Chapter 76
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: A Hero's Welcome
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Although the one-on-one fight with the Emperor wasn't filmed, the scene showcasing the firepower of the beeswax turrets was.
That alone was more than enough.
The existence known as Honeybee.
The realization that the power he held was not that of an ordinary beekeeper who simply sold honey-processed goods brought about many changes.
[Player discovered!]
[Player discovered!]
[Player discovered!]
[Player discovered!]
…
As soon as Seong-hyeok returned to Korea through the same portal he had used to cross into the Chinese server, a constant stream of discovery alerts popped up.
Having captured the attention of countless Korean server players, Seong-hyeok’s appearance prompted them to rush toward him, one and all.
Bzzzzzzzz—!!!
Buzzz-buzzz-buzzz—!!!
But the honeybees were not about to grant them easy access.
The bees warned off the approaching crowd with the furious sound of their wings.
Although this kept them from getting too close, Seong-hyeok had a good idea of why they had come.
“I’m a 3-star high knight! I’m prepared to be a great help in battle, so I would be truly grateful if you’d accept me into your shelter!”
“A 2-star Shell Shield! As a tanker, I have multiple aggro skills!”
“I—I’m good at gathering!”
A world that felt like the apocalypse.
With the difficulty spiking sharply each time a new chapter began, and in a situation where one could be killed by a monster at any moment, it was only natural human instinct to want to stick close to someone strong.
And in that regard, Seong-hyeok, with his overwhelming firepower and a production system built around honeybees, possessed both abundant resources and military might.
He was a cheat-like existence who had it all.
It was only natural that they would approach him to join his shelter.
Truthfully, if various people gathered at the shelter, Seong-hyeok could aim to develop new infrastructure and reduce the sacrifice of his bees, but he couldn't make a hasty decision.
*Can I trust people who would betray their own shelter to join me?*
Fundamentally, human beings are far from altruistic.
They are creatures riddled with individualism and egoism.
This could easily lead to internal dangers.
*Still, I have a way.*
However, when it came to this particular issue, Seong-hyeok was confident in his ability to screen people.
Bzzzzzzzz—!!!
Buzzz-buzzz-buzzz—!!!
“Whoa, you scared me.”
“Gulp…”
The bees buzzed aggressively, sizing up the gathered players one by one.
Bzzz-bzzz-♩
Wiggle-wiggle-
In contrast, they approached a select few people, their previous anger forgotten, and wiggled their thoraxes with their unique, charming gestures.
It was the bees’ instinct.
The collective intelligence unique to the honeybees, a litmus test that naturally distinguished between the ‘hostility’ and ‘goodwill’ directed toward them.
“Those of you over there may follow me.”
“A-are you talking about me?”
“Thank you!”
Seong-hyeok observed the bees’ reactions, pointed to the people who had shown goodwill, and welcomed them through the ranks of his bee army.
*As expected, there aren't many people with pure goodwill.*
The crowd numbered in the thousands.
Yet, the number he accepted was, at most, around sixty.
It meant that many people, whether they knew it or not, were projecting hostility through emotions like jealousy or greed.
But interpreted differently, it also meant that those selected from this crowd were that much more trustworthy.
“Wh-why not me? I’m 4-star! I’m far stronger than that 1-star warrior over there!”
“Honeybee-nim, I can be of much more help. Please, take me with you too!”
Of course, those who didn't understand Seong-hyeok's selection criteria clamored for him to take them, showing off what they could offer.
It was a situation that could turn violent at any moment.
But who was Seong-hyeok?
Buzzzzzzzzz—!!!
“If you come any closer, I will consider you an enemy.”
“…”
He was a being who could command a massive army of bees as if it were his own body, and though they didn't know it, a powerhouse who had crushed the Chinese server's strongest player, the Emperor, in close combat.
As hostility unknowingly rose from Seong-hyeok, those trying to approach him froze stiff, like frogs before a snake.
***
Sixty people.
Followed by a swarm of millions of bees, it seemed like a ridiculously small number of personnel to onlookers.
But to Seong-hyeok, who had been running a shelter of barely twenty people even after merging with Yeonbun Gukbap's, this was three times that number.
Furthermore, the actual number he could take with him had the potential to increase.
“Thank you for choosing me, Honeybee-nim. But if it’s not too much trouble, I have a favor to ask.”
“As a member of the same shelter, I too would like to humbly make a request!”
Among the sixty chosen by the bees, some had their own circumstances and wished to bring others along with them.
Seong-hyeok’s decision on this matter was simple.
“However, I will be the one to decide who to bring.”
“Thank you!”
Since their shelters were on the way, it wasn't a waste of time, and since Seong-hyeok would be making the final call, it wasn't a problem either.
Besides, as the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together.
Just as expected of those who had earned the bees’ ‘goodwill,’ most of the members in their shelters also succeeded in being chosen by the bees.
As a result, the number of people swelled from 60 to 500, more than eight times the original amount, in one go.
Many of them were weak, possessing only 1-star, but Seong-hyeok didn't see this as a major issue.
*As long as they have the right mindset, it doesn't matter.*
When he visited their shelters, not a single person was lazing around; everyone was working hard.
To avoid being freeloaders, they dismantled monsters brought back by the combat classes and didn't shy away from any kind of labor. The value of those who earned the bees' goodwill was by no means small.
