Episode 160
After leaving the association president’s office, the destination was the hospital that the Players Association had secretly purchased.
‘Isn’t the association’s financial power greater than expected?’
VVIP room in a large hospital.
It seemed like Yoo Ah-young was hospitalized there.
This was because the wounds from the incident in Jeju Island had not fully recovered.
Taehyun, wearing a mask and a hat, walked to the counter.
“I want to find a patient.”
“What is the patient’s name?”
Taehyun held out a black card without answering.
When her injury became known, it was natural that there would be an uproar.
Therefore, it seemed that only people designated by Go Tae-wook had access.
The woman who confirmed my identity handed me the card again.
“If you go to the counter on the 10th floor, a receptionist will be waiting for you.”
“thank you.”
When I arrived at the 10th floor, a man dressed as a nurse was waiting.
He was a grade A player in the association.
“Please show me your ID.”
The man spoke in a blunt voice and Taehyun showed the card once again.
The man injected magical energy into the card he was holding.
Grumbling.
It seemed as if flames were rising, and the name ‘Yoo Ah-young’ appeared on the card where nothing had been written.
Only then did the man lower his head.
“You were a VVIP guest. Come this way.”
The man immediately opened the warp gate.
“The gate will disappear in 10 minutes. Please adhere to visiting hours.”
“All right.”
As soon as I crossed the warp gate, I came straight to the VVIP ward.
“oh. long time no see.”
When Taehyun entered, Ayoung smiled and greeted him.
Just like Ricky Hallis, his illness still seemed to be in full effect.
There were some documents in her hands.
It was a report handed to Vice Guild Leader Jeong Han-soo before Tae-hyeon arrived.
“I heard that Manager Go woke up.”
Taehyun said as he approached her side.
“I can’t believe I’m empty-handed after not visiting the patient. “Isn’t that too much?”
Ayoung spoke jokingly, but her expression did not look good.
“I’m sorry.”
Taehyun lowered his head without hesitation.
“oh. “The SS-rank player’s head is too light?”
She, who already knew what happened at the license award ceremony, smiled and said.
‘You’re overdoing it.’
Taehyun raised his head and sighed.
If Go Tae-wook had not moved in time, she might not have been in this world by now.
“I’m Yoo Ah-young. You know that? “The body of an S-rank player is not fragile.”
“….”
“There’s no need to feel guilty. “I followed the Jeju Island project out of my own will.”
“Thank you for saying that.”
“Hmm… If you’re really sorry though… How about telling me about the power you have?”
Ayoung asked, her eyes shining.
The more I got to know Taehyun, the more enigmatic he was.
Not only does it have power, but it is also an entity outside the standard whose true nature is unknown.
“You already know a lot about me.”
“Hehehe. Look at this. It’s like this again. “You know what I want, right?”
Taehyun’s persistent questioning attitude made him look troubled.
Even so, it couldn’t tell us about predation.
“…I’ll let you know little by little when the time comes.”
“There’s no need to make the Awakened Pact, right?”
Taehyun nodded.
“good. “Then let’s just call it this.”
Taehyun held the hand that Ayoung gave him.
“so. “Did you finish what you wanted to do on Jeju Island?”
“Thanks to you, it worked out well. “I also lifted all skill seals.”
“So, as soon as you regain your skills, you will attack the dungeon again? “And an unexplored dungeon?”
“No one knows when the break will occur.”
“Taehyun.”
“…?”
“Why are you so desperate?”
It was a similar question to Jinhee Ji.
But the answer was different.
“It’s probably the same reason why the guild leader left home and established Night Walker.”
Ayoung’s eyes twitched at Taehyun’s words.
“You…”
“I’m speaking as someone who watched the two of you from the sidelines… but you will never be happy if you just run away like that.”
“This… childish thing…”
Taehyun put his hand on Ayoung’s head as if he wasn’t going to listen.
“…!!”
“Don’t overexert yourself and get some rest. “I will prepare a discharge gift for you.”
That was the end.
After finishing what he had to say, Taehyun left the hospital room.
“….”
Ayoung came to her senses late and lay down on the bed.
