Chapter 330 – Seoul (21)
[Guild Leader Kim Min-hyuk announces the recruitment of j.a.panese Awakened Hisano Okabuchi]
Even though there had been a flood of sensational news recently, the latest headline was enough to draw people’s attention.
Korea was excited with the recruitment of Hisano. Aside from being a known SS cla.s.s, Hisano also possessed various skills and specialized in both civilian protection and monster raids.
j.a.pan, on the other hand… seemed to have gotten the shorter end of the stick.
They tried to recruit Hochi and Lee Jun-seok who partic.i.p.ated in the Eastern Coast Raid, but their efforts were all in vain and they eventually gave up.
Most of the best Awakened in j.a.pan have been recruited abroad.
The j.a.panese Awakened a.s.sociation naturally became angry, and demanded clarification from the Korean government, the a.s.sociation, and the Guild, while they attempted to contact Hisano and convince her to disregard the other party’s offer.
However, Hisano rejected the j.a.panese a.s.sociation’s desperate request to renew her contract.
The Korean Awakened a.s.sociation said it wasn’t their job, and the Korean government didn’t even understand how things were going.
And lastly, the Guild.
“I just ignored it.”
Kim Min-hyuk eventually had to get some time off to let out some steam because he had been continuously overworked for the past few days.
“F*ck, what would they do if I told them that I’m going to dive with my cell phone off?”
Of course, the j.a.panese Awakened a.s.sociation did not intend to give up just because they could not reach Kim Min-hyuk.
They even sent a member of the a.s.sociation to Korea and tried to set up a contact point for him.
As a result, Kim Min-hyuk simply hid in Lee Ho-jae’s temple.
Occasionally, he would call the Guild through a second phone to get up-to-date with the operations, but he mostly chose to completely seclude himself.
“Good job.”
Seregia, who was lying in a sleeping bag, said to Kim Min-hyuk.
For Seregia, she was welcomed in Kim Min-hyuk’s seclusion.
Of course, he had to welcome a dedicated maid-in-charge to deal with accommodation and meals at work.
The shrine, which was remodeled from the World Cup Stadium that was closed due to the appearance of the gate, had changed so much that it was hard to tell how it looked before.
It was thanks to Yong-Yong who came back from time to time to decorate the temple even while Hochi and his party were in j.a.pan.
When it came to architecture, even Yong-Yong confirmed that Lee Ho Jae was better.
The temple was built around a gate on a tower so high that it could be seen anywhere in Seoul, and the soccer stadium that surrounded the tower was equipped with magical engineering that would make even the earthlings accustomed to advanced civilization drop their jaws in amazement.
Functional s.p.a.ces, including prayer rooms and other rooms required for a temple, were well organized, and accommodations for visitors and pilgrims were built as well.
Security was of course flawless, and the temperature and humidity were constantly adjusted so that each resident could be comfortable.
It was also equipped with a strong defense system that would completely block the eyes of the G.o.ds who have been spying on Earth from time to time.
Presently, only three people –Lee Hojae, Seregia, and Kim Minhyuk — stayed in this magical temple. Although, a large population could live here without experiencing any inconvenience due to the s.p.a.ce distortion.
At first, Kim Minhyuk merely stopped by the temple to check on Lee Ho-jae’s progress, but he eventually began to do his work in the temple altogether.
He didn’t want to leave the heaven-like temple where he could easily move around like a wizard and where food appears whenever he wanted to eat.
So, as soon as something bothersome happened, it was natural that he hid in the temple.
Of course, there were troublesome things like opening snack bags for Seregia, picking strawberry tops, emptying a watermelon to make a fruit salad, or picking fish bones for her, but Kim Min-hyuk thought it was worth it.
“How is the healing lottery doing?”
Lee Ho-jae, who had been away to set the dimensional coordinates of the Tutorial, asked as he entered the break room.
* * *
In the past, I had told Kim Minhyuk that he should invite 30 people a month by lottery and invite them to the temple to be healed of any illness.
It was an easy way to raise my influence on Earth.
At the time, my reputation as the crazy terrorist who bombed Seoul Station had somewhat improved.
“But their reaction is a little different from what we initially thought.”
“What do you mean?”
I asked as I sat down next to Seregia’s sleeping bag and peeled some grapes.
“What we thought was this: Wow! Healing incurable diseases! G.o.d’s miracle! Wow! Amazing!”
Kim Min-hyuk exaggeratedly raised his hands and rubbed them together.
His explanation was a little over-the-top, but it was correct.
Healing any disease is usually treated as a miracle of G.o.d.
“But the timing was bad.”
“Ah.”
As soon as I peeled the grapes, Seregia opened her mouth and waited..
She was lying in the sleeping bag and opened her mouth just like a goldfish.
Sorry, but you don’t get to eat the grapes I peeled.
I focused on Kim Min-hyuk’s explanation, and ignored Seregia’s gaze as I popped a grape in my mouth.
“You’re recruiting the Awakened by releasing equipment and items from the Tutorial. Recently, Hisano’s recruitment has also raised attention. So, it’s not a miracle, but people came to the conclusion that you got a healing item as a reward for clearing h.e.l.l difficulty and that the limit for that item is 30 people per month.”
“That’s not good.”
I understood what he was trying to say.
In a way, it was a mistake.
It was a mistake because it meant that I wasn’t efficient with getting things done in the right order.
But my priorities for collecting influence and faith on Earth were too low to consider all that.
Earth was initially equipped with a state-of-the-art civilization, and indigenous religions are still strong.
With the Tutorial and monsters appearing, information about the Hundred G.o.ds Temple was pretty much released.