And most importantly, there were hidden gems among the lower-star players.
Namely, blacksmiths—the profession Seong-hyeok needed most right now.
That shelter had been quite large, boasting seven blacksmiths, which meant the production speed of the beeswax armor would see a significant rise!
“Thank you so much for accepting all of our members.”
“We will do our best to become a part of your strength, Honeybee-nim!”
[Player Go Dal-su (Green Bean - Level 32) is sharing his Job Specialization.]
[Player Park Jong-su (Ttukbaegi Collector - Level 31) is sharing his Job Specialization.]
Sharing one's Job Specialization was a common way for players to earn trust.
Through this, Seong-hyeok learned they were skilled individuals with unique jobs and high levels, elite personnel. But then, he was startled by a very familiar nickname.
“Excuse me, just a moment. Is that nickname really yours?”
“Huh? Of course, it’s me. My picture was on Jeongrichung’s post, didn't you already know?”
“…”
Before him stood the player Green Bean, clutching a pair of duralumin bats.
It was a name no one on the Korean server could fail to recognize.
After all, he was the officially recognized Rank 1 player on the Korean server, and…
*The message terrorist…*
He was one of the main reasons Seong-hyeok had blocked his messages, a stalker-like person who had sent him well over a hundred messages.
***
After sending a clone with Seong-hyeok to the Korean server, Cha Hye-rin’s main body remained alone on the Chinese server.
[This player (Chinese Server) had an Incarnation Contract. You gain an additional 12,500 points.]
[This player (Chinese Server) had an Incarnation Contract. You gain an additional 15,000 points.]
[This player (Chinese Server) had an Incarnation Contract. You gain an additional 11,700 points.]
…
During the War Outbreak event quest, she had hunted countless Chinese players, specifically targeting the Incarnations who gave a bounty of points.
[Your Point Ranking is 2nd.]
[As a reward, you acquire EXP, 350,000 Coins, and Riggle's Lucky Gift Box (★★★).]
[You have leveled up. You have gained 5 stat points.]
…
Despite her diligent efforts and the massacre she had committed, the result was, regrettably, second place.
- Kehkehkeh. You lost in the end, didn't you?
“…Shut up.”
Player hunting was what Cha Hye-rin was most confident in.
She had been accumulating points in that area from the very beginning, yet her ranking had been overturned in a single move.
While she felt a surge of anger at receiving a smaller reward, for some reason, a corner of her heart swelled with a new emotion, and a smile crept onto her lips.
“Not bad.”
It was just as she expected from the ‘family’ she had acknowledged.
His obsession with bees, unchanged since childhood, and his incredible skill.
In fact, the incident just a short while ago.
Recalling the scene of him facing the Emperor one-on-one, she could only think of how amazing it was.
Just as she was about to help, thinking he might die, Seong-hyeok had grabbed the Emperor and crushed him with sheer strength.
“I won’t have to worry about him dying.”
In this chaotic world, he was the first person whose skill Cha Hye-rin had truly acknowledged.
Thinking of Seong-hyeok, whom she wasn't sure she could beat even if she fought with all her might, Cha Hye-rin, as always…
Swoooosh—!
…began her harvest.
***
While Seong-hyeok was out fighting with his bees and beeswax turrets, the bees back at the shelter continued their usual routine of laying eggs and gathering honey.
[Honey is ready for harvest!]
[Honey is ready for harvest!]
[Honey is ready for harvest!]
…
As a result, while Seong-hyeok was busy collecting the honey that had filled the beehives to the brim, Yeon Su-hee took charge of guiding the new residents.
“First, I’ll assign workplaces to everyone according to your jobs.”
The combat classes were mostly assigned to roles that would reduce the sacrifice of the bees.
Meanwhile, those with lifestyle jobs were directed toward the greenhouse, the blacksmith, or to gather from the surrounding natural vegetation, depending on their specialties.
“Please be careful, as there are traps set up around here.”
Of course, whether one was in a combat or lifestyle job, the most important thing to watch out for were the traps set up everywhere.
Kang Cheon-su's powerful traps would inflict massive damage on friend and foe alike if stepped on.
It was a terrifying prospect, reminiscent of a minefield, but there was no need to worry too much.
“The bees will give you a signal before you get close to a trap, so as long as you pay attention to them, you won't step on one.”
The bees were like mine detectors.
As long as one followed the bees flying all around, there was no need to worry about being exposed to the traps.
Of course, this also meant that if you were on bad terms with the bees, it would be like walking through a minefield without a detector, so maintaining a good relationship with them was crucial.
“Well then, now that you’ve all seen where you’ll be working, let’s eat before we start.”
You can’t work on an empty stomach.
Now that they knew their workplaces, all that was left was to satisfy the hunger they had been placating with makeshift meals on their way here.
“I’ll help.”
“M-me too!”
“Yes, thank you.”
Normally, Yeon Su-hee and Lee Yeon-bun could have easily prepared the meal, but now the number of people exceeded 500.
With the help of a few others with cooking-related jobs, a grand feast was being prepared. Amidst the activity…
“What brings you here?”
“S-Sir. When did you get here?”
As the old and new residents gathered in one part of the farm for the finished meal, an unexpected reunion took place.