Chapter 42
Chapter 42.
"Are you certain you conveyed it properly? I, Joo Yongwan, said I wanted to meet, but he refused?"
"Yes...... We received word through the agent. He says he won't be handling any external schedules outside of already promised commitments for the time being."
"Huh. What's the reason?"
"Well...... He says he's training."
At the secretary's response.
Joo Yongwan made an expression of disbelief.
"What? Training? He rejected my proposal for such a reason?"
When players returned to reality.
Most of them did undergo intense training to raise their physical stats.
But Lee Ganghan had all physical-related abilities at 10+.
So there was no need for training, and even if he exercised, not being able to spare time for a meal didn't make sense.
"Did you speak clearly? About seeking a developmental direction regarding the special contract."
Seeking a developmental direction.
This was ultimately Joo Yongwan's win-win deal.
Where after dining together and creating a picture of Joo Yongwan supporting the Heavenly Demon.
He would help ensure good special contract conditions.
Since he couldn't speak too directly about this.
If he said 'developmental direction' appropriately, they would catch on.
"Yes. The agent seemed to clearly understand what it meant."
"Right. Even if the Heavenly Demon is like that, Shin Yuri would have caught the nuance. But they still refused?"
"Yes. They said it's difficult to spare time for the time being. They said it would only be possible after finishing the awards ceremony in LA."
"Huh......"
Meet after coming back from America?
Joo Yongwan, a ruling party power player congressman.
He who received treatment everywhere and only dealt with people who approached him first to get in line.
Could not understand Lee Ganghan who so sharply rejected his proposal.
At least.
"Ah...... Right. How old is this friend Lee Ganghan?"
"He's 24 years old."
"Really? I see. Is it because he's young? If he's 24, he's a greenhorn, so it's understandable he doesn't know how the world works."
After hearing the Heavenly Demon's age.
Joo Yongwan now found his opponent somewhat understandable.
At 24, he was a child who hadn't properly tasted society's bitterness.
He thought he had purely rejected his proposal out of 'ignorance.'
In that case.
"Lee Ganghan's special contract...... The Management Office was trying to upgrade it, right? I heard they're trying to set it between SS-grade and SSS-grade."
"Yes. That's correct."
"Interfere with it."
"Interfere...... you mean?"
"Yes. Interfere from behind, and in front, say we can solve it for him."
"Ah."
Secretly hitting from behind while.
Extending a helping hand saying I'll help you in front - that strategy.
"Since he's a friend who doesn't know worldly affairs, he won't notice even if we play around a bit."
As Joo Yongwan raised the corner of his mouth.
The secretaries thought to themselves.
'His bad hobby is acting up again.'
'That Heavenly Demon guy, he should just eat once, what's with this training nonsense......'
Joo Yongwan, who had to get back at anyone who touched his mood to feel satisfied.
"Um...... Congressman, if we keep delaying the contract proposal and the Heavenly Demon ends up immigrating abroad......"
When one of the secretaries hesitantly brought up the concern.
Joo Yongwan's eyes widened.
"Oh my, this person. Delaying the contract proposal? That won't do."
"......Yes?"
No.
Just a moment ago he said to interfere.
When the secretary looked puzzled, Joo Yongwan explained.
"If we block the contract proposal and rumors spread from the Management Office side, we'll face public criticism, so why would we do such a dangerous thing?"
"Then......"
"We need to refine the contract conditions."
He smiled wickedly.
"Performance-based pay, and with conditions that are difficult to achieve."
"Ah......"
"Yes...... How about this? Performance pay only if you rank within the top 50 in monthly domestic player score rankings."
Monthly score rankings.
This was a ranking system updated every month based on.
How much score each player achieved that month.
To rank within the top 50, you had to climb at least Diamond-grade towers.
For Lee Ganghan, currently only Iron-grade, it was an impossible condition.
"Hmm. Right. Along with that, provide incentives if he rises to C-grade within this month! That would be good too."
"Even if it's this month, we're already in the middle......"
"That's exactly why we're proposing such conditions, isn't it? Hehe. Then we'll approach saying we heard the Management Office proposed an incentive-based contract, and we'll fix it."
Though in reality it was giving disease and medicine.
To Lee Ganghan, it would appear that only Joo Yongwan's side gave the 'medicine' as the good guys.
"And if we solve the contract like that and arrange a meeting, we can go beyond taking one photo and bring him to local district events too, right?"
Even after being rejected by Lee Ganghan, Joo Yongwan didn't give up.
Instead, he tried to use him even more.
"Then you guys work on the rest well. Where are we going next?"
"Ah. This time......"
Leaving the contract practicalities to his secretary.
Joo Yongwan returned to his own work.
Even then, he.
Never doubted that the 24-year-old kid would follow his intentions.
***
[The Sacred Fire's ember is maintained stably.]
[The Sacred Fire is absorbed into the body.......]
"This thing keeps floating without me having to run."
From dawn to broad daylight.
Lee Ganghan had repeated full-speed sprints to keep the Sacred Fire alive.
After running his usual running course over a hundred times.
The Sacred Fire had found stability.
Of course.
'It seems it takes time to be completely absorbed.'
It had been an hour since that message appeared.
It just kept saying absorbing.......
There was no further change.
'Even for me, running like this is somewhat tiring.'
Full-speed sprints to avoid wasting 1 million TP.
Doing this from dawn until 12 o'clock.
Even Lee Ganghan with 17 stamina had to get tired.
If he lay on his bed in this state.
Fatigue that would make him sleep immediately washed over him, but.
'Still, I need to enter the tower.'
