Chapter 310
[The ’Expert of Twisted Hallucinations’ warns you to act.]
[The ’Snake of Alcohol and Dancing’ tells you to do as much as you can.]
[The ’Demon of Contract and Order’ despises it as needlessly barbaric.]
[The ‘Warrior Stained with Madness and Blood’ is praising you.]
[The ‘Greedy Owner of the Treasure House’ is extremely furious that the stock price went down! He declares that he will tear your kingdom to shreds!]
[...]
The plot of the explosion constellation elicited a response from the other evil god constellations. Not all of them liked chaos and destruction. They only liked themselves.
Moreover, the treasure constellation fed on the greed of human beings for wealth. Thus, he got extremely angry when the stock prices were driven into the ground by the riots in China that had resulted from the explosion constellation’s plan.
[The ‘Black Magician Who Shares Everything’ is sending you a message.]
[He is requesting a face-to-face meeting!]
“?”
Choi Yeonseung was puzzled by what the black magician constellation proposed. Normally, they wouldn’t have gotten involved with each other.
-What?
-I’m also confused, but since you’ve become stronger in your own way, receiving various offers wouldn’t be surprising.
Choi Yeonseung heard the goddess’ words and checked his ranking. He was ranked twenty-sixth.
‘Did I go up three rankings after the last constellation battle in the United Kingdom?’
Now that all the constellations were competing fiercely with each other, it was hard for all of them to maintain their rating. Therefore, moving up three ranks was great.
Even at that moment, unknown constellations were flocking to Earth in order to climb up the ranks. A constellation that was ranked twenty-sixth was powerful enough to put even the most advanced constellations on guard.
In addition to his impressive rank, Choi Yeonseung was the most active constellation, and what made him even more fearsome was the fact that he actively allied with others to bring down the constellations above him.
‘Is this why the Black Magician Who Shares Everything wants to see me?’
No constellation ever revealed how powerful it was, but no matter how much it tried to hide its true power, others could guess to some extent.
-Isn’t the black magician constellation in the top thirty or twenty?
-I was thinking that too.
The black magician constellation hadn’t taken over any areas on Earth. Moreover, he wasn’t particularly famous as only the few hunters who practiced black magic knew about him…
Even if he was popular in the Abyss, he was bound to have limitations on Earth.
-I’m curious about his intentions.
***
[The ‘Black Magician Who Shares Everything’ apologizes for what happened last time.]
[He says that there was a conflict between each other’s household members.]
‘Such an annoying bastard...’
The tone of the black magician constellation offended Choi Yeonseung. Of course, he naturally spoke like that because he didn’t know that Choi Yeonseung was of human descent. In the eyes of the constellations of the Abyss, the humans of Earth were nothing more than chess pieces.
“Get to the point.”
[He says that he thinks he was deceived by ‘Endless Linked Explosions.’]
‘I guess so.’
Of course, the black magician constellation had gained some notoriety, but it was the explosion constellation that had benefited the most from the incident. Because of that, Choi Yeonseung, too, was wary of the explosion constellation.
‘He’s occupied no land and his followers are so obscure that people look down on him. It wasn’t as easy as he had thought.’
Above all, the explosion constellation had a good understanding of Earth. He had been aware that if all the Chinese talents were killed in South Korea, both countries would essentially go to war with each other!
While Choi Yeonseung could see through and comprehend such schemes, other constellations couldn’t.
“So? What do you want me to do?”
[’Black Magician Who Shares Everything’ proposes working together this one time in order to retaliate against ‘Endless Linked Explosions.’]
“...?”
Was he talking about a constellation battle?
Regardless if it would be a constellation battle or an all-out war in the Abyss, Choi Yeonseung had no intention of getting involved. He had already beaten the explosion constellation once, although it had been just a casual game in which they didn’t go all out against each other.
If they were to go all out against each other, it would be difficult to predict what type of constellation battle he would have to fight.
‘I’d have to play a match that I’m guaranteed to win.’
That was the most important tactic, even though it sounded dirty.
