Holy Water Avalanche and Traitor Trap
【Voting Ends In: 2 days, 11 hours, 59 seconds】
Day one of the voting.
Also the day of the third Holy Water auction.
Every nation was in chaos, but Korea stuck to the schedule without change.
And the other countries welcomed it.
They needed to gather for alliance summits anyway.
First batch: 2,000 bottles.
Second batch: 25,000 bottles.
And the third batch?
Flutter!
"250,000 bottles."
Cha Minhyuk pulled the cloth off the dummy.
The delegations gawked at the mountain of Holy Water, a mix of awe and shock spilling out.
"Well, they did promise to ramp up quantities at the last auction, but..."
"Am I seeing this right? All those boxes are Holy Water?"
Gulps echoed everywhere.
In the current crisis with status ailment outbreaks active, Holy Water was essential.
Having tasted its effects firsthand, no one could stay calm at this sheer volume.
"How the hell is Korea pulling this off..."
"The Hitchhiker's definitely involved—that theory's looking solid..."
The murmurs wouldn't stop.
The awe wasn't just for the foreigners.
"Sunbae, this still feels like a dream."
"It's all thanks to the Hitchhiker's grace."
Korean officials stationed as aides near the podium felt the same.
Watching the foreign bigwigs speechless was pure thrill.
"You were seriously considering emigrating before joining the Agency, right? What about now?"
"Are you nuts? No way in hell. My body and soul are one with Korea now. I'm not going anywhere."
Anyway.
"You voted?"
"Of course! 25x multiplier!"
Voting target? No need to even say it.
Pfft.
"Mine's 27x... Huh? Wait, it's up again? 27.1x now?"
"Oh, that updates in real-time. Proportional to your gratitude, I guess."
Cha Minhyuk's ears perked up on stage.
Mine's 100x. Lowlifes.
He suppressed the urge to butt in and brag, pushing forward with the event.
As announced in advance.
"Korea plans to distribute the third batch of Holy Water not via auction, but through general sales."
There were purchase limits per nation.
To prevent any one country from hoarding it all.
"For the stability of the international community, we're aiming to divide it as evenly as possible among all nations. We ask for your understanding."
Strictly speaking, not all nations.
US, China, and Japan were thoroughly excluded again.
Quantity limits? Complaints?
As if.
They were already grateful Korea was keeping up Holy Water sales at all.
Plus.
"10 billion per set of 20 bottles."
A massive price drop from the first and second rounds.
Practically a giveaway considering Holy Water's utility.
"Please fill in your allocated quota's desired purchase amount on the forms and submit."
What was there to think about?
Max it out, obviously.
With time tight, all procedures flew by.
From form collection.
To payment and item pickup.
The Hitchhiker's account at the Agency overflowed.
Total: about 42 trillion.
Followed by Q&A.
The German delegate raised a hand.
"Regarding the ongoing vote, could we hear Korea's official stance?"
The room fell silent.
It was the shared question.
Current vote status:
【Voting Ends In: 2 days, 11 hours, 2 minutes, 3 seconds】
1st. Hitchhiker. Korea. 786,523,555 votes.
2nd. Killdragon. USA. 732,125,972 votes.
3rd. Ganeshat. India. 651,264,515 votes.
(...)
13 hours into voting.
No changes in top 3, but the vote gap had narrowed dramatically.
【Korea】
Hitchhiker's nation. No words needed.
Population just 50 million, but overwhelming vote consolidation and amplification secure 1st place.
【USA】
Earth's former hegemon.
Pushed top ranker Killdragon as hero, successfully rallying votes. Actively pulling in anti-Korea alliance votes from China and Japan.
【India】
Mid-tier last round. Central Asia Alliance.
Voting event's dark horse. No full consolidation yet, but #1 world population powers it to 3rd.
"Ahem."
India's delegate puffed up with rising national pride.
And then.
【South Africa Alliance (15)】
【Western Europe Alliance (9)】【Arab Alliance (6)】
【Northern Europe Alliance (5)】【South America Alliance (10)】
【Southeast Asia Alliance (11)】(...)
Countless others. Total pops from 50 million to 700 million.
Worth a shot, but 1st place is impossible with those numbers.
Conclusion: Back one of the top three frontrunners.
Two hours ago.
US gov live-broadcasted to back Killdragon's words.
With minister-stamped documents as proof.
World reaction was hot.
Not a strategy any nation could pull.
Only possible for the world's richest: USA.
Lots of controversy, but the effect was clear.
Votes started pouring to Killdragon in meaningful numbers.
Humans aren't rational beasts.
Especially under time pressure.
The clear reward dangled before them was a powerful lure for votes.