“Anyway, for his age… he looks like an old man.”
Her heart pounded at Taehyun’s meaningful words.
* * *
New Korea Onsaemi-ro Guild Headquarters.
“There is no separate meeting plaza.”
Kwon Kang-hyuk showed signs of discomfort at the newly remodeled sparring stadium.
“No matter what, there is no place like Onsaemi in the new Korea.”
Taehyun said, not paying attention to Kwon Kanghyuk’s pouty face.
“joy. So, this number is probably not the number I think it is?”
Kwon Kang-hyuk asked as he looked at the three men and women who had been called in with him.
They all had faces that no new Korean would recognize.
“You’re probably right. Otherwise, there is no reason to call busy people here.”
“This is so rotten… the guild building is about to collapse again.”
At that time, Kwak Si-yang, who was listening to the conversation between Taehyeon and Kwon Kanghyuk, opened her mouth.
“Player Kim Tae-hyun. “I’m asking just in case… Are we the ‘main’ ones?”
Main.
That was a term referring to those who fight bosses in raids or parties.
“yes. “The five of us here will be the main attack force.”
“The main attack team that will take charge of the boss of the unexplored dungeon is only five people…”
Kwak Si-yang swallowed his sleep and Taehyeon looked at the people he had summoned.
S-rank advanced players Park Seong-jin, Kwon Kang-hyuk, and Kwak Si-yang.
Lim A-young, a low-level S-rank player.
And even myself, an SS-rank player.
Five people, including Taehyun, were the main attack force.
To put it bluntly, it was a raiding force that could be called the strongest not only in New Korea but also in Asia.
However, if the target was an unexplored dungeon, it was true that if the comparison target was expanded to the world, the power would be relatively low.
This is because the US side only includes six SS-level players.
There was no way they didn’t know this fact.
“First, let’s listen to what player Kim Tae-hyun has to say.”
Park Seong-jin spoke in his characteristic calm voice.
The Kim Taehyun he knew would not do things recklessly.
There was that kind of faith.
Taehyun nodded and began to explain.
“As you know, the reason we have gathered you all here is to conquer an unexplored dungeon. “You already received permission from the president of the association, so you have no objection to the convocation, right?”
“Fuck… I haven’t agreed yet. “They asked me to just rent a place, but they said something different.”
Kwon Kang-hyuk, who had ignored Ji Jin-hee’s summons, grumbled.
“Well, if you really want to, you can listen to what I say first and then decide.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
“Let’s take a listen.”
“….”
“Fuck….”
Taehyun continued after checking the reactions of the four people.
“I heard that the United States will enter the unexplored Paris dungeon tomorrow. “They say the unexplored dungeon in Berlin is second place.”
“however?”
Kwon Kang-hyuk grumbled and asked.
“We will enter the Milan unexplored dungeon in a week. And Milan and Barcelona. “We will conquer two unexplored dungeons at the same time.”
“That’s nonsense…!!”
“What is that…!!”
“…!!”
Lim Ah-young and Kwak Si-yang shouted, and Park Seong-jin also looked in disbelief.
and.
“Such a bastard….”
Kwon Kang-hyuk cursed once again.
* * *
“Well, this has already been approved by the president of the association.”
Taehyun, who expected the four people’s reactions, added with a smile.
“Complete not one, but two unexplored dungeons at the same time… Is that possible?”
Park Seong-jin, who was weighing the possibilities in his head, asked.
This is because there is no way to conquer two dungeons at the same time unless it is a double dungeon.
Taehyun gave a thumbs up as he looked at Park Seongjin, who pointed out the key point.
“The Milan Dungeon and Barcelona Dungeon will be in the form of a double dungeon.”
“what…? Is that true?!!”
“I don’t think he’s a Nightwalker… Where is the source of the information?”
“I can’t tell you that.”
When Park Seong-jin kept quiet, Kwak Si-yang came forward this time.
“Player Kim Tae-hyun. Even if we leave aside the authenticity of the information and the possibility of success… why are you trying to attack a high-risk double dungeon?”
They know better than anyone else the power difference between SS-rank monsters and S-rank players.
