Chapter 46: China’s Ungrateful Demands

“Hwaa…”

Rani collapsed onto the floor, completely drained after throwing out a shocking name.

This project must have been tough.

She looks the most exhausted yet.

She should probably take a break…

“Yo, Yongyongi…?”

“No, no. Not just Yongyongi, it’s Yongyongi, Bang!”

“What on earth is that ‘Bang’?”

“Hm? Bang is ‘Bang’!”

“That…”

Even amidst all this, her sharp remarks cut through the air.

Rani, look at your master’s face.

No, what is this…

He’s in denial with that expression.

But I get it.

Everyone was like that at first.

“Yah, I get it. Even I was like that when I got Hwareuhwareu and Ddanddani.”

“…This is really neat.”

“I was wondering why their names were so strange…”

Right?

These are names they were given.

By whom?

“Heh-!”

By our lucky charm who’s grinning mischievously.

Still, well…

Everyone’s satisfied now.

Probably the same this time.

So.

“Heh heh…”

Let’s leave our shocked customer alone for now.

First, let’s decide the name.

Now, let’s check the options.

[Yongyongi, Bang!]

[A masterpiece crafted by a highly skilled artisan.]

[Contains the power of a legendary figure.]

[Grants blessings to allies fighting alongside.]

[Lowers enemy defense through intimidation.]

[Special skill ‘Cheongyeomryong is available.]

[Special skill ‘Hwayeomma Summon’ is available.]

[While mounted on Hwayeomma, each attack deals strong cutting effects.]

[Immune to fire attacks below a certain threshold.]

“Oof…”

“What’s wrong?”

What’s wrong is—just take a look.

As soon as I sneak a peek at the options, her eyes blink.

Then she looks again.

“Hmm hmm.”

“How is it? Satisfied?”

I casually asked.

The answer?

“Heh heh… This mage has been satisfied ever since seeing the staff’s design.”

“Heh~! Right?! The dragon Rani made is pretty!”

‘See?’

I told you she’d be satisfied once she saw the options.

Now it’s time to hand over the staff.

“Try holding it once.”

In other words, the moment she received it,

flash!

[You have obtained a weapon linked to your fate.]

[The worker’s potential partially awakens.]

Potential awakened.

Arthur and Robin even showed big changes in their appearances.

‘Then how about Woonjang?’

Hmm…

Seems about the same.

“Master, you’ve gotten taller!”

Have I?

“Indeed, it’s a fine staff. Thanks to it, your magical power has strengthened considerably.”

He got stronger at least.

Magic power… I’m not sure, but anyway, that’s good.

‘Now, how much stronger exactly?’

‘And how’s the weapon’s performance?’

Guess it’s time for a test.

***

The top-grade worker whose potential awakened through the fate-linked weapon.

I want to send him to S-grade or A-grade dungeons, but…

None available now?

Well, nothing we can do.

[B-grade, Tomb of the Corrupted Warriors]

Let’s go here for now.

“Wow… there are a lot.”

“The zombies are swarming!”

Usually, dungeons fall into two categories.

1. Few strong monsters.

2. Many relatively weak monsters.

Seems like this dungeon is the latter.

Zombies show up the moment we start monitoring.

Our top-grade worker?

“Master, look! He’s riding a hot horse!”

“A hot horse? Oh…”

Yongyongi, Bang!’s skill: Hwayeomma Summon.

Looks like he used it right away.

Mounted on a blazing horse, with his beard fluttering, holding the Crescent Blade at an angle that look was—

“Seriously epic.”

I saw that look somewhere online.

Riding a red horse, wielding Cheongryong Eonwoldo.

‘Does he run while mounted too?’

Swish—

No, not quite.

He slashes the blade from left to right.

“Wow… insane.”

“Dragon?”

“Hehe.”

A blue dragon made of flame appeared in the air—Cheongyeomryong.

Effect?

Kwahhhh!

It stabbed into a horde of monsters and exploded.

Power-wise, it wiped out most of the zombies in one go.

Insane.

This alone could probably blow up a building…

“Heh~! Master Mage! That was Kwahhhh!”

Ah.

Now I get it.

