Chapter 144
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 144
Chapter Title: A Display of Power
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With each passing day, disaster-class monsters claimed the lives of countless Chinese citizens.
The news that Honeybee would handle such a nuisance was met with open arms by most players, but not everyone felt the same.
‘Insolent fool.’
Hu In-pung had been raised from childhood to believe China was the greatest nation.
Although China had suffered a crushing defeat in the first war against Korea because of Honeybee, he refused to acknowledge that loss.
‘He couldn't win on his own, so he resorted to dragging in other countries. A coward.’
In what was clearly a 1v1 war, he brought in third parties like Thailand and Pakistan.
A cheap tactic, involving Asians from other nations.
Of course, if one were to compare the military strength of Korea and China at the time, it was China that had launched the initial overwhelming offensive. But what could you do?
Blood is thicker than water, as they say.
Hu In-pung only ever thought of China.
“This is roughly where it appears, but if you're looking for it now, you might as well give up. It's a werewolf, so it's only active at night.”
“If you knew that, why did we come here first? Aren't there plenty of other places?”
“Ah, my mistake. My apologies.”
“……”
That's why he had cheered inwardly when he was assigned the role of guide.
A chance to travel with the one he'd always wanted to teach a lesson.
Knowing he was no match in terms of strength, Hu In-pung chose a different method: using his knowledge to mess with Honeybee.
Intentionally taking wrong turns or leading him to the habitats of disaster-class monsters with opposite active times.
His attempts at sabotage were blatant.
Of course, Chinese players would continue to die because of this, but that was none of Hu In-pung's concern.
‘They're just weaklings anyway, so it doesn't matter.’
China's wealth gap persisted even in this chaotic new world.
For someone like him, born into the upper class, the lives of the weak who couldn't even protect themselves were not worth worrying about.
“Ahem. So, shall we move on to another location? Or would you rather wait here?”
“That's enough. I don't need your guidance anymore.”
Hu In-pung's attitude was openly sarcastic.
But Seong-hyeok chose neither option.
“Dimensional Beehive.”
Bzzzzzz—
Whoooosh— Bzz-bzz-bzz-!!!
With the use of the Dimensional Beehive, a legion of 3.5 million bees burst forth.
Hu In-pung, who had been nothing but sarcastic until now, was momentarily stunned.
But the bees were just getting started.
“Alright, everyone, I'm counting on you. Deundeun-i, you guys protect the little ones. Got it?”
Bzzzz!
As soon as Seong-hyeok's command was given, the bees spread out and dispersed rapidly.
The patrol capabilities of the scout bees, each one a watchful eye, and the habitat of a disaster-class monster.
The result of these two elements meeting was obvious.
[Due to a high reconnaissance level, you have seen through the target's 'Moonlit Darkness' skill.]
[Monster discovered!]
[Bloodfang Lycan Lv. 58 (★★★★★+)] - Disaster-Class Monster
It must have had some kind of stealth skill.
The giant werewolf was sprawled out in the open, sleeping soundly.
“See? The little ones are always reliable.”
Their scouting skills were incomparable to China's so-called best guide.
And that wasn't all.
Wiggle, wiggle—
The bees wiggled their behinds in joy, happy to have successfully found the target for Seong-hyeok.
Was it because of the natural comparison that had just been made?
“You were useless, but good job anyway.”
“Ha! Just because you found it doesn't mean it's over. Its speed is something that not even you...”
“I'll handle that myself.”
The guide, who was only good for sarcasm, was utterly useless.
The only silver lining was that he had inadvertently made it possible to fight an enemy that was stronger at night during the day.
He was accompanying this watchdog at China's request, but the man was more of a hindrance than a help.
Normally, Seong-hyeok would have gotten rid of him long ago, but he had a plan.
[Honeybee Guardian's class specialization, 'Honey Product Aficionado,' is activated.]
[You are freed from the limit on permanent stat increases from Guardian Murion's Blue Velvet Antler Honey (★★★★★). 0/1. Time remaining: 6 hours.]
[You are freed from the limit on permanent stat increases from Guardian's World Tree Samcheong Seven-Colored Honey Wine (★★★★★+). 0/1. Time remaining: 6 hours.]
