Chapter 233 – Tripart.i.te Conference (2)
Translator: Seven
Editor: Ana_Banana
The terrorist attack against the Messiah Guild was the same as setting a time limit on the order that had been maintained before.
And if Lee Se-jun and his teammates successfully came out of the 7 Floor dungeon, it was obvious that the world’s power map would be rewritten.
In such a situation, one of those who looked at this situation favorable was none other than the Lightning King.
The reason was simple.
The creation of a new world order meant that those with power were likely to lose said power.
Therefore, the powerful people in that position had to prepare a way to escape in case there was an unforeseen event, and for them, Thunderbird, the world’s number one private military company, was the perfect option.
And this was exactly what the Lightning King wanted.
He had waited specifically for such an era of chaos and confusion, an era where one’s power was measured by how much ammunition he had rather than money.
“I’m busy.”
Therefore, it could be said that the Lighting King had gained the most from the terrorist attack against the Messiah Guild.
On the other hand, there were many people who had suffered heavy losses due to the terrorist attack.
“I’m also busy.”
A young, Asian man was facing the Lightning King.
Park Yong-wan.
The Master of the Phoenix Guild was one of the biggest victims of the terrorist attack on the Messiah Guild.
It was pointless to even try calculating the damage.
After all, the headquarters of the Messiah Guild was located in Korea, and when the incident, which drove the world to chaos, occurred in Korea, the nation declared a state of national emergency.
Under such circ.u.mstances, it was obvious what the situation of the Phoenix Guild, which was also based in Korea, would be like.
“Right, you must be busy. In many ways.”
Moreover, the Phoenix Guild had even been forcefully entangled with the Messiah Guild in many ways.
There were even conspiracies and rumors that the Phoenix Guild was trying to get rid of the Messiah Guild.
Others complained because the Phoenix Guild didn’t try to use the terrorist attack on the Messiah Guild to pa.s.s a bill that guaranteed the players’ interests like what happened in France.
From the Phoenix Guild’s perspective, they would be suspected regardless of what they chose to do, which meant that they couldn’t actually do anything.
In any case, one thing was clear.
“Are you trying to pick a fight?”
“Fights only happen between people on the same level.”
“Level?”
“Do you think we’re on the same level?”
There was definitely no way that the Master of the Phoenix Guild and the Lightning King would meet each other for no reason.
After all, the two of them were far from being close.
“Aren’t we both on 6 Floors? Are you saying that’s not enough for a quick conversation?”
“Right, thinking like that would definitely let you feel better.”
To be precise, they couldn’t get close.
In terms of reputation, the Lightning King was certainly a bit higher, but both players were currently targeting 6 Floor dungeons, therefore Park Yong-wan’s reputation wasn’t too lacking.
In other words, the two of them were rivals whose rankings were so close that they could change at any time depending on their performances.
Therefore their relations.h.i.+p was bound to be filled with fierce compet.i.tion.
Nevertheless, the two of them were currently meeting in one place because of one person.
“You can fight after we discuss today’s topic.”
Kim Woo-jin.
Now that he was a 6 Floor player like the two of them, he was able to create this tripart.i.te conversation.
Of course, it wasn’t just because of Kim Woo-jin.
“Because it’s important to discuss Isaac Ivanov first.”
Isaac Ivanov, he was the biggest reason that this was currently happening.
As proof of this, the moment Isaac Ivanov was mentioned, Park Yong-wan and the Lightning King stopped pressing each other.
Then, in the calmer atmosphere, Kim Woo-jin continued.
“If things continue to progress as they are, then the Messiah Guild will hold all the keys. No one can be certain what they will do with those keys, but it’s almost certain that it wouldn’t be good for the two of you.”
The two of them didn’t try to refute this statement.
Even if they had their own ways to deal with the situation, they definitely wouldn’t reveal it.
“In this situation, Isaac Ivanov is the most obvious umbrella. No matter how great the Messiah Guild is, it would be impossible for them to openly display their hostility to Isaac Ivanov.”
This was because there was no reason for them to refute.
On the inside, the Messiah Guild wanted nothing more than to kill Isaac Ivanov.
But on the surface, Isaac Ivanov was a saviour candidate who could replace the Messiah Guild.