Frankly, it seemed nearly impossible to gather enough faith on this planet to satisfy me.
“Then think of healing rituals as just volunteer work.”
“Or, what if you took the Old Man or the Grandma with you? If you perform healing rituals while showing your true form, then people would have no choice but feel intimidated or mystified.”
It was rejected.
It’s not like they’re going to agree to do that in the first place.
“Let’s do it later if it is connected to the 60th and 61st floors.”
Among the giant warriors who have become idle like an unemployed man on the 61st floor, there were some who I thought could serve as a mascot of the temple.
If none were willing, then I’ll just make one.
What about her?
“Seregia?”
“No.”
She refused it without a second thought.
Come to think of it, I do need a symbol of my religion.
The members of the 61st floor don’t even care about that.
But as religion becomes widespread, the time will come when it will be necessary.
I have to think about it.
“And about the guys who were doing stuff inGangwon-do.”
“Uh, didn’t you set an appointment with them?”
“I did, but they were procrastinating and delayed the schedule.”
Kim Min-hyuk explained the recent changes in the pseudo-group.
“Have they really become a religious group?”
“Uh, maybe because they were born crooks, they have the ability to convince people. We even prepared a site for them in Gangwon-do, and the number of believers gathered there was significant.”
So, I explained that by gradually inflating and fabricating the bombing of Seoul Station, the eradication of the G-cla.s.s, and the defense against the monster waves on the east coast of j.a.pan, it will have an effect of deifying.
If they are doing that, then it’s a waste to just throw it away.
They’re acting on behalf of me and managing the religious organization which I’m not good at either.
“What if you visit the Gangwon-do sect? Give a speech in front of the believers.”
Well, it’s a little annoying for me to go.
Let’s leave this to Hochi.
Just in time, Hochi, Yongyong, and Lee Junseok entered the temple.
“Uh, you’re here?”
Oh my gosh.
When I told him to come back after finishing in j.a.pan, Hochi, who had been away for two months, returned.
But when I saw the proud smile on his face, the words automatically came out,
“You must have done well.”
Hochi nodded.
“It was successfully finished.”
“It was a problem because it was so perfectly done…”
Lee Jun-seok muttered in a small voice next to him.
It seems that he came back after accepting the requests of j.a.panese politicians and members of the a.s.sociation, who were making him do even the most trivial things.
“Yes, good job. Well done.”
Still, I couldn’t blame Hochi who was doing something for the first time and was proud of it.
For now, I just praised him.
I can tell him later that he didn’t have to do every single request.
The believers of the G.o.d of Hope who I wanted to entrust to Hochi needed to be taken care of well anyway.
It wasn’t bad to listen to the members’ requests.
“Why is Seregia lying down?”
“I am sick.”
“Why?!”
“Because somebody treated me so roughly.”
Seregia.
That’s a little weird to hear.
No, it IS weird.
It was fortunate that Yong-yong was asleep.
“Haha, grapes.”
The Mantis interrupted and reached out for the grapes in the plate.
I unintentionally flicked the forehead of the Mantis approaching the plate.
“Ow!”
“Why is this thing out of the box?”
“Oh, we let it out for a walk.”
Do human-eating monsters need walks too?
Kim Minhyuk, who was next to me, quickly moved behind my back.
However, Hochi or Lee Junseok were not wary at all.
Did you guys develop a trusting relationship?
“Some days, it doesn’t think about escaping, nor about eating people. It’s safe if you just feed it on time. It listens well to Yong-yong.”
Hochi explained.
When I checked, the power of the Mantis was growing rapidly.
Considering that time when we first met, its power was about half a penny that I couldn’t even treat it as complete. Compared to its power now, I could say that its improvement was considerably big.
At this point, it seemed safe to call it a half-G.o.d.
“Haha.”
There is absolutely no way that the Mantis, who was excitedly eating grapes when I stayed still, grew up on its own.
When I looked closely, I could see that some of Yong-yong’s power was mixed inside the Mantis.
It seems that Yong-yong gave it some strength.
Did you feed it?
Only then did I understand.
There is only one difference between the Rulers and the monsters who are obsessed with desire.
And that thing was called ‘reason’.
Unlike the monsters, who only have a basic desire for more power and survival, the Rulers can make judgments.
How strong are the enemies you need to eat to gain strength, how many are the odds you have, how do you fight and grow.
Before the Mantis was caught by Yong-yong, it was hiding using the characteristics of the earth, where neither the G.o.ds nor the Rulers were able to tread recklessly.
The principle of action is still simple, but it had that level of intelligence.
If you convinced the Mantis that the safest and easiest way to get power was to remain as Yongyong’s pet,then of course, it will be Yong-yong’s faithful pet regardless of its pride
It’s okay.
I wondered if it would be a little easier when dealing with the Rulers later if I kept these characteristics in mind.
It may be a little different if you are a Ruler who has enough power to reach G.o.dhood, but in a fundamental way, it may not be that different.
But there’s only one problem.
When that monster decides one day that it is better off being something other than Yongyong’s pet, it will betray him coldly without thinking about affection or loyalty.
That’s something that Yong-yong will have to endure and deal with in the future.
I thought it would be better to watch Yong-yong’s choice, rather than worrying about it.
“Hey, have you made any progress connecting the 60th floor to the temple?”
Hochi asked.
How did this guy suddenly feel so grown-up?
“Yes, it’s almost done.”
It was going to be done in a week’s time.
In a week, I would be able to finally connect the residential area on the 60th floor of the Tutorial’s h.e.l.l difficulty to the temple in Seoul.