Chapter 163 : Delivery
Chapter 163: Delivery
“Hello, viewers. And Chloe and Seongcheol-nim, have you been well?”
“Hi, Nayeon! Seongcheol also Hi!”
“Yes. Hello.”
-Jeongha~ Clha~ Chaha~
-There are three different greetings
-ㅎㅇㅎㅇ
-Let’s unify with ‘Haekha’ (Not happening)
“By the way, Seongcheol-nim. I watched the team member auction broadcast last time. Seeing someone who’s always been beside me from afar gave me a really new feeling.”
“Haha. Thank you. It’s been a while since I participated as an official commentator, so it felt very new to me too.”
Finally, the SSR Cup team member auction had ended, and the first practice period until alliance designation had begun, but the ‘Nuclear Tourism’ content continued without stopping.
It was only natural. The tournament’s practice period was given for almost several weeks, and they couldn’t skip content during all that time.
In a situation where they were broadcasting regular content rather than ordinary personal broadcasts, they had to consider team practice as a kind of additional schedule.
There was a reason the biggest obstacle to participating in tournaments was the difficulty of juggling personal broadcasts and team practice.
-ㄹㅇ It was new
-Something felt unfamiliar
-I suddenly realized he was an official commentator
-Made me wonder how they recruited him in the first place
“How did I recruit him? Just like now, I had the strongest weapon back then too.”
‘Life Achievement Geuma’ donated ‘1000 won’!
[Hackphysical’s connections are indeed the strongest weapon ㅇㅇ;]
Though Jeong Nayeon spoke boastfully with her nose in the air, no one could refute her. Leaving aside the tiger’s authority aspect, her words were based on facts.
The connection with Baek Woohyun, who had set the entire community ablaze and even made the operators appear with just one surprise broadcast appearance, was certainly worthy of being called that.
In fact, the ‘Nuclear Tourism’ content had grown to this size precisely because she had freely wielded Baek Woohyun as her ultimate trump card.
For personal broadcasters where people’s attention is paramount, there could be no weapon more powerful than a connection with such a figure.
“Anyway, I’m really glad that the ‘Nuclear Payment Team Member Gacha’ content ended well.”
“Wait, ‘Nuclear Payment Team Member Gacha’?”
-Chloe was startled by the content name ㅋㅋ
-It does sound crazy
-? Isn’t that normal though?
-You’ve already been tainted by Cha’s naming sense
Cha Seongcheol grinned and adjusted his black horn-rimmed glasses at Chloe’s surprised question.
“That’s right. It’s a name I came up with after careful consideration. Isn’t it good? Appropriately direct yet appropriately metaphorical. Haha!”
“Oh…”
“Yes…”
-The name is really terrible…
-But isn’t this decent?
-I thought so too, but thinking about it again, I just got used to it ㅇㅇ
-At least I’m satisfied there are no damn parentheses
The three panelists chatted briefly like that.
When Baek Woohyun appeared on the hologram screen, the studio’s topic naturally shifted to that.
“Today’s Woohyun is in Test Subject attire. Since we did the Otherworld Management Bureau side last time, does this mean he’ll continue the Manmulsang side story?”
“Certainly, it did end rather abruptly because of the Otherworld Lord’s sudden appearance.”
“He didn’t even receive the promised reward from Manmulsang.”
-Existing request + additional request + wrong information compensation
-Come to think of it, there’s a lot to receive
-I wonder what they’ll give
-We’ll see at least 3-option equipment ㅇㅇ
“You’ve finally arrived!”
The owner of Manmulsang, the ‘Owner,’ welcomed the returning Baek Woohyun with great delight. The joy in his voice was evident.
Well, Manmulsang was currently fighting fiercely with the Research Facility-Corporate Alliance, so it was understandable he’d want to borrow even a baby’s hand if it meant gaining strength.
He’d already entrusted Baek Woohyun, who had come almost like a raid, with a request to smash a research facility immediately.
Therefore, even if he had to give massive rewards, there was no reason to dislike the arrival of a powerhouse who could single-handedly annihilate two research facilities.
What would happen after all battles with the Research Facility-Corporate Alliance ended was uncertain, but that was far in the future anyway.
The fact that he pushed back the armed guards who still hadn’t lowered their vigilance with a “That’s enough” showed the Owner’s genuine welcome.
“I’ve been waiting for when you’d come. Customer ‘Avenger.'”
“…The request reward?”
“Of course, I’ve prepared it.”
Click.
A tray containing several items emerged through the hole beneath the partition, and the armed guard protecting the interior handed it to Baek Woohyun.
Instead of using his hands, he received and checked it with telekinesis, finding three items total on the tray.
A black card, a ring, and a bracelet.
“2 billion in clean money you can use as you please. And two pieces of equipment guaranteed to have considerable effects on supernatural ability enhancement.”
“……”
“The ring contains the [Steel Curtain] skill, and the bracelet contains the [Whirlpool] skill.”
[「’Steel Wall’」]
[First effect, supernatural ability skill power increases]
[Second effect, supernatural ability skill cooldown decreases]
[Third effect, can use [Steel Curtain]]
[*These effects only apply in PVE content]
[「’Rough Vortex’」]
[First effect, wind attribute supernatural ability skill power increases]
[Second effect, wind attribute Core Element ability is enhanced]
[Third effect, can use [Whirlpool]]
[*These effects only apply in PVE content]
By ‘their’ standards, these were quite decent equipment.
The regrettable part was that the bracelet [「’Rough Vortex’」] was specialized only for wind attributes, making it awkward for the current Baek Woohyun to use.
Of course, he could use [Whirlpool], but wearing [「’Rough Vortex’」] just for that was close to wasteful.
‘I’ll use it temporarily and dispose of it.’