Therefore, no matter how powerful the Messiah Guild was, they wouldn’t be able to show their hostility.
Therefore the expression ‘umbrella’ was accurate in many ways.
“Of course, it’s just a small umbrella that the two of you here can use.”
However, it was impossible for Isaac Ivanov to accurately guess the size of the typhoon that was to come.
“So you want to pick which one of us can use it?”
“Are we here today to decide who will be able to use the umbrella?”
At least, the status of the umbrella couldn’t be guaranteed, and they’d need to act accordingly.
It was also the reason why this meeting was being held.
And it was at this meeting that Kim Woo-jin said.
“I’m going to ask you a question.”
Park Yong-wan and the Lightning King turned to look at Kim Woo-jin when they heard those words.
“Does anyone here agree with Isaac Ivanov’s values?”
And when they heard the question, the atmosphere in the room froze momentarily.
Nevertheless, Kim Woo-jin continued asking his question.
“Does anyone here agree with his value of saving the world which transformed into a game?”
When they heard this question, the Lightning King and Park Yong-wan gave the same expression as though they had rehea.r.s.ed beforehand.
It was clear that they had no intentions of sympathizing with such values.
Seeing this, Kim Woo-jin continued.
“Therefore it’s too dangerous to leave everything to Isaac Ivanov alone.”
After saying that, Kim Woo-jin finally revealed the main point.
“Let’s attack a 7 Floor dungeon together.”
With those words, Kim Woo-jin looked back and forth between Park Yong-wan and the Lightning King.
…
“Let the Lightning King and Park Yong-wan attack a 7 Floor dungeon with Isaac Ivanov?”
Lee Jin-ah, who was making a visit to Oh Se-chan’s office, couldn’t help but ask this question in surprise.
“Right.”
“Will they accept the offer?”
“They have no reason not to accept. Well, to be precise, they don’t have a choice but to do so.”
Lee Jin-ah tilted his head slightly at those words.
He didn’t quite understand what was meant by them not having a choice.
“Isaac Ivanov is currently under suspicion regarding the Sphinx Dungeon disaster. Apart from the suspicion, there is still the belief that he is unable to clear 7 Floor dungeons. After all, even Johann Georg was sacrificed during the 6 Floor dungeon attack.”
Therefore, Oh Se-chan explained it for him.
“In such a situation, Isaac Ivanov needs a more definite card in order to enter the dungeon in response to the public opinion.”
“But are they willing to take the risk?”
Oh Se-chan shrugged at Lee Jin-ah’s question.
“Why wouldn’t they risk it?”
“Huh?”
“It’s an opportunity to attack a 7 Floor dungeon with Isaac Ivanov. This means they’d be on the same level as the Messiah Guild.”
“Ah.”
Only then did Lee Jin-ah understand.
Oh Se-chan added.
“In addition, these two have always risked their lives by attacking higher dungeons. They’ve long been ready to add 7 Floor dungeons to their lists of achievements. In this situation, this is nothing but a good thing for them.”
After saying this, Oh Se-chan smiled.
“More importantly, if Isaac Ivanov becomes a 7 Floor attacker, the situation would become even more chaotic. Isaac Ivanov, Park Yong-wan and the Lightning King are all 6 Floor attackers so there’s no question as to who is at a higher level, but what if Isaac Ivanov became a 7 Floor attacker?”
“He would be on a different level.”
“Right, Isaac Ivanov would become an unstoppable giant.”
The smile on Oh Se-chan’s face became slightly mocking as he said this.
“Is there something else?”
Lee Jin-ah, who realised there was more to this smile, couldn’t help but ask.
“Ah, I can’t tell you that.”
But when Oh Se-chan shook his head, refusing to answer, Lee Jin-ah made a sullen expression.
Meanwhile, Oh Se-chan suddenly said.
“I suddenly want to eat jajangmyeon.”
Lee Jin-ah’s expression became ridiculous as he said.
“So that was your goal in the end. Aren’t you ashamed of yourself for trying to take advantage of your younger brother?”
Oh Se-chan, on the other hand, answered with an equally ridiculous expression as he said.
“Should I be ashamed when I can get something for free?”