…
“You just stay there and watch.”
China, a nation that could never be trusted.
To bring them to heel, what was needed was not words, but power.
And he would make them witness it with their own eyes.
* * * * *
Experience is the best teacher, as they say.
He had already faced the Ancient Troll King Kurarara and the Mud Giant Salamet.
Two battles against disaster-class monsters.
Moreover, wasn't Seong-hyeok a Dragon Slayer who had even hunted a ???-grade monster, a rank higher than disaster-class?
The difference in power was palpable.
It had long since overwhelmed the Lycan, which had grown strong by devouring countless people in China.
Fwoosh-fwoosh-fwoosh-
The various 5-star buffs he had consumed, partly to take advantage of the Honey Product Aficionado effect.
With the formidable stats he gained from them, Seong-hyeok moved with incredible speed and control.
Shunk—!
Shunk-shunk-shunk— Shunk-shunk!
He delivered dozens of bee stings the moment he arrived.
“Grrrrowl! How dare you, prey!”
Of course, befitting its status as a level 58 disaster-class monster, the Lycan quickly regained its posture and prepared to counterattack, but unfortunately, it was too late.
A fatal super-poison created by combining the Karma of a Mad Inquirer and the venoms of various bees.
Having coated his stinger with it and injected it into the creature's veins, what do you think the result would be?
“Gak! Kuh-hek!”
The Lycan collapsed, its body trembling violently.
It was no exaggeration to say the battle was already over.
In a battle where a moment's carelessness meant death.
Seong-hyeok wasn't kind enough to let a collapsed enemy recover.
Shunk!
A clean finishing blow.
The damage from the venoms injected into its various pressure points was too much for even a disaster-class monster to withstand, and it died on the spot.
“Impossible...!”
And Hu In-pung, who witnessed the scene firsthand, was horrified.
What kind of creature was the Lycan?
A monster that could never be found during the day, no matter what, and devoured hundreds of people by night.
Yet he had finished off such a beast in less than ten minutes?
He had heard time and again that Honeybee was not weak, but seeing it in a video and witnessing it in person were two completely different things.
“Lead me to the next location. And stop with the useless thoughts.”
“Ah, understood.”
Honeybee's strength was far beyond anything Hu In-pung could comprehend.
Actions speak louder than words, after all.
The thought that such terrifying power could be directed at him sent a shiver down Hu In-pung's spine.
* * * * *
A vast land and a massive population.
The unique environment created by this combination in China.
As a result, disaster-class monsters were far more numerous and growing faster than in Korea, but they were being dealt with at an astonishing speed.
If you were to ask why, the answer was simple.
[Player Silent Harvester has sent a message.]
『The Hebei region is almost cleared.』
[Player Boss Lady has sent a message.]
『The Henan side is also wrapping up, Oppa!』
Cha Hye-rin, one of the Beekeeping Farm's powerful assets, had also come to China with Seong-hyeok.
Furthermore, those accompanying her were no pushovers either.
Poison, Holy, and Flower.
Three High Elves, each with distinct powers, and Murion, the king of the Blue Antler Tribe who reveled in battle.
The speed at which these four disaster-class individuals subjugated monsters was on par with Seong-hyeok's!
“I guess three groups are better than one.”
The Chinese disaster-class monsters, accustomed to living alone, were helpless against the coordinated attacks of two disaster-class beings.
Besides, were the farm's High Elves and the king of the Blue Antler Tribe just ordinary disaster-class beings?
Thanks to the World Tree and the growing bee population, the farm boasted an increasingly abundant supply of resources. Not only were they fully stocked with honey products, but they had also fortified themselves with wild honey.
On top of that, there was the Monster Gate and the Dragon Raid.
As those who had conquered these two massive sources of experience, their strength was in no way inferior to that of China's disaster-class monsters.
And above all...
“Alright, I guess I should start wrapping things up too. Hey, is this the right way?”
“Yes! Of course. Allow me to brief you on the characteristics of the upcoming creature and the points to be cautious of.”
“Go on.”
Seong-hyeok, who boasted a speed that was unrivaled even compared to them.
