Chapter 155
Chapter 155.
A high-end Korean traditional restaurant in Hannam-dong that the CIA had rented out.
The atmosphere inside was nothing but cold.
"I think this is too disrespectful to us. I never thought you would give us the exact item that Mike harshly criticized as 'trash SSS-grade item' on his broadcast. If it was going to be like this, it would have been better to give us an accessory that was one grade lower, don't you think?"
Shin Yuri protested with a stiffly hardened face.
Daniel Kang listened to this while breaking out in a cold sweat inside.
'I knew this would happen... Why give the owl that he criticized so harshly on his TowerTube instead of just giving a one-grade lower item?!'
Did they judge that they could win without Heavenly Demon's support?
This damn owl item that he cursed at on his own broadcast.
Acting all generous saying they're giving an SSS-grade item while boldly handing it over.
'At least it's fortunate that I brought the Ring of Fortitude...'
Even just the Ring of Fortitude was an item of the same grade as what China gave.
Preparing this definitely served as insurance.
"B-but didn't we give you an item of similar grade to China?"
"The Chinese side also gave something that Heavenly Demon Lord absolutely needed. Since the value of SSS-grade items has plummeted, if we compare the value of what both sides presented, the Chinese side is higher, right? So should Heavenly Demon Lord support the Chinese player instead?"
They did give a similar S-grade accessory.
But China also gave a book called Divine Sect Secret Record.
Assuming the SSS-grade item is useless.
The scale of item value definitely tilted toward China's side.
"No, that's..."
When Daniel was flustered hearing Shin Yuri's rebuttal.
'The owl's seal has been released though.'
Lee Ganghan watched the situation unfold.
He didn't bother to mention this.
Seeing Shin Yuri push aggressively, it felt like they could get something more, right?
'Besides, everything she's saying is correct.'
America had essentially overpackaged the value of an unusable SSS-grade item and handed it over.
They did feel guilty and threw in an additional ring.
But this wasn't enough.
When Lee Ganghan maintained his silence.
[What's going on? Why did the atmosphere suddenly become like this?]
CIA Director William, who didn't understand Korean.
Asked Daniel while giving him a look.
[Representative Shin Yuri seems to have seen the Owl of Twilight on Mike's broadcast.]
[Ah... Really? Being too famous isn't good either. Mike really, what kind of item did he give while acting so generous?]
[Uh... Maybe he judged that Heavenly Demon's support wasn't necessary?]
[No, I met that person, and he's not that intelligent. He probably just had an inferiority complex about Heavenly Demon being stronger than him.]
No, if you knew that, you should have persuaded him well to prevent bringing such an item.
When Daniel was swallowing his frustration inside.
[No, did you do that knowing this, Director?]
[Huh? Oh, Representative Shin Yuri, that's not...]
Shin Yuri, who was fluent in English, joined in, making the atmosphere even colder.
'If it was going to be like this, we should have gotten a real SS-grade item...'
Daniel was making a sad face looking at the food that had gone cold.
[Wait, wait. Let me call Mike. Would that be alright?]
"Please do."
Director William, who had been making a troubled expression, said he would call Mike and left the room.
Then about ten minutes later.
Director William returned to the room with a tired face.
[I spoke with Mike. He first... Sigh. He apologized saying his thinking was short-sighted.]
Mike apologized?
That didn't seem like his style.
'Maybe he just said it as lip service.'
When Lee Ganghan thought so.
Director William made his main proposal.
[Mike then said he would support ten million dollars in funds to purchase accessories. Or he also mentioned the option of taking back the SSS-grade item Owl of Twilight and supporting thirty million dollars.]
Since we said we wouldn't support them.
Did he get startled and even mention additional funding support?
'Ten million dollars should be enough to get an S-grade accessory.'
Although accessory prices had become expensive due to slot additions.
Still, ten million dollars was a substantial amount to get S-grade.
"Ten million... What should we do, Heavenly Demon Lord?"
Ten million + an SSS-grade item that might or might not be wearable.
Or thirty million dollars.