“May I ask one question?”
“Speak.”
“What was the research facility inside the Reverse World like? I’m asking what research they were conducting there and what level of enemies appeared!”
No matter how excellent Manmulsang’s information network was, learning what happened inside the Reverse World would be impossible.
Especially since it was an even more dangerous Reverse Otherworld, and the Lord of Storms had burst out at the end and smashed everything.
So he must be requesting information from Baek Woohyun, the only one who entered and came out alive.
“I’m naturally aware that information is money. I’ll increase the amount in the card I handed over according to the information’s value.”
“……”
After a brief silence, Baek Woohyun’s mouth opened.
“The research facility bastards were all dead. They seemed to have fallen to the monsters they created.”
“Monsters they created…? What kind was it?”
“It was similar to a Dimensional Invader. Without horns and with normal skin color. Probably a modified Test Subject from the research facility.”
“Hmm.”
The Owner let out a groan.
As if he hadn’t risen to lead Manmulsang for nothing, he seemed to instantly grasp the danger of a half-baked Dimensional Invader resembling a human.
The horrific situation that would arise if a Dimensional Invader whose identity wasn’t clearly revealed by horns and skin color operated secretly on Earth was obvious without saying.
If the Test Subject who accepted the Otherworld’s power had maintained their sanity, this worry wouldn’t exist, but that wasn’t the case, hence the problem.
Baek Woohyun saying it was similar to a Dimensional Invader meant he no longer regarded it as a fellow Test Subject, and the Owner caught on immediately.
“Did you kill it?”
“Couldn’t kill it. A giant made of storms appeared in the middle and smashed the Reverse World.”
“A giant made of storms…!”
Though Baek Woohyun spoke casually, the Owner couldn’t take it that way.
If his words were true, it meant the cooperation between the research facility and Otherworld had reached a far more dangerous level than thought.
Moreover, it meant Baek Woohyun was strong enough to survive a situation where a giant made of storms smashed the Reverse World.
“Then the research at the Reverse Otherworld facility was…”
“Using the Otherworld’s power to modify Test Subjects.”
“Did you happen to bring anything? Our Manmulsang will purchase it for a corresponding price, whatever it may be.”
“Hmm.”
What suddenly crossed Baek Woohyun’s mind was the Tempest-L Specimen he’d collected from the research facility in the Reverse Otherworld.
He’d brought it out since it was part of the mission, but he still had no idea where to use it.
Actually, even if he knew where to use it, he didn’t particularly want to. Because he disliked the Otherworld almost as much as the Research Facility-Corporate Alliance.
‘The question is whether it’s okay to hand this over to Manmulsang.’
Baek Woohyun looked at the partition with narrowed eyes. As if trying to see through the Owner’s face beyond it.
If Manmulsang found a way to screw over both the Otherworld and Research Facility-Corporate Alliance bastards with the Tempest-L Specimen he handed over, that would be fine.
No, strictly speaking, it would be the best. The optimal result that could be produced with the only Tempest-L Specimen he’d stolen.
But what if they didn’t do that and Manmulsang also researched to harness the Otherworld’s power like the Research Facility-Corporate Alliance?
The possibility of Manmulsang, which already knew that Otherworld power could be injected into humans, tampering with it was definitely not low.
He was sick of hearing ‘We can control it!’ conceit anymore.
“……”
After brief deliberation, Baek Woohyun made his decision.
He took out the Tempest-L Specimen from <Shadow Storage> and held it in his hand.
“This is what those research facility bastards called the Tempest-L Specimen.”
“Oh…!”
“I’ll sell it if you want. But there’s a condition.”
“What is it?”
“—Don’t pull any tricks.”
Gooooo—!
Baek Woohyun’s two eyes visible between the mask flashed with an eerie ash-gray color.
Furthermore, transparent flames blazed from his entire body with tremendous force, as if proving the total amount of power he’d drawn up.
The overwhelming pressure pouring out like a waterfall instantly engulfed the interior of Manmulsang, and the armed guards aimed their guns at him in shock.
Even with over a dozen gun barrels pointed at him, Baek Woohyun didn’t shrink back at all.
“If you bastards try to steal and use the Otherworld’s power like the research facility with this.”
“……”
“I’ll judge you bastards as the same as the research facility and kill you all. Understood?”
“…Haha. Understood. I promise.”
Even before Baek Woohyun openly displaying killing intent, the Owner’s voice remained calm. Even though the armed guards were sweating profusely.
Whether this was because he had a bold personality or because he didn’t exist beyond the partition was unknown, but regardless.
Having received an answer, Baek Woohyun judged there was no need to pressure further and withdrew his aura.
“Take it.”
Baek Woohyun placed the Tempest-L Specimen on the tray he’d received items from and sent it back with telekinesis to the hole in the partition.
Soon, something moved busily beyond the partition that took the tray, then quickly subsided.
“Confirmation complete. Customer ‘Avenger.'”
“……”
“After measuring the value of the previous information and Tempest-L Specimen, we judged it worth 3 billion won and added that amount to the card we gave you earlier.”
A total of 5 billion won was enough to secure a luxury house in Seoul within ‘Reverse Planet,’ complete all interior decorating, and still have money left over.
Whether Baek Woohyun would leisurely enjoy the housing system was unknown, but it was certainly an unbelievable amount to obtain from one request.
“Oh, now that I think about it, there’s a request that came in for customer ‘Avenger.'”
“What is it?”
“A group of people in the same situation contacted us saying they wanted to reach out.”
“…!”
Baek Woohyun’s eyes widened.
And for good reason—a group of those in the same situation, meaning former Test Subjects, was all too familiar to him.
The comrades from ‘that’ world had finally reached out to him in this world too.