Since it was daytime.
Lee Ganghan, thinking to enter the tower according to his usual routine, started heading home.
Perhaps because he kept running the same park course repeatedly.
"That person is the Heavenly Demon, right?"
"Really damn fast......"
"I thought player abilities didn't affect reality?"
"I heard traits that raise stats make you stronger in reality too."
Not only did people who recognized Lee Ganghan, who had been running around the park at ultra-high speed, whisper among themselves.
"Heavenly Demon sir! You are the Heavenly Demon, right?"
"Please give me your autograph!"
Some people who came out to the park for a lunch walk.
Rushed to Lee Ganghan who had started walking.
Requesting things like asking if he was the Heavenly Demon, asking for autographs.
"I don't have a signature."
"Eh. Then at least a photo!"
"I'm too sweaty."
"You still look cool!"
People who somehow entered selfie mode.
'Did I run here too long? People are starting to recognize me.'
Click, Click!
Lee Ganghan could finally escape from the self-proclaimed 'fans' only after taking a few photos.
'A congressman wants to have a meal. People recognize me as I pass by...... I guess I've become somewhat known to the public.'
Lee Ganghan, who started running to avoid being caught again.
Recalled the phone call he had received from Shin Yuri a little while ago.
-Heavenly Demon sir, there's a congressman named 'Joo Yongwan'...... He's requested to have a meal with you. He says he wants to seek a developmental direction regarding the 'special contract.'
-This person...... is the most powerful among those who review the Management Office's budget, so he has the power to adjust special contract conditions.
-But he keeps trying to use players for his own politics, so personally I don't like him......
-If you're determined to stay in Korea, I think it's okay to meet him once. But if you're going abroad, there's no need to meet him at all.
Shin Yuri gave that information and said.
Whether to meet or not would entirely depend on Lee Ganghan's opinion.
Of course, Lee Ganghan at that time.
'What meal when I'm managing the Sacred Fire right now.'
It was a time when the 1 million TP Sacred Fire was about to go out.
Naturally, something like a meal with a congressman wouldn't enter his ears.
After rejecting the proposal like that and the Sacred Fire regaining some stability.
Now that proposal came to mind again.
'Well, ultimately, to get a good contract, I need to look good to congressmen.'
Congressman Joo Yongwan who made the meal proposal.
His name was a big-shot politician that even Lee Ganghan, who didn't know much about politics, knew.
In a way.
If he built connections with such a person in Korean society, it could be win-win for both.
But.
'The Sacred Fire is more important right now.'
In the priority of work, the most important thing right now was the Sacred Fire.
The urgent task was to properly absorb this and raise the Heavenly Demon Constitution grade to C.
So deciding to refrain from external activities until obtaining the Sacred Fire.
Lee Ganghan entered his house.
"Whew......"
After showering his sweat-soaked body.
His condition quickly returned.
Despite running around like that, perhaps because of his 17 stamina.
His body quickly normalized.
'Then I should enter 777 right away.'
Only 10 stages remained for Iron towers.
Before clearing the 10th stage and advancing to Bronze.
He had to use up the 2 Iron Tower No-777 entrance tickets.
'The TP I get there wasn't as much as expected but......'
The 777 map that gave 1,000 TP twice when opening one box.
That was also because it was the first entry with 100% reward acquisition increase.
If he entered this time, it might be 1,000 TP per box.
Still, the reason he had to use the tickets was.
'I need to get the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword skill.'
The Heavenly Demon Divine Sword skill that appeared when subduing the sword spirit from the 777 map.
At that time, he couldn't obtain it because his Heavenly Demon Constitution grade was E.
But now his grade had risen.
It was time to acquire the Heavenly Demon Divine Sword skill.
'Then let's enter right away.'
As Lee Ganghan entered the tower.
[Will you use the Iron Tower No-777 entrance ticket?]
A message asking if he wanted to enter 777 appeared first.
The message he had pressed 'no' on every time.
After entering once.
'Finally going in.'
When Lee Ganghan pressed yes.
[Tower of Infinity 9th stage.]
[Entering Iron Tower No-777.]
The stage was set based on currently cleared towers.
He could enter 777.
Then.
Paaaaat!
"It's been a while."
Like the first time he entered.
Lee Ganghan was standing on top of a steep cliff.
Above the blue sky.
Where clouds floated around.
'First, let me turn on streaming......'
When Lee Ganghan was turning on streaming.
Ding.
['Sky Treasure Vault' entry.]
[Avoid the Guardian's attack and obtain the treasure!]
A message appeared before his eyes.
The Guardian's attack.
It was definitely a giant arrow, right?
'Having done it once, I'm definitely prepared for everything.'
When Lee Ganghan stepped back a few steps and looked at the sky.
Whiiiiing......!
The sound of cutting through the wind came from afar.
Thud!
Soon a giant arrow was embedded in the top of the cliff.
An arrow flickering with intense current.
While pure white light rippled.
'Now that I've grown, I can pull it out more easily than last time.'
Swish.
When Lee Ganghan reached out his hand.
Crackle!
Sparks flew from the arrow.
This was also a similar phenomenon to last time.
However.
'Huh?'
Unlike last time.
The current that had tried to push Lee Ganghan back intensely.
[The Sacred Fire absorbs power with matching wavelength.]
Shuuuuu.......
Quickly lost its power and began being sucked into his hand.
At the same time.
Flicker......!
The Sacred Fire's power grew stronger within his body.
[The Sacred Fire's absorption speed increases.]
"Oh?"
This was unexpected.
Lee Ganghan's eyes lit up as he saw the message that appeared next.