Chapter 30: The Ghost Who Saved Beijing

An Unprecedented Crisis.

China overcomes the S-grade Dungeon Break.

What’s left now?

The answer.

Nothing but wounds.

All kinds of materials, Magic Stones, Elixirs…

Everything stored in the warehouse was completely stripped away.

Preparing for the worst, an emergency evacuation order was issued in Beijing, even losing the trust of the people.

It was literally a close call, barely hanging on to life.

Having overcome the crisis, should they just stay still?

No way.

They have to move somehow and find strength.

As a means to that end, China immediately began erasing traces.

[Chairman Jang Zian heroically saves the nation from crisis.]
[The efforts of Chairman Jang Zian and domestic Hunters who protected the entire nation.]
[The international community’s silence amid China’s crisis.]

It was China’s power that overcame the crisis.

What about the foreigners?

They did nothing but stand by.

Just like that.

• ᆞIs that true?
• Could it be…
• What exactly did the Chairman do?
  ・Evacuate faster than anyone else?
• Didn’t the Labor Management Office Head actually handle all the work?
  But the promotional materials didn’t mention his name.
  They kept the name of the Labor Management Office Head tightly under wraps.

But…

Does covering it up hide the truth?

Those who know, all know.

Especially Chinese Hunters using AwakenerNet.

The authorities couldn’t control it even if they tried, couldn’t stop it…

Yet the rumor spreads damn fast.

Not just online, but even outside.

• Interest

“At that time, I was fighting Monsters on the front lines under official orders.”
“Oh…”
“But honestly, there was no solution. It was so bad that a full evacuation order was issued for the Beijing area.”
“Yeah.”
“The person who defeated the S-grade Dungeon…”
“Right, the Korean Labor Management Office Head.”
“A hero.”

By word of mouth, again and again, it spread.

And it spread fast.

“What? You’re saying it wasn’t us who defeated the S-grade Dungeon…?”
“Nah. My friend is a Hunter, and before the Labor Management Office Head stepped in, everyone was just looking for a way to run away.”
“Then what is this ‘heroic power of Chairman Jang’ they keep talking about?”
“What else…”
“The Labor Management Office Head… what a unique title.”
“Heroes are always like that.”

As a result, every citizen of Beijing came to know.

The Labor Management Office Head.

The name of the one who saved them.

The information spreading beyond Beijing to all of China.

It quickly reached the person concerned as well.

“They’re calling you a hero, Head.”
“Huh? Me?”
“Yes, that’s how the Chinese people are reacting.”

Todd, a High-grade Summoned Worker whose specialty is business.

His current main role?

Rani’s beloved doll.

“Bearie!”

He’s picked up several times a day.

Meanwhile, he also brings in information in real-time.

Truly a High-grade Summoned Worker.

He gets the job done perfectly.

But a hero…?

“It’s a bit embarrassing.”

I didn’t do anything.

Our workers—Arthur and Robin did it all.

Ah.

Rani’s contribution in crafting weapons was huge too.

“That’s right! Hwalhwal and Sook! Rani made them!”
“Head?”
“Yes?”
“I…”

Okay.

Todd agrees.

Thanks to him, they got the Robin Hood’s Bow Fragment and the Potent Elixir.

“Haha, you’re welcome.”

Especially that one time when I refused and still got the Potent Elixir—it was amazing.

It made Rani’s hammering go faster.

If it had taken a whole month…

Ugh.

“Hehe.”

But why is she holding a hammer again?

A hammer in one hand.

The Blue Dragon Crescent Blade Shard and Young Pasa’s Scale in the other.

Looks like the research is starting again.

Rani is incredible.

She worked all week and doesn’t seem tired of it.

“Yeah! This is what Rani likes! The most fun thing in the world!”
“Mm…”

That’s her hobby.

Playing with good materials and thinking about how to use them.

Honestly, I don’t get it…

But if Rani likes it, then whatever.

Use up all the materials.

“Oh! This time it’s Wasseo’s sword?”
“Arthur… that doesn’t suit you.”
“Doesn’t it…? Hwalhwal is…”
“Rani will make the next one!”
“Got it?”
“Wasseo got it…”

Heh.

Can’t help but slump a little.

Blue Dragon Crescent Blade Shard.

No matter how much research, there’s no solution.

They’d have to bring it from another S-grade Dungeon…

But they have nothing like that now.

So, what choice is there?

Do what we can for now.

That’s why.

“Let’s start with the Tower.”
“Wasseo, going to the Tower?”
“Yeah.”

Well…

Taking on requests and clearing dungeons is fine.

But.

“Right now, the Tower is more interesting.”

No, more precisely, it’s the Chaos Box I’m curious about.

What will come out next?

If you’re curious, gather the keys and open it.

“Right?”
“That’s right! Rani’s curious too!”
“Wasseo’s curious as well.”

Rani and Arthur agree.

Robin looks ready, too, fiddling with his bow.

Okay.

Unanimous decision, so let’s go right away.

[Dispatch Worker]

• Tower
  [Would you like to enter Chaos Tower Floor 21?]

Starting at floor 21 for now.

I hear Robin is currently at floor 60.

Arthur has room up to the 40s.

No need to drag it out.

Two floors a day.

Let’s sprint full force.

Beijing, China, recently overcame the crisis.

It should be a time for celebration…

But the head of the Central Awakened Administration Bureau was at his wit’s end.

“Ugh… so you’re saying… we have to send a naturalization offer to the Labor Management Office Head?”
[That’s right.]

What kind of nonsense is this?

Asked just to confirm.

The voice on the other end said it was true.

“Do you think he’ll accept?”

Cautiously asked again.

Hoping for a reasonable answer.