That’s why even more so.
I couldn’t understand Taehyun trying to conquer a double dungeon while leaving other unexplored dungeons behind.
“There are two reasons.”
The four people paid attention to Taehyun’s mouth again.
“The first is because of compensation.”
“compensation? “Are you really talking about money?”
Seongjin Park asked back.
“yes. “In the capitalist world, there is no reward greater than money.”
“I risked my life just for money…”
Not only Park Seong-jin, but also the other three people had a face that they couldn’t understand.
Taehyun continued his explanation.
“As you know, the World Players Association has put up a huge reward for unexplored dungeons. “The amount returned to individuals and their associations alone is equivalent to quarterly taxes in a small country.”
“If it were you, you would have already made quite a bit of money…?”
“If it’s an individual, yes. But don’t the two guild leaders here know this too? “The more money you have to develop your organization, the better.”
“Could it be… that it’s because of the Players’ Association?”
Kwak Si-yang asked back and Taehyun nodded.
“The new Korea is still not financially strong due to the aftereffects of unification. “Now the president of the association is keeping it in a pretty good state, but support for middle and lower level players is still lacking.”
“Hmm….”
“It’s not wrong. Even if you compare it with Japan and China right now, the power of New Korea is not at the level of being called a great power.”
Park Seong-jin, an executive of the association, gave a cool-headed evaluation.
The number of S-rank players has increased considerably.
However, the number of B-grade and A-grade players, which can be called waist, was still insufficient.
“But why? “Does Taehyun Kim care about such things?”
I couldn’t understand.
patriotism?
‘There are people living like that in today’s world?’
Just thinking about it made me laugh.
However, Taehyun did not necessarily deny the idea.
“A tree needs to have strong roots to grow well. “Can’t that one person be the nation’s power forever?”
“….”
“What about the second?”
This time, Lim Ah-young asked on behalf of the silent Kwak Si-yang.
“Because we never know when an SS-level gate break will occur in New Korea.”
“what…?”
“Well, even New Korea cannot be said to be a completely safe zone.”
Kwak Si-yang nodded and sympathized.
“Even with an S-class gate break, damage cannot be completely avoided. “It goes without saying that it’s SS grade.”
Kwon Kang-hyuk grumbled and added.
As I listened to what Taehyun was saying, I couldn’t even swear anymore.
“That’s right. If such a gate opens when I enter the Abyss. “Even if everyone here works together, we won’t be able to stop it.”
“….”
“You’re not wrong.”
“Hmm…”
“Three-ball… So? “What on earth do you want to say?”
“That’s why it’s you guys.”
“What… does that mean?”
“You have a good chance of becoming a SS-level player. “I can guarantee that, having put the sum together myself.”
Taehyun made eye contact with the four players one after another.
Kwon Kang-hyuk, who conquered ‘Labyrinth Minotaros’ together.
Park Seong-jin and Kwak Si-yang climbed ‘Yongin’s Tower’ together.
Lim A-young, who faced the ‘SS-class monster Kentamion’.
Although there was a meeting with Taehyun.
All of them were great people who would have become SS-level players in their own way.
There is only one thing Taehyun wants to do.
‘The period needs to be shortened.’
The future was changing.
In case something like Jeju Island happened, a minimum amount of insurance was needed.
‘If Yoo Ah-young were here, there would be nothing more to do… but I would have to pay special attention to her.’
It was when Taehyun was thinking like that.
“He’s an SS-rank player… that’s easy to say.”
Seongjin Park raised the corners of his mouth and said.
“Are you not confident?”
“no. “Let’s participate.”
Park Seong-jin was the start.
“I’m with you too.”
“I’ll join you too.”
Taehyun, who quickly got the three people to agree, looked at Kwon Kanghyuk.
“Hmph… It feels a bit uncomfortable, but I’ll join in.”
Contrary to his words, his heart was also pounding like the other three.
“With this, the main party of New Korea has also been decided. I can assure you that you and New Korea will grow even further than now.”
Taehyun looked at the future SS-rank players who would join him.
‘If the future changes, take one step ahead and deal with it.’
That was Taehyun’s answer.
