The American Delegation's Ultimatum
Exactly 5 PM at the Korean Awakener Management Agency.
Normally, it would be time to wrap up work and head home. But not today.
"Team Leader! Call from the French embassy! They're requesting an interview about China!"
"Foreign media requests keep pouring in! All lines are jammed!"
"Tell them we don't know who the Hitchhiker is either! Why do those bastards keep hounding us? Just block all the lines!"
One incident at dawn had sent shockwaves across the globe.
Korea, home of the Hitchhiker?
No need to say it—it was in the biggest uproar.
Cha Minhyuk dashed around the agency, directing operations while lost in thought.
'When I reported on the Lycanslope summon ticket, he said not to worry...!'
Good lord, he never imagined it'd blow up like this.
Measurement time: 1 second
When he'd seen that message at dawn, how intensely he'd trembled with thrill and ecstasy?
The whole country was swept up in festival vibes, like they'd just gained independence.
But Cha Minhyuk?
"Team Leader! Foreign Ministry on the line!"
"China's already requested talks first!"
He had no time to kick back.
They had to handle external responses and prep negotiation agendas with China.
Cha Minhyuk recalled the telepathic exchange he'd had that morning with the Hitchhiker's proxy.
"China will offer compensation, right?"
"Yes. They might claim it was just an attack on the Hitchhiker, not Korea, but with the international backlash flooding in, they can't ignore it."
"Yeah, they're getting roasted. Like traitors or something."
"Exactly. China will have to pay Korea a hefty price. It's all thanks to the Hitchhiker—I'm just in awe."
"Heehee! Our master rocks! Oh, right—keep it professional. Ahem."
Anyway.
"The Hitchhiker wants to know: as part of national reparations, is acquiring territory possible?"
"Territory... you mean?"
"Yes. Starting with the northern lands connected to North Korea, toward Manchuria. The ones completely overrun by monsters and useless now."
If the possibility existed, the answer was yes.
Using territory in negotiations wasn't common, but it wasn't unheard of.
Especially for China—it was like a hot potato.
Play the talks right? Odds went way up.
But that raised questions.
It was a genuine hot potato.
What good was useless land crawling with hundreds of millions of monsters?
But he shelved the doubts.
The other party was the Hitchhiker.
Just answer the question.
"To answer directly: yes, acquiring territory is possible. We can steer negotiations that way."
The issue was...
"The final decision-maker on Korea's side isn't me."
Currently, Cha Minhyuk was the only one in South Korea who knew of the Hitchhiker's existence.
Meaning he'd have to convince the president, foreign minister, agency director, and the like.
"—What if we reveal it's the Hitchhiker's message through this method? It'd also make it easier to spread fake info to fool other countries later."
"Yes, that should suffice. If it's the Hitchhiker's word, the whole nation will fall in line."
Telepathic link ended.
Cha Minhyuk's heart pounded.
Acquiring monster-infested Chinese land?
What grand picture was he painting?
Ecstasy, anticipation, excitement, confusion.
He pushed through the work amid it all.
Forgetting to smirk at the rankings with Korea in first, of course.
But the tide turned.
Precisely at noon.
The US score started jumping by exactly 50,000 points at regular intervals.
On top of their original climb.
At a ferocious pace.
The score surge didn't stop.
As a result, by 5 PM...
1st. Korea. +9,295,525 points
2nd. US. +9,280,235 points
America had closed right up to Korea's heels.
The US agency hadn't issued any statement yet.
Instead, they showed it through actions.
"They're landing at Incheon Airport now and switching to a chopper!"
"ETA 15 minutes!"
They were coming straight to Korea.
Cha Minhyuk headed to the rooftop helipad right on time with the director and deputy director.
Whump-whump-whump!
The chopper landed amid whipping winds.
The door opened, and several figures disembarked.
Director Yu Suho extended a handshake to the US agency's rep, Deputy Director Elliot Hesson.
"Long journey—must've been tough—"
But his hand hung in the air.
Elliot slyly pretended not to notice, shaking hands with someone else first.
"Mr. Cha, pleasure to meet you. Your speech at the last summit was truly impressive."
"......"
Elliot's beaming smile.
Cha Minhyuk eyed the proffered hand.
Sure, he was the agency's more public face abroad.
But this crossed the line.
'I remember him not being this rude.'
Intent? Obvious.
Signaling he held the reins here.
Rushing to Korea first.
After a flight over 10 hours—it must've bruised his pride badly.
'I get the intent.'
But the execution was crude.
Low-rent stuff, like Li Feng.
Proof he couldn't keep cool amid the Hitchhiker's moves.
Elliot, once a towering wall.
Now he looked awfully small.
'Not just Elliot.'
The whole world was shifting.
Caught in the Hitchhiker's massive vortex, old norms and orders crumbling.
While he?
Staying calm.
Because he was the one chosen by that very Hitchhiker.
'Elliot's a tough foe normally.'
But not now.
A surge of ecstasy welled up.
Recalling the Orb of Truth in his pocket, Cha Minhyuk replied.
"Pleasure's mine."
Of course, no handshake.
Elliot's lip twitched.
VIP reception room.
Elliot set down his teacup with a clink.
"We're both busy, so straight to business. The US wants Korea to hand over the Hitchhiker's identity."
The Korean side stifled smirks.
What, like they had info to hand over?