[Huh? Why wouldn’t he accept? This glorious opportunity.]

Nonsense.

They just kept repeating absurd things.

[Anyway, make sure it’s completed as soon as possible.]

And then hung up.

“Sigh.”

“Director, why the long face?”

Why?

“The higher-ups ordered us to naturalize the Labor Management Office Head.”

“What? What the…?”

Yeah.

You don’t believe it either, right?

Want to hear something even more surprising?

“If he refuses, they said to send agents to capture him.”

“Uh… no…”

See?

That’s a normal reaction.

What the hell…

“Sigh…”

Just quit.

Being the Director of the Administration Bureau.

Usually, it’s too precious to give up…

But lately, this thought keeps creeping in.

Especially whenever orders come from above.

“If we could catch him, we would have already.”

“That’s true…”

Do you think he’ll just come out if we order him to?

How do you catch someone moving without a trace?

The Labor Management Office Head, that guy.

The more they investigate, the more it feels like chasing a ghost.

What good is digging if nothing comes up?

They even called in Hunters with tracking skills…

“Nothing at all.”

It’s truly maddening.

And what?

Naturalize him?

Does the Labor Management Office Head even want to come?

Why would he, in China of all places, not the United States…

“We keep hearing the same answer… We monitored the A-grade Dungeon, but it was cleared without a sound…”
“It’s just like what we experienced.”
“Sorry…”
“Sigh.”

By now, the feeling is clear.

The Labor Management Office Head, that guy.

Almost impossible to find.

Especially not now…

“I’m so busy raising Chen Yu, and the higher-ups don’t seem to understand how serious the situation is.”

“No way…”

The world’s top five powers.

United States, United Kingdom, Germany, China, Russia.

Is that order even maintained now?

No.

No way.

With Wei Jin gone, losing great power status is inevitable.

Probably Korea will take that place.

I heard they recently reached floor 61.

“Sigh, those lucky bastards.”

Climbing the Tower fast.

And there’s that monster called the Labor Management Office Head.

Ah.

Wasn’t it said the Tower was thanks to the Labor Management Office Head, too?

Anyway.

“If losing great power status is the worst, then at least that’s some relief…”
“Exactly.”

Anything else?

There is.

No, there’s a lot.

The Tower and the Dungeon.

Those dreadful things don’t forgive the absence of Wei Jin.

“When did Wei Jin reach floor 62?”
“About this time last year.”
“One year left.”

The Chaos Tower攻略 time limit is two years after conquering the final floor.

If not cleared in time?

Chaos ensues.

A Tower appears in a densely populated area.

Monsters pour out from there.

“If we’re not careful, we could become like India…”
“No, we must prevent that.”

There was a country that actually fell like that.

India, which once climbed faster than the U.S.

To avoid that fate…

They must raise Chen Yu first.

“One year…”

Chen Yu is currently at floor 55, so he has to climb eight floors.

Is it possible within a year…

“Sigh…”

“But the Tower is still better than Dungeons.”
“True, the real problem is the Dungeons.”

Right.

The Tower is civilized.

At least there’s a deadline.

The Dungeons?

They appear without warning or signs.

“If another S-grade shows up…”
“We’ll have to immediately ask the international community for help.”

“In this situation… they treat a national hero like dirt, don’t even give the medal they promised. Is this right?”
“Well, I heard they even want to take back the materials already given. That’s better than nothing, I guess.”
“Are they sane…? Ah.”

Speaking of which, oops.

How dare I say such things.

If this leaks out…

“It’s fine. I think the same.”
“Sigh… at least until Chen Yu grows, we mustn’t antagonize the international community…”

They know.

If they act like this now, what will happen later?

The higher-ups?

I thought they knew, but…

Seems like…

“They don’t know.”

Still, what can you do?

You do what you’re told.

Right?

No way something else will go wrong, right?

They’ve only had two S-grade Dungeon Breaks so far.

No way…

“Sigh…”

The big hurdle of the S-grade Dungeon Break has been overcome.

But for some reason.

Feeling like facing an even bigger wall, the Awakened Administration Bureau Director’s sigh deepened.

Korea’s Awakened Administration Bureau is just as worn out.

Riiing riiing~!

“Ugh, the phone just won’t stop ringing.”
“I swear I’m going crazy.”
“All those calls?”
“Yeah. All for the Labor Management Office Head.”

That damn Labor Management Office Head.

How many places are looking for him—it’s driving me to neurosis.

By phone, in person.

Even the higher-ups keep pressuring.

“Especially the U.S., China, Russia, Germany… ah, the U.K. too. Those five powers are especially insistent.”
“Those top five are all leisurely and yet so persistent.”

Yeah.

Other countries are the same.

The reasons?

Ugh…

Not just one or two.

From wanting to make equipment to wanting to talk in person.

One thing’s common.

“They all want the Labor Management Office Head.”

“Connect me.”
“Let me meet him.”
“Or at least please ask him.”

But…

“We can’t do that either…”

If you answer that, they ask.

“Isn’t he a Korean Hunter?”

Yeah.

Right.

But even we can’t contact him unless through AwakenerNet.

And even that’s been quiet lately.

He’s closed off all requests.

Not accepting anything…

[S-grade Dungeon related requests, please comment below.]

That’s the only post left on AwakenerNet.

“That guy’s a pain. Except for unique cases like China, who would hand over S-grade Dungeon requests to someone else?”
“Right? Isn’t that just a polite refusal?”
“Hmm, could be.”

Riiing riiing!

Ugh.

Another call.

Probably another one for the Labor Management Office Head.

Was about to pick up and reject immediately when—

“Yes, regarding the S-grade Dungeon Break in India? The one overflowing with knight Monsters?”

Huh.

A request is coming in?