Chapter 102: Chapter 101: Bow Down to the Champ! Part III
The promised day to meet Toh had finally arrived. That morning, I received a level up message.
“Nice.”
I hadn’t returned to Macau after accepting Toh’s offer. Instead, I spent the week training in Khufu’s Pyramid dungeon and even managed to raise my level by five.
“It sure was smart to buy that item.” The Fallen Royalty Necklace was really helping. It only boosted my EXP gain by 5%, but it added up the more monsters I hunted.
“Open Stats Menu.”
==[Name: Lee Jiwon
Level: 355 Death Count: 0
t.i.tle: Earth’s First Deva
HP: 5,544,700/5,544,700 MP: 192,700/192,700
Strength: 9,200 + 315 Agility: 5,200 Vitality: 7,509
Willpower: 1,867 Intelligence: 1,797
Una.s.signed Stat Points: 100 + 114
Fatigue: 0
Special Effects: Luck Boost (X+ 1), immune to all Status effects, Dungeon Seeker 6 points
Physical Attack: 36,312 Physical Defense: 11,154
Magical Attack: 6,941 Magical Defense: 5,882]==
Shaman Ko’s Roulette Wheel was still giving me 3 stat points a day.
“Well, I should put all of my una.s.signed points into STR.” Still intent on getting my STR over 10,000, I transferred all 214 points into STR. As I looked over my Stats Menu, I received a call from the Myth Guild.
“Mr. Lee.”
“Yes.”
“The plane to Macau is set to leave in one hour. We should start getting ready.”
“Understood. I’ll be right there.”
I and three hundred guild members were going to go to Macau. It was too much for the Messenger Guild to teleport us all at once, so we decided to rent a plane instead.
“I shouldn’t keep them all waiting.” I quickly left the dungeon and headed back to base. I washed up and got ready.
Myth Guild’s command center…
“0.1%, you say?”
“Yes sir. He said he could reach level 600 within the hour.”
“Hmm…” Ebonene was chosen to go with Lee Jiwon as the captain of the accompanying guild members. “Very well. Let him stay behind, and we’ll go with the remaining 299 guards.”
“Yes sir. I’ll let everyone else know.”
At first, Ebonene thought to replace the guard with someone else, but decided against it. It would just be a waste of more manpower and it wasn’t like a single guard could make that much of a difference. -No one in their right mind would make Lee Jiwon and the Myth Guild their enemies at the same time. Besides, there are way too many eyes on Lee Jiwon. It would be foolish to try anything now.-
The Cheng Long Guild and the Laura Guild were already threatening the San Tuan Guild’s authority. Ebonene believed it wouldn’t hurt to accept Toh’s offer, but he did have his suspicions and advised Lee Jiwon to take guards with him. It should be fine if one guard didn’t go.
-Well, we do have reinforcements at the ready, so it should be fine.-
And so, exactly three hundred people got on the plane for Macau. Five hours later, they crossed the Sai Van Bridge and arrived at Macau Tower.
“How many of them are here?” The San Tuan Guild was busy. When Toh and Wanhu first heard that Lee Jiwon was not coming alone and with Myth Guild guards, they believed that they had lost all hope. However, when they heard reports that the number of guards was supposed to be small, they had their Intelligence Division check in every hour to find out the exact number.
“Three hundred, sir! There are exactly three hundred!”
“What?”
“Are you sure about that?” Toh and Wanhu shouted at the same time.
“Yes. The headcount of the people that just got off the plane from Cairo is exactly three hundred, including Lee Jiwon. We checked again when they crossed the Sai Van Bridge,” said Qing.
Their Flytrap could only work on a maximum of three hundred people. If Lee Jiwon had brought another person, their trap wasn’t going to activate. It was an issue the San Tuan Guild could not fix.
“Ha…have the heavens not forsaken us yet?”
“The G.o.ddess of Victory is with us!”
Toh and Wanhu were ecstatic. This was the best news they heard in a whole month.
“Qing!”
“Yes, sir?”
“The G.o.ddess of Victory smiles upon us today. Make sure all preparations are in order. We have only one chance at this!”
“Yes, sir.”
“w.a.n.g Choong!”
“Yes sir.”
“Have your men properly spread out so they can use Bind effectively. We must not lose him again.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. Let’s go! Our chance for revenge is finally here. Once we Bind him, do not let him go. We’ll make him pay dearly for his mistakes against us for a long, long time!”
“Yes, sir!”
The whole atmosphere of Macau had changed after a week.