Lee Ganghan's choice was natural.
"Let's go with the former."
The first proposal.
Athena was automatically releasing the seals.
He had to keep the Owl of Twilight too.
When Lee Ganghan gave such an immediate answer.
[Phew... An excellent choice!]
Director William sighed with relief after hearing the translation.
[Then I'll tell them to send the money right away.]
As both sides proceeded with the practical matters regarding foreign currency deposits with Shin Yuri.
Going through foreign currency accounts and such.
After going through various steps.
"Payment confirmed."
Lee Ganghan was finally able to receive the ten million dollar support fund.
[Things worked out well. Fortunately.]
"...I hope there won't be such incidents next time."
[Haha. Of course!]
Once the negotiation was somehow finished.
Director William smiled with relief.
[Now that the negotiation is over, how about we have a meal? According to CIA intelligence, this is the most delicious Korean restaurant in Hannam-dong.]
He recommended a meal, saying it was a restaurant he had researched using CIA intelligence.
"Does the CIA also secure information about good restaurants?"
[Isn't this all about making a living? Delicious restaurants are that important.]
After finishing the dinner banquet.
When Lee Ganghan's group returned to the car.
"Mike... When they said they'd give an SSS-grade accessory, I was worried they might give the owl, but this is really too much."
Shin Yuri sighed, saying she never thought they would give the owl that he had called such a 'Shit item' on the broadcast.
"Wouldn't it have been okay to return it and take the thirty million?"
As Shin Yuri slightly expressed her regret.
"Ah. Don't worry about that."
"Yes?"
"The owl's seal has already been released."
"...What?"
Lee Ganghan told Shin Yuri the fact he had deliberately not mentioned earlier.
***
"The seal... has been released?"
"Really? That owl's seal has been released?"
Not only Shin Yuri.
Shin Dongseok, who had eaten separately and came to the driver's seat, also looked back at Lee Ganghan with a surprised face.
"Yes. I have a bit of a connection with Athena."
"You have a connection with Athena...?"
"No, what does Heavenly Demon have to do with Athena?"
"It just happened that way."
Lee Ganghan lightly answered their questions.
"Hmm... It seems the seal has been released to some extent. Let me take it out."
He opened his inventory and took out the item.
Then the owl doll he had received earlier.
"Oh... It's really different from before, isn't it?"
Was sparkling brilliantly in golden color.
As Shin Yuri looked at this with curiosity.
Flash...!
The small owl flashed in golden light and disappeared.
That light gathered into Lee Ganghan's both eyes.
Then.
Swoosh.
Lee Ganghan's eyes changed from black pupils to golden-tinted pupils.
"The owl... changed into eyes...?"
"It said it would be equipped to the eyes, so this is how it turned out."
Lee Ganghan touched his two eyes.
"How does it look?"
He asked the two people with a relaxed face.
"Cool!"
"Golden eyes, how amazing... Was that something that could be equipped in reality too?"
"Right. I tried it once and it worked."
Lee Ganghan, whose pupils had turned golden, recalled the item description he had seen earlier.
[Owl of Twilight (Sealed)]
Grade: SSS
The divine bird of War Goddess Athena and symbol of wisdom, the owl.
When equipped, increases the player's 'Mana' stat by 2.
The Owl of Twilight is in a sealed state.
When the player receives the goddess's recognition, the seal will be released sequentially.
As the seal is released, the owl's form changes and additional effects are granted.
1st Stage: The Owl of Twilight emits golden light, and the owl's eyes are granted 'Petrification' effect.
2nd Stage: The owl transforms into the Eye of Twilight, making ocular equipment possible. At this time, the Owl of Twilight changes equipment type from 'Accessory' to 'Armor'.
3rd Stage: War Goddess Athena can give you 'Goddess's Advice' through the owl.
Final Stage: The seal can only be released when War Goddess Athena exists as the player's Patron Constellation.
Athena had quickly released the seals up to the 3rd stage.
But the final stage seal could only be released when Athena was a Patron Constellation.
