
Armed forces, including multiple Slayers, were raiding the hotel and firing indiscriminately.
Rocket launchers, grenades, automatic rifles, chaos everywhere.
This wasn’t some backwater province.
It was the center of Beijing.
Unbelievable as it was, it was really happening.
The world erupted in shock.
(End of Chapter 56)
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— Translated by Prime Works —