[The ‘Black Magician Who Shares Everything’ says that ‘Endless Linked Explosions’ will soon get the Second Realm.]
[He says there will be an attack right away.]
“...???”
Choi Yeonseung doubted his ears.
Right now, the Second Realm was...
‘Is he talking about the next area of the Abyss that the Demon of Contract and Order currently rules?’
Choi Yeonseung had tried to gain the Second Realm when negotiating with the demon constellation. Of course, he had backed down because the demon constellation had strongly rejected him. However, the explosion constellation was currently targeting it.
It didn’t make any sense…
[The ‘Black Magician Who Shares Everything’ swears that ‘Endless Linked Explosions’ has a plan.]
‘In terms of overall abilities, I think the demon constellation is currently stronger than me.’
The demon constellation had to have higher stats than Choi Yeonseung. He had taken over parts of a continent and continuously exploited mortals.
No matter how he looked at it, Choi Yeonseung didn’t think that the explosion constellation was stronger than the demon constellation.
“Well, let me know when that actually happens. It’s too early to say this when it hasn’t even happened yet.”
[The ‘Black Magician Who Shares Everything’ says to wait and see.]
At any rate, Choi Yeonseung called to the demon constellation just in case. Of course, the demon constellation found it so absurd that he quickly disregarded it.
[The ‘Demon of Contract and Order’ says there is nothing to worry about.]
...Yet surprisingly, the demon constellation did in fact lose the Second Realm to the explosion constellation. It wasn’t through a constellation battle or through deception. The explosion constellation had taken the Second Realm through an all-out war.
This event shocked the constellations of the Abyss and caused them to speculate about the difference in each other’s strength.
***
“Ah… I really don’t get it.”
Choi Yeonseung looked away, ignoring the discussions of the shocked constellations. The atmosphere in the Abyss was frantic, but he still had to properly handle his tasks on Earth.
“Could you please release me?” pleaded Yang Hiafeng. He had never been this polite in his entire life.
The director of the Beijing 31st High School, who was next to him, also spoke in a very gentle voice, “I’ve always looked up to you. It’s a real shame that we get to meet in these circumstances...”
Their words would’ve been more plausible had they not been in handcuffs. Given that they had been caught and detained, they desperately tried to butter Choi Yeonseung up.
“Don’t worry too much. I’ll let you go.”
“!”
“!!”
Hearing that, the two detainees were overjoyed. They had heard before that Choi Yenseung was a broad-minded person, and now they were convinced it was true!
‘Thank you, Choi Yeonseung! I’ll spread words of praise about you when I get back!’
‘I’m saved...!’
They could’ve spent thirty years rotting in a prison in a foreign country. It was hard to believe that they would be released just like that.
At that moment, all they felt was gratitude and relief.
“By the way... Um…” said Choi Yeonseung in a low voice, looking rather apologetic.
“??”
“????”
The way he spoke made the two detainees nervous. Why was he speaking like that…?
‘Did something happen?’
‘Maybe some of us will still be imprisoned...’
“The talents you’ve brought here have applied for asylum.”
“...”
“...”
The two detainees froze, unable to comprehend what Choi Yeonseung had just told them.
“W-what nonsense is this? Why do they have to go to South Korea?”
“Uh, well...”
Choi Yeonseung failed to answer, but Han Seha went out of her way to answer on his behalf, “They must’ve felt betrayed when the director abandoned them and ran away!”
“Seha, that’s true, but when you say it like that... Well, I guess it’s understandable if they’re hurt. Yeah, maybe they do have a good reason. Maybe it’s also because of the public opinion in China regarding hunters.”
“...”
The director covered his face in frustration.
“But hey, you survived. You should be grateful for that,” added Choi Yeonseung, trying to comfort him.
“No... If I go back... I’ll get blamed for all of this…”
“It’s not the end of the world. By the way, I hope you can send the families of the talents to South Korea. That might just speed up your release.”
“You are very generous,” Han Seha told him.
“Seha, you don’t have to praise me this much.”
