Chapter 134: Typhoon's Core
Kim Minwoo stared intently at Chairman Li.
Not buying?
Then just choke him until he wants to. The dam had already been broken, so it wouldn't be hard.
All he had to do was move a bit more diligently from now on.
“You planning to hold onto that seat for another three years or so?”
“You insolent…!”
It was then that the Nine Dragon Guild Master standing behind him flew into a rage and reached for his sword.
But a sharp spear tip was already at his throat, making the guild master swallow hard.
The skeleton known as the Bone Knight.
Its eyes gleamed fiercely as it stared him down.
―No second chances.
“…”
Their builds were similar.
Yet the spear had reached him much faster. It was a clean motion that couldn't be explained by weapon length alone.
His face naturally turned deferential in the face of the obvious skill gap.
Cedric calmly retracted his spear and sat back down.
Chairman Li's eyes darkened further.
Deep down, he wanted to strangle this Kim Minwoo bastard.
The problem was it didn't look easy at all.
“… Hoo. You toying with me right now?”
“Who knows. Seems like a bargain for keeping that seat. It's not even your money anyway, Chairman. It's always the people's money from those little countries you rant about. Just think of it as donating to the needy.”
He really wasn't your average madman.
Chairman Li took a deep breath and asked calmly.
“First off, isn't that thing total stats of 600?”
“Correct.”
“So even if we buy it for that price, it won't deliver those effects. What's the point?”
What could boosting stats by 600 even solve?
No.
They'd spend the money but get jack shit in return.
Kim Minwoo grinned at that.
“Of course, I'll throw in some service. Let's see. China usually ranks around 7th in international matches, right? I'll bump you up to 5th.”
“…5th?”
“That should save some face for you, no?”
The chairman fell silent.
Why China ranked in the 7s.
No standout Awakeners who pleased the Communist Party. The players they sent weren't bad, but no superstars.
If he could boost that rank…
“… How exactly do you plan to do that?”
“I'm a good teacher. You saw Ilsung Guild benefit today.”
“That was… because of your teaching?”
“Yes. Let me show you. Hong Tao, was it? Come out.”
Nine Dragon Guild Master Hong Tao.
He stepped forward with a baffled look.
What followed was a spar.
In just six exchanges, a blade was at his throat.
“Your basics are decent, but your instincts are lacking.”
“…?”
“Try it like this.”
A brief lesson followed.
[Title, 'Greatest Teacher' effect activates…]
After a few simple pointers, Hong Tao's eyes went wide.
“… My God! What is this…?”
Stunned, Hong Tao.
He nodded frantically at the chairman.
His swordsmanship had sharpened in an instant from that short spar.
An Awakener of Hong Tao's caliber couldn't miss what that meant.
‘A monstrous ability.’
Literally.
The chairman's eyes lit up at the sight.
Ilsung Guild's sudden rise.
If that growth was the result of this teaching, fifth place might actually be possible.
For someone clinging to power, achievements were crucial.
Boosting their Gate Competition ranking?
Very appealing.
The chairman straightened up.
Ready for a more serious talk.
“… If we buy the elixir, how do you plan to handle this mess?”
“Hmm. Schedule another captain match later? China, post-elixir, puts up a 6:4 fight but loses. Not bad at all, right?”
“… Rigging it?”
“I'll train you up to that level.”
“So you want us to lose again?”
“Better than getting swept helplessly. You handle that stuff well, Chairman. 'It's just the beginning,' like with Liang Xiaojun.”
“… Can't China win once?”
“No, can't.”
A firm refusal left no room for probing. Silence followed briefly.
Chairman Li pondered.
A 6:4 loss.
Still a loss, but if the match was a fierce struggle unlike this one…
‘Not zero spin material.’
At least it'd give them an excuse.
In that light, it wasn't unacceptable.
“But 10x the price is too much. The people won't buy it.”
“Who says it has to be public? Backroom deal, one contract.”
Fair price on the surface.
10x behind the scenes.
Perfect.
“First deal, so build some trust. No big demands. Just five elixirs. 240 trillion. Nice round number.”
The chairman and Nine Dragon crew paled.
10x was dizzying enough, but feeding it to five?
240 trillion wasn't pocket change.
China was socialist.
Emphasizing welfare and equality, yet spending 240 trillion on five?
Unless those five became world-rankers post-training, exposure meant doom.
And from his tone, training would be half-assed.
“Too many. One or two maybe…”
“No. Five, no less.”
Kim Minwoo was adamant.
Pierce their nose on the first deal.
Big and loud enough to doom the leadership if exposed.
Make them long-term cash cows, er, partners.
The silent chairman got it.
No fool, he knew the intent of starting big.
‘… Damn it.’
Chairman Li Zemin sensed it.
Decision time.
Shake hands properly or…
Kill him, whatever the cost.
“Oh, right.”
“…?”
“Got something good from the preliminaries. Nuclear bomb. Like this.”
“…!”
The item description made the chairman's eyes bulge in shock.
“Super useful, anywhere.”
Kim Minwoo grinned.
Chairman Li sighed, deflated.
“… You don't think we can scrape that up short-term, right?”
“Not just cash. Anything goes.”
Deals weren't cash-only.
Materials, items, shares, treasures.
Plenty to accept in lieu.
Factoring those, doable. China's reserves were massive.
“Shall we do the contract? Installments if tight. Two months.”
How generous.
* * *
The chairman's eyes sharpened briefly, bad thoughts brewing.
