Chapter 323: The Battle for a Spouse (1)
Right before the event was about to begin.
In ‘Myohwaru,’ the largest tavern in Luoyang, the Empire’s esteemed guests and the elders of the Martial Alliance gathered together.
Among them, the two men standing by the lake drew the most attention.
They were ‘Penheimer,’ representing the Empire, and ‘Ma Taebong,’ the leader of the Martial Alliance.
“I never imagined… we’d be standing here, sharing a drink like this.”
“Heh heh heh. Truly, you never know how things will turn out. I’m deeply grateful to you. Thanks to you, we were able to avoid the worst-case scenario.”
Ma Taebong expressed his sincere gratitude.
Having been saved from the Heavenly Demon Cult, it was only natural for him to feel such emotions.
“What did I do? The one who truly turned the tide in battle was Sir Abraham.”
Penheimer glanced at Abraham, who was standing nearby, partially obscured by the shadows. Abraham gave a brief nod.
“Oh! So, you’re the master who fought against the White Ghoul. I’ve heard of your remarkable prowess.”
The White Ghoul, who slaughtered master-level experts like tearing apart paper.
It was Abraham who had stood against that monster.
Though his dazzling appearance often overshadowed it, Ma Taebong immediately recognized Abraham’s level.
He was by no means beneath him.
“He was no ordinary foe. But what caught me off guard was that he managed to escape from that situation.”
Abraham clenched his teeth as he recalled the memory.
To think that the White Ghoul would break through the encirclement of the knights alone.
Even when completely cornered, the White Ghoul found a way out and fled.
The fact that he couldn’t finish him off continued to weigh heavily on his mind.
“Don’t let it bother you too much. With Sama-ja gone, it will be difficult for the remnants of the Heavenly Demon Cult to regroup. Besides, today isn’t a day for worries; it’s a day to celebrate. Let’s drink and enjoy the moment.”
“Indeed. And it seems the event is about to begin.”
Penheimer pointed to an ornate hourglass.
*Swish.*
*Swish…*
The sand inside was quickly trickling down.
It was almost time.
At the same time, a strange tension began to build between the two men.
“By the way, is the Empire seriously going to participate in this competition?”
“Of course. We believe the one who deserves to be Player Kang Jinhyuk’s spouse is someone of beauty and grace, and we have just the person.”
“Hah! If it’s beauty and grace, we have no shortage on our side either. Besides, our youngest daughter is of age, and we were considering her marriage. She’s quite fond of Young Master Kang as well, so this would be perfect.”
“Oh dear, perhaps you should reconsider. With our Second Princess in the running, the outcome is already decided.”
“What? Are you implying my daughter isn’t good enough?”
“Haha. Did it come across that way? My apologies, I guess my true feelings slipped out.”
The previously warm atmosphere turned icy.
No longer were they exchanging compliments and talking about the future.
There was only one thing neither side could afford to yield…
And that was securing a connection to Jinhyuk.
Both sides were ready to stake everything on this.
Right then.
*Ding!*
[Due to the authority of the two factions, the ‘Battle for a Spouse’ event has begun.]
The hourglass had emptied.
The status window began flashing repeatedly.
[Broadcast system activated.]
[Viewers are joining.]
[Those within the Tower who wish to participate, please start registering.]
The war had begun.
—
*Chomp chomp.*
Alice stuffed her mouth full of Yangjangpi and Dongpo pork. [1] [2]
Her cheeks puffed out like a hamster’s as she continued to chew.
“There’s plenty of food left, so you can… eat slowly, right?”
Teresa murmured, her voice tinged with concern.
Watching Alice empty her seventh plate, Teresa was beyond amazed—she was in awe.
“Sister, you’re incredible in so many ways. It’s not like you have a subspace inventory in your stomach. How does all that food fit into your tiny body?”
Even Andrea, who had come to explore the martial world, was wide-eyed with surprise.