Yang Haifeng and the director were going crazy as they listened to the conversation between the two A-grade hunters.
‘No, shit...’
Yang Haifeng sympathized with the director because he felt that his own situation was overall better. If the director returned to China, he might not die, but he would have to take responsibility for all this mess and lose his position. No matter how many connections he had in the party, the international humiliation along with the large number of Chinese talents feeling the country meant that he would never be safe.
No matter how many connections he had in the party, the international embarrassment + the mass exodus of the prospects exploding at the same time meant he could never be safe.
“M-Mr. Yang Haifeng, please help me.”
“Stay strong! Recently, there are a lot of monsters in the remote areas of the Guizhou Province. If you’re lucky, maybe they’ll just send you there to keep an eye on the monsters...”
“No, not that type of help!”
The director turned pale when he heard about being sent to a remote area.
In any case, it was still too early for Yang Haifeng to feel relieved.
-He served as chairman of the People’s Political Consultative Conference, China’s largest political event, for two seasons...
-He responded resolutely to the recent turmoil and swore to wipe out all the spies of the evil god constellations...
-Let’s all unite...
‘He’s not saying much.’
-There have been a lot of riots these days. If you participate in such things, you’re a bad citizen. Everyone should work together to make sure we all eat and live well...
Then the most shocking words came next.
-...China has declared that in the first half of this year, they will be the first to conquer the next realm in the Abyss. No matter the cost...
“...??????”
Yang Haifeng’s jaw hit the floor.
Compared to other countries, China really deserved to be criticized.
If an S-grade monster emerged and unleashed destruction, the standard procedure in every other country was for the hunters to retreat at first. However, in that situation, China would order all the hunters to find the monster and try to kill it.
How many hunters had been injured or killed when they had tried to capture the First Realm in the Abyss? Of course, that was undisclosed information, so other countries had no idea about that. However, the Chinese hunters knew damn well. They had suffered ten times more casualties than any other country!
Thus, the hunters who had participated in the First Realm operation shuddered at the mere mention of the Abyss. Despite that, China had just officially announced that they would attempt to capture the Second Realm.
Then all the Chinese hunters over there now...
“...I-it’s just a bluff to get rid of the political turmoil, right?”
“Have strength, Yang Haifeng.”
Before he knew it, the director had regained his composure and gave Yang Haifeng a look of pity. It would certainly be better to stay in a remote area and keep an eye out for monsters. He certainly didn’t want to risk his life charging into an unknown land teeming with monsters.
“I seek asylum! I’m going to apply for asylum!”
“N-No, you can’t do that. What are you talking about?”
“Why?! Why?!!!”
-The prisoner is going on a rampage!
-I knew that guy had something to do with the evil god constellation! He’s rotten on the inside!
***
“Something serious, you say?” Choi Yeonseung was puzzled when Lee Changsik came to him and told him they had to talk about something important.
What could it be?
“Hyung, if you need money, I’m more than happy to lend you some. In any case, it’s Gyeongryong hyung’s money. I can give you as much as you want.”
“...No!”
“Oh, that’s not what you wanted to ask?”
Lee Changsik stared at Choi Yeonseung in disbelief.
“I’m going to announce my return.”
“...!”
Choi Yeonseung was surprised. It was rather unusual for a hunter to come out of retirement. They usually retired because of a decline in their abilities, which was why they stayed retired.
“Aren’t you overdoing it? I don’t want you to get yourself hurt for nothing.”
“...I’m doing it because of you.”
“Did I put that much pressure on you? I can handle things by myself.”
“No. I mean, I’m not doing it for you. It’s literally because of you,” explained Lee Changsik, releasing magic power along with his words.
Choi Yeonseung was taken aback by the magic power he exuded. It was surprisingly powerful.
“...Don’t tell me...”
“Yes.”
“Have you been doping?”
“...It’s a power I’ve obtained as a household member!!”
“Ah...!”
Choi Yeonseung was impressed by Lee Changsik’s explanation. Then, upon thinking about it, he was even more surprised.
‘Do I have that power?’
This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