Faced with such overwhelming power, Hu In-pung had long since been reduced to a completely loyal subordinate.
* * * * *
Just two days.
That was the short amount of time it took to deal with the various disaster-class monsters and dungeons that had been plaguing the Chinese server.
This incident, which once again drove home the reality of Honeybee's military might, was something Seong-hyeok could fully exploit.
【Korea/Jeongrichung: Korea's Honeybee. Is there no limit to his growth and generosity? The mark of a hero who helps China, a nation that once drew its sword against him!】
Once one has power, managing public opinion is not an option, but a necessity.
This was especially true now that interest in Seong-hyeok was spreading beyond Korea to the rest of the world.
Having once again handsomely raised the value of his honey products through his recent exploits and Jeongrichung's hype, Seong-hyeok's next move was, without a doubt, to settle the bill.
“Let's see. Seven dungeons and nine monsters... That'll be 160 million coins.”
“...Gulp.”
An absolutely staggering sum of money.
It was an amount they had somewhat anticipated when they requested the subjugation, but to have it all done in such a short time...
They had never imagined he would take care of everything.
Naturally, they couldn't possibly have 160 million coins on hand right now.
“...Could we pay 70 million first and pay the remaining balance later?”
“Hmm.”
China was now swallowing its pride, bowing its head and begging.
Even though he wouldn't get all the money at once, Seong-hyeok couldn't help but smile inwardly.
Being indebted in coins.
In other words, it meant a creditor-debtor relationship would naturally form without Seong-hyeok having to do anything else.
“Th-this is all we could scrape together. If you just give us some time, we will definitely pay back the full amount!”
The sight of China begging just because Seong-hyeok was hesitating.
But when it comes to money, it's always easier to lend than to collect.
“Every Saturday. A minimum of 5 million. If you fail to pay, I'll reinstate the ban on purchasing honey products, and add 10% interest to the total amount. How about it? Seems pretty reasonable to me.”
“Thank you so much!”
Given Seong-hyeok's considerable power, it was unlikely they would try to skip out on the payment, but it was always good to have insurance, just in case.
Besides, he wasn't in a hurry for the money thanks to his honey products, so he deliberately extended the payment period to 5 million per week.
This debt would serve as a mechanism to further solidify the positions between Korea and China.
“Well then, I look forward to our future cooperation.”
Honey products and debt, both achieved through his bees.
While the debt would eventually be paid off, the unique assets only his bees could create would continue to shine as a powerful diplomatic weapon.
* * * * *
The expedition to Russia for the Dragon Raid.
After the arduous trip ended, he had only a brief moment to heal with festivals and beekeeping.
During the two days he'd spent away in China, Seong-hyeok had been going crazy.
[An elite bee, the Golden Rock Sage's Scented Grass Legion Commander Bee (★★★★), has been added to the Golden Rock Queen Bee's (★★★★★+) swarm.]
[An elite bee, the Golden Rock Sage's... has been added to the Golden Rock Queen Bee's (★★★★★+) swarm...]
Was it because the home Seong-hyeok had created for them was a perfect fit?
Two of the Golden Rock's elite bees were born in quick succession.
His anticipation for their effects was short-lived.
When it rains, it pours, as they say.
Something more exciting than a dragon hammered at Seong-hyeok's ears.
[The wings of the Ruby Gem Speedquito Legion Commander Bee (★★★★) have been honed to be slightly sharper.]
[The Garnet Gem Honeybush Legion Commander Bee (★★★★) has learned the skill, Natural Honey Strawberry Aging (Lv. 1).]
[The Imperial Topaz Architect Legion Commander Bee (★★★★) has learned the skill, Construct Honey Extractor (Lv. 1).]
…
The sweet notifications from his bees, making the Beekeeping Farm ever more prosperous.
To be honest, these were the notifications that accounted for 99.9% of Seong-hyeok's motivation to quickly conquer China's disaster-class monsters.
“Time to go see my babies.”
A Honeybee Guardian who thought of his bees and beekeeping before his three meals a day.
The bee-lover threw himself into the Dimensional Tunnel, his heart pounding with more excitement than anyone.