In the end, Lee Jin-ah could only give up.
“So what else is there?”
After receiving the signal that he would get the jajangmyeon, Oh Se-chan continued explaining.
“Before entering this dungeon, they are all going to write wills, just in case.”
“Wills?”
“They have a lot of possessions, so shouldn’t they decide who inherits their legacies in the event that they die?”
“You don’t mean…?”
Oh Se-chan nodded to the surprised Lee Jin-ah.
“Right, they are putting Thunderbird and the Phoenix Guild together. If one of them dies, then it will naturally merge with the other. And both of them will imagine good results because they both believe that Kim Woo-jin is on their side.”
Lee Jin-ah couldn’t help but be amazed by that.
“Incredible.”
Oh Se-chan didn’t dare to say the real surprise.
‘What’s really surprising is the fact that it wasn’t actually a tripart.i.te conference.’
There had been one more person at that meeting.
…
“I need to think about it first.”
“I’ll make a decision by the time we meet again.”
The conversation with the Lightning King and Park Yong-wan naturally wouldn’t be concluded in one day.
After all, it wasn’t simple to conclude entering a 7 Floor dungeon with Isaac Ivanov or the Phoenix Guild and Thunderbird forming a strategic alliance that was close to a merger.
Therefore, after the first meeting, the three headed back to their respective places.
Kim Woo-jin entered the prepared luxury sedan.
The driver greeted him.
“There are no surveillance or eavesdropping devices.”
Immediately afterwards, a voice came from the seat beside Kim Woo-jin.
“I heard everything.”
It was Johann Georg’s voice.
“You have a really interesting relations.h.i.+p.”
Johann Georg had also attended the tripart.i.te conference held by Kim Woo-jin.
Naturally, he was wearing the Cap of Invisibility which was capable of hiding his presence from the world.
In other words, it wasn’t a tripart.i.te meeting, but a quadripart.i.te one. (TL: at this point I wondered if ‘three way’ would’ve been simpler.’
“What do you think about my proposal?”
And this quadripart.i.te meeting had been created for Kim Woo-jin’s proposal.
Kim Woo-jin spoke to Johann Georg.
“The proposal to gather forces and wait for Isaac Ivanov to self-destruct?”
For them to hold hands and bide their time under Isaac Ivanov.
At first, Johann Georg naturally ignored the offer.
He believed that it was Isaac Ivanov who was using Kim Woo-jin to see if he had thoughts of betrayal.
So Kim Woo-jin showed him.
He was actually the one who was using Isaac Ivanov, and could betray him at any time.
“Are you still suspicious of me?”
And Johann Georg had seen it for himself.
“I don’t believe the two masters of Thunderbird and the Phoenix Guild would work together just to deceive me.”
At least, he believed that Park Yong-wan and the Lightning King wouldn’t work together just to fool him.
“Then are you willing to join forces?”
Johann Georg paused for a moment instead of answering Kim Woo-jin’s question.
Silence fell in the car, and it lasted for quite a while.
“Hmm.”
After the long silence, Johann Georg then spoke in a slightly strained voice.
“I will only ask one question. What is your biggest reason for betraying Isaac Ivanov?”
Johann Georg then continued before he could hear the answer.
“Of course, it makes a lot of sense. Fighting against the Messiah Guild in the runaway train known as Isaac Ivanov is crazy, moreover, you’ll even have the Phoenix Guild and Thunderbird as enemies.”
If one were to look at the circ.u.mstances, Kim Woo-jin truly had every reason to betray Isaac Ivanov.
In fact, all of those were good reasons.
But he was sure that a bigger reason existed.
Kim Woo-jin answered his question.
“My halo is also the Emissary of the Underworld, like you.”
At that answer, Johann Georg fell silent once again before replying.
“Because of our halo’s favoritism, we definitely have to walk a th.o.r.n.y path.”
Three days after Kim Woo-jin and Johann Georg joined hands, he received a response from Park Yong-wan and the Lightning King.
-If Thunderbird agrees to do it, I’ll do it too.
-If the Phoenix Guild agrees, Thunderbird will as well.
It was the moment when a team created to attack 7 Floor dungeons had been created.
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