Not that they'd share even if they did.
"You're assuming Korea's in contact with the Hitchhiker."
Director Yu Suho's irritated tone.
Elliot spoke like he knew it all.
"Your strategy at the summit was brilliant, of course, but you can't fool every nation. Lycanslope down in 1 second—like you knew it was coming. Possible without national backing?"
And more.
"Can't disclose, but we have reliable internal intel. Enough for the US to be fully convinced Korea maintains close ties with the Hitchhiker."
Cocky voice.
But laughable to Cha Minhyuk.
'All bullshit.'
The US had zero solid proof on Korea-Hitchhiker links.
Makes sense.
Just hunches, no hard evidence.
So, reading the situation...
'China's wild move.'
Forced the US into panic, pressuring Korea via power gap.
Classic politics.
But no matter how they poked...
US would get zilch.
Elliot's pitch continued.
"30 high-level S-rank awakeners. Permanent naturalization to Korea. Trade route access. Military aid. Countless national perks."
"In exchange for the Hitchhiker's identity."
"The United States upholds fair play. No sneaky backstabs like China."
"We pay fair price for what we want."
"Just his whereabouts. We'll handle recruitment."
Basically, hand him over and become America's 51st state.
And.
"An offer you can't refuse. Locks Korea in safe 2nd place forever."
His tone and posture growing arrogant.
'True colors.'
People's real nature shows in crises, right?
Cha Minhyuk played along, slipping in subtle probes.
Craftily, covertly.
Using the Orb of Truth too.
'US has sniper-type items like China's.'
But all too risky.
After China's fiasco, shelved for Hitchhiker use.
The 50k jumps? From special methods beyond climbing.
No prior collusion with Japan/China on Lycanslope ticket.
Info piled up.
Without raising suspicion.
Heart racing—plenty to report to the Hitchhiker.
Time passed.
1st. US. +9,335,235 points
2nd. Korea. +9,300,525 points
(...)
America overtook Korea again.
Elliot sighed, like this was his final shot.
"As you see, the US has massive reserves. Beyond your wildest dreams. Analysis shows—even assuming Hitchhiker climbs unhindered—we can suppress them for at least a year."
Cha Minhyuk snorted.
A year? Where'd they get that delusion?
"A year doesn't make sense logically. Factoring Hitchhiker's records and trends, 3 months is optimistic."
Elliot's lip twitched.
"Haha, underestimating America. 3 months? We exceed it. I said minimum one year."
Orb activated. Lie.
Meant they couldn't last 3 months.
"Anyway, if Korea wants to keep the Hitchhiker awhile, we propose halting competition to stem mutual losses. US 1st, Korea 2nd—finalized."
Cha Minhyuk cut it short.
"We can't control the Hitchhiker's climbs."
"Talks collapsed, then."
Elliot and the US crew rose with startling speed.
Before boarding the chopper.
Whump-whump-whump!
Elliot turned to Cha Minhyuk.
"Pity. Treasures without power to hold them invite fire and peril."
"Treating the Hitchhiker like something ownable. Amusing."
Mind games amid smiles.
"One thing,"
Elliot said meaningfully.
"A global shortage of all status ailment cures is coming. Finished products and materials alike."
"What do you...?"
Cha Minhyuk was stunned.
It rang true.
Elliot continued, pleased by the reaction.
"More accurately, it's already happened. Our agents worldwide have bought it all up."
"...!"
A fact flashed through Cha Minhyuk's mind.
Status ailment cures.
Related crafting materials.
Abnormal hoarding signals for specific items on Korea's exchange.
'US doing?'
He'd noticed but hadn't dug deep.
Lack of manpower, plus status ailments rare in tower climbs.
Poison, burns, paralysis, freeze, shock.
Special attack monsters? Extremely few.
Thus, those items stayed pricey due to rarity alone.
Practically antiques—no trades.
Cha Minhyuk fired urgent questions for intel.
"You saying status ailment monsters will swarm the tower soon?"
"Worse than you imagine. Higher awakener rank, harsher penalties. Even S-rank—or beyond—like the Hitchhiker can't escape."
Elliot drove it home.
"Hitchhiker's tempting, sure, but just one plan among many. Fail to recruit? US marches on unchanged."
Gulp.
"Why tell us?"
"Because."
Elliot grinned triumphantly.
"You'll see—no countermeasures possible. Days from now, the world begs America. Korea included."
Watching the chopper depart, Cha Minhyuk could only wear a face full of turmoil.
How the hell was he supposed to report this to the Hitchhiker?
That same moment.
Clink!
Non-alcoholic beer, cola, soju.
Glasses clinked, each with different drinks.
"Cheers to surviving the day! Lumentia first purification celebration! Rare drop rates up—using one item transfer!"
"Ooh! Let's go now! Master! Gacha time!"
"To note, Lumentia specialized in treatments. Tons of devilish attacks from actual devils."
Like poison.
Or curses. Paralysis, etc.
"Got it. Heading out now!"
"Whirly-whirly~? Oh! S-grade! It's S-grade!"
"Ah...! That fabled relic said lost...! Must be a holy artifact to celebrate the Dopamine Church's founding by His Holiness!"
What? Liquids poured in turn to Holy Water? Infinite production?
Test with water first.
......!
Whoa, it turns into this?
"Bring everything we've got!"