Chapter 119
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 119
Chapter Title: Honey Sanctions
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‘Well, honey is pretty amazing.’
The harmony between honey, diligently collected and aged by countless bees, and Seong-hyeok, a man who had dedicated his life to them.
Increased stats, enhanced stamina, skin care, and more.
It was an all-purpose solution for everyone, regardless of age or gender.
It had long since become an indispensable necessity for the entire world, for all of humanity, to survive this chaotic world.
Of course, even so, with so many people holding different opinions, not everyone was friendly toward Seong-hyeok.
[Germany/Mosquito: Hey, if you have something that good, why not just share it with everyone? Wouldn't that be better for humanity?]
[Russia/Vladimir: Surely you wouldn't stand by and watch people die because of your own greed?]
[Russia/Kuma: Hey. What we're talking about right now... Gasp, V-Vladimir!?]
Two figures interjected like unwelcome guests, targeting Seong-hyeok.
Those who held favorable opinions of Seong-hyeok started to protest against the behavior of these individuals, who exuded an unpleasant and ominous aura, but then stopped in surprise.
A 5-Star+ grade room.
This was a space where all the big shots had gathered, but that didn't mean everyone was on the same level.
A clear hierarchy seemed to exist.
The others tucked their tails and backed away.
Seong-hyeok immediately identified who these people harboring hostility toward him were.
‘They're the owners of Treasure items.’
Treasure items, boasting effects that were clearly a cut above other items.
Seong-hyeok was well aware of the influence each one wielded, whether as a weapon or a special object.
Moreover, human greed knows no bounds.
Naturally, those who possessed Treasure items would covet more Treasures.
And the easiest, simplest way to obtain a Treasure was surprisingly straightforward.
[UK/Frances: You have a lot of Treasures. How about you give those up too?]
[Russia/Vladimir: Ah, but for us to get the Treasures, you'd have to die. That might be a problem in its own right.]
[Germany/Mosquito: Why kill him? Can't we just enjoy him as a honey-producing machine?]
[Russia/Vladimir: Oho, that's a fine idea. As expected of a learned man.]
If they could just take out someone who possessed a Treasure item, there would be no need to go through the trouble of defeating a Disaster-class boss monster or searching for hidden ones.
However, there was one thing.
A fact they had forgotten.
[Korea/Honeybee: Excuse me. Are you all done talking?]
Seong-hyeok wasn't just an ordinary beekeeper; he was the strongest close-combat player, capable of holding his own against a Disaster-class boss monster single-handedly.
Besides, Seong-hyeok wasn't just a VVVIP who could enter a 100-person room.
A VVVVVIP.
A penta-level VIP client, beyond the scope of any hierarchy.
He was in a completely different league from those who had, at most, 10 to 20 million coins. He was a holder of 100 million coins!
[Korea/Honeybee: If you want to be charitable for humanity's sake, why don't you give away what you have? I have no intention of handing out what my bees worked so hard for, for free.]
And above all, Seong-hyeok couldn't stand the "for humanity's sake" part of their argument.
To produce just one kilogram of honey, bees had to visit 5.6 million flowers.
As a beekeeper and a father to his bees, how could he possibly treat it as a joke when they tried to freeload off the fruits of his bees' labor, earned by diligently flapping their tiny, adorable wings?
[Russia/Vladimir: Kehkehkeh. Amusing, very amusing. Do you think you can handle the combined forces of Europe?]
[UK/Frances: You must have a death wish, you damn insect!]
[Germany/Mosquito: You will regret this, Honeybee.]
[Korea/Honeybee: We'll see. We'll find out who will be regretting this later.]
It was the same back on the Asian server; people drunk on their own power, like the Emperor of China, were a dime a dozen.
Of course, this time his opponent wasn't just China, but a 'European Union' formed by the powerhouses of all of Europe, yet Seong-hyeok wasn't worried.
‘In a numbers game, I will never lose.’
He now had a spawning system with seven queens and three princess bees.
In the face of his bee army, which grew by countless numbers each day, a war of attrition was simply out of the question for his enemies!
Was that all?
The means at Seong-hyeok's disposal were not limited to sheer numbers.
[A condition will be added to all registered items.]
[The European server will now be restricted from the buyer list.]
The ultimate power play with a monopolized product.
Just as he had done with the Chinese server before, he restricted the sale of his processed honey products to all of Europe.
Needless to say, the repercussions were immediate.
[Russia/Kuma: H-Hey. What is this, a trade restriction?]
[Korea/Honeybee: My apologies, but it can't be helped. I can't very well sell supplies to an enemy nation, can I? If you have complaints, take them up with the European Union over there.]
[Germany/Mosquito: Y-You dirty! Have you no business ethics!?]
[Korea/Honeybee: Business ethics, my foot. Do people with such fine manners form an alliance to gang up on one person? I have no intention of selling to you until you reflect on your actions, so do as you please.]
The processed products from his bees, proven effective worldwide.
They had now become a weapon, starting to tighten the noose around the European Union.
* * * * *
The integration of the auction house through the Chapter #4 update.