“The San Tuan Guild had been going around saying for the past week that everything between you guys was all a misunderstanding and that there would be no more fighting.”
“I see.” I nodded at what Ebonene just told me. I had stayed in the dungeon for the whole week and had no idea that had happened.
We quickly crossed the Sai Van Bridge for Macau Tower.
-Do they really wish to have a truce and fork over a Rank 8 item?-
I still could not trust Toh and Wanhu completely. I turned to Ebonene. “Can I ask you something?”
“What is it?”
“If this really does turn out to be a trap…”
Ebonene chuckled. “That’s why we brought elite guards with us. Oh, but do keep this a secret. We have about 500 mercenaries from a company we’ve trusted in the past and 200 other Myth Guild guards hiding in the Macau Tower’s vicinity. If the San Tuan Guild really does have an ulterior motive, then they make an enemy of the Myth Guild, as well.”
“d.a.m.n!” I was amazed at this man’s foresight. “Thank you.”
“You are the Myth Guild’s most precious ally. It’s the least we can do,” Ebonene said, smiling.
We continued to talk some more and soon arrived in front of the Macau Tower. Toh, Wanhu, and guards from the San Tuan Guild were standing in front of the tower’s entrance. I also noticed that, to our left and right, members of the Cheng Long Guild and other devas had gathered and were leisurely watching us.
“I see Wai Chung, the guild master of the Cheng Long Guild, is here as well.”
At Ebonene’s remark, I looked over and I saw the man from the Hive auction over at end to the right. At that moment, Toh and Wanhu began walking towards us.
“I, Toh, co-guild master of the San Tuan Guild, have arranged this meeting to put an end to this pointless fighting that started over a small misunderstanding. Do you, Lee Jiwon, agree to prevent further bloodshed from both sides?”
We had already discussed how to act a week ago. I stepped forward as well. “I do. I also wish to prevent further losses to both sides over a simple misunderstanding.” That was all I had to say.
“Perfect. Then let it be known that from this day forth, the San Tuan Guild and Lee Jiwon are no longer enemies!”
The San Tuan Guild’s members behind Toh cheered.
The day before the meet, Wai Chung had visited Toh and Wanhu.
“If we do manage to capture Lee Jiwon, will you and your guild interfere?” Toh asked.
Wai Chung thought for a second before answering. “No, I won’t.”
“Can I trust you on that?”
“You can.” Wai Chung studied Toh and Wanhu’s faces before continuing in a low voice. “I know I said I would support Lee Jiwon, but that is because he is obviously the stronger one. If you guys are able to stunt his growth, then what reason would I have to step in? The more strong people there are the more of a pain in the a.s.s it’ll be to deal with. If you can stop him, stop him.”
Wai Chung gave a slight smile to Toh and Wanhu when he finished talking. After a few seconds, Toh and Wanhu smiled back.
Together with the Myth Guild guards, I and Ebonene walked closer to the Macau Tower. At that moment, I heard someone running towards us from behind. I turned around to see who it was.
“Huh?” I recognized him immediately.
“Master!” Sunghoon was running towards me, waving his hand.
“What are you doing here? I thought you said you were going to spend two months in the dungeon.”
Sunghoon laughed. “I’m your apprentice, master. I should be here with you as you take your place as the victor.”
The San Tuan Guild wanted everyone to know that we were ending this war to prevent losses on both sides. However, the Myth Guild knew the truth; I was the true victor.
“That’s why?”
“Yup! Surprise! I wanted to surprise you as your first apprentice.” Sunghoon then covered his mouth and whispered, “I was going to bring a wreath of flowers, but I thought that this wasn’t really the right place to.”
“That’s…a relief.” If he had, it would have created a pretty awkward situation.
“Is it alright if I join you guys?”
“Of course you may,” Ebonene said. “You know we can’t deny you.”
Sunghoon chuckled. “Thank you, vice-master.”
And so, our group of three hundred and one continued our way to the tower.
-What’s with him?-
Toh’s smile was replaced with a scowl and he was glaring at Sunghoon.
-Ha…what the h.e.l.l is this?-
Toh, Wanhu and the San Tuan Guild members were all scowling. Their frowns deepened the closer Lee Jiwon and his group came to the tower.
Up until that point, they thought that victory was in their hands. Even Qing had to hold herself still the closer Lee Jiwon got to her Flytrap… until that one man joined them.
At that moment, they all hated that man the most, even more than they hated Lee Jiwon. As much as they tried to keep a straight face, they could not help but glower at the man.
“Um…master…what’s…”
“Do you feel it too?”