In the ensuing chaos.
USA sent formal contract proposals to every nation.
Governments agonized.
"Meticulously prepared. They preempted event info via achievements—clearly long-term groundwork."
"Regardless... insanely attractive on national interests."
"Announce the contract publicly, and it accelerates vote shifts."
But the catch: the opponent is USA.
If they become temp king?
"High chance of tyrant. They'll abuse interim law decrees for threats."
"If one nation becoming king is inevitable, safest is Hitchhiker's nation: Korea."
Consensus for most countries.
Korea's built-up friendly image shone here.
But.
Gov directives and encouragement couldn't fully control public votes.
Thus.
"Wonder if Korea and Hitchhiker have pledge plans too."
The world was asking.
Beyond Korea's rep for peace and stability.
Could they offer solid benefits to lure third-country votes?
In the suffocating silence.
Cha Minhyuk finally spoke.
"We are preparing a pledge, but I can't promise anything specific."
Empty auction hall.
Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, foreign delegations' cars departed by alliance.
"......"
Cha Minhyuk watched.
The moment he turned inward.
Whoa, shit, startled me.
A bear plushie had appeared, dancing on the table.
What dance is that? K-pop broadcast choreo?
"Ahem."
The plushie froze.
Vanished into shadows.
Slither.
"As expected, you're here."
Reply came after a beat.
「Yes, important seat. Hitchhiker-nim watched with me too.」
"Hope I didn't show anything embarrassing."
「No no. I wasn't embarrassed at all.」
"I meant my hosting."
「Ah.」
Brief silence. Then.
「Team Leader Moon is always flawless. Especially that last line—the foreign reps' faces were pure panic lol.」
"Thanks. And it's Team Leader Cha."
Cha Minhyuk's final line.
Chaos rippled through the hall.
No one imagined powerhouse frontrunner Korea showing weakness.
Carmina, face red from unintended hobby reveal, asked.
—Master, no real pledge?
[Not at all. Overflowing, actually.]
Korea's economy just reviving.
Can't print money pledges like USA.
But with my abilities, plenty of attractive options.
Territory recovery.
Acceleration Orb supply.
But instructed Cha Minhyuk to play vague on purpose.
[Need to flush out traitors.]
US spy team leader captured.
Info squeezed from John Well.
—Dared use Your Holiness's Holy Water to climb the Tower?
[Yeah. Recent too.]
Holy Water sold worldwide.
Key clause:
◈ Purchased Holy Water must be consumed only within the buying nation.
Simple terms:
No passing to Korea's enemies: US/China/Japan.
But a US spy used it?
I rested my chin on interlaced hands.
[Traitors in our international community. That's my conclusion.]
—How much has Korea done for them! Bad guys! Bearded consciences! Sea slugs! Sea cucumbers!
Carmina's limited on curses.
—They deserve heavenly punishment. Skin 'em alive and burn from the veins.
Beeeep──
Yulia's too much.
Anyway, Holy Water leaks.
Inevitable.
Five people gather, one's trash for sure.
Scale to nations—what changes? Especially ~200 of 'em.
Soul-scanned the US spy, but even he didn't know the supplier nation.
So.
Korea deliberately hesitated.
To gauge traitor reactions.
[Carmina-nim, skill deployed on delegations?]
—Yup! Planted magic eyes and ears in all delegation shadows! Short duration, but a full day easy!
Ally level-up unlock.
Recent skill.
Alright, channel surf time.
No guarantee traitors bite, but.
Click.
> "Korea's done for. High amp rate, but small pop caps domestic at 800-900 mil. USA on the other hand..."
> "Time's tight. Commit to USA. Showed goodwill with Holy Water last time—should fly..."
They bit.
Click.
> "Send today's Holy Water haul straight to USA then."
> "Our country joins..."
> "Ours too, excess stock..."
Oh man, big fish.
Alliance-level here?
Hours later.
News broke: those nations signed formal contracts with USA.
And.
Killdragon, campaigning in US slums with his friendly smile.
Ding!
【1st. Hitchhiker. 825,513,425 votes.】
【2nd. Killdragon. 813,125,672 votes.】
(...)
Whew, big surge.
Gonna hurt when you fall.
Asked via Carmina.
[Team Leader Cha, Holy Water dispensaries nationwide installed?]
"Yes, of course."
[Carmina-nim, shift magic eyes to shadows on Holy Water shipments heading to USA. Maintain and time the recall.]
—Roger!
Lots to do.
Order matters.
First.
[Upload Killdragon's past records.]
"Executing immediately."
Videos and evidence hit the net sporadically.
And soon.
Also same day, every Korean citizen's phone buzzed simultaneously.