This brought about many changes for players, but the most prominent one recently was undoubtedly Honeybee's processed honey products.
[USA/Dmitri: Thanks to this, I survived a near-death experience the other day. You're a lifesaver. I'll be a regular customer from now on.]
[Canada/Gorus: They come in a variety of flavors, from sweet to bitter, so it's fun to pick and choose. Tastes may vary depending on the effect, but for this price, the effects are pretty good.]
[Korea/Attention Seeker NO.76: Forget everything else. If it's good for stamina, it's the best.]
The potent effects of the processed honey products, experienced over the four-day period that could be considered both short and long.
Especially on servers outside of Asia, substitutes for potions were rare, so alchemists often colluded to fix prices. But with the processed honey products, there was no need for that.
A monopolized product sold solely by Honeybee.
Of course, there were times when the value and price increased with demand, but people found that margin perfectly acceptable.
(With a taste this good and such amazing effects, this price is more than worth it.)
Boasting long-lasting effects, allowing players to easily recoup the cost through hunting, and serving as a lifesaver in emergencies, the processed honey products had reached a point where people couldn't live without them.
[Russia/Lars: Another successful hunt today. Time to buy some honey wine!]
And so, today was like any other day.
A glass of honey wine after a hunt had become a natural part of daily life.
But Lars, who was looking for the potent Peridot, was soon taken aback.
[Purchase of this item is restricted.]
An item he had been able to buy without issue just a few hours ago.
And it wasn't that it wasn't being sold at all; they were still being sold one by one even now.
Baffled as to why he couldn't buy it despite there clearly being stock, Lars checked the community forums and was shocked.
[UK/Charles Lee: Hey, why is this purchase restricted?]
[Russia/Fist of Tofu: I'm trying to buy it with my own money! T_T Please sell it to me, Honeybee-nim...]
[Czech/Tranko: Damn it, I think I'm already getting withdrawal symptoms! Why aren't you selling!]
Not just in Russia where Lars was, but also in the UK, the Czech Republic, and others.
Honeybee's processed honey products were restricted for purchase on all European servers.
With the auction in full swing, there was no way to find out more information, which was frustrating.
Was it as if someone had read the minds of these Europeans?
[Korea/Jeongrichung: Excuse me, ladies and gentlemen of Europe. I, Jeongrichung, am here to explain why Honeybee from the Korean server has placed a purchase restriction on Europe.]
A notice from Honeybee, delivered from the Korean server.
After learning the reason for the purchase restriction, the gazes of the European players all turned to one place: the European Union.
* * * * *
[Germany/Mosquito: Hey, why is this my fault! Wasn't this something we all agreed on?]
[UK/Frances: Who could have predicted he'd react so drastically? Now that this has happened, the responsibility for fixing it falls mainly on you, since you were the one who started it.]
[Russia/Vladimir: Why are you all panicking over a single insect? His shelter is only on the Korean server, after all. If our union crushes him, it won't be a problem.]
As problems from the purchase restriction began to surface, they started to clutch their heads.
Perhaps they really hadn't known.
That making an enemy of Honeybee meant shouldering such a heavy penalty.
[Australia/Anderson Chan: Brutal, absolutely brutal.]
[USA/Raiden: Tsk, tsk. You should've picked your fights more carefully.]
[USA/Wyant: Hey, watch your mouth. You want us to get on the European Union's bad side too?]
The purchase restriction on processed honey products, a form of collective responsibility that dragged everyone down.
As a situation unfolded where people mocked the members of the once-mighty European Union, some tried to stop them, but the mockers just scoffed.
[USA/Raiden: Let them try. When have you ever seen America back down? To survive in this chaotic world, you have to follow the trend.]
[Australia/Anderson Chan: Yep. That's right. Just think about it. What do you think would happen if you messed up and caused Honeybee to put a purchase restriction on you?]
[Canada/Kaegongjwa: ...That would be horrifying.]
If they had never known about the processed honey products in the first place, it might have been different.
But these products had been the center of attention, on everyone's lips since the integration.
For those who had already been consuming them for four days, the backlash from being unable to have them anymore would be unimaginable.
No matter how powerful a player was, even one who owned a Treasure item, they couldn't possibly withstand becoming the enemy of every single player on their server.
[Australia/Anderson Chan: As a fellow beekeeper, I already respected him, but wow. Whether I like it or not, staying on his good side is a must.]
[USA/Raiden: I agree, Anderson.]
Honeybee's power, wielding honey more terrifying than any lethal weapon like a sword.
But could anyone have imagined?
[Korea/Silent Harvester: So you handled it this time without me even needing to step in?]
[Korea/Honeybee: I have to deal with anyone who messes with my bees.]
[Korea/Silent Harvester: That's just like you, never changing. By the way, how much are you planning to spend this time?]
[Korea/Honeybee: That depends on what's up for auction.]
The place where Seong-hyeok currently was, was, after all, the auction house.
In other words, the real game was only just beginning.
Coins Held: 101,000,199
As if to bolster Seong-hyeok's resolve.
With his coin balance now reaching 100 million, Seong-hyeok's frugal whale instincts awakened.