“Well…yeah.”
“Did… you hit the jackpot at one of their casinos and run or something?”
“No! I don’t even gamble, and this is my first time in Macau!”
“Well, you must have done something. They look ready to pounce on you. You should check if your HP are still at full.”
“Master, please don’t kid like that!”
They were all glaring at one person, including Toh and Wanhu. Not at me, at Sunghoon. They looked ready to kill him.
“It looks like today’s main event is Mr. Do,” Ebonene said to Sunghoon, jokingly.
“Please don’t say that. They’re freaking me out enough as it is!”
“We should quickly shake hands with Toh, take the item and get out of Macau as soon as possible. If not, we might actually be able to see someone killed with looks alone. To think they have someone to hate more than Mr. Lee and his month-long guerilla warfare; Mr. Do must really be a scary person.” Ebonene said, laughing.
“That can’t be right, Master Ebonene. This really is my first time in Macau. I’ve never met anyone from the San Tuan Guild before. I must be going crazy. Why are they looking at me like that?”
“Nothing really comes to mind? From their looks, you could even be their parents’ enemy.”
“I’m serious…I have no idea,” Sunghoon said, confused at the situation.
“It’s…good to see you again.”
“What’s wrong with you all of a sudden?”
“I’m…I’m just happy you’re here.”
I could tell something was up. Toh and Wanhu were acting like dogs that needed to go out. I also noticed them shoot glances at Sunghoon. The same went with the other San Tuan Guild members.
“Why are you looking at my friend like that?” I was really curious. It made more sense if they were glaring at me like that. I was the one who hurt them. I just could not understand why they would glare at Sunghoon as if they wanted to kill him.
Toh laughed awkwardly. “Oh, it’s nothing.”
Well, whatever. If he says it’s nothing, it must be nothing.
I then shook Toh’s and Wanhu’s hands.
“Woohoo!”
“Good for you!”
The devas gathered around the tower shouted, congratulating us while the San Tuan Guild members remained silent.
“Hey, are you okay? Are you sick? Why are you hands so sweaty?” Even Wanhu’s hand was clammy with sweat.
“We’re just happy it’s over.”
“Well, anyway. Did you bring the item?” I asked Toh. I cared more about that than their awkward demeanor.
I noticed Toh’s expression slightly change, but he quickly nodded at took out the item for his inventory. I checked it as soon as he handed it over to check that it really was a Rank 8 item.
-It’s not a trap? This is for real?- I couldn’t help but think to myself. I came all the way here, suspecting that they would try something, but they just handed it right over.
“You guys…aren’t that bad after all. I’m sorry I ever doubted you.” I shook their hands once more. “I really misjudged you two. You guys are great friends to have.” I even hugged them. “Well, it’s time for me to go. Go easy with taking money from gamblers and try not to steal Stat points from pitiful fellows, okay?” I then turned around and quickly left the stage.
“Master, can we go now?! I feel like there’s a hole in the back of my head now. I don’t know about my HP, but I can feel my fatigue going up!”
I laughed. “That’s why you shouldn’t go around doing bad things. You have too much bad karma.”
“Oh, come on! I said I’ve never been here before!”
And like that, we all left the tower in one piece; all three hundred and one of us.
“Mr. Do shouldn’t even look in Macau’s direction more,” Ebonene joked, laughing as we flew away from Macau.
I had spent a whole month in Macau, but now, it didn’t seem like a waste anymore. I managed to get two high-ranked items.
“I’m paying for drinks once we get back to Cairo.”
“Hey, hey! Are we having some fun tonight, master?”
“Yeah! We’re partying the night away!”
“Dumba.s.s…” Wai Chung said to himself as he watched Toh and Wanhu look at each other in despair. He came here expecting something great from what they told him yesterday, but nothing happened.
It was obvious that the San Tuan Guild had a trick up their sleeve, but something happened and they couldn’t use it.
“Weiban.”
“Yes, guild master.”
“Lower the San Tuan Guild’s rank by one.”
“Yes sir.”
Wai Chung turned around and began walk away. There was nothing else to see here. He disappeared after seven steps.
Weiban watched his father disappear before turning to look at Toh and Wanhu. “It’s obvious that worm was too strong to catch; it could happen. But you should have targeted his weak points instead, like the Myth Guild or his home country. Or, if you couldn’t handle all of your guild members dying, you shouldn’t have bothered him in first place.” He turned around to walk away, but stopped himself.
“Actually… Korea might be too hard. The Sunbin Guild is there.” At that instant, Weiban disappeared as well.