Chapter 87
Chapter 87
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Chapter 18 The Beginning of Change (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
“We should at least increase the budget first…”
“It’s not that simple.”
“The press is relentless. They’re all waiting with bated breath for any scrap they can devour. If the defense budget goes up, they’ll swarm like bees.”
“But if we nitpick every little thing, we’ll never even get started.”
“Still, that’s reality. We have to acknowledge the constraints.”
“As long as nothing’s actually happened, conscripting troops is impossible…”
“How about intensifying reserve force training?”
“That’s a bad move. It’ll just give ammunition to anti-government factions.”
“It could create mobs disguised as protesters. The public’s gotten scary lately.”
“Reserve training is a sensitive issue for the youth. We can’t touch it lightly.”
“But if those holes are real, we can’t just sit idly by, can we?”
“If they’re real, sure.”
“It’s just one person’s claim.”
“Monsters coming from another world? Preparing for war over something that absurd?”
“Demands to prepare for a nonexistent threat without proper evidence… That’s just mocking the government.”
“Exactly. Reality isn’t a movie. Tsk, how can everyone be so naive?”
“You say that after seeing the video? Does that look like movie graphics to you?”
“You? Did you just call me ‘you’?”
“Put your finger down. How old are you to start pointing…”
The meeting’s atmosphere grew heated bit by bit, voices rising higher.
This was already the third time today.
It wasn’t surprising that arguments sometimes escalated to physical scuffles.
Yang Jo-cheol, the division chief with plenty of experience in such messes, swallowed a sigh and held his seat.
‘I hope we reach a proper conclusion.’
It didn’t look promising.
Yang Jo-cheol suppressed his frustration and subtly scanned the room.
Unlike the bickering vice ministers, quite a few wore grim expressions as they whispered.
There were those paying close attention, gripped by fear of the unknown.
The fact they were seriously discussing the unrealistic scenario of Earth being invaded showed as much.
It was thanks to repeated proofs of the game, aided by players like Yang Hye-won.
On top of that, they’d even seen the monster K had brought.
That was why the Defense Ministry officials approached the meeting with grave faces.
But realistic constraints blocked any actual preparations.
“If you’re so sure, go hold a press conference yourself! If you can convince them of this nonsense, we’ll provide any support you want!”
As Yang Jo-cheol swallowed yet another sigh watching the stalled meeting.
Someone entered the conference room.
‘Definitely from the secretary’s office…’
He was from the presidential secretary’s office.
As he approached the head of the table and whispered into the president’s ear, the raised voices quieted.
They’d only argued to argue.
No need to waste time when new information had clearly arrived.
“It seems we’re past the point of doubting the intel on the holes.”
“Pardon?”
The president’s words carried that much weight.
“The Kremlin reached out.”
Yang Jo-cheol glanced at Yang Hye-won beside him to confirm.
She’d relayed that K planned to hand over an evolved species to the Russian side today.
The National Intelligence Service had reported it only to the president, and it seemed confirmed just now.
“They asked if we know anything about this ‘evolved species’ that crossed over.”
Groans rose from the Defense Ministry side.
Having the fact of monsters crossing via holes reconfirmed through another’s mouth was only natural.
If an invasion truly happened later, they’d be the ones facing the monsters directly.
Having seen bullets ineffective, their minds must be in turmoil.
Yang Jo-cheol eyed the Defense officials’ grim faces before swallowing another sigh.
‘I’m in no position to worry about others.’
One’s own future weighed heavier than another’s.
‘They’re increasing.’
With K’s nationality starting to leak, realistic problems trailing him complicated things for Yang Jo-cheol.
During the server connection, K’s nationality became known to some players and nations.
The fortunate part was that K had orchestrated it.
The unfortunate part? High chance foreign agents or special forces had sneaked into Korea to hunt him.
Lately, Yang Jo-cheol’s mind was consumed with how to block them.
Knowing K’s identity would make it easier.
But the NIS lacked info too.
Protecting an unknown figure left him at an impasse.
As Yang Jo-cheol kept suppressing sighs, the Foreign Ministry—swamped lately with K-related focus—spoke up.
“Any other messages?”
“They acknowledged knowing his nationality and sought his cooperation. They want to know how to neutralize the evolved species…”
The president glanced at the NIS group and asked.
“It seems he was involved in sending the evolved species to Russia?”
“We’ll check.”
They already knew, but played ignorant considering the eyes on them.