“You should take it easy. If you get indigestion, you’ll experience discomfort or pain centered in your upper abdomen. It could lead to various pathological conditions related to the stomach or duodenum.”
Lastly, Chun Yoosung added a casual remark.
But Alice, oblivious to their comments, perked up her ears and scanned the room for her next meal.
“I’m going to get that.”
Seeing the roast Peking duck on the grill, Alice suddenly got up from her seat.
She walked briskly, and before long, she managed to load up a plate with the perfectly roasted duck.
“Hehe. The leg is always the best part.”
Alice savored the tender, flavorful leg meat as she bit into it.
Just then…
*Ding!*
A status window appeared in front of everyone in the banquet hall.
“Munch munch… Huh?”
Alice’s eyes widened.
Accommodation vouchers. Garden… Restaurant.
Spouse, spouse, spouse, spouse. Spouse.
Everything else faded from her vision.
“How dare they! The ‘Eternal Rose’ is mine!”
Alice tossed the Peking duck aside and joined the fray.
[‘Alice von Ataraxia’ has been confirmed as a participant.]
[All abilities are sealed.]
[You may invest coins or other items to regain some of your abilities or to hinder your opponents.]
A few conditions were set to add flavor to the competition.
To win this event, it was crucial to invest coins and resources wisely to gain an advantage.
Moreover, due to the contract with the sub-administrator Rick, viewers could participate via the ‘Broadcast System,’ making this event even more exciting.
“Huh?”
Alice’s eyes widened further.
Suddenly, viewers began pouring into the activated status window.
-Zero Cider: Finally got in.
-Dark Choco Cookie: My heart is racing. A personal broadcast channel for the silver-haired beauty.
-Ripple4600 Buyer: I’m holding on to this coin. Trust me.
“What are these lowly beings? I’m about to make the most important decision in the world. Do not interfere.”
Alice frowned.
-No Jinhwa: Sister, we’re here to support you.
-Riope: Looking at the competition, Teresa, Andrea, and a few others are strong contenders, but we still have the best odds. Even though the payout is lower. ㅠㅠ
-soe: I don’t care about the odds. I can’t stand the thought of Jinhyuk dating someone else. Not until there’s dirt in my eyes. Brother, time to use your Yoosung form.
-NangNang: Can’t argue with that. ㅋㅋㅋㅋ.
Thanks to the videos Jinhyuk had posted, Alice’s popularity was through the roof.
However, despite being part of the Veteran Corporation, Alice had remained somewhat of a mystery compared to Teresa or Chun Yoosung, as relatively little information about her had been released.
This mystery was driving viewers wild with excitement.
“So, if I buy those items, my chances of getting the rose increase?”
-MIN: Yup. But we’ve checked the prices, and they’re insanely expensive. You’ll need to be really careful about your choices.
-Hobin: There are about 100 types of items, and each one costs a fortune.
-WoofWoof: It costs as much as building a large guild or sustaining an S-rank raid team.
-Don’t Worry: Don’t stress. We’ll help you pick the best bang for your buck.
-Asyam: Let’s start by buying the item that tracks Jinhyuk’s location. That seems the most useful. Binding and slow-scrolls also look good.
-vie: Trust us!
“Expensive…”
When weighing the idea of a day out with Jinhyuk against selling the wealth she had hoarded for thousands of years…
There was no comparison.
A crimson subspace opened behind Alice.
—
While the atmosphere was heating up…
Jinhyuk, perched quietly atop a secluded pavilion, let out a small sigh.
“So the martial arts tournament was about me being the prize.”
From the Wudang Sect, So Cheong-ah, the head disciple, had stepped up.
From Mount Hua, Baek Seol-rin had entered.
And with the youngest daughter of the Martial Alliance leader also participating, it seemed the entire martial world was vying to make him their son-in-law.
On top of that…
From the Empire, several families of Marquis and Count rank had thrown their hats into the ring.
