Chapter 270
Chapter 270
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 270
Chapter Title: Episode 88. Those Who Meet Shall Part (5)
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“You have the evidence, right...? No issues there...?”
Tier Bljenk had come to realize that no matter what question he asked now, it wouldn't make much difference.
And Yoo Ji-tae nailed that realization shut.
“None at all. I said it with my own mouth and handed it over with my own hands.”
At this point, he couldn't even ask how it had been obtained. Tier Bljenk let out a hollow laugh.
Yong Tae-ha clenched his fist tightly.
For the past two months or so, he'd been swallowing his anger in silence, unable to tell anyone. He'd even cried in bed out of sheer frustration before sleep. That deep-seated resentment now seemed to drain away completely.
“This... if it's this... it's perfect.”
Ling Ling bit her lip as if something had struck a chord, trembling quietly.
“Teacher. Thank you. Truly...”
“Ah. Y-yeah! Thank you.”
Yoo Ji-tae waved it off. It wasn't for these kids, after all.
Even amid all this, he glanced at Gaeul, who was blinking silently. Her expression brightened and darkened repeatedly, as if deep in thought.
“Anyway, when this blows up, it's going to be a sight to see.”
“Huh? Now that you mention it, what happens if this goes public? I don't know much about fake攻略s or how the Federation operates.”
“Blame games after minor攻略teams fail... it's pretty rampant behind the scenes. Of course, getting hit with twenty in just two months is a first even for me.”
Tier Bljenk stroked his chin.
“The problem is there are too many. If it were just one or two, even the transcendents would hush it up.”
“Why hush it up? For something this insane...?”
“Why? Ling Ling, how long do you think this racket's been going on?”
“How long?”
“At least decades. The Federation's攻略system hasn't changed. The early transcendents who profited from this in the Sacred Rankings are now the ones judging others.”
“Ah...”
The arm bends inward.
People are always lenient toward their own sins.
It won't explode properly until it's properly ignited.
“How many cases do you think the guardian has in mind?”
“Over twenty.”
“Too many.”
“Exactly.”
How he set it off would determine the outcome.
“I've thought about it. There are various ways.”
Yoo Ji-tae added an explanation.
“To make the biggest splash, right before the Ranking competition ends, when the standings are already locked in internally. When the spotlight on White is at its peak.”
Tier Bljenk groaned.
“...If it goes down like that, it'll shatter everything properly. Not just Team White, but the minor攻略teams that sold fake攻略s through backroom deals. White Team Agency, MTA. Even the Mage Tower will feel the ripples. If the Federation investigates, everyone connected will tumble like dominoes.”
“Team Coin's involved too, right?”
“Obviously.”
Their 30 million followers would drag them down as well. With their name and face sold out everywhere, a forsaken transcendent could no longer be treated as a 'hero'.
They'd plummet to the bottom of the world in an instant.
But... that might actually be fortunate.
“There's more after that.”
“More, you say?”
“We have to think about the money.”
Money. A pragmatic word popped out.
“The amount the Mage Tower poured into raising White McDonald, that once-in-a-generation genius mage, is astronomical.”
Of course, that support wasn't free. White McDonald had to produce results befitting a genius mage and generate profits.
In short, it was all still debt.
“If White collapses here, the teams that received support, the ones handling training, the ones preparing the agency—all will go bankrupt in a chain reaction. Investors who poured money into raising White will be smashed too.”
Not just one or two people.
By then, their expressions had shifted a bit.
“Their entire families will end up on the streets. That's no small sum. Who would just sit back and watch after losing that kind of money?”
This was an era where human rights weren't highly valued. Retaliatory murders barely made the news. And for a family expelled from the Mage Tower, stripped of protection, saddled with billions in debt?
White's family had a high chance of being murdered. Not out of intent to kill, but as an outlet for rage.
“It'd be easier if they died alongside their family. But White can't even do that.”
The kids had heard what happened to transcendents who committed crimes but were still 'useful'.
Infiltrating the shadows was the better option.
The worst was being absorbed as national assets, thrown into the dirtiest, most dangerous jobs until death.
“He'll become a tool.”
'Tool' was an official term in the transcendent industry.
Usually, they called it becoming 'livestock'.
Forced to do the most horrific, filthy jobs imaginable until death—and even death wasn't permitted.
Livestock were treated no differently from objects.
They underwent brutal brainwashing before missions.
In peacetime, they were submerged in formalin-based preservatives while asleep, forcibly accumulating power until the next mission. The process damaged their bodies long-term, but cheap, efficient drugs were used.
By the time he explained that far, the excited atmosphere had sobered a bit. Gaeul's expression change was especially noticeable.
There was a cumbersome reason for repeatedly brainwashing and de-brainwashing them: to maintain the individual's mind intact for optimal mission performance.
Thus, while submerged in formalin, bodily functions were minimized, but their minds remained fully awake most of the time. Transcendents recovered mentally efficiently with just a few hours of sleep.
Studies showed these 'livestock' retained their ego and could think at nearly 95% capacity.
Unable to move. Unable to see. Unable to hear. Trapped in a body suspended in solution. And their mind locked in the smallest prison: the 'body'. They'd think for days, months, years, decades...
But in an era where human rights were low priority,
no one cared about the thoughts of livestock.
That was the future Yoo Ji-tae envisioned for White.
He explained it emotionlessly. Hearing that far, the kids looked quite shocked.
Ling Ling's cheeks even paled as she averted her gaze and bowed her head.
Why? he wondered. Maybe because they were still young. These young transcendents seemed to find such punishment unnatural.