That’s why it’s called Yongyongi, Bang!

A sudden thought struck me.

The Awakening Management Bureau Head is like hitting the lottery.

But among all, the real jackpot might be that Rani was picked.

Just thinking about it…

***

China, Beijing.

Inside the President’s office.

President Jang Zian wore a satisfied smile and spoke.

“Yes, the agreement has been signed.”

“Sir, I just received a report that Arthur Brandt accepted it.”

Arthur Brandt.

The UK’s number one ranked hunter and a member of Parliament.

Also known as the world’s second strongest man.

The agreement he led was simple.

If an S-grade dungeon appears in China, they will come to help.

In exchange, they want a fitting reward.

“The requested compensation is quite large, but… Chen Yu is about to reach above floor 60 soon, so if the agreement holds until then, it should be fine.”

“Ah… how did a great power come to this…”

It was Britain who accepted the agreement.

But it was sent to other countries too.

The United States, Germany, Russia…

All replied with refusals.

‘China begging for help?’

What is this…

What’s even more frustrating is—

“Labor Management Office Head, any news about that hunter from the small country?”

“The last report remains unchanged… Many special operations division agents were killed…”

“The world has gone upside down.”

China is the center of the world.

A belief held for a lifetime.

It was definitely so.

But at some point, that began to crack.

The hunter from the small country.

Since the Labor Management Office Head appeared.

At first, no one thought much.

A guy who cleared an S-grade dungeon and makes good weapons?

Then he must be naturalized.

Of course.

“Historically, the small country has always devoted everything to us.”

“That’s right.”

But…

He dares to ignore the home country’s request?

So they told him to at least bring weapons.

That failed too.

Even when the Party pressured Korea.

They refused.

Saying the Awakening Management Bureau is dead set against it.

“Dare to trample on the pride of a great power?”

President Jang Zian is 87 years old.

An unimaginable situation when he was young.

But he endured.

Because of the possible S-grade dungeon.

Now that danger is gone…

“The head of the Special Operations Division is Liu Hao, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Tell him that the Party will spare no support to push this again.”

The goal is simple.

Find out who the Labor Management Office Head really is.

Once they have that information, they can apply even stronger pressure.

“Labor Management Office Head.”

Talented, yes.

He shocked the world.

But.

He’s just one person.

‘Can he really point a knife at a great power like China?’

At best, just some complaints.

A show of force?

Impossible unless he’s crazy.

If he even tried terror attacks on the mainland, he’d be caught immediately—and maybe that’d be a relief.

“You can run wild only so far.”

Time to show a little puppy what happens when you oppose a country’s power.

***

[This morning, the Chinese Ambassador to Korea’s remarks have become a hot topic. Ambassador Jang Shao stated that Korea’s Labor Management Office Head hunter should take moral responsibility and help China—]

“Huh?”

News heard casually from a TV left on.

‘What nonsense is this?’

Tilting my head, I listened more.

“So, the office head supposedly cleaned out the warehouse, slowing down next-generation ranker Chen Yu’s growth, so he should take responsibility?”

“Wow…”

“They have quite the talent for saying nonsense.”

“Indeed.”

Old sayings never lie.

They say when you save a drowning man, he’ll demand your belongings…

Saved them, now they want to spit it back.

Makes no sense.

Ignoring and scrolling online, “Huh?”

It’s a mess here too.

It started with the Chinese Ambassador’s remarks.

But then…

A lot spread from there.

Some politicians sided with it.

[Why should the Labor Management Office Head help those bastards? kkkkkk]

[Then why did he help India and Egypt? China should get help too.]

[Who entrusted them with help?]

[China and Korea are like family, so shouldn’t they help?]

[Family? No, they’re annoying.]

[If you’ve received so much, you should take moral responsibility;;; It’s embarrassing as a fellow Korean.]

[They gave it, so what’s the problem?]

[Q) Is the original commenter even Korean???]

Comments are chaotic.

They fight amongst themselves…

No.

‘Is this really something to debate?’

“I don’t get it.”

“The politicians defending those remarks are backed by China.”

“What? How did Todd get involved in this?”

“You can find all that if you look, sir. Plus info from the Eye of Truth—put together recently, it looks like this.”

