Chapter 129
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 129
Chapter Title: A Grand Welcome
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“Just how many people is that…”
“Wow, there are people our age over there!”
“We’ve got more friends!”
“We can plan for much bigger things now.”
A scale completely different from when there were only 700 residents.
While some residents were happy about the increased numbers, quite a few were worried.
“Hmm. It’s not bad that they’re joining, Honeybee, but I don’t think controlling this many people will be easy.”
“Seong-hyeok, son. It’s not that I don’t trust your judgment, but this time, I’m more inclined to agree with that Dal-su fellow.”
It’s often the case that among people gathered from various places, there are bound to be some crazies.
But it wasn't as if Seong-hyeok hadn't considered all that.
“You don’t need to worry about their dispositions. Just trust the bees.”
When recruiting people, a filter is always necessary.
And in that regard, there was no one more capable than the bees.
Bzz~
Bzzzzzz~
To others, they just looked like they were flying around, wiggling their bottoms.
But contrary to their playful behavior, the bees’ eyes were incredibly sharp.
Bzz-bzz-bzz-!!!
Bzzzzzzzz!
The bees drove out a number of people with angry flaps of their wings.
The surprising thing was what happened next.
[Due to a high Reconnaissance level, you have identified the target's precise information.]
[Kim Tae-sik, Level 38 (Evil Person).]
[Shin Kang-su, Level 37 (Evil Person).]
[Lee Su-hyeok, Level 38 (Evil Person).]
…
A collaboration born from the bees’ instincts and the scout bees’ excellent skills.
As a result, those who had hidden their evil nature were openly exposed.
“Ah, they’re evil!”
“No wonder their levels were so high!”
“Damn it! They saw through us?”
“Just kill them! Honeybee isn’t here anyway!”
Once their identities were revealed, the scoundrels showed their true colors and drew their blades.
However, that was the worst mistake they could have made.
“They’re just digging their own graves.”
“Tell me about it.”
“We don’t even need to step in for something like this.”
A level of 38.
While that was certainly quite high on the outside, in the eyes of those who had made short work of elite and field boss monsters at the apiary, they were nothing more than empty shells—puppies who didn't know to fear a tiger.
Bzzzzzz-!!!
Having already drawn their swords, they could expect no mercy from the bees.
Doldor-i, along with Teunteun-i and Ssing-ssing-i.
As numerous commander-class bees charged forward, the evil men couldn’t even mount a proper defense, let alone attack, and were sent tumbling.
“Th-This is ridiculous!”
“Shit! Run! We can’t win this fight!”
“We’re surrounded on all sides! There’s nowhere to run!”
Not only were the evil men driven out with ease,
Bzzing~
but amidst the ongoing battle, the bees’ interviews resumed as if nothing had happened.
“Th-Thank you.”
“Wow, Honeybee’s strength is no joke, but how are the bees so strong?”
“…I think the bees are stronger than me.”
The bees’ overwhelming power, toying with and dispatching villains who were vicious murderers and insurmountable foes to ordinary players.
Was that the extent of the bees’ abilities?
The honey by-products, which everyone knew without being told were the alpha and omega of the bees.
If they could just receive a steady supply of the processed honey products that had elevated Honeybee to the top, there would be no reason to fear villains and monsters anymore.
“I’m definitely going to pass!”
“Dear bees, please, I’m begging you!”
Was this what it felt like to try to get into a major corporation?
The desire to be accepted as a resident became even more desperate than before.
“It’s a success.”
Watching the process unfold smoothly, Seong-hyeok resumed his beekeeping with a smile.
* * * * *
From a humble beginning comes a great end.
Could there be any place that embodied the meaning of these words more perfectly than the apiary?
At first, it was just Seong-hyeok and the Ruby Gem Queen Bee.
A first home that started with only two individuals.
But now, true to the saying, it had become immeasurably vast.
“Thank you, God!”
“Thank you for choosing me, bees! I love you!”
The number of new residents added to the original 700.
That number alone was close to a staggering ten thousand.
Even a few hundred people gathered in one space could feel crowded, yet here were nearly ten thousand.
But perhaps due to the territory massively expanded by the bees, it didn't feel that crowded when compared to the vastness of the forest.
Well, be that as it may, accepting this many residents naturally presented a problem.
“What should we do about their living quarters?”
Food, clothing, and shelter—the basic necessities of human life.
Among them, the most important was shelter.
Sleeping exposed in the forest was out of the question, and they also had to consider the respawning monsters.
However, Seong-hyeok already had a plan for this.
“You don’t need to worry about their immediate living quarters.”
“What do you mean? How do you plan to accommodate so many people?”
“Why not? We have a magnificent structure called the Beeswax Walls.”
“Th-That place is a maze, isn’t it?”
The Beeswax Walls, previously used as a hunting ground for the Monster Gate.
Of course, since it had been formed into a maze for the advantage of hunting, it was difficult to use as a residential area, but were the bees just ordinary insects?
“Anticipating this, I had them work on it again a few days ago.”
“…My goodness. I’m so dumbfounded I’m speechless.”
True to their nature as creatures who would be offended if they were called second-best in diligence.
The bees had immediately carried out Seong-hyeok’s orders.
As a result, the Beeswax Walls, which had been a hunting ground, had truly become a huge castle—a town and a city in one.
“However, I’ll leave the additional structures inside to you.”
“…I’m going to be worked to death for a while.”
All that remained was to construct proper buildings in the completed city.
* * * * *
“This way, please.”