He couldn't quite understand.
Why the fear?
What was so special about a sinner getting punished?
As he pondered if something was wrong with his explanation,
Ling Ling spoke up.
“D-do we have to go that far...?”
Yong Tae-ha elbowed her. Ling Ling shut her mouth in panic.
“What? Too much?”
He'd asked in good faith, not expecting it to sound overbearing. The young transcendents shook their heads with gasps.
“No objections, then.”
“Yes... please.”
As Tier Bljenk spoke for the group,
“Uncle.”
Gaeul opened her mouth with an extremely cautious expression.
“What if...”
“Speak freely.”
“Um... um... what if we just blow up White's SNS...?”
Yoo Ji-tae didn't show it, but inwardly, he was uncharacteristically surprised.
He'd considered asking her thoughts several times. But she'd kept silent, so he hadn't. He figured she still lacked her own opinions.
From ancient BY to the current Gaeul,
Gold Dragon hatchlings took a long time to form their own thoughts.
And even then, they rarely voiced them.
That was the biggest reason BY died.
Unable to express true feelings.
But now.
“Why do you think that?”
“Um...”
Gaeul glanced at her friends before continuing.
“That alone would be a huge hit, right...?”
True enough.
30 million followers. The first in Sacred transcendent history, with a massive gap over the second place.
Constant media spotlight despite being Sacred. Known worldwide.
It was huge now, and would grow even more.
Even without full exposure, just hitting the SNS would devastate White personally.
“Um... even without the fake攻略s, over 50攻略s means he saved a lot of people... He's our enemy, but...”
Gaeul began voicing her true feelings.
Feelings that might oppose Yoo Ji-tae's will.
“So.”
“It's... just... not that terribly bad, right...? It is bad, but...”
“So.”
“The bad part is the SNS being used that way... and they never got a chance to reflect...”
“So?”
Gaeul trailed off, then said cautiously,
“It feels... a bit too harsh...”
Yoo Ji-tae rejoiced inwardly alone.
He'd known her for at least 60 years. But this baby dragon voicing such specific, difficult true feelings so early? This was undoubtedly the first time.
She wasn't immersed in BY's emotions now. How much courage did it take to speak up?
It showed how much Gaeul had grown mentally since coming to the field.
“You all feel the same?”
He asked with noticeably more pleasure. The others nodded too.
“Alright. Let's just make the SNS blow up moderately.”
Only then did the strange tension lift from the Soho office.
“And like you said, give them a chance.”
He added, looking at Gaeul.
Gaeul nodded with a slightly brighter expression.
Of course, giving a chance wouldn't change them.
That evening, Yoo Ji-tae sent Team White an anonymous message with a 1 million won donation.
The donation was necessary to ensure they'd see it.
The message read:
[Found evidence of backroom deals and fake攻略s with minor攻略teams. Cover your tracks and quit SNS activities starting with Team Coin.]
It was his first time threatening via text, but it felt quite menacing.
Yoo Ji-tae was moderately satisfied.
Meanwhile, the young transcendents tilted their heads, sensing something off, but couldn't interfere since he was pleased. They weren't planning real forgiveness anyway.
The content was clearly conveyed.
He was curious how they'd respond.
They seemed to have returned to normal life.
Gaeul had worried so much to give them this chance. Even if the sinners escaped punishment, it'd be nice if Gaeul's kindness was rewarded.
Unfortunately, it didn't happen.
“A reply?”
“Yeah.”
“What'd they say?”
Yoo Ji-tae displayed it without a word.
[Hey. Who are you to spout nonsense via paid donation? We're Team White, pioneering proper攻略s. This hurts our pride. Minor攻略teams? Fake攻略s? Try spreading more false info, and we'll take legal action. Use this money for lawyer fees.]
The donation had been refunded.
As expected, but the young transcendents were outraged again by the shamelessness.
They'd squandered their last chance to survive.
* * *
Team White immediately contacted the minor攻略teams they'd dealt with upon receiving the message. They confirmed 'no external contacts'.
With so many dealings, they were somewhat prepared for rumors. They figured a stern warning would settle it.
An influencer transcendent team's followers numbered 30 million—the highest ever for a Sacred. Countless nobodies spewed nonsense at them.
Almost never via paid donation, though...
With a major event ahead, Team White quickly brushed off the small fry.
“Today's important. Everyone, stay sharp.”
“Yeah.” “Got it.”
White rallied his team.
The day of their first live stream had dawned.
As heroes—or influencers—this was their debut real-time interaction with fans. Like an online fan meet.
The massive reach drew media interest. A dozen reporters thrust cameras with national transcendent broadcast labels.
There, Team White members lined up at a long table, starting real-time fan chats.
“Hello, we're the Sacred Transcendent Team, Team White!”
“For humanity!”
Hundreds of thousands flooded in at the start, soon surpassing 3 million viewers. A number reflecting Team White's popularity.
After greetings,
amid casual fan chats,
a paper airplane flew in from somewhere.
“Hm? What's this?”
Leader White McDonald glanced at the direction, tilting his head.
It was outdoors, but his senses detected nothing.
“From a fan?”
“Haha. What’s it say?”
The paper airplane had strange text.
[@Search_me_Plzzzz]
“What is this, everyone?”
Leader 'White McDonald' made a grave mistake by casually showing it on the live stream.
The tag resembled an ID, so curious viewers searched it on SNS.
And found the shocking account.
[Search_me_Please]
Exposing Team White's Deception.
A nuclear bomb detonated.