Showing a bunch of stuff…

‘Ugh.’

I don’t understand even after looking.

Some proposed law and whatnot.

Honestly, they seem more modern than me…

Anyway, to sum up—

“Is it likely this was China’s doing?”

“Not likely, it’s definite.”

“No wonder it’s been quiet…”

The sudden remarks by the Chinese Ambassador to Korea, the politicians who responded, the random media shielding them…

All their doing.

“Didn’t the office head help them?”

“Yes…”

“Ungrateful bastards who don’t know gratitude.”

Indeed.

But, well.

It’s fine.

Just ignore it.

‘Politicians, reporters? Comments?’

What can they do?

They don’t even know who I am.

But.

“Todd, no matter how much money they bring, do not accept requests from China.”

“Yes, I was preparing anyway. Todd said Rani’s workers also like making items.

We’ll turn them into luxury goods and try to take orders.

But first, we’ll equip our workers.

Once ready, we’ll take orders from rankers worldwide…

China? Denied.”

“Well, let’s leave it at that.”

Because ignoring them is best.

I was about to end it there.

If it weren’t for Woonjang’s words—

“Sir, there seems to be suspicious movement outside.”

“What? Again?”

The same thing he said when we first met.

Back then, I was skeptical.

But…

Turns out it was suspicious.

Now?

“I sense about three from China. Probably those Special Operations Division guys.”

Them again?

They failed last time, why try again?

“They’re probably threatening. Or bait.”

They pressure us with articles on the surface, while moving behind the scenes.

‘If the Labor Management Office Head doesn’t step up…?’

“They’ll deal with it then, like the last attempt. The survivor will be the Labor Management Office Head.”

“Haha…”

“Sajang, are you mad?”

“Huff… don’t make me mad…”

[Yoon Hajun, 23 years old.]

Not easily angered.

Usually laughs things off.

But this isn’t right.

“Saved the country from ruin, only to…”

Well, I did get a bit more in the process.

‘Better than letting the country fall, right?’

The gathered materials were part of the rewards they originally promised.

But to act like this now?

What’s even worse—

“If we ignore this, innocent people might suddenly die.”

“Yes, probably all those on the list including you, sir.”

China’s Special Operations Division.

Todd had the Eye of Truth investigate them…

Horrible people.

Threats, kidnappings, even murders.

They do these regularly.

They’re a secret organization, so only parts of it have been uncovered.

They knew but turned a blind eye.

They know what’d happen if we sent Woonjang there.

But.

We can’t tolerate this.

Once was enough.

Twice is too much.

Before unnecessary victims appear,

“Woonjang, sorry, but you’ll have to go.”

“That’s what I’ve been waiting to hear.”

Dispatch to China.

Not for good reasons, but to fight.

We planned to send all at once, but—

***

“It’s fine. This time, it’s easier if the mage goes alone.”

Woonjang refused.

‘Todd?’

“Sajang, please trust me and Woonjang’s worker once.”

That’s what he said.

Honestly, I was worried.

Even top-grade workers aren’t invincible.

Still…

[Dispatch Worker]

[Office (Eye of Truth, Beijing, China)]

At least we have this.

The advantage of dispatch.

No matter the distance, they can go.

And?

They can return from the spot as well.

“If it gets dangerous, don’t hesitate—return immediately.”

“Heh heh, understood. Don’t worry.”

Alright, Todd said they planned everything.

Should be trustworthy.

But just in case—

“This is a Ring of Healing. Take it with you.”

“Heh heh, thank you.”

“Master! This too! Rani made this! It blocks pain a little!”

‘When did she make stuff like this?’

Anyway, preparations are done.

Just open the door and go—

“Scene in?”

Arthur suddenly called Woonjang.

What’s that in his hand…

‘Coffee?’

When did he get that?

“If you get nervous, you lose. Want a sip before you go?”

They must feel awkward being spoiled.

A cup of coffee is nice.

Relaxes the nerves.

“Sounds good. Have a drink before you go.”

I offered subtly.

Woonjang’s worker, unusually reliable today, smirked.

“It’s fine. Leave it there. I’ll be back before the coffee cools.”