'Even up to here, it's quite useful.'
He didn't know what the petrification ability from the 1st stage was like since he hadn't tried it.
But the 2nd stage seal release was definitely useful.
The item that changed from an owl doll to 'eyes'.
Had its equipment type changed to armor, so it didn't occupy an accessory slot.
This way, while equipped with the Eye of Twilight, he could also wear 3 accessories.
'I can wear the 2 rings from America and China, plus the Arena Promising Player Bracelet.'
And if he got an accessory that increased Agility, he could unequip the Arena Promising Player Bracelet and increase Agility.
This way, Strength, Agility, and Stamina could reach 20, and Mana could become 19.
The 2nd stage seal release was very useful like this.
'The 3rd stage Goddess's Advice... could it be that?'
Lee Ganghan, equipped with the 'Eye of Twilight'.
Above Shin Dongseok and Shin Yuri who were looking at him.
Discovered golden letters floating up.
There it said.
★☆No Regrets★☆Constellation Selection★☆
★☆War Goddess★☆Athena★☆
Among the flashing stars, the letters War Goddess Athena appeared.
'What is this, it's not even an old spam message...'
These days spam messages don't send such flashy ones but cunningly try to fish people.
Isn't that an old-fashioned advertising message?
★☆Constellation Just For You★☆
★☆SSS-Grade Trait★☆ ★☆Greek Hero Equipment Full Set★☆
Soon after, seeing the message inside the stars change, Lee Ganghan unconsciously sighed.
Wasn't Athena also the goddess of wisdom?
Why is the message so old-fashioned?
'This makes the 3rd stage seal release actually bad.'
If it's goddess's advice, please make it something productive.
As Lee Ganghan was about to see the message in the stars change again.
He brought his finger to his eye.
Then.
['Would you like to unequip the Eye of Twilight?']
A message appeared shortly after.
Lee Ganghan unequipped the Eye of Twilight.
Flash...!
Golden light bloomed brightly before his eyes.
The owl doll appeared again.
'When I unequip the Eye of Twilight, the spam message doesn't appear.'
The goddess's advice that had already been confirmed as spam message to Lee Ganghan.
He put the owl back into his inventory.
"You unequipped it quickly? The golden eyes suited you well."
As Shin Yuri asked while looking at Lee Ganghan's eyes.
"The goddess's advice kept appearing like spam messages."
He answered with a bitter smile.
"If it's a goddess... you mean Goddess Athena?"
"Yes. She seems to really want to sponsor me. She keeps asking me to choose her."
"Uh... If it's sponsorship from someone at Goddess Athena's level, wouldn't it be okay to accept?"
"If I accept sponsorship, I'd have to give up my Heavenly Demon abilities."
"Ah... Then that won't work."
Giving up Heavenly Demon abilities.
He couldn't exchange that.
Shin Yuri immediately understood.
"But then, you knew earlier, right? That the item's seal was released."
"Yes. But since Yuri-ssi was negotiating well, I stayed quiet."
"You did really well! We should get everything we can from Mike."
"So you won't use that owl item for a while?"
To Shin Dongseok's question, Lee Ganghan tilted his head.
"No? I have to show it right away tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?"
"Yes. I'm supposed to declare my support for Mike, and I should thank him for giving me this item then. With special gratitude."
"Ah... You mean showing that what he couldn't use, you use well?"
"Well, if I express it in one word, that's right."
At those words, Shin Dongseok grinned.
"I hope Mike definitely watches the live broadcast."
"He'll definitely watch tomorrow, right? He'll check if you're making a support statement."
"Hehe... But besides the eyes turning golden, doesn't it have any other functions? It would be good if something impactful comes out."
To Shin Dongseok's question.
"Well, there is one thing..."
"Really?"
"Yes. But it's my first time too, so I'll try using it tomorrow."
Thinking of the 1st stage 'Petrification' effect.
Lee Ganghan only answered that much.
And the next day.
'Should I go now.'
Confirming that entry time had arrived, Lee Ganghan.
Entered the tower.