The event reached its peak when the Second Princess, ‘Victoria,’ officially entered on behalf of the Reinhardt Imperial Family.
“Andrea and Teresa too… This is seriously intense.”
There were a total of 279 participants.
Just thinking about it made Jinhyuk’s head throb.
Still, the good news was…
This wasn’t a one-sided event where he only stood to lose.
[Time Remaining: 3h:57m:27s]
[Reward: If you protect the ‘Eternal Rose’ within the time limit, you will receive the corresponding item.]
The Eternal Rose was a special event item with an absolute charm effect.
It had the power to increase favorability with targets even up to twice his level.
It wouldn’t work on those above the 50th floor, but it could be effective against lower-ranked divine beings in the upper floors.
‘I must get my hands on this. It’ll give me an edge in dealing with the Nordic gods.’
All I need to do is hold out for four hours.
In this vast city of Luoyang, how hard could it be to last four hours?
There was just one problem.
Jinhyuk glanced down at the clothes he was wearing.
A black tuxedo and a red rose pinned to his chest.
It looked great, but it was far too conspicuous.
‘This won’t be easy.’
Just then…
*Tap!*
Jinhyuk sensed a presence behind him.
“Jinhyuk…?”
It was Teresa.
Jinhyuk instinctively took a few steps back.
“That’s a little too convenient to be lost, don’t you think? What brings you here?”
“Well… actually, I didn’t really want to force this, but… my father asked me to, and… honestly, I kind of wanted to walk in the garden with you… Ugh…”
Teresa fumbled with her words, blushing to the nape of her neck out of embarrassment.
-him: Don’t be embarrassed! Just grab the rose!
-yeeeeeeeee: Yeah, yeah. Let Teresa do whatever she wants!
-SsoongSsoong: I’ve been waiting a year for this. Is it finally happening?
-fashionister: Hurry up. The martial world and Empire are also buying tracking items with everything they’ve got.
The viewers who had bet on Teresa frantically spammed the chat.
But Teresa, still unsure of what to do, continued to fidget in place.
And at that moment…
“Ah! Not now… wait a minute!”
Teresa suddenly shouted in panic.
But it was too late.
[Another personality of Teresa forcibly activates ‘Corruption’!]
*Whoosh!*
The sacred energy around Teresa turned dark.
A Fallen Saintess.
A newly emerged Teresa, exuding a seductive and sinister aura.
“I can’t stand watching anymore. Big sis will play with you all day, so hand over that rose.”
*Srrng!*
Teresa drew her sword.
The ‘Blessing of the Stars’ sword, now dyed black, flared with dark energy.
“Uh… Aren’t you close with Chun Yoosung? Wouldn’t it be awkward if we became the Tower’s official couple?”
Jinhyuk tried to buy some time.
But…
“Why not have both?”
Time-wasting tactics didn’t work on Teresa.
-Brilliant Answer!
-Inster: Let’s go for the reverse harem!!
-Tokkobaks: Finish it quickly before others arrive. I’ve invested my entire fortune here!
-Sunset: Yoosung supports this wholeheartedly.
It seemed like the viewers were just as chaotic as the player.
Jinhyuk had a feeling this was going to be a rough day.
***
Footnotes:
[1] Yangjangpi (양장피): This is a cold dish often served as an appetizer. It consists of shredded vegetables, seafood (like jellyfish or squid), and sometimes meat, all arranged on a plate and served with a tangy mustard sauce. The dish is mixed together just before eating. It’s a Korean-Chinese fusion dish that’s popular in Korean Chinese cuisine.
[2] Dongpo Pork (동파육): This dish is also known as “Dongpo Rou” in Chinese. It’s a famous Chinese dish made with braised pork belly that’s slow-cooked in a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, and various spices, resulting in a tender and flavorful dish. The dish is named after the Song dynasty poet Su Dongpo, who is credited with inventing or popularizing it.