Chapter 352
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 352
Chapter Title: Perfect Scheme
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"You want me to deliver the message?"
"Yes."
"Hey, come on. I've got some seniority here. You think I'm gonna run errands at my rank?"
"What can we do? None of us regular members even have access permissions."
"Can't you just give me those permissions? I'm acting master right now, so I can grant access, can't I?"
"If you want to give them out, go ahead. But good luck finding someone to actually do the errand instead."
"Ugh."
He wore Eastern-style chainmail armor, a Western silver gauntlet, and even a red Middle Eastern turban.
The man in this mishmash of outfits from every corner of the globe let out a groan as he heard the bespectacled boy's words.
No guild member was going to eagerly take on a task even he was reluctant to touch.
"This isn't why I became vice master..."
"Then don't. Of course, you'd have to return all the guild-owned items you've got on loan."
"Who said I wouldn't? I'll do it! I'll freakin' do it!"
As if worried they might snatch his gear away right then and there, Nam Gimun hid his gauntleted hand behind his back and bolted out of the room.
He grumbled under his breath as he stepped into the elevator.
"Deep raids have been off-limits lately, so I'm already struggling to make payments. Why's it always gotta be me?"
Ding.
"Maybe I should hit up some low-level raids? Nah, that wouldn't even break even."
Whirr.
"If those Liberation Brigade guys were still around, I could've made some nice pocket change. Why'd they all pull out of the country? Useless bunch."
Nam Gimun kept muttering nonstop inside the elevator.
As the former vice master of one of the great guilds, he was among the top suppliers—no one at his level could match him.
Yet here he was, reduced to playing messenger boy.
He'd rather be clearing another raid, pocketing the cash, and commissioning new gear.
But what could he do?
There were always bigger fish above.
Ding.
The elevator finally halted at the lowest floor.
Nam Gimun arrived before the iron door forged from dungeon ore alloy and fell silent, as if all his griping had been a lie.
He pressed his palm to the recognition panel beside it.
A beam of light scanned him from head to toe.
Whirr.
The massive door ground open, revealing the interior.
'Whoa...'
Nam Gimun let out a low whistle at the vast domed chamber, walled entirely in dungeon ore alloy.
It wasn't just the countless scratches etched densely into the expansive walls or the piles of debris heaped in the dome's center.
The moment the door opened...
A chilling aura seeped out from within.
It felt like stepping into a boss room on dungeon floor 90 or deeper, putting him on edge.
Which was why, even after opening the door, he hesitated to enter.
"What is it?"
His body jerked at the calm voice echoing from one of the rooms deeper inside the dome.
That room lay shrouded in thick darkness, its lights extinguished.
"Ahem, you're in there."
"Speak first. I told you not to disturb me unless it's urgent."
He cleared his throat to mask his embarrassment, but it was pointless.
The cold rebuke made him scratch his head awkwardly.
"I know, but there's that one contact you said to relay immediately, no matter what."
"...A message from Leviathan?"
"Yes. They're requesting some business cooperation. The details are—"
"Accept it."
"Pardon?"
"Whatever they want, grant it all."
"Is that really okay?"
Nam Gimun couldn't hide his bewilderment.
He hadn't even explained yet, and here was blanket approval.
But there was no reply.
Just a curt dismissal.
"If that's all, leave."
"Well... aside from Leviathan, there's important word from the Blue House and elsewhere."
"Handle it yourself."
"I could if I could. It's not something I can decide."
"Not interested."
In the end, Nam Gimun couldn't even fulfill his messenger duties properly and was chased out of the dome.
Forget the indifference—the silent pressure grew heavier the longer he lingered; he couldn't bear it.
'Ugh, no wonder no one wants to come down here.'
He'd always been indifferent to outsiders' affairs.
Even so, as guild master, he'd handled major guild matters personally.
But he'd been holed up for months now, and even a visit brought this icy aura like frostbite.
Nam Gimun could only shake his head in dismay.
'Things weren't like this when Director Park was around... Where the hell did that guy go?'
He shot a suspicious glance at the iron door, then sighed and boarded the elevator.
Leaving behind one of the Eight Great Lords.
The Infinite Monarch, Lee Cheongi.
Nam Gimun departed to issue orders to the guild members.
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"How'd it go?"
"They've agreed to fully cooperate with us."
"That buys us a little more time."
"Yes. Based on the cooperation document they sent, we can hold out domestically for about a month."
"A month, huh..."
The black-haired girl mulled it over, calculating.
Li Chingwei nodded.