The players, chosen by the bees and incorporated as new residents.
Their mouths hung open the entire way as they were guided to their new homes.
“Is… is this really Korea?”
“I feel like I’ve come to another world.”
“It’s like… a village of fairies.”
The abundance of life energy in the vicinity, thanks to the World Tree.
Furthermore, due to the bees spreading that energy in all directions, the forest was filled with flowers of all kinds, boasting a variety of fragrances.
A completely different atmosphere from the outside world.
But their astonishment had only just begun.
[A mob of Elite Monster 'Kirdon (★★★-)' has appeared.]
[A mob of Elite Monster 'Sawtooth Flamingo (★★★-)' has appeared.]
[Field Boss Monster 'Corpse Collector Dorium (★★★+)' has appeared.]
…
“No way…!”
“U-Uwaaaah!”
“What’s with all these high ranks? Dammit, we’re all dead!”
For ordinary people, the appearance of elite and field boss monsters meant certain death.
But unlike the horrified newcomers, the original residents, who were already well-accustomed to this place, faithfully carried out their duties.
“Everyone, get behind me.”
“Bees. I’m counting on you to be extra careful this time.”
Bzzzzzz!
The fairies of the forest, present everywhere.
Coordinating with the bees, they dispatched the enemies without suffering a single casualty.
“My god. D-Didn’t you say your class was a 1-Star Warrior?”
“Yes. Is there a problem?”
“I-I’m a 3-Star combat class…”
The new resident, who had been subtly boasting about his high rank, stared in disbelief.
Sheathing his sword, the guide smiled.
“If you just eat your meals regularly, you’ll be able to do this too.”
“…”
Such a simple and straightforward secret.
At this, not only the resident who had been proud of being 3-Star but everyone following him wore expressions of utter shock.
* * * * *
“Do elite monsters normally respawn this often?”
“Don’t even talk about it. I can’t even count how many I’ve run into on the way here.”
They say humans are creatures of adaptation, don’t they?
Unlike their initial terror, they now witnessed repeated encounters being handled without a single casualty.
With their safety assured, the once-panicked people slowly began to look around.
“If I hunt monsters like these, can I get stronger too?”
In this bizarre world, most people shared the desire to become stronger.
A life-or-death battle was of course frightening, but hadn’t the 1-Star player before them just openly presented himself as living proof?
“With time, I’ll be able to hunt elites too.”
Now that they were residents of the apiary.
The dream of becoming stronger.
As they held onto that hope, their resolve not to be surprised by anything else that might appear was short-lived.
“Am I seeing this right?”
“A… a castle in the middle of the forest…”
Their future home.
Faced with the city made of colossal beeswax walls, they were thrilled once more.
* * * * *
The joining of new residents.
While there were advantages to making proper use of the territory, in a way, this decision was also like poison.
Unlike the 700 residents who had grown close after working together for a long time, everything was new for these people.
Moreover, the apiary wasn’t just home to humans.
There were the forest tribes, who resembled humans but were fundamentally classified as ‘monsters’.
The issue of whether they could get along with them was one thing, but they also had to be prepared for information about the Treasure items to be exposed.
However, Seong-hyeok wasn’t worried about that.
After all, he knew from the previous process, didn’t he?
Bzz~
Bzzzz~
The bees had thoroughly vetted the new residents who joined.
What Seong-hyeok had requested from these adorable creatures wasn’t the players’ levels or classes.
It was solely their goodwill toward the bees.
He had them select only those who, even if not 100% friendly, held not a shred of hostility.
Selecting them based on criteria completely different from ordinary shelters was partly to avoid the worry of being betrayed, but also because he was confident.
“With these, getting stronger is a piece of cake.”
[Guardian's Ruby Gem Royal Jelly Pill (★★+)]
[Guardian's World Tree Ginseng in Honey (★★+)]
[Guardian's Seven-Colored Blue Deer Antler Honey (★★★★-)]
…
The processed honey products that had greatly contributed to developing the current residents into a top-tier fighting force.
Was that all?
The power of a good meal was important, but ultimately, the most crucial thing was the element for growth.
Attracting powerful monsters, the multiplying ginseng and Solar Flowers, and so on.
It was no exaggeration to say that all the elements for both combat and production classes to grow were in place.
It meant that even a low-rank player, a 1-Star, could surpass their innate limitations if they set their mind to it.
Apart from other shelters, these advantages possessed by Seong-hyeok’s apiary were bound to become an immense power.
“It wasn’t bad with 700 people, but I wonder what will happen with 10,000.”
Cultivating an elite force that wouldn’t be pushed back even by elite or field boss monsters.
Furthermore, if all of them held high favorability toward the bees, the bees’ death rate would naturally drop significantly.
Imagining the advantages that would come with the increased number of residents.
Among them, the thought of being able to reduce the bees’ casualty rate lifted his spirits, but only for a moment.
“Alright, guys, shall we start preparing the welcoming festival?”
Bzzing~♩
A festival for the residents with whom he would strive for survival from now on.
[The Transcendent Being, Insect Queen Nineto, is pleased at the thought of seeing their bottoms. 100,000 Coins have been sponsored.]
[The Transcendent Being, Archangel Seriel, says that cute is justice. 80,000 Coins have been sponsored.]
[The Transcendent Being, Dimensional Traveler Blanky, quickly takes a seat. 80,000 Coins have been sponsored.]
…
He began to prepare for the bees’ synchronized dance, which the Transcendent Beings were also anticipating.