Info on K demanded utmost caution.
“This has been bothering me since before the meeting started…”
The topic raised next wasn’t welcome.
“Preparing for invasion is one thing, but preventing leaks of this ‘K’ individual’s identity to foreign nations is important too, isn’t it?”
Yang Jo-cheol quickly exchanged glances with his superior, the NIS director.
‘They want to block digging into his background.’
As the director nodded, Yang Jo-cheol spoke.
“It’ll backfire.”
He remembered K hesitating to kill Han Chang-sik yet ultimately doing it.
‘If he says he’ll do it, he does.’
Such a person had warned: Don’t dig into me.
K wouldn’t compromise if someone approached his circle without permission.
‘He’s the type to keep his word about becoming a bigger headache than Han Chang-sik.’
That wasn’t Yang Jo-cheol’s only reason to protect K.
He’d vowed to prevent monsters from coming here.
‘It was sincere.’
It perfectly aligned with Yang Jo-cheol’s desire for national security.
Contacting Yang Hye-won to form a player faction warranted caution.
But from his view, K was an ally to support, not an obstacle to remove.
No need to provoke him.
Above all, getting caught digging into K would cost more than it gained.
‘Once relations sour, no fixing it.’
Now, with no mistakes, was the only chance.
No room for risks.
Yang Jo-cheol actively opposed securing K’s identity.
But the Defense Ministry acted odd.
They kept glancing at the NIS side, whispering longer than usual.
That’s when the meeting veered off.
Time dragged on debating K’s security over the real issues.
Then he realized: They’d pre-planned to steer it this way.
The president was surely involved.
‘Without top approval, they wouldn’t cling so doggedly.’
Avoiding tough decisions by muddying the point.
Focusing on the hot potato K bought time.
And if they secured him for real, even better.
Grasping the situation, Yang Jo-cheol desperately tried to redirect.
But extinguishing the sparked flame wasn’t easy.
Anxiety began to creep in.
* * *
I heard the results of the president-attended meeting from Yang Hye-won.
Nothing decided, just time-killing talk circling me before ending.
It solidified my resolve to stay in Bihar.
Over those ten days, I focused on hunting and training, fully adapting to life there.
The best perk of the changed environment? Training anywhere, anytime.
I had my own training ground now.
‘Rashar must’ve arranged it.’
Behind the grand mansion lay stables, armories, and facilities showcasing the Bennett family’s power.
One was a vast group training ground for over a hundred.
I used the smaller personal one on its outskirts.
Couldn’t ignore the preparer’s sincerity.
Ten days post-evolved raid, I spent most there.
Mana operation headaches made me cut hunting to grind training.
But no meaningful gains.
‘It won’t budge…’
Condensation pushed mana operation proficiency to 99.99%.
Fast rise was good, but stuck there for five days? Problem.
‘Two traits boosting proficiency speed, and still nothing.’
They let me learn skills, cast magic, fill proficiencies, and level faster than anyone.
Yet with both, no movement.
Last five days, I tried everything.
Sequencing circulation, materialization, condensation hundreds of times? Child’s play.
Even all three at once.
Upper body, lower, hands, feet—split zones.
Required insane focus, mental fatigue high.
Nosebleeds too, like bodily strain.
Still 99.99%.
“Whew.”
Frustrating.
No solo solution, so sought advice.
As you see, not great results.
First targets: Bennett knights I’d gotten familiar with at the grounds.
They didn’t grasp my issue.
- Proficiency…? You mean…?
- What’s that…?
No numerical display for them.
Desperate, asked other players.
Posted on community.
- War Hero: …Are you human?
- Solomon: What do I eat to fill proficiency that fast?
⌎ Robin Hood: Share a meal?
- Orange: Showing off. Personality’s trash.
⌎ Cappuccino: So hard to admit jealousy?
- Miranda: Too many ripping off this damn system lately ㅠㅠㅠ Heartbroken.
⌎ Chocolate Chip: Totally ㅠ K-nim don’t abandon us, keep posting ㅠㅠ
⌎ Ice Cream: K followers assemble, I screenshotted their codenames. PK time.
Worse than not posting, deleted quick.
Today too, same number, I sighed deeply.
“K-nim.”
Then Gentler crossed the grounds briskly with unwelcome news.
“Agnosia Church priests request an audience.”
“Again?”
Irritation seeped into my reflexive question.
Damn System