Chapter 197
Chapter 197
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Crackdown
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Kim Jin-ah reported with a serious face.
"A massive distribution organization mass-copying and selling Lord Un-ho's secret manuals has been discovered."
"A massive distribution organization? How big is it?"
"They're running a factory to print and sell the books."
Even at half the price I sell them for, they'd make an enormous profit.
It's definitely a lucrative venture, so it's understandable they'd want in.
But the owner is crystal clear.
They must know an S-rank Awakener with world-top-tier power owns them.
Yet they're not hiding it.
They're doing it so brazenly that word reaches my ears.
This is basically looking down on me.
In short, they're crazy bastards.
"Where?"
"China."
'........Too far away....'
As expected, not somewhere close in Korea.
........Honestly, it was a hassle.
I'm not running the site just to make money. Money comes as a bonus from my original goal.
Even if they're mass-producing the manuals in a factory, I've got the online side locked down tight.
They can't even dream of online sales.
So they'd have to stick to offline, and in this day and age, I doubt offline-only sales could make much of a dent.
Honestly, I could ignore it and turn a blind eye without it affecting my life much.
I'm not staking my life on this site.
I've already piled up more money than I could ever spend.
But letting it slide still grated on me.
If I ignore it because it's a hassle, they'll get even bolder.
I can't catch every ant selling them quietly offline one by one.
But those doing it so openly? They need to be dealt with.
This isn't about the money.
It's a matter of pride.
"Did you talk to anyone in China?"
"We did, but they don't seem too concerned."
"Hm.... Even knowing it's mine?"
I'm a gentleman.
First, I contacted Wang Cheon.
"Wang Chun. Come out, you punk."
The hologram showed his face full of irritation.
'Tsk tsk. This kid has no manners, not even controlling his expression on a call with an adult?'
Still, I'm the adult.
I decided to be magnanimous and overlook it.
"Wang Chun. There are insolent bastards in China printing my secret manuals in a factory. Crush them for me. I'll tell you the location."
Wang Cheon must have considerable power in China.
Probably.
I planned to leave it to him.
「Park Un-ho. I'm not your subordinate. You should be begging, not ordering me around. This has nothing to do with me.」
"Really?"
「Hmph. Believe what you want. I have no reason to listen to you.」
-Beep.
The rude bastard hung up first.
"What the.... This insolent prick."
I had no intention of begging someone who said no.
'Suni, you know the location?'
"I'll pop over real quick."
"Pardon? Where are you planning to go?"
Jin-ah looked baffled.
"Where else."
-Kwaaa!!
I flew straight to China, flashy and without even turning invisible.
They probably thought a missile was incoming and freaked out.
Of course, not my problem.
If they'd at least pretended to handle it, I wouldn't have had to make this business trip to China.
Guided by Suni, I arrived in under 10 minutes at supersonic speed.
The place printing my secret manuals.
True to the continental scale, it wasn't some small factory—it was an entire industrial complex.
"Unbelievable. Beyond imagination."
The guards looked dumbfounded at me dropping from the sky.
"W-What the hell are you? This is a restricted area."
The two checkpoint guards snapped to attention late, pointing guns at me threateningly.
"Don't you know who I am?"
One who studied me closely widened his eyes in shock.
"Huh? P-Park Un-ho?"
"You know me well. What now? Gonna fight? Or leave?"
"W-We’ll go."
The two, gauging my mood, bolted.
Not inward, but outward.
Wise choice.
Strolling past the checkpoint into the grounds, I saw countless containers.
Extending my perception, the containers were packed with my secret manuals.
I pulled the Explosion Wand from my Inventory.
An Explosion formed at the tip and shot toward the containers.
-Kwang!!!
-Aeeeng~!
A massive explosion rocked the complex, sirens blaring.
Armed troops rushed out from inside.
"W-What!! An attack?"
"One guy?! Awakener?"
"Stop!!"
The armed forces surrounded me in an instant, guns trained.
A few Aura Awakeners among them.
"I'll let the ones who run live."
"P-Park Un-ho?!"
Someone who recognized me shouted.
The surrounding guys' eyes trembled at the words.
I could visibly see their combat will crumble in real time.
Being famous has perks—lots recognized me. My large build probably helped.
"You gonna fight?"
I scanned them indifferently.
In the end, no fight broke out.
They weren't loyal enough to risk their lives.
Being famous is nice.
I could handle things without killing.
Those who attacked? Different story.
I don't enjoy mass slaughter anyway, and no need to chase down and kill those leaving.
I leisurely wandered the now-empty factory grounds, blasting Explosions to raze the buildings, then returned to Jeju Island.
Soon after, Wang Cheon called.
"What? They were printing my stuff without permission, so I gave them a smackdown."
"Let it escalate or not, not my problem. If I hear about illegal copying again, I'll go smash them myself, so handle it."
Wang Cheon's face twisted like it might explode.
-Beep.
I cut the call without hearing the rest.
He tried the hotline again, but I ignored it.
The next day.
A pudgy Chinese ambassador showed up.
"The President expressed deep regret over this incident."
"So what? Then handle your own mess."
"Pardon? Korea exports a lot to China. Th-This kind of solution doesn't benefit either side."
Patriotic appeals fell on deaf ears with me, but I got his intent and it pissed me off.
"You threatening me right now? Should I grab your President's collar to make him understand?"
I unleashed my presence, pressuring the ambassador.
"Th-That's...."
Under my menacing aura, the ambassador trembled and sweated coldly.
"You ruined my mood. China can't access my secret manual site anymore. I'll block it. If I hear about factories printing my books illegally, I'll come smash them personally, so deal with it."
"Pardon?"
"Get out."
I glared and ordered him gone.
"Heok!"
A stench hit.
The crotch of the ambassador's pants was darkly soaked.
"Fuck...."
The bastard pissed himself.
Just from a bit of pressure....
Isn't an ambassador a high position?
Guy had weak nerves.
Lucky he didn't shit himself.
I completely blocked access to the secret manual site from China.
VPNs and proxies were useless.
Meanwhile, I periodically hunted down factories in China printing my manuals and smashed them.
Naturally, China was in an uproar.
Then another man visited.
A neat middle-aged man in gold-rimmed glasses. Somewhat familiar.
"Who...."
"Presidential Chief of Staff Im Jae-won."
Then I remembered.
I'd seen him briefly at Hanna's company before.
Probably sent because China was pressuring them.
"..........Isn't this a bit too extreme.........Couldn't we resolve it through dialogue?"
Listening roughly to the chief of staff's long-winded talk, it boiled down to asking me to refrain from trips to China.
"If dialogue worked, I wouldn't have to move myself. You know how much my time is worth? Think I like doing this?"
I like being with my women.
I don't enjoy pointless exertion.
I hate moving too.
I'm only moving because the Chinese aren't doing their job.
"Pardon?"
The chief of staff looked stunned and asked again.
No one seemed to get it.
Do they really not understand why I'm acting? Or pretending not to....
I couldn't comprehend.
I'm just protecting my own copyrights since no one else will.
The solution is simple.
I'm not demanding total eradication of illegal sales. Just crack down on the blatant ones, and I won't have to move.
"Hey. You get out too."
The chief of staff at least left without pissing himself.
Better than the Chinese guy, I guess.