Nuked with the bomb for attitude adjustment. Now he signed like a lamb.
Even stamped it nicely.
“No need to look so glum. Not a loss for you. Just hold that seat.”
“… Cooperation is solid?”
“Of course. 5th place, guaranteed. Your future's secure.”
The Nine Dragon top 10 from the captain match.
They would shine in the Gate Competition too. Give them five elixirs and some training, and fifth place would be easy.
‘Good for Li Zemin too.’
Classic power-clinger.
Held the chair 20 years straight.
As long as his seat was safe, China's rot was irrelevant.
Same for the brass. Leverage right, solid cash flow.
“Let's keep this going long-term, Chairman.”
―Yeah. Chairman's face like an old bear, cute.
“…”
The dazed chairman nodded like it made sense.
Crazy summons everywhere.
Best not to think.
* * *
[(Breaking!) Chairman Li Zemin denies export controls knowledge. Furious upon hearing!]
[(Breaking!) Korea ties accelerate? China fires Commerce Vice-Premier Ding Guangshen, key export control advocate!]
[(Breaking!) Kim Minwoo thaw with China? Sudden Zhongnanhai visit! Chairman Li welcomes with warm embrace…]
[(Breaking!) Kim Minwoo: Chairman Li Zemin is bold and forthright. All a misunderstanding. Seriously considering elixir sales…]
[(Breaking!) Elixir price set reasonably… Chairman Li declares Nine Dragon Guild's future brighter than ever!]
―What? Ding Guangshen Li's crony?
―Tail-cutting lol
―Freaked at elixir effects lol
―10:0 sweep, gotta fire 6th for apology lol
―Article says 16 billion each. Double cost?
―Yeah. Still decent for China.
―10x was BS anyway. US sit still?
―Quiet? Weird.
―Kim Minwoo probably synced with US. Collusion?
―Selling elixirs to China? US hypnotized? lol
―Cost not 8 bil but 2? lol Insane margins otherwise.
―Upper elixir costs 2.3 bil? Factoring fails/labor, sells 3 bil. 8 bil cost fits?
―Then wtf? Backroom deal? Over double?
―Maybe? Japan flipping out lol
―China gets elixirs, they don't? Pants shitting.
―No Japan visit from Kim Minwoo? lol
―Gotta hit Sky Auction lol Splash cash there lol
―45 tril now?
―That buys nations lol
―(Fear) 45 tril lowball. Saudi/China handouts 100% lol
―Necro gear moons lol
―Maybe fair price? Nations avoid Kim Minwoo lol
―Auction forces buys lol Overbid and he skips, you eat it lol
―Kim gear? Rares mostly?
―Yeah. Sword/accs aside, rare sets. Prelims got pieces… Bluff city?
Then.
News broke.
[(Breaking!) US President Robert to visit Korea?]
[(Breaking!) Unprecedented Korea trip? All schedules canceled suddenly!]
[(Breaking!) Robert: Korea rivals Five Eyes, key ally. Loves Ilsung Phone. Will forge diamond-hard ties…]
[(Breaking!) President Lee Kang-hoon welcomes US President anytime! Korea's prestige up thanks to treasure Kim Minwoo…]
―Wtf? Korea Five Eyes tier when?
―Dunno? Lip service? Ilsung Phone shoutout screams Kim Minwoo lol
―Elixir sales pre-approved?
―Nah, US would've sanctioned lol
―Why rushing then?
―Korea usual nothing… Kim's got something big lol President's desperate lol
―Kim Minwoo nuts? Saudi king, China chair, now US prez 😨
―Saudi begs, China jealous, US panics 😨
―Beyond two-timing, three-timing 😨
―We live in Kim Minwoo's era…
* * *
Warm meeting with Chairman Li Zemin.
Kim Minwoo returned to Korea with his crew.
He headed straight to the Blue House.
President Lee Kang-hoon.
Grinning ear-to-ear, he welcomed him.
“Kim Minwoo. On behalf of Korea, thank you. You did something huge.”
When he received Kim Minwoo’s update from China, he thought he might faint.
240 trillion mega-deal.
Even China struggled paying cash fully. Plus, discreet transfer needed.
So he asked Korean gov for help.
Top-secret talks between officials.
Agreed on methods.
Especially resources: Bulk cheap sales, state mines/shares via shells.
Priceless art/antiques.
Every trick.
Got 50 tril cash for Sky Auction too.
Printed like water. Subspace ring smuggled it.
Top brass secret, low leak risk.
‘Even if caught.’
Manageable print.
Gate-boosted economy.
50 tril? China's size handles. Proper liquidity, no chaos.
Anyway.
More cash/resources incoming various ways. President Lee helped plenty.
Quid pro quo time.
“Not free supply though?”
“Heh. Of course we'll pay full value.”
President Lee beamed. Korea benefited indirectly too.
Buy resources fair price?
That's what ended China squeezes.
Not all resolved, but just the start.
Installments meant next wave next month.
Good for Kim Minwoo too.
Massive cash/resources.
Better sell to gov than hold. Ilsung couldn't burn it all.
‘Slow-drip those.’
Secret deal.
Leak shakes China brass. Korea-China synced, unlikely blowup.
‘But seal lips.’
US.
Sharp bastards. Need US nod to milk China long-term.
Perfect timing.
“President Robert wants to see me?”
“Yes. That proud guy's only rushing for you.”
“Good. More cash better for auction.”
Fun US talks ahead.