She issued calm instructions to Youin, who had come to report the results.
"Proceed with the Infinity Guild as planned to counter the economic sanctions. Take losses if needed—buy as much time as possible."
"Understood."
Youin bowed politely and exited the reception room.
As Hotel Leviathan's general manager and the point man for this collaboration, he had to keep moving.
Once Youin was gone...
A blunt voice snapped the pensive Li Chingwei back to reality.
"Impressive."
Remembering she was entertaining a guest, Li Chingwei looked up.
"What do you mean, Aynsha?"
"Infinity Guild. Old great guild. They don't cooperate normally. Curious what scheme you used."
The white-haired girl seated across from Li Chingwei asked flatly.
Aynsha's expression was impassive.
The Seven Dragon Society and the old great guilds were rivals vying for wealth and power.
Business or territorial overlaps usually soured relations with society members.
Securing cooperation this easily was bound to raise questions.
...Though asking straight-up about the scheme felt a bit off.
Used to such suspicions as the Black Dragon Princess, Li Chingwei smiled faintly at the misplaced accusation.
"No scheme. Just a bit of connection thanks to the Sword Duke."
Moving a great guild with mere "connection"?
Anyone else would've scoffed.
But Aynsha nodded.
"As expected of Ri. Amazing."
Ri had forged the connection; Li Chingwei had secured the cooperation.
Yet Aynsha puffed up her blank face like Li had pulled off some grand feat.
For a moment, Li basked in it.
Then Aynsha added abruptly.
"But it's water in the desert. Won't last. Act fast or we're done."
"You're right."
Li Chingwei agreed readily.
Infinity Guild's economic clout lagged behind Demiurgos or Midas among the great guilds.
Cooperation would blunt the sanctions short-term, but that was it.
Left unchecked, this nation—and even the economies of the Holy Alliance and the Zhonghua Federation—would collapse.
"No word from Ri yet, I assume."
It was natural for Aynsha to ask about Rimon in that context.
One solution: Forge Dagda's Cauldron to supply food.
Solve food, and the rest could be endured, barely.
But Li Chingwei shook her head.
"Afraid not."
"Even rough news?"
"That's included. Africa's info is tough to get."
They'd learned Rimon became Hasneti's consort via newspapers. Africa was chaos.
Tracking him inside the palace? Near impossible.
Li could only speculate basically.
"If he'd gotten the Seven-Colored Bird's feather, you'd have rushed it over. Must be taking time to search."
"Delaying is dangerous."
"Don't worry too much. Infinity's help gives us some breathing room."
"Not the sanctions."
"Then what's the danger?"
Li tilted her head innocently.
Aynsha's blank face took on a pitiful look.
"Ri is Hasneti's consort now. Exposure means disaster."
"Isn't that overthinking? Even I couldn't pierce the Sword Duke's disguise."
"Exposure or not, problem. Ri has the Eighth Dragon Psyonic. Princesses sense it instinctively, no matter the hide."
Proof: Hasneti taking him as consort.
Li's gut feelings worsening lately? That too.
Li could only smile bitterly at Aynsha's deadpan certainty.
The Eighth Dragon Psyonic's nature made delays riskier—Aynsha had a point.
"It'll be fine."
But Li wasn't anxious.
She lifted her teacup calmly.
"Until Hasneti proves her worth, the Sword Duke won't accept her."
No need to fear cutting in line.
She sipped, set it down, and added.
"Besides, by that logic, Rose—who's spent more time with him—is riskier."
"Don't joke. Rose isn't Li Chingwei. No cheating."
Even Aynsha, wary of Hasneti, declared flatly.
"Plus, you have your scheme."
"What do you mean?"
"Letting Ri use kid form? Check on Rose."
Stuffy Rose wouldn't see boy-Ri as a man, psyonic or not.
So that's why the disguise?
Li smiled at Aynsha's bluntness.
"No idea why you'd think that. I just suggested the least detectable disguise."
"Then why send the bluebird?"
"What's that got to do?"
"One bird won't find the Seven-Colored. But it chatters nonstop, killing vibes. Perfect assassin for checking."
"Sent Bluey purely to help the Sword Duke."
"Noble excuse. Checks Rose and Hasneti, secures first-wife spot. Perfect scheme."
"...Aynsha, can't you believe me just a little?"
The chatter paused briefly.
Soon, they set Ri worries aside and discussed sanction countermeasures.
Hasneti was uneasy, but Rose—the Azure Dragon Princess, Seven Princesses' most noble, diligent conscience—wouldn't defy society consensus to cut in.